I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Tuesday 29 January 2013

With a flourish...



Hello all, delighted to have your company for a while today.  It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge at Fun With ATCs.

It was magnificent to have so many of you playing and hopping along with the birthday celebrations last time around, and the prize winners and our top 3 will be announced soon.

In the meantime, why not join in with the new challenge: Flourishes.

There's lots of inspiration from my amazing DT team-mates, and here's my offering.

As soon as I saw that Flourish was coming up as a theme, I knew that I wanted to use one of the gorgeous, delicate wooden flourishes from Crafty Emblies, even though I used one on my Ring in the New ATC only a couple of challenges ago - I didn't know then that this was on the cards!












This time, I've given the flourish the embossing powder treatment, using some of the Ranger Weathered White powder, so it has a lovely texture to it.

The background is done on one of my canvas ATCs from my eclectic Paperie DT stash.












I spritzed it with some Espresso Color Wash which I'd diluted with some water in a mini-mister, and then used Coffee Archival to stamp part of a Tattered Angels flourish I love.  

I stuck the canvas to some card for strength (it comes sticky-backed), and frayed the edges.  I was going for a sort of aged fabric look with the spritzing and fraying.









The words are stamped using my Hero Arts alphabet, and then trimmed with a pair of decorative scissors, so that there's a sort of flourish on the edges too.












The flower is one of several I made a week or so ago - some have appeared on an Artistic Outpost project which I hope to share here later today, and some made it on to my mother's birthday card - also not yet blogged.  

I stuck patterned and stamped paper onto acetate, then gently heated it until it was slightly pliable.  Since it was just old packaging, I had to be pretty quick with my moulding, as it doesn't stay soft for very long - don't burn your fingers if you try it!







So there's an actual 3D flourish, and there's also the metaphorical flourishing of growth - either of plants or of oneself... And I'm sure there are other ways you could also interpret the challenge.  


I do hope you'll play along - all the details, as well as lots more inspiration, can be found at Fun With ATCs. Can't wait to see what you come up with...


Poetry fettered, fetters the human race. Nations are destroyed or flourish in proportion as their poetry, painting, and music are destroyed or flourish.
William Blake





Oh - almost forgot! - here's a sneak peek of a project you can see over at the Artistic Outpost blog today, and watch this space for another AO piece right here later today...  It's all go round here at the moment!!

It's a project that's very apt for the time pressures at present!  See you soon...

28 comments:

froebelsternchen said...

Alison .. this is fantastic! GREAT ATC!!!! WOW!

Inkypinkycraft said...

A really beautiful ATC, Love allthe textures you have created and the canvas background is yummy. A tiny but beautiful piece..amazing How much you can get onto an ATC isn't it!! Hugs trace x

Brenda Brown said...

I love how you manage to create such wonderful but little masterpieces Alison, this is just gorgeous.
Hugs Brenda xox

Julia S-W said...

Wonderful, tactile piece Alison. Your wooden flourish looks gorgeous - I need to check those out!! Great textile background. Will pop over and have a look at your sneak peek too.
Juliaxx

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is absolutely gorgeous!

Lucy x

Sophie said...

Wie schön.
Ich liebe diesen rustikalen Stil.
Super!

Astrid Maclean said...

Great ATC and those flourishes really look super and obviously just the right size for ATCs. Gorgeous make!

craftytrog said...

Fantastic ATC Alison, I love the fancy edging on the words! xx

Lisa Minckler said...

The flower is perfect symbolism for the inspiring quote! Now I have to get me some of that embossing powder. Man, do I love that texture!

Marjie Kemper said...

Beautiful, Alison!! Love the pairing of the flourish with the flower and also the soft touch of the fraying.

Hettie said...

Fantabulous ATC there. Love all the yumminess it has.
I must do some more and soon! I must also get around to framing the WOYWW ones I received too as I have the frame so no excuse.
Off to peak at AO now! 3 sets ordered and on their way :-)
xx

Terry said...

Alison, you always create such beauty! Love the ATC on fabric and the fringed edges! Hope you have a wonderful day! Hugs!

Paper Profusion said...

Another glorious piece Alison. Love all the tactile textures. Beautifully stamped as ever - the flower looks fabulous. Nicola x

Jenny Marples said...

Loving the texture of that linen style background. And the flourish works beautifully on it. Hugs, Jenny x

Amanda said...

Simply beautiful!
Love
Amanda x

Bärbel said...

Ganz wunderbar, Alison, ich bewundere, wie gut sich die schönen Schnörkel auf dem Stoff adrücken lassen. Ein sehr schönes ATC!

Mrs.B said...

Great ATC, so much deatail and gorgeous flower.
Avril xx

Annie said...

Gorgeous ATC Alison :-) I tried to leave a comment last night but was advised the page was not available. Anyway, your background and the flower is gorgeous.

TFS

Annie x

Sandy said...

Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!!!!
Sandy

Sue said...

What a fabulous ATC, I love the fabric feel to this and that lovely frayed edge. I really must get myself over to Crafty Emblies xx

Dorthe said...

LOVE ,love those flourishes ,you use-and this you aged so beautifully-
the flower you made is gorgeous ,too-and the feeling of fabric is amazing - Beauty from your hands,again dear Alison.
Hugs,Dorthe

Nan G said...

Wow it looks like an old tapestry has come to life! The textures are just fab.

Anke said...

WOW WOW WOW Alison absolutely stunning, I love your ATC.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

Words to live by...fabulous ATC!!! Love the vintage feel and neutral pallet!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, a gorgeous ATC.

maj. said...

Just gorgeous!!!

mark gould said...

incredible texture, I just want to touch it lol. the flower is stunning I must give this method a try.
What did you use to cut your words out with? they are great shapes.

Margaret said...

The canvas is such a marvelous background and I love those flowers! Your decorative scissors trim looks wonderful! I need to pull mine out and dust them off again!