Masks, stencils and turps.

The second post of the day.
So this was done with one of my darker gelli plate backgrounds - the one one the right.

1. I sealed the background using gel medium.
2. When dry I painted over with distress paint. It needed two coats.
3. I put on the stencil of the lady and with turps on a cotton wool bud rubbed off the paint. Be careful not to rub too hard as the turps will go through all layers of paint.
4. I half outlined the picture and added the word fashion

I now stink of turps but I am pleased with the result.

Gelli plate, stencils and masks.

Hi

I decided it was time to use a certain piece of equipment that has been gathering dust - my gelli plate. Over the last few months it has been featured in various magazines and the time had come to tackle it again. Following the various instructions and trial and error I am beginning to build up a background, getting colours and shapes in some sort of order and not ending up with mush.

I found contrasting dark colours worked well.

Pastels not so much. A bit insipid.

Big bold stencils worked well

Flowers not so. (the top one)

Masks were good fun but had to really think about what colour would be on top and which showing through.

This was the best flower one.

It was great fun messing about and trying different things. I need to do more of this and just worry about producing a finished article.

Craft Barn Calendar Challange

This year the Craft Barn are running two challenges. It will be interesting to see if I can keep up with both!

So the calendar challenge and January, and the words are aqua and snowflakes. I have decided to make a perpetual calendar and have the frame work already for this from a calender I made about 4/5 years ago. So off came all the original art work and on with new.

I decided on snow drops as the are perfect for the theme and always give me the feeling spring is just around the corner. I used colour bloom on water colour paper for the background and then put on a snow flake mask and gave it another spray. With a stencil I used gesso to give a little texture.

I cut small strips of green satin for the petals (the camera has not picked up the colour well- sorry) and used tissue paper for the flowers. I over sewed the the top part of the flower to bulbous bit where flower and stalk join. Finally I added beads to give it a sparkly look and add the green at the tip of each petal, a bit of lace and label of the flower and I have finished. The calender part I kept simple.

I am going to enjoy this challenge I think. Hope you like.

A New Year

At last I am writing my first blog of the year. I always get a bit crafted out at this time of year. I think it is a month of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas and then everything feels flat.

So I have made myself a Journal of 60 plus pages to write thoughts and ideas as the year goes on. That's just over one a week which is great as some weeks I will have none and others a couple. I have have only include 4 black pages, so, only 4 dark thoughts allowed this year.

This is the front cover.

I will try to stay away from looking back!

Tea and wine to very important drinks.