We're back in the Cotswolds .......

Happy weekend!

I hope you've had a good week.

It was a little bit of a busy one for me .... talk about multi-tasking!! Everything got done though, and the craft room door is now closed ....... in fact all the doors are closed because it’s time to relax. We're on holiday!!

This is home for the next seven days .....

The gorgeous Welcome Cottage, in the picturesque town of Bourton-on-the -Water. 

  

Yep, the family is back in the Cotswolds .......

It was a bit of a long journey here ....... ferry crossing was good, it was just the traffic and road works on the motorways that took the time.   We made it though!

Before I get into full holiday mood I thought I’d better share last weekend’s workshop with you.  It was a day of mixed emotions ....... we all had a great time as usual but it was a little bit sad as it was the last one for a while.

Things have been so full on lately I feel it’s time for a break. That’s the reason I’ve been stepping down from some of my DT commitments. I need some time for me!

We went out in style though, with a little bit of mixed media, using rice papers to decorate an oversized MDF tag ....... 

I did have a little bit of help with this one, as I'd never used rice papers before.  I must say I'm hooked!

Rice papers ...... love this face

A couple of my favourite stencils and texture paste, coloured with metallic paints and waxes

Lots of embellishments layered to add detail, texture and dimension  .....

Some words ......

And then finished off with a few Art Stones here and there .....

Here's the back of the tag ......

The papers are so lovely, you can use full sheets but, it's nice to tear just pieces of them .... they go further then too! 

It was a lovely workshop and we’re all now hooked on rice papers. If you’ve never used them before, give them a go, I will warn you though .... they are addictive!

Once I’d finished my tag, I was looking for other things to decorate using up all the bits ...... it’s worse than cutting into designer papers, you don’t want to waste any. With rice papers even the tiniest piece that you tear off has to be saved and used for another project 

I came across some small hearts in my MDF box and thought they would make cute little handbag charms ..... what do you think?

Pretty MDF hearts simply covered with small pieces of rice paper and embellished with jewellery bits

There was a few sad faces as it was the last workshop but as I said to them all, just because I’m not doing workshops it doesn’t mean that we all can’t get together for a crafty day.

No craft this week though ..... I haven’t even brought a journal with me, no pens or paints, and definitely no stamps ..... nothing! I do have my laptop though, so I’ll be able to keep up with everybody, check blogs and comment etc. but this week is all about family time ..... happy days!

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day and have a lovely weekend.

Think we may just pop over to Cheltenham later .... the Food & Drink Festival is on this weekend and it would be a shame to miss it!

Cheerio until next time ......

Mixed Media ...... the less is more approach

Happy Sunday .......

Happy Bank Holiday weekend too ...... and isn't it a nice one!  Sorry I've been AWOL for the last week or so ...... not really sure where the time went but hey! life gets in the way sometimes.
Everything's good though ... the old craft room door is open, projects are .... underway shall we say. Although I think Mr Mojo has had a little too much sun .... he's just not playing ball!!

This years Isle of Man TT is underway ....... practice week started yesterday.  Lets hope this beautiful weather lasts for the whole two weeks.
It's going to be a busy fortnight .... both of the kids are working all hours for most of it ...... goes without saying, the hospitality industry on the island gets a little hectic this time of year!
Not sure Lauren is looking forward it all, and Chris showed me the rota he's done for his place ....... he was down as working everyday for the whole fortnight (well he is the landlord) ..... as AFD ????   I won't tell you what it stands for ..... you can probably guess.   And if you're in the hospitality business you'll probably know what it means!!!!!  Let's just say he'll be ready for his holiday at the end of it ...... we all will!!

Anyway ..... enough about the TT.  My long weekend got off to a great start ...... a lovely workshop yesterday with a great bunch of ladies.
I introduced them to a little bit of Mixed Media ...... out of the comfort zone for a couple of them I think, which ..... is not a bad thing.  By the end of the afternoon they had all created beautiful pieces of art work that they were really proud of .... well done ladies!!

Here's a few samples I'd done to give them a bit of inspiration and maybe a starting point ...... mixed media but with a little bit of a less is more approach

We started with a card ..... to get them used to using different products, and layering to give texture

They each worked on a small panel of card .... adding colour first using Distress Inks, a little water, and a piece of acetate to apply the colour.  I'm loving this technique at the moment, it's such an easy way to get a nice watercoloured background

Next we added a bit more interest to the background using texture stamps ...... the ones I used here are from Stampin Up ....... Gorgeous Grunge and Timeless Textures ..... they also turned out to be favourites among the ladies on the class.

Next came the main images .... stamped directly onto the inked card to get the placing of them and then stamped also onto a separate piece of card, which they were then coloured and fussy cut

Both the beautiful poppies and the butterfly I used are from Inkylicious.
Before adding the coloured images, I applied some texture paste through a stencil, randomly onto my design to add in a touch of texture ......

Whilst the paste was wet, I sprinkled on some embossing powder ..... a mixture of white and gold detail powders ,,,,,,,, and then I used a heat tool as normal.  This is so cool .... when the EP melts and the paste gets hot it starts to bubble adding even more texture ..... you have to be careful though not to over heat it as it will burn .... how do I knows that ..... hmmm!!!
And I had to add a little something on the inside too ......

Another example I showed them was a card I made for a Blog Challenge earlier this year .......
same sort of thing ..... mixed media but very CAS.  Inks, stamps, texture paste .... only this time I used gilding flakes to add a bit more interest.  You can find more details on this one here if you'd like to take a look

Then we moved on to a canvas .......... a favourite look of mine ...... small canvas board mounted onto a larger one (in true Barbara Gray style)

They used all the same techniques only this time onto a 7x5 inch canvas board

Started with the colour ..... added the texture stamps, and the main images.  Added in some texture paste  ........

Overlaid the coloured images, and finished with a touch of gilding flakes here and there.

For the larger canvas we added some texture paste first and then painted over the whole thing in either black, as I've done here ..... or a colour to compliment the centre piece

As you can see I finished off mine by adding a bit of white paint dry brushed over the texture paste to bring out some of the detail.

Another design I showed them was a little something I did just for me ....... another canvas, this time one of the boxed style .....

Exactly the same techniques as before, same stamps, just different colours

I used a honeycomb stencil this time with the texture paste ......

Added plain white embossing powder over the top and heated it ....... look at how it raises up more ...... I love it!

Once it had cooled down, I applied a touch of Flitter Glu over parts of the raised areas and added some gold gilding flakes, then finished off the whole thing by adding some words.

The whole afternoon was fun and I think I'm safe in saying that they're not scared of mixed media anymore.  It doesn't have to be all dark and grungy, with lots of paints and pastes and metal everywhere .... you can do as much or as little as you like.

I always love the end of the afternoon .... not because I've talked and laughed too much, haven't sat down for nearly 4 hours, eaten far too much cake and biscuits and the class is over but ...... because it's nice to see how everyone took the same information, saw the same samples, used the same products but came up with completely different results and they're happy with what they've created. Look at this fabulous display ....... well done ladies, you deserved those glasses of wine!

Thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day and have a great Bank Holiday!

Cheerio until next time ......

xx

Day 4 ..... 12 Tags of Christmas with Loll & Friends

Happy Saturday,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ..... in the old craft room it is anyway! Could have something to do with Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas Event .....

Are you all playing long?

It's Day 4 of the event ..... and I'm absolutely thrilled to say I'm one of the Guest Designers today ..... whoo hoo!!

When Loll invited me to join in the fun this year I couldn't say 'Yes' fast enough.  I played along with last year's event and had so much fun that I couldn't resist getting involved again.

The event is open until the 22nd of November so you've lots of time to play along ........ go on, make a start on all your tags to go on those lovely Christmas gifts you'll be buying.

Here's an idea for you .....

I've used tissue again for the background only this time I've added die cuts into the mix to add even more texture

Plain white tissue paper for the background ,,,,,, die cut poinsettias and holly leaves on the top then a coat of white acrylic paint over the whole lot.

Once this was dry I added a few dots of glitter glue here and there, and rubbed over the die cut shapes with some Treasure Gold Gilding Wax (Rose Quartz) to bring out the texture even more .... so pretty!

The beautiful festive bloom was cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia die, cut from plain and glittered red cardstock with a layer of green added for the leaves

I gave it a spritz of Perfect Pearls for added shimmer and finished off with a rusty bell to the centre.

Some festive red ribbon and a bit of twine and thread finish it all off nicely.

The sentiment was stamped onto tissue paper, torn around the edge and then added onto the tag using a little Ranger Glue n Seal

Hope you like it .......

Thank you so much to Loll for inviting me to be part of this event ....... I'm so pleased to be part of such a talented bunch!!

As this is Christmas themed and it's a Tag, I'm also linking up to the current HLS Christmas challenge

AND the Mixed Media challenge which is also all about TAGS! ......

Well thanks for popping by ..... enjoy the rest of your day.

It's been a bit of a busy one here ...... very productive though.  Chris now has lots of new furniture and stuff for his flat ..... hubby and I are broke but hey, it's not that long off payday!!
Time to put my feet up I think and catch up with some TV

Cheerio until next time ......

Linda

xx

It's tag time!!!

Happy Thursday!

Whoo hoo!!! .... it's started!  The 12 Tags of Christmas event with Loll and Friends that is.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about ..... where have you been!!  Last year's event was so much fun ..... all the guest designers are joining Loll again this year, along with 13 of her friends.
Each day they'll be showcasing mixed media, Christmas themed tags that will hopefully inspire you to join in the fun!  I know I'll be playing along ..... I love making tags (but you already know that!)

The event got underway yesterday with three beautiful designs ....... why not pop over and take a look.  You'll find all the details of the event and how to enter.

Here's my tag for Day 1

*For this event, Mixed Media  is defined as stamps + ink, and two other elements that add texture and/or dimension*

I used Distress ink to colour the top half of my tag (Stormy Sky),  and then splashed over a little water to give that splattered look .......

I then used white texture paste through a stencil to add some 'falling snow'

Next I used my new Sleigh Ride Edgelits dies from SU ......  to cut the layers for my little winter scene

I cut them first in white cardstock and added the two layers to the bottom of my tag using foam pads on one to add dimension.  I then cut the trees and the sleigh again, this time from glitter card and overlayed them onto the tag ....

A touch of fine crystal glitter adds the sparkle  and I stamped some festive words for the bottom

To finish it all off I added some co-ordinating bakers twine and I painted a pretty wooden snowflake with some white acrylic paint, and attached it to the top along with a shiny sequin to the centre

Christmas is definitely on it's way ...... have you started thinking about what gifts to buy yet.  Make a start on your tags and worry about the rest later!

The Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge this month is all about TAGS ...... how lucky is that! So I shall be linking up there too ......

I've got a busy day today ..... lots of catching up to do.  We moved Chris into his flat yesterday so nothing else got done!!

It's not very nice over here today either ..... grey, murky, wet and miserable!  It's Bonfire night too (typical!) ..... Remember, Remember the 5th of November and all that.  Just as well that the fireworks display down on the beach in Douglas, is not until tomorrow.
No fireworks for us this evening either....... no, we're off to the theatre!  We're taking the little man to see The Little Mermaid ..... the first time he's been to a theatre ..... he's quite excited!

Thanks for popping by .... enjoy the rest of your day.  And if you're out this evening at a Bonfire party .... have fun, and stay safe.

Cheerio until next time

Linda

xx