What a bunch...

...of wild and wacky women we had in the Puffin studio today...and some of the most amazing stencils just as a by-product!  It was the Burn, Baby, Burn stencil burning playshop, and didn't they get down to having fun?

Carol, Linda, Cecile, Kate, Anne (!!), Lynne and Carol

They all started (tore into, really) on sheets of house wrap,

 burning their way from shape to shape,

 and utilizing every bit of creative freedom they had.

 Some started in with a Sharpie-drawn design,

while others hit it immediately with their burners.

 

No matter their choice, they made some stunning stencils...

 and watching each other design was an important part of the process.

Much of the fun was testing the newly created stencils on the Gelli plate.  It was rather like opening presents on Christmas to see what running the stencil through its paces could invoke.

And is that any wonder, with the stencils they made?

What they accomplished in just three hours is remarkable, especially given all the goofiness and laughter that comprised the morning!  Well done, ladies, and thanks for making my day!

It's playtime...

...in the studio again, as I experiment with Gelli plates, hand-cut stencils, and subdued colour.  Yup - you heard me right.  I did say subdued.  It's OK, though - we've checked and the world is not coming to an end.  It's just that I'm working towards a couple of projects, both of which will require me to tone down my usual riotous colour to a dull roar.

I've been printing with soft, thin layers on the Gelli plate.  I love the way my hand-burnt stencils give such a textured look to the prints.

I've added layer upon layer of muted colour,

with additions of tiny amounts of metallic paints,

until I have a raft of them.  As always, I'll never know whether what I see in my mind will work in reality.

The stencils are a delight to play with, whether underlying the heavier commercial stencils or used on their own.

In fact, if you're in our neighbourhood, you can learn how to make your own this next week.  My stencil class, (called Burn, Baby, Burn) is happening on Thursday morning, February 18 from 9 am to noon. You'll learn how to burn your own stencils and even how to design them in this playshop.  It's at Puffin Design, and pre-registration is a requirement.  For more information about this and some other fabulous workshops, you can pop over here.  Please come and play - you KNOW it's going to be a blast!

A promise long past due...

...finally got done today.  You've been asking for a video of my dark side embossing technique, so here it is:

These papers are luscious and the perfect addition to your card-making stash.  The next four photos are ones made utilizing alcohol inks on silver foiled cardstock.

These two utilize heavy-bodied acrylic paints on fuchsia foil with the same technique.

 Here I've daubed copper acrlic ink over a softer copper-foiled piece.

I hope I've encouraged you to take a walk on the dark side!