SDC297 - only Purple

It's already time for a new challenge over at Stampotique Designer's challenge. And this fortnight the challenge is to use 'only purple' and I've made the above postcard for some inspiration. I did have a bit of a difficult time as purple is not exactly my color, but the PC did turn OK in the end. 

The base is a piece of gelli printed paper on which I stamped Sara with Staz-On jet black.  The acrylic paint acted as a bit of a resist in her dress so I made that a part of the design. In the background I stamped Kate's Texture Cube and France's Mash Up for some texture and added the quote from quote stamp block 2 I added some highlights with a white gel pen and  a lighter color purple in the back ground and around the quote. 

Hope you got inspired to play along with us. Add your projects to the Inlinks page or to the album in the facebook group. Do read all the rules before linking your project. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Art Journal: Summer Night Sky

In between everything that was happening last month, I made sure I spent some time in my art studio to help me lift the heavy stuff I was going through. This is an art journal page I created during that time and it definitely was a breath of fresh air and let me release some tension I was carrying.

I started off on a double spread in my art journal which already had some paint on and I glued on (with deco arts decoupage glue) a gelli print made on deli paper. It is made with a gorgeous star stencil from 101 stencils. After it was glued down I blended the edges in with finnabair blue metallic and highlighted it with spark paints.

Close up shot of the highlights.

Then I went to work on the main image, which is Hera from Carabelle Studio. I stamped her on tissue paper and adhered with Decoart Decoupage napkin glue. The glue also works as a sealant so I could work over the image with my paints. It was a labor of love using acrylics (I used distress paints) but with some help of technique tricks and tutorials on You Tube By Karen Cambell, I managed to get the color and sharing in the face and hair done. The bright yellow swirls in the hair is inspired by Van Gogh's Starry night. And I added more stars on the pages with the same stencil and a pale light blue paint for more contrast.

To finish off the page I added some white and gold paint splatters and the quote of Van Gogh :

"I dream my painting and then I paint my dream"

I absolutely loved making this page and was very cathartic to do.  And these past few days we have been having gorgeous summer like nights... may the be plentiful and hope you will enjoy them as well.

I would like to enter this art journal page in the following challenges: 

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Lets Doodle 

Had fun doodling the swirly hair!

MMMC #47 - complimentary color scheme

Try it on Tuesday - nature's beauty 

I absolutely love the sky, day or night, it is one of nature's exquisite beauty

Creative Artiste MixedMedia Challenge #37 - Anything MM goes

More Mixed Media World - Anything MM goes - optional Yellow

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day.

Craft Stamper TIMI - April Challenge Inspiration

Over at Craft Stamper Take it Make it Challenge blog, the April challenge is still under way for a few more days and I am sharing this challenge inspiration piece with you. The base is a book page on which I rolled out some Paper Artsy Fresco paints in blue greens. And I used various stamps by Carabelle Studio, Designs by Rynn and VLVS! The sentiment is a beauty by Cat Kerr and something to remind yourself of when you're stepping out of your comfort zone. By the way, I stamped the umbrella girl on tissue paper, and adhered it with decoarts napkin decoupage glue. Over it I used Dina Wakley scribble sticks to blend the image with the back ground. 

You have to be in it to win it, so play along to be in the running for fab prizes and the chance to be featured on the blog and in the magazine with your art work. Do read the rules before entering. Oh and the theme is ALWAYS anything goes, just as long you have a hand stamped image on your project. Can't wait to see what you create!

Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome day!

WOYWW 463: the aftermath of Art Specially 2018

This past weekend was one of the favorites I had of the year (so far ;) as it was time for the yearly ART Specially mixed media event. This time we (yes my husband likes to accompany me for these crafty events, when he is able to) only went on Saturday, but what a day it was! So many wonderful people (got to meet some of my wonderful Stampotique DT mates Yvonne & Arwen!), doing workshops and getting all the supplies you've always wanted for a really good deal. So this week's desk shot for WOYWW 463 is mostly showing off my new stuff haha ;) On top of the glass mat the projects made; learned a new stitch for book binding in a workshop provided by Art Specially and cards we made at the AALL and Create booth. Autour and Olga were there doing some demo's and their stamps are just amazing! I also got to see some sneak peaks of their new stamp designs coming up later this month :) The glass mat is something I've always wanted and so happy to finally have it! And by all the mess around it, you can see I have been happily using it already :)

And this is the full haul shot and I can't wait to play with all of them! I already played with the elegant writer, paper collage people and some of the AALL and Create stamps. Results will be at some point for sure. But I can show you this: 

The art journal I made during the bookbinding workshop. We didn't have time to make the cover on the event, but I completed it last Monday. Used gelli prints made with Stencil Girl Stencils/masks, Katzelkraft stamps and vintage magazine clippings. 

It was definitely a great day and also a wonderful distraction from all the events that happened over the last few weeks. My dad passed away on the 6th of April and we had the funeral on the 12th. I talk a bit about it on my Present and Connected instagram account if you're interested in reading more about it. But all I can say that it was as peaceful as it could be and he's now lying next to my mom at eternal rest. I also wanted to say thanks to everyone whom commented on my post a few weeks ago, about the situation with my dad then. It was heartwarming to read them and feeling support from miles away. Thank you wholeheartedly. 

Hope all you deskers' out there are having a wonderful wednesday.  (For people who don't know who the desker's are, check out Julia's blog to see more about it.)

Thanks you for stopping by. It's a beautiful spring day here and hope you all are enjoying it :)

Art Journal: Groovy Richard Pelvis (Stampotique Originals New Releases April 2018)

Meet Richard Pelvis, a newly released stamp from Stampotique Originals designed by Daniel Torrente. Isn't he just Groovy? I definitely think so. He's placed on the second half of the gelli printed paper from Sunday's post -  that StencilGirl mask is just so gorgeous to work with! 

A short but sweet little blogpost from me today. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

SDC295 - Little Monsters

Hi all it's wednesday and it's time for some challenge inspiration for this weeks Stampotique Originals Designer's challenge. It's the second week of "little monsters" and I made this card using the following stamps: 

Whookie with little whookie 

Saying from EWE cube 

Donald which I flipped so it looks like he is picking up the little whookies. 

I also used some gelli printed paper and the back ground is made with fountain pen ink and a brick stencil to emulate a wall. 

Hope this will inspire you to play along with us this week. You can link up your projects for this theme HERE or on our facebook page in the designated album. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Art Journal: Oh Jackie (Stampotique Originals New Release April 2018)

Hi all, it's the first of the month and we're sharing some new releases by Stampotique Originals today! I created a page with a gelli print made with Liquitex paints and StencilGirl Deconstructed Chrysanthemum Mask and Stencil by Traci  Bautista. The wonderful new face stamp by Daniel Torrente is called Oh, Jackie. Isn't she just wonderful? Absolutely love that hair, there is so much potential! I've also used the quote from Terri Richardson's Phrase cube 2 which I thought was fitting and added some texture with Kate's Texture Cube.

Check out our facebook group for more new release makes from my other lovely DT members and I'll be sharing a few more in the course of this month. Do check back later this week for some inspiration for our current challenge at the Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful Easter Holiday!