Dragonfly Journal Page

Hi everybody, I'm sharing a journal page with you today and I'm also entering it into the Art Journal Journey Recycle and Collage challenge.

I used one of the pages in my Dina Wakley joural. I started by making a collage of patterned paper, tissue wrap, music and book pages. I stencilled some modelling paste with a Crafters Workshop stencil. I added some colour with Gellatos and water letting some of the colour run. I dry brushed some Imagination Craft Starlight paint over the stencilling and added some white splatters. The  words were stamped with an Artistic Stamper stamp. For the dragonfly I printed a Gecko Galz image, adhered it to some card and cut it out. I put stickles on the wings before adhering it to the page. Lastly I used a black pen to doodle round the edge of the page.

A close up of the dragonfly - you can just about see the glitter on the wings.

Thank you for visiting my blog, have a lovely weekend. xxx Hazel.

Try It On Tuesday - Guest Designer

I was thrilled to find that a tag I'd made had been chosen as one of the top 5 in the Try It On Tuesday Book Pages challenge and I was even more thrilled when I was asked to be a guest designer.

I have made a couple of postcards for my GD spot - the theme of the challenge is Sun/Moon/Stars.

For my sun postcard I used modelling paste with a Memory Box stencil, then I gave it a coat of gesso. To colour the background I used acrylic ink sprayed with water.

I kept adding more ink and water until I got the colours that I liked.

I stamped the PaperArtsy flower onto some white card twice, I coloured the flowers with the inks and cut them out, I glued one of the flowers to the card and then I cut the outer petals of the second flower and glued it over the first flower.

My moon and stars postcard was made the same way as the sun card.

I used a Crafters Workshop stencil with the modelling paste and used acrylic ink to colour it. I dry brushed some white acrylic paint over the top of the stars and then I added some stickles to the stars. The Clarity stamp moon was stamped onto white card, coloured with watercolours, cut out and attached to the card with thick double sided tape. I wrote the W. Clement Stone quote and added it to the card.

Please take a look at the challenge to see the fabulous samples that the very talented design team have made and I hope you can enter the challenge as well.

Our Feathered Friends

I'm standing in for Julia this fortnight at the Craft-Room Challenge as she is still away and Our Feathered Friends is the theme I have chosen for the challenge.

Crafty Individuals are our sponsors for the challenge.

For my DT piece I've used a Crafty Individuals stamp, No CI-289.

I started with a kraft card blank and a Crafters Workshop Mask. The main image was stamped and coloured with Distress ink, I stamped another image and coloured the chickens, then I cut them out and adhered them to the main image. I matted the image onto a piece of paper straw. I wrapped some bakers twine around the top of the card and added a flower that I'd made using my flower loom.

The rest of the DT team have made some lovely samples and they would love you to visit the Craft-Room Challenge to take a look.

I'm entering this in the Crafty Individuals October challenge - I'm hoping that the colours are Autumnal.

Something New

Another fortnight has flown by and it's time for another Craft-Room Challenge the theme is Something New and it has been chosen by the lovely Debi, this is what she has to say about why she chose the theme.

For my theme I got thinking..... and  if you're anything like me, you either have a heap of new stash still waiting to be used, or your Pinterest Boards are full of techniques that you want to try but just haven't got round to it yet lol.  So I thought lets have a challenge that might get us using some new stash or a new technique.

Our sponsor is The Stampman.

I decided to alter a canvas using some beeswax that I'd bought a few months ago and never used, I also used an Andy Skinner skull mask for the first time. The image and background paper are from the Gecko Galz August products.

Products

Image from the Gecko Galz The Art of Waterhouse Collage Sheet.

Background Paper from the Gecko Galz Life’s a Circus Paper Set.

Canvas.

Beeswax.

Melt Pot.

PaperArtsy Script Stamp.

Tissue Paper.

Black Archival Inkpad.

Dreamweaver Gold Embossing Paste.

Crafters Workshop Harlequin Mask.

Andy Skinner Skull Mask.

Star Sequin Waste.

Lace.

Olive Bronze Treasure Gold Gilding Wax.

Acrylic Paint.

Heat Gun.

I painted the canvas with the acrylic paint and stamped the script onto the tissue paper with black Archival ink.

I melted the wax in my melt pot and brushed some wax over the surface of the canvas, then I lay the background paper over the canvas and brushed some of the wax over it then I did the same with the image and tissue paper.

I then stencilled the skull, stars and harlequin using the gold embossing paste.

When the paste has dried I brushed some wax over the surface and smoothed the surface with myheat gun.  I then let some of the wax drip on the edges – when the drips of wax had set I went over them with the gilding wax using my finger. The last thing I did was to polish the surface with a soft cloth.

Thank you everyone that entered the Bingo challenge, Mervi will have a difficult time choosing her top three.

Have a visit to the Craft-Room Challenge Blog to have a look at the lovely samples that the DT have made.

Alpha Challenge - Letter V

I've decided to join in with the Craft Barns Alpha Challenge. The first letter is V. I've got an old dictionary and have decided to tear the pages out and stick them in a journal. The word that I've chosen is VEHICLE.

I've ringed my word but it doesn't show up very well. 

I've used Distress stain, Fresco paint and DecoArt paint on the pages.

I also used Crafters Workshop and Creative Expressions masks.

The stamps that I used are Katzelkraft, 7Gypsies and Stamp Bug.
I stamped the images onto tissue paper before adhering them to the pages. I added a few dots with a white pen.

I'm also going to enter my pages in the
Fashionable Stamping Challenge  Trains, Planes and Automobiles.

Creative Expressions Texture/The Secret Garden

This is a canvas that I've made for the Creative Expressions 2012 Design Team call. They want to see some texture of some sort on the piece of work, I used texture embossing paste.

I started by spraying the canvas with various colours of Dylusions inks, when it had dried I stamped some crackle with a Tattered Angels stamp. I have an old copy of the Secret Garden that I found in a charity shop and tore out a page and adhered it to the canvas, then I added the texture with a Crafters Workshop stencil and some Dreamweaver Crackle Embossing Paste. When this had dried I lightly coloured it with picked raspberry Distress ink and wiped off the excess with a damp cloth.
I stamped the image [Paper Inspirations] onto card that I'd coloured with different coloured inks and lightened the face with water then I adhered it to the canvas.
I die cut the grungeboard branch with the Bird Branch Sizziz/Alterations die. This was coloured with Distress stains and felt tips. I coloured some card with wild honey, worn lipstick and peeled paint Distress ink, then I die cut the roses and leaves with the Sizzix/Alterations Tattered Pinecone die. I made the roses and adhered them to the canvas.
The butterflies [La Blanche] were stamped onto coloured card, cut out and adhered to the canvas.
I then found the words that I wanted in the book and tore them out and adhered them to the canvas.

This is a closer look at the embossing paste.

I'm entering my canvas in the
Simon Says Stamp And Show No Rules Challenge.

How Does Your Garden Grow

One of my DT pieces for Gecko Galz this month is a wall hanging.
The Gecko Galz products that I used are
Images and butterflies are from the How Does My Garden Grow collage sheet.
Beauty background paper.

I painted a canvas with acrylic paint then stencilled spots using a Crafters Workshop stencil, then I stamped some ferns [ stamp unknown] with olive Archival ink. I tore a piece of background paper and adhered it to the canvas then I coloured some white lace flowers with worn lipstick Distress stain and adhered it to the canvas. I distressed the edges of the images and edged them with vintage photo Distress ink. I used a Sizix flower pot die and coloured the flowerpots with watercolour. I used a Sizix Tattered Pinecone die for the roses and leaves. The butterflies were cut out and covered with frosted lace Stickles. I adhered all the elements to the canvas and added some flowers from stash and some black gems.The sentiment was stamped onto a piece of corrugated card with a stamp from the Studio 490/Wendy Vecchi Sentimental Art stamp set. I then adhered the canvas to a large piece of corrugated card.

Distressed Summer/Nature ATCs

Distressed Summer/Nature is the theme for the July Paperplay group ATC swap.
The backgrounds for my ATCs were inked up ages ago and I can't remember what inks and colours I used.

Dragonfly ATC. I stamped ferns [unknown] on the ATC and stamped flowers [ Stamp Bug] with acrylic paint, I also used a crackle stamp [Tattered Angels]. I used a Dreamweaver dragonfly brass stencil with some Dreamweaver Crackle Embossing Paste. I was going to put some colour on the dragonfly when it dried, but decided to leave it as I liked the way the wet paste had soaked up some of the background colour. I edged the ATC with stormy sky Distress ink.
Fern ATC. This was made exactly the same way as the dragonfly except that I used a Crafters Workshop fern stencil and I added a small leaf charm.

Bumble Bee ATC. I stamped the small bee [Stampotique] onto the ATC and scraped some acrylic paint over it. When the paint was dry I stamped the sequin waste [The Artistic Stamper] with spiced marmalade Distress ink. The large Bee [Stampotique] was stamped onto white card and coloured with the spiced marmalade. After I cut it out I added Stickles to the wings and adhered it to the ATC.

Rose ATC. The background stamps that I used are by The Stamp Bug and Tattered Angels. I used a Dreamweaver Rose brass stencil with the Dreamweaver Crackle Embossing Paste. I embellished it with a Tando Creative mini butterfly embossed with Frantage shabby pink embossing enamel.

I'm entering my ATCs in the Simon Says Stamp and Show No Rules challenge.

Gecko Galz in May

Before I start I'd like to mention that Gecko Galz has a Design Team Call at the moment so if you would like to join the very talented and friendly team and also receive some fabulous collage sheets to work with every month then visit Gecko Galz to find out how. You have until June 1st to apply.
Gecko Galz also have a Papercrafting Group that have lots of challenges and swaps every month, the link to the group is in my left sidebar.

I'd like to share with you a couple of DT pieces that I've made for Gecko Galz.
The first one is an arch hanging using images from Etherial Beauties 2 collage sheet and Shrines, I also used some GG background paper.

I used a ready made papier mache hanging and painted it with white gesso, then I painted it with Eco Green blue patina acrylic paint. I adhered  the backing paper that I'd coloured in places with weathered wood Distress ink.
I resized the shrine so that the image would fit in the aperture. I drew over parts of the shrine with a gold pen and then covered it with Distress Crackle Paint. After adhereing the shrine and image to the hanging I added some gems, braid, dangly beads and some little roses.

My second piece is a Postcard from Paris using images from Parisien Jewels Dominos, Parisian Dreams Ephemera Sheet and the Eiffel Tower image from the Paris Flea Market decos.

I printed the Eiffel Tower onto white card and cut it to postcard size then I coloured the background with Pan Pastels and used a Crafter's Workshop mask to make a pattern. I stamped the Carte Postal with a Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous stamp.
I adhered the domino images to some moutboard and tripple embossed them, I tore the other image and edged it with vintage photo Distress ink.

A Sea of Greens

I had a great day at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, met lots of lovely people, watched some great demonstrations and of course spent a little bit of money. Amongst the goodies that I bought were some Pan Pastels. I never thought that I needed them until I saw them being demonstrated, now I'm hooked.
The Artful Times latest challenge theme is A Sea of Greens and as I had two greens in the Pan Pastels that I'd bought I decided to see what I could do with them and this is the result.

I coloured some white card with the paler green Pan Pastel and then I stencilled some Versamark through a lovely Crafters Workshop fern mask and then I carefully went over the Versamark with the darker green Pan Pastel. I sprayed some cheap hairspray over the card to seal the pastels. I edged the card with shabby shutters and forest moss Distress ink. I liked the effect that I'd got so decided to keep the card simple and just added the PaperArtsy sentiment, some flowers and some ribbon that I'd dyed with Distress Stains.
I was very pleased with my first attempt with the pastels but the photo isn't very good, in real life the green is very bright.

More Garden Chic

Here is another card that I've made for Creative Expressions using the Eco Green Garden Chic stamp set.

 

The ink I've used is tumbled glass and mustard seed Distress Ink.

I used a Crafters Workshop mini tile texture mask  for the background. All the stamped images have been matted onto black card. I added bakers twine.The flower was made with a wonderful gadget called a flower loom that was a free gift in the Simply Homemade Magazine No 12. Looking at it I wished I'd used a button in the centre of the flower instead of the large gem.

Cute and Cuddly

Time for another Craft-Room Challenge. The new challenge has been chosen by the lovely Julia and she has chosen Cute and Cuddly.
The entries for the Valentine challenge were fabulous, thank you everyone that entered.

For my latest DT card I stamped the House Mouse images onto white card and coloured them with Promarkers. I cut the candles and the cute little mouse out and matted the larger image onto pink card. I used a couple of Crafters Workshop templates and Distress ink on the background. The templates that I used are mini flower frenzy and mini circle explosion. I attached a piece of ribbon to the card before adding the images.
I'm looking forward to seeing your creations, why not pop over to the Craft-Room Challenge blog to see the fabulous samples that the rest of the team have done.

Playing With Spray Inks

The August challenge for the Voila Ink group at Bella Creations is to use spray ink on your project. I used Adirondack Color Wash.
I started by attaching a Crafters Workshop tree mask to a piece of white card and sprayed it with lettuce and cranberry, then I removed the mask and sprayed it with butterscotch. When the ink had dried I distressed the edges and went round them with forest moss Distress ink. I stamped the butterflies at the bottom and stamped some extra onto a piece of coloured card and cut them out.  I covered the butterflies with clear rock candie Distress Stickles and attached them to the card with foam pads and added some sticky backed gems to their bodies. I put some sari ribbon down the left hand side and attached the whole thing to a white card blank that I'd coloured the edges with forest moss Distress ink.
The stamps that I used are Tim Holtz Stampers anonymous.