Monday 23 June 2014

Stampendous and DecoArt Blog Hop - Day 1



Servus and welcome to the start of an exciting week with some massive blog hopping with DecoArt in collaboration with Stampendous, who have provided the members of the DecoArt International Design Team (featuring Andy Skinner) with loads of their awesome stuff so they could join in and show what they can create with their lovely stamps, stencils, embossing powders and enamels and the Creative Palette!




DecoArt Stampendous Banner



But I guess I better first let Stampendous do the talking:

 "Our great friends at DecoArt are joining with us this week to show you what you can do with stamps and acrylic paint! 

You'll be amazed how these two craft items make amazing things! Artists from all over the world will be playing with Stampendous and DecoArt. Prepare to be amazed! Of course, there are prizes! DecoArt is sending three sets of their Media Fluid Acrylics to international commenters, and we'll be adding a $20 Stampendous Reward card to each one so you can choose the stamps or essentials you'd most like to work with!! 

Visit each blog, leave a comment! • Like Stampendous and DecoArt on Facebook! • We've also got a Pinterest Board started!

Please repin our projects on to your boards and be sure to tag us when you do (#Stampendous and #DecoArt) - we'll be tracking. Your comments on the blogs are your entry into the drawing! We'll randomly choose three blog posts from all the designer posts this week and then choose a winner from each to receive a prize package. BUT I have a few bonus goodies hanging around my office for some lucky people who SHARE our Facebook posts and Pinterest Pins! Sorry, even though our artists are from all over the world, you still have to have a U.S. Mailing Address to win. The Official Rules can help explain why. Ready for your trip around the world??? Let's get Hoppin!

Claudia Neubacher (Vienna, Austria)

Kristine Reynolds (California, USA)

Iliane de Fockert (Elly) (Niedersachsen, Germany)

Julia Stratford-Wright (near London, UK)*

Julie Robertson (UK)

Asia King (Oxford, England)

Jessa Plant (Arizona, USA)

Kathi Rerek (New Jersey, USA)*


The Official Rules can be found here. Ready for your trip around the world??? Let's get Hoppin!"

* Sorry - there was a mistake with the first version of the link, but it is updated and should work now. 

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I hope everything is clear now and you can enjoy a wonderful inspiring hop! As I have the special honour to open this terrific event, I really hope you like my little "Take Away Sketch Journal" I made for a very special and talented young lady (so she can note her ideas for more great poetry in it whenever they hit her mind). 



DecoArt also sent a huge bundle of their new Media fluid acrylics line to their DT so we all can experiment and explore the new possibilities to show them to you, makes this event even more exciting! 


And this is the awesome load of goodness I was able to play with during the last days:


Awesome, isn't it? The new fluid acrylics from the DecoArt media range contain an incredible amount of pigments and I love the opaque tones as well as the translucent ones! There's an "Interference" colours range too, antiquing creme and some fab texture media like crackle glaze and paste and different varnishes - just to name a few. If you hop over to the blogs of my fab teamies (throughout the week) you will find the whole variety there is to choose from - and what you can create with it!

This week is going to see a lot of inspiration from the Stampendous AND the DecoArt International DT members and there will be new posts from Monday to Friday - and some chances to win goodies and give-aways too! So make sure you check back each day with Stampendous and DecoArt to not miss any of the fun! Also make sure to read to the bottom of this post so you don't miss a very special give away from fabulous Andy Skinner himself! Yay!


I highly recommend you visit all the blogs of my creative colleagues and get inspired (but to leave some words of encouragement as well - these are highly appreciated, you know?)! You won't regret it! I promise!


For a start I had a heavy play with the Creative Palette from Stampendous, which works really well as a palette to spread your acrylic colours on but also as a monoprinting plate! You simply apply acrylic colours - like the DecoArt Media fluid acrylics or the Americana paints - alongside some DecoArt Gel Medium or Fluid Medium (or other drying time extenders) - to the palette with a brayer, take off colour with stamps or bubble wrap, doodle into it, use masks... and pull your prints (applying pressure to the back of the paper with your hands or a brayer). Especially printing several layers in separate goes produces the most intriguing results!



You can see the Creative Palette to the left and one of the prints I pulled. It is the one I used to create a thin notebook from as I used a heavier paper with it - so it worked really well as a cover for a light-weight notebook with a sewn binding.


The white circles were done by positioning cut out paper (or acetate) masks before laying down the paper to pull the print. I like to use these areas where the white paper still shows through to add more detailed texture or text.


I stamped some "Brush Strokes" images (from the Stampendous stamp set) first - using DecoArt Traditions "Carbon Black", the Creative Palette and a piece of cut'n dry foam to apply the colour evenly to the stamps.


For more opaque stamped images I used some colours of the Americana range alongside the new Media Fluid Acrylic paints.



Slowly the layers of my cover began to build up and create depth. I also used DecoArt Dazzling Metallics for some of my stamping - to add a bit of metal shine and "bling". I hope a bit of it can be seen with this image:




The golden stamped dots circle was stamped with DecoArt Media "Interference Gold" - which is very subtle but gives a rather delicate feel to your creations.






For a finish I added some detail with a white Sharpie pen and black watercolour pencil.




I then cut the cover to size, folded it and cut some sheets of paper to according size to sew them to the cover.




And this is how the finished project looks like:




I hope you like it! I had such a ball playing with the Creative Palette and the beautiful stamps and the new DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics go a long way with just a little droplet! Stampendous stamp sets used: Brush Strokes, Grunge, Wired.

Also up for grabs - exclusively on the Decoart International Design Team Blog posts -  is a chance to win a one off piece of artwork from brilliant Andy Skinner who will choose one winner from the comments on our blog posts on Thursday and will announce the winner on his Facebook page on Friday: Andy Skinner  facebook page

Didn't promise too much, did I? ;)


I will share some more projects I created for the DecoArt-Stampendous blog hop on Wednesday and Friday - so make sure you come back to check them out! Thanks for stopping by my place and enjoy hopping!

Hugs and happy crafting!
Claudia x


82 comments:

  1. I so need lessons! This is great! TFS!

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  2. the album is beautiful. Love the free-form and colorful use of the paint.
    Andy's gift is also beautiful. I"d love to have either of the projects in this pos.

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  3. I love the little journal you created and thank you for giving us such great instructions on how you created the cover. It's lovely and truly a work of art!

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  4. oh boy did that look like a fun project to create. Thanks for sharing.

    Barb Housner

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  5. WOW, Deco Art has certainly come out with a fantastic looking range of acrylic paints, etc. Your art piece's colors are so striking, love it. What a great group of prizes. I will be following this hop all the way through. Thank You. suzschultz23@aol.com

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  6. Great art work. Thanks for the inspiration and as always I love Andy's work

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  7. Awesome piece of Steam Punk artwork! sweet giveaway:) and I so enjoyed your Creative Palette in fact I already pinned it:) thanks a lot -con

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  8. Das ist schön! I love the colors you've used, the added watercolor pencil and Sharpie finished it perfectly! Sehr gut!

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  9. Claudia, this is incredible! Love your book you created! Plus, good news! DecoArt will send sample packs to three of our international friends as well, so everyone can comment and win on the blogs! Thanks so much for playing with us this week. Love your work!

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  10. Claudia great layers you have created to make a great little journal looks like you had fun playing with all these new products, look forward to see what else you make.
    Love Amanda x

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  11. I love the colors! I need to definitely try making one of these journals!

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  12. sagenhafte Arbeiten Claudia . ich bin absolut verliebt in dieses Kunsttagebuch ...einmalig schön!
    Und jetzt hab ich eine Blog-Tour vor mir, wie es aussieht---lol!
    dabei bin ich müde von der Hunderrunde.....

    schöne neue Woche..
    mein Töchterchen ist heute zum ORF gefahren, war sie nicht begeistert..weil da war sie ja doch schon mal mit der VS...tsts
    jetzt sind ja bald die Ferien und wir haben sie den ganzen Tag an der Backe unsere süßen Ablegerchen...oh weia!
    xxx
    Susi

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  13. Stunning, thanks for the tutorial. Love the idea of the book cover

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  14. I love what you have done.I love how balance the colours with some white space and it looks all yummy and gorgeous.Big fan!

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  15. Wonderful print. You've turned it into a beautiful journal! Great start to the hop. Suz xxx

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  16. What a fantastic little journal book you crafted. Beautiful print from the Creative Palette!

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  17. That is just beautiful. Amazing.

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  18. Love the colours you choose and a fantastic result!

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  19. I just pinned this on my Pinterest site; I have always liked work so much. I love the colors you used in this card. ")

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  20. Brilliant. What a great start to the week. I love how the colours complement each other. I want to have a go.

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  21. Awesome--I like the colors and all the circles.

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  22. Oh wow, this is fabulous. I love it. I can't wait till the day I can create something so fantastic.

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  23. I love seeing the steps in your process. Thanks for showing how to use the Creative Palette. Your Take Away Journal is delightful.

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  24. I love the depth and texture on this piece!! Great colors also! TFS!

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  25. Wow! You make it look so easy and your end piece is so balanced and beautiful! The creative palette looks great to use, but the stamps I really loved!

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  26. Awesome cover! And, thanks so much for sharing the steps to create it.

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  27. Your journal cover is so beautiful! So much depth and interest. I love the colors.

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  28. tolles Startprojekt, da wird sich die kleine Lady sicher freuen über das besondere Kunstwerk und ihm dann ihre Geheimnisse anvertrauen. LG Kerstin x

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  29. It sounds like the color palette is a bit like a gelli plate, is that right? Absolutely adore your cover. Beautiful!

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  30. LOVE this! THe colors, all the details!! Just wonderful!

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  31. Love that range of colors and what a great journal cover!

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  32. Wow! Such a fabulous little journal with wonderful layers of color and texture!

    The recipient is sure to treasure it!

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  33. What a fun project! I'm glad to see their new fluid paints. Thanks for sharing, Claudia!

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  34. Beautiful projects! I love seeing all the different ways to use all these fabulous products.

    Danke!

    Carol B
    ciaoitalia2007(at)gmail(dot)com

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  35. I am very intrigued about the white sharpie!

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  36. Really fabulous, your Art journal cover is just a perfect wonder, this is so beautiful!!! The Decoart palette + paints + these great new stamps (!) gives fantastic results... at least in your hands! :) Thanks for sharing, I'm happy to have visited you tonight Claudia. Fantastic blog hop Coco x

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  37. Amazing...as always :) Love the colors and the details with the Sharpie really makes the stamps pop out XX

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  38. Great piece of work and a fun project to make. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  39. Your journal is so cool! Thank you for sharing your technique!

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  40. Das ist so eine Kreation wo mir der Mund offen steht und ich gar nicht beschreiben kann wie toll ich es finde. Super Farben....hmmm.. grandioses Muster....bombastisch gewerkelt. Sieht auf jeden Fall krass nach Kunst aus und ich finde es übergalaktisch gut (:o)

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  41. what a beautiful project and gift for your friend. i enjoyed your colors of mediums and your stamping. i haven't tried a gelli plate yet, but still looking forward to giving it a go.

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  42. love this which is surprising since I am not a big fan of the orange family - great use of earth tones - I am a huge fan of circles, clocks, gears -- I can see beautiful takes on this in sky and ocean colors too - love it

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  43. Love it! Will have to try doing one! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  44. Awesome journal cover, great idea for the summer months! Thanks for sharing.

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  45. I love the freedom with which you've created this gorgeous cover Claudia! It has movement, balance and depth and I wish I could create something like this beautiful cover! The Queen of effortless art! xx

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  46. Love the new palette that was used from stampendous The orange and black colors in the journal page are very pretty, you did a great work with both products. Decoar paints and the Stampendous products.,

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  47. Wowzer! Fabulous art journal cover!

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  48. Thank you for some great inspiration. Really want to try thr Creative Palette!

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  49. Really great demo, love the journal!

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  50. Fabulous inspiration and thanks for a chance to win :)

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  51. I love this!!! And love too paint!

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  52. Wow these products look amazing...love what you have done ...hope it's open to all countries...

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  53. Really cool! Will have to try soon

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  54. Beautiful journal cover and I can't wait to see some more of those stamp images! I know which booth I'm heading for at the stamp show :)

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  55. I love what you did with this. The colors are fabulous together.

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  56. Love this project, Claudia - great gift idea. Andy's giveaway is pretty terrific too! :)

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  57. I adore the retro colours and feel of this. its very jazz hip and beautifully put together. the composition is balanced and keeps the attention of the eyes....

    I would like to officially add that this is not officially an official comment and thus should not officially be entered in to the official prize draws :D

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  58. I am new to blog hops! This is so much fun and what an incredible line of new paints. The colors are so vibrant! I buy lots of Decoart and Tim Holtz supplies, but I never knew that the websites and blogs by design team artists like yours were so great! This tutorial is incredible! It would be such an honor to win the Industrial design by Andy Skinner! I LOVE the Industrial look! I'm currently redesigning my craft room in Industrial style! My designs using my own found materials never quite have that perfect grungy edge in the end. After looking at Andy's I think that maybe I have been using the wrong materials! I'm headed for the craft store! Think that I'm going to become a blog hop groupie though! Oh no, what to do first!!?!!??

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  59. Thanks so much for sharing your process! Love your use of color and design!

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  60. Brandi (@Fitzysmom)24 June 2014 at 20:09

    I have most of these products (or something very similar) so I'm going to have to give it a try! Thanks for the great ideas.

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  61. Brilliant tutorial, and great product comments very informative
    I just love the colours and patterns you have created and the Journal construction
    You inspired me with the cushion, btw I have a plain black canvas bag thats just in desperate need for altering and embellishing!

    Jools x

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  62. Your project is full of inspiration! The colors are wonderful together and I just love everything about it!

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  63. WOW...this is awesome-ness (is that a word, it should be..lol)..I LOVE this and I am so jealous of all the wonderful goodies you got to work with...you go girl!!!

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  64. Thanks for sharing. Always happy to see new products and how they can be used. I have a Gelli Plate on my wish list as you can do so much with it. Love the backgrounds this thing can produce. Looking forward to more tips and projects.

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  65. You take away my breath. i like the colors and patterns great job! Greetings Miek

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  66. Your pieces are always truly inspiring to me

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  67. I love your use of texture and color.

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  68. OMGGGGGG these are so amazing!!! WOW!!! Your design is just incredible!! I would love to win these!! <3 Pick Me, Pick Me!! LOL

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  69. The masked loops and circles in the print are so effective - and the colours here are full of drama and turmoil... a dark piece, but beautiful at the same time.
    Alison x

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  70. Wowsa! What fabulous colours. Great, great project! Erin xx

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  71. Really sweet journal. I really like the cover design you came up with.

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  72. Your journal cover is beautiful. You've created such movement with the swirls & circles. I could look at the detail & textures for ages

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  73. Really liking the look of that creative pallette - and 'wow' interference colours?! Yes please :o)

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  74. a great blog hop and it looks beautiful what you done

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  75. This is the best site to view such wonderful art pieces...if I had that supply of crafts, I would never leave my craft room...beautiful, AND I may be in the running to win some...yahoo! Loved your work!

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  76. Cool ideas, love these stamps!

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  77. ooOooo You had a lot of cool toys to play with you what an amazing sewn journal!!! Wow!!!

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  78. this journal looks beautiful - have fun using it

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  79. Oh wow!! What an incredible way to feature these stamps. I adore this journal cover. I can see it filled with your incredible art in the days to come. -- Mary Elizabeth

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  80. I love your work.Beautiful designs, wonderful tutorials I became a follower. Thanks for inspiring me Anneke.
    www.annekescardart.blogspot.com

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  81. Your instructions are awesome! Thank you! What a beautiful outcome! Love it!

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