mixed media

Hi friends,

This card was made for a mixability challenge on SCS that was tie dye tissue.  I used some shipping filler paper instead of tissue, so I had some problems with the paper not absorbing the color like it was supposed to.  I used food coloring to get more brilliant colors, and I do like how the background turned out. 

The stamps are SU's You've Got This, sponged with ink. 

The ribbon was a find at Good Will - a mostly full reel of seam binding for a dollar.  It's a very pale pink, but I thought it was pale enough that I would be able to dye it with ink.  I pressed mustard seed distress ink on my craft sheet, spritzed with water and pressed the seam binding into the ink until it was fully colored.  Then I used my heat gun to dry it.  I was really pleased how well the color changed, and you can't tell that it started out pink. 

Thank you so much for stopping by today. 

autumn leaves

Hi friends.  I love autumn.  I think it's my favorite season.  I love the rich, vibrant colors of the fields and trees.  I love the crisp, cool air.  And I love the smell of burning leaves.  We've had a few cooler days and nights.  It was in the upper 40's this morning. 

My card making tends to reflect the current season, so I made some with autumn leaves.  This one was made for the mixability challenge on SCS. 

The background was done with a brick stencil and gesso.  Once the gesso was dry, I sponged turquoise ink over it and then wiped most of the ink off the gesso.  The leaves and acorn are stamped with wonderfall (SU) and cut out.  I added a lot of sponged color to the leaves.  Both colors of burlap are ribbon.

The 2nd card was made for the inspiration challenge on SCS, which was a zentangle site.

 
I used the die that matches the stamps from the first card, but did not use the stamps for this one.  On the die cut leaf, I added vein lines and then just starting doodling.  I used colored pencils and white gel pen to enhance the doodles.  I love how it turned out. 

The background is a rubbernecker stamp. The light green layer was actually a light yellow cardstock, but I thought a green would match better and bring out the green on the leaf.  Since I already had it glued to the black backing, I just sponged it with green to change the color.  All just part of the way I create as I go.  Not too much planning.  Even when I do plan ahead, I usually end up changing things along the way anyway. 

Thank you so much for taking time to stop by for a visit.

Happy Birthday America!

Hi friends,

I knew it had been awhile since I posted here, but had no idea that it was so long.  I guess I've been slacking!

Gelli Arts - Gel Printing is giving away a gelli plate to someone who uploads a project to their facebook page.  The rules are stars and/or stripes and the giveaway is Monday, so I thought I'd enter the drawing.  My card also fits the mixability challenge this week - MIX127, which is red, white and blue. 

It all started with a used coffee filter that I tore into strips to use for stripes.  I didn't really want to make some sort of flag, but still wanted the feel of that, so I used a blue background instead of red, and made red flowers instead.

After gluing the strips to my card base, I splattered white acrylic paint on it.  I let it dry, but then decided I needed a few bigger splatters, so I ended up using my heat gun to finish drying the paint.

I stamped the sunflower group (Local King Rubber Stamps) with tuxedo black memento ink and colored them with copic markers.  Then I fussy cut them out.  When I laid the flowers on the background, I could see that there needed to be a bit more contrast, so I cut a partial oval with deckle scissors to place behind the flowers.  I sponged over the oval with vintage photo distress ink.

The sentiment (Hero Arts) was also stamped with memento ink & then sponged over with vintage photo. 

At this point, I thought I was finished, but then I decided to try some stars.  I punched a few and then just laid them on the card.  I took photo with them and without them to compare.  I decided I like it better with them, so I glued them down.  I love the vintage feel of this card, and I love that it hints at being our flag, representing our great country.

I'm proud to be an American!  Happy Independence Day to all my USA friends!

Thanks for taking time from your busy schedules to visit.

spring

Hi friends.  Even though the weather is still chilly, I think spring is here.  The last couple of days, we've had a lot of wind and rain.  The grass has turned green & I think I heard DH say something about needing to mow soon.  A few days ago, I went to the garden center & bought some seeds.  My plans are to get them started indoors, so when it's warm enough, I can just transplant them in the ground.  I bought mostly flowers, but also some zucchini.  I'll get some tomato plants & maybe some peppers later.  I found this idea on Pinterest to use toilet paper rolls to make little planters for starting seeds.  When you're ready to put them outside, you put the whole thing in the ground - no disturbing the plants, (or in my case, dumping the dirt all over and making a mess).  So I've been getting mine ready.  I have quite a few ready to add dirt.  I just need to get busy and start. 

Today, on SCS, the mixability challenge was to use woolly dots.  Since wool and I don't get along, I used a cotton ball instead.  Here's the card that I made. 

This brings back memories of spring in northern Wisconsin.  We would always go find some pussywillows to put in a vase without water, so they would dry and last longer. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today. 

patchwork

Hi friends.  Friday's mix-ability challenge on SCS was to make some patchwork.  As a quilter, how can I resist such a challenge.  This is a mixed media challenge and requires that at least two different mediums are used. 

I pulled out a bunch of scraps and leftovers from other projects.  Then I used a square punch to make the blocks.  I used some corrugated cardboard, burlap ribbon, some inked and embossed pieces, stamped cardstock, some prints from my gelli plate, and some melted crayon that was just an experiment. 

After gluing all the blocks on my card, I added faux stitching. 

The flower was already stamped and colored.  I just needed to cut it out.  I attached it with dimensional foam tape. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

happy new year 2014

Hi friends.  It seems as though the past year has just flown by at high speed.  Or maybe I'm just slowing down.  Whatever the reason, I don't seem to get as much accomplished as I would like.

Although I haven't been employed for some time, at the beginning of December, I officially became a retiree.  So I now get to enjoy the benefits of social security and a pension.

I don't make resolutions, because I have the greatest tendency to completely forget about them, and thus, they become no more than a worthless thought.  I do, however, have good intentions.

Last night the Outlaw Women had a party - over the internet.  No being out on the road with drivers who shouldn't be behind the wheel.  We had lots of challenges, prizes, laughter, and whatever party food we wished, all from the comforts of home.  What fun.

One of the challenges was to make a card gift box.  I chose to make mine from recycled cereal box chipboard.  I have a pattern that I made many years ago, so I used that.  It makes a nice sturdy box that will hold 8-10 cards with envelopes for a nice gift.

After cutting out the top and bottom, scoring and taping up the sides, I covered it with some pattern paper from Indian Summer stack (I think I got that at JoAnn's).  I use PVA glue.

Then I stamped a couple of flowers and colored them with Copic markers, punched out a bunch of leaves, sponged the edges, and arranged them on the top of the box.

My box was randomly drawn as a prize winner - yay!

We also had a scavenger hunt type challenge, where we were given a list of items that must be included on our project.  And we only had an hour to complete it.

I made a card using naturals ivory as my base.  I stamped an alphabet (collage stuff) repeatedly, using wisteria chalk ink.  Then I added to different pattern papers - one with stripes and one with dots - from K&Company (a Christmas gift).  I stamped a flourish (inkadinkado) on the dotted one and then added a piece of lace from my stash.

For the main image, I stamped the little butterfly girl (lost coast designs) and just sponged on some of the wisteria ink.  I placed a stencil (TCW) over the image and sponged all around the little girl.  I then die cut the image with labels collection framelits (SU/Sizzix) and sponged the edges with vintage photo ink.  I added glitter on the wings, and then adhered the panel with dimensional foam tape.

After I uploaded my card to the gallery, I found out that I had missed a couple of requirements, when rushing to get them all written down.  I guess I got disqualified.

And I just have to show you one of the things my daughter gave me for Christmas.   She sewed it completely by hand.  I'm so proud of her.

The flowers were sewn individually and stuffed before they were attached to the background.  This view shows that better. 

She has more plushies for sale in her Etsy store, AdorkableDoodles.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I wish you many blessings in the year ahead.  Happy New Year.

it seems I've been missing...

Hi friends.  I didn't realize that it's been so long since I've posted.  I guess I haven't been doing a lot of creating.  Or maybe I have and just haven't posted anything.

After doing all the card for the Hope you can cling to challenges, I've been a bit of a slacker.  Sometimes I just need to sit back and take a break.

I have made some things, though.  I made some t-shirt yarn (there are a number of tutorials on YouTube) from some old t-shirts and crocheted a small rug for the bathroom.

And I made cards and an ornament (several, in fact) for my class last week.

These ornaments are made from four layers of cereal box chipboard, plus two stamped layers of cardstock.  I also made a couple using patterned paper instead of stamping.

And then last weekend was VSN (virtual stamp night) on SCS, with timed challenges, so I did a few of those.

This snow globe was a lot of fun and is going to be part of this week's class.  The front circle is clear, so you can see the scene inside the card.  Pretty cool. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a great week.

you are a blessing

Hi friends.  Friday is the day for mixability challenges on SCS -- or mixed media.  I have intentions to do them all, but have not been very faithful.  Today's challenge was no paper.  In other words, your card base could be paper, but all other layers had to be something other than paper. 

I started with a piece of tan canvas, on which I put two coats of gesso.  I didn't want to  completely cover it, just enough to get a lighter background to work with. 

Then I got out one of my handmade stencils and used distress paints to make the flower.  I then sprayed some brown and blue spray paint (which also was DIY). 

I stamped the sentiment (alias smith & rowe) and the butterfly (hero arts) with jet black archival ink.  There were a couple of spots that didn't stamp well on the canvas, so I just used a pigma marker to fill in any missed lines.  Then I used a copic marker to color the butterfly.  I was really careful with that, because it was picking up some of the black ink, and I didn't want it to be all muddy.

I inked the edges with vintage photo distress ink. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

hope you can cling to days 26 and 27

Hi friends.  Here are two more cards for the breast cancer awareness challenges on SCS.

Challenge twenty-nine - mixing it up - mixed media.  Create a card using mixed media. 

I started with a piece of toilet paper tube covered with a used coffee filter and coated with gesso.  Then I die cut a bird (forest bird - memory box) in a piece of cardboard from a tissue box.  Using the negative piece as a stencil, I sponged two colors of blue paint through the stencil.  Once that was dry, I outlined the bird with a Pitt pen and sponged vintage photo distress ink around the edges.  I layered the piece on black and ballet blue card stock.  

The background was made using leaf & floral background stamp (hero arts).  I colored it with blue distress stains, spritzed it with water and stamped on white card stock.  I also edged this with vintage photo ink.  I punched some circles from black and ballet blue, cut them in half and attached them with silver brads.  Then I layered this on black and a ballet blue card base.  

I stamped the sentiment in black on white card stock, punched it out and sponged the edge, before tucking it underneath the main image.  

Challenge thirty - Honor Your Elders.  Make a card to honor your elders.  

I stamped the windmill (B&J art stamps) in jet black stazon ink on white card stock and layered it on black.  Then I created a background text on my computer and printed it.  I popped up the image on foam tape.

Thank you so much for visiting today.  

autumn

Hi friends.  I've seen a lot of faces all around blogland lately.  I've wanted to learn how to make them, or more precisely, paint them.  So I've been watching videos and have joined some groups, hoping to learn.  Drawing a face isn't really the issue.  My problem is putting a brush in my hand and figuring out how to blend paint to get the right shadows and highlights.  So far, the main medium I've used is watercolor crayons and pencils.  I really want to learn how to use acrylic paints for this. 

So I've begun... made a face... but then got stuck on the background.  So, I made another face... and got stuck on the background.  So, I made another, and another... (you get the picture).  Robyn (OWSE Yahoo group) has been pushing me to get one finished.  So I finally did!  Yay!  This one is done on 11"x15" watercolor paper. 

Of course, if you know me at all, you know that I rarely take the typical/normal route.  I guess I'm one of those who takes the road less traveled. 

Robyn has a challenge this week in the OWSE facebook group to make something for fall.  So I made my background from die cut leaves and pattern papers.  I stamped on some of them and edged them all with vintage photo distress ink.  I trimmed some so they look like they are actually behind her, and left some in front. 

I also put a few in her hair with a button embellishment. 

I hope you like her as much as I do.

word play - g

Hi my friends.  How about another page spread from my word play journal?  To see all the completed pages, click here.  There's a challenge in the OWSE Yahoo group for the month of August, to create something that refers to what we did this summer.  So, I'm cutting it pretty close to the deadline, which is tomorrow. 

I have what I refer to as my garden.  What it really consists of is four large half-barrels, in which I planted tomatoes.  This is my third year, and what I would consider my first successful one.  The last two years apparently were not good ones for growing tomatoes, because I got very little produce from any of the plants.  But this year I'm happy with how many tomatoes I'm getting.  And the best part -- they are soooo yummy. 

So I made my page spread about a garden.  I have a number of the new Prima mixed media dolls by Julie Nutting, but I didn't think their dressy/flirty style fit with my garden theme, so I decided to try a 'she art' doll.  This is my first attempt, and I'm happy with it.  I used an old book page and designer paper.  The dress is also stamped with flowers.  After cutting out the hat, I cut a slit to fit her head into. 

When I started this journal, I created the base for each page right at the beginning, but for this page, I covered it all up with paint, since it just didn't match my theme. 

To get the texture in the sky, I pounced a stencil brush and gesso over the blue paint. 

The sun is painted, outlined and stamped with a doily stamp.  The flowers are punched and outlined.  The stems and leaves are hand drawn. 

The 'G' is hand drawn and zentangled.  The sentiment is computer generated.   The bird is cut with a Sizzix die and the butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch. Most of the pieces on this spread have been edged with vintage photo distress ink. 

I also did some random stamping with a Gina K. stamp and Tim Holtz stamps. 

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 

save the last dance

Hi friends.  Tonight, Robyn posted a challenge on our facebook group page to post a completed project.  I had been coloring a couple of the Prima mixed media dolls with derwent inktense pencils, so I put together a quick journal page. 

I started with a layer of gesso, then used some distress paints by putting them on my craft sheet, spritzing with water and dragging the page through them.  After drying them, I added some dylusions spray inks using a stencil made from a sizzix die and a butterfly stencil from red lead. 

I used a couple of old SU music sets to stamp randomly with jet black archival ink. 

The girl is made using two mixed media dolls (swing dress & doll with strapless dress).  I cut the skirt portion from one and added it to the other, so her dress was longer.  I cut around the bottom of the bow and tucked the longer skirt underneath.  I needed to trim the sides of the original skirt, so that it didn't extend beyond the edges of the new skirt. 

The sentiment was typed up on my computer and printed. 

Thanks so much for visiting today. 

life is good

Hi friends.  Happy Independence Day to all my friends in the USA! 

I recently joined another facebook group - this one about art journaling.  There are lots of prompts and challenges.  It's been some time since I've really done any pages, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to jump back in.  The first challenge was to use two colors of paint, gesso, and some designer paper or old book pages, or some such. 

I normally start all my pages with a coat of gesso, but simply forgot to do that on this one. 

I dripped some paint on the page and then used an old plastic gift card to drag the paint across the page.  I used two different colors separately. 

Then I used a crafter's workshop stencil, mini echoes, and painted gesso through the stencil.  I didn't care for the darker color.  It was much too bold, so I then used a gesso wash and painted over the entire page.  That was much better. 

I wanted to use one of the new Julie Nutting mixed media doll stamps, so I stamped the doll with ruffles with jet black archival ink and colored it with inktense pencils and a water brush.  Then I cut it out. 

I cut some strips of pattern paper that matched the colors on the dress.  I cut the scallops freehand and layered the paper on the edges. 

I pulled out an old flower stamp that I've had for years and never used (really?) and stamped it randomly over the background in purely pomegranate ink and bermuda bay ink. 

Next I attached the doll. 

The final step was printing a sentiment, cutting apart some of the words, sponging around the edges, and gluing them down. I'm happy with my page. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. 

moonflowers

Hello friends.  A couple of days ago, a challenge was issued in one of the facebook groups that I'm in.  The challenge was to create something inspired by the following quote:  "When the earth smelled of summer and the sky was filled with night..."

I wanted to find out where the quote was from, so I did a google search and came up with the following:

Hello Young Lovers (from the King and I)

Anna, when I think of Tom

I think about a night

When the earth smelled of summer

And the sky was streaked with white

And the soft mist of England

Was sleeping on a hill

I remember this

And I always will

There are new lovers now on the same silent hill

Looking on the same blue sea

And I know Tom and I are a part of them all

And they're all a part of Tom and me

Hello young lovers, whoever you are

I hope your troubles are few

All my good wishes go with you tonight

I've been in love like you

Be brave young lovers and follow your star

Be brave and faithful and true

Cling very close to each other tonight

I've been in love like you

I know how it feels to have wings on your heels

And to fly down the street in a trance

You fly down a street on a chance that you'll meet

And you meet – not really by chance

Don't cry young lovers, whatever you do

Don't cry because I'm alone

All of my memories are happy tonight

I've had a love of my own

I've had a love of my own like yours

I've had a love of my own

The line was unintentionally misquoted, but it worked anyway for a great challenge.  The first thing that came to mind was moonflowers.  Although I've never actually seen a moonflower, I knew that I could find images online.  My flowers don't look exactly like moonflowers, but since this is art, it doesn't matter.  

It has been a long time since I've done an art journal page, so I pulled out a journal page that I had done the background on months ago and decided to use it.  

I added some leaves with green acrylic paint using one of the stencils that I made recently. 

Then I stamped some flowers from a SU set called Secret Garden.  I sponged the centers with light green ink and added some dots of white acrylic paint with a toothpick that I cut the point off of.  I glued on the flowers and added the sentiment, which I printed on the computer. 

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

my first canvas ever

Hello friends.  This week I've been busy creating cards for my class on Thursday.  Once I finished, I decided to play a little bit.  There's a challenge to make something with the technique (masking on collage) that was presented last week at our OWSE Art Techniques Club meeting, so I made a canvas, my first ever.  It's 14"x11", much larger than anything I normally create.  Nothing like stepping out of my little box.  I'm glad I did it though.  It wasn't nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be, and was rather fun to work on a much larger space. 

I started by forming a collage with a bunch of different pattern papers.  Then I used a Sizzix butterfly die to make two masks from some recycled chipboard boxes. 

Then came paint, removing some of the paint to allow some of the papers to show through, spray inks and stencils, modeling paste with a stencil, and some stamping. 

Then I removed the masks.  I stamped some buttons from a SU set called button, button.  I punched them out, pierced the holes and used a Pitt pen to draw on thread.  I used the buttons for the butterfly bodies. 

I printed the sentiment on my computer, cut it apart, and added some ink before gluing the words to the canvas. 

I don't think it's fabulous, but neither do I dislike it.  I would prefer that the butterflies were a single paper and that they stood out more, but since they were part of the technique, I really couldn't change them for the challenge. 

Creating on a canvas was definitely a learning experience for me, and I know I'll be doing more of these.

Thank you so much for stopping by. 

friday feature - making stencils.

Hi friends.  It's time for another Friday Feature over on the OWSE blog.  I never seem to have enough stencils, so I've made some of my own.  I explain how on the Friday Feature this week. 

Here's a card I made using one of the stencils I made. 

This card is also made for the mix-ability challenge on SCS.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great weekend. 

bell flowers

Hi friends.  I think maybe my mojo is sneaking back.  I sat down to create this morning and it happened!

Robyn over at OWSE Yahoo group presented us with a quick fire challenge this morning to create something with either birds or bees.  I decided to make another page to go in the journal I started in January (21 cards) for Motley Soul Mixed Media Art. 

The page is 4"x6" made from cereal box chipboard, covered with coffee filters, gesso and paint.  The background was already done, and I chose to just work with it as is. 

I found the chipboard vine (Sizzix) in my stash and covered it with vintage photo distress ink. 

Then I die cut a bunch of the tiniest flower on the tattered florals die (Tim Holtz) from a blue card stock and sponged the petals with seedless preserves distress ink.  I snipped into the center between two of the petals and then used a stylus and my fingers to form the flowers into a bell shape.  I glued them onto the vine and added some highlights on the petals with a white gel pen.  A black sharpie was used to make the stamen.  The flowers look really flat in the photo, but they are actually very dimensional and stand out about 1/4" from the page. 

The bird from caged bird (Tim Holtz) was die cut from the same blue card stock, embossed with tiny mosaic embossing folder and sponged with seedless preserves.  I attached the bird with dimensional tape. 

The sentiment was hand written with a sharpie marker. 

I'm also entering this in the mix-ability challenge #13 and the free for all challenge #166 on SCS. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great week. 

house #1

Hello friends.  The challenge at Motley Soul Mixed Media Art for the month of April is houses, sized at 4"x6".  This month has not been a very creative one for me, so this is my first house, and the month is nearly over.  I think my mindset has been in that mode where everything I make needs to be a masterpiece (even though I know that's not true), and therefore, my mojo simply stalls, and I can't create anything - very frustrating.  So I'm happy that I was finally able to get my first house made.  About half way through, I pulled some words (spring, red, & song) from my inspiration jar to help me move forward. 

I started with my usual - recycling some chipboard from boxes.  I glued two layers together and covered one side with an old book page.  After painting over it, but letting some of the text show through, I added some Tim Holtz tissue tape around the edges. 

This past week I worked on three handmade stencils - (my finger is still sore from pressing on the craft knife).  First I drew what I wanted on paper, then traced it onto some plastic.  I'm using some sort of film sheets that were a headed-for-the-trash rescue.  I used one of the stencils on my house - the big flower in the background.  It's really made for a larger project, but I think it's a fun addition to the house.  After I put it on, I decided I needed some features, so a lot of got covered up, but that's OK. 

First I used a Tim Holtz brick stamp along the bottom and one side.  

I cut a door and window from patterned paper and added some details.  The flower pot is also patterned paper with a bunch of punched flowers.  

The roof is also a rescue.  Some months ago, we bought a new sofa.  Parts of it were wrapped in one-sided corrugated cardboard and plastic.  Of course I had to save some of the cardboard that was in good condition.  I've learned to ignore the sighs and eye rolls from family members. LOL 

I cut off the roof angles and then highlighted the ridges with vintage photo distress ink. 

I hope you like my house.  Thank you so much for stopping by. 

embossed metal

Hello friends.  Today is the mix-ability challenge on SCS, and our challenge is to use metal. 

I used some foil tape stuck to card stock.  I colored the foil with alcohol inks and then ran the sheet through my cuttlebug with muscial flourish embossing folder.  I decided to put the metal behind a frame, so I used my mini cabinet card die (Tim Holtz/Sizzix) to cut a window in a piece of navy card stock.  Then I layered it on white and my pacific point card base. 

I have a new stamp set, secret garden (SU), that I just got this week, so I used that for the flowers and leaves (which are petals from the same flower stamp).  I think the flower is a clematis, but I colored them red with inktense colored pencils and a water brush.  Then I cut them all out.  Looking at the flowers all together, they look more like poinsettias - not exactly what I had intended.  I may have to use this for a Christmas card. 

Since there is a seam in the center where the foil tape is, I chose a couple of feather die cuts (Quickutz) to camouflage that.  Kind of a funky combination with the flowers.  I added lines on the feathers with a black marker and sponged on some turquoise ink. 

As a final decoration, I added some faux stitching with a white gel pen. 

Thanks so much for stopping in today. 

word play - E

Hello friends.  Wow!  I can't believe it's been almost a year since I did a spread in my word play journal.  With just 26 letters, I thought I'd have the entire journal completed in a year.  Grand intentions, I guess.  Click here to see the previous pages.  Since I made the base pages all at once, I don't even remember how I did that.  I'm pretty sure they are watercolor paper with old book pages, stencils and paint. 

This spread was put together over several days.  I wanted some texture, so I used light spackling compound with a circle template and palette knife, and then I just spread some on without a stencil. 

I used several stencils (crafter's workshop & red lead), acrylic paint, ink, and water soluble wax pastels.  I used a sponge to pounce either the paint or ink through my stencils.  I also used a black sharpie to outline some of the stenciled images. 

The letter 'E' is hand drawn and zentangled.  The title and verse are computer generated.  

As part of the mix-ability challenge on SCS, I added some paint splatters.  The Bible verse makes this eligible for the Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge 2013. 

Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit.