Thursday 8 May 2014

...And now for something completely different!

Hello my dear Followers and Friends! Do any of you remember the '70s? You're probably all far too young! But if - like me - you do, you'll remember 'The Monty Python Show' where one anarchic sketch would lead into another with the words, '...And now for something completely different'. Recently I was inspired by Trish from Trish Too to try something 'completely different' for a background. I started off by making ATCs and Moos and then I created a couple of cards for friends, which I posted here the day before yesterday. Here is a little more detail on how I created these backgrounds.
 I stuck strips of background paper and text from my piles of scraps which you can see under the big orange-handled scissors over the back. I also painted and sanded some card left over from another project. This was for me to stamp text onto. I knew I wanted an aged look so I painted with Vanilla, Caramel and Tikka Frescos, using my Prima tool to sand, and a baby wipe to blend.
This is the master board I created to cut my little cards from. Trish used crayons to cover her background so more of the text and paper strips showed through. I really want to make some more ATCs, but when I do, I might try a thinner application of paint so that more of the under layer does show through. You can see here I also dipped a fabric conditioner lid into little pools of paint to make circles and I did some stamping from a PaperArtsy script stamp on the Hot Picks plate 1006. My colours were Frescos by PaperArtsy in Antarctic, Mermaid, Inky Pool and Hey Pesto. I scrubbed away with a Baby Wipe to reveal different layers; but I didn't want to rip my papers underneath.
Here is a selection of some of the ATCs I created when I had cut my background into individual cards. I think they have a bit of a Monty Python look about them, as they are rather surreal! I used some Retro Cafe Art Gallery paper cuts left over from projects I had done in the past. It was great fun putting together heads, eggs, butterflies and birds and creating fantasy characters to inhabit the fantasy land I had created with my painty, scrappy background!
Is this lady the goddess of Story-telling, appearing out of the twilight grasses of Hot Picks 009 with a tiny pearl necklace? To create my text I cut up the words from sentiments to add a mysterious message to each card! I highlighted the edges with a white Posca pen.
In this one, Frida Kahlo has morphed into one of the parrots she loved to paint so that she can inspire us to bring colour into our lives. I wonder what inspiration is about to hatch out of that egg?
Making these ATCs was a real flashback to  the imaginative games I used to play as a little girl, creating new characters by cutting and pasting images and telling stories about them.
I used some Frantage on this Art fairy's wings!
I don't think this Edwardian 'super-hero' is a serious threat to Spider-man - I mean, Butterfly-man doesn't quite 'cut it', does it?
And here is some of the extraordinary flora and fauna of Horizon Land!
I had the most fun with working on the tiny moos!

I used lots of Satin Glaze to seal my ATCs and give them a nice shine.
The moos can be used as bookmarks! I highlighted the butterflies with a gold pen.
You might just be able to see a little of the background peeking through the paint on this one. I had so much fun playing with these I completely lost myself in the activity! I hope those people I have sent them to will like them and not think me too strange! Thank you so much for taking a look.  Have a wonderful Friday and a creative weekend! 

20 comments:

  1. Gorgeous idea...sadly I do remember the 70's as well!

    Donna.x

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to love Monty Python, being way old enough to remember it! Love these moos and atcs, they are amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, I remember and I am one of the lucky recipients of these flights of fabulous fantasy. I wondered about a few of the effects and now I know. They are phantasmagorical and I love them all....and the stories. Xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love, love, love these! No idea what a moo is but I like it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. How cool, these are fantastic pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  6. These are amazing! i love how you have made them with the gorgeous handmade backgrounds!

    Lucy x

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just think every bit of it is fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooooh what a fantastic idea, may have to steal that at a later date as I have lots of left over slitheres of my gelli prints. I was also lucky enough to be sent a couple of the fab atcs along with a tag, they look much better IRL!!!

    Thanks Julie Ann, was a lovely surprise xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow wow wow truly gorgeous stunning unique ATCs I would love to do a swap. I love your background, I once did this on a canvas all black and white, papers. I am in mega love with those out of this world image papers, are they printed? I have heard of Retro Cafe but isnt it American? Is postage expensive? I am all caught up with your blog at last lol, and I can't wait to get in my craft room you really inspire me to create. Monty Python certainly brings baxk memories, many of times I have acted the sketches at drama groups on and off the stage. So hope you would like to swap a ATC, it would be lovely to add one of these to my collection :-) hugs Kerry-Ann xxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome Idea Julie Ann! These ATC cards are beautiful and fab sentiment too. I want art and whisper!! And how happy someone would get to keep it xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Julie Ann! look at you go! I adore the ATC's as well as the tags- everything about them! And the ATC's definitely have the Monty going on! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  12. These are wonderful Julie Ann! Thanks for sharing how you made the background, must give that a try.
    Alison xxx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful creations from another world, i do love a good Moo card, they are very popular as business cards instead of the usual format. Always love where your imagination takes you Julie Ann, wonderful background technique thanks for sharing how you created it :-) xxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Imaginative and inspirational.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Absolutely stunning, all of them!! Love them!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. all I can see there are some very lucky ones opening their mailboxes to find your amazing creations in them!

    Each of your cards has me totally charmed (the moth winged art fairy = oh my!!!) ... your fabulous background was a brilliant starting point...Love the way you work and where the fun Monty Python inspiration took you :)

    oxo

    ReplyDelete
  17. Fabulous art Julie Ann, I love the finished designs and thoroughly enjoyed seeing and learning from your process steps. TFS xx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh my goodness those are the most incredible pieces of miniature art with the stunning masterboard but it is the winged characters which have fired my imagination.
    Surreal and completely and utterly magical.
    Wishes
    Lynne

    ReplyDelete
  19. these are brilliant and beautiful! just gorgeously done! xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. These are such fabulous little pieces of art. I love the motherboard you created with cast--off pieces of older projects.

    ReplyDelete

Due to high level of spam recently I have enabled comment moderation on this blog, so any comments will be moderated before appearing on the blog.