My Word for the New Year::Balance

Hello!  I'm back amongst the living.  I finally recovered from my "flu" bug and finished all my projects that had a deadline so I can take a deep breath before 2013 officially begins.  It seems a lot of artists that I follow have chosen one word to represent what they feel they want to focus on this year.  If I had to choose one word it would be "Balance".  Life is such a balancing act most of the time.  I want to make sure I stay balanced spiritually, physically and creatively.  So that will be my goal.  If any of you want to share your word for 2013 I would love to hear it.
I will have news that I feel is very exciting to share with you tomorrow.  In the meantime I'll share a couple of cards that I keep meaning to send in to be considered for publication.  Obviously I'm still in love with those little girl images from Hidden Vintage Studios.

My thanks to all of you who read my blog, I really do appreciate it and love to read your comments.  The reason I got so involved in blogging was to keep myself focused and on task.  I think it has helped me more than I expected since I have met so many other artists along the way.  They in turn have taught me new techniques and ways to push myself by meeting different challenges all through the year.   I can honestly say I have gained more than I have given.  My thanks to all of you all around the world!  Be safe.  We all get to start fresh tomorrow.  Isn't that the beauty of a new year?  Talk to you soon!

Tangerine Challenge

There is a color challenge posted in The Stampers' Sampler called Tangerine Dream.  Once a year a color challenge goes out and the submissions are pretty amazing.  I love to participate in this one since it gets me out of my color preference, anything neutral, and makes me use colors that I usually stay far away from, anything orange.  The Absolute Deadline for this is February 15, 2013 so you have plenty of time to try your hand at this one.  I used scraps from my March Art Journal Calendar page so this card came together in about 10 minutes. 

The supplies I used are:  Clip art from DeviantScrap.com, Alterations rosette die, orange and white Bakers twine, white Pearl Pen, a cheap music stamp from Michaels dipped in Brushed Pewter Distress Stain, phrase from Northwoods Rubber Stamps, Staz-On black ink.  The card measures 5" x 7".

I hope you're all feeling fine, I feel like I've got a touch of something so I'm going back to bed.  I've got several deadlines to meet over the next 10 days so I am taking a little break from my blog until after the first of the new year.  So until then, take care.  Talk to you soon. 

Art Journal pages using acrylic paints

Back again with more art journaling madness.  I can't seem to get enough of this.  These pages were inspired by Kate Crane's DVDs and are done with acrylic paints.  I haven't written on them yet, these are just backgrounds waiting to covered up with whatever.  The images that are cut out and pasted on to the pages are by Hidden Vintage Studios/Tangled Up and Almost Alice.

We're in for some cold weather today.  It just started snowing.  Have a great weekend, talk to you soon! 

Newtown, Connecticut

I, like so many others, was devastated to hear of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut yesterday.   I cannot imagine the pain felt by so many who lost their beautiful children and precious loved ones.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of the people affected by this terrible event.

March 2013 Calendar Pages/#Sizzix

I'll be teaching my March and April 2013 Art Journal Calendar pages at Ink About It in Westford, MA on January 5th.  When I was creating the March calendar page I kept thinking of an old quilt pattern called "Grandmother's Flower Garden" which uses hexagon shapes.  This idea morphed into just flowers with 6 petals and a center to equal one week.  The background is done with gesso, Dylusions London Blue spray ink, Dyan Reaveley's diamond stencil, Pearlescent Embossing Paste by Dreamweaver spread through a chevron stencil with a credit card.  The letters, rosette and hearts were cut using Sizzix dies.

Nice bright colors!  I'm hoping for a nice, bright winter, with just a little bit of snow.  We'll see how it all works out.  Have a great weekend, talk to you soon~Renee

Making cards using my Masterboard

I decided to make some more cards using a photocopy of my Masterboard.  I used Dyan Reaveley's stamps and colored in the images with my Memento Markers by Tsukineko.  I love the vibrant colors and the way they match the inks I used on the original Masterboard.

Have you tried making a Masterboard yet?  It saves you so much time and is a really fun project.  I hope you're having nice weather where you are today.  It started out sunny here but now it is dreary again.  Take care, talk to you soon!

New Masterboard using Tsukineko's FIREWORKS

I can't stop making Masterboards lately.  As I continue to try different products and colors I am amazed at how different each one can be.  For this masterboard I used watercolor paper that had first been coated with a very thin layer of gesso.  After allowing the gesso to thoroughly dry I sprayed Tsukineko's Goosebumps, think liquid plastic, through a circle stencil.  It takes a little while for the goosebumps to dry and then I started spraying the Fireworks glimmer mist, also by Tsukineko, over it.  I just bought a package of three containing the colors Tangelo, Lady Bug, and Dandelion so I kept layering one color after the other, blotting with paper towels along the way, until I was satisfied.  A quick dry with a heat gun and then I began stamping.  The stamped images are just little stars by Rubber Stampede and a diamond design by Paper Inspirations.  I used Memento's Pistachio ink to stamp these and then I heat embossed them with clear embossing powder.  Now it was time to bring out the lids.  I have a collection of old lids that I have recycled into stamps.  I dipped the lids in red, turquoise and white acrylic paints, one color at a time, and stamped them randomly all over the page.  Everyone seems to have old gift cards/credit cards/hotel room keys, etc. that can also be used to dip in acrylic paint and make straight lines on the paper.  This also adds some depth and interest to your pages.  I used black and white acrylic paint for the lines.  Now the paper can be photocopied and used over and over.  This is what the entire sheet looked like.

You can add drops of water and blot them for a ghosting effect when it is completed, if you like.  This next photo shows a card made with the paper.

An all occasion card using Dina Wakley stamps.

Masterboards are so fun to make!  I hope this will encourage you to make your own, just the color you want it to be.  If you haven't tried Fireworks sprays you are in for a treat, great colors with a little bit of shimmer.  Have a great weekend.  Talk to you soon.

Masterboard using Memento Inks

I love creating Masterboards.  When I make a masterboard I can use whatever inks, stamps, etc. that I want just randomly on a large piece of paper.  After it is finished to my satisfaction I can then either photocopy it on heavy cardstock or I can just cut up the masterboard and use it as background paper for cards or other projects.

As I have mentioned before I have fallen in love with the colors of Memento inks.  For this masterboard I used Summer Sky, Pistachio, Espresso Truffle, London Fog, Pear Tart and Morocco.  I have a large piece of watercolor paper coated in gesso to begin.  After the gesso is completely dry, I apply the inks direct to paper and blend them with a foam blending tool.  Every once in a while if the color looks too heavy I just lightly mist it with water and continue to lift the paper, let the ink run a little and then blend it again.  After I have the colors just where I like them I stamped some of Dyan Reaveley's Basic Background stamps, using the same colors of ink.  I also like to make some lines on the paper using black,white and other colors of acrylic paints.  I use the same colors to stamp circles randomly on the paper.  This is the end result.

Sometimes I cut the watercolor masterboard paper to fit the front of a blank 5" by 7" card.  After cutting the paper I can stamp images on it or phrases.  In this case the girl image is by Dina Wakley, it's called Lonely Girl.  The phrase is by Dyan Reavely.  The ink used is Memento's Peanut Brittle.  I placed a tiny scrap of foil on her eyes.

On this second card I used the photocopy made on heavy cardstock of the masterboard.  The stamped images are all Dyan Reaveley's but the inks are Memento's pens.  The pens are really lovely colors so they blend well with what I've already done using their ink pads.

I really love the palette of colors offered by Memento.  Using them this way gives your homemade paper or Masterboard an effect very similar to watercolors.  It is nice to be able to create your very own one of a kind background paper.
Hope you're having a great day.   Talk to you soon~Renee

Tangerine Masterboard

I enjoy making cards so occasionally I create a Masterboard that can be photocopied and cut apart to reuse several times.  That way you don't have to re-create the wheel over and over.  Just make multiple copies of your paper on good quality card stock and you have your very own paper with whatever theme you like.  There is a Tangerine challenge coming up with The Stampers' Sampler so I can use this Masterboard to make cards or whatever for that.

I call this page "Crazy Cat Lady in Training".   I am a cat lover so I can totally relate to this girl with her sweet kitty!  She is from DeviantScrap.com in the Alice collection.  My husband is allergic to all animals so this is about as close as a cat is getting to our house.  Oh, well....have a great week.  We had absolutely beautiful weather here in New England today.  50 degrees F in December!  It doesn't get any better than that.  I hope your week is off to a good start.   Talk to you soon.  

Art Journal Page/Frog Queen

This journal page was done on a piece of watercolor paper that had been lightly coated in gesso.  After the gesso dried I painted it with Claudine Hellmuth's Studio acrylic paints using Modern Red, Dab of Yellow, a little grey and white acrylic.  I stamped Tim Holtz numbers, Dyan Reaveley circles and borders in black archival ink.  More large circles in grey paint using a lid from an old jar.  I stamped a "window" using Dyan's border, cut it out with an exacto knife and glued orange paper over the aperture.  The image glued over that window is by DeviantScrap.com, as is her crown.  I also used a chevron stencil and white acrylic paint randomly and glued a little tissue tape down with Matte Medium.  The entire page was sprayed with a fixative at the end to seal it.  The sentiment by The Queen's Ink says it all:  Queens Never Make Bargains.

I'll be sending this in to Somerset Studio, I hope they like her.  Have a great day, talk to you soon.~Renee

Art Journal Pages

I've been quietly busy with my art journal this week.  There are so many techniques to try out, I just. can't. stop.  The one I completed today is called "It's not easy being a Princess".  This poor little girl had to kiss a lot of frogs to find herself a Prince.

The images are by Hidden Vintage Studios at DeviatScrap.com, it is their "Tangled Up" download.  I did the tangles on her blank dress myself this time.  The crown is also theirs.  Washi tape and a Tim Holtz stamp are also on the page.  I've been having a problem with my Google account but hope to have it remedied by next week.  I'm trying to add more storage space for photos but I can't get them to take my money!  I wish we all had problems like that.  People want to give us money but noooooo we won't take it.  I'm sure they'll fix it by next week.  In the meantime.......Have a great weekend!

Art Journal Cafe Challenge

The ladies at Art Journal Cafe have a wonderful color challenge going on this week.  This is the suggested color palette:

The colors are to be used any way you like on a journaling page.

First I used gesso to unify the background and give the paper some tooth.  After that I applied acrylic paints that fit into the palette.  I used a lot of inks and some modeling paste along with stencils, stamps, etc.  The clip art is from Hidden Vintage Studio at DeviantScrap.com.  A quick spritz of Dyan Reaveley's red spray ink, blotted with a kitchen roll and blended with a baby wipe.  It looks very urban IRL.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!  We are.....the sun is shining.....yay!!  I'm going out to catch a few rays.  Talk to you soon.

Art Journaling Calendar Page::April 2013

The Art Journal Calendar 2013 Project continues.  Somehow I skipped March and moved on to April.  I'll go back later and do the March page.  All of these pages start out in my "junque" journal and then move into my Dyan Reaveley journal.  I'm not keeping it for "good" just for "good enough".  I have already ordered another DR journal since I have completed 30 pages of this one thus far.  I'll be teaching this 2 page spread in my second class at "Ink About It" next year.  That sounds weird doesn't it.....2013 is upon us!

It starts with gesso and ends with acrylic paints and Dyan Reaveley's star stencil.  I sprayed Dylusions Crushed Grape Ink Spray through the stencil.  Then I added the embellishments.

The ZIA girl is from DeviantScrap.com, it is called Tangled Up by Hidden Vintage Studios.  Lots of Zentangled goodness on those sheets!  The stamps on the days of the week are by Dyan Reaveley and Jenny Doh.  I think it's done but you never know!
Have a great weekend!  Talk to you soon.

Stampotique Designers Challenge #74::Nature

The Stampotique Challenge this week was issued by Nellie and it is "Nature".  I decided to use my Stampotique ((Hello)) and Mushroom Group stamps.  That took care of part of the "nature" theme, the rest was satisfied by Dyan Reaveley's leaves and spider.  I recently paid a visit to DeviantScrap.com and purchased the "Tangled Up" designs by Hidden Vintage Studios.  Little girls with Zentangled clothing and hats, etc.  Just download and print.  Doesn't get any easier than that.  Instant gratification.  After stamping the mushrooms,  I cut out the girl image, cut out a party hat and glued her on top of the mushrooms.  The leaves are stamped randomly with Ranger's black Archival ink and colored in with their Distress Ink Markers.  Then came the spider, hello and another bit cut out of the "Tangled Up" paper.  I used my Star Gelly Roll pen to add highlights to the leaves and a tiny drop of Distress Stickles in the Scattered Straw color to the tops of the 'rooms.  This card only took about 10 minutes to make so I believe I'll do an entire series of them showcasing all the cute little girls from Hidden Vintage.

The weather here today is beautiful, about 50 degrees F.  I finally finished putting my garden to bed and lifting up the dahlias, washing them clean and putting them in the basement.  They won't see the light of day again until Mother's Day.  That's when we turn on the fountain again and put those bad boys back in the ground.  I'm looking forward to that already!

Art Journal Page::She flies with her own wings

I saw a lovely prompt the other day that said "Alis Volat Propriis" or "She flies with her own wings".  I had a two page spread in my "junk" journal, that is the one where I try things out.  The background looked cluttered so I just set it aside until I had time to gesso over it.  Yesterday I saw an image with a lot of white in a magazine and also had just purchased a down load from DeviantScrap.com.  BTW, if you haven't been to the Deviant Scrap site you're really missing out.  They have fantastic images there of all kinds.  This particular set is designed by Hidden Vintage Studios and it is called Tangled Up.  It has all kinds of ZIA, Zentangle Inspired Art, images and is wonderful.  I felt like the pages were transformed, they just needed that extra splash of white.  I hope you agree.

Have a great day!

A ten minute card

I had to make a quick thank you note today.  Here is a ten minute quickie that is very versatile.

I actually made about ten of these since I was looking for the perfect color of ink for this one.  Now I have to just color the butterflies with Ranger's Distress Markers to match the "thank you" ink.
Have a great day!

Art Journal Pages::The Moirae

I started working on the background for these pages a couple of weeks ago.  Usually I do the background and then add embellishments at a later date.  Like when I can't sleep......again.   I sprayed Dyan's Dylusions ink sprays on these pages and then stamped her ladies on stems.  When I looked at them with my sleep deprived brain I couldn't help but think of the Three Fates of Greek Mythology.  Clotho spinning the thread of human life, Lachesis measuring the thread and weaving it into the fabric of a person's actions and Atropus, the inevitable or the inflexible, snipping that thread.  I really need to get some sleep.

Instead of spinning thread the spiders are doing the work for them.
I don't personally believe in fate or destiny, I just take it one day at a time.  What I do believe in is a solid eight hours of sleep at night.  Yeah, right, like that's gonna happen.  :-)  Bonne nuit!

2013 Art Journal Calendar Pages

I'm preparing for my new classes at Ink About It my LSS in Westford, MA.  I'll be teaching Calendar Pages using Dyan's art journal.  There will be one class a month with two calendar pages to complete.  Here is my first installment for Jan/Feb 2013. 

I wanted to have an icy blue effect on this page with a little twinkle of snowflakes in the background.
For February I wanted more of an orange sherbert kind of an effect.

I hope people find them interesting enough to sign up for the classes.  I had a lot of fun developing the pages.

Have you tried art journaling yet?  Have you tried making your own calendars?    There are some great tutorials on YouTube that can inspire you and help you to overcome that fear of a blank page staring back at you.  Throw some gesso on it first and let it dry.  Now it's not blank any more.  Just let your imagination soar and have some fun with it.  You don't have to share your pages with anyone unless you want to.  Become fearless and try something new this week.  Go for it.

SDC 73::Hanging Decorations

We have snow coming this way.  Wet snow.  That's the worst kind from what I hear.  I personally do not shovel snow so I really can't say.  If my husband is out of town during a snow storm my wonderful neighbor, Archie, comes over and does the driveway for me.  Out of sheer gratitude I bake him his very own Coconut Cake once a year, whether it snows or not.  Gotta cover all the bases.  His wife called me last year to say whatever I put in that cake it had turned him into a snarling beast whenever anyone got near his cake.  I guess the growling was fearsome.  All his.  Hmm, I think I'll bake 2 cakes this year for them.  If Archie isn't home my friend Ann's husband, Dave, comes over so he can play with Joe's John Deere snow machine thingy.  Dave's taste leans heavily toward cookies.  So, if he is cleaning the driveway it's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies with nuts and Craisins that will be baked when he calls to say he's on his way and sent home with him.  Joe says he wishes I could just say he's out of town.  Not gonna happen.
I have so many things to be grateful for.  A wonderful husband and great friends just to name a few.  Otherwise this old lady would probably just sit at home since I really can't see myself shoveling snow.  Really.  I would look ridiculous in my stiletto boots, etc. out there moving snow around.  It's the California girl in me I'm afraid.  I can't give up the shoes.
Stampotique is having a challenge this week called "SDC 73::Hanging Decorations".  My submission is a wall hanging on a recycled paper bag.  The clown stamp is by Paula Best, the phrase is by Hero Arts.  The monkey was a tiny treasure found at Brimfield a few years ago.  I just cut out an umbrella shape and did a Zentangle-ish handle on it.  The metal crown and star are by TH.  Rhinestones by Queen and Co.

Renee Zarate::SDC 73

A little up close photo so you can see the monkey.  He's so cute.  Everyone on the east coast, hang in there, let's hope the storm isn't as bad as they are predicting.  Hope all the rest of you have some sunshine in your world today!

Where does the time go?

I keep asking myself that question.  Where does the time go?  This week has been spent cleaning up our messy yard from "Sandy" and getting set for winter.  Snow is expected on Thursday this week and the first storm of the season usually finds us ready and waiting.  That means all the glass things still in the garden have to be moved in, dahlias need to be dug up and put in the basement, empty the fountain, bring in the hoses, chop the firewood and have it in the garage, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Living in New England is not for sissies, that is for sure.
I did find some creative time this week even though I felt like all I did was type out instructions for cards to send in to Stampington for the Nov. 15th deadline.  They had some fun challenges this time, as always.  If you have an interest in that sort of thing just check out their website, they have a list of all the Challenges and Calls going on now and in the upcoming year.  I made this card to send in.  It is just a pretty card that would fit any occasion.

I don't know about all of you and your projects but I seem to be obsessed lately with the backgrounds in my new Dyan Reaveley Journal.  I have about 1/3 of the book completed so far.  I knew I was going to need another one! Hope all my East Coast friends are on the way to recovery after the storm.  Have a great week and try to do something creative even if it is only one project.  It is so good for the soul.

Blue skies after Hurricane Sandy

We woke up to blue skies this morning after torrential rains and winds all day yesterday into the night.  I do believe every leaf in the neighborhood is on our lawn but that's OK.  The only tree branches on the ground were the ones that broke in the storm last year right around this time.  Thanks to all for their phone calls, emails and general good wishes and prayers.  Our hearts go out to those who did not fair as well!
The blue skies were an inspiration to me and I decided to put it to paper in my DR Journal with a bit of journaling marking the storm.  Since there is a challenge at Simon Says to just add pearl I decided to deck my lady, let's call her Sandy, out with a pearl necklace so she is dressed for the party over there.  There were a few sprays of Mementos Bahama Blue Fireworks involved to add a glimmer to the pages.

Products used:

Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paints

Dover clip art hand and butterflies

Stamps:  large face stamp, Dyan Reaveley stamps, Cardboard, Judi Kins Gears

Tim Holtz Gears Die

Queen & Co. Pearls

Reeves Water Soluble Crayons

Memento's Bahama Blue Fireworks Glimmer Mist

Black micron pen

I hope this post finds all of you on the East Coast safe, sound and dry.  Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers in behalf of us all.  We had definitely braced ourselves for the worst, glad it is over.



I'm Dylusional again

I've been playing around in my DR Journal again.  This time I used orange paints, acrylic and spray paints.  Just making a mess as usual.  In my rainbow colored bathroom, of course.  Gesso was applied first combined with some red and yellow Claudine Hellmuth paints.  The color came out really peachy.  I covered most of the 2 pages leaving the edges a little bare.  I stenciled across the bottom with Dyan Reaveley's star stencil.  I used Reeves Crayons for the stenciling in the crimson color and then stippled a little of Mementos Pear Green ink over the area.  The balloons were stamped on water color paper and colored with Distress Marker inks.  I trimmed them out and glued them to the page.  The girl is pure Stampotique, her name is Top Knot.  The word "FLY" is also Stampotique.  The phrase is TH Stampers Anonymous collection.  The hand is cut from G45 paper and glued down with Glossy Accents.  Dyan Reaveley's leaves were colored in with Distress Markers.  The hand is tossing down leaves that were punched out of Inkssentials Foil Tape Sheet scraps and colored with alcohol inks.  I wrote in loopy handwriting my feelings about fall.  The leaves are falling so fast here it looks like it's raining LEAVES!

We are preparing for that big storm that is supposed to hit tomorrow.  Joe has been outside battening down the hatches.  Hope all of you in the path of  it will be safe and sound.  I just hope we don't lose power again!

JOY OF ZENTANGLE BOOK

There is a new book out called Joy of Zentangle by Design Originals.  I read about it the other day on Sandy Steen Bartholomew's blog.  What a surprise I had today when I received a copy of it from the publisher in my mail.  Oddly enough I was just going through some old emails yesterday when one came up from this publisher asking how and when I had become a Certified Zentangle Teacher.  They wanted to see a piece of my work as well.  So I told my little story and emailed them one of my mandalas that I made last year when I wasn't feeling well.  I didn't think of it again until I saw that email.  Now it is in a book.  I'm amazed.  My husband....not so much.  He said "wow, that's nice, when is dinner going to be ready".  Here is a photo of the book.  It does have a really nice break down of how to draw 101 Tangles.  Great for new tanglers and nice for us old tanglers as well.

This is the Zentangle Inspired Mandala I shared with them.

When I saw this today I suddenly remembered that I don't have this mandala any more.  About 6 months ago someone very dear to me was fighting AML, a form of acute leukemia.  She was struggling to cope with the diagnosis and I sent this to her with a long note written on the back as well as some Zentangle supplies, etc.  We had done Zentangle projects together many times but she had 2 small children and never enough time to sit for very long.  I was ill at the time and couldn't go for a visit but I told her the package was on the way. She received it and told me on the phone of her plans to do some mandalas herself to help her cope.  She could not accept how serious and deadly this disease was.  Unfortunately, she passed away very shortly thereafter.  When I saw this in the book today it opened a floodgate of all kinds of memories.  Many happy times and some profoundly sad. All in all, I'm just pleased that I happened to choose a photo of this piece of Zentangle to send to them.  It is  like a tiny memorial to a precious person that I could call a "friend".

Autumn ATC swap

Finally finished my ATCs for a swap and popped them in the mail.  I did 3 different sets of ATCs and just couldn't decide which ones to send.  Really, I think I just torment myself too much over things like this.  Any way, I decided to send the ones that I liked the best.  It always goes back to the foil covered work.  I love that product.  So here is my set of four:

I named them "Autumn in Paris 1890s".  Tim's foil, stamps and ephemera.  G45 paper.  Doesn't get any better than that for supplies.

Sweet Dreams Art Journal Page

I suffer from funny little bouts of insomnia from time to time.  It usually lasts for a month and then I'm good for a while.  Last night I couldn't fall asleep so I decided to just play in my studio until I dropped.  It only took until around 2:30 am.  Not bad.  Of course my ideas that seem so brilliant in the middle of the night usually don't look so hot in the morning light.  But I did do a jounaled art page that I still like this morning.

It started with Dina Wakley's hearts then I added a little Zentangle.  I decided with all those hearts the theme should be "love" (I really think that came from playing '80s love songs in the background).  The color surrounding everything is my new crush, Memento inks, applied with a sponge applicator.  I used Morocco red and a little Pistachio.  I wrote around parts of it with a black Copic Multi Liner 1.0.  Always nice to have some fun toys to access in the middle of the night, I used to do needlepoint all night long when I was younger.  I'd love to hear any thoughts or comments you might have, this art journaling thing is still pretty new to me.

Abandoned Art::Marci Tag

We got all gussied up and went into town tonight!  We went to Olives restaurant and it was everything I had imagined it would be.  Usually if we are going into Boston I try to take a piece of art to abandon and tonight was no exception.  I made a tag with Stampotique's Marci on it.  The background was done with yellow and blue pastels rubbed on top of words stamped with clear embossing ink.  The chalk picked up the impression of the letters.  Very subtle.  The crown is a cute one by Hero Arts.  A little bow on the top with a safety pin and a lock and it was ready to be abandoned.

I left it in the ladies room.  I hope she found a good home!

Mommies need play dates too!

My friend Ann works and has a four year old with a fully booked play date schedule.  When does Mom get to take some time to play?  Last night Ann and I left Lanie with Daddy and took off for our LSS, Ink About It.  It doesn't get any more fun than that!  We both love that store, they have just about everything to play with that you can imagine.  Ann really wanted Dyan Reaveley's new Journal so she can start art journaling.    They only had a few left but she was able to get one!  Back we went to my house, the one with the colorful guest bathroom (again).  Joe was napping in front of the TV and we decided that since all my spray inks were out on the counter it seemed as good a time as any for Ann to start messing up her new book.  Out came the gesso, old credit cards, ink, stencils, acrylic paints.......the usual toys.  Within no time at all Ann had the background completed on her first two pages.

We have both decided we need another DR Journal so we can create calendars for 2013.  I'll keep you posted on that idea.  Our first journal books will be dedicated to trying out new techniques and perhaps writing in them later or just keep adding to them as we learn more.  In the meantime, Hooray for Ann!  I love her first 2 page spread. 

Stampotique Designer's Challenge 70::Backgrounds

Time for a Stampotique Challenge!  This time it is "Backgrounds".  I took a class a couple of weeks ago at my LSS with John from Tsukinedo, they produce Memento inks and several other really cool products.  I fell in love with a product called Goosebumps.  It reminds me of liquid plastic in a spray bottle.  I used it to spray through stencils.  After it dries you can ink over it and then wipe off the excess ink.  It provides a resist similar to embossing.  The texture of it feels like rubber, it is pretty amazing stuff.  John also re-introduced me to Memento inks.  I don't how I've drifted away from using them but the colors he had us working with are delicious:  Peanut Brittle, Pistachio, Morocco (my fave) and Espresso Truffle.  Here is a fall ispired tag I made using all these colors and of course the Goosebumps.

I used Goosebumps with a stencil on the bottom of the tag and then stamped the word FLY in the Goosebumps and stamped it next to the bird.