With each new month I try to figure out something that will inspire you and provide you with new learning opportunities. With the holiday season right around the corner (yes, it is going to be here before you can blink) I wanted to bring you two different projects in hopes that they will inspire you to start preparing for the gift-giving season ahead. If you are like me, then you MUST start now, or you will not be ready when the time comes.
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This month I am sharing two completely different looks in hopes of appealing to small children, as well as the harder to please teen market. In doing so I took the opportunity to try something completely new to me. I hope that my "out of the box" thinking will appeal to some of you and that you will be inspired to create something completely different than what you typically create.
Cherry Apron
This first project is for the kids in your life - and yes, there are many adult kids too. I hope I can inspire you to create something for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews (boys should learn how to cook too - insert big grin) or for one of those larger kids you adore (these aprons come in adult sizes as well).
Cherries are hot, hot, hot right now and when Studio Line artist Nancy Baier, of Cornish Heritage Farms, released these two awesome sets, Fruit Basket and Vegetable Harvest, I immediately made a quick trip over to Michaels to pick up some premade fabric pieces to customize in hopes of inspiring you. It is just now that I am finally getting to one of these projects.
To begin I created the illusion of a pocket and border by masking off the canvas using tape. You can use masking, painter's, artist canvas or any tape that creates a firm bond with the fabric and keeps paint from seeping under the edges. After defining the areas I wanted to paint I prepped the area using gesso and allowed it to dry.
Using Palette, Burnt Umber (I used Palette ink because it is waterproof and is permanent even on fabric) I stamped the cherries randomly in this prepared area. The gesso provides a wonderful surface on which to stamp and paint your images.
Due to the tight timeline in which I created this piece I have not had time to launder it, but I hope to in the coming week. I will be certain to come back and add an amendment to this post and let you see the final outcome of my laundered apron.
Using the Studio Paints, add color and dimension to the cherries.
Remove the masking strips and add some detail using red stitching, and red twill with white stitching.
The possibilities are endless. Randomly stamp and paint fruits and vegetables over the entire apron surface, customizing it for the recipient, and so much more. Again this apron was available in a multitude of sizes and would be suitable for the big kids (men )in your lives as well. The good news is that it took less than one hour to complete this project and so I would like to encourage you to give it a try.
Graffiti Grunged Clutch
Creating for teenagers can be extremely difficult. In thinking about what it is that teens seem to be attracted to, I thought about the clothing they are wearing. "Graphic tees" are in abundance and they are created in such a funky style. I think it is probably easier to create for girls than boys, but I do think that even a teen boy might appreciate a personalized piece of art for his wall that is created in this style. Or perhaps even a cover to a photo album that includes pictures of him with his friends.
One of the pleasures I have during the summer is having Maddi come to work with me. Having her at work is so rewarding for me, and with this project I was able to consult with her and involve her throughout the process. It was an awesome day!!!
Girls always need something to carry their "stuff" around in and so I began the quest to create a one-of-a-kind clutch for her. When I was teaching "art classes" in my home I had purchased a ton of cotton fabric to create the gift/wine bag shown below. It was my first experimentation with stamping/painting on fabric and teaching others this art form.
A basic fabric can take on so many different looks and so I highly recommend purchasing a number of yards of a basic fabric if you are interested in creating a diverse selection of fabric stamped gift items.
To create Maddi's clutch only very basic sewing skills are needed, so please don't be "threatened" by needing to pull out your sewing machine.
Before beginning, be certain to cover your work surface, protecting it from any errant paint or gesso. I used a large black plastic bag to protect my surface AND to act as my "paint pad" (see later note on this.)
Start with a piece of cotton/canvas fabric that is approximately 14"w x 18"l. It is easier to work with a piece of fabric that is slightly larger than what you want your finished size to be. Upon completion I cut the size of my canvas down to 11 1/2"w x 16 1/2"l.
Before beginning I googled graffiti images, as well as grunge images. I was inspired by the haphazard "messy" style. What I also noted was that almost all graffiti has black as a contrast to the vibrant colors used.
Begin by painting a layer of gesso on to your fabric and allow it to dry. The gesso covered surface is still extremely maleable, but keeps the paint from "sinking" in to the fabric. Maddi requested purple and blue as the key colors and so using a very "messy" technique I covered the surface with these two colors, mixing them in some areas and letting them stand alone in others.
To personalize her clutch we painted her hand with gesso. To even out the coating of gesso Maddi placed her hand on to the plastic table covering that was protecting my work surface and then "stamped" her hand imprint on to the dry painted surface.
To splatter and drizzle the paint on to your fabric, first thin out the Blank Canvas and Charcoal Black paints with water. To create the drizzle effect, apply the watery paint in a thin line and then hold the canvas up allowing the paint to flow down your canvas. Experimenting with these messy techniques is SO much fun!
After Maddi shared with me what she wanted for the focal image and word, I mentally positioned these key elements on what I envisioned to be the final project. By folding the canvas as I worked I was able to determine approximate placement of these items.
What would graffiti be without airbrushing? I had not yet experimented with airbrushing over the Studio Paint lines and wanted to determine how they would adhere. SO COOL! The key to success with the airbrush system is finding the right masking techniques to use to control the misty spray patterns. Fortunately I am surrounded by fabulous resources and for this project selected Tim's Ransom Alphabet and Heidi Swapp's Mini Bird Branch as the focal point. Layering your masks will add so much to the final result.
By airbrushing only the letters and then adding the bird atop this surface and contrasting this image with white paint, it creates a stronger focal point than if I would have put both masks in place at the same time.
I shared the large variety of masks and stamps we have with Maddi and had her select the key elements of this project. We decided to us one of the new All Things Considered, Key Elements stamp sets created by Becky to add additional elements to the canvas. I also needed a third color to make some of the accents "pop". I tried to convince here that a contrasting bright such as a limey yellow would be perfect, but it just doesn't quite suit her personality and so we stuck with Smidge of Blue instead - LOL!
To stamp using paint it is easiest to apply the paint to the stamp surface by brushing paint on to a solid surface, creating a custom "paint pad". Iink your stamp in a similar manner to inking it on a stamp pad. Be certain to have an old toothbrush ready at the sink and promptly clean your stamps after applying your paint. This makes for easy clean-up. If allowed to sit and dry at all, it becomes much more difficult to clean your stamps.
You can see in this photo how it is that I folded and unfolded the canvas to determine placement of the key elements. I really don't believe that there is a right or wrong way of doing a project such as this. It's all about the experience and giddy feeling you get when you create something so unusual.
As I thought about what else I had here at work that would be suitable for completing this purse or clutch the Perfect Closures came to mind. To alter the color and turn the strap to the black color I needed I simply applied the Palette Noir Inkpad directly to the surface. So easy and a perfect coordinate.
At this time I cut my canvas down to the finished size and added a second layer of the same fabric to what would be the inside of the clutch. I pinned these two layers together and simply stitched the ends together using a zig-zag stitch on both ends as shown below.
Next I ran a length of black twill down the length of the sides and stitched the two layers together with the black twill, using black thread.
I then folded up the bottom portion and completed the remaining stitching using blue and purple thread. To stay with the "messy" grunge feel I didn't even need to worry about sewing a straight line - LOL! In fact I wanted messy lines Ü
To add the closure I used my Crop-a-dile and punched holes in my canvas and affixed the closure, following the directions on the packaging.
I'm not certain how practical my addition of "bling" was, but I just couldn't resist and it was most definitely one of those elements that created the visual triangle that brings focus to the clutch face.
I hope that this creation will bring a whole new thought process to you. It might not be your "cup of tea", but perhaps there is someone on your gift list that would be so appreciative of your efforts. I can sincerely tell you that it has been one of the more rewarding projects for me, due to the involvement of my sweet Maddi. My next project is going to have to include my little sugar and spice girl, Trina - and will probably include the colors of orange, turquoise and perhaps yellow Ü
Creating for one's children is incredibly sentimental. I hope that I can be a good mom and help give my daughters wings so that they can soar to heights I can't even begin to imagine. Thank you for sharing in my excitement of this creative process and don't hesitate - START NOW and feel the sense of fulfillment this process brings you and others.
