Stamp Challenge - part 3

GOING TRIBAL

I was all set to do another complex cloth piece. Got out my fabric. Had made my stamps a couple of days ago. Found the paints I wanted and did the first layer. Liked it so much I decided to leave it like it is.

The cutting tools I had gotten years ago on E-bay. The erasers I got 3 for $1 at the local dollar store. These tools cut through the erasers like butter!! So much fun!



Just decided to play and make marks on the erasers. When I finished and put the three together I thought it had a kind of tribal look. So, I'm calling this piece - Going Tribal.


I used my hand dyed fabric from another project and first used a brown acrylic paint and then one called sand.


For now - it is complete. But who knows.....someday I may find an image that would go perfectly with this piece and it will get another layer!

Stamp Challenge - part 2

ALTERED CIRCLES

So today I wanted to try an experiment. I have always used a light color fabric to start a complex cloth technique. This time I started with a darker fabric to see what the paint would do and what the result would be. This piece is all about altered circles.

First I used a spiral "stamp" that I bought at a surplus store. Again, no idea what its "real" purpose is....I just find interesting shapes and collect them. For the first layer I used a light green.



A long time ago I ordered a few packages of the very very flat sponges that could be cut easily into cool shapes and then when you add water they instantly become regular sponges. To alter the circle on this one I cut the flat sponge in several pieces, hydrated it and adhered it to a block. For this layer I used a paint called orchid. Sort of a pinky-lilac color as a complimentary color to the green.

When the orchid paint was wet (center of picture) it showed up quite well but as it dried the effect became much more subtle (to the right of the wet ones)

Here is the finished layer. I wish I had ironed it before taking the picture though.

Then I hand pleated the fabric. Not exact just quickly by hand and pressed it a bit to keep it pleated to alter the circle after it would be flattened out.

These are the stamps I used. Again, surplus store find with the black thing (it has a hole in the center that you can't see in this picture but you can tell from the stamping on the fabric.) Don't remember where I found the wire bit.

I stamped this layer with Lumiere Halo Violet Gold on the pleated fabric.

Then I unpleated it and ironed it flat for the completed piece (detail picture follows this one)

More stamps await me in my studio! I have plans for another piece tomorrow! See you then!

Stamp Challenge- part 1

LOVE TO STAMP

Ok, so I LOVE stamping - and I especially like to make my own stamps! So this was a fun challenge for me. For this part I decided to do the stamping as a complex cloth project. I started with a previously hand dyed piece of blue fabric. All stamping was done with acrylic paints. First I got out a package of heart shaped paper clips.




I sprayed a wooden block with Super 77 and then attached the clips.


Then I used a small paint roller to apply the medium blue paint and stamped the whole piece of fabric.

Heart stamped fabric - detail

Then I had a piece of hard rubber tubing (no idea what is was REALLY for but I saw it at a local surplus store and knew it would come in handy some day. I cut short lengths of it and cut some of them into half and third circles. Put double sided tape on the block and attached the circles and arcs. Didn't set out to do it but it ended up looking like X and O - hugs and kisses - LOVE TO STAMP! - get it?

Circles and arc stamped onto fabric.

Circle and arc stamp - detail. I love the way the heart stamp still shows through in places!

Got out another roller and put rubber bands around it.

Then I rolled it through the yellow paint and roller stamped it onto the fabric.

Rubber banded roller stamp - detail

So that is part one of my stamping challenge entry. I have made other stamps but ran out of time today to use them. More tomorrow!!!

New Journal - The Artist's Way

I just completed another journal writing my daily pages (well.........there was a bit of a "vacation" so it wasn't exactly EVERY day). Time to make another one!!

I had so much fun with the acrylic spackling on New Beginnings challenge that I wanted to try it a different way this time. I started with a piece of my own stamped fabric of butterflies (seems appropriate for spring/summer) and then added some sequine waste in white diagonally across the cover. Then I spread a space of acrylic spackling over it and embedded some butterfly charms. Then I embedded a few pieces of the decorative yarns which I used on the spine just for some more texture and interest. Before it all dried I spattered some Cranberry Red Dyna-Flow over the spackling with a toothbrush.

Now, in the morning, I'm ready to start the next part of my life's adventure in writing my pages!

New Beginnings

A group I belong to has a challenge for a quick project - just for fun. The theme is New Beginnings.


I wanted to try a new "toy" and technique. I don't have molding paste but I DID have vinyl spackling!!! I cut out the leaf shaped from wire mesh ribbon, laid it on muslin, spread the spackling on, trimmed the muslin around the wire mesh and the shaped it like I wanted it (pinned it to my muslin I use to paint on, etc.) and let it dry. Then I painted it with a whole bunch of different greens and a bit of gold Lumiere. Then let it dry again. Have to be careful because the leaves could lose their shape because the vinyl spackling is water soluble. But they maintained well enough.

Then I wrapped a real twig in three different fiber yarns and also used those same three yarns for the "grass"

I painted and then melted Tyvek for the flower and used an old piece of costume jewelry for the center.

The background is one I have been saving from a CCRR we did I can't remember when. Funny thing was.....before I found this piece of CCRR for the background I was wondering how I could also incorporate butterflies!! Then VOILA!! I found this piece that reminds me of a wrought fence AND it has butterflies on it!!!! How cool is that?????

So, here is my thinking behind the whole thing. New/Spring = flowers, of course, that's obvious. Butterflies are a new beginning from something not quite so beautiful into something very beautiful (I LOVE butterflies for just that reason) Also, a new "toy" and a new technique. I had a blast doing it!!