Dip Dip Dip My Blue Ship..

I was thrown down a challenge by Ruth of http://brightshinysparklycrafting.blogspot.co.uk to create something out of bits and pieces found in my kitchen junk draw. You know the one.. where you throw all allen keys, screws, bits from flat packs and other bits and bobs - there was even a bearing from a skate board wheel. For a while I wanted to have a go at a boat picture I had seen in Cloth, Paper, Scissors and I thought the round bits and bobs could be the sea.

I stuck on the bits and bobs with silicone glue, sealed and then put gesso on. Next I covered the sky with blue tissue paper and wrapped multicoloured tissue paper around the stuck on objects. I then got creative with Stuart Gill paints, stamps, dylusions ink and guilding stuff. Finally I added a boat that was cut from a scrap of gelli plate printing a while ago. (see, never throw anything out you never know when you need it!) I am quite new to this especially doing it on my own  and I am really quite pleased with result.

I have had a busy couple of weeks so only just had time to catch up. Craft wise I have been on a cricut course with Heather and a Saturday crop both at Jendinks. I made some lovely cards but cant show them as they are for up and coming birthdays. At the crop I scrapped my craft room transformation using project life. It was a quick and easy way to scrap day to day events that do not require an elaborate page, it is also good for showing lots of photos on one page. The challenge though is making each page unique and not too much depth.

I had to go to Cardiff to support my daughter through a difficult exam. So, while she was working away I had a day to explore. I found (thanks Helen!) a wonderful shop called Claire Grove Buttons, it was small but packed full of buttons of all shapes, sizes and materials. I spent a small fortune but don't tell the husband!
Here as some pictures.

Second post of the day. This was inspired by a picture of butterflies in flight I have seen at Hillier gardens and of course I cant find the picture I took of it. Anyway, I decided to use paint techniques I learnt with Andy Skinner at the Craft Barn and stick on butterflies from from cut up napkins I have learnt with Jenny French from Jendink. It has not turned out quite how I expected it to as the butterflies blended in with the background once the glue dried so I had to edge them. Oh well, that means need more courses which is such a hardship....

So this weekend I have put ink to canvas. I have never done this before and saw an article in craft stamper and thought yes I must give that a go. I have added a photo and some flowers and stuff to put my own stamp on it so to speak. The photo was taken at the secret garden at Highclere aka as Downtown Abbey. There were loads of butterflies and so beautiful I got carried away with taking pictures.

I started by adding butterfly tape and then put gesso randomly over it.

I added the photo early on as I wanted it to blend in with the canvas. That worked well as it got splattered with the inks as I went a long. I used gesso between each layer making sure everything was dry. I did panic when the shapes of the stencils smudged a bit but realised that was what is meant to happen.

The finished product. I added flowers and butterflies. I really enjoyed the freedom and randomness of this. It was very liberating and great fun! As a first attempt I am really pleased.

I used dylusions ink sprays, distress paint, cosmic shimmer and archival ink pads. I used various stencils and stamps. The paper at the top is the secret garden by graphic 45. Dont you just love graphic 45!!!