Blue Magnolia by Kristy Abela

Hi Colour Blasters, 

This time round I have done something a little different. While I was preparing my class for Scrapbook Superstore in Penrith I had a play at creating a new Colour Blast Colour Paste shade to use with my papers as the standard colours just didn't match... We scrappers like things to match or compliment don't we??

So this is how it began...

I grabbed all my pots of Blues in the Colour Blast Colour Pastes: Just Blue, Singing the blues, Deep water and my Favourite Envy!! I swatched them and compared them to the paper I was working on. None of them made me happy so while I had all my pots out together I tried blending them...

 

I was starting to get some really cool variations on the standard colours. And made some notes on the rough ratio so I could reproduce the colour later. 

 

Once I had decided on which colour to use I made up a bigger batch. I used Colour Paste in Envy and Just Blue in a ratio of 4:1 so I didn't lose that super green shade in the blue. 

 I found that I lost some of the blue... and had to top up so I changed my ratio to 5:2.

 Perfect!

Now I could get on with using my Michelle Grant Stencil - Live your Dreams.

Here are a few images from the finished layout. I hope next time you don't have the EXACT shade you do some colour matching too.

Let me know how you go by posting your experiments on our Facebook Page - Colour Blast Creative Corner.

Abela Artistry

Sunkissed Summer Days by Kristy Abela

Hi everybody. 

I had so much fun with the pink grunge that I tried to do something similar, with a twist. I love this one as it has a real comic book feel to it, check it out! Lots of watery effects and Black & White + One.

 Here is the full layout!

To start with I used a large stamp and stamped half the page filling in gaps and using the part of the stamp that appealed to me the most. Those eyes!! I'm in love...  Make sure you use Archival ink for this step. If you don't you will have colour runs later. 

I had a stamping fail the first time I tried to create the background! As it goes in Mixed Media though... There are no mistakes, only Opportunities! Ephemera, I hear you say.. stay tuned!

Time for some colouring in!! I grabbed a handful of blues and greens. In the end I felt that the Green wasn't the look for this page and in settled on Colour Artist Inks - Calypso and  Colour Shimmer Dust in Peacock, Cobalt, Duke and Midnight. 

TIP: I made some misters - so much easier for me when working on my Glass craft mat.

 

Using Colour Blast Heavy Gesso in Black I coloured in some of my favorite Dusty Attic Chipboard!! 

TIP: Use a makeup sponge.. Perfect application!

 For the final product I used a little bit of Wax to highlight them. I wanted to keep the background neutral so it would give the Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Paste the focus... You will see that coming up.

I used three different shades of Colour Paste. I put Stormy Weather and Steel side by side on my palette to create some colour variation in the bricks. I used Colour Paste Dusty Charcoal for the numbers. 

I used a graduated hand when applying through my stencil for variation.

I love the way that the stamping came through in some areas.

Look at how cool this turned out!!

I added some extra stamping in an script and some checkers to bring the brickwork closer to the action. 

You can see that in the final image.

And what project is complete without Splatters!! I added some in an earthy tone. We were saturated with Blues and Blacks. I used my Colour Blast Colour Spray in Coffee.

 

 Here is a close up of the final layout with all the elements blended together. I used a pigment pen to highlight some of the features in the ephemera I created and DONE!!

 

Make sure that you check out the new release collection from Michelle Grant if you are a Grunge Fan!! 

Her February release is AMAZING!! Graffiti Grunge. 

If i have inspired you pop your project onto Facebook!  

Abela Artistry

So Handsome by Kristy Abela

Hi Everyone

I am back on the blog today after a whirlwind trip to Phoenix Arizona for Creativation!! 

What an experience that was... 

I am fresh fill of ideas and inspiration for you all in 2019.. 

 

This was my youngest at his Y6 Farewell.. last in the nest and growing waaayyy to quickly!

  For this one I wanted to create a grungy look considering he was wearing pink... I was challenged recently by another DT member to try this one out so here we go - Challenge accepted!

I started by spilling some Colour Artist Ink in Slipper on the page and drying it while it pooled to create the layers of rings around the edge. I then grabbed some stamps and created a frame for where the photo will sit.

I had made some misters earlier for my Colour Shimmer Dust so had some on the go at any time..

I used velvet for this one and used the spray to colour my Chipboard from Dusty Attic. Once finished I used my Colour Blast Gesso White to dry brush over the top to add a weathered look to the harlequin discs. Once done with that I Embossed my title in Stormy Weather with Colour Embossing Powder.

 Here is a close up of the effect I created.

To finish off I added some string with brads and some textured paper to build up the background. Then I dusted on some microbeads... and voila... Too easy!

Thanks for looking! Make sure if you try out these techniques to pop your project onto our Facebook Colour Blast Creative Corner.

Kristy Abela

V Wall by Kristy Abela

Hi there, wow last post for 2018. I had prepared this one early however nothing goes to plan this time of year... I guess that's why its called the Silly Season... 

This was of me and my boys when we were on holidays earlier this year at Nambucca Heads.. Just some shenanigans on the V Wall. I still cant believe how much they have grown.. They were once babies riding trikes up and down this strip.. 

It truly is my happy place. 

I started out with a piece of glossy cardstock. I love using this kind as it gives a resist to the water colour without changing the properties of it like gesso can. I liberally put some water on the page with a paintbrush. I then sprayed some Colour Shimmer Dust in Cobalt and Peacock from my Home-made misters.. I dried in between layers so I could get the pooling effect to look like water. I splattered some extra colour with the still wet brush and also with my Colour Blast Gesso in white.. It was patiently waiting to be used on my chipboard.

  

Once that was dried I added some stamping to further enhance the water effect using bubbles and a crackle texture stamp. to finish the background I added some shimmery transparent bubbles with my Colour Paste in Snow White.

 

Check out the sparkle and layers.. I almost felt like I was looking into a stream. 

Time to work on my embellishments. I used a sponge to apply my Colour Blast Gesso to the chipboard. I deliberately left peaks on there as I wanted to create some texture. Using my Colour Artist Inks in Barley, Walnut and Rust. I put down on the mat puddles of each and using tweezers dipped them in and dried in between. the colour will reactivate every time so you need to manipulate it to suit. I wanted to highlight the ridges so I used my Colour Shimmer Pot in Bling to touch on a few areas on the shells, I rubbed some onto my finger tip and left it tacky and almost dry and lightly rubbed it onto the stick. I wanted to give it the same effect as what I would get using wax.

I repeated the same process with the Seagulls and added a little bit of Leather from my Colour Shimmer Pot. 

 You can see the definition below. 

I love that it looked so natural in the end. 

To finish off my photos I tried to define them by running the edges into some of the Colour Shimmer Dust puddles in Peacock and Cobalt. I didn't like the straight edge it was giving me and I didn't want to get ink on my pictures. I grabbed an eye dropper and created a  messy edge. I used Peacock first and then Cobalt, but still wasn't happy with the definition. I then used some Midnight to darken the edge - I was much lighter handed this time round because I didn't want to lose my blues. 

 

Once done, I ran some wire across my page and threaded some fish charms I had. Layered some textured die cuts  and some cheesecloth to create a net. I added some Art stones in Mini and Regular with some beads to some gel medium and dragged them across the page.

 Thanks for looking and don't forget to tag me if you found some inspiration here on the Colour Blast Creative Corner in Facebook.

Abela Artistry 

Right Now by Kristy Abela

Hi friends, here's a new inspiration for you using Colour Blast Australia products. This photo was taken At Scenic World - Katoomba. We took all the boys on an adventure. Shortly after this it poured and we all got soaked!!

 Here are some closer looks...

 To create this layout I have a process by where I create my focal point first. For this one I found some papers and created a matt.

 I found some Fab Dusty Attic Chipboard from my new Design Team kit and added some crackle paste. While it was still wet I added Colour Artist Ink in Walnut to colour the paste, not to sit on top of it. I then added a touch of Art Alchemy wax to highlight the crackle.

 Using Colour Paste in Leather I used a stencil to create some embellishments. I deliberately over heated the paste to get a lovely texture on the moths. I also added some Colour Embossing Powder in Stormy Sky to the title. When I layed it out I decided that it was too dark and them put a layer of Sunshine on instead. The black base gave the Colour Embossing Powder a complete golden shimmer.

 Once I was comfortable with where my embellishments and focal point were going to go I marked out in pencil and removed them to work on my background. For this process I coloured some Colour Blast Heavy Gesso White with Colour Artist Ink, Barley and used my pallet knife to apply. Once I had enough I added Colour Artist Ink in Lime to the remaining mixture to vary the shade and add a another layer. Once this was dry I added some splatters with Colour Artist Ink - Walnut... Why not - It was still sitting there.

 At that point I realised I had a Grungy effect to the layout now and then added some stamping with Archival Ink to add to that feel. I stuck down the Picture and embellishments and then used my Colour Shimmer Brush Marker to add a bit of sparkle to my flowers.

Hope you enjoyed the process... Check into Colour Blast Creative Corner and see what the other girls are up too...  

Ciao for Now

Kristy Abela

In my Heart by Kristy Abela

I love these pic's of me and my Husband hamming it up for the camera at our Fiji wedding... He will always be 'In my heart'...

Anyway sentiment aside, I really wanted to have a play using the Colour Artist Inks and Colour Shimmer dusts to paint some pretty flowers. The rest of the project evolved from there.. 

I put the smallest amount into a palette and used a water brush to apply. I used a combination of Colour Artist Inks Grass, Cranberry, Sunset, Barley, Bordeaux, and Rust. I also used Colour Shimmer Dust Peacock and Duke. I created the purple quite by accident when I didn't wash out my blue properly...

I really got to play with pooling the colours as well as layering them.

Even if you don't have a project in mind its a really good way to get to know your product. Look at that Bouquet!!

I thought initially that I wanted to have a lot of negative space to showcase my flowers... 

Hmm, who was I kidding I don't do negative space!! 

So while this looked like it was going to showcase only the Colour Pastes in Envy, Singing the Blues and Lovely Lilac.. That didn't last long.

I used my Colour Spray in Violet hoping to get a vibrant background, however it paled with the use of my mister to create flow and also created some serious over spray on where I was hoping to attempt negative space... So in true Mixed Media Fashion I added another layer...

I grabbed my water mister and added moisture to the center of the page. I added Colour Spray in Caribbean and sprayed quite generously to create those awesome run lines... To cover up the over spray I brushed the Violet Colour Spray around the edges and created some fantastic watery effects... 

I sprayed a strip of Colour Spray in Road Base on my mat and dragged the edges of the layout through it. As I turned the page the colour ran into the project... I added some splatters in the same Road Base and then did the same with some Colour Blast Heavy Gesso White. A little bit of stamping with archival ink and the background was done. 

Here I added a layer of crackle paste and used my Colour Spray in Caribbean and my Colour Artist Ink in Cider to add some colour. I Painted some Chipboard with Colour Blast Heavy Gesso Black, distressed some Cheesecloth and then collaged the embellishments. Check out the close ups below...

Hope you enjoyed today's inspiration.  Make sure you pop up your Colour Play in out Facebook page Colour Blast Creative Corner

Thanks For looking!

Abela Artistry