Rustic Reimagined: A Wood and Feathers Fantasy

 Hello Friends and Happy Friday! 

My crafty cohorts and I have a new card challenge for you over at Beyond the Blue.  It's easy and fun!

For this challenge, you make a woodgrain card front with a stamp or embossing folder (I used an embossing folder), cut it up, color/ink blend it in at least two different ways, and reassemble the pieces.  You get a cool barn plank effect that makes a great back drop for a quote or a diecut...or--in my case--both!

The feathers are from my overly large stash, colored during a gel press session with splash inks, and I've "gilded" them with iridescent foil applied with the help of a glue pen.  The quote "art grows brain cells" is from Picket Fence Studios--and it was their original video by card designer and Crafty Queen Susan Wymer that got our Beyond the Blue Team fired up for this latest challenge.  

Hope you'll join us in trying out this fun and easy effect!

Thanks for stopping by,

Essie

A Blog Named Hero--Sending Love.

I am so excited to be part of the Design Team for A Blog Named Hero, and today my first DT cards have been posted.  

For this month’s “Anything Goes” challenge, I made a set of four cards that send love. 

You'll find closeups of each card and a some info about how I made each card.  You'll also find my teammates' creations and a place to link your own "Anything Goes" creations (there are prizes!).   

I hope you'll play along--I'd love to see what you make!                                         

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Essie

Abstract Seascape with a gel press and stencil

It's Friday.  Let's daydream a little. 

During these unprecedented, often difficult, times, art takes me away from the worries of the day. While I'm immersed in colors, shapes, and textures, my doubts just recede into the back bits of brain.  

Lydia Fiedler (aka Understand Blue) is a great artist AND a great teacher.  Some of us get together most weekday evening for her Facebook Live "classes" and we chat with her and each other--and it is a saving grace, for me, of the pandemic.  At the Beyond the Blue challenge blog we try out Lydia's techniques, share them, and encourage you to join us with your own creations.

So, our Beyond the Blue Challenge this week is to make a "folded" gel press landscape--and Lydia's short video explains it best.  Do watch it -- and all of us on the BTB Design Team would LOVE you to give it a try.  Please post it on our blog and let us see what you make!

Here's mine: 

I added a favorite swirly Hero Arts stencil to the bottom of my print, and used two yellows and a blue and a blue-green acrylic (Golden Open is the brand I've like best for gel press) for this abstract print.  

Here's what I see:   (and you can see what you want!). This is my imaginary view from aboard a large ship as I lean out over the water, and peer into the hazy, hot horizon, where I see a foreign port coming into view.  I see minarets, or tall masts of sailing ships.  If I close my eyes, I hear the ocean.

I've put this 8X8 framed gel print in our family room--where I can look at it and dream of new adventures.  

I hope you'll try this technique and post your creation on our challenge blog!  It's much easier than it looks--and so much fun!

Thanks for stopping by,

Essie