Busy Creating not Posting

Hi All,

I Can't believe it has been a couple of months since my last post on this blog.
WARNING! I am making up for this with a really long post with lots of photos & links. BEWARE!

During those months I have actually been really busy creating for the
Hobbysew Echuca Creative Team.

Details of all the different creations are on their blog if you want to follow the link above.

Today I wanted to add pictures of some of my favourite pieces to share.
I have included links to more information as well.

Hope this will finish 2016 off nicely so I can start afresh in the New Year.  

Really looking forward to what is planned for 2017.

My Creations are quite varied.  Hope they give you some inspiration & ideas.

I had lots of fun changing this plastic wine glass into a GOBLET from ANTIQUITY 

using IOD Vintage Art Decor Molds & Paper Clay.  

Lots of Prima products were used such as Art Stones, Gel Medium, Crackle Texture Paste & gorgeous Art Alchemy Paints which gave such a textured metallic finish.

As gifts for friends I altered some small Kraft Clipboards that I bought from an office supply store.
I called this one below the Denim Sunny Days Clipboard which features Crackle paste & Rust paste as well as Denim & Crocheted flowers shaped with Sculpture Medium.  The photo is from the 70's!!

I called the other one The Lady & the Dog Clipboard.  

It was made in a similar way but has a more Antique Vintage Feel.

I added a Paper Clay element I made using an IOD mold 

& Ranger Crazing Medium to age the picture.

I am sorry you will have to follow the link to see this one. 

I have accidentally deleted other photos of this as it was a gift.

These layouts pictured above were started at a Prima Workshop taught by Cari Fennell  

at Paperific in Melbourne August 2016. 

They were finished in my own style at home.

Check out the variations on the themes by 5 different designers on the Hobbysew Blog and here also.

I also made a lot of Cards for Special Events. These are super sized!

and then a touch of Halloween (love those mini crazy birds!)

Check out my Vintage Altered Frame here for more Halloween Inspiration.

& then I got into full Xmas mode!

Gorgeous Sweet Peppermint Advent Frame made using Prima Frank Garcia Papers & embellishments.

Finally my Xmas Card Extravaganza!  These feature the Sizzix Tim Holtz Poinsettia Die.

I made so many cards that Hobbysew spread them out over 5-7 days.

These featured Graphic 45 Nutcracker Sweet papers.

These are Sizzix Pop n Cuts Cards

Also cards featuring Gold & Silver Foiling Techniques

Heat Embossing Techniques

Victorian Caroler Silhouettes

Water Colour Cards

After finishing the Xmas cards my final Creation for 2016 was this 

Christmas Mini Album

featuring my all time favourite images inspired by Tim Holtz.

Wishing you a wonderful creative Year in 2017

Bye for now

Deb Adams

Mystery Box - Finnabair Inspired

The techniques & creations of Anna Dabrowska (Finnabair) are so inspiring.

Her workshops were a wonderful experience, totally recommended.

I created this 'Mystery Box' using techniques 
learned during these workshops 
for the HobbySew Echuca Creative Team with wonderful Prima supplies.

This gift box with an acetate window has been in my stash for a long time.

The lid was firstly decorated using (Iron Orchid Designs) Paper Clay pieces I molded.

My previous blog post "Antiqued Candle Stick Holders" shares this technique.

The difference on this lid being the use of Black Gesso & Crackle Medium.

Dry brush techniques highlighted the texture. I used Prima Art Alchemy Paints.

The interior of the box was lined with various textured lace.

Held in place with Prima Art Basics 3D Matte Gel.

The lacy interior was painted with Black Gesso & embellishments collected to display.

 The chipboard horse was propped forward on a small lace covered canvas frame.

This really defined it from the background in such a deep box.

White Sand Texture Paste was applied to the horses body.

All the embellishments including Prima Art Stones were applied with 3D Matte Gel

& left overnight to dry properly.

A coat of Black Gesso was applied to cover all surfaces.

A dry brush technique was used to highlight all the beautiful textures.

Prima Art Alchemy Paints & Silks Acrylic Glazes were used for this.

They provided such a rich sheen. I used lots of colours, they blended really well. 

To lighten the background I used Pure Sunshine, Emperor's Gold & Fresh Orange.

The horse was dry brushed with Metallique Black Berry & Steampunk Copper, which really highlighted the Sand Textue Paste.

The leaves & Rocker were painted with Emerald Green, Olive Green, Rich Turquoise & highlighted with Gold & Copper.  Roses in Metallique Royal Red & Gold.

Here are some close up photos:

 It was difficult to take a photo of the closed box due to reflection on the window.

It is much clearer & brighter in real life.

This was quite a whimsical project, just made for fun.

Hope you like it too.

Deb Adams

Altered Vintage Collections Frame

Hi All,

I wanted to share my Halloween inspired montage of oddities gathered & displayed on a double frame salvaged from the sales bin of my local department store.  

I saw loads of potential in the beautiful ornate patterning of the frame.

We do not celebrate Halloween officially in Australia.  This piece has that spooky feel due to the actual antique memorial notice from 1908 displayed in the centre of the frame.  

The vintage gold text & design on the black background as well as the photo of Matilda match the style of this piece perfectly. 

It looks great displayed amongst our antique decor.

I firstly gave the frame a coat of Black Gesso. 

I let this dry while I collected a range of ephemera for my 3D display.

Most of the pieces are from Tim Holtz Idea-ology (eg. adornments, pulley wheels, bird cage, corked vials, corners, fractured doll, keyhole, letterpress, light bulb, pocket watch, tiny vials, wishbones, file tabs, typed token etc) & Prima embellishments such as mini roses, light bulb, pearls, Apothecary vials & labels, papers, as well as Finnabair mechanicals.  Wow! Too many to list!

I added texture to the background with gauze soaked in black gesso & Prima Sculpture Medium. Prima Art Stones & Mini Art Stones were applied with 3D matte gel medium.  

Drips down the frame were made with a hot glue gun. All the textures were highlighted by dry brushing with Prima Art Alchemy paints in Metallique Steampunk copper & Light Patina.  It created the perfect vintage gold brassy effect.

The Letterpress & other brighter metal objects were distressed with Tarnished Brass & Black Soot Distress Paint.  Crackle finish achieved with Distress Collage Medium (Crazing) & Crackle Accents.

 My favourite piece is the pocket watch with the red dragon's eye. 

See it has a Finnabair Mechanical spring inside which resembles a vortex trying to suck you in. 

Thanks for taking the time to read & look at all the photos.  I am sure you can tell I had lots of fun making this project. 

I am entering this piece in the Frilly & Funkie Challenge 'A Very Vintage Halloween' over at the Frilly & Funkie Challenge Blog sponsored by the Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Cheers for now.  Can't wait to see all the entries in this fun challenge.

Deb xo

'BOXES OF LOVELY NOTES'

ARTIST TRADING BLOCKS  (ATB)

For a long time I have admired the popular craze of making ATB's (ie. Artist's Trading Blocks) especially the lovely creations of  Shelly Hickox (StampTramp) & Anna-Karin (Layers of Ink) 

& Red Lead.  I recommend searching for examples of these on Pinterest.

The Blocks can be die cut from thick cardstock using the 3D Block Die from Eileen Hull & Sizzix. 

I don't have that die, so I have recycled some boxes from my work 

as they are just the right cube shape & size.  

I do love transforming items normally discarded into beautiful artwork to treasure.

This piece will be used to store some precious handwritten letters from my Mother to me.

I am entering my creation in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.  The Challenge theme is

 'Try to Contain Yourself' which suits this piece perfectly.

Read on for more information on my Creative Process:

The Boxes were closed & reinforced with masking tape & then given 2 coats of White Gesso each.

Prima Chalkboard Paint (Charcoal) was sponged on all sides & let dry.

Turquoise Iridescent Creative Medium was applied through the Tim Holtz Flourish Stencil 

to each side of the blocks.

 The two blocks were stacked & offset before being attached to each other with hot glue.

Embellishments such as Flowers, butterflies, buttons, beads & pearls 

were applied with 3D matte gel from Prima Art Basics. 

Most of the flowers are from Prima. 

Some flowers & leaves were die cut & formed using the Tim Holtz Pinecone & Garden Greens die.

The Sentiments are from a Chipboard set (I think from Prima)

 The embellishments were clustered to flow from one box to the other. 

When you look at the piece you are compelled to keep turning it to look at every angle.

Highlighting & blending of the embellishments was achieved by dry brushing & splattering

with Prima Art Alchemy Paints in Metallique Rich Turquoise, Steampunk Copper 

& finally with White Gesso. 

     
          I love the way the flowers wrap around the piece.  I am not sure which angle is my favourite.

Happy Creating     Deb Adams