2021 Topic 7: Stamp Mash UP JOFY, EEG, ESN, I&D minis {by Claire Snowdon}

 2021 Topic 7: Stamp Mash Up

Love how Claire has pulled this journal spread together, the kraft paper makes a rustic, distressed border at the edges, framing her gorgeous arty layers beautifully.
~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Claire Snowdon with you today, and I'm here to share a spread I created in my kraft paper art journal for the mash up topic.  I used JOFY, Emma Godfrey (EEG) and Sara Naumann (ESN) stamps together with a little JOFY mini stamp too.

I love creating art journal pages - but sometimes when I just don't know how to start I find a plain white page is a little daunting!  But over the years I have come to realise that I don't have the same issue when using kraft pages......I'm pretty sure I can't be the only one - kraft paper seems to allow more freedom and expression!

 

I started fast and furious with this one - PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Acrylics (Bubblegum, Butternut and Zucchini) were scraped on with a palette knife.  I tried not to overthink it but I did want to keep the Zucchini towards the bottom to act as a semblance of grass.  I added Cloud 9 over the top - I used a variety of techniques; the palette knife, my fingers and also a baby wipe to soften it slightly. 

I added some detail to my background using the flower stamp from Emma Godfrey set 22 (EEG22) stamped with Fresco Chalk Acrylics in Bubblegum and Butternut.  I also added some stamping using the quote stamp from Sara Naumann set 33 (ESN33) - I used Versafine Smokey Grey and Ranger Archival Jet Black inks to create depth and shadows.

 

 

I started to build up my composition - using the flower stalk on the left hand page from Jo Firth-Young set 14 (JOFY14) and the stem from Jo Firth-Young set 54 (JOFY54) on the right - which is to become the main focal point of the page.  I stamped flowers all along the bottom of the page to create a 'meadow' feeling using the Jo Firth-Young mini 33 (JM33).  You can see I had trouble stamping near the ring binding of my journal - I was using an acrylic block, so in the future I need to try to remember to take the stamp of the block to make it a little easier.

I stamped the large flower head from Emma Godfrey set 22 (EEG22) again onto a piece of scrap card that was leftover from a previous project (if you look closely you can make out a little bit of Kim Dellow's stamps - just to make this an even bigger mash up!)  I added it to the JOFY stem using foam pads just to lift it off the page a bit.

I used watercolour markers to colour in the JOFY flowers and stems, with a tiny bit of white paint pen added as highlights. This fabulous quote is from Emma Godfrey set 22 (EEG22) stamped using Ranger Archival ink in Jet Black, cut out and edged with the same black ink.  I love the way it stands out from the page as it's so bold and pretty large for this size of art journal.

 

I added some white highlights to the Emma Godfrey flower head which I think really make it pop.  This photo really shows how the background layers work together - the overlapping of multiple paint colours, stamp sets and ink colours adds a real textural feel. 

 

I decided to glue the quote directly onto the page as it's so bold that it doesn't need anything extra.  I also didn't want to detract too much from the lovely Emma Godfrey/JOFY flower.

The last step was the add some splatter - I used two paint pens in pink and blue, just to give a little bit of contrast to the page.  A few white paint pen dots here and there and I decided it was finished!

  

 I made the choice not the edge the pages like I typically would - I am really enjoying seeing the kraft colour showing strongly at the edges.

 

 

One final comment is to point out that I added the final section of the quote over the top of my messy stamping near the ring binding - it doesn't quite cover it totally but it definitely draws the eye away from the stamping underneath it.

   

I hope you enjoyed my art journal pages today. Art journaling is a wonderful way to express your creativity and just have fun - it doesn't have to be perfect.  Just relax and have fun with it! 

Claire x

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2020 #6 Jungle Vibes: Flower Power with JOFY {by Claire Snowdon}

2020 Topic 6: Jungle Vibes

Claire attests to the mood boosting power of creativity and has created a 'blooming' wonderful journal page. She's used lots of stencils to cleverly create a real jungle vines background effect.

Hi everyone, it's Claire Snowdon with you today, and I'd like to share a 'jungle vibes' journal page I've made in my square Dylusions journal. 

I really love using the PaperArtsy Fresco Paints on the Dylusions paper - they give a wonderfully smooth, matte finish - which is just the effect I was looking for with this project.

I used Fresco paints in Gumboots, Beanstalk and Pistachio for the background.  And added some stencilling using two JOFY stencils (PS010 and PS149).

 

 

I then added some lighter elements using the Pistachio again and also Eggshell.  This time using the numbers PaperArtsy stencil (PS021) and an Emma Godfrey stencil (PS015). I just kept on layering up the stencilling until I was happy with the background - adding stencilling on top of stencilling is a great way to create depth and interest to your pages.

Next for the focal elements - these big, beautiful flowers from JOFY91 were just the standout pieces I was looking for.

I used my Stamp Platform to stamp a rough image of each flower and then coloured them using Fresco Finish paints in: Blah Mange, Sorbet, Bougainvillea, Cerise, Plum, London Bus and Bubble Gum.  Then stamped them again before fussy cutting them and adding the highlights with a white Posca paint pen.

  

 

I added some additional stamping - the stalks for each flower are from JOFY sets (JOFY23 and JOFY54) and the spiky grasses are from JOFY22 - stamped in dark green to give extra contrast.  Then a little touch of script in Fossilized Amber Distress Oxide using the script stamp from ESN11 as I love to have some form of script in all my backgrounds!

I love the quote from Tracy Scott's stamp set (ETS29) and felt it really fitted this page perfectly!  Finally I mounted the flower heads to the page with foam tape to give them a bit of dimension and coloured in the leaves with Pitt pens.

I really enjoyed creating with these lovely bright colours - it cheered me up no end.  This was the first time I'd used the stamping platform with JOFY flowers - it made the colouring process so easy and I will definitely be using it more often in the future. 

I hope you'll join in with the Jungle Vibes theme and find some time to be creative soon.

Claire x

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2018 #18 Stamp Platforms: Stamping-a-round with JOFY {by Jo Firth-Young]

 2018 Topic 18: Stamp Platform Techniques

Well talk about kick of the topic with a spin! It's Jo sharing a great way to get your head and stamps literally spinning in tune with your stamp platform!! This is going to be fun fun fun!!!! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Jo (www.jofirthyoung.blogspot.com) with you today, and I'd like to share with you a ROUND project I made with my Stamping Platform... oh yes, you read that correctly - a round project.

I think the stamping platform is a great addition to the toolbox of any stamper, and after I'd been using mine for a while I started to wonder if it couldn't be used for more than just squares and rectangles... that would be too restrictive for such a good piece of kit!  It had to be able to do more, sureIy!

The idea of working on a circular design came to me while I was stamping an image and rotating the page to stamp on all sides.... rotating... like a wheel... wheels are round... ROUND!!! A round/circle is simply a square with the corners cut off (if you see what I mean!) - so a circle would fit into the Stamping Platform in the same way as a square - touching the top and side edges equally....I couldn't find a compass fast enough to draw a circle to test out the theory! lol

I needed to draw a circle that was big enough to allow for lots of images but small enough to fit into my stamping platform (I have the 'Crafts Too' platform) and as my compass didn't stretch far enough I had to search out something to draw round - I went into the kitchen and found a side plate which was an ideal size (8.5in/21.5cm).

I made a rough draft of the proposed plan by drawing around the plate.  I then cut the circle out, folded it in half and measured 30 degree intervals around the edge with a protractor.

I drew around the plate again - this time onto a sheet of 12x12 Smoothy and transferred the measurements adding a small line at the edge in pencil. I also marked the centre as that will be needed later.

Here is the circle in the stamping platform - you can see how it sits against the top and side.  Each time I stamp I'll  rotate the circle round to another marker.  Stamp, rotate, repeat.

Here are the inks and paints I chose to work with... Peach Nectar, Zucchini, Sherbet and Lake Wanaka Frescos, Peeled Paint and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide, Leaf Green and Jet Black Archival ink.

I always start with the biggest image so that everything else can fit around it, and in this case over the top of the image so it sits in the background.  I created a simple mask to protect the centre and opposite side of what is going to become a 'wreath' style design.  I stamped this image at every-other  30 degree mark (stamping it at every one would've been too busy, cluttered).

This is the seedhead from JOFY38.

I stamped 2 more rotations of images (seed-head silhouette JOFY63, tall stem JOFY61), with leaf masked off each time.

I decided that, instead of masking off the centre each time, it would be easier if I cut the centre out.  I did this by using the mark I'd made earlier and  drawing a suitable sized circle with the compass. I cut out with a scalpel - much neater than scissors.

I stamped more images all around the circle - laying them in place to see how they would fit. I thought it would be good if one of the images flowed over the edge of the circle - to stop the circle seeming too rigid.

I did this in two stages - stamped the stem (centre of plate JOFY54) and then added the flower head ( lower left from plate JOFY53).

There is open space in the corners of the Stamping Platform and this is where I positioned the flower head (the stem shown below was removed before I stamped the flower head).

To add a bit more 'greenery' I stamped the tall solid swirly stem from JOFY53, and then began to think about adding all the finishing details and colour.

I stamped the flowerhead again onto book text & scrapbook papers so they could be cut out and paper-pieced onto the matching images on the wreath.

I painted leaves and flower buds with Fresco Finish paints...

I shaded& softened the edges of the ring with Distress Oxides inks...

When I'd finished colouring everything, and added seed-head die cuts, it still looked 'unfinished' - it needed to be mounted.... back into the kitchen to see what I could find to draw round...

Sometimes you have to think outside the box (and the craft room) to find a solution...

Yes, that is a small (clean!) frying pan - perfect size!!

Here is a close up of the elements on  ring.  I added the word 'summer' because the wreath is quite summery and the band looked 'bare' without 'something'... its from JM15...

Now I've made a 'summer' wreath I wonder if I should make 3 more - one for each season! That would be lovely wouldn't it - especially a winter version full of snowflakes!

This was such nice project to make - and so good to know that you can use the stamping platform for shapes other that squares and rectangles - HEXAGONS!! you could use it for those too!

Limitless!

I hope this has inspired you to work with your stamping platforms - they really a brilliant piece of kit!.

Take care

Jo

Blog: jofirthyoung.blogspot.co.uk
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To join our challenge and win a £50 PaperArtsy gift voucher:

Simply 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 18: Stamp Platform Techniques will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, 28th October 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

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