Narnia Journal page
Posted: April 15, 2015 Filed under: Art Journal, On the Town, Prancers | Tags: Fabriano art journal, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 19 Comments
Not what you were expecting to find here on Bits & Pieces? This is my first art journal page; well to be totally honest my second journal page but the first one completed. I have had a few art journals sitting around for over a year waiting for time and inspiration. I started a page last year but it is still in process. The inspiration for this page came from the new Dirty Dozen gallery which opens on Splitcoaststampers today. I am now in my fourth month as a member of the Dirty Dozen and each month we have created projects around a theme. Each theme has been quite a challenge for me including this one. The new gallery theme is “Imagine That” and I was without inspiration until I thought about story books, fantasy and magical story books in particular. I ended up designing five out of my six projects based on some of my favourite books. To view the Dirty Dozen gallery you have to be a fan club member which is a great idea anyway because you will have access to all sorts of extra inspiration while supporting the wonderful creative world of Splitcoaststampers.
After creating a Narnia card for the gallery I decided to expand my design into an art journal spread. I don’t have a video or even a how to for this one although that is my plan for future pages. I followed the advice of the Vicky Papaioannou, who is a very talented art journaller and I glued two pages together to make them sturdier. It has made the pages somewhat bent but I think it prevented the watercolour from seeping through to the other side.
If you know the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis you will recognise that this scene is from the early part of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. Lucy enters a magical world where it is ‘always winter but never Christmas’.
She meets Mr Tumnus who explains that she is in ‘the land of Narnia, all that lies between Lamp-post and the great castle of Cair Paravel on the eastern sea,’ the quote I chose for my page.
I enjoyed creating this page and may use books as inspiration for future pages. If you do check out the Dirty Dozen gallery this month you will see scenes from some other favourites of mine along with the products of the rest of the team’s creative imaginations.
I used distress stains and memento inks to create my scene over pages heavily splattered with masking fluid. You should recognise the tree stamps from the Prancers set and the lamp-post from On the Town but the mountains and handwriting are all mine.
Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge – Bouquet
Posted: April 15, 2015 Filed under: Efflorescence, Stitched Edges | Tags: Faber-Castell Polychromos Colour Pencil, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 4 Comments
Penny Black is playing along with the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge today and the inspiration picture is a big bright bouquet of flowers.
I chose to highlight one of the flowers, a dahlia I think, and repeated it three times across my panel. I inked the flower from the transparent set ‘Efflorescence’ in barn door and ripe persimmon distress stain, spritzed it so the stains would blend then stamped it once on the panel. I did one at a time so I could do all the painting for each one while the stain was still wet. I used a waterbrush to pull colour from the outline in to fill the petals. If the stain dried before I could pull colour in I squeezed some out of the bottle and picked it up with the brush. After letting the first flower dry I did another and then a third. When all three were dry I added a fine splatter of barn door stain.
The background is coloured with Faber Castell polychromos pencils in two blues, I also added some extra definition here and there on the petals with red and orange pencils. The bottom edge of the panel, as well as the red, the blue mat and the card base, is die-cut by one of the stitched edges dies. For the sentiment I stamped only part of a stamp from the Sprinke & Smiles set so I could finish the phrase with words die cut in the same red as the mat.
Make sure you check out the challenge and some more interpretations from the PB design team
Supplies:
Stamps: Efflorescence, Sprinkles and Smiles (PB)
Creative Dies: Stitched Edges, Splendid Wishes (PB)
Inks: Ripe Persimmon, Barn Door distress stains (Ranger), Versafine Onyx Black (Imagine Craft/Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Red and Blue cardstock, Neenah Avon Brilliant White 110lb cardstock
OLS15 Blowin’ in the Wind
Posted: April 13, 2015 Filed under: Dandee | Tags: Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 19 Comments
The One Layer Simplicity challenge this month is “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Karen is challenging us to show wind on our cards. She suggests using a straw to blow paint dropped onto your paper, stamp an image that shows something blowing in the wind or maybe try splatters that go in one direction?
I tried a few of her suggestions on my card beginning with a image that blows in the wind and also invites us to blow it ourselves – the dandelion seed head. I stamped and embossed the dandelion and three seeds on watercolour paper then re-inked the stamp with iced spruce distress stain. I spritzed the stamp, then after stamping, spritzed the paper until the stain started to spread. I tilted the paper to make the colour move in one direction then stamped again in salty ocean distress stain and milled lavender. I spritzed and tilted and moved a bit of colour around with a brush until I was happy with the coverage. To finish I splattered a bit of blue and grey then added the sentiment in versafine Smokey Grey. It just so happens that the Less is More challenge this week happens to be Splatters on a one layer card. Yay, I’m in!
Even though I had taped down the watercolour paper it was still a bit warped once it dried. I decided to iron it which got the kinks out and also removed the embossing. Karen has been doing all sorts of fabulous backgrounds with Bister on her cards lately which has inspired me to create a similar watery splashed background. I don’t have any Bister but I am happy with the way the colours bled and spread on this piece.
Thanks, Karen for a great challenge and all the wonderful inspiration on your blog, Snippets.
Supplies:
Stamps: Heartfelt, Dandee (PB)
Inks: Salty Ocean, Iced Spruce, Milled Lavender Distress Stains (Ranger) Versamark, Versafine smokey grey (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper
Also: clear embossing powder
For the grad
Posted: April 8, 2015 Filed under: For the grad | Tags: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black stamps, Sharpies 13 Comments
I’m playing with the whole “sailed off into the sunset and lived happily ever after” idea on this card. Of course it would have to be “flew off into the sunset” and although graduation is the end of one adventure it is usually the start of an even bigger one. Regardless I have a bird flying free over a watercoloured sky, painted of course with my new gansai tambi paints.
To create the watermarked look or ‘back runs’ I blended colours then let them dry a bit before adding more paint. I worked from blues to pink, red, orange then yellow in the bottom left hand corner. When it was all dry I stamped the two images and sentiment from the transparent ‘for the grad’ set.
There are celebratory cards on the PB blog all this week.
Supplies
Stamps: For the grad (PB)
Inks: Versafine onyx black ink
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Epic Black 100lb cardstock
Also: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints
Leaf negatives
Posted: April 6, 2015 Filed under: CAS, Happy News, Watercolour | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black creative dies 18 Comments
I am enjoying my new watercolour paints and experimenting with different ways to use them. The panel above is part of a masking experiment. I used the ‘happy news’ die to cut a mask from frisket film. Frisket film is made of plastic so I ran the die back and forth through the machine a few times to make sure it cut well. I saved both the negative and the positive die cut image and worked on two panels at once so one could dry while I painted the other. For the one above I used just the positive leaf and branch portion of the die cut image.
I pressed the frisket film leaves firmly onto hotpressed watercolour paper and painted some greens and blues around the leaves. The shape of the leaves reminds me of gum leaves (eucalyptus leaves) so I stuck with the muted blues and greens I remember from the gum trees in Australia. Some paint did seep under the frisket film in places but I didn’t worry as I knew I was doing several layers anyway. When the first layer was dry I repositioned the mask and repeated the process. I think I repositioned the mask three times; I’m not sure. By the time I had painted several layers the first white masked leaves were almost completely covered in paint but the outlines were still distinct. I added some splatter, a sentiment then matted in a co-ordinating teal cardstock.
The other panel I was working on used the negative frisket film mask and will be on the blog next week. Thanks for dropping by.
Supplies
Stamps: Snippets (PB)
Creative Dies: Happy News (PB)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Avon Brilliant White 110lb cardstock, teal cardstock
Also: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, grafix extra tack frisket film
Birds, blooms and balloons
Posted: April 4, 2015 Filed under: CAS, Tweet Thing, Uplifting | Tags: CAS, Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Ranger Distress stains 10 Comments
The theme at CASology this week is “Spring” and the sketch at CAS(E) this sketch is a 2×3 array. I had fun combining the two in the card above.
The watercolour panels were left over from my last class so I die cut little birds and flowers using dies from the ‘tweet things’ set to fit with the spring theme then arranged them according to the sketch.
I don’t know that balloons are a spring thing but they do work perfectly for the sketch so I die cut some circle and heart balloons using dies from the ‘uplifting’ set, spent way too long tying six tiny bows of machine embroidery thread around the balloons then popped them up on dimensional tape. The embroidery thread is very shiny so I found the shiniest red cardstock I had and die cut the word celebrate from the ‘doodles’ set which works in well with the curls in the thread.
We had amazing spring weather yesterday; my girls and I went for a run in beautiful 15°C sunshine. This morning we woke up to fresh snow so my husband skied this afternoon. Happy Easter everyone.
Supplies:
Stamps: Snippets (PB)
Creative Dies: Tweet Things, Uplifting, Doodles (PB)
Inks: Barn Door, Mustard Seed, Chipped Sapphire Distress Stains (Ranger) Satin Red versafine ink (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah solar white cardstock
The Sweetest
Posted: April 1, 2015 Filed under: CAS, The Sweetest 4 Comments
Celebratory cards continue to be the feature over on the Penny Black blog. These week the design team has created cards for Mom or Mum as I would spell it. I was pleased to see that a ‘Mum’ stamp included in the new mini set ‘The Sweetest’. To create my clean and simple card I inked the little floral corner stamp with memento markers, spritzed it with water and stamped on watercolour paper. I spritzed the stamp again without re-inking to get a paler image to the right of the first impression.
I used a banner die to create a little tag for the sentiment and echoed the shape on three corners of the panel with the ticket corner punch. I added a little bow to the tag before popping it up over the panel then attached the whole panel to a blue mat and then to the cream card base.
Karen is hosting the April One Layer Simplicity Challenge so pop on over and check out her oh-so-cool card. I’m sure you’ll get inspired to participate.
Supplies:
Stamps: The Sweetest (PB)
Creative Die: Triple Banner (PB)
Inks: Memento Danube Blue, Bahama Blue, Bamboo leaves markers (Tsukineko)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Classic Crest Natural White 110lb smooth, blue cardstock
Also: Ticket corner punch
Patterns on patterns
Posted: March 30, 2015 Filed under: Hidden Hearts, Hypnotic | Tags: Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stencils, Ranger Distress inks 4 Comments
I’ve been wanting to create something with the large ‘Hypnotic’ circle stencil ever since it arrived but there were flowers to stamp first! Inspired by the pretty colour schemes of Karen Dunbrook I pulled out all my blue and green toned distress inks the other day and sponged over and around this pretty stencil. There was already masking fluid splatter over the Neenah Solar White panel to create some extra texture. I chose a spot close to the centre of the circle pattern to be the lightest area then worked out from there making the outer edges of the stencil the darkest areas. When I was happy with the sponging I splattered some blue and green ink over the panel and dropped some water also. To create the watermark on the right I painted water onto the stencil then pressed it onto the sponging. Once all was dry I removed the masking fluid and added a sentiment, the circular ‘Hidden Hearts’ die cut and a strip of matching cardstock along the base of the panel.
It is almost time for a new One Layer Simplicity challenge but before that appears on April 1st, pop on over and see the details the design team highlighted from all the creative March entries. I tried to create a ‘words only one layer card’ for the challenge this month but my attempts went from bad to worse ending with card which was comical it was so wrong. Sorry, but you’ll never see that one. I am going to try again in April with a fresh new challenge.
Supplies:
Stencil: Hypnotic (PB)
Creative Dies: Hidden Hearts, Stylish Gratitude (PB)
Inks: peacock feather, salty ocean, pine needles, chipped sapphire distress inks (Ranger)
Cardstock: Neenah Solar white cardstock, turquoise cardstock,
Centrepiece
Posted: March 27, 2015 Filed under: CAS, Centerpiece | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps 18 Comments
Have you visited the Penny Black blog this week? Jill Foster has been sharing gorgeous projects all week to showcase the new ‘Time to Celebrate’ release. There is a giveaway too, so make sure you drop in. This lovely vase of flowers is one of the new stamps and I pulled out my new watercolours to paint it. I started by inking the stamp with memento angel pink on the flowers and desert sand on the vase which gave me a pale outline for my painting. I used a small round watercolour brush and worked one petal or flower section at a time. I started by painting water onto a petal, added pale color to the watery area and spread it, then added darker colour on the section closest to the centre of the flower or to any areas that would be in shadow behind another petal. As I painted I dabbed excess paint and water away with a paper towel or dry paintbrush. I worked on sections that were not adjacent to each other so the paint could dry before I painted the petals next door. I used both paint and markers for the stems, leaves and flower centres.
When the flowers were dry I painted the vase and finally a pale shadow below it. I picked out some co-ordinating pink and green cardstock to mat the panel and die cut a green sentiment from the new 2 die set ‘Many Thanks’. Thanks for dropping in.
Supplies
Stamps: Centerpiece (PB)
Creative Dies: Many Thanks (PB)
Inks: Memento Angel Pink, Desert Sand, Bamboo Leaves, Grape Jelly, Tuxedo Black (PB)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, Neenah Natural White 110lb cardstock, pink and green cardstock
Also: Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolour paints
Spring Things
Posted: March 25, 2015 Filed under: CAS, First Dance, Sun fire | Tags: Fabriano Watercolour Paper, Penny Black creative dies, Penny Black stamps, Ranger Distress stains 17 Comments
I pulled out one of last year’s floral stamps for this card and tried the co-ordinating die from this year’s release. I painted a pale background first and let it dry before I did any stamping. I inked the stamp directly with distress stains, spritzed, stamped then blended with a waterbrush and a clear wink of stella pen. The petals were inked in seedless preserves and dusty concord so there would be some light and dark purple to blend. On the main panel I added a few wink of stella highlights once I had blended the petals but on the die cut lily I did all the blending with a clear wink of stella so it has a subtle shimmer when it catches the light. The dots on the petals and the filaments get a bit lost when inked with distress stain so I went over them with a marker once the petals were dry.
I completed the card by matting the main panel in green and popping up the die cut lily over the top. I added a simple sentiment but I am realising now that this would have made a nice easter card. I guess I can stamp an easter sentiment inside.
Believe it or not I still have a few snowy scene card ideas bouncing around in my head. How about you – are you just stamping all things spring these days?
I’ve never entered Darnell’s cool NBUS challenge but I am eligible with my never before used ‘sun fire’ die so I will link up over there and at the Work it Wednesday Challenge on the Simon Says Stamp blog.
Supplies:
Stamps: First Dance, Snippets (PB)
Creative Dies: Sun fire (PB)
Inks: Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves, Spiced Marmalade, Tumbled Glass, Ripe Persimmon, Forest Moss Distress Stains (Ranger)
Cardstock: Fabriano 100% cotton hot pressed watercolour paper, green cardstock, Neenah Natural white cardstock
Heather Telford 