Monday 4 August 2014

GD: Keren Baker Project #2 Sky And Grass


"Evening All!- Keren back again with a project that could be a bookmark (you'd have to flatten the leaves!) or a little plaque to brighten up a bookshelf. I wanted to explore making elements on project more mouldable and flexible, so plumped for using wire in this project".

For tonights project I've used two stamp sets with a co-ordinating die set.
I thought I'd go with a watercoloured effect on vellum. I stamped out the images onto vellum and then white heat embossed them to give a 'cheats' protection from painting in the wrong places when watercolouring!

I simply used some markers thinned with water to give a watercolour effect and added a couple of colours which I let blend together partially.


I used the matching dies to cut them out (such a boon- a fantastic time-saver).


After they were all cut out, I tried various arrangements of the colours, however it just looked awkward and fussy- so I completely changed both what I was going to create (a little decorated shadow box) and the colour scheme. I've a real love for blue and green (possibly because I'm a country-girl at heart) so plumped for that instead. I went for a subtle 'sky and grass' look using Distress Inks and a Blender Tool.



I added a very thin strip of green cardstock and that's when I started explore with wire effects.

I thought I could make some stamen using wire and a pin. I wanted to position the leaves (they can be petals too!) carefully, so thought I'd add wire through the middle of two 'leaves'.


It works really well- the leaves are totally bendable. I attached the stamen in between two matching flowers then stuck them down.



Next, I added the 'book' definition to the bottom of the Smoothy panel. I actually did a really bad job of stamping but rather than re-inking, blending and stamping, it actually tied in with the watercoloured subtle effect, so I simply high-lighted the letters with a white gel pen and added another leaf underneath (and folded around the card). To help balance the design I thought using gems to act as dispersing pollen would be great to finish with.
    
                  
Hope this has given you a little inspiration to add into your current projects. I'm back again tomorrow for my final project (sniff, sniff!)

~Keren~

Leandra Says: oh how beautiful and delicate is that vellum tulip, so nice to see the stamps and die used in this way. Love all the wirework, awesome tip about putting wire between two leave too. 

Gillian Says: I adore all the elements in this card Keren, particulary the coloured/stamped vellum layers which are striking. Love your thought process on this project.

If you would like to join in this week's challenge and play along with Keren's techniques, then do link up your creativity here, and go in the draw to win some PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by 17:00, Sunday August 10th 2014.

16 comments:

Julie Lee said...

Wow! Keren I love this! The colours are terrific and the ideas excellent. I love the pliability of it! Fabulous work! Julie Ann xxx

Helen said...

What a beautiful project, delicate and pretty!

pennylopes54 said...

This is lovely Keren!

Anonymous said...

So pretty! I love vellum & these flowers look lovely.

margaret said...

That is gorgeous, I may run out of time this week as away from Wednesday but will save for another time!!

Unknown said...

So pretty! I love this effect.

Lin said...

Love it Keren!!

CastleKelly Crafts said...

This is fab, I have to make a wedding card----- I feel some vellum flowers coming into it. Thanks for the brilliant idea with the wire Jane x

Words and Pictures said...

Absolutely love this! The translucency of the vellum makes the tulip completely magical - gorgeous blues and greens too and wonderful wire work - love, love it!
Alison x

Virginia L. said...

Awesome project, Keren! Love the embossing on vellum and gorgeous design/colors!

Rupa Swaminathan said...

So pretty...love the colors you have chosen and embossing on vellum looks cool. The wire idea is brilliant!

Clur said...

Amazing project Keren. I love the colours you used but I also loved the colours of the flowers you didn't use ... I hope they weren't wasted! Brilliant idea using wire to mould the leaves too. As usual, thanks for your inspiration!
Clare
x

Ros Crawford said...

Lovely project! I'm partial to these colours too ... As you can tell from my projects!

Sid said...

Very elegant colouring and design !! Great work !

Carole Z said...

Gorgeous! Beautiful colours and design, X

massofhair said...

As always blown away with your design and colours Keren, love seeing your projects as i find your style full of inspiration :-) xxx