Mixed Media May-hem with DecoArt Media

Welcome all my lovely blog friends, thanks so much for your visit.  I am actually away from my computer for a couple of weeks, so I apologise in advance if I don't comment on your posts, I will do my best to catch up once I am online again.  I have a couple of scheduled posts set up, of which this is one - I wouldn't want you to forget me entirely!!

We are all having great fun over at Eileen Hull's Art With Heart Challenge - which this month is:

Mixed Media May-hem with DecoArt Media

We are so fortunate as a design team to have received some fabulous products from DecoArt to use and what amazing products they are (my own personal opinion).  I am also proud to be a member of the DecoArt Blogger Outreach Program (details on my sidebar).

If you saw my last post you will know how much I love seahorses and all things to do with water and the sea/ocean so I am following along on that theme and I have used Eileen's fantastic Artist Trading Block die to create a treasure chest which, in my rather vivid imagination, was brought up from the depths of the ocean....

It is hard even for me to believe now, that this started out as plain cream coloured mat board  (mount board in the UK), as you can see below!

I cut two of the large Artist Trading Blocks (ATBs) from die No. 658984, using the largest ATB on the die  (2.1/2" square) and I joined the two together to make a rectangular shape.

For the top part I cut the same two ATBs again but cut them down height-wise and added a semi circle of card to each end to form the rounded section of the lid.  Some plain card was then scored at 1/4" intervals to form the 'wooden' elements of the chest.  I painted this with Quinacridone Gold Media Fluid and whilst still wet, I added a coat of Burnt Umber Media Fluid (I wanted a random appearance).  I did not take a photo of the next step (I got carried away!) but I added some black and gold Ultra Thick Embossing Crystals to the wet paint, to give a rough texture effect, painted here and there with Paynes Grey and Cobalt Teal to give an 'aged' appearance.

To finish off I then covered the piece completely with Andy Skinner's Dirty Wash recipe (70% Quinacridone Gold, 30% Paynes Grey mixed with Media Ultra Matte Varnish to make a glaze).

For the metal effect edges to the chest I cut some 1/2" strips of card, scored down the middle and painted these with Metallic Silver Media Fluid and then pounced on some Quinacridone Gold, Carbon Black, Cobalt Teal and Paynes Grey Media Fluids.

I gave the metal hinges (Tim Holtz) the same metal colour wash.

The lock at the front and the chain got the same 'metal' paint treatment.  You can see some of the texture in the wood in the pictures above and below.

A close-up of the lock and the 'netting' I added.  The netting (gauze) was sprayed with many different colours of the Media Fluid paints which I watered down and put in spritzer bottles to randomly spray the gauze.  You only need the tiniest amount to make up a spray and the colours stay true.

Apologies for the long post but I know that some of you like to see the detail.  Please do consider joining in Eileen's challenge HERE, it would be lovely to see you there - I cannot describe to you how much fun it is to use these DecoArt Media Fluid products!!

Chest : DecoArt Media Fluid : Quinacridone Gold, Burnt Umber, Paynes Grey, Metallic Silver, Cobalt Teal, Carbon Black

Faux Metal:  Metallic Silver, Quinacridone Gold, Cobalt Teal, Media Ultra Matte Varnish

Netting/Gauze : Cobalt Teal, Pyrrole Red, Green Gold, Quinacridone Red, Burnt Umber

Thanks for looking, I have another scheduled post in a few days with my latest Tim tag, I hope you will join me then.  Hugs, Anne xx

A Fresh Start!

Happy New Year to all of you!

Before I start, I had some wonderful news on New Year's Day, which I hope you will not mind me sharing.  I was the very lucky winner of Linda Ledbetter's Compendium of Curiosities #17 for my little Christmas tree vignette.  I was completely overjoyed to win and I am still on a bit of a high - it was a fantastic start to the New Year, to be chosen by the team as a winner!

This is my first post of 2015 and it is my DT piece for Inspiration Journal where the latest challenge is  - A Fresh Start.   I am making a fresh start this year, with a new address book a new note book for blog notes and whilst I was at it, I decided to make a couple of perpetual calendars (the other one will be shown later this month).  The beauty of a perpetual calendar is that they don't need to be changed year on year.

In my Inspiration Journal Design Team pack this month I got the wonderful G45 French Country paper pack and could not wait to use them.

I don't have a pattern as such for the calendar base, I just construct it as I go along but the  three boxes with the numbers and month are from Eileen Hull's fabulous Artist Trading Block die, the one with three blocks on the die (#658984) and I used the smallest die to create these blocks.  They are the perfect size for projects like this.

I love the way the papers all co-ordinate.  I cut another flower and leaf from the papers and decoupaged these on the front of the base.  The base was painted all over with Vintage Photo Distress Paint before I covered it with the gorgeous papers.

The words French Country fitted beautifully on the back of the base.

Finally, a view from the other side.  The calendar base itself is 5.1/2" x 2.1/2" and only took half a sheet of each of the patterned papers.

Inspiration Journal's new challenge - A Fresh Start has just begun HERE and we hope you will join in if you have the time.  There is a fabulous prize of a $50 Inspiration Emporium gift voucher for one lucky entrant.  If you do make a purchase from Inspiration Emporium and you use my code Redanne you will get 10% off your order.

As always, thank you for looking, I hope you like what you see, I have a few posts this month so I hope to see you here again soon.

Hugs, Anne xx



Products Used:

Graphic 45 - French Country - 12" x 12"
Eileen Hull Artist Trading Block ScoreBoard Blocks/Cubes, 3D
Vintage Photo Distress Paint

The Artists on the Block - Exciting News!

Hello everyone.  I think those of you who follow me regularly already know how much I love working with ATBs (Artist Trading Blocks) designed by the wonderfully talented designer, Eileen Hull, who designs for Sizzix.   Well, I have some wonderful news!

I am completely thrilled and very excited to have been invited to join Team ATB at THE ARTISTS ON THE BLOCK -  by Eileen and the fantastic designer Amy Bowerman, who leads Team ATB!  How fabulous is that!  I have had to keep it under my hat for a little while now and I cannot wait to get started...

The very talented Design Team create ATBs using Eileen's fantastic dies, which I have had the pleasure of using for a few months now.  One of my loves is creating 3D projects - the dies are so versatile and can be adapted in different ways, as the Design Team and many others have shown.  As Amy says, 'ATBs are the building blocks of creativity' and she is so right.  If you want to be totally blown away by some examples of ATBs have a look at the Pinterest page, there are some fabulous ideas there.

In honour of joining this amazing team I have made a special project, dedicated to Eileen, which in my own small way shows the versatility of the blocks.  If you have not tried using these blocks, please do, they are such fun.... and very addictive.  So, on to my first official creation for Team ATB:

From this (can you see what it might be?)

To this - a steam train.... quirky and lots of fun to make!

I used a mix of dies, obviously Eileen Hull's ATB, other Sizzix dies for the windows and doors, Tim Holtz sized circles for the wheels (along with Brushed Pewter Distress Paint) and I added a few Prima embellishments for lights, wheel nuts and bumpers - the rest is simply strong black card, with a little red thrown in.

My lovely DH is very keen on steam trains and he lent me his rail track to stand it on, he has since claimed the steam train as his own...

As I said, I wanted to show the versatility of the ATBs here but there is no need to create elaborate pieces - but it is great fun and I have lots more ideas in my head! If you pop over to The Artists on the Block HERE you will see lots of innovative ATBs that the inspirational Design Team created during this past month alone. 

Eileen also has a monthly challenge called Art With Heart where you can express your creativity (not just with ATBs either) based on a challenge theme and there are wonderful prizes on offer.  It is definitely worth a look there too, if you have the time (the May challenge has now finished).

Amy has asked me to show a few of my favourite projects from the past few months.  Click on the photos for a larger view.

One of my most favourite projects is the beach hut I created, details of which you can find here.  This showcases the versatility of Eileen's ATB die beautifully and also my love of 3D objects.  The hut now lives with my lovely friend Mo in her seaside themed guest room.

Another favourite project is my Mini Storage Box, a 3D project that showcases my love of all things Tim Holtz, I used Tim's beautiful Wallflower papers, Remnant Rubs and Idea-ology, the details are here.

My third project is a favourite from last year - an altered clock base, another of Tim Holtz's Idea-ology pieces - full details here.

Well, I think I have kept you long enough.  Thank you for looking, I hope you like my steam train and I hope you will follow my adventures with  ATBs and maybe even make some yourselves!  Take care and I hope to see you soon.  Hugs, Anne xx