Make a practical little gift box

 Well, my 2015 term as a DT member with IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko is nearing its end.  It has been a fun year creating projects for them 3 times a month but there's a new team in place for 2016 and it's time for me to move on.  I will always love their products, I do believe they are exceptional and I will continue to use them.  This project is a gift box and is great for holding completed Zentangle tiles or even coasters.  Here is how I made it.

Supply list

IC/T supplies

Delicata 4 ink pad

irRESISTible Pico Embellishers:  Bronze, Copper

Memento Markers:  Pistachio, Pear Tart, Bamboo Leaves, Love Letter

StazOn:  Jet Black ink pad

Miscellaneous supplies

Old book paper, Stabilo All pencil, Golden Self Leveling Gel Medium, watercolor paper, Idea-o-logy metal feet and pull knob, card board cardstock, Chalkboard Paint, The Groove Tool with sandpaper tip, adhesive

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Choose a card board box, new or recycled and paint it inside and out with black Chalkboard paint.  Use the Groove Tool with the sandpaper tip to rough up the edges and apply a small amount of red marker to distressed edges.  When dry attach metal feet to the bottom of box with a strong adhesive and begin working on the lid.

2.        Cut a piece of background paper, this one is from a previous master board.  Cut a flower basket out of old book paper and adhere it to the background panel.

3.        Stamp flowers and cut them out using old book paper.  Glue the flowers to the panel, color in the flowers and leaves with Memento Markers.  Use a stencil and some gesso to make a tablecloth at the bottom of the basket.  Allow to dry.

4.        Use the irRESISTible Pico Embellishers to outline the flowers.  Screw the handle onto the middle of the arrangement.  Add metallic colors from the Delicata 4 ink pad.

5.        Adhere panel to a piece of card board cardstock, glue with a strong adhesive to the box.

6.        Apply dots with Copper irRESISTible Pico Embellisher; when dry apply a coat of Golden Self Leveling Gel to seal.  This can be filled with coasters, photos, candy, etc.  Whatever fits.

Thanks for stopping by!  Leave a comment if you have a moment, I love reading what you think.  Take care, hugs ~ Renee

Got your coloring book? Now what......

Once you purchase a coloring book you may wonder....now what do I do with it?  Why, color in the pages, of course!  What can you color it with?  Anything you've got on hand.  I started coloring in some of the pages in my copy of The Coloring Studio, it took longer than I expected.  Each page is unique in its representation of the artist who created it.  It is more like a workbook to me since there are so many instructions and hints throughout the entire book.  I started with one of my favorites, Mou Saha, on page 100.  I used Pan Pastels, Memento Markers, gesso, stencils, Micron pens and an irRESISTible Pico Embellisher.  It was a meditative, fun, relaxing experience.  You are not facing a blank page and have the liberty to do whatever floats your boat.  This is what my first page looks like now.

Next I thought it only fair that I color my own design on page 60.  The beauty of the book is that you can add even more doodling to the pages or add stamps, etc. to the pages.  Remember the quote that says "art is never finished, just abandoned".  Play with the pages until you feel like abandoning them.  Here's my page.

I couldn't seem to stop adding tangles, color, stamps, etc. to the page.  Finally abandoned.

Whatever coloring book you choose I hope you're having some relaxing moments with it!  Later down the road I'm sure I'll be tearing out pages and doing other projects with them but for now I'll leave them in the book.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you're having a good one.  Hugs ~ Renee

Published! The upcoming issue of the Stampers' Sampler

Wow!  I just received my advance copy of the Stampers' Sampler and I was thrilled to see some of my work in print.  It has been a long year with moving and all, that made it difficult for me to submit work to publications on a regular basis.  I felt a bit like a gypsy with my plastic tubs of art supplies, dragging them from one place to another for months on end.  When we finally loaded up my Jeep to drive down from Massachusetts to South Carolina almost the entire truck was full of my art supplies.  It's a good thing we had movers bringing the furniture and close friends driving Joe's car down full of clothes, etc.  Seriously, it was a little ridiculous but, oh well, bygones.  Here is what the next issue looks like and a few of the pages.

Finnabair's new stamps by Prima

Kate Crane's new stamps by Stampotique

The issue is loaded with great ideas.  So many wonderful artists have contributed, there are lots of new techniques to try.  My friend Lynne Moncrieff has some LOVELY cards on 58 & 59 of this issue that are gorgeous. If you're near a Barnes & Noble or any where else the magazine is offered be sure and check it out. 

 Thanks for stopping by and allowing me to share my joy with you!  Hugs ~  Renee

And we have a WINNER!

The winner of the new "Coloring Studio" book is.....

JANE WETZEL

Congratulations!  Please email me your mailing address ASAP (you have until 12/15/15 to get that to me) and I will send it on to Stampington, they will mail the coloring book directly to you.

Thank you all for entering!  We will have to do another contest like that one soon, don't you think?

Thanks again everyone, have a great weekend.  Hugs ~ Renee

Baby it's cold outside! A multi layered card

If you have a moment today you might want to check out my many layered mixed media card on the IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko blog.  This cute panel can be used on a card or mounted onto a small box.  Today's offering is a card but I'll sharing the little boxes at a later date.  Here is a sneak peek, the directions can be found on the link.

I hope you have entered your name in the drawing for the new Coloring Book from Stampington.  If not, you have until Friday to do so.
Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope this finds you all well and happy!  Hugs ~ Renee

A GiveAway: Stampington's "The Coloring Studio Book"!!

I was amazed to realize recently that I have had 500 posts on this blog since I began.  I started blogging just to keep track of life and different creative endeavors I was pursuing.  It started out as a food blog since I was at that time writing articles for a food column in our local newspaper and entering baked goods at the Fair every fall.  My daughter's friends said it was boring because I didn't have any pictures to show what I was doing so I started photographing dishes, etc. to make it more interesting.  Then someone said my pictures weren't very good so I had to go buy a decent camera and learn how to use it and edit things.  Here I am years later still falling down that rabbit hole learning as I go just so I can keep up.  Fun times.  Seriously, it keeps me grounded and I have met so many amazing artists along the way.

To celebrate this occasion and the fact that I have actually stayed with it all these years I have a wonderful give-away!  Stampington offered to send one of my followers a copy of the new coloring book they have just released called "The Coloring Studio".  It is not just an adult coloring book but has lessons all the way through.  Many of my favorite artists have been interviewed and offer all kinds of hints as well as inspiration.  The designs for the most part are complex and would be frame worthy after completion with your choice of coloring tools.

I was in the midst of moving from Mass. to SC during the call for artwork for the book but I did manage to create one page which Stampington was kind enough to include.  Mine is NOT one of the complicated beautiful pages it is just a Zen Doodle fun piece to play with.  Here it is on page 61.  I'm just happy to be included!

The process starts today.  There are just a couple of rules:  You must be a follower of my blog and reside within the USA (sorry everyone else).  Just leave a comment on this post starting now and I will announce the winner of the random draw on Friday, Dec. 11th at noon EST.  The book will be mailed directly to you from Stampington.  Please contact me by Dec. 15th with your mailing address or I'll be forced to choose another name.  If my blog is being difficult and won't let you comment, she does that sometimes, email me and I'll make sure you are included in the draw.

If you have a chance pop over to Stampington's blog and look at some of the finished pages they have displayed, here's their link.  In the meantime, thanks for hanging in there with me all these years, know that I appreciate your visits and each comment that you leave.  I not only read them but the comments have affected what I do artistically and improvements that I've tried to make during this time.  Thank you!
Hugs and best wishes ~  Renee