100 Happy Days Challenge Day #1

Day 1/100

Thank you card for one of my long standing friend who I don't see very often but when we do it's like we saw each other yesterday.  Artwork inspired by my friend Sarah from Wonderstrumpet.  Check her out she's awesome so is her art.

What is 100 Happy Days Challenge? You can find all the details here.

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday #293

Oh goodness well I nearly missed this weeks WOYWW - why didn't anyone remind me it was Wednesday?  Anyway I made it and all by myself hahaha.  Not much to show this week.  I have 3 floral arches made to take to Arizona with me in a few weeks time.  I'm meeting up with some arty friends - approx 40 of us and other than ATC's we'll be trading arches as well.  Oh and if you think I'm making 40 of them think again I can't possibly make that many unfortunately.  I will of course have a load of other things with me so there will be more than enough.  Well that's enough waffle from me.  Here's my desk..............oh and if you're wondering what WOYWW is then pop over to Julia's blog Stamping Ground and all will be revealed.

Before I go I want to share this with you regarding the "NOT A ROBOT" check (I've pinched it from Julia)

HOUSEKEEPING:  several of you are complaining that I (and others) have a 'NOT A ROBOT' check instead of word verification. You're quite right. But not by choice and we can't remove it. If you have a Google account, you can, I've discovered, just ignore it. But its been forced onto us Blogger users and we cant change it.  Sorry. And if you know different, please share!

Thank you for visiting my blog

Anita

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday #288

Good morning time for another WOYWW - go check out Julia's blog the Stamping Ground for all the details.

On my desk this cold Wednesday is a painting or at least my attempt at a painting.  It's at the very early stages where I've added some base colour.  I've never painted dark to light so it will be interesting to see if I can paint this way.  When finished it should be of a traditional Indian woman - well that's what I'm aiming for but we'll see.  As you can see the shading looks a bit dodgy hopefully that will correct itself as I work on it.  

I'm off to put it away for now as I need to make some more cards for the shop. Thank you to everyone who commented on last weeks post and apologies that I couldn't visit as many blogs as I would have liked to - hope to rectify that this week.    

Have a lovely day

Anita

What's On Your Work Desk? Wednesday 284

Here we go again with another look at WOYWW - want to know more and how to participate?  Then pop over to the Stamping Ground where Julia will explain all.

My desk this morning consists of a painting I'm trying to finish for the Flood the Street with Art project - find out more about that and how you can take part on the face book page.  This is how I left it last night after adding black outlines around the flowers and painting the cogs green in the center of each flower - they were stenciled in using texture paste.  To the left there is a female figure cut out and painted in black which is now made up into an altered clothes pin (made this morning while my computer had a hissy fit).  Sitting on the handle of the pots at the back you can see the two dress altered clothes pins I made yesterday.

The finished clothes pin "Don't forget me"

That's it from me I'm off to see what everyone has on their desks

Anita

Oyster Stamp Blog Hop Winner

WOW just look at all the goodies that popped through my door today.  I took part in a blog hop - visiting listed blogs - over a few days looking at what the selected artists had created within a theme.  The blog hop started off at Hickydorums and went on daily with different blog hosts.  The idea was to visit each blog and leave a comment.  Well being nosy and I like to see what's happening in the arty world of crafts I entered and left a comment on each of the blog posts.  When I first read the blog hop details I don't think I even saw that there was a prize I was too excited to see the different techniques and idea.  Anyway last week Neet from Hickydorums announced a winner and I was one of them.  

Here's what I received today from Oyster Stamps who were offering the prize - there's some stamps (which a certain 9 year old has hinted that she likes), a couple of packets of air dry clay which I've never tried, a couple of tubs of Brusho (to add to my collection), some molds etc.

My Happy Post. 

Well I'm off to watch Strictly Come Dancing - tomorrow is play day with my goodies.

Anita

#blogtoberfest14 day 25

Gelli Print Cards - #blogtoberfest14 day 23

So I've been having fun with the Gelli Arts printing plate and I've now got quite a few pieces of prints.  Now it's great pulling all these prints but what to do with them?  Well the possibilities are endless you can use them as part of your mixed media artwork, or add them to your journal pages, make paper beads with them etc.  Here I've made mine into very simple cards with a little bit of rubber stamping added to them -apart from the first card in the row of 3 which I've doodled on to creating an abstract face and fish.  

I can't take credit for this simple yet effect design.  I was blog hopping last week and I came across Shabby Cottage Studio run by the lovely Gail Schmidt and she has kindly allowed me to use her design idea to create my cards.  Please do pop over and have a look at Gail's blog and her cards as they are really lovely, she's also created matching envelopes how clever is that?

Anita

It's Time for WOYWW 281

Or as it's also known as What's on your work desk? Wednesday - find out more at the Stamping Ground.

I've been playing with my gelli print again.  This time trying out the dark over light technique.  This involves allowing the paints to dry before adding the final dark colour prior to pulling the print.  I have to say I love this technique - I like being in control of the design and laying the design precisely as I want it.  on the desk there is scrap piece of thick tracing type paper which I salvaged from an envelope and I'm using to practice some designs and colour combinations.  You can also see perched on top of my pencils a fabric ATC (artist trading card) waiting to be finished off.

This is one of the prints I made using the dark over light technique.

These prints are just some normal prints  - the above 2 are on glossy card  which I've been told NOT to use as it will affect the gelli plate - lesson learnt.

These 2 were a couple of messing about prints just on copy paper which isn't ideal as it's too thin and goes wrinkly but that's okay they will get used in another project.

That's me for this Wednesdays WOYWW.  Do pop over to the Stamping Ground to see what everyone else has been up to.

Thank you to everyone who visits and leaves a comment on my posts.

Anita

I'm also linking up with Claire Justine for Wednesday Blog Hop 

#blogtoberfest14 day 22

TAg YoU'rE IT Tutorial- Handmade Monday

Hello everyone hope you've had a wonderful weekend. The weather has been kind to us here in the UK and it stayed dry for the Walk of Hope stroll around Tatton Park yesterday for The Christie Hospital -you can see a pic here

Today I've been playing with some floral stamps from Oak House Studio.  The stamp is part of the Big Christmas collection and is proving to be one of my favourites - there is a positive and negative so great for creating different textures.  All the products I've used in this tutorial are available from Oak House Studio (ribbon and gems are from my stash).

I've made a step by step tutorial if you fancy having a go at making these tags. 

So here goes - 

1.  Gather all your ingredients.  

2. Apply spray inks in your colour choice - I've used citrus orange, totally turquoise and regal claret. Randomly stamp the text with black ink and add ink around the edge of the tag with the sea blue ink pad - just run the ink pad directly onto the edge using a gentle stroke.  Put to one side.

3. Cut a piece of card which is smaller than the tag.  Stamp the solid flower using the dusky pink ink pad and then the outline stamp with the sea blue.  You'll notice that there are a few lighter solid flowers - I stamped these after the initial flowers had been stamped and there is usually a little bit of ink still on the stamp (no point wasting the ink right?).  Add a border again using the sea blue ink pad as in the previous step.

4.  Next we need to add the leaves.  Here I've used the Oak House Studios acrylic inks and a nail art brush (which you can get from Poundland yep you read that right :) )  Dipping the brush lightly and making sure you don't have too much ink on the brush all you need to do is gently stroke the brush in the areas where you want grass/stems and leaves.  You don't have to be too neat to do this.

5.  Glue the smaller stamped card onto the tag (on this one I've glued it off center and to the right.  I've added a few lines of acrylic ink along the left side of the tag using peridot and amber inks with the nail art brush.

6.  I finished off the tags with some ribbon and gems which I added to the middle of the flowers.

Here are a couple of cards I made using the same flower stamp.

I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial - You can find the stamps here

and the ink pads, sprays and acrylic inks here  

I'm linking up with the Handmade Harbour for Handmade Monday and Creatives Mondays 

Happy Crafting

Anita

Travelling Journal

Phew what a busy week it's been.  I've had a day out just for me then a day out with some ladies for a networking lunch, Saturday I went to the Stitch and Craft Fair in Manchester and today I added my page to a travelling journal.  

What is a travelling journal?  We are a group of ladies from all corners of the world (UK, USA, Germany) who are collaborating in each others journal.  The idea is to make a piece of art in each others journals by posting them to each other over a course of a couple of weeks - in an ideal world this would work perfectly but as we are reliant on our postal system to get the journals safely to their next destination it we have had a few hiccups along the way but this has added to the experience.

Our journals measure 5 x 7 inches everyone has sent a page to be worked on by each member of the group.  Some have made specific requests, some have given an idea of what they would like to have for example their favourite colours.  But the main focus is to put our own mark on the journal.

Here are some of the pages I've worked on.

Anita

I'm linking up with Handmade Monday and Creative Mondays  I hope you'll pop over to these lovely blogs and see what other crafters are getting up to.

Last Week Of The Summer Of Colour 4 Challenge

The last 6 weeks have been great fun and definitely challenging - for me last weeks colours were most certainly difficult but I managed to make something with the colour palette.  

This weeks colours were one of my favourites Raspberry, Tangerine and a dash/splash or yellow.  I decided to go with another heart theme again this week as I've been working on some heart art for my trip to Rochester NYC in August.  It's not very big - approx 3 inches.  I'd just like to thank Kristin from Twinkle, Twinkle Like A Star for hosting a fabulous challenge and I'm sad that it's ended but will look forward to the next one. 

Oh and before I sign off a quick yay to me for winning last weeks prize from the challenge.  I didn't even realise until a couple of the girls pointed it out to me.  I'm having it sent to a friend in California who will then bring it to Rochester with her in August.  I can't wait to play with them.  Thank you again Kristin.

This weeks colours - Raspberry, Tangerine and Yellow

My heart art - Only a question of time.

The goodies I won 

Here all 6 together

Pink, Apple Green and Dark Green

This post brings me up to date with the Summer of Colour 4 challenge which is being run by Kristin over on Twinkle Twinkle Like A Star 

The colours for this week is Pink, Apple Green and a splash, splosh dash or Dark Green.  I really like this colour combination and is one of my favourites.  The image I used was from Paint My Photo.  I really liked the shape of the fallen palm leaf.  I hadn't started this as an abstract but that is exactly what it has turned into if a little bit alien.  I have it sitting on my wall as I write this and I keep looking at it wondering where and how my mind was working whilst I worked this painting.  I guess sometimes you just have to let the unconscious mind take over.

Colours for week 4 Pink, Apple Green and Dark Green

This is the image I used a Fallen Palm Leaf by Andrea Muller 

 

Here is my version of the fallen palm leaf.

Abstract Art From Photographs

I'm a week behind with the Summer of Colour 4 a colour challenge at Twinkle Twinkle Like a Star.  This post is for week 3. 

The colours for week 3 were Lavender, Grey and a dash of Plum.  For a change I thought I would try water colour pencils on a 6 x 6 inch wrapped canvas a change to my usual mixed media paper.  I found it interesting to work with not sure I'd use water colour pencils again but it was a good experience.  The image I've used is from Paint My Photo a site which allows you to use the photographs as reference for your artwork without worrying about copyright issues if you want to sell your work.  The image I used was of a Halgon lamp and laminator which had been photographed and adjusted - you can see the details here of how this was done.

This is the image I used by Barbara Tester 

and this is my interpretation.

Summer Of Colour4 Week 2

So it's week 2 of the Summer of Colour 4 challenge over on Twinkle Twinkle Like A Star and this week I've made a couple of pieces both of them abstract.  One is an Artist Trading Card (ATC) and the other is a larger piece where I started out with circles which were supposed to have been abstract trees but ended up being some weird and odd looking alien birds - or at least that's what they look like to me.  

This weeks colours were Teal, Coral and a Dash, Splash or Splodge of White.  The coral colour came out rather orange on the ATC but I think I've got it a better shade on the larger piece.  The only thing I couldn't do was get the correct shade of teal to come through on the photograph.

Coral, Teal and White

Abstract ATC

Abstract Alien Birds

Catching Up - Photo Heavy

It's been a busy week with lots of new artwork made for trade, to sell and collaborations.  Those of you who have been following me for some time will know my passion for challenges especially if they are art related.  Why do I join these challenges and put myself through the stress of coming up with something that would be acceptable?  Well it's mostly to stretch myself and see if I can make something outside of my comfort zone.

So my latest challenge started last week on Twinkle Twinkle Like A Star (also see my previous post) called Summer of Colour 4.  I came across this on facebook (as you do) and I knew I had to join.  The colour challenge last week was Aqua, Yellow with a dash of Pink.  

The first photograph shows what I did initially but I wasn't happy with it as it just needed 'something'.  The second photograph is the finished piece.  I'm much happier with that version.  I can't wait to see what this weeks colours are going to be. 

  

1st Version

Finished piece

Finished piece but upside down - I like it this way up or should that be down :)

The other items I made are some Artist Trading Cards for trading in a swap I am hosting at a gallery in Altrincham Manchester UK.  I'm a volunteer there and have been given the grand title of ATC coordinator.  I've found that ATC's are not so widely known in the UK and not something that is known in the art industry - the concept of "trading" art is not understood and 'artists' don't seem to be able to grab the concept.  I think it's a great way of owning an original piece of artwork and the best thing is it is open to everyone and doesn't require lots of expensive tools.

Here are a couple of the ATC's I made this weekend.  The one in the middle I made into a Father's Day card for my dad as they are the perfect size to put onto a card.

And finally I'll leave you with a picture of a canvas I finished this week.  It's not very big and the colour is more minty green than blue/green.  The hearts and 'follow your heart' are both made with air drying clay.

Apologies for the long post but I wanted to do a catch up.  I promise my next post won't be as long.  Hope you've all had a good weekend.

I'm linking this post to Handmade Monday over on Handmade Harbour and Creative Monday's it's been a while since I participated in any blog hops.

Whimsical Landscape...............Handmade Monday #143

Drawing landscapes as a child was easy because it didn't matter that things weren't in proportion.  I'm in a drawing group over on ATCsforALL and one of the weekly prompts was to make whimsical landscapes.  Trying to work out proportions was interesting as the landscape I had drawn had quite a few 'hills' and getting the trees to be the right size was challenging.  What do you think?  Here are some pics from start to finish.

The original sketch

Adding colour bit by bit

The finished landscape.

Materials used- Faber Castell Polychromo pencils, white gelly pen. The darker outlines are made using a 2B pencil.

Pop on over the following blogs for more creative ideas - 

Handmade Monday at Handmade Harbour

Creative Mondays 

Simple Yet Elegant Bracelets....#AEDM

It's been a while since I made any other than commission based pieces.  I had a couple of spare packs of mixed beads in my vast collection and which I hadn't had time to do anything with.  They lend themselves to making memory wire bracelets very well and every bracelet looks different due to the mix of beads even when using the same colour scheme.  Here I have 2 different shades one which has a copper tone and one which would look great worn with blue tones or even to dress up a denim outfit.

Memory wire bracelets - 

Art Every Day Month day 12 a different kind of creative today.

Anita

Handmade Monday & Art Every Day Month

Oooopppps I lapsed with the #AEDM the last couple of days but in my defense I have been busy making for Emerge 3Rs Pop Up Shop where I'll be selling some of my handmade cards and jewellery.  I've also been making cards for the Handmade Harbour Design Team so it's all go this week.

Here are some of the cards I've made for Emerge 3R.  The trees and abstract pieces are made from air-dry clay.  The design is made with a rubber stamp painted and with black and silver acrylic paint.

This cute robin has also made his way into the shop.  He's a digi stamp from Handmade Harbour and you can find him here #235 Robin with Stocking.  I like the way you can customise the design to make it look different every time you use it as you can see from the 2 cards above.

Pop over to Handmade Monday  Art Every Day Month and Creative Monday to see what other artists have been making.

Anita