2015 Topic 5: Deconstruction {Challenge}

Topic 5: Deconstruction

Hi everyone, It's Leandra back again to share the next Topic of 2015 with you. Now I will admit, this one had our designers stumped initially...they were like WHAT??? But if you put a bit of thought into it you will come up with some amazing ideas I am sure... and having had a sneaky look at the posts to come in the next 2 weeks, they certainly HAVE done that!

For deconstruction, you might use a product for something it totally was not designed for....for example...do you remember when Julie-Ann made this for a Christmas gift ???

...do you remember it started out like this....made from Amazon book packaging??

Exactly THAT kind of deconstruction is one option you could explore....but it can be as simple as tearing card or ripping corrugated card.... shredding paper to use as hair...but it might be as complicated as re-purposing tubes, cartons or containers into something totally different. In other words take an object or items and change it somehow by deconstructing and reconstructing...get it???

At heart I think we are all into altering objects in lots of ways, so I really think that you will get into this topic the more you think about it. On the face of it is seems a tad tricky...but when you open your fridge, you are going to start looking at your throw-away containers in a whole different way!

But first, here is Darcy to announce the challenge winner for Topic 4: Miniature Art. 

Hi everyone, Darcy here. 

Wow! The Mini Art challenge seemed to get your thinking hats on! Again, we love to see all that you have been making, from hanging items, jewellery, shrink plastic was popular, and lots of amazing mini books. Altering playing cards was an idea that popped up... of course, that would fit into the coming deconstruction topic too! Also ribbon reels, stampbord and dominoes, so many little treasures to play with. 

Sooooo, the winning name from Topic 4: Miniature Art...goes to... 

Hazel from Mellifluous Meanderings

 To claim your £50 voucher, please email me, Darcy with your details to darcydotneedles@hotmail.com and I'll explain how you claim your prize. 

Thanks Darcy for drawing the prize winner, and well done to our latest winner Hazel!!! 

so....it's Leandra back for the rest of this post to chat some more about possible 'deconstruction' ideas with you. Here's a video to kick things off...




Many of us might have started into this crafting lark by making cards, or scrapbooking our memories, but how long did it take you to start altering other unusual objects with paint and ink???

The essence of this topic is to change or alter something into something else, or adapt part of it into another project...

How many objects and containers have you got sitting around just waiting for you to change them somehow? ...

Like there are a million things you can do with Vintage Teacups...candles are a very popular option for instance.

Or a succulent mini garden...

There is a whole article here on easy to do re-purposing...I was so taken by these simple yet very effective light-bulb vases...

Speaking of glass, there are lots of bottle ideas on pinterest too... such as...
making tumbler glasses from beer bottles...

how about painting your vases from the inside...

or making light fittings from coloured glass bottles...

or even crystal carafes can look so elegant...

And here's another great tutorial on how to decorate in a more nautical theme with twine...

This one has been painted and sanded back to reveal the darker paint or perhaps dark glass underneath

How about some dip-dyed tin cans..more ideas with tins here...

OK so here's a weird one...doll parts...thinking Darcy will like this one...

check out the artist and many more examples here...

Recycling materials...especially corrugated card is stuff we are all addicted to!!!

Here is a really cool mannequin made from corrugated card

I really love this idea, and its not difficult to achieve either, layers of paint onto corrugated car, chop up, tear, re-arrange...lots of fun!

Or how about these cork charms?

I could go on forever showing you all sorts of great ideas, but why not take a look at my Pinterest page for the Topic 5: deconstruction here. I'll be adding to it lots over the next 2 weeks..

Have a great fortnight, and I really hope you find cool deliberately destructive ideas!! Go on...be a rebel!

~ Leandra 

We would love you to join in with challenge #5: Deconstruction. Feel free to join in and share your destructive-creative ideas over the next 2 weeks and link up your creativity to this page.

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher (including postage) to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. This link is open from Sunday March 8th and will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 22nd, 2015. The winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

1. The challenge is a chance for you to show how you have been inspired by a particular technique of the fortnight. Your entry should contain:

- a mention of which post inspired you and why, and 

- a link in your blog post to that 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, but if you prefer to replicate, of course that is fine too. We love to see how you are inspired!

2. The link you put on our linky page must lead directly to the specific post on your blog where you have explored the technique/ idea mentioned in point 1 above. Don't link to the home page of your blog, or we will be unable to find the post to leave you comments.

3. Spam links will be deleted.

4. We prefer your challenge post is created exclusive to our challenge. Multiple challenge links in one blog post often creates a conflict of interest between the different challenge hosts.

5. You are most 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!

6. You can enter as many times as you like in the fortnight. We don't want to restrict your creativity or participation! Link closes at 17:00 Sunday March 22nd.

7. The winner of the random draw will receive a £50 credit to be redeemed on the PaperArtsy Website, the credit includes VAT and postage. 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 should not exceed £50

8. Each Sunday fortnight the winner will be announced at 19:00, also, in the same post, the link for the next fortnight will be posted. It's your responsibility to claim your prize coupon from Darcy: email her darcydotneedles@hotmail.com

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

2015 #4 It's a Mash Up Shadow Box {by Clare Lloyd PA Signature Designer}

2015 Theme 4: Miniature Art

Hi everyone Clare here, joining you this evening with a mini shadow box project which is ATC sized.

I started by stamping a frame from EEG03 ...

twice onto Heavy Weight Smoothy Card. One frame was cut out and the other I stamped with elements from EEG02...

and ECL04 ...

using either Black Archival Ink or Fibralo Water Soluble Pens.

Then the cut out frame was triple embossed using Versamark Ink and Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel and while the third layer was still molten I stamped back into it with the frame image to create some texture/dimension.

Next I splashed a quick coat of Buff Fresco Paint onto Heavy Weight Smoothy card, once dried I stamped my couple image from ECL05 ...

and coloured it in with Fibralo Water Soluble Pens. 

Finally it was time to assemble everything together and create a few embellishments. I just cut around the outside edge of my stamped frame to make a background panel. The UTEE frame and the couple image were layered up using Double Sided Foam Pads. The heart was stamped from ECL05 and the circles from ECL04, coloured/stamped as described above and then I curled up some black wire to suspend them on. As a finishing touch I stamped the little tab from EEG03 and added words from EEG02. 

It was ace using Emma Godfrey's new stamps as they have that modern vibe I love and they work really well with my girl faces too. Just  a super simple way of creating a shadow box mini art project with minimal construction. Do hope you will give it a go, why not add a photo or turn it into a fridge magnet.

Find more from me on my blog clarelloyd.blogspot and see what is on my craft/art table right now on Instagram HERE. 

Awesome mash-up Clare. I love how smoothly your stamps work with Emma's. The UTEE frame is a great effect, really love that texture on it too! Can't believe how many details you can fit into a mini piece of art, very striking! ~ Leandra

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Miniature Art. If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Fresco Paints link will close tomorrow night 17:00 (London Time) that's Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

2015 #4 Miniature Village {by Linda Cain}

2015 Theme 4: Miniature Art

Hi everyone, Linda Cain here, joining you this evening with a post about Miniature Art. I've used phrases from Emma Godfrey's wonderful set EEG02 on a village of tiny masonite houses. Stamping on Shrink Plastic and using the words to decorate the houses was easy and fun. Then painting the background and houses with Fresco Paints made a perfect setting for adding details with contrast stamping. 

This set is great for journaling, but I wanted to take it in a different direction this time. All the new colors of Fresco Paint are to die for, so they were perfect for this bright and sassy little creation. These are all the colors I used on the houses that were first base-coated with Snowflake. I like to do this so the colors come out brighter.

I use several different colors on each house, some for the base and others as shading on the edges. Then I add different words to some of the houses. Here I only wanted one of the words to stamp, so I first ink the stamp, and then add a piece of tissue tape over the unwanted area. 

Next I stamped several of the phrases onto Shrink Plastic and trimmed them. You can color some of them in before shrinking, too.  Use a heat tool to shrink them down.  I always keep a heavy stamp block close to flatten them out once they're completely shrunk and still hot. 

This shows several of the images I used with Red, Brown, and Black Archival Inks on the houses. I also used Ink and the Dog Minis #23, #62 and #72.  I cut a piece of cardboard or grey-board for my background and added Blue Oyster with Inky Pool for the sky, and Guacamole with Hey Pesto for the grass. 

Mini23

Mini 62

Mini72

Then I break out the White pen to add some highlights to each house. The little Newsprint Bubble stamps  on newsprint scrapbook paper are cut out and added with the stamped Bubbles in the sky area. I used tissue wrap on the backs of the houses to cover the windows. You can start gluing your little Shrink Plastic pieces around on the houses where you like.

I stamped up phrases that I thought were perfect for this setting. In the end, "this makes me happy" was exactly how I felt when this was done. It therefore became the theme of my little creation and was layered onto a piece of black mat board and centered on the picture.

I also used a small stamp from EDY05  by Darcy for adding grass to the bottom of the piece. 

EDY05

I cut a piece of black mat board as a frame so it can be hung on the wall, or you can add an easel back and set it on your desk.

There are lots of little miniature pieces of chipboard out there, or die cuts that you can paint up. Or, just draw and cut out your own little houses. Use your imagination! I loved how some of the Shrink Plastic ended up arched, as you can see on the first house "life is good". The "too funny" just melted that way and turned out perfect. You could also use a white pen to add your own hand-written thoughts around the project. The possibilities are endless....just get started!!!

Your Friend in ART,
Linda 

Visit my blog at http://cain81art.blogspot.com 
Follow me on Facebook as Linda M. Cain
Twitter @cain81
or Instagram @lindamcain

Linda this made me squeal a little when I first saw it... love,love,love this! The colours, the vibrancy and it's houses! what is not to love..the fact it is all teeny tiny just makes it more adorable. Brilliant use of Emma's stamps. Thankyou ~Darcy

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Miniature Art. If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Miniature Art link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

2015 #4 Under the Microscope {by Penny Nuttall}

2015 Theme 4: Miniature Art

Hi everyone Penny here, joining you this evening with a microscopic look into the world of miniature art. I first started to experiment with Darcy's wonderful new stamps when I was happily asked to take part in her new product launch, and was inspired by the theme of "Cabinets of Curiosities". 

I discovered that it is very simple to stamp using Jet Black Archival Ink onto glass microscope slides (clean the slide careful with a soft cloth to remove dirt and greasy fingerprints!). Leave the ink to dry, or if you are impatient like me, use a heat gun.

Choose a selection of sizes of slides and images. I used Eclectica EDY12 and EDY13,

...but all the images in this collection are brilliant for this.

The next step is also inspired by something popular with the Victorians...painting in reverse!

This backward technique requires a bit of forward thinking :) You now paint over your stamped image using Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints and a small brush, letting each layer dry, in the order you want the colours to be seen when you finally turn the slide over.

When turned over all the stamped details are revealed. Detail the edge of the glass with a metallic gold pen.

Now to make the display.

For each slide, paint a cotton reel with Fresco Brown Shed, stamp the word labels on copy paper.

Glue short lengths of matchstick on the top of the reel leaving a gap of TWO glass slides thickness.

Back the painted slide with a matching plain one (to protect you art work!) and clip together at the top with a mini bulldog clip, then add this to the stand, with a bit of clear glue in the groove.

Why not remind yourself how you can make more microscope art on Darcy's launch blog.

I hope you enjoy making your own mini curiosities.

Bye for now,    Penny.     cuttingmycoat.blogspot.com

I loved the samples you made for Darcy, but these are very cool too!! Yes Darcy's stamps do look a bit like microbial organisms, you have latched onto a funky mini display! Thankyou for sharing this great idea with us!! ~Leandra

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Miniature Art. 

Perhaps one of our guests has triggered an idea you might like to try, or perhaps you have other mini pieces of art you want to explore, whatever you decide, we'd love to have you join in our fortnighly challenge on this topic and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher (includes freight cost) to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Fresco Paints link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

2015 #4 PaperArtsyOPolis {By Helen Chilton}

2015 Theme 4: Miniature Art

Hi everyone Helen here, joining you this evening with a post about creating miniature art. I've used some old ribbon spools (three different sizes) as a base for my tiny metropolis on a hill, stamping in black on glossy card over a multicoloured stamped background. The stamps I chose were from the new Lynne Perrella collection .

Cut a strip of glossy card and stamp the buildings repeatedly in Yellow:

Repeat with the Pink and Blue until whole piece is covered. This is a good way of creating a background that co-ordinates perfectly in both colour and image. Repeat on back of card. 

Stamp a long row of buildings about a centimetre from lower edge:

Add highlights with a white pen or with Snowflake paint and a cocktail stick:

Score along lower edge of buildings and snip up to score line to create flaps. Cover base of spool in double sided tape and curve row of buildings round, sticking flaps underneath:

For top spool (actually a bit of tube), stamp and colour as before, this time using the building from top of the long stamp.

To finish off, build the spools up one on top of each other. Make a sign for the top (I used some pre-printed letters stuck on some of the background card and die cut as a banner), stick to some painted bamboo skewers and add a bit of wool to decorate.

And there you have it, PaperArtsyopolis! It's fun to make something totally crazy every now and then!. I like the 3D effect of winding the buildings round the spools and building up the layers. Of course, you could make yours much higher or wider - how many streets can you make? This would also work with flower stamps to make a tiered garden. Whatever you choose, just have a go!

Helen

The creativity and thinking behind this project is nothing short of genius Helen. Lynnes wonderful designs lend themselves perfectly. The added white accents make the project come to life and the different textures to the finishing touches are lovely. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Miniature Art. If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Fresco Paints link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.