Finn inspired Fleur-de-lis

Bienvenue blog land!

If you have ever been to Louisiana then you will know, there are Fleur de-lis EVERYWHERE! It's even the symbol for the NFL football team...the saints!!!

It's used in clothing, decorating, art, you name it...they've got it!

So in an attempt to embrace my new culture, I decided that when my girlfriend Kim came to visit, we would do mixed media fleur de-lis canvases.

Oh my! Did I have a blast!!!  Plus I luv Kim:)

I felt that this needed to be something Finn inspired...since I luv her too. I started by free-hand drawing the fleur de-lis on the canvas, then mixed my own paint, painted the background, added another contrasting color (yellow), covered both colors with silks glaze in olive vine, and finally started gluing within the image itself. I used gloss gel medium to adhere all the bits and baubles to the canvas and then sprayed with varying mists including dylusions; black marble and dirty martini, and finally added the finishing touches with some silks glazes in emperor gold and honey amber.

You can see in the photo above that I have used so many different textures in order to achieve a super eclectic look. The butterfly is a simple resin piece with layers and layers of mediums, causing a multi dimensional shimmer and color effect. The flowers are just simple paper flowers (Petaloo flowers here) of varying color and design. With all the mediums that are used, the underlying color is irrelevant and the mists and paints allow for an overall congruency in the piece. 

Chipboard is perfect for these types of mixed media projects! They absorb the color and come in so many shapes and sizes. This is just an old piece that I had in my stash. You can find lots of chipboard and wooden pieces at eP including Wendy Vechhi and 7 Dots studios!

Other pieces to use are prima wood pieces like the fern on the lower left of the photo, some leftover nuts and bolts, various buttons, mini cloths pins, large plastic crystal pieces, bottle caps, and metal corkscrew chips that your hubby brings home from the shop for you;) Use your imagination, the sky is the limit.

Only when I was done with the hours and hours of gluing did I realize, I haven't even made a DENT in my stash.

*hangs her head in shame*

Kim wasn't able to finish hers in time so I'll be shipping it home to her and hopefully she will post it to her blog soon.

Hop on over to eP to purchase many of the items that I used on this project and play along with our fall themed challenge this month.

{{hugs}}

Andiepants

ePlay Challenge for May - Stencils!!!!

Welcome to the May ePlay Challenge...Stencils!!!!

Wow was this a kick start to my mojo....first a preview...

Remember I said I was visiting my girl? Well we went scrappy shopping first thing when she picked me up at the train station and when I saw this Prima Bloom stamp in person...I knew I had to have her. I kinda had been wanting her anyways. I decided to do tags so that I could play a bit without a large commitment...and WOW!!! This was so much fun to do all the different things with.

First...it was time to get serious...

Kim got serious too..

and now we can start with our TAGS!!!

Using Distress inks in all sorts of colors I created LOTS of different backgrounds

Then using my Timmy layering stencils I began to layer different colors one at a time. I only worked on one tag at a time.

My favorite technique with the stencil is to use a similar color or just a tad darker than the background. This gives an almost airbrushed effect that is just way super cool. For busy patterns use lighter colors, like the polka dots, and for patterns in the foreground use darker colors, like the ruler.

I stamped directly onto the tag, used my Distress marker to highlight some, and embellished as desired.

For some of the other tags I used embossing paste through the stencil instead. Love the effect layered on top. Also, this tag really shows the "air brush" effect that I was referring to.

For the blue tag I gessoed over my final stencil and then stamped and colored on the gesso.

Here are some closeups of the individual tags:

What will you decide to do with stencils? 

Remember to upload your stencil project to the ePlay challenge before the end of the month for your chance to win a gift certificate to the eP store!

I hope you were inspired by my lovely Prima stamp, Hope :) Check out some of the fantastic face stamps Kim has in the eP store.

{{hugs}}

Andiepants

eP blog hop and challenge

Welcome to eclectic Paperie’s ePlay Challenge – Push Your Boundaries!  We’re altering our challenges in 2014, creating one, month-long challenge, increasing the prize drawing, holding a design team blog hop, and including a product discount with each new challenge!  Check out the details below:

·         We’ve combined our two challenges into one, announced on the first Thursday of each month.  This gives the design team more flexibility with challenge topics and projects and allows you more time to enter! 

·         We’ll also feature a product each month, and during the first day of the challenge, you’ll receive a discount on the featured product….be sure to check for the special code! 

·         Our prize drawing is increasing from $15.00 to a $25.00 gift certificate and the winner of each challenge will be announced on the last Thursday of each month and will be featured on the eP blog. 

·         Each month we’ll hold a blog hop featuring the beautiful artwork from our design team…just scroll down to the bottom of the post for all of the links!  Talk about inspiration!!

Our challenges are about encouraging you to explore your creative journey and inspiring you to step outside of your comfort zone.  When you submit your artwork, share a unique card, scrapbook or journal page, a canvas, home décor project, or anything that you’re excited to share!  We’re looking forward to crafting with you!

Today’s special is on Liquidtex Gesso and for one day only, you can save 10% on a bottle of gesso…perfect for all of your altered projects!  Simply use code GESSO03 when checking out.

This month’s challenge is altering a book.

It was just my luck that I had purchased a book from the restore while pursuing with my crafty friend last winter. I had this little gem sitting up in a cupboard just waiting to be unleashed into something fantastic...and this challenge was it!

I was chatting with said same crafty friend regarding this challenge and it struck me...I would make a tablet cover!!!

The first question is...can this book cover a tablet. If you go online to check dimensions you will find that tablets come in EVERY size under the sun. IS NOTHING STANDARD ANYMORE PEOPLE?!

*composes herself*
Anyway...I found that my book was too small to cover any sort of apple tablet and too big for a kindle...but the Nook was JUST RIGHT :)

I started by removing the innards of the book. Just take a utility knife down the inner edge on the inside of both the back and front cover. The entire book should come right out of the cover. Mine was glued in a couple of spots so I did have to slice through the glue.

Then I covered the entire outside in gesso. This is to get a really good seal on the book so the spray will cover nicely as well as create a base. Gesso can be used as a paint but was originally intended as a base. Ever notice the canvases that you purchase are white? (or sometimes black) but when you purchase canvas material it's cream colored and raw? Well, those canvases that you purchase on a wood frame have been pre primed with gesso (oooooo...and the light bulb goes on)

Anyway...enough with the art lesson...moving on

I then flipped to the inside cover and measured and sketched what I needed and where I wanted everything. Here's a bit of a note...I created a spot to attach altered ribbon in order to tie the 2 halves together but decided instead to go with magnets as a closure. If you don't have magnets, use an awl to punch holes through the book cover and attach your ribbon as a closure. Super cute and you can make it coordinate too.

Once I punched my unnecessary holes (haha) I then began to adhere pieces to my cover in layers. I decided the front would be much more decorated. I added lots of washi tape, a doily, and some adorable embellie pieces from eP. Check these out:

Petaloo Color me crazy silk
Petaloo Color me crazy straight cut
Maya rd wooden ruler
Maya road flower centers

I know the title may seem a little cheesy but hear me out. So I called my girlfriend and found that she had a nook. I said "great...You are getting a handmade gift." She replied "I love gifts for no reason" to which I responded "it's not for no reason, it's because you're my friend". So, cheesy yes, but it has meaning.

 

From here I sprayed the entire piece with Dylusions sprays in Calypso Teal and Vibrant Turquoise. Yes...I realize I use turquoise a lot, but when I decided to make this for my girl I called and asked her what her favorite color was...guess what she said. *sigh*  If you look closely in the above picture you will see little pink flower gems. This is one of my most favorite techniques to do with Luminarte glazes. Because they are a glaze, they are see through which means you can color rhinestones any color you want! Isn't that great?! Since my color scheme was going to be varying shades of blue and teal with orange accents, I decided to color the rhinestones with Spiced Pumpkin silks glaze in order  to turn them orange. 

Here is my final cover:

I also used Tattered Angels glimmer mist in Patina and Aquamarine for the added shimmer to the misted portions. The glazes were applied in layers starting with Teal Zircon, Guatemalan Green, and finally Sky Blue. 

You can really see the iridescence of the silks.

After coloring with sprays and mists I added a large rub on to the back and binding that was in my stash.

I wasn't expecting the orange. It was a nice little surprise.

I used a Prima stencil for the back

I hope this inspires you to make something super awesome with your altered book. I had so much fun with creating this cover that I ran out of time to cover the inside with paper. LOL

Make sure you hop through the other DT blogs to see what fantastic creations they have come up with. 

And don't forget to hop over to the store to grab your discount on gesso (along with a few other mooooost have items of course) so that you can play along for the chance to win $25 in the store.

Hugs

Andiepants

eP eTeam Picks Challenge and Valentine Winner

I don't always have the chance to play along with eP challenges but when I do....watch out! Andiepants in the house!

Altering a bag. hmmmmmm....I've done this before. Didn't turn out so well, so here was my chance for redemption.

First, I dug out this Master Cam bag that my hubby brought home from a machinist trade show about a decade ago. 

I decided I didn't want 2 handles so I started by using my seam ripper to remove the handles that were sewn on.

To color the handles I soaked them with water first. This allows the mist to spread more evenly over the fabric. Next I sprayed my Dylusions mist in Vibrant Turquoise generously over the handles so they were well covered. You may want to use gloves. I did not :(

In order to cover that gawd awful picture I decided I would cover the thing in gesso. Remember when working with fabric to place a piece of cardboard in between your layers to avoid bleeding and soak through. Here I just used an insert from a 12x12 Prima mask.

Cover generously with gesso. If you feel you need more coats make sure you dry thoroughly in between coats. Honestly I remove the handles and covered in gesso before dying the handles in order to give my bag some additional air-dry time.

Once covered to my liking I then used Distress paint in Broken China to color the background. after that was dry I sprayed some Vibrant Turqoise in order to allow some congruency to the piece. I did this to both sides of the bag.

You will want to do the handle next since you need to reattach it to the bag. Make sure your sewing needle is a large enough gauge to handle the material of the bag. I sewed my to pieces together to make one long handle, sewed a piece of trim down the middle, and then sewed each end to the seams in the bag.

You can see here where I attached it on the inside.

The rest is just like scrapbooking! For the front I adhered a piece of burlap using gloss gel medium in various areas. I adhered the large lace at the top using the same method and allowed that to dry. Arrange your clusters and take photos so that you know where to put them when you're ready.

Next I used Wendy Vecchi embossing paste in black through a Martha Stewart silk screen to attain the large black shape (Above) and the smaller one coming out of the bottom of my cluster. I then adhered the flowers with fabric glue in my hot glue gun and I sewed the small blue Prima baubles  on by hand in the bottom cluster, top cluster and across the lace.

For the back side, I gave a good coating of water and then added more Dylusions in Calypso Teal and Dirty Martini. 

I first added all the lace piece using the gloss gel medium and let them dry. You can add dimension with your lace as I have and the gel medium will allow it to dry stiff and hold it's shape. Next I used the Hollyhocks stamp with Stazon jet black ink

and added a script stamp in Stazon Timber Brown. Notice that I even stamped on the lace. It's subtle but a nice touch.

I used a leftover scrap of cheese cloth to make a rosette with a slight tail, added an altered flower that was leftover on my desk, a random button that was sitting there, and finally added the Prima border. Again I used gloss gel to adhere the Prima border so that it was sure to stay.

I definitely think I've redeemed my prior shame of altering a bag. I quite like this one.

And for the giveaway...

The random winner is Geri!!!!  Please email me your address at tiggertoo57@gmail.com.

Thanks so much

{{hugs}}

Andiepants

Wendy Vecchi embossing paste and a Swirly Challenge

Welcome to December!!

WHAT?!

I know right?!

At any rate...mojo took a vacation and now she's back. It's been a really tough month creatively, however I got the privilege...nay the honor...of chaperoning for my 2 oldest boys electronics weekend for boyscouts. 

How on earth does this relate to scrapping?

Well, one of the committee members happens to be a scrapper too (and a pretty great gal to hang with), so she and I were talking one year and decided that the chaperones would scrap while the boys played with their electronics (aka video games). 

Of course walking into a full on weekend after a month's hiatus and no mojo is a pretty daunting experience. Never-the-less I emerged with this:

My brother was just married in June and what a better Christmas present than a home made inspirational canvas for him and his new bride to hang in their home. 

This was also the project that I was able to use for the eP 12 days of Christmas. We were promoting Wendy Vecchi embossing paste...and just what do you think is ALL OVER this canvas?

Make sure you click on my shopping link on the right to head over and check out the special deal for the day!

I adore the combination of colors on this canvas and the way the colors seep into the embossing paste. The tree is actually a piece of Fab Scraps Chipboard from an odl Swirlydoos kit! Crazy huh?

I used Prima's Finn line of vintage papers for the background with TH tissue paper, some washi tape, and some drywall tape. All of my paper flowers are hand cut and made and the zipper flowers are from a roll purchased from Melissa Frances. 

The brown tones on the lower right side are the Donna Downey Unity stamp that I purchased through eP. It's gorgeous but I was a little disappointed that it ran. I do love the shadowy look witht he stark stamping of the black images. What a contrast.

For the lettering I spritzed with smooch so they would stand out from the background a tad. Again I used another piece of Finn paper for the letters which is where the font you can see peeking here and there came from. The quote is actually from a stamp set that I own but I don't remember whom they are quoting.

I finally decided to pop in over at Swirlydoos and see what was going on with my swirly sisters. 

When I saw that my girl Kim was hosting a challenge...I knew I had to join in. What better way to keep the mojo going?

For the November swirly girls challenge we had to use everything but the kitchen sink. No less than 4 different mediums and it had to be inspired from your fav artist. Of course my fav artist is Finn...always has been.

She posted a blog post about a new blanket she bought and fell in love with that inspired her pages. How ironic that I just bought a new fluffy Sherpa blanket that I am in love with too!

This would be my color inspiration for my LO along with Finn's style:

The brown Dylusions spray turned a tad bit rusty colored on this LO but I still love the rust feel of it. All the layers, and the metal, the chipboard, the paper, the pearls....plus that photo!!! Cutest kids EVER!!! (If I do say so myself)  I forced them out to Stepping Stones Falls for a photo shoot one night after school. It was getting dark fast but they all were very good sports. From the photos I have deduced that mommy needs more work with her camera.

I hope you enjoyed the re-emergence of my mojo. I still haven't shared all the lovely creations from my weekend with my eP cronie Erin in WV so there will be lots of blogging to come.

{{hugs}}

Andiepants