PA Blog 2018 year in review: Topics 5-8 with Leandra Franich

 PaperArtsy Blog year in Review (Topics 5-8)

Good Evening from PaperArtsy HQ,

It's Leandra here with you tonight to curate tonight's post, and boy did I struggle as every single post of the 4 topics I am revisiting were amazing! You know, when you get a spare half hour,  you really need to use the search function on the blog, or even just go back for a random mooch around, the talented people who blog for us are fabulous! Thanks to each and every one of them!

Well I know it has been a crazy year on lots of levels for lots of countries...I have a vague recollection of saying that last year too, but sheesh is it hard to discern truth from fiction. I know I am not the only person out there who is finding the surreal global politics hard to stomach right now, so at least we have crafting activities (and blissful blogs) as our escape right!?

I am sure you are all settling in with your Turkey prepped ready for the oven tomorrow, and wrapping the last of those pressies.

So, why not grab a mulled wine or a sloe gin....or my gin tip of the season, gin with ginger ale, and a fantastic garnish: star anise, a couple of cardamon pods and maybe an clove or 2 stabbed into a slice of orange. Delicious. Warm gin is a thing too BTW! Yup, you know what a gin-geek I am. I'm even adding a home-made Xmas spice sugar syrup to my Xmas G&T's.

Tonight I'm sharing my picks from Topics 5-8: Nautical Colours, Banners and Bunting, Kraft Card and Boxes. Enjoy!

Leandra 

Topic 5: Nautical Colours

In my head, I guess red white and blue are the first colours that come to mind: crisp, white sailor suits with a touch of gold cord, or maybe striped French attire, but a softer nautical vibe might be home decor like soft sky blues and beige. So, what did our bloggers get up to? It's always good to see other people's ideas with a theme colour palette.

Well let me say, Miriam kicked it out of the park when she turned a cobblestone stamp into this mosaic inspired piece. Very fitting that Emma Godfrey's 2018 stamps were Portugal inspired, and mosaic art is a common phenomena on the continent! So 10/10 for this interpretation! You can see the full post here.

And I hope you didn't miss Nikki Acton... (here)

I adored how Autumn Clark with Seth's stamps....  (here)

Look at the stunning papers she created.

Additionally we saw a gorgeous striped canvas by Corrie using Clare Lloyd's stamps and a monotone cream and navy mini house-collage by Jennie Atkinson a whimsical post from Ellie with Darcy's stamps. Wow, One topic in and already I cannot choose what to highlight!

Topic 6: Banners and Bunting

Say the word 'bunting' and the first thing that comes to my mind is a Royal Wedding and British street party to celebrate with bunting strewn across streets, shops fronts and the village pub! But our designers are sure to have plenty of other ideas for this topic, lets take a look!!!

My first pick is this amazing beauty by Jo. A lovely summery banner (link)

I love the rectangular shaped bunting, and the pop of colour from the flower stamps!

And I hope you didn't miss Helen Chilton's teeeny tiny bunting... (link to original blog post)

Raquel (aka Scrapcosy) created, this really interesting bunting that has a bunch of great techniques. In the link there is also the project explained in one of her videos. (link to original blog post)

Keren started with a wood frame and using Tracy Scott's stamp made this delicate flower embellished bunting. I love how she made this and I think it has to be one of my favourite posts of the year!! (link)

 

Jennie surprised herself with the bold use of colour (for her) in this post. I love how she explains how she softens out the infusions with lots of white paint, which creates the gorgeous backgrounds.

And something completely different from Nikki. The textures and colours on her bunting are phenomenal! A marvellously bold use of infusions totally contrasting to Jennies soft approach above.

Topic 7 : Kraft Card

Kraft card has been a huge trend the past couple of years, it always adds a nice contrast, with the added bonus that its a super cheap surface to work on and seems to accept pencils, paints and more with ease!

I loved this from Chris Dark where she coloured Kay's stamps on kraft to create a fabulous bouquet, her shading and use of the white pencil is superb! (link to original blog post)

And I hope you didn't miss Dounia's underwater adventure! She is super explorative when she plays, and this post shares a whole bunch of ways with kraft! (link)

I adored how Clare Snowdon has a kraft-page journal. It adds such a warmth  (link)

Additionally we saw all sort of vintage layers using gorgeous Hot Picks stamps by Florence .

Topic 8 : Boxes

I knew this topic was going to be a pleaser! Boxes can be use in all manner of ways, we can hide stuff in them or use them as a fantastic gift holder, plus they come in all shapes and sizes!

My first pick is by Sue Carrington, a book-box with Darcy's stamps. (link)

And I hope you didn't miss Anneke's dinky matchbox, a gorgeous mini flower bunting is hidden within (link)

I adored how Etsuko decorated this box for her fab Zinski Art tags (link)

Additionally we saw all sort of floral elements in this beautifully decorated display box by Liz Borer. I love how she kept the background soft so the flowers pop perfectly.

Using Seth's stamps Jennie has decorated the front of this memory box beautifully, 

 

It didn't end there, we also had Helen's deconstructed box, A stunning fold out from Debs Wainwright and and Corrie had a gorgeously colourful

It is fun to look back on what our genius bloggers have shared with us over the course of a year. This year seems to have zapped by in a blink, but at least the blog remains as the perfect reference tool 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!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

Leandra

2018 #6 Bunting: Textured Bunting with Grunge Paste and Infusions (by Nikki Acton)

2018 Topic 6: Banners & Bunting

Wow!! This is a really different take on bunting from Nikki in this post! I love all the texture, colour contrasts and the butterfly ties all the panels together! What a great sampler of techniques too! I'm sure this will get your crafty fingers itching!  ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, Nikki from Addicted to Art with you today sharing my take on our Bunting and Banners theme.

I decided to use different techniques, using mostly PaperArtsy Grunge Paste and Infusions to create a patchwork effect bunting! 

We all like playing with products, trying out new techniques and if you are anything like me you don't always know what do with the 'background' when you have done it. This a great way to try out new techniques or use up those background pieces. Decide on a layout, cut them up - add a little ink or paint to the edges and create some panels that don't really need much adding!

I have used 5 different techniques here - all using Infusions and 3 using Grunge Paste. Infusions are little pots of magic! (Actually here is the official description - water soluble particles with 2 components: dye colour pigment with walnut stain). I have used Black Knight, The Sage and Emerald Isle.

The image above features stamping into Grunge Paste with Infusions added. There are two things I love about Grunge Paste - you can sand it and it dries really quickly! I added some paste to card, allowed to dry a little - but not completely and stamped into it (spritz with water first) with the lines stamp off ELB29 stamp set. I then sprinkled Black Knight Infusions and The Sage and spritzed with water. Love the texture the stamping created which is further highlighted by the mottled colours.

The green above uses PaperArtsy Crackle Medium over Little Black Dress Fresco Acrylic and once dry - Hey Pesto Fresco Acrylic was added. I sprinkled Infusions to add watery splatters to my peeled paint effect.

Next up - over Squid Ink Fresco Acrylic painted card - grunge paste was used through a stencil - PS044) - and more infusions added. I sanded this one a little to remove some of the Infusions from the grunge paste but leaving it over the darker base colour.

I stamped the butterflies (from HP1506) onto some old book pages which I then gave the Infusions and water treatment. They were adhered to some card and Grunge Paste added around - which was coloured again with Infusions - using my fingers to spread it around.

The little grids are faux texture really. I lay some plasterers mesh tape on card and sprinkled Infusions over the top - once water was added and it had dried I removed the tape.

The central butterfly was stamped on calico fabric and Infusions sprinkled over and water spritzed. I added some matte medium to make the material a little less floppy!

So many different effects with 3 colours of Infusions, 3 colours of paint, Grunge Paste and Crackle Medium! I would say this is quite a forgiving way to play and try out new techniques too. Each of the A6 pieces of card I used to create the five textures didn't look much on their own - but add them together and they come to life.

Nikki

Blog: Addicted to Art
Instagram: @A2Acardscraft
Pinterest: nikacton

We always hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. 

Our creative team love to read your comments so much, so please take time to let them know you've been inspired!  

You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 6: Banners & Bunting will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, April 15th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy creative apron. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

2018 #6 Bunting: Counting Sheeples with ZA {by Chris Cresswell}

2018 Topic 6: Zinski Sheeple Bunting

Hi everyone, it's Chris Cresswell here from Loopsandlines with you today, and I'd like to share with you my response to the current challenge on Bunting and Banners, using the lovely, quirky, whimsical stamps designed by Elenazinski Art for Paperartsy.

I was really pleased to be given this opportunity to create a banner using one of Elena's new stamp sets as I wanted to make something for the nursery for my littlest grandfairy. She is 18 months old so I wanted to make something bright and whimsical for her room, and Elena's quirky sheep are just perfect! I think she will love it. I hope you do too.Yet again, I started with one idea then added a further idea as I went along.

This ended up so long, more than two metres, that I found it difficult to find somewhere to take a photo of it at full spread. Thus, a quick nip into the garden between showers! I started by die-cutting nine circles. I chose this shape due to the round shape of the quirky sheep. 

The colours I chose to use here are: Granny Smith, Bubble Gum, China and Yellow Submarine Fresco Chalk paints. Lovely, bright colours but not so overpowering that they will take away from the main focal images. That's the beauty of the chalk finish. I then followed this step with some stenciling using similar, but lighter colours from the colour palette. 

It was at this stage that I decided I wanted a more glossy surface, so out came Fresco Finish Gloss Glaze. I haven't used this in ages and I found myself wondering, why not? It not only adds a superb gloss finish but seals the first layers too if you want to stamp or embellish over the top. 

At this point I decided that I wanted to add some different shaped tags to the banner. So, using different colours and stamping rather than stenciling (background stamps from my stash), I cut and created these; Sour Grapes, Amethyst, Beach Hut, Jade, Slimed, Sargasso (all from Seth Apter and Tracy Scott Paint sets).

Again, I wanted to keep the backgrounds simple so as not to confuse the main images. It was hard not to doodle across those backgrounds.I love that Sargasso Fresco Chalk on top of the new colour: Slimed. Delicious. 

The stamps I used were taken from sets: ZA01, ZA07 and the new set: ZA21.

I used Copic Markers to colour the images as I find using paint to colour in quite tricky. Copic markers work well over Fresco Chalk paint and they are lovely and bright and permanent. However, they do not work well with ranger Archival ink pads as the oil in the ink reacts with the alcohol in the pens causing the ink to bleed. So, you need to stamp with a water based dye ink eg Memento ink pad (Tuxedo Black) by Tsukineko. I used PaperArtsy Smoothy 240gms card.  I used Gloss Glaze over these stamped images too. Now, for the fiddly task of stringing them all together.

The bunting ended up being extremely long but, luckily, I had a long piece of gingham to adhere all shapes onto. The cut out images on the triangles are some background images from Set ZA01 that I absolutely adore and often use in my journaling.

I am absolutely sure that my youngest granddaughter is going to love this new addition to her nursery. I just hope there is enough wall space to accomodate its length! We are coming to the end of this particular challenge on the PaperArtsy blog but if you haven't entered your project yet, there is still time. Banners, Flags and Bunting are great fun to make and can help to make any occasion (or any room) very special. I hope I or any of the previous bloggers have tempted you to have a go. You'll enjoy the process and the finished result!

Blog: www.loopsandlines.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: Chris Cresswell
Twitter: artmadnana
Instagram:artmadnan
Pinterest: Chris Cresswell

We always hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. 

Our creative team love to read your comments so much, so please take time to let them know you've been inspired!  

You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 6: Banners & Bunting will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, April 15th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy creative apron. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

2018 #6 Bunting: Colours of Summer with HP, EAB and MN {by Jennie Atkinson}

2018 Topic 6: Banners & Bunting

Jennie has a wonderful array of our vintage stamps on show in her bunting in this gorgeous post, and yet she has created a very cheerful colour palette with these oldy-worldy stamps. I love that a fresh colour palette puts a twist on Vintage themed items.

Hi everyone, it's Jennie (Live The Dream) here sharing some summer inspiration for our current Challenge. I love my garden and in particular the pink and white flowers I try and grow (somewhat difficult here in the North, but I try not to be deterred!). As we are still in the grips of snow and cold temperatures I thought  little bunting trio of these summer colours would brighten the craft room.

I have used two Hot Picks stamp sets:

HP1005

This was my very first PaperArtsy purchase quite a number of years ago and one I use ALL the time and never tire of. It has so many different little bits and pieces that can be used for any project: the flourish in particular is never off my desk it is such a favourite.

HP1502

I love clock faces for tucking under other elements and this is my all time favourite.

Overall it came out a bit more pink that an I had intended, but it certainly brightens the darkest of corners!

I cut my own bunting pieces from heavy board and gave everything a coat of Fresco Finish Chalk Acylics. I have included a template for the bunting pieces on my own blog which you can find by clicking the link here.

I also painted some Smoothy Cardstock with the Chalk Fresco before adding Distress Oxides. These pieces gave me my base colours and I do find that adding the paint first gives me a brighter colour than the Oxides might normally give.

It was then a case of finding an Infusions to match! Blackcurrant infusions was a perfect fit and then everything I thought I might need for the project got coloured. I prefer to do this at the outset and even if I don't use it all at least everything matches in terms of colour.

The boards were given a little texture using again one of my favourite stencils, the border from Scrapcosy...

... (PS050 by Scrapcosy) and Blackcurrant Infusions added only very, very lightly and using lots of water!

I decided to make the two outside banners similar but using different sentiments. 

I have used some of the coloured cardstock to make some roll up flowers. 

Just a small part of the clock is all that's needed to extend the cluster and I have only used the top part of the "Imagination" stamp from Mini 48. 

I wanted to make the middle section my main focus and for this lovely sentiment from EAB07 (Dreaming and Doing).

And here's a blast from the past! Again another very early PaperArtsy purchase which I used to use all the time and was very popular in my workshops for small photographs in mini books. This lovely die is sadly not available anymore but I am sure some of you may well have it in your stash too. It used to be available as Stamp and Die set 02

The painted Blackcurrant Infusions was a little stark but a little sanding resulted in a more  vintage feel. I also sanded the edges of the flowers to expose the white of the cardstock.

A  little bit of summer to brighten my days in the craft room! I just love using small bits and pieces of stamps to add vintage layers to my projects and I know I shall never tire of using this wonderful Hot Picks set. 

Jennie x

Blog: Live The Dream

We always hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. 

Our creative team love to read your comments so much, so please take time to let them know you've been inspired!  

You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. Make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 6: Banners & Bunting will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, April 15th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy creative apron. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!