PA Blog 2018 Year in Review: Topics 9-12 with Alison Bomber

 PaperArtsy Blog year in Review (Topics 9-12)

Hello again from PaperArtsy HQ,

We are in the middle of a series looking back on the year of creativity on the PA blog, and tonight's curator is Alison Bomber. I'm sure you have already seen the last 2 posts, but I urge you to take a look as we are all really struggling to choose highlights! The posts have been stunning!  Enjoy! ~ Leandra

Hello all, Alison here from Words and Pictures and tonight I'm sharing my picks from Topics 9-12: Vintage Neutrals, Paper Dolls, Enshrined and Transfers. I missed so much this year as I had a lot on, one way or another, so this has been a great way for me to catch up with just some of the amazing work here on the PaperArtsy blog.

Topic 9: Vintage Neutrals 

This first topic is certainly right up my street. As most of you will know, I spend a lot of my time in the neutral palette, and vintage comes more naturally to me than modern. I was really honoured to be double-featured in Leandra's introduction to the topic... so it was wonderful to see what people created in the Vintage Neutral zone. For some it was business as usual, but for others it was a real step outside their comfort zone - which is often when exciting things happen.

My first pick is this amazing monochromatic panel by Nikki Acton, using the intricate Eclectica³ Seth Apter stamps. It's a brilliant example of how textures and layers, lights and darks, can give incredible atmosphere, detail and interest to a piece, proving that you don't really need colour at all.

Autumn Clark offered up a stunning nautical altered notebook cover, with a brilliant weathered plank technique into the bargain.  Check out how perfectly the vintage style of the Eclectica³ Scrapcosy stamps fits with the shabby chic look of the finished book.

I adore how Debs Wainwright uses vibrant colour in most of her work, but she changed direction to give us a deliciously soft version of vintage neutrals with her beautiful patchwork fabric needlecase.  With those scrumptious lacy textures and Hot Picks images, it looks as though it could have come straight from an 18th century lady's boudoir!

Additionally we saw so many beautiful vintage neutrals in the entries from all of you.  Sadly, there isn't space to honour all of them here, so do remind yourself of them by visiting the challenge post, but I couldn't resist featuring this tag by Julia Azenor.  Its gentle sweetness fits the topic theme to perfection (and I promise I'm not biased by her use of my Eclectica³ Alison Bomber quote!).

Topic 10: Paper Dolls

With my family background in dollshouses, you'd probably guess I'd be drawn to dolls... Well, I've never actually been that keen on real dolls (those waxy complexions, those staring glass eyes!), but I was definitely a Paper Doll fiend when I was younger.  I was never happier than with a pair of scissors, snipping out new outfits for my two-dimensional paper dolls.  So, again, this was a topic which provided so much delight for me.

After all those neutrals, my first choice had to be this vividly eye-catching page spread by Kate Yetter, using the miraculously detailed Lynne Perrella women as her Paper Dolls.  What a feast of colour, layers and feathery dimension.

Jo Firth-Young managed to clothe her Paper Doll by brilliantly adapting her own JOFY flowers and feathers and vases to make a whole wardrobe of stylish, versatile outfits.  Do visit the post to see the variations and accessorising - it's better than a fashion magazine spread.  There's even a shot of the Paper Doll admiring herself in a miniature mirror!

There was some more clever stamp adaptation going on in Etsuko Noguchi's wonderful Santos Cage Doll.   She combined Hot Picks images - one of the Clockwork Bird's heads added to a vintage corset - to create her Paper Doll.  And the traditional caged stand brings us into three dimensions too.

Plenty of the PaperArtsy designers used the fabulous Tim Holtz Paper Dolls in their creations (including me), and they featured amongst many of the entries to this challenge too.  Again, do visit the challenge post to see all the fabulous contributions from around the world.  It's mean to have to pick a favourite, but this project by Ann Chuang, using Eclectica³ Kim Dellow flower stems, couldn't help but win my heart... you see, it's got a dollshouse as well as the dolls!

Topic 11 : Enshrined

The Enshrined topic is so enticing... it promises so much - hidden delights, altars of celebration, dimensional shadow boxes full of possibility.  There were many gorgeous PaperArtsy designer projects to choose from, but I'm only allowed three, so here they are. 

Helen Chilton created a fabulous shrine dedicated to the extraordinary new characters from Darcy's fevered imagination.  This couple from the recent Eclectica³ Darcy release have been given a rainbow altar on which to display their charms... I just love that curly wire soaring over their heads.  Quirky, original, and so worthy of worship!

Miriam Grazier also headed down the quirky route with this hilarious shadow box shrine.  Those number counters will certainly come in handy when all you can really count on is your own advice, coming from the voices in your own head!  The whole thing was created with only a handful of paints and just one Hot Picks stamp set.  Keep talking to yourself, Miriam... it's working brilliantly!

We went from quirky to truly touching with Lucy Edmondson's commemorative shrine to the soldiers of the Great War.  The vivid red Hot Picks poppy glows amidst the gentle blues and greens, and memory of the lost soldiers is carefully preserved, hidden away in the drawer at the foot of the shrine.  An evocative piece beautifully appropriate to the topic.

There were fewer entries for this challenge - summer holidays, anyone? - but those that played along were equally inventive and varied in their interpretations.  Hazel Agnew gave the Fresco paints a workout to create this fabulously crackled, gilded box of treasures for her granddaughter.  It's well worth a visit to see the altered seashells and other treasures hidden away inside.

Topic 12 : Transfers

I've always loved the look of transfers, but there are so many ways to do them.  This topic provided a wealth of information about different techniques and transfer mediums - there's so much to try out... so it was brilliant to have so many PaperArtsy designers offering up their experiments and experiences for us all to learn from.

Carol Fox used Fresco Finish Matte Glaze for her transfer technique, and created this dreamily romantic journal page with Eclectica Sara Naumann stamps, Seth Apter paints, and a Kim Dellow stencil.  It's like a walk in a summer garden, but with added wistfulness from that fragile beauty in the photograph.

There was oodles of both inspiration and information from Alison Hall, who experimented with various ways to transfer images onto oven-baked clay.  She used Ink & the Dog stamps and other gathered images to create these fantastic cards featuring her gorgeous clay tiles.

Dounia Large worked overtime for this topic, producing two posts full of exciting experimentation.  In the first, she played with transferring images onto stencilled Grunge Paste, using Eclectica³ Ellen Vargo stamps and Tracy Scott stencils.  Dimension, texture and transfers - who could ask for anything more?!  It's really worth a visit to check out the amazing effects in close-up if you didn't see them at the time.

I also went way outside my comfort zone for this topic (I even went so far as to buy a fashion magazine for my transfers... eek!), so I was delighted that my Courage Of Your Dreams post inspired Etsuko Noguchi for her entry to the challenge.  She created a "Queen of Sorrow" using the Gelli-plate transfer technique I'd showcased, with a Lynne Perrella stained glass panel and one of my Eclectica³ Alison Bomber quotes to frame it - an atmospheric piece, almost like a medieval icon. 

It's really extraordinary how much variety and how much inspiration there is to be found in the responses to the PaperArtsy topic challenges, from designers and entrants alike.  I've really enjoyed being reminded of projects I did see and discovering new ones which I missed at the time.  In fact, I've had so much fun that I'll be back with some more favourites in a couple of days time!

Alison x

PA Blog 2018 year in review: Topics 5-8 with Leandra Franich

 PaperArtsy Blog year in Review (Topics 5-8)

Good Evening from PaperArtsy HQ,

It's Leandra here with you tonight to curate tonight's post, and boy did I struggle as every single post of the 4 topics I am revisiting were amazing! You know, when you get a spare half hour,  you really need to use the search function on the blog, or even just go back for a random mooch around, the talented people who blog for us are fabulous! Thanks to each and every one of them!

Well I know it has been a crazy year on lots of levels for lots of countries...I have a vague recollection of saying that last year too, but sheesh is it hard to discern truth from fiction. I know I am not the only person out there who is finding the surreal global politics hard to stomach right now, so at least we have crafting activities (and blissful blogs) as our escape right!?

I am sure you are all settling in with your Turkey prepped ready for the oven tomorrow, and wrapping the last of those pressies.

So, why not grab a mulled wine or a sloe gin....or my gin tip of the season, gin with ginger ale, and a fantastic garnish: star anise, a couple of cardamon pods and maybe an clove or 2 stabbed into a slice of orange. Delicious. Warm gin is a thing too BTW! Yup, you know what a gin-geek I am. I'm even adding a home-made Xmas spice sugar syrup to my Xmas G&T's.

Tonight I'm sharing my picks from Topics 5-8: Nautical Colours, Banners and Bunting, Kraft Card and Boxes. Enjoy!

Leandra 

Topic 5: Nautical Colours

In my head, I guess red white and blue are the first colours that come to mind: crisp, white sailor suits with a touch of gold cord, or maybe striped French attire, but a softer nautical vibe might be home decor like soft sky blues and beige. So, what did our bloggers get up to? It's always good to see other people's ideas with a theme colour palette.

Well let me say, Miriam kicked it out of the park when she turned a cobblestone stamp into this mosaic inspired piece. Very fitting that Emma Godfrey's 2018 stamps were Portugal inspired, and mosaic art is a common phenomena on the continent! So 10/10 for this interpretation! You can see the full post here.

And I hope you didn't miss Nikki Acton... (here)

I adored how Autumn Clark with Seth's stamps....  (here)

Look at the stunning papers she created.

Additionally we saw a gorgeous striped canvas by Corrie using Clare Lloyd's stamps and a monotone cream and navy mini house-collage by Jennie Atkinson a whimsical post from Ellie with Darcy's stamps. Wow, One topic in and already I cannot choose what to highlight!

Topic 6: Banners and Bunting

Say the word 'bunting' and the first thing that comes to my mind is a Royal Wedding and British street party to celebrate with bunting strewn across streets, shops fronts and the village pub! But our designers are sure to have plenty of other ideas for this topic, lets take a look!!!

My first pick is this amazing beauty by Jo. A lovely summery banner (link)

I love the rectangular shaped bunting, and the pop of colour from the flower stamps!

And I hope you didn't miss Helen Chilton's teeeny tiny bunting... (link to original blog post)

Raquel (aka Scrapcosy) created, this really interesting bunting that has a bunch of great techniques. In the link there is also the project explained in one of her videos. (link to original blog post)

Keren started with a wood frame and using Tracy Scott's stamp made this delicate flower embellished bunting. I love how she made this and I think it has to be one of my favourite posts of the year!! (link)

 

Jennie surprised herself with the bold use of colour (for her) in this post. I love how she explains how she softens out the infusions with lots of white paint, which creates the gorgeous backgrounds.

And something completely different from Nikki. The textures and colours on her bunting are phenomenal! A marvellously bold use of infusions totally contrasting to Jennies soft approach above.

Topic 7 : Kraft Card

Kraft card has been a huge trend the past couple of years, it always adds a nice contrast, with the added bonus that its a super cheap surface to work on and seems to accept pencils, paints and more with ease!

I loved this from Chris Dark where she coloured Kay's stamps on kraft to create a fabulous bouquet, her shading and use of the white pencil is superb! (link to original blog post)

And I hope you didn't miss Dounia's underwater adventure! She is super explorative when she plays, and this post shares a whole bunch of ways with kraft! (link)

I adored how Clare Snowdon has a kraft-page journal. It adds such a warmth  (link)

Additionally we saw all sort of vintage layers using gorgeous Hot Picks stamps by Florence .

Topic 8 : Boxes

I knew this topic was going to be a pleaser! Boxes can be use in all manner of ways, we can hide stuff in them or use them as a fantastic gift holder, plus they come in all shapes and sizes!

My first pick is by Sue Carrington, a book-box with Darcy's stamps. (link)

And I hope you didn't miss Anneke's dinky matchbox, a gorgeous mini flower bunting is hidden within (link)

I adored how Etsuko decorated this box for her fab Zinski Art tags (link)

Additionally we saw all sort of floral elements in this beautifully decorated display box by Liz Borer. I love how she kept the background soft so the flowers pop perfectly.

Using Seth's stamps Jennie has decorated the front of this memory box beautifully, 

 

It didn't end there, we also had Helen's deconstructed box, A stunning fold out from Debs Wainwright and and Corrie had a gorgeously colourful

It is 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!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

Leandra

PA Blog 2018 Year in Review: Topics 1-4 with Miriam Grazier

 PaperArtsy Blog year in Review (Topics 1-4)

Hello from PaperArtsy HQ,

I know you are all bonkers-busy, but set some time to relax with a cuppa and enjoy the series of posts we are going to share with you over the next week. It is a time to reminisce as we look back on the topics this blog has explored during 2016, and appreciate the gorgeous creative inspiration we bring to you from this blog. 

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 guess all these things build character, and hopefully enable us to move towards a more fulfilled and content future!

Tonight's curator is Miriam Grazier She has selected some posts to highlight from each of the fist 4 2018 topics. 

Tonight she is sharing her picks from Topics 1-4: ATCs, Seth Apter Fresco Paints, Watercolours and Whimsy. Take it away Miriam!

Topic 1: ATC's

The first topic for 2018 was ATC's.  This caused double excitement for me.  Not only did the year start with a versatile and exciting way to create Art, but Leandra started to tantalise our taste buds by allowing sneak peak of the new products that were being released over the following couple of months.

My first pick is this amazing beauty by Jennie Atkinson.  This was the first post to kick off the new topic and the new year. A very soft and vintage ATC using the new Alison Bomber stamps.  This small piece of art is 'typical' of Jennie's beautiful, shabby chic style.  You can see the original post here.  

And I hope you didn't miss Anneke De Clerck's bright and colourful offering using the newly released Tracy Scott stamps.

I adored how much depth were created through the layers. And the colours were beautifully bright and made me think about the forthcoming Spring, much needed after a cold Winter.  You can see the original blog post here.

I just had to share the ATCs created by Autumn Clark for the challenge.  These showed sneak peaks from Scrap Cosy.  Autumn created so much texture on her ATCs.  Just fabulous.  You can see the full post here.

Additionally we saw all sort of beautiful miniature pieces of art of all forms - bright and vintage colours.  The topic really got the creative juices flowing for the new year - the projects shared by the bloggers was inspirational, as well as giving us a hint of the exciting release to come.

Topic 2: New Seth Apter Fresco Paints

Those of you that know me will know just how much I love my Fresco paints. This release brought the Fresco paint collection to 120 - and we know that it has grown since topic 2.  Every time a new colour is released I get VERY excited!

My first pick is this amazing beauty by Ruth Mescall. A very clever idea with the bobbin book.  It showed the paints and stamps perfectly and is a great idea for a memory 'book' or journal.  Here is the original post. 

I adored how Seth's paints were used for bold and delicate projects.  In my contribution to this topic I showed how I was able to use Seth's new colours with the delicate and detailed Lynne Perella collection.

Additionally we saw all sort of ways that the paints were used on different mediums, including the wonderful coasters created by Helen Chilton, which can be seen here.

As you can tell, it was pretty hard to choose between all of the projects created for this topic.  It really showcased Seth's Fresco paints perfectly.

Topic 3 : Watercolours

Topic 3 highlighted Watercolours.  There are so many types of Watercolours around this year.  No longer are they purely for delicate art paintings and this topic brought out the best!

When I first thought about using watercolour I thought that they were for delicate use - something I seem unable to master.  But actually playing with them and finding 'my style' was really fun and I find them so versatile.  This topic gave me so many ideas to try.  It was so hard to choose some of my favourites from this topic!

And I hope you didn't miss Lynne Moncrieff's wonderful watercolour journal. This project blew me away.  Lynne's beautiful style mixed with watercolour was simply divine.  I almost wanted to reach into the blog post to touch the journal.

My second choice to share for this topic is Autumn Clark's bright and cheerful journal.  I simply love the texture and brightness of this project.  Autumn blended the colours beautifully.

Additionally we saw all sort of cards, tags and books created, showing how wonderfully versatile Watercolours are.

Topic 4 : Whimsy

I knew this topic was going to be a pleaser!  At first it pushed me completely out of my comfort zone.  It's one style then I never thought I could crack.  But this topic really pulled it out of the bag.  The inspiration was amazing.

My first pick is Chris Cresswell's cubes.  Chris teamed Fresco paints, stamps and stencils to create a wonderful 3D project.

And I hope you didn't miss Helen Chilton's spoon people.  I can always rely on Helen to show projects that I wouldn't think of in a million years.  The way that she used Kim's stamps was brilliant.  I just loved these altered spoons.  So much so I am surprised my wooden spoons didn't disappear from the kitchen.

I adored how Kate Yetter interpreted the topic into a fabric based project with her Tweet Lil' Purse.  This project showed the whimsical and fun nature of Elena Zinski stamps and teamed it with a useable end project - just wonderful!

Additionally we saw all sort of fun and whimsical projects, with flowers, shadow boxes and lots of whimsical faces!  The intro to the topic included great You Tube videos to show how to draw in a 'whimsy' fashion. 

Thanks for joining me on this look back to the start of 2018
Miriam 

It is 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!

Leandra