Textile & Fibre Art
No Needle Knitting

Posted on 9th October 2015 by Neil

It’s no secret that I have never really learnt to knit properly. I can crochet, but something about two needles doesn’t work for me – it’s like aerobics: I can do arms, or legs, but not both at the same time. Then I came across loom knitting. No needles, just 18 pins and a hook. Here’s my first loom knitted project. It’s a cross between a shawl and a scarf – a sharf or a scawl? The Irish roses and leaves are crocheted from the same yarn [200 Crochet Flowers, Embellishments & Trims] and sew onto the completed knit. I’ve even sewn round the button hole.

Continue reading →

3D Projects
The Art of Liquefaction

Posted on 8th October 2015 by Neil

There’s always that moment when you see something on Facebook or Pinterest that you think – I could do that. This project was one of those – a link to a YouTube video that popped up on my timeline (sorry – haven’t found it since). It was in German, and seemed to be 20 minutes of the two presenters describing – but not actually doing – the process to make these cast concrete votives.

Continue reading →

Altered Art
Not all wax crayons are created equal

Posted on 6th October 2015 by Neil

It’s amazing how much one can achieve when the computer isn’t accessible. Until after lunch yesterday, I was upgrading the operating system which meant Facebook wasn’t a constant presence, my current shopping list wasn’t visible, and the radio was off.

Instead, I painted six blackboards, tidied the studio after creating a bomb site making samples for Craftwork Cards, prepared for last night’s art journaling session, dealt with a duplicate order delivery, crocheted a sampler panel for a scarf, and had a go at some crayon art (pictured above). Now then – all the pictures of similar projects on the internet show nice long dribbles of shiny molten wax. My pound-shop crayons boiled and became an immobile gloopy mess more reminiscent of glutinous bread dough than freely flowing molten wax. The resultant solidified mass is actually quite brittle, and as it is on stretched canvas, is easy to crack. Polishing makes no difference. Which leads me to wonder – are they made of some strange plastic?

And it leaves another conundrum – do I leave the space empty at the bottom, or find suitable text or carefully place some oil paint as faux wax stalagmites underneath the drips?

Continue reading →

3D Projects
Crafted from Caravans: The Christmas Collection

Posted on 1st October 2015 by Neil

The floor, tables and just about every other surface in the studio is currently covered with a fine layer of shredded wool polishing wheels and jeweller’s rouge… I’m also going to have to do a thorough wipe down of all the aluminium filings that didn’t hit the bin beneath…

I’ve been working in a production line over the last two days, making these hanging tree decorations. You may remember my ‘sit and be wind chime’ was made from the sidings of my grandfather’s old caravan – these are too. All are hand cut from the sheet aluminium, cleaned up with wire brush and wet’n’dry sandpaper, hand drilled and hand sawn, hammered, punched, filed and polished. Ok, I did use a Dremel for the polishing.

If you’d like a set, let me know – I will make them to order for £10 each including p&p to UK addresses (international orders extra), so if you’d like them in time for Christmas please order by the end of October.

Continue reading →

3D Projects
Festive Chalkboard Candle Gift Cards

Posted on 28th September 2015 by Neil

I know, it’s still too early to mention the ‘C’ word, but in crafting terms I started Christmas crafting back in June with the Festive Chalkboard collection. This time, I’ve used it to make gift cards containing three scented candles courtesy of a certain Swedish flat pack specialist. The cards themselves are made using the Eazi-Score board from Diamond Card Craft – my instructions and board purchase information are here.

I’m getting stock (including these cards) ready for our church’s Christmas Fayre (Whetstone Memorial Hall, near Leicester, 28th November), so there might be a slight pregnant pause between posts as I’m frantically sawing, sanding, polishing, sticking, pricing and moulding various items – but as soon as I’ve finished each project, I’ll be sure to post them!

Continue reading →

Tangle Patterns
Icthus: a tangle pattern

Posted on 20th September 2015 by Neil

Another church inspired pattern… this time I was playing around with the Christian ‘fish’ symbol whilst trying out different church logo designs. By organising a shoal of the symbols, a pattern can be built up – and you can see that there are possibly quicker ways of drawing the base pattern by the time you see it in step 2. I think the directional lines make this a more complex looking pattern.

Continue reading →

3D Projects
The Apothecary: Sign writing and Vignettes

Posted on 15th September 2015 by Neil

I posted a week or so ago the start of an assemblage in a printer’s tray – The Apothecary. Over the last few days I have been making a sign for the top, building it from foamcore board, and coating it with several layers of paint to try and match the colour of the tray. Eventually, I ended up brushing on some tan wax shoe polish and buffing it back, and adding a small amount to the wood exterior of the tray. I think it warmed up the wood and helped make the both seem a whole. The inlay ‘brass’ line is Letraset metallic tape, and the lettering and logo are cut from 160gsm card, layered four deep and then painted with Treasure Gold Liquid Leaf Florentine and then a quick layer of Classic Gold.

I’ve also taken the photos into Photoshop and added vintage effects.

Now I’ve been looking at it from the photos, and getting a little distance on it, I’m wondering if the answer to making the bottles both accessible and not able to fall out is to make a glass door and change it into a cabinet?

Continue reading →

Tangle Patterns
Dicentra: a tangle pattern

Posted on 13th September 2015 by Neil

This was inspired by the art nouveau tiles in the Royal Arcade in Norwich. I had a play about with the pattern, and once I’d turned it upside down, the name came easily. I think the swags make the hearts look as if they’re dipping into a quilt – adding shading to this one would make quite a difference to the pattern. Note the offset in step two when you’re doing the zigzag lines.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on my book review if you want a chance to win a copy of Suzanne McNeill’s new FloraBunda Style book before it gets in the shops! (Draw closes 18th September 2015).

Continue reading →

Art Journal
Art Journal Page: Resist Worry

Posted on 11th September 2015 by Neil

I took the opportunity to play with oil pastel resist in my art journal yesterday. The text and line border were written straight to page with white oil pastel, with the colour (distress stain spray) added over and blotted off. I ironed over the oil pastel, soaking it into newsprint paper to remove most of the pastel. I then doodled the border over the dried colour and tried to darken it after.

What I should have done… is darken the border area and then doodle over. Having said that, I found that using PanPastel over the top and then wiping over with a baby wipe revealed the white ink again. I’ll also iron off the oil pastel last, as that’s most likely to keep the contrast better, particularly on the edging where I did some more messing about with colour.

Anyhoo, now I’ve had a play, and learnt from my ‘ah well’ moments I’ll be setting it as next month’s art journal session technique. Continue reading →

3D Projects
The Apothecary: an assemblage

Posted on 7th September 2015 by Neil

This is very much a work in progress, but since progress seems to be going smoothly and fairly quickly, I’ve something to share mid-way. I was sorting out the sheds on Saturday and came across this printer’s half-tray that had been tucked away. I have a feeling it’s another save from my grandfather’s outhouse.

I brushed it down, glued it back together, and then lined it with Tim Holtz French Industrial papers with Walnut Stain distress ink to blend it all in. I then set about finding all my little bottles that I’ve accumulated – a combination of Tim Holtz and Woodware. They looked a little too clean, so I’ve added Latte and Mushroom alcohol inks to give them an aged/nicotine stained look.

I raided the kitchen for every spice and herb I could get into the bottles and decided to leave one shelf free to hang some bay leaves in, and to make a mini-pestle and mortar to fit. Now all I needed was some labels, so I have spent the afternoon making my own in Illustrator and cutting them out on the Silhouette Cameo before ageing with distress inks and water. Next was working out how to get a liquid appearance in the tall bottles without it actually being liquid. UTEE came to the rescue, and I think it turned out ok – although there was some shrinkage as it cooled, so that might not remain the case. Here’s what it looks like now:

I’ve had a lot of fun with the labels, finding the latin names for everything, including the silver balls, tapioca and hundreds and thousands. The shelf is ready for the leaves and pestle and mortar and I think a couple more adverts as well. I’m not too sure if I should stick the bottles in place, or keep them loose so that they can be pulled out… or fall off when on the wall…

Continue reading →