Thursday, March 3, 2011

Cracklin' Rose

Hi bloggers, goodness it's a while since I posted.

Have you all been watching the bould Sheena Douglass and her folk art techniques?  I sat on my hands so they wouldn't reach for the credit card.  Then I drove up to Woodie's DIY and came back with some goodies.



In a local Euro shop I found a pack of black card which was practically the thickness of mount board.  Quite a find.  I painted the blue coat first on a rectangle of the black card.  This was followed by a coat of slightly-watered-down PVA glue which was dried just until most of it had a skin.  Not too much drying.  Followed by a coat of matt emulsion from the cream coloured tester pot.  A few seconds of heat gun later ...... crackle!

Next, I stamped with Hero Arts Blossom Art  stamp set.  Not happy with the placement of the leaves.  So naff.  Then I borrowed eldest son's Studio 3 acrylics and had a stab at the techniques demo'd by Sheena.  She does say ordinary acrylic paints are too thick and need to have some water worked into them to get the right consistency.  Patience is not my strong point however and I went for it.  Without having the sense to practise on spare paper first.  Not perfect by any means but still .....



I then overstamped the images with sticky ink and heat embossed with Cosmic Shimmers Olympic Gold.  Some Cut n Dry Foam and a little Vintage Photo and Chipped Sapphire. Enough of a result to encourage me to have another go ...... Hopefully I'll get better with practise!

If you want proper Folk Art paints Kerry got some in to An Siopa Bui just last week though they might not be listed on the website yet.  She tells me they are just Euros1.99 a pot.

Oh and something else I picked up in Woodie's - a sturdy tool bag, Euros 19.99, with loads of pockets inside and out, perfect for holding the craft stuff I use every time, and a dinky little floral hammer with 4 screwdrivers in the handle. LOL.  Screwdrivers perfect for opening little tester pots, hammer ideal for closing them again.  That's my excuse and I'm not changing it for anyone.


I even got some string for my cards there.  Did you know your local DIY shop had so much cardmaking stuff?

Ger x.

5 comments:

  1. Wow Amazing finds Ger. I love what you have done with those paints. I will be keeping my eye out this weekend!! Love you craft tool kit, really sturdy looking. Well done you!!

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  2. Well done Ger on all your crafty finds. I haven't seen any of the shows as yet but your results look fab. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

    Edna x

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  3. I couldn't reply to your comment, but how cool to find some card crafters here in Ireland! I hadn't really started looking around...been mostly soaking up videos from the big names in the States...Kristina Werner's blog (went through her whole blog, took days, but learned so much from videos!) and Jennifer McGuire's. I am so excited...I was the first to comment on Jennifer's new Facebook site, by total fluke, and have won something...can't wait to see what she sends! I had no idea she was going to do giveaways, just decided to comment! You seem to have gathered up lots of good stamps, inks and other goodies...right now I have cards and envelope sets, some paper and my Silhouette...things are pretty expensive...how have you gather up your supplies...I imagine a little at a time! Do you shop here or in the States? I have gotten a good few things to start with from Cardz n Scrapz and also from Joann's in the States, sent to my parents house, but that hasn't arrive yet!

    Thanks for commenting! Hope you don't mind all the questions!!

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  4. I'm a huge fan of Kristina's and Jennifer's too, and check their blogs most days! There are some amazingly talented Irish bloggers too and I get loads of inspiration from them. Congrats on winning some goodies from Jennifer! I'll be very interested to hear what she sends!

    As for stash ... ah, God be with the days when my stash fitted in one box and I told everyone I was saving a fortune making my own cards. Innocent times LOL! I buy some stuff here in Ireland - Cardz n Scrapz are good, there's An Siopa Bui and the Art and Hobby shops (mostly Papermania) but I do like to buy from <a href="http://www.simonsaysstamp.com/servlet/StoreFront>Simon Says Stamp</a> because they have a great range, deliver to Ireland in 4-5 days for $13, and the exchange rate makes buying from them much cheaper. Lucky you owning a Silhouette! Always great to hook up with an Irish papercrafter. Ger x.

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  5. Hi Ger, ooh you've been having some lovely painty fun, love what you've made, brilliant flower:0) That toolbag looks great, we don't have a Woodie's over here:{ Well done for getting all the bargains in the DIY store:0) xxx

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