Saturday 9 February 2013

Unexpected post!!!

Hello Lovely Visitors,

Well, I hope you've all had as pleasant an afternoon as I have!  I was in my craftroom bright and early this morning as I have to get cracking on some DT stuff but inspite of a tidy up and good search in a few nooks and crannies I came up with a big fat nothing in my search for Mr Mojo.  I just couldn't get going and left it for a quick visit to Facebook where I left a comment on one of lovely Hels Sheridan's posts mentioning that I was struggling and bless her, she gave me a recipe challenge to try and kick start the creative juices.

I will confess here and now, I think I have only made something specifically for a challenge maybe twice in the past and never to a recipe and add to that the pressure of a challenge from THE FAMOUS HELS SHERIDAN, lol!  Her recipe was a tag, the scraped paint technique, background of stamped flourishes, paper flowers and the word 'believe'.  Strictly speaking I think I might have broken the rules a bit because I used more than a flourish stamp for my background but I've had loads of fun this afternoon and got really messy with the scraped paint technique ...... something else I've never done before ....... and at one point I thought it was going to end up in the bin.  However, I persevered and this is the result.






I used Claudine Hellmuth's Studio paints starting with covering the whole tag in Trad Tan and then using an old credit card to scrape on Real Teal, Smidge of Blue and Blank Canvas and sometimes a mixture of the blue with the white.  I added a few streaks of Trad Tan with the edge of the card.  I had to fight very hard with myself to stop from blending it all together with a wet wipe, lol!





I stamped some flourishes from a Tim Holtz set using Versamark Cloud White and then again with second generation Archival Cobalt.  I did the same with a small Tim crackle stamp and then stamped the same flourish fully inked with Cobalt down the left side and a stamp from one of Tim's Classic sets down the right side.





The word 'BELIEVE' is from one of Tim's Christmas stamp sets, stamped in Black Archival onto white card which I then trimmed and inked round the edges with a dark blue Versamark.  I attached this with foam pads and set about layering and placing my paper flowers.  Most of these have been in my stash for years and I rarely use them because I usually make my own flowers.  A quick spritz with a Dew Drop Glimmer Mist mainly over the flowers and the addition of a few Ideology pearl drops and some ribbon and that's my tag.





What do you think?  Any constructive criticism welcome and I have had a lot of fun.  Didn't get any DT stuff done but maybe I've broken through the block so thanks a lot Hels!  Just one thing ....... I've been lucky enough to receive a few pieces of Hels' art and they are always so clean on the back.  I'd love to know how she does it 'cos mine is covered in paint, lol!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend folks and I do hope you don't get any more of the white stuff ...... unless you want it of course, in which case you can have whatever is coming my way ;D.

Hugs
Lesley  Xx

23 comments:

Hels Sheridan said...

YAY!!! GO YOU!!! Hurrah and thrice, you got the old Mojo working again and I LOVES what you made... lushness indeedly xx

Rebecca said...

Well done you and to Hels for the kick start :)
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Paula (PEP) said...

Love the colours & so glad you had fun with it. Looks good to me - totally outside my comfort zone - maybe one day. I've had a long play with Distress Stains & got more & more distressed but have finally got an idea with them in the most unlikely place (yes....a tangle book!)
Take care & so glad to see your post.
Paula (PEP)

Minxy said...

OH!!! I hopped over thinking I was gonna see post as in mail like art or stash lol
But your tag is a beautiful sight x

Unknown said...

That is stunning Lesley I love it.
Shirley x

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

Wow this is beautiful Lesley, a great way of getting your mojo back.

Sue x

Inkypinkycraft said...

Wow looks like your mojo is well and truly found!your tag is gorgeous!! Yummy textures and colours! Hugs trace x

veronica said...

this is lovely Lesley - haven't seen the scraped paint technique before, looks great- love the colours too. I have a load of paper flowers around somewhere too that really need using up, depends if I can actually find them!

Helen said...

Gorgeous tag, well done for working through the block!!

Astrid Maclean said...

He, he, he, just like Minxy I though, oh she got yummy post but hey, ho, instead yummy make! LOVE your tag, that background is to die for and I LOVE how you embellished it. Well done Hels for getting you going!! Oh and well done you of course for making something so pretty!!

Netty said...

loving your weather worn tag, the background is fab as is the rest of it Lesley. xx

Elaine said...

Great to see you have broken through your blockage! You clearly rose to the challenge with gusto and your tag is gorgeous, great colours, great techniques and it looks like you really had fun. Great that you have managed to fit in a creative day! Elaine xxx

Paula Whittaker said...

looks like you rised to the challenge brilliantly.

Lynne K said...

Stunning, Lesley, and what a great way to get your mojo going again. xx

Beryl said...

It's absolutely gorgeous Lesley and what a way to get a kit start for your mojo. I wonder if there's anyone out there willing to start a help line for such occasions. We could all do with a 'Hels' to guide us I think.
Beryl xx

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Your tag is gorgeous Lesley, love the colours, the painting, the images and all those beautiful flowers. Happy Sunday, Shirleyxx

Aquarius said...

With a little help from your friends eh?? This tag is wonderful and I do hope this creative burst has helped with the DT things as well - I find once you get going things seem to flow and old Mojo just creeps back. The backs of my more creative tags get messy too but what I did for many of the CB alphatags was to cut another tag and stick it on the back.Thanks for your lovely comments - no snow here thank goodness but relentless rain today.

Words and Pictures said...

Gorgeous!! The fun you had really shows, and the inspiration was certainly flowing - yay for Hels! This is so gorgeous, Lesley! More, more, more!
Alison xx

judith@poppy cottage said...

Hi Buddy, I tried to leave a comment on my iPad the other day, but it just wasn't playng ball. I'm so glad that you got some time to have a crafty play, and that Mr Mojo came back. The colours on your tag are lovely, and I love the background that you created. Good Luck with your DT projects now, onwards and upwards, hugs, Judith xx

Christine B. said...

Wow Lesley what a kick start. Your tag is stunning, love your painting and stamping, also the colours you have used. LOve and hugs x ChrisB

Michelle Webb said...

Ooh Lesley the colours of your background is amazing and I love it, you've defo got your mojo back. Michelle x

WeirdCat said...

A beautiful tag
Ruth x

Jean said...

Your tag is gorgeous Lesley, I love the painty background and lovely colours. I'm glad you had fun making it.
Jean x