Merry Christmas!

 

Hey there!

Well, here we are at Christmas week and what a year it has been.  2020 has been a strange and difficult year for so many of us and we can only hope that 2021 is a better and safer year for us all.

This year saw me take up mixed media painting - did I think I could do it? - no.  Did I think that I had the confidence to do it? - no.  Did I think that my paintings would be good enough to share with my whole crafting and art world families? - no!  It just goes to show you that through the most unprecidented happenings, something new can come shining through that changes almost everything that I have ever done and the way that I see things - I have been stretched in my abilities (which I think that I needed) and I have moved closer (to my already very strong love) to nature and animals - it has been a year that I will never forget that's for sure.

I would like to wish each and every one of you that follows me, a very happy, peaceful, healthy and safe Christmas and I would also like to thank you all for the amazing comments that you have left on here and on all of my social media platforms - it's has been phenominal, it really has.

Here is my offering for Christmas to my blog, a beautiful reindeer rendered in watercolour and pastel pencils, with watercolour markers and posca pens.

See you next year! - stay safe.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne 

xxxxx

Mid month reminder for We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge and Anything Goes

 

Hi there!

It's mid month and that means I'm here with a mid month reminder for our We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge.

Here's a sample that I've made using two of Chocolate Baroque's stamp sets - Heath Robinson House(the coloured large image in the centre) and Townhouses (the muted houses in the background).

Coloured with distress inks.

I thought this is such a versatile stamp set for both feminine or masculine cards and even the younger ones in their teens perhaps as they set upon life's journey.

Here's the link to our Challenge:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Thanks so much for stopping by and Merry Christmas to you all!!!!

Leanne xxxx

New theme at We Love Chocolate Baroque - Anything Goes!

 

Hi there!

Here I am with a card for our theme at We Love Chocolate Baroque this month which is....

Anything Goes!

This lovely stamp set from Chocolate Baroque is called O is for....

.......so O could be for orchard in this case, or orange as I've kept to orange tones!

Coloured with distress inks.

Here is the link to our We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Totally nuts......

 

Hi there folks!

Here I am with another of my paintings and this one I felt turned out rather sweet!

Painted in all sorts of colours! From the naturals to the pink, purple and blues!!!

I had great fun with this one using watercolours, pastel pencils, brushos and posca pens.  I needed to get that fluffy tail just right!

The challenge with this piece was to get that colouring how I wanted it and the get the flare of that tail - the tail was always going to be the star of the show.

This is the last painting that I painted while down in Cornwall at the beginning of October and if you've been following my paintings over the past few weeks, you'll see that I had a complete ball, relaxing doing them.

Hope you like this one.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

It's a good hair day!..........

 

Hey there!

Welcome to another of my paintings!

Now, this one has so much character it made me smile as I painted it!

I personally love Alpacas and I don't think I'm alone - this one I painted whilst down in Cornwall last month and I've called it " It's a Good Hair Day!".

I had a lot to take in while painting this one and it was quite complex to try and capture the character of this chappie but I think I got it!!!

Painted in my usual watercolours with pastel pencil and posca pens.

He's quite a gem in my collection.

Thanks for stopping by

Leanne xxx

Mid month reminder for We Love Chocolate Baroque " Christmas"

 

Hi there!

Here I am with my mid month reminder for the 

We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge

Our theme this month is "Christmas".

Here I have used two of Chocolate Baroque's stamp sets on this card -

A Tomte Christmas and Trees a Crowd

I started by stamping my little gnomes and covering them with a mask that I made.  Then I worked on the distress ink background and added the trees using Versafine Claire ink pads.  After removing the mask the little gnomes were coloured in using my Koi brush markers.  To finish I added some white enamel accents for some snowflakes.

This is quite a rare make for me as you can see a white border has been left AND IT HASN'T GOT A SINGLE FINGER PRINT ON IT!!!!!! Wowsers, I must have been having a good day!!!!

Do pop over to see us at We Love Chocolate Baroque!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne

XXX

Sharing Pink Ink Designs Nip and Duck and Twinkle Toes.........

 

Hi there!

I'm sharing a couple more of my samples for Pink Ink Designs today.

The first one is using Pink Ink's Nip and Duck stamp set - unusually I have coloured this in on craft card using my polychromos - something I rarely do and the second sample is using the Twinkle Toes stamp set.  This sample has a large amount of gold shimmer paint on it but it was impossible to catch is shimmering on a photo!

Hope you like them,

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

At Sun Up.....

 

Hey there! How are you all doing?

I am sharing another of my paintings today and this one I have called "At Sun Up".

As usual, not your usual coloured bunny but I thought that the lovely colours shining on this little ones coat looked like the lovely early morning sunshine.

Painted from a royalty free image in watercolours and pastel pencils.

This was a joy to paint and I love being experimental with the different tones.

Hope you like it,

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Sharing Dragon's Dance and Old Jack from Pink Ink Designs......

 Hello there! Sharing a couple more of my Pink Ink Designs samples today with you.  The above card is made using Pink Ink's Dragon's Dance stamp set and the little chappie here on the right has been created using Pink Ink's Old Jack stamp set.

These are the usual outstanding quality that Pink Ink bring to us and I so enjoyed having a play with them!

Thanks for stopping by

Leanne xxxx

New theme at We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge - "Christmas"

 

Hi there,

It's a new month and that means it's a new theme at We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge and our theme this month which is "Christmas".

I've made a rather contemporary card for you here using Chocolate Baroque's Steampunk Christmas set. The snowflake I have used is from Chocolate Baroque's Gingerbread Christmas set.

Coloured with distress ink and Koi brush pens with a touch of white pen too.

Here's the link for our Challenge:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Dragon's Dance, Twinkle Toes and Magnipheasant for Pink Ink Designs......

 

Hi there!  Here I am with some more of my more recent Pink Ink Designs samples for you.  The above card is made with their Dragon's Dance stamp set.

This one is made using Twinkle Toes stamp set......

and this one is using their Magnipheasant stamp set.

Hope you like them all,

thanks for stopping by

Leanne xxxxxx

A Christmas Robin with a Leanne Twist........

 

Hi there!

Here I am as promised with another of my paintings - this one is a Robin with a bit of a Leanne twist!!!!

Well, I like to be a little bit different!!!!

I have painted this one from a royalty free image but of course, jazzed all the colours up!

Painted in watercolours and my usual trusty pastel pencils with some white posca pen.

I shall be using this one as some of my Christmas cards this year.

Hope you like it,

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Pink Ink Designs samples to share.........

 

Hey there!

I am sharing today two creations that I've made with Pink Ink Designs stamps - the first one is a sample that I made for them for their TV shows on Hochanda using the Twinkle Toes stamp set and the second one is a sample that I made using Nip and Duck stamp set for their competition that ran up to early October which was "reflections".

I'll try and share some of my other more recent Pink Ink samples over the coming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Mid Month Reminder for We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge for "Anything Goes"

 

Hi there!

Here I am with your mid month reminder for our We Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge and our theme this month couldn't be easier - it's Anything Goes!!!

Here I have used Chocolate Baroque's Autumn Edges stamp set which has several "edges" on it and I have used the mushrooms edge. I particularly liked this stamp as it's so suitable for cards or home decor for both men and women.  The sentiment is also Chocolate Baroque.

Coloured with distress inks on top of a distress ink background using nice autumnal colours.

Hope you can come over and join us here the link for you:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Time to share a painting I think....... Who's a pretty boy then....

 

Hi there!

Well where have I been?  Time passes so quickly and my blogging just gets pushed further back!

To be fair, I've had builders here at home for over two months and it has been nothing short of chaos and will be for probably a further couple of months!

I did manage to escape it all last week and had a lovely week down in Cornwall (much needed) and although the weather was rough for the first part, it got better as the week went on thank goodness!

So, I had anticipated the weather and took my art materials with me.  It's a bit like cooking with me, I sooo enjoy doing it when I've got the time to properly do it!!!!

So, here was the first painting that I did and I've called it "Who's a pretty boy then" - I wanted to push myself to a subject that isn't an easy one with all the markings that are involved - a budgerigar!

I was quite pleased with how this one came out, painted in watercolour and finished in pastel pencils with a little help from some Faber Castell markers.

Hope you like it, I know that some of you like to see what I'm up to other than my paper crafting. I am going to set some time aside today to schedule some posts of the other paintings that I've done recently and while I was away.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

New theme for We Love Chocolate Baroque - Anything Goes!

 

Hello there and welcome to the first Sunday of October! You know what that means? - It's a new theme over on the I Love Chocolate Baroque challenge and this month it's the best one of all - Anything Goes!

Here I have used Chocolate Baroque's Honey Bee stamp set but I have only used the two foxgloves that are in the set.  I stamped them with a Kaleidacolor ink pad so get the lovely colours and then pulled the colour out with a slightly damp brush, then over stamped some of the larger ones at the front with a touch of Versafine ink and left the others without it.  The background is simply distress ink swept across with a stencil brush.

I do hope you'll come over and join us - here's the link for you:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Please remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and the main focal image of your creation must be a hand stamped image - no digital images are allowed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Mid month reminder for We Love Chocolate Baroque - Wings or Anything Goes.......

 

Hi there!

Here's a mid month reminder for you for our newly named challenge - We Love Chocolate Baroque and our theme this month which is Wings or anything goes.

Here I have used Chocolate Baroque's Honey Bee stamp set and I've coloured it with my Koi brush pens with a touch of distress ink on the background.

Please remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and the main focal image of your creation must be a hand stamped image, no digital images are allowed.

Here's the link to get to the challenge:-

We Love Chocolate Baroque

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

New theme for our new challenge - "We Love Chocolate Baroque" - Wings or Anything Goes!

 

Hello there and welcome to our new challenge - "We Love Chocolate Baroque"! 

This sample is using Chocolate Baroque's Patchwork Butterfly set.  Coloured with distress oxides and distress inks.

I'll let you in to a little secret, I've made this card as an anniverary card for my friend who actually got married on the same day that I did!!!!  Her wedding theme was lilac so here I am with beautiful lilacs!!!!

I just loved the little Irish blessing from this set so I've simply stamped "Happy Anniversary" inside the card instead!!!

Do come over and join us on the new I Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge - here's the link!

I Love Chocolate Baroque Challenge

We are a hand stamping challenge so usual rules apply, your main focal image must be that of a hand stamped image and on theme too.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for "Say it with Flowers"....

Hi there!

Here I am with my mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for this months theme which is "Say it with Flowers".

This time I went a little different (and my photograph would not come out well!!!).  I kept this one to grey tones to show off that one focal sunflower and it's so much brighter in the flesh!!! - I think this has something to do with the fact that it is covered in glossy accents.

For this sample I used Penny Blacks 40-312 Sunny Pair stamp.  I've coloured in slightly with liquid pencil and Koi brush pens.  The sentiment is one from my own stash and I finished the corners with a punch that rounded them nicely.

I thought this was a nice card for someone who is perhaps feeling poorly, or down or would even make a nice sympathy card - unfortunately we do have to make those and I like to keep one or two in my stash just in case of need.

Do come over and join us at Penny Black and More Challenges:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

Please remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and the main focal image of your artwork must be that of a hand stamped image, no digital images are allowed for this challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

A recent painting to share with you........"Berry"

 

Hi there,

Sandra - your wish is my command!

Today I'm sharing with you a recent animal portrait that I've finished of one of my three cats "Berry".

Completed in watercolour with pastel pencils and posca pen - it is my usual mixed media style.

I have now opened my own website where I am selling some of my paintings that have been printed on to greeting cards and I hope to get more giftware on to the site over the coming months.

https://LeanneCHarrisfineart.co.uk/

My aim with animal portraiture is to capture the character of the animal as well as the likeness and get "right in there"- I hope that you can see this in my painting of Berry.

I will share my paintings as I do them.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

New theme for Penny Black and More Challenges.... Say it with Flowers

Hi there,

It's the first Sunday of August and it's a new theme over at Penny Black and More Challenges and this month it's "Say it with Flowers".

Here on this sample I have used the lovely Penny Black stamp 40-618 Rose Bowl along with the sentiment which is from Penny Blacks 30-387 Festive Snippets set.

Coloured with my Koi brush pens and a distress oxide background with some splashes of diluted brusho with black embossing enamel.

This stamp is so versatile and would suit so many different occasions.

Please do come over and join us at Penny Black and More Challenges:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

Please do remember that we are a hand stamping challenge, so the main focal image must be that of a hand stamped image, no digital images are allowed for this challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges....In The Garden.

Hi there!!!

It's time for my mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for our theme this month of In The Garden.

For my creation this time I decided to go Christmas!!!

I've used Penny Blacks 40-571 Feathers and Twigs with 30-387 Festive Snippets stamp set for the sentiment.

I used a Kaleidocolor ink pad and spritzed with water to make it all bleed, then went in again using my stamping platform with black ink and highlighted a few areas with white multi surface paint and some white Nuvo drops scattered around.

You can join us at Penny Black and More Challenges here:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

Please remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and the main focal image of your creation must be a hand stamped image - no digital images are allowed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Cornish paintings........

Hi there!

I've been down here in Cornwall and have been working on my painting.

I have painted several while I've been here so thought I would share a couple now with you and I'll follow those up with a few more over time.

These two are watercolours with pastel pencils.

Hope you like them,

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

New theme at Penny Black and More Challenges - In The Garden.......

Hello all!!!

It's time for a new theme over at Penny Black and More Challenges and this months new theme is...

In The Garden.

For this card I've used 30-415 Garden Charmers stamp set with 30-416 Happy Thoughts (the sentiment is one from this lovely stamp set).  I have also used the 25-019 Leaf Frolic stencil.

This Garden Charmers set is fast becoming one of my favourites and I've coloured it all with my Gansai Tambi paints on this one.  The background is a touch of Salty Ocean distress oxide and finished with a few Nuvo vintage drops in the centres of the flowers (hard to see from the photo!).

You can join us at Penny Black and More Challenges here:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

Please remember that we are a stamping challenges and the main focal image of your creation must be that of a hand stamped image - no digital images are allowed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Meet "Daft Cow".......

Morning!

Well, here is the last of my lockdown paintings so far - you've caught up with me at this stage!

Meet "daft cow"!!!

This is part of a technique with Alison C Board and we all had a go at a highland cow.  It's amazing at how we all interpret the hair, the eyes, horns etc

I hope you've enjoyed these paintings - my blog being quite aptly named "A brush with a stamper" - it just meant to be......

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Tarantella and baby goat.............

Hi there!

Here I am with painting 9 and 10 for you....

This first painting was an exercise with Alison C Board for our technique of the week - Tarantella.

It made us experiment with the use of (in this case) drawing inks mixed with watercolour paints and gouache.

This little baby goat was painted for a friends daughters birthday card - she works on a farm with goats and this is the first solo delivery that she did - thought it was a nice touch. This one is my usual mixed media watercolour and pastel pencils with ink pen.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Pink week and a Christmas deer..................

Morning!

Paintings 7 and 8 for you today!

We had a pink week and Alison C Board sent me this photo of a rose to try and replicate.  Although time consuming I can't tell you how relaxing and involved you get with it!!!!

This was just me painting what I thought might be an ideal Christmas card design for me this year????

Both paintings are again in watercolour with pastel pencils and ink.

I'm loving the mixed media artist in me!!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Ballet blocks and 5 little ducks...........

Hi there!

Here are paintings 5 and 6 for you.

The ballet block shoes were a learning curve rendered in watercolour and heavy use of the pastel pencils.

This was also a learning painting of multiple images on a painting.

See you in a couple of days with paintings 7 and 8!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

An owl and a hare.....................

Hello there.

Here are painting 3 and 4 for you.

Both of these paintings are again in my favourite watercolour and pastel pencils.

Both reference images are royalty free images from Pixabay.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Lucky.......

Here I am with painting number 2.

This time I've painted my other dog.....Lucky.

Again in watercolour and pastel pencils.

Thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Thanks for stopping by

Leanne xxxx

A different side to me.............

Hi there!

For a while now my blog has ticked over with the Penny Black makes and I must confess I have literally hundreds of my Pink Ink makes that I have not managed to blog for you so yes, I'm guilty as charged!  Time has rather got the better of me during lockdown as I've been concentrating and have used this time to bring in a new skill......painting!

I know that some of you will follow me on Facebook and may have seen some of these on there but for those of you that haven't, I'll share some of my painting from throughout lockdown on here I promise!

So, first up, here is Bobbi.  I have attached the reference photo for you.

Rendered in watercolour and pastel pencils.

I just dived in with guidance from Alison C Board and I travelled to somewhere I'd never been before.  It took me to a very tranquil and relaxing place and I was able to express myself in what I painted - my craftroom has become a craft room and art studio.

I hope you like the first of about 11 of my paintings - some will be from learning new techniques and how to handle and work the paint but you will see my journey.

I'll post another one every couple of days so keep your eyes open!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for "My Favourite Stamp"......

Hello there!

Here I am with the mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for this months theme which is "My Favourite Stamp".

Now, I just couldn't let this months theme slip by without including this stamp - 40-516 Dynamic.  I love poppies and this one needs nothing more than a simple background.  I have used a sentiment from Penny Blacks 30-419 Happy Wishes set.

Please do come over and join us for this months challenge:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/

Do remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and the main focal image of your creation must be that of a hand stamped image - no digital images are allowed.

There are prizes to be won too!!!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Leanne xxxx

New theme at Penny Black and More "My Favourite Stamp"....

Hi there!

It's the first Sunday of June so it's a new theme over at Penny Black and More Challenges and this months theme is "My Favourite Stamp".

Well, I do have a couple of "go to's" with Penny Black so this is the first of the two - 40-099 Soft Wings.  I have worked with many butterflies and this one for some reason to me, is one of the best!

I've created my background with Jane Davenports Inkredible inks, the sentiment is from my own stash and I've finished it off with some sequins, beads and glossy accents.

Do come and join us at Penny Black and More Challenges, there are prizes to be had!

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/

Please remember that we are a hand stamping challenge and your focal image must be a hand stamped image, no digital images allowed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxx

Mid month reminder at Penny Black and More Challenges for "Boys and Men".......

Hello there!

It's time for my mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges for this months theme of "Boys and Men".

Well, I loved this image from the moment I first saw it!  It shouts grazy Grandad to me!!!!

I've used Penny Blacks 40-215 Engineer stamp and I just extended those rail tracks slightly with a micron pen.

Distress ink background, sentiment and grasses from my own stash.  Coloured with Gansai Tambi paints.

Isn't this fun!!!?  It made me smile everytime I sat down to work on it!!

Please remember that our challenge is a hand stamping challenge so the main focal image of your creation must be that of a hand stamped image, no digital images are allowed.

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

I hope you'll come over and join us this month there are prizes to be won!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

New theme at Penny Black and More Challenges "Boys and Men"......

Hi there!

Well it's the first Sunday in May so it's a new theme at Penny Black and More Challenges and this month that new theme is.....

Boys and Men.

This stamp from Penny Black fits the bill perfectly, it's 40-295 Video Boy.

I've coloured him with my Koi brush pens, the background stencil and sentiment are from my own stash. Scribbles are hand drawn.

Please remember that our challenge is a hand stamping challenge so the main focal image of your creation must be that of a hand stamped image, no digital images are allowed.

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com/

Hope you can come over and join in this month!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx

Mid month reminder at Penny Black and More Challenges for "Anything goes".......

Good morning!!

We find ourselves half way through April so here is my mid month reminder for Penny Black and More Challenges.

This months theme is "Anything goes" so on this sample I have used the lovely little hedges from Penny Blacks 30-059 Best Day Ever stamp set.

I seem to have gone down a Christmas themed route for this months samples but hey, it all helps when Christmas time arrives!!!!

Coloured with Koi brush pens on a distress oxide background with a few little snowflakes from my own stash.

There still plenty of time to enter this months theme so pop on over to our challenge page where you'll always receive a warm welcome and positive vibes:-

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.com

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE ARE A HAND STAMPING CHALLENGE SO THE MAIN FOCAL IMAGE OF YOUR CREATION MUST BE A HAND STAMPED IMAGE AND NOT A DIE CUT.  DIGITAL IMAGES ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THIS CHALLENGE.

There are prizes to be had too!!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leanne xxxx