Spray 'N Paste

Yesterday, Lori (list mom of Everything Wendy Vecchi) shared a link that really inspired me.  Britta Swiderski did a video of her technique of applying Wendy's metallic embossing paste over a background of Dylusions spray inks.  There is an interesting reaction between the two, and the results are just gorgeous.  Just click on Britta's name to see what I'm talking about.

Anyway, Lori decided that the new challenge at EWV would be to use that technique on a project.  First I pulled out my great big, nearly untouched Dyan Reaveley journal, and decided that this would be where I'd do my experimenting from now on.  With no worries about the finished product.  So far, it's working for me.

Here are a few of my experiments.  First, a background with some of the green Dylusions and a Michelle Ward Stencil Girl stencil with gold embossing paste.  Then, another part of the same background, same stencil, but this time I used the silver paste.

 

 

Next, I used Wendy's stripes stencil.  First I applied the gold paste holding the stencil so the stripes are vertical.  After it totally dried I repositioned the stencil right over the vertical stripes, this time holding it horizontally,  and applied the silver paste.  Before removing the stencil I very lightly pounced over the paste with a paper towel for a little extra texture.  This isn't the greatest photo; it's really striking in person.

 

 

 

Then I decided I should try the technique with different colored backgrounds.  Again, these do look way better in person.  First, some deep purples/blues with gold paste, followed by pinks/reds with silver paste.  And the stencils I used are Wendy's layered flowers. 

 

 

 

Before leaving the experimental phase and actually using this technique in a project, I started to wonder how it would work with a different spray.....namely Ranger's Color Wash.  Now, generally, the Color Wash sprays are darker and earthier than the Dylusions, so I just used the brightest that I had.....butterscotch, terra cotta, and red pepper.  And I didn't bother with a stencil.  I just scraped some gold paste over the dried ink with an old credit card.

 

 

 

I think the Color Washes work well, at least the shades I chose.  The next time I decide to play mad scientist I'll try this with some of the other colors.  And while I'm at it, I'll see what happens when the paste is applied over other sprays, ink pads, crayons, chalks......

 

Here is the journal page I did for the challenge.

 

 

 

The gold paste was applied over Wendy's lovely leaves stencil.  When the paste was nearly dry but still a bit soft I pressed a stamp onto the leaves (any old stamp; I wasn't trying for an image, just some texture).  I also used a stylus to make some dots. 

 

By the way, I keep a few sheets of deli paper on my table, and use it to blot off excess inks, paints, sprays, etc. After a day or two of blotting action, the paper is full of colorful goodness.  The two butterflies (Wendy stamps) were stamped onto one of those sheets, cut out, and then glued onto the page.  The page also has some random stamping, doodling, and little dots of paint.

 

**CAUTION**  If you're experienced in such things, this warning may seem as obvious as a take-out coffee cup announcing that the content is hot, but if you're new to all this, you'll be thankful.  WASH THE EMBOSSING PASTE OFF YOUR STENCILS AND STAMPS BEFORE IT DRIES!  I'm just sayin'.











Happy Autumn!

This is definitely my favorite time of the year; I love a typical autumn day in NYC when the skies are blue, the air feels crisp, and there isn't even a hint of humidity to cause hair problems.
I have been keeping up with Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2012, and as expected, his October tag is all about Halloween.  I know so many people who are into that holiday, including Tim, and try as I might, it just isn't my thing.  Autumn, however, is right up my alley.  So, my entry sort of nods at Halloween, but is really about the season.  And, it's not even a tag.

Another favorite regular challenge I like to participate in is the Making Art Challenge over at the Wendy Vecchi yahoo group.  Wendy did an autumn tag recently that was featured on the Ranger website, and our challenge was to use the featured technique (adhering sticky back canvas to Wendy's Clearly For Art) and at least one of Wendy's stamps in any sort of creation.

So.....I combined the two, tried several of the techniques Tim used, and the sticky back canvas/CFA technique Wendy used, and came up with this:

 

 

Tim demonstrated making custom colored glitter with the new rock candy dry glitter and alcohol inks.  I don't have any of that product (yet), so used what I did have.....some chunky glitter, and it sure didn't work the way Tim's did, LOL.  But I love taking part in these artistic science experiments.  The larger of the two jack-o-lanterns is covered with my version.  I glittered the smaller one with plain old orange just to show the difference.  When I get some of the rock candy stuff I'll be trying that again.  BTW, the jack-o-lanterns and letters are grungeboard, from two of the many sets of pre-cut shapes I have in my stash.  I don't know if they are manufactured any more; they date back to the days before the Vagabond and Tim's Sizzix dies.  But being a good hoarder collector, I still have tons of them.

 

The tissue paper background is straight out of Tim's demo, but over top I used Wendy's background stamp from Optical Art.  On the bottom left you will see her little spider stamp from Botanical Art.  To make it stand out a bit more, I used black soot distress ink and black embossing powder.

 

All of the autumn leaves were done on the canvas covered CFA.  For those who don't know, Clearly For Art is a wonderful product (some sort of plastic, I think) that can be heated to make it bendable.  Yes, lots of products do that.  But the cool thing about CFA is that it can be heated, manipulated, then reheated if you don't like it.  It goes flat again, hardens up in seconds, and can be heated and shaped that way countless times. 

 

I cut the leaves from both the regular sized and mini tattered leaves dies, and colored them with both distress stains and Dylusions sprays.  Although they don't match up exactly, I also stamped over the colored leaves with Tim's Falling Leaves stamp set.  I used black archival ink for that, and didn't press too hard.  I just wanted a hint of the leaf veins to add some texture and realism. 

 

Happy Autumn!

 





The Accidental Project

It started out as a simple desire to better organize my big box of Wendy Vecchi's Art Parts, Clearly For Art, and Blossom Bucket Embellishments.  In the middle of doing so, my eyes kept darting between the spools Art Parts and the pile of tissue tape and washi tape on my work table.  Before I knew it, I was busy creating a simple, yet useful way to corral my tapes and keep them where I could see them.  Now, admittedly I have way more tapes than I need to keep out, but at least now I can have the tapes I most often use, or the tapes I need for a particular project at hand and all in one place.

The tubes that come with the spools set weren't long enough for my purposes, so I simply glued three together, reinforced the seams with tape (appropriate, huh?), then covered them totally with tape....this time tissue tape.  As you probably know, tissue tape does not stick to itself (duh! if it did how would we get it off the roll?), so to make sure it stayed put, and to give the whole thing some added strength, I covered it with Glue N Seal.  Wait!  Before I did that, I sprayed it with some Dylusions sprays.  I think it's time for some photos.

Above, the finished tape holder.  Like I said, simple.  To be useful, there just isn't much room for embellishments.

To finish off the top, I threaded some beads on a stick pin and just stuck it into the end cap of the tube (with a bit of glue to make sure it stays put).

The only place where I could do any stamping was on the disc on the bottom, and I used Wendy's polka dot stamp over the sprayed Art Part.

Ta da!  My tape holder in action.  Room for lots more, as you can see.

Now that I accidentally did something creative today, do you think I can also accidentally do some laundry?  Hah!  Sometimes I really crack myself up.