2021 Topic 6 Mandala Mix with EEV/TS/ESC and more! {by Nikki Acton}

 2021 Topic 6: Mandala Mix

We all love a mash up and check out this amazing colour scheme by Nikki Acton!! What an absolute winner!
~ Leandra

 

Hi everyone, Nikki here from Addicted to Art. For my mandala project I have gone for a mandala mash up, featuring a number of stamps and stencils. 

I decided to create my own mandala with a nature theme. This project is 12x12 inches so took a bit of time and some careful measuring, but was great fun!

I usually avoid overly symmetrical projects! However this one is certainly an exception.

I drew out my planned layout on cartridge paper with measurements. I later chopped this up a little to form masks when painting and stencilling on the main project. I did paint a lot without a mask as I knew some pen work would hide any 'painting outside the lines'.

 

My starting colours are Electric Violet, Blueberry and Azure which is stencilled using PS234.

At this stage you can see I have competed most of the background with paint and either stencilling, stamping or pen work in each area. Additional colours used here are: Vanilla, Rose and Slimed. I used stencils PS108 and PS169.

   

Now for some fussy cutting! I created some backgrounds using the paints already used with the addition of Zucchini for the greens and Gold.

 

The main stamps include: the ladybird - Tracy Scott TS027, the leaves - Ellen Vargo EEV09 and the butterflies - Scrapcosy - ESC23.

I took my time getting everything positioned accurately. You can see how the black lines around each area add some emphasis and can mask any inaccurate paint marks!

For my dots and circles I used a combination of Fresco paint on the end of a ball tool and Posca pens.

This lady bird stamp is fabulous! I added touches of gold around his body. 

This really was great fun. My crafting tends to be done mostly in the evenings and often for just 30 minutes at a time. I love it when I have a project on the go that I can come back to and just do bits at a time.

Nikki x

Blog: Addicted to Art

Instagram: a2a.craft

Pinterest: nikacton

YouTube

 

2021 Topic 6 Mandala Mix with TS {by Jennie Atkinson}

 2021 Topic 6: Mandala Mix

This blur-ple inspired mandala layered panel is rich with texture and shades of the same tones. Jennie explains so clearly how she pulls her layers together so that the elements don't get lost on each other. I find that really helpful to understand that process. I hope you do too.
~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Jennie (Live the Dream) with you today sharing a mixed media hanging.

I have been itching to use Tracy's gorgeous mandalas and flowers in a mixed media project and knew that they would layer beautifully. I seem to be eating a lot of blueberries at the moment (a new diet!) and so instinctively reached for the Blueberry Fresco and decided to give Violet Storm Infusions an outing ...... not one for the faint-hearted! I'll share how I tamed it down a bit later!

I have used three of Tracy's stamp sets along with a matching stencil:

 

TS051

TS047

TS057 (available from stockists list here)

PS210

  

These were my Fresco colours: Blueberry, Concrete, Cloud 9 and Grape. I used Grape for the outside border as it was a better match than the Blueberry. And of course the little pot of gorgeousness: Violet Storm Infusions.

 

To start I experimented a little with my Gelli Plate using Blueberry, Concrete and Cloud 9 to see if I could match papers to a tag I stamped with Archival Ink. 

I find this is a good starting point and even if I don't use what I have pulled from the plate (like the tissue) I have some nice pieces to get started.

I have use an A5 piece of greyboard for the background of the panel. I live to give it a coat of white gesso before layering some text paper which I thought would show through the gorgeous mandala stencil. In hindsight I wished I hadn't torn such straight lines! But overall it does tend to blend into the background once the layering is finished.

The next part of the process was to see if the Violet Storm Infusions would match.  For a while this was one of my favourite Infusions but it can be very dark. This is is how it started but I keep spritzing with water and mopping up and then leave it to dry which always seems to make it a little lighter. As long as you have added a good coat of gesso to your dry board you can spritz it really heavily with water without any damage.

I loved how the violet and pinkish hues came through once it had dried, but once the layering was added it did feel a little blue so I dry brushed some Cloud 9 Fresco here and there where the colour was the darkest. 

I also rubbed a little silver wax around the edges of the stencilling to highlight the texture.

And so to the layering - I always spend some time stamping different elements on the Gelli Plate papers. Looking for lighter areas but which all match as I used the same combination of Frescos. 

I like to ink a stamp and then keep stamping it without re-inking to get different tones. This is quite important when layering as if everything is the same tone the elements will get lost.

Which is what happened to the main flower. I had stamped it on the coloured papers but something was just not working despite the addition of some white lace and a white sentiment. However when I stamped it on cardstock painted with Cloud 9 Fresco it just jumped off the background!

When layering I start with one or two flat layers. These I adhere to the background on an edge which is going to be covered. That leaves the outside edge "floating" without giving the impression that it has been adhered. 

I used the clock stamp to create a smoother edged style to the rest of the elements and also it sat quite beautifully in the lace !

I use leftover pieces of greyboard to adhere subsequent layers. This is more robust than foam pads and still allows the outside edges to appear to be "floating".

I really love the way these colours came together despite my initial misgivings.  The gorgeous stamps gave depth that was possible with just four layers. What I would really like to try is a similar layering but just using the stamps and a masking technique in order to create a single layer of stamping but with a layered effect. I am sure it would work beautifully. 

Also don't be put off by large stamps. They are great for cutting into smaller tags and elements and if you have a die cut machine and a tag die you can work out the area of the pattern you want to use.

Such beautiful stamps and stencils by Tracy which I am sure will become favourites.

 As always thank you for joining me!

Jennie

Blog: Live The Dream
Instagram: @atkinsonjennie
Pinterest: Jennie Atkinson

NEW PaperArtsy Products: Eclectica³ Alison Bomber {May 2021}

  Eclectica³ Collection {Alison Bomber}

May 2021 New Product Announcement

A note from Leandra:
You may not be aware that Alison is a wonder with words! That is exactly the vocation she is trained to be an expert in! And we absolutely love that the beautiful words on her stamp sets are so useful for all kinds of artistic expression.

She does a wonderful job of curating these phrases into themes, and in this series we have Nature, Summer and Work-Life balance under the spotlight. There is no time like now for these words to be loaded with meaning after we have all been subject to extended periods of restriction upon how we work, how we move in our communities or to work, and how we find a balance while families negotiate life lived in each others pockets.

 

Don't forget we have Alison sharing these stamps live in PaperArtsy People FB Group shortly after this post publishes. It's really nice to meet the designer and hear directly from them about each release, so I really hope you can catch her, either LIVE or perhaps on the replay at a time that suits you.

 

Remember, these stamps are available EXCLUSIVELY and ONLY from our approved stockists for the next 3-6 months. You will see the list and links at the bottom of this blog post. 

 

Hello all, Alison here from Words and Pictures.  I'm absolutely delighted to be back to share with you my newest release for PaperArtsy.  It's been a while since the last sets of quotes, as I've been moving to a new country (yes, in the midst of a global pandemic), so life has been a little busy!  But that means I'm all the more grateful for the words of joy, wisdom and calm in these quote collections.

The three new themes today are very close to my heart.  We have the Nature Edition EAB 21 - anyone who knows my work will know that nature is a constant source of inspiration to me; the Summer Edition EAB22 - finally the completion of the seasonal quartet (Autumn, Winter and Spring have been available for years!); and Work & Play EAB23 - all about that balance in life between the work you do and the play that inspires you.

As always, the words are designed to work on tags, cards, art journalling, mixed media projects, or in diaries or calendars.  Of course, I've got some eye candy for you... samples created with quotes from each of the collections so that you can get a taste of what they're all about.  But with nine themed quotes on each stamp plate, I've still only just started playing!

For today, I'll just share a couple of sample projects for each stamp plate (there are a couple of bonus samples if you check out the Facebook Live), and there will be more details about them over at Words and Pictures in the coming days and weeks.  But if there's anything you'd like to know more about, feel free to ask!

  New Stamps

Price: RRP €21.92 +VAT
Size:5" x 6" (13 x16.5cm)
All stamps are individually trimmed onto cling foam, presented in a clear hanging bag
with a laminated storage/index sheet.
  

Eclectica³ Alison Bomber Set 21 (EAB21) - Nature Edition

Project 1: Infinite Beauty Mini Album

 

One of the things I love about having a stamp plate of quotes all on one theme is that it's perfect for creating mini-albums.  You can use one quote on each page, or even divide up one of the longer quotes to have a phrase on each page... and before you know it, you have a beautiful little book all about whatever the collection of quotes is about... in this case, Nature.

 

 

The quotes here are stamped in Olive Archival and clear embossed for that lovely touch of light-catching texture.

 

 

The structure is simply three folded pieces of card, folded and glued back to back, with a brayered background, and some book text fragments layered in.  And I think you can probably see that I've also used the quote stamps, stamped in turquoise to add extra "text"-ure.

 

There's a mixture of other PaperArtsy stamps in play on these pages... The beetles are from the Lynne Perrella Egyptian collection, there are some Hot Picks and Scrapcosy images, and it wouldn't be an EAB stamp launch without Lin Brown's lovely grasses!

Project 2: The Pace of Nature

There's something very profound to me about pairing these words with Lynne Perrella's extraordinary women.  The words and the pictures seem to share a profundity, a deep connection.  The theme of nature is often alive somewhere within the complex imagery Lynne creates, and some of the new images resonate more than ever with these nature quotes.

 

 

One of the great joys to me about having these quotes as stamps is that you can really embed them within a project - so here they are stamped onto pieces of the same masterboard as the background layers are made from.  It makes the words a really organic part of the whole.

 

And of course I can stamp in a colour which matches perfectly too.  Here, both the nature-women and the nature-words are stamped in Potting Soil Archival - an earthy brown which also connects to the theme.  And some lily-of-the-valley stems and vibrant leaves add to the dimensional layering of the paper elements.

Eclectica³ Alison Bomber Set 22 (EAB22) - Summer Edition

Project 1: Tripping Through the Meadow Triptych 

 

I like to work in groups, trios, pairs - and having quotes which work together or "speak to each other" makes that so easy to do.  This triptych happened almost by itself!  Some gorgeous meadow flower die-cuts, lovely France Papillon stamps providing background greenery and airy bubbles... and a trio of quotes, one for each panel.

 

I love being able to stamp directly onto the project - sometimes it's a bit heart in mouth as you do it, but I think it's worth it to be able to have the words floating in the sky rather than stuck on top of it.  And you get to use an ink which will tone in with any other stamping you've done on the project.

If I don't happen to want to include the author of the quote's name, I just mask over it while I'm inking, then peel off the tape before I stamp.  Poor Vincent van Gogh got left off this one!

 

 

And I also love to emboss the quotes for that extra touch of texture and dimension, and to help them pop against busier backgrounds.  Sometimes there's a touch of extra powder around that doesn't want to leave (yes, I know, the ink wasn't fully dry!), but I'm more than willing to embrace imperfection occasionally.

Project 2: Shakespearean Summer Shadows

If a quote is just a bit too wide to fit onto a tag, there are a number of options available... this is one of my all-time favourite solutions.  I stamp and emboss the quote onto acetate and then curve it over the top of whatever is going on on the tag... here it's some of Kay Carley's lovely meadow flowers and grasses and a background of some of the newest PaperArtsy Fresco blues and greens.

It's already enchanting to me to have the quote hovering there in the air, but the magic that happens when the sun comes out is even better!  The shadow quote which suddenly appears adds a whole extra dimension to the piece.

Project 3: Smelling of Roses

I'm sneaking in an extra summer project here... I've been waiting for the perfect launch timing for this fourth set of seasonal quotes, so now it's here I'm making the most of it!  And it's just a really quick tag, this time in landscape format.

This quote by Maud Hart Lovelace (though I masked off her name before inking again - sorry, Maud!) was just crying out to be paired with Scrapcosy's beautiful vintage roses.  I used the glossy clear-embossing over Olive Archival stamping for both the image and the words, so the tag has a lovely harmonious feel to it.

Eclectica³ Alison Bomber Set 23 (EAB23) - Work and Play Edition

Project 1: A Time to Work, a Time to Play

Another thing I love doing is finding Paper Dolls to "speak" the words.  Matching up a vintage photo with some vintage words is so much fun - and you always know when you've got the perfect fit.  This is another series or set... a quartet this time.

The mischievous looks on the faces of these women seemed right to go with this George Bernard Shaw quote (a long time favourite of mine).  They're not counting the years, and I think they've definitely kept their sense of playfulness.

And this chap has plenty of Hot Picks clocks to make sure he sticks to his rigorous timekeeping!  You'll notice another way of dealing with a quote that's just a bit wider than the tag... simply let it be too wide.  Let it hang over the edge.  I like having that extra bit of detail and interest.

This father has some excellent advice for his sons.  It may be ancient Chinese philosophy from Confucius, but it works just as well in the mouth of this Edwardian patriarch.

And this louche fellow is just perfect for Jerome K Jerome's quote.  Speaking of things hanging over the edge... check out that dangling foot!

 

Project 2: Golden Advice

Some simple bookmarks to round things off.  The quotes provide a little extra food for thought every time you pause in whatever you're reading.  You may recognise the masterboard from the Lynne Perrella tags above... I so enjoyed having a play with some of the newest PaperArtsy Fresco Chalky Finish blues and greens (Verdigris, Crispy Blue, Pool, Azure, Blew).

And the gold embossing gives these words that little touch of glamour, as well as catching the light to catch the eye.  They feel nice to the finger-tips too!

I hope that gives you a good taste of the wordy treats in store in these three new sets.  Whether it's celebrating the joys of nature with EAB21 Nature Edition, or enjoying some sunshine, fun and relaxation with EAB22 Summer Edition, or playing with the wit and wisdom of EAB23 Work & Play, I think there's something here for every kind of project.  I hope these tips and ideas will start you off, and I know you'll find lots of ways to use these stamps that I haven't even thought of.  It's the other great joy for me of sharing my love of words through these stamp sets - seeing how others respond to them and play.  Happy crafting all!

Alison xx

Socials...

Website: Words and Pictures

Pinterest: butterfly crafter

Facebook: Words & Pictures

Instagram: w0rdsandp1ctures

PaperArtsy Stockist List

Our stockists are your go-to  source for all PaperArtsy products, and we suggest that you also use the PaperArtsy People Facebook group to source a stockist in your country. Many are members and will happily share links to their online stores.

Australia

Bella Paperie, Brendale, Queensland, www.bellapaperie.net.au

Bev's Cross Crafts, Spreyton, Tasmania https://www.bevscrosscrafts.com.au/

Crafters Cupboard, Berwick, Victoria www.crafterscupboard.com.au

Memories on the Murray, Murray Bridge, SA  https://www.memoriesonthemurray.net/

Natalie May Scrapbooking, Dover Gardens, SA https://nataliemay.com.au/

Scrapbook Superstore & More South Penrith, NSW https://www.scrapbooksuperstore.com.au/

The Scrapbooker's Confetti Box, Swansea,NSW https://thescrapbookersconfettibox.com/
The Thread Studio, 6 Smith Street, Perth http://www.thethreadstudio.com/

The Scrapbook Store, North Perth,WA http://thescrapbookstore.com.au/ 
Time To Create, www.timetocreate.com.au

Belgium

Cart N Scrap Art, Antwerp, cartnscrap@gmail.com

Cotrain, Kontich, www.cotrain.be

Expression Hobby, Marcinelle www.expressionhobby.be

Canada

Clipper Street Scrapbook Company, Langley, BC. www.clipperstreet.com

Paper Art Creations Inc, Leduc, Alberta, http://www.paperartcreations.com/
Scrapbook Centrale, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Quebec www.scrapbookcentrale.ca

Simply Scrapbooking, Prince George, BC https://www.facebook.com/simplyscrapbooking/

Scrap Addicts, Edmonton, Alberta https://www.scrapaddicts.ca/

Scrap and Bean, Edmonton, Alberta http://scrapandbean.com/ 

Scrapbooking Fairies, Drayton Valley, Alberta https://www.scrapbookingfairies.com/

The Paper & ink Boutique, Calgary, Alberta https://www.paperandinkboutique.com/
The Scrap Yard, Calgary, Alberta, https://www.thescrapyardcalgary.com/ 

Denmark

Hobbyboden Scrapworld Samso www.hobbyboden.dk

France

Eirl Bancon Cartoscrap, Midi Pyrenees, https://www.cartoscrap.com/blog/

Fee Du Scrap, Saint Sébastien-Sur-Loire, https://www.feeduscrap.fr/

Horizon Creatif, Ste Jalle h.creatif@gmail.com

Katzelkraft, Ingwiller http://www.katzelkraft.fr/en/

Kerglaz, Basse Goulaine, https://www.kerglaz.com/  

Kerudoc Creation, St Yvi www.kerudoccreation.com

Quartier Serre Teston, Ste Jalle, hcreatif@gmail.com

Scrap by Nini,  Uzerche, Limousin https://scrapbynini.fr/ 

Scrapo'naturel, Tourville La Riviere, www.scraponaturel.fr/livraison 

Toutencolle, Dun sur Avon www.toutencolle.fr

Germany

Paperbasics, Hessen, www.paperbasics.de

Stempelbar, Berlin, www.stempelbar.de

Stempeloase Munich, Munich www.stempeloase.de

Stempelfee Shop, Hilden www.stempelfee-shop.de

Stempellaedle, Stuttgart, www.stempellaedle.de/shop

Greece

Scraps N Pieces, Kallithea www.scrapsnpieces.gr

Italy

Immagine SAS di Rapaccini, Rome, www.immaginelab.com

Il Negozio Della Mamma Di Cle, Torino, clelia27@liberio.it

L'artistica Glo, Cinisello B (Mi), www.artisticaglo.it

Marte Savona, Savona, www.martesavona.it

Pezze E Colori, Lissone, http://www.pezzeecolori.it/ 
Piccole Passioni, Siena, www.piccolepassioni.it

Scrap it Easy, Rome, https://www.scrapiteasy.com/it/

Japan

Tiny Dots, Funabashi-shi, Chiba www.facebook.com/TinyDots

Netherlands

Doe@ding,Spijkenisse https://doeading.nl/

Hobbycompleet de Duif, Leeuwarden www.hobbycompleet.nl

Stampingcorner, Capelle Aan Den Ijssel www.stampingcorner.nl

Norway

Hobbygarasjen, Kopervik, www.Hobbygarasjen.no

Spain

Cien por Cien Manualidades, S.L., Bizkaia, Catalunya,  www.100x100manualidades.es

Endulze & Crista S.L, Pampalona, Navarra,  www.endulze.com

Ideas 10 Manualidades Y Scrapbook, Bilbao https://ideas10manualidades.com/

Marakiscrap, Tarragona, www.marakiscrap.com

Scrap & Papers Experiences, Barcelona, Info@casonadequintana.com

Scraphouse S.L. Barcelona www.scraphouseshop.es

The Paradise Corner, Barcelona, www.facebook.com/theparadisecorner 

Taiwan

Mandy's Cards, Taipei www.facebook.com/mandy.card

United Kingdom

Amelia's Creative Crafts, Studley, Warwickshire  www.ameliascreativecrafts.co.uk

Art from the Heart, Harrogate, Yorkshire www.afth.co.uk

Blade Rubber Stamps, London www.bladerubberstamps.co.uk

Crafts at The Malthouse, Herstmonceux,  East Sussex, http://www.themalthouse.co.uk/

Fave Rave, Stourbridge, West Midlands www.shabbychicstencils.co.uk

Loobi Crafts, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, www.loobicrafts.co.uk

Stampers Grove, Springbank, Lilliesleaf, Melrose,Scotland www.stampersgrove.co.uk
That's Crafty, Romford, essex www.thatscrafty.co.uk

The Artistic Stamper Craft Store, Faversham, Kent www.theartisticstamper.com

The Forget me not Kraft Kabin www.TheForgetMeNotKraftKabin.co.uk

USA

Artistic Artifacts, Alexandria, VA https://www.artisticartifacts.com/

Artistic Studio Creations, Fayetteville, Georgia www.facebook.com/ASCbyCrystal

Craftiness, Chatsworth, CA, https://www.craftinessonline.com/

Ephemera Paducah, Paducah, Kentucky www.ephemerapaducah.com

Everything Scrapbook & Stamps, Lake Worth, Florida www.everythingscrapbook.com

Frantic Stamper, Oregon www.franticstamper.com

Free Heart LLC, Denver, Colarado, http://www.freeheartllc.com/

Joggles, West Warwick, Rhode Island, www.joggles.com

PaperCraft Clubhouse, Westbrook, Connecticut, http://papercraftclubhouse.com/

Runaway, Art & Craft Studio, NE Salem, Oregon http://www.runawayart.com/

Simon Says Stamp, Columbus, Ohio www. simonsaysstamp.com

The Ink Pad, New York, www.theinkpadnyc.com

Topflight Stamps, Irmo, South Carolina https://topflightstamps.com/

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