Ice Cream in Winter?! - Tim Holtz November Tag

Hi everyone and welcome. As mentioned in my previous post HERE it's all go here creating samples for CHA in January 2016. I can't wait for you to see the new goodies which will be coming your way in the New Year! It's going to be a real wrench to let the projects go but that's always a good sign.

Meanwhile, in between everything else that's been going on for the past few months, I've continued to work on completing the Paris Portfolio (first seen HERE) - there's been so much to cram inside and now the finishing touches are being added. It's going to take a video reveal to share that one properly with you I think! Rather than opt for a seasonal variation for my Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2015 November challenge entry I went for something which will feature in the portfolio, namely a French glacé (which we enjoyed immensely whilst in Paris)...

(click on each photo for a closer look)

The background is a combination of the Nordic background stamp with Tumbled Glass and Antique Linen. I added extra detail with the Ledger Script background stamp in Frayed Burlap and some Tissue Tape. The glacé itself was coloured with a mix of Brushed Corduroy, Wild Honey and Tattered Rose. It's hard to see from the photos that even the cone was indented using Tim's clever technique.

The lettering was cut from kraft card covered in various Distress Paints and I used the water brush with a Walnut Stain marker to add a shadow around it. You'll also spot a couple of Remnant Rub arrows, some Mirrored Stars and Linen Ribbon adding the finishing touches.

So that's it - another Tim tag project completed by the skin of my teeth!

I'll be back on Tuesday with a special Guest Designer spot and the chance to share one of those new samples (eeek!!!) For now it's time to wish you a great week ahead and whatever you're up to, take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

An Altered State at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! As we enter the second week of the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'An Altered State' it's the turn of the Funkie side of the Design Team to share their projects with you. Our host Cec says "It is time to transform something you have sitting around or can pick up for a song and make it one of your works of art. It could be a frame, a bottle, an old cigar box, a discarded CD - the list is endless. Just make sure your final transformation is vintage or shabby chic."

At the end of the challenge the Design Team will choose their top four picks. Our first place winner will be invited to join us in a Guest DT spot here at Frilly and Funkie. Three additional talented participants will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and adheres to the challenge guidelines will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique!

For this challenge I began with an oversized wooden peg and ended up turning it into a handy vintage note holder, ideal for keeping track of important notes and receipts (in the absence of a noticeboard in my craft room)...

(click on each photo for a closer look)

I was inspired to add a faux rusted metal finish to the peg having seen Nancy Dynes recent Saturday Step by Step. For some reason the Distress Stains wouldn't dry properly over the paint base so I stuck with Distress Paints throughout and added faux verdigris over the rusted bronze base.

To add weight and dimension to the 'bottom' of the peg holder I added layers of Tim Holtz Idea-Ology (each aged with Distress Inks) die cuts and various Tim Holtz trinkets.The cogs were aged with the same Distress Paints and some Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder (love this stuff!)

 I added Rust and Mushroom Alcohol Inks to the Heirloom Roses and most of the metal embellishments (the colour intensified with an initial layer of Picket Fence Distress Paint on these) though just the Mushroom colour was added to the silverware as a contrast. And of course Remnant Rubs can be relied upon to complete any project.

And here's the peg in it's raw state, just as the black gesso was being applied at the start.

Hope you've got a little inspiration from this altered project. For even more inspiration from my incredibly talented team mates make sure you head on over to the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog. Then it's over to you! We've already had many fabulous entries, but with prizes and Top 3 badges up for grabs there's still plenty of reasons to join in the fun.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and whatever you're up to for the rest of the week take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Cushions, stockings and samples galore...

Hi everyone and welcome! As promised in my post yesterday, I'm back to share a couple of the things I've been working on this week.

Normally the samples I make for IndigoBlu TV shows on Hochanda disappear out the door so quick I forget to take photos  - doh! This time I got organised and took a couple before hot footing it to the Post Office. Kay Halliwell-sutton will be on the box today at 11am, 2pm and 6pm with fab demos and super samples - hope you can join her (Freeview 39, Sky 663, Freesat 817).

(click on each photo for a closer look)

These Oxford style cushion covers are fantastic quality and simply scream to be altered with some stamping, painting and maybe a little trimming with paint coloured lace (there's nothing quite like dying your trims to match perfectly!)

And personalised paint stamped stockings are a stylish and unique way to wrap little gifts to make them even more special, leaving the recipient with something to treasure after the festive season is over.

So what about the 'samples galore' bit in the title? Well it's action stations here as I get to work on all sorts of exciting projects for the trade shows next year - can't wait to start sharing them with you!!! In fact that's where I'm off to now... have a great weekend everyone whatever you're up to (including catching those Hochanda shows) and take care of yourselves,
Jenny xxx

Joyful Holly

Hi everyone and welcome. Today I'm sharing a little mixed media project which had its beginnings at the Stamp Magic show back in October. Before all that I am delighted to share that I was given an Honourable Mention by The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge for my Halloween mini book! Thank you so much to Donna and the team for this honour! They've got a fabulous 'Texture' theme this month and IndigoBlu are sponsoring it (with a HUGE prize package!) so make sure you get entering.

So on to the Joyful Holly project (plenty of texture in this one!) In order to demonstrate the ease of stamping and painting on fabric with English Cottage Artist's Acrylic Paints I created a holly background on a square of plain calico. It takes a good 24+ hours for the paint to 'cure' on the fabric and make it washable (after ironing on the reverse) so it was only upon returning home that I was able to finish the project.

(click on each image for a closer look)

I find that blending paints is much easier on fabric as you can allow the mix of wet paints and water to bleed together as they sit and dry. Don't be afraid to mix your own colour palette either - I love combining Emerald City with Hot Cocoa to create shimmering deep shades of olive green.

A few hints and tips I've discovered along the way;

• Always add water to English Cottage Artist's Acrylic paints before using them on fabric to help them glide onto the surface more easily and allow for blending.
• Painting around the edges and along the veins of leaves provides a 'barrier' to help prevent colour bleeding out from the stamped images.
• If you are adding another colour leave the area you want to paint it onto blank as I find the first layer of colour will come through a second contrasting layer.
• Whilst adding water and extra paint will make your images more vibrant take care not to overdo it as this will eventually lead to some bleeding outside the images.
• Stamp the initial images with undiluted paint or gesso to get a clear and defined outline, allowing that to dry completely before you add further colour.

You'll probably spot that a couple of the fabric holly leaves layered over the base panel have been shaped - those lovely ladies who came along to my workshop last Saturday will now know how to do that!!!

And on that point I want to thank all those who attended my Poppy Canvas workshop in Retford last weekend - it was an absolute joy to spend a wonderful day with such an enthusiastic group. They all took to the creation of mixed media canvases like ducks to water, making the most gorgeous pieces during the day. A couple of them have now shared their completed work publicly and here they are;

This beautiful canvas was created by Rachel Fisher;

And this fabulous canvas was created by Sue Gregson;

Hopefully the other ladies will share their finished canvases too so I can give them a well deserved shout out.

I'll be back tomorrow to share a couple of projects made for Kay Halliwell-sutton's upcoming tv shows on Hochanda (Saturday 21st November at 11am, 2pm and 6pm). In the meantime take care of yourselves and have a great weekend.
Jenny xxx

Joyful Holly project;

A6 Big Holly (clear stamps) by Lauren White

Dinkie Happy Christmas stamp

Black Gee-Sso Good! gesso

White Gee-Sso Good! gesso

Emerald City English Cottage Artist's Acrylic paint

Hot Cocoa English Cottage Artist's Acrylic paint

Postbox Red English Cottage Artist's Acrylic paint

Pantry White English Cottage Artist's Acrylic paint

Laurel Leaves stencil

Fine modelling paste

Ribbon, buttons, muslin and thread from stash.

IndigoBlu On A Winter's Day...

Hi everyone and welcome to the second of my posts for today (see the first HERE).

This second post is a link to my monthly blog project for IndigoBlu which can be found HERE.

Hope you get the chance to hop over and see more.

Whatever you're up to this week take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Let There Be Light at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome to the first of two posts from me today. As we enter the second week of the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'Let there be light!' it's the turn of the Funkie side of the Design Team to share their projects with you. Our host Sue says "One of the things I don't like at this time of year is the lack of light to craft by in the evenings. So, for this challenge I'd like you to include something in your project that makes reference to light, this could be a lamp, lantern, rays of light or even gradients of colour that get lighter!"

At the end of the challenge the Design Team will choose their top four picks. Our first place winner will be invited to join us in a Guest DT spot here at Frilly and Funkie. Three additional talented participants will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and adheres to the challenge guidelines will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique!

So here's my (edited) offering - a mixed media canvas using a colour palette that is somewhat out of my comfort zone...

(click on each image for a closer look)

Knowing I wanted to use the IndigoBlu 'Industrial Lamps' stamp set I decided to combine these with the current Lindy's Stamp Gang challenge. With very much Autumnal colours to the fore this canvas began with lots of texture paste and layers of lace pressed into it. The over the top came more paste, this time stencilled over the larger piece of lace. With all that texture completed it was time for the 'frilly bits'.

Each of the main elements was created individually before being added, so the leaves were embossed with two colours, the lamps were originally embossed and stamped onto card before having colour added (but then I changed my mind and stamped over a Moon Shadow Misted background) and the die cut paper flowers had pearl centres added. As each of these were placed on the canvas I interspersed copper metal charms, lacy flowers and the stamped sentiment.

Finally I added colour to the whole piece - Starburst Sprays, Moon Shadow Mist, Magicals and swipes of gesso over the central design in increasing intensity. To 'frame' the finished piece I mixed Rusty Lantern Lime Magical with gesso and painted a rough border.

I'm going to take the plunge and enter this into the Lindy's Stamp Gang November 2015 Color Challenge.

Hope you've got a little inspiration from this mixed media canvas. For even more from my incredibly talented team mates make sure you head on over to the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog. Then it's over to you! We've already had many fabulous entries, but with prizes and Top 3 badges up for grabs there's still plenty of reasons to join in the fun.

I'll be back in a few hours with something completely different - and not just that it's inspired by the Winter season. Hope you can join me for that.
For now thank you for stopping by.

Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx

Baby You're A Firework at A Vintage Journey

Hi everyone and welcome! There's a new challenge theme launching over at A Vintage Journey, and this time it's 'Baby You're a Firework'. With fireworks such a big part of the celebrations at this time of the year we are looking for you to create a Tim style project inspired by them. Maybe you could use glitter, bright colours, ink or paint splats! Whatever you create have fun and light up that night sky!

As usual we do not expect your projects to be Tim Holtz product based; just use what you have and be inspired by his vintage style and/or techniques.With Top 3 badges/guest design spots and a randomly chosen £20 voucher to Country View Crafts up for grabs there are plenty of reasons to join in the fun!

(click on each image for a closer look)

It's been a while since I played in my journal and this was too good an opportunity to miss. Disaster almost struck when printing out a photo of the London New Year fireworks display - the printer ran out of ink and resulted in an unusual effect! Turning it into a positive I went with those bold colours and created a firework display around them. For a step by step tutorial see below;

Start by painting your pages with black gesso. Work out where you want to put your photo and draw around it with a contrasting gel pen. This will help you work out where to place the other elements.

Add your choice of die cut shapes (I went with a globe, a vintage picture wheel, splats and scribbles) and cover with more gesso. I also chose to add embossing powder to some of the scribbles but this is not essential.

With Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord and Picked Raspberry Distress Paints to hand (great colour scheme 'Mr Printer'!!!) add a few random blobs across the page and spritz them with water, allowing them to run and blend. Use your heat tool to dry some of the paint and mop up the rest with tissue to get that 'cloudy' background. Then use a small paint brush and splatter small drops of the same paints over the page. Mixing the paint with a little water makes this a much easier process.

Stencil texture paste through the 'Snowflakes' layering stencil and add a sprinkle of Rock Candy Distress Glitter. I also added dots of white gel radiating from the stars and sprinkled more glitter over them. To finish stamp the London scene from the Cityscapes set (or another image of your choice) with Glacier White pigment ink over the page before adding card and gauze mats to the photo and layering it on top. Add distressed words (rubbed with some sandpaper or a nail file) from the Big Chat sticker pack.

Here are some close ups of the finished spread;

I'm entering this into the Stamps and Stencils challenge - Remember, Remember

(I know I must be getting old because I can actually remember being dazzled by these fireworks on TV each New Year rather than being sozzled in town somewhere - lol!!!)

Now you've seen my 'Fireworks' it's time to hop on over to A Vintage Journey where my fellow Creative Guides are sharing their own amazing projects. Then it's over to you - the challenge will remain open for a month so there's plenty of time to get those creative juices flowing and link up your entries to be in with a chance to win! Jenny xxx