The final set of “homework” for My Creative Classroom – Terrific Techniques (with the theme of texture) proved to be somewhat of an eye-opener. I wasn’t going to do the Funky Foam exercise as I’ve tried this once before & didn’t like it at all. However, that was almost two years ago, & experience has taught me that I sometimes have to rethink an attitude. I managed to find some craft foam available to purchase in single sheets though the cleanest piece (I don’t think this stock sells very fast) was pink! Suffice to say that I loved the Funky Foam – I wonder if Santa might bring me the pack of foam I’ve seen in WH Smith’s which contains a whole rainbow of colours.
Owing to the severe weather conditions the planned Open Days at Graphicus this weekend were cancelled. Instead there was a series of posts on the Graphicus Blog with competitions, a crossword, special deals & some free downloads which people were asked to use should they wish to enter one of the competitions. Somehow the homework pieces & these free downloads matched themselves up.
Polymer Clay
Stamp: Elusive Images
Image stamped into clay & coloured with Perfect Pearls (Interference Blue & Violet) prior to baking
close-up to show the sparkle of the glitter & Perfect Pearls
I made a Christmas ornament from my stamped clay: inking the punched cardstock edges (Brilliance Pearlescent Sky Blue & Pearlescent Purple), glittering (Ice Stickles Grape Ice) & adding a length of ribbon. The back is another punched & inked piece of pale blue cardstock (thus sandwiching the ribbon) left plain for writing a personal message to make it equally suitable as a gift tag for someone special.
Funky Foam
Stamp: Elusive Images
Ink: Brilliance Starlite Black (image), Brilliance Pearlescent Purple (paper & cardstock edges)
Image stamped into heated foam, layered onto free backing paper plus cardstock & embellished with pearls
UTEE
Stamp: Creative Expressions
Inks: Dusty Concord Distress Ink (Stampbord), Pastel Kaleidacolor (random brayered background),
Brilliance Pearlescent Purple (paper & cardstock edges)
Stampbord inked & coated with clear UTEE into which image was stamped & the sides coloured (Sakura Stardust Pen); mounted onto randomly brayered background, cardstock & free backing paper; embellished with pearls
close-up highlighting heart motif on Stampbord
& patterned paper
This came together when I spotted how the heart motif found in the stamped image is echoed in one of the snowflakes (which I embellished with a pearl).
Shrink Plastic
Stamp: Elusive Images
Embossing Powder: Stampendous Twilight
Heated shrink plastic stamped into, cooled & layered onto stamped heat embossed cardstock, matching the pattern of the texture in the stamped shrink plastic to the heat embossed image
close-up showing texture of shrink plastic
matched with embossed pattern
Stamp: Crafty Individuals
Inks: Brilliance Pearlescent Olive (stamping), Brilliance Pearlescent Purple (paper & cardstock edges)
Heated shrink plastic stamped into, cooled & layered onto free backing paper designed by Lesley plus stamped cardstock
This is the only one of the samples where I used the technique that I learned in the course to create a piece of artwork inspired by one of the motifs in the backing paper – in this case stamping the crackle motif to make a piece of textured shrink plastic with which to embellish & coordinating stamped cardstock for matting onto.
