2015 Round Up: Circles, Pigments, Wearable Art {curated by Penny Nuttall}

Happy New Year!

So, how's the head after last night ?? New Year's is a bit like Christmas all over again, but a bit louder and maybe a bit more fun too! It's Leandra back here again, and a big welcome to 2016!

There's a phrase that motivational speakers often use to get people fired up and thinking about their future..."What would you do if you KNEW you couldn't fail?". If nothing was a barrier or excuse, what would you do? 

Can you think of lots of little things, or maybe one big thing. Make it personal, this is about you, not your partner, your family, just about you and your deepest wish. Maybe you could write it down to think about it, could you make it happen someday? 

Often our first response (even more so as we get older and grumpier) is 'No' or 'I can't' or 'I don't have time' or perhaps the needs of other people around you might be your imaginary handbrake. But what if those words were 'Yes', 'I can' or 'I'll make time' ??? And what if those closest to you said 'go for it' ....then how would you feel?

How important is it to you, because if you really want to make it happen, I think you can.

You may need to do some research, ask questions, search online, look for help, start a savings plan, perhaps there actually are other options out there for you that might get just a little bit closer to that dream?

I would like nothing more than for you to achieve those things.

Enjoy tonight's post, it's a bit of a mixed bag of topics for Penny to pull together, but she is very resourceful and I'm looking forward to seeing what posts she has selected to highlight tonight!

No snoozing...grab a cuppa and  a slice of Christmas cake (have you got any left?), and let's take a look together shall we!?

Enjoy

Leandra

Hello Bloggers, Penny here, joining you this evening with a special PaperArtsy post.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

I hope you are all feasted, rested and recovered and ready for a gentle stroll through some of the creative treasures of this, or rather last! PaperArtsy Blog year.

I don't know about you, but I certainly have times when the muse disappears and a creative desert seems to stretch before me, leaving frustration and annoyance. Usually its not lack of ideas, but some sort of blockage between mind and hands. I always seem to do better when I am given a project brief and, more importantly, a deadline to meet. That's where the PA blog comes in. It's never an easy process; words, paint and projects fly across the room like something out of a Harry Potter film. I don't always like the end result. But its SO good when something works!

I have really enjoyed seeing the things other people make in both the blog posts and the challenges, and watching their creative process (and the struggles of those who were brave enough to admit them). So let's take a look at just a few........

Topic 16: Circles

Have you ever noticed how nature and circles are connected in a huge number of ways....the circle of life, the geometry of flowers, the architecture of animal homes and many others.

I look to nature all the time for inspiration, and many people in this two-week topic did too.

Here's a work of art by Trish Latimer that has everything for me: it's 3-D, mixed media, naturalistic, wonderfully composed and beautifully made. See how Trish combined artwork, wire and Glossy Accents to create these HERE.

I can see these as lovely pieces of jewellery ....please?

Ruth Mescall took a more direct approach to the natural circles theme with this subtle coloured almost under-the-microscope picture.

Ruth is a master with the Grunge Paste! (I never get it to work this well). It is stencilled and stamped, with just a touch of rubbed on gold to bring out the texture. Lessons please? Check out all her details HERE.

Jo Firth Young is an expert at the "clean and simple". It's not easy. Balance and composition have to be exactly right. I can't do it.  (Note the CAS style commentary here!)

This is my favourite and shows exactly what I mean: the circle and stem balancing, just a little bit of pink at the bottom (!). Love it. Come and refresh your memory as to how Jo was able to work her magic HERE.

I chose this last project because I love it's subtle interpretation of the theme: well that and because it is just really pretty and beautifully presented. I wouldn't have thought of this colour scheme....but I have now....Julie Ann Lee shows how to create this HERE.

There was a huge number of imaginative challenge entries for this topic, but for me this one stood out for all the above reasons. Thank you Ana. K.

Topic 17: Pigment Powders

Pigment powders...hmmm.... Speaking as someone who, you may remember, can't be trusted with a bucket of sand and a hairdryer, anything powdery fills me with dread.

For this topic I decided to look at tips for this technique in an effort to get over the fear.

The most important of these came from Sam Butler: "Don't take the lid off" ! I feel that advice was just for me.  I love this powder cog stencilling and the tinted texture paste. Check out all Sam's tips HERE.

To get this suitably creepy watercolour effect, Helen Chilton rubbed Brusho crystals directly onto the stamp before spritzing with water; clever. See just how she did this and other techniques HERE

Kay Carley stamped and embossed the image in this technique, this  kept the colour a bit more contained: control, I like that. Love the colour choices. See how this transformed into a beautiful card HERE.

In total contrast Catherine Johnson likes the unpredictable, very brave. See how this leap of faith turned out HERE

And Kay Ballard is truly experimental, so much inspiration in this post, so many techniques to try, see them all HERE.

And only Darcy could come up with damp baby wipes and a heat gun! These are brilliant to stitch into. Check out how they transformed into a moorland scene HERE.

The challenge entries didn't fail to inspire either.

                               

I chose this one, for the colour (love that bit of green), balance, texture and the poignant words. In this post Pavla Hozikova also shows how to make your own powders.

Topic 18: Wearable Art

Are you still with me or are you catching up on your festive sleeps?

Wearable art is what I do, and I love it. You can see my process for creating this fabulous corset HERE.

Lynne Moncrieff's delicate heart in a box tells of history, riches and love (oh dear getting all poetic now). The faded lavender colour and the distressed crackle paint and tissue stamped

heart tell the story and the box with tags present it beautifully. See how she uses neutral shades so effectively HERE.

I wanted to pick out this detail on Nicole Maki's happy and very skilfully stamped apron. Stamping on fabric comes with it's own specific difficulties but no problem here. I love this layered flower and the detail of the stitching in the centre. Wearable art can be more art than wearable but I would happily wear this. Check out the finished apron HERE.

SO pretty Diana Taylor! A combination of Ellen's tribal style stamps with Tim Holtz dies, Glossy Accents and black glitter on black. Look for versatility in your stash and make unusual combinations. Think outside the box! These wearable pieces are just stunning, see them HERE.

Wanda Hentges has painted and stamped on stretchy t-shirt material with such skill.I love the design of this, so balanced and well thought out and worn with pride. it looks so professional, see how she explains her process HERE.

My last challenge choice: Lucy Edmondson's floral espadrilles. Dreams of colour, sunshine and dry weather! Lovely.

And finally from me....

I know I said I like a challenge but come on Leandra, there are limits to what this tiny brain can process! Basically, you want a mash-up of the three themes put together? so I put my thinking hat on..........and then PaperArtsied it.

I took something circley from JOFY, with circle wires and round button centres, coloured with powder pigment into wet (had no powders so scraped Inktense sticks with a craft knife) and some gold leaf here and there, and topped my hat!

And there it is. For more photographs and detailed step by steps take a look at my blog page

I would also like to thank all the other blog and challenge contributors for their inspirational work. I have only scratched the surface of this year's talent, so take a bit of your recovery/ sorry! holiday time to look back for yourself .

Best Wishes to All,  

Penny.

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