2020 A Year in Review {Topics 6-10}

PaperArtsy Blog 2020 Year in Review - Part 2/4

Hello from PaperArtsy HQ,

Well, 2020 is the year that just keeps on giving us more curve balls than we ever thought possible! Here we are on the cusp of Christmas and it still feels like every day this week has had another humdinger of an incident to adjust to. Many nations in Europe have had Christmas cancelled as far as travel and seeing family go at the last minute. Tricky but I guess to be expected where the new British strain of Covid is adding pressure to an already difficult situation. 

Every year there are many people who spend Christmas alone. This year, there are many people who are having to do that, not by their choice, but due to governmental guidelines, restrictions and so on. We all expect to be able to make our own personal and family choices regarding how we meet up and when, and we are very used to getting together with those we love. If this is not possible for you this year, then we are thinking of you, and we hope that in the coming weeks or months, once things start to ease, that you will find a new window to see those people close to you. Lets get together online this season. We can do watch parties, zooms, Facetime, Skype and all those tools allow us to support each other where possible.

As a possible short distraction, tonight I'm sharing my picks from Topics 6-10: Jungle Vibes, Under the Sea, Popping Pink, Collage it and Recycled Packaging.

Please, do try to take tome out and relax over the Christmas break, don't drink too much, make some art, and continue to stay safe!

 

Topic 6: Jungle Vibes

The jungle topic was a huge hit, and as we had just released some new Hot Picks, we had quite a few new stamps to play with on this one!  Miriam Grazier's (link) giraffe seemed happy to munch on the foliage while escorting us around his jungle zone.

Leandra got involved too with this topic, and the Zinski Efilumps were happy to pose for this picture, in among the Kay Carley trees and those crazy Zinski flowers (link)

I adored how Autumn Clark (link) pulled out the Lynne Perrella stamps with a great colour combination. What a fabulous terrarium hat dahhhling!

 

 

We can always rely on Keren for a slightly unique interpretation of any topic, and within the striped rugby jumpers she saw Zebras! Keren Baker (link)

Topic 7: Under the Sea

Blub, Blub, Blub and we're down in the deep blue seas. My first pick is this amazing framed beauty by Helen. Her Darcy chappie is enjoying his day out fishing, and he's caught some fabulous Hot Pick stamps! We have Helen Chilton (link) to thank for this creation!

Lovely Lucy Edmondson (link) gave us a window into her reverse-canvas fish tank with all the texture and painterly layers - they do look very happy there !

And I hope you didn't miss Nikki Acton (link) who created a range of gel prints to tear up for her watery waves. Love the colours and textures she created within this.

I enjoyed how Jennie Atkinson (link) used this gorgeous stamp by France Papillon in her serene tag.

Topic 8 : Popping Pink

Time to kick up the colour vibes and some hot pinks and I loved these handy birthday cards by Claire Snowdon (link to original blog post).

 

And it was interesting to watch Lynn Good (link) pull this journal page together with Tracy Scott stamps. She was using the 'block' technique to isolate the images stamped onto a very stunning background. This is a super-fun technique to try if you haven't before.

Jenny Marples (link) managed to inject some bright vibes into kay's stamps with this stripey book cover.

 

And it was lovely to see the bright infusions on show with Sara's stamps by Miriam Grazier (link).

 

Topic 9 : Collage It

My first pick is Autumn Clark (link), who always seems to totally rock the collaged layer effect so perfectly! Not one, but two cards with Lynne Perrella stamps. I love them!

 

Jennie Atkinson (link) Like her lace, flowers and Vintage Stamps. If you are looking for a soft delicate way of pulling layers together, then Jennie is the guru!

 

Helen Chilton (link) surprised me with this interpretation. She is all about the full on colour, lots and lots of colour!! And lots of layers, and she went all minimal on us! Well, very minimal for her!

I adored how Dounia Large (link), managed to recycle some magazine papers to create clever and interesting layers in her cards with Kim Dellow's stamps for this post.

Topic 10 : Recycled Packaging

Etsuko Noguchi (link) is really good at making boxes, and in this post she used book-parcel carton packaging to make this fun box with Gwen's stamps.

 

Miriam Grazier (link) is a big fan of not only Sara Naumann stamps, but also Urban Snapshots. In this post she pulls out the 'Nature' themed stamps to create a serene journal spread.

I really enjoyed how Amanda Pink (link) used the inside of a box of chocolates for the texture on this piece with Gwen's new stamps! How fun is this!

Nikki Acton (link) made this fun concertina journal using gel prints and an array of Fresco paints with lots of fabulous carved stamp designs. You wouldn't realise recycled cardboard was the substrate!

Yes, it is really nice to sit back and appreciate the lovely creations of our bloggers! I'm sure they will continue to inspire you in 2021! They are a dream team to work with too! Thank you to them all for their fabulous inspiration throughout the year!

Leandra

2018 #9 Vintage Neutrals: ATCs with ESA {by Josefine Fouarge}

2018 Topic 9: Vintage Neutrals

We give a warm welcome Josefine to the blog today. She has masterfully used some of the largest stamps from Seth Apter on tiny ATC's ...check out her gorgeous use of paints and infusions too! Enjoy! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone. I'm Josefine, a new blogger here at the PaperArtsy blog and I'm super excited to share my first project with you. 

The "Vintage Neutrals" theme was a challenge for myself, but I enjoy getting out of my comfort zone and work with colors that I normally would not use as the main palette. I might have cheated a little bit by using the Fresco Finish in Claret and the Infusions in Sunset Beach, but see for yourself.

I started by picking three different papers for my ATCs. In order to meet the vintage topic brief even further, I decided to use some old paper pieces from a music sheet, a ledger, manual and some more. Then I covered everything with Fresco Finish paints in Buff FF96 (as my main tone), Glacier Ice FF132 (for my highlights) and Mud Splat FF61 (for my dark tones).

To add a little more contrast, I decided to use just a little bit of Fresco Finish paint in Claret FF31 and Infusions in Sunset Beach CS07 with a lot of water.

I also stamped a few of the images from the Eclectica stamp sets ESA07 and ESA08 using coffee colored ink.

Then, I stamped a few circles with grey ink to the background and started decorating all three ATCs after that.

All of them needed some text, so I picked the three words that were part of the ESA07 and ESA08 stamp set and stamped those in black Archival ink.

 
Next up, I stamped my focal images, adhered them to the ATCs and surrounded them with some vintage decoration - actual postage stamps for one ATC, a film strip for the second and a key pin for the third ATC.

Here are all the Fresco Finish paints and Eclectica stamps that I used.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my first project for PaperArtsy and feel inspired to create some ATCs on your own. They are so much fun to make and perfect as a little gift for friends and family.

See you soon. Josefine.

Blog: www.holylise.com
Facebook: HolyLise
Instagram: @HolyLise
YouTube: HolyLise Designs

We always hope that you  learn something interesting from our blog. 

Our creative team love to read your comments so much, so please take time to let them know you've been inspired!  

You must complete step 1 AND 2 to be entered into the draw. 

To join our challenge:
1. Leave a comment on the Topic Introduction Post and go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy Apron. 
2. 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 9: Vintage Neutrals will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, May 13th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

PA 2017: Blog Year in review: Topics 1-4

Hello and a very Merry Christmas from PaperArtsy HQ!

The next few days ahead are the time of year that we reminisce and look back on the topics this blog has explored during 2017. 

Did you learn something new this year? Did you achieve a personal goal, or tick something off the bucket-list? Were you challenged in ways you least expected? 

I think for all of us there have been numerous unexpected twists and turns in international terms for us to absorb throughout 2017, lets hope for calmer waters in the year ahead! I'd love for us all to move towards a more fulfilled and content future!

We've all been provided with the highest quality and widest variety of artistic styles on the PaperArtsy blog this year. We deliberately strive to bring you bloggers with different styles, strengths and experiences and this melting pot suits the equally broad array of products available from the PaperArtsy brand.

Tonight I'm sharing a few reminders from 2017 Topics 1-4. Read on to find out more. 

Leandra.

Topic 1: Pink and Orange

In 2017 we decided to add a subtle structure to our topics. Each round of 4 topics started with a colour theme, and the first of these colours was based on the True Colours Publication, curated by Lynne Perrella.

My favourite and a real turning point for me, was the chapter on Pink and Orange by Teesha Moore. And, so it naturally followed that this would be the first topic of 2017, a burst of enthusiasm and boldness!

Wendy Malls kicked off her year with this perfect representation of those zingylicious colours and made a Book of Pockets! 

We have come to rely on Keren pulling rabbits out of hats. On this occasion she was on a clever transparent kick, which was sublime ....

or is that subpink (and orange)!

Honestly, I could show you every post for this topic - they were all astonishing, which really is the story of the entire year on this blog! Here, Chris Dark lobbed Kay Carley's stamps out of the park...look at this in-progress shot!! Stunning!

OK Just one more...Jennie Atkinson interpreted the colour theme as led by Infusions. Her palette was soft and subdued, as is her style... I love that any colour combination can be re-worked to suit personal preference. So now you know,  Pink and Orange certainly doesn't have to be HOT! It can be dusky too!

Topic 2 : Masks

Do you know the difference between stencils and masks? Well, it is fascinating how the lines have blurred. But a mask hides things right !? So let me leave that with you and you figure it out!

Anneke is a masking guru. Layer upon layer of soft and delicate paints with a poweeee-pop of orange! I love how she uses colour in such an effortless way. And I love how this picture links the last topic to this topic!!!

OK, I'll admit it, sometimes you feel like you have to turn your brain inside out to understand how stancils and masks can be used. And our own, very lovely Missy Jo is very good at turning my head inside out on an annual basis! This post fascinated me, and the stencil she created to do this is ACE!!!

Another of our talented in house designers, in fact a newbie 2017 PaperArtsy designer, is Alison Bomber. I think we are all a bit scared of white, but look at how masks make this box pop!

Sue's canvas used masks in several ways...can you count the ways??? There's 3 very obvious techniques, on 3 separate layers....

Topic 3 : Paints and Infusions

We all know the basics of using infusions now ...well if you don't yet, just use the search bar on the sidebar of this blog and you'll be bombarded with posts from the past 2 years! Our Fresco paints are chalk, so this can inherently provide a really good tooth for infusions to grab onto, it can also offer up other creative options too, let me share a few with you now!

Take a deep breath those 'cleanies' out there...infusions WILL stain your fingers, but that's part of the fun right?!! Hey it scrubs off, so don't panic....Xmas parties are O-V-E-R you're allowed to get messy!! Helen used bleach! Not to clean up (sheesh! silly!!) noooo... to knock back her infusions in the most stunning way....Look!! You know you want to sprinkle just like her!!!

I think this is one of my fave's from Hazel. She got so excited when she was layering up this book of Seth's newest products: wood, paint, rusting powder, and of course infusions all feature within the covers. It's a bit like those interactive books you buy for kids to poke and prod...except it's for us grown ups!!

I adored how Clare Messenger made this piece ready for the wall, how cool would 4 of these look for a fabulous statement piece in your house!

Boy are we lucky that Kay Carley is getting out and about in 2018 teaching her skills to us all! Check this out!! An amazing amount of detail to bring this sample together, lucky for you she shares the steps in great detail too in her blog post! Go and check it out!

Ok, how about this! Ruth Mescall is also an infusions guru! I adore this post too...I love them all, how can you choose just a few to share !!??.... this is torture!...but look, it's so lovely!!! On the back of this I was demoing Lin's flora stamps with infusions all year at the shows we do! Love love, love. If you haven't yet tried infusions, take a minute to absorb the colours, the tones, and the depth. They make you feel awesome!

Topic 4 : Doors and Windows

I have a secret fascination with doors. Every time we head over to the fabulous continent of Europe, my first photo is ALWAYS a door, or wrought iron covering a window, or gates...all those elements always look more romantic on the continent than here, in the generally dull, grey-skied Britain! Who wants a shiny red or black or cream spick and span door, not me! Give me a rusty peeling hardy old well-loved door any day!!!

Julie Ann has been creating astonishing miniature hinged art blocks and they are a delight! My first pick to remember is this, she writes gorgeous back stories to them too!

I think this was the best thing from Emma Godfrey with her stamps! Not only has she created windows, she's also used infusions as 'pops' of colour - you know you want to sprinkle those things ... yes you doooo....(I digress - I'm under the spell of infusions). Where were we, oh yes, Emma's super-cool frame. Go take a look!

So this next sample not only do I love, but the colour follows on perfectly from Emma's sample above!! Yup, it's Seth with one of his original doorways...he makes a lot of interactive art! Love the pop of color inside the doors, and his masterful painty layering ideas.

It is so much fun to look back on what our genius bloggers have shared with us over the course of a year. This year seems to have zapped by in a blink, but at least the blog remains as the perfect reference tool Don't forget to save the posts that float your boat on pinterest. No excuse now, you'll hit the New Year with a dozen ideas to crack on with!

See you again tomorrow with more!

Leandra