Friday 30 June 2017

Inspired by Dee - shabby dress form

Welcome to an AVJ Tag Friday post where we create a tag with no boundaries, it's just for fun. I was supposed to be in Boston for 10 days recently on holiday but my broken ankle curtailed that so I asked the lovely Di Oliver at Tando Creative if I could go along to the Dare2Create retreat in Coventry to catch up with everyone and give me some 'out of the house' time. Kindly she said yes and surprisingly a space opened up on Andy's workshop on the Saturday and I was able to jump in and take part. I also sat in on the lovely Dee Adams demonstration in the evening and came home so inspired I set to on Monday and this was the result.



Tag
- paint a coat of white gesso - dry
- paint with three chosen colours (quinacridone magenta, blue/green light, phthalo turquoise) and tinting base to keep it pale and shabby
- randomly apply weathered wood in a few areas and leave to dry


- give a random coat of white crackle paint around the edges and over the weathered wood areas. Leave to dry
- seal with matte varnish


- dribble a wash of prussian blue - dry
- repeat with a wash of transparent yellow iron oxide
- dabble on watery white, spritz and dry.


- take raw umber and titanium white antiquing cream and rub them together over the surface (I used 4 white to 1 brown),


 - leave for a minute or two and then rub back very lightly with a damp babywipe


- with a palette knife apply some white modelling paste again random areas around the edges and sprinkle with chunky embossing enamel and heat set, let it completely dry


- dribble through some quinacridone gold and raw umber to give it a worn rusted look


- stamp clouterie label on tissue paper, tear around it and adhere it to the background
- stamp some small text


- triple emboss a piece of card with frantage embossing enamels using chunky clear for the middle layer then stamp the dress form (using coffee archival ink) into it whilst it's hot, let it cool and cut it out


- stamp, emboss and alter other elements to build a collage


- stain some seam binding ribbon with quinacridone and raw umber watery paints


- and assemble


The label was heat embossed with gold onto brown card and a little bottle with some seed beads glued on.


The close up of the dress form shows some of the texture created by stamping into the molten embossing enamels.


I have some altered gems that look downright rusty and added them to give more of the timeworn effect and feel to it.


You can see the postmark stamped with embossing powder and given some watery washes of paint. The lace was just painted with the media acrylics to get the aged effects to it.


True to Dee's style the edges were textured with modeling paste and sprinkled with frantage aged gold embossing enamel and heated to get those lovely effects. This technique fits with her grungy style and this more shabby one. Thanks Dee for the inspiration.



All paints and mediums are from the DecoArt Media line.


Do pop over to A Vintage Journey to see who which of the Creative Guides have joined in with the fun today, there's always a fabulous collection to whet your appetite.

So my mojo seems to have returned and I'm fully inspired to get going on some more projects. I need to get on quickly to be able to catch up with myself though. I am now back in my workroom to create so I know that will help me as well having all my supplies around me.

To finish here's a couple of pics from last weekend.

 Andy in full flow - you can just see me on the table to the right.


Here we are - Susan, me and Sian. I met both of these lovely ladies on the day and because I wasn't expecting to take part they shared their supplies with me which enabled me to fully join in. Aren't crafting buddies just the best?


Of course it was fabulous to meet up with the gorgeous Tracy Weinzafel again - I was just sorry I couldn't do her class on the Sunday. I had arranged for Ken to come and pick me up, but we grabbed a coupe of minutes for this photo.


And here are the two that kept me going (Suz and Dee) with lots of laughs, lots of help and plenty of alcohol lol. (I was good actually as I didn't want to be drunk in charge of crutches!!!!!!). Suz very kindly gave me a lift to Coventry on the Friday too, it was lovely to spend more time with her. This is a photo of them both in Asda trying on sparkly dresses together - what are they like? They didn't buy them even though they were only £3 each.


Thanks for stopping by. I'm off out shopping tomorrow to help Ella spend her birthday money.

Have a great weekend whatever you have planned.

hugs Brenda xxx

32 comments:

Words and Pictures said...

Wow - what an amazing tag. Love the crackled background with the washes of colour, and how amazing the embossed edging looks with the paint dribbled over it. Glorious work! So glad you were able to get out of the house and enjoy yourself at the class and demo - it's not Boston, but it ain't nothing!
Alison x

Julia Aston said...

You are the master of layering Brenda - who would guess all those light colors lingered under your finished background - but there are little peaks of it here and there - wonderful embossing on the edges and on the dress form - so happy for you in attending the workshops and glad you are back in the swing of creating! So sorry we couldn't meet up in Boston this year - hopefully next! Julia xx

Monika Gulyas said...

I’m happy that everything is back to normal and now you can use your craft room and you can go to crafting events! Your tag is fabulous with those layers and crackles! I love the edges - the technique is really cool! Big hugs

Helen said...

Love all that texture and crackle! glad you managed to take part in some of the weekend; you needed that I think !

Dortesjs said...

amazing tag, great tut and very nice photos of the crafting events

Celia Low said...

Fantastic combo of styles. I love the frantage edging! It was lovely to see you at tye weekend and hope your ankle carries on improving. C x

Crafty Humphreys said...

Fab project hun. And you were wonderful company, both on the journey and at the event. As usual we had so many laughs. Mwah gorgeous girl. Love Suz Humphreys xxx

www.deeadamsart.blogspot.co.uk said...

It was brilliant to catch up with you this weekend and to see you out and about not to mention the really good laughs. I am really pleased that I was able to inspire you in some way and your tag is Fabulous I think we are going to be seeing you creating more embossed art! Can't wait for London when you are up and mobile. X

Astrid Maclean said...

STUNNING tag Brenda, I immediately could see that your mojo was running at full force again!! The effects of all the layers of paint, crackle and embossing have made for a stunning effect, specially in combination with your wonderful collage elements! The effect on the dressform looks amazing! Must give that a try! I love Dee's work and treasure a Christmas card I received from her some years back when we were both on the Artistic Stampers team. Great to see the photos of the workshop! So glad you were able to get out and are now back in your craft room! xxxxx

hazel said...

A beautiful tag Brenda, glad you had a great weekend.
xxx Hazel.

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Wow love the rusting effects on your tag Brenda, looks like you had a great day too :)
Hugs
Donna xx

Gina said...

(a) Loving the tag
(b) I seriously NEED to make something "crackly"
(c) Awesome friends you have there
and (d) £3 for all those sequins and they DIDN'T buy them????
I would have lol

:D XXX

Jane said...

What a great tag Brenda so much texture. You obviously had a brilliant time and yes crafting buddies really are the best. Enjoy your weekend too. Hugs xxx

Patty O'Malley said...

Fabulous tag, Brenda! Glad to see you are out and about again. You are so lucky to have such wonderful crafting friends to share with!

SewPaperPaint said...

What amazing medicine for you my dear! I'm tickled that you had this opportunity and know just how much it must have meant to get out of the house, let alone refresh the muse! I adore your gorgeous tactile layers in this tag. The torso stamping is AMAZING - what a difference between regular stamping. I love the stamped tissue element and gorgeous embossed edges. All in all, every detail is perfect and works so well with the next. Big hugs, Autumn

Unknown said...

Beautiful tag! I love what Dee does with embossing enamel too.

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

So pleased to hear you got to attend Brenda and from looking at your tag I can see you were inspired. I adore the texture around the edges and contrast of colour it gives to,the design. The touch of blue is just perfect and the crackle, well I just love crackle. A gorgeous tag Brenda. Sending big hugs. Tracy x

froebelsternchen said...

What an AMAZIGN tag - gorgeous ! Great to see that you had fun and that you are now mobile again! Thanks for the lovely photos!
Happy weekend Brenda!
Susi

S@ndy Diller said...

Looks like you had fun and got so inspired. Love the resulting tag and the step by step if fabulous as well. Hugs, S@ndy

Sue said...

What a fabulous tag Brenda, I love your layers and colours. It's good to see you out and about with your little helpers :-) xx

Meggymay said...

Its a beautiful tag Brenda, You all looked like you were having a fun time at the retreat, it must have been good for you to escape the house for a while.
Yvonne xx

Lisa said...

Wow, what a stunning tag!! The texture is amazing!! I love the crackle background and the embossed edges!! The dress form is gorgeous!! And what beautiful pictures of the retreat!! I'm glad you had a wonderful time!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts

Mrs.B said...

A fabulous tag, love the colours and textures. Glad to read the ankle is improving, sounds like a great weekend.
Avril xx

Mrs.B said...

A fabulous tag, love the colours and textures. Glad to read the ankle is improving, sounds like a great weekend.
Avril xx

Paper Profusion said...

Stunning tag Brenda!! You are definitely on form! Lovely to see / hear of your adventures too. Happy weekend. Nicola x

sarascloset said...

What a treat to come visit your blog this morning, Brenda! First off you sound so lively and ready to rumble in the workroom-that is music to my ears! Secondly, the newsy post is great to read and look at with photos of your excursions. Lastly, your vintage tag ROCKS! I love everything--you have captured that aged crackle and rusty goodness to perfection with your techniques! I could sit and stare at this one all day! Truly my FAVORITE from you! And do you know what's got me giddy--the textiles are aged to perfection! Sending hugs!

Redanne said...

How wonderful that you got to go and meet up with crafty friends AND take a class - yes, crafty friends really are the best!

Your tag is so, so beautiful Brenda, all of the layers look fabulous and I just adore the embossing around the edges, it looks amazing. So glad you got your mojo back too (could you please tell him/her to give mine a nudge too?). Love, love, love your tag! I also love your (new?) glasses too. Hugs, Anne xx

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

So pleased to see you having a good time with crafty friends. Great tag, I so love the crackle texture. Have a lovely weekend. Big hugs, Angela xXx

A Pink said...

So pleased to hear you got to go out and about, see friends and spend some time creating at D2C- just the tonic you probably needed. Hope so .
Your tag is absolutely gorgeous - layer upon layer of fabulous texture, detail and collaged elements. The emboss techniques on the dress form and around the edges of the tag are superb. As always all your collaged elements are thoughtfully selected and arranged perfectly.
A really great post Brenda . Love reading and seeing.TFS .
hugs x

Miriam said...

I love your version of Dee's tag...it's fabulous... And it was so good to see you again at Dare2Create.

Nikki Acton said...

Lovely to see you having a fabulous time at D2C and how wonderful you got to do a class! I love this - the layers and textures are just gorgeous - I never tire of seeing how many stages you go through to get these amazing effects. Loving the triple embossed image too. 24 boot days now?...xxxxx

Jackie PN said...

What a beautiful tag!
Brenda, thanks for sharing the photos of your adventure! It looks like you had a riot! So glad you were able attend even with your boot still in tow(toe-LOL) heehee
hugs,Jackie