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

Sunshine is bliss

Hello All,

Well the sun came out this last weekend and it was glorious. I spent most of the time sitting in my garden, my kids playing around me, while I read my book or created. Absolutely bliss! I think the only time I left that spot was when we walked into the woods to look at the bluebells that have suddenly bloomed. Everything seems that much better with a bit of sunshine. The trees that had been sat in bud for weeks felt the sun and burst into glorious green. It got me thinking how much everyone loves the spring but only due the lack of it, only because of winter. The return of spring makes everyone breath a sigh of relief and everyone is suddenly all the more open and friendly because of it.

It prompted me to make these pieces. The first is a mixed media index card and as I sketched the bush in my garden all set to burst into colour I thought of the text. It is the idea that at this time of year everything is holding its breath before bursting with colour and new life. The second piece is in my art journal and it is done completely in inks. I was experimenting with the new ecoline inks and wanted to see what they would be like for drawing with. The text says "We have to experience the coldness of the winter to truly appreciate the return of the sun"

It was a fab weekend, really peaceful! That said as I write this it is raining cats and dogs.... hey ho that is the way it goes when you live in England!

Bye for now! xxx

Stuck or Finished?

Hello All,

This weekend I managed to do some journaling and was really enjoying my backgrounds and playing with the different mediums. The problem was I liked the backgrounds so much I didn't want to cover them or add anything which led to me feeling rather stuck. I wanted to finish the pieces off, did they need anything or was I finished? Keep them simple or carry on?!?

It took me ages to decide and in the end I added images from an old vintage annual and some simple text. So you can decide, was I right to add these or were the backgrounds strong enough to carry themselves?

Either way I enjoyed making these two and it felt good to be covered in paint and glue again. It keeps me happy anyway :)

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

First ICAD of the year

Hello All,

Last night I sat down with a cuppa and had a play with my new stencil which is a crafters workshop, Rebekah Meier design  I really like this series of stencils, they produce some lovely results. I decided to do a quick ICAD (index card) with it:

It has a cheery feel to it but with the image of a wasp (I hate wasps, having stood in a nest at the age of 8!) I decided on the text "There is no need to be afraid" and overall it feels like it's a card to remind me to look at the bright side of things and not to worry too much! As well as the stencil I used acrylic paint, silver texture paste, irredescent blue ink, washi tape, patterned tissue paper, collage and text stamps.

I am going to try and do lots of ICADs this year and bind them into little journals. They are a great little format to work on.

Bye for now! xxxx

Quick Index Card

Hello All,

It has been busy week so far and doesn't look like it will calm down any time soon! I have only managed to do this quick mixed media index card:

The text went a bit wrong but other than that I like it. The three figures look like they mean business and so to me gave the card an impatient sort of feel, like they are chomping at the bit to get started with something. I enjoyed playing around with the background, using inks, brushos and tissue paper.

Anyway hope I get some more time this weekend to do a bit more!

Bye for now! xx

Just a quick picture

Hello All,

Just a quick piccy today to show the finished index card from the other day. I really like how the gold texture paste worked out and excited about the idea of creating a series of these and binding them into a memory book for my girls.

A spark of an idea.

Hello All,

The other day I was in the supermarket and ramdomly found some acrylic texture paste on offer. I didn't have a lot of time for art this week but managed to sit and have a play with the pastes and with a new stencilgirl stencil on a little index card. I love the stencil and the pastes turned out to be fab, particularly the gold one.

It is not completely finished, but here is a detail. In it I used an old painting my daughter had done as a baby and an image of a rocking chair and it got me thinking. I would really like to make a series of index cards based on the songs and stories that my children love and that I have always read/sang to them. I plan to make a video for each card and at the end perhaps bind them into a little memory journal for them to keep.

So watch this space, I will hopefully get these started soon!

Bye for now! x

Play

Hello All!

I just got some new Daler Rowney shimmering colour inks and pigment powders and so had a quick hour having a play on the back of and old cardboard box.

I really like the vivid colours and the shimmer in both the inks and powders is really nice. You have to give the inks a good stir each time because the pigment settles at the bottom but they are lovely colours. The pigment powders are really versatile as you can mix them into paints or mediums or add water to make shimmer sprays. Definitely a good buy!

I also managed to finally make a start on the background of one of my commissions, here is what I have done so far.

Detail

It will be a portrait of a guy who is a musician, hence the music and instruments. Adding loads of texture and lots of yummy colour, can't wait to get back to it now!

Bye for now, x

Housewarming Gift

Hello All,

Just a quick post today, I just wanted to share a little piece I made for my friend who recently moved house.

Really enjoyed making this one, I played about with my new stencils and Lindy stamp gang sprays which I really like, especially the glimmery shine the sprays produce. I'm pleased to say she liked it too :)

Bye for now x

Altered Book

Hello All,

For a while I have been on the lookout for the perfect book to make an altered book art journal. I knew exactly what I was looking for, I love the 40s and 50s and wanted something from that era with a mix of text and illustration. I was in a charity shop this week when I came across a stash of 50s girls annuals which are perfect. I bought two and as soon as I got home I set about removing half the signatures from one of them. This is to make room for the art work.

The text inside is a mix of articles, stories and comic strips. I love the vintage pictures and language. I even came across an old doilies advert that had been used as a bookmark. The inside front cover says 'Curtain up' With a picture of a stage and the back cover says 'Curtain' which makes a perfect start and end to my journal.

I couldn't wait to get started so I made a start on the first page, I will post up pictures of the finished page soon!

I also made a little index card this week which I was really pleased with.

Bye for now x

Weekend Work

Hi All,

I was a very busy bee this weekend, as well as running my workshop I also got down to some work of my own.

Be True To Me

I made some new handmade stencils and my brushos and spray inks arrived so couldn't wait to have a play and I made a mixed media background and then really felt like painting so did this lady. The text reflects how I feel at the moment, that I need to be true to myself.

With the leftover paint etc I made this little ICAD which I really like.

I also completed and sent off my Art swap for this month. The theme was 'Something beginning with the first letter of your name' I was really pleased with what I produced but I will wait for confirmation from Kim from Virginia that she has received it before I post up a piccy.

I also managed to get nine of my journals bound! Altogether a very productive, art filled weekend, Lovely :)

Bye for now!

Experimenting!

Hello All,

Busy busy busy lately and feeling really inspired at the mo. I have so many ideas I don't know where to start. In planning my latest workshops I decided to have a go experimenting with some wax paper. I have meant to do this for ages so I decided that if I had a go and it went well I would use it for one of the sessions. Wax paper is not really that easy to get hold of in the UK. It certainly isn't in every supermarket so I decided to just get some off the internet.

I really enjoyed the results so far, although I think I have only just scratched the surface. Here is a little ICAD I made with some of the results.

I also made a little video of this one;

I am still working on a little video of the experiments themselves, so should be able to post this in a few days.

I have also ordered some new equipment including some Brushos which I am really excited about and can't wait to start experimenting with these too! Busy Busy! See you soon xx