Looks like Culross…

Looks like Culross…

Hello there!
Thought I would take you on a trip down Memory Lane at the same time as making an arty piece today.
Mel drew this brilliant Town stencil for us, 
and as soon as I saw it, I thought of Culross, up near the Forth Road Bridge, where my good friend Monica and I often went, when she lived in Bo’ness, over the river.
What an enchanting place!
Not so much the Grangemouth Oil Refinery in the background, but hey! Let’s just focus on the architecture!
So today, I thought I would get arty with it, and get the feel of that town. It’s very lovely on a sunny day, but it’s also quite gritty, quite wind-worn and rain-stained, if you know what I mean. When the wind whistles through those narrow lanes, it whips up a ghost, I can tell you!
I decided to opt for the wild, raw Culross…
I used
An embossing machine
Talcum Powder
Paint brush
Smear the Black Soot Distress Pad all over the stencil,

lay the white card on top of it, and run it through your embossing machine. 
I invested in an E-Bosser a while ago. I would recommend it to anybody who is thinking about getting one.
The tighter you make the fit, the more paper you squeeze through the mangle with the stencil, the blacker the lineart. 
Here is the transfer to the card.

I wanted a distressed, rather blotchy one. 
Which is just as well – because that’s what I got!
Erhem! I am still talking about my artwork here by the way!
Not Dave!
Next, attach the stencil to the artwork with Low-tack masking tape.
This is so easy!
Start with the grassy area in the centre of the picture. Squish the Versamark Ink pad into that area.

Now, using a paintbrush, dust the gloopy area with Forever Green Perfect Pearl Mica Powder.

Using your Versamark Pen, 
add gloopy Versamark to the windows, 
then paint with Forever Gold.

Now comes the arty part. 
Pat and squish your Versamark ink pad all over the rest of the stencil/artwork. Over the sky and the houses.
Literally paint your picture, using Forever Blue and Smokey Blue in the sky, mixing White Pearl in for clouds.
Don’t get hung up on overlapping into another area. 
That’s what makes it look screen-printed. 
Use your finger to work in the powders, too.
Looks like a right happy mess.
When you lift away the stencil, this is what it will look like. The shimmer of the Perfect Pearls when the light catches it, is pretty unique.

Let’s tone it down and dry it out a little. 
Sprinkle the artwork with talcum powder.

I used one of my big Stencil brushes to literally 
sweep the picture clean.

Let’s get in closer…
Trim the black edges of the artwork back.
Mount on muted colours.
To get the chimney smoke, take your paper towel and lightly wipe across the sky with it. 

Actually, I nearly had a cardiac when I lightly wiped the sky and this happened. Thought I had wrecked it. Then, once I took a close look, I turned it around, and thought, Yay! Chimney smoke! There’s a lot to be said for this Free Spirit kind of artwork!

Depending on how the light hits it, there is still a shimmer from the minerals, the mica powders.

But all in all, I am very pleased with this.
Another one for the gallery…
Wednesday’s Blog is something new, and the stencil is new!
So, let’s have a look at what I have used and have a 
Wednesday Blog Sale!
There are 2 different sets of 7 Mica Powders on our Website, 
which are already a good price.
I used SET 1.
If you buy either of the 2 sets of Mica Powders, we will send you the NEW Town Stencil FREE.
If you buy a Pack of the Square white Gelli Card, we will
give you the Versamark Pen FREE.
So you can either call the office on 01732 868215, or order online.
And don’t worry about looking for the deals on the website; 
Jan and the crew will know to just include the FREEBIES!!

This offer will last until Midnight Friday, 28th February 2014. xx
 Maybe we should have a Blogsale every Wednesday…. why not!
love,

75 thoughts on “Looks like Culross…

  1. I really needed this tonight. It has been a slightly fraught day, starting with the realisation that I had booked my hotel for the retreat for the wrong month – ooops. Sorted now. You have definitely put a smile back on my face together with several giggles escaping. I went backwards and forwards between the photo and the stencil to see just how close it is. Then I had the "where is she going with this one?" moment and then the WOW moment. Now I have the "oh dear, I haven't done my own blog for tomorrow morning". Late night I think, but it is worth it to read this post and see what you have created. A final giggle at the thought of your horror thinking you had ruined it and then just went with the flow. Perfection. xx Maggie

  2. Simply great. A must for the Gallery! I actually live very near Culross but really don't appreciate the picturesque prettiness of the place. It's like the Wallace Monument, Stirling Castle and the Ochil Hills you don't appreciate the beauty and history around you until someone else points it out. So thank you for making me take a look around me !

  3. Hello Barb, another fab technique, love the shimmer of the perfect pearls, and the stencil is great, thanks for sharing the idea and the laughter. I would love to have the time to visit little villages like this. Bx

  4. I had seen the 'buy the mica get the stencil free' link on the web site last night – had not thought to look at your blog —– duh silly me!!! I have the ebosser but can't quite get the depth of the impression you speak of – can't seem to get that sandwich combo quite right – could you detail the sandwich you use??? I love this piece you have created and very please to read that it is going in your gallery – so how many are in the gallery now???? I think this piece can conjure up many areas in the country for us all – but you have depicted it to an area you know really well – you have given it life and feeling – superb xx

  5. Love your blog makes the journey home after a tough day at work better. Had to do a double take to see my hometown of Boness mentioned and pics of culross. The wide variety of things you share makes your blog so fresh and interesting thanks! If your ever back in this area a clarity masterclass would go down a storm the others are too far away.

  6. I have tried to emboss with the stencils before with limited success so a tip using the ebosser would be great, I would use the much more if I could get a better effect, thanks

    Mx

  7. Have had some perfect pearls in my crafty stash for Yeats now and have only played with them a few times. I will have to dig them out now and paint a stencil. Great picture and thanks for the blog sale. Xx

  8. Have had some perfect pearls in my crafty stash for Yeats now and have only played with them a few times. I will have to dig them out now and paint a stencil. Great picture and thanks for the blog sale. Xx

  9. What a great tutorial Barbara !
    You make it look so easy and the finished result is definitely worth a place in the gallery.
    Thanks for the sale .
    This scene is a bit like Lowry without the peeps if you know what I mean!
    Love it.
    XxRuth

  10. This is so effective Barbara. Love the smoke.
    I have a lot of probs with my shoulder and I know an Embosser will be better than grinding the handle on my GC so just ordered one.
    Love Val x

  11. Love this with the town stencil Barbara.. love the effect its having shadows of light ..
    Love the deal but only brought last week so will have to wait to bye more goodys….?.

  12. Hi Barb,
    I love this stencil and have looked at it loads, it is on my wish list so this is just the inspiration I needed. It reminds my of the North Yorkshire Coast towns like Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Runswick Bay. You always make mica powders so easy to use, but every time I try them, I just end up with a right mess. I think it's a case of " if at first you don't succeed", still I could always try pan pastels they might work. Love the idea of the Wednesday giveaway. Thanks Barb. Love Alison xx

  13. Morning Barbara,
    What a delight this morning I live in Bo'ness and have a view over to Culross.
    Stencil is really lovely and I love the technique that you do with the embossing unfortunately like many I don't have an A4 embosser is there any other way of achieving this result? I have tried just pressing down but it didn't work (so sad)! I bought 3 of the large flower heads during your stencil sale in the hope that I could achieve this result but have failed if anyone can help that would be great.
    Lorna D

  14. Wow another great piece of art and another sale offer haven't tried mica powders they look good I have a e bosser wouldn't be without mine have a good day xxx

  15. Another fantastic piece of artwork – thanks for the step by step instructions. Hope your neck is feeling better today. Wish I had unlimited funds to take you up on all these fabulous offers, but alas the well paid job with all the associated stresses and time pressures is gone. Ironic really that now I have the time to craft I don't have so much money, and when I had the money to buy all the goodies I didn't have the time! C'est la vie – Susan x

  16. What an interesting way to use the stencil, very nice! I've realised. Can get the Blog at work, so here I am with a cuppa at tea break, ahh I've just bought more card and have got the mica powders already, never mind! Have a good day everyone!Wx

  17. Looks great…..
    So can I just ask…..when is "distressed & blotchy" Dave planning on getting his hammer out in the gallery to hang this?!?! lol
    Hope your day is going well, Carole 🙂 x

  18. I actually like this, was not sure to begin with but end result lovely. Have not got an E- Bosser but as I missed out on workshops maybe I should treat myself to one. Consolation treat. Thanks for all the special offers, my wish list just keeps growing. Lynne xx

  19. This is lovely Barbara, I posted one on the Clarity FB Page a couple of weeks ago similar to this, only difference was I put Sweet Poppy Stencil Paste through the stencil and left it to dry then added versamark and perfect pearls, I was inspired by Sam Crowe's Canvass and tagged her with a picture, I am a little shy of putting my work out there on facebook, but she encouraged me to put it on the Clarity Page, would love to know what you think of it, when you have time of course, I know you are very busy, heres hoping you are feeling much better, love reading your blog, hugs Karen xxx

  20. I love what you have done with the beautiful townscape mask. I got an ebosser about a fortnight ago, and loved it the first week, then it caught a cold and kept jamming. Bless their hearts, Crafters Companion are arranging for it to be collected so they can see what's wrong. I hope to have it back soon, as I was beginning to enjoy it.

  21. Such a generous lady, aren't you Barbara ?? Love the take on this stencil and already have this stencil otherwise I really would have needed it after seeing this step by step ! It just sounds so easy although I would imagine there are a few things that could go wrong when putting it into practice ! But if following the step by step to the letter nothing can possibly go wrong …. could it ? xx

  22. Hi Barbara. Another beautiful piece of art, I love the shades and the shimmer of the mica powder. What a difference the talc makes! Love the happy accident chimney smoke, you couldn't have made it look better if you had tried.Have a good evening. Take care.

  23. Lovely piece of artwork Barbara and yes Culross is a lovely little town especially when the sun hits it. I have recently purchased the town stencil and not managed to have a play with it yet but I am looking forward to that. Hugs xx

  24. What a fantastic use of the Town stencil and the Perfect Pearls give such a shimmery sun shiny finish. Thank you for showing us this great technique Barbara. x

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