Phooey!

Yesterday I went to Southport, partly because it was such a nice day but also because I wanted to go to a craft shop... but found that the craft shop is no longer there!   After a mooch I got the park and ride bus back to the car park, and at the very end of Lord St I spotted a craft shop,  I am pretty certain it was the one I used to go to, but now relocated.  So will have to return next week.  I left Southport before the crowds descended.

So once home and after a nice lunch of crusty bread and cheese, it was time to get crafting.  I got out my paints,  I'd caught Sheena's show on CnC earlier, and was eager to try out the stippling technique, and do battle with that modelling paste.  I had started this canvas, minus the modelling paste and turquoise, a few weeks ago and hated it.  I'd frantaged it, and just didn't like the end result.  So could I rescue it?

Well first I added some colour, then chose a mask and used the modelling paste, crossing fingers and toes.  With the sunshine it dried pretty quickly, but I decided to leave till today to continue.  With the modelling paste now rock hard I began the stippling.  I used the Pebeo Acrylic paints, yes that very long box on Sheena's show!   I used the iridescent paints, they are just sumptuous.  I used two turquoisey blues, and a gun metal blue,  to give some shade and depth, and kept stippling till I got what I wanted.  Which was this! I also dabbed round the edges with some black.

This is the whole canvas, it is a small square and is canvas board, far easier to stamp onto. As you can see I've got as far as adding another mask in two opposite corners, using black archival.  The stars are from the TH grunge board range,  painted with the gunmetal blue, then stamped and embossed with a spiders web.  No I have no idea where I am going with this!  But it is a lot of fun, and very, very messy. 

I'd also found a small box in mum's stuff,  so I gave that a good coat of gesso and have now covered it in the modelling paste, again using a mask,  just got one more side and the top to cover.  The lovely sunshine is helping set the paste.  I guess I need to exercise a little more patience when it comes to stamping into the paste. 

More tennis this week, back to the grass,  can we hope that the sunshine will last?   Enjoy your week.