Say Hi To Finnabair Ambassadors!

Hi Friends!

Remember me saying that October is a very special month for me? There's so much going on so many fronts!

I'm going to announce my new Creative Team next week, still reading (and re-reading) all your beautiful emails very carefully. :) And while I'll ask you to be patient a little bit more, let me tell you about a group of 7 wonderful Ladies who kindly agreed to become my Brand Ambassadors!

They're not only crazy talented Artists, but also beautiful souls and I'm proud to call some of them my Friends. I can't tell you enough how much I value their suport and our creative cooperations.

Once a month we will meet in special Guest Posts here on my blog and the girls will share links to their favorite artworks, tips and tricks on how to use my products, but most of all, their hearts and souls to keep us all inspired!

Make sure you keep an eye on their social media, book a workshop, leave a friendly comment, make a connection. Each of these Ladies is a never ending well of inspirations!

But enough talking. Let me properly introduce these 7 wonderful Artists - I'm sure they are familiar faces. Will you help me say an extra warm welcome to my Ambassadors team? :)

Each of these beautiful Artists is here today in this first Ambassadors' post sharing stunning artworks especially close to their hearts + a short and super sweet surprise interview. :)

Elena Morgun

I first heard of Anna... a few years back when I started discovering Mixed Media for myself.

My must have Finnabair product is... 3D Gloss Gel as it can be used with all kinds of pigments, glitter etc. But it's hard to choose only one favorite product. I love all of them!

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... I have put a lot of emotions into it. Black Gesso, glimmering colors... I have never created such a project before. The background of the layout is created with computer motherboards. {see more}

Why Finnabair? :) I am proud to be one of Finnabair Ambassadors not only because it's a great honor to work with such talented people, but also because it's a perfect opportunity to share my inspirations and tips on using Finn's products.

France Papillon

I first met Anna... on one of her first international teaching trips in 2011: I was her guide for a little tour in Brussels and a translator for her during the workshops. For the fan I was back then (and still am), it was just a wonderful way to get to know her up close and personal!
 

My must have Finnabair product is... wait... are you kidding me? 'Product' as in one only?? Ha, I know: Art Basics! All of them. Lots of them. To start with. And the Rust Paste. And the Modeling Paste. And the Crackle Pastes. And the silicon brushes. And... Sorry, can't help myself. I need an intervention. ;)
 

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... on top of featuring a whole bunch of Finn's products, it also features a couple of other essentials for me. This art journaling page also has a special meaning for me. Can you guess? ;))) {see more}
 

Finnabair because... she has a whole Artsy Universe of her own. And she has a neck for inviting all of us to travel with her through that Universe and for making us feel home there.

Linda M. Cain

I first met Anna... at CHA several years ago. We had both contributed projects to the show, so I knew who she was. I ran into her at the show, and she graciously took me over to the Prima booth where she had 2 of her large canvases on display. We spoke for several minutes on our love of mixed-media that included found objects - especially metal and paint. She was kind, excited, and humble. She gave me her card which I have to this day. So when I, just by chance, saw her call for designers with a 10 day open window, I jumped in, and was thrilled beyond measure to join this talented group of Artists with Anna at the helm.
 

My must have Finnabair product... has always been the Mechanicals. I've collected ephemera and found objects to put in collages and assemblage art pieces for years, but the Mechanicals just grabbed my heart. They give you a wonderful collection at your fingertips. They're light, detailed, textured, and perfect.....period! I loved them at first sight.
 

The project I'm sharing today is special for me because... it is exactly who and what I am. I collect; I assemble; and I alter. This box centers around a Heart that's saved in a special Locket. The Gears and Wheels are always turning in different directions that create new interests. A Light goes on here and there that directs me to another idea and the Butterfly releases the creative momentum to fly. {see more}
 

Why Finnabair? :) She is a Mixed-Media Artist who works with many things... stamps, vintage pictures, metal ephemera, papers, beads, glitter and paints... things that call to me. She has the ability to put them all together into a project you can proudly call your own. A friend of mine years ago teased me when we were making cards. She said, "you always want to frame what you make." It's true. When I put days into creating a project, I want to put it on a shelf or hang it on the wall so I can enjoy it over and over again. Creating dimensional projects, like Anna does, is what calls me to my Studio. It's what I love. Finnabair gave me the platform to share my Art with the world, and for that I thank her from the bottom of my heart.

Louise Nelson

I first met/heard of Anna... at CHA 2012 and it was a real OMG moment for me. :)

My must have Finnabair product is... This may surprise you but it is the Heavy White Gesso. I am a simple scrapper/creative and I love to create my own backgrounds, most of which I monoprint, and at the moment I love to use the White Gesso on black backgrounds.

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... of 2 reasons: firstly, because I have created this background myself, using one of my most favourite techniques of monoprinting, and then layering up mediums with stencil patterns and hand carved stamps. I get so much satisfaction from this process. And secondly, it features a photo of 2 amazing creative heArt friends. {see more}

Why Finnabair? :) Why not? LOL. Quite simply Finnabar and her range of products are fabulous, and so perfect for my style of creativity, and the quality is the best.

Marta Łapkowska

I first heard of Anna... accidentally while searching for mixed media art. I remember how amazed I was with her unique style and fresh ideas. At that time I have never even thought that I would be here today...
 

My must have Finnabair product is... I truly love all Finn's mixed media lines. It's hard to choose but my top three would be Heavy White Gesso, Art Alchemy acrylic paints and Gel Mediums!
 

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... it's my most favourite make from my 'Tiny Art' series. This piece was created for live classes that I will be teaching very soon. This project is very much me... very small forms, details and an intriguing composition. {see more}
 

Why Finnabair? :) She was my very first inspiration... Working for Anna was a dream that came true. :) And now being able to represent her brand as an Ambassador makes me really happy, proud and honored.

Monika Huculak

I first heard of Anna... right at the beginning of my scrapbooking adventure in 2010. I hope to finally meet her in person this November in Warsaw.

My must have Finnabair product is... well... everything! You can see it in my projects - I can't imagine my art without all the stamps, colors, beautiful metal embellishments and of course my beloved Ephemera vintage photos.

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... I have put a lot of my time and feeling into it. While I was creating, stories were whirling in my head: of wars, separated lovers, lost home, but also hope for better times. It's a very special journal spread for me, so very close to my heart. {see more}

Why Finnabair? :) She is such an incredibly inspiring Woman and Artist. Her style influenced me a lot in my own art. Every time she releases a new collection or line of products, I get a feeling she was reading in my mind and creating these products just for my fancy. ;) I love her personality and this positive aura that surrounds her!

Riikka Kovasin

I first met Anna... I'm fortunate enough to have actually met Anna in person. I think the first time was in Sweden where I attended her workshops. She was (and is) amazing! So inspirational, so kind, so friendly. I urge you to go for the workshop if you ever have the chance - worth every penny and more!

My must have Finnabair product is... Ugh, such a hard question! I love her paper designs (nothing like any other), her embellishments (perfect for any craft) but especially the mediums. I guess I have to say 3D Gel as none of the dimensional pieces would be made without it!

The project I'm showing here today is special for me because... it's a part of a blog series me and my dear friend Marsha Valk are having. Every moth we choose a subject and use that as a jumping of point to our creativity. Please take a look in my blog with the tag "marsha" to find out more! {see more}

Why Finnabair? :) Why not?! She's such an inspiration, such an artist and such a sweet person, that naturally Finnabair!

A Necklace That Connects To The Heart

Hello Dears!
Are you ready for brand new beautiful Art on the blog? It's Friday which means it's my Creative Team's day to amaze us all and today it's Gayle who comes with stunning collaged layers of papers, paints and metaphors.

I feel I could completely lose myself in these deep, rich and meaningful pages. I know you'll love this piece...

Hello again lovely Finnabair friends. This month I have created a journal page.

For someone who loves to collage as I do, art journals with heavy paper are my favourite place to loose myself.

I think with every art journal purchased, a jar of Art Basics Soft Matte Gel must come with it - for collage, for image transfers or as a general adhesive - I love it and use nothing else.

Finnabair also has some amazing Ephemera packs full of interesting and beautiful vintage images perfect for collaging.

Some of you may be new to “collage” and have the idea that it is merely cutting paper and gluing it down to more paper. It is so much more. You may find this “The Art of Collage” article interesting.

My story is not new, but one every mother will understand.

Empty journal pages, patterned papers and Finnabair Ephemera.

Don’t start with too many patterned papers or images… that can sometimes make choosing what to use very confusing. Have a couple of “main focal images” and choose background papers that have maybe similar colours to the focal image, or are from the same vintage era, or go completely the opposite and use a vintage focal image and then use super modern background papers and create great contrast.

Or... forget all of the above and just use papers and images that you absolutely love because they talk to you, that you simply love and want to work with. :)

You don’t have to Gesso your pages, but I do as I like the way paint and ink sit on the surface of the paper rather than soaking into it. Plus, putting on a layer of Gesso means you have made a start on your blank pages, which can sometimes be daunting.

I used to always apply my gesso with  a soft brush: it would leave brush lines which is ok and sometimes you may want that added subtle, background texture.

However, using Finnabair’s Silicone Brush is my favourite way of applying Gesso. It is quick and gives a perfectly smooth finish. Wipe it clean with a baby wipe and you’re done; so easy.

Creating the background.

I know you all would have seen this before… glueing down random bits of paper. Very tedious to watch someone else doing it on a video. I find it relaxing and even a little therapeutic to do.

What you put down can of course be very random. Balance, however, is important and even though a lot of these papers will be covered with other images and paint  later on, it’s good to have an equal mix on each page. Also have in mind which pieces you don’t want to cover and may want to highlight.

Soft Matte Gel and a soft brush is what I use to stick every thing down. This gel is thin enough to spread smoothly and evenly with no lumps or bumps, but not so thin that it causes your papers to wrinkle. But it is thick enough to hold down even thicker, heavier papers. Of course you can paint your background or apply mists or inks as well, either before or after adding your paper pieces, there are so many options...

Fill in some of the white space with stamps.

Beautiful Finnabair Clear Stamps are so versatile. Using these text stamps helps to unify the page. With a few pieces of text paper already “floating” on the page, stamping over or near them, ties them together and helps to unify all the separate pieces.

Use acrylic paint now to tie the separate pieces of paper together by painting around the separate pieces in the same colour.

I’ve done this with a brush as well as dragging paint down the page with a credit card.

When you are happy with how your background is looking, add your focal images.

Mine are the two women taken from Finnabair’s fabulous Ephemera packs, the moths and the heart. These are the images that tell the story.

I’ve painted around some of these images to blur the paper edges and to try to blend them into the background. The beads have been highlighted with Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint in Metallique Gold Rush and then these dots continued on into the moths and the heart, thereby bringing all these images together and connecting them.

Lastly, add the finer details like paint splatters, ink dribbles, pattern making and details with white or black pens, hand drawn details to connect images.
 

Collage can seem like just a whole lot of bits of paper stuck to a page, but you can have many layers under and peeking out from your main images. Uniting all these separate pieces, and layers into a cohesive, balanced and interesting story is the challenge and of course the fun part.

I love this quote from a musician Jens Lekman (this quote came to me by way of collage queen Kelly Kilmer):
 

“The beauty of the collage technique is that you’re using sounds that have never met and were never supposed to meet.

You introduce them to each other, at first they’re a bit shy, clumsy, staring at their shoes.

But you can sense there’s something there.

So you cut and paste a little bit and by the end of the song you can spot them in the corner, holding hands.”

Hugs, Gayle.

Products used:

Folk Brids

Hello Monday, Hello Everyone!

Olga's last project for the Creative Team is so adorable and easy to make, we'd love you to feel inspired and create your own altered tins in any style that suits your mood.

And if you're looking for even more inspiration, take a look at all the projects created by Olga for this Team. It has been a truly uforgettable art journey we've had together...

It was a wonderful time and a splendid experience for me. I’m so glad to have spend this magical era at Finanbair’s court with such merry and bright companions, sitting around a well set mixed media table. ;)

We shared our art secrets, inspirations and a pure joy of creating. How lucky I’m to have such beautiful memories to be cherished!

As my farewell post I'd like to present Folk Birds - my alteration of an ordinary metal tin turned into a folky style container.

I started with taking off a label from a tin and cleaning it thoroughly.

Then I glued pages from vintage dictonaries around the tin using Soft Gloss Gel. Don't try to do it too precisely, a bit of imperfection here and there may only add some artistic value to your work. :)

When the papers dried, I put a transparent and uneven coat of White Gesso mixed with the blue Metallique Art Alchemy paint. Again - not worrying about doing it too perfectly.

I decorated the lid with similar vintage papers and attached a Mechanical cog.

I cut out and painted two birdy silhouettes and painted them with Art Alchemy acrylics.

The birds were glued down along with a metal Tin Heart to the center of the tin.

I doodled a bit and traced their shapes with a black pen and acrylics.

A round Art Pebble with a piece of vintage paper glued down underneath, was attached to the Mechanical centerpiece on the lid.

To make my tin more textural, I added a pinch of Mini Art Stones onto chosen areas.

I stamped a few vintage patterns around the focal element. Then I added highlights with delicate brush strokes of Mica Powders. They stuck perfectly to the previously painted elements.

Before I say goodbye, I'd like to celebrate my great time spent with Finnabair Creative Team with a gift for you, dear readers. :) I'm giving away a small part of my creative journey that I’m so grateful for.

If you would like to grab this Denim Journal of mine, please leave your comment under this post on my blog from 10th to 20th of October.

Have a cosy and relaxing evening!
Olga

Products used: