Little Annabel.

Little Annabel.

Hello there.
Thanks for popping in today!
Is it as warm where you are as it is here?
Best stay in the shade with a cold drink.
But I had a hankering to do something different today.
After all the excitement yesterday, 
all your lovely comments and 
the huge Hochanda coverage,
I really needed to get grounded,
Come back down to earth.
So I retreated into my art room and dug out
– wait for it – some Shrink Plastic !
 Nothing like a bit of shrinkage for right-sizing the head!
We sell a sample pack, so you can try different colours of shrink.
Saturday’s blog a new technique?
New to who? To me? To you?
Ready? 
Remember these lovely ladies?
I drew them ages ago; 
 and 
Sand the white shrink plastic sheet, 
so that the pencils have something to grip to.
Then stamp the images in Black Archival.
Colour in with Spectrum Noir pencils,
not too precisely and not too dark.
When the shrink plastic shrinks, the colours get really dark!

Cut out. Not too close to the edge.
You will be surprised how small she gets.

 Place the cut out piece on a craft mat, 
hold her in place with tweezers or a pokie tool, 
and then heat with a heat gun.
When it all starts to curl, don’t panic.
Just KEEP GOING!

Can you believe how small she got?!

Add a little more detail colour if you like with the pencils;
it doesn’t smudge.

I was going to do a couple of girls, and a moon, 
but my neck was giving me so much stick,
and the heat was getting to me.
So I decided to stick with Annabel and leave Rosie for another day.

 She needs a backdrop.
So out with my Gelli Plate stash!

Perfect.
Can you see the sun and the fence?
Or is the heat affecting my lucidity??

Nope. This is the one.

Let’s add a word.
Too big for Baby Bel.
Let’s see what happens if we shrink one of the word chain words…

Cut it out with a ruler and blade, like a little banner.

Blimey.
Check out the difference!
The shrunkled version is really crisp.

Blacken the edges with a Sharpie pen.

Double-sided adhesive tape is the best thing for attaching.

There she is.
Just the right size.

Shrink Plastic really is Magical !
She is so small !
Check this out!

I love it!

So now she is sitting on the ledge by the window,

overlooking the garden.

Calm now.
Grace is on the phone.
Got to go.
Love and hugs,

41 thoughts on “Little Annabel.

  1. Bet Grace is even more proud of you and your achievements and new venture than we are, she is such a lovely girl and how grown up since she presented on C&C a couple of times, a real stunner!
    I love the word chain done on shrink plastic, gives them more potential ! Great stuff. Enjoy your chat. God bless Vanessa X

  2. That is so cool Barbara! Just love it! Shrink plastic always makes me giggle and reminds me of you and Dean and a roasting tin!
    Enjoy your chat with Grace! Xxxxx

  3. Didn't get to comment yesterday but have put a reminder on my phone for Thursday. So exciting Barbara! The heat got to me today making the orders of service and that was just because the paper was so hot when it came out of the printer. Only 3 weeks to go now. Then I can get back to some experimental crafting. Haven't done any shrink plastic for a while but I agree it is magical. All good wishes for tha launch to everyone at Clarity. X

  4. Give are love to Grace lots to share tonight I bet. I think will play with shrink plastic on Tuesday with my granddaughter Leannah and Rosy Friday we used Angel fibers they enjoyed doing that won't tell there dad was using an iron shhh well supervised of cause I fact Leannah was better than me enjoy your evening love hugs Joy xxx

  5. Cannot find my shrink plastic, so might have to try your offer. Hope you neck eases up for you, can be very painful. Thank-you for showing us this lovely piece of art today. xx

  6. Hi Barbara I love what you have created and I am pleased it helped to clear your head. I do like using Shrink Plastic. Enjoy your chat with Grace. Have a great evening. Hugs Jackie

  7. Fab card – haven't used shrink plastic in a long time, you reminded me of just how good it is. Like several of the others it also brought a smile to my face remembering you, Dean and the infamous roasting tin. Hope you had a good old chat and catch up with Grace. Take care especially with your neck and love to both you and Dave. xxxxx

  8. Hi Barbara, another great card and idea today. Have never used shrink plastic before but it looks like fun. And to find the perfect gelli print is such a bonus. Love when that happens. Have a wonderful evening and will check in again tomorrow.

  9. Woah great idea stamping the fab word chains on Shrink plastic as well. Thanks for the tip re sanding the SP and using the SN pencils to colour, previously I have used gel pens but will try with the SN pencils instead. The end artwork looks fab x

  10. I have gelli stash envy! Have to keep working on mine (oh no!). Although I think it takes a clever eye to see the potential in some of them.

    I received my stamps we ordered in the sale today – I've been very restrained and hubby is laying them down, but I did have a little look see first.

    Hope you have a relaxing Sunday!

  11. Wow – I thought you had stamped the big Annabel too at first, and it just reminded me of Alice in Wonderland! Hope you had a lovely chat with Grace and have planned your next mum and daughter get together. I get to see and hug my mum next weekend when I'm down in London for my sister's 50th – can't wait!!! Susan x

  12. Good old shrink plastic – doesn't it do the words well. They will make great toppers ! It's still very warm here – 2nd warmest evening of the year I reckon ! X

  13. I used to love using shrink plastic but haven't used it for ages. Thanks for showing this post as it might remind me to get the shrink plastic out once again. I love the background and can definitely see the fence and sun.

    It's been very warm here today – 5 thunderstorms over 2-3 hours

    Hope your neck is feeling better and you feel relaxed and happy after chatting to Grace

  14. Hi Barbara
    Oh I love the shrink plastic and watch the you tube when I need a giggle. These ladies work so well and I love the word art shrunk down. They look fab on the geli background. Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you had a lovely long chat with Grace, is she due a visit home again soon, she must have been worried about Dave too and probably wanted to be by your side but like any mum you would have told her not to worry you would be fine. Now did you put ice on your neck? Much better for you than heat as my chiropractor says! If there's any left add it to your drink! Lots of rain and thunder rumbles herd today after a hot day.
    See you tomorrow
    Love Diane xxx

  15. Hi Barbara, shrink plastic without the baking tray eh!!! Love the gelli plate background, just perfect, thanks for sharing. Never tried shrink plastic, maybe because it feels like a toy – as kids my brother and I had to take turns in getting the free one from the cereal packets!!! Hope you had special quality phone time with Grace, and you went to bed feeling good inside. My good moment today was Mo Farah winning the 10k. Love Brenda xx

    I think I've worked out what happened and why with Nicola's part from Thursday. You can't blame someone for deciding to do totally the wrong thing, we all do at times, and for being too focussed on following that to see and hear what it was doing to me. I've sent her a text saying I need her to stop feeling bad about it, I forgive her, but she won't get it until she's back from her annual leave. Before going off she said she didn't know how to help me with this and I already knew she can't (can't be impartial) with the other part.

    Thank you for all the messages left for me yesterday and this evening, love Brenda xx

    1. Brenda, good to hear from you again, everyone was getting a little worried yesterday. See you're keeping night owl hours, hope you managed to get some sleep. Sounds like you have spent some fruitful time thinking about what happened, letting go of the hurt and forgiving is the first step to moving on. The anger and hurt can be destructive to you and we don't want that. Keep focusing on your good moments, we'll be here for you to take some of the load. Keep well and come talk to us maybe we can help. Karen xxx

  16. Love the words and they look great shrunk. May look a bat idea for some of the Christmas word chains. Must start a jelly plate stash as it will be so handy

  17. i guess it might have been a tad warmer here, just because at the moment i'm in Malta! i must say that looks fab and she worked so well with the background. i guess some rest is in order for your neck, hugs and 'warm' well wishes xx

  18. Hello Barb, it was very hot yesterday, unfortunately not much time to have a play here. Love your work with annabel and the shrink plastic. Hope you had a lovely chat with Grace. Take care of your neck. Bx

  19. Many thanks for teaching me something new. Can see shrink wrap plastic jumping into my basket (smiley face)
    Weather is a bit cooler but still very humid here in Devon today and rain. Yesterday was humid and very hot but cloudy.
    Hope Dave and you have a relaxing day.

    Big hugs Pen x

  20. Hi Barbara
    I'm late again. I was out yesterday with friends who do a Garden Party to raise funds for charity. It was a lovely afternoon but so hot and just as the barbecue had got nice and ready to cook the heavens opened. Terrific thunderstorm and the charcoal was extinguished so we had a glass of wine and started again. I forgot I have some shrink plastic and what fun it is. I will try colouring with the pencils. I have a friend who is a dentist and she has problems with her neck ( a type of RSI ) She recommends Bio freeze-a roll on gel, and sleeping with as flat a pillow you feel
    comfortable with. Looking forward to Thursday.
    Hugs from Chris

  21. What a brilliant idea to shrink the words as well. I had not thought of that but it is so logical and such a useful thing to do. Would you find it less painful to do as much of your work as possible on an adjustable slope, something like a table top easel? xxxx Maggie

  22. Wonderful Barbara! Little Annabel looks fantastic on that gelli plate background and the word chain reduced in size is a great idea too. I didn't realise that you could add extra colour once it is shrunk so thanks for that. Hope you had a lovely chat with Grace. x

  23. Hi Barbara. Love the shrink plastic picture, and that is a great Gelli plate background. I must dig out my shrink plastic. I had a go a couple of years ago but didn' t scuff the surface so couldn' t get any pens to grab the surface! Will have another go, and this time I will use my lovely Spectrum Noir pencils : ) I hope Grace is well, and Mark too of course. Take care x

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