2016 #15 Botanicals {by Katy Leitch}

2016 Topic 15: Patterns

Hi all – Katy here with my guest post on the theme ‘patterns’. One thing I love to do with stamps is to make them go further. When I buy a set of stamps I always try to think of at least 3-4 ways I can use them; this way I know I am getting value from my purchase. This theme was an ideal way for me to show you how to think outside the box when looking at your stamps. Using parts of stamps is a great way to get a lot more mileage from them – use them as random pattern or to create borders. Stamping tone-on-tone can create depth to your background, and because the image recedes it doesn’t really matter what stamp you use. Here I used a clock stamp for this technique – it doesn’t really go with my ‘botanical garden’ theme but in the final piece the eye doesn’t register the clock image, just the texture it creates.

Step One: For my background I used Fresco Finish Vanilla, Pumpkin Soup and Yellow Submarine paints, mixing them lightly while still wet.

Step Two: I stamped the clock (HP1509) all over with Pale Ochre Archival to give subtle texture in the background then add some stamped pot lids (HP1109) in Archival Tree Branch. This texture will recede into the background so it’s about looking at the shapes of the stamps rather than the images as such.

HP1509

HP1109

Step Three: Using just parts of images is a great way to add pattern or borders. Here I used the edge of the key stamp (HP1509) to make an ornate repeating border along the top and bottom edges.

Step Four: In a similar way I used the top edge of the door image (HP1509) to create a grungy border to frame my design.

Step Five: I stamped the flower (HP1109) at various angles to finish my layered background.

Step 6: I used coloured pencil to shade the flowers and leaves then added detail with black fineline and white gel pens.

Step 7: I again used the door stamp (HP1509) in an abstract way to add pattern to a die cut butterfly. The symmetry of the door stamp works perfectly on a similarly symmetrical image like a butterfly. I painted the die cut with Fresco Finish paints before stamping it with black Archival.

To finish the piece: 

Stamp moths onto card, colour with Fresco Finish Bora Bora and Pumpkin Soup and cut out. Stamp again onto the background and position the cut out moths on top. Stamp the pot lid (HP1109) in Tree Branch onto book paper painted with Vanilla Fresco Finish. Mat onto card to give it some depth then glue to the background.

 Add the butterfly on top and embellish it with a pen nib. Stamp ‘take flight’ (HP1005) onto a scrap of painted card and add behind a bookplate.

HP1005

I really enjoyed challenging myself to use the stamp for this project in new ways and I love the botanical garden feel of the end result. I hope this project has encouraged you to look again at the stamps you have and consider how you might use them in different ways.

Thank you to PaperArtsy for having me today.

Katy x

Blogger: postcardsfromtheattic

Facebook: katyleitchcrafts

Instagram: katyleitchcraft

YouTube: Katy Leitch Crafts

Thanks for joining us Katy and sharing your beautiful botanical project. The background layering works so well  to introduce both patterning and texture. Careful choice of colours really helps these melt into the background while still providing support and depth for your focal images. My favourite bit though has to be the patterned butterfly, using the door stamp for patterning was genius. ~Darcy

We would love to see how you interpret this House topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #15: Patterns, on this page HERE.

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas,  particularly if you were inspired directly by their post. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Paper Piecing link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Aug 21st 2016. The winner will be announced 2  hours later at 19:00.

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