Alpha/Dictionary Challenge 2016 : G

When I saw the letter was G for the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary challenge I just had to choose Geophysics because this is what I do for a living. I doubt anyone else will choose that word!
The dictionary definition of Geophysics is the physics of the earth and my plan was to create a collage of images that represent the exploration end of that huge topic because that is what I know.

Unfortunately, my printer has broken so I have resorted to a few sketches on tracing paper and some images from a magazine. I think I've managed to get a selection of things represented on the page and I must say, the seismic section through the earth adds a nice bit of colour in the background. It is offshore India in case you are wondering.

I had fun with that even though the pages didn't turn out exactly as I had originally planned.

Happy Easter Day everyone x

Circle Layering

Here is my entry for the Craft Barn fortnightly challenge. The theme this fortnight is circles and they must be in the background. A good opportunity to play with stencil layering again.

Stencils used:
Finnabair Elementals "Bubbles"
Crafters Workshop " Mini Cornflowers"
Distress Inks :
Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade and Picked Raspberry.
Stamp :
Paperartsy  Squiggly Ink SM15

I applied gesso through the bubble stencil first as a resist. Then added the distress inks and let it dry. The next layer was the stamped circles in archival ink and finally I added the cornflower stencil using black versamark ink. Highlights have been added to some of the circles with a white pen.

Alpha/Dictionary Challenge 2016 : R

The next letter in the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary challenge is "R". I chose Raven. The definition in my pocket Oxford dictionary is "Large black bird of crow kind; (attrib, of hair) black". This reminded me of the Edgar Allan Poe poem so my pages are all about the poem.

Stamps used are from my IndigoBlu Hocus Pocus set.
Colour added using Tim Holtz Distress crayons : Fossilised amber and Rusty Hinge.

Just for a change it was dry enough to take a photo outside, roll on Spring.

CAS Peony

I used to do a lot of CAS cards but haven't done one in a while. Here is my offering for the Craft Barn fortnightly challenge where the theme is Clean and Simple with a flower and a sentiment. I did literally that, a flower with a Happy Birthday sentiment.

Stamps used : Peony Bouquet by Altenew
Dye based inks - dew drops
Mounted on an A6 card.

Back tomorrow hopefully with my entry for the dictionary challenge which is drying as I type.

Alpha/Dictionary Challenge 2016 : L

The next letter in the Craft Barn Alpha/Dictionary challenge is L. Lots of ideas but sometimes, the dictionary definition just doesn't fall in the right place on the page does it! So, I chose 'LEAF' for my word. Mainly because I love using leaves anyway and because I had an idea that I could make the pages look a bit like leaves that had been pressed in the pages of a book. What do you think? Did it work?

I started with a coat of white gesso on the pages leaving the definition visible. Then using my PaperArtsy stencil by Lin Brown (PS002) I applied Toad Hall Fresco Finish paint through parts of the stencil with a sponge. When dry, the leaves are outlined with a Ground Espresso distress marker.
The stamped images under the definition are from a Paperartsy Hot Picks set : 1102EZ, distress markers scribbled onto the stamp and applied to the page.
I wanted a border on the page so stamped some tiny leaves in ground espresso distress (messy, the leaf stamp was an acrylic stamp and doesn't work so well on the gesso as rubber stamps - learned that lesson!).
Then I added some die cut TH tattered leaves that I had left over from other projects.
At this point I was tempted to add more leaves but I decided to leave it alone.

That's it, my entry for the challenge done.