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...

Sunday, 4 May 2014

Playing with PaperArtsy

Hi all!  I realise I never fulfilled my promise to catch you up in more detail with some of the samples I created for the PaperArtsy releases earlier this year, so I'm going to try to slip a couple of those in while I'm busy with dollshousing at the moment.


This canvas was created with some of Darcy's fab new stamps.  They're out of my usual style (if you're new here, just scroll down and you'll see what I mean!), but that's the fun of the journey for me - to see what new paths different things can stimulate you to travel.




I started with a 6x6 canvas and sponged on Fresco paints for my background, blending various greens for the grassy base and various blues and turquoises for the sky.

Then I used Distress Inks to stencil over the top with the TH honeycomb stencil.

I stamped the grassy flowers - from EDY07 - in Olive Archival direct onto the canvas in the background.










I stamped the funky border from EDY05, in Cobalt Archival around the edges.  I decided to clear emboss it for extra definition (and glossiness!)

The main flowers - a combination of flowers from EDY05 and Mini03 - were stamped separately on white card in Coffee Archival, clear embossed again, and then fussy cut out to be stuck onto the canvas.











I was really lucky that some of my hoarded metal bits and pieces - beads and jump rings - combined so perfectly with the size of the flower petals and stamens and so forth.










And I used some bead chain as the stems for the largest sunflower-type heads.  I was so pleased with how the metal brought the flowers into three-dimensionality.













I love the sentiment - from EDY07 again, and done in the same way as the large flowers - and I love that sunshiny shimmer you get when the light hits the clear-embossing in the right way.






So that's the first of my PaperArtsy catch-ups (okay, not quite the first, I did manage Big Bird, Little Bird too)... there'll be some Lynne Perrella creations along shortly as long as I get my act together!

Hope you're all having a lovely Sunday - I'm off to the dollshouse museum to plaster some more walls, haul some more oak beams into position and lay some flagstone floors (all in miniature of course).

Happy crafting!

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.
Walt Disney

54 comments:

Anneke said...

This project looks abosoluly fabulous. Love the stamping. Wonderful stampt and beautiful color use. Tanks for showing us this beautiful work. Anneke.

Dagmar said...

Oh wow - it"s fantastic - the flowers with the metal-elements are perfect! Hugs Dagmar.

Helen said...

beautiful! I love the big flowers - they look like windmills. the chain is perfect.

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Beautiful,fun canvas,love it

Donna.x

Redanne said...

You had me worried for a minute - hauling oak beams - whew! These quirky flowers just make me smile, I absolutely love them and love the way you have displayed them on your beautiful canvas. Anne xx

Chrissy said...

WOW!! Fantastic Alison..just like a Steampunk garden..I love it.

luv CHRISSYxx

Julie Lee said...

I love the different paths you take, Alison. You create with such flair and variety and somehow I'd recognize your style anywhere! I love how you've worked with Darcy's stamps here to create something quirky, but very much your own! Julie Ann xxx

sam21ski said...

Love those mesh looking flowers and the chain just adds to the steampunky effect - gorgeous

Sam xxx

sam21ski said...

Love those mesh looking flowers and the chain just adds to the steampunky effect - gorgeous

Sam xxx

Jennie Atkinson said...

Gorgeous canvas Alison - I love the quirky mesh flowers and your use of jump rings! A fabulous colour palette, as always! x

Nikki Acton said...

Heh Alison - you should get out of your 'usual' style more often - these are fab! (Not that there is anything wrong with the usual - that is fab too!!) Nikki xx

Rita said...

How fabulous your canvas looks Alison. Apart from the colours those mesh flowers are stunning. A really nice canvas. Enjoy your Weekend. Hugs Rita xxxx

Evelyn Walter said...

This is a pretty springery canvas, love this! The use of metal on it is gorgeous! I hope you´ll show us your dollhouse?!

Marci said...

A fabulous project!

Dorthe said...

Oh,yes they are truly out of your normal style ( and mine,too) but so fun stamps, and you made a fantastic art pice with combining them with the metal pieces.So funny and special, dear Alison!
XOX,Dorthe

Mrs.B said...

Very different for you Alison, but a fabulous piece.
Avril xx

Anonymous said...

I love this canvas, it's wonderful.
I hope you're having a successful day dollhousing & thank you VERY much for your very kind comments on my blog this week.

froebelsternchen said...

I love this.. a perfect harmony between a bit of a technical and a bit of a natural feeling!
Gorgeous Alison!
hugs

Susi

Corrie Herriman said...

You should try something new more often, this is fab !
Corrie x

Gio said...

You can feel the Spring (that is nowhere here) looking at this beautiful piece, Alison.
Love the detail of the chains!

Juliz Design Post said...

Really nice project and love the little rings placed on the flowers. How lovely going to the Dolls House Museum to help out. I love dolls houses and have one that stands just under 5ft in height.
Julie x

Anonymous said...

I really like the mix of metal with such contemporary flowers - a fabulous look.
Wishes
Lynne

Meggymay said...

Beautiful canvas and so different for you.
Yvonne

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Such a fantastic creation, love the added metal rings and chains. Great eye catcher.

Astrid Maclean said...

Well Alison, I congratulate you on taking up the challenge of working with these stamps, it certainly is a fun and funky creation, but if I said I loved it, I would be lying and I don't like to do that. Having said that, it certainly is an original piece, well done you!!

Have fun with those dolls houses!!!

Terry said...

Fabulous flower canvas garden, Alison! I love those unique flowers with their bead chain. As always a beautiful background! Hugs!

chrissie said...

Wonderful burst of colour and images-looks very spring like :)

Love Chrissie x

craftytrog said...

Fabulous piece Alison, I love the metal embellishments! xxx

Ellie Knol said...

LOVE it Alison!

Unknown said...

Great FX on these flowers Alison, another beautiful and original make! Chris xxx

Karin said...

wow beautiful creation, love the quote too!
Groetjes Karin

Sophie said...

Wow, Alison...
das sind ganz besonders aparte Blumen.
Sie erinnern mich ein wenig an Windmühlenflügel.
Ein schöner Stempel.
Die Karte ist toll gestaltet und der Hintergrund super schön.

Sonnige Grüße von Sophie xx

Diana said...

Just started following you and love your creations! Marvelous indeed!!

Lisa Minckler said...

I absolutely hate when I miss your posts. I feel like I've fallen months behind. I do apologize for my lack of visiting but I'm finally catching up and enjoying my time here so much. I honestly don't know how you keep everything straight with all that you do. I feel an auto pilot installation would be necessary for me! ;)
I'm off to peruse and take in all your talent.
Hope you're doing well and taking time to breathe. Have fun doll housing and tell you mom hi. :)
hugs,
Lisa x

Unknown said...

Oh, Alison--This is Fantastic!! What a fabulous canvas! Those flowers are fabulous--your metal bits & pieces give the flowers a bit of an industrial look--I actually thought your bigger blooms were some kind of copper mesh!! Just Fantastic!! I hope you share some pics of the doll-housing you're doing when you get home? I'm sooo intrigued with what you're doing :) XOXO-Shari

Martina said...


Again a very extraordinary and wonderful creation, dear Alison! Super idea and beautifully designed.

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

What a great stamps, but the card is awesome Alison!
Kind regards, Alie :-)

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

This flower garden rocks!!! I love the bead chain stems!

Unknown said...

I love this and it's a fun departure Alison. Great sentiment too!! Hope you are having a great time. :) xx

Anke said...

WOW WOW WOW fantastic work, I love the big flowers and the colours.

Hugs
Anke

Shilpa Nagaonkar said...

Gorgeous piece, Alison. Beads and jump rings are beautiful additions, as always inspiring :)

Ana K. said...

So very creative! Metal bits and pieces really fit perfectly!

Lucy Edmondson said...

I think you work very well with Darcy's style and I look forward to some Lynne perrella,

Lucy x

Dianne said...

This is truly an amazing creation, I looooove the background it truly looks like a sunny day in a meadow, koodoos to you for fussy cutting out those flowers, these stamps aren't my favorite but you have made them look SPECTACULAR in this project, thanks for sharing...

Sandy said...

I do love miniatures but doesn't everyone?! I sure wish I could be there to see what you are doing in person!!
You are so creative Alison and I know that you bloom where ever you are planted!!!!
Sandy xx

Kasia said...

Oh, so cool! Love these flowers :)

cathylynn said...

Holy cow I nearly missed this absolute phenomenal canvas! Love the addition of metal and those flowers are gorgeous. Of course the colors are wonderful too. Another great piece of art!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Brenda Brown said...

Fabulous use of colour and those great stamps xx

Marjie Kemper said...

Those flowers are amazing - love how steampunky they feel.

Jenny Marples said...

Definitely way more funky art for you and it's brilliant! Jenny x

hazel said...

A wonderful creation.
xxx Hazel.

Hettie said...

Wow Alison. You really have stepped out of yourself for this piece. A breath of fresh air this canvas. Spring again! I just love it and can see some stampings you sent me looking good done like this.
Hugs
xx

Jools Robertson said...

Love these fabulous funky flowers!
Fab colours too, so lovely and rich on the canvas
And the metal embellishments are so cool

Jools X

Kezzy said...

Wow wow wow absolutely gorgeous stunning canvas. I love when you play with Paperartsy products as they are my products lol. I really love the background grass and sky with the metal amazing :-) Kezzy xxx