Album part 2...

Back again to share more of the mini album or journal I created. A few details, some photos and I've quickly made a flip through video. Any questions I've not answered just leave a comment and I'll reply. I really appreciate all the interest and lovely comments and for many reasons I'm so glad I was given this creative opportunity.

Grid background stamped, masked and then stamped again to create a larger background with WOW seafoam white EP

Yes it's a trimmed down version of the Eileen Hull travel journal. Olive tree infusions throughout and the gold splats are Winsor and Newton gold metallic ink, you only need a tiny amount watered down, a little goes a long, long way. The ink just has that bling I wanted and soaks into the cartridge paper.

The hand is stamped with infusions. To recap, use versamark on the stamp first then rub in a little infusions, spritz and stamp onto cartridge paper, dry with heat gun and then splat with the gold ink or splat before drying; I used both ways in the album. The infusions will reactivate when they get wet and just mingle a little more. You can also re spritz with water to get a few impressions.

The pages were decorated after assembly to give unity to the lay outs and I used pieces of spare cartridge paper under the sheet edges to protect the pages below and in the process realised I'd got some great coordinating paper to use on the edges of other pages.

I used archival ink in two tones for most of the other stamping and WOW bonding powder on the die cuts to enable me to add some foiling.

Here's the video and as it's a walk through you can just pause to see the pages in more detail. No audio on this occasion.

Lastly just to show the versatility of the stamps, a simply stamped card in subdued colours with some bling. I love subdued, neutral colours with a touch of bling.

My top 3 favourite stamps from the A5 sets are on this, the spring, watch and sketchy spiral. My favourites from the minis are the hand and seek....but that's if I really have to choose!

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs Ruth xx

New Seth Apter stamps at PaperArtsy!!

Hi everyone, super excited to be sharing my 'playtime' with the fabulous new Seth Apter stamps over on the PaperArtsy blog tonight! The stamps were released yesterday with 2 A5 plates and lots of minis!!
Inspiration really hit me with these and I used them all in creating a mini album. I'll be back soon with a run through of the album but will just share a couple of pics to whet your appetite...hop across for more details.

Front, loving the seek mini and grid stamps

Circles, circles, I do love circles. White embossing powder, fresco paint, infusions and of course gold....what's not to love!

Can't wait to show you what's inside!

Ruth x

Grungy Christmas at PaperArtsy....

Hi everyone, I'm delighted to say I have a post this evening over on the PaperArtsy blog, the current challenge topic is 'foiling'  I love foiling and I've been playing with some of Seth Apter's new stamps and created some Christmas cards with a grungy twist! Hop across for all the details and also click on the foiling link for lots of inspiration. Here's a sneaky peek...

Hope you enjoy. Ruth xx

Mirror, Mirror over at PaperArtsy

Hi everyone, over on the PaperArtsy blog this evening I'm really lucky to be sharing a project for the 'A Box of Eggs' colour palette challenge using the new Courtney Franich fresco paints. I know we're saying goodbye to summer now but these yummy new colours inspired something a little a beach themed. Please hop across to see more of my home decor project which also use Urban Snapshot nature themed stamps.

Industrial/Grungy at Stamps and Stencils!

Hi everyone, time for our next challenge at Stamps and Stencils and the lovely Cec is our host this month; this time she wants us to include some metal in an Industrial or Grungy creation. Here's what she wants us to do...

Create a mixed media project with some stamping and/or stenciling that puts off a very industrial and grungy vibe - be sure to include lots of metal and texture.

It was lovely to get a bit grungy and rusty with paint, powders, bits and bobs. I've decorated a 7 x 5 canvas panel for my metal montage!

I started off by adding some texture through a  stencil.

Next painty layers; now I began using Seth's monoprint technique with paint on watercolour card but because the canvas was already textured I found that dry brushing and scraping on paint with a pallette knife worked really well. I used fresco paints in Brown Shed, Claret, Smoked Paprika, Green Patina and Little Black Dress.

Just keep layering until the magic happens!

I used some of Seth's chipboard shapes as well as chipboard cogs, metal gears, hinges....alsorts and added some texture paste before painting with Little Black Dress ( my black gesso had turned into a solid mass in the recent heatwave...but my fresco paints were still perfect) and the dry brushing with Snowflake.

I then used verdigris and copper embossing powder as well as lots of dry brushing with paints and treasure gold.

As Cec has asked for metal to be used I did patina some copper to add to the the canvas but I decided that was one embellishment too far and liked the result at this stage, however there are still lots of metal embellishments within the piece.

 Finally I stamped some letters on scrap card used during the painty process (I always think this is a great way to get a background for stamping that ties in with the finished result). I'd also used some number stamps in black archival on the piece but they've faded with the layering.

 Please hop across to see the wonderful inspiration from our talented team and I hope you'll be inspired to join in. Thanks as always for stopping by R x

Ombré at Stamps and Stencils..

Hi everyone, it's been a while but I'm back after a short but necessary break and it's my choice of topic for this months challenge at Stamps and Stencils. I've chosen to play with colour this month and it's all about Ombré!

Ombré has been in fashion for a while now and not just in art...or even hair! It's a french word meaning 'a colour that is shaded or graduated in tone'...so for this challenge we want to see projects or part of your project that has one (or more) colour that graduates from it's lightest pastel tint to its darkest shade...with a little stamping or stenciling of course! 

It's double Ombré from me as I've used the technique on both the background and flowers.

To start with I reused a canvas and just added to the texture with some grunge paste.

Next the paint colours in lovely shades of blue and hints of green.

Starting with strips of colour and leaving a small gap between each band, use 2 colours on the brush and blend the paints....don't forget the edges of the box canvas.

A little stamping in archival inks and I'm using one of the new JOFY sets. A little gold already creeping in...and some gesso to highlight the raised areas.

I painted fading stripes of orange and coral for the flowers and added some bling with WOW tinsel embossing powder, love the stuff! It's really easy to create shaded areas with fresco paints

 Stamping the compass flowers and cutting out

A little white pen doodling and wooden beads from my stash.....

...before arranging the flowers, I decided the flowers should drift across the canvas at a slight angle.

A fairly simple canvas and fun to try something different. Hope you'll have a dabble at Ombré and join in with our challenge. Remember you don't have to make a whole project in this style just a part could show this magical shaded effect...have fun! Hugs Ruth x

Bobbin Book at PaperArtsy

Hi everyone, I always get excited when I have a post over on the PaperArtsy blog and tonight I'm sharing a little labour of love. I've made a mini book from a wooden reel that I've had in my stash and as serendipity would have it I'm combining some of the new Seth Apter paints (Set 3) with Alison Bomber's wonderful word plates.....I 'reely' enjoyed making this!

 Butter, Double Denim, Magic Moss and Blue Lagoon work beautifully together.

Hop across to the PaperArtsy blog for lots of photos. 

Lastly, I'm hoping this fits the bill for the February mini album makers challenge, it's on a spool but it's still a handmade book of sorts and it's certainly mini....

Thanks for stopping by. Ruth x

Off to Collage at Stamps and Stencils!

Hi everyone, Cec is our lovely host for this months challenge... here's what she wants us to do.

'No I am not sending you to school but thought it might be fun this month to make a collage.  You can use any substrate such as canvas, corrugated cardboard, wood, or canvas boards for instance and add any items to it as long as you include some stamping and/or stenciling.'

So I've created a little wall hanging in vintage tones, with lots of layers.

'Collage  - a piece of art made by sticking various different materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric on to a backing'.

I've gone for a slightly different take on this and  decided to go down the using up scraps route and make a collaged background. Taking a cue from Cec, I had a piece of cardboard lying on my desk and that's where I started. Tweezers to rip a few holes in the base and then I've glued down some book text.

Layering all sorts of scraps as a backdrop and then I decided the focal point would be a small photo frame with something in it...at this stage I wasn't sure what though!

As all the items I was using were neutral tones, I decided to keep to that colour theme and just use a little gesso to tie them together. Lots of dry brushing on the outer edges and a little more centrally. I masked off the framed area so that when I added the image it would stand out.

Love how dry brushing highlights all the texture. Add in some micro beads (art stones), grunge paste through a stencil and the main image (Crafty Individuals) stamped on tissue before gluing down.

Love this effect, it gives such depth to the piece and because it is straight over the collaged elements it fits in perfectly. Some stamping in potting soil archival and paint splats.

More dry brushing in shades of brown (toffee, chocolate pudding and stone) to highlight the texture.

The frame was altered by covering with book text, adding 2 layers of clear UTEE and a tickle of treasure gold.

I enjoyed doing this so much I want to do another one!

Hope you'll join in with our challenge and if you need more inspiration hop across and see the wonderful samples from our very talented creative team! Happy creating! Ruth x

Inspiration post at Stamps and Stencils

Hi everyone, I've been playing with bright colours again in creating a pink and orange 'more is more' canvas! Hop across to Stamps and Stencils for all the details of my inspiration post...

R x

On the Bright Side at Stamps and Stencils

Hi everyone, welcome to a New Year and a new challenge over at Stamps and Stencils. It's my turn to host and here's what I want you to do....

'It may still be winter but it's a brand New Year, the days will be soon getting longer, and pops of bright colours will soon start to appear in the garden. This month I'd like you to dazzle us by using lots of bright colours in your Spring themed creations ...and don't forget to use stamps or stencils

Oh yes, I bet your eyes are open now! I just wanted to create something with those zingy colours that you get in Spring, in previous 'Spring' posts I have often talked about the acid colours and how I love lime green leaves, purple iris and crocus and all those fresh colours, so I did something I haven't done for ages and created some journal pages.

I started with gessoed pages of an old book and plumped for some crayola twistable stix (trying to revisit and use some crafty goodies). I didn't know where to start but remembered Donna Downey's advice and to just get something on the pages.

I scribbled in a few areas and spread it out so the pages were covered but some areas quite subtly. Love how it's picking up the texture. Next I used some Kim Dellow masks to wipe away some of the wax and decided to use a coordinating stamp set EKD06 too and stamped a few leaf sprigs.

A few Lindy's Stamp Gang spray drips and splashes.

Stencils with transparent gel mixed with Zesty Zing fresco paint and another chequerboard one with white fresco...and more splashes...a few orange paint splashes crept in too to help make the pages pop.

Fresco paint on card before stamping out and just love the contrast of the layered background with the uniformly coloured flowers. Popalicious or what?! (I know, I think spring fever has already visited me)

No apologies for using another quote from one of Alison Bombers wonderful stamp sets...and so me...I LOVE flowers!

Well I hope that's inspired you to change direction after the autumnal and wintry colours and make something bright and fun. Hop across for some more wonderful inspiration from the design team!

Thanks as always for stopping by...and wishing you all A Happy New Year!