Season of Mists

Hi my dear ones!

Imagine my delight when once at a flea market I got hold of this amazing vintage tin muffin tray!

It was love at the first sight - its embossed patterns, the time-worn texture and the round shapes that were begging to be filled with something inspiring.

So I finally decided what I would do and here it is - my fall inspired, moody assemblage piece that I hope will move you too.

The inspiration hit me when I was browsing through vintage photos - as it often does. ;)

To make the whole project coherent, I decided to go for photos of children.

If you're looking for a source of such photos and you feel you wouldn't bring yourself to cutting the actual vintage photos into pieces, you can easily use my Ephemera Collectibles or Elements from my Cold Country line.

For me, each of these circles is like a separate story being told, in a way it's a separate art work on its own. At the same time, I wanted all of them to work together too.

I had this thought running through my head: A Season of Mists. I listened to this idea and wanted to create the dreamy, nostalgic atmosphere of Fall and Indian Summer. Can you feel it there?

I made poppy pods (from my own garden!) a strong leitmotiv and I really love how they turned out.

When you look carefully, you will also spot thread, pieces of gauze, fabrics and lace, some delicate wire and... accompanying each of the photos - the poppy seeds that I made myself with Mini Art Stones i Micro Beads.

Wouldn't you say that Rusty Mechanicals add to the mystery as well?

I didn't want to change the color of the tray completely, only to enhance its beautiful vintage character - the Rust Pastes did their magic just perfectly!
I also added a little bit of Deep Waters acrylic paint, greyish and bronze tones of Lindy's sprays and a touch Clear Crackle Paste here and there.

A helpful hint: before splashing any colors (and tea!) I covered the photos with Soft Matte Gel this way protecting them from absorbing unwanted stains.

I really love how this piece turned out - it reminds me a little of a dreamy cabinet of curiosites, would you say? :)

Here are the materials I used:

Before I say goodbye, one more important thing.
I keep reading your comments on the blog and the emails sent in for my Creative Team Call and I can't tell you enough how much they mean to me.

Thank you so much for all the words of support and friendship both for me and my Creative Team!

Choosing new members is a really difficult and quite stresful job to be honest, but it's also exciting - who will I meet this term? What new creative adventures lay ahead...?

You still have time to apply till October 7th, so don't hesitate, I'd love to hear from you!
Hugs

Sizzix Friday: Travelling Family Album

Hi friends!
Today on Sizzix.uk blog I'm sharing details of the new project - travelling journal inspired by old family photos... and tea! This altered book is starting it's journey on Sunday - and when I'll get it back it will be full of beautiful pages done by wonderfully talented creative friends :) I can't express how excited about this project I am!

About altering the book: I didn't want to lost it's beauty under heavy paint, spraying or texture - that's why I decided for only some Tim Holtz add-ons: few metal embellishments  alphabet Sizzix die (Word Play) and  plain cotton ribbon to close the book.
I used Glossy Accents from Ranger on the floral elements and Crackle Accents on the painted chipboard letters. I love the efect!

On the Sizzix blog you can see the book before altering, but also have a detailed peek inside: I've made double page with envelope and one of my favorite photos of my dad and his brother! You will also find a full product list and some detailed photos :)

I hope you like it - I'm totally in love and I know I HAVE TO make another book just for myself!!!
Tomorrow I'm sharing more of the pages - stay tuned!
xoxo
Finn

Trochę Primowo: minialbum - A little bit of Prima: minialbum

Hej kochani! Strasznie mnie wyjazdy odciągają od regularnego blogowania, ale bardzo chciałabym podzielić się z Wami tym, co w między czasie udało mi się stworzyć:) Dzisiaj - wykonany na CHA w Chicago mini albumik z Primowej kolekcji Donny Downey... oczywiście, jak to ja, dopiero po fakcie zorientowałam się, że to miał być kształt kubka na kawę... Cóż.
Hi friends! My travels take me a lot of time, so I'm not able to update my blog on the regular basis, but i'd like to share with you some of the projects I\ve made last weeks. Today I've got a minialbum for you - it was made for CHA in Chicago and it is a part of new Prima - Donna Downey line:) Of course - it's just me...after altering the album I realized it was ment to be a coffe cup... oh dear...

A skoro mówimy o albumach i Donnie to z przyjemnością przypominam, że w sieci można kupić mój pierwszy w życiu pełnometrażowy kurs online - wykonany w ramach projektu Internationally Inspired! Płacąc raz, uzyskujecie dostęp aż do 5 różnych warsztatów prowadzonych przez tak znanych designerów jak  Donna Downey, Nat Kalbach, Cari Fennell i Birgit Koopsen... naprawdę polecam, bo warto! Poniżej zamieszczam kilka zajawek z mojego projektu:)

If we talk about albums and Donna... With a pleasure I'd like to remind there is my first full-lenght online class avalible in the web - thanks to amazing Internationally Inspired project I took part in toghether with Donna Downey, Nat Kalbach, Cari Fennell and Birgit Koopsen. Bying this class you pay once and get 5 different full time classes based on one kit, but with different colors, techniques and ideas! How cool is that?
Here are some sneak-peeks of my class!

Serdecznie zapraszamy - warsztaty do podejrzenia i nabycia tutaj!
Feel invited - here you can find more projects, details and subrskribe the classes!

xoxo
Finn

Internationally Inspired - Online class!

Hi again my blog readers - there was a teaser, there was a silly video - time to reveal the secret!
I am so happy to announce that I am one of the teachers of Donna Downey's new Internationally Inspired online workshop! I'm in together with some of my favorite designers, awesomely talented and sweet girls: Donna Downey, Nat Kalbach, Birgit Koopsen and Cari Fennel. You can only imagine how proud I am to be the part of this project!
Now I will let Donna explain more about the idea - here is all you need to know and I so hope you'll be as excited about the event as we are! Join us on this amazing online class!

Donna says:

"One of the questions I get asked most often is, “where is the best place that you have travelled to?” My answer is always the same…regardless of where in the world I am, it is the people and the relationships made that make a life long impact on me. That said, I have been blessed enough to travel the globe, meet and build relationships with other creatives like myself, see and experience cultures and be present as the common threads tied so many of these experiences together because no matter the native tongue of each country we all communicate our passion through ART.

Each country I have visited and culture brings a new and intrinsically unique spin on the creative process, impacting on not only design style but the availability of product. In the United States we are often spoiled by the immediacy in which we can acquire creative mediums and products, while other cultures are often, out of necessity, stretching their creativity by finding new inventive ways to use the products that they do have. Because I have been fortunate enough to create with and be introduced to so many amazingly talented people through my 10 years of travel, I wanted to bring these artists and a bit of their culture to a more global venue and I cannot think of anything more global than the internet.

I have asked 4 very talented artists to accompany me in this first workshop in the series. I shipped each artist a big box of my products and asked them to video record their creative process. For some this was their first time in front of the camera, for others it was old hat…their only instruction was that they had to use some part of every product in the box. With no limitations on their creative styles, additional products or finished result, the results were authentically beautifully representing each artist and showcasing their stylistic niches. I watched each artist create absolutely in awe of their creative process and how each artist transformed my products.

I have no doubt that you too will be just as blown away as I was watching them create.

this will be an experience like non other...as the world becomes just that much smaller and the talents from around the globe share with you their unique ideas as they each assemble dynamic mixed-media books step-by-step right in your own home.

each artist's video is approximately 1.5-2 hours in length and details their process from start to finish, allowing you to watch all the way through, create along side her or interpret her ideas in your own style.

registration opens JULY 15, 2012

and will be offered at an incredible price
$65

{5 workshops for the price of 1... incredible right!!!}
I am honored to introduce you to the artists in my new online workshop series Internationally INSPIRED.

anna dabrowska

warsaw, POLAND

cari fennell

new york, USA

nathalie kalbach

hamburg, GERMANY

birgit koopsen (that's me :))

winsum, THE NETHERLANDS

donna downey

north carolina, USA

How amazing is that? I can't wait to see it happen and see you on this class:) I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did! OK... ready for 15 July? It's o close and I'm so crazy excited!
xoxo
Finn