Nature Elements

Hello Friends

I hope you are all staying safe and well.

With the warm sunny days we have been experiencing of late, I have spent more time than usual sitting in the garden.  It is such a joy at this time just admiring the flowers, birds and butterflies.  I felt inspired to create a summery coloured butterfly tag for my AALL & Create Guest designer project this week.

I used Tracy Evans' gorgeous butterfly stamp set together with a slight variation on a paint technique that I learned from Tracy in one of her weekend Facebook classes. I created a large size mixed media tag.

Tracy taught us a finger painting technique (messy but great fun) direct to card.  I changed it up a little by finger painting onto my Gelli plate, taking a print and then reverse stencilling on top with the Totally Dotty stencil #87 by Autour de Mwa, using white paint.

I added the background to the large tag, then stamped and fussy cut the butterfly, twice, from stamp set #267 Nature Elements by Tracy Evans.

I watercoloured the butterfly and added it in two layers to the tag.  I added some further stamping here and there using Tracy's Heartfelt #304 stamp and #350 Splattered Numbers.

I added some chicken wire, a sentiment and an acrylic dome to finish off my tag.

I really enjoyed making the tag and will definitely be experimenting more with the finger painting on the Gelli plate (thanks for the idea Tracy).

Worldwide stockists for the AALL & Create stamp sets I used can be found HERE.

That's all for today, thanks so much for your visit.  Please stay safe and well.

Hugs, Anne xxx

 

Iris by Tracy Evans

Hello Friends

I hope you are all still staying safe and well.  I have lost count of the number of weeks I have been cocooned in lock down, but I know it is for the best.  My lovely and talented friend Tracy Evans has been doing a series of Facebook Live sessions and also doing some closed Facebook classes, all of which have been keeping many of us busy as well as entertained.

Edited:  How wonderful to wake up today to find that the incredible Captain Tom Moore is to receive a Knighthood for his efforts in raising over 30 million pounds for our NHS.  Well done to Boris Johnson for nominating him and to the Queen for recognising such a wonderful achievement by a 100 year old man!  Congratulations Captain Tom!

Tracy's newest release of stamps for AALL & Create includes a gorgeous Iris stamp set (#333) and I have become slightly addicted to using it.  After doing a little research into colours of Iris, I used it for my Guest designer project for AALL & Create this week.

For the card on the left, I started by creating a background, brayering paint onto my Gel plate and then adding a layer with the Totally Dotty stencil (#87) in a contrasting colour.  Once dry I stamped the Iris where I wanted it to be on the background.

I stamped the Iris several times onto mixed media card and coloured it with Polychromo pencils, just as a change from watercolour pencils.  My plan was to decoupage the Iris to give it some dimension.

I fussy cut the Iris, shaped the petals and layered it together with 3D glue.

I cut the card down, then mat and layered it onto my card base.  I stamped the '829' and the sentiment from the same stamp set.

I made the second card in a similar way, brayering the background with paint and adding a touch of stencilling using the Broken Circles stencil (67).  The Iris was again stamped, coloured, fussy cut and layered up to give dimension to the flower heads.

I simply lengthened the stem on the second flower  and again added some stamping from the Iris set.

I ended up making 3 more cards but I will save those for another day!

A full list of worldwide stockists for the stamps and stencils I used can be found HERE.

Thanks so much for your visit, I really appreciate it.  Take care and stay safe.

Hugs, Anne xxx

Faded Grandeur

Hello Friends

Are you doing well since my last post, two weeks ago, and keeping safe?  I hope so.  Not much change here, we are still in total lock down but not complaining!

I have been doing lots of day dreaming lately about wonderful holidays in Greece, Spain and France, and so for my Guest Designer project this week for AALL & Create, I used a couple of stamp sets by Bipasha to create a mixed media board, attempting to show the faded grandeur of so many of the buildings we experienced on our holidays there.

The process was pretty straightforward to I condensed the photos showing you a few steps.

I started by colouring my base using Distress Oxides, layering them until I achieved what I thought looked like an old wall.  I stamped Bipasha's Shuttered Window #268 and then used her Archway stamp set #264 at the top and bottom to create some 'crumbling' stonework.

I watercoloured the elements and then stamped and coloured a separate window part which I added to create some extra dimension.  I also wanted the windows to reflect the sunlight, rather than create a dark interior.

The bottom part of Bipasha's Shuttered Window stamp set has a lovely key which I stamped, fussy cut and added to the bottom of the board. I just adore the little bird.

These are the stamp sets I used and you can find a list of worldwide stockists HERE.

Another look at the finished project.

Thanks so much for your visit, I really appreciate it.

Keep safe and stay well.

Hugs, Anne xxx