A Blast From The Past

Hello everyone, I hope you're managing to stay warm in the current big freeze. I had a message from my daughter in London to say that it was snowing up there earlier on!

Apologies once again for not being around to visit, we have big problems with my in laws at the moment because my mother in law is in the early stages of dementia and has been giving my poor father in law a terrible time. She's sometimes like a child and throws temper tantrums and tries to hit him with her walking stick! As she can no longer cook, my father in law has to do it so I've been doing some cooking for them to make sure they do get some decent meals at least.

As mentioned last week, I've been working on some things I can't yet share and with the in laws issue, haven't had time to do much else. So I've decided to share something I made nearly 5 years ago which is hanging in my dining room even now.

I made this mixed media panel for Stamping Sensations as their guest designer when I won a challenge and it came about because whilst rummaging for something else at that time, I found some decorated paper I made around 10 years ago on the one day workshop with Kim Thittichai (of Hot Textiles fame) where we made papers using painted bondaweb and other things. This particular paper was begging to be featured on something a little more permanent than a card so this is how my wall hanging came about.

 
There are several pics so that you can see the detail. As you see, the background paper is quite strongly coloured. It has a painted background with added mulberry papers, scraps of iridescent fabric, stamping and gold leafing pen. The overall effect is more textured than you can see in the photos but you can probably get a good idea. I glued the panel to a square of recycled packaging grey board.
I decided on pastel colours for contrast and pale pink seemed to work best. I die cut the Tim Holtz Sissix Alterations bird cage from strong card and embossed with a mix of Ranger Weathered White and Fran-tage Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel and then rubbed the edges with Bronze Gilding Wax.
I stamped the bird (Kanban) with black ink and painted him with Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Peacock Feathers Distress Stains, then cut him out.
I die cut some flowers (Memory Box Petal Party) and some leafy sprigs (a very old Sizzix die) and coloured these with Distress inks and Versacolor inks. I layered the flowers up and added embroidered flowers to the centres.
I added these to my background as you see, finishing off with a stamped and inked sentiment (Inkylicious) and some more embroidered flowers.

I hope you've enjoyed my blast from the past which will be new to some of you who I didn't have the pleasure of knowing at that time.

Fliss xx

The Only Way Is Art For That's Crafty!

Hello again, a very quick post to let you know that I'm over at That's Crafty! Blog today for my usual weekly post with a tutorial on how I made a mixed media layered art panel starting off with a black paint background that didn't quite fit an earlier project.

You'll find all the details and the whole pic over at the blog if you'd like to hop over and see it. It's very bright and grungy in my most usual style.

Have a great day and a lovely weekend.
Fliss xx

Green With Envy Challenge at That's Crafty! Challenge Blog

Hello everyone, really sorry for my lack of visiting over the last week or so. I've been really busy creating for something I can't yet share and as well as that, I managed to do something to my back last week and for the first few days couldn't sit or stand too long. The only thing that seemed to help and still does is my daily early morning walk which I've been doing since I left my accounting job. I've got quite fast and can walk further in my allotted time than when I started so it must be doing some good!
Now to the reason for this post which is to share my inspiration for our new challenge today over at That's Crafty! Challenge Blog which has a Green theme. I decided on nature as it was either that or Christmas!

I covered a 4.5 x 9 white/greyboard panel with torn pieces of vintage book page which I glued on with matt medium. I glued on some scraps of green lace and then brushed green and yellow multi surface paints over the top.
I painted one of the larger wildflower greyboard embellishments with the green and yellow paints then added some pencil detail. I'm currently having a bit of a sort out of my stash and came across some pressed flowers, the orange ones being perfect for for my creation. I added one in the centre of my wildflower and then glued some on the panel with the large flower.
I stamped a couple of butterflies from Lynne's Affirmations Set 1 on stamping card with Fern Green Archival ink and added a little colour with the leftover yellow paint watered down. I cut them out and glued them to the panel.
I finished off with a Tim Holtz sticker which I brushed with a little of the watered down paint.

I hope you can enter as there's a great prize of a voucher for the online shop up for grabs.

I'll be back in a while as I'm over at That's Crafty! Blog today.
Fliss xx

Fairy Dancer for That's Crafty!

Hello everyone, hope you've all had a lovely and hopefully crafty week. I'm creating like mad at the moment and making things I can't yet share and can't wait to show you as I so love what I'm working with!
A very quick post as I have some bookkeeping stuff to do today to let you know that I'm over at That's Crafty! Blog with my usual Friday post where I'm sharing a mixed media art panel featuring one of the gorgeous Tim Holtz paper dolls turned into a little fairy.

You'll find all the details over at the blog and would love it if you paid a visit as there's tons of amazing inspiration including links to Youtube videos made by design team member Melina which are not to be missed.

Have a great day and a lovely weekend.
Hoping to see you soon.
Fliss xx

Catch A Falling Star for That's Crafty!

Hello again, just a quick post to let you know that I have my usual Friday tutorial post over at That's Crafty! Blog today and this week I have a shimmery and sparkly wintery ATC to share.
You'll find all the details over at the blog and here's a sneak peek to hopefully persuade you to hop over to see it.

Have a great weekend and see you soon.

Fliss xx

Stencil It! at That's Crafty! Challenge Blog

Hello everyone, I hope you've had a good week and had some time for crafting as I have. It's been really great to have a bit more time to create as I do these days although some of it is still under wraps and can't be shared just yet!

We have a new challenge for you today over at That's Crafty! Challenge Blog where for the next fortnight, our theme is Stencil It! We would like to see you using at least one stencil on whatever you decide to make.

My inspiration is a mixed media art panel that I really enjoyed creating as my love of vintage has resurfaced due to wanting to use one of the fabulous Tim Holtz paper dolls, in my case a rather lovely couple.

 

I started off with an 8x8 MDF panel which I covered with a coat of white gesso. I then used the big floral stencil with texture paste to add a pattern on the left side. Once the paste was dry, I mixed white multi surface with a little red to make pink and also some white with a little teal and purple to make a soft blue. I then brushed the paints roughly over the panel to colour it.

I stamped some script across the top and partly down the right side. I used a Tim Holtz Mixed Media die to cut a pattern out of a piece of recycled corrugated card and then used it as a stencil to add a pattern on the right side with some chestnut brown multi surface paint mixed with white.

I dragged the corrugated panel together with some butterflies, leaves and leftover swirls from mixed media cut outs through the leftover soft blue and pink paints to add some shabby chic colour.

I next painted a size 2 MDF art panel with a coat of gesso. Once dry, I painted it soft blue and pink, adding reverse stencilling by brayering a little cream paint (white multi surface paint with a dash of yellow) on to the big floral stencil and pressing it on the panel to transfer the paint. I rubbed some of the diluted chestnut brown around the edges.

I asembled the panel as you see in the main photo, adding the affirmation from Lynne's Affirmations Set 6, stamped with Archival Potting Soil ink on a scrap of mixed media paper.

I hope you can enter as there's a prize of a voucher for the randomly drawn winner and there's tons of lovely goodies in the online shop.

Have a great day.
Fliss xx

Sprinkling Starlight at That's Crafty! Blog

Hello everyone, I hope you've all had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend as I am. We're off out for a meal tomorrow evening to a favourite Mexican restaurant and I can't wait as my 2 daughters are home for the weekend as today is my birthday!
I'm over at That's Crafty! Blog today with a mixed media tag featuring some of the beautiful Lynne's Affirmations stamps.

You'll find the whole tag over at the blog of course and I'd love it if you did hop over to see how it came about.

Have a great day and a lovely weekend.

Fliss x