here's how I got started...

here's how I got started...
a 20 minute podcast by Crazy BeYOUtiful

Friday, March 20, 2015

custom magic mat board minis...

HAPPY SPRING!
I hereby declare this 
NATIONAL

BUY A PAIR OF SANDALS DAY!

Rick was so happy to hear this...
or maybe not?

it's a balmy 41 degrees here, 
but I'm wearing sandals anyway...

yes...
my toes are freezing, 
but it's a matter of principle...
I'm O V E R winter!

ok...
onto business...

this package of goodness arrived earlier this week...
I couldn't wait to get these mini movers & shapers out & test drive them...

check out the penny, to give you a good perspective of their cute MINI size...

they're mini & ADORABLE!



one of my new products for this past CHA is this package of magic mat board...

in the package you get two 6 x 12 sheets...
one white and one black...
they are a nice convenient size to use & store...

I specifically wanted the black sheet for the faux graniteware technique & I wanted the white to show the true colors of our inks...

the black is also really cool to use with foil...
and with the metallic embossing pastes...
you'll see that below...

and why did I want mat board?

SIMPLE...

to use with tim's Sizzix dies...

the mat board is very sturdy
VERY inexpensive 
and it's great to use 
with many products for mixed media art...

inks, paints, embossing powders & embossing pastes are PERFECT to pair with the mat board shapes you die cut...

I'll be sharing even more ideas soon...



if you've been following my blog, you know I HATE to waste any art supply...
Rick frequently sees me digging something out of the trash...
I try to sneak, but he always seems to catch me...

so...
after you die cut your shapes and have left over small pieces of magic bat board...


they are PERFECT for using up those tiny scraps...

I LOVE IT...
NO WASTE!

mat board pieces less than 1 inch square can be used to create these awesome embellishments, that you can customize to perfectly coordinate with your art...

below, you'll see the minis cut from both black & white magic mat board...

you'll see that you can ink them & stamp them...
you can heat emboss them...
you can foil them...
triple emboss them, then stamp into the hot embossing powder...
and so much more...

and I like that they are
 very light weight for cards...
so... they're easily mailable...




here's some other ways these mat board die cuts can be altered...

this was a little display board I made, that shows 10 ways to alter the new mat minis...

these 2 mat mini packages are 
already cut for us & ready to go...
just pop them out of their storage sheets...


but...

these same ideas can be used with any die cut magic mat board shapes you create...
just grab a favorite Sizzix steel ruled die & the magic mat board & you're ready to go...


those 3 little hearts you see in the previous photo were the inspiration for this mini canvas...
it's a 4 x 4 inch flat canvas panel...
I'm really liking these...
they are sturdy & easy to change up with lots of different products...
they take lots of abuse!

for the background I used
click the link to see the original tutorial...

that's those dimensional plaster chunks you see toward the right...
there are also a few toward the bottom...

my colors were sky blue & cornflower blue, mixed with rubbing alcohol & then misted with picket fence distress spray stain...

after I dried the background, I added tree branch to the edges & also stamped the script background with tree branch archival...


I didn't take step by step photos, because I was having too much fun...
but I think it's pretty simple...

the 3 white mat board hearts were inked with tea rose archival and then stamped with tree branch & this stamp in the lower right corner of the set...

the mini butterfly was inked with sky blue archival & also stamped with tree branch & the same text stamp...

I had stenciled just one row of polka dots, with cornflower blue archival & you can see that the mini die cuts fit between the dots...
I like when things work...

to alter the industrious sticker, I inked over it with leaf green archival to cover the whole sticker, then LIGHTLY swiped the sky blue archival pad only over the raised areas...
when dry, these colors are permanent, because I used archival ink...

I KNOW...
sky blue is sold out most everywhere...
but I heard from a good source, they will be producing more VERY soon...

the carnation SiSi was stamped 2 times on the newsprint side of clearly for art, with jet black archival...

I used one full image and just a portion of the flowers for the top layer...

it's inked with tea rose...

I always adhere the newsprint to CFA with 



the bow was stamped with jet black onto the CFA newsprint, inked with sky blue & cornflower blue, then stamped over with the new 4 leaf clover background, using tea rose archival...

a vintage button & some gold metallic thread is a simple accent for the bow...

so far it looked like this...



I like the pastel vintage colors...

you can see the minis better below...


and here's a better look at the layered carnation...
I used the black foam adhesive roll between the layers & to add the carnation to the canvas...

the foam adhesive is A M A Z I N G & STRONG!


it was still lacking something...
ah...a border...

I swiped the tarnished brass distress paint dabber along the edges...
better, but it still needed more...

these new remnant rubs were just what I wanted...
a partial thin frame...


that little gold paint edge is a great simple finishing touch...


these minis are adorable & so useful...
they will never be out of style...
and like I said...
they are a great way to use up your magic mat board scraps...

and best of all...
make them ANY color or any style...
and the price is GREAT!

so that's my love of mini...

now...
moving to maxi...

 it's true...

sometimes...
size does matter...

 at CHA we introduced a 
you get DOUBLE the amount of paste for a REALLY GREAT price!

we had lots of requests for a larger jar of white paste to use with the mix & store jars...

they are perfect for MIXING & STORING custom colors of embossing paste right in the jars, for no waste...
no cleanup...
I like to use reinkers to color the paste...

these mix & store jars were chosen to keep the paste nice & fresh, without drying out...

that's it for today...

I think I'll go add a new board to Pinterest for the things we do with the magic mat board...


and then I'll look for a new pair of sandals...
shhhhhh...

after all...
it IS NATIONAL

 BUY A PAIR OF SANDALS...
or flip flops
DAY!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you'll have time to grab your supplies and...

make art!
wendy







31 comments:

Scrapthat said...

:D Enjoy your sandles and...great canvas Wendy!! those dies look awesome!! TFS

Lisa said...

Happy Buy a Pair of Sandals Day :) Your canvas is so gorgeous!! Wow!! I love those tiny dies!! You showcased them perfectly!! Have a great weekend :)

Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts

Gramma said...

Love the canvas. To cold for sandals but you go girl.

Unknown said...

Simply fabulous, lucious, yummy. Will definitely do this. Love it.

Vic said...

Wow, I love your canvas! The minis are on my wish list.

Kathy Eddy said...

love your little canvas! It's so adorable. I have not seen the magic mat yet but looks like lots of fun!

jreyoriginals@gmail.com said...

Oh my gosh! I love this project! Love those mini movers & shapers! I'm gonna need to get some of the magic mat board! So cool! Thanks for sharing the mat minis 10 ways! I want to create a canvas similar to this. Thanks for the inspiration! :)

Tona said...

I LOVE this little canvas!!! Thanks yet again for the inspiration.

Nox said...

The canvas looks great! Still too cool for sandals here, but I am counting the days. I have been lusting after those mini dies too, and I love how you used them.

Kaye said...

OK, I went and bought a new pair of Birkenstocks....my feet thank you (although Dan wasn't so thrilled)! Just love this project!

Kirsten said...

That canvas is gorgeous, I love those mini dies. And I would love to be wearing sandals, but it's only in the high 40's here & my feet are frozen. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous canvas Wendy! Love the cute movers and shapers (added to v long wish list!). Sue C x

Irene said...

Fabulous! Your creativity continually amazes me...thanks for sharing it with us! Your declaration of National Sandal Day makes me think about a local non-profit in Detroit that makes flip flops out of illegally dumped tires--another great example of creativity! http://cass-community-store.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/detroit-treads-sandals

Wilma said...

Hahaha, i'm glad you made it a national buy a pair of sandels day and not an international one ;-) To cold here in NL.
Love your piece of art and i know for sure that i need those adorable mini movers and shapers.
Have a great creative weekend.

Dorothy said...

Sooooo beautiful!!!
Enjoy the "warm" weather!

Theresa said...

LOL!! You make me laugh.....BUT I want to tell you that I really love your art. It's so wonderful and easy to create....you just gotta do it! Thanks for sharing.

Patty O'Malley said...

You always have such amazing ideas! Love the size of those new dies.

grammypat said...

Love your canvas -- so colourful and love the 3-d effect. Perfect day for a new pair of sandals- just got back from holidays - so I really could use a new pair.
Enjoy yours.

grammypat said...

Love your canvas -- so colourful and love the 3-d effect. Perfect day for a new pair of sandals- just got back from holidays - so I really could use a new pair.
Enjoy yours.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

I need a new pair of black sandals too! LOVE that you explained the matboard...it's so practical! I love the little shapes and need to get them...perfect for scraps just like you said! Gorgeous piece here...love that Splatter technique!

famillemarleau said...

Love the final result. Thanks for sharing, Johanne Lacombe

Kari said...

Going shopping today, also live in lovely illinois so not sure i can rock the sandals yet. Love the mat board and tiny dies.

Unknown said...

I love your ideas! I have large flat canvas that I am going to use and adapt your process. Inspiration! Yay! And I will be wearing socks with my sandals. Weird I know, but it's really chilly. Thanks for the inspiration!

Art By Wanda said...

A wonderful canvas!!! I "Need" to have those minis :-) I have a package of the mat board but need to play!!!

Rea' said...

Just awesome ( as usual) the techniques are amazing!
Love your buy a pair of sandals idea too :)

Anna-Karin said...

Such a great project Wendy! I love mat board, it is one of my absolutely favourite surfaces to use.

Unknown said...

Love this! The background of this canvas is gorgeous! So good to know this technique will work on canvas! Gotta try it! Happy National Sandals Day!

Carol McCready said...

Enjoy your sandals. Love the canvas.

Lori said...

Love this project! That plastered tech looks really cool in the background...

Unknown said...

WOW, you're good!!

Redanne said...

I love mat board too, it is such a great surface to work with - your canvas is just gorgeous too! I looked at some sandals today, in a sale, but sadly they did not fit.... hope you had more luck. Anne x