Surprise! I'm a part of... Life Book 2014!

Ha! Great to see you again my friends - I've got amazing news to share!
One day I opened my a bit cluttered mailbox and found a totally unexpected, surprising, breathtaking, astonishing.. (here you can insert all the suitable words to describe this feeling:)) message from Tam Laporte, creator of Willowing Arts... and classes that were always on my "bucket list"! And you know what? Looks like this year I'm going to be one of the crew of Life Book 2014! 

Can you believe that? I still can't - it is a great and really unexpected honor to join the team of  Artists of THIS size... I can't hide the pressure is high, and I'm a bit hyperventilating thinking about all this event coming in the near future... OMG. Is it really true?

But there is also a great news for you my friends 

- to celebrate this happy occasion I can GIVEAWAY one free spot on Life Book 2014!

The only thing you need to do is to leave me a comment below saying what would you like to learn (in general - not only through this online course!) during next year? I'd be happy to read about your dreams and plans! I'll pick randomly one winner next week (3rd October) and announce the name of the lucky person on the blog!

Here is the list of all the Artists taking part in Life Book 2014
and dates of the Blog Hop - you can drop in and share some love:

13th Sept 2013 – Tascha Parkinson – www.timewithtascha.blogspot.ca

14th Sept 2013 - Lesley Riley – www.lesleyriley.com

15th Sept 2013 – Alena Hennessy – www.alenahennessy.com

16th Sept2013 – Kat McBride – www.KatCanPaint.com

17th Sept 2013 – Carla Sonheim – www.carlasonheim.com

18th Sept 2013 – Jane Davenport – www.janedavenport.com

19th Sept 2013 – Danielle Daniel – www.danielledaniel.com

20th Sept 2013 – Jennibellie – www.jennibelliestudio.blogspot.com

23rd Sept2013 – Kelly Hoernig – www.kellyhoernig.webs.com

24th Sept 2013 – Micki Wilde – www.thesecrethermit.blogspot.co.uk

25th Sept 2013 – Kate Thompson – www.fracturedangelics.blogspot.com

26th Sept 2013 – Flora Bowley – www.florabowley.com

27th Sept2013 – Anna Dabrowska – www.tworzysko.blogspot.co.uk

28th Sept 2013 – Steven Speight – www.speightoftheart.com

30th Sept 2013 - Serena Bridgeman – www.serenarty.com

1st Oct 2013 – Dyan Reaveley – www.dyan-reavely.blogspot.co.uk

2nd Oct 2013 – Effy Wild – www.effythewild.com

3rd Oct 2013 – Carissa Paige – www.carissapaige.com

4th Oct 2013 - Marieke Blokland – www.bloknote.nl

5th Oct 2013 – Christy Tomlinson – www.christytomlinson.com

6th Oct 2013 – Traci Bautista – www.treicdesigns.com

7th Oct 2013 – Mika Diaz – www.mikadiazmixedmedia.com

Oh, I'm so excited... I just can't hide it.... :))))))))

Just Imagine...

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you let your imagination run free on canvas...?
Well...this is what we do during my Imagine classes. :)
Today I'd like to show you a small canvas that I created during such workshop.
Pure fun & freedom.






I simply played (A LOT!) with my Mechanicals, some chipboards, lace and my favorite colors.
Just Imagine, folks... :)

Indian Summer

Can you feel autumn in the air in your corner of the world?

I thought I could show you a piece of mine in some warm autumn-ish colors with a photo that I'm very fond of.







This work was created especially for Sizzix on one of my Sunrise Sunset papers, a touch of Mechanicals here and there and also with my new stamps and obligatory tea splashes. ;)

Something warm, light and simple yet very mixed-media. All my favorite ingredients put together.

Happy autumn, everyone!

Whoo is it?

Hello, everyone!
Let me introduce our very special model today...
She used to be modest and shy, maybe even too much...

So I decided to make her life a bit more interesting and create a very special home for this creature.




Are you still wondering? :)
Take a peek inside...



Here she is - with her mysterious Prima eyes, surrounded by crystals, glitter, stickles and layers of acrylic and Silks paints.
My little friend just wanted to say hi to you! :)



Everyone likes a good "before & after" shot, right? :)



I hope you enjoyed our very special makeover today. :)
Have a lovely day!

Just flow

Sometimes I like to create just for the sake of it.
I don't need a special reason or a particular idea in mind, the point is - the pure joy of creating.
This was the case with today's canvas - I simply let go and immersed myself in the world of blue. ;)






Wishing you a great week!

A walk in Susan's Garden

Once upon a time Sizzix decided to make pretty flowers...
They are really beautiful and perfectly imitate real life flowers but...you know me...not much of a flower girl. ;)
Give me flowers and I will surely give them some grungy edge!
So today I would like to present three pieces of mine created for Sizzix with Susan's Garden collection.
And the best thing is that you can go to this Sizzix's page and entering your e-mail download the detailed and free instructions of how to create such works yourself!

I mainly used my Sunrise Sunset collection, some Mechanicals and a little bit of Tim Holtz, also some really lovely papers designed by my friend Agnieszka Anna.

You can find a detailed list of supplies in the downloads.

I hope you like my very special grungy garden. ;)
Wishing you a great Sunday!

Sizzix Focus: Sailing through book pages... Odyssey Journal

Yeah, it is back. "Odyssey Journal" is aback on my desk and it screams on the top of it's voice to draw my attention (previous pages were posted here, here and here). It's really hard to resist this beautiful old book (last weekend we checked the date of print, 1916, uhm...wow) - I just HAD to add a page or two to it...  Old paper, beautiful print, lots of handwritten notes on the pages - this is the essence of "vintage" and every time I take it in my hands ideas just naturally come to my head. Again, I'm happy I found this little treasure in one of the charity shops somewhere in Ireland...

Both pages I'm sharing today are focused on important men in my life. The first one is my grandfather, Edward. He was wonderful personality, liked and respected by family and friends - but for me he was just my beloved grandpa, full of love, caring, having time to look after me and my cousins. We all miss him terribly since he passed away almost 20 years ago - and for me the day he died was the day when one of the chapters in my life ended. Nothing was ever the same.
I enjoyed a lot looking for perfectly matching little pieces for this page. Finally I finished with a quite nice bunch of metal objects and quite cute spool label. I love my rubbish boxes, seriously!

Supplies: Prima Marketing by Finnabair: Elementals (Resist Canvas - Checked), Vintage Vanity (Stamps). Sizzix Thinlits Dies, 3DFoam Squares - Scrapbook Adhesives, Luminarte - Primary Elements, gesso, tea stain, Ranger: Vintaj Patina and Archival Ink, vintage paper, tickets and lace, staples, paper clips, old metal pieces and spool label, buttons etc.

You can learn more about this page visiting this post on Sizzix.UK blog - you will find a detailed supply list and more information about it. I hope you will enjoy!

This page is again about my dad, Krzysiek (or Chris) - I simply love this old photo of him and his two best friends from the old neighborhood - Darek and Marek. He looked so relaxed on this photo - and a bit cheeky too! I couldn't resist to use it once more in my project although it was on one of my paper layouts before :)

Supplies: Prima Marketing by Finnabair: Mechanicals (Trinkets, Washers, Gears, Roman Numerals), Elementals (Resist Canvas - Checked and Music Notes, Decorative Strips), Vintage Vanity (Stamps). Sizzix Thinlits Dies, 3DFoam Squares - Scrapbook Adhesives, Luminarte - Primary Elements, gesso, tea stain, Ranger: Archival Ink, vintage paper, tickets and lace, staples, paper clips, buttons etc.

More info and detailed supply information is posted here, on Prima Marketing blog - as well as many others project showcasing my Prima Marketing products... and let me say - this post is a real eye-candy!

I'll be back soon - I promise!
Sending warmest hugs

Finn's Collections: praise the versatility :)

Hi again friends:)
Its a very important day for me as a designer: today both here and on Prima blog we are posting projects showcasing Mechanicals, Elementals and Vintage Vanity Collections:) I can't wait to share my layouts - and to see the projects of wonderful, talented Prima Design Team!
From this time expect more "inspiring stuff" coming around 10th of the month. I hope this special feature will give you more ideas what you can do with the products from my collections!

When I was working on these collection I had one particular thing on my mind: versatility. I was hoping to create something that will suit not only my needs (of course!) but artists and crafters of many different styles. Especially Mechanicals are the products that can be used for almost anything starting with jewelry, altered art, mixed-media projects through cards, tags, scrapbook pages... and more. They were meant to be mixed and matched not only with each other but also other popular embellishments, flea market findings, vintage objects - whatever comes to your mind!

Today I've got 2 projects for you on my blog - and much more is waiting for you here, on Prima blog! Check it out and let me know what you think - which project was the most inspiring for you? Which way of using Mechanicals, Elementals and Vintage Vanity seems to be the most inspiring? Please let us know!

OK, time for sharing: Let's start with something more freestyle, celebrating the color, white space and crazy stamping - one of the paper layouts I've made recently...

Supplies: Prima Marketing: Vintage Vanity Collection: stamps and A4 Journaling Paper Pad, Elementals - 12x12 Resist Canvas - Checked, Resist Canvas Border Strips, Mechanicals - metal embellishments. Luminarte - Primary Elements, Ranger - Archival Ink, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L - 3D Foam Squares, some tea stain, thread, glue, masking tape, staples and pins.

And now, in contrast, something super dark, rich and grungy - Altered Rocking Horse - one of the samples from "Everyday Treasures" class I keep teaching this year in several locations :)

Supplies: Prima Marketing: Mechanicals - metal embellishments (clock faces, trinkets, flowers, gears, numbers and numerlas, washers and cogs), Luminarte - Primary Elements and Silks Acrylic Glaze, canvas, lace, pebbles, wooden cogs and chipboard rocking horse (Scrap Matrix).

I hope to hear back from you - it would help me a lot to know what are your wishes about my collections :)
See you very soon - and enjoy!

Casting Grungy Spells

For me, art journaling is so much more than just using clever tricks and fancy techniques.

Ok, I love to play with my art toys, I love trying out new ways and thinking outside the box but journaling feels very special to me. It's all about emotions and infusing the pages with my personality.

My Grungy Spell Book class is especially close to my heart and today I would like to show you some pages created just for this workshop.

Journaling is a place to dream...

Journaling is all about emotions...







Journaling is a perfect place to store all the fleeting moments and memories...

The journal I used is the one I designed for Prima, I thorougly enjoyed playing with my Sunrise Sunset collection papers, masks and stamps, adding some Mechanicals elements and - no, no, don't forget! - some tea splashing! ;)

If you feel like creating your own Spell Book with me, there are still some spots left in Belgium in October and  in Derbyshire in November. Stop by! We'll cast some spells together. :)

Sizzix Focus: Best Dad Ever and some Tea...

Hi, I'm back!
Back home for a moment, enjoying the "quiet time" and the company of Andrew, who is trying hard to be a good, helpful hubby and organize our - now bigger - house:) I's day it is rather pointless activity as it will all come back to the state of slightly controlled chaos but I can't say no to him :) In the meantime I unpacked after lovely time I had in Swindon, UK and started to remove the dust and spider webs from my old faithful desk...yes!!! It seems to sound funny but it is easier for me to start being creative when I'm away, teaching or demoing than actually at home...hah, looks like someone is getting a bit lazy, huh?

Anyway - there are some projects I can't simply resist to - and one of them is my "Odyssey" - family journal based on the beautiful old book from charity shop and my favorite family photos. There are no rules, no main topic, no plan - just me, the book, old papers, paints and people who I consider as "mine".
Page below was posted on Friday on Sizzix blog with all the details and close-ups. It is and old photo of my Dad, Krzysiek (which translates to Chris), taken near Baltic Sea when he was about 30. I had really great time creating it - cleaning my head and let my hands play...

Supplies: Prima Marketing by Finnabair: Mechanicals (Vintage Center), Elementals (Resist Canvas - Checked), Vintage Vanity (Stamps). Sizzix Thinlits Dies, 3DFoam Squares - Scrapbook Adhesives, Luminarte - Primary Elements, gesso, tea stain, Ranger: Vintaj Patina and Archival Ink, vintage paper and lace, staples, paper clips etc.

More details and info about supplies you will find here, on Sizzix blog. And if you will dig a bit deeper you will also find a layout below - sample from my "Tea for 2" class which I taught last weekend at Snazzy's in Swindon UK. There will be also a small photo relation from this class, so have a peek!

Supplies: Prima Marketing by Finnabair: Sunsrise Sunset Collection (papers, stamps, flowers), Mechanicals, Vintage Vanity (stamps), Elementals (Resist Canvas - Chevron), Luminarte - Primary Elements and Silks Acrylic Glaze, Ranger - Distress Ink, Archival Ink, homemade tea stain, lace, buttons, paper clips etc.

And now I'm planning a short break, late dinner and some more home decorating...See you very soon and have a wonderful weekend!

A Kind of Magic

Altering objects is a kind of magic, don't you think?
You take an ordinary, often forgotten or broken object and give it a completely new life.
That was the case with this bag that I came across in a second-hand shop during a short art holiday with my friends.



The materials I used are a bit of Prima and some vintage flea market findings.



Hope you like my magical steampunk bag. :)