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 12 February 2013

Beer Mat Art?



Hello all...  Lovely to have your company for a while here at Words and Pictures (especially if this is your second trip today!  If you're looking for the new Fun With ATCs challenge, you'll find it here.)


I'm here with another design piece for eclectic Paperie, and it's one of the projects I've been mentioning which uses the new Donna Downey hedgerow stamps from Unity.


You may already have seen the first tag I made with them, and now I'm back with something a bit more substantial.








As usual with an eP post, you'll find links at the foot of the page to take you to all the ingredients I've used.


I created this mini-album out of beer mats (or coasters, if you prefer), some paint and some stamps, simple as that really!


I love the projects where you go from a few unassuming ingredients to having a whole book, or whatever it is, in your hands - it delights me to create something out of nothing.



I've got an insanely busy and exciting week coming up (watch this space!!) so I'll try really hard to keep this fairly brief... though there are, of course, plenty of photos.










I gave each mat a rough coat of Ice Blue Fresco paint (though any acrylic would do) leaving plenty of the white surface showing at the edges for a slightly rustic look.











I added some of the Tim Holtz tissue tape from the Hobgoblin set for texture.  Snap'em up - they're in the eP Clearance section at half price!  Click the picture link below to go straight there.















I then used a piece of card to add strokes of dark brown paint.












They're sort of intended to be a little bit 'grassy', but really I just like the dynamic look of them!














I used Coffee Archival and Memento Teal Zeal inks to stamp the Delicate Flowers and the Wayward Blooms by Unity.  On sides where the DFs are in Coffee, the WBs are in Teal and vice versa, creating variations on each double page spread.











The quotes are selected from both the Empowered Words and the Art and Possibility set, as I wanted each of them to include a "handwritten" word.








They're stamped in Coffee Archival and mounted on dark brown cardstock, randomly torn and inked.  Lots of fun arranging these so that they made the best use of the backgrounds I'd created.













Obviously there's lots of inking with Gathered Twigs too, but pretty much my favourite part of this project was adding highlights using the Inkssentials white gel pen.


It's remarkable how therapeutic it is dotting in all the blossoms on the flowers - you enter a kind of Zen trance state!


That's also how this little book feels to me... 







Since there's relatively little variation from page to page, it really foregrounds the quotes, and allows the mind to soften and contemplate. It's very calming.

I've no idea whether what I'm doing is art, but it certainly makes me happy!






The front and back covers got some extra inking to "weather" them, and I used double strands of twine to bind my little book, and that was pretty much that.









As this consists of beer mats altered to make a book, I'm going to offer it as some extra inspiration to join the current eclectic Paperie Get Altered challenge - Altered Books.








All the details of the challenge are here, and there's a prize voucher, generously sponsored by Kim at eP.  It would be great to have you play along.

For now, thank you so much for your time, and I hope you'll be able to drop by later in the week when all sorts of excitement is going to kick off!!  Happy Crafting in the meantime!

Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.
From I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith

Learn to be silent.  Let your quiet mind listen and absorb.
Pythagoras

I'm going to make this a second entry into the colour challenge Blues, Browns & Beige over at the  Flonzcraft Vintage Stamping Challenge.  Well, if you will pick my favourite colours as the theme...



Click the picture link to go straight to the product:



47 comments:

Claudia N. said...

Couldn't imagine a better (and lovelier) use of beer mats, Alison!

Gorgeous!

Hugs,
Claudia x

House of Bears said...

Wonderful repurposing, we love when something so simple becomes a work of art.

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Fabulous decorated beer mats. Gorgeous flowers and in my favourite colours too. Tracy x

froebelsternchen said...

oh my gosh.. this is fantastic Alison.. I love it!

Amanda said...

Alison this is absolutely super, your colours are superb (and no red, lol) inspirational as always
Love
Amanda x

Lindsay Craftymonster81 said...

WOW! What an amazing idea, I love the colours and images you have used and those sentiments are lovely
Lindsay xx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Just trying to keep up with you today! Love this - I have had some coasters on my desk for a while - this might just push me towards using them! Love the way it all comes together with those fabulous quotes!
Chrisx

Redanne said...

A totally wonderful way to use those coasters Alison, love the muted colours and those Unity stamps are divine! Love them and love your gorgeous book...... I have a set of those coasters... somewhere... Hugs, Anne x

PS - looking forward to much excitement later in the week...

Yvonne Garner said...

Stunning coaster book Alison. Cannot wait to hear your news!

Nicecrane Designs said...

It is a must- have to get inspiration Alison.....love the way you used these coasters.......

Inkypinkycraft said...

The colours and details are all gorgeous! As are the stamps and the quotes! A fab make hugs trace x
Cannot wait to hear your exciting news! Trace x

Anonymous said...

Dear Alison
I have to say a huge Thank You for the way you have continued to support me by visiting my Blog during my absence. Each day I feel a bit stronger and today I was desperate to visit as many friends as possible.
Oh how I have missed viewing your art. Amazing upcycling in the most beautiful colour palette and so much of interest.
Wishes
Lynne

Sarah said...

You have created so much depth with your layered stamping and the Zen dots complete the illusion. Perfection!

Unknown said...

Brilliant idea Alison and such elegance. This piece once again highlights your style and the clever way you put colours and textures together. Gorgeous! Chris xx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful project Alison, the flowers look fabulous and the little white dots add that perfect touch ! Sue C x

Annie said...

This is so fab Alison. I love the backgrounds you have created here. My favourite colours too.


Stunning make

Annie x

Carol Q said...

lovely Alison - beer mats are perfect for mini books aren't they?

Dorthe said...

This is what I love about mix media art, dear Alison: you making bear mats to the most wonderful little book, filled with wonderful stamps, on a bluis sky background, promising it will soon be spring.
Love you bound it with the twine?
My internet has been down, ...so I`m behind!
Hugs,Dorthe

ionabunny said...

Love the colours and stamping. Very calming. A beautiful piece

toni said...

Who would have thought the humble beer mat would turn into something so beautiful! . Love the cool colours and those hedgerow stamps are gorgeous. I'll also be having some exciting news to share soon .......x

Astrid Maclean said...

Gosh you are a busy lady!! Lovely piece and the colours are much more up my street! beautiful stamping!!
Great use of those beer mats!

Paper Profusion said...

I totally love this Alison - simply divine! Nicola x

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...how lovely to drop by and see one of your stunning ingenious designs Alison, love your colour theme and eye catching stamping, a fantastic and inspiring use of the good ole coaster, a real treat for us all...beautiful work as always...Melx :)

catherine said...

This is very creative Alison and looks fantastic
x catherine

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Great creativity! Love the stamping and the soft blue tones...

greetings, Alie :-)

Brenda Brown said...

Fabulous Alison, the colours and textures and those stamps are all gorgeous. Wonderful to see the designs together in a book like this. great job.
hugs {brenda} x0x

Hettie said...

This is gorgeous Alison! I have collected beer mats to make a mini album but not got round to it. I think your idea is much nicer and the colours are gorgeous.
Hettie xx

Francesca said...

I could be rude and say you must do a lot of drinking at your local LOL. but seriously the altered beer mats look good. Lovely colours.

Keren Tamir said...

So fantastic Alison! Wow wow wow

Geraldine said...

Gorgeous, love the soft colours and the stamps are wonderful.

Marjie Kemper said...

Aaaaaaah..... LOVE!

Marjie Kemper said...

Aaaaaaah..... LOVE!

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

OH your blues have me needing a beer...beer mat that is!!! LOL!!! We call them a coaster here! Love your beer mat book...brilliant! The stamping is fab and the color scheme is perfectly winter! LOVE THIS!!!

chrissie said...

Very beautiful piece of art-the colours all go so well together.

Love Chrissie xx

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A fabulous project, your altered coasters are wonderful. Thanks for joining us at FlonzCraft Vintage Stamping Challenges.

brenda said...

Another stunning an inspirational piece Alison.

B x

craftytrog said...

A beautiful little book Alison! A lovely way to transform some beer mats! xx

Karen McAlpine said...

Great use of the beer mats!! Love those wild flower images too. Beautiful project!

Janny Jager said...

WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW what a great book .
love the colors and the stamps.
Greetings Janny

Sandy said...

Well I would call this art - I call everything you do art! Reading how you do everything and seeing the delightful pictures puts me in a dreamy trance - love this Alison!!
sandy

Dianne said...

Its so well done love it all, the stamp my favorite weed flower:):)I used to wear them in my hair LOL..

Ozawa said...

Very well done! hank you for the explanations!

Jenny Marples said...

What a beautiful way to use these images. A fantastic project. Hugs, Jenny x

Sue said...

So beautiful, I love your little 'dotty' flowers xx

Chris said...

Oh those stamps are gorgeous and I love how you used them on your beer mat book, another fantastic and detailed project. X

chrissie said...

Wonderful use of the colour, stamped images and techniques--a perfect little book

Love Chrissie xx

jasann said...

What a lovely use of coasters!!! Very pretty , love the colour combination, thanks for sharing!