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Greetings from PaperArtsy HQ,
It's the final look back at some highlights from 2024 on the PaperArtsy Blog. Today we review Topic 7: (Gel) Printing, Topic 8: White and the designer focus for Topic 9 was Alison Bomber (EAB).
The theme overarching these topics was Nature and its treasures: shapely leaves, delicate flowers, bold berries. We encouraged our bloggers to incorporate this theme into their posts too.
Speaking of challenges, this year we also introduced the concept of 'With 3 Things' where bloggers were sent 3 things and challenged to do something. For example, a paint or colour item, a stamp or stencil. Sometimes the stamp might be a bit different, but similar so that the bloggers more or less were using the same things.
We are so fortunate to have such wonderful bloggers who share their stunning ideas with us each month. I am really looking forward to appreciating what awesome talent we can all learn from in the year ahead!
Topic 7: (Gel) Printing
Spontaneous, fun and scrappy. Gel printing took the crafting world by storm a few years ago and is a now a favourite process for many crafters. We thought this topic would be a great opportunity to celebrate it, but also share with you all the other forms of printing that historically preceded it. The topic intro post takes you through many techniques, from Relief Printing, to Intaglio, to Monotype, including Gel Printing. You can find there not only varied eye-candy but also lots of educational links to try them with supplies you already have. We hope you give a try to something new!
For out bloggers fabulous projects, let's start with this quirky mini book by Mi Mii. Like a lot of you we love a fun play session with the gel plate, creating loads of yummy printed papers, sure, you can create some pretty dodgy prints along the way, but once armed with some simple techniques, success and confidence quickly grows. Then comes the question of what to do with them. Mi Mii's answer: lots of collaged scraps for dynamic pages. Check her original post HERE for the full process!
In an other style, how about these fresh flowers by Martha Ponsanesi (@CraftingMartha). Gel printing does not have to be complicate or layered to be effective! Nor are you limited to paper as Martha shows with her fabric-printing. Follow Martha on her journey to turn plain fabric into a 3D garden with simple techniques and sunny colours in her original post HERE.
We love when our bloggers try on a new technique and take us on the journey with them. This time Floss Nicholls explored collagraph, mixing it with stamps, and the results are... enlightening! As you can see, she experimented quite a bit so give her original post HERE a read to learn all about collagraph, and maybe level up your gel printing game.
Our designer Kate Crane also joined in the gel printing fun (she includes it quite a lot in her art) for example with alcohol inks. She has shared several of her favourite techniques, not just in her original post HERE, but also in a video on Facebook in the PaperArtsy People group.
Topic 8: White
It is not the first time we pulled the 'White' trick on our blogging team. It often pushes them outside of their comfort zone and always helps us learn something new. This time around, we did not limit the topic to an exclusively white project, but advised the team to think of all uses of white: overlays, resists, washes... They did not disappoint and each gave their own interpretation of white.
Our first pick is this dimensional frame by Victoria Wilding. She did go down the mainly white route white while adding a beautiful contrast with 'kraft' colour. Genius! She uses white in a lot of different techniques so be sure to check her original post HERE to appreciate them all.
Ellie Knol used white as a fantastic texture builder in this nature inspired hanging trio. Many layers went into those yummy backgrounds; can you spot the lace? Go to her original post HERE to follow along her creative process and see the transformations!
Take a look at these jugs of flowers by Floss Nicholls. She is a lover of colour so this was an interesting challenge for her with the white restriction in place. She used white as an overlay, letting some of the colour beneath peak through, for some amazing effects! You can join her in her exploration in her original post HERE.
For her part, Ann Barnes worked with white as a focal, giving it a leading role in this floral and moody journal spread. While at first glance, you would not call it a 'white project', I love how the white definitively pops when paired with darker colours. In this project, Ann played with pattern building in many ways, all detailed in her original post HERE.
Topic 9: Focus on EAB
Alison Bomber goes by 'Words and Pictures' on most of her social media and it couldn't be a better description of her stamp collection with PaperArtsy. A lover of words, she started designing stamps in 2017, going on to create beautiful sets of carefully curated thematic quotes. In 2022, she added some of her delicious sketched botanicals to the word stamps, as well as some ephemera for versatility. You can learn all about her journey and inspiration, as well as how her passion for theatre and craft entwine. It's all in her interview in the topic intro post.
We really could not leave out this fantastic decorated fan by Keren Baker. So delicate and elegant! If you give her original post HERE a read, you will see this was as finicky and time consuming as you might expect, but the result is incredible, and functional!
I also loved how Nikki Acton (a2a.craft) managed to mash her personal style and Alison's designs in this sunflower wall art. As explained in her original post HERE, everything did not go smoothly but the piece speaks for itself. I love the transition from cut to stencil petals!
Finally I hope you didn't miss this amazing diorama by Mags Woodcock. She truly brought Alison's designs to life! These berries look dangerously delicious! This is a quite involved project so head to Mags' original post HERE to fully appreciate her work.
Topic 10: Gilded
To finish the year, we wanted an open topic that could fit the festive season but also stand alone. 'Gilded' can be any form of gold and metal: embossing, paint, wax... As long as it is opulent, lavish and a little bit indulgent. Who does not like some shine?
First is some actual gilding, using flakes, by Liesbeth Fiddder de Vos for this Art Deco inspired star book. The sample mailers create the perfect intricate windows for the golden ladies to peak though. Visit Liesbeth's original post HERE to see all the pages!
Inspired by Klimt, a master of in the use of gold, Riikka Kovasin (Paperiliitin) made these gorgeous cards. I love how they are definitively a series but still differ slightly, giving each it own identity. Which one is your favourite? Head to the original blog post HERE to see the details of all of them.
Finally, this is outside of the 'Gilded' topic, but for the last 'with 3 things' of the year, we wanted to give our bloggers and readers a little taste of the new year in advance. So we went with pink and hearts to hopefully spread little love ! I loved this practical and cute present box by Victoria Wilding. Would you be happy to receive this, even before knowing what is inside?
Well, this was an amazing year for our fantastic bloggers, full of beautiful and creative projects. For those of you going through winter, I hope it gave you your recommended dose of colour and joy.
For those 'down under', enjoy a crafty summer and send some sun our way! In addition to health and love, we wish you all a creative and fruitful year for 2025, full of motivation, inspiration, lovely crafty supplies and fun play sessions!
