2024 Topic 6 : Scrapcosy {by Amanda Pink}

Hi everyone, Amanda Pink (p1nkart) here with you today.

Since I moved house inaut umn last year I've been trying to get my new place all set up to make it feel like 'home'. I'm slowly getting there and although I have a few pieces of art on display I still feel there's a need for a few more so I thought this Scrapcosy topic would provide me with an ideal opportunity to make a new piece of art for my new place! 

I like creating art 'on the block' as the sides of the block give a bit more creative space. They are also super easy to wall hang or if preferred they can sit on a surface as a piece of table art. So today I'm sharing a mixed media art block that has a touch of 'grunge' combined with some delicate water-coloured imagery!! Two contrasting styles that I think on this occasion came together in harmony!

Our current overriding theme is 'Hidden' so within the overall design of my art block there is a little something hiding away waiting to be revealed to give a second piece of art! 

Hope you'll join me to find out more . 

Scrapcosy has so many fabulous stamps and stencil designs it wasn't easy selecting which to create with but in the end with regards the stamps I opted for Scrapcosy stamp set 31 (ESC31) and Scrapcosy stampset 41 (ESC41). I thought they'd give me a good mix of imagery and words that I could pick and choose from to play around with. Words, flowers, butterflies are always so versatile aren't they?

I could see any of these stamps working well with 'a brick wall' backdrop so I picked out PaperArtsy stencil by Scrapcosy 375 (PS375) which led my 'grungy heart' to reach for my PaperArtsy Grunge Paste (GP190). You can't create bricks (all be them faux bricks) without some grunge, right? Some PaperArtsy Infusions (Just Walnut, CS25) too. Maybe some PaperArtsy Rusting Powder? Mmmm, maybe not ! Although I wanted some grunge, this time I didn't want to go full on grunge!

I didn't initially plan to use PaperArtsy Stencils by Scrapcosy: 374 (PS374) and 191 (PS191) but they turned out to be welcome additions.  

My colour palette was very much influenced by my new place so as it's currently quite neutral/ monochrome I went with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics (Chalk FF83, Stone FF59, Slate FF84, and Little Black Dress FF19) adding in just a splash of colour: PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Deep Sea, FF198). 

In addition to these supplies there were the substrates including the large and small Art block  which you'll see and I'll mention throughout this post. 

The background of my art block was to be a brick wall so that's where my creativity began.

I applied PaperArtsy Grunge Paste (FF190) through what I'm calling the 'brick wall' design that's on PaperArtsy Stencil by Scrapcosy 375 (PS375). This design isn't could very easily be used for other things and in other ways.

Laying a stencil down on card and holding it in place on a flat surface is much easier than 'wrestling' with it on a raised surface like an art block so I worked 'off the block' on PaperArtsy Heavy Smoothy.

To help avoid movement/ slip of the card or stencil while applying the PaperArtsy Grunge Paste (FF190) I adhered the card to my work surface with a small piece of Sizzix Sticky Grid and kept the stencil in position with masking tape. 

(Apologies for the two colour tapes! The purple tape is low tack tape which was better to use in places as the stencil design wasn't quite the same size as the card panel so had to be taped to the card as well as the work surface. Low tack tape lessened the chance of the card ripping or marking when the tape was removed !) 

I had to reposition the stencil to extend the brick wall to cover the size of the card panel I was working on but it's design made it super easy.  All I had to do was simply place the design over the last line of bricks I'd created and I was set to continue.

N.B: Be sure to dry the first round of stenciling before repositioning or you'll end up with squished bricks!!!

No doubt you spotted the 'little holes' in the bricks? I like stamping into PasterArtsy Grunge Paste (FF190) using detail stamps but thought this time instead of using stamps I'd use a ball tool. Ok, probably not 'stamping' as we know it...more 'poking' ;). No precision was involved,  My 'poking' was all very random and care free!  A fun way to create some marks in the bricks!  Great for stress relief too !! ;) 

Once the brick wall was dry it was time to paint.

I started with an all over coverage of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Chalk, FF83). Using a stencil brush with a pouncing action allowed me to get the paint in between all the peaks and troughs of the PaperArsty Grunge Paste (FF190) stencilling with ease. Quick and easy too !!

As PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics have a drying time of what I call 'Now' (super quick no waiting around) by the time I'd finished painting the panel with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Chalk, FF83) I was able to start dry brushing it with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Stone, FF59). Dry brushing allowed me to catch the base colour in some places not others to give nuances of colour, light and shadow all be them very subtle. Again quick and easy too!

Painting in the 'cement' was the most time consuming but I didn't mind at all as I find intricate, fine line painting relaxing and focusing. A way to zone in and forget the 'outside noise' so to speak. Using a Rigger brush made it much easier too. If you haven't got a Rigger brush and you want/ like to paint fine lines/ detail/ intricate patterns I would definitely recommend investing in one. I wouldn't be without mine! 

Alternatively, if this kind of painting is not your thing you could always try switching up my order of creativity and paint your card panel with the cement colour first then proceed to stencil the wall. If you did it that way you would need to reposition the stencil over the bricks in order to paint them. The results may not be exactly the same doing it this way round but pretty sure they'd be similar!

I kept within the lines on the whole but didn't stress if I slipped over as I also purposely smudged the cement painting out onto some of the bricks. This helped to make them look a bit more grungy / weather worn and also emphasise some of the brick 'poke holes'.

Although I was pleased with how the brick wall was looking I still felt it needed 'grunging' up a bit more but as I mentioned in the intro not too much. I thought PaperArtsy Infusions (Just Walnut, CS25) would give me just the extra touch of grunge I was after.

With PaperArtsy Infusions being water reactive and the brown and colour crystals they are made up of reacting at different rates I thought they'd allow me to control the level of grunginess. I felt they did !

If the PaperArtsy Infusions (Just Walnut, CS25) were looking too dark I simply added water and / or wiped / dabbed dry. I was also able to drip and move them around the areas I wanted them (primarily the corners and sides of the panel) with ease.

I realised while making the brick wall that I would need another as I was thinking of taking the  wall around the sides of the large art block and maybe also carry it onto the smaller art block too so I hit  repeat to make another that I then cut into strips.

Pleased with how the brick wall panels and strips were looking at this point I moved on to the focal image and the hidden art.

First the focal image for the main art block.

I felt painting some pieces of PaperArtsy Heavy Smoothy with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics (Chalk FF83, Stone FF59) would maintain continuity of colour throughout the project.

While considering the overall design of my finished project I knew I needed a relatively small focal and as I love the 'daisy' on Scrapcosy Stamp set 41 (ESC41) that's what it was to be. 

I thought it would be good to 'spotlight' it in some way as this would help draw the viewing eye in which is what a focal is all about, right? 

The larger circle on PaperArtsy Stencil by Scrapcosy 191 (PS191) gave me just what I needed. 

This stencil gives you both the circle stencil and the circle masks. Either could be used but I used the mask, simply placing it in the middle of a piece of painted card and drawing round it lightly with a pencil.

I stamped the 'daisy' within it ! What a beauty and even before its coloured !

To water colour the flower I carried the brown of the PaperArtsy infusions (Just Walnut, CS25) from the brick wall through to the focal and introduced a splash of colour with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Deep Sea, FF198).

I went a bit left field mixing up what would probably be the expected colours of the flower and the leaves but that's what's so 'liberating' about creativity isn't it? If you want brown flowers and blue leaves, stems, flower heads that's ok!

More than happy with my painted flower I felt the surrounding areas of the circle were looking rather 'empty' so some subtle stencilling using one of the designs on PaperArtsy Stencil by Scrapcosy 374 (PS374) in the same colours as the flower helped resolve that.

Usually I would really think about/ consider my choice of stencil but in a bid to free myself from my 'overthinking' I just went on a whim that it would work ok with the flower. I think it did ! Are you an over thinking creative too?

A black micron pen helped emphasise the previously drawn 'spotlight' circle.

To finish the flower focal panel I adhered it to matt board to give it some rigidity, added some faux Micron pen stitching for a touch of extra detail inside the 'spotlight' circle and distressed the corners and sides very lightly with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide (Black Soot).

The Hidden Art!

My overall design was such that a small square art block would sit centrally on top of a larger square art block. The flower focal would cover the top of the small art block hiding what was beneath and in order to reveal what was hiding the flower focal needed to be removable but at the same time it needed to stay firmly in place until removed.

So I trialled an idea out to see if it would work and it did. 

As the smaller art block would be reversed and used as a window frame I measured the dimensions of the window, took those measurements to card to draw out what would in effect when cut and scored be an open top box.

I painted the open top box and a MDF panel which it will be adhered to with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Little Black Dress FF19) in keeping with the colour of the large and small art block.

So what do you think might fit into the window of a small window frame ? Why a butterfly of course! ;). 

I always welcome the opportunity to feature or include a butterfly in my creativity and as butterflies are said to signify hope, love and new beginnings I thought it was a perfect choice given this piece of art is for / inspired by my new place.

She was watercoloured with the colours used so far: PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Deep Sea FF198) and PaperArtsy infusions (Just Walnut, CS25) along with some delicate touches of PaperArtsy Infusions: Rusty Car (CS17).

I thought some of the words on Scrapcosy Stampset ESC41 (ESC41) would be great to include somewhere on my project.   

The stampset comes with the words all partially joined together so they can either be used as you see them on the carrier sheet or a simple scissor snip will allow you to use each of them on their own. That's what I did as I wanted a couple of long strips of words: 'Live, Love, Laugh' aswell as some single words: 'Pause', 'Breathe', 'Relax'.

I know I'm going to be reaching for these words a lot in my creativity - a great selection in a general, versatile font that I reckon would lend itself to any style of creativity.

The tiny small diamonds on PaperArtsy stencil by Scrapcosy 374 (PS374) helped fill in the gaps between the words on the long strips, also offering the suggestion to 'pause' when reading the words.

I was now ready to start bringing everything together.

The large art block in situ already makes my new place feel more like 'home'! 

Now for some close ups starting with the flower focal. 

This was adhered to a back matt board panel then mounted onto the black MDF panel/ open box 'insert' I'd made. It fitted snugly within the window of the small frame to hide what's beneath. 

Some script stamp triangles topped with some Tim Holtz Ideology hitch fasteners decorate the corners of the black MDF panel/ open box 'insert'. They also help when removing the flower focal. 

Carrying the brick wall down and around the sides of the main art block aswell as up and around the sides of the small art block help bring the 2 together and gives continuity throughout the whole project design. 

The 'Live love Laugh' word strips covered one row of bricks perfectly both above and below the flower focal.

(I hadn't realised that when I was cutting the strips . Serendipity, hey? ) 

Let's lift the flower focal to see what's hidden beneath....

A butterfly of course .... giving a second piece of art !  

The script stamp from Scrapcosy stamp set 41 (ESC41) stamped very lightly in Ranger Archival ink (Jet black, Coffee) nestles in the window complimenting the background colours.  In the centre a small black disc on which the butterfly rests, her thorax embellished with some pieces of Tim Holtz ideology .

The single words placed around the frame with the addition of part of a quote from Scrapcosy Stamp set 31 (ESC31):  'Pause, Breathe, Relax with the Butterflies'!  Oh how I'd love to! 

I really have enjoyed making this artblock/s and I'm happy with how it all turned out. 

I love the idea of having an hidden element behind the focal which in this case gives a second piece of art. I may have used a stamped butterfly to hide but that could easily be switched up for something else: a treasured photo or a precious keepsake maybe, or how about using the hidden space as a place to keep something like keys safe??

Thanks for stopping by today/ tonight
Creative Wishes
Amanda

x

Blog: ink-a-pink

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2022 Topic 11: Stamp Mash-up {by Ellie Knol} with Tracy Scott, Nicci Battilana and Scrapcosy stamps

Hi everyone, it's Ellie Knol with you today, and I'm here to share with you the process of creating three connected MDF tags; yes, I cut them myself with a table-saw. To make big tags was my first thought; no real plans; it unfolded as I went.

I did have my eyes on the postage-stamp frame stamp from one of the ESC sets from day one. What if I can use that as a frame for a photograph, to just slide in and being replaced in any later stage with a newer photograph. 

To create I have three very different styles of product of three very different designers, that's for sure!

These are the products I used as far as the three designers for the Mash-Up are concerned: Scrapcosy stamp set 31 (ESC31), Scrapcosy stamp set 32 (ESC32), PaperArtsy Stencil by Nicci Battilana (PS290), PaperArtsy Stencil by Tracy Scott (PS252), Tracy Scott stamp set 27 (TS027,Tracy Scott stamp set 41 (TS041).

I've always wanted to create some paper beads and while creating the colourful master board, I decided that NOW was the time to go for it, to be used as a very unique embellishment for the project.

Starting off with creating the master board in my own unique way, I might say. I've done a tutorial in a previous theme, creating a masterboard.

I've added the pictured stages of this step so you can see it unfold to a beautiful and huge 30 by 42 centimetres unique background to be used all over the project and more.

The photographs speak for themselves; if not go check the tutorial; same technique, different product. I will add a few notes though.

I stamped with Scrapcosy stamp set 31 (ESC31) and Scrapcosy stamp set 32 (ESC32)  with Tsukineko - StazOn (Ultramarine) ink random all over the paper and fill it up.

Rub PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics - Cherry Red, Yellow Submarine, Tangerine Twist, Zesty Zing and Mustard Pickle to the paper with your fingers, blend colours to make gorgeous new colours as you work.

Next I sponged through PaperArtsy Stencil by Tracy Scott (PS252) 

several light and opaque PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics - Snowflake, Lemon Meringue and Cherry Blossom.

Next it was PaperArtsy Stencil by Nicci Battilana (PS290) to dab PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic - Cherry Red and Brown Shed to the surface.

The cross stitches pop, especially on top of the lighter colours.

To finish the masterboard off, I stamped with stamps from Tracy Scott stamp set 41 (TS041) with Tsukineko - StazOn (Ultramarine), a dark blue.

On the photo below you can see my first ever made paper-bead (details of how to make these colourful beads is coming up son in this post). 

But first, let's take a look at the MDF tags. To be able to drill the holes all in one go I taped the three MDF tags in a stack. The middle tag needed holes on both sides of course.

For the sake of the post I explain the stages of these tags in the photo below: sanded, the first layer (white gesso), and the second layer painted with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic - Snowflake. It was only necessary to paint one of the sides.. the other side will be covered with the colorful master board paper.

 .

I've always wanted to create some paper beads!

Below is the test-run first bead. It still is my favorite of the whole batch, even though this was my initial test of the process. I covered it with Glossy Accents but also thought of doing the whole batch later on with UTEE (or clear heat embossing) with a heat tool, or in a melting pot as Leandra showed in a post and a video on the PaperArtsy YouTube channel (The Leandra Bead).

 

With the leftover masterboard paper (after covering the MDF tags on the unpainted side), I cut the strips of paper for the paper beads into long triangles...all different sizes and lengths...

... next to roll from fat to thin end, and glaze them with clear heat embossing. Toothpicks were used to let them cool on. 

.. and this picture (below) is the batch I've created so far. I also added different sizes of eyelets to finish them off. I still had paper left and of course I made more in a later stage.

Some of them look like porcelain Royal Delft Blue pieces ..  we call it Koninklijke Delfts Blauw here in the Netherlands.

As mentioned, the paper from the master board was used to cover one side of the MDF tags. I finished it off with a fussy-cut stamped ladybug from Tracy Scott stamp set 27 (TS027).

The front side of the MDF tags were also decorated. First I stamped images onto the white surface.

The postage-stamp frame from Scrapcosy stamp set 31 & 32 (ESC31 , ESC32)  in action:

I stamped onto a white sturdy cardstock, fussy cut it, adhered it on top of a piece of transparent sheet cut to size, adhered that on top of thin strips of painted-white greyboard to make them raised enough for a photograph to be inserted easily on the left, right and bottom of it so the top will stay open. Adhered it to the tag as shown.

This close up shows that I applied embossing paste through the very versatile PaperArtsy Stencil designed by Nicci Battilana (PS290). 

It's very subtle in the background, but the sponged blue Distress Ink makes it a little more visible.

The three tags can stand upright all by themselves.

The beads were used to embellish the tags; attached and knotted with Scrapper's Floss. 

Lots of beads left .. 

Pieces of leftover paper were slid into the frame and can be used to adhere photographs to or taken out.

Happy ending to a happy project that took more hours to create than I envisioned when starting off...Oh well...I had fun!

As far as I am concerned I went a bit overboard with the number of beads added to the project, but hey: I have some left still and who cares anyway.. never too many beads!

LOVE how this project unfolded itself through the process of creating.

I am not nearly finished with creating paper beads, (happy-sigh) it's very addictive!
I have quite a few ideas for making paper beads; adding other product too. The ideas pop up in my head all the time. I shall call it WIP, or INSPIRATION-for-the-near-future. It also bugs me that I still haven't made paper beads the way Leandra did them in her You Tube video. 
Note that I can easily remove the ladybug as it's been adhered to a tiny piece of 3D tape. 
Will I go another route if I would ever create something similar? Maybe start off with another color of stamping ink! I had to change plans during the creation process because of the color of the ink. On the other hand some of the beads look kind of Royal Delft Blue porcelain; the ones that have a lot of white in them. So, that's good!

I really hope you got inspired by my project and go create with inspiration on any aspect of the techniques shown in this post.

Happy day! Ellie Knol

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