It's a bitterly cold, grey, drizzly day here in West Yorkshire, though I'm curled up on the sofa with the heating on, so I can't complain. Especially as the kettle's boiled for a cuppa and there's a supply of chocolate in the kitchen. I'm trying to resist scoffing the lot!
Let's start off this blog post with a few photos of recent gell prints. I've been layering up stencils and colours, trying to get some interesting effects.
It's all trial and error, and it's like every day's a school-day as you're constantly learning what works and what doesn't.
I love using the metallic paint colours, especially gold. You get that shimmer and sparkle (though sadly not on this photo as the light wasn't good enough when I was taking the picture). Apart from splashing the acrylic around I've also done my usual rounds of charity shops. I nearly bought a black full length pure new wool coat, originally M&S, which was reduced to a fiver and in excellent condition. Only trouble was, I'd need to be six foot tall to carry it off. I'm 5ft5, and can't be bothered wearing high heels anymore. I imagined for a few wistful moments that in wearing it I'd resemble an engimatic Russian countess, giving off gothicky vibes, but truthfully I'd probably resemble an undertaker in their taller cousin's cast-off. So, the coat stayed on the rail and hopefully someone else snapped up a bargain. I did buy a summery White Stuff top for two quid, a board and bone folder for paper crafting that was also two pounds, and this ...
It's a massive stencil, designed not for adding pattern to an art journal or a page of a sketchpad, but for your walls. I don't know how practical it'll be, but at £1.50 it was worth buying. I remember there was a craze for stenciling walls back in the Eighties. I sponge painted my flat's sitting room walls in peachy-pink and yellow, then added a ditzy floral stencil over top. Cringe-worthy, but it all was the rage then, honestly! Though it wasn't as bad as when I painted the hallway bright - and I mean bright - red. It felt so oppressive, like the walls were closing in on me. That red didn't last for long as several coats of magnolia saw it off.
Enough of my decorating disasters of the past. If you've seen any of my recent blog posts I've been making lots of collage flowers and leaves. A ridiculous number of 'em really. Anyhow, I needed something to store them in, and remember I had a spare photo album. Perfect for storing them in as the flower stalks in particular are flimsy, and liable to snap off if I'm not careful. The album was covered in a padded grey faux-snakeskin effect, which didn't really appeal to me.
So I re-covered it with a gell print, and was chuffed with how well it turned out.
Various bits & bobs are safely tucked inside.
Okay, that's all for today. I've finished Richard Osman's 'The Bullet that Missed' - excellent - and have another Strike book 'The Ink Black Heart' all ready to dive into. Oh, and a few more episodes of 'The Team' on Channel 4's iplayer to watch. A complex European crime drama. Subtitles, goodies, baddies and flawed detectives determined to catch the killer. Everything I like! Have a good evening, and let's see what a fresh new week brings us.
Hello Valerie, I finished The Bullet That Missed last week, I loved Richard Osman's writing, he's so observant. I was laughing out loud at Joyce watching A Place in the Sun and the couple turning down a Crete farmhouse as it wasn't big enough to store the husband's hang glider!
ReplyDeleteI did a gelli printing pre-pandemic and loved it, the results weren't as amazing as yours though, that album is amazing.
I wonder if The Team is a new series? I loved the first two.
Great chazza finds, the stencil is gorgeous - I'd be tempted to decorate a skirt or a denim jacket with that.
I'm an inch and a bit shorter than you and wear full length coats, I rarely wear a heel above 2". That coat sounded like a bargain! xxx