Topsy Turvy Guest Designer

Hi everyone, Lys here!
I'm very happy today to introduce to you Pascale, from Scrap made in Touraine, a wonderful French artist who makes amazing creations, from scrapbooking to mixed media, which are always a great source of inspiration for me. I'll let her show you what she has made for my Topsy Turvy challenge...


Hello Sweeties,

I'm really thrilled to be guest DT here at Our Creative Corner and I want to thank Lys for the invitation. I chose to make a canvas for the "Topsy Turvy" challenge.

And now the whole process, step-by-step

First I primed with two layers of white gesso the canvas. When dry, I added a design with a Alpha stencil with 3D Gloss Gel. I added the design in several place rotating the stencil every time.
When I'm not in an hurry, I let dry naturally for a better result. I continue to added the same design with Graphite paste.
Again I let dry, before adding a last round of design. This time I used white crackle paste.

When the background was completely dry, I sprayed a first layer of ink. Then I started my composition. I glued all the big elements such as the flowers, bulbs and metallic embellishments with 3D Gloss Gel. To glue the microbeads, I used Soft Gloss Gel.
I added a layer of white gesso on top of all the embellishments and let dry for a moment.
Then I added some Mica Powder, sprayed water, added more Mica until I was happy with the result. To finish, I mixed some Black Cherry Mica Powder with some Soft Gloss Gel and dry-brushed the flowers and micro beads with the metallic paint I obtained.

Here are some close-ups:

Thank you again Lys, Laura and the whole team for having me here.  

 Materials used:

Canvas 8"x8"
Stencil - Finnabair Prima - Alpha
Spray Ink - Lindy's STamp Gang - Opal Sea Oats
Mica Powder - Finnabair Prima - Gold, Copper, Black Cherry
Mechanicals - Finnabair Prima - Pendant Caps, Flowers
Texture Paste - Finnabair Paste - White Crackle, Graphite
Gel Medium - Finnabair Prima - 3D Gloss Gel, Soft Matte Gel
Gesso - Finnabair Prima - Heavy White
Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts - Gardenias, Roses

******************************************

Didn't I tell you she was wonderful? Thanks so much Pascale for this Topsy Turvy creation. Sure you will inspire us and all who can enter the Topsy Turvy challenge until November 28th!

Remember there's a fabulous prize to win from

 

So see you soon!
Lys.

DecoArt Sponsor Spotlight #1

Hi There, It's Me-Shari!!  Thanks for joining me today for our first Topsy Turvy Challenge Sponsor Spotlight, being brought to us by--

 

I refinished this little 3-drawer chest from this....

 

 

To this....

 

 

I used all kinds of cool DecoArt and DecoArt Media products to transform this once sad little antique store find, into something that can take center stage atop anyone's bureau or craft table.  Let me show you what I did!

 

 

 

I sanded the entire chest down with my hand sander to remove as much of the old paint that I could.  I also glued and clamped down a few spots that had warped and come apart. 

 



I covered the entire chest and drawers with a coat of DAM White Gesso then laid pieces of tissue wrap onto the wet gesso and pressed down and smoothed.  When the surface was dry, I brushed on a layer of Weathered Wood Crackle Medium.  I'm going to give this chest the Andy Skinner Mega Crackle Technique!

 

I mixed DAM Crackle Paint with DAM Quinacridone Violet and painted over the entire chest and drawer fronts.  The big crackles happen right before your eyes--it's the coolest technique ever!! 

 

 

After all of the paint had dried, I brushed DAM Carbon Black Antiquing Cream over the surfaces and let dry.

 

When the antiquing cream was dry, I gently wiped away the excess with a damp, soft cloth. 

 

 

I brushed a layer of Matte Decou-Page over the raised surface of the letterpress blocks and let air dry.  Then I brushed a layer of DAM Crackle Paint over the surfaces and let air dry.   

 

 

I ran a bunch of papers and tulle through my Big Shot machine with the Tattered Florals Bigz die.  I spritzed the burlap florals with DAM Misters in Carbon Black & Violet Shimmer and ran those through my sewing machine to add a little bit of stitched interest. 

 

 

I decorated the top of the chest with all of the tattered florals and wooden spools and glass door knobs that I treated with DAM Crackle Paint.  I dabbed Matte Decou-Page here and there then sprinkled seed beads over the surface, so that the beads would adhere in a somewhat random manner. 

 

 

I painted the butterfly with DAM Carbon Black Fluid Acrylic and let air dry.  Then I spritzed it with DAM Violet Shimmer Mister.  It's hard to see in the photo, but there's a really pretty purpley shimmer to the butterfly. 

 

 

I didn't forget the inside of the drawers--I painted each drawer with DAM White Gesso then lined the bottom of each with a piece of tissue wrap. 

 

 

I also lined the inside of each drawer cubby with pieces of Melange Paper Stash. 

 

I have to admit it--I'm using this at my work table and I've already filled the drawers with all kinds of embellies that were once in a variety of glass jars, taking up lots of precious table space!  This is much prettier than a bunch of glass jars scattered about here and there--now I can find everything within these 3 drawers! 

Thanks so much for joining me today for our first DecoArt Sponsor Spotlight today!

  DecoArt is generously donating a DecoArt Media Sampler Kit to one randomly drawn participant in our Topsy Turvy Challenge this month. 

You've got to be in it to win it, so bring your Topsy Turvy projects over for your chance to win some fabulous goodies. 

 





Halloween Horror Winner and Top Three

      Laura here to bring you my Winner and Top 3 for my Halloween Horror challenge

I was amazed at all the wonderful entries - Thanks so much to all who entered.
It was one of the most difficult challenges to judge and I didn't have an easy time
choosing my winner and Top 3...

But before I announce those winners I would like to announce the Sponsor prize winner 

Our wonderful sponsor last month was 

Nicecrane Designs 

Nicecrane Designs kindly donated a $20 voucher to our lucky winner to spend at their store....

The lucky winner selected this time by Random.org is....

No.11 

.....Well done Cec!

Happy shopping!
Contact us via the email address on the sidebar and we will get your voucher to you!

**********************************************

And now it is time to announce my winner and Top 3....

It was a really difficult choice - but there had to be just one winner and my winner is...

 Experiments in Paper

 I LOVE this creation!

So many different effects were used and there is so much attention to each
tiny little detail - I love it all! 

From the beautiful silvery, marbled background to the amazing skull with flames for eyes.

I think what I love the most are those stunning, tumbling

 ombré roses.....I was hooked the moment I read....

"I envision these as prophecies or pronouncements from the skull 

which issue as living roses in deep red, but which rapidly fade out to black"

..It is a very striking Halloween creation...Well done Lynn!


********************************************

And now for my Top 3....which are featured in no particular order....

Two Mad Dahlias

  I loved these zombie creations...The one-liners appealed to my 

sense of humour and I adore the addition of red to the photos and 

the shadows under the eyes. The blood splatter against the stark

 black and white photography is perfect too...Lovely!

 Georgie C

 A very menacing looking pumpkin!...I adore the tarnished metal

 effect and metal spiders....For some reason this makes 

the pumpkin even more scary. Perfect Halloween Horror!

 Inky and Quirky

What a gorgeous skull canvas!...I adore the mixed media layered effects here 

with the splashes of bright colour contrasted against the black and white. 

And the gruesome grinning skull taking center stage....Brilliant!


*****************************************

Thanks so much to all who entered the Halloween Horror challenge. There were so many I would have loved to feature here today...it is such a shame we can't feature more.....

You could be here next month as our winner or Top 3 - Just hop over to Lys' Topsy Turvy challenge and join us in a mixed up, upside down world! Come and have a go! 

 

You could even win this gorgeous prize from this month's sponsor Decoart!

  

 Colours in actual prize may vary

 

 

Remember, you have to be in it to win it!


*******************************

Happy Crafting!

 

Laura 

xxxxxxx

Topsy Turvy!

Good morning everyone! Lys here with a new challenge for you!

We had so many entries for last months 'Halloween Horror' challenge!

 Thanks so much to all who took part - Laura will be here in the 4th to announce the winner's! 

Don't miss it!

 

Before we go onto the challenge details for November, I just wanted to let

 you know about this months Sponsor.

We are so thrilled to be welcoming Decoart!

This month a very lucky randomly selected winner will receive such an amazing prize! 

A Decoart Media Sampler Kit

  

...and Andy Skinner has very kindly said he will add in some of his stencils as well! 

 WOW!!! what a wonderful prize! I am envious of the winner already!

 Colours in prize may differ from picture

You can enter the challenge up to three times...get extra chances to win!

...Lets find out about the challenge!

**************************************************

I am so glad to be here hosting a new challenge for November....

Bad weather is on its way and we come back to our warm and tidy homes...
Fancy messing up a little?
We often try to do the right way, use the suitable thing, organize our creations following definite lines or intentions… and sometimes it doesn’t go the way we wanted to. Sometimes it goes to the bin, sometimes we discover something new… and we love it!

On the right side or Topsy Turvy...is there a right side in art?

Now let's discover what our team has created to inspire you:

Lys

When I use Brushos, I never know where they lead me... 
This time earth and sky were inverted, at the end of a fantastic journey!

********************

Trish

I decided to take the theme rather literally.... :)

********************

Shari

Well, talk about a world gone 'Topsy Turvy' when those proverbial pigs fly upside down!! 
 I created an inverted art journal page that had me dizzy from beginning to end!! 

********************

Kerstin

I have used the theme to try it some new, I like to do this with Mr. Art Journal ;-)

My favourite product in moment is Matte medium as transfer for pictures from old magazines,

and by coincidence this shadow effect behind the face emerged.

********************

Candice

I thought it would be fun to show you how I made my no-sew Topsy Turvy Top. I had a white t-shirt that got a splotch of ink on it from a prior crafty enterprise. I decided that instead of tossing the top, I would refashion a whole new festival-esque shirt by incorporating the splotch into a new design with a trippy graphic, doing some (Ed Hardy style) t-shirt kirigami cut-work, braiding it and making it the kind of shirt that you could wear both the topsy way with the graphic on the front or the turvy way with the cut work on the front with an inner camisole for modesty.

********************

Jan

Wow, great challenge!

I wanted to explore ideas of symmetry from reflections, very Topsy Turvy. 

I was reminded of The Mirror Lakes ( such an eerie place) in New Zealand that I wanted to create a scrapbook page, but needed some inspiration.

I also have not had much happy experience with Brushos so wanted to experiment with that medium too. I really enjoyed the challenge, hope you do too!

********************

Ana

I used cardboard letter leftovers and arrange them in Topsy Turvy style…perfect for background on my new wall hanging…

********************
 

Jennie

When I looked at a lot of my work I realised that I created my backgrounds in a particular order: gesso, texture paste, inks and then stamping. So I decided to reverse the order and got this lovely subtle background despite using some very bright colours! I love the result and will certainly be doing it again. A great challenge from Lys and my tag goes to show you don't have to change much to get something a little different. I hope you enjoy the challenge too!

**************************

Julia

After much thinking about this challenge, I decided to look at items which had a particular use and turn that upside down and use them in a different way. I used a wooden stamp block as my base, a stamp to imprint clay, a cake mould to make embellishments and a piece of gauze bandage in my background. By this time my brain was completely topsy turvy but I enjoyed the challenge!

********************

Laura

How to make something Topsy Turvy? I was stuck for sure! 

But this candle holder actually turned out to be a totally Topsy Turvy creation

From using the die cut letters the wrong way round and upside down to the totally unexpected bright and messy paint effect when I had originally intended doing very delicate pastel colours and crackle....

A totally Topsy Turvy creation!

**************************************

Wonderful creations, teamies! Thanks so much!

So let’s play!: whatever it is: upside down, inverted, reversed or escaping from the right order….

Please show us one “Topsy Turvy” creation, and how it came to life in your hands!

You could be our winner and invited to be our Top Talent!

You could be part of our Top 3!

You could even be our randomly winner of that gorgeous Media Sampler Kit ....

I look forward to see you soon!

Happy crafting!

Lys.