Christmas Magic

Hi everyone!
Our wonderful wintery December mood continues and Sanda is here today with her stunning new art journal inspiration!

Sanda's creations are always like magical mixed media lands - take your time to admire this new one and we hope you'll feel inspired to open your own journal and make some art with us!

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"Snow was falling, so much like stars

filling the dark trees

that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more

than prettiness.”

- Mary Oliver, Snowy Night

Hello, my lovely friends,

As the winter is already here and Christmas time around the corner, I thought I will share with you today an art journal spread that I hope captures the magic that fills the air at this very special time of the year. 😊

I started by applying a generous amount of Heavy White Gesso on one of my pages with a Finnabair silicone brush and then I spread it using a few of Finn’s stamps to create some texture, as well as priming my pages.

After drying the gesso, using a small brush, I made some splatters with masking fluid and left it to dry naturally – this will take about half an hour.

I punched a circle out of a post-it note, to create a mask, and stuck it on my page. Next, I roughly traced an image of a stag that I cut with my Silhouette and then I started to paint using Art Alchemy Impasto paints.

After I painted the stag, I placed the mask back on top of it and started to paint the background, building up my winter scene.

I have used some torn paper as a mask to create the snowy hills and began painting using some cosmetic sponges, blending the paint some more, first using a brush and a drop of water and then with my fingers.

When I was pleased with the result, I stamped few trees and then I took the mask down and rubbed off the masking fluid to reveal the glowing moon and the falling snow.

Using Art Alchemy Sparks and Waxes, I added some highlights on the hills and moon.

As a finishing touch, I glued down a few Snowflake Mechanicals using Heavy Body Gel and sprinkled a dash of Glitter from the Ebony & Ivory set.

Here is my video where you can watch my creative process and see all the products I used.

Enjoy and have fun!

I hope you enjoyed and got inspired by my new project and you are ready to create your own lovely journal spread.

Have a lovely day and the most wonderful and happy Christmas, my friends, 

Sanda xoxo

Products used:

Meet the Ambassadors {Part 2}

Hello Dear Friends!

I'd like to make sure you that didn't miss the announcement of my Brand Ambassadors Team. :)

Please help me say hello (and 'great to see you again!' :) ) to another 5 brilliant Artists who agreed to support my brand.

Most of all, check if you've seen the first part of our 'Take 5' project!

I asked these beautifully creative Artists to choose 5 objects that always accompany them in their creative process and I find their answers incredibly inspiring. Please, enjoy the 'confessions' of another 5 Ambassadors!

DOROTA

It is nearly impossible to choose only 5 objects that are always with me as I always make a lot of mess when I start creating a project. :)

1. As long as I can remember, I’ve always been reading a lot of books and it’s the books that shaped my personality and my imagination.

I don’t have them on my studio desk but when I think about things I can’t live without – it's definitely books. You might never guess that my favorites are the dark ones, that is why as often as I can, I escape into this world and use a black album base. ;)

2. I can’t imagine my studio without scissors and a precise knife. When I can’t find these two, I get goosebumps.  ;)

3. I love all kinds of stamps and stencils and I have loads of them. Sometimes one little stamp can inspire me to make a whole album.
4. I have been cooperating with Scrapiniec brand for a long time so in my works chipboards are an indispensable element.

5. I can’t think of working without different media, but If I had to choose one, it would definitely be gel medium.

You can find Dorota's stunning creations and all her social media links on her blog.

KASSA

How happy to be here and keep sharing my 'haPPy art' with you all as Finnabair Ambassador - feeling very blessed...

So I will have to let you all into a little secret about my fave 5 - because I am crazy & capricious my 5 faves constantly change with my moods. :)

1. Vivid colours always feature largely in my art especially all the Art Alchemy paints.

2. Texture Powder! Just a dab mixed into the paints creates a custom coloured texture powder that I love to pull through the prettiest and most delicate of 3. stencils.

4. My addiction for various doodle pens, crayons, pencils and chalks never wanes as they as so lush for tiny details, scribbles and splatters!

5. But I will leave you with the constant that's always around me when I'm creating - it's my cheeky cute Pug Sammy. Somehow he just knows when it's time for a tea break, a stretch of the legs and a Puggle snuggle... :)

You can follow Kassa's happy art adventures on her blog.

ELENA

Here are the top 5 inspirational things for me:

1. Brushes. I love the feeling of a brush in my hand. I then feel like a magician with a wand. :)

2. Art Alchemy Waxes. I love the tangible part of my art and I enjoy working with my fingers.

3. My own projects and projects of other artists. It's my source of inspiration every time I want to surprise not only others, but myself in the first place.

4. Small embellishments like Micro Beads, Glass Glitter, Mica Flakes and other wonderful Art Ingredients.

5. Photos of my family.

Follow Elena's art and find her social media links on her blog.

LOUISE

So like the other Ambassadors I have 'those things' that I like to surround myself with when I create and my must have/go to products. It is pretty hard picking out just 5 but here they are 😊

1. A source of natural light over my desk is a 'Must Have'! It sets the mood for me and helps to create the relaxed atmosphere that I like for creating.

2. I also need to have a television close by and on whilst I am creating. It isn't about wanting to watch favourite shows but more the 'noise' from the TV.

So those 2 set the mood for me; now some must have/go to products!
3. Finnabair's Art Basics: Heavy Gesso (Black and White) and the Soft Matte Gel! You need these you your life people!!!

4. My Gelli Printing Plates! Siiiiiiiigh! Essential kit for me and my style of creating. I so so love creating my own patterned backgrounds for paper projects.

5. My hand carved stamps! I so love carving them and I love using them! There is nothing quite like being able to use a stamped image that is unique and your own design.

So that is it. 😊 If you would like to catch a little more about me and my creative life please check out my Instagram account.

MONIKA

There are always some constant elements both in my artworks and in the reality around me.

I have my favorite things that always inspire me and help to escape the ordinary.

1. Vintage books. Not just for reading. :) I love using books (mostly flea market finds) as bases of my artworks. I love their smell and textures, the beautiful old paper, vintage illustrations and that poetic old-fashioned language they're written in. They are brilliant when used as art journals!

2. Another flea market must for me are differrent kinds of metal bits and trinkets. I equally love all the "new" metal embellishements like Mechanicals.

3. I simply cannot create without stamps, especially those with writing and different kinds of sentiments.

4. In my life I like to surround myself with monochrome tones, I choose black, white and greys in my apartment and wardrobe but in my art I love reaching for the energy of vivid bright colors of inks and paints.

5. Finally, one more element that is always present and that is coffee. :) Nothing works better to age paper, make beautiful stains and splashes and create a unique vintage feel.

Don't miss any of Monika's beautiful creations following her blog.

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So here they are - my whole wonderful Team of Brand Ambassadors!

Keep an eye on my blog, this bunch of talented Artists will be sharing their creative ideas very soon! :)

And if you're feeling inspired by our posts, we'd love to know what are your own 5 objects that are always near you while you create?

 

Do you always have fresh flowers on your work table because of their color and beauty, because they bring you a sense of calm?

Do you have any go to medium you can’t imagine creating a piece of work without?

Can you only create with some heavy metal music playing in the background? Do you light a candle every time you are about to start a piece of work?

Feel most welcome to go right ahead to our Finnabair & Friends Open Studio facebook group where you can share your Take 5 photo and tell us about those special little things that make you feel good when you create.

See you there!

xx

Finn & The Team

 

Christmas Box

Hello December!

For many of us it's a magical time for festive preparations and exactly the time to pull out White Gesso, Snowflake Paste and Glitter. :)

Today Kasia is sharing her beautiful idea how to transform an ordinary wooden box into a wintery wonderland gift idea. Enjoy!

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I have to tell you that this is my favorite time of the year. I just love Christmas and all these slightly kitschy decorations, glitter, bling, snowflakes - I find them all very inspiring.

That's why I had to show you one of my Christmas projects here. I altered a box that could make a great gift in itself, but you might as well fill it with little trinkets or sweets or use it as an original packaging for a present.

I took an ordinary wooden box, glued some chipboard snowflakes on it, then applied some Soft Matte Gel and generously sprinkled the surface with Mini Art Stones which created a really special texture.

Then I painted my box with Jade Impasto Paint and White Gesso. I applied a few layers of gesso, paint, then gesso again.

I wanted to achieve the effect of a snowy box with a vintage feel and delicate tones and colors.

You can watch the whole process in my video below.

I arranged the main composition out of paper straws, little bells, white string and natural elements like twigs, cones and berries. Everything was covered with White Gesso to better blend my decorations into the background.

At the very end I added Snowflake Paste that perfectly imitates sparkling snow and luminous Pearl Glass Glitter for crystal frost. These products are must-haves for all my wintery projects!

The edges of the box are inked with Distress Ink and look even softer with a touch of Art Alchemy Bronze Age Metallique Wax to add some glow and shadowing with Artisan Powder.

Let's not forget about the beautiful wintery Mechanicals: Vintage Snowflakes and Winter Trinkets!

Please enjoy my video and I hope I'll inspire you to make some winter inspired mixed media creations!

Creating your own Christmas decorations, pretty packaging and gifts is such a lot of fun and I hope I'll inspired you to make something special for your near and dear.

Can you feel the festive mood already? :)

Happy creating!
xx
Kasia








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