2018 #15: Teabag Artist Trading Coins with EEG {by Alison Hall}

2018 Topic 15: Artist Trading Coins

Alison has long been using tea bags in her art in numerous ways. Here is another fantastic example! And the colour combination is stunning! Who knew! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Alison/Craftytrog with you today, and I'd like to share with you some Artist Trading Coins I made with my favourite round teabags. I've been making art with these round Tetley teabags for some time now, and they are almost the perfect 'coin' size. I love using collage materials to decorate them, so this is the technique I've chosen to share with you today, using some lovely new Emma Godfrey stamps.

The teabags first have to be completely dried out. Then I gently pull them apart on the edge to create a small gap, from which I empty out the dried tea. I usually iron the bags before working on them too, as I find it easier to work on a less wrinkly surface.

I began by adding some background details, using Eclectica Emma Godfrey Stamp Set 26, Fresco Acrylic Paint colours Seaglass, Surf's Up and Twilight, Jet Black Archival Ink, and PaperArtsy stencil PS108 by Scrapcosy. 

I thought that Raquel's new stencil worked very well with Emma's Portuguese stamp designs.

Next, I created some collage papers by stamping and stencilling onto gessoed old book and music pages. I also added some splashes of tea to add a bit more interest, and also to tie them in with the tea theme. Contrasting Fresco Acrylic Paint London Bus was thrown into the mix.

I wanted some more stamped elements, so I brayered Twilight, Surf's Up and Seaglass Fresco Acrylic Paints onto a piece of Regular Smoothy White Stamping Card, and stamped some of the images from EEG26 with Jet Black Archival Ink. 

I wanted a variety of textures, so some of my collage elements were torn, some were cut, and I also punched some circles. The circles were inspired by seeing the inner circle design on Emma's tile images. I had a reel of black thread on my work desk, so this also made its way into some of the collages, together with some red pearl and gem brads.

Then I couldn't resist adding some Little Black Dress Fresco Acrylic Paint splatters to some teabags...

and Snowflake Fresco Acrylic Paint splatters to others...

I really hope that you've enjoyed this tutorial, and will give teabag art a try. The decorated teabags make great little pieces of art by themselves, but you can also add them to other projects. I often use them on an art journal page, and I'm thinking of framing some too.

Have fun creating,

Alison xox

Blog: Craftytrog's Arty Adventures
Facebook: Alison Hall
Instagram: @craftytrog

To join our challenge and win a PaperArtsy voucher:

Simply 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 15: Artist Trading Coins will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, 16th September 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy voucher. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

2017 #9 Aqua: Teabag Art Canvas {by Alison Hall}

2017 Topic 9: Aqua

Alison Hall is here with a fabulous idea for tea bags! Only she would think to gelli-print tea bags! If you ae a tea-drinker who loves Aqua, then this one is for you, although I can easily imagine it would look equally amazing with any colour of your choice too!

 

Hi everyone, it's Alison/Craftytrog with you today, and I'd like to share a teabag art canvas with you, that I made using PaperArtsy Eclectica Ellen Vargo stamps.

Since I discovered the joys of using teabag papers, I can't stop collecting every teabag I use. I have plant pots on my kitchen windowsill, just to drape them on to dry! I simply wait until they are totally dry, tear the bag on one side, and empty out the tea leaves. The tea leaves make fab texture when you add them to paint, gels and pastes too. The papers take ink and paint beautifully, and on this project I used them to take prints with my Gelli Plate, using PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Paint.

I started by picking out the aqua family group of PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Paint. These are Mermaid, Bora Bora, Beach Hut, and South Pacific. They go from light to dark, and all tone together beautifully. Then I picked out 3 great stamps sets by Ellen Vargo, that have a variety of fabulous patterns in them. They were perfect for the abstract background I had in mind.

EEV03

EEV05

EEV06

Using my 3x5 inch Gelli Plate, which is the perfect size for 2 teabags, I decorated a multitude of papers by stamping into the paint with various stamps from the 3 Ellen Vargo sets. I got quite carried away at this point, as I hadn't decided what size canvas to use.

As I was taking the prints, I stamped the paint from the Gelli Plate and stamps onto an old PaperArtsy Paint chart. This made a great background that I would use later. 

After I'd collaged my chosen painted teabags onto a 6x6 inch box canvas with matte medium, I decided I needed a focal image. Using Little Black Dress Fresco Chalk Paint, I stamped the circle and line image from EEV03 twice, onto the background I'd created on the paint chart, then cut it out.

I finished my trees/flowers off with some pretty shell buttons tied with string. Then, to add some impact and to frame my canvas, I painted the edges with Little Black Dress Fresco Chalk Paint.

I hope you'll give teabag printing a try. It can be very addictive! You need to be a little careful when glueing, as the paper is quite delicate, but it doesn't tear as easily as tissue. I usually apply matte medium to my surface, lay the teabag on, then paint the medium over the top so that it soaks in and adheres both layers. I love the look of the tea grains that are still stuck inside the bags. You can see them quite clearly above in the close up photos. 

I look forward to seeing your projects for the challenge.

Alison x

Blog( I've switched to Blogger): Craftytrog's Arty Adventures
Facebook: Alison Hall
Twitter: @craftytrog
Instagram: @craftytrog

Fantastic Alison, this is super-cool recycling, and you are right, the tea leaves peeking through are such a cool contrast and definitely give an appropriate nod to your source! Love how the EEV stamps have worked for this project. Thankyou! ~ Leandra

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!  

Why not join our 2-weekly challenge by blogging your create response to the current topic and link it here?

The current topic link Topic 9 (Aqua) will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, July 22nd 2017, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store.