PA Blog 2020 Year in Review {Topics 1-5}

 PaperArtsy Blog 2020 Year in Review - Part 1/4

 

Hello from PaperArtsy HQ,

This is the time on year that we reflect on the year past. Despite the turmoil and upheaval that a virus has wreaked across our globe, to me, time seems to have passed in a flash. Maybe that is because we managed to move country within the year too, which certainly sucked up more recent months. I can certainly understand, that for many people, perhaps this year has dragged. It seems people are aching to move forward into 2021!

 

We have much to be thankful for. Crafting has brought relief to many people this year. It is a good form of escape. To get lost in the process of creating art helps put to the back of your mind other daily concerns. It also gives an opportunity to express feelings and frustrations too. Despite the unusual circumstances, did you find time to create more this year? Did you learn something new or pick up a new hobby? 

 

Many of us have been challenged in ways we least expected? Making ends meet, paying bills, keeping our jobs. To have your job-security and ability to function questioned so unexpectedly from an event beyond your control has been a pretty stressful set of circumstances to face. I hope that you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I am sure that when things do start to get back to normal, that we all will appreciate more our environment, the opportunity to travel and appreciate other cultures, and the relationships we enjoy with colleagues, friends and family, or even meeting up with fellow crafters again!

Tonight we are sharing highlights from Topics 1-5: Love is in the Air, A Hint of Spring, On this Tag, Mighty Mica and Mark Making.

Leandra 

Topic 1: Love is in the Air

My first pick is this amazing beauty. If Valentine tends to make us think of cards, Jenny  Marples has repackaged all the classics of love (pink, hearts, lace) in this gorgeous box  (link to the original post).

I adored how clean and simple this book cover is, with great colour impact. Ellie Knol really has an eye for the details that make the difference, like the tiny cut-out numbers (link)

Additionally we saw all often associate love with warm colours and cute patterns. Helen Chilton went another route with this colorful and quirky heart (link).

 

What about a love project with no heart? Check the layers on this beautiful inspirational card. Claire Snowdon manages to project the feelings even without the usual imagery (link).

 

Topic 2: A Hint of Spring

 

Spring traditionally heralds the rebirth of nature. Jennie Atkinson perfectly encapsulated this feeling in soft purples and deep greens (link to original blog post).

 

I love how Lotte Kristensen also went with the "new leaves" idea but hers remind us that Spring also often brings back color after a drab winter. So bright and funky! (link)

Look how the big Jofy blooms fill the space on this small notebook by Chris Dark. The black background really make the colours pop, even with soft blues and greens.(link).

Additionally, Josefine Fouarge made great use of her stamps (Gwen Lafleur's circles) to build coordinated background, pattern papers and focus elements in this striking tag. (link)

Topic 3 : On this Tag

My first pick is this bright and quirky series by Etsuko Noguchi. Tags and minis pair perfectly and she really brought the Zinski characters to life with popping colours while grounding them with textured backgrounds (link).

I loved how Corrie Herriman mixed Scrapcosy's vintage images with bright colours. Her use of stark script and subtle texture grounds the focus images while letting them pop  beautifully (link).

And I hope you didn't miss Nikki Acton's concertina book. The tag shape mimics book pages while providing just a little bit more interest.  (link)

I adored how  Amanda Pink included the tag in her composition. Still a key feature yet also an element among others, brought together by a clever use of colour (link).

Topic 4 : Mighty Mica

I hope you didn't miss this abstract piece, a rare treat on our blog! Helen Chilton cleverly used the micas shifting and shine to reveal the texture in all her layers(link to original blog post)

I adored how Lynn Good did not hesitate to mix micas and bright colours. She broke out her sparkly pens to give shiny highlights to her flowers with great effect (and a lot less mess!) (link).

Additionally the long time crafters among us remember mica sheets. Autumn Clark surely does and included fragments everywhere in her journal, creating subtle texture and shine (link).

Topic 5 : Mark Making

I think these tags by Autumn Clark are a beautiful example of how fun and creative mark making can be. Lots of layers mixing to make new texture or reveal little stamp details! (link)

I love how Jenny Marples decided to do her marks in relief. The careful composition and contrasting colours really make that red heart stand out. (link)

For her marks, Keren Baker's stamping in bleach and thread effects produce a striking result! The embroidery on the bee makes it look alive. (link)

It is fabulous to look back on what our superb bloggers have shared with us over the course of the year.  Don't forget to save the posts that float your boat on pinterest. You'll hit the New Year with a dozen ideas to crack on with!

Leandra