Playing around al fresco

My new year's resolution is to play in my craft room with no guilt.  Yes I'm ignoring the housework and the 10 million things on my to do list, but how many items can be cleared in a day anyway!  I promised myself I would do some work today as it's crazy there at the moment, but that can wait until tomorrow when I'll work late anyway.  Decision made and that's that.

What can't wait is my playtime! 

I placed an order for Fresco finish paints at Paper Artsy during the week.  Before I'd even checked my email to confirm the order it had been dispatched - what good little folk they are in Paper Artsy land!  Just click the link to be taken to crafter's paradise.

See they know us crafters, once we've placed an order we NEED it NOW!

Today I've played all day, I know terrible hey.  I haven't got children though or a husband so the only neglected one in the house was ginger and furry, but he gets cuddles and treats galore anyway.

Here's some of the pages I made:

Inspiration: Conformity

 Having done a few soul searching pages I got to thinking about how we all try to conform to the latest trends, colours etc.  I scrapped a photo which I've been meaning to do for a while, but I'm not in the mood for cold winter colours ... and why should they be.  There's a great brick wall to take as inspiration after all.  Colours used were London Bus, Haystack, Butternut and Snowflake fresco paints.

Inspiration: brick walls

I used a creative expressions mask and Decoart acrylic gesso to create the texture of old plastered wall.  Squished a bit of Autumn Fire fresco paint over the top and then used a fabric stamp to create the flowers along the bottom.



Inspiration: Red

 On this "layout" I used London Bus and Snowflake smudging a bit here and a bit there. I then scrapped a bit of gesso back over the top with a hotel room card (come one, hasn't everyone forgotten to give at least one back - handy things they are - not that I'm suggesting mass theft or anything!)

The photo was taken in Thailand where they always take such time and give so much attention to wowing the guests.  Every night they do something different and I've stayed in plenty of hotels in Thailand.  They are all the same (in my experience, lucky hey).

Right I'm off to play with more paint

Enjoy
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Upcycling

I've trained my mum so well that every time she goes near a charity shop she is always on the look out for things for me to alter or improve.  Thanks Mum!

This little beauty turned up and was in fact a jewellery box in the first place.  Whether I use it  as one or keep something else in it who knows, but for now the photo needed something extra and the green necklace worked really well.

The box was shiny and covered with flowers so it definitely needed a makeover.  I started by pulling the box apart and covering the inner part of the box with tissue tape.  The inside cover was covered with paper and then I painted and textured the outside of the box.

Once painted black I dry brushed the outside with green Paper Artsy fresco paint.

Hope you like it
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Pan pastels with Lin Brown

Another class with Lin Brown and the best thing about this class (apart from Lin's teaching) was we got to play rather than follow a project.

These are two of my favourite tags created using stencils, versamark and pan pastels as well as a stamp or two.

Creating backgrounds with stencils, torn paper and versamark

A close up showing versamark with pastels over the top

I just need to find the time to have another play with them.  I really want to use them on my art journal but I've made some backgrounds which I'm scared to cover!! 
I love the bottle stamp, but it's on a steampunk plate and if you've been following my blog I don't do steampunk!!

Debz
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With all my heart

I love recycling things and when I went to a car boot sale back in the summer I found these heart shaped note holders that were crying out for a different spin.

I created a little metal shaped heart for the inset, covered the outside with Ferro and then dry brushed it to give a further dimension to it.  When all that was dry I painted the inset and then filled it with glossy accents to protect the metal.



Before and after



A close up showing the dry brushing
(shades of green highlighted with silver)

Now I just need to work out what to do with the other note holder!

Debz
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Wren and Rascal, Axe Valley Farm

If you are ever in Dorset and find yourself with a spare afternoon I can heartily recommend a visit to Axe Valley Bird and Animal Park, Axminster, Dorset.  Buy the book they are selling and learn how the place came to life - it's a great story.  It grew from nothing with love and affection from people who really care about animals and birds. 

Wren and Rascal existed before THE meerkats and simples!  They were abandoned and bought up on an Aga in the home of the owners of the park.  I stood watching these little guys for about half an hour trying to remember to take photo's, but more often than not just watching them.  Adorable!

There are 6 photo's on this layout



Four hidden behind the front ones and with room for journalling

Isn't it great when you find something stunning to photograph.

Debz
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I DON'T DO STEAMPUNK!!

Except apparently I do.  I'm still not going to get into the whole steam punk stamp thing as I just don't get them but I do love the dirty effect as I call it.

At Artsy Craft this year the Sunday project was all about steam punk and I was dreading it.  Just shows what great teacher's Lin and Leandra are, as I was won over by the paint technique and making things all dirty.

I felt like I was recreating a part of my dad's workshop and it reminded me of helping him stock take, the smells and the oil over the floor!

Here's some pictures of what I created alongside a close up of the paint effect.

oops the right hand side wasn't suppose to be hovering, but it became unstuck
and I wasn't concentrating when I stuck it back on!

A close up of the paint work - I love this effect!



My little bottle cap clock

 Surprisingly fun to do and I would definitely use the techniques again but I'm still not sure if steam punk is for me.

Debz
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A little bird told me.....

.... there was a bigger and scarier looking bird around the corner.  I like to think he was looking after his Mrs!  This is my first successful photo through a cage - normally I can't get the focus to ignore the metal.  I'm still not sure how it works but the photo looks stunning without the cage - modest (?!)

I've kept the layout quite simple as the paper is very busy and the photo needs to be centre piece.

Debz
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