My Wonderful Nan

Recently I've been sorting through lots of old photos of my Mums and came across this beautiful one of my Nan taken when she was 19 yrs old --- in 1903.

Violets were her favourite flower and as these are out in the garden at the moment I had to take this shot!

My husband scanned this original so as we can pass copies onto various family members and there was a spare one ----- so I felt it was only right and proper to make a small memoir.

Over on the PaperArtsy Blog the current theme is 'Niches" so the 2 went very nicely together. To find out more about the 'Niches' click on the link here.

I began by dismantling this small chocolate box which measures 3cm x 8cm. Here is a list of the paints, inks and stamps used in this project.

Fresco Chalk Acrylic paint in blush, lake wanaka, china, haystack, beach hut, inky pool and very berry.

Stamps from PaperArtsy ESN03 and HP1004, Clarity Word Chain No 5.

Ink brilliance crimson copper

Mica powder in antique red

Treasure gold in ruby and olive bronze

Grunge Paste

Crafty Individuals stencil

Blue watercress blaze embossing powder

The box was given various layers of paint and then I added the dictionary definition of niche to the upper part of the sleeve. The 2 sides of the sleeve had grunge paste added through the stencil and then once dry more paint was added.

I then stamped Inspire and heat embossed, added some stamping which was brushed with mica powder and then added touches of Treasure Gold to hi-light areas.

The inner part of the box was painted and then stamped with the text on the sides. The MDF heart was given 2 coats of blush paint, stamped, Nan added with peel-offs and the edges touched with Treasure Gold.

When I was growing up my Nan lived with us and many hours were spent on her lap watching her crochet, then when I was 5 yrs old she taught me to crochet and knit. The table cloth in the background of the picture was crocheted by my Nan and we used this on our wedding day underneath the wedding cake. The flower was a pattern I learned from the great lady all those years ago and I've never forgotten how to make them. 1884 being the year she was born.

I know niches usually have statues or such likes but this is my version.

The lovely Lucy - Annie,

at 19yrs old,

photographed by the Eastbourne Photographic Company on October 23rd 1903 !

The finished sides.

Lucy - Annie was a very special lady who inspires me each and every time I pick up a crochet hook. Sadly she died whilst I was carrying my daughter at the grand age of 96! so unfortunately  they never met, but now she too is a great master of the crochet hook.

Thank you as always for stopping by, I hope you have a good week, take care. Jane x

Layers and Dimension

Hello and welcome back, todays crafting session is a card with not only layers of card, hessian and thick board but also layers of acrylic paint forming the background of the artwork.

Items Used

White smooth card

Kraft card

Brayer

Piece of scrap cardboard packaging larger than the white card

PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk paints in Toad Hall, Snowflake, Pumpkin Soup, Inky Pool, Beach Hut, Autumn Fire and French Roast.

PaperArtsy Grunge Paste

Tando-Creative Baroque Stencil by Andy Skinner

Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Walnut Stain

Archival Jet Black

Versa-Mark and Clear Embossing Powder

Stamps From Graphic 45 Secret garden and Clarity Word Chain no 5

Distress Stain in Gathered Twigs

Tando-Creative Flowers and Stems Grab Bag

Treasure Gold in Olive Bronze

Decoart Metallic Lustre in Black Shimmer

Small piece of frayed Hessian

2 Brads, 1 Feather and 1 Wooden Bead

Small Tag cut from white card

I started by brayering the smooth white card with all the paints except the french roast. The cardboard packaging was placed underneath the white card so as the when brayer went over it took the impression of the corrugated ridges. The white card was turned from portrait to landscape and back 4 or 5 times. I began with the toad hall green around all 4 edges and then gradually built up the remaining colours.

Next I cut the card to size and added the grunge paste through the corner part of the stencil.

Once the paste was dry I replaced the cleaned stencil and coloured the paste with antique linen ink and then applied some treasure gold.

The flower from the grab bag was painted with autumn fire and toad hall mixed with a little french roast for the stem and leaves. Once dry this was stamped with the text stamp using the black archival ink. This was then given 3 coats of clear embossing powder.

Next onto the small tag for the centre, this was coloured with antique linen all over, then the clock was stamped in black archival ink. Once dry the edges were lightly coloured with some walnut stain and then I dabbed some gathered twigs DS onto the craft mat and flicked this at the tag with a small paint brush. ( great fun!!) The edges were lightly rubbed with the metallic lustre.

I then tore the edges of the kraft card and stamped randomly round the edges with the text stamp using 2nd generation walnut stain ink.

Now onto the finishing touches--- Dream was stamped on the side of the background card in black, this was then stuck onto the kraft card and 2 metal brads were attached in diagonally opposite corners.

This was then attached to the card blank with double sided tape. String was tied to the top of the tag and then a bead threaded through and a knot tied to finish it off. The hessian was frayed to the right size and stuck with pin flair glue, next the feather before attaching the tag and finally the flower was stuck on also with a good blob of pin flair glue to give some height.

I really like the texture of the brayered background.

And the richness of the colours.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges;

Tando Creative 'Lovely Layers'

and

Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stampers 'Depth and 3D

Thank you as always for stopping and reading this blog, I hope you have enjoyed it. All comments are much appreciated and if you have any questions I will endeavour to answer them to the best of my ability. 

I hope you all have a good weekend when it arrives and hopefully the weather will cheer up a little bit as its been very dull the last few days here.

Take care and hopefully see you here again soon,  bye for now Jane x