GD: Wanda Hentges #2 Darcy Flower Cards

Hello!!!  Wanda here again and today we are making a couple of cards starting with a fun background technique. 

I'm using stamps from both of Darcy's newest sets today, EDY09 and EDY10.

For the first card, I started with a 6" x 6" piece of heavy smoothy card and painted it with Baltic blue.

And now the fun part!!  I'm using 91% rubbing alcohol (mineral spirits).  The higher the percentage the better for this technique.  We'll be adding watered down paint and immediately dripping on the rubbing alcohol.  Since Fresco Finish paints dry quickly even if they are watered down, the faster you work the better the result.  I'm using mermaid over the top of the Baltic blue.  If you try the technique and the alcohol doesn't cause the paint to move, then either it dried too much or the paint needs to be a little thinner.  

You can also play around with blotting at the paint after dripping on the alcohol.  This was already drying since I set up the above picture and took it before grabbing a paper towel and blotting.  Also since my paper towels have texture, it effects how the blotting looks, picking up the texture of the towel.  That is something to keep in mind depending on the look you are going for.  

I decided to add another color on top, candy floss.  I was sure to move quickly and I had a paper towel ready to go, laying it on immediately after dripping the alcohol, pressing it down and then pulling it back up. 

Is this not cool looking!?!

You can certainly stamp directly onto the background but I decided to use tissue paper to add the flowers.  My main reason was so that I could paint from behind and still have a nice black line without having to be super careful since I was using opaque colors - mermaid, haystack, guacamole and Hyde park.  

EDY09

This picture shows the back of the tissue paper.

Here is the front of the tissue paper with the black stamping still pristine.

Before adding the flower I stamped the small single flower with mermaid over the background to look like a whole field of the flowers.  

Instead of tearing out the flower I glued the tissue paper over the whole card.  Sometimes when I use tissue paper and glue it on, you can tell where the tissue paper is as it doesn't go completely clear.  I didn't want that look so opted to cover the whole thing.  I used Gloss Glaze brushing it on the card, laying on the paper, and then brushing it over the top also.  While the tissue paper was wet, I tore the edges off.  At first I was wrapping any small bits that didn't tear evenly to the back but then decided to just leave them.

I stamped the grass image along the bottom with jet black overlapping in some areas to give more depth.

The quote it also stamped with jet black.

I used The Crafter's Workshop stencil mini tiny circles and stenciled candy floss around the edges.

I sewed around the edges with black thread and then mounted the piece to a folded white card (smoothy card). 

For the second card I again used the heart flowers.  I couldn't help it, I wanted to make a Valentine's card!!!  The piece of heavy smoothy card I started with measures not quite 6 1/2" x 4 1/4".  It was a piece left over from a sheet, that looked like a good size.  I painted the card with very berry and cherry red.

I added watered down snowflake over the top and immediately dripped with alcohol. This time I did not blot at all but just left it all to dry. I could have made more drips but went with the more open look.

Once it was dry, I stamped the bricks using Archival Ink watering can, stamping more than once with each inking.  

I determined where I was going to stamp the flowers and sponged just a bit of snowflake in the areas where the flower heads would be.  

I stamped the flower image with jet black ink and then painted it in with cherry red, pewter, hey pesto and tinned peas. The pewter was painted in the center of the flowers and then cherry red painted over it where the circles are.  

EDY10.

I watered down some cherry red and splattered it on, added white dots to the flower petals with an extra fine white Sharpie paint marker, sponged the edges first with pewter (wider) and then with cherry red (narrower), attached the panel to a black panel and then to a folded white card (smoothy), painted the edges of Scrabble tiles (to spell the word LOVE) with little black dress and glued them on the card.  Oh, I almost forgot, I added just a bit of charcoal pencil around the flowers blending with a stump to add a shadow and giving them more depth. 

I hope you've enjoyed the cards and that you'll give the background technique a try.  It really is fun!!

~Wanda~

A huge thanks to Wanda from PaperArtsy HQ for these brilliant cards. How fabulous is that background technique. it really adds a special kind of dimension behind the stamps. 

We would love you to join in with the challenge. If you are inspired to action by any of this month's guests who have blogged in December 2014 then join in and link up your creativity HERE. You might win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. You need to add your link by 17:00 (London time) Dec 31st 2014, the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00, Dec 31st, 2014.

Welcome Back GD: Wanda Hentges #1 Darcy Flower Canvas

Happy December!!!  It's Wanda Hentges here today to begin my final week as guest designer for PaperArtsy... where has the time gone!!!!!  This week my projects will use stamps from Darcy's newest sets and today we are creating an 8 x 10 canvas.

The stamp set is Eclectica³ by Darcy EDY10.  I fell in love with those heart flowers the first time I saw a picture of the set!!!

I'm also using some paper from the Chatsworth 12 x 12 pack.  I really didn't have a plan when I started (I quite often don't when I create... start with one thing and figure it out as I go along), so we'll just take it exactly as I figured it out.  I knew I wanted to use the heart flowers stamped onto the Chatsworth paper as my main image, so I picked a sheet and stamped the flower.  It is stamped with Archival Ink jet black.  

EDY10. 

I tore around the image by laying a ruler on the paper and then pulling up with the excess paper creating a torn edge.

This piece is approximately 4" x 7 1/2".

To paint the flowers I used Fresco Finish paints in yellow submarine, blood orange, autumn fire, hey pesto, hyde park, and old gold. The old gold is used in all the little circles in the center of the flowers.

At this point I wasn't sure what else I might be doing with this piece so I set it aside and moved onto the next layer.  I thought it would be fun to make a border with part of the same image.  I tested out the idea first on a scrap of paper and realized I needed a little help with lining up my image so I put 2 pieces of tape on the block giving me a "line" to use when stamping.  It wasn't a perfect line but worked well enough.  I could have spent time tweaking the placement of the tape but it was close enough.

To ink just the part of the image I wanted to stamp, I put tape directly on the stamp, inked it with jet black....

I removed the tape and stamped on my paper.  I'm using another piece of Chatsworth that I've cut to approximately 8" x 5 1/4".  I stamped first in the center of the edge (no measuring, just eyeballed it) and then worked out to the edges.

I painted in the hearts with blood orange and yellow submarine blending between the colors and again used old gold on the small circles.

I laid the main image on top and decided I needed another layer to help it stand out.  I cut a piece of smoothy card and painted around the edges with blood orange.

I decided to add the quote to the main panel.  I wanted to be sure it popped so first I added a little honey dew paint where I would be stamping, brushing it on and then rubbing with my finger to help it blend out.  The quote is stamped with jet black. 

Time to start working on the canvas itself. To begin I'm using stencil #PS001 and grunge paste.

I started working around the edge with the stencil and paste (there is no need to do the center as it will be covered) and then finished up by just scraping on some paste and tapping it with the pallet knife to create texture and let this dry completely.  

After it was dry, I sanded the paste to smooth it leaving texture but no really rough spots.

I kept to the same colors for the canvas as for the flowers - yellow submarine, autumn fire and blood orange.  I started with blood orange and as I went from color to color I did not bother to clean the brush, just keep going and blending.  

After some thought, I'd decided that I would glue the bordered panel directly to the canvas and use a charcoal pencil to give some depth around it, so to help me with placement when stamping onto the canvas, I laid the panel on and made a line around it.  Next I stamped the same quote onto the canvas multiple times with jet black.

I wondered about rubbing a lighter colored paint over the textured areas but wasn't sure so first added it inside my pencil lines, that way if I didn't like it, no worries, it would be covered up.  I decided not to go with that but did add just a few smudges of the paint, honey dew, here and there and then I used a cover I kept from some kind of bottle to add paint circles. 

Next came Treasure Gold. I have totally fallen in love with this stuff and will be getting a bunch more colors for Christmas from my hubby.  I first used Spanish topaz over all the high spots....

but then decided I wanted it to be brighter and went over it with white fire.  I decided I wanted to bring the paint circles back to the front - the TG had pushed them back, I knew it would, but then I decided I didn't like that, so re-stamped them.

I added more pencil widening my line and smudging with my finger.  I also distressed the edges of the border panel using a distressing tool but you could use a pair of scissors by rubbing the edge of the scissors along the edge of the paper to rough it up.

I stamped the birds image in the upper right hand corner with jet black.  I had a little trouble because ink got on the stamp between the birds and wanted to transfer onto the canvas while pressing hard enough to stamp over the texture so I wiped the ink off the stamp and just inked one bird and stamped it repeating until I had enough.  If I had put the birds on an acrylic block and tapped lightly onto the ink pad, it would have taken care of the extra ink problem and that's what I would do if I wasn't trying to stamp over texture. 

I glued the border panel onto the canvas.

I was thinking of tying a ribbon around the main panel but wasn't sure about the color or a blending of colors.  I started with yellow submarine.  I sprayed the ribbon (Idea-ology crinkle ribbon) with some water, watered down some paint and then dabbed the ribbon in it, scrunched it up some and dried it.

I put the ribbon around and did a multi-loop bow but it just wasn't right.  So I added autumn fire to the ribbon.  I watered down a bit of the paint, did not get the ribbon wet first, dabbed it into the paint, and dried it.

Next I did the same with blood orange (forgot to take a picture) and finally I thought lets add some old gold after which I was wishing I hadn't added the old gold, lol.  I thought about starting over but pressed on.

I again added autumn fire. 

I kept trying to wrap it around all crinkled and making a big, puffy, multi-looped bow and it just wasn't working.  For some reason that idea was totally stuck in my head and I was trying and trying to figure out what to do.  I started looking around because I thought maybe no ribbon but what else, it needed something... or maybe a totally different ribbon, still unsure... finally it occurred to me that it didn't have to be crinkled and it didn't have to have a bow.  I ironed the ribbon, wrapped it around a few times, tired a knot and trimmed the ends.  This would work for me!!!!  Much better!!  I added brads to the center of the flowers coloring the heads of the brads with old gold paint and attached the panel with foam mounting tape.

The edges are painted with blood orange and both Spanish topaz and white fire Treasure Gold added.

I do like this canvas - the texture in the background, the partial image border (it is fun to use parts of images - it makes the stamps go further and can be great for building layers), and that fabulous heart flower!!!!!  

I'll see you again tomorrow.  Have a good one!!!

~Wanda~

A huge thanks to Wanda from all at PaperArtsy for this fantastic canvas. ( Darcy here..I am slightly biased, but WOW I love it) These layers are just so vibrant and full of texture. The partial flowers are just the perfect way to add a complimentary border, and the coloured ribbon is so scrummy. 

We would love you to join in with the challenge. If you are inspired to action by any of this month's guests who have blogged in December 2014 then join in and link up your creativity HERE. You might win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. You need to add your link by 17:00 (London time) Dec 31st 2014, the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00, Dec 31st, 2014.

December Challenge 2014

Hi everyone, Darcy here. Wow, what a great month. As we are almost in the holiday season we had lots of wintery and festive projects. Our designers brought you everything from cards and tags to wrapping paper and gift bags, not forgetting a video on making bows. All you could ever need for your Christmas gifts. Between the flurry of Christmas themed projects we also had birthday cards and canvasses, a stunning Mardi Gras mask, some shabby hearts and a fantastic folio for storing your artwork.

Thanks to everyone who joined in with our November challenge. It is a busy time for everyone and we really appreciate that you take time out to join in. 

You know we love seeing how you interpret these ideas in your own projects so keep them coming. Thanks too for all your support and comments over the month, it means a lot to our designers, and they read all of them. 

The winner of the November Monthly Challenge is: Jane Castle

Please get in touch with Darcy (darcydotneedles@hotmail.com) to find out how to claim your prize. 

December Challenge {2014}

Our challenge is a monthly one, open from the first to the last day of the calendar month. 

This is the final month of the last semester for 2014. We will be saying sad goodbyes to our fabulous guest designers of the past 4 months: Lelainia, Wanda, Anneke and of course Liz and Clare, our newest signature designers did a job-share this semester. 

They and we would love you to join in via the linky system and show us what you do in your spare time. We know you are busy at this time of year, so if you can't link a project, please at least leave a comment to say thank you to each of them as the month progresses. We know our designers come up with some fabulous ideas, and we hope this makes you want to have a go and play along too. So go ahead, make something, blog about it and share the link so we can see what you've been inspired by in the calendar month of December!

If you enter the challenge, you will go in the draw to win £50 (this includes VAT and postage) to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. (Think of it as £40 prize with £10 to cover the VAT and postage costs, worldwide) 

You need to add your link by 17:00 (London time) Dec 31st 2014. To finish the year, the announcement of the winner will follow shortly after at 19:00, the same day December 31st, 2014. Please ensure you are familiar with our challenge guidelines below.

Challenge Etiquette:

1. The challenge is to show how you have been inspired by our designer(s) to try a particular technique. Your entry should contain:

- a mention of which designer inspired you and why, and 
- a link in your blog post to that designer's original post on the PA blog.
The whole concept of this challenge is 'play along with us'. You are encouraged to put your own twist on ideas you see on our blog, don't feel obliged to copy an idea exactly.

2. The link must come directly from the specific post on your blog where you have explored the technique/ idea mentioned in point 1 above. You cannot link to the home page of your blog, or we will be unable to find the post to leave you comments. (NB. Linking to your home page also looks like you are spamming us to drive traffic to your blog)

3. Spam links will be deleted. 

4. We prefer your post is created exclusive to our challenge. Multiple challenge links in one blog post is poor challenge etiquette. We know you have busy lives, and it's easier to do multiple links, but from our point it can potentially result in a conflict of interest. 

5. You are welcome to use stamps/ products/ substrates you have to hand from a variety of companies, we do not expect you to exclusively use PA products - but of course it's lovely when you do! Try to be sensitive to these things :)

6. You can enter as many times as you like. We don't want to restrict your creativity or participation!

6. Entries can be inspired by any post on our blog for the duration of that same calendar month.

7. The winner of the random draw will receive a £50 credit to be redeemed on the PaperArtsy Website. We request that one of your purchases is an A5 rubber stamp. You can add any other items to your basket, but the final total (including VAT and postage) must not exceed £50 The voucher can only be used once, so you must redeem it in a single transaction.

8. The first day of every month (in this, the Challenge post) is when the winner of the month will be announced, also, in the same post, the link for the new month is posted. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy: email her darcydotneedles@hotmail.com

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