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 23 April 2013

Moonlight Revels

Hello everyone!  It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at Fun With ATCs.  For this fortnight we'd love to see your Artist's Trading Cards (2.5 x 3.5 inches in size) on the theme of Magic or Magical Creatures.  There's some really exciting inspiration from my fellow teammates here, plus all the challenge details of course.  Here's my offering to get you started:


This was a really tricky one to get a good photo of because there's so much faerie dust around (a.k.a. Perfect Pearls, Distress Stickles and Dry Glitter); the real magic happens when you move it around in the light...


I make no apologies for employing the same fairies as in my Once Upon A Time Steampunk Fairytale Book... they're pretty much the only magical creatures I have amongst my stash.  They come from the Prima 6x6 Nature Garden collection.

This is how they look before any doctoring (apart from a bit of sanding round the edges where I've stuck them onto chipboard).





Now they've got some Perfect Pearls powder in Pearl on their dresses and an aura of Rock Candy Distress Stickles in the haze around them, as well as some doodling with the Inkssentials white gel pen to give a moonlit glow to them.










I love this little one!








The moon was created by pressing one of the Tim Holtz texture stamps into some WV embossing paste to get that bumpy, cratered look.

I knew I'd only be using part of it, so I didn't bother making it very round...




Next step was a liberal coating of Rock Candy Dry Glitter... you get so much dimension and texture from this, and it has such a subtle sparkle. Fabulous stuff...




That sparkle, plus a bit of inking, gives the moon a touch more presence... and sparks the faerie revels - dancing in the moonlight!










The words are stamped with my little £1 alphabet stamps with some doodled moonlit highlights.  

They're inspired by Puck's speech from the end of A Midsummer Night's Dream - you'll find it below, of course (oh, and if you're wondering about my weird spelling of faerie, I did go into it here), and I'll leave you with that...

For now, I hope you'll have time to check out the inspiration from the rest of the DT, and it would be fabulous to have you play along with our Magic and Magical Creatures theme at Fun With ATCs... 

I really can't wait to see where your imaginations take you (and us).

Have a wonderful week!










Puck:
Now the hungry lion roars
And the wolf behowls the moon,
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
All with weary task fordone.
Now the wasted brands do glow,
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves all gaping wide,
Every one lets forth his sprite,
In the churchway paths to glide.
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate’s team
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic. Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallowed house.
I am sent with broom before
To sweep the dust behind the door.
William Shakespeare









Oops, nearly forgot!

For something completely different, there's a one-time-only chance to see the card I made for my nephew over on the Artistic Outpost blog today.

"A card?", I hear you cry.

Yup, a card... because that's what doting aunts do for their adored nephews (and I'd do it for my niece too, but pretty much nobody else.  Grrr... I hate making cards - what is that about?!)

Happy Crafting everyone!


45 comments:

froebelsternchen said...

what a little magical TREASURE Alison!
You put so much details in it .. and I really like the magical shades .. the colour seems to be from the moon or another far away planet - Gorgeous!

Don´t say you hate making cards.. ATCs are also cards--LOL!

if we bring love to a card it is like a big canvas of art!

Happy Tuesday Alison!

Debi said...

just love love LOVE all the pretty glitter :-) prettiest ATC, Debi x

May said...

Love your ATC Alison, the detail is fabulous Love the sweet fairies on the wonderful crackle-glittered background...The moon is fantastic... Love it all... Hugs May x x x

Astrid Maclean said...

Wonderful texture on this pretty ATC! Love the moon and the shadowed lettering! I keep marveling at the amount of stash you must have taken to the CR......I haven't even heard of half of these products, but their effect is certainly amazing!!

Helen said...

Oh, I want to feel it... it is beautiful!! Love all the pretty shimmer.

chrissie said...

A truly magical ATC and a wonderful piece of Shakespeare to read as well-thank you.

The card is terrific-love the bright colours and the image--just right for the age group

Love Chrissie xx

Fliss said...

Absolutely fabulous glimmer and texture Alison. Great soft colours too.
Love your AO card too - your nephew will be thrilled.
Hugs, Fliss xx

brenda said...

You have a achieved a wonderfully ethereal feel to this lovely piece of artwork Alison, reminds me of the TV adaptation of HCA's Snow Queen.

B x

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Gorgeous ATC, magical. Love how,you stamped the Faeries text having a shadow, lovely. Wonderful texture a d colours perfect for a faerie piece. Tracy x

Claudia N. said...

Love your lots of faerie dust that's in the air, Alison!

And your making of the moon was a joy to read and behold!

Hugs,
Claudia x

Redanne said...

You have managed to create a little magic with your gorgeous ATC Alison. The faeries are beautiful and the background is just stunning. I really want to reach out and touch this! Hugs, Anne x

Silvia(Barnie) said...

A beautiful ATC with wonderful magical feeling.

Jennie Atkinson said...

Wonderful ATC Alison - what alot you have done in such a small space! It all works so beautifully. And thanks for the reminder that I bought some glitter stickles and I'm off to find them!!

Dianne said...

Hello my dear Alison, when you start to create thats when the real magic begins. I love those fairies you used.Adding the white from the moon shadow was a brilliant idea, as well as how you made the moon. I love all the sparkle and glitter , you know us magpies:):).. The words look so real in the moonlight. Absolutely amazing work my dear. Thanks for sharing and your inspiration. Have a wonderful day..

Nan G said...

Delightfully magical, Alison!

Hettie said...

Ooo Alison. This is wonderful. Your Fairies are sure having a great frolic!
Hugs
xx

Krisha said...

Very magical! Love the fairies

Tonniece said...

Beautiful and VERY magical indeed.
Love all the sparkle.
TFS
Hugz Tonniece

Janny Jager said...

Great Atc Alison with a beautiful texture.

Greetings Janny

Karen McAlpine said...

Lots of sparkly goodness!! Love it.

cathylynn said...

Magical!! I love those fairies among all the fairy dust. Great work once again!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

mark gould said...

A wonderful Atc Alison, The fairy stamp looks great and a brilliant take on the challenge theme. I really like the white doodled high lights.
lovely textures with the glitter and sparkles ;) x

Jenny Marples said...

You got me with the glitter and that fabulous moon. It makes this such a special ATC. Hugs, Jenny x

Dianne said...

Its me again:) forgot to tell you BF= Best Friend BBF= Bestest Friend,I'm sure that isn't proper english but thats what it means. She has been my friend for 47 years, so I mean bestest LOL.. Have a great day...

Laurart said...

What!!! No card for me? I am sooo shocked! ;o) xxxxxxx

Laurart said...

OOpppps...got all caught up in the 'No Birthday card'!! (Joke!) and forgot to mention the ATC! I LOVE the ATC. So very pretty and tryuly magical.....don't show it to Annie - she'll grab it! Lots of love from Laura xxxxxxxx

Dorthe said...

I love the tale of a Midsommer Nights Dream, and I love your faerie piece, with the dancing tiny ones, having fun in the gorgeous shimmering moonlight- so beautiful Alison!
xo,Dorthe

House of Bears said...

Ooh we love your magical mystical make. Those letters are fab, they really stand out, we thought they were 3d.

sara j said...

i love the little fairies...they look as tho they have a twinkle in their eyes...pretty good huh since I can't see their eys? They just look so impish. Another cool, fun, Amazing piece Alison. I've been doing a lot of ATC's lately; think I'll go have a look at the challenge, but the sweetie I live with had me doing all sorts of real life stuff this weekend, and I'm actually having friends over to craft on Saturday (a first) so time is a premium. Loving your blog.

Anonymous said...

Oh the magical touch to this ATC is quite lovely and adore the moon, that is very special indeed.
Wishes
Lynne

Sue said...

This is beautiful Alison, I love your moon and your gentle touch with your white pen - just perfect xx

Heather Landry said...

What a beautiful, glittery project! Wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

Brenda Brown said...

Perfectly fairylike and magical with all the sparkle and ethereal look.
Hugs Brenda xox

pearshapedcrafting said...

Lovely! had to try and picture just how small all those luscious little details are! Chrisx

Bonnie Irvine said...

I love the magic and whimsy of this atc. The fairy dust looks fabulous as does the moon...great techniques. Your little faeries are charming...so playful and sweet. I have to go check out your card now...wouldn't want to miss an event like that :)

Chrissy said...

Oh! I do love this Alison, the Fairies are gorgeous, I love the sparkle and the moon...everything, on such a tiny space as an ATC..fabulous.

Luv CHRISSYxx

Keren Tamir said...

amazing Texture Alison!! love it!!!

Inkypinkycraft said...

Lovethe magical and beautiful shimmer y have created and the moon itself is wonderful a, another great make ..thanks for your kind words...hugs trace x

Marjie Kemper said...

How dreamy and magical... just gorgeous!

Kezzy said...

Wow gorgeous, I can't believe it's on an ATC, so small but so much texture and loads to look at. Happy Crafting :-) Kezzy xxx

Unknown said...

This is a beautifully, dreamy piece Alison, such an inspiration for what you can do with an ATC (I had to do a double-take, unbelievable, pardon the pun). The frosted effect with the glitter is kewl too, I just might have to dig out my unused fairy silhouette stamps and have a go. Very inspiring, love it. Chris xxx

Nicecrane Designs said...

Soooo magic card, so mysterious,,,so unique,,,,,love it,,, Alison.

Annie said...

This is amazing................love the white pen around the faeries and the dried glitter and pearls makes for a wonderful frosty look.

Bet its fabulous when the lights are on.

Just stunning Alison

Hugs

Annie x

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Lovely, magical, ethereal ATC! Great artwork.

Sandy said...

I think that somewhere along the line, you have been sprinkled with magic faerie dust!!! Heck, I think you were baptized in it!!!! Your work, more times than not, is magical!
Sandy