Resists on Backgrounds

Welcome, today I'd like to share with you a card I made using 'Resists' on the background before stamping the main image.

Over on the PaperArtsy Blog there is a wonderful array of examples put together by Darcy, so grab a coffee and click on the link here.

To begin with I cut a stencil using a die from Tim Holtz Alterations Thinlits - Mixed Media collection, covered it all over with versa mark ink and pressed the image down with a clean brayer on 2 opposite corners. These were then heat embossed with clear EP.

The card was then coloured using 2 paints from the Fresco Chalk collection with a brayer. Toad hall was applied first and once nearly dry the card was wiped with a slightly wet wipe to reveal the embossing.

Once the Beach hut was nearly dry I wiped away small areas of paint so the embossed pattern was now 2 colours.

Grunge Paste was applied through a stencil to give small areas of the harlequin pattern. I didn't like the stark white of the gaps in the paint or the grunge paste so applied some antique linen DI with a blending tool. The dry acrylic paint also acts as a resist.

The main image from LPC030 was stamped in versa fine black onyx and just before the ink was dry I sprinkled some clear EP on the pen nibs and heated. These were then touched with treasure gold in Olive Bronze.

The image was cut out, mounted onto cream card, then kraft card and the pen from the stamp set was stamped and embossed using the trimmings from the left hand side. ( really like how the diamond of grunge paste fits in with the design on the pen!)

The pen was cut out and rubbed with treasure pewter and then a twisted cord tied through the top.

Love the textures on this and the squares take on different appearances depending on the angle you hold the card, especially the faces.

Well I hope you all have a good weekend, weather forecast isn't brilliant, but there's always 'a bit of crafting' if it's too wet to go out! Have fun and take care, Jane x

"Miniature Art"

Hi, and welcome to you, hope your Saturday is ticking along nicely. Today I am going to share my entry for PaperArtsy's fortnightly challenge titled ' Topic 4 Miniature Art'. Do click on the link to view not only a video describing various types of miniature art but to see the DT's beautiful works of art that inspired me to have a go ! here.

For this I used a mini MDF tag which measures 4.5cm x 3cm and started by giving it a coat of fresco chalk paint in Pea Coat, then a coat of crackle glaze and finally a coat of Nougat.

Then I sanded a small off cut of clear shrink plastic and painted it with Very Berry and when dry stamped in Archival Watering Can using the word spring from the stamp set Bloom.

I then cut the plastic to the right size and shrunk it with a heat gun.

Next I masked off various areas of the tag and gave them a very light coat of various translucent paints which I lightly dabbed off again with a damp baby wipe.

The stamping was done in Versa-fine onyx black ink using stamps from sets LPC030, Bloom, Jofy 13 and 43.

The leaf at the top of the tag was stamped in brilliance pearlescent ivy.

The little bird was heat embossed with clear powder and the beak painted in Zesty Zing.

For the face in the centre I added a little Blush to where I felt the main part of her face would come but left the remainder of the background unpainted. Her eyes were given a dot of sakura belly roll pen and the lips painted with Claret paint. The hair is made from unravelled hairy string!

The watering can had a touch of Pewter paint added to give a slight sheen.

Then I decided to give the girl a hat ----- this I crocheted using some fine cotton and started with 5 chain and worked 5 single crochet but then I tried and unpicked it several times so I don't know what came after that.

Then it was back to the shrink plastic and this time I used the frosted version so didn't need to sand the surface first. The flower head was painted first with Spanish Mulberry and the stem in Evergreen. The flower pot was painted with a mix of Autumn Fire , Chutney and Zesty Zing to get a terracotta type colour.

The top was finished with some fancy yarn, white beads and a small copper flower which I found in my stash.

This photo was taken with the tag on top of a pot of treasure gold to give an idea of the finished size.

I have never done anything in miniature before, I must say it's certainly more challenging and time consuming but great fun -- so if you have a spare couple of hours do give it a try and join in with the challenge over at PaperArtsy.

Thanks for stopping by and I would love to hear your comments, thoughts or tips. Take care and enjoy your weekend.  Jane x