Saturday, June 13, 2015

Summer Camp Stationery Set by Yapha Mason

Summer Camp Stationery Set!  – Yapha Mason
This Summer Camp Stationery Set is perfect to send to sleep away camp with your teen or tween. Featuring the Epic Alphabet Stamp Set and the bright and fun Cherry on Top Designer Series Paper Stack and matching Washi Tape, this set contains six single-sided notecards (for short notes home) and six square cards (for longer letters), as well as two pens and two pencils. It all fits nicely in the decorated plastic case to keep it safe from the elements. This would make an excellent gift as well as a class or club project.  Get the full step-by-step instructions by subscribing to the month of June over at Craft Project Central!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Patriotic Masculine Gift Set by Monika Davis

Patriotic Masculine Gift Set! – Monika Davis

Make this patriotic and masculine gift set, containing a thank you card, a picture frame and a mini scrap album. It is the perfect gift for a soldier, a vet, or perhaps someone who has a loved one in the military. Honor them with a hand-made gift for risking their lives for our freedom. Learn
different techniques, like stenciling and heat embossing. Learn how to add a distressed look to your project. Make handmade 3-D stars and add dimensions with sponging and die-cutting. Great for a stamp camp, or as a class project.   For full step-by-step instructions, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of June!

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Art Journal Experiment: Wax Paper and Pan Pastels

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Keep Moving Through The Process
I am amazed at how difficult it can be to begin a piece of art - whether it is an art journal page, a canvas, a mixed media creation, a card.  It doesn't seem to matter.  Showing up and beginning takes courage.  The courage to face that inner critic that invariably joins you on the journey.  I also find that I often want to abandon ship early in the creative process.  I start judging and criticizing what I am doing almost as soon as I begin doing it!  And, what I am continually learning, is that I need to just keep moving the process.  Just keep going even when the judgement is there.  Even when the criticism is there.  Because if I'm not creating art, I'm not learning about creating art.  It doesn't matter if I love, hate, or feel apathetic about the end result.  What matters is that I am learning.  I am doing.  I am putting it out there and growing each time I have the courage to just create.  The only true way to learn is to find the courage to create and going for it!
Today I am sharing another Art Journal Experiment.  I like calling these videos "experiments" since it takes the pressure off of me a bit.  It also lets you know that what you are watching is me trying to find my way with materials and techniques - so hopefully you are learning on the journey with me.  Today I decided to play with wax paper, pan pastels...and a few other things!  I hope you enjoy the video :)

Burying and Planting Art Journal Page

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  There Is Very Little Difference Between Burying And Planting
We dig up the ground.  We place the seed, object, casket in the ground.  We cover it again with soil.  How perfect that the actions we take when we bury something are the same actions we take for planting something!  Can this apply to other aspects of my life as well?  That if I let something go it will actually give seed to something else?  That if I grow something new, I can put something else to rest?  Yes, there is very little difference between burying and planting.
Today I am sharing an art journal page that I created for Paper Crafter's Library.  I used a monoprinting technique with reinkers and I had a ton of fun!  If you are interested in the supply list and full step-by-step video for how I created the page, head on over to Paper Crafter's Library by clicking the badge in the upper right-hand corner of my blog and consider becoming a member!

Monday, June 08, 2015

Art Journal Experiment: Monoprinting & Stenciling With Gelatos - A Video!!!!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  What matters is not the time it takes to make art but the art itself.  -Mario Rivoli
I fall into this trap - paying attention to how much time it is taking me to get something done.  The question that people often ask when they see a piece of art that was created..."How much time did that take?"  I wonder why we are so focused on time - especially when it comes to making art.  I wonder if we are getting in our own way when we start to view making art as punching a time clock?  Does the time it takes really matter?  What if we just took whatever time we had - whatever moments we might otherwise be spending in ways that do not nurture our souls - and instead take those moments and gift them to our art making?  Keeping track of those moments is not required.  All you need to do is make the art.
Today I am sharing an Art Journal Experiment with you.  It began with the thought "What would happen if I tried to monoprint with freezer paper and gelatos?" and then it went from there.  Come along on this journey with me as I explore the answer to that question and also learn how to seal the gelatos; stencil with the gelatos and blend the gelatos along the way.  I hope you enjoy the journey with me!


Sunday, June 07, 2015

Fry Box Gift Packaging Trio by Christy Fulk

Fry Box Gift Packaging Trio!  – Christy Fulk
If you’re in need of some new packaging ideas, then these projects are for you! There are three different gift packaging ideas in this tutorial, and all three are made with the Fry Box Bigz L Die. The new Bohemian Designer Series Paper is also used. This would make a great product-based class, too.  For full step-by-step instructions, head on over to Craft Project Central and subscribe to the month of June!