Art Journal Cover ...

I recently moved flat, same block, different floor ... What a pain that was, in some ways I'm sure that it was more intense than moving towns!

Anyway, while arranging the craft cupboard, amongst all of the the lovely stash, that I have far to much of to use in one lifetime 🙂 I found a rather nice 'naked' album, with kraft paper pages, which was great, because it was just what I needed for a new coarse that I am doing, it's called The Savvy Supply School. The aim of the coarse is to show crafters, that great art can be made even on a low budget, that we don't have to have all the branded products of we prefer not too.

The album I found in the cupboard became the star of the of the show, during the first tutorial, called Mark Making....

 I began in the usual way by preparing the from cover using White Gesso, while it was drying I started looking through the flat, for bits & bobs that I could use to make marks or interesting shapes, no paint brushed used here LOL

So, I chose a piece of Hessian (dark blue) a straw (green circles) a tablet blister pack (yellow) a metal bookmark (orange) & a leaf shaped cookie cutter (red) I also tried using the bottom of a fir cone, but it wasn't very successful. After making marks, I edged the sides of the album using blue, green & gold pastels on 3 sides only, smudging them to blend in. Next, I gesso'd & painted a large resin piece, before embellishing it with some good wax!

I used DecoArts Fluid Acrylic Paint on the cover & DecoArt Acrylic Metalic Paint & Cosmic Shimmer Wax on the resin!

I would like to enter this into the following challenges

http://moremixedmediachallenge.blogspot.com

Mistletoe Kisses

Hi, today I am posting another ATC created specifically for a swap, we were just given the words Mistletoe Kisses as a prompt. The cute & pretty style is a little out of my comfort zone, but it was a fun challenge for me! I wanted to create a wintery, frosty look, but didn't want just white! I have learned to love colour & find it hard to not use it now.

I chose an MDF base & after giving it a good layer of white grasp & dried it, I painted it using DecoArt paints in turquoise & white, while gently swirling the colours together quite openly, as opposed to blending them ... I wanted a slightly broken finish.
Next, I coloured some Scrapinec snowflakes, word & icicles used a Ranger paint dabber in white, this left a slight texture on the surface & while still wet, I sprinkled some DecoArt glammer dust for frosting & again allowed to dry.
After glueing on the Scrapinec shapes, I dotted randomly with white paint & on some of those dots I glued some tiny polystyrene balls, as well as a row of the balls on top of the icicles.
Hmm, it still needed colour, so I coloured the icicles & the word LOVE in a pinky blue  & finished the look by adding the coordinating faux pearls! I hope my swappee likes it.

I would like to enter the following blogs:

http://sparklesforumchallenges.blogspot.com

Thank you for visiting my blog
Jane x

Heart & Soul

                                  Please click to enlarge for detail

I am limited in my craft time at the moment because I have operations on my eyes for cataracts, my second eye was done  about 4 weeks ago. It takes much longer for my eyes to settle & heal due to added inflammatory markets in my body because of the AS (arthritis) I have always worn glasses because I was shortsighted, however, when they replaced my lens, they have me optic ones that has corrected my straight & it's fantastic! The downside is that I now need reading glasses, which is fine, but until I am given the all clear, I find close work very difficult, hence my lack of craft time ..... I can only do it in short bursts & good daylight. So, I am (im)patiently waiting to be able to book my opticians appointment & get reading glasses & get back to my craft desk on a daily basis.

The ATC above took me 4 days to complete, but I love it

I started with an MDF base, which I painted with black gesso, next I adhered some MDF cogs a metal flower & the music note, using strong gel medium. Next I added a small metal flower shaped button, a metal cog, a heart charm & a copper rose. When dry, I painted it all again with black grasp & left to dry.

I searched through my word/quote box for suitable wording decided on *HEART & SOUL*, but the matt finish card didn't look right against the metals, so I have it a heavy layer of glossy accents & set it aside to dry. Next I painted the whole ATC with green metallic paint, except the music note, which I painted bronze & allowed to dry. Finally, after glueing the wording in place, I added touches of  bronze & black paint, as well as gold was to break up the green ...... I am pleased with the finishes result.

I would like to enter this piece in the following challenge blogs:

https://bleedingartchallenge.blogspot.com

https://welove2create.blogspot.com

http://moremixedmediachallenge.blogspot.com

https://atcsmitherz.blogspot.com

ArtCoins.....

Yep, ArtCoins are something else that I love to make & collect. Created in the same way as ATCs, but circular obviously! They are 2 1\2 inches in circumference & traded, but never sold.

Here are just a few that I have made in the last 6 months

The coffee pots were created on MDF bases, water colour paper that a coloured using Distress Oxides spray in Pickled Raspberry, Seedless Preserve & Walnut Stain, splashed with water to help it fade, before stamping on the pots using Walnut Stain ink. Sorry, but I don't know the name of the stamp I used, I was a thank you gift kindly popped into one of my many craft purchased 🙂 I think the words are from a Tim Holtz set, but not sure?!
(Traded)

The travel ArtCoins below are on MDF bases, which I gesso'd in white. When completely dry, I heat embossed each one using a few pots of WOW Embossing Powders, that had arrived just that morning to try them out, as you do! The colours are Sunburst, Lavaburst & Greengage. I experimented with them, because I was in a playful mood 🙂 on the train, I used some sequin waste as a stencil & patted the WOW Embossing it through it, giving it that honeycomb effect. I did the same with the truck one, but the effect was a little different, it actually resembles a snake skin effect. The balloon one I decided to sprinkle the powder directly on to the coin. Sunburnt & Lavaburst are mixed & the Greengage is metalline! The stamps are from Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous range, sorry I don't know the name of the set that these are part of. 

(Traded)

The next set of ArtCoins, were again on an MDF base & covered with had coloured backing paper. This time using Brusho paint pigment, when dry I stamped them using the free stamp from Craft Stamper magazine. I then dabbed all over each coin with WOW embossing ink & sprinkled with Ultra Thick Embossing Crystals by Cosmic Shimmer, then melted it with my heat gun. This not only gave them a clear glassy finish, but it also enhanced the beautiful Autumnal colours.

(Traded)

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, if you reading my posts then please feel free to follow me, I will return the favour!  I love receiving comments too.

Salty hugs

Jane 🌴

Halloween .......

Personally, I'm not a fan of this particular celebration myself. However, I do enjoy using the traditional colours that are normally associated with Halloween & I love seeing fellow crafters interpretations & project makes to celebrate! This aside, I am taking part in one of my regular ATC swaps again this month & of course the theme is Halloween........ Now I don't own any craft items that are specifically Halloween so I had to improvise & it was great fun because I do love a challenge! This is what I came up with & I really do like it, I just hope the recipient does?

This ATC was easy to make, fun too
My favourite base to create my ATCs on is Framers Mount Board, which is what I have used here. It is sturdy enough to withstand liquid sprays & inks as well hear embossing etc.
I painted my card with PentArt black gesso, when dry I randomly dabbed acrylic paint in green, orange & purple paint.
Next I decided that I wanted more texture, so after a rummage through my scraps bag, I found some green netting fabric (think tutu net) this is where I got stuck, no matter what I that fabric just would not stay stuck down! Me being me & not one to give up, I decided to heat embossing powder through the netting. This not only worked, but it actually melted the netting too. Once realised what was happening, I was able to control which areas I wanted to melt & to what degree. I love the effect it created & great texture too.
I then took a plaster cabochon which had a skeletal ribcage & painted with more black gesso & allowed it to dry thoroughly. Then, using my finger for more control, I rubbed some Cosmic Shimmer gilding wax, I used enchanted gold just on the rib cage to highlight it. Nice huh?!
The ATC still needed something to make it work, so off for another look through my craft drawers for something suitable & found some fusable fibre, also known as angle hair, in just the right shade of purple. I heated it to make it more manageable, which allowed me to then tease it around the edges of the cabochon after I fixed to to the ATC.
Then I used a couple of cardboard words from one of Tim Holtz collections, filed & coloured the edges & I was finished.

I would like to enter my ATC into the following challenges please.....
Bleeding Art Challenge Blog
Funky Junky Boutique Challenge Blog
Try It On Tuesday Challenge Blog
Altered Eclectics Challenge Blog
More Mixed Media Challenge Blog

ATCs....

Gosh I am not good at this blogging lark, I forget to update it lol

Today I will share my recent ATCs & ArtCoins with you, they have all been traded now, because they were made for various swap groups on Facebook. 

Do you enjoy making & trading ATCs?

The first ATC I made for myself while playing around with my embossing powders & gun. I enjoyed making it & how it turned out, so I have decided to make a series of them. I will the series "A Bird's Eye View" the collection will be scenes of various places around the coastlines of the UK.

Anyone that knows the UK, might be able to guess where the inspiration came from to create the ATC below?!

It is a bird's eye view of the Needles on the Isle of Wight in Hampshire

Thank you for visiting me Jane 🌴

Give away result........

Sorry that I am late in choosing a winner for my Name The ACT competition, but I have been in hospital. I am ok now, but knocked me of my feet for a few weeks.

The winner of this ATC is

 Jane Stillman

She chose the name that I think suited it best
This is what Jane said

"This is beautiful - I would call it - Don't go breaking my heart' because of the crackle xx"

Congratulations Jane, I will contact you through Facebook for your address!
I will be back soon with another ATC to give away
Salty Kisses
Jane 🌴