Find Joy In The Ordinary

Morning, hope you are all enjoying your weekend. We have another fabulous challenge for you over at the Love to Create Challenge Blog where the theme is Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes.

My background has been created with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Pyrrole Orange which I applied by dragging the paint over the background using an old credit card, ensuring to leave some white areas and I also added touches of Cobalt Teal Hue Acrylic and I then dried with a heat tool. I used the edge of the credit card to add scratchy lines in Green Gold DecoArt Fluid Acrylic and Carbon Black.

I used a stencil to add stencilled circles around the background applying Ultramarine Blue PanPastel over the stencil. I then die cut two hearts from scrap card, placed the hearts onto the background and then applied Ultramarine Blue PanPastel over the die cut pieces.

I used the Tim Holtz Wildflower Layering Stencil, applying DecoArt Black Modeling Paste over the stencil and allowing to dry. I used Wendy Vecchi's Old Ledger Stencil to add further detail to the background applying Black Coarse Pearl Medium PanPastel over the stencil. I also added a Remnant Rub for added interest.

I also added splatters of DecoArt Titanium White Acrylic to add a further layer of interest. From this picture you can see all the layers added to the background. I also added touches of Orange PanPastel to the hearts to add more depth of colour.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. Tracy x x x

Black COARSE Pearl Medium for PanPastels

orange shade

PanPastel Ultramarine Blue

PanPastel - Sofft Tools Kit

Springtime Joy

Welcome to my weekly post for Artistic Outpost; this week I am using the fabulous Springtime stamp set.

I was aiming for a clean fresh feel to this weeks card using subtle tones of blue ink; in this case Broken China Distress Ink.

I die cut a circle from a piece of white card 4.5" x 6.5", placing the circle over the edge of the card and then running through my die cutting machine.  I wanted to use this aperture area to showcase my sentiment which has been stamped onto a smaller circle and shaded with Broken China Distress Ink.

I added clouds to the background, adding only a touch of Broken China Ink. I also added some random machine stitching and delicate splatters of paint to the background; I wanted to add layers of interest but nothing too overpowering as I wanted the clouds to be clearly visible.

I stamped the focal image with Black Archival Ink, masked off the image and then added the fence behind. I also machine stitched around the card for added texture.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x

It's The Little Things That Make Life Big!

I am thrilled to be a Guest Designer for Calico Craft Parts today. Here is a sneak peek of my project. I would love it if you could pop by the Calico Blog and take a look.

All the details and step by steps are over on the Calico Craft Parts BLOG.

I would like to thank Louise and Helen for inviting me along, I have really enjoyed using the Calico Craft Parts and the quality is absolutely fantastic.

Tracy Evans x x x

Season's Greetings

Morning, hope you are all enjoying your weekend. We have another fabulous challenge for you over at the Love to Create Challenge Blog where the theme is Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes.

I decided to create a Christmas Card this week with Tim Holtz new Tree Line stamp set combined with PanPastels Permanent Green, Permanent Green Shade and Rich Gold. I die cut a square from scrap paper and then placed the aperture over my card and sponged Permanent Green Pan Pastel over the aperture, adding Permanent Green Shade around the edges. I also added a touch of Rich Gold around the edges of the aperture.

I stamped one of the single trees from Tim Holtz set, stamping with Fern Green Archival Ink but using the second and third generation stamping. I then stamped the tree once again but this time using the first generation stamping.

I placed Tim Holtz Stars Layering Stencil onto the aperture and applied Rich Gold PanPastel over the stars and then removed. I then stamped the Season's Greetings sentiment with Black Archival Ink. I also applied a light spray of fixative over the PanPastels. I also added splatters of Metallic Gold DecoArt Media Acrylic over the background. I added a small drop of Green Gold and Metallic Gold DecoArt Acrylic Paint to a non-stick craft sheet and then ran an old credit card through the paint and added scratchy lines around the square aperture for added interest. I also used a Pitt Pen to add black scribbly lines around the aperture for definition.

I also repeated the stamping and splatters to the inside of the card and I added a touch of gold paint around the edges of my card.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Tracy x x x

PanPastel Rich Gold Metallic

PanPastel Permanent Green

PanPastel Permanent Green Shade

PanPastel - Sofft Tools Kit

Making Magic - Guest Designer, Anything But Cute

I am absolutely thrilled to have been invited to be a Guest Designer over at the Anything But Cute Mixed Media Challenges and I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Pamellia and her team for inviting me along, I am absolutely thrilled.

The Challenge Theme is "Making Magic" set by hostess Georgie and the challenge description is to "create a magical mixed media project strongly inspired by the colours and textures of the images in the mood board below"

I loved Georgie’s challenge theme “Making Magic” which conjures up so many thoughts, especially when combined with the imagery, colours and textures in the mood board.

Once I saw the mood board I was hugely inspired by the colours, textures and gold highlights. The first thing that hit me was the bottom middle picture, it looks like the texture from leaves to me, and that is, as they say where my piece began. I included a leaf from my garden which adds texture and life to my piece, nestled in the backdrop amongst layers of texture and paint.  The droplets in the picture inspired my use of a glue gun in my magical piece and I added touches of gold, dry brushed over the whole canvas to give a touch of opulence and light to the design. The browns, turquoise and greens showcased in the mood board greatly inspired my colour choices achieved from DecoArt Paints and Lindy’s Stamp Gang Sprays which give a real touch of shimmer to my design.  The mood board also conjured up thoughts of secret forests and hidden treasures for me and the facial image in the mood board inspired me to add a Sandra Evertson Relic piece for centre stage, which I aged with DecoArt products. Finally I added a feather to the background, applying Crackle Paste through a stencil, again inspired by the imagery in the mood board. The sprays, layers of paint, texture, shimmer and a touch of the garden really add a touch of magic for me and remind me of my garden which is a daily inspiration for my art.

I began my piece with a leaf from the garden, those veins and the texture from the leaf were greatly inspired by the mood board. I sandwiched the leaf between two pieces of wax paper, lay a cloth on the top and then ironed over the paper, I then removed the top layer of the wax paper, some of the wax remains on the leaf and so preserves it. I left the bottom layer of wax paper intact. I cut around the leaf and then adhered to my canvas.

I then applied a layer of DecoArt Matte Medium to the top of the leaf to protect it from any further layers I would add later. I then set it aside to dry completely.

I then placed the Climbing Vine stencil onto my canvas and applied DecoArt Crackle Paste over the leaves and set aside to dry.

Whilst my canvas was drying I took a Sandra Evertson Relic piece and applied DecoArt Crackle Paint randomly and set aside to dry. 

I then began to build my layers further. I added Glass Beads randomly around the central focal piece, inspired by the gold highlights in the mood board. I also added twine for added texture. I also added a feather, applying Crackle Paste through a stencil, again the feather was inspired by the picture in the mood board.

I imagined the relic piece to be nestled in a forest, amongst leaves and debris and again this was inspired by the mood board. I applied a dirty wash to the face using DecoArt products, I wanted the relic piece to resemble an aged piece that had been aged from the elements of being surrounded by woodland.

I added paint in layers, beginning with a light coat of DecoArt Green Gold and touches of Cobalt Teal Hue and allowing the first layer to dry. Once dry I then added a further layer of the same colours with a dry baby wipe to give a more random feel and to remove any hard edges. I also highlighted the leaves and feather by applying Pitt Pen around the edges and smudging with my finger. "magical" has been computer generated, again aged with a dirty wash to blend with the backdrop.

The droplets shown on the mood board inspired my use of a glue gun to add droplets to my canvas. I also dry brushed over the canvas with DecoArt Gold Metallic Paint to add gold highlights to represent the gold shown in the mood board.

The 'woodland' text is torn from an old book and adhered to the canvas with Matte Medium, adding a coat to the top of the paper too so that it is protected from any further added layers.

I added 'found art' using a Remant Rub and added rusty touches using DecoArt Quinacridone Gold Paint.

At this stage I allowed the canvas to dry completely and then took some time to add further touches of Quinacridone Gold Paint randomly around the canvas and then dry brushed once again with the Metallic Gold. I added delicate splatters of black paint for a contrast.

Adding layers of paint, twine, beads, a leaf from the garden, torn paper and embellishments really adds so much texture to this piece, it is so tactile; I love pieces that encourage you to want to reach out and touch them!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope I have inspired you to create some kind of "magic" for this challenge! Tracy x x 

Take Flight

A new month is the start of a new Eileen Hull Art with Heart Challenge and this month our theme is "Choose your own theme". The Design Team members are working with some old dies, but new to me dies, using them in old or new ways using old or new techniques.

I decided to combine Eileen Hull's Birds and Butterflies Set with the Block/Cube die. I used Andy Skinner's Mega Crackle technique on the background. Spritzing first with DecoArt Media Misters Red, Orange and Yellow, then applying a coat of Weathered Wood, allowing to dry and then applying a coat of DecoArt Crackle Paint; the cracks appear almost immediately.

I added a dimensional flower on the front following some of the ideas in Pamellia's Rose flower tutorial HERE, I used slightly thicker card as I spritzed my flower with Yellow DecoArt Media Spray, along with a few splatters of orange. I also added Remnant Rubs to a couple of the petals. Rusty wire spirals have been included behind the flower and I also added 'Birds' to the top; the 'B' is also on the Block/Cube Die, perfect for this piece.

I love the combination of layers and bright colour palette, I am trying to hold onto those summer colours even if we have not seen much summer here in the UK!

I was making the most of the sunshine and taking pictures outside, echoing the colours on my artsy piece. I also added a rose to the top of my block along with more rusty spirals.

I die cut three of the birds from the Eileen Hull Birds and Butterflies Set and spritzed each one with DecoArt Media Misters and I also included Remnant Rubs for added interest and added each bird to a piece of rusty wire.

Circles of rusty wire and birds adorn both sides of the cube, the rusty wire adds wonderful texture and the rust combines so well with the bright colour palette.

I added further coils of rusty wire to the top, standing upright like rusty stems.

I hope you can join in with our challenge this month, I really look forward to seeing what you create. Thanks so much for popping by. Tracy x x

Eileen Hull Sizzix 3D Cube Die

Eileen Hull Sizzix Birds & Butterflies Set

Sizzix Bigz Tattered Floral Die