Michelle Ward's GPP Street Team Crusade No. 27 is to pick a new shape and to play with it.
I decided to look for a new shape and headed to Michael's where I discovered my shape in the dollar bin.
As I walked around the store I found other stamps and stencils. The gorgeous paper was found at my favorite store Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA.
And check out these holiday crackers that I found! There were only $4! I just love those post-Christmas sales.
I played with the stamps that I purchased. I took some time to trace the edges and color in one of the shapes. There are so many variations found in damask. Tracing the edges helped me to get familiar with these three shapes.
On this page I layered the background with some tissue paper that I had. I'm really finding the damask patterns everywhere! I decided to work in blues and whites since this is the January color theme at Artsy Mama's "A Year of Color." This is a new color scheme for me. I used the stencils and stamps from my recent purchases.
I shuffled through my papers and found some examples to make this little sampler. I broke open a couple of those holiday crackers to include the wrapper on this page.
My work with damask has only just begun. I look forward to studying the shape more closely to make my own stamps and stencils.
When Michelle first posted this challenge I was all smiles. Each week I post an art journal prompt for the Soul Journal project and I had planned for this week a look at finding our "defining or power" images for 2009. Pictured above is the details of how damask made it to my soul journal. To see more about this project, CLICK HERE.
My mom always had this beautiful damask curtains for the bedroom and living room. I loved them as a kid and still do. Damask patters are elegant and romantic to me. It never dawned on me you can just have the pattern and use it on other things. You picked a winner of a shape.
Posted by: Shell | January 18, 2009 at 09:22 PM
Damask is intoxicating. I know why you chose it! Looks like fun and I may need to rethink my shape now!
Posted by: Melissa S. | January 19, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Kathyrn, the damask had long been a shape crush for me. I love that it can be found just about anywhere, from paper napkins to pre-made tools. Finding a new shape opens our eyes doesn't it? Thanks for sharing your *work-out* with the team :)
Posted by: michelle ward | January 19, 2009 at 10:44 AM
What a dynamic shape with so many possibilities! Our local paint store has free wallpaper books. Do you have something like that available because you would have a treasure trove on your hands.
Posted by: Regina | January 19, 2009 at 10:59 AM
fun, fun, fun!!! I love the damask shape.
Posted by: Leah | January 19, 2009 at 11:43 AM
OHHH Fantastic!! Really lovely to look at all of this damask! Beautifully done!
Posted by: Julie Prichard | January 19, 2009 at 05:31 PM
Oooh, these are lovely! And I love the blue on white - gorgeous! I too found the same dollar-stamp at Micheal's! Gotta love 'em!
Posted by: amateur-in-art | January 19, 2009 at 09:54 PM
That shape haunted me for years after working for a decorating company! It was everywhere! But, I do like your approach and how you've used it! It certainly looks a lot better in blues and whites than it ever did in heavy flock burgundy wallpaper!
Posted by: Rosie | January 20, 2009 at 05:42 AM
I love that shape.. you had fun with it! beautiful work...
Posted by: sheri leseberg | January 20, 2009 at 03:08 PM
ah, Kathryn ... love the damask, but especially your studies of it. :)
Posted by: 3rdEyeMuse | January 20, 2009 at 09:10 PM
still alive..; just very few time to read blogs and no time to create in the evenings...:(
Yes, your shape is a winner ! I'm really fond of these damask patters and I love what you did with it in blue and white :)
The blue stencil on the right in the first photo ... I had this shape painted on my glassdoor a few years ago with frosted varnish ( looks like etched glass) !
I have several of these damask patterns in a Dover clipart book. I could scan some of these if you would like them : for example to make some stamps with imagepac with these !
Just let me know !
greets
Inge
Posted by: inge | January 21, 2009 at 01:48 PM
What amazing and intricate pieces you made with the stamps. I found myself distracted, gazing at them like they are stars in the sky. :) I especially adore the last piece! :)
Posted by: Genie | January 22, 2009 at 05:44 PM
Wow - what a stunning shape. I have always thought it too 'hard' for me to play with, but having seen what you've done, I might just have to have a go. Those Christmas crackers are so beautiful - imagine the elegant table setting you could create round them!
Posted by: Cath Sheard | January 23, 2009 at 07:16 PM
I love to see this, because the European embellishments have so much to teach us, and so much inspiration in them. I have some of the Dover books on "Historic Ornament." I know I'm a design nerd, but it's such fun! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: karen | January 24, 2009 at 08:56 PM