The Magic Sketchbook Workshop with Sue Carrington

I have just had the the most Super Sunny Saturday, thanks to Sue and 6 wonderful ladies that have kept me entertained all day.

Sue was teaching the class here at Artist Trading Post, and was joined by Sheila, Ruth, Diana, Rose, Lynda and Jill.

All though I wasn't teaching the class or taking part, I enjoyed the banter, the shared knowledge and of course the good company.

The workshop was to create a journal cover, using mainly Paper Artsy Stamps and paints, with stencilling and individually designed metal work.

The Pink Pig book was larger than most ladies thought it was going to be, so there is plenty of scope for journalling, doodling or turning into a scrapbook album, the sky's the limit.

This is Sue's Sample on a large Pink Pig Landscape book, showing how she builds up the background  layers using Paper Artsy paint, stencilling and stamping with Archival Ink. Then adding metal embossed with 10 Second Studio Tools and other embellishments.

Here's Sheila, Ruth and Diana working hard.

Sue happy in her work and doing a wonderful job.

Jill, Lynda and Rose also busy.

Rose's book cover using various Lynne Perrella stamps, Paper Artsy paints and lots of Crafter's Workshop stencils in the background.

Diana's Cover  using some of the Limited Edition Paper Artsy Paints (which we should have in stock next week)

Lynda chose to go purple.

Sheila went a bit different using the New JOFY stamps, which are really super.

Here's Jill's the colours are really vibrant, sorry about the picture being a little blurred.

Last but not least, Ruth's stunning cover, you can see the Treasure gold highlighting the grunge paste which has been applied through the stencil's.

Well done ladies and thanks again to Sue for teaching all the lovely techniques.

Sorry for making you stand out in the cold.

Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Sharon

Wonderful Weekend

Splendiferous is how I would describe my weekend and not only because it was another glorious couple of days.

But here is somebody that doesn't like mornings, Mischievous Malcom from the Dylusions stamp from Ranger.

The new stamps are brilliant, Dyan has designed them so you can mix them up and use different heads on different bodies to make your own original layout.
The background for the card is the New Sizzix Texture Fade & Trades embossing folder Blueprint & Gears set by Tim Holtz. I have coloured the card with Scattered straw Distress Ink on the background then Peeled Paint on the raised areas. The quote is from the Say it how it is stamp.

Here are a couple of pages I created in my Dylusions Journal. The screaming baby has Ruby Rainbows Body and the glass case is from the Monster Mash stamp all coloured with Dylusions Inks.

Just having fun stamping spraying and generally getting messy.

We have had in more brilliant stock at the shop. Poor Jamie is spending all his time trying to get the new products onto the internet, that's the great thing about having a shop there's more space to fill. But at this rate we will be wanting bigger premises.

I just had to have a set of the Dr Ph. Martin's Bombay Inks. You can buy them individually but I wanted them all. You can create brilliant backgrounds, paint with them and of course you can do calligraphy. There's many more uses but that's all I have had time for.

The flowers are from Paper Artsy's Eclectica 03 range Lin Brown 01, and the leaves from Dylusions Around the edge stamp and painted with Golden Cobalt Teal.

Same idea paint the background with the Dr P.H.Martins Inks in square's or waves, the picture below has been covered with Paper Artsy Snowflake paint around the leaves I drew. The bubbles are from the JOFY 09 stamp. We have the Dr P.H. Martin Inks in stock now at the shop, they will be online as soon as Jamies added all the new Golden items ;)

On Saturday I attended a Textile Workshop at the Old Loom Shop in Cromford Mill.

It was run by the lovely Mary Macdonald where we learnt Batik, Felt and Applique. I wanted to learn some different crafts, but one's that could be used in conjunction with what I already do.

So here are a few photo's of the starting points. Hopefully these are the beginnings of a journal cover, where there will lots of different layers and embellishments.

Felting

Batik

Applique

This is quite scary when you have to cut through two layers of calico to reveal the bottom layer.

That was my weekend hope you had a enjoyable time as well.

Sharon xxx

Our New Shop in Wirksworth

Hello everybody long time no blog. 

So sorry but as you may already know we have moved from Wales to the super town of Wirksworth in Derbyshire and we have opened a shop at Newbridge Works down Coldwell Street.
We are situated next to the Ecclesbourne Railway, which some of the Gentlemen callers have found interesting, while leaving the ladies to shop at their leisure. There are some beautiful walks close by and some very nice shops in the town as well and I must mention the bakers just up the road, the pies are to die for.

Here are a few Photo's the shop needs some more signs outside and inside needs more samples but it is early days.

The New Julie Nutting Dolls Stamps.

Paper Artsy Paints, Distress Inks, Dylusion Sprays, Alcohol Inks, Distress Markers, Perfect Pearl Mist and the list goes on.

 Canvases and plenty of Tim Holtz Idea-ology.

 Darkroom Door Stamps, Route 52 charms and Studio 490 Art Parts.

 Jamie wondering what I am doing.

 Paper Artsy Chalk Acrylics including the new colours and glazes.

 All of the colours of the Distress paints.

 There are three sides to this stand and all are full of The Crafters Workshop Stencils. Yummy....

 Front of the shop. Crying out for a Colourful Sign.

Prima Junkyard findings and Sunset Sunrise Trinkets.

So if you are in the area please come along to see us and don't forget to check out the workshops we are running. 

We have already had one workshop, a Steampunk Book a couple of weeks ago, and our  next workshop is an Altered Photo Canvas on Saturday 18th May, there are some places left so it's not to late to book.

Love to see you soon

Sharon

New Jofy Stamps

I have a few photo's to show you of the projects Jamie and I did when we attended a workshop with
Leandra from Paper Artsy.

I am ashamed to say we were late for the start, we went to to wrong end of the hall at the NEC and have you ever tried to get from from end to the other without knocking anybody over, not easy.
Well we managed to catch up and we really did enjoy the workshop, so all was well in the end.

Heres my picture using JOFY 09 stamp and Paper Artsy Paints. We did use some of Lin's stamps from the Eclectica range on the base layer, then applied paint with a sponge or scraper and stamped on top of the dried paint with Archival Ink. We used Translucent paints for the flowers so that it did not cover up the text and you can keep applying layers to build up depth and shading.

Here's Jamie's Picture using the same JOFY stamp. "Time" is off Sara Naumann's stamp E3 no 5.
Art in Bloom off E3 no 1

This picture I did after the show, I embossed on Indigo Blu's Black Cardstock with white embossing powder. Then painted using various colours of Perfect Pearls.

We are off  to the NEC on Wednesday for the Hobbycrafts show which starts on Thursday, so if I'm not about you can see what's happening by checking out our facebook page.

Toodle pip

Sharon x

Hand Carved Flowers

They are finally coming in, Lin Brown's fantastic new stamps, Carved Flowers from Paper Artsy. They are part of the new Eclectica3 range, and I am in love with them. I just have the one at the moment but I shall be stalking the delivery man tomorrow.

I found them so versatile with ink or paints, the possibilities are endless. You must pop over to Lin's blog at Yours Artfully where she is giving a free tutorial on the stamps. I'm trying to resist having a look till after I have posted this blog.

Here's a few photo's of the samples I have done:

The backgrounds are Chalk Acrylics sponged onto a piece of mount board. The main flower on the board is stamped up using distress inks Broken china and wild honey and the cut out flower was painted with Beach Hut and when the paper had dried stamped using Butternut paint, and the colours matched really well.

The wording is off Paper Artsy Petals Plate 6 and a few other bits from older PA stamps.

The centre of the flower is highlighted with Adirondack Dimensional Pearls in Butterscotch.

Same idea for the background but on this picture you will notice a few of JOFY's new stamps have sneaked in. Even though Lin's and Jo's stamps are completely different styles they do complement each other.

These flowers have been stamped onto painted card with Archival Ink and highlighted with a White Posca Pen.

Maybe just a word of warning it can became a bit addictive, by the time I had decided which flowers to use my desk looked like a flower garden, not a bad thing though.

See you soon

Sharon x