Monday, 24 October 2016

Autumn Textures - Simon Says Stamp Guest Design

Autumn Leaves Nikki Acton for Simon Says Stamp
Hello! Another project today as guest designer at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge . This week the challenge theme is Autumn.

I made a project recently using 4 ATC sized greyboard panels on a 6x6 inch panel and I loved the layout - so though I would repeat it! You can find the original here - same idea, very different though!




I started by taking 4 greyboard ATC's and scratching and cutting off the edges - an Andy Skinner trick! I then painted them all and the 6x6 inch base with black gesso - ensuring I stippled the paint for added texture.
Once dry I dry brushed white gesso over the surface to catch the texture. When fully dry I reached for some translucent paints adding PaperArtsy Banana over the panels and a little DecoArt Quinacridone Red around the edges. 
Once dry I adhered to my base panel.
Next I reached for Tim Holtz Mini Tattered Leaves dies cutting 8 and using various distress paints (Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Aged Mahogany and Fossilized Amber) to colour them. I added a few vein marks with a pen too. I covered them in glossy accents and left to dry.
I cut an extra little panel for the centre and painted it as the ATC panels - before adding a Small Talk sticker.
Nikki
xxx


Thursday, 20 October 2016

Monday, 17 October 2016

Christmas Gift Bags for Simon Says Stamp

Tim Holtz Christmas Gift Bags
Hello! Another project today as guest designer at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge . This week the challenge theme is 'Treat Boxes or Bags'.


I am busy thinking about Christmas ready for the opening of our pop up craft shop and so thought I would make a couple of Christmas Gift Bags - using Tim Holtz dies and stamps and the We R Memory Keepers Gift Bag punch board.

My smaller bag is decorated with Tim Holtz Doily die - coloured and chopped up to create a Christmas tree. I also used the Snowflake layering stencil.

My larger bag features the Christmas Tree from Tim's blueprint stamp and die set. Lots of distress inks and another layering stencil -  Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Nikki
xxx

Tuesday, 11 October 2016

That's Crafty! Dreamcatcher and a little video!

 Altered MDF Dreamcatcher with PaperArtsy Fresco Acrylics
Since guest designing for That's Crafty! last month I have become a fan of their 'Surfaces range' - MDF and Acrylic. There was a new release last week of new designs including Uprights, clocks and Dreamcatchers. I designed this one using Donna Gray's new stamps - also by That's Crafty! I painted with PaperArtsy Fresco Acrylics.

If you saw the Hochanda show last week you may have seen this dangling in the background - LOL!

Now I needed to refresh on my video editing skills for another project and I remember I had taken a little video on my phone of the Dreamcatcher before sending it off to That's Crafty HQ - so decided to put together a little video. If I had known I was going to do it I may have got my video camera and tripod out rather that perching and balancing precariously on the window ledge with the dreamcatcher hanging on the curtain rail! 


The other side:

Nikki
xxxx

Monday, 10 October 2016

Sideshow journal page

Tim Holtz Sideshow and Globe Die Journal Page
Hello! I am back for week two of being guest designer at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge . This week the challenge theme is 'Explore the World'.


I decided to combine Tim Holtz globe die and Sideshow stamp set on this journal page.

First I made a background in my journal - some tissue paper and gesso followed by yellow and green paint with my fingers and a babywipe. (Dylusions paints)
 Next I took a die cut of the globe and used it as a mask in three places - leaving behind the green / yellows of the globe.
I added some stencilling and stamping to the background before adding some tissue tape and cut out Sideshow characters.
Tim Holtz Sideshow and Globe Die Journal Page
 Tim Holtz Sideshow and Globe Die Journal Page
Thanks for stopping by today.
Nikki
xxx


Christmas with scraps!

Nikki Acton Simple Christmas Cards
Just a quicky to say I am over at Country View Crafts sharing a step by step on these quick and little Christmas cards. I will be back later today with my second creation for Simon Says Stamp. If you missed my first one - my bright skulls canvas! - you can find it here.
Nikki
x

Monday, 3 October 2016

Bright and Scary? Guest design for Simon Says Stamp

Halloween Andy Skinner Day of the Dead
Hello! I am very honoured to be guest designer at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for the month of October! Today is my first creation with the theme of Halloween.



I decided to use Andy Skinner's 'Day of the Dead' stencil on my canvas with Dylusion's paints in Postbox Red and Lemon Zest. I began with a mix of the two to create an orange base coat. I then took my stencil and used Black soot distress paint. I also stencilled the skull onto white card and cut it out to create a mask.
Using the mask to cover the skulls I applied Postbox Red through Tim Holtz layering stencil (Shattered) to create cobwebs around the skulls.
Once dry I added a little Lemon Zest around the edges to create a halo effect. 
Finally I dripped red paint onto the edges of the canvas and drew and painted a couple of bats in the corners.
A big thanks to Lols for the invitation to join the Simon Says Stamp team this month - I will be back with my second creation next week.
Nikki
xxx