Friday 7 December 2018

Christmas Greetings!

Hi! Today we welcome a new challenge at A Vintage Journey and a wonderful Christmas (or not!) theme of Star Light - Star Bright. Our host is the lovely Julia - here is her description:

This month we are asking you to to create with stars. Fill up the dark winter sky with them or use one really big one as your central focus. Stencil them, stamp them, emboss them or die cut them. Make a card, make a star box, make a canvas, create a journal page - remembering to create in the vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial or steam punk styles.

A couple of weeks ago Brenda (Bumblebees and Butterflies), Alison (Words and Pictures) and I had another of our Skype crafting sessions and we decided to to each create a project for this theme. For those that haven't seen our previous Skype Craft - we
all connect up via Skype and take it in turns to chose a step which we all need to follow. Sometimes we work on the same substrate but this time we each chose our own.

Brenda kindly recorded the steps - so I have added a quick summary of what I did to each of the steps.

1. A - Use paper to start the layers. - I covered my substrate with black and white patterned paper

2. B - Use the monoprint method to add any colour medium of your choice - I used watercolour card to transfer white paint randomly across the surface (it was too black!)

3. N - Add a wash or washes of a colour medium - I added blues!

4. A - Use a stencil any way you wish. - I used a star stencil, added versamark and added Baked Texture to the surface before heat embossing.

5. B - Use asemic or dynamic writing to add a layer of visual texture. - I took a silver metallic pen and scribbled! It is there if you look for it!! As it is silver it shows up when the light catches it.


6. N - Add a bit of texture. I added more Baked Texture around the edges of the plaque.

7.  A - Determine and prep the focal point of the design. I die cut my 'Christmas' several times and adhered together before using the same embossing powder again. Texture was added to the 'Happy' (a precut greyboard piece) before paints sponged.

8. B - Find elements to bring the composition together. - Stars - more stars!

9. N - On one or more of the elements use two different mediums of the same colour. I went for my blues and silvers on my die cut stars and 'Happy' - using embossing powder, foiling and glitter!

10. A - Add some words - Well I was ahead of the game now - already did that!

11. B - Add some sparkle - Ditto - so I cleared up the glitter I seemed to have got everywhere!

12. N - Assemble and add whatever you need to finish off your design. - I added Snowtex around the edges and on the words to enhance the winter feel.


It was a fun day!
If you havent already head over to AVJ for lots more Star Light, Star Bright Inspiration.
Nikki

8 comments:

  1. This is SO pretty with the black/white/blue colors Nikki! Love the glittery stars and all the texture on your background! What a beautiful wall hanging you created for the Christmas Season - and how fun to have created by group suggestion! Julia xx

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  2. Your plaque has come together brilliantly Nikki, the way you have added the layers, textures and colours has produced a fabulous mixed media background and then the words to finish it off. I hope you have this hanging on your front door for all your visitors to see xxx

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  3. Fabulous colour choices Nikki, and so much wonderful texture! Like Brenda, I hope you hang this on your front door, it will make a wonderful welcome to your visitors! Hugs, Anne xx

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  4. Wow - so great to see the close-ups of these amazing layers... it feels like staring into the depths of the night sky and catching glimpses of the starry universe... and then you get those shimmering bits which look like shaved or scraped ice - it really is magical. Another Skype treat - looking forward to the next one!
    Alison x

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  5. Fantastic details Nikki x Love the colour combination and wonderful effects xx

    TFS and huge hugs
    Annie xx

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  6. What a fantastic Christmas Sign, Nikki . Love how you worked all the steps and made it your own. My kinda art for sure. Know what you mean about the glitter - why I avoid at all costs , lol x

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  7. What a beautiful card. So nice coloring.The design are so good.

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  8. Oh, yes! It looks like it was a fun (and productive) day with crafty friends! Your Christmas sign is stunning and so fun for me seeing how it all came together! Wishing you a relaxing lead up to Christmas and then a memory filled Christmas day, sweet girl!

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Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Nikki