Workshop diary with a bit of sparkle

Hi

Wow it has been a long time since I blogged, 7 months!  Not good.

What have I been up to:

My business as Art Workshops had a really busy first full year and I guess time just run away with me.

On the note of Workshops: My latest creation was to transform a plain old black diary into in my opinion a piece of art for my workshops in 2015.

I also created a new Workshops note book..................Loving the Finnabair influence.

The amazing Finnabair has a challenge up on her blog called Sparkle-shine blog hop.  So i am going to enter the diary into the challenge.  Believe me it was a challenge, because I am so not a glitter girl....But I felt I could just about cope with using Finnabair Charcoal Art sugar.


 All you have to do is create a piece of art that has sparkle or shine, upload it and whilst you are there pop along and visit all her amazing creative team, grab a cuppa as you will be there for a  wee while . All details are to be found below.

 http://tworzysko.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/sparkle-shine-blog-hop-challenge.html

Hopefully I will not leave it so long to blog again.

Take Care

Sue


Products used

Plain note book and Diary

Metal embellishments - Finnabair
3D Matt Gel - Finnabair
Soft Mat Gel- Finnabair
Art Sugar- Finnabair
Bubble Stencil- Finnabair
White crackle paste- Finnabair

Prima Flowers

Carman - Silks  Acrylic Glaze- Luminarte
Solar Gold -  Silks  Acrylic Glaze- Luminarte

Faux Tea Rose

Hiya
 
Another long time in between blogging...............................!Eek, were is this year going too?
 
I decided  that I would enter the latest CC3 challenge as I had a few hours to spare, which is hosted by the lovely Linda. You can find the details here http://lindaledbetter.com/2014/05/compendium-of-curiosities-3-challenge-3.html

This challenge is being sponsored by http://www.inspirationemporium.com/

Challenge 3  is  the Faux Tea Rose Technique.  Part of the challenge is that you are not allowed to do a write up on the technique, sorry about that.
 
At the moment I am really in to changing "things".  I had brought the bottle shown below a few weeks back in a local supermarket for future use LOL. Okay I brought two! 

So what did I do.........
 
 
Out came the most amazing product known to crafters, AKA Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste.  I covered the bottle with the black paste and gave it some added texture before it dried by patting the flat side of the pallet knife all over the bottle. I adore this product for sure.

Look at that texture

 I then covered the bottle over the paste  with two colours of Treasure Gold wax to give it a certain aged look (thanks Hels for the tip).
 
The flower, tag  and leaves were coloured using Wendy Vecchi Archival inks and Tim Holtz distress ink. 
 

I added a  stamped tag, rusted wire and the bamboo sticks. 

 I now have a artsy room air freshener.
 
Thank you for taking the time to come and have a look.
 
Take care until the next time
 
Sue

Craft Stamper April Challenge Take it Make it

Hiya


On Friday I noticed Craft Stamper had a Take it Make it challenge starting for April and I thought I might have a wee go at this one, seeing it is an age since I took part in a challenge.

The theme was BOTTLES....................Okay at this point I thought maybe next month.....................I then hopped over to Hels Sheridan blog to see her take on the challenge as Hels is part of the DT. If you have time pop over and have a look see at what Hels created.

http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/gorra-lorra-bottle-make-it-take-it.html

 Hels had changed a bottle using Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste, this set the little cogs in my brain working and I was back in the game again.

I set about changing a couple of small bottles with the said Embossing paste. I had no real idea what I was doing or really how it was going to turn out. I have to be honest once the bottles were dried I really like how they had turned out.  I will definitely do this technique again.

To give the bling look I was after I set about the bottles once the embossing paste had dried with Treasure Gold in two different colours. (Thanks Hels for the tip on how to change the look of the bottles).

 

 

 

I made the flowers using Wendy Vecchi CFA , Tim Holtz Material and finally cut them out with the middle sized Tattered Flower die.

 

So great I thought, I have the makings of something, but what am I going to put it on?

 

 Then I remembered that I had brought for a workshop a few MDF mini tables. They didn't sell, so out one of them came from the box........brilliant...........Now what!!!!!!!

 

 

I recently discovered gilding flakes, yes I know slow on the uptake............  They create such a fab and unique look each and every time you use them and you never quite know what you are going to end up with as a design.

 

  I covered the top of the table with the flakes and the around the edge of the table I used Treasure Gold once again.

 

Now as it is a Crafter Stamper challenge it has to include a tad of stamping!

 

  I coloured the legs of the table with distress paint and then stamped one of Tim's ATC size stamps as the wood grain, not looking to shabby I thought? 

Finally I stamped a label with my favourite word and tied it with Jute around the neck of the largest bottle,  added a few roses, job done!

I hope you like my creation and thank you to Craft Stamper for the challenge.  Why not head over and have a look at the amazing art that has been created for the challenge  by the team.
http://craftstamper.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/take-it-make-it-challenge-april.html

Thank you for stopping by, take and see you next time.

Sue x

Time is flying by............

Hiya

I cannot believe that we are into February already...........  So what have I been up to well.

A friend and colleague left the company I work for so I made her a little keepsake.

Quite simple but so gorgeous even if say so myself.

Workshops

I decided last year that I was going to run workshops in the North East to enable mixed media artists to come this far "up North" and spend a couple of days teaching. I did one on July and one in November and they both went really well.  So this year I am stepping it up and trying to run one at least once a month.

I had two weekend workshop with Hels' Sheridan as the Designer/Educator booked back to back to run on the last weekend in Jan and the first weekend in Feb.  For them to run seamlessly there is a huge amount of preparation  leading up to and during the weekend.

We had 19 ladies on each weekend. Two  projects that were totally different from each other.  One was  a gorgeous canvas and the other a master board packed with texture. 

Both weekends went really well and I have further workshops booked with other artist during this year.  So all is good.

Just a  photos:

Lots more amazing photos of the art produced during the weekend can be found on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-Workshops/239252569584115

here are some great examples of Art from the weekend

http://fairefoxes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/hels-sheridan-weekend.html
http://dizzydeetour.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/hels-sheridan-workshop-weekend.html
http://bollyanne.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-hels-sheridan-weekend.html
http://mytobyjug.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-january-workshop-weekend.html
http://fisherscardsandcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/a-weekend-with-hels-part-1.html
http://thehobbyroomuk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/hels-weekend-25th-26th-january-2014.html
http://pinkleart.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/living-in-south-west.html

Art Student

I teach the most adorable 8 year old "Art" once a month.  Whatever I show her she just sucks it up and then goes on to make something special. 

This is what she made this month...............

 

 

 

thanks for taking the time to come by and visit.

 

Take Care & see you soon

 

Sue. x

Fancy a two day workshop with Michelle Webb in July

Hi

Just to let you know that I will running a two day mixed media weekend workshop with Michelle Webb on the 26/27 July in Wynyard just outside Middlesbrough.

Find Michelle's blog to view her amazing creations ............http://thehobbyroomuk.blogspot.co.uk/

If you are interested please contact me on facebook Art Workshops page

Thanks Sue x

Maldives Memories

Hiya for the last time of 2013.

Well first of all a Happy New Year to  you all.

I thought I would end this year with a little old piece of wall art.  Since moving I so miss having all my wall art around me that I thought I know I will combine my love of crafting with my obsession The Maldives................... 

I have been lucky enough in my life to have been to this amazing place on earth a few times and would go back in a heart beat.  So I have created my little piece of Maldives Magic to hang up and make me smile and also to believe that the good times to come are just around the corner of 2014. Every time I look at it I am transported back to that particular beach, in that particular moment of time.

The majority of the products are Tim Holtz from rub on's, distress paint, ideaology to his material.  Gotta love a bit of Tim.  I did sneak in a wee bit of Wendy, the Heart is a Blossom Bucket wooden one.


So here we go .......

There are three different blues paints on the burlap panels

Bit of UTEE coming into the mix

A real Maldives Postage stamp

A little wish bone to help me on my way back to paradise.

Lots of different products being used on these three burlap panels.  My mantra for 2014 is going to be use it or lose it.  Having put 3 big boxes into storage and brought to many boxes to admit to on here to the new house I have to start using what I have........

Thank you for stopping by

Take Care and see you in 2014.

Sue

How many products???????????

Hiya

This week I finished my last Christmas home décor piece for this year. 

At the beginning of the year I was given as a present a Tim Holtz Printers Tray by the lovely Hels Sheridan.  My full intention was to create a Christmas decoration with it.  Each year I like to make something to put around my home that is not shop brought and massed produced.  This was the just the right size for what I wanted.  As it has to be my main feature this year as unfortunately all my other Christmas decorations are in a storage container somewhere in the North East.

I spent all of last weekend making it happen and I am really pleased with the result to be honest. 

I used the December Technique from 12 Tags Of 2013 again, but this time I coloured the CFA and not the FF as I only had white CFA.

I seriously cannot believe how many products went into the making of this piece of art. 

The Tray in it's full glory

Close up's

How cute is that little santa sack

Love my WV and TH flowers

Tiny music sheets

Thank you for looking and for staying with me this year and I hope you all have a fab Christmas and a wonderful 2014.

Take Care Sue



Products used That I can remember

Tim Holtz Printer tray
Festive Berries, Forest Moss, Picket Fence  Distress Paint
Brushed corduroy Distress ink
Merriment paper stash/Ribbon/Tissue Tape
Frosted Film
Glitter Tarnished Brass, Festive Berries, clear Rock candy
Festive Rub on's
Red Tinsel
Corked Domes & Vials
Christmas Muse Token
Wish bones and Jar
Ornate Plate
Woodlands Tree
Mini Holidays Stamp
Sizzixs - Tattered Pine Cone. Vintage Noel (25), Mini Old Jalopy and Pine Tree, Holiday lamppost
Crackle paint clear rock candy

Wendy Vecchi
Clearly for Art White
Archival Inks Fern Green and Red Geranium
Blossom Bucket Bingo Chip


Cosmic Shimmer
Burlap
Treasure Gold
Christmas baubles/clock/tassel/gold ball

Frosted Film and Clearly For Art Flowers

 

 

 

Hiya

 

I promised myself I would be a better blogger, so check me out, blogging again so soon.

 

 

My reason for starting to blog nearly 2 years ago was to enter more challenges and be more confident in my art.  Somehow life has got in the way of me keeping that promise.........................BUT I vow to change that and do better.

 

Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi, two of my favourite designers collaborated in combining two of their own products Frosted Film (TH) and Clearly for Art (WV)  and they both shared their results on the 1st December.  I was blown away with the results.  I needed to make a few festive art décor projects for our temporary home, as all of my Christmas décor is in storage along with 75 % of our belongs.

 

I knew I had some CFA and FF somewhere in the stash I brought with me to the new home.  So with a bit of hunting I tracked down both products.  Unfortunately I only have the white CFA so my take on Tim's  flowers has come out slightly different, but pretty stunning none the less. 

 

When I am in a creative block I always revert to paper blocking, I love it, there is no right or wrong, you just do it.

 

I am going to enter this art project in 12 Tags of 2013.  Now I know technically it isn't a tag, but I  did use a tag for the stamped verse, so not going to Freak my Freak, its creative and uses the technique, so it fits........................................

 

 

First up

 

The flowers ...................

I adore how they have shape and form

 Next up the small canvas on the canvas..........



How cute is this mini wonder

 

 

Next up the bundle of joy...................................



I so like how this little bundle came together

Finally the finished piece..........................



 

The finished piece. 

 



Products used

 

 

TH Merriment papers & ribbon

TH Grungeboard

TH Christmas rub on

TH Distress Paints

Gold Paint Dabber

Brushed Corduroy Distress ink

TH SA - Joyful song mini version

Sizzix: TH Cones, Noel, various greenery

WV Clearly For Art White

TH Frosted Film

TH Film strip/paper string

WV Archival Inks

Glue and Seal

TH Distress Glitter

TH Memo pin/ Brads/Christmas token/Bottle

Manila Tag

String

Various Pins

Canvas

Hessian



Thanks for stopping by Tuck Towers and I hope you have like what you have seen and may be it has given you the inspiration to try one of the techniques.............

 

Take Care Sue

Seriously over two months since I blogged

Hiya

I cannot believe it has been over two months since I have last blogged.  That is way too long.

A lot has taken place over that time period

1 I have an art student  - she is 7 years old and a total dream to teach.
2. Hels and I held our second workshop in the Northeast.
3. I arranged my first Art Birthday for a group of 10 years old.
4.  The biggest heartbreak was moving from my home of 8 years.
5. I won a set of Wendy Vecchi stamps from the lady herself.

Guess not bad for two months worth of MIA

So lets get this photo heavy post started.  In no particular order.........

A group of wonderful artists who came to Hels Sheridan Melt Pot weekend.  We had a fun crazy time, just what I needed to be honest.  They all made some amazing creations using UTEE. Thank you ladies for making it a good weekend and hers to Jan and Feb where we will all meet up again.


These cool ladies rocked the weekend.




 

Lou in the corner - Enough said, if you know Lou then you know why she was in the corner.  Love this lady to bits



I made them all a little trick or treat bag using tims paper bag die and lost of Dyans yummy inks

Next up my adorable art student -  two of her amazing works of art - She is like a little sponge just soaks it all up and away she goes.  She has her own mind and WILL place where she wants, no matter what!

This lesson was about colour

This lesson was all about layers

 

 

Next up I made this little canvas for a new baby in our family.  Bit cutesy for me but I did manage to get some ink and paint on it. I had to cover his little face up for obvious reasons.  I have been reliably informed that it is going on his bedroom door.

 

 



What a fab name, way cute baby!

 

Next up was my first Art Birthday party that I hosted for five young ladies.  Four of them had never created art in a mixed media way and they sure had fun.  I had my friend Debbie alongside to help me through the madness.  Without her I would have definitely had a few more of natures highlights in my hair,  All paints,  inks and stamps by either Dyan or Tim..............ranger you rock to.

Check out the one and only blue project amid the sea of pink

As per normal most of the products used were Ranger, Tim's or Dyan's, too many to list in my usual way.


 

 

Thank you for stopping by, sorry I have been missing in action, promise to do better.

Take care

Sue

Three days = Three Plays

Hiya

I was on my own for most of thelong bank holiday in the UK.  So that could only mean CRAFT TIME..............

So first up............

I really like the crackle pain look of this little piece of art

A little old gift tag

Take three Ranger designers products and see what happens

I covered a Wendy Vechhi Art Part square with Studio 490 Embossing paste. Sprayed it to death with Dyan's inks and then stamped into the paste.  I just love stamping into paste the effect is just mega.  Once dried I used Tim's Distress Crackle paint to paint the outside frame, Distress paint to edge the frame, covered the sides and back with Tissue tape and finally stamped a birthday banner.  Attached a few flowers, idealogy numbers and it was finished -  a little Birthday Plaque.

Next up

Loving the black and white look

Little bunch of  cuteness

Splatter look, think it is here to stay

I really enjoyed the last canvas I made for a colleagues daughters birthday and another colleague wanted something similar for her niece.  I only had a smaller canvas at home, so I had to scale it down somewhat.  But again very happy with the result.  I have decided to use the splatter sides again as I love how it turns out. 

And finally

Layers and layers

A little Grunge Paste anyone?

Splatter going on

I tried to use a Hels technique on another canvass, but it went very horribly wrong.  So I covered the canvass with cream paint, bringing it back to a plain canvass and set about it with my fav paints of all time Distress..............

Unfortunately you cannot see all the layers as I only had Gloss glue and seal  left to cover the canvass and it give quite a shine.  I LOVE this so much it has such depth and layers it is just mega lush.

So all in all a fab crafting few days off.

Thanks for stopping by Tuck Towers, Until the next time.

Sue

Products Used

 Ranger and Co
Art Part square
Embossing paste
Dylusions inks London Blue - Calypso Teal
Distress Crackle Paint - Broken China
Distress Re-inker - Black Soot
Distress Paints - Picket Fence, Black Soot, Barn Door, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey
Distress Inks Broken China, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire, Brushed Corduroy
 Stamps - Happy Birthday stamp- Good Luck  - Simple Sayings Set,
Stamps - Saying and ticket for the Odds and Ends Set
Glue and Seal Matt and Gloss
Tissue Tape
Perfect Pearls - Perfect Pear - Heirloom Gold
Stencil Studio 490 - Sayings
Wish Bone, Ring, Memo pin, Clock winder, Film Strip
Tissue Wrap - Melange
Paper String

Other
Cosmic Shimmer
PaperArtsy Grunge paste
Canvasses
Paper Flowers
Pins
Metal Corners
Treasure Gold
Crystals/Pearls
Bird Cage