Sunday Stamper - Week 213 - Dreamer

Goooodly Morning Stampers and a very happy Sunday to you all! Many thanks for the FAB entries to last weeks challenge, as ever, seeing all your different interpretations of the theme makes me smile big :O)) This weeks theme is the word DREAM. Now, you can use the word alone, included in a sentiment, a literal "dream" of yours... there are endless possibilities. To join in is simples: make a little something, it can be anything you fancy... add in the theme and some stamping and then pop back here with a link to the place you are showing your entry. If you haven't got a blog or web-hosting photo site, you can use Facebook or email me a piccie of your entry. The challenge will remain open until 21:00 Saturday 14th July 2012.




My entry this week is the fruit of another Skype sesh with Ellen. We decided to make a recipe that included a large tag (the mahoosive one), inspiration from Finnabair (see her amazing art HERE), paint, gesso, paper flowers, strips of canvas, punched/diecut shapes, ink sprays and lots of embellies. The word to use was Dream and we were to chop the tag into two at 2 1/4" from the bottom so it could be dangled... scary but... I love the effect. Anyways, I started by layering paper die cut shapes along with punched pieces, masking tape and strips of canvas onto the tag. I then used a spatula to slap some Gesso over the whole lot... I use Claudine Hellmuth Studio Gesso - to me, this is the best one, it is thick, creamy and is fab at covering everything.



I used Cool Peri and Pool Dabbers, applying them in layers, using Cut & Dry at first... once the layers were dried, I added some "dabs" of the colours to add intensity in patches. Next I scraped a smidge of Gesso over the top of the whole tag, this just highlighted the raised bits... I didn't want too much white but needed to add some depth to the piece and the Gesso did the trick. Next, I blobbed a dollop (love that word) of Gesso onto my craft sheet and spritzed it with Stream Colourwash so I had a custom colour paint... and it was quite runny which is what I needed because I was just scraping this very lightly over the tag, this brings all the colours together and adds more depth.




The next bit is one of the bestest bits for me... using a Stabilo All pencil (black) and a waterbrush to refine all around the diecut/punched pieces... this makes them really pop from the background, adding yet more depth. Then... once I was happy with it all, I set about layering on paper flowers, leaves and lots of embellies (as per our recipe, who am I to argue? lol) Now, I do have a comprehensive collection (ok, a hoard) of flowers, but guess what? Not a single one went with the colours I used... so, I knocked them all back with Gesso, applied with Cut & Dry foam.




Then the realllllly scary bit... spritzing the spray inks from the recipe. Ellen has it on good authority (ok, she watched Anna's video) that the very last thing you need to do is spritz. I am such a baby... I liked the look of the tag, I know how cack-handed I can be... and I was so cringy, aware that one spritz in the wrong direction would wreck the lot. So, I figured out that if I covered most of the tag with kitchen roll and just spritzed the bits that I wanted, I would be safe. And it worked! So, the sprays used were Purple Twilight CW spray that I had decanted into a Mini Mister and added some water (that colour scares me... wow) and some Cosmic Shimmer in Turquoise (I didnt' shake the bottle before spritzing so there's less sparkle)




And there you have it. And... I LOVE IT! It isn't very often that I look at something I have made and go "ooh, I love that" But... this one I do... I am so chuffed that this recipe made me step outside the inkpad and think about using paints and layers and stuff that I wouldn't normally do. If you fancy using our recipe, please do feel free and then come and show us what you did... Pop over to Ellen's place to see her tag... wowzers, she has pulled out all the stops with this one... tis a gorgeous creation indeedily.



So... enough of the waffling for me for one day.... I hope you are having a good weekend and keeping dry... I reckon that Summer is on it's way....it will be here in about 12 months rofl Thanks for looking.... TTFN

Hels x