Purple Rain by Sandra Babb

"Purple Rain" is the backside or reverse side of le papier colle that was created in the winter of 2009. We had a lot of dreary rainy days. The other side is the "Dance of Spring" when the sun comes out let's party!

Purple Clematis on reverse of Red Tulips...by Sandra Babb

The back of the Red Tulips has another floral. The screws are painted black. The little triangle hooks work well for hanging. It's undecided if I'll use wire, chain, or ribbon for wall hanging.
Any ideas?

Red Tulips/Forced Bulbs...by Sandra Babb

Side one of a paper placed in a floater frame. This is a black wooden frame available at Hobby Lobby.

En Verso of the High Hat Lady...by Sandra Babb

When working with Les Papiers Colles the nature of the dress pattern paper allows the acrylic paints to be seen on the "back" side of the paper. When painting this paper and stamping the back I found I like to have a front and back of the paper pages. Anne Bagby suggested that the papers be "retired" when they have come together. After developing these designs, they may be put aside for framing, placing in a photo album, or cut apart for cards or decorating boxes.
Currently there are two frame shops working on a solution to framing with front and back visible.

hand carved rubber stamps

These are two rubber stamps being hand carved for painting papers for les papiers colles. Using the stamps to apply acrylic paints in layer upon layer results in unusual designs.

High Hat by Sandra Babb

One of many papers made in February of 2010 after taking a "Pretty Papers" workshop with Anne Bagby in the Fall of 2009. Painting,stamping,cutting,and gluing seemingly fragile paper has become one way to get the creative juices flowing during these winter months when going outside has not been so comfortable. The face has been painted with Golden Acrylic paints and the swirls of paint are just that - "swirls" of paint. Doesn't she just make you want to "high hat" her right back?

painted papers

Sandra has prepared these acrylic painted papers to be used in a papier colle painting.

in the beginning...

Starting with acrylic paints in bottles and tubes, the process of painting les papiers colles began. The painting support is lowly deli paper and clothing pattern tissue paper...yes, that's right. Deli paper and clothing pattern tissue paper! The dry wax deli paper and pattern tissue are fragile yet remarkably durable.

We, Sandra and BJ, have been experimenting with acrylic paints applied with sponge rollers, fingers, rubber stamps...just any way we can get the paint to the paper.

We've bought a few ready-made rubber stamps, but the vast majority of the stamping is done with our hand carved 10"x10" stamps. (A photo will follow showing a stamp in the carving process).