Art Journal Page

I've been working in my art journal lately.  I try to get in there at least once a week, I wish I would do it daily but it just doesn't seem to happen.  It is a wonderful way to unload unwanted feelings even after you have seemingly set them aside.  Put those thoughts and feelings down on paper and just let them go!  You can always cover up things that you don't want others to read with just a little gesso.

DUPLICITY

There, I feel better now.  It is a sunny but chilly day here in New England.  The leaves are still beautiful but my garden is ready for bed.  Hope you're enjoying the fall weather too.  Take care ~ Renee

AIRs Themed Project using Paper Smooches Stamps

I always like to have a good supply of all occasion cards on hand.  You never know when you might need a nice blank card.  This card is one that fits the bill.  It is colorful, simple and can be reproduced quickly.  You might even consider making multiples out of scrap papers and giving them as hostess gifts to friends.

For this project I'll be using products by IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko and one of their partners, Paper Smooches Stamps.  This is a photo of the finished card.  I've also made a list of  the supplies and the directions in case you wanted to make some quick cards for your own inventory.  Enjoy.

SUPPLIES

From IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®

·         IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Kaleidacolor™Raised Rainbow Dye Inkpad in Autumn Leaves color

·         IMAGINE Crafts®Embossing Powder™Clear color

·         IMAGINE Crafts®Fireworks™Craft Spray in Bamboo Leaves color

·         IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®Memento Luxe™Mixed Media Pigment Ink in Pistachio color

·         IMAGINE Crafts® InkBlushers™

Stamps

"Potpourri" Paper Smooches Stamps, Tin Can Mail phrase stamp

Other

Cream cardstock folded to make a 5” by 6” card, one K & Co self adhesive dragonfly, one piece of green patterned cardstock measuring 4 ½” by 5 ½”, one piece of white card stock measuring 4” by 5”, cut a piece of the cream card stock to measure 1” by 4”, adhesive, heat gun, craft mat

DIRECTIONS

1.       Cut a piece of cream cardstock to measure 10” by 12” and fold it in half to make the blank card.

2.       Cut a piece of green patterned paper to measure 4 ½” by 5 ½”, set aside.

3.       Cut a piece of white card stock to measure 4” by 5” set aside.

4.       Spray Bamboo Leaves Fireworks™ spray on the craft mat and dip an InkBlushers™ sponge into it; use the sponge to edge the cream colored card, the cream panel with sentiment and the white card stock.  Set aside to dry.

5.       Using the geometric patterned stamp from Paper Smooches  and the Kaleidacolor™ ink pad, make two impressions with the stamp.  Apply clear embossing powder and melt with a heat gun.

6.       Assemble the card by first gluing the green patterned paper onto the prepared cream colored card.  Glue the white stamped panel on top of that.

7.       Stamp the sentiment on the 1” by 3” cream colored panel using the Memento Luxe™ Pistachio ink.  Glue this on to the white panel.

8.       Attach a self adhesive dragonfly to the left side of the card and there you have it!

Our weather right now is so lovely!  This year is a perfect one for leaf peepers, the leaves are so many different colors and really stunning.  We're just taking it one day at a time.  I hope all is well with you.  Take care, talk to you soon ~ Renee

Somerset Studio Magazine Nov/Dec Issue

I am so excited to share that my very first article is in the upcoming Nov/Dec issue of Somerset Studio magazine.  WooHoo!  In this article I shared my ONE WORD for 2013 that I tried to incorporate in my everyday life rather than making a slew of New Year's resolutions that even I know I will not keep.

This is a photo of the project I created to showcase my word, BALANCE.  It hangs on my studio door so it is the last thing I see at night and the first thing to greet me in the morning.

I emailed a big thank you to Rick St. Dennis (http://www.zibbet.com/Rick1949) this morning since his "Euro Clown" clip art is what really makes the piece stand out.  I adore his work and love the instant gratification of clip art emailed to me within minutes.

I hope you get the chance to take a peek at the magazine when it arrives at Barnes & Noble or your local scrap booking store.  Thanks so much for stopping by, I always appreciate the visit.  Take care ~ Renee

AIRs Artists Choice::Kaleidacolor and Stencils!

Stencils seem to be everywhere in the crafting/art world right now.  There are so many styles and choices to choose from.  The Crafters Workshop (TCW) has always been one of my go to companies for stencils.  Good sturdy quality and a lot of designs, something for everyone.  Before it seemed like I could only find the tiny brass ones or the big goofy ones that go on the wall in a kid's room, now stencils seem very sophisticated!

For this all occasion card I decided to use one from TCW called "Climbing Vine", it measures 6" by 6".  I incorporated some wooden pieces and a laser cut word to complete it.  "Believe" is a powerful word that fits most any occasion or event.  I have included a supply list and a short tutorial if you're interested in making something like this for yourself.

SUPPLIES

From IMAGINE Crafts and Tsukineko

IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko ®Memento Luxe™Inks Olive Grove, Pistachio, Peanut Brittle, Gray Flannel & Rhubarb Stalk colors| IMAGINE Crafts®/Tuskineko®Delicata™Pigment Ink full size pad  |IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder ™Clear & Iridescent | IMAGINE Crafts®InkBlushers™| IMAGINE Crafts®GooseBumps™Shimmer Texture Spray

Other Supplies

The Crafters Workshop.com Stencil TCW391 Climbing Vine 6” by 6” size | pre-cut word “Believe” | one blank card 6 ½” by 5”| black card stock | one piece of glossy card stock measuring 5 ½” by 4 ½”|Wooden Pieces | a stenciling paint brush

DIRECTIONS

Cut glossy card stock to measure 5 ½” by 4 ½”.  Tape stencil with removable tape onto the card stock.

Using InkBlushers™ and a stenciling brush, pounce different colors on top of the stencil making sure to blend the colors onto the glossy card stock.

Remove stencil, apply IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder ™Clear color and heat set it.

 Color the wooden pieces with IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko ®Memento Luxe™Inks.  Use Peanut Brittle and Pistachio on the snowflakes and Gray Flannel on the word.  Apply IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder ™in the Iridescent color to the word and melt it with a heat gun.  When it is dry apply IMAGINE Crafts®/Tuskineko®Delicata™Pigment Ink randomly on the word.

Mat the Vine stenciled card stock to black card stock and adhere the panel to the card.

Using a strong adhesive adhere the word and the snowflakes to the card.  Apply IMAGINE Crafts®GooseBumps™Shimmer Texture Spray to the snowflakes.  Allow to dry thoroughly.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I always appreciate the visit.  Take care ~ Renee

Art Journal Faces

I am working in my small, 5" by 8", art journal using the Jane Davenport petite face stencils.  I like the results and the size.  This is one that makes me think of Spring.  I began by outlining her face with my "magic" pencil better known as Stabilo Aquarellable pencil.  To blend it I used a water brush and then added color.

I used TCW stencils for the the flowers and IMAGINE Crafts Fireworks! Spray in the lovely Desert Sand, Bamboo Leaves and Summer Sky colors.  Then I used Pan Pastels for the face and the red and yellow flowers.  A few outlines with a Fude black permanent pen and Voila!  Spring.

Thanks for stopping by.  Take care ~ Renee

Tim Holtz/Creative Chemistry 102 online class

This is Day two of The Creative Chemistry 102 on-line class.  I took the first class last year along with I'm sure thousands of other people and I liked it so much I thought I'd follow up with the one this year.  The reason I enjoy it is because I can follow along at my own pace and  if I don't have the exact thing Tim is working with I can easily substitute a like product.  For example he does his techniques on tags but I've chosen to do my project using his techniques in my small Dyan Reaveley journal.

For today this is the project I have completed in my book.  It incorporates an ATC I made with a Stampotique stamp made by France Papillon.  When the pages were completed I sprayed them with GooseBumps to give them a little shine.

  If you are interested in the on-line class it is not too late to sign up and you have unlimited access to the classes.  I hope you're having a great day.  Take care, thanks for stopping by! ~ Renee

AIRs Artist Challenge::Using Wooden Stars on a card

Here is a fun challenge.  I had a new product to play with, wooden pieces shaped into fun items like stars, trees, mittens, you get the idea.  I decided to use the stars and incorporate them into my design on a greeting card.  This is an all occasion card that signals the end of summer.  It's official.  It's over.  I'm sure you didn't hear about it here first.

To honor the leaves that are about to fall I used a cute little StampCow leaf stamp.  Here is the finished card.

In case you'd like to make this or something like this yourself here's a list of the supplies I used and a short tutorial.

Supplies

From IMAGINE Crafts® and Tsukineko®

Wooden Pieces in star shape

Kaleidacolor™Dye Inkpad Autumn Leaves color|Staz-On® Jet Black, Royal Purple, Orange|Clear Embossing Powder™|Memento Markers™

Stamps

“Leaf” by StampCow, Sentiment by Tin Can Mail, Circus phrase by Stampendous!, Crackle by IndigoBlu

Other

Cream colored blank card, 90# watercolor paper, Cream Colored Card Stock, Gray and white Baker’s Twine, Water Spritzing bottle, adhesives, Brayer

DIRECTIONS

 Run the brayer across the Kaleidacolor™ ink pad and then onto the water color paper, spritz with water and rub color around with a baby wipe until satisfied.  Dry thoroughly.

Stamp leaf with Kaleidacolor™Autumn Leaves color randomly all over the paper, leaving an edge blank.  Heat emboss with clear powder.  Trim to 3” by 5”.

Cut another piece of the leaf paper to measure 3” by 1” (this piece will be a blank edge, no leaves on it).  Stamp Circus stamp on this piece.  Heat set.  Color in letters with Memento Markers™ in matching colors.  Heat set.  Stamp this piece with a crackle stamp using Purple Staz-On® ink.  Dry.

Using a strong adhesive, adhere the leaf panel in the center of the card.

Glue the circus phrase above that panel and to the right.  Stamp “Remember” on a piece of scrap cardstock using the Kaleidacolor™ ink pad.

Take wooden stars and color them with the Staz-On® Orange Ink Pad, dry and stamp again with Royal Purple Staz-On® ink using crackle stamp, heat set with Clear Embossing Powder™.

Using small glue pop dots, adhere the sentiment across the middle of the leaf stamped paper. 

Wrap a piece of Baker’s Twine around the card several times and tie a bow at the top of the card, lacing the twine through the pop dots and under the phrase panel.

Glue the wooden stars on the card randomly.

Thanks much for stopping by, I always appreciate your visits.  Take care~Renee

Stenciled Face of Autumn

The new Jane Davenport face stencils are petite so they fit perfectly in Dyan Reaveley's new sized journaling book.  Dyan's book measures about 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" which is a great sized journal to pop in your purse.  Very portable.  So what I like to do is trace the face stencils in the book and then when I have a little time I can work on them.  If I'm out and about and waiting for someone I can always tangle the hair if I choose to.

Today's face is one traced with permanent ink and then I used water based inks for her hair and PanPastels for her face.  I have always loved the poem called "Maud Muller" by John Greenleaf Whittier.   His words are so moving: "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these:  It might have been."  I thought she looked like someone reflecting on things that might have been.  She also reminds me that it is Autumn.  Always a time of reflection for me, maybe for you too.

Have a great day, give it your best shot!  Hugs to all of you ~ Renee