Showing posts with label My Favourite Things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Favourite Things. Show all posts

Friday, 29 December 2017

PA 2017: Blog Year in Review: Topics 17-19


Hello again from PaperArtsy HQ,

This is the last of our 2017 review posts. I hope you have all eaten all your Christmas leftovers, and are planning for a safe and Happy New Year. As 2018 looms, it's hard to accept the turn of the century was only 18 years ago. We were all so excited to see if computers would fail the world over, but of course they didn't ! In that time, all our kids have grown from babies to adults. I wonder what life will bring in the next 18 years? I guess we cannot begin to imagine.

Tonight I'm sharing my picks from Topics 17-19, the last 3 topics of 2017.

Leandra 

Topic 17: Shades of White

I was so excited for this topic, but boy were the bloggers challenged by it. Every single one of them said how hard it was to work without colour, yet every single one absolutely LOVED the results and surprised themselves in the process. 

Moral of this: step outside of your comfort zone and stretch yourself to try something new! It might be food or a flavour, maybe its a new job, or maybe a different hairstyle? As you contemplate 2018, what can you push yourself to do differently? Embrace change, why not!

My first pick is this amazing assemblage by Liz Borer. I have seen her make several of these niche frames over the years, and she always kicks the concept out of the park! Amazing!



Wanda layered up a simple 'leaf' stamp by Ellen Vargo, and suddenly it was a white poinsettia! All the layers underneath are also amazing!


Anneke showed us just how many shades of white there are in the PaperArtsy Fresco Paint line - and she hasn't even got Antarctic, Stone, Moonlight.....in that mix! 



But look at what she made...


And Ingrid had so much fun doing this with our Squiggly Ink stamps!



Topic 18: Torn, Ripped and Burnt

So we are lucky no one burnt their house down after this topic, but naught pyromaniacs emerged en masse! What is it about playing with fire that we love so much!

I'm pretty sure Raquel did not resort to flames - she is such an expert with Vintage inks, that she could represent torn or burnt perfectly with her inherent distressing skills! This post had a sewing theme, and the details are stunning!


And I loved the experiments Lauren got up to, this background was fascinating - go and read about the process here.


This post by Kate Yetter was another of her journal cover masterclasses in layers and colour!


And this layer blew my socks off! How stunning is this!



Topic 19 : My Favourite Things

Which bring us to our final topic of the year! It was nice to round off the year with bloggers doing what they most like to do! The biggest problem they all had was choosing where to start!

Claire S got into the Zinskis - and journalling, I'm sure those 2 activities have been a favourite past time for many people this year!


Chris Dark went for textured backgrounds slathered with lovely layers of paint and metallic accents (that seems like a lot of our recent topics rolled into one!)


Lauren's elf in a stocking went down well last week! I must admit, he found his way onto my Xmas cards too! Cheeky chappie.



And finally Ellie rounded up the year with the perfect post where she shared her loved of many recent topics too.


There you have it , 2017 on the PA blog. A mahoosive thanks to all our Blogging team! They are fantabulous! Unparalleled. Totes Amazeballs....I'm sure you will agree!


The past year has been one of political and economic turmoil for many of us the world over. Be it food shortages, weather bombs, extreme viruses (medical and technological), impossible to fathom terrorist attacks, people fleeing their beloved homelands, or election results that we could never imagine. The world has become a smaller place in the past 2 decades since the turn of the century, and yet, it seems so much bigger in our daily lives now that we are more aware about what is happening outside of the 4 small walls we call home.
I'm sure we have all be touched by the anguish and pain of this seemingly incessant turmoil.  As we go about our daily life, we can still choose to be kind, we can choose to share our talent with other people, and we can only try our best to make wise choices in the face of adversity.
Our blog will continue to be a crafty lighthouse of inspiration. Thanks to the tremendous blogging team we have collected over numerous years, we are honoured to be a safe place for you to visit to enjoy their talents, and make your own kind of crafty magic in response. A big thanks to them and to you too!

Have a safe and Happy New Year, we'll see you on the other side with lots of good stuff planned for your enjoyment in 2018!!!

We very much look forward to doing it all again with you next year! Be on the alert, we start fast this year before we hit the tradeshow season....and you know what that means!!! ....shhhhhhhh.....not telling you yet....

Leandra 

Saturday, 23 December 2017

2017 #19 Fave Things: Rusty Torn Flowery Journal page with JoFY {by Ellie Knol}

2017 Topic 19: My Favourite Things


I think I must be on the same page as Ellie, all the themes she has picked to represent in this post really resonate with me too, so for me, this post is sheer joy ! I hope you like it too!


Hi everyone, it's Ellie Knol with you today!
I'd like to share my favourites in crafting! 
OK, my favourites, you ask?
Getting messy, with flowers, torn strips of paper, rusty objects and using a stencil or two with structure paste to finish it off. 
This art journal page reflects what I like to do most! 
Contrasts of dark and light.. flowers... playing with product that is SO awesome!

...and yes, I've used all the themes that were on our blog lately... WHY? .. they were my favourites, too! 

Rust
Shades of white
 Torn, ripped, burnt !

 

This makes me happy, yes! 


The Intro and Challenge post for RUST made me want to get paper and fabric get rusty! These are on fabric!  


These are on tissue paper! I've made a lot more!



As you can see I started with torn strips of that gorgeous rusty tissue paper. I used two stencils (PS021 and PS074) with structure paste in the background. I've also added some structure paste with a palette knife randomly to the background, to tie it all together. 

PaperArtsy Stencil 021 (PS021)

PaperArtsy Stencil 074 (PS074)


AND then.. yes.. the fabric ! I added two 'torn' strips as a focal point for the main flower onto the page. (YES, I've got a whole roll of that yummy aid bandage all rusted!)


****


I've added the flowers and a quote from JoFY52 to finish it off.



A close-up of all the contrasts between the white and rusty colors! Oh, yes .. I've colored the flowers with some Snowflake Fresco Acrylic paint.

****


You might see that I've enjoyed making this page.. I had no struggle of putting the composition together; one thing lead to another... it created it all by itself.

I'd like to encourage you to have a go yourselves, go create in you favourite style, with your favourite colors, your favourite stamps and/or stencils ....

...and enjoy crafting!!

See you next time! 

Ellie Knol 

Blogs: http://elliecreahoekje.blogspot.nl/
         http://ellieatcs.blogspot.nl/
Owner of : https://www.facebook.com/groups/DutchArtJournal/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008479362838
Pinterest: https://nl.pinterest.com/ellieknol/

Ellie this is fabulous! I love all your favourite recent themes too!! They also had my fingers itching to create!The contrasts between vintage sepia/ rusting, and Jo's modern weed-like thistle flower in white is so striking! The perfect end to the final topic of an amazing year here on the PA Blog! Have a very Merry Christmas! ~ Leandra


As this is the final topic of the year, there is not a challenge as we know you are all super busy. This is the final post for the final topic of 2017, we will see you back here in 2018 with many new products, new ideas and lots of inspiration.

And a great big thank you to our bloggers of 2017, they are such a talented bunch!  We love everything they do for us and you to keep our creative juices flowing!

Season's Greetings and best wishes to you all from all of us here at PaperArtsy 

Friday, 22 December 2017

2017 #19 Fave Things: Stampbord with LPC {by Helen Chilton}

2017 Topic 19: My Favourite Things


You are in for yet another treat as Christmas draws near! Helen is a long-time expert with this very unusual product: stampbord. It's etching into it that really brings it to life, and wow does Helen do that perfectly in this project!

Hi everyone, it's Helen with you today, and I'd like to share with you a project using some of my fave things: Lynne Perrella stamps, Stampbord and alcohol inks. What more could I ask for?

Lynne Perrella and Stampbord go together really well because of the beautiful depth of intricate detail in her stamps. The Stampbord I'm using here is a large piece (5" x 7") and is sold under the name of Claybord - it's the same stuff, just bigger. It's fun to work on a larger area, especially with this stamp set LPC016 as the main image fits perfectly.



I've gone to town on Christmas blues and purples, accenting with silver.


I always think you can't really go wrong with alcohol inks as they produce such lovely effects. I'd recommend letting them spread and then dry thoroughly before stamping over them. If you think an area's too dark or you don't like the edgy bits that sometimes form, just rub them over hard with a baby wipe. You can create highlighted areas this way.



I used a Stamping Platform to stamp this as it's a large image - the Stampbord just fitted in despite its thickness.

I embossed this in Detail Black as I was going to add more colour over the top, but rather wished I hadn't as I think you lose some of the detail - however once embossed, always embossed - you can't scrape it off (I tried!).



In the end it didn't matter as I followed the image on the index sheet to etch in all the detail with the Stampbord tools. That one I'm using is my new favourite - it's got a lovely broad edge for soft, larger strokes and yet the point etches in fine detail.



This second set of stamps LPC017 is used to make a background - I just inked up bits of them and stamped fairly randomly. After that it was a case of adding embellishments.





I was a very happy bunny making this, not just etching in all the highlights but also being able to add lots of twiddly bits. The detail you can get is what makes me keep returning to Stampbord - it's just such a fantastic surface to work on.

If you haven't got any large pieces of Stampbord use some smaller pieces - they make wonderful tree decorations: stamp parts of the images, cover the backs with patterned paper and add lots of ribbon, wire work , beads and glitter to make them really festive.

So, I hope you'll have a go and may I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Helen

Blog: A Splash of Colour

I always get a kick out of those white accents that you create in the coloured stampbord! Wow this really pops to life! Thanks Helen, great ideas and techniques rolled into one! Merry Christmas ~ Leandra



As this is the final topic of the year, there is not a challenge as we know you are all super busy, so sit back, enjoy and be inspired.

Season's Greetings and best wishes to you all from all of us here at PaperArtsy 

Wednesday, 20 December 2017

2017 #19 Fave Things: Christmas stocking & Ornaments with ETS {by Lauren Hatwell}

2017 Topic 19: My Favourite Things


Bright and bold from Lauren with Tracy Scott elements and Zinski treats - those adorable little people sneak into Lauren's stocking!

Hi everybody. I hope you're all nearly there with your Christmas preparations. It's a busy time isn't it; especially for us PaperArtsy Elves!  So much to do; so little time....

I have so many favourite things we'd be here all day if I listed them but here are just a few.


I think by now you all know I love anything fun. Christmas is the best time for breaking out the fun stuff, so I thought I would make a Christmas Stocking using some of Tracey Scott's latest designs, which are very high on my list of favourite things... In fact, I love them so much, once I started, I couldn't stop.... Stars are one of my favourite things so you'll notice they are heavily used here. (Ironing NOT one of my favourite things so my apologies for the slightly crumpled nature of the backing felt...)


I'm always amazed at how easy it is to stamp and paint fabric. When you add the stitching everything pops. It doesn't even have to be neat stitching (thank goodness!?)

 Eclectica³ Tracy Scott Set 12 (ETS12)
  
Eclectica³ Tracy Scott Set 13 (ETS13)

My favourite sorts of stamps are those that are versatile enough to be used together in groups, or separately. These can even be used as little accents with other collections and that just makes them so much more appealing and useful. These are not going to spend much time in their packets; that's for darned sure...
  

I love anything that stretches the ways I can use my stamps. Home decor is a real passion of mine and if I can recycle or re-purpose something so much the better. My favourite products are multi-taskers and Fresco Finish Paints are most certainly on my list of favourites there. The paints can be used on card, fabric and even outdoors on porous AND non-porous surfaces. They are true multi-taskers and that means they are usually just what I need for whatever hair brained scheme I come up with. Perfect!



Even one star on it's own makes an amazing magic (oh yes it IS magic!) Fairy wand.....


ZinskiArt Set 17 (ZA17)

Or a beautiful accent on my little Zinski Elf (another fave! but you knew that already, right!?)



Don't they look cute poking out the top of the stocking. A little candy cane would look good tucked in there too. 


Obviously I needed a card to go with this little gift.... Large sentiment stamps can drown out a small image so Tracey's big bold designs really stand up to the very striking Ranger sentiment I've used here. All my pieces are merry and bright so it seemed to fit perfectly. The bright baubles and stars strewn across the card really shine. I love them!


Another of my favourite things ticked off the very long list; a whole heap of projects from just two stamp sets using a few scraps of fabric, a bit of imagination and my favourite designs and paints. I think they look great and I enjoyed myself no end. 



I love making all kinds of things and I want to make a star garland next with these stamps.  (I will probably do this over the Christmas break if I get some time. Now it's in my head, it's got to be done!).  

So all that leaves for me to do is wish you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year and thank all the PaperArtsy gang for their hard work and imagination. But for that we would all have nothing to play with would we.

Thanks for your time and encouragement everybody. I'm so looking forward to seeing you all again in the New Year when we'll have even MORE fun stuff to tempt you. Just WAIT 'til you see!!!!  

Health and Happiness to you all.

Lauren Hatwell

MarvelousMechanicalMouseOrgan:
Facebook:Lauren Hatwell
Twitter: Bluebertie12

Ohh these are beautifully finished Lauren! Everyone needs a cheeky elf like him hiding somewhere in their Christmas tree!!Merry Christmas! ~ Leandra


As this is the final topic of the year, there is not a challenge as we know you are all super busy, so sit back, enjoy and be inspired.

Season's Greetings and best wishes to you all from all of us here at PaperArtsy