ASPECTS OF BALLINA

Hi! A long time since my last post so it's good to be back. Archiscraps has a current challenge involving small things and using lots of them.
My layout is one on which circles / dots,  have been used as embellishments as well as providing stamped backgrounds and centres for flowers. The washi tape on the border even has small dots on it! The photos were taken at Ballina, one of the local beaches not far from where I live. They were taken on different days and show various parts of the beach at sunset.

 

This is the photo that has been used to provide inspiration.

 

 

 

  Pop on over to:archiscraps and check out the challenge.

 

Cheers for now, Di

STENCILLING

Pixels and Paper will sadly come to an end with this month's challenge with the criteria of using stencils.
The background paper was one I changed in an earlier tutorial on the use of modelling cream and alcohol inks.

The modelling cream was applied through the stencil first then, when dry was smooshed over with alcohol inks. This left a beautiful metallic sheen where the two mediums met.  The photo taken at Rocky Creek Dam, north of Lismore was triple matted and embellished using stick-on dragonflies I've had in my stash for a while.
We'd love to see your entries for our final competition, using this inspiration photo.

 



Pop on over to pixelsandpaper and check out how this has been used by the rest of the team.

Bye for now. Di

VINTAGE STYLE

Hi and welcome! This month at Pixels and Paper, the style you use can be vintage or shabby chic inspired.
For the challenge I decided to do a vintage styled layout using a family photo taken at a reunion in the late 1970's.

I've used a number of different papers (a great way to use up some smaller pieces) and heavily distressed, tore and inked the edges. To this I also added laces, velvet and organza flowers.

Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out what the rest of the team has done with this month's inspirational photo. If vintage or shabby chic is your style, maybe you'd like to play along with us.

Cheers for now. Di

EASTER

Hi and welcome! This month, Pixels and paper has Easter as its theme.
For this I have done a card using some simple techniques.

 

The rabbit has been cut from card smooshed with distress inks. The eggs have been cut from a mop-up piece of watercolour paper used as a base when playing with Colour burst Powders.... perfect for the eggs and reminiscent of the candy eggs I preferred when young. The larger egg has been foiled using double-sided tape instead of tacky glue. I've finished the card with metallic fibre ribbon and stick-on rhinestones.

 

 

 

This is the inspiration picture from pixelsandpaper. Hop on over and check out what the rest of the team has done this month and maybe be inspired enough to place an entry.

catch you again soon.

Cheers, Di

MIXED MEDIA CANVAS

Hi. At artastic this month the focus has been on stencilling. For this challenge I have created a canvas wall panel.

The background is a 30cm x 40cm deep canvas which was firstly painted with white acrylic paint. To this I added steaks of greys, ochre and umber to make a weathered appearance. Stencilled fronds to represent seaweeds were added in various shades of grey to create a layered effect. The stencils were also applied to the sides of the canvas. In addition to this I added mesh fibre which was then sprinkled with embossing powders, beads and sequins which were then heated.
This method was also used on the smaller canvas board with starfish skeletons.

The glues used for this technique are PVA based and when applied thickly, give fabulous bubble effects when heated.
The inspiration from ARTastic was based on the work of William Rose.

Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

MOSAIC

Hi! This month, archiscraps has a great challenge involving mosaics.
For my entry I have used a background mosaic stencilled with Distress Oxide ink. First time I've used this new product and I am liking it heaps!

 

 

Onto this I've added diecut  mosaic pieces made from a background paper created at a recent class at timetocreate . This has actually been made from paper towels which were coloured with Colour Burst powders. it was amazing how much water these paper towels could hold! 

 

  

 

 

The photos of what I'm calling footpath art, were taken at a beautiful little picnic / lookout spot  in the Glasshouse Mountains, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.  There were quite a number of these, each depicting one of the mountains and this snake from one of the local Aboriginal Dreamtime stories.

This is one of the inspirational photos for this month's challenge. Pop on over an check it out.

Cheers for now.  Di

FLOWERS

This month at Pixels and Paper we are celebrating flowers.

                                              

 

For this I have used a background completed as part of an exploration class at Time to Create. This has a sprayed background finished with punched flowers, stamping and printing with natural objects.To complete the layout I've used a CD prepared for my last month's team training at P & P. This was alcohol inked. Flowers were also diecut from old blurry photos which also had the same treatment. A great way to upcycle them.

 

Check out the inspiration photo and pop on over to see what the rest of the team has done.

 

We'd love to see what you come up with. The competition at pixelsandpaper goes until the end of the month.
Cheers for now. Di

ALCOHOL INKS AND MODELLING CREAM= WOW!!!!

Hi. just a quick peek at what I have produced for Pixels and Paper team training this month.
 I've used alcohol inks by themselves as well as with modelling cream to add colour to paper and other surfaces.

 

 

 

Pop on over to;pixelsandpaper to check out what I have done and used. While you're there have a look at this month's challenge. There's still time to have a go.
Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

HEARTS

February's theme at Pixels and Paper is hearts. For this I made a gift pouch / card from vellum.

 

 
The gift pouch has been assembled using 3 layers, all opening at the top. The largest heart is folded on one side, leaving the cut edge to either be left open  to make a card, or, as in this case, taped to form a large pocket. The lace has been inserted between the vellum and a pink-coloured backing paper. I've done this to add a level of stiffness to the vellum. This same paper has also been attached to the smallest vellum heart.
Embossing on the heart has been done with an embossing tool. Perforations have been made around the embossed hearts on the largest pocket and then cut into with scissors. I've added some liquid pearls to the flowers.

As you can see, this gift pouch is able to hold a number of small gifts. In this one, I've added a camera chip, gift card and CD, as well as a small card.

 

This card has been die cut with a beautiful butterfly / heart die, from a paper background I created, using the pastel shades from this month's inspiration photo. The heart was then attached to the same paper used to line the vellum.

We'd love to see your take in this month's inspiration..... heart- shaped conversation lollies.

 

 

 I remember these very well indeed, as my uncle owned a factory that started out making conversation lollies and candy Easter eggs. This brought back many memories of  my younger years.

Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper to see what the rest of the team has done.

Catch you soon.

Cheers, Di

SUMMER FUN

Pixels and Paper's theme this month is all about summer. An idyllic hour at one of our local beaches had me snapping madly to take shots of a couple of pelicans as they glided and landed oblivious to the people on the beach. These photos became the basis for a double page layout. To the background paper I added alcohol inked strips, stamping and diecuts.

 

 

 

 The inspiration photo from Pixels and Paper is a great starting point for your summer artworks.

We'd love to see what you come up with. Check out what the rest of the team has done with this at:
 pixelsandpaper.
Cheers for now.
Di

CHRISTMAS JOY

Hi and a Merry Christmas. This month at Pixels and Paper it's all about Christmas and/or pets.

I liked the pet/traditional Christmas theme and decided to do a spin on these two subjects. We don't actually have any pets, but our semi-permanent resident tawny frogmouths disappear from about late July and often reappear during the Christmas season. When they come back, there are often youngsters in tow. This is a photo of two of the bubs who were a welcome Christmas surprise.

 

 

I've used traditional colours of reds and greens with a smattering of gold and silver. The black  background was stencilled with gold ink before I attached the tree shapes and silk ribbons.  

 

 

 



 

Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out how the rest of the team has used this inspirational photo.

 

Cheers for now. Thanks for dropping by.

Di

A TOUCH OF GOLD.... MAYBE MORE!!

Hi!. November at Pixels and Paper is asking for a touch of gold (or more than a touch if you wish) on your project.
This month I was inspired to create a wall hanging. I kept the white canvas board and added touches of gold, pink and a few other colours with beads and embossing powders.

Some of these I let run down the canvas. I love the effect that can be achieved with the heat embossing... totally random speckles and splotches where embossing powders 'escaped'. To the centre I added a wooden starfish which had also been beaded randomly and coloured with embossing powders.

This gave the desired textural effect I wanted and added depth and richness to the colours  as suggested by the inspiration photo.
Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out how the team has used this photo. We'd also love to see what you come up with.
Cheers for now.
Di

ZENNING UNDER THE SEA

Hi and welcome. This month's inspiration at Archiscraps is all about zentangling.
I've been doing this technique in various forms for a while now and decided to incorporate the idea into an underwater scene.

This is one of the three inspirational photos used this month.

Pop on over to archiscraps and check out the other two  inspirational photos and the work from their team members.
Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

BALL SEASON

Hi! October already!!!! Pixels and Paper, this month has gone shabby chic with frames as the additional criteria.

For this challenge, I went with the shabby chic feel and used a background paper that was patterned like lace. On this I stencilled overlapping oval frames, using a white pearl modelling cream.

In the corners, I added a lace diecut and then randomly added white and gold flowers. Some of these have ribbon and pearl centres, and on others I have added quilled roses I made from pearlised cream or gold paper.

 

 

The centres of the frames were cut out and photos inserted underneath. These were taken at  two different balls held in Lismore at the City Hall, 1973 and 1974. These are of my other half and myself.



Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out what the rest of the team has done with this inspiration photo.

Catch you soon. Cheers, Di

WATERLILES: USING MULTIPLE PHOTOS AND PAGES ON A LAYOUT

Hi and welcome. With the coming of spring here in our part of the world (and another wedding anniversary celebrated on the 1st September... 43 years!)  Pixels and Paper have used a colour palette to help inspire you.
For this, I had the perfect photos that matched the palette; a series of waterlily photos taken at our local dam, Rocky Creek Dam, near Lismore.

Background for the layout and the mini-album on top. Mini-album has been decorated with punched dragonflies. Pages have been edged with dots of Perfect Pearls. This has also been used for centres of flowers on the background paper.

My son was experimenting with his camera lens to take a series of photos, zooming in to take macro shots of parts of the lilies. As I wanted these to feature on the one page without making the photos smaller, I designed a series of pages that could be used as a mini- album. These were placed on cardstock, also reflecting the colour palette to be used.

To coordinate the pages, I used the punched dragonflies and Perfect Pearls on each. Additional journalling has been written on this last page since these photos were taken. This tells about the day these were taken and the lucky viewing we had of freshwater turtles not far from the waterlilies.

As you can see from the inspiration photo, the palette is very springlike with the colours to be used. You might also like to take your inspiration from flowers, a spring-time event or even insects.

Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out what the team has done for this month's challenge.
Thank you for dropping by.
Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

BUTTERFLIES

Hi! Spring is drawing closer in our part of the world... although some chilly winds remind us that it's not quite here!
Archiscraps challenge for this month was to add butterflies to our creations.
For this challenge I have done a large tag, featuring butterflies and an inspirational message. This has been written in the cut out left-over from one of the butterflies used. These were die cut and put through an embossing folder.

The papers they were made from were hand done experiments with stencilling and sprays.The bottom butterfly has metallic blues, greens and golds on it, but these are not showing up clearly. To give the effect from the inspirational photo from archiscraps, one of the butterflies was cut from acetate packaging material and coloured using alcohol inks.
I also added some chipboard butterflies and wooden butterfly buttons.

Pop on over to archiscraps and check out what the team has created.
Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

DAWN SERENADE

Pixels and Paper, this month has very delicious -looking, decorated  cupcakes to inspire you, with the addition of tiny embellishments. Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out what the rest of the team has been up to.

From this, I've used some of the colours  (blue, pink, green) in a  slightly softer hue, circles, domes and the tiny embellishments.

I tore paper to resemble a shell, and misted music background paper, to link with colours in the photo, as well as the title.
I sewed with string, used wire, mother of pearl shell discs, charms, rhinestones, seed pearls, jewellery backings and chipboard pieces.

First page of layout

Second page of layout

I foiled the chipboard music staff and heat embossed the title, shells and sea horses.

The photo for this layout was taken when on a short break with family, at Mooloolaba Qld. The day and night before was wet and we were wondering what had happened to the glorious weather. I decided to have an early start with some photography and was lucky enough to capture the various phases of dawn on the ocean (all from the balcony of the apartment we were staying in). Truly amazingly peaceful, and beautiful, soft hues.
The break away could have been longer, so this location is being added to a bucket list of places to revisit.

Catch you again soon.
Cheers, Di

BAD HAIR DAY!!

Archiscraps this month has a challenge involving distressing and wood.... a perfect combination for the photo I've used on my layout.

 

This is the juvenile of our 2008-2009 tawny pair. By far, this particular one has been the most inquisitive, wide-awake juvie. Everything attracted its attention when it should have been sleeping!! Maybe it had ADHD!! This shot is when its head feathers were really misbehaving.
I can relate to that at the moment, with my hair, after chemo, wanting to grow in different directions and never knowing what it'll be like each day.
I've used corrugated packaging, torn and inked for the background. To this I've added additional layers of paper, fibre, and bark from trees. Additional wooden components are the leaves and speech bubble.
This is the inspiration photo from archiscraps.

Pop on over and check it out.
Catch you soon,
Cheers, Di

LET IT SNOW!

Winter has certainly shown its face here at last, with some icy winds and frosts in our area and snowfalls in other parts of the country.
This month's inspiration photo for Pixels and Paper makes you think of the cold, misty mornings so the criteria is winter and what it means to you.

For this I chose photos from our first snow experience,  a trip to Tasmania's Mt Wellington , Hobart. The tower in the photo, moments before this was taken, had been covered in sheets of ice, which fell off and smashed. Bushes covered with flowers had turned into ice crystals; a real wonderland.
The page was smooshed with white distress ink to represent the feeling of mist and cold. I added strips of Kraft paper as well as glittered paper to give the snowy, crystalline effect that we saw when the sun glinted off the ice. Snowflakes were drawn on.

Pop on over to:pixelsandpaper and check out how the team has used the inspiration photo. Why not come and play. We'd love to see your ideas.
Cheers for now,
Di.