Monday, September 30, 2013

Mixed Media Monday: HOPE



Hello, welcome to Mixed Media Monday with me, Ann, and my inspiration for the Linky Party over at the All That Stickles blog.



This is my two page spread in that awesome art journal I like to carry around and produce some of my favourite examples.  In wanting to make something inspirational and in tune with the ongoing theme at the All That Stickles Blog, where I am on the Design team, I made this.  My ode to "Think Pink".  So many of us are affecdted by cancer and sometimes all seems so dark and all thewre is left is Hope.  That is what I wanted to convey her.  We hope that the future will be better, and that there is a cure around the corner.  We hope that those affected and their loved ones have strength to see them through these challenges.

I started this layout with gesso, acrylic paints (mostly craft) then followed with a mixture of sprays.  There are Dye ink sprays and Alcohol based ink sprays from Ranger and Tattered Angels.  Most of them have some shimmer added to them either already or with additional pigments(Perfect Pearls).  There is stamping with Ranger inks, stencilling (Home decor stencils from my stash) and more inks and paints.  The girl figures are silhouettes made in pastel chalk and gel inks.  I cut out masks made from traced images of Prima Doll Stamps.  I painted the hearts on each figure with Pink "Stickles" (Ranger).
The Letters are stickers (Pink Paislee) and there are washi tapes (Various types from my stash).

I hope that you are inspired to make somethinh Pink and share it with the viewers at the ATS blog.  Thank you for visiting today.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WOYWW, September 25 2013

It is Wednesday and time for a peek at work desks of the creative kind around the world.  I am a little late to the game today, but hey, I m here now!  Technology is great when it works well, and that means updating it every once in a while.  Let's just say my whiles tend to be long.

Anyways, here is a peek at what I am up to right now:

I have a deadline to meet and I have to do this of course the week after I was ill and got back logged.  This week I had technological issues with every electronic I use in my craft and I spent many many hours working out those issues with some very nice customer support people in various companies!  I feel so proud of myself for having gotten through all the techno mumbo jumbo.  Now it is time to actually make something!!!  I much prefer the hands on aspect of art and craft making, you know getting my hands dirty feeling, over sitting for hours at my computer with a telephone wedged between my ear and shoulder, while I have to also use my devices and cell phone to get my office/studio to run.  Not to mention be supermom and save the world from catastrophe because there are no  snacks left in the house!!!!!

On the , tiny clear spot on my work table is a card I am working on for one of the Design Teams I am on (Get Inky!) it will have some of the cutest stamped images of pumpkins, candy corn and a broom, just perfect for the season and upcoming celebrations in this neck of the woods.


Again, thanks to Julie for organizing this world wide exhibit of crafty madness.  After you are done here and you have been so kind as to leave me a comment (of course I will do my best to do the same), go see what Julie and the rest of this group is up to.  Thank you so much for visiting today.  :)

Monday, September 23, 2013

Autumn (Mixed Media Monday)




It is Monday and time for another one of my Mixed Media pieces that I share with you courtesy of the All That Stickles Design Team and blog.  This is my favourite time of year when the leaves begin to turn and change colours before they fall.  The air is crisp the sky tends to be blue and we try to spend as much time as possible outside until it gets too cold and we all huddle back into the house and get all cozy and snug with warm apple cidar or hot chocolate!  Inside we begin to prepare ourselves for the coming months of cold winter by putting away our summer sandals and shorts and pulling out our socks and sweaters.  In the mean time we also enjoy the beautiful colours of nature.




I made this in my art journal recently and as per usual I added Stickles to strategic spots.  When I look outside into my back yard this is exactly what I see at this time of year, minus a couple of wild turkeys and the neighbour on his ATV!!!!  To make this I used a photograph I took with my Fuji Digital camera and printed onto art paper.  I collaged part of the photograph onto my journal page which had been prepped with gesso and acrylic paint.  I used Gelatos by Faber Castell, Grumbacher Dry pastels, Faber Castell coloured pencils, Pitt Pens, Ranger's Archival Jet Black ink and stamps (StampCraft, and Recollections from Michaels).  The stickles I used are: Paprika, Lime Green, Yellow, Distress in Scatterd Straw, Vintage photo, and spiced Marmalade.

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

"Let me tell you about the birds and the bees....."



We are having another challenge over at the Get Inky! blog and the current theme is based on Jewel's song "the Birds and The Bees", this is my take.  I really like working with those buzzing Bees  stamp set from Get Inky! for Blue Moon creation.


Products used:
Pre made base card "recollections" (Michaels)
Yellow card stock (stash)
Honey Comb embossing plate (Fiskars)
Permanent black ink (Staz-On)
Wild Honey Distress ink (Ranger)
White card stock (stash)
Black striped paper (stash)
Faux amber gens (Michaels)
Jute cord (Dollarama)
Copics


I apologize for being so brief but I am really under the weather right now.

Thanks for stopping by.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Mixed Media Monday: Harvest Time


Hello and welcome to another Mixed Media Monday!  I like Mondays since I have been running this feature over at All That Stickles Blog.  By the way the new theme for the following two weeks or so, is Harvest, so get out your stickles and join the fun.  But first please check out my idea for the Harvest theme:



I made this 8"x10" multi media canvas which I call "Harvest Time".  Over at the ATS blog where I am on the Design Team I explain how I am not a very good gardener lately...I do not want to rehash that now so you might have to hop on over there after if you are interested in my pathetic gardening skills.  But, stay here if you want to hear about my crafty skills!  Much, much better.  My Green thumb (and all fingers) come from the inks and paints I use!

To make this I first had to grow the flowers and then photograph them, check!
I cropped, enlarged and printed the photo onto paper, check!
I prepared a canvas with a base of yellow acrylic craft paint, check!  (OK, I'll skip the check part from now on).
Moss green acrylic paint (Craft Decor) glaze (Golden).
Stencil (Plaid) with palette knife and Heavy Modelling paste (Liquitex)
Brown acrylic paint (Craft) diluted with water and some glaze, Ink brush through plastic mesh (used in rain gutters) (Rona).
Green oil pastel (Dollarama).
Funky wired green floral yarn (Michaels)
Heavy Gel Tar medium. (Golden)
Paper for photocopy (Staples), Printer inks (Epson)
Clear gesso(Liquitex)
Yellow wax crayon (Crayola)
Gelatos in reds, oranges and yellows (Faber Castell)
Black Pitt Pen (Faber Castell)
Gel medium with glass beads (Golden)
Black glitter (Stash)
Stickles: Spiced Marmalade, Black Diamond, Paprika, Cinnamon (Ranger)
Tacky glue (Aleene's)
Foam pieces leftovers from various projects (stash)
Photo taken with mini iPad.

Phew!  I hope I didn't forget to mention anything.

I hope that you enjoyed your visit today, and please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Furry Friends Blog Hop

Welcome to the Furry Friends Blog Hop brought to you by the All that Stickles design team!



Cute, cuddly, soft, and sweet, having a pet is quite the treat! This month we are honoring our furry friends with a dash of Stickles!

 If you have just come across the hop and are looking to start at the beginning, please visit All that Stickles. If you've come from Sonia's blog, you're in the right place.


Here you go, here is my beloved kitty all decked out for Halloween!  Yes, she wears that collar at Halloween and greets Trick or Treaters at the door with me.  The kids and the adults love it, and my cat loves the attention.  I made these two layouts a while back and I brought them out again just because they were so appropriate for this hop.  Both have LOTS of stickles on them, and that was before I was even on the Design Team.  By the way I don't have a picture to show you but kitty loves shiny and blingy things, her favourite toys are sparkly!





Stickles used:  Rock Candy, Silver Ice Stickles, Gun Metal, Icicle, and Black Diamond.

We have blog candy for those who are a follower of All that Stickles and leave a comment on every stop of the hop! Winners will be announced Wednesday September 18th at All that Stickles.

$15 Gift Certificate


2 Itty Bitty Stamps

10 Digis of Winner's Choice
Your next stop is Karen N's blog 
Here's the complete lineup:
Thanks for hopping! :) Don't forget to check out our Fall Harvest Linky Party!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

WOYWW: September 11, 2013


WOYWW? What's on MY work desk this Wednesday?  MY CAT!!!!!!   So now what am I supposed to do!?

Thanks to Julia over at The Stmping Ground blog for coordinating this whirlwind tour every week.

This picture is from my kitchen work nook.  I have this little space set up because for a few years I needed to be in the main part of my house so I could be available for my son's and the therapists that were in and out of our house.  We were also having lots of renovations going on and having to be there to answer EVERY question and to supervise EVERYBODY made it that my basement work area was just not practical.  I still use it now so I can prepare meals and work on a project at the same time.  It obviously makes for a great spot for our cat to hang out too!  This space is really small and squeezed in between the door, a window, at the end of a hall way and next to our eating area.  If someone needs to go in or out I have to get out of the way!  I also use the steel door as a magnetic board where I have metal spice jars with office supplies in them.  Those magnets are quite strong because my door is slammed a lot by the males in the house and those jars stay on anyways.  The building of this work space required several trips to Michaels with coupons and sales.  As My kitchen is decorated with my collection of vintage chickens I continued that theme in my work area and utilized some pieces in a very practical manner.  There are chicken shaped baskets that hold ephemera and rags, the chicken egg separator holds twine, the old spoon holder with the chicken on top is my brush holder, I also have a faux topiary in the shape of a chicken on a shelf and several other little ceramic bowls and platters with those chickens that hold other supplies.  I almost forgot, I use a chicken black iron napkin holder to hold up some art journals on the tiny desk.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tuesday Tags

Tally hoe!  Tootles! It's Tuesday time for some tips and techniques or tutorials with me, Ann from the All That Stickles Design Team.  Today I have two tags that I Stickled with my versions of Fall/Autumn colours.



Tags are fun and fast to make projects that are so versatile.  Tags are great as is for using as Gift Tags on presents, and I like to give them as Bookmarks as well.  I also like to add tags to cards and scrapbook projects.  I have also used them in my art journals and made larger ones to use as decorations.  Tags are great for trying new techniques too, and you can bind them together with a binder ring, a shower curtain ring or just some ribbon and string to take along with you to and from classes.

Over at the ATS Blog, today, I explain that it has   occurred  to me that what I perceive as THE fall colours is subjective, really.   That is why I made two versions of my tag, one with the muted fall tones and the other one with primary colours.


Monday, September 9, 2013

Mixed Media Monday: September 9, 2013 APPRECIATE



Hello!  Time for another instalment of Mixed Media Monday with the All That Stickles blog.  The theme being: Appreciation.  There is still time to participate in the Linky Party going on, so check it out later.



I made a box to hold a variety of mixed media cards I made and intend to give this as a whole gift for someone who needs lots of cards to give.  The gift that keeps on giving.  I say Thanks to one person by gifting my creation, who then in turn says Thanks to another person and other people with my Thank You cards.





In a previous Mixed Media Monday I show a card I made with some dried flowers.  Since I had pieces of that handmade paper left over I used them to make some more cards to include in today's projects.  I then chose some card stock and more inks and paints to make a coordinated box for the cards.



Here are the products and tools I used:

Lilac card stock 12 x 12" American Crafts
White card stock (Staples)
Pre scored card bases 5x7" Recollections (Michaels)
Water colour paper (Canson)
Gelatos (Faber Castell)
Stamps (Faber Castell)
Double sided tape (3M)
Ribbons (Stash)
Stickles in Lavender, and Aqua (Ranger)
Modge Podge
Sponge (Stash)
Stamp with sentiment (Michaels)
Large circle punch (Recollections-Michaels)
Tag punch (Stampin' Up!)
Spray bottle with water
Stencils (Tattered Angels)
Ink Sprays (Tattered Angels, Dylusions, Ranger)
Acrylic paints (Americana, Liquitex)
Push pins (Michaels)
Steel cut dies for alphabets (Cuddle Bug Provo Craft)


Thanks for stopping by.


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Cupcake Birthday Banner

Hi, here is an over 7 foot banner that I made to celebrate a couple of birthdays in my household lately.  I made this also as inspiration for the challenge going on at the "Get Inky!" blog.  Challenge 12: Cakes and Cupcakes.





I used the large stitched cupcake clear stamp from the "Sew Sweet Cupcakes" collection from Get Inky! for Blue Moon Creation.  Available here.


Here is a closer look at  two of the cupcakes I made.  Each is decorated with faux sprinkles made of  sequins or glass seed beads.  They look yummy but are inedible and perfect for my diet!


Cupcake birthday banner recipe:
Ingredients;
8-10' strands of riboon or yarn in two coordinating colours (here I used purple and orange) (Stash)
2 colours of card stock, enough to cut out backgrounds for 13 banner pieces.(Staples and Creative Memories)
White card stock (Staples)
Large purple cupcake liners (I used the ones that came with the peaches in a basket I had bought)
stencil
Ink pads in purple, orange, yellow, and blue. (Stampin' Up!)
Bristle or stencil brushes(Stash)
Sticky back glittered foam letters(Dollarama)
Glitter glue (Stickles)
Sequins(Dollar store)
Beads(Dollar store)
Jump rings(Walmart)
Plate or Creative Memories shape makers (die cutters) to make circles and flowers(Creative Memories)
Hole punch(Crop-a-dile)

Thanks for stopping by.