Make a Wish - Kristy Abela (Abela Artistry)

Hi Everyone.. Welcome to my inspiration post...

I really wanted to follow up on the quick bite I posted last time to show you how you can take those techniques one step further and create a Steampunk masterpiece.. 

In this project I created a black canvas with pieces of Corrugated cardstock and tissue paper using gesso as a base and also as a 'glue'. 

I primed the canvas and put the scrunched up tissue paper on top to create lots of texture. Then I layered my cardboard on top and added some gyprock mesh tape to finish the background. I then arranged my Chipboard to figure out how I wanted the piece to go... Painted it all black and then began.

I sprayed some Lindys on the background and used some wax to colour the gate to make it pop out of the background. Once dry I used some gold paint to drybrush over the surface to bring out the texture.

I gathered the chipboard that would make up the bulk of my background and used some Rust paste to age it into my coppery patina background. Once completely dry I used some wax to add a colour variation on the cogs.

I layered on my chipboard and Metals (also painted black and Waxed for colour) and saved the main focal point to last. I wasn't sure which colour direction I wanted it to head... In the end I chose some darker blues with Opal Magic paint and turquoise and silver wax to tie in the background with the foreground. 

Added some Art stones and popped a Melange over the center of the padlock. I then used the Lindy's sprays with a brush to colour them.. I didn't want them to be too dark. If you look closely you can see where I did an experiment with a few to see.. Here's your Wheres Wally moment.. Hint: bottom corner..

Thanks for stopping by.. Happy Crafting!!

Product list

Dusty Attic: Ornate Gates - Large 

Scrap FX: Steampunk padlock - large

Scrap FX: Steampunk contraption

Scrap FX: Steampunk Key Corner

Prima/Finnabair Art Ingredients Art stones

Prima/Finnabair Art Ingredients Melange

Cogs

Tim Holtz Ideology Keyholes

Art Alchemy Wax

Lindys Starburst - Tibetan Poppy Teal

Lindys Moon Shadow Mist- Crows Nest

Prima Rust Effect Paste ( On Sale Now)

Art Alchemy Metallic Paint - Steampunk Copper

Art Alchemy Opal Magic Paint - Aqua Rose 

Keys

 Butterfly charms
Tim Holtz Quote Chips

Mini Gift Frames - Abela Artistry

Sharing with you today my favourite craft.. Black Gesso. 

I am am real sucker for texture and all ways to create it. These frames make a quick gift and because it holds loads of interest your family and friends will be enchanted. I often give them instead of cards.  

Twin Frames

 I use frames that I pick up cheaply and black gesso them and dry brush on some white gesso to prepare the surface. I collect a few embellishments from a tray I have off to the side with prior project.. 'not quite right's' and pop them into the frame. Art and Soul have some great  Dusty Attic Steampunk Heart Chipboard , Love potions or Baubles to recreate this project.

 I embossed a piece of Cardboard and primed it in black gesso too. I prepare my pieces and then the fun begins.. 

I use Art Alchemy wax Fire Ruby and Emerald Green metallic paints to highlight my layers and build up as I go adding other dimensions in the process with some Prima Art Stones. 

 I paint the top layer black and finish off with a rub of Prima Waxes

 I fit it to the frame and add the final embellishments and blend the frames in.

In this one I replicated the same process using a monochrome pallet and used Prima Art Alchemy Paints in purple and pink tones. 

 I am particularly impressed with the away the Opal Magics work. I used Violet Gold and Blackberry on this one and it gave me an amazing gold to offset the Vintage Rose.  

To finish off I added some Lindy's Open Arms Amethyst spray to the Mini Art Stones and left it to dry overnight. Sadly you cant use a heat tool to speed up the process unless you like it blown away.. I did try though.. Wink..

Make sure you pop on over to Soul Sisters and join in on the Challenge this months Mood Board Challenge. 

The Moodboard Challenge Rules are easy,  use our mood board as inspiration to create an art journal page, a card or a scrapbooking layout. 

Use the mood board however you want but you must add a playing card and as these challenges are sponsored by Art and Soul Studio

please make sure that you use at least one product that is available from the store. 

You can enter an art journal page, a card and a layout but you cannot win all three.You have until the 11:59pm on the 31 July to enter and then the design team will vote to determine the lucky winners. Please note that the vouchers can only be won by residents of Australia

 but if you are from overseas and win the challenge you will be offered a guest design team spot.

Steampunk Tags with Kristy Abela

Happy Sunday Funday!! Have a peek at this over your morning cuppa!
Today I get to follow on from my Industrial Steampunk styled Mood Board Challenge to play with the same theme on an set of tags I created.

After sticking down the Stamperia papers to the tags and adding some mesh (Gyprock tape) with 3D gel,  I used a stencil and sprayed a fairly heavy coat of Tim Holtz Resist spray. Once this dried I used Distress Oxide in Evergreen Bough and applied a heavy layer over the whole surface to pick up the exposed bits of paper that the resist spray didn't reach. With a dry cloth I polished off the excess. 

I added the super funky Architextures and a layer of Nuvo Mousse through a stencil. I applied some Distress Crayon with my finger and rubbed it all over the raised surfaces to create shadows. Then inked the edges to finish off my background.

I used Embossing powder and waxes over black gesso on my chipboard and veneers. Tore a piece of calico and distressed it to frame my globes. I added in the door knobs and keyhole embellishments. Stamped some inspirational quotes and finished off with some Art Stones and Micro Beads from Prima.

Thanks for joining me at Art & Soul

Product List:
Stamperia - Clockwise clocks with Mechanism

Tim Holtz Resist Spray 

7 gypsies Architextures

7 Gypsies Findings - Painted Candlestick Collection

Tim Holtz Etcetera tags

Tim Holtz idea-logy large metal keyholes
Kaisercraft Doorknobs

Scrap FX - Mechanical Spike

Scrap FX - Suspended Time
Dusty Attic Chipboard Mini Brick Wall / Mini Chicken Wire / Industrial Globes
WOW Wood Veneer - Chandelier

Art Alchemy Wax - Aged Brass

Art Alchemy Wax - Mystic Turquoise and Emerald

Tim Holtz stencil - Clocks - THS013

TCW Stencil - Bricks - TCW 191s

TCW Stencil - Corn cob TCW 619S

Versamark Black Pigment Ink pad

Tim Holtz Distress Crayon - Black Soot

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide - Evergreen Bough

Nuvo Embellishment Mousse - Mother of Pearl

Lindys Embossing - Midnight Emerald-Midnight Bronze-Silver Moon Turquoise
Art Stones - Regular
Prima Micro Beads - Copper

May Mood Board Challenge with Kristy Abela - Brave

I am so excited to post my first design for ART & SOUL Studio. This months challenge is about using your Alphas! and while I started out with vintage in mind.. it evolved into something a little bit Industrial Revolutionary. Here is the challenge and my inspiration...

Abela Artistry

I used 7 Dots Paper from the Lost and Found Collection - Vignette for the background and Sticky notes for my Matts. In my stash I found a bunch of unused script letters  that would never have made a title so I grabbed them to fulfill the challenge obligation.  

I used some clear gesso to stick down my script card stock - (also 7 Dots Studios. Nature Walk - Cloudy). Added some Tim Holtz Tissue Wrap (Melange) to the first Layer. Then put  some modelling paste through a brick stencil and added some embossing powder to create a resist effect for the sprays.

I also distressed some notepaper and a piece of calico to offer some variety in texture to my layers. I raided my newly acquired selection of Dusty Attic Chipboards to find the perfect combination of elements to give this photo the story it deserved. We took this on a day out to the Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney where the First Settlers were housed... Therefore 'Brave' seemed to fit the emotions on the day. 

Check out some close ups of the final piece!!