Craft Barn challenge proud and or vintage.

I have got this in just in time! I am not use to this working 5 days a week lark. Sorry I have not had a chance to visit and comment on other peoples pages. Will do better next week - I hope as also working another 5 day week. Work is such an intrusion to crafting. Blow ladies that lunch I want to be a lady that crafts. And yes I am a Lady!

So last weekend was spent with Dyan Reaveley making a wonderful journal and actually learning how to use dylusions inks properly. While there I mentioned the craft barn challenge and she immediately came back with this quote:

'Never be too proud to wear vintage'

That includes both words...yay!

So I used one of the background pages I made that by luck (certainly not judgement) looked like two people dancing. This is is the first time I have drawn and I am proud of myself.. never thought I had it in me. I am really pleased with the result and a good memory of a fabulous weekend.

Please forgive the spelling error..to instead of too

More from Dyan's class.

Dyan's class was excellent, such fun, humour and mess.The first thing she handed us was a straw...see point one..and suck it up was the key to everything. She looked after us well and worked us hard and taught some wonderful new techniques. (well they are new to me!) I came home with a journal ready for journalling in. Just need to practice my writing and doodling. I can see the need for another class coming along.

So some other key learning points:

• If it is not going well or someone has the colour you want or it is too messy..get a straw and suck it up.
• A background is a background.
• Fingers are as good as brushes. You know where they are, don't cost a fortune and don't go solid if left unwashed. If you don't like dirty fingers... see point one.
• There are warm colours and cool colours. Keep them separated especially when learning and using inks or else you may end up with mud.
• When buying paint and you cant afford the whole lot you should a light, medium and darker of the same colour, not 3 or 4 different colours. Why have I not been told this before?
• No ink is wasted. Use card to mop up spray on your mat, wipe a your messy inked baby wipe over card or tag, use the sharpenings of you water colour pencil. These do make interesting backgrounds but if you don't like it see point 1 and remember point 2.
• Do lots of the same at once. Cut all your pages, gesso any pages if you wish, ink your pages, then ghost them all, then large stencil them all, then small stencil them all and finally stamp them all. You then end up with lots of backgrounds to stick in you journal.
• When putting the journal together alternate your made paper with scrapbook paper from your stash.

The main thing I took away is that there is no wrong and if it is or your think it is see point one. Now I wonder if I can hand out straws to people at work....

Ink, ink and more ink.

After a horrendous journey including a sign ' Prepare to meet your God' Vicky and I arrived after 7.5 hours on the road.

Dyan is lovely and is aided by her daughter Jay. We started by cutting all the paper to A4 and adding dictionary and gesso. Then the fun started! Puddles of ink all over the paper plus water what glorious fun.
My hands after a wash.

A wonderful day ...and the shop...ooh the shop. Did I mention the shop? 

I am doing this post on my phone and it is not going as well as hoped. As I am on the point of throwing my phone I will finish.

A dirty weekend!!

Today I am off to Harrogate and Art From The Heart with Vicky. We have booked on a weekend of mixed media with Dyan Reaveley. We are so excited and cant wait to get messy and dirty with inks, paint and stuff. I hope to up date each evening on my blog so watch this space.

Craft Barn Challenge Mountain and/or Mistake

My most favourite bands of all time is Pink Floyd. I was lucky enough to go and see them them live in London performing The Wall. So, this was the story of Pink (based on Roger waters and Syd Barrett a former member) and he builds a wall around himself because of everything that has happened to him.The song I have chosen is 'The Show Must Go On' and the lyrics are as follows, it is only a short song but full of feeling.

Ooooh, Ma, Oooh Pa
Must the show go on?
Ooooh, Pa. Take me home
Ooooh, Ma. Let me go

There must be some mistake
I didnt mean to let them 
Take away my soul.
Am I too old, is it too late?

Ooooh, Ma, Ooooh Pa,
Where has the feeling gone?
Ooooh, Ma, Ooooh Pa,
Will I remember the songs?
The show must go on.

In the story Pink builds a wall around himself so, I have taken a picture of Roger Waters and placed it behind a wall. 

I stuck a picture of Waters on the page and them added texture paste. Then I stuck on the lyrics which I printed on normal copy paper. Next I added colour with silks acrylic glaze pretty peridot. It is very translucent and the words show through and of course you have to have some dylusions, I chose the melted chocolate. I then used more texture paste though a mask to add the wall, I tried to do this with a light hand so as not to mask all the lyrics. As the paint was barely dry the silks colour came through on the paste. I emphasised some of the words and added more around the edges. 

I am really pleased with this and feel the picture of roger Waters really blends in.