Friday, July 29, 2016

An Altered ATC Box for RCAG

I like to take small things and build them up into larger things.

I really wanted to be an architect growing up, but a male
teacher dashed my ambitions and told me I'd have better luck
being a grease monkey. 

Boy would I like to see him today! Ha!

Anyway, this is several pieces all glued together to make
a rather elaborate ATC Box from

Here we go!


I painted the box pieces with Heavy Black Gesso, and the Relics
and Artifacts pieces with Heavy White Gesso. 


I used paper clay and an IOD mould to create an emblem,
 and then let it dry over the egg.


Using a stencil and Opal Magic Paints, I sponged the colors
onto all 4 sides of the box. I wanted a blue and gold combination
with the blue only on the front. I made it splotchy to keep it in
the background and not take over the piece.

These paints blow me away every time I use them. They are
just plain magical.


The egg and topper were painted with Metalliques as well as the paper
 mould piece.The egg has 2 colors of red and a purple to shade.

Here's a Tip: some people ask me, "do you ever just 
make something and not like it?"

YES! I painted the top white, then added paints, hated it, painted
it black, added opal magics, hated that, and took it to the sink and
soaked it, scrubbed it and picked the paint out of the crevasses
until it was completely clean.

Then I started all over again to get the results you see here....
never give up, and don't quit! 


 The German Dresden on the left has black gesso on it. See the
difference in the one the right without it?


This is the back with the cool German Dresden. The piece on the 
back of the Imperial Egg base is cut apart from the Victorian
Dresden and painted with ArtAlchemy Paints.


Now this is the "piece de resistance". I used German Dresden around 
the topper and another piece cut from the Gold Fancy Victorian
Decorations Dresden that I painted.

The small Rhinestone chain goes around the topper. 


The red paints are used on the inside of the box, and the outside
edges are painted black for contrast.

The leftover piece of the German Dresden goes on the 
front of the mould to add just a bit more interest.

And the larger Rhinestone chain goes around the egg.


I used an unfinished wood candlestick as the base. I painted it
with Metalliques too, and added more rhinestone chain. 


It's all put together with 3D Matte Gel and some jeweler's 
glue around the topper. 

As always, if you have any questions or thoughts, I'm always
ready to help.

Your Friend in ART,

Linda

Products Used from RCAG:
IOD Mould-I used Baroque 3, but you could use Baroque 4 as well
ArtAlchemy Paints-Metalliques - Rusty Red, Royal Red, Deep Waters, Dark Velvet, Ancient Coin, and Brass Hardware.
ArtAlchemy Paints-Opal Magics - Violet/Gold and Yellow/Blue.

Friday, July 22, 2016

A Whovian Blue Card of Love

Hi everyone, just a fun and simple card for my dear 
Granddaughter who is an avid Dr. Who follower...
 a Whovian, I presume.


She is not a glitzy or foo-foo type person. Glitter and such would've 
been a bit over-the-top for her tastes. So I tried to keep in touch with
her favorite color....whovian blue, and use it with a 
Relics and Artifacts Flaming Heart Ex Votos I.

I used some cheesecloth and Sculpture Medium to create a base, and 2 
large Ornate Flourishes underneath the Heart. 

The heart and flourishes are painted with Heavy Black Gesso,
 and then several colors of ArtAlchemy Opal Magic paints are added...


I used Clear Crackle Paste on the center of the heart to add some
texture, and then more gold paint is brushed on. 
The work LOVE is added as a simple sentiment.

I cut a piece of some gorgeous scrapbook paper from my stash
 and added a bit of gold Opal Magic around the edges. 
Then I layered it onto a piece of black chipboard.

Pretty simple, and very easy to create a memento
for a loved one or a friend to display on a small
easel in their home.

Linda

Sunday, July 10, 2016

By the Sea Tag

Hello to everyone.

It's been a really, really strange Summer here in the middle of the 
United States where I live. As I sit here, it's July 3rd, and it's supposed
to be HOT...usually. But I'm in a sweatshirt and have on socks, wrapped
in a flannel blanket. By the time this posts, it will have
probably gotten hot... again. It's very, very strange.

Having said that, I'm longing for the ocean, the sea, a beach with the sun
shining and the waves rolling in. With sand and seashells all around,
 and the look of mica shinning on the shimmering water.

So, this was my project for the 

I hope you enjoy it and find inspiration to create.
  

I started with a #10 manila tag that I painted almost entirely with Heavy 
White Gesso. When dry, I added Modeling Paste with the 
Ripped Fishnet Stencil. (appropriate, eh?)


While this was drying, I took scraps of cotton trim 
and soaked them with the Sculpture Medium, formed 
them the way I wanted, and set them aside. 

When dry, I added them to the tag with 3D Gloss Gel. I used
 a wide swath of gel and sprinkled the Mini Art Stones and
 Art Stones into it.


When it's all dry, you can start to use your Mica Powder+Water Sprays
to add layers of color. I used a blue/Teal and a darker blue spray on the
left side, and the gold on the right.  Next I added the lighter pale silver and
Rose/Gold Opal Magic+Water Sprays.

I used a mixture of Copper Micro Beads and Copper Glass Glitter
to give it some sparkle in spots adding them with Soft Matte Gel.


I coiled up some hemp cording and sprayed with the Gold spray, 
painted a chipboard cutout of coral with the 
Fresh Orange Metallique
 + Rose Gold Opal Magic paints
and glued them down with the Heavy Body Gel. 

The 2 Rusty Gear Mechanicals were slipped into the Gel. 


The background got another spritz of mica spray and the Mini Stars 
are added. The Word Strip Paris Vol. 1,  from my friend Rachel Greig
 and Darkroom Door, is cut up and added
 for thoughts along the theme. 


The Rust Glass Beads and a few Art Stones in a glass vial are the last
 to go on with the wonderful Heavy Body Gel. 

(That stuff is amazing!)


This is another look at a different angle that changes color as you move the
project around in the light. You can see the shimmer of the sprays here.

A top-coating of Heavy White Gesso creates a contrast on the
darker colors.


Probably my favorite parts of this tag are the tiny shells that float in the trim.
 These shells were given to me by my dear late brother-in-law
 who was a soldier on a Pacific Island during the WWII. 

He gathered them up, put them in a small plastic cigarette box, 
and after many, many years, decided that I might like them. 
I treasured them, but never really knew what to do with them until 
I stepped back and looked at this tag.
 It seemed like the perfect spot to tuck in these little gems. 

I now have a special tag that will always remind me of him.
 It’s so much better than having them hidden away 
in a drawer and never being used.


Hope you're inspired to check out these new products from 
Finnabair. The Sculpture Medium is an amazing product that creates
a solid structure out of fabric or trim. And the Heavy Body Gel
never ceases to amaze me or work on holding heavy objects
in place when it dries. 

Your Friend in ART,

Linda

Products Used:
Art Extravagance-Sculpture Medium Clear
Mechanicals-Mini Stars and Rusty Gears

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

A Watercolor Journal Page for Michelle

Hello my friends, I've been playing with my first love
in my long artistic life...watercolors!

This is on a page from the new Finnabair

You can remove pages by untying the 3 denim strings, create your
page on your worktable, and then put it back into the book.

Easy peasy.


I broke out my Yarka Watercolor set from 
St. Petersburg, Russia.  It has a TREMENDOUS
amount of pigment that gives you a brilliant depth
of color with very little water.

I use the paints as a wash, but really like to load up the color
and have heavy pigmented areas as well. I love to outline 
 areas with black pen to make the colors pop.


Some of the 7x9 inch pages in the journal are watercolor paper, 
which gave me the urge to paint again.

I added Heavy Black Gesso with the Harlequin Stencil and
the circles with white pen using the Bubble Stencil from Finnabair.

I used pencils, pens, and markers for added effect
in this Modern Art style page.


And yes, it really is that vibrant, the red/violet is very
deep, but you can get wonderful subtle colors as well.

My daughter suffers from Fibromyalgia that creates a burning
pain all the time leaving her sapped of energy,
 melted into a puddle. 

This is a tribute to her strength to get up every day, go to work,
and do what she does, even though in the center of if all
she feels burned out. I'm so proud of her.

Hope you're inspired to Create.

Linda 

Friday, July 1, 2016

A Mermaid Shadowbox

JULY Already ?!?!

Good Grief....if it's the first of the month,
then it's my turn for a project from


Like I told Kristin, this kinda went a bit overboard...
like a condemned Pirate. 

But she created so many wonderful cut-outs that were
just begging to jump onto this project.

It starts with the large shadowbox and the Graphic45
8x8 paper pad "Under the Sea" ...all found in the shop.


The layers of paper are on the front, back and 
sides of the shadowbox.


I actually hated to cover this gorgeous paper up. 
This Mermaid is so beautiful, but the charms and 
cut-outs were so much fun to keep adding...
and adding....
and adding.


This shows the flourish is cut from the Mermaid Stand Frame
with my jewelers saw. It's really easy to do.

I wanted to add the frame OVER the shadowbox
to show off the Mermaid.

I was going to add the bell jars to the piece, 
but I had to stop somewhere....


This is the back with several layers of paper.

I used one inch wooden blocks to raise the shadowbox up.


The Mermaid skin is painted with a flat acrylic paint.

White pearls and charms are colored with Alcohol inks.


All the other paints are all Metalliques, so they sparkle more in real life
with metallic shine. And the color changes as you 
move them around in the light.

The Mini Art Stones were perfect for adding the look of 
Sand to the project, and a piece of gauze portrays a net.

So get out your favorite papers and grab a shadowbox
to fill up with all of your found treasures.

You won't be able to stop either!!!

Linda

Retro Cafe Art Gallery Products:
Basic Shadow Box Shrine Kit
Mermaid Frame Stand
Chipboard Seaweed Cut Outs
Chipboard Coral Cut Outs
Ornate Fleur Cut Outs - Chipboard
Graphic45 Voyage Beneath the Sea 8x8 pad
Brass Fancy Shell Decoration
Brass Fancy Fish Charms
Brass Mermaids
Heavy Black Gesso
Finnabair Mini Art Stones
Finnabair Clear Stamp - Bubbles and Lace Doily
Finnabair ArtAlchemy Paints - Steampunk Copper, Rusty Red, Emerald Green, Rich TurquoiseLime Peel, and Ancient Coin
3D Matte Gel , Clear Structure Paste, and Heavy Body Gel
Black Archival Ink

Other Products Used:
Flat Pearls, Gauze, Wooden Blocks, Gold Sharpie, Black Fine Line Prismacolor Pen, Fresco Paints for Skin