2020 #11 Wisdom Begins in Wonder with HP {by Jennie Atkinson}

2020 Topic 11: Calming Colours

Jennie's gel plate experimenting give rise to a beautifully delicate and subtle tag which appears, at first glance, deceptively simple. Closer inspection will show all the details and layers provided by some calm coloured Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics.
~ Keren

Hi everyone, it's Jennie (Live The Dream) with you today, and I'd like to share with you some of my favourite calming colours! I have a real soft spot for all the lovely light Frescos and some of the new ones have become my instant favourites. They are a perfect dream on the gelli plate and combine so beautifully.

I have used a very large Hot Picks stamp for my tag and utilised some gelli plate prints using just three Fresco Acrylic paints but on different substrates. 

To get a feeling of calm with Frescos I do find the gelli plate is just perfect as sometimes the second print is the one I really want, but the first is always there to add little pieces - and of course vice versa.

These are my favourite combination at the moment ..... Frescos Concrete, Lichen and Marbles (although I was hard pushed not to include Iceberg)! And combined with Scrapcosy's Stencil they gave me some super prints.

PS133

I coloured some old book paper in the same way and then took a second print to get the text that was left. At this stage I had no idea what I was going to use but I had plenty of choices.

HP1507EZ

I wanted to use the large stamp in this set but I was unsure whether it would fit on the tag.

I have some rather thick tissue paper which is no good for adhering to surfaces but makes a great template. I stamped onto the tissue to see how it would fit onto my tag - it just about fits! I then cut this tissue and kept it in the envelope with my stamp set. It gets a bit tattered but I always have it to test for size.

I adhered my gelli plate papers to my tag and rather than stamp straight onto the tag (I am a bit of a wimp!) I stamped it on some fine tissue which gave me the chance to place it where I wanted it. I find giving it a roll with the brayer is better than a paint brush for smoothing out; there are less tears, (as in holes rather than the watery stuff)...

I wasn't too sure how well the stamp would show up on the old book paper but the layer of paint was enough to push the text back. 

The text paper butterflies added another dimension and sat on the tissue nicely. 

I used some of the left over papers to cut a couple of tags which I stamped with parts of the big stamp. The edges of everything got brushed with some brown ink as I felt they needed some definition. It is always surprising that adding one small element suddenly makes the project feel right.

I added the tags on foam pads to give a little depth and to hold them in place. I always like my little embellishments to be stuck in place rather than hanging free. That way they are less likely to get torn off!

I had a small mark under the tissue where I had to join my papers so used this small quote from Alison's Magic and Wonder quotes. By stamping on the edge of the old text paper everything coordinated.

EAB16

I love how subtle the Fresco colours have become by first using the gelli plate and then covering them with the tissue. You can just see some of the stencil marks under the clock face. 

When I set out to make some papers using the gelli plate I had no idea how I was going to use them or how I would then use the Hot Picks stamp which I have to admit was far larger than I was expecting. Sometimes you just have to let things evolve! I love how the text paper has taken both the paints and the stamp to give quite an ethereal feel to the soft colours underneath.  I didn't get to use all my gelli plate papers, including the lovely shadow text ones ..... but there's always another project!

I have used gorgeously calming colours of Freso paint, but you can achieve similar softness with some of the brighter Fresco's by using the second pull from the gelli plate. So do experiment and don't think bright necessarily means bright!

And it was a lovely calming creative process ..... no stress!

As always thank you for joining me.
Jennie x

Blog: Live The Dream

2020 #8 Popping Pink: Bloom like a Rose with EEB {by Jennie Atkinson}

2020 Topic 8: Popping Pink

Subtle doesn't mean that there is no complexity. A detailed look at Jennie's beautiful pages shows intricate details thanks to stencils and gel plates. It's also a good study in white space for those of us that sometimes struggle with 'less is more'.
~ Keren

Hi everyone, it's Jennie (Live The Dream) with you today, and I'd like to share with you a journal page pulled together using some of my favourite pink Frescos and a paper piecing technique using a lovely stamp design from Elizabeth Borer.

I have been sharing a few crafting techniques with my grandchildren through linkups over the internet in the last few weeks and got them started on layered paper piecing with paper dolls (most of us will remember that from days gone by!). This got me thinking that this would be a lovely way of showcasing these lovely stamps as I really am not a great painter! Whilst I love pink sometimes it does need the addition of a crisp clear contrasting colour and I think the use of parts of the stamp using white paper achieves a less cluttered look but still suits my vintage style.

I have used this lovely stamp set from Elizabeth Borer and combined it with a stencil from Scrapcosy for the background papers.

EEB10

PS133

But first a little about my background paper. I have used three great pink Fresco colours Taro Milk Tea, Byzantium and Vintage Lace.

Combining these on the gelli plate gave me three pieces of coloured card stock to create with which should be complementary. I made one dark sheet, one lighter and one which has been patterned with stencils.

Unfortunately these colours look a little different having been taken in my craft room on a darkish day, but at least you can see what I was trying to achieve.

Pushing the stencils into the paints here and there gives a lovely ghostly feel .........

...... and flipping the stencil ensures the text is printed on the paper the right way!

The blooms were then stamped onto the darker printed cardstock and again on white cardstock. These blooms really lend themselves to isolating smaller layers. I chose not to layer them with foam pads as I felt it lost the dynamic contrast.

I also stamped the image onto the journal pages in order not to lose some of the smaller details.

As I really loved the background I kept the decoration to a minimum and completed the page with this lovely sentiment from Alison's 'Magic and Wonder' set.

EAB16

I really love how all these colours work together and using the Gelli Plate has allowed me to have three different colours of paper to work with. Either of these panels would make an occasion card and would be flat for posting too. The paper piecing technique using a good contrast colour, in this case white, has really popped these blooms and it is worth looking at PaperArtsy stamps within your collection which might really benefit from being used in such a way as it is a technique which can be used with all genres.

My grandchildren (aged six and nine) have already found a few of their larger stamps to cut and layer now that they understand the paper layering technique (what crafting Nana would not give them stamps for birthdays and Christmas !) and I am looking forward to seeing their creations sometime soon. And you don't need gelli plate papers - I have encouraged them to look at their patterned paper to see what they can stamp on.

What could be better than a paper technique which can be enjoyed across all ages and abilities and a means of using up some of our stash! 

Jennie x

Blog: Live The Dream

2019 #2 Brayers: Mini 'Flower Dreams' Tag Book with ESC {by Etsuko Noguchi}

2019 Topic 2: Brayers

Another stunning post from Etsuko tonight. Lots of amazing layers, and she certainly has made the most of her PaperArtsy stamp stash! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Etsuko 'My Favorite Things' with you today, and I'd like to share with you mini tag book 'Flower Dreams' using new PaperArtsy Brayer with new Raquel (Scrapcosy) stamps and stencils.

When I can't come up with good idea for a background, I use a brayer first. It's easy to understand the process, sometimes there are happy accidents. And it's easy to use with any materials. Today I used the Brayer a simple way ... on the tags.

I wanted to make the mini book, and I die cut six pieces the size #8 tag using Smoothy Card (heavy). I brayered it with PaperArtsy new Brayer in order of Chalk, Double Denim, Glacier Ice and Venice Blue Fresco paints and stamped the crackle from ECF04 with Buff and made my backgrounds.

I made rectangular windows by masking cut of Smoothy Card on the tag and used these mask cards each tags background.

I sprinkled through windows with watery Rusty Car Infusions on the tags using a toothbrush, and stamped ESC18 letters with Watering can Archival, second stamped.

I tried some colour materials for these focal point flowers and I thought Infusions is best. Sprinkle the Infusions onto the craft sheet and press the stamp it then sprinkle water and the result is fine. 

The flower image is ESC03, Infusions Rusty Car and Sleight Blue.

I used other page images-- Page2-ESC16, Page3-ESC03, Page4-ESC04, Page5-ESC03.

This is back tags design, I brayered with Chalk and Glacier Ice Frescos and I used PS133 new stencil with Grunge Paste, then it dried I sprinkled Infusions Golden Sands, Rusty Car and Sleight Blue with water. 

Next I stamped Alison's (Words & Pictures) quote EAB01 on the Smoothy Card and cut and glue it on the paper previously used for mask. And I made an embellishment for a small rectangle paper.

The main flowers stamp was too big for the tag, so I thought of using it partly or other ways, but I stamped it on clay and cut it an oval shape and I decided ornament it to the tag's cover. 

I painted the flowers by Infusions Rusty car, Golden Sands, The Sage and Green Man with Satin Glaze, and Clear Rock candy Ranger.

Cover and back cover, I brayered by same Fresco paints, Chalk, Double Denim, Glacier Ice and Venice Blue.

Stamped ESC18 by Pea Coat and stenciled using PS134 by Grunge Paste. When they dried I used Vintage Photo Distress Ink to the fleur-de-lys and tag's edges.

In the video below you can see all the tags I made within the booklet in much more detail.

I used Alison's Quote-- EAB03, EAB07, EAB01.

I made a background layers of this project very fun with PaperArtsy's new Brayer, and I am going to try this tool on materials like Gelli Plate, stenciling, stamping, Infusions, embossing powder. for the mixed media project.
PaperArtsy Brayer is convenient size and large diameter with good stroke and it is slightly softer than other products and feature expands the application range. I really recommend this fabulous tool!!

Thank you so much join me. Have a wonderful crafty day.

Etsuko xxx

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