Introducing Agatha - My She Art Girl!

 I recently took Christy Tomlinson 'She Art Girl' online class.  I love how she builds up layers of background, and creates these 'art girls'.  My one, Agatha, is created on recycled mount board (6x12in) - I'm proud of the fact I didn't use a pattern - I just drew her, cut out the pieces and stuck them down - normally I would make sure the everything was symmetrical (like her dress and body shape) but ooh no this time I just stuck the bits down!  Very liberating.

I really like her boots! - she was going to have slouch socks too but, ahem, I forgot to stick them on before the boots! oops - nevermind - I'll just use them on another Art Girl.

 I like the fact that she doesn't have a face - if the face is wrong it can spoil an image - so best to leave it off. :o)

I thought I'd show you Agatha and her sketch - it helped to sketch it out so I could see where everything would sit on the canvas and how/if it would look balanced (I reeeeaaally like the sketch! - its just pencil on a board - I might sketch over it in pen & keep it...)

Yellow!....

... as in:
1. BANANA Frog Project of the day.
2. a colour I don't 'like'
3. the colour of the page I made for LSNED - Day 15

All the stamps used on the above page are Banana Frog - from the 'circus stories' and 'all about... journaling' sets.  I'm telling you this because Typepad wouldn't let me upload ANYthing over on the BananaFrog blog where I would normally put Banana Frog projects and information. ggggrrrr.

Yellow
I'm not a big fan of yellow.... - I don't wear it, I don't decorate with it and on the whole I don't craft with it... but this week (and last week come to think of it)(lol) I was in a phenomenally bad mood - seriously bad mood but I still had to make a page for my LSNED scrapbook - making a bad mood page didn't seem like a very positive thing to do so I set out to create a page that was so ridiculously sunny, bright and perky that it would be the polar opposite of my mood.  This is how the yellow page came about... it may be the only yellow page in the whole album - we'll have to wait and see...
I like how it turned out - threw on some of my favourite things (Buttons! couldn't resist).. and the page has sort of worked in relation to my mood: the colour is so not me that it makes me smile.
Who knew. lol

LSNED...

...LSNED = Learn Something New Every Day.
Shimelle's online month long class.  I took part in this a couple of years a go and my month started quite dramatically - but not in a good way! One of our tennants set fire (accidentally) to the decking in the backgarden! by 9.15am I had a burnt fence, a flat full of smoke and a garden full of firemen!
So you can understand my relief when September 1st this year was nice, quite and nothing really happened at all.
The biggest challenge I've set myself this year is to work on 12x12 sheets.  I usually make books, projects, cards & 'scrapbooks' that are much smaller - like 1/4 of the size!  But I'm finding myself more often thinking I want to use an image or an embellishment and finding that its too big for the page.
BUT....LIGHTBULB MOMENT!! followed by a chorus of HALLELUJAH!! lol.....
I suddenly realised that its not my embellishments that are too big - its my pages that are too small! O.M.G! Simple when you think about it.
So I bought myself a 12x12 album (blimey they're big) and here are my first pages.  I made myself laugh when I relooked at these - same small pieces but in the middle of a great big sheet! lol - BUT I really like how these look - I like that the pieces have room to 'breathe'...(I resisted the urge to doodle or draw a line around the edges - save that for another day!)
Everyone has different scrapbooking styles but I think I'm definitely in the 'less is more' camp (not a big fan of pages where there's so much on it you can barely see the photo or journaling)(though I do admire them)

This year I'm approaching the project in a much looser way - I haven't premade the pages, labelled the days etc etc etc. It doesn't have a colour scheme - though I will consider how the pages flow (how facing pages look side by side) and I'm not a strict scrapbooker - I don't mind if its not archival, lignin free etc etc etc... if I like something then its going to be included (within reason! lol))

 

AND, I will be using only supplies I already have (attacking the stash!).. well apart from the album and page protectors I had to buy... Damn it... Fell at the first hurdle! lol... OK, from now on - ONLY using supplies I have in the stash...

Oh and the other big realisation for me for this year is that every entry doesn't have to be monumentus, profound, hugely important or include a photo - this project for me is going to be about creating a page each day.  I really do think that you learn something new EVERY day - it could be really small, funny or trivial - but something is learnt every day.

Right, I'm off - got some creating and learning to do!

WOYWW

Morning!
Welcome to my creative bombsite... whats on my desk this week?? - 'stuff' and lots of 'this n that':

When I took this picture (came into room, took picture - no moving things about, no prettying it up) I thought it looked a bit messy but now I look again it seems quite tidy (comparing it to previous pics! lol). I can actually see the worktop!!!!!!

New stacking baskets - storing upwards - cunning use of space I thinks! (works on the walls of the workroom so why not the desk.. 'if in doubt get shelves')

Latest copy of ClothPaperScissors - lovely issue - very interesting (as usual).

Tags on top of magazine are for my journal/scrapbook for Shimelle's 'Learn Something New Every Day' (LSNED) class. (yesterday's bit of learning was why 'Teddy Boys' of the 1950s were so called. OMG - was all I could say - brilliant - Oh? You want to know why they were called that?... Well the 'Teddy Boys' were so called because their jackets and trousers were based on the clothes worn by men in the Edwardian Period, and what is the name 'Edward' often shorted to...Yep - you win a pize if you said 'Teddy' (actually, no prizes today, sorry) I laughed out loud when I heard it - soo simple and quirky - I seriously had no idea why/how they got the name! (and I'm a mine of useless information! lol) Best thing I've learnt so far this month during the LSNED project.
(btw I'm still chuckling when I think about it - so obvious when you know why!!)

Anyhooo, be gone with you - go snoop around the other desks :o)  Thanks for visiting.

Please feel free to follow my blog - I can't guarantee I'll supply you with useless bits of information (like the above) on each of your visits but there's always other stuff to see...

;o)

A Journey...

... or two - PaperArtsy style:
I recently received some of the lovely, quirky, steampunky new HotPick stamps. Here are pic's of all 6:

 

 1106                                                1107

 

 1108                                              1109

 

1110                                                1111

I made some quick pieces with the stamps - just wanted to play with the stamps - a card and a tag (the tag might get a bit more attention (its missing 'something', but I'm not quite sure what yet....). 

I had a lot of fun looking through a book and cutting out random phrases - I have quite a few lined up so expect to see more (I prefer to cut them out as they read in the book rather than make them up ransom style (or to read down the lines as opposed to across) )

(there's one that says 'the cops with curious hindquarters' that made me laugh out loud but as yet I have no idea where/when I would use that - but I'm saving it just in case.....)

My Mojo Monthly Interview

September I've been chosen as 'artist of the month' over at My Mojo Monthly, there's an interview I had with the lovely Sarah who is the blog's creative force & she has some really lovely work on there - you should definitely go and take a look (hit the pic' above to take you there).


Thanks Sarah, for asking me take part.

"its nice,.. but what is it? What is it for?"...

... which prompted the response -"its a little house... and it doesn't have to be for anything does it??" Which prompted a further discussion about whether 'things' have to have a purpose, or use.  Can't it just be an attractive/cute/pleasing-to-the-eye object. (in my head i was already thinking 'its something I made that's going to sit on the mantlepiece so I can look at it (proudly) and think 'I made that'. :o) )

Here's the 'house' that prompted the conversation:

I was at my parents house and my dad let me loose with his scroll saw (supervised I might add, lol) (& add 'scroll saw' to the birthday/christmas list) and I cut of some bits of wood that were there - wasn't sure what I was going to use them for but something'll come to me...
So, its a house - or a potting shed that time forgot and the plants took over.  The metal leaves are a Habitat lampshade that has been many things in our house but never a lampshade - its thin die cut metal and I've used it as a stencil & mask, I wrapped it around a coloured ball in the bathroom.... and now I've added it to a house..- actually these pieces were laying on the desk - they're the sort of fiddly bits and pieces that are hard to file and tidy away so end up in a corner of the desk getting in the way - turning them into a piece of 'art' seems a much nicer place for them.

Its a small piece - only stands about 8cm high, the base is stack of buttons, and its covered in Basic Grey papers & corrugated cardboard.
I can feel a whole lot more of these coming on...
Continuing of my 'obsession' with houses...

Happy Birthday!!...

... to my Hubby - who turned 40 yesterday - here's the card I made him - quite simple.  I love this card structure - deceptively simple...

So its fairly simple but it took quite a few bits of equipment - the big numbers are cut with the Slice, the panel they sit on is a Nestabilities die, the big 'happy' is a new stamp by Imagine That (love those stamps - they have a great 'christmas' set of the same design), 'happy birthday' is a Hero Arts stamp... I think that's enough for one card!  Oh no, hold on, 'happy' was stamped in silver ink & I brushed Perfect Pearls over the top. yep thats all.
I love/chose the colours for the card because my Hubby has a fondness for shirts that have a blue check pattern! Seriously - I think he might have cornered the market in them! lol

Take care - enjoy the long weekend.

A this'n'that catch up.... Part 2

Here's another random selection of stuff that I meant to show you before now:

Ranger have brought out some more Distress Stains!! Squeeeeel! Love this product.
Thank you for the lovely messages I had about my article in this month's Craft Stamper - glad I inspired you.  I bought a few more of the Stains and played with the bleach on these too:

No great surprises in the remaining colour once bleached (eg walnut stain that has a great purple when bleached) but I do like the pale yellow thats left in the black soot - nice.

I bought Milled Lavender after I'd made these samples - it wasn't one of my favourite Distress Colours (not sure I even have it as an ink pad) (a bit of a 'non-colour) but the Stain is a really lovely soft pretty colour.  I'm converted.
Picket Fence!!! ooh thats a good one - its more opaque than the other stains - great for a white wash look over a surface.. very versatile.

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October ArtsyCrafts!!!

Oops  - can't believe I haven't blogged about this before now!! - well I might have mentioned that it was running but what I haven't mentioned is that its going to be another exciting event with another guest teacher!!!

In addition to the usual top classes by Leandra & Lin, Lynne Perella will teach 3 days of classes - a different one each day.

How fabulous is that!

Aaaaaand its very exciting for me because I'm not going to be working at the event* - I'm going to be taking 2 of the classes!!!!!!!  Beyond excited.
(* don't get me wrong I love working at these events)

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aaaand another exciting event - so much arty learning will be going into my head in October I may implode (but don't worry if I do it will be sparkly and there may be buttons..lol) - I was lucky to get a place on the Dina Wakley classes at LB Crafts!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, beyond excited! lol  I love Dina's artsy, splashy, colour rich, sprayiness (yes, I know that's not a word but I'm excited so forgive me! lol)

Dina Wakley. www.dinastamps.typepad.com

So many new exciting things to be learnt in October ( I love learning new things) I may have to lay in a darkened room for the whole of November! lol

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In my workroom there are lots of boxes with supplies in them, & it's sort of organised (& getting better, its an ongoing process) - I have several Moppe boxes (from Ikea - love these but apparently they don't make them anymore! The shock!) but these boxes aren't very interesting to look at - so I pulled out some of my current favourite scrapbook papers and covered the drawers in those!

I like looking at scrapbook papers!
I like storage.
Its a win win situation. I deliberately kept them simple and embellishment free so that if I get 'bored' of these papers I can easily change them.

Take care

So many rosettes, so little time....

Love how this tag turned out - I used Tim Holtz stamps, Nestabililies dies, and the 'cafe' set of Perfect Pearls powders - the Cappucino colour is LUSH- a deep brown.

Last year I made a group of cards (of which these are some - I'd show you more but I can't find the photo's on the pc, grrrr):

and as usual punched out extra pieces which I've now used on these:

(I don't think they're nearly girlie enough - really should try harder.. lol)

(maybe I could make them a bit goth by using Basic Grey's Scarlet's Letter paper - all red black and grey... - embrace my inner goth!! lol)(cut the wings to look sharper and they'll start to look like bats instead of butterflies.. mwahahhaaaa (that's my evil laugh in case you were wondering!)
(no butterflies were harmed in the making of these tags & embellishments)

Take care

I've got spray paints & cartidge paper and I'm not afraid to use them.. Part 1

.. & not afraid to make a mess either!  Embracing the 'throw paint at it' approach. 

I mentioned before that I gave up my studio space and everything there had to come here which meant a big sort out was needed.  I have been sorting out, throwing out and its been a really worthwhile experience - I've rediscovered all kinds of things -
lots of things to alter
lots of babywipes
and lots and lots of card blanks!
but more importantly lots of inspiration!!

Its a win win scenario - more space, more inspiration!

So lots of masks were rediscovered (while putting away the ones I already had)(putting things away - how novel lol) - I was distracted from tidying up to quickly cover a page in my sketchbook:

I really like how the scrap paper looks when you move it away from the project - love that big clean space with the colour around it.
Then one thing lead to another:  I left the sheet on the desk and used it while playing with more stencils and masks... (I've been looking at the work of Roben-Marie Smith of PaperBag Studios, Christy Tomlinson, Dyan Reaveley (Art from the Heart), and Dina Wakely and how they use colour and layers in their work. I don't want my work to be as colour heavy as theirs but I enjoy the free-ness (is that even a word?!) of what they do.)
This was definitely a 'throw-something-at-it-and-see-what-happens' page - just playing with the masks - positive and negative versions of...

added a bit of detailing around the edges - this silver pen is FAB - a Faber Castell Indian Ink pen (Christy Tomlinson got me onto those)

 .. bit of 'journaling' - saying: I made this, its mine and I 'own' it (ie it came from me and I should stand by it...)

The sheet is quite big (a2) and so I decided it was going to be more useful to me cut down to postcard size than an A2 sheet! So now I have yet more postcards waiting for.. erm.. something.

For the curious ones of you out there- this is the cartidge paper I'm using (rediscovered in the move - yay!), Windsor & Newton.  Its a really nice weight to work on - doesn't get soggy too quickly...

(smaller pads are available lol)

A Rosette tutorial...

There areother tutorials out there on the www (Tim Holtz has one on his site - bit tricky to find but maybe that's because I was looking on the ipad (!!) lol) but I had a few questions /comments about the rosettes after my previous post (as they can be tricky little devils, getting them to lay flat etc etc) & I thought I'd just share with you how I do them - other people may do it differently but this is how I make them....
I hope you find it helpful.

Die cut the rosettes - I've used the original die and the second die with smaller rosettes. (btw when I'm die cutting them I put a bit of sticky tape at either end of the paper to hold in place on the die - stops it wandering/slipping).

I don't use the seals from the dies - I punch out circles seperately (from standard card (Papermania 12x12 packs)) that measure 1" (for the smallest rosette) and 1.5" (for the largest and middle rosette).  These will form the base of the rosettes and give them stability.

Run a line of sticky tape along the wrong side of the rosette - it protects the perforation - prevents them from tearing/splitting.

Fold the rosette & press it firmly between fingers - it helps to keep the folds tight.

Attach slim (5mm) double sided tape to the first panel of the rosette strip, cut to size, remove backing and lay the  last panel of the strip over the top (I prefer to use double sided tape rather than glue - quicker drying time)

Work on a piece of acetate (or a craft non-stick sheet) for the next few stages - working on a slippy surface makes it much easier to push the rosettes down into their final shapes (less resistance).

Use a hot glue gun to attach the base to the rosette.  Run it around as shown - don't put the glue in the centre - you don't want it coming up through the hole in the centre & you might want to add brads through there and they'll be difficult to put through glue.  Also because its liquid it allows time to wiggle the folds into place, get them evened out.

 Position the rosette ring over the base.

Gently push down into position.

Just in case that's as clear as mud here's a little video of the last stage!! 
(I thought it might help to show how I position my fingers on the rosette to get an even spacing of the folds)

I hope you find my little (& first blog) tutorial helpful - if you have any questions please leave them in the comments & I'll get back to you.

Bev asked what background paper is it that I use in photos - its vintage book pages glued to an A2 sheet of card (& Bev, you know how I like vintage book pages! lol)

Happy rosette creating.  I warn you- it can be addictive! 
I'd love to see what you're doing with the rosettes you make- so please leave a link - or follow the blog.