here's how I got started...

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

Friday, October 30, 2015

merry Christmas!


hello and
happy halloween eve!

I know...it's been a while...
yikes!

we took off for a 10 day get-away
 to celebrate our anniversary...
we had fun...

and before that it was finalizing 
NEW STAMPS & stuff for CHA January...
S U P E R  F U N!

so, that's where I've been...

normal blogging
 is now on the schedule...

before moving on to the little art, 
I need to update my schedule...

I started getting questions about attending the OOAK stamping convention
at the Alliant Energy Center,
 in Madison, Wisconsin...

I replied to at least 10 people & said it was not on my schedule...
but...
change of plans...
now it is!

so I'll be there November 20, 21 & 22nd demoing and 
doing a make & take 
for the event on Friday evening...

I hope you can plan to come see us!

ok...
I know it's halloween eve...
but Christmas is really my favorite holiday, 
so...

here's a fun little holiday art for you today...

instead of sending a card, I thought it would be fun to make little "arts" that can sit on a shelf...
or they could be hung on the tree 
with a hinge clip...

 magic mat board is a nice sturdy, 
lightweight surface to work on & 
it likes paints, embossing powders 
both distress and archival inks, very well...
you get a 6 x 12 inch sheet of white and 
a 6 x 12 sheet of black in the package...
for a REALLY great price...

here's the steps...
cut a piece of white magic mat board
 to 3 x 4 inches...
cut a piece of black magic mat board 
to 3 ¼ x 4 ¼ inches...

swipe the cornflower blue archival pad onto the craft sheet, add rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and mix the ink into the alcohol with a palette knife...

place the white mat board 
into the inky solution & dry...

lightly ink the script stamp with 
 stamp over the base...


to stencil the large tree 3 times, 

make sure to vary the heights of the tree...

ink the spatter stamp 
with glacier white pigment ink & stamp over the base & dry...


fern green archival, then sprinkle with 
heat to melt the powder...
ink the spatter stamp with glacier white 
and stamp over the tree, then dry...

use jet black archival to stencil
merry christmas at the top...

it's easy to add a snow bank to the bottom, 
sprinkle with rock candy distress glitter
while the paste is still wet...
glue the mat mini pine tree to the base and add
 a mirrored star to the tree top...

to create the little bird...
use the custom brick embossing powder...

here's the recipe...

mix one scoop of red geranium embossing powder with one scoop of orange blossom embossing powder and add 1/2 scoop of watering can embossing powder and then mix in 2 scoops of frosted crystal embossing powder...

ink a manila scrap with
sprinkle with the brick powder, 
while the ink is wet...
heat to melt the powder, 
to create a custom little bird...
this is a great way to use those scraps & create custom perfectly coordinated embellishments...

add the bird to the left side of the snow bank...
add a black glaze pen dot to create his eye...
then mount the white base onto
 to act as a frame...

you can write your greeting on the back with a metallic or white pen...
or use one of the metallic distress paints to 

or you could stamp or stencil it,
it shows up very well on dark surfaces...

here's the finished piece...




take a closer look at
 the different textures on this piece...

you can see that the 
custom brick embossing powder 
creates a 
 very textured surface on the bird...
and it's much more matte than the embossing powder on the pine tree...
that's because of the 
it's a jar of magic, because it doubles your embossing powder options...

 it can be mixed with any of 
to change them from shiny to more matte, 
and it adds texture too...

just mix equal parts of colored powder with the frosted crystal...

I store the "frosted" powders

the faux graniteware tree has a smooth shiny surface...

and the embossing paste sprinkled with 
 makes the best authentic snow!

it's a bonus that the glitter sticks to the paste very well & stays put...




so...think about it...
instead of sending a card...

you might want to try this...

I hope YOU have fun and...

make art!
wendy
ps...I thought about saying...
GO BEARS...
but I think it's a hopeless situation again this year...



12 comments:

Debby said...

Beautiful project again Wendy! I was wondering where you had been lately.

Carol H. said...

So very pretty! I love the sparkly snow!

Redanne said...

The custom brick EP looks fantastic on the bird and I absolutely adore the tree - and the snow is amazing. Anne xx

Rea' said...

I welcome your snow ... lol ! I love your little Christmas Art, such pretty textures; love the red bird!
Yes, I missed you ... Happy Belated Anniversary :)

Vic said...

Fabulous! Can't wait to see the new stamps (& stuff). Go, Hawks!

Dorothy said...

So excited you will be in Madison!!!
Love you "not" card!!

Stephanie Rodgers said...

Welcome back Wendy! Missed you & your art! Happy anniversary to you & Rick!

Turtle In The Sand said...

Great Christmas card Wendy. I have family in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Wishing I could arrange a trip there In November. Would love to see you in Madison.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

LOVE this Wendy! LOVE all the embossing and what a precious scene! It's pure Christmas sweetness!

Wilma said...

Happy Anniversary!
Love this sparkling Christmas card.

Art By Wanda said...

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!

jan metcalf said...

So glad you are coming to Madison OOAK convention! See you Friday night!