The Dark Side

I have been away for a few days and not had a chance to blog so apologies for the lack of posting.

First of all I would just like to say a huge thank you to Sandy and all the staff at The craft Barn for making me feel so welcome on Wednesday evening, what an amazing shop you have there!

I have been kindly sent some products from PI this week but not had a chance to play with most of them yet apart from the Adirondack Colour Wash and Perfect pearls Mists. I have used them on PI 300 gsm Cardstock along with my Gothic stamp set and a little image transfer for all you Vampire lovers out there!

Red Pepper Colour Wash was first sprayed around the edge of the card leaving the highlight in the middle. I then added an Americana spray image transfer of the distant bats and symbols. This was followed by stamping the script with Copper Stazon. The Barbed wire, Cherub, Splatter Bat and Sentiment were then stamped with Ranger Archival ink and finally I spritzed the card lightly with Forever Violet Perfect pearls Mists.

It was really nice to have some new products to play with…Much more to post tomorrow but must eat now!

Andy

Steampunk Comes to Ceramics!

Here is the latest Steampunk box made from a plain bisque trinket box from The Craft Barn along with a Calico Crafts Steampunk pendant..




Want to learn a bit more about these steampunk techniques? 
Check out my online workshop video.

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/online-workshops.html

Andy

Steampunk Time Machine

Hello all,
I have wanted to have a go at altering a box steampunk style for a while now but time has always been an issue for me, so I have taken full advantage of the Easter break and gone for it.
Choosing the box was the first hurdle but I decided on the Decopatch Papier Machie writing box pictured below.

The first thing It needed was a lid so I cut one out of thick Cardboard and began from there.
The rest is a long story, everything used on this project apart from the small penny farthing pendant from Calico Crafts and the cogs are recycled junk and cardboard, the clock is made from an old round box lid and the kilowatt meter from an old pin box….I could go on & on!

Ok here is my Steampunk time machine, click on Images for a larger picture.



This was such good fun to do and It holds all my alcohol inks and Perfect Pearls brilliantly. I may enter it for the Alter it monthly challenge.
Now I haven't tested it yet, I will do after this post but if it works I will post next weeks winning lotto numbers on here later when I return I promise!! lol

If you would like to learn these techniques check out my online workshop below.

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/online-workshops.html

Andy skinner

Martha…No Art today!

Believe it or not I am in the middle of designing Christmas stamps!…hold on it’s April isn’t it?!
So today with the sun beaming through the windows i have been sat here listening to Christmas carols on my I Pod (thanks Lindsay) and trying to get inspiration. I may even put the Christmas tree up tomorrow for added effect!
It’s 23:40 and the eyes are giving up now so it’s time to call it a day but before i go i just want to say a few words about YouTube and the music copyright restriction. Now I understand that if I am using music to promote a product then it should be paid for or have no restrictions, but last week i posted a short video of my daughters birthday which had a background track called “Know body knows you when your down & out” by Eric Clapton.  This lasted online for 5 minutes before the music had been totally wiped by YouTube..it’s such a shame they can’t distinguish between the two….just a thought!

Anyway I was pleased to find one of my favourite records still on YouTube tonight  called Martha by Tom Waits, how long this will last on there I don’t know but its a great song and story. Here is the sentiment given by the person that posted it…
' MARTHA' IS ONE OF THOSE RARE SONGS THAT IS PERFECT. TOM WAITS IS A GENIUS. YES, I AM 64 AND WE ALL HAVE A MARTHA ....LOST OR UNREQUITED LOVE AS THE MAN SAID. HEARD THIS ONE NIGHT IN THE EARLY 1970'S...MADE ME THINK AND CRY..CALLED MY ' MARTHA' THE OTHER DAY....SHE PASSED AWAY A YEAR AGO....LIVE MY FRIENDS..LAUGH AND LOVE....WE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH....

Have a great Easter everyone,
Andy

A few things to share

First off I really want to show you these vintage decor papers I received in the post from Calico Crafts this week.

These vintage Decor papers are acid and lignin free. The top quality heavy duty paper sheets (170 gr/m2) are printed with antique European designs.
Check out the full range here

Here are the papers bringing this plain wooden box to life


Next up are these cards made by Erika, go check her blog Snappycrafts, she is so very talented.

Click Pictures For A Larger View

And finally this card from Lindsay Mason which i think is absolutely Awesome!
Lindsay I want it!

Hmmmmm I recognise those stamps from somewhere!

Andy

Its sooo Inktense

Hi everyone,
I managed to get my hands on a pack of 24 Derwent Inktense pencils at the weekend and today had a chance to play and decided to record it at the same time.
For those of you who have never heard of Inktense, they combine intense colour with a translucent ink like effect. there is more info in the video but this is my first attempt with these and compared to my Derwent Aquatone watercolour sticks, which I also love the Inktense colours are far more vibrant.


Above is the bisque piece from the video, finished with a little distress ink on the edges and script stamped with copper Stazon.

Anyway without boring you any more here is a little time lapse video

A quick time lapse demo of Inktense Pencils

Andy

Imagepac Stampmaker in business!

I have just produced some stamps using the Imagepac for a friend who runs a mobile pottery painting business called Pottering About. These stamps now enable her to produce professional gift tags and labels. She can also stamp her gift bags with her logo & website, far cheaper than having them printed!
The smaller stamp can also be used for stamping onto the base of her hand painted pottery items with underglaze, and then fired on!

Here are a couple of ceramic tag along’s made by reducing a baby's hand & footprints on to a rubber stamp and impressing it into the clay, then firing with a glaze, you could also do this with polymer clay.
These measure approx. 2cm x 2cm.  They would make great pendants or Card embellishments for a new baby or christening card..

Just Ideas!

Andy

Stupeflix Video

Not sure if I am behind the times but just found this video creation program on You Tube called Stupeflix. You simply choose a style, select the images you want to add, choose your music from there catalogue, add a heading and in 2 minutes its done!  It really is that simple!
Here is my attempt!

Andy

da Vinci returns

I had one last photocopy left of the study of a woman's head by da Vinci and decided to use it on an old box canvas that has been kicking around.
It was just a practice to see how Decoart’s modeling paste would react with distress ink’s and Decoart’s two part Perfect Crackle medium and it did not let me down!


Unlike Gesso this modeling paste absorbs the Distress inks in fact it loves them and stamping into it is a breeze!

The two part Perfect Crackle Medium worked brilliantly also.

There are a few different techniques used on this canvas including acrylic blistering and modeling paste application.
I may do a video on it if time allows!

Have a great weekend everyone,

Andy

Altered Canvas

I seem to have lots of pieces lying around with just backgrounds on them which have been left over from some of the background videos. The Decopatch 12 x 12cm square canvas pictured below was used in the Distressed wall video and I decided to cut a hole in it and place a few curio’s inside along with wooden battens and a little rusted chicken wire!….Hey…. I get bored easily ok!!

I also masked of an area with some card before blending Brushed Corduroy Distress ink around it to give the appearance that a picture had once hung there.
I then stamped and added some Decoart perfect crackle in a couple of areas to add to the overall effect.

Click on pictures to enlarge

Here is a close up of the hole in my wall!

Andy

East Of India

These East of India tags from Calico crafts have been on my desk for a couple of weeks now and I finally got a chance to do something with them.
These super strong luggage labels come in Black, natural and white. They are ready punched and strung with twisted paper twine.

The first picture was made using a natural tag and the second one of the black ones.

Stamps from my Stitch in time set were used for the first tag.
I first stamped the sewing pattern with VersaMark and embossed with clear embossing powder.
Next I blended fired brick and faded jeans Distress inks around the edges.
Faded jeans was then used to stamp the cotton real and Brushed corduroy for the tailors rule.
A Stitch in time was then stamped with Archival black and the tag was finished of with an old button and the cool tailors scissor’s from Calico’s Steampunk range of pendants.

Stamps from my nature set were used on the second tag along with some decoupage paper and Perfect Pearls.

Here is a quick tag I made using Decopatch paper on 300 gsm cardstock with some of Lindsay Masons new stamps.


Andy

Simple Mixed Media Backgrounds 1

Here is the latest easy backgrounds video….Only two more videos to go and I can rest!…yeah right!!

Andy

Peeled Paint Video tutorial

Here is Video No 5 peeled Paint. I was going to try and put together a video each day this week but tomorrow is my oldest daughters 22nd birthday so its a shopping day with a birthday lunch…can’t wait! 
Hopefully the next vid will be up here on Wednesday and is something I discovered by accident yesterday afternoon…It’s simple but very effective!
before I sign off i just want to remind you about the April competition on this blog…..there are far fewer than expected entered,  the more entries the bigger and better the prize will be for the next one so come on peeps please join in,  £250 worth of prizes up for grabs for a simple guess and a link!
Here is the link to the competition APRIL COMPETITION

Here is the Video

Andy

Acrylic & Alcohol…Hick!

Ok here is the second Video covering another technique I have shown on here. Tomorrow is a brand new technique on video..That's if I have not thrown the laptop through the window by then!!
Have a great evening everyone,

Andy

What a Palava

Hi everyone,
Hope you have been enjoying the glorious weather in the UK this weekend, it makes a change!
A quick thank you to the ladies attending the Moroccan ceramic decorating workshop on Saturday, although it overran a little it really was a fun day!
I have spent today playing with video editing software and trying to find one that is not to complex for my needs and does not cost a fortune! I have tried three and dislike all of them so I will continue with Windows Live Movie Maker for the time being. If anyone can recommend a good one with a user friendly interface that would be much appreciated!
I am trying to put together a series of easy background techniques using acrylic paint..Below is a video which took 5 minutes to film and 2 hours trying to edit!!!  I will post the second video shortly.

DISTRESSED WALL BACKGROUND VIDEO

Andy

Get Your Free Copy Of The New Crafts Focus

 

Check out pages 31 & 32!

Issue 24 Apr/May 2011
Download here

The da Vinci Project

I wanted to share with you this birch wooden box from the Craft Barn I made yesterday using the Americana spray image transfer technique shown in my earlier video.
In the video I was using it on bisque and cardstock so yesterday I had a go onto wood.
I printed a few copies of Leonardo da Vinci's study of a woman's head on a laser printer and transferred the larger copy onto the box lid and the smaller onto a tag to match.

I used distress inks with my blending tool to create a background and age it. I then used a crackled background stamp with Frayed Burlap Distress ink and stamped Object d’ Art from my Antiques set with Black Archival. I finished the top with a few coats of Americana Matte spray which gives a slightly satin finish and added a pendant from Calico Crafts Steampunk metal range.

For the base I have used Decoart Americana acrylics with there weathered wood medium for an aged and worn cracked effect. These products are also available from Calico Crafts.


A quick note on using this process on wood;
I so far have only tried this on birch and have found the smoother the wood the better the transfer, although I want the image to be slightly imperfect I would recommend sanding the wood first.

Andy

Its Time!

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED
The stamps are in the shops, so to celebrate it’s …Competition Time!

Details of where you can purchase my stamps can be found Here
The wonderful Lindsay Masons new designs can be found Here

Prizes for this competition have been kindly donated by

Prizes include

A Steampunk Goodie bag worth £30 from Calico Crafts
A Viva Goodie bag worth £30 from The Craft Barn
A Decoart goodie bag worth £30
A decopatch goodie bag worth £30 from Decopatch
A goodie bag of Ranger Products
Coasters, plaques, pendants and tiles and a set of my new A5 stamps
One set of Lindsay Masons new stamp designs
and a few surprises along the way!

Rules

Anyone can enter but you must have either a Facebook account or a Blog
to be eligible to take part. All you need to do is guess how many brushes are in the jar pictured below and put your answer in a comment on this post.
You must then link to this competition either in a blog post or on a Facebook comment.
At the bottom of this post you will see the share box pictured below, just click on Facebook or Blogger to share this competition.  If you would like to tweet also then that would be just dandy!.


Please note that this will be checked.

That's it..simples..The more traffic received the bigger the prizes will be for the next competition.
This competition will run for the whole of April and the winner will be announced here on Wednesday 4th May
Winner takes all and will be the person who guesses the correct amount of brushes or closest to that figure. If more than one correct answer is received  those names will go into a hat to be drawn.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

The jar measures 22cm high x 11cm square…what do you think?!

A quick thank-you

I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank-you to everyone at UK Stampers for all the great advise and support along the way. If your not already a member why not pop along to their forum for a peek and sign up!



Andy