Getting Back To The Little Things

Hello All,

Sometimes it's the small scale projects which have the biggest impact. I love working on either index or post cards. They are a small piece of creativity that can be done when you don't have a lot of time for anything else and the results can be really exciting. By restricting yourself to a small area you can really focus on a particular medium or technique and I love seeing where they take me. Here are a few recent cards

In this one I added modelling paste through a stencil then used inks and metallic paint to add colour and gel pens to bring out some of the pattern. I found the text in a magazine which suited it perfectly.

This one is an experiment of adding layers of circles using different mediums and techniques. I finished it with some bottle top art (an even smaller canvas to work on!) and again some text from a magazine.

I hope you like them and hope they inspire you to go out and buy a pack of index cards to have a go!

Bye for now xxx

Time for a spot of art journaling

Hello All,

There is nothing like finding time for some art journaling. Art journaling is something I love, it really helps to get things into perspective. I use it as a diary or just a place to play with my creativity freely.

Here are a few pages from this last week:

This was definitely a page for experimenting. I found a lovely bright pink acrylic paint that I couldn't wait to use and had carved a little handmade tear drop stamp. I also had made some collage pieces earlier in the week and decided to use one to create a little embellishment with a quote I found that seemed to suit the page perfectly.

This one is in my altered book journal and it was the original background image of a girl looking out of the window that decided where the page was going. I was enjoying playing with texture. My mother in law had given me some old torn lace which I wanted to try out and I also used modelling paste through a stencil. I kept adding colour with acrylics, inks sprays and mica pigment powders but it wasn't quite right. My husband liked the stencil pattern and suggested I add the flowers. It worked brilliantly and reflects my mood at the time, which was happy and peaceful. I finished it with the text 'take a look outside' to express my excitement that spring is finally here!

I hope you like them as much as I enjoyed doing them.

Bye for now! xxx

From experiments to finished pieces

Hello All,

Last night I decided to take my experiments with glass bead texture gel (from the other day) and make something of them.

I didn't want to do too much to this one cause I loved the colours already so I added the text and a little wire and flat bead embellishment.

To this one I added more brushos and some irredescent ink to add depth and shine. Then I added the pom pom, a slide casing with old maps and the text.

This spread is in my altered book and I love the background so much I decided the only thing to add was the word 'simple'.

I am really pleased with them all :) loving the glass bead gel! 

Bye for now! xxx

Art Swap

Hello All,

The other day I received my art swap for this month from the lovely Tanja in the Netherlands. It was as if Christmas had come early! The theme this time was 'embellishments'. We were tasked with making (or buying) a bundle of goodies for our partners. I really really enjoyed this one, with the time of year it felt like I was sending off a treat for Christmas. Here is what I sent to Tanja:

The bundle included handmade tags, a mini journal, beads and origami butterflys plus some bought mini tags and little hessian jars.

I was truly overwhelmed with what Tanja sent to me:

Her bundle included Christmas glasses for me and my children, handmade beads, beautiful stencils and tags galore. Stickers, confetti, sequins, felt flowers and a box each for my girls with the components to make their own xmas decorations. 

The postman delivered the box of gorgeous goodies as we were decorating our tree so it really was like Christmas!

It is absolutley fab doing the art swaps each month. I love chatting to people from all over the world, finding out about them and trying to make something that I hope they'll love! Plus, lets face it, who doesn't love getting post! 

Bye for now! xxx