2017 #1 Found Object {by Jennie Atkinson}

 2017 Topic 1: Pink and Orange

Hello PaperArtsy Blog followers

We are starting 2017 with a colour palette designed to kick you out of the winter blues and into the warmth of summer! For those of you in the Sothern Hemisphere, you are there already, but we have been having a nasty winter up here in the Northern zones, so any excuse to forget the cold is most welcome.

Not only are we using this feature to look back at Stampington's historic milestone publication True Colours (a Lynne Perrella initiative), but Jennie is also looking back at our own stamps of the same era, Ink and the Dog Collection.

Hello everyone Jennie here with you on the PA blog tonight.

I have chosen to share with you a vintage canvas panel for this fabulous Pink and Orange Challenge. Yes this IS the pink and orange challenge which for those of you who know me is WAY out of my comfort zone! Normally I'm a very soft vintage browns crafter with perhaps a hint of pink!

It really is good to stretch yourself but by having the boundaries set makes for a much more enjoyable experience.  So I chose to share with you these wonderful Ink and the Dog stamps in a more unusual setting of colours!

I can honestly say that my crafting has changed considerably following the introduction of Infusions last year. I didn't think that I would take to them so readily given their very bright colours, but I find I reach for them all the time as I love the total unpredictability of creating with them.

I primed my canvas with gesso and then added some texture using the Mini Art stencil and Grunge Paste. Once this had fully dried I applied a coat of Fresco Finish Nougat over the whole canvas. Experimenting over the last few weeks I have discovered that the addition of the chalk finish paint softens the Infusions colour slightly and allows me to go in with a lot of water. I love how the three colours mingle together with the walnut stain pulling them all together.

Infusions: Orange Country, Sunset Beach and Are You Cerise 

I used the same colours to paint my flower embellishments - another great look from those fabulous little pots of colour!  I applied the watery Infusions to one of my own Vintage Roses mixing the colours around the petals, and then gave the smaller petals a lighter coat for a bit of contrast. Again I used plenty of water to blend the colours. I love the rich mahogany colour on the main flower!

What I love about PaperArtsy stamp sets is the numerous little bits and pieces you can find either on a single stamp or within the set. The At Home 3 stamp greatly appealed to me for that reason.

The other stamp set I have used is Ephemera 2 - one of my favourites for the same reasons.

See how many pieces for layering I stamped from two of the stamps! Torn edges and Archival Potting Soil blended around the edges gives an old vintage feel to these wonderful stamps.

And then of course the fun is always in the design of the layering on the canvas.

These layers were stuck on top of each other - just a little glue in the middle of each piece so the edges are floating completely free. It looks layered but without adding bulk.

I added foam pads to the vintage lady and also the found object sentiment - I think this adds enough interest without the whole piece being stuck up on foam pads!

Although I have added in some metal embellishments I have painted them with gesso and Fresco Finish Gold to give a more co-ordinated look and as I prefer a non-brassy look. Finally I splattered a bit of watered down gesso here and there.

I actually had no idea where this was going when I started as I wasn't sure how the colours would work with the vintage stamps. I really did stretch myself but I am SO glad that I did, as I  love the way the really colourful Infusions act as the perfect backdrop for the vintage brown embellishments. 

Breaking away from your own boundaries, or stepping outside your comfort zone, is a great way to unlocking what might be holding you back. And it can be so exciting! I hope reading this has inspired you to give it a go too! And if pink and orange are not your colours, then even better!

Jennie x

Jennie Atkinson
Live the Dream

I love that this colour palette challenged you Jennie, but as ever, you win with gorgeous composition and elegant use of colour! Those stamps are as delightful today as they were when we released them back in 2004! Thanks for the beautiful reminder!

~ Leandra

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