2015 #4 Under the Microscope {by Penny Nuttall}

2015 Theme 4: Miniature Art

Hi everyone Penny here, joining you this evening with a microscopic look into the world of miniature art. I first started to experiment with Darcy's wonderful new stamps when I was happily asked to take part in her new product launch, and was inspired by the theme of "Cabinets of Curiosities". 

I discovered that it is very simple to stamp using Jet Black Archival Ink onto glass microscope slides (clean the slide careful with a soft cloth to remove dirt and greasy fingerprints!). Leave the ink to dry, or if you are impatient like me, use a heat gun.

Choose a selection of sizes of slides and images. I used Eclectica EDY12 and EDY13,

...but all the images in this collection are brilliant for this.

The next step is also inspired by something popular with the Victorians...painting in reverse!

This backward technique requires a bit of forward thinking :) You now paint over your stamped image using Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints and a small brush, letting each layer dry, in the order you want the colours to be seen when you finally turn the slide over.

When turned over all the stamped details are revealed. Detail the edge of the glass with a metallic gold pen.

Now to make the display.

For each slide, paint a cotton reel with Fresco Brown Shed, stamp the word labels on copy paper.

Glue short lengths of matchstick on the top of the reel leaving a gap of TWO glass slides thickness.

Back the painted slide with a matching plain one (to protect you art work!) and clip together at the top with a mini bulldog clip, then add this to the stand, with a bit of clear glue in the groove.

Why not remind yourself how you can make more microscope art on Darcy's launch blog.

I hope you enjoy making your own mini curiosities.

Bye for now,    Penny.     cuttingmycoat.blogspot.com

I loved the samples you made for Darcy, but these are very cool too!! Yes Darcy's stamps do look a bit like microbial organisms, you have latched onto a funky mini display! Thankyou for sharing this great idea with us!! ~Leandra

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Miniature Art. 

Perhaps one of our guests has triggered an idea you might like to try, or perhaps you have other mini pieces of art you want to explore, whatever you decide, we'd love to have you join in our fortnighly challenge on this topic and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher (includes freight cost) to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Fresco Paints link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

Changing Seasons {with Eclectica³ EDY by Alison Bomber}

Hello everyone, Alison here from Words and Pictures, with a project using Darcy's fabulous new stamps... and oh, I had fun with this one!

I started out with just one tag in mind, but before I knew it there were four seasonal variations in front of me.

I started with crackled backgrounds: French Roast underneath, then a layer of Crackle Glaze and then Nougat over the top, with the Crackle Glaze doing its usual magic.  I stamped the trees from EDY06 in Potting Soil Archival and clear embossed them, so that they would hold their own whatever I put over the top. 

 I used one of the lovely borders to create my landscape so the trees had somewhere to sit.

I applied my sky (mainly done with washes of Ice Blue, Sky and a hint of Beach Hut in the mix in summer) and grass colours mainly with a natural sponge, blending darker colours over the lighter ones from the edges to create layers and depth.

In Spring, there's just a light sponging of Limelight and Hey Pesto for the new leaf growth, and there's just a touch of Nougat to highlight the tree blossom.  Adorable little spring buds are popping up around the foot of the tree. ( from EDY05)

In Summer, the flowers have bloomed beautifully - with Nougat and Beach Hut "petals", and the grasses are growing wild and free.

Up in the tree, the blossoms have given way to big bold leaves, now darkening with some added Hyde Park for that rich fertile green of summer.

Come Autumn and those same leaves are turning to Autumn Fire mingled with Hey Pesto, and there are glossy Cinnamon conkers in the tree (no idea what species this is!).  The mushrooms sprouting from between the tree roots have variations on the same colour tones, while the grasses are also on the turn.  I stamped the stems of the flowers upside down to get some extra grassy texture.

By Winter, everything else has faded away and the bare boughs of the tree are revealed in stark beauty against the wintry Antarctic sky.

The words are stamped on a strip cut from my first tag which hadn't had the tree embossed and so all went belly up when I tried to restamp the tree over the top and missed my mark.  Still, that gave me a lovely background for the sentiment on the finished project!

All mounted on corrugated cardboard (of course!), and some natural raffia toppings... and there you have it.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I'll see you again soon.  Alison. 

A huge thank you to Alison from all at PaperArtsy HQ. This is a fabulous board which I had the pleasure of seeing in real life. How clever to create 4 different seasons with the one tree. I just love the story you weave as the colours change, bringing life to each of the tags. 

If you would like to join in our weekly challenge with any of this week's guest who have blogged since Sunday night, then join in to link up your creativity HERE you will go in the draw to win PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by17:00 (London time) Sunday 23rd Feb 2014

Travel Water Pot {with Eclectica³ Darcy stamps by Designer Darcy Wilkinson}

Hi everyone Darcy here. I have been really busy making samples for the Stevenage show with my new stamps. This is one of my samples that will be on the demo desk, but it also has a practical use as it is a handy dandy travelling water pot.  The components fold flat, so this would easily slip in your bag to take to a crop or art group. 

I started by making a bag. I used a white polycotton, just as that is what fell out of the cupboard first. but any heavyweight fabric would do. I cut 4 pieces for the sides and 1 piece for the bottom.  I made a card template to ensure all pieces were the right size. The bottom is square, and the sides have a little extra in the height. 

I stitched the 4 side pieces together first, effectively making a tube, then I pinned on the bottom and stitched that into place. I then folded over the extra bit at the top of each side piece and stitched those down. As I did that I trapped in the handles. Any heavy tape or webbing would work as the handles. I felt the bag needed a stronger bottom, so I cut 2 slightly smaller squares of fabric, stitched those together on 3 sides and then slipped in a square of plastic (cut from a flexible chopping board) Then I handstitched the 4th side closed. 

To add even more strength and to create a good base for painting, I applied 3 coats of gesso to all of the inside and all of the outside, and to both sides of the base insert. 

I then started to add colour, starting with the deepest colours inside at the bottom, and working up to the palest at the rim of the bag. I used Space Cadet , Lake Wanaka and Nougat. 

Now to do the fun part and decorate the outside. At the top I started with Space Cadet, blended that into Lake Wanaka, then added a little Nougat, making sure to blend away the joining lines. Going downwards, I added Sage, then Hey Pesto and finally Green Olives. 

This gave a really nice transition of colours from top to bottom and created the 'sky' and 'grass'. All four sides were painted the same way, then I gently rubbed over them with a babywipe to slightly distress them. 

I knew it would be tricky to stamp onto the bag, so to give myself a solid surface I packed the bag with anything that would fit, in this case a tub of baby wipes and 2 notebooks. 

I painted and stencilled some tissue paper, then stamped my flowers onto the tissue and cut them out. They were glued on using Matte Glaze  The tree was stamped directly to the bag using Chocolate Pudding instead of ink, then the trunk was filled in with more Chocolate Pudding, Brown shed and Nougat. I dabbed on some Green Olives and Sage for the leaves. 

All elements were created the same way. Painted and stencilled tissue paper was stamped on, cut out and glued on. For this piece I used Nougat followed by stencilling in Toffee through a Prima Stencil. 

Then the stamp was added using black archival ink, then the top bits were painted with Autumn Fire and Claret. and again cut out and glued on.  Once all four sides are finished I gave the outside a coat of Matte Glaze just to seal all the bits of tissue paper into place. 

All the images come from my 4 new stamp set that have been added to the Eclectica³ Darcy Collection, here are two of the plates. However the eagle eyed amongst you will have spotted images from the other plates....

Look carefully, see what extra images you can spot!!!

Is that a fairy house I spy, not mush-room in there...

Twinkly night sky ..

A not so furry feline...

I will being demoing with Leandra at Stevenage Stamperama consumer show next Sunday (Feb 9th, 10-4) for the launch of my new stamps. I can't wait for you to see them ALL!.

My new stamps will be available via your local stamp store in the coming weeks. Initially shops will be able to order direct from PaperArtsy the week following Stevenage at the Craft Hobby and Stitch International Trade Show, NEC Birmingham, Feb 16-18. PaperArtsy is stand A42, situated as usual in the back left hand corner of the main hall, with a coffee cart nearby.

If you are a retailer and intend to go to the 'Stitches' trade show, Leandra has organised a fabulous retailer training day where you can enjoy 6 hours of hands-on learning about all thing new from PaperArtsy. You will make 2 projects, one with Lin Brown, and 1 with Jo Firth-Young on Sat Feb 15th, 10.30-5.30. There are still some spaces available, so if you qualify as a trade customer to attend the show, then why not go up a day early, and learn hands-on about the 85 new products PaperArtsy is launching at the show this year - their biggest new release of product ever!  The day costs £48, and you will leave with more than that value in product, your class projects, and lots of ideas and new-product knowledge. This is an opportunity not to be missed for retailers and in-store teachers.

So now the excitement of spot-the-new-stamps is over, let's get back to the bag... how to make it into a water pot. I picked up this little 'lantern water pot' for just £1.99 from an art store. 

The beauty is, that both the bag and the water pot fold down flat. 

But when you need them, they easily pop up into action. 

This was such a fun little project to make, and will hopefully stop me making a drippy mess on the demo table. 

See you soon. Darcy 

If you would like to join in our weekly challenge with any of this week's guests who have blogged since Sunday night, then join in to link up your creativity HERE you will go in the draw to win PA stamps of your choice! You need to link your entry by17:00 (London time) Sunday Feb 2nd 2014