Christmas Angel - mixed media frame

I am posting this Christmas Angel project over on Andy's blog today. It's been quite a while in the conception and making but finished at last and I love it.

I have included a few bits from Andy's project packs and used my Tando frame plus lots of paints and mediums from the Fabulous DecoArt Media range.

Unfortunately my notes on the techniques and colours got lost so it's photos and memory only.

Starting with the frame I sealed the base with gesso then scraped what I think was prussian blue, cerulean blue and yellow ochre, dring it before painting on a coat of weathered wood crackle medium. When that was dry I painted over a coat of white chalky finish paint and watched the crackles appear. I had intended to dribble more paints or rub over some antiquing cream but with all the other textures I decided to leave it just as it was to ad some contrast in the background.

I love Andy's 'industrial wings' and decided to use one for the Angel's halo and head printing the face from the Graphics Fairy. I used media gold to paint and seal the halo. added a layer of clear crackle paste and when dry painted over some white antiquing cream and wiped it back to reveal the very, very fine crackles - perfect for the golden halo.

Next I worked on the four frame pieces sealing them with gesso, dabbling on a wash of prussian blue, stamping text from Andy's Textures stamps then using white modeling to create the gorgeous star design. When that was dry I brayered over with the gold paint.

 I used the arch from the 'sacred secrets' kit, sealed it with gesso and when dry scraped more gesso using a palette knife. I then dribbled and dried yellow ochre and quinacridone gold through it.

 Next came the wings which are sizzix die-cuts run through the foundry embossing folder then painted silver, rubbed in random places with raw umber media fluid acrylic and dribbled and daubed quinacridone gold through it to achieve the rusty look.

I collected together some Tando cogs, die cut the border and the burst medallion altering them with media paints and a gold metallic lustre.

 To finish the arched body I stamped some Andy texture using orange blossom archival ink and a stamp from his Industrial set.

Lastly the assembling ....

.... die-cutting the gold star and adding some words.

I was inspired by several artists who I had seen making angels over the past week weeks but using Andy's products makes it look completely different.

The preparations are almost finished in the Brown household and I am looking forward to a fabulous family Christmas. Enjoy your last few days before the big day.

HUGE hugs and ....

xxx

12 Cards of Christmas #9

Well I've managed to squeeze in another two cards and actually have some more to show you on Sunday.

These were literally put together with bits from leftovers from previous projects.

Stitched circles and evergreen tree .....

....  Christmas ephemera,  Holiday Talk words and a fold-up bow.

The backgrounds were found in my Christmas box made last year or even the year before!!!!! I don't throw anything away.

Phew I'm getting there AND there's an Andy Skinner project from me tomorrow so look out for that too, especially if you like angels.

Thanks for popping by and ...

xxx

12 Cards of Christmas #8

Sleigh Ride

I haven't had time to create any more cards after this one and the Christmas prep is taking up so much of my time but I love it. I may have over estimated how many different designs I could get done!

For this card I found an old flat square stamp and used it to create the blue square by pressing some iced spruce and faded jeans distress oxides onto it, spritzing with water and stamping onto watercolour paper.

I took an old set of Tim's stamps called Deco Christmas and stamped the sleigh with black archival. I used the stamp platform and went over it 3 or 4 times but noticed that the textured watercolour paper was preventing a smooth and filled in print and the oxides could also be seen as if they were coming to the surface of the black prints. You can see in this photo below.

 

I decided to try a paintbrush and some carbon black decoart fluid media acrylic and although it was a bit of a faff painting eight of them it certainly did the trick

So I ended up with a lovely collection of these that went to The Packhouse at Runfold, near Farnham. I need to go and check to see if they have all gone!

xxx

12 Cards for Christmas #7 - Festive Overlays

Festive Overlays

Yes I've got round to using both my Stamptember and Overlay stamps by Tim Holtz.

I watercoloured the holly on the side edges using distress markers, cut some stamping card using the stitched circles and stamped the smaller Santa and wreath and then embossed the sentiment over them. With a little more stamped holly and distressed edges they were then mounted on coloured card again cut with the next size up of the stitched circles and assembled.

So there we have #7 of the 12 I'm promising. Have you found any that you are using for insprration to make some cards of your own. I would love to know.

#8 is coming tomorrow.

xxx

12 Cards of Christmas #6

Yet more simple designs but still prety enough to use and flat so they can be sent in the post.

I'm sure you can make out the stamped backgrounds using one of Tim's fabulous backgrounds and embossed trees. With some ribbon and a greeting they don't take long to make.

Oh my gosh - one week to go and we'll all be celebrating and enjoying the fruits of our hard work.

Have a great week and ........

xxx

12 Days of Christmas cards - #5

Some more simple designs that can easily be set up for a production line.

Patterned papers or stamped backgrounds with some stamped stags and we're done.

I've had several days break from being at my work desk due to all the Christmas preparations that needed to be finished but I'll be back getting the next designs made soon.

I hope all your preparations are going well.

12 cards of Christmas #2

Shabby mixed media Christmas cards

No: 2 got missed out of the sequence this week as I had taken all the samples to the Packhouse but I rushed back and managed to photo a couple before they all went.

Process Steps

1. Take a large piece of media paper and give it a quick coat of slightly watered down white gesso - dry.

2. Mix a watery wash of  raw umber and titanium white to create a very light beige colour and dip the media paper and dry several times.

3. Repeat with a watery wash of titan buff.

4. Splatter with watered down burnt umber - dry.

5. Cut the paper to your card size.

 6. With a palette knife drag some gesso over the card.

7. Using patterned papers cut lots of triangles of different sizes and ink the edges with ground espresso DI.

8. Adhere them to the card with the flat bottoms facing up and down along a horizon line. Put this under a heavy box to make sure it flattens out.

 9.Add a border and deer with a greeting to finish it off.

Just a couple of color variations with the border makes the difference with these two ......

 ...... and I cut the deer facing different directions.

So I've kept these two back to send to crafty friends whilst the others went to The Packhouse at Runfold near Farnham and are for sale in my selling space, although I went over recently and I think there is only one left.

I hope you are enjoying the series.

hugs Brenda xxx

12 days of Christmas cards #4

Here is a quick and easy card to make for your stockpile. I love this vintage Santa - he is rather old now and comes in a set with his own die to cut him out. I added both vermillion and black archival inks to the stamp and created him in one go. A stamped background and some little embellishments and it's done.

I hope your card making is coming on a treat.

12 Days of Christma Cards #3

Collage Christmas cards 3

More Christmas cards made for The Packhouse and some for crafty friends maybe!

The backgrounds were made by dipping the card into watery paints and dried then I added some strips of wash and tissue tapes and gently dry brushed some gesso over them to tone them down a bit.

I sifted through my paper dolls to choose the ones I wanted ......

..... and I gathered up some off-cuts of patterned papers and built up some collage layers for the dolls to sit on. At this point I added some stitching

.

When making cards I try to get a bit of a production line going and use different colour variations.

Before I glued the collage layers on the card I rubbed an embossing ink pad lightly round the edges. sprinkled on sticky embossing powder and when heated I laid foil papers on to create more interest and add some shiny focal areas. unfortunately they don't show up well in the photos.

 

I had some spare snowflakes so I inked the edges and added them to the cards with some festive words.

These are for sale at The Packhouse, Runfold near Farnham in my selling space.

Many thanks for your continuing support and ...

 

xxx

12 Cards of Christmas - #1c

Here's the last group of cards from my #1 set which are in a sort of pink and grey range of colours. The blue ones and process steps can be seen here if you missed them and the green ones are here.

The first one has a rich red coated Santa and doesn't pick up on the grey tones.

This second one has a greeny grey oval mount .......

 

 .... whilst this one has a silver backing.

 

Here are all the designs together which have been popped over to the Packhouse at Runfold, Farnham and are for sale in my selling space.

xxx