Introducing Margaret Crawford ...

our second guest designer for November with her take on our challenge this month ...

 

Hi, Margaret here.

As a child sitting with my mother at her sewing machine as she sewed beautiful garments or as she knitted I was destined to follow her example and create with my hands.

After retrenchment in the late 80’s, from a major bank,  I started my own business teaching patchwork and embroidery, doing commission work and the market circuit.  I had completed a Commercial Needlecraft Certificate at TAFE earlier.  I did this for 8 years and then went to work for another major bank – whilst there I completed a Certificate 4 in Training and Development, and spent a lot of time travelling Australia training staff on new systems.  Patchwork was just impossible to complete when travelling, so one wet and windy day I ended up at Papercraft store in Bendigo, Victoria.  My paper obsession began – both cardmaking and scrapbooking.

In 2008 I spent a year in China teaching English at a University and not long after I returned to Australia I left full time work.  Moving to the Central Coast this year has been inspirational. I want to make a difference – I know it is a cliché – but I love to see people’s reaction when they create something they never thought they could – be it a card or a layout.  I make scrapbook pages for charity and making cards for  Australian Defence Force troops overseas.

My scrapbooking style has evolved, I still like to design around the photos and make them the focus of my pages, however this year I have stretched myself and delved into more mixed media pages – I think I have a long way to go and will continue to challenge myself to learn new techniques.

In this layout I have used a patterned paper that had flowers and writing, Impasto Medium over a brick mask and then when dry Gelato crayons to colour match the outfits we were wearing and of course our hair colours..  The cousins quote came from the internet and so I raided all my stash to find flowers to add to the layout.

Please visit my blog  http://margaretlcrawford.blogspot.com

 

Here are more lovely layouts from Margaret ...
 

 

 

Welcome to ARTastic Margaret.  It's lovely to have you join us on ARTastic this month.

 

 

Remember you have until 11.55pm on November 30th submit your entries.  We'd love to see your take on this challenge.

 

October winners and a little November inspiration ...

Time for some more lovely winners.

We'd also like to thank our two main sponsors this month,  James from Alacraft and Peta from Scrapbooking From Scratch for their generous support.

ARTastic followers can enjoy 20% off at Alacraft with discount code ARTS20.

 

Alacraft has free product giveaways every month. Please visit the site and enter your email address on the homepage or on the page indicated in the link and you will be automatically entered into the draw for $25 of free products for that month. People are welcome to enter as many months as they like, they just need to enter their email address each time.

 

 Alacraft is a family business originating from an established bricks-and-mortar store and stocks a range of quality materials including lace, ribbon, yarn, scrapbooking supplies, stickers, iron-on motifs, quilting fabric, craft flowers and much more.

  Check out Alacraft today!

 
 

Scrapbooking from Scratch is an online scrapbooking site specialising in Designer Scrapbooking Kits but we carry many other scrapping products from NEW releases to those essential items we all need. My talented design team work with 1 -2 kits per month each to give you inspiration & ideas.

 

Please note my kits are never released on a set day of the month - just whenever I receive new stock so join my newsletter or connect with me on Facebook to get the latest release notifications and updates on blind challenges and monthly comps. 

 ............................

 

and now onto our October winners

 

numbers were down a little bit last month but still some delightful layouts submitted so again a big thank you to those who made the effort to enter ...

Congratulations go to ...

 Angie B who has won a $25 gift voucher from Alacraft.
 

 Dale T who has won a lovely prize from Scrapbooking From Scratch.

 Kathleen White who has won the Director's prize.

Random draw prize goes to Heidi.

Due to the close proximity to Christmas we won't be offering a guest designer spot for December.

Our Creative Team winner for October is the very talented Tone-Lill who will receive a little RAK from me.

Great work everyone. If all these winners could please email me at jjjustjane@bigpond.com with your postal details I will see your prize gets out to you.

 

AND NOW -  Some more November inspiration from our remaining creative team members.  Hopefully this will inspire you to create, create, create.  We'd love to see your work.

 

Lesley

I really enjoyed putting this page together and I'm thrilled with how it has come out.

 

Jane

I was particularly taken with the use of printed media on the background of the artwork and the use of texture and paint across the canvas.

Tone-Lill

The November inspiration is  such a great piece of art and gives so many possibilities. I used tissue paper and  Ranger glue on the background with  a mix of gesso , glaze, Glimmer mist, and TH  metallic dabbers on top, after cutting out from the background paper creating the raised folded paper petals. The photo was the last to be added, gluing it from the underneath.

 

We'd love to see your interpretations of our inspiration this month.

 

 Remember we happily accept all forms of paper crafting for your entry including digital and encourage international submissions.  All we ask is that you create an original entry for our challenge although you are most welcome to combine with a sketch and/or colour challenge if you wish.  You have until 11.55pm on the last day of the month to submit your entry.

  

 

Next week we will be introducing you to our second guest designer of the month, Margaret Crawford.

 

Welcoming Julene Matthews ...

our first guest on ARTastic this month.

Hello I’m Julene Matthews from Sydney in NSW.I started scrapping when I won some Fiskars products and wanted to get the use from them.

I still use my scissors every day. That was 12 years ago and my style has evolved over time.

I prefer clean cut to lumpy bumpy, can use mixed media, but usually don’t. I prefer traditional items like buttons, laces, ribbons etc.


This artwork reminded my quite a lot of the Polish mixed media artist Finnabair's work.You can find her on Facebook and on her blog.

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to attend one of her classes when she visited Australia.

We were asked not to divulge her technique in detail online, but I can say do all the flat & wet things first, then add the 3D items. Lastly use the mists, pastes etc to bring out your colours.

This is the layout we made in class.

 

The second one is made using the more earthy colours from the inspiration piece.

If you would like to try this sort of style for yourself - have fun but remember to cover your desk or table with plastic first - it can get very messy!

 http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com.au

Here are some more layouts from Julene ...

 

Great to have you join us Julene.

 

 

Remember you have until 11.55pm on November 30th to submit your entries.  We'd love to see your take on this challenge.

November on ARTastic ...

Oh wow it's November - this year has flown past even faster than the last!

Please don't forget ARTastic is currently on the lookout for a number of new team members and guest  designers for 2014.  Applications close on November 6.  Full details can be found HERE.  We'd love to see you join us.

and now for this month's inspiration ...

This month on ARTastic we are featuring a delightful mixed media artwork called Listen by New Zealander, Jenny Grant.

 

Criteria - Free choice, make of this what you will

 

A little about Jenny Grant  Jenny is a self taught mixed media artist that creates her art based on an intuitive process. Most of her paintings evolve as she paints and when she finds her flow, magic happens!  She works with mixed media – acrylic paint, oil pastels, ink, colour pencils, fabrics, paper, photos… anything that comes her way. Her work is very rich with many layers that add depth and texture. Her work is exhibited and for sale both in Sweden and New Zealand as well as on-line.
http://www.flowbyjenny.com/en

We have some simply amazing inspiration from our creative team to show you this month.

JULIE

 

Julie has prepared this astonishing tutorial for you outlining her process for putting together her mixed media layout.  

 

 You can also find it on her personal blog .

 

 

DEBI

 

Using stamps, texture paint, masks, mists & glorious laces & doilies & ribbons from Tattered
Inspirations, plus some string.

 

 

ELAINE

 

I textured with scraps of paper and stamping, using the painting background for ideas

 

 

HELENE

 

This is called “What’s on your mind”? and includes paper layering, mixed media and collage techniques.

 
 
 

MAJA

 

Inspired by the art piece and the work of  Finnabair.
I used some of Finnabair (Ania Dabrowskas) techniques... but made it my way.

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on November 30th, 2013. We'd love to see your paper, digital, card or off the page submissions.  Please no back-dated submissions.  You may combine with a sketch and/or colour/technique challenge.  

 

Looking forward to seeing what you all create this month. 

 

Our first Guest Designer for November is Julene Matthews.  Please call back next week to see her take on the challenge for this month.