The Tale of the Moon Fairy….

The Tale of the Moon Fairy….

Hi there.

Thanks for popping in.

I have just spent a blissful two hours playing with the stamps which Maria hs been showcasing on HOCHANDA today.

Didn’t she do well??? Whilst watching her, I had this idea. So as soon as the show was finished, I came away to my little artroom in the sky, and tried to translate what was in my head on paper.

Let me show you….

I was wanting to use the beautiful Moon Fairy, but without the circle – just the moon.

Mask off the line and ink up with Archival black.

Remove the masking tape and stamp on a piece of Shenandoah Parchment.

Yep. that worked. Missed a tiny detail on the tip of the moon…

Touch up with a Micron pen, and you’ll never know.

Flip over to the back and erase colour from the hares and fairy. Also add highlights in the moon using the eraser, and even add a full moon above.

If a circular moon is proving a challenge, use one of our masks.

Time for the city…

Add the skyline Clarity mask at the base. I worked from the front to get a really dark black silhouette. Brush and Archival black – BINGO.

Remove the mask and allow to dry. Flip the parchment to the back and add a faded skyline too, but don’t reink the brush.

Now I have had real time to work with the new blending nibs and tools, I can only echo what so many have already said. Blimming excellent. Here I have used black Archival ink straight from the pad. Couldn’t do that easily with a paint brush; not hard enough.

See the houses in the background now?

Now let’s have some fun… I need a line, a slightly curved line. So I have an artist’s thing I can bend… On scrap first of course!

Then overlay the parchment and figure out where you want to actually add it.

Next, decide which angle you want the line to take underneath her toes. And suddenly, she’s on the highwire.

Just to confirm that, why not add a few little feathered friends…

Here’s how. Draw a heart on the wire.

Colour the heart in.

Add a tiny head, flick in a little beak and two tail feathers.

Add as many as you fancy.

Time to add a flash of interest to her little dress. Add detail with a Micron pen, and colour with a perga Liner pencil. Up to you whether you work from the back of the front. I used the blending nib to smooth out the colour with no additive whatsoever. Perfect. Oh ! And draw a line to the balloon moon, too….

Trim the work and let’s mount it on a white cardblank. But before we commit, how about a black Sharpie pen around the edge?

Works lovely on parchment you know.

What a strange fantasy I do have.

So what’s the story, Jackanory?

 Old Father Moon is protecting her as she trips innocently along, on the precarious highwire of life. So preoccupied is she with hanging on to the full moon balloon, she doesn’t even stop to glance down into the sleeping city. And why would she?

Once you have been up there above the clouds and danced in the light of the moon, you will always hold your gaze skywards.

Decision, decisions. And this is the wondrous thing about parchment. The underside is as lovely as  the topside. So which direction should she take?

 

To investigate these stamps, the formidable artstamps illustrated by Mel Turner, click here

And now it’s time to go for a walk and get some fresh air.

Love & Hugs,

Barb

xxx

21 thoughts on “The Tale of the Moon Fairy….

  1. Hi Barbara, back from our cruise on the Norwegian fjords today, some of the views reminded me of some of your papers, stunning. Somewhere to visit again i feel. I have a lot of show catching up to do now. I have just ordered the Groovi catalogue to scare myself, although I’ve been more careful of late ! And also the blending pen. Need to try to do a quick one tonight for our nephew-in-law who’s birthday is tomorrow…… I’ve unpacked and the washing has dried outside just in time for the storms we’ve been promised I think. Lovely demo, thank you. Will catch up with shows and other blogs later xx

  2. I’ve loved the journey through your blog today, it’s delightful. How talented you are. Maria’s shows were really brilliant too. Enjoy your walk this evening xx

  3. Lovely demo. I like the stamp even better now the fairy and hares are free but it would never have occurred to me to take out the line!

  4. Your parchment and papers are beautiful Barbara and I use them all the time. I found today’s blog really inspiring and must have a go at something similar. I’ve got all the items you used plus the other fairy stamps and other masks, even got my blender pen and nibs, so I hope I can come up with something! Lovely evening for a walk. Enjoy xx

  5. Love it. So so clever. Got to catch up on Maria’s shows, been out for the day with Guy and Hayley. Bit of baby shopping, well items for baby, sounded like we were choosing one. Remember watching you draw those birds a while back then I showed my grandaughter. Hope you enjoyed your walk, resting for me now whilst watching Ed Sheeran. xx

  6. Your talent is awesome and never ceases to amaze me. I just loved your blog today.
    I have set myself a target of making a Groovi Christmas card a week from now on, so made a start today and will probably start another tomorrow, as the weather forecast is awful, so the gardening may be delayed. What a shame! 😂 enjoy the rest of the weekend. Annette X

  7. Hello Barbara

    Love what you have done, so many techniques! I have always loved how you do those little birds.

    Love
    Roz.xxx

  8. Great shows love what you did here looks great too. Good idea would it be great to float along the sky like that xxx

  9. Hi Barbara and everyone, hope you have all enjoyed your day ,as it turned out better than expected nice and warm
    Just love your demo today ,wonderful and something to try
    The new blending pens look great 👍 must get on and place my order Been out all day so must catch up with Maria’s shows.
    Thanks for a great demo.
    Lynn xx

  10. I have BPD and going back to parchment has given such a wonderful place to go when l feel down rather than going to bed and the groovy range has opened an a aladin cave of new projects to work on as sometimes with the Meds l find it hard to concentrate but boy has that changed l would just like to say thank you to you Barbara and your wonderful staff my therapist said you should come on prescription lol but seriously it’s wonderful hugs kayxxx

  11. Managed to catch Maria’s second hour, full of tips. Demonstrations really clear and Maria managed to get all four demos in the hour. This technique looks fun but probably not easy. More practise. I hope you enjoyed your walk before the rain came. xx

  12. Fabulous piece of work Barbara, and a great idea to remove the outside circle and have her walking a tightrope with the moon as a balloon, and love the skyline too with first and second generation inking. I missed Maria but will watch on catchup. Hope you had a lovely walk. x

  13. Brilliant. Love these stamps. Maria’s shows were bri!liant. Have ordered the pen and nibs and can’t wait to have a go

  14. Hi Barb,
    This is really lovely ( even though I’m not a fairy lover). I would never have thought of doing this in a million years! That’s one of the reasons I love Clarity – so much inspiration for us mere mortals, like Something for the Weekend, the DT samples and of course this blog. Missed Maria’s shows but intend to catch up with them soon. I must say, the blending nibs are brilliant, I’ve been playing with mine all week and really do like them – much better than paper stumps. Hope you had a lovely walk last night and that you have a good day today. Sending love and hugs to you and Dave ,Alison xxxx

  15. Hello Barb, I caught a bit of the shows, so still have to watch the rest of the recording. The stamps are absolutely superb, as always Maria does great demo’s. What you have done with the stamps in this step by step is absolutely beautiful, I would love 5 minutes in your mind to see all the ideas whirling around, you always inspire me to try something. Take care all. Bx

  16. Hi Barbara
    What a fabulous blog today, you do such good step by step sections with great photographs too. I managed to catch one of Maria’s shows and sat there facinated when I should have been getting ready to go out, but the family didn’t mind. I must watch the others on rewind. Love the tecniques you gave shown us here, wouldn’t have thought to miss off the circle, would not have thought to do the extra skyline on the back of the parchnent to make a shadow, so clever. Hope you enjoyed your walk.
    Love Diane xxx

  17. Oh my word – that is just beautiful Barbara. Haven’t yet had a chance to watch Maria’s shows, but I have them recorded as a treat whilst I do some ironing on Monday! x

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