Awfully Big Art Adventure: November 2008

Friday, 28 November 2008

Art Angels

This week we are challenging you to make angels...they may come in handy for Christmas decorations! Feel free to use your imagination and make them out of whatever you like.....

Rosie used scrapbook papers for her Christmas decoration, and painted the face and wings herself - clever girl.

She used an Artchix dreambox for this one, plus Artchix collage sheet and wings. Very classy Rosie - love those blue wings!

I used Artchix images for all my pieces - this one is in a memory frame, with added metal halo and wings.

This one ended up quite bizarre - but I like her! The body is made of paperclay.

I stuck the famous Archix mascot onto a chunky block (covered in music and text) with a panel of Angelina fibre and a metal heart.

Better late than never - this is my altered tin. It was an M&S mint tin that I sanded and covered in alcohol ink. This is one of my favourite images.

It is now home for my sequin collection!

The 2 little angels were from a chocolate wrapper and I've mounted them onto Angelina.
Ok....now its your turn!

PS If you want to use an angel quote, I'll be putting lots on my blog later today.

We were very grateful to Audrey at http://smallcreations.blogspot.com/ for inspiring us to make chunky ATCs. She wasn't able to join in with our challenge that week, but has since made some more beautiful examples. I recommend you take a look at her work.

Monday, 24 November 2008

Incredible Inchies!

I'm sorry this post is late, but I was away at Rosies last week (having fun).
Your artwork for the Inchie Challenge has been a joy to behold!
Such a variety of techniques, materials and lay-outs. Thank you very much for taking part and inspiring us all............

Round of applause!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before I go I'd just like to thank Yvonne at http://boxoftrix.blogspot.com/ for allowing us to show her inchies on our original post. I recommend you take a look at her blog - you'll see lots more beautiful pieces of fabric art.

Like this......

Friday, 21 November 2008

ALTER A TIN

Our challenge this week is to alter a tin, so we've got three examples to show you. The square tin is recycled and has been alcohol inked over the silver body, and a metal panel hides the manufacturers name on the lid!

The "secrets" tin is actually a bought for altering "band-aid" tin, which has been covered in script paper, then distressed and sealed.

The pink tin is another bought for altering tin - a small size "lunch tin", which again has been altered with scrapbook papers and quite a lot of ribbons!

We hope this will just give you a flavour of the many possibilities ... and once again provide something you can either use or give away as a gift! So show us what you can do ....

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

JUST A HINT ....

Just a hint that you'll be needing a tin for Friday's challenge - so it's time to dig out that one you've had put aside for ages just waiting for you to get round to it! Buy one, recycle one, whatever you like .... Any kind of tin will do, I've used a bought lunch tin, a band-aid tin and one that had sweets in it, it's what you do with it that matters!

Monday, 17 November 2008

Inchie Inspiration

I just had to show you these.... they might inspire you to make fabric inchies! They were made by Dot and you can see more detail here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/createarian/2910943379/
and here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/createarian/355235453/in/set-72157594543185922/

Thank you Dot for letting us see these. Your work is inspirational!

ARTCHIX SPONSORSHIP

The lovely Helga from our absolute favourite supplier Artchix Studio has so kindly offered us sponsorship, and just LOOK what she's sent us! She's even remember to send two of each size of the lil dreamboxes so we don't fight (as if!) but then we somehow have to share out the gorgeous collage sheets ....

If you don't already know of this supplier (or even if you do) get on over there and see for yourself the wondrous goodies in store. It's the sort of place where you want to buy everything!!.

And you might not know that Helga issues weekly challenges through her blog here so take a look over there as well.

Look out for all this delicious stuff in future challenge samples ....

Rosie

Friday, 14 November 2008

GIVE US AN INCH ... AND WE'LL MAKE ART!

G'morning all, it's challenge day again and this time it's inchies!
Now before you groan and mutter things like "too small" "can't do them" or "oh no what a stoopid idea" hear me out (convinced inchie makers can skip this bit).

I was an inchie hater too - the smallest thing I ever made was a twinchie, and that seemed tiny enough. I think the problem for most of us is that the format just doesn't give enough scope? But then, browsing through my favourite magazine Somerset Studio, I came across someone who made sets of inchies, and it all started to make sense. When you look at them individually there's not much happening, but when you see a whole set ..... anyway, I made these and have to admit I actually enjoyed it!

And what's more you don't have to stick to card and paper, because look what I found on Dot's blog - fabric inchies, made by a lady in Scotland. Aren't they BRILLIANT? And I also thought .... what about metal inchies??

I can hear you asking "what constitutes a set" and please don't be put off by the quantities made here because when I consulted Linda we concluded that a set could be as few as three. Since I made mine I've also come across sets that tell a story, so I might have to have a go at that (well you all know about my penchant for telling stories).

And Linda managed to combine last week's challenge with this one and make a block with a set of inchies on it! She calls it a "Celebration of Women" and one of the pictures is of her mum.

So we look forward to seeing your sets, which as usual will be MUCH better than ours, and make us say "why didn't we think of that"! And by the way (seasonal hint) don't you think a set like this mounted into a frame would make a lovely Christmas gift??????

Thursday, 13 November 2008

Chunky ATCs

We are aware that this was a tricky challenge for some of you because of the woodblock, but we want to say a BIG thank you to those of you who had a go - the results are fantastic and inspirational!
We have to give a special mention to Patty at Magpie's Nest who threw her heart and soul into the challenge and couldn't stop making them!

Please visit all her links and see what else she made.

http://bitze.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/purple-is-the-color
http://bitze.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/mixed-media-monday-2
http://bitze.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/paradise
http://bitze.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/chunky-artist-trading-cards

http://kimmiekrazykorner.blogspot.com/

http://random-ramblings-of-a-crafter.blogspot.com/2008/11/blog-inspiration.htmlWell done Crissi for finding a novel way of making a woodblock (see her post)

http://thepapergirls.blogspot.com/2008/11/awfully-big-art-adventure-l-r.html

and another clever idea for a woodblock from Chriss Rollins http://inkythings.blogspot.com/2008/11/art-adventure-wood-block.html

http://bling-kin-eck.blogspot.com/2008/11/big-art-adventure-challenge-3d-atc.html

http://magpiesarttreasurechest.blogspot.com/

http://jaqi-scrapbookinginmysleep.blogspot.com/2008/11/awfully-big-art-adventure-week-7.html

http://studiorose.wordpress.com/

http://neatcs.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/linda-and-rosies-adventure/

http://dawne-abitofthisabitofthat.blogspot.com/2008/11/awfully-big-adventure.html

Friday, 7 November 2008

Rosie's Chunky ATC and An Award

Rosie emailed the pictures of her woodblock to me last night and it is GORGEOUS!

I can't wait to make more of these. Its really nice to hold something thats decorated on all sides.

Rosie has taken the words Angels in the Architecture from a Paul Simon song.

Hopefully she's inspired you to have a go...........

We are very grateful to Helga at Artchix for giving our blog an award.

Helga's blog is very inspiring (as is her website) - full of wonderful colours, fabulous art materials and inspirational ideas. I recommend you take a look.......

http://www.myartisticlife.typepad.com/

http://www.artchixstudio.com/

More news to come about Artchix in the coming weeks - Rosie and I are very excited ...... so watch this space!

A Bit About Us

We both had to retire early because of health problems and took up blogging, ATC making and altered art as a form of therapy. For both of us this has been a healing journey and literally transformed our lives, and we would like this challenge blog to affirm and encourage you to believe that it can do the same for you!

Everyone has the capacity to make art - and to find that it touches and renews some deep part of themselves. The only opinion of your art that is important is YOUR own! If you've enjoyed making it and feel satisfied with what you've done that's the only thing that matters. Silence the inner critic who says you can't do it, or that it isn't good enough, and dive right in.

So we're inviting you to share the journey with us as we challenge ourselves and you to try new ideas and techniques, push the boundaries of what we believe we can do, and grow through the process of becoming what we can be.

Linda's Blog
Rosie's Blog