Hello friends,
My name is Sarah Downes. I’m very excited (if a little
apprehensive) to share my very first blog post with you. I was invited
to take part in the ‘with 3 things’ challenge by the PaperArtsy team.
For this feature on the PaperArtsy Blog 3 identical items are sent to 3 members of the PaperArtsy Blogging team. Typically we will receive a stamp, a stencil and a couple of Fresco Paints.
We have no clue what PaperArtsy HQ is going to send, the whole idea of this challenge is to do something crafty in our personal style with these 3 items. We can incorporate other PA products into the mix if we feel it is necessary.
When the parcel arrived it was wrapped in beautiful PaperArtsy tissue
paper which I will be able to use for another project. Inside I was thrilled to find a beautiful Eclectica Kay Carley stamp set, EKC11 and PaperArtsy Stencil PS162 along with 2 Fresco Finish paints in Verdigris and Zinc.
I have quite a few Kay Carley stamps and stencils but most of mine are
of beautiful spring and summer flowers. I didn’t have any winter or
Christmas ones so this would be a new departure for me. With my mystery package, I made a series of large decorative baubles!
While I was more than happy with the chosen colours, I soon realised that these stamps were not going to need a lot of colouring in or painting like flowers do, so it was clear, this project was not going to be in my usual style. Eek!
To warm up and get to know the products a little better I decided to stamp out the images and have a play with the paints and the stencil to hopefully get some ideas flowing!
I felt I wanted to introduce a further paint into the mix so I could vary the shade of the green and grey paints. I decided on Fresco Finish Chalk as I thought this colour was less stark than a pure white and a little closer to the rustic vibe I was now feeling this project needed.
Having had a play (and calmed down a bit) I was thinking about going in
the direction of making Christmas decorations. I remembered that I had
some mdf bauble shapes stashed away so I got these out and felt these
would make a great substrate once prepped with gesso. It was then I thought I might need a red
involved (as it’s Christmas!) so I chose Cherry Red from Tracy Scott's Fresco Finish line.
1st Big Bauble
I was looking to achieve a rustic style of Christmas decoration so I
decided to apply the paint with a small brayer, first with Zinc…
Then with Chalk. This gave me the textured and slight grungy finish I was hoping for.
My next idea was to use the lovely holly design in stencil PS162 to frame
the edge of the bauble. I used a sponge dauber to apply the Verdigris Fresco Finish paint through the stencil around the edges and especially across the
top. I also used the sponge to apply paint directly to the edge the bauble to
give it a bit of a frame.
The triangle on the stencil suggested bunting to me. I used a plate to draw a curved pencil line to help me position the triangles to look like hanging bunting. I wanted to decorate the bunting with the stars/snowflakes so I needed the background colours to be light. I used Zinc and Chalk and mixed Chalk and Cherry Red to make a pretty pink. I then sponged the 3 colours though the triangles on the stencil to make the bunting.
I also used the Cherry Red paint with a tiny ball tool to add some berries in amongst the holly.
I used some permanent inks (Archival by Ranger and Versafine Claire by Tsukineko) to stamp the little stars from EKC11 onto the bunting and a permanent marker pen to draw around the triangles and over the pencil line. On reflection, I probably should have used a slightly narrower pen nib. I then worked out where to stamp the pots ready for the Christmas trees and stamped them using a stamp platform so I could stamp over them again once I had painted them pink.
Next came stamping the trees. I chose the 2 larger trees from EKC11 and a permanent ink. I masked off the pots with a scrap of paper and used my stamp platform.
A few ribbons and silver berries found in my stash completed this side of the first bauble.
Now for the back of the bauble. I used the Holly Stencil PS162 too but this time I stencilled again and again from the middle of the bauble like clock hands in both Verdigris and Chalk.
And it was at this point I decided to stencil a heart at the centre of the bauble, to cover all the ends of the holly branches. I think it looks more finished now.
I like to put the year on Christmas decorations I make. I used some die
cut numbers and the verdigris paint for this.
Small Bauble
I wanted to introduce more texture for this decoration. Time to get the Grunge Paste out! I used a palette knife to apply it through stencil PS162 at the bottom of the bauble. I also used the grunge paste through the hearts and let them dry. I loved how cleanly it went through the stencil. I left it to dry
thoroughly. I think I did a better job of this than sponging the paint
on the first decoration.
Crackle Glaze was then spread over the hearts because I wanted to add to the rustic vibe. Next I painted Verdigris over the hearts and waited for the crackles to appear! I painted the berries green to keep to a simple colour palette.
As focal elements, I stamped the small tree from EKC11 in a dark green permanent ink and the sentiment in black and added a smattering of tiny stars with a touch of glitter glue.
Now for the back. I decided to use the Crackle Glaze again between a
layer of Zinc and Chalk Fresco Finish paints. I was pleased with the rustic look.
I mixed Grunge Paste with the Verdigris paint. Then I used the mixture through the holly stencil. I was amazed how the colour of the paint was barely altered by mixing it with grunge paste, even when dry. I shall definitely do more of this!
To finish this bauble, I didn’t have any more matching ribbon so I used the Verdigris paint to
change the colour of some ribbon and attached it to the bauble adding a
little charm from my stash which I painted with Zinc paint.
2nd Big Bauble
I wanted to make a 3rd and final bauble because I had noticed that the
trees from EKC11 were like the branches of a snowflake so I definitely wanted to
make a large snowflake with them. Also I wanted to use the trees as
branches to make a bigger Christmas tree. Another large bauble was in
order for these 2 ideas!
I sponged Verdigris Fresco Finish across the whole surface. Then I drew a pencil line down the centre of the bauble to help me line up the pot and the tree stamps and stamped and painted in the pot on the stamp platform. Then stamped the pot again to replace the detail.
Starting at the bottom with the largest tree stamp from stamp set EKC11, I began to create a Christmas tree, changing to the smaller tree stamps as I got higher up the tree. I used a light and a dark green permanent ink to give the tree some depth.
To anchor my tree, I usied torn paper to mask off an area under the pot and used the Chalk paint to create a snowy base.
I also added some sparkle too along
the branches and on the snow with glitter glue.
Now for the reverse side. This time I really went for it with the Crackle Glaze and used it across the whole surface over a layer of Verdigris and under an application of Chalk. The grungy, crackle finish was really pleasing. I also sponged around the edge with the verdigris paint to frame the design.
Having made a paper template using my quilting ruler to mark out the 60
degree angles for a six pointed snowflake, I then transferred the
markings to the bauble.
I used the largest stamp from stamp set EKC11 to form the snowflake in grey permanent ink and then rubbed out the pencil guides.
I was really pleased with how this worked out. I added 2025 again at the neck of the bauble.
On reflection I think I prefer the back of the baubles I made to the
fronts! I like the simplicity of the designs and the colours. There’s a
lesson for me there! Sometimes simpler is better!
Thank you if you made it this far, I hope it wasn’t too rambling.
I have loved being a part of this challenge and can’t wait to see what the other 2 participants have made. I’m sure I will say ‘why didn’t I think of that!’ when I see their ideas!
Facebook: Sarah Downes
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