Sunday 5 January 2014

PaperArtsy meets Finnabair ...... a match made in crafting heaven!

Hello Everyone .......

....and Happy New Year!  I hope you have all had a good start to 2014 but if any of you poor folk here in the UK or over the pond in the USA (or anywhere else if it comes to it) who have been badly affected by the awful weather drop by, I do hope you get some respite very soon and can get back to normal very quickly.  I have felt very lucky that we haven't had any problems with the storms (apart from being fed up with it) unlike thousands of others.

As I mentioned in my last post, the wonderful Leandra Franich has been treating us to some fab instructional videos over on the PaperArtsy blog for the past couple of weeks.  The techniques she has shared using the gorgeous products they produce and sell have been brilliant and visitors were invited to enter the PaperArtsy Challenge using the inspiration shared in the videos.  I would have loved to have made something for each of the three videos but free time has been in very short supply over the Christmas/New Year period so I've only managed one.  Still, that's better than last time because I've made the deadline, yay!!!

At the end of November last year I was lucky enough to attend my third Anna Dabrowska (aka Finnabair) workshop and (totally starstruck) I got to sit next to MRS PAPERARTSY, lol!  Seriously, it was a fabulous day shared with several other of my Twitter friends too and in the video I chose to use as inspiration, Leandra has referred to Anna's style but instead of her usual metallic paints or spray inks, Leandra used their fabulous Fresco acrylic paints and Treasure Gold metallic wax.

Once again, I am not going to give the 'how to' for this project as you would be much better off going over to watch Leandra's video which I followed as near as possible.  I used an MDFMan heart because I had already primed one extra back in November for the decorations I made.  I went out of my comfort zone a bit with these particular shades of blue with just a little Blood Orange added to the last two coats but I'm quite happy with the result especially once I added the Treasure Gold in Royal Amethyst and White Fire.

Here is the heart with just a blue basecoat of Fresco acrylic paint and all the embellishments in position.


This is when I thought it was finished but I had put the Treasure Gold on by artificial light and this morning I decided to add more White Fire as the Royal Amethyst didn't quite show up enough.


A few close up sections.

This bit was before I added more White Fire TG.


I've used bits of cheap jewellery bought specifically to break up for embellies, springs from broken pegs and from the innards of an old portable phone.  Anna is responsible for me getting some very weird looks from my OH because I retrieve stuff from the pile destined for the local recycling plant ;D!

 
I love how the TG has picked up details of the tiny bit of lace.


 And this is when I finally deemed the piece finished.  I'm quite surprised (and pleased) at the grungy look I ended up with as it certainly wasn't my intention at the outset, lol!



Well, that's my entry for this weeks PaperArtsy Challenge and I'm hoping to join in quite a few more this year.  A new semester of PA Guest Designers starts tonight and I can't wait to see who the first one is and what they have in store for us.

I hope to be back again very soon and until then ................

Hugs
Lesley  Xx


22 comments:

Anonymous said...

SO lovely!!

Helen said...

It is gorgeous, Lesley!! The colours are fabulous.
I'll miss the deadline for this but totally want to have a go as soon as I get some heavy duty gel or glue, lol!!

Hazel Agnew said...

Well done Lesley. Love the title first of all. Like me you surprised yourself, can't keep the old uns down you see. Love everything about it. Finish, composition. Lovely to keep. X

Minxy said...

stunning Lesley xo

Beryl said...

What a transformation from the top piccie to the last. It's fabulous.
Beryl xx

sam21ski said...

Wow what a transformation from all those pieces at the beginning, looks fantastic and great timing too.

Sam xxx

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! I will be fighting my OH for the scrap now

Lin said...

Lesley this is gorgeous! I love the colours and all the texture you have going on :) We will never look at junk the same way again lol!!!

jojo79 said...

Love this Lesely.

Jo
x

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful Lesley! xxx

Paula (PEP) said...

An amazing arrangement of embellishments & other bits - I'm not surprised your husband raises an eyebrow for I read your description & was left almost lost for words - but not quite as you can see. We're OK as well high on our hillside but the River Usk burst its banks down in the town.
Hope life gets a bit more settled for you & all the best for 2014.
Paula (PEP)

Redanne said...

Hi Lesley, I was at that Finnabair weekend too! Only on the Saturday, with my friend Annie, so sorry if you were on the Saturday too, I missed meeting you......

Your heart is stunning, I love the colours and your arrangement. I have done a canvas but I cannot bring myself to put paint over the embellishments yet so will miss the deadline..... Hope you are well and Happy New Year! Hugs, Anne x

Astrid Maclean said...

Wow Lesley, this looks amazing!! I thought it looked pretty cool to start with, but with the added paint and highlights it looks totally fantabulous (to use a Hels kind of word). I have been so busy I have not even watched the videos, but thanks for the link.... I shall be off to watch them now!

Happy New Year to you and yours and I hope things are going well with Alexa.... Hugs Astrid

Carol Q said...

very yummy Lesley!

Words and Pictures said...

It's a stunner, Lesley... I love the moody blues, and the rosy tints of the first TG layer... but yes, I always end up back at the White Fire myself - it's definitely the best!! Gorgeous work!
Alison xx

Rebecca said...

Lovely Lesley
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Unknown said...

Love your selection of embellishments x

massofhair said...

S T U N N I N G Lesley :-) xxx

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous take on the inspiration piece and your workshop sounded like the best experience lucky you!

Aquarius said...

This is fabulous - I just love the way that you transformed the brightly coloured piece into such a coordinated and beautiful piece of art. I love TG and NEED more colours!!

Brenda Brown said...

Fabulous Lesley, you did such a great job with this, I love it.
hugs {brenda} x0x

lisa said...

Wow, this is gorgeous, Lesley. I love what you've done to it.
Hugs Lisax