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Mono-printing For The First Time - Gelli Plates

This month, I'm stretching myself creatively by trying some mono-printing with a Gelli Plate! Gelli art has become extremely popular, especially in Mixed Media circles and can result in beautifully unique art prints for home decor, for creating interesting background papers, art journals, and can also serve as a foundation for other collage art work.

Let me preface this month's article by stating that it is written from a beginner's (not an expert's!) perspective. And, please trust me when I say that it is not comprehensive--artists are experimenting with all kinds of techniques, pushing the art form well beyond what I will be sharing. My "baby steps" are intended to introduce the Gelli Plate and Mono-printing to those of you who are interested in trying something new that can further enhance your paper crafting and allow you to use a number of tools and supplies that cross-over from the realms of stamping, card-making, scrapbooking, etc. :)

It's also somewhat long, but there is also an accompanying video. And, you may find printing the following information out can make a handy reference if you are a beginner, like myself, to mono-printing. :)

Here's a list of basic items I found helpful for getting started:

• Gelli Plate (I'm using the 6x6" plate, but it also comes in an 8x10 as well as a 12x14)
• Acrylic Paints (Adirondack, Distress Paint*, Studio by Claudine Hellmuth)
• Rubber Brayer
• Non-Stick Craft Sheet
• Masks/Stencils for creating texture and pattern
• Stamps, also for creating texture and pattern--I found bold images worked the best for me
• Photocopy paper (it will print well, and is very economical for getting started and experimentation)
• Paper Towels and/or Baby Wipes
• Hand Sanitizer (for clean-up)
• Old magazines, scrap paper or blank newsprint (for rolling excess paint off the brayer/clean-up)

*Please note that my experimentation incorporated the paints I had on hand, which was primarily Distress Paint. Distress Paints are much thinner/more fluid than regular acrylic paint and while they did bead up on the plate when initially applied, with a little patience and allowing it to air out/dry while brayering, the beading seemed to disappear. 

SET UP:

• Protect yourself with an apron, and your work table with newsprint or butcher paper
• Always keep your Gelli Plate on a non-porous surface, whether in storage or while working with it. Remove the Gelli Plate from the packaging, and remove a clear acetate sheet from the side you plan to apply paint to; leave the other on the back side of the plate
• Place the Plate (acetate side down) onto a non-stick craft sheet
• It can also help to place all of this onto a large cookie sheet to prevent the plate from sliding around as you are working

Alternatively, prior to removing the clear acetate sheets from the Plate, you could mark both of them with the word "outside" using a Sharpie marker, then remove them from from both sides of the Plate and tuck them, with the clean insides together, inside the clamshell, preventing any dirt or dust from getting on them.

Put your Gelli Plate onto a piece of Crystal Clear Plastic; it will give you an edge to hold onto while you are working with it, and also makes it easy to lift and carry the whole thing to the sink/hold under running water for clean up (You can also discard that piece of plastic when you're finished cleaning)

When you put your clean, dry Gelli Plate away, you can put the clear acetate sheets back into place, with the "outsides" facing away, and the "clean insides" against the surface of the Plate.

• Gather your tools:  Rubber Brayer, Photocopy Paper, Stencils/Masks, Stamps, Paper Towels, Hand-sanitizer

GET STARTED:

• Place a few small dollops of acrylic paint onto the Gelli Plate; you will not need a lot
• Use the brayer to spread the paint across the plate in an even-fashion; you want to coat the plate with a thin layer of paint
• Add texture and pattern to the plate by placing a stencil onto the plate.  You can also add texture by impressing a stamp to the plate, cleaning the stamp in between impressions; the clean stamp will lift/remove paint from the surface of the plate (be aware that word stamps will mono-print in reverse, however)
• You can use soft tools to draw your own patterns and images in the paint; Qtips, paint brushes and rubber combing tools work well. Avoid using anything sharp to draw with, as it can permanently damage your Gelli Plate
• When you are satisfied with your paint design, carefully lay a piece of paper over the top of the plate and smooth it against the paint, using the flat of your hands. You can also use the brayer to smooth out the paper, if you prefer
• Carefully pull (peel) the paper up and away from the plate and view the results! Set it aside to dry
• There is often enough paint still on the Gelli Plate that you can often get a second print or "pull", also referred to as a "ghost print" by placing another sheet of paper onto the plate and pulling again

Congratulations! You've just made your first mono-print! :)

I also have a two-part video, that shows you the process/steps I used to create the pieces for this article:

(After you hit the play button, click on the gear icon to select 720p,for best viewing quality)

PART 1

LINK: Watch Part 1 directly on YouTube HERE

 

PART 2

LINK: Watch Part 2 directly on YouTube HERE

 

TIPS:

• Stamping inks (dye-based) do not perform well for this technique because they bead up on the surface of the Gelli plate.
• I did experiment with two brands of pigment reinkers: Adirondack and Memento Luxe. Adirondack is thinner and more liquid-like; it beaded up on the plate considerably and no amount of brayering seemed to alleviate the issue.  The Memento Luxe also beaded up initially as well but it is thicker and behaved more like acrylic paint as I continued to brayer; I did have to work much faster with this pigment ink, to avoid the beading issues... Given that, I am more inclined to work strictly with acrylic paints
• Distress paints* are an acrylic paint, but they are much thinner/more fluid than regular acrylic paints; I found that initially, this paint beaded up on the surface of the Gelli Plate, but as I continued to brayer it out, allowing the air to dry it, the beading diminished/disappeared and I achieved a smooth, thin layer of paint.

Note: It did take a little longer/required a little more patience to develop this thin layer, than it would have with regular acrylic paint; this extra time was edited out of the video. A little research on this told me it can also happen at times with regular acrylic paints... To alleviate the issue, it can help to wash the Gelli Plate with soapy water, rinse and pat it dry with a lint-free cloth

• If you've applied the paint too thickly, stencils/masks and papers applied to the plate will tend to slip and slide around
• If you are having trouble pulling the paper from the plate, you probably haven't used quite enough paint and/or it has dried too quickly; too much paint, and you'll have a goopy slick surface that stencils and paper both slip and slide on...
• Some paints, such as the Studio line, which work lovely for Gelli printing, may require the addition of "Extra Time" medium (or extender) to prevent them from drying too quickly on the Gelli Plate--next time, I intend to try applying a dollop of Extra Time, brayering it onto the plate, and then add my paint; they should mix together as I brayer across the plate, and keep the paint wet long enough to get a good print and get a 2nd pull. I do not recommend using water as an extender; it simply makes the paint watery
• To avoid "lines" in the paints and create a smooth, uniform coating, allow the weight of the brayer alone to smooth out the paint, as opposed to pressing down while rolling the brayer
• Keep a stack of old magazines, blank newsprint or typing paper and a damp rag or baby wipe handy for rolling paint off your brayer when you set it down; this will prevent paint from building up on the brayer, keep paint colors pure (unless you deliberately want to mix), and make clean up later on much easier

CLEAN-UP:

• You can use a spray bottle of water and a paper towel to clean/wipe paint off your Gelli Plate when needed or at the end of your creative session. I used hand-sanitizer and paper towels to clean paint from my Gelli Plate because I was using mostly Distress Paint and it was more difficult to remove/clean off
• You can use the same method(s) to clean paint from your rubber brayer
• Alternatively, you can also carry your Gelli Plate over to the sink and wash it with soapy water, rinsing it under the faucet
• You can allow the Gelli Plate to air-dry or pat it dry with a lint-free cloth
• Store your Gelli Plate by replacing the original clear acetate sheets it came packaged with (remember why I suggested those acetate sheets with a Sharpie prior to first use?) and putting it back in the hard plastic clamshell

•••••••••••

This is just the tip of the iceberg with mono-printing and the Gelli Arts® Printing Plate!

FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION:

• Create own stencils/masks with your dies, or your digital die cutter, such as the eClips, to further expand patterns you can use with your Gelli Plate; you won't need to worry about cleaning up those cut from card stock as the acrylic paints will dry permanently them and actually give them more stability
• Use wedge (combing) tools to create a variety of patterns in the paint
• Try making your own texture tools--string/yarn, wadded up plastic wrap, bubble wrap, rags, or sponges can be pressed into the paint for interesting effects
• Stamp directly onto mono-prints you've created, to further enhance the designs
• Create even more layers, by using other paint colors and stencils to print again over previously made mono-prints. Mono-printing is indeed about layers of texure, imagery and color!
• Expand your paint colors by mixing your own colors, with these handy storage bottles
• Use your mono-prints in an art journal, as patterned paper for a scrapbook layout, or cut them apart for use on hand-made cards or tags
• Once you are confident in the process/steps to achieve the different looks you like, try mono-printing onto Smooth Bristol, which accepts mono-prints beautifully and makes for high quality prints that can be framed. You can also try printing onto (tightly woven) fabrics or canvases, pre-made tags, etc.!

The fascinating thing about mono-printing is that no two prints will ever be identical! You can find more tutorials and inspiration at the Gelli Arts blog--have fun experimenting with your plate!

SUPPLIES:

• Gelli Arts Printing Plate, 6x6, 8 x 10, or 12 x 14
• Rubber Brayer
• Non-stick Craft Sheet
• Stencils/Templates: Wood/Woodgrain, Shattered Circles, (BalzerBits): Pomegranate Flower Bits , Two Leaves Bits
• Studio Acrylic Paints, Adirondack Acrylic Paints, Distress Paints,
• Extra Time Medium
• Savvy Brush Flower Head Stamp

 

 

"If You're Afraid of the Dark" Altered Trading Cards by Ellen Hutson

The book begins - "If tomorrow morning the sky falls..." As of late I have felt the sky falling and when trying to prepare for this month's newsletter post I pulled out a book that I was given back in 1991 by a dear friend. We had just received the new Art Squares and when thinking about how I would create some type of trading card I put two and two together and realized that inspiration was at my finger tips. 

My inspiration is the book titled "If You're Afraid of the Dark" by Cooper Edens. The whimsical illustrations and sweet words bring a smile to your heart! So in that moment, ideas began to flow.

image credit

This little book is truly amazing and I encourage you to get a copy to share with your children, a friend, or just for you!

With this post I am happy to share a brand new addition to our Inchie Art product line. In addition to Inchies, Inchie +, and Twinchies, Inchie Arts has rebranded their product line and added two new sizes to that line - ATC sized (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") and 3" squares. These Art Squares are now availabe in seven different colors. I am so excited about these additions due to the ever growing popularity of Mixed Media art. The surface of these squares allows for you to stamp, watercolor, spritz, add gesso, paste... you name it, give it a try.

Today I will share how to use several different product lines with the ATC cards - Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Line, Distress Paint, Dylusions Ink Sprays and Embossing Paste - let the exploration begin.

"If your heart catches in your throat... ask a bird to sing."

Cut patterned paper pieces to adhere to your ATC Art Square. For this card I am using the Wheat color ATC card together with a couple of papers from the Studio Calico Classic Calico Collection Volume 3. To adhere the paper to the trading card use Studio Matte Medium. This adhesive is fantastic to use with paper and many other items.

At CHA Claudine taught a fabulous way to utilize her stencils and paint on projects. Using tissue paper you can create fantastic layered looks and be able to place your objects exactly where you want them... with no mess!

Position the stencil and use an ink blending tool (be certain to use the foam pad version) and a small amount of Studio Paint. After I shot this photo I actually added a very small amount of the teal to alter the sky blue color ever so slightly.

Allow to fully dry. You can heat set it with your Heat It tool if you are in a hurry as the paint layer is so thin.

Paint a layer of Studio Multi Medium on your trading card and position the tissue paper atop the trading card. Then paint a second layer of Multi Medium over the top of the tissue paper. Allow to dry.

The effect of Stencil Paste when used with stencils is fantastic. Apply a small amount to the straight edge of a craft scraper and smooth this over the area of the stencil you would like to use. You can mask off any areas you do not want the paste to seep through - in this case I had plenty of space to work without risk of making a mess, so no masking was necessary.

Remove the stencil immediately after adding the paste. I like to clean my tools immediately after use for ease, BUT another great tip Claudine shared for cleaning those stencils that might have dried paint, is to put it in a container and add regular rubbing alcohol. This helps to easily remove the paint from the surface of the stencil (AND an added bonus is that it works for removing paint from clothing as well ;-D)

Another product that adds wonderful dimension when using stencils is Studio Gesso! In the picture above I have mixed the gesso together with Studio Sky Blue paint.

Using tissue tape to ast as my mask, I tape off all areas of the stencil that I did not want gesso to seep through. Apply in the same manner as you would the Embossing Paste. Work quickly as you need to remove the stencil immediately to avoid "seepage".

As you can see I did get some "seepage", but it turned out to be a happy accident...

You can see in the closeup picture  below that I used Blank Canvas paint on the end of a small brush and stippled it over the blue paint creating this fantastic little shadow. Yep, everything works out in the end :-D

Use a fingertip knife to cut away the excess tissue paper. 

Add a sweet heart pearl...

and listen to the birds sing in your heart.

"If you find your socks don't match... stand in a flowerbed."

Dylusions Ink Sprays can be used in multiple ways - spritz with them and paint with them. For intense color add the spray to a watercolor brush using a pipette. For less intense watercolor effects spritz a little ink on a non-stick craft sheet and use a waterbrush filled with water to apply the ink. 

To fill the watercolor brush unscrew the barrel of the brush and remove the black valve. Add the ink, insert the valve and you are ready to paint with delicious intense color. I prefer to use Tim's watercolor brush for this application as the color of the barrel is clear, whereas the Niji barrel is green in color. Using the Niji for all my water projects makes it easy to identify the difference very easily.

TIP: Store these brushes alongside your bottles by using a rubberband to attach them to the bottle and easily identify which colors you have at your fingertips.

Art Squares are available in white which are perfect for watercolor techniques. For best results be certain to always use the pebbled side of the Art Squares. Position an Eclipse Tape mask over the flowers...

and stamp cute little Ruby with her boots hidden in the beautiful blooms. Remove the mask and paint.

Simply watercolor directly on the ATC card using the beautifully intense Dylusions inks. As you can see when I first started I had a rather mottled look that was a little too dark for my liking. I simply brushed over this surface with my waterfilled waterbrush and used a paper towel to dab off the excess color creating a fabulous sky.

It is simple to create your own little cloud masks. Attach a couple of small Eclipse Tape strips to a piece of typing paper and die cut two sizes of clouds.

Reposition the mask over the flowers and one over cute little Ruby's body.Then position the cloud masks on your project using the White Distress Paint dabber to add texture. Allow to dry as shown, or use a paper towel to dab away some of the excess paint for a fluffier effect.

Add detail to the flower centers and buttons with a Clear Gloss pen. (Sorry for the poor photo - I just couldn't get a better photo of this little detail.)

Standing in a bed of flowers makes everything better!

"If you're afraid of the dark... remember the night rainbow.

Distress paint has fabulous coverage - I began with a white ATC card!

Apply the Distress Paint direct to the card. As you can see the surface is streaky, but...

wipe over the surface with your finger and it all magically smooths out! Distress Paint will easily wipe off your fingers - yeah! Once it is dry it becomes permanent on your surfaces, yet it will still come off your hands with ease.

With the paint still wet, spritz with Dylusions ink and watch the paint react to the waterbased spray - WAY cool!

Apply heat to dry enough to remove the tacky nature.

Situate a starry stencil and spritz with White Linen Dylusions Ink Spray. It creates an awesome night sky effect as it dries.

Apply a small amount of silver embossing paste to the straight edge of a craft scraper.

Swipe over your stencil work from the bottom up allowing the paste to feather out as you move upwards for a random look.

It was amazing to observe the waterbased Dylusions paint seep up through the paste as it dried. Unfortunately I did not think to take a picture at that point because I set the stencil back in place once the paste was dry and reapplied more silver paste over the top because I wanted to truly have a silver background. If you look at the final picture below you can sort of see what I am talking about as the stars towards the top have a purple cast to them. Experimentation is going to lead you to many fascinating discoveries!

Dab three different colors of Distress Paint on your non-stick Craft Sheet and use a waterbrush to pick up those colors swiping them across watercolor paper to create a rainbow effect. I started at the top with Barn Red, then added a stripe of Mustard Seed, cleaning my waterbrush and then blending a strip of the two colors to create an orange. Continue adding and mixing colors until your rainbow is complete. Allow the paper to dry and then cut out the rainbow and apply 2-way glue to the entire surface. Sprinkle with Warm Highlights glitter and remove excess glitter.

Once your base is completely dry attach the rainbow using 3D pop dots.

"If there is no happy ending... make one out of cookie dough."

I hope that this inspires you to pull out a favorite book and be inspired. Create an entire series on your own or ask some friends to join in the fun and then trade your cards. Above all, enjoy the time you get to spend just fiddling around with your crafting supplies and run away from life for just a little bit!

Art Squares: ATC, White	Art Squares: ATC, Assorted Neutrals	Claudine Hellmuth Studio Stencil, Fly Away	Claudine Hellmuth Studio Stencil, Love Birds
Studio Gesso	Studio Multi-Medium, Matte	Studio Artist Brushes	Studio Multi-Medium, Matte Mini
Studio Acrylic Paint Mini, Blank Canvas	Studio Acrylic Paint Mini, Sky Blue	Studio Acrylic Paint Mini, Classic Teal	Studio Calico Classic v.3 6x6 Paper Pad
Studio 490 Embossing Paste by Wendy Vecchi, Silver	Accent Pearls, Hearts	Dylusions, Ruby Rainbow	Dylusions, Background Love
Dylusions Ink Spray, White Linen	Dylusions Ink Spray, Bubblegum Pink	Dylusions Ink Spray, Pure Sunshine	Dylusions Ink Spray, Squeezed Orange
Dylusions Ink Spray, Vibrant Turquoise	Dylusions Ink Spray, Dirty Martini	Dylusions Stencils, Starry Starry Night, 5x8	Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib
Waterbrush, Small	Distress Paint, Picket Fence	Distress Paint, Chipped Sapphire	Distress Paint, Mustard Seed
Distress Paint, Barn Door	Distress Paint, Salty Ocean	Essentials by Ellen, Jennifer's Watercolor Paper, 10pc-6x9	2 Way Glue, Chisel Tip
Glitter Ritz Transparent Microfine, Warm Highlights

InLinkz.com

Hand Painted Canvas Pillow Cover

One of the aspects I miss the most from my past career is paging through the fabric walls at the Seattle Design Center, looking for just the right textile to complete a project. I think this is part of the reason I love having a variety of products in our store that can be used for paper crafting, BUT also crossover and can be used to create home decor projects. I hope this simple little project opens some new doors to you as I share this design with you!

Marimekko fabrics are bold, beautiful and simply gorgeous. Today's project was inspired by this beautiful fabric line. 

I don't know if you realize how easy it is to create a custom, hand painted project using the Studio Line products together with the foam stamps we carry. This pillow cover took less than two hours to create and would have probably taken far less time if I wasn't trying to capture video and pictures. :-D To watch this video directly on YouTube visit this link.

Apply paint directly to ink blending tool.

Use craft stick to work paint into foam.

Apply paint to foam stamp.

Add second color for highlights.

By working quickly you can easily layer two colors, one atop the other to create a beautiful mix of colors.

To create custom paint colors use Claudine's chart as a guide and mix your colors on your non-stick craft sheet.

Apply the light green paint to the stem...

add your darker highlights to a corner of the same ink blending foam...

and add your highlights to one side of the stem and at the base.

TIP: If you happen to overlap color where you do not want it, simply use a damp cloth to wipe away wrong color mix and reapply.

Stamp directly on canvas. Apply pressure firmly and evenly over entire foam stamp area.

Do not worry if the color is uneven when using this technique. You are using this stamped image as a base. Simply paint directly over the stamped image with a small paint brush applying your color.

While the paint is still wet you can easily combine colors directly on your canvas. Mixing some colors and leaving other areas distinct.

To create a more whispy look with your color, simply allow the first layer of paint to dry and then paint your light highlights directly over the dried areas.

Stamp and paint remaining flowers.

TIP: Use odd numbers for a more pleasing effect and vary the heights of the stems or objects for a more pleasing look. Be certain to visualize your canvas in thirds or fifths filling up the bottom 2/3's or 3//5's for a more appealing result.

This particular canvas pillow cover will be perfect for spring! So many stamps, so many options... I hope you give it a try!

stamps: Prima Flower II Foam Stamp

paint: Studio Line Paint Kits - Contemporary, Metropolitan and Urban

accessories: Canvas Pillow Square Cover, Ink Blending Tool, Studio Brushes, Craft Sticks

7 Gypsies Shadowbox Message Center

I am excited to share this little "Message Center" with you today! When the 7 Gypsies small Shadowbox was presented this past summer CHA it was love at first sight. I loved the examples that were created showcasing them with baby, wedding and family pictures.

It is as products arrive in the warehouse that the pieces of a little "puzzle" begin to formulate in my mind. First came the shadow boxes, then the burlap panels from Tim Holtz, next the Chalkstock paper and when brainstorming here at work with Julia E. she tossed out the idea of a "key holder" and this message center began to build in my mind. This is a fabulous little gift that is super easy to create and would make a lovely holiday gift for the season ahead!

It started with the stunning rub-on butterflies from 7 Gypsies. I'm a sucker for butterflies in the first place and the colors of these are so realistic and breathtaking I knew that these would be a must in this project.

An important element to note in regards to the Burlap Panels is that they are backed with a hard surface. Altering these is SO easy. I haven't tried drilling through the surface, but my guess is that it is a thin piece of composite wood, so this might be a possibility. Definitely something I need to test!

Another new to us product is this fabulous chalkboard paper. I stamped several Memory Box Distress Tags in Snow Cap pigment ink on the chalkboard paper surface and allowed them to fully dry.

Simply cut a "template" from copy paper using the die and align this template over the stamped distress tag using a pencil to locate and mark the center of each locater hole.

Position the die so that these pencil marks align perfectly in the locator holes and use tissue tape to hold the die in place. Cut.

Adding the rub-ons to your project is super easy. I find that cutting out the butterfly, separating it from the large sheet, makes application so much easier. I don't worry about partially rubbing on an adjacent butterfly this way. Position the rub-on and use your popsicle stick, or rub-on roller, to burnish the butterfly in to place. Remove the backing and you are left with a gorgeous embellished tag.

Soften the whiteness of the Snow Cap ink by applying some Tea Dye ink with the ink blending tool.

I have always been enamoured with butterfly species display cases and felt that encasing these beautiful rub-ons in glass would replicate the look. Burnish the butterfly to a 1 1/2" square piece of glass and sandwich it between a second piece of glass. Place a piece of Natural White cardstock behind this sandwich and position in a Memory Frame. Once the frame is closed, twist the jump ring at the top of the slide and it will easily snap off. Be certain to wear protective glasses just in case you end up with flying pieces.

To complete the look I wanted to mount my glass framed butterflies on burlap squares. I cut three little pieces of Craft-a-board to fit the openings on the Shadowbox and inked them with Vintage Photo Distress Ink so that the white color of the Craft-a-board would not show through the burlap.

Each burlap square is made up of two pieces of burlap sewn together. I cut one down in size, removing the threads that held the two pieces together. Wrap the Craft-a-board in the burlap and use Fabritac glue to adhere it in place.

It's these little touches that really make this project have texture and balance.

TIPS TO CREATING THE LAYOUT

When I get an idea I pull a LOT of stuff - LOL! I always lay things out on the base, positioning and aligning my components, before ever beginning to glue or alter them. I also find it helpful to snap a picture of the project in process. It is incredible to me how when looking at a photo of my projects, little balance issues come to the surface.

There is nothing wrong with the top project photo, but I felt it lacked balance when it came to the black - it was so strong in the upper left-hand corner. My solution was to snip a couple of little black pieces of paper to see if putting black behind the letters would create definition, balance and focus. I loved the way it looked, so then had the courage to alter my burlap panel.

Once again I used tissue tape to define the areas I would paint with black gesso. Tissue tape is fabulous because you can easily remove it without destroying your project.

Black Gesso is a product that is new to me and having a love for the texture gesso provides and the ease of coverage I decided to try it for the first time on this project.

LOVE IT! It easily covered the burlap panel in the areas I had defined. I simply squirted some on to the panel and using an old brush that had "tough" bristles spread the gesso in the defined area. The "tough" bristles leave texture marks in the gesso. I then removed the tissue tape, cleaned the brush of most of the gesso and dry brushed the edges to create a more "feathery" look.

Once the black gesso was dry I glued the Shadowbox to the Burlap Panel surface using Fabritac glue.

7 Gypsies has thought of THE most fabulous little components for these Shadowboxes! I adore all the little pieces that can be used to customize these fabulous trays. I used the Antique Silver Loops and Hooks Display Trim to hang this cute little calendar.

The calendar is the same calendar as I used in the Pocket Watch project. To create the smaller size all you need to do is change your print settings - shift the Orientation to Landscape, making certain to remove the automatic rotate and centering features - like magic you will easily change the size of this printable PDF to a smaller version of the same calendar.

One cannot have a message center without a place to put notes. I discovered that the 7 Gypsies Printers Tape and Collage Tape are very similar to tissue tape. So easy to apply and remove - PERFECT for putting notes on your noteboard. Now I just need some real tickets to put on this message board, but for now these adorable Gypsy tickets look oh, so cute!

To create the names for this message center I used Tim's Newsprint Alpha Parts and attached them to the back side of the Wooden Alphabet Tiles. I LOVE the added texture these provide and they were meant to be as they are THE perfect fit.

Now this is one cute little key display! The reality is that I doubt this would hold my big old key ring, BUT I love the idea of putting special keys on this display. I have to wonder if I applied these cute Display Trim Squarehooks with a strong adhesive if they would hold, but I didn't have time to test it out. As it is the hooks will definitely hold the keys to neighbors homes you pet sit, a key from the first home you owned or other sentimental keys.

Add a little Typewriter Charm to each key to define whose key it is or what makes it special. SO cute and fun!

Last was the "chalkboard." Yet again it was meant to be. The apothecary bottle easily holds a piece of chalk! I embellished the bottle with some Printers Tape and glued it to the corner so that it would not fall off. I then hung the chalkboard tags from another Display Trim Hook.

Thank you for sharing in my excitement of this simple little project! I hope that it inspires you to try your hand at these darling Shadowboxes, especially now that you can start small!

stamps: Memory Box Distressed Tag

ink: Snow Cap Adirondack Pigment Ink

paper: 7 Gypsies Conservatory 8x8 Paper Pad, Chalkstock 12 x 12, Neenah Natural White Classic Crest

accessories: 7 Gypsies Black Solo Shadowbox Tray, District Market Memoirs Burlap Panel, 7 Gypsies: Antique Silver Display Trim - Loops and Hooks, Squarehooks, and Keys, Butterfly Rubbings, Clear Apothecary Bottle, Train Tickets, Lille Book Dangles, Lille Paper Tape; Memory Box Distressed Tag Die, 1 1/2" Square Memory Glass and Black Patina Frames, 6"x6" Square Burlap Shape, Studio Black Gesso

The Many Ways to Use a Crafter's Workshop Template

I love finding products that can be used with my existing supplies! Crafter's Workshop templates are definitely one of those items. There are SO many products that can be used with just one template (and they are easy to store - a huge bonus!) Today I am going to share five different ways to use a single template.

Chevron is a VERY trendy look - you will find it in fashion, home decor and now big time in the paper crafting world. It is so very easy to incorporate some of these fun trends into your projects and today I thought I would share all my samples using just this one template and a limited color scheme to show you how diverse one item can be. 

When working with a template I find it easiest to attach my cardstock to the back of the template using tissue tape. Tissue tape is easy to remove without damaging the cardstock and keeps the template in one position when working, for a crisp, clean end result.

DISTRESS INKS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

Fredward bear is oh so cute and when creating the various backgrounds the chevron appeared to be a group of forest trees. Adding a paper pieced scarf, a sweet Hero Arts sentiment, a little Copic shading, white glittery snowbanks and a little bling --- who wouldn't love receiving this sweet little thought in the mail?!?

By looking at your stencils, moving them around on your project and/or masking them, the variety of looks is endless! As you can see I placed a piece of scratch paper along the upper edge and taped my stencil into position, allowing the top of the stencil to become the treeline.

Simply swirl your ink blending tool over the top of the stencil and overlap the two colors ever so slightly to create this particular look.

By starting with the Tumbled Glass on each end and then adding in the Shabby Shutters, allowing the color to almost completely disappear by the center, I was able to create a fabulous gradated sample --- an ombre look.

Or mix it up even further and use a larger variety of colors.

These cute little snowmen are the Limited Edition release from Karen Lockhart this Christmas Season. I love how each year Karen creates a new snow globe centered around what is new in Nicholas' life. Yes, this year Nicholas LOVES to sing :-D Each stamp is signed and number, as well as colored, which makes it a wonderful reference tool!

These are the colors I used to create my sample image and on this is the image I used for this month's Thank You notes.

Using a Styled Labels diecut, trimmed to make it appear as though it is a mantle, I was able to create a fabulous and unusual colored Christmas card. The sentiment "Christmas brings us together" is so appropriate for this card!

COPIC MARKERS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES
If you have had the opportunity to view the Copic Airbrushing DVD you will see how I love to use masks (stencils, templates) to control my airbrush and create wonderful effects. The Crafter's Workshop templates are fabulous for this use!

One product I forgot to include in this image of the supplies is Eclipse Tape. I have been shouting the beauty of Eclipse tape since I first began blogging in 2006. It is still my go to, absolute favorite, masking product.

Trace through the stencil with a pencil and then cut out the eclipse tape as shown in the image above. Even though the eclipse tape has a sticky surface it can curl away from the edges during use, so I have found that it is best to hold the eclipse in place using magnets and our Essentials Craft Assistant.This keeps the edges crisp.

Creating a mask will allow you to use the templates in a whole new way.

As you can see I developed a repetitive pattern by working my way down the template with my masks, covering an airbrushed area and exposing that fresh white cardstock until I had moved all the way down my cardfront.

Crisp, clean and bright!

Exact same supplies but just using the airbrush in a freeform manner, combining colors and creating a more graffiti like look! Super quick and EASY!

STUDIO PAINTS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

With the addition of the new Studio Paint Kits this project would be simplied even further! Squeezing small amounts directly on to the ink blending tool and then pouncing on your non-stick craft sheet to spread it evenly over the foam would be super easy!

For this project I simply placed a dab of Studio paint on a non-stick craft sheet using a different craft stick for each color. Dab an ink blending tool into the paint and apply to stencil.

As you can see a little paint goes a long way.

You could mask for a clean line between colors or do as I did and overlap the colors ever so slightly. Paint will work on cardstock, sticky back canvas and so much more!

Each product lends a unique look and texture to the finished sample.

FABER CASTELL AQUARELLES AND CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

When you want a precise look an easy product to use to achieve this would be the Faber Castell Aquarelles.

Color each chevron quickly with an Aquarelle pencil or combine a couple of colors for added variation. Do not worry about coloring in an even manner because it will actually have greater depth if you scribble color.

Then use a waterbrush or paint brush to blend the colors. Stay in the lines if you want a crisp clean look, or let it bleed outside the lines for a completely random look.

Creating unique and custom patterns is ideal with this medium.

ADIRONDACK DABBERS and CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP TEMPLATES

This background has a lovely textured look --- sort of like the surface on a piece of knitwear or even socks :-D Life is definitely too short to match socks, it is far more fun to stamp and experiment - LOL!

This cute image from Unity Stamps was watercolored with Distress Ink pads. Simply rub the surface of the ink pad on your non-stick craft sheet and then use the waterbrush to paint in your image.

Applying some of the fun stamping techniques I learned at Ranger U to these templates is going to be a blast! This particular technique is simply a modification of one of the techniques I especially love the look of.

Dab the entire surface with Snow Cap White.

Remove the stencil and allow to dry.

Then add color in a circular motion using an ink blending tool. Absolutely shabbilicious! You could also use different colors of dabbers to create a completely different look.

I haven't even touched on sprays, Distress Stains, watercolor paper, shrink plastic, layering... oh my, oh my, oh my! Let the experimentation begin with the Crafter's Workshop Templates!!!

Creating a Collage Using Creative Layers and Dylusions Stamps

Creating art for art's sake is so rewarding! Today I am sharing my journey as I tried my hand at creating a collage using Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Line paints and Creative Layers stamps; pairing them with the whimsical, new Dylusions stamps. This quirky, fun style of art is most definitely outside my comfort zone, but I must tell you that when I do step outside my norm I have SO much fun as I get lost in the process. I would like to encourage you to take "risks" once in a while and explore; creating just for the sake of creating.

 

I am most definitely NOT an expert in collage - for me it is an experimental process at this point. So what I share here today is just my learning process. When I began this piece I had no idea what I was going to create. It was a rainy day again here in Seattle and I have to admit I am REALLY tired of the rain, but decided that this was my opportunity to turn my nemisis into something fun and so I grabbed Dylusion's Ruby Rainbow stamp set to inspire me. I then found a quote that would bring a smile, and set to work. I am pleased to report that we now have sunshine - woohoo - perhaps positive thinking does make a difference! LOL!

Referring back to the projects we created under Claudine's and Dyan's direction at Winter CHA, in which we focused on the different uses of Studio Paints and Perfect Pearls, I began to create my canvas, layering the pearls with the Studio Paints.

 

The background was created by painting directly on the canvas. I also mixed some of the teal, sky blue and white on my non-stick craft sheet to create color blends, which added softness to the canvas background. LOVE the look of the "swooshy" background which is meant to resemble sky and land.

Once dry I added some of the black details, once again stamping these with paint. I like to "ink" my rubbber and clear stamps using an ink blending tool as shown below.

Using the flying crows to resemble Sea Gulls and adding a border were the first elements.

 

Foam stamps work GREAT on canvas. To add paint to these stamps I place a dollop of paint on the non-stick craft sheet and then pounce the stamp in the paint until it is completely covered.

 

I was curious - would reverse stamping work? Using a clean red rubber stamp I placed it to the surface of the foam stamp. I love how it removed some of the paint to add texture! When I am working quickly I don't bother to add Extra Time to my paint, but if you are afraid of the paint drying out before you can stamp, simply mix in a little Extra Time to give you just that... extra time.

 

Highlighting some of the edges and dots with additional white made the details pop. I also dry brushed over the birds using white to reduce the contrast that the pure black brought to the birds. These were not meant to be my focal point and I felt less intensity would be better.

 

To add paint to clear and red rubber stamps is easy. Simply place a small dollop of paint on your non-stick craft sheet and pounce the ink blending tool in the paint until it is spread evenly over your sponge surface.

 

Then pounce this on the surface of your stamps as shown above and stamp. Once again I work quickly, if you want more time add a little Extra Time to your paint. Always clean your stamps immediately after use to avoid long clean-up times.

Curious as to whether it would be easy to "doodle" on my canvas I pulled out one of my PITT Artist Pens and added a polka-dot hill. So FUN! I also used this same pen to add a little more definition to the house details as they did not stamp as dark as I had initially wanted. I should have used paint rather than ink - LOL! These pens work great to fix those little "oops" items.

Add highlights to some of the images using Sour Apple Perfect Pearls --- these really brighten the canvas.

 

Once again I added additional white to "pop" the details.

 

Stamp the pieces that you want to paint or "watercolor" with Perfect Pearls using Archival ink. This is the perfect ink for any wet projects - it is waterproof and will not smudge when you get it wet. I used Neenah cardstock for my project. It is not the ideal watercolor paper, but I always have it at hand and so it makes my life so very simple. I am totally pleased with the result - it stood up to the "wet factor" just fine.

Spritz water on the surface of your non-stick craft sheet and scoop out just a little Perfect Pearl using your paintbrush. Mix and paint.

 

I love being able to create my palette right on my non-stick craft sheet. Mixing colors is so easy. To create the flesh tone I mixed Biscotti together with just a hint of Pink Gumball and Mandarin.

 

Leave the excess on your sheet until you are completely finished your project.

 

It does not matter if it dries as you can easily reconstitute it with a droplet or two of water as shown above.

 

To add charm to the words I added an outline using a PITT artist brush around each of the printed words.

 

To see if it was all coming together I then laid it out the cut pieces on my canvas. I realized the author's name was too large and reprinted it smaller. Seeing it all come together is magical I tell ya!

To adhere the pieces to the canvas I used Matte Multi-Medium. LOVE this adhesive when I need it to REALLY stick! Simply paint it on the back side of your cut outs and press in place holding for a couple of seconds. Allow your project to sit and dry for about 30 minutes for great results.

 

To add additional brightness to some of the Perfect Pearl painted areas I simply colored with my PITT Big Brush markers and used my wet paintbrush to blend the color out. I love how you can mix different tools!!! I can easily see airbrushing, spritzing with sprays and SO MUCH MORE! Oh for more time to play :-D

So in a nutshell following is what I learned from this experiment as I created my "collage":

• layering is good,
• selecting a color scheme will give you confidence as you add layers (I used a split-complimentary color scheme - blue, green and orange),
• PITT brushes can be layered over Perfect Pearls to add additional color dimension,
• Perfect Pearls can be painted over top of Studio Paints to add sheen and a fun contrast,
• Perfect Pearls are easily reconstituted after drying,
• don't be afraid to experiment!
  
   

Now rather than plodding through the puddles I am going to think happy thoughts and envision cute little Ruby Rainbow (or perhaps my friend Heather who adores rain) hopping over the puddles looking so cute in her happy colors! I would like to invite you to join me and try something a little different by creating a collage using your rubber stamps or try watercoloring with your Perfect Pearls! Try something new - it is creatively invigorating!

 
stamps: Dylusions Ruby Rainbow and Around the Edge, Claudine Hellmuth Creative Layers Clear and Foam Dwellings, Doodles Clear Stamps; Studio 490 Be Happy Make Art; Memory Box Distressed Crows

ink: Jet Black Archival Ink Pad

paper: Neenah Solar White Classic Crest

accessories: Studio Line - Blank Canvas, Charcoal Black, Classic Teal, Sky Blue, Studio Artist Brushes, Matte Multi-Medium, Sticky Back Canvas;  Perfect Pearls - Sour Apple, Blue Raspberry, Mandarin, Pink Gumball, Biscotti; Faber-Castell PITT Big Brush & Artist Pens - #146 skyblue, #171 light green, #113 orange glaze, #118 scarlet red, #199 black

Creating Seasonal Luminaries Using Alteration Dies and a Simple White Envelope

Simple, clean, crisp decorating can be so beautiful! I don't know if you remember the article I shared showcasing how to turn a simple white envelope into a gift bag, but this is a very simple project that is based off of that idea. The wonderful thing about these luminaries is that you can use them as gift bags too :-D

To create a seasonal luminary use a Movers and Shapers die and an On the Edge die, together with a crisp white office envelope.

 

Begin by cutting off the top end (flap end) of the envelope. Varying the length at which you cut this line can add interest to your luminaries. If you prefer a more standaradized look then simply cut 3" from the top.

Use the Scor-It to create nice, deep score lines 2" from each side and 2" up from the bottom edge of the envelope (as shown above.) Fold over sides along score lines. Run a teflon bone folder along each crease to add crispness and ensure that folds will remain in place.

  

Fold the sides over and position the bag top directly beneath the On the Edge die as shown above. As you can see I wanted my bags shorter and so I placed the die further down the bag. Make certain that the die is centered on the bag. Because I was using the Snowflake die and there is only one edge style on this die it was easy to determine placement. As you can see the lettering or title of the die is positioned as shown.

 

As you can see the cut came out beautifully! I did send it back and forth through my Big Shot a couple of times before releasing it from the rollers, to make certain that it cut through the many layers.

 

For the luminary window I positioned the Mover die in the base tray making certain to center the die and place it face up as shown. It is best to also not the position of this die either visually or with a little black mark along the edge of the tray to know where to position the bag.

 

Next insert the On the Edge Cutting Pad inside the envelope, making certain it is in the area that the Movers and Shapers die is located.
 

Position your sandwich as follows:

• base tray
• Movers and Shapers die - face up
• 1 layer of envelope with 1 On the Edge cutting pad inserted within
• remaining layers of envelope
• 1 Sizzix cutting pad

Hold cutting pad carefully as you begin passing through the rollers to avoid moving the die beneath.

 

Pop open the envelope and secure the bottom corners using Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape. For more thorough directions on making this bag please see previous blog post here.

 

Now comes the fun part - the embellishments.

Apply Matte Multi-Medium randomly to the snowflakes edges and to the word opening using a paintbrush. Sprinkle with Vintage Glass Glitter and allow to dry.

For my luminary I used the die and traced the shape on to Fantasy Film, cutting out ovals to cover the openings.

 

Simply adhere to the inside of the bag as shown.

 

Use a battery operated tea light and turn the lights down --- simply magical! You can use these down the center of a party table, or place outdoors to welcome your guests. Luminaries don't necessarily have to be for the Christmas season only - birthday's, New Years --- the possibilities are truly limitless!

 
accessories: white office envelope 9" x 12", Tim Holtz Base Tray, Movers and Shapers Wish Die, On the Edge Snow Flurries Die, On the Edge Cutting Pad, Sizzix Cutting Pad, Matte Multi-Medium, Silvery Moon Vintage Glass Glitter, Mother of Pearl Fantasy Film

Handy Dandy card by Kim Hughes

Not every Dad is handy, but I am guessing that a lot of them can paint!  I made a card similar to this idea a year ago or so, but it came to mind when I began thinking of Father's Day cards.  If you like this idea, you can change out the paint theme for gardening, mechanical or home improvement.

 

Supplies:

Hero Arts, Folded Card Sets, Sea

Memory Box: C5 Cardstock, Jack O Lantern

White Tags, #5 (Medium)

Backgrounder, Weave, Mona Lisa Moments, Motivational Centers

Ranger: Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Pitch Black, Distress Ink Pad, Weathered Wood, Distressed Stickles, Brushed Pewter, UTEE - Ultra Thick Embossing Powder, Black

Studio Acrylic Paint, Yellow Pastel

Twill, White

Basic Grey 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad, Kioshi

Start with 2 orange card bases.  Score and fold at 1 inch on the front of the first card base and cut at the fold on another card base so that there is 1 inch on each side

 

To create the shirt, stamp a weave pattern onto blue paper to give it texture

 

Cut down a scrap paper that you stamped and machine sew along both edges.  Adorn with a button

 

Add the blue shirt paper to the inside of the card and add the folded orange paper over the front paper flap

 

Machine stitch along the bottom of the flap and down the center of the orange pocket, forming a pocket on both sides.

punch a hole through all layers, on each end

 

Thread twill through the holes and tie a knot in the front.  This will keep the card closed and form a pocket.

 

To create custom paper screws, gather craft foam (cut to about a 1 x 1 inch square), UTEE (ultra-thick embossing powder), a Versamark pad and popsicle stick. Brown or grey card stock will look best

 

Press the foam pad onto the Versamark pad and press it onto brown card stock, pour UTEE powder over the square and tap off excess powder. Set with a heat gun, while the paper is hot, pour UTEE over square and heat again.  Repeat one more time so that you have a thick layer of UTEE...immediately press the popsicle stick onto the square and allow to cool

 

punch a circle from each screw and ink the edges

cover them with a thin layer of Stickes to give them a metallic look.

 

and use them to embellish a stamped sentiment

 

to create a custom paint swatch, gather 3 monochromatic colors and a tag

Cut the colors down to 1 1/2 x 2 and place them side by side, making sure to leave a thin white space between.  (2 inch tag) You can use this as a card front if you like.

 

Next, dip a chipboard strip into paint.  I sandwiched my chipboard paint strip between a box and it's lid so that the paint would drip down.  The wonderful thing about Claudine's paint is that it will dry thick and not run down the stick.  I don't know of any other paint that you can achieve this look with.

I printed out a Home Depot card online and cut it out, but I am guessing the man in your life would prefer one that he can use.  Change up the colors to coordinate with a Lowes card or any other gift card that you like.  I hope you play with this idea and have fun!

Christmas in July - Stamping "painted" gifts for those you love!

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.

• stems - Sable Brown
• cherries - Dash of Red, Modern Red
• leaves - Landscape Green, Dab of Yellow, Smidge of Blue (mix yellow and blue to create a custom green color - see Claudine's coloring mixing guide)

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.

Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints, by Cindy Lyles

 

Claudine Hellmuth and Ranger Industries introduced a collection of 15 highly pigmented, ultra creamy, artist quality acrylic paints this past summer at CHA called Studio Paints. 

For these projects, I have simply used water to blend the paints, using them as an exciting color embellishment to what were otherwise very plain backgrounds.

Studio Paints can also be combined easily together to create multitudes of new colors without becoming muddy - please use this link for a pdf file showing how to use the 15 colors to create 51 new colors!

The first project is an embossed birthday card - using a piece of Claudine Hellmuth's Sticky Back Canvas.

Sky Blue paint was brushed directly on the canvas, then watered down and 'faded' toward the middle using water - blending directly on the canvas.  Claudine also has a line of inexpensive yet quality assorted brushes that will endure quite a bit of abuse.

This was repeated with Landscape Green paint.  Water was used to blend the two colors together at the middle. The Sticky Back Canvas remains very sticky, even with a large volume of water applied to the surface.

Once the canvas was dry (I used a heat gun to speed the process) I ran the canvas through a Cuttlebug machine using an embossing folder.

For the finished card, an Antique Linen Distress pad was applied to the embossed canvas using the direct to paper technique (hold pad in hand and swipe the surface).  'Celebrate' sentiment is from Mona Lisa Birthday Centers set (flower:  Prima).

The second project is a sympathy card using a recycled dictionary sheet.

To give the dictionary sheet strength, I adhered it to a sheet of solar white cardstock using Matte Accents and worked out the air bubbles. 

A branch with florals from Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms I was stamped twice onto the dictionary sheet using Jet Black Archival Ink. 

Next, Yellow Pastel and Traditional Tan were mixed, and water was added to thin out the paint - I needed the dictionary definitions to be visible through the paint, like a wash, so water is very necessary. 

Positively Pink and Dab of Yellow were mixed with water, and applied in vertical streaks on the dictionary sheet.

 

Last mix was Sky Blue and Dab of Yellow - this was mixed with water, and also applied in vertical streaks to the dictionary sheet.

I allowed the streaks to dry minimally...

 

...then blotted gently with a paper towel.

The branches image stamped onto the dictionary page created an elegant, desirable look; however, the striking black was too visually predominant for a sympathy card, which I needed.  To tone down the black I applied small dots of Dab of Yellow paint directly from the container using a dull pencil point (one could use any dull point, even a toothpick with the tip snapped off, to create the dots, would work very well).

'With Sympathy' is from the same set as the branches, and the altered dictionary sheet was trimmed, then matted with Licorice cardstock.  A Memory Box Parsley card base was used, and a silk ribbon bow completes the card front.

The card interior:  the branches image, stamped in a soft celery ink, with a snippet of the altered dictionary sheet as a mantle for the verse (Verses Stamp Company).

One can also use the paint directly from the containers and blend onto cardstock: 

 

Using these paints (see photo above, left) and swiping solar white cardstock in a horizontal fashion with a brush, I blended using a small amount of water directly on the cardstock, to create the effect of the ocean.

The result:  a 5x7 scrapbook page to coordinate with a photo.

Aside from these easy and quick uses of Studio Paints, they are easy to use and control to color in images, either with a deep concentration of color or watered down and applied as a wash.  This post merely touches ever so lightly on the multitude of techniques and wonderful effects these paints can create!