C is for

On CC Swaps we are continuing with the Alphabet for a theme, technique  or medium. the one I did is C for crackle, corners and Cat.

I started by painting the back of a mini canvas with acrylic paint, then crackle medium then a coat of white acrylic paint. I then rubbed it with some distress vintage photo ink.

I cut a piece of acrylic to fit in the "frame" then cut a piece of 130 lb card stock and coloured it with Brilliance Sky Blue ink  and stamped with Ancient Page Coal. I inserted the stamped piece and the acyrlic in the frame portion.

I then took some corner pieces and coloured them with Pinata Burro Brown ink and glued them to the corners.

I stamped the little cat with Onyx Black Versafine and embossed it with black embossing powder; coloured it with a light grey Prismacolor pencil. I colored the bow and added glossy accents for dimension. I placed some thick pop-dots on the acrylic and attached the little cat to simulate him looking out the window. The acrylic has a bit of a glare at the top, so it is hard to see the little bird.

My Favourite Stamp

Another swap I chose to join in CCSwaps was making something with a favourite stamp.

Well, that was a hard choice as I have quite a few favourites. I chose to use one image and one word stamp that are both favourites.

I placed a piece of  handmade mono-printed background paper in my stamp positioner and stamped the image using Clearsnap Ancient Page Coal, which is a permanent dye ink. I then coloured the image using Tsukineko  Brilliance Gamma Green, Ranger Archival Tangerine and  Clearsnap Ancient Page Primrose inks using Ranger Cut n' dry Nibs.

With the piece still in the stamp positioner I stamped it again with the Ancient Page Coal. It still needed more depth, so I stamped it again with Clearsnap Mica Magic Burnt Orange.

I then edged this with a crayola metallic marker. I stamped the "Believe" word and embossed it with copper, and cut around it. Both were attached to the front and I added a couple of extra strips of the mono-printed paper.

I took some printer paper and made a background using Cathie Allan's stamp smoosh technique with 3 fluid chalk colours. I attached this to two pieces of cardboard and punched the holes and bound it with the Zutter Bind-it-all .

I attached some ribbon around the back and inserted a Phone Message pad inside which I got on sale at Michaels.

I have a brayer

I joined a swap in CCSwaps called "I have a brayer and I know how to use it!"  For this swap we were to  make a card for our partner, but I missed that part and started off by making a large tag. I realized I had goofed later on so back to the drawing board.

 I brayered yellow Vivid ink (Clearsnap) on glossy card a bit more than halfway. I punched out a circle and laid it on the cardstock. I brayered on butterscotch Vivid over the yellow, but lightly over the circle area. I then brayered raisin Adirondack (Ranger)over the top portion.

I tore a piece of paper and laid it on the bottom portion of the cardstock and brayered with aqua Vivid then removed the paper and brayered Big and Juicy Hydrangea (Ranger) over the very bottom.

I stamped the trees (Stampin' Up) and the geese (Stampscapes) with Ancient Page Coal Black (Clearsnap). I added some red Marvy Matchable ink over the top portion with a sponge, for more depth. I outlined the edges with a dual marker.

I brayered another piece of scrap cardstock with the yellow and butterscotch Vivid and stamped and embossed the saying (Stamp Oasis) with Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko) and black embossing powder), outlined the edges and attached it with double-sided foam tape.

I had some brayered and stamped pieces left from another project that I did not like so I cut them up and added them to the inside of the card. I stamped another saying(Wordsworth) on yellow cardstock and attached it beside the scrap pieces.

     

Artist of the Month

This month on CCSwaps we are having another Artist of the Month swap. This time around it is in the style of Zana Clark of Stamp Zia. As usual, I jumped in with both feet with no clue as to what I am doing.

For this swap I had to improvise as I do not own any Stamp Zia products. She uses her own line of sprays on watercolour paper and I don't have any bright ones. I did do one piece using some sprays on watercolour paper but it was a disaster.

I decided to use glossy cardstock and dye inks, which is one of the techniques she uses. My first two attempts were also disasters, but at least I can salvage some of the backgrounds for future use as ATC's.

I used Vivids (Clearsnap) and Seabrights (Rangers) for the background swirling them on with cotton buds. Then I stamped some ferns (Hero Arts) with Stazon white. I used a gingo stamp from (See-D's from Sugarloaf) with Ancient Page Coal and stamped it around the background.

On an extra piece of background paper, I stamped the dragonfly/waterlily (Pedlars Pack) in permanent ink and coloured the lilies and dragonflies with twinkling H2O's, then edged it with a black marker.

I stamped some waterlilies (Sunshine Designs) on some scrap pieces and coloured them with the H2O's. Stamped "magic"(Stamp Oasis) on another scrap and layered it on black glossy cardstock.

This one I was finally happy with, although wondering if I should have forgot about stamping the ginkgos. Unfortunately, when scanning the intensity of the colours does not show up well.

April Quote of the Month

The April quote is: "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."Langston Hughes

I really struggled with this quote for some reason and looked through a lot of pictures, stamps, stickers and things on my computer.

First Attempt: The background image and the frog are stickers, and the little girl on the bird is from Lisa's Altered Art. This was my first attempt and I was not happy with it, so back to the drawing board!

Second attempt: The canvas was completely stripped and painted over with gesso then painted in a deep red, brown and a smidgen of black acrylics. I added some lace at the top and some text paper at the bottom with a bit more of the same paint and some acrylic pewter paint over it. I am still not happy with the overall effect.
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Third and Final: I had some worksheet paper that I had on my desk that was covered in paints, inks, Krylon pen, embossing powders, stamped images and glitter. I decided that I preferred this to the previous backgrounds, so adhered it to a piece of 130 Lb card stock.

I lightly stamped a few more images on the background with Ancient Page Coal; stamped the "Believe" stamp with pigment ink and embossed it with Pearl embossing powder.
I attached the picture of the little girl (flickr-chicks 57)then added the transparency with vellum tape and attached the quote. I am finally happy with this and can now sign up for the swap.

Next Generation Art Lottery

I think I mentioned in a previous post that there is a Art Lottery in NGS. I was the lucky winner last month, so fairies have been landing in my mail box off and on!!

As the winner, I got to choose the theme for August and I chose women. I have created a piece for the lottery and will be sending it out when the next winner is chosen.

I started off by painting a piece of 130LB cardstock using the technique I learned in the Altered Diva workshop. I stamped some word in Ancient Page black. I edged the piece with Mica Magic purple using a Colorbox stylus and black tip.

I went through my stash of paper and found some black embossed cardstock. I rubbed some Colorbox Mica Yellow Gold ink over it, then added Purple Mica ink. I attached this using 3M 465 double-sided tape.

I then added the puzzle piece that I had made long ago, and finished the piece off by adding some photo corners.

Domino Swap

Sweetpea is hosting a Domino/game piece swap over on CC Swaps. I debated about joining, then I remembered that I had some dominoes which I had prepared a while ago, but had never done anything with them.

The top left is coloured with Brilliance ink and stamped with Ancient Page. 

Top middle: done with a bit of dye ink rubbed on and dried then stamped the Hearts in Touch (HIT) image with Memories ink.

Top right: Alcohol inks dabbed on, then stamped with Mica Magic Pearl ink.

Middle left: painted with copper paint pen, stamped with HIT image with Stazon black ink.

Bottom row: Stamped the houses with Stazon and coloured them with Sharpies. When dry, I put a coat of varnish over it.

Middle was painted with Lumiere paint, stamped the image "Lady with Pearl Earring" and covered it with transparency and glued it to the domino. I then stamped and embossed the Magenta image on the top with Platinum ink & EP, and added the little charm.

The Thistle: background is Brilliance inks; stamped the image with Memeories ink, and colored it with sharpies.

Of course, the final piece (the little hand) is not a game piece; it is a Style Stone which I coloured with Mica Magic inks.

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