2022 Topic 09: Leftovers {by Nikki Acton} with Tracy Scott stamps

Hi everyone, it's Nikki here with you today and I'm here to share with you a small book of collaged pages using up my leftovers.

Like many of us, I have lots of leftovers, there is the box under the desk from when I last had a tidy and then there are the boxes and piles on the desk of more recent 'leftovers'! I got quite organised recently, having a leftovers tin for die cuts, one for materials and ribbon and one for for paper / prints. I decided collage had to be the way forward..... but the little book idea evolved as I created.

I collated my leftovers to see what I had! Paper tends to be printed paper and leftover gel prints. If you have read one of my posts before you may know I often make more backgrounds than I need - just in case !!

I selected some prints, and scrapbook paper scraps that I thought might work together..... 

 

 

I noticed that the blue/grey prints and the black prints were leftovers from previous PaperArtsy blog posts - so it seemed a good idea to use these! If you are interested, the links to the original projects are here:

Mark Making Subtle or Bold - March 2020

Shaving Foam - Making it Grungy - November 2019

 

I cut these down to A7 size and added some random stamping...I cut about 10 pieces and began working on them in pairs.

 

I started with some of the 'shaving foam technique' leftovers. I collaged some torn gel plate leftovers and strips of printed paper to start.

This dark background needed some colour so I took a Tracy Scott stencil PS224 and sponged some PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Acrylic - in Mermaid to one area of each card.

 

At some point during collaging my cards I decided that triangles (Tracy Scott stamp set - TS054) were going to be the theme that ran through each one.

 

Some scraps from my material box and die cuts were added along with some punched mini circles.

Tracy Scott stencil PS224 and stamp set TS054 were used on all pages to bring some cohesion or a theme to the different collaged pages.

There are four pairs of pages in the concertina book. Another example uses the blue/grey/grey gel print leftovers as the start point.

Some collaged paper added, including book paper - but then I got brave! I used PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic - Little Black Dress to cover some areas.

 

 

Using the the same stencil and Mermaid paint I added stencilling over these areas - not worrying how perfect it was. I also toned down some the collaged elements by dry brushing with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic - Chalk.

 

The triangles once again form the focal point - with some ink died ,frayed calico added

On each of the pairs there is some stamping with Tracy Scott's marking making stamp set - TS065. Here you can see the crosses stamped with paint and the larger numbers stamped with archival ink.

The last couple of pairs followed the pattern - but using the triangles in a different way each time and varying the collaged leftovers. 

Here you can see the front of the concertina book when it is tied together.

 

The fabric layers on the final pair include hessian, dried coffee bags, some handmade paper scraps and twine.

 

With each page complete I adhered to the concertina base. 4 on the front, 4 on the back. I used some ink-stained seam binding to tie it all together.

I really wasn't sure where I was going when I started this project. Once I started simply; small bases, adding layers - it evolved. So often the ideas come as we create, rather than before we create. Don't let a lack of ideas / over thinking stop you making - just start and see what happens.

Nikki

Blog: Addicted to Art

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2021 Topic 12 : Sustainable Crafting with TS {by Etsuko Noguchi}

   2021 Topic 12: Sustainable Crafting

 

Etsuko thought about how to create a really useful item for this post. She has made an accordion folder with pockets, perfect for storing ephemera or loose small papers. But she also made (and beautifully decorated) an envelope for each of the gaps in the folder. So many great ideas within this and I think we all really love to create and end up with an item that has a purpose.
~ Leandra

Hi everyone, It's Etshko(My favorite things) with you today, and I'm here to share with you Handy Holder with Envelope packets. I chose this project because it is a fun way to remake and reuse the parcel packages and direct mail envelopes and little less waste. It's also a great way to spend my time working with lovely designer Tracy Scott stamps and my favourite Frescos colours.

The first step was to make the masterboards. Fresco paints were printed on a thick sheet of printing papers using a Gel Plate. Using the technique I learnt in Tracy Scott's workshop 'Index Card Art 2', I spread a thin layer of the above Fresco Chalk Acrylic ( Banana, Cerise, Cerulean and Electric Violet in my case) but you can use any colours you like choice. Then one colour at a time, print onto the Gelli Plate. Mist with water using a spray bottle on the Gelli Plate, use a brayer to blend the water and paint, then use an eyedropper to drip Isopropyl Alcohol in places and print on paper. The circles like this will appear where the alcohol has been dripped. Repeat this process until you get a nice shade, and then you will have some masterboards. As always, this process is very enjoyable with many happy accidents.

The next step is to make the cover for the holder, using my favourite Tracy's stamps that are used over and over. I cut a used parcel package to the size of the holder. I then used two sheets of Gel-prinedt papers in similar shades and stamped Tracy Scott set 054 and 057 (TS054, TS057) randomly in Ranger Archival ink (Leaf Green and Blue Violet) to cover and pasted the holder base. Next, I stamped the three mandalas of (TS055) with Ranger Archival ink (Jet Black) on Smoothy (Heavyweight) A4 white card. On the same piece of paper, painted Fresco Chalk Acrylic (Cerulean, Electric Violet and Zucchini) and stamped three small mandala of (TS055) in the same number in Ranger Archival ink (Jet Black), cut and stick it in the holder as shown in the picture. Size of the holder--Length 8 1/4" (21cm), Height 5 1/4" (13cm), Depth 3/4 (2cm).

I wanted a slightly darker colour so I added Fresco Chalk Acrylic ( Southern Skies )

The majority of the paper is used for the dividers and bellows of the holder itself, leaving some for the envelope collage.

This is the front, I put the clasp on it, using Fresco Chalk Acrylic (Cerise) and Tracy Scott set 055 (TS055) and black elastic band.

And the back.

The holder itself useful enough, but I made the pocket in it that can be removed, using a direct mail envelopes. I though it would be fun to make a collage on top of it and remake it. Each envelope was coated with White gesso and once dry, the same as the masterboard technique was used to print the envelopes with the Gelli Plate.

I used my finger to apply Fresco Chalk Acrylic ( Banana, Cerise, Cerulean and Electric Violet ) on the Smoothy ( Heavyweight ) A4 white card. I then stamped Tracy's lovely floral stamp set 061 and 058 ( TS061, TS058 ) Fuchsia and Magnolia and Mandala set 055 ( TS055) in Ranger Archival ink ( Jet Black ) on the card and  cut them to use as the focal point of each envelope. Also I used masterboards leftover as a rectangular and circular cutlayer.

The final touch is  the addition of the sentiment from Emma Godfrey's flower set 14 ( EEG14 ) to the holder.

The theme of Sustainable Crafting was bit difficult for me, and thinking about how to reuse limited resources - I need to use up lots of my old supplies too. Also I made this because I think it's about being able to collaborate and create/work with stamps and stencils from wonderful designers and then turn it into something good. Then share it with people and have fun connecting all the time. 

 

Hope you enjoy it.

Thank you so much for visiting.

Etsuko xxx

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