Saturday, August 15, 2015

Jay to the rescue...

Our Jay ak The Resident Bit of Glamour works for me at Reaveley Towers. She helps me with design etc and is really getting into the swing of making samples. Because my iPhoto is playing up she sent me over some pics of things she has done

Here are some of the border stencils doodled.



 Two quick step outs of a tag...









Tons of blocked and stencilled backgrounds












And some finished samples






Nice one Jay, you did a fantabulous job.

Jay is getting married in 3 weeks to the gorgeous Tom-tom and I will be flying home to help with all the last minute preparations etc. Unfortunately I am missing out on the hen night which is tonight :-(
but I am sure a wonderful time will be had by all.

Whatever you are doing this weekend, make it a good one.

Enjoy xx

Friday, August 14, 2015

eeeeek....

Im not really sure whats going on with my iPhoto since this latest update!!! It appears to have eaten all my finished sample photos!!!

So I will nip back to the office tomorrow and take them again for you all.

I'm loving saying that "nip back to the office". Why you might ask?
Because normally on a Friday night I am in a new place ready for a busy teaching weekend. But not this time, I have given myself the weekend off teaching, which means I haven't had to repack my bags and travel anywhere. I'm still working but I'm Ranger based, whoop de frikkin whoop.

I have managed to find a few samples of the new border stencils, arrow and hearts , which by the way I am freakin loving!!! I don't know how I managed without them. The purpose of them is to lay down some colour and then doodle over. Here are some before pics.






 But you will have to wait for tomorrow to see the afters!!!

Talking of stencils, as you all know I am the Queen of organisation and need a place for everything but within easy reach. I was sorting out all my shape stencils. I normally keep them in little plastic wallets but can never find the ones I am looking for.

At he last show I was admiring Tim's Clip Carousel and a light bulb went off. So without further ado I introduce my new stencil storage!!!



Seriously, how frikkin fab is that !!!

I have been doing lots of reorganising in my office, so I will do you a little video next week showing you.


I might treat myself in the morning and lie in till 8.30 and then take a leisurely stroll in! Proper spoil myself. lol.

In other news, the lovely Seth Apter, who is teaching at my store in November (get in !!), has released a new line of stamps, which are so cool. Have a look HERE. Congratulations my lovely.


And to end, I love this pic of my two babes waiting for me to come home. Awww only 9 more sleeps.


Enjoy xx

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Art from the Heart tutors, number three Michelle Webb




Hello my name is Michelle Webb, and I’ve probably been doing the arty thing since I was in the high chair pushing my food around the tray! My Mum always said I was creative, be it food or paint.
I love mixed-media painting that’s my thing. I’ve shimmied into it over the years, and this is where I’m happy, so I’m staying put.

I’m from the North East of England, we talk a bit funny up here, but everyone says we are the friendliest folk and have the best sense of humour; I’d go along with that :)
I usually like to incorporate lots of paper and fabric in my little creations but I got inspiration from a flower in my garden for this little canvas and Dyan’s paints are lovely bright colours which are perfect for a hit of summer colour.

If you’d like to see more of what I create please pop by my blog



I teach mixed-media workshops at Dyan’s studio/shop Art from the Heart in Harrogate.

I have a lovely Cherry Blossom Canvas coming up on the 19th September 2015, where we use mediums to build up interesting background layers. You can book your place HERE


Here's a little project I did using Dylusions paints my way

I started this little canvas by making a background of Dylusions paints, Lemon Zest, Fresh Lime, Cut Grass and Melted Chocolate. I mixed the paint with gel medium gloss to give the paint a variation in opaqueness and transparency as well as giving me a satin like finish as the paint is Matt. This allowed me to build up layers of paint. With drying each layer and painting another one on top, you begin to get a rich background with a lovely variation of colour and depth.


I used Finnabair’s butterfly stencil around the edge with Bubblegum Pink Dylusions paint and cut and dry foam. Once dry I used Faber Castell’s Big Brush Pit Pens to add some shading around the butterflies and the flower.  I drew on the flower very roughly with a pencil and painted it in using White Linen Paint.


I kept building up the layers of white paint until it wasn’t transparent anymore. As you add the layers it naturally gives you the lines of the petals. I highlighted them more with a slight touch of Black Marble paint on the tip of my brush. 
I painted in the centre with dots of yellow and a touch of Melted Chocolate Paint.

Here is the flower in my garden where I got the inspiration from.


I used a white sharpie pen to highlight the white edges of the petals and used Pitt Pens for the green shading of the petals and around the back of the flower. Pitt Pens are amazing because they are Indian ink and you can move them around with your finger to smudge it. It dries quick so no waiting around. If you varnish over the top they won’t run too. Amazing they are!


I wrote the word Bloom with a gel pen. Even L.S. Lowry used ball point pens on his oil paintings.



I hope you enjoyed my little flowery canvas?

And please come and join us for some painty shenanigans at the studio at Art from the Heart, we’d love to see you there

Michelle xx

Michelle does fabulous work, I think we can all agree, pop over to her blog and give her some love. HERE

This past weekend I was at the Stampaway show in Cinncinatti with Stampers Anonymous and what a fabulous time we had.

These two lovelies come to see me at every show. Look at their fabulous outfits, all made with their own fair hands. See I am slowly spreading the made by hand vintage look,lol




Me and my little brother were up to our usual shenanigans!!!










And it is always my saviour when I can face time home to my two babes.


Enjoy xx


Friday, August 7, 2015

Yay my Summer release is here...


Yes its that time of year again when I release my latest stamps and stencil

Four stamp sets this time, all made from collages from my ledger journal

The first is t
Two heads are better than one. You can never have enough heads in my opinion!!!



This one sis definitely a favourite already!!! Winston and Lulu. Winston's is designed by my lovely daughter, Jay, The Resident bit of Glamour, and a fabulous job she did.



Then we have a combination of the two sets in a smaller size, specially for cards or tags. As usual all of my stamps mix and match with my previous releases and over the next week I will be showing you tons of examples.




And, of course, no release would be complete without a set of my , Oh so me!!!. sayings.



Now on to stencils. Its seems like however many I draw, you still all want more lol.

First off the all over background  designs, available in large and small.

Hearts

Circles

 Hexagons
 Leaves
 The shape stencils are proving so popular , so here's two more sets. Again available in large and small. With these you get the outer and the inner part of the stencils.

Country
 Nature
 Next is a new addition to the Dylusions family. Border stencils in large and small. You have all heard me say, so many times, Backgrounds are for backgrounds and borders are for borders!!! So here are some specially made for that purpose. They can be cut up to use separately or kept as a whole piece.

Heres a few samples, there will be tons more over the next week, a few step by steps and hopefully I will be filming the odd video or two !!!








Enjoy xx

Quote of the Century


"You are an extraordinary woman.


How can you expect anything ordinary to happen to you"


Louisa May Alcott