PA 2017: Blog Year in review: Topics 5-8

Good Evening again from PaperArtsy HQ,

Over the next few days we are taking a look back at some of the magnificent posts we featured over the Spring period of 2017 on the PaperArtsy blog. 

Tonight I'm sharing some highlights from Topics 5-8. Grab some Xmas foodie leftovers and a cuppa, and lets take a look!

Leandra 

Topic 5: Blue and Ochre

As I explained yesterday, every round in 2017 we kicked off with a 'colour combo', as featured in Stampington's True Colours publication. Another combo in there which I use time and time again is blue and ochre.  It does take some care, because mix those 2, and you create a lovely green, which is fine if you want green, but if you perfer the contrast these 2 colours offer, then you do need to work with dry layers to maintain each colour's integrity. Let's see what some of the bloggers got up to...

My first pick is this incredibly detailed journal spread by Chris Cresswell. I could stare at it for an absolute age! Interactive doors, beautifully layered flowers, and all the colours pop and contrast so well!. Caramel and Toffee are 2 of our paint colours that often get overlooked, but those with Pumpkin Soup, and tadaaa....Chris has created a range of ochre  tones so perfectly!

And I hope you didn't miss this booklet by Claire Snowdon. She brayered her backgrounds, used masks with Distress Inks for added depth.

You can see the contrasting shades just sit together  so well. At the end of the day we are talking blue and orange, but if you take orange into the rustic ochre direction, you can also change your blues too, creating a softer contrast.

So are you ready for a Lauren doozy? One of her weird and whacky zinski-world creations?

Well we were so busy with Ally Pally when this published, that it really did not get the attention it deserved! A 3 dimensional, interactive Zinski zone!

Her flower-puffing technique fascinated people, but can you see how she does it to the Zinski birds too! She even has roof shingles and stained glass windows!

Topic 6: Resin and UTEE

For many people, melting embossing powders is thier first 'wow' crafty experience. When you see the powder melt, perhaps it's a shiny raised pop, or a molten metallic medallion, but it just is super-cool when you start to learn the myriad of techniques this product offers. Then, when you get hold of the larger UTEE crystals, OMG, the things you can do!!
Resin is a pretty broad term, and at the other end of the scale we have those 2 part mixes that set up hard, and are wonderful for jewellery, small niches, and even seal floors , canvases or tables!

My first pick is this striking panel of tiles by Nikki Acton. Not only is the colour contrasting, but that tile is very clever in the way she floats a stampled image in the top layer so delicately.

Not everything went exactly to plan for Jennie, but she always pulls it together so perfectly, that in the end you can't imagine it any other way. See here for more.

I don't think I have ever seen anyone master UTEE so elegantly as Lin Brown. In this post she shares a few samples, here is just one of those, where she buries embossed metal into her UTEE. Her finishing touches are always so well executed. How dare she retire! We still crave to see more of her creative exploits!
 

And it must be in the genes of Lin's/ Lynne's - are all L's this good at UTEE exploration! Lynne Moncrieff is well know for her use of resin papers, and here she shares one such trinket composed to perfection!

 

Topic 7 : Found Objects

Well I'm pretty good at losing things, it has to be said, and how frustrating is that! THe number of times i take off my glasses before after showering, and cannot see them to find them again!! Finding things is so much more fun! This topic sent our designers into a spin of activity.

Kim Dellow contrasted the delicacy of acetate, with some rusty washers in this post
 

And we all loved Ellie's forest walk which turned up a range of items that she re-purposed into a forest floor canvas so beautifully.

And Raquel re-purposed all sorts of items to create this coffee puck dispenser for her kitchen!

 

Jennie altered a tin to create a new home for a little found boy! He looks very happy! 

Topic 8 : Assemblage

Assemblage. It's an artsy kind of word, but isn't that what we do no matter what we create?? We are basically assembling layers, textures, colours, embellishments until they are arranged in a way to suit our personal taste. I guess 'assemblage' could infer more of a 3D composition, but lets see what everyone got up to for this one!

First up check out this lovely piece that Autumn Clark entered in the challenge for this topic. I love the minimal use of colour, yet there is so much to see. She always gets that light-dark balance just right! Go to her post and check out the textures in her base layer. Beautiful!

And this by Alison took my breath away. 

It has to be one of my favourite pieces of the year! It was this piece that inspired me to make 'shades of white' a colour option later in the year! She started with a base layer of tags!! Just go and look again here, it is beautiful!!

I really liked this from Alison Hall too. Such a great idea to use a piece of slate stone this way as her substrate.
 

Carol Fox created this Zinski inspired garden sign! 

And Keren decorated a violin - as you do!! Yes you do get spoiled people!!

I hope you have enjoyed this trip down our memory lane of 2017 with me. I'll be back tomorrow with some more treat and reminders of how clever and creative our talented bloggers are! Don't forget to save the posts that float your boat on pinterest. No excuse now, you'll hit the New Year with a dozen ideas to crack on with!

Leandra