Adding colour to a black and white theme using bleeding tissue paper on canvas technique

Today I am going to show you how my daughter and I collaborated together to add some colour to a black and white theme.

So in my last post we redecorated our living room leaving us with cool and casual picture ledges to display our treasures.

Now we just wanted to add some bright colourful pictures to contrast the black and white ones. I remembered seeing this pin of the Fiskars ideas section of their site. It was a bleeding tissue paper canvas. So we decided to give it a try. The first thing I learnt was you need bleeding tissue paper for this as opposed to regular tissue paper for wrapping presents. I got some relatively cheap on ebay. There is a ton in the pack! I'm gonna have this for ages!

Here is what we did:

1. Paint water onto your canvas

2. Place tissue paper on canvas

3. Leave to dry

4. Pull off the tissue paper

( for a more watercolour/blended look brush more water over the top of paper.)

 We made a couple canvases. I cut more precise straight strips and put them around the edges of the canvas like a frame. Scarlett placed them randomly around the canvas. Both gave a cool, tie dye, blended look. Perfect for the colour we needed!

Then we printed out a picture of a pug , cut it out, and mod podged it onto the canvas Scarlett did. Then she went over it with gelatos. Adding a sunny sky up top and intensified some of the colours.

I rummaged through my stash and found some old vintage script looking paper and cut out three different heart shapes of different sizes. i tried to cut them a bit wonky. I mod podged them on the canvas with the bright tissue frame and went around the edge with a black stabilo pencil.  then I went around what I just drew and kind of smudged it with my fingers. It just gives it a bit of interest and depth.

I'm really happy with how both of them turned out. They are exactly what we need to add to our black and white themed picture ledge, and best of all they were created by both Scarlett and I.

Cant wait to make more things with this bleeding tissue paper technique. That's a good thing since I have loads of it now! (seriously,..loads.) Thanks for checking my page out today. Ill be back soon with some ATCs I'm making for a swap on the Stampotique facebook page. Till then, take care!

                                             Always, -Kass

Kids project: Bubblewrap art canvas

My mom (like most grandparents) loves getting pictures and pieces of art. So this mothers day that's what I decided we should do for her. We should make her a canvas to hang in her new lanai. A lot of people in Florida have lanais off the back of their house. Up in Chicago we would call them a back porch, in England we say conservatory. Lanai just sounds more tropical and everything is more tropical in Florida. Plus there is a pool in theirs so that's helps the tropical feel as well. My mom told me they were going with "key west colours" to decorate the area. When I think Key west colours I just think bright, tropical, sea inspired.

Well our canvas isn't really sea inspired but we tried to make it bright and colour complimentary. Before I go any further can I just say yes, Scarlett sat on top of my work space for this project and No, I don't recommend it for messiness and health and safety reasons.  She was under my supervision this entire project. What can i say? Shes a monkey.

Firstly just get colour down on the canvas. We used Faber Castell gelatos because they are so fun to use and have loads of colours to choose from. You can use whatever you have. Oil pastels work great, or acrylic paint if its all you have. Try and use something that will allow you to blend the colours nicely. So we scribbled the gelatos roughly all over the canvas where we wanted them

 and blended them together using our fingers.

Next we chose a contrasting dark paint colour and painted all over the bubble wrap generously but at the same time trying to not fill in the gaps between holes too much.

Then for the moment of truth. Put the bubble wrap paint side down on canvas and start printing. You just have to sort of go for it and have some faith. If you think about this part to much you will just hinder your creative process. Its better to just go for it and work with what you get. Its not suppose to look perfect.

Then Scarlett used the lid to a recycled jar to create circles to add to the composition.We used a orange transparent paint for this. Using transparent paint allows you to see the layers underneath creating a bit more depth.

Whilst I set that aside for drying I had Scarlett draw, cut out, and colour in some pictures.

 We raided my paper stash and found some long scraps to use as flower stems. Then I glued them on using mod podge gloss sealer.

After that had all dried we painted a ground using blue paint ( yes a blue ground. why not? maybe its the ocean. a big ocean with flowers coming out. wheres your sense of whimsy?) I then went all around the outside edge of the canvas with a lime green colour paint.

After it dries its ready to hang up and enjoy, or send off to a distant loved one. This is a project using basic layering and printing techniques so give your little one an applause when your finished making this. He/she is well on their way to becoming a brilliant artist!

Thanks for reading and have a great day.x
                                                                                         Always, -Kass

Kids craft: DIY washi tape Bracelets

Today Scarlett and I decided to make our own bracelets. My initial idea was to make them with a Native American theme, but we kinda veered off that plan and ended up doing whatever we wanted. I guess it still looks Native American with the colour palette and design.This was a joint effort between us as Scarlett needed my help with things like the stapler, and crop-o-dile punch. we made two bracelets. One thicker than the other.

The thicker one:

For the base I used a thick brown card. I started by measuring it around my daughters wrist as a guide and cutting it to size. I secured that with a stapler.

Than Scarlett took different designs of washi tape and taped them around the bracelet leaving 1" gaps between each design. We used a stronger duct tape for the part over the staples to hold it down properly. (it is the one with multi coloured chevron design.)

Than I (I had to help with this part) took my crop-a-dile punch and poked 3 holes in the gaps between the washi tape.We chose black eyelets, and secured them as well.

Then Scarlett weaved black and white string through the holes and I helped her tie them in the back.  That's it! I think it looks good considering how easy it is to make.



 The thinner one :

We used pretty much the same process as above. The only difference is we put the washi tape next to each other in rows, The holes/eyelets are in a straight line, and we added some beads. Oh, and we also used dark blue wool/vinyl mix thread instead of twine (because its what I had).






  Materials I used:

brown card
dark blue thread
black and white twine
yellow beads
various washi tapes
various duct tapes
scissors
crop-o-dile punch and eyelet setter







There are many variations to this craft. I definitely did not make this up. People have been grabbing what they see around them and making jewellery for centuries. Why don't you see what you have around your house and have a go? If you do please share pictures! I love seeing your projects! That's all for now , take care and thanks for stopping by. x


                                              
                                                                                Always,  - Kass