2017 #5 Enjoy The Little Things {by Claire Snowdon}

2017 Topic 5: Blue and Ochre

It seems Claire is addicted to the same stencils and stamps as we are! Love this post and all the striking contrasts work so perfectly! What a fantastic project, this would be a great class too! Maybe you could get together with friends and do this for a crafty day together.   

Hi everyone Claire Snowdon here, excited to be on the PA blog tonight with a mini book I created using Kim Dellow's stamp sets and stencils.

I wanted to create a mini book as I am totally in love with all of Kim's stamps and simply could not choose which one set I wanted to use on my project - therefore I decided to use nearly all of them!  Between the stamps and stencils there is such a variety of both background elements and focal points to chose from.

I really enjoy creating this way. I used separate 15cm square card blanks then arranged them all together into the book style at the end.  This gives the freedom to experiment and try out different techniques and compositions without committing too much!

I really enjoyed using sections of this large flower mask to give interest and depth to the backgrounds of my cards.

   

Product Stockists Here 

It was fun to create a monochrome masterboard using  just one stencil repeating over and over.  I used this to create elements within the mini book to give it some cohesion.

Products stockists here

 

Here are all my finished cards - it was difficult to decide which order to put them in for the book.  I love the combination of the blue and ochre together as they really create great contrast.

Stockists here

This is one of my favourite cards.  I really enjoyed creating this one - I love to use repeat stamping until the ink fades away and almost becomes part of the background.

This was another favourite as I particularly like how this flower head looks when cut from the masterboard - the patterns are so striking from the stencil work and it works perfectly to complement the background stencilling using the large format stencil.

I so enjoyed this project from start to finish - it did take a while to complete but the fun came in being able to create each card blank individually.  This meant I could take my time and experiment with the stamps and stencils, try out different techniques and not feel under pressure to finish it all in one go.  The cards were simply glued back to back once all complete and I used a piece of seam binding coloured with Infusions as the spine to cover the card edges.  Also it was a good way to use up some of the many, many card blanks I have in my stash!

Claire

Blog: clairescraftymakes.blogspot.co.uk
Twitter: @claires10
Instgram: @claires10
Pinterest: @mrssno

This idea is genius. Not only is using card-blanks a great way to start, but I really love how the end result has ended up being a great technique-reference book too! The ideas are all wonderful, and the backgrounds and layers are so striking! What a masterpiece!

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Summer 2016 #3UP {EDY and ELB}

Good evening everyone, Leandra here to welcome you to a week of #3UP.

Each night this week, 3 people are UP on the PaperArtsy blog to showcase their crafty skills. They were all randomly selected a few months back, were sent specific stamps and colour products to use however they choose.

This time Darcy set them all up in private FB groups, so they could liaise with each other and throw ideas around as they created. It was wonderful to watch how they worked with each other to share ideas, and there were some brilliant happy accidents along the way too!

(I think we will need to invite them to share those on the PA blog in the future)

All of tonight's bloggers have featured FULL STEP OUTS on their own blogs, so if you would like to find out more, please follow the links, and go and leave a comment here on the PA blog and on their own personal blogs for them; feedback is so important, we cannot tell you how much they appreciate hearing from you!

Can I just also say a massive wooohooo to Darcy who has fully co-ordinated this event in her incredibly efficient way. She is a star! It is a treat to work with her. 
Enjoy the evening ~Leandra

Tonight's group were sent Eclectica³ {Darcy} and Eclectica³ {Lin Brown} stamps, and their suggested colours were autumnal-ish.

First up this evening we have a project from Nikki Acton.

Hi – I am Nikki from Addicted to Art. I live in Hampshire (UK) and love all things crafty, keeping fit and my cat, Frankie!

Working on canvas is one of my favourite substrates and Fresco paints work a dream on this surface, blending easily and drying quickly. My background features several autumnal colours to create a multi-coloured layer to build on. 

Stamping on canvas is a little more difficult, so I use tissue paper to stamp my images (with Fresco paint) and then adhere this to the canvas. It has the added benefit of providing extra texture and contrast too. 

Darcy’s fabulous moth from EDY19 provides the focal point of my project. Some additional stamping with White Fire Metallic paint and dabs of Copper on the leaves really add both glimmer and texture and to any project!

To see the full project please visit my blog post HERE.

Places to find Nikki:
Blog: Frankieeatsworms
Facebook: Nikki Acton
Pinterest: Nikki Acton


Next up this evening we have Claire Snowdon

Hello I'm Claire, excited to be here on 3UP opening night! I've been crafting for around 5 years and love anything to do with stamping - I enjoy making a variety of projects from journal pages to cards to more mixed media style pieces. 

For my journal page I enjoyed mixing the different flower styles from Lin and Darcy together to create a very unique flower garden.

Here I was experimenting with the flower head colours - by painting a separate piece of card and cutting the flower heads out it is easy to lay them on the project to see how they will look without committing to anything permanent! 

I added an extra layer to the centre of the sunflower - I like how there are different options on this stamp plate to allow you to change the look of it. 

You can see more photos of my page and find out which products I used on my personal blog HERE.

Places to find Claire:
Blog: clairescraftymakes
Twitter: Claires10
Pinterest: Claire Snowdon
Instagram: Claires10

Finally this evening a project from Katy Leitch.

Hello! Katy here. So pleased to be creating today for 3UP. I’ve been stamping for a lonnnnngg time, over ten years, and now am privileged to make my living in the craft industry as a freelancer. 

I had a hard time choosing which of the amazing goodies I got in my 3UP package, but part of the challenge was to combine the stamps from the different designers, so alongside the tulips are ‘flowers’ made from Darcy’s hearts. The stamps mixed and matched pretty much effortlessly – I don’t think you’d realise at first glance there are six different sets used here. 

My background is quite hidden in the finish piece but it has quite a few layers. I primed the chipboard with Vanilla Fresco Finish before stamping an image repeatedly with Caramel and Toffee paints. I finished with a wash of Vanilla to knock back the stamping. 

I love using texture paste with sand in it to add special effects. Here I’ve combined it with a brick stencil to add some appropriate detail to my garden theme. I dry brushed over the texture with Fresco Finish in Caramel to highlight it. 

To see the project in full please visit my blog post HERE.

Places to find Katy:

Blog: Postcards From The Attic

Facebook: katyleitchcrafts
Instagram: katyleitchcraft

I hope you will agree, a fantastic start to our #3up week, brilliant projects with these 2 stamp collections, they really do mash well together. 

Massive thanks to these lovely ladies who have done a sterling job. 

We'll see you back here tomorrow evening for 3 more guests and 3 more projects. ~Darcy 

Xmas 2014 #3UP {Stencils}

Hi everyone Leandra here for the final night of #3UP for 2014. What an amazing week our 3UPpers have provided us with! Thankyou!

Tonight we finish with the most popular technique of all, Stencils. As it is the final night, and there are about a zillion things you can do with a stencil, we have 4 people lined up for you!

First up it's Claire Snowdon (@Claires10) Stencil bumping is her thing...deliberately of course! If you haven't tried this yet you are missing out!

Hi Everyone, I'm ecstatic to be on the PaperArtsy blog tonight sharing my fave stencil technique with you all - stencil bumping!

Here is my finished project

Step One:
I used a 5x7" PaperArtsy grey-white board as my base and covered using Sage, Hint of Mint and Vanilla - spritzing with water as I went to blend them all together for a nice muted background.

Step Two:
I took the Lin Brown bubbles stencil PS001 and used Chalk for my first layer.  Once dry I moved the stencil slightly and added Ice Blue over the top of the Chalk creating a reverse shadow effect aka stencil bumping!

Step Three:
I then used the reeds from JOFY stencil PS007, first using Mocha Mousse then drying, moving the stencil slightly before using Irish Cream and Vintage Lace creating a shadow.

Step Four:
I then decided the background needed a little bit more interest so I used Vintage Lace to sponge through the flower image on the Lin Brown PS005 stencil - subtle but I like it there in the background.

Step Five:
I stamped the sentiment from Lin Brown ELB05 using Jet Black Archival Ink and also the foliage from JOFY22 using Olympia Green Versafine straight onto the grey-white board.  I distressed the edges of the board using the Prima Distress Tool then coloured the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Step Six:
I created my flower embellishment by painting some scraps of card using Hyde Park, Blush, Haystack and Plum then stamped the leaf and flowers from JOFY 22 cut out and assembled using a rusted brad.  Finally I added a rusted metal corner.

I hope you all enjoyed my stencil bumping 3 Up project! 


Love Claire x

Next we have Jax (@jax1369). Jax enjoys all things mixed media, and she's sharing some stencil tricks and tips that you need to remember to get good results every time.

Hi everyone Jax here

Tonight I am using tinted Grunge Paste through a Stencil to create the main image on an 8X8” cvanvas.  I got this idea originally from the Christmas special videos and projects from our very own Leandra made last year and have been using it in varying degrees since.


I started by using the following ingredients, plus a stencil. 

Step One:
I used the stencil as a guide and drew pencil lines for where I wanted the Baltic Blue to be as this would create Stars part of my Canvas.  I then used the Bora Bora to create the sky the flag was flying in and finally the messy bit begins.

I mixed Blood Orange into Grunge Paste until I got a washed out faded red and then scraped this through the stencil to create the Stripes.  I then used Dusty Teal to Create the lady.  The trick to doing this one is to let the previous area dry completely before doing the next.  The stars were created by using Snowflake white and GP (just to make it pop against the blue.

Have you guessed what it is yet?

Next I used Aquamarine and Pewter Treasure Gold to add age and depth and finished her off with the ladies first stamp from Gentleman Plate 3 as Lady Liberty is the first thing you see when heading to New York.  Finished the whole thing off with TG around the edge of the canvas as a frame.

Thanks
Jax

Next up a #3UP newbie,  Chris Cresswell (@artmadnana) She might be new to #3UP, but she's been crafting for years, and is a great PA enthusiast from way back! Her work is always beautiful, and tonight I think we will start to understand why she is such a stencil addict.

Hi everyone. 
I am so excited to be here. My real passion is 'art journaling' and my favourite 'tool' is 'Stencils'. My favourite technique is layering stencils and mixing the media I use with them. I am a bit of a 'mongrel' crafter, using different media and influenced by different artists. In this project I have used various fresco chalks and added Dylusions inks over the top! 

Step One:
As you can see this page is very influenced by Dina Wakley. I love this technique of painting over what has already been created to make the focal image really pop. So how did I begin?

Step Two:
Using a small brayer I covered the page with a thin layer of Vanilla, then Cheesecake, leaving some white space. Using a credit card I then scraped Yellow Submarine here and there to float over the previous layer in patches. I then added Butternut and Tango in a few areas with a dry brush. 

Step Three:
Now the fun begins with stencils. Lots of stencils. With no thought or planning I just start layering different stencils over the page. I used the previous colours to sponge through a variety of stencils: dark colours over light and vice versa, and then added different colours to add more depth e.g. Pumpkin Soup, Blood Orange. 

Step Four:
Next I used Dylusions Inks (squeezed orange and postbox red) sprayed through different stencils, over the fresco chalks. I also immediately flipped over each stencil that I sprayed through, pressing down each one elsewhere on the page and drying them off by rolling kitchen paper over each image.  A technique I learned from Dyan Reaveley.

Step Five:
This produces a lovely transparent layer as the fresco paints generally resist the sprayed inks. I then sponged Snowflake through a Linda Brown stencil PS001  to reduce the brightness and to add a further layer over the inks which are just visible through the paint.

Step Six:
The next step was to mix Old Gold with Prima's 3D Gloss gel in equal parts and scrape it through yet another stencil. This gloss gel really makes the Old Gold shine. This takes some time to dry. A layer of stamping using different PA background stamps and a few ink splats (Squid Ink) completed the page.

Step Seven: I took a Dina Wakely Girl figure stencil and painted the entire area around it in contrasting colours (Claret, Amethyst and Plum) thus painting over almost all of the page I'd just created. A scary technique, but one that allows the focal image to come forward. Next, I used Sky to paint in some circles to help balance the page; finally adding words and doodling to complete the project. 

I hope you like it.
Chris

Finally tonight it's Hazel Agnew (@craftroomgran). Hazel is another art adventurer, of late she is on a face drawing kick. However, she diverts from that to reduction stencilling....we are hoping we all lose a few pounds when we master this one!

At the risk of waffling, I just wanted to point out that, until I joined the crazy Patwits I was doomed to a life of card making. Having discovered PA, it opened my world to a maze of mixed media which I love!

I chose "reduction stencilling" because, to me, it is a bit like a magic trick. I decided to experiment with different colours first and this "practise" turned out to be my submission.

Step One:

First of all I gessoed my page to give it some tooth to work on. Next, I applied blocks of colour using Portfolio Pastels in Pink, Red and Violet and PaperArtsy Fresco Paints in Blood Orange, London Bus, Plum and Snowflake.

Step Two:

I worked a small section at a time, overlaying the Crafter's Workshop Heart Stencil and removing colour with a baby wipe. 

Step Three:

I laid the stencil in different directions for variation. I also applied colour through the heart stencil over the top. I layered colours by adding Snowflake over the top of some areas to reveal layered patterns.

For added interest...

• I stamped through the heart stencil onto the heart shapes with Geranium Red and Black Archival Ink. The script was from ESN11. 
• I drew through the stencil and cut out hearts on manuscript paper and edged them with Distress Black Soot.
• I stamped the sentiment from Sara Naumann's ESN11 onto manuscript .
• Finally, because this was only a practice, I drew around the edges in paint and doodled around the edges with Black Fudeball pen.

So, I stopped there and voila, my piece of work to show "reduction stencilling!"

Thanks Everyone
Hazel

Well everyone, that is the final #3UP for 2014. We really hope you have enjoyed these wonderful ideas from all our crafting gurus from the wider PaperArtsy family! A big thank you to them for taking the time to share their magnificence with us all.

The 'end of semester' round up will be on the blog tomorrow, with the December challenge  link closing on December 31st, so you've still got a couple of days to join in, details below.

Enjoy your New Year celebrations, stay safe.

Leandra
xx

We would love you to go in our challenge draw for a prize from PaperArtsy, a voucher to spend in our online shop. Link up your creativity HERE. All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. This link will close 17:00 (London Time) December 31st 2014, the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00, Dec 31st, 2014.