Saturday 29 August 2015

Tunnel book round up

 A while ago I joined the Collabor-ART page.  Donna who I met at a WOYWW crop put me in touch with them, then the group closed (just bad timing I think)!!!  Well, I met up with Sarah one of the founding members as part of Free Art Friday and she set up a FB group and asked if we would like to do a tunnel book group project!  It sounded like fun so I signed up.

It was easy to do, purchase a childrens board book from a charity shop, cut a series of holes in each page, choose a theme and paint the cover in the theme before posting it to the next person who completes their page and so on until eventually after a few months it came back to the owner.

This  was my 50p book!
 
 I cut holes in each page to make a 'tunnel' and chose the theme of "Discworld" in honour of Terry Pratchett one of my favourite authors.
 On the cover I painted Great A'Tuin the gigantic turtle that floats across the skies with the discworld upon its back.


 On the next page I decided to use the librarian as the inspiration.  Now in Discworld the librarian is an Orang-utan (he wasn't always, the strong magic at the university changed him and he decided to stay that way!). Now, having never completed a book before I had NO idea that it was easier if you did a double page spread, but no worries as the next person on the list, Carmen, kindly finished the double page for me (I love the eyes peeping out from between the books!)

 Carmen then did a Death spread (I love the depth of colour on these pages).
 Next up was Jas and a spread about Greebo (a cat with attitude).  The shine and lustre on these pages are sublime.
 The next pages are by Sarah - Rincewind with the Luggage (I love the feet!) and the way the hat is thrown over the hole cut away.
That means I have the final double page and the back cover to finish off.  No idea what to do on the double page spread, but I think I will do Death walking off into the sunset with Terry on the back cover, fitting.

Thanks Sarah for organising us and for everyone taking part.  It was totally amazing and I am in awe at the talent and would happily take part in another.

Kyla
 

Wednesday 26 August 2015

WOYWW

Happy WOYWW. The day of the week when we bare all on our workdesks!

Once again there is barely anything changed since last week apart from a jar of sugar free dandelion and burdock fizzy sweets, some tags that I have spread some left over black paint through a stencil over them and a bag of lavender I picked from the garden.

The tiger is actually some black and white wallpaper samples I had and I cropped the image, coloured it with pro markers and added some glossy accents on the eyes.  Easy but effective.

My "Man Bites Dog" card this week are 'Angry Singer Bites Fans'-wow! Glad festival season is almost at an end....I'd be worried!

I have kept this short and sweet as there are lots of desks to get round.
Happy crafting
Kyla
 

Monday 24 August 2015

Twofer

A twofer, two cards for the price of one (well sort of).
The backing paper was a 12x12 sheet that I no longer needed so decided to use it for cards.
The card on the left has bakers twine, a couple of tags that I stamped Mr and Mrs on and added a small gemstone on each.

I added some lace to the bottom of the card, and there you have it a wedding card!

The card on the right has a repurposed black felt coaster cut up and a stamped sentiment which I matted and layered.  Sympathy cards are difficult to make so I was pleased I was able to make this one.  It was also timely as not only did we find out fellow WOYWWers Janet sadly died recently but also my cousin, only  2 yrs older than me died suddenly 2 weeks ago so I was able to send this to my Uncle.

Kyla
 

Sunday 23 August 2015

Kimono scrap card

I am trying to use up my stash and scraps so came across some old peel offs I had.

To use them up I decided to put the kimono peel off onto some iridescent paper and used promarkers to colour the tree trunk and cherry blossoms. 


I used a punch to add the bamboo on the right hand side of the card and added the whole piece to a card blank.

All from the scrap box, so at least I have made a start (not that you would know that to look at the scrap box!!)

Happy crafting
Kyla
 

Friday 21 August 2015

Multi layered scraps

Thought I would post one of my latest cards I made.
The background is an old 12x12 patterned scrapbook sheet I no longer like that I gesso'd, painted, wiped back, stencilled, stamped and collaged!


I then added an off-cut from an Angelina fibre die cut butterfly that I made for a previous card and attached it with coloured mini staples.

I added a butterfly with some foil adhered for a little bling and stamped a sentiment on the bottom left.

I got suitably inky and covered in paint so I was a happy bunny!

Happy crafting
Kyla
 

Wednesday 19 August 2015

WOYWW


Hello peeps and welcome to What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Our weekly legal snoop at desks across the globe thanks to the Queen of Desks, Julia.

I will keep this short and sweet as apart from my "Man Bites Dog" cards my desk is empty (well, as empty as it ever will be).

On the left is a nectarine (well, why not!!) my new gaffa tape (leopard, my last one was Zebra) and my new stamped converse trainers image which is hanging around after a card I made for a friend.

Interesting cards with week..."Bored Singer Stuns Dog"  :-(

Happy WOYWW
Kyla
 
 

Sunday 16 August 2015

Free Art Friday Find

Many of you will not have been able to miss the fact that I like street art (a massive previous posting on here about Upfest in Bristol) is one clue.  I have also on posted on Facebook many times about various street art pieces I spy on my travels, including taking part in Free Art Friday in Swindon (but never brave enough to take part in the Bristol one!).

Free Art Friday is all over the globe basically people make free art and leave it out around towns for people to find!  How cool is that?

Well, last weekend I was lucky enough to find my first ever piece!  I liked it on Facebook and thought nothing more of it, until I happened to walk past the street on a walk around town and there is was!!


I couldn't believe my luck that is was still there!

So thank you "DaveTheAgent" for creating it.  It is currently on the wall in my craft room, which ironically has blue walls so fits in perfectly!

Kyla
 

Friday 14 August 2015

Quilt procrastination

Now, I am a really good procrastinator when it comes to certain projects and quilting is one of them.  I bought two jelly rolls 3 years ago with the idea of making my mum a quilt and one for myself.  I made mum's a couple of years ago but it was not an experience I fancied repeating so my jelly roll has sat there year on year.  I even decorated my bedroom in the jelly roll colours to see if that would inspire me, but no.

Then finally, last week I decided to have another go.  My husband was at a punk festival for 4 days and this gave me time.  Now, the Missouri quilt youtube channel says that this quilt top only takes an hour...NOT if you are left handed, new to quilting AND have Rheumatoid Arthritis (which means I need to take regular breaks and stretch/rest).

So I settled down and after an afternoon of sewing (and a little unpicking!) I had half a quilt top, by the following lunchtime I had finished my quilt top.

Now I have to work out how to add the batting, edging and backing.  Fiona (Starting at the Sea) has sent me some great tutorial links so fingers crossed the next part of the quilt doesn't take me 3 years also!

Happy crafting
Kyla
 

Wednesday 12 August 2015

WOYWW

Not been about for a couple of weeks as the pay the bills job and a few weekends full of "doing" stuff meant not much time for blogging.

However, I am back and on my desk this week is....a watermelon 365 journal page!  Previously I thought about doing ladybirds but when I realised my circle punch would NOT go through the card I had to use my scalloped punch so decided watermelon slices with bites taken out!


No man bites dog cards this week (I forgot to pick any!).

Happy crafting
kyla
 

Sunday 9 August 2015

Upfest Street Art Festival 2015

 Just a warning that this is VERY photo heavy.  The recent Upfest Street Art Festival in Bristol (the largest street art festival in Europe) saw over 250 artists from all over the world descend on 28 different venues in Bristol.

The styles, mediums and size were all different, some were small on boards, some half a wall and a few were the side of an entire building!  Some were stencils, others were spray can or pens and I even spotted pastel bars being used!
 

 A few were even vehicles!




 Some were beautiful faces

 Others were comical


 Lots of cider can were also spotted amongst the spray cans!




The detail work being added by hand
 

Not sure the elephant was part of the festival but I couldn't resist a photo
 

Some work in progress in the skate park
 





Some of the pieces were so big scaffolding or hydraulic platforms were needed


This was at the start of the festival


and this was after the festival-the completed piece

the cars below this parrot being spray painted weren't covered!

But the finished piece was simply stunning
 
These were a couple of sculptural pieces inspired by artists on the street art scene
 

others took inspiration from film and TV
 

In one of the local parks they placed boards all the way round so many artists could work whilst we all watched
 


There was a real mix of artists, young, older, male and female
 

My Dog Sighs (my favourite street artist) designed the flyers and also created this piece on the back of a train carriage
 

With artists, DJ's and beer and cider stalls it soon started to feel like a festival
 
some of the work was photo realistic and blew me away

many of the artists transported their paint in wheelie suitcases



Nice to see their mojo goes on holiday too!






Cheo (and his bee's) are famous round Bristol


Some work was political



Some was just fun
 
others were educational!
 

This work was stunning in real life


Some depicted underwater
others depicted space
 








whilst some incorporated moss
 
and ivy!



These are in the back yard of the Tobacco Factory (a great food, music and theatre venue)
 








Some were so vibrant






others had a slightly more 'dark' tone
 




Whilst not part of the festival on the walk back I came across this Banksy
 
and spotted some fabric fishes on a boat
 
Even houses and flats were decorated







not even road signs were safe









and there were even a few 3D pieces
 


artists came from across the globe



and even used window shutters as a canvas
 


or even entire sides of shops!


even the roads!
 

This was on the side of the Tobacco factory
 
This 'My Dog Sighs' was half a jigsaw.  If you were lucky enough you may have found one of his postcards with the other half printed so you could hold it up and create a pair of eyes (unfortunately I didn't find one)
 
The detail is amazing
 


Animals featured quite a lot
 


So there you are.  Lots of street art all for free.  That is why I love Bristol.

Happy crafting
Kyla