Antiqued Frame with DecoArt

I thought I'd share something a bit different today, in the form of a home decor/upcycling project. I created this altered frame for the DecoArt Blogger Outreach programme with some of a fantastic goodies they kindly sent me to try.

Creating faux metallic and aged effects is a favourite of mine and I thought the ornate style of this car boot find was asking to be transformed into an antique gilt frame, tarnished and worn by time.

I used the following DecoArt products:
- Media Black Gesso
- Dazzing Metallics Emperor's Gold
- Metallic Lustre Gold Rush
- Media Antiquing Cream Carbon Black

1 Like an idiot I forgot to take a pic of the frame before I started (*face palm*). Suffice to say it was a pretty ugly cheap resin frame I got at a car boot sale. To prime the frame, give it a coat of DecoArt Media black gesso. Use a hogs hair brush (not a smooth brush) if you can as it helps get the paint into the nooks and crannies.

2 Add a coat of Dazzling Metallics Emperor's Gold - I found one coat to be sufficient.

3 Once the metallic paint is dry, add a coat of Carbon Black Antiquing Cream (at which juncture my husband said, 'what was the point of that? You've just painted it black again', to which I replied 'wait for the magic')!

4 Even when fully dry the Antiquing Cream remains reactive. After it is fully dry (and you can speed it with a heat tool if required), wipe it back with a baby wipe or damp cloth. You can see the cream stays in the recesses giving a cool aged effect.

5 Having added shadows in the recesses, I now want to highlight the raised areas so I applied some Gold Rush Metallic Lustre with my finger. This product is like a gilding wax.

6 Finally, if any of your highlights are too bright or (like me) you got a bit too gung-ho with the lustre in places, dry brush some black gesso over to further antique the finish. As the Antiquing Cream isn't permanent. at this stage you will want to varnish your piece. The cream is water-reactive, so I'd recommend a spray varnish so you don't have to use a brush which could move the cream around as you work.

I haven't decided what to do with my frame yet, but as I recently started doing my family history I think it might end up being the home to some vintage photographs.

Hope you liked my tutorial today. Thanks for popping by.

Katy x

Goodbye ColourArte and Thank You

Mixed media watch with metallic paint effects

Yesterday marked my last post as a member of the ColourArte DT as my term was up. They have kept me busy for the last nine months playing with their fab products! I think the Primary Elements and Silks are my favourites.

To mark the occasion I thought I'd share some of my posts over the last nine months with you. Each has a link to my tutorial on the ColourArte blog if you'd like to know more.

Lastly a big thank you to Leslie, the owner of ColourArte, for having me on the team. I hope I've been a worthy ambassador.

Mixed media birdie

Autumnal wreath

Steampunk heart

Panel with iridescent Silks

Mixed media beach panel

Twinkling H20s Tag

Altered Glass Bauble

UTEE pendant with Primary Elements

Tag with Twinks background

Journal page with salt background

Christmas journal page

Peacock panel

Purse using Silks on fabric

Phew that was a lot of photos! Thanks for popping along today.

Katy x

Love the Beach for ColourArte

Today is my final post as a member of the ColourArte DT - it's been an amazing nine months! My last step-by-step tutorial is over on the ColourtArte blog today.

Hope you like :)

Katy x

Fragile for Visible Image

I've created a simple (but I hope effective) journal page for Visible Image today. How Fragile... is one of the newest releases. I only got my mitts on it on Saturday but I was eager to have a play straight away. This whole spread uses a very minimal amount of supplies - basicially one stamp set, three spray inks and some clear embossing powder.

Here's how I created it:

1 Heat emboss the cracked glass stamp several times in clear embossing powder - I worked straight onto my journal paper because I am working with water-based sprays and gesso would resist them.

2 Lightly spray over the page with Broken China Distress Spray Stain, blot and dry.

3 Spray Faded Jeans and Hickory Smoke sprays close to the paper, concentrating on the centres of the stamped images. Push the wet sprays outwards towards the edges of the stamped images with a paintbrush. Blot and dry. Repeat if desired.

4 Spray the Broken China here and there to eliminate any harsh brush lines or obviously blocks of colour.

5 Rub over the embossing gently with a cloth to remove some of the ink and make the white pop more.

6 Stamp the phrase onto cardstock, spray very lightly and from some distance with the Hickory Smoke ink to get a light splatter of ink on the words. Cut out and add to your page.

Thanks for visiting today!

Katy x

This is the stamp I used -  How Fragile we Are

Been Missing You

Recently I went on my holidays - beautiful scenery, sunshine, fun times.... But for the first time I really, really missed my craft room. Since giving up office work and going home-based, I now manage to create pretty much everyday and found myself longing to be in my little room and wondering if I was a) utterly obsessed or b) really need to get out more....

Luckily, the US has no shortage of massive craft stores (although sadly, like here, the independents seem to be slowly dying off with two of my former haunts now no more). My holiday plans always included trips to Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Jo-Ann. I was however trying to stick to a budget(!) - but I did manage to create with a few little bits and bobs I picked up.

In some ways creating with such limited stuff (I didn't even have an acrylic block - I used my eye make-up compact!!!) was incredibly frustrating. But on the other hand being limited did mean I had to make the most of what I had and work more minimally than perhaps I usually would.

One thing I did have was a tiny little book which cost a couple of dollars which I used as a small journal - in it are some experiments with Distress Crayons. Jury is still out on these I think... am not sure I like them as much as Gelatos, but I need to play a little more.

Lesson learned from now on! I am off to Scotland later this year and going with me will be a little journaling kit so I can get my craft fix!

Do you share my sentiments? Or am I truly a lost cause???

Katy x

Mixed Media Panel for ColourArte

My turn to do a tutorial for you on the ColourArte blog today. I've been inspired by Marta Lapcowska to create some 'small art' using chipboard pieces. It's coloured using Silks over black gesso - the black surface makes the iridescent colours I chose really stand out! Continuing my mission to expand my colour use, I went with purple which I never, ever use! I think it turned out OK!

That lovely stamp is from a new set at Rubber Dance Art Stamps called Fly with me, by the way. She's rather lovely I think!

Hope you enjoy the tutorial!

Katy x

Dancing Dragonflies

Today I am sharing my latest DT piece for Visible Image, using one of their fab MDF Monoliths and the dragonfly image, which is one of my favourite stamps. Although I don't get to see dragonflies often I adore watching them dart and swoop over the water, especially on a bright day when their wings glow and shimmer in the sunlight. Here I've tried to recreate some of that effect using Silks mica-based paints to make the wings catch the light.

I didn't take any process shots for this piece, but here's how I made it:

1) Cover a monolith with book pages then paint over with watered-down cream paint. Add some light brown tones of Distress Ink to create some subtle warmth.

2) Add Dreamweaver gold texture paste through a stencil (Tim Holtz), leaving a gap to stamp the sentiment.

3) When dry stamp around the edges using  just a part of each of the Edgy stamps - first in Archival Tree Branch and then black. Run a fold calligraphy pen around the edges,

4) Stamp the greeting in Archival Garden Patina ink and then again, but slightly offset, in black.

5) Stamp six dragonflies and colour with ColourArte Silks to give them a gorgeous shimmer (I used colours Teal Zircon and Pretty Peridot). Layer two sets of wings per dragonfly then add a body. Glue to the monolith and raise the wings to finish.

I think this makes a really pretty piece of home decor - hope you do too.

Katy x

Here are the stamps I used today:

Live in the Moment

Edgy