Bandanna ATC Technique Class

What is the Bandanna technique? It is inspired by the typical batik style of print used on head bandannas. I think this is particularly effective if overlaid on a coloured background, and in this example I will give instructions on making a spray ink background. Of course, any type of background is suitable so try loads of ideas out. They are sure to look stunning as ATC's.

The materials:

Spray Inks ( I used the summer collection by Sticky Fingers - Buttercup, Marigold & Grass Green; Bluebell, Delphinium & Lilac; Lilac, Pink & Aqua)

Versafine Ink (Olympic Green, Onyx Black)

White Cardstock

Rubber Stamps (two paisley stamps from Tanda Set 1 Paisley plate)

Gelly Roll Pen (Sakura - White)

Chalk Ink (Colorbox - Lilac, Blue, and Ochre)

Spray Background Method

Take a piece of A4 cardstock and place in a suitable cardboard box (to protect the surrounding area from overspray - these inks really can stain so take care where you do it). Take the lid off each of the spray bottles of ink and spray the cardstock with the desired amount of ink. Tip - The nearer you spray to the card the bigger the spots of colour, the further away, the finer. I try to do a blend of droplet sizes. When the desired effect is achieved allow to air dry (20-30 minutes).



Cut into ATC sized pieces (3.5 x 2.5 inches) and move to the next step.

Stamping

Take one of the rubber stamps (I mounted mine on EZ mount first) and adhere to an appropriately sized acrylic block. Taking the Olympic Green Versafine inkpad to the stamp, tap on an even layer of ink. With the ATC background on a flat surface stamp the paisley stamp randomly over the background several times, going off the edge of the card in places. Allow the images to dry or apply a blast from a heat gun to set the ink. Tip - Experiment with various colours of ink to achieve different colour effects. Remember to use dye based/quick drying pigment inks to avoid the colour mixing in with the white gel pen.

Applying the White Gelly Roll Pen

Take the Gelly Roll pen and edge the stamped paisley designs with the opaque white ink. You can achieve different effects by being selective in what you whiten. Sometimes on darker backgrounds apply the pen inside the stamped image or alternatively go just around the edge. Tip - Don't press too hard with the pen as this can restrict the flow of ink to the roller ball inside.

Mount the finished pieces on suitable card backing and trim. I finished off the edges of the card with Colorbox chalk inks.

The effect can be very, very effective. Good luck with yours and do let me know how you go on.

Enjoy !!!!!

My 'TOWN' of houses

Here is a pic of all the houses I received as part of the 'Little Boxes on the Hillside' swap. They are really fantastic with some innovative art and techniques displayed across such a wide variety of interpretations. You may have noticed that instead of 20, there are only 19. The missing one is on it's way from one contributor who's originals got lost in the postal system and who is happy to reproduce another set.........now there's determination for you !

Wondering how best to display them, any ideas?

Anyway this collaborative project has been a great success and I look forward to taking part in others. Hope, like me, they appeal to you :)

More Black & White ATC's

Here are three more Black & White ATC's, done in the same style as my last post. These have also gone off to be swapped with a lady in America.

Hope you like them :)

'Metal' ATC's

These three ATC's are part of a UK Stampers Forum Swap.......just completed on a metal theme. I used panels done with triple thick embossing and two rubber stamps. All other embellishments are metal brads. They were edged with Krylon in Silver, Gold and Copper.

Hope you like them:)

Travel ATC's

Here is a set of Travel themed ATC's completed recently, these will be going across the pond for a trade on the same theme. I used Distress inks embossing powders, various rubber stamps and a transparency along with a small piece of ribbon and dimensional pearl paint.

Hope you like them :)

Black & White ATC set

Doing a lot of Black & White ATC's at the moment, these three are going to the USA as part of a trade.

I have used torn background papers muted with Black Soot Distress Ink, and stamped images of Mackintosh Roses mounted on foam pads and heat embossed with Seafoam White and Black detail EP's. Some are matted on white cardstock. The bubbles stamp is also stamped and heat embossed with the same EP's but also with Gunmetal. A small swirly brad has been used on each to finish.

Hope you like them :)

Another altered 'Pringles' container

Fancy a bit of altering?

This item has also been entered into the Wednesday Stamper challenge, which has a theme of 'show me your favourite altered thing'.

I enjoy doing altered art because it uses everyday items that would otherwise end up in the bin and challenges me to come up with incorporating multimedia techniques into the finished article. This bit of art was done as part of a swap between members of UK Stampers Forum. The swap was to alter a 'Pringles' container. I chose one of the small snack size containers this time and spent a long time thinking about what I would do to alter it. Finally I decided to go with a dark metallic look. To attain this I used Jacquard Lumiere acrylic paints as a base in Grape, Halo Blue-Gold and Pearl Blue. The paints were brushed on randomly in uneven blocks and a couple of coats (with heat setting in between) were applied to produce a deep metallic sheen.

I then took a rubber stamp (dovecraft triple block) and used Stazon black ink to overstamp the curved surface again in a random way. I then added some eyelets in contrasting colours, a brad or two and some oval flat backed gems adhered with glossy accents. The dotty decoration is from gold & red shimmer Krylon pens applied direct from the nib in patches. Finally the clear lid was decorated with alcohol inks in Wild Plum, Stream and Eggplant, thinned with a little blending solution. I was going to add something on top of the lid (ribbons?) but decided not to. Hope you like it................

Remaining Boxes

The final offering of 5 little houses. This completes the set of 21. I used stamps on all of them but also enjoyed doing the backgrounds with Starburst Stains(which contain mica powder), in advance of the decorating. The shimmer does not come through in the photos but looks great (in my opinion), on the actual houses. Many thanks to Sarah (Flo) for organising this swap and I now look forward to receiving my swapped selection of others houses in the post. With some 61 participants in this swap the variety is staggering. Marvellous and fascinating how everones art is so different.

Hope you like the final lot :)

Even More Boxes.........

Here are little boxes 13 to 16, phew nearly done !! Hope you like them :)

More Boxes.....

Here is the next set of 4 'Little boxes'. Almost completed with just 9 left to do. Hope you like them :)