Shaving Foam, who'd have guessed it?

This is a card I made using some backgrounds I made with shaving foam and ink, the stamps are from 'Lavinina Stamps' and a stencil and parsley stamp I had boght previously.

A card made today with Lavinia stamps, Adirondack inks and a brayer.

Shaving Foam experiment

I've been experimenting with shaving foam and alcohol re inkers. I only have 2 colours to play with, and thanks to Barbara Gray's YouTube video tutorial I think I did quite well.

The last two pics are of results I got from the foam/ink and the last pic a card I made using one as a background.   I think i looks quite effective.

Japanese Artist,   His name is lawrence Yang, the blog is called 'Blow at life'   have a look, it's brilliant.

Wonderful paintings by Japanese artist.

I found these paintings on the net by a japanese artist, I lost the site so I can credit his name, but I fell in love with the beautiful colours and techniques he used, apparently he used water colours, gouache and inks.   I love it, not as easy as it looks.   If I find him again I'll post his name.

Been drawing to relax this evening after coming home from visiting my mum, a long drive, so I did another background and wanted it to look sort of African, I was inspired by my Aunty's drawing she did back in 2002 of an African lady. I think the background will be a darker orange next time, perhaps I'll use the Gelli plate and make it more vibrant. The little snail was this month's shell stamp from Clarity stamps, I thought I'd turn it into a snail firstly.

" I Never knew a morningin Africa

when I woke up 

and was not happy".....

Ernest Hemmingway

Another attempt at printing with the Gelli PLate, I tried several mediums, gold,pearl, and blue frosty acrylics, but I just don't like the effect, not with these stamps anyway, I think the inks go better and look more 'dreamy' like you'd find in a woodland.

The top picture is a few Gelli plate printsI tried out today made with dye based inks.

This one is the one I liked best, so I laid a sihouette print of the fairy from Lavinia Stamps onto it along with their mushrooms and willow leaves.  and used several little bits and pieces to make impresions with.

A Gelli Plate background with masked image of the poppy, then drawn in with a micron pen and watercoloured using distress dye inks. I spritzed it with water and let it 'bleed' to create the watercolour effect.

The shaving brushes I used for these cards. a great idea if you're starting out, much cheaper than stencil brushes. Of course you can use a heavy paintbrush so long as it's new and clean. I find these brushes ideal, and purchased on ebay for a few pounds for 6, so one for each colour.

Just saw this, it's just so true.  It will be framed and mounted in my house. (AND I'd have to make the frame, buy the moulding, and glass, mounting board, and of course the glass cutting equipment and the mount cutter........)  hahahaha

I haven't blogged for a while, seems other things, mainly crafting and every day obstacles get in my way, but I am in the right frame of mind now and have a multitude of ideas and things I'm trying at the moment to put on here now.
I have shelved my sewing machine for a while, until my sewing head calls me back, and have discovered the 'Gelli plate'

I have been experimenting with different mediums, firstly, Distress inks, and stamps, then acrylic paints and masks and stencils.

Above are some of the experiments I tried, using inks, the cards were done with shaving brushes and dye based inks.  The fairy stamps are by 'Lavinia Stamps' the inks are Adirondack and rangers distress inks.
The Gelli plate I bought from 'Clarity stamps'  my new favourite supplyer and I am now a firm follower and admirer of Barbar Gray's talents. She is an amazing artist and is right on my wavelength. not too grungy but not too perfect. she is perfect for me though. I love her artwork. and have now become a member of her stamp club. so watch this space for more ideas on stamping and my Gelli plate.

I love this 'Lavinia Stamps' Fairy, she's so cool.  the background was achieved with a mask and shaving brushes and dye based inks.  simple, yet effective.

These cards were all done with sponging and dye based inks, mainly rangers distress inks.  masking the moon/sun and the foreground. the mushroom stamp is another by 'Lavinina Stamps'  also the beautiful hanging willow branches.

A bag I made from a pattern from The Inspired Wren's blog  blue denim with blue/white sriped ticking. on reflection I should have stiffened the ticking as it's a little floppy. but still a great tote and so easy to make.

I still have my sewing head on

A quilt for our new grandbaby, arriving in August, the very hungry caterpillar, loved doing this, but it needs some free motion sewing on it and I've never done it, so I am frantically pracising so I make a good job of it,   before that I have made several little heart swags and danglies, an 'A' for my daughter Amy and an 'E' for my grandaughter Eloise.
Another little fairy doll bound for Australia for my niece's daughter. they will be well known across the globe soon!!   I said I wasn't making anymore until the autumn came around again, but I just love making them, they all seem to have different personalities and I don't dress them until I've painted their faces, so I know what to do with them,
Oh and there's the odd mugrug to fill in time.   they are so versatile and useful.

I have so many photo's piling up too, and a brand new album ready and waiting to be filled, what to do when your head is filled with another project?  I seem to do all or nothing, I can't flit between the two, but I suppose it will come around sooner rather than later, I will run out of room for all the sewing projects unless I get another room built on the house.

Rock chick doll, hushabye doll and others

More sewing projects, the last doll I made was this little cuddle-up hushabye dolly and her own teddy bear, I have one more to make for a gift then I think that's enough for the summer, back to  more when the weather gets colder. I made this little bag too for a gift, it was from a tutorial by Debbie Shore, I have her book 'Half Yard Heaven' I will be posting more makes I expect from there. it's a fun thing to do, using up fat quarters and scraps.
I must get back to doing some more of my scrapbook, the pictures are mounting up, and we are expecting a new grandchild in August so there will be zillions of pictures there to add to the albums.
As I have a new sewing machine perhaps I can sew some pages, I've seen a few done like that and they look great, so i'll have a try. perhaps add some fabrics too seeing as how I have my 'sewing head' on right now. !!

A few more rag dolls.

A secretary doll, a fairy called Fearne, and Zoe a doll made for a friends niece.  All together I have now made 10 dolls, sold 2 and have another one for a gift to make.  getting better at it with each one, the secretary doll has a neat little bun on the back of her head.  a different style of hair I just did 'off the cuff'. The wool I used came from 'Balkan Yarns, ebay,  a mix of angora, fabulous colours and blends.

Belle

Another doll to add to  my collection, but she has been 'adopted' now and will soon be living in her new home.

Trying another type of doll hair

Another style of rag doll.  I like this doll she has a certain quirkyness about her. I tried a different style of hair this time, she has a a net skirt with a patterened voil overlay, funky leggings and curly toes.

 The top pic is the finished doll, the bottom just trying out different things. hair, clothes, face etc.