Back to Nature Autumn tag

I have changed the look of my blog a little so I can use bigger pictures. Pictures are so central to visual work. Today I wanted to experiment with Paperartsy's infusions and grunge paste. I worked on some book pages adhering them to card and cutting out a die from the Tim Holtz Bookplate and tag die. Next I used the paste through a stencil. Once it dried I used a heavy sprinkle and spritz of Slime  infusions.

By the time I had finished the text has almost disappeared. I love the range of colours that the infusions create. The texture paste  highlighted this effect as the colours pool and swirl around the patterned surface. I did use some distress ink in olive and forest moss but most of the colour comes from the infusions. I added very little to this as I wanted to allow the texture and colour show through.

I used some gold and terracotta embossing powder to create a defined edge. I die cut some tiny leaves from the Tiny Tattered Florals framlits set  and finished off with some dark brown Autumn plants from my garden.

This tag is partly inspired by the challenge over at A Vintage Journey where they prompt you to use natural objects, colours and themes this month. It is hard not to be conscious of nature at the change of seasons so much shifting colour and form in the garden as everything bursts its borders and dries out or turns rich browns and golden colours.

The tag is finished off with a quote from Van Gogh.

I am linking up to A Vintage Journey where they are challenging you to get  Back to Nature
Also joining in with That's Crafty Forever Autumn Challenge

Lynne Perrella card

A rainy day yesterday and how happy is my garden and the frogs in my pond. I think after all this unusual hot dry weather in Ireland I am not alone in welcoming the familiar wet days home. I had a great time sitting in the attic painting and stamping as the rain did all my watering for me. I got out a Lynne Perrella stamp I have been wanting to use for ages.

I love this veiled woman with her mysterious hat. She suggests all sorts of journeys and adventures to me but her eyes give away none of her secrets. I used Paperartsy grunge paste and a stencil then lots of layered fresco finish paints and a touch of distress ink in chipped Sapphire.

The stamping in the background is minimal just some crackle effect and text and a hint of ephemera. I think this lady can stand alone.

Hope you are creating at your desk or in your garden. x

little Girls Blue Card

I am much more confident with regular distress ink than the Distress Oxides. I was playing with Distress Oxides trying to redress the balance a little. I did some wrinkle free distress with Cracked Pistachio and Vintage photo  then I blended through a couple of stencils with both colours trying to use brown on top of green and green on top of brown. I finished off with some archival ink stamping in Manganese blue and black, some of my yummy Tim Holtz Design tape and a couple of stamps from my ephemera box.

It still seemed a little dull and flat to me, could be the colours I used but I think after years of the glowing colours of blended distress ink I find the oxidised finish challenging. To try and fix this I mixed some Manganese Blue archival ink into Paperartsy Grunge paste. I used another stencil to create some texture on the smaller piece.

I scraped the left over paste onto the edges of the larger piece added some versamark over the dried paste and embossed it with a mixture of  Seth Apter's Deep Sea and Ranger Antiquities Verdigris embossing powder. Happy now with a  little more texture and shine, I assembled the card, added a sentiment and some Tim Holtz Paper dolls (I coloured their dresses with a touch of peacock Feathers Distress ink).

As I used lots of inventor and scientific stamps in the background I thought it would be good to have little girls rather than boys or gents. Challenging us all to any dream we imagine.

Hope you are all getting a little time to play this week. Thanks for your visit.

Stencils used are all Crafters workshop 6x6
Mini Numerals
Mini Ledger
Mini Harlequin

I am joining in the Vintage Journey Challenge for June stencil it
Also joining in with Creative Artiste Mixed Media at:
www.creativeartistemixedmedia.blogspot.com.au  Challenge 39

Also joining in with the Country View Challenge which is 'The Written Word'  I was thinking how much the words change the way we see these girls making us think about all their potential and the possibilities before them. Also makes me wonder did they fulfill all their dreams?. I do hope so.