Rust It! - A Vintage Journey April 2018 Challenge

Hello Everyone and Welcome

Its good to be here again to introduce our new challenge that starts today over at A Vintage Journey. Lovely Autumn is our host this time and her chosen challenge is

'Rusty and Crusty!'

'Many of us love rust and enjoy looking for new ways to get tat authentic look of crusty peeling metal. For this challenge include some rust in your vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk project, whether it be the real thing, a faux technique or just a rust colour on your project.'

I have been in my 'happy place' using texture paste, paints and those fabulous baked textures to create an 'art panel' rich in texture, dimension, colour and rusty tones. 

Much like my last project I neglected the camera during the creativity so not many process shots to share but quite a few close ups.

  The background panel is a wooden plaque primed with gesso and roughly covered with the dregs of a pot of crackle paste. For the colour I used Tim Holtz distress stains and distress paints along with some DecoArt media fluids-- mainly rich warm tones. I couldn't resist sprinkling a few of Seth Apter/Emerald Creeks Baked Texture EP's around either. Patina Oxide, Ancient Amber, Deep Sea. Dirty Sand and of course Chunky Rust were all part of the creativity recipe.

The cracks from the paste aren't that visible probably due to all the layers of paint and stains

but it does create some great texture which the baked texture EP's loved melting into and on top of .

To create the rusty edges I used Rust it' paint by Pinflair .

along with a couple of DecoArt Media fluids

and yes you guessed it some Chunky Rust Baked Texture EP

which adds lighter rusty tones to the darker 'Rust It' paint aswell as some texture. 

The smaller panel is mdf covered with Sand paste /Grunge paste and painted with 'Rust it'.

I 'baked' again too using the same blend of flavours I had used so far - just look at them -whats not to love and that's even before they have seen heat!!! 

And when they have....

You can't fail to be impressed.

They really are so unique unlike any other EP's I have used previously

just what the creative world has been waiting for. To find out more about them be sure to click here, 

The centre circle is covered with an image from an old technical drawing book, lightly inked with distress ink and then triple embossed with Vintage Beeswax which gives a fabulous encaustic appearance. There are also sprinkles of Patina Oxide, Chunky Rust and Ancient Amber embedded into the melted beeswax.

For the finishing touch I added a few pieces of Metal hardware painted with rust it to embellish .

I hope I have offered some creative inspiration with my 'Rusty Crusty' project. If you haven't already be sure to stop by A Vintage Journey to view my fellow Creative guides inspirational projects.

We really hope you will be able to join in with this challenge as we always look forward to seeing your creativity and we appreciate that you share it with us .

Who knows you could be chosen as one of our 3 Pinworthy winners who receive a Pinworthy badge to display on their blog and have your art pinned to our Pinterest Pinworthy Board.

I would like to enter this into the following challenge:
Creative Artiste #37th Challenge : Anything Mixed Media Goes 

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today and stay with me till the end , for all your kind words and support and for all the follows . All are very much appreciated .

See you again soon

Take care

and 

keep on the happy side

Amanda

x

Mini Marvels- A Vintage Journey November 2017 Challenge

Hello Everyone and Welcome

Its good to be here again all ready to introduce our new challenge that starts today over at  A Vintage Journey.  Its lovely Anne who is hosting this month with the Challenge theme
'Mini Marvels'
This month's challenge is to create something in miniature - it could be a little book, a tiny scene, a small canvas, a wall hanging or even a box. It MUST be 4" or less in size and be created in your vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial, timeworn or steampunk style.

 I don't often create on a really small scale so initially this theme  seemed like a bit of a challenge for me but after a few false starts and the clock ticking I decided to just go with the flow and follow wherever my creativity would take me .... and in doing so I had a great time using paints, texture, stamps and stencils to create 2 pieces of 'Mini Art' with a bit of grungy feel.

Both pieces are 4 x4 inch square and what I did to one I did to the other, working on them both simultaneously:
The squares were primed with gesso, torn tissue tape was adhered and texture paste was applied through stencils - I used Seth Apters 'Discovery' and 'Explore' stencils

Then acrylic paint in various tones of blue was applied with brayer and fingers adding in black and white acrylic paint, when I felt it needed it, either to knock back any over zealous application or to add a touch of drama.- no rules just building up those layers detail and texture.

At this point I seemed to have neglected to take any more 'step' shots- guess I was enjoying the creativity too much so the rest of the photos are close ups of the 2 finished pieces.

More detail came in the way of stamps - one of Seth Apters Border line stamps (the X's) and one from his faded fragments stamp set (not very noticeable as it was stamped in a pale blue ink). I think a speckle stamp made its way in there too and a couple of others

There's also some scribble pen marks and sketchy paint lines,

some drop shadows and highlights around the letters,

the numbers,

and the dots.

There were a few paint splatters too- I'm sure you spotted them as those of you who know me will know I love the splatters!
The finished panels were mounted onto white and then black card stock and one was embellished with a wire bound crackled mdf heart I had made at some point previously

the other with a crackled butterfly- one of the butterflies from Tim Holz 'Flutter' stamp set stamped onto heavy card stock, fussy cut and altered with crackle paste - just love how grungy it looks!

A Tim Holtz small easel was die cut and adhered to the back of both the pieces

to enable them to stand either alone

as individual pieces

or together as a set.

I hope I have offered some inspiration with my 'Mini Art' project . If you haven't already be sure to pop by A Vintage Journey to view my fellow Creative guides fabulous inspiring 'mini' projects.
We hope you will be able to join in with the challenge but remember 'Miniature' is key! 

At the end of the challenge there will be one lucky winner chosen by Random.Org will will receive our Sponsors prize which this month is a $50 varied selection of chipboard and wood veneer laser cut embellishments generously donated by Southern Ridge Trading

The Creative Guides will also choose 3 Pinworthy Winners who will not only win a Pinworthy badge to display on their blog but will also be invited to join us as a Guest Designer for a future challenge.

I would like to enter these into the following Challenges:
Country View Crafts November Challenge: Stencils.
I would like to enter the heart embellished piece into the following Challenge
The Craft Stamper TIMI Challenge: November- 'Anything Goes' Stamping Challenge'
Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge #32- 'Anything Mixed Media Goes'

I hope you have enjoyed your time here today - thank you so much for stopping by.
I really do appreciate every single one of your visits, comments and follows.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend
Take care
and
keep on the happy side
Amanda
xxx

Tag Friday at A Vintage Journey - June 2017.

Hi Everyone and Welcome

Today over at A Vintage Journey its Tag Friday ! I'm sure many of you are familiar with this tradition but for those of you aren't let me explain . When there are 5 Fridays in a month, the 5th Friday sees some of the Creative Guides create and post a tag .There are no rules or themes just a chance for us to follow our muse, go with the flow and create using a tag.
So I am here today to share with you my 'Tag Friday' tag.
Believe it or not I set out thinking I would make something bright and summery but I guess my subconscious mind thought otherwise and led me to to create a deep and meaningful tag.

I cut a panel from a much larger wrinkle free background that I had created at some point in the past and added a touch more colour using Distress inks with a blending tool.
I then die cut a tag from the panel and added some stamping using Indigo Blu's 'Rain Droplets' stamp with Jet Black archival ink and some stencilling using Tim Holtz 'Rays' layering stencil with DecoArt crackle paste and Black Soot distress paint. The cracks once formed were enhanced with gilding wax and the tag mounted onto cream and black card stock.

The focal image taken from an Invoke stamp set- 'Face blocks' was stamped on cream card stock using Jet black Archival ink and then water coloured with Distress inks.
To frame the face I used the outer part of the circle from Seth Apters Wood Chip set. I altered it using Deco Art texture sand paste and Back Soot distress paint. The framed face is adhered to a thin strip of mount board altered in the same way as the circle Wood Chip. As with the cracks the texture is enhanced with gilding wax.

I love this image - to me it is so emotive, it tells a story

maybe  a story of someones own personal journey experiencing some bright 'sunny highs' and extreme dark 'rainy lows',
experiences which have helped them start to belief in themselves....
........Maybe........

Be sure to stop by A Vintage Journey's blog, if you haven't already that is, to see all the other fabulous tags some of my talented teammates have created .

I would like to enter this tag into the following challenges: 
Stamps and Stencils: 'Words With Meaning'
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: 'Stencil it' 

Thank you so much for stopping by today and for all the lovely kind words you leave for my art. Your visits, comment and follows are greatly appreciated .
Hope you all have a lovely weekend
Take care

 and

keep on the 'happy' side

Amanda 

xxx

Use a Quote! A Vintage Journey May 2017 Challenge

Hi Everyone and Welcome
 

Hope you are all ok and a good week has been had by all. Today we are all set to start a new Challenge over at A Vintage Journey and this time our lovely Jenny is the host of the challenge:
'Use a Quote!'
'Take a quote! Any quote! Whether it be on a stamp , a sticker, handwritten or sourced from the internet and make it the focal point of your vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journalling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk project. '

For this challenge I have created a piece of 'grungy' Art using a That's Crafty! 6x6 MDF Panel that allows my chosen 'Quote' to take centre stage. I'm a real lover and collector of quotes/sayings and meaningful words but I made no reference to the many I have gathered over the years as I knew which quote I wanted to use right from the get go and thanks to Seth Apters fabulous stencil,  'You got this', I was able to create my project. I have quoted these words to myself so often during the tougher, darker times of life!  The times when the self doubt, worries and concerns are heightened or the chronic pain is relentless (hence the colour palette used and the textures created) These three words act as a kind of 'note to self'!

The Quote panel
A Thats Crafty 6x6 MDF panel was primed with gesso before being painted with Deco Art Black Acrylic paint. The quote itself was then created by applying Deco Art Crackle Paste through Seth's 6x6 stencil, leaving the paste to dry and crack naturally. Once dry there were some areas where the cracks were hardly visible (the application of crackle paste had been too thin) so I risked applying more paste hoping it would give a better crack. It did even though the crackle was more closely knit.

Black acrylic paint and gilding wax helped enhance the cracks 



and a few red splatters finished off the quote panel.

The background panel.
This is an 8x8 mdf panel found in my stash and primed with gesso (similar panels can be purchased at That's Crafty.). The paints used were Tim Holtz distress paints-Pumice Stone, Hickory Smoke, Black Soot, Picket Fence, Aged Mahogany. Application was with brush,dry brush, brayer and fingers and removed as and when with kitchen towel and damp wet wipes. I had no definite plan I just went with the flow, followed my muse and really enjoyed the process.

The detail comes in the way of some scratchy lines created using my fingernail (they aren't just for manicuring ),

some of Seth Apters fabulous stamps- Dot matrix, Morse Code, Tattered Screen (My new faves) with Archival ink (Jet Black, Watering Can, Red Geranium)

and following through from the quote panel some red flicks and splatters

The quote panel is mounted onto a piece of black card stock and adhered centrally onto the back ground panel

and that's my piece of meaningful grungy art complete.

I hope my Art has offered some inspiration and if you haven't already be sure to stop by A Vintage Journey where theres a gallery of fabulous inspirational projects created by my fellow Creative Guides.
We hope you will join us in out 'Use a Quote' challenge and as always at the end of this challenge there will be one lucky winner chosen by Random Org who will receive our Sponsors prize which this month is a £20 gift card kindly donated by That's Crafty.

The Creative Guides will also choose 3 Pinworthy winners who will not only win a Pinworthy badge to display on their blog but will also be invited to join us as a Guest Designer for a future challenge .

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
The Craft Stamper TIMI May Challenge - 'Anything Goes'
Creative Artiste Challenge #26- 'Anything MIxed Media Goes'
Altered Eclectics May Challenge
Mixed media Monthly Challenge #36 'Put a Stamp On It'
(stamps used on the background panel)

STAMPlorations- May Mixed Media Challenge

Thank you for stopping by today. Your visits, comments and follows are very much appreciated. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend
Take Care
Amanda
xxx