Friday 26 December 2014

Happy St.Stephen's Day

I really don't know where the time goes, every year I say I will be organised for Christmas but this year was no different.....only this time it was making family cards late on Christmas Eve! A quick post because I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas....


and a ....


Ruth x

Thursday 11 December 2014

Let's Celebrate! at ATP Exchange

Toni is our host for the next challenge at ATP Exchange and in keeping with the festive spirit she has chosen a celebration theme, for the challenge details please follow the link here.... and just a reminder there is a £10 Artist Trading Post voucher for the winner and this time you have a bit longer to enter....4 weeks!


I decided to pick some of the occasions our family have celebrated this year or going to celebrate and created a wall hanging as a reminder that although there are ups and downs each year, it's the good times we should remember!


I was inspired by the Lynne Perella frame I created at Sue's ATP class (see previous post for a picture). I started off with one of the MDF 20x20 frames and made up some sprays using the above primary element pigments. I received some coasters from a charity that were the perfect size and also had a coating on them so didn't need sealing before I started to alter them.


The frame was sprayed


and dried.....although the central area won't be seen.


The script stamp from the Eclectica ESN11 was stamped randomly over the outside frame and I used Wendy Vecchi's embossing paste through the Prima lace stencil and set aside to dry.


I used a piece of cut and dry foam to coat the coasters with Finnabairs black gesso.


Once dry I used a variety of stamps including CI-257  and Handwritten Holidays 1 from Stampers Annonymous to heat emboss with versamark and clear embossing powder. The 21 was a stencil I made using the Sizzix wordplay die. The same sprays were then used over the gesso and as I was in a hurry to dry them I took the risk of remelting the powder and used a heat gun.......hope I can repeat this happy accident because I love the effect created....the way the pigment has pooled on the embossing.


 We've celebrated a 21st Birthday.


A couple have bought their first home together.


Another couple got married.


And we are about to celebrate Christmas together........the sentiment seemed so apt for this challenge...and it's also my favourite Christmas film!


I used black ice silk glaze dry brushed around the edges, added some filigree corners and set the pigments using fixative (cheap hairspray!). 


Can't wait to see your celebration creations...for more inspiration, please hop over here and checkout what my talented teamies have made. 

A foot note...if you saw the original you may have noticed there are only 4 coasters and no central 5th one...well you know I like experimenting... I started by using snowflake fresco instead of black gesso on 2 of the coasters but when I added the pigment it just didn't look right with the frame so I started to dab it off with the intention of painting over with the black BUT it looked quite pretty so I sprayed more on, sprinkled some pigment on and dried them.....



I only had 4 coasters left so it was meant to be....well I couldn't paint over them could I? No idea what I am going to do with them and it's another I'm not sure whether I can repeat the accident again...but I'll have fun trying!

Thanks so much for stopping by.