Monday, July 27, 2015

Oceania - Finnabair Creative Team

Hi Everyone, 

Today I would like to share an experimental project made with a lot of small op shop found objects  combined with Art Ingredients Glass Beads, Art Ingredients Mica Powder, Art Basics Black Gesso & Silks paints. Many thanks for looking at my canvas which I call 'Oceania'.


I wish you all a very happy and creative day!

~ Rebecca ~

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Art - Inch by Inch - Finnabair Creative Team

Hi Everyone, 

I am here with you today to share a special canvas project, I call this one 'special' as it contains 12 mini 2" square works of art within the canvas. When I began this project I initially thought 12 x 2" squares would be a good challenge for myself and hoped in my head that I would be able to think of enough mini arts to fill all the squares. Well let me tell you once I began, the ideas kept flowing and I think I could have filled an extra 12 squares. I truly loved making this project and am very happy with how it has turned out. Plans are being formulated as I type to make a new creation with squares very very soon. If you have never tried something like this before I can certainly recommend giving it a go. 


To begin my project I painted a 8" x 10" white canvas with Art Basics Heavy Black Gesso and allowed this to dry. Step 2 for my background was to apply Art Extravagance Graphite Texture Paste to the face and sides of the canvas through the Grungy Grid Stencil.  Once the texture paste had completely dried I spritzed my canvas with a mist created with water and Gold Mica Powder, allowing to dry slightly and dabbing off with a baby wipe. At this stage I thought the background just needed a little something else so I grabbed some blue metallic thread and wrapped it around and around the canvas. It ended up creating exactly the look I was hoping to achieve. 



I took some heavy weighted card stock and cut 12 x 1" squares. With a palette knife I gently applied a thickish layer of Art Basics Modeling Paste. As I did not want a smooth finish with the back of the palette knife I gentle dabbed over the entire surface of the square to create some peaks. To complete I sprinkled on some Copper Micro Beads and then allowed my squares to completely dry (overnight, do NOT use a heat gun, I did try the heat gun approach, patience is the answer). 


After patiently waiting for my squares to dry overnight it was time to paint them. To paint them I made two mixes of colour, combining Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel with Art Ingredients Rust Mica Powder and also separately Blue Mica Powder. My first coat was with the rust followed by light dabs of the blue just for a little contrast. 


I created 8 squares using modelling paste and you will note there are 4 squares with stamped embossed mica images. This coming Monday the 27th July there will be an additional tutorial by me within the Spreads Your Wings Academy Volume 3 to fully explain how the stamped embossing technique is carried out. 

Please let me explain each squares contents in a little more detail for you. 

1) Prima Mechanicals Leaves 2 , bronze cogs (stash), Prima Mechanicals Typewriter Numbers, rosette ribbon. 
2) Gold metallic thread, watch parts (stash), Art Ingredients Bronze Micro Beads, Prima Collect Moments Stamp. 
3) Bronze key, Prima Resist Canvas - Music, Art Ingredients Bronze Micro Beads, Prima Mechanicals Bottle Caps. 


 

5) Prima Resin Bird, rusty nail, Prima Mechanicals Leaves 1.
6) Bronze cog (stash), watch parts (stash), Prima Mechanicals Gears. 
7) Gold metallic thread, Prima Butterfly 3 Stamp, Prima Junkyard Findings Screw. 
8) Bronze cogs (stash), Prima Mechanicals Plated Labels, Prima Mechanicals Tassels. 


10) Gold metallic thread, Prima Canvas Resist Newspaper, Prima Mechanicals Leaves 2, watch parts (stash).
11) Rosette ribbon (stash), bronze cog (stash) watch parts (stash), Prima Mechanicals Leaves 2. 
12) Prima Canvas Resist Newspaper , Chinese coin (stash), Plastic egg (stash), Art Ingredients Glass Beads Zinc. 

Thank you for your time today my creative friends, please if you have any questions at all do not be afraid to ask.

I wish you all a very happy and creative day.

~ Rebecca ~ 
Products Used
Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel
Prima Resist Canvas - Music
Prima Mechanicals Tassels

Monday, June 22, 2015

The Texture of Time - Finnabair Creative Team

Hi Everyone,

I am here with you today to share my altered steampunk clock. Now this altered metal frame clock has been in my design team pack for coming up 10 months tempting me to alter it. I had been waiting for the right moment and the right ideas. Finally I felt it time and I am very happy with the results. Let's take a tour around how it was created shall we?



To begin although the clock base already has a fabulous rusted look I wanted to add some extra glimmer and colour. To accomplish this I chose two colours of Art Ingredients Mica Powder, the colours I chose were Gold and Copper. I combined a small amount of the mica powders (separately) with some Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel, once combined I applied to my clock sides, legs and back with a paint brush.
At this stage I also painted my chipboard clock pieces with a combination of both the mica coloured gels combined. Blending them together, dabbing away.


I took a fairly large amount of Graphite Art Extravagance Texture Paste and mixed in a pretty generous amount of Licorice Glass Beads and Black Micro Beads. Now I LOVE myself some small watch parts but often the pieces are super super tiny and hard to use in projects but for a project like this they were absolutely perfect. I picked up small scoops with my fingers and while the texture paste was still damp I pushed the pieces into the paste.


As you can see although the texture paste is grey when wet, when dry it is a lovely rich black.


I wanted to create some unique dangly pieces to hang from the sides, I thought about this one for quite a while before inspiration struck. I had some mini hat pins in my stash which I threaded some miniature cogs onto along with Mechanical Typewriter Numbers. The ends were twisted off into a circle, cut and then threaded through a jump ring and secured it onto metal chain. My dangly pieces were complete!!.


To create the inside of my clock I traced and cut out the circle onto some Prima Newsprint Resist Canvas, this became my background. I then began layering up all my other elements, my clock, metals and photo. My steampunk gentleman of course required a crown and some goggles before he moved into the clock ;-). 

In the foreground of my clock you will see glass bottle containing glitter and glass beads, a rusty resin nut, hat pins, an egg and a broken pocket watch. I created the hanging light bulb out of a bulb which has two cogs glued to the side, a few jump rings and more chain (easy!).  My label of Journey comes from the Mechanicals Plate and Label collection.


To finish I added a bow made out of ribbon which was a gift from a friend, it was a perfect addition to to my clock and a nice way to symbolise our new friendship. In the centre of the bow you will see a Mechanicals gear, isn't it cute?



Many thanks for looking my friends, wishing you all a happy and creative day.

~ Rebecca ~
Products Used

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Creating Texture - Finnabair Creative Team

Hello Everyone,

I am  here with you to share two different ways how I have used Art Extravagance Texture Paste in the below canvas. Prior to adding my texture pastes my background was  built with a combination of lace, paper, washi tape and dry wall tape. This was then given a coat of gesso (allow to dry) and then color was applied using different combinations of paint colors (allow ample time to dry). Time to add more texture!! To create even more texture within my Art Ingredients Copper Crackle I first mixed in some Copper Micro Beads. This mixture was then applied to my background through the Chicken Wire Stencil. The final step in my texture adventure was to add some Graphite Texture Paste and this was applied through the Grungy Grid Stencil. My friends, don't be shy, jump on in and get some texture going in your projects, these products will give you fabulous results. 



Prima Products Used: Art Ingredients Mica Powder Copper 962531, Art Extravagance Texture Paste Copper Crackle 961534, Art Extravagance Texture Paste Graphite 961497, Cling Stamps 'Trust the magic' 962036, Cling Stamps 'Rust & dust' 962050, Mechanicals Gears 961053, Mechanicals Brads Stars 961169, Elementals Chicken Wire Stencil 962272, Elementals Grungy Grid Stencil 962319, Art Ingredients Micro Beads Copper 962579.

Wishing you all a happy and creative day!

~ Rebecca ~ 

Friday, May 29, 2015

Mixed Media Hanging - Flying Unicorn Creative Team

Hi Everyone,

I am here today to share with you a set of three mini mixed media canvas's. These have been created using a combination of Silks Paints and Flying Unicorn Adornments. Although I have quite a few of my projects on display in my craft room my walls remain rather bare, I wanted to create something to hang on the wall. I thought I would begin with something little. These tiny canvas's only measure 2" x 2", so small and cute, a perfect way to really display and feature my treasured Flying Unicorn Adornments. 


Products Used


Let's take a closer look around......





Many thanks for looking, if you have any questions at all for me please do not hesitate to ask.

I wish you all a happy and very creative day.

~ Bex ~ 

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Trash to Treasure - Finnabair Creative Team

Hi Everyone,

I am here today to share with you a little trash to treasure make over. I am never one to throw away a good box, I will always tuck it away in a cupboard for a future craft project. This one in particular was a beautiful strong box and the fact it smelt fabulous was just an added bonus.




To begin my project I removed the decorative ribbon and traced an outline of the lid onto white card stock. As I would be adding a new top and also new sides to the lid and base to the box I also cut a long thick strip (the width of box and side of lid) of white card stock (this will be trimmed later to form my sides). Both my circle and long strip were given a thin coat of Art Basics Heavy White Gesso. 

For my background colour I chose three colors of Faber Castell Gelatos, Blueberry, Metallic Mint and Snow Cone. As you can see below I randomly scribbled my gelatos and then blended them with my Prima Watercolor Brush Pen. In areas where I wanted harder blending I rubbed gently with my finger, yes you get a blue finger, but for the sake of art it is worth it right?


To enhance my background I chose to use Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel through the Elementals Grungy Grid stencil. I wanted an only slight raised transparent grid effect.


At this point in time I did not want to use my heat gun to dry the soft gloss gel so placed my stencil sheets out in the sun to allow ample time to dry naturally. In the meantime I took the base and lid of my box and firstly gave it a coat of Art Basics Heavy Black Gesso. As I will be using my coloured paper strips to cover the box later there was no point to paint the entire box and waste my gesso. Once the gesso was dry I applied a coat of Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel, this gave the black a gorgeous shine. 

Although I loved my shades of blue and green I really wanted to add more colour and what better than pink in a beautiful sparkle and shine of Pink Mica Powder. To apply the powder I gently sprinkled some on using the end of my palette knife. Once sprinkled I misted with water and let it run slightly. Go gently with the powder a little goes a long way, always best to start with less, you can always add more. At this point I dried with my heat gun, something magical happened, the gel bubbled (and even popped in places), the mica powder set into the gel, it looked amazing, I was happy.  

I cut my circle top and then measured and cut my box lid and base side. Using a black PITT pen I outlined a few squares of soft gloss gel and also the edges of my top and sides. I am not a sewer, so when it comes to sewing crooked lines I am a master, I quickly and crookedly zipped around the around the edges twice in black thread. 


The create my flower base I used scrap material. I cut leaf shapes which were glued onto card stock and then crookedly stitched on my sewing machine (and then also outlined with black PITT pen and smudged). My metal embellishments were stacked on top of gold metallic sewing thread, I also wrapped blue metallic thread around my scissor flower base. Upon the scissor centre you will see a vintage button. To make my wording pop I have outlined with a black water colour pencil and used a water color brush pen to blend it in. 


Cobalt Blue Glass Beads, these are my FAVOURITES, I just love them so. They were added to my flower centre, around my leaves and at the base. To add dimension to my wording I very carefully applied some glossy accents.


Many thanks for looking, I wish you all a very happy and creative day.

~ Rebecca ~ 
Products Used

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Steampunk 'Timekeeper' - Flying Unicorn Creative Team

Hi Everyone,

I am  here today to share with you a special steampunk project. This project has been created using the OTP which was included as part of the May Flying Unicorn Kit. I decided to decorate my book box with a number of different items, but the base I have used comes from the STUNNING new papers from Marion Smith called Timekeeper.

I love myself some steampunk style and I love myself some over the top, as per usual when I thought I had finished, I hadn't. I kept on adding a few bits and bobs here and there. Again I ask you all, is too  much ever too much? no, never!!.

A lot of the metal you can see below are Flying Unicorn Adornments, man of which has been cut up (especially the ones you can see lining the wings of Mr Timekeeper).

Products Used
Watch Parts





















Many thanks for looking, I wish you all a very happy and creative day.

~ Bex ~