Going round in circles - abstract journal page

Today we have the first challenge of 2017 over at A Vintage Journey and I love this theme - 'Going round in circles'. This journal is actually an old library book so I began with a coat of gesso to cover most of the text and images - but I like to leave some showing. I added other torn book pages and added random stamping. More gesso - toned down my surface and added additional texture.

I then used stencils to create random background interest - including the squares you can see which turned out to be quite dominant but I like their contrast to all the circles. I also scraped paint across the page with a credit card in places.

My circles were created with various bottle tops or jars - just dipping in paint and transferring to the page. I then used my fingers to loosely paint inside them. I used Deco Art Media Fluid acrylics - and you can see the wonderful transparency of some of the colours. 

Finally back to the credit card - using the edge to add some vertical and horizontal lines.

Spot the odd finger print in some of these close ups!

Highlighting the circles with a bit of white or a lighter tone adds to the depth of the image.

This really is a great challenge theme and can be interpreted in so many ways - do hop over to A Vintage Journey for lots more inspiration from the team.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Mixed Media Monthly - Put a stencil on it

Country View Crafts - Anything Goes

Nikki

xxx

Frankie on the TV!

My first post of the year - so a belated Happy New Year to you  all.

Back in November I made a few designs for That's Crafty! for a Hochanda show - this was my favourite - featuring Frankie the cat. I am over on the That's Crafty blog today sharing how I altered this MDF Cogs Upright. Do hop over for the details.

Nikki

xxx

Friendship, Love and Happiness - a holiday and New Year wish....

We have a new challenge today at That's Crafty! and the theme is Anything Goes. As always there is a £20 voucher to spend at That's Crafty! for the winner!

As this challenge runs over the Christmas and New Year period I thought I would make a wish for us all for 2017 - of Friendship, Love and Happiness.

I used That's Crafty MDF surfaces for this wall panel and their grey/white board ATCS. My base and ATC's were brayered with PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk paints. I then used a selection of That's Crafty Dinky stencils on the ATCs.

My flowers are from Tracy Scott's PaperArtsy stamp set - (ETS01) and the words Tim Holtz Big chat stickers.

I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas!

Nikki

xxx

Totally inspired by Tracy Scott! Flower Power

When I say inspired by, I virtually mean copied! I did a great art journalling workshop with Tracy Scott recently and I decided to use her journal layout on a canvas. You can see her original piece on Facebook (21st October) @myjournallingjourney. Do visit her blog too...here.

Tracy Scott - Journal Page

We have a new challenge today at That's Crafty! and as the theme is Flower Power I thought this was perfect! As always there is a £20 voucher to spend at That's Crafty! for the winner!

I decided to add a border on my canvas version so used torn paper to create a mask around the edge... I added some subtle stamping to this border area.

The focal flowers are handpainted over a gesso and stenciled background and lots of doodling added! Got to say I need to work on this to match Tracy's drawing.

I used an Andy Skinner stencil in the background and Deco Art Media Fluid Acrylics to paint.

Nikki

xxx

Winter Magic - A Vintage Journey

I am so behind with my Christmas cards this year! At A Vintage Journey today we start the last challenge of 2016 and it is hosted by the fabulously creative Deb who has chosen Winter Magic for our theme. This is what she says....

For us in the northern hemisphere December brings the start of winter and for many that means freezing cold weather and Christmas. But winter is so much more than that and so we ask, how would you interpret the magic of winter? Snow, icicles, colours of blue, silver and white, the festivities of Christmas, misty winter landscapes; show us what your magical focus is for the season and in a vintage; shabby; mixed-media; art journaling; industrial or steampunk style.

I decided to incorporate two Tim Holtz Bigz dies - Mosaic and Snowflake Duo. I die cut and embossed the snowflakes and marbled various blue distress paints on my craft mat before swooshing them through it. With the leftover paint I did the same with a piece of card for my base panel. A little brushed pewter was smeared over the embossed areas and once dry I highlighted further with a white oil pastel.

I finished the base panel with the remainder of the metallic colour and filled in the gaps with iced spruce distress stain.

I die cut the mosaic panel and measured the card to fit over my base. I then sprayed with distress sprays and stamped with an old snowflake stamp. My greeting, some matt and layering and some little white snowflakes finished my card. 

Nikki

xxx

All Grungy at That's Crafty!

Time for a new challenge at That's Crafty! - and we are getting grungy. 

I have used a reverse canvas and began with some scraps on my desk - some hessian stars that were falling apart and some string - both secured to the canvas to create texture. Once dry I coated it all in black gesso. Dry brushing with white gesso highlighted the textured areas allowing me to emphasise with some blues and browns.

To build up the layers I took some corrugated cardboard and painted it before adding some mesh. Some painted coffee stirrers created the border. My heart came off a recycled project and I wrapped it in various yarns and strings.

My letters were computer printed, mounted for a bit more thickness and highlighted in blue before adding a little paint around the outside.

Nikki 

xxx

Getting angelic with Seth Apter!

Time for a new challenge today at That's Crafty! The theme is There must be an Angel.

You can interpret this anyway you wish. I decided to have a play with my Seth Apter dies in some little frames. For one frame I used the die cuts and for the other the negative space created by the die cut. Tim Holtz Salvaged Dolls fit perfectly inside too.

A few close ups:

Nikki

xxx