Wednesday, 7 June 2023

My Website is live!

 

Dear reader

If I thought learning how to blog and setting that up way back when was brain gym... that had nothing on learning how to set up a website!

Add to that, making it complient with all the laws all over the world!

But... I did it! https://www.belindabasson.com/

It went live today and I am relieved that there weren't too many teething troubles.

I have set up an email waitlist for those who are interested in joining my membership area in July.  I am sure people don't realise that because of the EU laws, they have to "opt in" by going to their email and confirming the subscription... 

So now I am thinking that I have to change the wording on my page... talk about a learning curve!

Next on my list of things "to do" is record all the class videos and made the digital downloads!

Exciting times!

Friday, 2 June 2023

Mini album using Funky Fossil papers and Stencils

Dear Reader

Here is my mini album made using the papers from Funky Fossil Engine Room 6x6" and 8x8" paper pads together with my stencils
This is the stencil - mask used on the front cover
Here are all the stencils done with gold glamour paste on black watercolour paper
Below is a close up of the glamour paste on the brown paper and where it was really thick, it cracked...
This is the cover of the album, I used the 8x8" papers to wrap around the chipboard base.
Next, I used my clear embossing pad on my wooden gears and gold embossing powder to make them shiny.

I forgot to photograph the cat stamp process with gold embossing powder separately, but I cut him (and the rest of the crew for the inside of the album) out on my Brother Scan n Cut which worked perfectly with a slight gap all the way round.

I then added the crackle stamp to the already cracked paste to make it look more intentional...
I masked off the stencil and tore a strip of fabric (Ikea curtain lining - calico) to make my own ribbon using a brush and Jet Black Archival ink.
Here is a close up of the cat with the ribbon running behind him.
I had a left over foot print from a stenciled image, so I added it to the cover.
I love how detailed the stencil is, and it worked perfectly on this fabric.


Here are the pages with the 6x6 paper cut to fit the pages so that there is a black border.
I also cut different shaped tags for photos to go in all the pockets and put different papers on the front and back sides of each tag.
For each tag, I made a skinny ribbon using the same fabric strips as the front cover



This is a close up of the tags with their ribbons.







 

Thursday, 11 May 2023

Scrapbook Dog page page layout with Funky Fossil stamps and stencil

Dear reader

Welcome to another post using the Steampunk pets stamps and stencil I designed for Funky Fossil in the UK.  Any word that is underlined will take you directly to the item on the Funky Fossil site.

For the base of this page I decided to repeat the stencil, but make it fade out from left to right using vintage photo distress oxide ink.
Below you can see how you overlap the last set of paw prints to continue the repeat pattern.  To make it fade, you just don't use as much ink on your brush and press lighter.
I use low tac tape to keep the stencil in place and stop me from messing over the edges.
I cut the 12x12" paper down by an inch on the top and one side so that I could have a 1/2 inch mat of black as a base.
I also used some of what I trimmed off as strips of the bones on the right hand side of the page.
Next, I made all the elements for the page using the frame die set behind a stenciled paw print, a piece of box and some hessian/burlap behind the torn box for added texture.

The brown stenciled piece with the dog stamped on it was made using photo paper and applying brown alocohol ink onto the stencil, then printing it onto the paper.  I then tore the shape I wanted and inked the edges with black soot distress ink.  

The little white stamped characters and stenciled paw print were done on shrink plastic with jet black archival ink.  The holes were punched before I heated and shrunk the plastic.

The laser cut gears were sprayed with black soot distress ink.
I put a little gold wax on the die cut frame and the gears all on the right hand side only to add "highlights"
I added some black foam tape under the shrink plastic to give it hight.
The stencilled shrink plastic piece was used as a "dog tag" with a ump ring that goes through a piece of hessian/burlap that is threaded into the paper.
A different view of all the layers below.
I also wrapped some of the hessian/burlap strings around the photo of my little bat eared dog called Chelsea.
I also used a jump ring on this dog to attach it to the hessian.

Friday, 28 April 2023

Scrapbook page layout with Funky Fossil Steampunk Cat stamp and stencil

Dear Reader

I designed the stencil below so that it was easy to repeat.  You just overlap the footprints from the previous "print" and off you go.  
This is what I did to create this background for this 12x12" scrapbook page.  I trimmed it down so that it could have a nice mat to frame it.
I then masked off the little fish and footprints so that I could create a frame for my photograph.
Next I prepared the stamped images which I cut out on my Brother Scan n Cut and made a shrink plastic charm too.  The wooden gears were sprayed with black soot distress oxide spray.  I cut the square die cut in half to create corners.
Next, I layered everything up and stenciled on the photo


I love a bit of texture and dimension.




 

Sunday, 23 April 2023

Steampunk Cat Mixed media canvas

 

Hello dear Reader

Welcome to the first project made with my new range of stamps, stencils and papers!

If there is a link with a line under it, click on it to take you to the product on Funky Fossil's website.

This is a 12x12" canvas that I covered with the 8x8" papers called Engine Room by Funky Fossil.  The pealed paint page in the middle is a full sheet and then I cut the purple one in 4 to fill the sides and the tread plate into quarters to go in the corners.  I inked the edges of the paper with Black Soot Distress ink.
Next I worked out where I wanted the Laser cut gears.
I stamped the cat from Steampunk Pets into some Hearty Clay, tore the edges, curled them over and let it dry.  Then I added Distress Oxide spray in Brushed Corduroy and filled in the line work with black paint.  When that was all dry, I rubbed gold wax over the top to bring out the details. (I was having so much fun doing this that I forgot to photograph the step out progress - I will have to do a whole post on this process another time)
I sprayed the wooden gears with Black Soot distress Oxide and let them dry.  Once I glued everything in place I added glossy accents where I wanted the giant micro beads and then finished off the gears with the half pearls in 2 sizes.
I also added some black soot distress to the edges of the clay.
Below is the finished canvas where you can see that I used the gears mask with black soot distress ink on the 4 purple pieces to add extra interest.