Wednesday 28 May 2014

Artsy Stamping

Hello and welcome to Magpieheaven. Some of my favourite roses have burst into life at the end of the Magpie garden; but it's been raining all day so I haven't been able to take a photo to show you them clustering around my purple shed. I must add that they do look wonderful with the raindrops on their petals! I did manage to pluck one lovely bloom and use it as a table decoration on Monday and it's still looking radiant.
This has inspired me to create something for the Simon Says Monday Challenge - The Artsy Stamp. I love the way Nature has blended the colours on this flower and I wondered how I could convey something of the texture, colours and the way it makes me feel in a project that included some 'artsy stamping'. I wasn't quite sure what was meant by this term, but I checked with Tracy Evans who had created a superb piece of inspiration for the Challenge and I decided it was just the kind of stamping I like!
Because I love those roses so much, it seemed that a heart was the best place to begin as a surface for stamping! I used a wooden 'folk art' style one; as I prefer this shape. To make my heart fly just as the roses do, I took some wings, a gift from a great crafting friend, Kerry Ann. I painted both with some PaperArtsy Blush, Fresco Finish Paint.
Next step was to apply a thick coat or two of PaperArtsy Blood Orange. I wanted somehow to capture the radiance of these roses, which I think are known as 'Dawn'. The wings had feathery patterns embossed into them, so I made a mental note to accent these with some Treasure Gold eventually so that they would not be lost under all the paint!
After applying a thin layer of PaperArtsy Crackle Glaze to these, I put them to one side to dry. Now it was time for the first piece of artsy stamping. Another lovely, crafting friend, Lin had given me this little Frozen Charlotte she made from a mould. I painted her with PaperArtsy Bora Bora (The Frozen Charlotte - not Lin!) and then, with the leftover paint, covered some ordinary white tissue wrap. When the paint was dry, I stamped a script stamp, a PaperArtsy mini over it using Wendy Vecchi Cornflower blue Archival ink. I heat-set this and then covered Charlotte in tissue text, using PaperArtsy Satin Glaze. I placed the tissue onto the surface and then applied glaze underneath, pressing down carefully from the middle: a hint from my very dear friend, Lucy here.
Now a few more bits and pieces have been finished! You'll see I kept the flower nearby as my inspiration. I coloured some seam-binding with Frescos and Distress Inks (Fired Brick and Vintage Photo on one and Broken China and Peacock Feathers on the other.) I also painted a sheet of heavy card with Snowflake then Yellow Submarine and a little Tango. I stamped my script with Wendy Vecchi Red Geranium Archival. The circles were stamped by dipping a bottle cap into puddles of paint. You might be able to see in the background that I have applied a peach colour to the wings and the heart and they are drying nicely, ready for some Artsy Stamping! Here is the final piece! I have decided to call it 'Le Spectre de la Rose.' I dry-brushed the edges of everything with Blood Orange, a touch of Yellow Submarine and some French Roast Frescos.
As you can see, I die-cut my heavy card into wings for the Frozen Charlotte. It looks as if her wings have been tied on with that seam binding! The little blue butterflies are punched out from a Martha Stewart punch, painted with Bora Bora and then stamped with Wendy Vecchi Archival Cornflower Blue. I wanted those 'pops' of blue because my roses look so beautiful against a bright blue sky. I added a few touches of Sapphire Treasure Gold to my Frozen Charlotte.

When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a ballet dancer. There was no money for ballet lessons, but my mother would always buy me a ballet annual for Christmas, and I remember reading of one ballet, featuring, the Great Nijinsky. In it he danced as the spirit of a rose from the bouquet given to a young girl at her first ball. I should like my 'make' to symbolize the spirit of my rose.
I hope that this photo shows how the Treasure Gold (Rose Quartz) picked up the feathery embossing. To create the colour of the rose, I mixed Blush, Yellow Submarine and just a touch of Tango together. I was really pleased with the way the Blood Orange showed through the Crackle like the veining on the rose. I used a Lost Coast stamp of a butterfly girl for my focal stamped image! These are wonderfully, artsy and quirky stamps. I stamped her onto wrapping tissue with the Wendy Vecchi Red Geranium, heat-set her and then adhered her with Satin Glaze. I also added some script stamping in Potting Soil Archival and Red Geranium to the heart and wings respectively.
I was really pleased with the aged effect on the wings and how the stamped image on the heart blended in. Nothing can be as lovely as those flower petals, but I hope that when I look at this project I will remember their subtly tinted petals.
I didn't want the back of the project to be neglected, so there's some Crackle and  stamping on this too: a wash of Blush over the Blood Orange. You might have noticed I removed the string and replaced it with stamped seam binding.
Thank you so much for stopping by today and looking at my project. I should like to enter it for the Simon Says 'Artsy Stamp' Challenge. Have a great day wherever you are. I hope the sun is shining on you gently!

24 comments:

  1. Fab make and love how you've done the back too xxx

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  2. Beautiful techniques applied to your project Julie Ann. I love your choice of colours, your rose and the story of you wanting to be a Prima Ballerina, every little girls dream.
    Julie x

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  3. You have captured the spirit of that beautiful rose along with your precious ballerina dreams in such a lovely piece dear Julie Ann...
    each and every detail so artfully crafted...
    adding the text tissue to your frozen charlotte was brilliant too!
    May your he♥rt always have wings!
    oxo

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  4. Julie Ann this is gorgeous!! I love the colours..the different layers and the crackle. The frozen charlotte looks great with the script and the wings!! Beautiful project all together xxx

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  5. Wow and wow! You have captured the colours perfectly here. You do have such a great eye for things Julie Ann. Thanks so much for following me,I love your work. By the way, I did read somewhere they are no longer making the frozen Charlotte dolls,which is a great shame as they are lovely!

    Donna.x

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  6. Gorgeously ethereal Julie Ann. Nicola x

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  7. That is exquisite Julie Ann & very beautiful.

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  8. Oh my goodness this is glorious! I think this is my favourite of your makes so far. I looked at the rose and thought no-one could capture its beauty, but the way you have used the crackle and the veins on the butterfly to replicate the bloom on the petals is magical. And I love the hint of yellow you have used. The script tissue on the Charlotte is inspired. Perfick!

    Lucy x

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  9. You most certainly captured the colours and essence of that beautiful bloom picked from your garden and that pop of blue is a magical touch.
    I was captivated with the story of you as a young girl and using the story of the ballet as another inspirational element for this piece.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  10. This is THE most wonderful artsy piece I've seen! I absolutely loVe it! This is one I know I will come back to look at again. Hugs, Chrisx

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  11. absolutely artsy and beautiful Julie Ann!

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  12. Fabulous artsy piece Julie Ann, wonderful stamps and I adore how you put it all together! Wonderful warm colours too and I can so see why you love those roses!! Very inspirational!!

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  13. Hello Miss Julie Ann,BRAVO,BRAVO,BRAVO, again another wonderful production, I popped over late last night and knew I had to comeback in the morning to absorb this properly, you had me all over the web looking up the french, the doll, this is so creative, your mind and talent are amazing. As a master with those paints you have captured the color of the rose beautifully, I love all that crackle, beautiful stamping, the seam binding, this is truly an amazing piece of art work, your stories just warm my heart. I's lovely to see our other Magpie Miss Patty and Miss Astrid. Thanks for sharing, your creating is just so inspiring. Have a wonderful day, ((( BIG HUGS ))) Cuz,

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  14. What a gorgeous inspired piece Julie Ann!! You truly amaze me everytime with your art/creations! I really love this! xo

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  15. Such a beautiful piece!! Love all the text elements, textures and the gerat design. Thank you for sharing with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!!

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  16. You have a wonderful talent for mixing elements. Beautiful project! Thank you for joining us this week for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. ~Michelle

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  17. This is a beautiful and amazing project Julie Ann and definitely captures the essence of your stunning rose. As always your post has kept me enthralled from the first word & photo to the last......it's why I only visit your blog when I have time to properly savour every morsel of pleasure.

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  18. Dear Julie Ann, this is very impressive.
    Stunning work. Love your creation!!!

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  19. Beautiful, Julie Ann--both the roses and your lovely piece!

    :)

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  20. Such a glorious rose... thank you for sharing that photo, and what a beautiful artsy heart - fabulous stamping!!
    Alison xx

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  21. Wow wow wow another super gorgeous awesome make. I really love the colours and crackke effect, and the doll with her tied on wings look amazing. The rose which you inspired it from, is so beautiful and glorious and im completely awed with the way you have produced the same colours as the flower. Hugs Kezzy :-) xxx

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