Making A Bit Of Progress: Beautiful Butterflies FLY Artwork

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  A Bird Does Not Sing Because It Has An Answer.  It Sings Because It Has A Song.  -Chinese Proverb

I have been working on a number of mixed media collages for sometime now.  The one that drew me to this quote is not ready for sharing yet...or maybe it is...it is definitely a work in progress!  Maybe I'll give you a peek a bit later in the week.  It began with images of blue jays and has evolved, quite slowly I might add, from there.  Today I decided to pull the piece back out and continue working on it and I felt it needed some words.  So I started looking for quotes about birds and came upon this perfect proverb.  It was exactly the message I needed to hear.  Why do we create art?  Not because we have answers or feel like we are creating the perfect piece.  We create art because we have a song to sing.  There are notes inside of us that need to be expressed.  And so we sing.
I did feel like I made enough progress today on this piece from last week that I decided to share it with you today!  Doris, if you're reading this, I'll be curious about your thoughts on where I'm taking this :)  Let me share with you how I've gotten this far.  It began on my birthday on Oct. 21st!  A friend gave me a gift and the gift was wrapped in beautiful tissue paper.  Once I started working on this piece, I knew the tissue paper had to be incorporated in some way.  So, I took the tissue paper and adhered it to a canvas board using matte medium.  Here is what it looked like after that step was complete:

I decided the pattern was a bit too bold and that it would overshadow the piece I had made, so I took a risk and coated the entire panel with white gesso.  Gesso is great since it is more transparent than opaque.  Here is the panel coated with gesso:

And can you see what else I added????  If you look closely, you will notice that I used the Mostly Vintage stencil to create texture on the panel!  How did I do it?  I held the stencil down and then covered it with flexible modeling paste.  I applied the paste over the stencil using an old hotel room key (very much like using an old credit card) and then lifted the stencil.  I LOVE how you can use stencils for different mediums - not just ink!  I then let the paste dry and started to play around with where I might position the original piece on the canvas.  I started with trying it here:

 

As I was playing around with the placement I decided that the piece needed more color.  So I began creating washes of color - blues and greens - using watercolor crayons and a brush.  Which leaves me with the piece exactly as you see at the top of this post (I have not adhered the original piece down onto the canvas yet - I seem to like it placed more to the left than to the right...but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow!).  I'm not sure where the piece will go next.  I need to sit with it for awhile.  I feel like some sparkle is going to get added to the panel...we'll see.  I'll be sure to let you know where I go next!

Notably Ornate Kissing Technique

Today's Question From The Craft Room:  What Do We Allow Ourselves To Get Annoyed At?

My day began on a bit of an odd note - I allowed myself to get annoyed and then, it seemed, all I could focus on was the annoyance I heard around me.  My annoyance began with contacting Amazon regarding a recent book purchase from one of their sellers.  When the book arrived it had library markings on it (not disclosed in the listing) so I contacted the library named on the book plate and, it turns out, the book had been checked out 2 years ago and never returned.  In my mind, the book was therefore not in my legal possession - even if the last seller was totally unaware of the book not ever making it back to the library.  So, I contacted the on-line help at Amazon...and needless to say it was a very frustrating experience - both in terms of time and because it appeared the person did not understand what I was typing in my chat messages.  I have never cared whether or not English was someone's first, second, or fiftieth language.  And, I realized today that when I am contacting a company that conducts their business in English, it would make sense for their customer service employees to have a certain level of proficiency with the English language.  Unfortunately, the person I was chatting with on-line today at Amazon was unable to understand the language she was reading and was equally poor in her typed responses.  It really became a ridiculous exercise in communication (or lack thereof).  After the experience I went onto facebook and saw a friend's post - she was annoyed at not being able to find a body pump class at her gym.  Next, a friend called and the first thing she said was that her socks were falling down and she didn't understand why socks fall down in the first place!  So there you have it - a curious series of annoyances that just built on one another in my mind...and I let them...and that is what I am really annoyed about!  Why do I allow these things to even stir my emotions, let alone set a course for my morning?  So now I am breathing deeply and focusing on what is worth giving my attention to - my art and my peace.  What do you allow yourself to get annoyed at?
Today's card used a kissing technique.  I inked up the bird from Notably Ornate using Sahara Sand ink.  I then took an uninked stamp from Baroque Motifs and pressed it against the inked up bird stamp.  This removed some of the Sahara Sand ink from the bird.  I then pressed the bird stamp onto Very Vanilla card stock and this beautiful bird appeared!  I cut it out with scissors and then mounted it to a small piece of Very Vanilla card stock with dimensionals.  The mini vintage tag was embellished with a word cut out of a book and then added to the card stock with a rhinestone brad.  I then adhered this panel to a piece of card stock that I had sprayed with ink and shimmer paint.  This whole piece was then attached to the Very Vanilla card base using dimensionals.  The final touch was to add some scored lines on the bottom of the card using my scoring board.  I hope you like it!

Wax Resist Background With Shimmer Paint Stamping

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  I Am Preparing To Hibernate!

As I watch out the window of the craft room, I am noticing a change in the behavior of the birds and squirrels.  It seems everyone is becoming more determined to get as many peanuts and seeds as they can as they begin to feel winter in the air.  I am noticing a similar change in my own behavior as the air begins to chill and the days begin to darken earlier.  I had been doing a wonderful job of curtailing my art supply purchases...until recently.  Michael has even joked that it might be time for an intervention!  I have found myself running to craft stores, art stores and shopping on line.  As I reflect on this recent change in my behavior I realize that I am stocking up for winter.  With the end of the year just around the corner, my work schedule and travel schedule will begin to wind down.  I am anticipating a nice long stretch of time at home - time to create and explore new art techniques and supplies.  So it makes sense to me that I am squirreling away the supplies I will need for my art hibernation :)  Do you find your own behavior changing in any ways as the seasons change?  What do you take with you into hibernation?
Today's card was a progression from a card I shared with you last week during Four Ways Friday.  I had fun using the scoring board with the wax resist technique so I decided to try it again and to step it up!  I started with a piece of Very Vanilla card stock and covered it with Certainly Celery ink with the direct to paper technique.  I then placed the piece on my scoring board and rubbed it with a wax candle.  Next I applied Concord Crush ink (direct to paper) and then used a hot iron to remove the wax from the card stock (I placed the card stock between 2 sheets of scrap paper before heating it with an iron).  I then placed the piece on the scoring board again and rubbed it with the wax candle.  Next I applied Rose Red ink (direct to paper) and once again ironed the piece between 2 sheets of scrap paper to remove the wax.  I then stamped an image from Extreme Elements a few times using Jet Black Staz-On ink.  The stars from Extreme Elements were then stamped using Frost White shimmer paint.  Finally, I added some yellow glitter glue (non SU!) and smooshed it around with my finger.  I let the piece dry and then tore it to use on this card.  The greeting from Just Believe was stamped with Jet Black Staz-On and then punched out using a 1 3/4" circle punch.  I hope you like it!
Here is a close-up of the card stock:

Four Ways Friday #68 - Simply Scored Scoring Tool

Thanks for your patience!  It took me awhile to wake up and get the day going this morning, but I have to admit that spending the day in the craft room was perfect :)  This weeks Four Ways Friday provides you with four different ways to use your Simply Scored Scoring Tool!

Let's start with the basics!  Of course you can use your scoring tool to score your base card.  It's quick and easy!  Those same score lines can look great on other parts of your card too!  Here I took a smaller piece of Very Vanilla card stock and scored it one way every 1/2" and then turned it and scored it in the other direction every 1/2" to create this grid.  I then cut the prongs off of the brads and adhered them to the intersections using glue dots.  Next I used the flower from the punch trio and punched the flowers and added adhesive pearls.  They were attached to the grid using glue.  The greeting is from Teeny Tiny wishes and stamped using Jet Black Staz-On.

 If you like making score lines, you will love using your scoring tool for making paper rosettes!  I made the rosette by scoring a piece of designer series paper every 1/4".  I then folded the paper accordian style and glued the end pieces together to form a circular shape.  Once that is done, you can push down on the middle of the circle and use hot glue to adhere the ends together and make the rosette.  Next, I took a vintage tag and scored it every 1/4".  I then sponged the entire tag, first with River Rock ink and then with Old Olive ink.  This helps the score lines stand out!  I then stamped the Medallion background stamp (one of my ultimate all-time favorites!) using Crumb Cake ink.  The rosette was attached to the tag using glue.  I then stamped the greeting from Upsy Daisy onto a piece of Very Vanilla card stock, after coloring the stamp directly with both Chocolate Chip and Old Olive markers.  The ends were cut to look like a banner and then the banner was attached to the rosette using dimensionals.

You can make all kinds of accordion books using your scoring tool!  Here I made an adorable little 2"x2" book.  I cut a piece of 2"x10" piece of Very Vanilla card stock and scored it every 2 inches.  I then accordion folded the card stock.  Next I began masking each "page" and sponging and stamping :)  The letters are from Calendar Alphabet & Numbers and Rough Type Alphabet (retired...I had to use this set since I can't find my letter "r" in my Calendar set...hopefully it will turn up!) stamped with Jet Black Staz-On.  I created a belly band for the book with a small strip of Very Vanilla card stock that is held together with two glue dots.  The heart was punched using the Heart To Heart punch and a piece of scrap Regal Rose card stock that I had stamped.

 

Here's a look at the inside:

I used stamps from Every Little Bit, Extreme Elements, Elements of Style and Heart to Heart.  I just couldn't help myself :)  I also did a bit of coloring using markers and added a touch of super nova old olive glitter and some dazzling diamonds.

Can you guess how I used the scoring tool on this card????  Yes, there is the easy answer that I used it to create the score lines to fold this pocket card...but there's more!!!!!  You see that pattern that almost looks like snake skin?  I created that using the scoring tool and the wax candle emboss resist technique (I have a video on wax candle emboss resist - just check out the link to the left on my blog).  The scoring tool is a textured surface so, I put a piece of Very Vanilla card stock that I had sponged with Pear Pizazz ink on the surface of the tool - a little bit slanted.  Next, I rubbed a candle all over the surface of the card stock.  The next step was to then sponge the entire piece with Marina Mist ink - you will immediately see the waxed areas resisting the ink when you do this.  To remove the wax once you are satisfied with the amount of color you have on the card stock, you need to heat up an iron and cover the card stock with a piece of scrap copy paper.  Iron the piece and the wax will lift from the card stock and get soaked into the scrap paper.  It's a ton of fun and very addicting!  Of course, you can choose to layer more wax on and then add more color - the possibilities and patterns are endless!
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday - it was fun to make these projects today and I'm looking forward to spending more time in the craft room this weekend!  Hope you have a creative and peaceful weekend!

Four Ways Friday will be here...hopefully later today!

It's been a long day!  It is after 11:30 pm Thursday night as I am typing this and I just got back from a trip and I'm pooped!  I am already looking forward to sleeping late and then to spending much of the day tomorrow in the craft room.  I think of the craft room almost like a womb for myself - does that sound weird?!  It's a place where I am so comforted and "at home."  It is my peace.  I hope to put together a few things to share with you by later in the day on Friday.  Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again in a little bit :)

More Chipboard Shapes & Sizes :)

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  We Are Not Sent Into This World To Do Anything Into Which We Cannot Put Our Hearts

This John Ruskin quote began as the inspiration for this art piece that is still "under construction."  I truly believe that we are each sent to this planet to do that which speaks to our hearts and I wanted to make a piece of art that I can hang in the craft room that will continually remind me of this truth.  What a wonderful measure for us to test if we are doing what we are meant to do - to ask ourselves if we can put our heart into it.
I began by taping strips of copper tape to a large piece of chipboard.  I then used metal stamps to stamp into the copper tape to create the quote.  I cut out the chipboard pieces and coated each of them with black acrylic paint and then wiped most of the paint off.  The heart was created like the crown I made yesterday - relying on my ability to draw a heart :)  I drew the heart on a piece of scrap chipboard and cut it out and then covered it with aluminum hardware tape and a few piece of copper tape before embossing it and covering it with black acrylic paint (and then wiping the paint off).  These pieces will be joining the crown and this canvas:

I covered this canvas with hardware tape - I believe this tape is used for backing tiles (but I could be wrong about that...I was attracted to all the little squares, not the intended hardware use :).  The tape is adhesive on one side, but I still used matte medium to adhere it to try to prevent any lifting.  I then covered the entire canvas with gesso.  Yes, this is another project where, so far, the only Stampin' Up! product has been the chipboard.  It really is amazing what you can do with that chipboard!!!!!  Just think what you can do with the backing from your designer series paper packs and decor elements and stencil packaging!!! :)  The possibilities are endless!!!! :)  Stay tuned for more photos as this project progresses.  I keep wondering which will reach completion first...this one or the "fly" canvas!  What do you think? :)

Playing With Chipboard

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Trust In Your Ability!

I'm not sure when it started, but I began to believe that I couldn't draw/create shapes on my own :(  Somehow the Big Shot, and the amazing shapes it creates, had an impact on me I hadn't expected.  I began to believe that if I wanted to add a shape to a card or paper project I needed just the right die to do it!  This came to light when I started to play with today's project and I wanted a crown made out of chipboard.  But, lo and behold, I don't have a crown die for the Big Shot and I thought I was sunk.  Then I remembered...I can draw a crown!!!!  (I know, not a miraculous thought...but at that moment it really was miraculous since I had forgotten about my own abilities).  So I pulled out a piece of chipboard and I drew a crown on it with a pen.  I then cut it out with scissors and ta-da - I had the shape I needed.  I then covered the crown with aluminum tape from the hardware store and started to decorate the crown with various metal working & embossing tools that I had on the craft table.  Here is the crown in progress:

This is another project that I am working on step-by-step.  I'll share with you another little part...another shape I created...can you guess what it is?

If you start to believe that you need just the right tool or product, remember to trust in your own abilities!!!!  Oh, and in case you are wondering, I did use one Stampin' Up! product for this project...the chipboard was actually the backing sheet from a Stampin' Up! product :)  Don't throw those chipboard backings away - you can definitely put them to good use!!!!  Tomorrow I'll share a bit more of this project with you :)

Beautiful Butterflies and Simple Alphabet Sign

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Some Days You Can See So Clearly!

It was amazingly clear yesterday.  On our walk, Buddy and I could see forever and the mountains were vivid and sharp in the distance!  Creativity is like those mountains for me.  Some days I sit down to create and in my mind I know exactly what I want to do.  I sit down and start to bring to life the image that is in my head and heart.  And then there are those days when you can't see so clearly.  You still show up to create - you just don't know what is going to appear!  This sign has been like that for me.  Last week I shared with you where I began - it looked like this:

Since the last photo I showed you last week, I added color with alcohol inks (non SU!) and some other bronzing paints and wax.  I also added some glitter glue and spread it around with my finger on the butterfly - the sparkle in person is wonderful!  Now the sign is sitting on my craft table - on top of a piece of butterfly tissue paper that I know will somehow become a part of this art-in-progress.  I will keep sharing as this unfolds - right now I can't see clearly where I'm headed, but I'm going to move forward with the confidence that something incredible will appear!  I hope you like it!

Bigz Beautiful Butterflies Masked Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  If You Make It With Your Heart, Whatever You Create Has Significance

I truly believe that whatever an artist creates is imbued with the spirit of the artist.  We can be so hard on our creations sometimes - judging them, critiquing them.  We need to be kind to the works we create - recognizing that our heart and spirit are a part of that creation.  In this way, everything we create has significance - it has us.
Today's card began as a desire to use a butterfly as a mask.  I die cut a piece of chipboard using the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die and the Big Shot.  I then put temporary adhesive on the back of the butterfly and placed it on the Very Vanilla card.  I sponged around the butterfly with So Saffron ink and some champagne.  Next I repeated these steps over and over until I was happy with the base of the card.  By now, the chipboard butterfly was inky and sparkly and I decided I couldn't let it go to waste!  So, I stamped the greeting from Charming using Jet Black Staz-On and then stamped the butterfly with an image from Friends 24-7.  I stamped the Charming words on a scrap piece of paper and cut some of them out and sponged the edges with So Saffron ink.  I added a few to the card with dimensional pieces and also added a word as the butterfly body.  The butterfly was adhered to the card with dimensionals.  I hope you like it :)

Four Ways Friday #67 - Boho Blossoms Punch

This week's Four Ways Friday is all about how you can use the Boho Blossoms punch in fun and exciting ways!

Of course, you can always use your punch in the usual way :)  Here I punched out a bunch of the smallest flowers using Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock.  I then adhered them to the Very Vanilla card base using glue.  I then added the adhesive pearls to the flower centers.  Finally, I stamped the greeting from Sincere Salutations using Staz-On Jet Black ink and the stamp-a-ma-jig.

For this second card, I took a piece of Rich Razzleberry card stock and used the punch to punch out "windows" of flowers in the lower right hand corner.  I then backed the Rich Razzleberry card stock with a piece of Very Vanilla card stock to create the impression that the flowers were Very Vanilla in color.  I added a few punched out flowers to the piece and then added adhesive pearls to the the flower centers.  I then adhered the piece to a piece of Pretty In Pink card stock and adhered the entire panel to the Rich Razzleberry card base using dimensionals.  Next I punched out a decorative label and then adhered a piece of Old Olive satin ribbon behind it using a piece of tape.  I then layered circles onto the label using my 1 3/4", 1 1/2" and 1 1/4" circle punches.  The final 2 circles were attached to the largest circle using dimensionals.  I then added a small flower to the upper right-hand corner.  The last touch was the add a strip of designer paper that I punched with the scallop edge punch.

Punched shapes make great masks that you can use in so many different ways!  For this tag, I began with a plain tag and then adhered a number of punched flowers using temporary adhesive.

Next, I sponged the tag using Crumb Cake ink and then removed the masks.  I die cut the letters using the Alphabet Simple Letters dies and Crumb Cake card stock and sponged the edges using Chocolate Chip ink.  I then used my finger to apply champagne shimmer paint to all of the letters and adhered them to the tag.  A few of the flowers were also punched out of Crumb Cake card stock, sponged, brushed with a bit of shimmer paint, and embellished with adhesive rhinestones.  I then adhered the flowers to the tag and added a small piece of Early Espresso ribbon.  Here's a close up so you can see the masking more clearly:

I also love to layer punched shapes and use them to make magnets or push pins.

 For this last project I punched quite a few of the largest flowers and a couple of the middle sized flowers from Baja Breeze card stock.  I then sprayed them lightly with water and crunched them and let them dry.  Then I uncrumpled them and sponged them with Marina Mist ink.  I also punched a 1 1/4"  circle and sponged the edges.  Next I layered all of the flowers on top of one another and used my paper piercer to make a center hole.  I then pushed through a rhinestone brad and adhered the entire flower to the circle using crystal effects.  Here is a close up of the flower:

 I then used the crystal effects to adhere a magnet and also adhered a smaller circle to the back side of the magnet so that it can be used on metal surfaces without scratching.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  I hope these ideas inspire you to use your Boho Blossoms punch in new and exciting ways!!!!  I wish you a wonderfully creative and peaceful weekend!  (I will hopefully be doing some more house painting...I'll try to take more pics so you can see the progress!).

Four Ways Friday will be here later today!

Hi!  I just got back from a trip yesterday and was too tired to stamp, so Four Ways Friday will be coming a bit later today!  Hope you stop back by!

Butterfly Sign...In Progress!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  We Are All Works In Progress!
I don't know why I've had an aversion in the past to showing you works in progress and why I have felt the need to always share completed projects.  Do you know why that is?  Do you come here expecting to see something in its completed state?  I realize that just showing you completed projects and videos of completed projects doesn't really share the truth of my creative process.  I have a lot of "ongoing pieces" in my craft room.  Some wait for days...or months...or, yes, years...waiting for my return to move them forward.  I am very much like these projects - a work in progress.  I am never completed - I am always changing, building up, taking away.  We are all works in progress - just like our art.  So today I'm going to show you a work in progress and we can enjoy the journey together (and yes, I promise to share how this piece transforms...whether that be a day from now, a month from now....or maybe even a year!).
Today's piece started out much like my "create art" sign.  I began with die cutting chipboard - time time using the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die and the Simple Alphabet dies.  I then adhered the pieces to the base using glue.  This time I decided to start adhering metal tape from the home improvement store and adding a bit of sequin waste that I adhered with matte medium.  I want to thank RachO113 on YouTube for this inspiration.  If you haven't watched any of her videos and want to be absolutely inspired, you need to go and watch her at work with her art in her videos - she is truly amazing to watch!  Thank you Rachel for the inspiration!  Here are a few pictures of the process unfolding:

Next I finished covering the sign with the metal tape and then used my embossing tool to outline all of the raised areas - the letters, the butterfly, and the sequin waste.  Finally, I used some metal working tools to add some texture and distressing.  The tape is quite soft, so you can add texture with everyday items you have lying around the house or in your craft space.

Here is the piece in its "raw" form.  I have begun to add color to the piece using some non-SU! products and I also have an idea about how I want to keep moving forward with it.  For now, I will leave you and your imagination with this piece as it is in this picture...in the hopes that it will inspire you to take the process in your own direction.  And, I will continue to work the piece and share it with you as it evolves!  I hope we can enjoy this journey together :)

Create Art Sign - Continued!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Delayed Gratification Can Help You Appreciate What You Receive

In today's world of instant everything, I find that I can forget to really appreciate that which I receive.  We have learned that we can get what we need at the click of a button - be it information; something new we buy on the internet; a message we receive from a friend through instant messaging, texting, or email.  It seems to train us to believe that everything comes quickly and it also seems to train us to not stop and really marvel at what we receive.  If things seem to appear automatically, we can begin to take them for granted.  So thank you for coming back by today for a little delayed gratification!  I hope you didn't mind the wait...and if you did, ask yourself why you minded and whether you can slow down your desire to have it all "right now!"  I am trying to teach myself this same patience and this same appreciation to allow things to come at their own time.
When we left off yesterday, I shared with you the sign covered in masking tape.  The next step was to sponge Soft Suede ink to the entire piece.  Next came some Chocolate Chip ink sponged in some places and then some Basic Black ink, sponged particularly around the letters to give them a bit of definition.  I then used my fingers to apply Champagne Shimmer Mist paint to the entire panel, right over all of the ink.  In person this sign has some great sparkle and shine!!!!  The paint also acts to "seal in" the ink.  I then stamped the word "create" from one of the stamps in the Charming stamp set.  I used my Soft Suede marker and Very Vanilla card stock and then cut out the word and sponged the edges with Soft Suede ink.  The word was applied to the sign using glue.  The brass hand was something I had in the craft room - it came in handy :)  I attached it using matte medium.  Next I stamped a brass metal tag using Staz-On ink and the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set.  I attached it to the sign using an antique brad.  Finally, I adhered the entire panel to a piece of Basic Black card stock and added some D-ring hangers with matte medium.  I haven't decided yet if I want to hang the sign using wire or ribbon...but I know I will decided when the time is right :)  I hope you like it!  Tomorrow check back to see how else you can cover chipboard signs for a totally different look!

Create Art Serif Essentials and Faux Leather Sign

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  It All Begins With An Idea Or An Action

Today's project started with the idea to make a sign for my craft room after I had completed yesterday's "create art" card.  What I find is that most of my art begins with either an idea or an action.  Sometimes I walk into the craft room and sit down and have an intention - an idea of where I want to start or what I want to do.  At other times, I sit down and I am clueless!  I have no idea what I am going to do or where to begin.  Either way creates a beginning - a place where my art begins.  You don't have to have an idea to actually get started - you can just get started :)
This first photo is where I began to bring the idea to life.  I cut a piece of chipboard for the base and then die cut chipboard with the Serif Essentials dies and adhered the letters to the base using glue.  I then began to apply strips of masking tape, smoothing the pieces around the letters as I went along.  Here are some pictures of the process I went through:

I kept adding the masking tape until the chipboard was fully covered.  I then used my embossing tool to press the tape down very tightly around the edges of the letters.  It's hard to tell in this last photo, but using the embossing tool to outline the letters really helps define the outline.  So I think I'm going to leave you in a bit of suspense and share the finished project with you tomorrow.  I figure it took me a little while to make this piece - a bit more time than my usual card, so it makes sense to me that sharing it with you should take a bit more time too :)  Stop back by tomorrow if you want to see what happened next! :)

Serif Essentials Art Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Create Art

Today's card is as much a message to myself as it is a card to post.  I still struggle with letting things get in the way of my creating art - my inner critic; time; needed the next supply before I can do anything - Do you suffer from any of these?  If I can just sit down and clear my mind a bit, then I seem to be able to overcome those things that try to get in the way.  So this weekend I spent some time sitting and, as a result, created some art...and it felt GREAT!  It all began with this card - my new mantra for myself :)  You may see this message again tomorrow...(hint, hint!)
This card was so simple and I love the Crumb Cake on Crumb Cake effect.  I ran the card base through the Big Shot with the Framed Tulips embossing folder.  I actually ran it through backwards - so the card front is "debossed" - I decided to just go with it :)  I then die cut the letters using the Serif Essentials dies and the Big Shot.  The letters and the card base were sponged using Soft Suede ink.  Next I stamped the word "create" by only inking that word on one of the stamps in the Charming stamp set.  I then cut it out and sponged the edges.  The letters and the word "create" were then adhered to the card using dimensionals.  I hope you like it...more importantly, I hope you like the message :)

Four Ways Friday #66 - Reinkers!

Hello everyone!  Thanks for stopping by on my birthday! :)  It's exciting to have had the experience of another year of life and to have shared some of this past year with you!  I really appreciate your stopping by and I hope you gain something, anything, from sharing your moments with me!
In this week's Four Ways Friday I would like to share four ways for you to use your classic reinkers!  And yes, I am typing this with inky fingers :)  That's kind of hard to avoid when you start playing with your reinkers ;)

Let's begin with a quick and easy way to use your reinker - as a writing utensil!  Here I took a piece of Whisper White card stock and my Blushing Bride reinker and I just drew lines and squiggles vertically on the card stock.  When you draw with your reinkers in this way, the lines actually become a bit raised from the card stock - it's a cool textural look!  I then adhered some adhesive pearls and added some additional pearl dimension by making small dots along the lines with a non-SU! product.  The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and I layered a number of punches to pop up the greeting.  The whole panel was then adhered to a Whisper White card base with dimensionals.

For this second card I played with one of my favorite self-created techniques.  If you have watched my videos, you have seen me create this ink blot background.  I placed Tangerine Tango and Basic Black reinker onto a piece of freezer paper and then folded the freezer paper in half and squished the ink around.  I then opened up the freezer paper and laid a piece of Whisper White card stock over the ink and pressed down.  It creates a great ink blot transfer onto the cardstock!  Next I let it dry and then sponged the edges of the piece and adhered it to a Whisper White card base with glue.  The ghosts were made using the 2-step owl punch and I punched the eyes and mouths with my crop-a-dile and backed each ghost with a small piece of Basic Black card stock to highlight the eyes and mouths.  I sponged the edges with Basic Black ink.  The banner was sponged with Tangerine Tango ink and then the letters from the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set were stamped with Basic Black in.  The banner and the ghosts were adhered with a combination of glue and dimensionals.

I love creating ink mists with my reinkers!  I just place a few drops of reinker in a small spray bottle with water, shake it up, and spray away!  Here I began with a piece of Whisper White card stock.  I then punched out some circles from scrap paper and placed the randomly over the card stock to act as masks.  I sprayed various colors of ink, removed the first set of circles and added another set, and then sprayed more colors of ink until I was happy with the result.  I used the heat tool to dry things a bit (since I'm not the best at being patient for card stock to dry!).  I then added the scallop-punched Tempting Turquoise card stock and the greeting from Teeny Tiny Wishes.  The animals from Fox and Friends were stamped, cut out, and adhered to the card with dimensionals.  The button adds a final touch.

If you're not afraid of cleaning up a little ink, this last reinker technique is a lot of fun.  I placed some water and Rich Razzleberry reinker in a little spray bottle and then sprayed one side of the Finnial Press embossing folder.  I then placed a piece of Whisper White card stock down on the ink sprayed side of the folder and ran it through the Big Shot.  I helped the drying process with the heat tool and then built the card.  The greeting is from Sincere Salutations which was punched out.  I then used a smaller circle as a mask and did some stamping with a floral image from Tiny Tags to create a border around the greeting.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  I wish you a wonderful and creative weekend!!!!!  Thank you for sharing my birthday with me! :)

Sprayed Ink Background

Today's Question From The Craft Room:  How Do You Measure Your Creative Progress?

Today's question is one that has captured my attention lately.  Somewhere in my life I began to believe that progress requires completion of tasks and the faster you can complete tasks, the more successful you are.  Where the heck did this belief come from and why have I given it so much weight in my life?!  I truly believe it is a bunch of bunk!  I have been brainwashed!!!!!  True progress only requires that you are living in the present moment - in the now - with your full attention.  This is my new measure for my creative progress.  If it happens to result in a "completed" project that I can share with you, so be it.  If, on the other hand, it results in something that is still in a state of creation - then I can share that with you too.  Either way it is all a part of my creativity - my expressing myself - and maybe you will find some inspiration - a seed - to inspire you to live in your own creative moments - your "creative now."
Today, my living in the moment resulted in this card.  And actually, it wasn't just today - the heart on this card actually began a few days ago when I took a few pieces of wood scraps and glued them together to make a heart and then painted them and rusted them and painted them again and applied some wax metallic finish.  It was the heart that then inspired the card.  A card whose background began with a piece of Whisper White card stock that got sprayed and sprayed with mixtures of water and ink that I placed in little spray bottles.  I then ran the bottom part of the panel through the Big Shot with the Finnial Press embossing folder and stamped the top of the panel with the En Francais background stamp and Pear Pizzazz ink.  Next came a bunch of sponging and the Certainly Celery ribbon.  I stamped the greeting from Short & Sweet onto watercolor paper with Tempting Turquoise ink and punched it out with the decorative label punch.  Next I stamped a bit with an image from Tiny Tags and sponged the edges of the tag before adding it to the embossed panel.  I hope you like it!

Pocket Silhouettes Best Wishes Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  If You Do The Work, You Will See Your Progress!

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have been doing the P90X workout videos.  I've been very proud of my resolve to actually do the workouts - I have been sticking with it and I continue to "push play" on the DVD player on my laptop - doing each video, one by one - putting in the work.  I am now almost done with week 3 and it is actually fun to think back to the first week and recognize how far I've come.  There were some exercises I really struggled with that I can now do - I'm not saying they are effortless yet - but I can do them and do them proudly!  There was a part of me that was a tiny bit discouraged since my body seemed to be staying the same to me - I was wanting some instant gratification.  Well today, after almost 3 weeks of daily workouts - I had some gratification!  I did the abdominal exercise workout for the 9th time in 3 weeks today and I actually saw some muscles in my stomach area that I had NEVER seen before!  Who knew they even existed in there?! :)  It felt AWESOME to see something like that appear from all of my hard work!  It reminds me, yet again, that if you do the work, you will see your progress!  The same is true with your creating!  If you take the time and do the work of expressing your creativity, you will progress with your art and with your ability to express yourself in your own best and unique way!
For today's card I went back to a clean and simple look with one of my favorite stamp sets.  I started with a Whisper White card base.  I then die cut a piece of Brushed Silver card stock using the clearlits scallop rectangle die.  Next I cut a rectangle from Whisper White card stock.  I stamped the right hand side using a floral image from Pocket Silhouettes using Sahara Sand ink.  I then added a touch of dazzling diamonds to the flowers using a 2-way glue pen.  Have I mentioned lately that dazzling diamonds is my FAVORITE glitter in the world?!!!!!  It is so fine and sparkly and add such an amazing pop to cards in such an easy way!  I stamped the greeting from Short & Sweet using Basic Black ink and then mounted the rectangle to the scallop rectangle using dimensionals.  The piece was then attached to the card base using glue.  The final touch was to add three adhesive rhinestones.  I hope you like it!

Watercolor Paper Embossed Background

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  I Get In My Own Way

It's easy to place the blame in so many different places.  To say that the reason we don't create is because we are too busy, or have to cook dinner, or have to work, or have to ______ (fill in the blank).  Well, today I realized another huge reason - the reason I don't create is because of me.  Today (I'm writing this on Monday) I had a day that was wide open.  I had one conference call that I needed to be on and then my list of responsibilities was pretty empty.  So today was the perfect day for me to sit and create.  I did some creating - I worked on painting layers of paint on wooden and chipboard pieces to use on my can projects.  And then I found myself getting up from the craft table and wandering around - checking email, looking at my blog to see if anyone else had looked at it, walking into the kitchen to grab yet another snack.  You name it, I was finding ways to distract myself and here I had a whole day open to my creativity.  So now the big question is why?  Why am I getting in my own way?  Am I afraid to spend a whole day creating?  Am I afraid I'm going to like it too much and not want to do anything else?  Or am I afraid that it won't be all that I believe it can be - that the ideas will not flow or the results won't be what I want?  Maybe it's a combination of both.  The bottom line is I am responsible for my time and what I do with it.  I can get in my way or I can get out of my way and create - the choice is mine.
I got out of my way a bit to create this card.  I began with a piece of watercolor paper and used the direct to paper technique to apply a layer of Certainly Celery ink and then a layer of Tempting Turquoise ink right over it.  Then I ran the piece through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  I then did direct to paper again with River Rock ink to bring out the textured pattern.  Next I used my finger to rub Champagne Shimmer Mist paint over the raised areas of the design - this card has great shimmer in person!  The piece was then adhered to a piece of Whisper White card stock and then adhered to the River Rock card base using glue.  I die cut two butterflies using the Beautiful Wings embosslit and Crumb Cake card stock.  I sponged them with River Rock ink and then applied some Champagne Shimmer paint using my finger.  I then punched a piece of River Rock card stock with the decorative label punch and stamped the piece with the birthday greeting from Sincere Salutations using Early Espresso ink.  The edges were then sponged with River Rock ink.  I then applied three pearls and dabbed them lightly with the paint as well.  The butterflies were attached to the label using glue and the label was attached to the card using dimensionals.  I hope you like it!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Rust Takes Time!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I disappeared on Friday - sorry about that - I just couldn't get my act together to get my posting done in time.  But this is a new week...so we'll see what happens :)  What I have already begun to learn this week is that rust takes time!  I have found a new product (non-Stampin' Up!) that really intrigues me!  I had to run out and buy it and give it a try!  I got together a few cans and began my journey toward rust.  First I used black gesso to coat the cans (I should have used some sandpaper to scratch up the surface a bit before adding the gesso - I'll make a note for next time!).

Of course I had to show some patience and allow the time for that to dry.  Next came two coats of the  base for the rusting process - and allowing the coats to dry in between.

And then came the rusting solution!

 I've got one coat on now...and I can add another coat in another 24 hours...this really is a true test of my patience ;)  Of course, it is also a test of your patience since I can't share a finished product with you until the can is ready to decorate and stamp! :)  I guess that means we're both learning...rust takes time!
Ooh - look!  I woke up this morning and put another coat of the rusting solution on the surface and here is what the cans look like now:

Glad I've been patient - I really LOVE how these are turning out!  Hopefully I'll be able to share more progress with you tomorrow :)