We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
"Little Gidding"
T S Eliot

Sunday 8 January 2017

Not puss in boots ...

The Craft Barn have launched their year long challenge for 2017, which is based around a poem by Sara Coleridge - The Months.

I've decided to challenge myself too, as I much prefer to use as large a canvas as possible, and for past Craft Barn challenges I have always used a 10 x 8 inch format, which is the limit of smallness (for me!).

So, I considered doing ATCs - but no - a step too too far! I've compromised on the postcard format; time will tell if I struggle with it!

Anyway, the first couplet from the poem is -

January brings the snow,
Makes our feet and fingers glow.

There will always be an additional twist, and this one must include a bird in a wellington boot.

I've used all scraps from my paper box for this - one upside of the small format!

The background is acrylic roughly painted onto textured paper - this scrap is at least a couple of years old!

I've used acrylic sprayed scraps for the bird, stamping and die-cutting one of Tim Holtz's crazy ones. I then cut the legs off (ouch), but gave him a much better pair in boots which I hand cut from a really small scrap! Which just goes to show there is good reason to save even the tiniest piece of painted paper!


Also entering the current Craft Stamper Anything Goes challenge.

Happy Sunday!

13 comments:

  1. Adorable, bring a smile to my face. Fantastic art :) xx

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  2. Very cute, although the bird looks a bit apprehensive! Well done for challenging yourself with the small format.

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  3. Oh I love this! It takes a while to decide on a format for the year doesn't it. I went for a smaller size this year as well and a landscape orientation.

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  4. This is wonderful and so fun to see. I love how you used the twist. Looks like I won't be joining you this year at the Craft Barn, but I will follow your monthly adventures there, regardless.

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  5. Lovely card, I love the bird in his cute boots! xx

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  6. What fun! thank you for joining the Craft Barn Month Challenge and you seem to be coping very well with the smaller format xx

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  7. Love this ...... the crazy bird looks so cute in his wellington boots. Thank you for playing along with the Craft Stamper challenge xx

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  8. Loving your bird in his wellies. With those long legs he looks like he will cope fine in a snow drift!!

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  9. What a great idea to challenge yourself with the format for the project. For me, working large is a challenge so I really admire your comment about 10 x 8 inches!
    I love that funny bird in his wellies, such a whimsical postcard, I love it.

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  10. I'm most comfortable with a small area to work on so perhaps I should have challenged myself with a large format this year. Your bird me smile - I love the long legs you've given him.

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  11. Ha, how cute is this!!! I adore Tim Holtz's crazy birds - with his long legs it looks so funny!
    Rosi x

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  12. Great card he has boots like mine. Thanks for joining in with us at the Craft Stamper, Elizabeth x

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