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Wednesday, 22 January 2014

An Impulse to Soar

Hello and welcome all, with an especially big welcome to the new followers - it's lovely to have you here!  It's time for the monthly Artistic Outpost hop today.  It's a Designer's Choice theme, so there's all sorts of inspiration from my amazing team-mates on your way round... Here's the full itinerary:









I've another make for you today which didn't turn out as planned - it changed direction part way through.  

That always happens when I have a plan - I'm better off starting with no idea where I'm going - but the change of direction was definitely for the better, so I'm happy!























The little girl from the Think and Wonder would pretty much always be my Artistic Outpost stamp of choice - there's just something about her.














And the Helen Keller quote from Quotes & Quotables was just crying out to be included.  

They're both stamped in Watering Can Archival onto Specialty Stamping Paper.  And I did some inking, spritzing and flicking with Pumice Stone DI and water.









So, the original plan was to mount my stamped panels onto a small canvas.  

I played with the layout until I was happy, and then - just to keep it all in place while I created the background on the canvas - I scooched it all across to a piece of painted corrugated card which was hanging around on my craft table.












Well, that was that for the canvas... the corrugated card was clearly where they were meant to live!













I added several stampings of the tiny flourish from the Serenity plate, stamped in Pumice Stone.  I love how it's almost the same colour as the unpainted cardboard.













If you saw my recent flirtation with pink (and I should just own up and say that I do quite like pink - some pinks, not Barbie pink!), you may recognise the colours on the flowers.












It's the combination of Hot Cinnamon and Spiced Pumpkin Primary Elements powders from Luminarte - made into sprays by my own fair hand and applied so as to keep some of the original creams and ivories showing through. 









The larger flowers are by Wild Orchid, and the little ones are from a pack of Petaloo flowers I picked up very cheaply.  

I love that with a spritz of colour you can customise them to fit whatever you're creating.









The butterflies are from the same Petaloo set.

The glitter continues to show through even after the spritzing...














... but I did tone down the bling factor by adding a bit of gesso to the pearls on the butterflies and in the centres of the flowers.









A couple of eyelets, also painted with gesso, and some twine to hang it up by, and there she is, ready to soar (which she almost did in the windy conditions during the photographing).

Thanks so much for dropping in.  I hope you'll have time to check in with the rest of the Artistic Outpost team - they've some real beauties in store for you.  

If you get lost along the way, you can find all the hop details here at Artistic Outpost.

See you soon!



My own brain is to me the most unaccountable of machinery - always buzzing, humming, soaring, roaring, diving and then buried in mud.  And why?  What's this passion for?
Virginia Woolf





I'd like to enter this for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where A is for... well, Artistic Outpost, obviously - the stamp company I discovered second only to Tim Holtz at the beginning of this crafty journey, and for whom I'm extremely proud to be a designer.

66 comments:

  1. You are a special person! I like the way you express yourself through art, beautiful work! BArbarayaya

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  2. This is gorgeous and I love the burst of flowery colour! SO x

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  3. Beautiful Alison. Love the muted background contrasted with the delightful flowers.
    hugs {brenda} x0x

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  4. Another fab project, Alison! Love the flowers - Petaloo are great, aren't they? Your projects always develop and evolve, I love to read your posts.

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  5. I have lost count of the times I changed direction with a creation Alison so nice to know we all do the same.

    I love the bold colours against the corrugated background.

    B x

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  6. The contrast of those beautifully coloured flowers against the neutral textured background is so incredibly eye catching and they seem to fit perfectly with this young lady, ready to soar. You definitely have with this. Jenny x

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  7. Stunning piece of art even before the flowers were added. Then they were added and all the colour as well and the piece 'popped'.

    Better not to think I reckon because when you 'just do it' all turns out right :)

    The Virginia Woolf quote today fits me well I fear-not always but very often lol.

    Have a great day Alison

    Love Chrissie x

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  8. Such a pretty piece, and I agree, the card was meant to be! They look at home there. Pumice Stone is such a lovely colour, I just don't use it enough but think I will be after seeing this.

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  9. Fab piece, butterfly! Love the pop of color.

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  10. The little girl holds her own with the hot colors of the flowers. Different for you, but it works. Beautiful!

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  11. Lovely project Alison, I love it when things accidently happen and turn out good. The texture of the cardboard gives a little rustic feel which balances the colour and the softness of the flowers and the little girl stamp. Hugs Mo x

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  12. That is beautiful. The corrugated card was definitely a good choice & the flowers look so good against it.

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  13. A wonderful piece Alison, I love the corrugated background - the flowers look brilliant against it.
    xxx Hazel.

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  14. I only can say: gorgeous! The contrastful flowers are looking great!
    xxx Evelyn

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  15. Fantastic collage composition and the image is great! Love the the corrugated background. Just beautiful, Alison!

    Gaby xo

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  16. wow wow wow - I adore this - that beautiful saying and the pretty girls and those flowers whose colour is just so intense - I have these primary elements colours and will now have to have a play - beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration! Am now following! Hugs Rachel x

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  17. Well those bright flowers certainly add some zing to this piece!! Have to say, love the corrugated card version, you are right, that's where she wanted to be. The contrast between the bright flowers and muted tones of Pumice Stone really make this hanger stand out from the crowd!

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  18. This is beautiful Alison! Great colours, & you really can't beat corrugated card as a base...I love using it! And it's free!!! :o)
    Alison xxx

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  19. Beautiful flowers - they are the prettiest colors. And yes, the butterflies are pretty too.
    Now how can I argue with Helen Keller! I wanted to say perhaps creeping is a way to learn how to fly. You learn from each creep!!
    Sandy xx

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  20. Beautiful wall hanging Alison, so funny how a plan turns into something totally different, yet equally lovely! PS - I have the perfect spot for this piece!

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  21. The corrugated cardboard is definitely the Midas touch! And look at those gorgeous flowers. The color is so lively and gives hope for spring to arrive real soon!!! Alison this is a beauty!!!
    Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

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  22. Beautiful contrast with your choice of colors for your flowers and butterfly.

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  23. Absolutely divine, Alison! I really like the stamping on the cardboard - that flourish from Serenity is a favorite of mine and it looks terrific stamped in the Pumice Stone ink. The color of the flowers is absolutely gorgeous and makes this whole canvas sing.

    Hugs,
    Linda

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  24. Gorgeous piece Alison, Love the image & those flowers are simply stunning...they bring the whole piece alive... Love it.... Hugs May x x x

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  25. Alison, I have to say you make corrugated cardboard a beautiful thing! Love how you added the subtle stamping to it and those flowers framing that sweet face and sentiment - so lovely! I think the girl in the center gets the boy! Hugs!

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  26. Love how the flowers pop right off the corrugated card base, beautiful colours and a great quote. Fantastic ArT Alison.

    I agree that the pieces look better against the corrugated card than the canvas, much more depth and texture:-) xxx

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  27. Totally stunning, such an amazing beautiful colours!!!

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  28. Wow Alison...this is so lovely. I love your sweetly colored flowers that provide a perfect amount of color on your brilliant crackled white washed background. That sentiment is such a wonderful one and I love it paired with the sweet image of the little girl. <3 Candy

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  29. Another fabulous project Alison and the girl stamp is pretty special, its on my long list of needs.....lol
    Great quote from Virginia Woolf. Hugs Annette x

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  30. It's WOW... LOVE the subtle stamping in the background too, and the flowers that pop on that background..

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  31. Stunning! The entire piece, love the girl image, her expression. This is beautiful!

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  32. I love the gorgeous bursts of colour against the creamy background. The image of the girl is my favourite from the stamp set (I don't use it often enough) and she looks beautiful on this piece. Anne x

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  33. Gorgious Alison, I really love this wonderful tag (card)!!!Great design and colours!!!

    Greetings
    Maria

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  34. Hi Alison, love the whitewashed corrugated backdrop, perfect for the sweet girl image . The flowers give the perfect pop of co,our and wonderful dimension. Lovely eye catching piece. Tracy x

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  35. Love the splash of colour against the neutrals - amazing

    Sam xxx

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  36. STUNNING Alison..I love it image and corrugated background and the splash of orange is fabulous..beautiful.

    luv CHRISSYxx

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  37. It is so beautiful, dear Alison,-such a fantastic combination of the stone colour and those happy bright reds and pinks--- and it looks amazing on the corrugated cardboard -that you altered so beautifully.
    xo,Dorthe

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  38. Hello Allison, these beautiful pink flowers certainly warm my heart today, as it is very very cold in Montreal although the sun is shining! I do love very much the look of corrugated card over the straight canvas, give much more interesting textures, and a lovely touch of kraft color. This little girl has a very determined look about her, and is perfect with Helen Keller quote! love it all!

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  39. A fantastic hanging. The red flowers look great against the light background.

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  40. I noticed the first comment here, from Barbarayaya: "You are a special person! I like the way you express yourself through art." I totally agree with her! You are amazing, your work is amazing!
    hugs, Unni

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  41. The pop of colour from those gorgeous flowers is sensational.
    It brings a different dimension than if you had merely used neutrals, really is so yummy and yet as you know, I am not one for delving into colour.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  42. WOW and FABULOUS Alison! So beautiful and I love those shots of gorgeous colour on the flowers and butterflies. Chris xx

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  43. Stunning! The simple whites against that amazing POP of color is....well, amazing!! I love it. That sweet girl tops it off perfectly.
    Kate

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  44. The orange really pops. It makes this a very sweet and interesting piece. I was on your Pinterest boards looking at your altered books. Your boards are wonderful and full of brilliant ideas.
    hugs♥,
    Caroline

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  45. Oh my...you knocked the blog hop...love the piece you did...Always a joy to come to your blog...miss you AO gals.
    connie paxman

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  46. Gorgeous project Alison! Love the sweet vintage image and your beautiful blossoms! Thanks for joining along with Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

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  47. For me A is for adore I absolutely do, I love it when you say "it didn't quite work as I wanted" Alison, as the piece you make is stunning. A great image and the splash of bright orange is fabulous loving all the textures.

    MaggieH

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  48. I am *so* loving this, Alison. The corrugated cardboard was absolutely the better choice - and I love the contrast between the shabby chic whites and the vibrant flowers.

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  49. I'm glad you used the corrugated card instead of the canvas Alison - much better texture. The colours absolutely pop against your pale background - gorgeous!

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  50. You made the right choice to put it on the corrugated cardboard. I like your continued flirtation with pink. I enjoyed hearing the creative process of how she came to be and how she almost soared.

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  51. How totally beautiful & love the quote!!

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  52. Ha Ha Alison you got the other side of my cardboard box! It is such a rewarding surface to work on and you have created a treasure on your piece. I have not read that quote but I love it....me to a tee...why teeter on a branch when our wings can take us far high and wide.
    Thank you for you lovely comments on my blog. You give me joy!
    Yes I'm a doer! I keep the dreams for the sleeping!

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  53. Hello Miss Alison, you had me at the corrugate :), the magic you create on that desk of your is AMAZING, the background is sooooo beautiful, loooove that image and the way you stamped it, beautiful quote, those flowers and butterflies you sprayed are STUNNING against that background, looooove them, brilliant piece, Miss Butterfly, thanks for sharing your creativity with us...

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  54. Oooh I'm loving this splash of colour! Fabulous piece Alison! Xxx

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  55. This is gorgeous, and I agree, she looks perfect on her corrugated card. The customised flowers are perfect xx

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  56. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your process. I love that you used the corrugated, but I liked the other background too. :) You know, I have seen a lot of blog posts where people have shown their process, but I think that this was the first one that shows the "choices" phase of creating. I found it really, really fascinating.

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us this week for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. It's always a pleasure! ~Michelle

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  57. Wow, that's so gorgeous!!! The corrugated cardboard combined to your wonderful flowers partially inked with these lovely hand-made sprays was definitely the best choice indeed! A fab piece, really lovely with this little girl that really pops.. Hugs, Coco xxx

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  58. This piece is absolutely stunning, which doesn't surprise me because all your work is amazing! I loved how you outlined your creative journey in your write-up and admitted to having to change directions. We all have times like that and it's great to see that you listened to your heart and turned this into a remarkable piece! It is thought-provoking and lovely to look at and I'm so glad you shared it with us for this week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!

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  59. Oooo! I knew this would be a good blog to read on Saturday morning. Such a joy to watch your creative process unfold. It almost seemed as if the Think and Wonder little girl inched her way closer and closer to the corrugated cardboard so that it would catch your eye and you would get the hint. I've had images do that to me on my own crafting table :) Gorgeous custom coloring on the flowers and butterfly. The diagonal placement gives the such movement. The butterfly in the right hand corner does indeed seem poised to soar. Awesome make! -- Mary Elizabeth

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  60. The flowers are stunning on this and I have to agree that the corrugated piece is the perfect background.
    I find that this happens a lot when I'm trying to use something. I'll have a specific paper or embellishment that I think I need to use so it's out of my way and then I end up with something completely different and there they sit!

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  61. Alison there is so much detail with inks and stamps on such a small piece of artwork. The corrugated absolutely works for me. How do you do it?

    Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x

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  62. Wow! Love the neural colours and those fab poppy red flowers with the lovely black and white images

    Gorgeous! x

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  63. Love the background! Beautiful creation :)

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  64. Wow absolutely gorgeous, I agree the corrugated background really makes it all look together, it could be that extra texture it needed. I love the image she is beautiful and those flowers are amazing, the colour is truly stunning :-) Kezzy xxx

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Thank so much for taking the time to stop by. It's lovely to hear what you think - every comment is so much appreciated.