Monday 31 March 2014

AURORA.... and 5 for the mini challenge

Hi and welcome. This is just a quick blog to show what I have done for the new mini challenge at Anything But A Card, to be set on the 5th Sunday of the month.
This first challenge is to use 5 items on your art works.
I've done a layout using 5 different components, but also using 5 silver  stamped nautilus shells to hold the photo.

 


The photo was taken at dawn in 2010, at a beach nearby. A group of us were on a craft retreat, and this was a perfect time of the day for these photos. I was up by about 5am to get the shots and stayed watching the sky go from the black of night with the red - orange sun peeping over the horizon, to these pale dawn shots with the sky turning a soft grey and pink.
The oval framework was stamped using a nautilus shell design from the Inkadinkadoo gears and cogs set. This was outlined with beads and glitter.
The title was from glitter chipboard. The silver nautilus shells were stamped with 3D Stamping paint.
Pop on over to:http://anythingbutacard.blogspot.ca/  to see what other members of the design team have done for this mini challenge.
We'd love to see your art here.
Cheers, Di

Monday 17 March 2014

RHAIS WILL CERATINLY SPARKLE!

Hi and welcome to a sparkling challenge:- Number 33 at: http://anythingbutacard.blogspot.ca/  which has a week remaining to join us.
I've been working on canvases a fair bit lately and this time decided to use 2 of them, hinged together so that they could form the exterior and interior of a fashion salon "Couture Roses", the favourite for Rhais, the fabulously effervescent Parisian socialite who does so much for charities.



The canvases were painted with black gesso on the exterior face and inside frames. The walls were papered with a soft pearlised and metallic cardstock. To this I added a chipboard chandelier, painted with 3D stamping paint with lights highlighted with glossy accents.



The same treatment was given to a large chipboard rose:the signature motif for the salon. The frame of the mirror has been rubbed with Inca gold and 3D stamping paint to give an antique look.
Graphic 45's 'Couture' papers have featured on this canvas from the photos of past models and advertising, the sign 'Couture' and of course, Rhais.




Rhais will certainly sparkle at her Charity Dinner/Dance in her gown featuring the new vogue dropped waist, softly draped and held by her favourite flowers. The hemline, trimmed with the same flowers, drops to a short train. Thin straps sewn with rhinestones add to the glamorous appearance of this gorgeous gown. The gown will be further enhanced by the long string of diamonds being held by Rhais.




To complete the salon, a curtain from sheer fabric, bling and  handmade roses have been added.



The roses, were die cut using Tim Holtz tattered florals dies  and made up in the manner given by Jennie in her fabulous tutorial. You can see this tutorial and others, at:
Instead of using water, I sprayed the flower with Perfect Pearls mists. When dried they were brushed lightly with 3D Stamping  Paint.     
I hope you've enjoyed visiting Rhais's favourite salon.
Remember to pop over to Anything But A card to see what the rest of the design team have been playing with. We'd love you to join us.
Thank you for stopping by.
 
Cheers, Di.                                                                

Sunday 16 March 2014

BIRDS OF A FEATHER?!!!!

Hi and welcome. The inspiration for this month's challenge at ARTastic is to include texture.... a great source of inspiration for me, particularly lately, as I have been exploring and playing with  inky, painty and gooey things and what happens when they are used together!



My piece for this ended up as a painted scene on a heavy watercolour A3 paper. Acrylics and texture paint were used to create the background scene and some of the features (tree and dove cote). 3D stamping paint was added in other areas (pond, parts of birds, and cogs). The birds were stamped with my new Chocolate Baroque Steampunk set...lovin' this!

                                   

                                          Close up of owl and doves!!! and dove cote
    
                                    

                                             Close up of parrots showing beading and cogs



                                                    Duck and bulrushes, cog flowers.
                                
They were coloured using metallic gel pens,  Lumiarte acrylic pigments and Silks acrylic glazes. To give more texture to the wings, I glued on micro- beads.
Cogs were made from aluminium flashing, embossed and painted with Vintaj patinas. Wool ans single beads were used for the bulrushes.


                                                  
A bit quirky, but a lot of fun in the making.
There's still time to join in our challenge at ARTastic. Pop on over to:http://artasticchallengeblog.blogspot.com.au/  to see what our inspiration picture was and the fabulous artworks by the rest of the team. We'd love to see your art here.

Thank you for stopping by. Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di.

Saturday 1 March 2014

TWISTED LIGHT

Hi and welcome. Think of rainbows and misty rain and you'll have the perfect inspiration at Pixels and Paper this month. Interpret this photo as you wish and come and join us.



Pop on over to: http://pixelsandpaperchallengeblog.blogspot.com.au/  to see what the rest of the team has done for this month's challenge.
My take on this photo was to take the colours of the rainbow as a background for my layout. This was done with a piece previously gessoed and spritzed with dylusion ink sprays (a second generation print).



 To make a more uniformly covered background I swiped it with distress stains and then oversprayed with white dylusion ink to soften the colours more and to help them blend onto each other.
 

Images were stamped onto tissue paper and attached to the background with collage pauge.


A mauve vellum overlay was added to give the whole piece a misty, soft, luminescent appearance.
This w also stamped and streaked with Kindyglitz (falling raindrops).
.
 
Close up of 'rain' streaks
 
 
Close up of stamping and die-cut leaves
 
The photo was taken along the Huon River in Tasmania, just after a passing shower. We intentionally made sure that the sun's glow was a feature, but it was a surprise to see the effect of the twisted light when the photos were viewed later and then developed..... cool effect!
 
 

Thank you for visiting and leaving your lovely comments. Come and play with us at Pixels and Paper. We'd love to see your art.
Have a great weekend.
Cheers, Di.