Boo to you....

and a TREAT for me...

Shopping! Shoes?? Purse?

I HOPE!
Back later.

This weekend.......
MAKE ART!
wendy

studio 490 stamp sampler...

Right after CHA-S I emailed photos of my studio490 projects to Jackie. She's the chick who puts them on the Stampers Anonymous website. THANK YOU JACKIE!!

But...in my old age I totally forgot about this...

Anyway, I got an email from Dana, who loved the idea of clicking on a stamp & getting a photo showing something made with that stamp. It sure makes things very easy and saves time too.

Here's a mini canvas one............loaded with stuff.




Actually what she said was seeing examples made her buy more...just because she got free ideas. REALLY???
Imagine that!

Who would have thought?? ha!

Check it out on the Stampers Anonymous site...here.
The samples are all in the 8.3 summer supplement.
Free inspiration........

I'm off to...............
MAKE ART!!
wendy

metallic play........

I'm totally addicted to the Distress crackle paint...I LOVE IT...

But I bet you already knew that...

So when tim said he was doing metallic crack...I was counting the days 'til I got my samples.

I couldn't stand it...yesterday I took a little break & played with them. Here's the brushed pewter...on a Maya Road chipboard flower. This is plain...with no extra color rubbed into the cracks.

Here's the yummy tarnished brass...

There's also antique bronze. Another cool color. Sorry...no photo.

Since "going green" is so popular these days....I wanted to repurpose/redo an older product that I was tired of.

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So...

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I had these huge brads...I had used them as is...I stamped on them before & now it was time for something different.

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Take a look...from this to this...

The paint easily changed the finish of the brad. I knew that the paint needed a surface with a tooth in order to adhere & crack...

Hmmm...the brad was smooth... what could I do?

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Enter Claudine's MULTI -MEDIUM.

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I applied a coat on the brad (I used the matte)...then let it sit & dry. When it dried, I painted a medium coat of crackle paint on & waited to see if the magic would happen.

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A successful experiment!!!!!!

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The MULTI-MEDIUM is the PERFECT solution for adding tooth to a smooth surface.

I tried to pick the paint off...NOPE...

dropped it...NOPE...

rubbed it really hard...NOPE...it's on there rock solid.

Now I like these brads again.

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I am quickly becoming addicted to the matte multi-medium. I find that it's great for adhering heavy metal pieces in a collage.

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Now...what else could I do with the paint?? How about a dose on a manilla tag?

After it dried & cracked...I rubbed Black Soot distress ink into the cracks. Then I stamped on it with Ranger's pitch black pigment ink and made this...(stamp by Stampers Anonymous)

My other thought is to paint it on a manilla tag & then use punches or that wonderful Cuttlebug/Big Shot to make some fun metallic embellishments.

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But like the infomercials...

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WAIT...

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There's even more...but I can't show that just yet. I sent a project to Ranger for their site. When it's up...I'll be sure to share! This technique adds another product to the mix and totally gives the paint another very cool look.

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So here's the moral of the story today...

Take time to play &

MAKE ART!

wendy

Maya Road and Ranger...a tiny tutorial...

For anyone who has visited here before...you know how much I LOVE Maya Road's Trinkets Blossoms metal flowers. I could use them on every project I make...

HOWEVER...I don't want everything I make to look the same.
So...since the Bears have a day off...and it's too bloody cold to put even a toe outside... ( I CAN NOT WAIT to get to Frenzy Stamper in WARMMMM ARIZONA!)

I did a little experiment and a photo shoot for you...

Here's the start...



The next photo shows the metal flower naked (on top)
and after I added some rust and slate alcohol inks...

Here's another with denim & pesto...BTW...these can be stamped on after the alcohol ink is dry...hmmm...I think I'll show you that below...........

Then my brain turned on...YIPPEE!

I had a project that really NEEDED a dimensional silver flower. But too bad Ranger doesn't make silver alcohol ink...

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DUH...the light bulb goes on...

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How about the SILVER MIXATIVE?? Would that work the same???

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Take a look..........TOTAL SUCCESS!!!

Perfectly...SILVER. EXACTLY what I NEEDED...

And...here's the little beauty stamped (screen stamp studio490, page 12 of the supplement) with Ranger's black pigment ink...heat dried and then I bent the petals.

Take a closer look...Perfect coverage...and the bending does not affect the silver. It doesn't flake off.

Well...since that worked...I can't stop now...

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How about some PEARL MIXATIVE???

I applied just a tiny bit, to create a mottled sort of look. I didn't want it completely covered...I like this look.... I think I'll add some new DISTRESS STICKLES...just as soon as my order arrives.

(I HOPE it's soon...I hope someone from RANGER is reading...hint!)

Just a little on the ends of the petals ...I think that will be cool.

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So here are some tips to get you playing...

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1. I always work on my Ranger Craft sheet when using Alcohol Inks...actually...who am I kidding?? I can not work without that craft sheet any day. It's always out & ready to be used.

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2. Using the alcohol ink applicator...with FELT...add a few drops of the chosen alcohol ink colors & pounce on the metal flower. It dries in just a few seconds. This is GREAT for those of use who are not patient...

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3. I completely covered the flower with just 2 drops of the silver mixative. (SHAKE before using). A little goes a long way. If you mix it with the alcohol inks...use just ONE drop.

Take it from me...ONE DROP!

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4. Don't like what you did??? Color not a match for your project?? NO PROBLEM...

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A few drops of Alcohol blending solution on a paper towel will completely remove all the ink. You are left with the original flower...in perfect condition & it's all ready to be inked again.

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Another use for the blending solution?? It's THE PERFECT cleaner for the craft sheet. A few drops on a paper towel...swipe...nice & clean!

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Just a warning...

You WILL be seeing plenty of SILVER flowers now...

You can bet on it!

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Make ART!

wendy

Another guest artist...and a question...

Need an idea for a cool gift?? Check this out........

Cheryl Kuba brought this to our class last Saturday @ Scrapbook Friend'z. SHOW & TELL is fun!





Cheryl's friend said she needed a place to store special cards. So...Cheryl started with a generic photo box & created this great gift box for her. She used grungeboard, colored it with distress inks, & made it dimensional.


She chose stamps from studio490 & Stampers Anonymous/tim & a tim idea-ology key too. It's hard to believe...but it's actually even cooler in person.



Cheryl...THANKS for sharing you art & showing what you learned in the classes.


So...if you are ready to get going on your handmade Christmas gifts...here's a tip to get you started.

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Now a question from me.............

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In the last several months I've gotten some emails about selling extra class kits. I'm just checking to see if this is something you guys want...


I sent out 3 kits on Wednesday as a test of the postal system & to check their cost. $6.00 got the kits shipped with delivery confirmation to 3 different states.


So...this is just in the thinking stage...but let me know if this is something you'd like. Each would come with complete instructions, just like my store classes. I would included a color copy of the project too. Most likely these kits would just ship in the US.


TALK to me!!!


Tomorrow is another class @ Scrapadoodle in Peoria, Illinois. We'll be creating the Make it Merry Holiday Hanging. It's a fun, inky, stamping, grungy class. Hope to see you there.


Make your weekend special!
Make ART!
wendy

Two Cate questions...AND...THE winner!

And the winner is................

NOPE! Just teasing!

Sorry...you gotta read this great info from Cate before we get to that....

But first.........

THANK YOU from both Cate & I for the comments. We sincerely appreciate it.

THANKS from Rick & I too, for the sweet congrats posts, emails & we even got a CUSTOM SINGING video from Paper Patti. That was just toooooo cute! Rick thinks she should dump Ranger & take her act on the road!! THANKS PATTI!

Rick was happy that there were no comments about how DORKY we looked! Oh well...we sure thought we were pretty stylish 36 years ago... I thought the photo would be worth a laugh.

Now on to business... 2 questions from blog readers...

I thought these questions were very interesting & I enjoyed hearing Cate's insight.............

My question is what is your idea of a self portrait? What would be the first step to do a self portrait?

My idea of a self-portrait is a visual representation of who you are. There are many exercises in the book that help you get to know yourself. One involves looking around the room you spend the most time in, or even your whole house, as an objective observer or detective to see "who lives here." And then you put together a self-portrait based on that. For a more "realistic" self-portrait, you can start by tracing your image from the mirror onto a transparency and then "coloring it in." Or, you can take pictures of yourself in different situations, or take pictures of different body parts. I guess my idea of a self-portrait is something that has no rules because it doesn't have to be for anyone else, just you. Once you get started, though, it's hard to stop!

From another blog commenter...

Now, here is my question for Cate.

How does one go about doing a self-portrait and/or altered page about some very painful issues?? Are there any techniques you use to try and 'work through' the process so you know what kind of page you want to create?? When you've got so much to get out...how do you get it all out and onto paper???
Thanks for taking the time to answer. :-) >

Creating a self-portrait, or a series of self-portraits, is an excellent way to work through painful issues and experiences in your life. In fact, several of the artists in Mixed-Media Self-Portraits address this issues, and we even include some art therapy websites to use as resources.

Here are some ideas:

1. Take a picture of yourself from now or from the painful period of time and alter it (you may want to make a copy first) using digital or mixed-media techniques, to show how you feel about that time in your life. Color it red for rage or doodle on it with words that express your sadness or confusion. Alter it to show how you wish you might have been at that time.

2. Make a self-portrait in the style of a collaged journal page. If this is just for you, tear out images from magazines, or incorporate your own photos and drawings. Write out your feelings using markers in colors that represent your emotions. Don't think about making a masterpiece--it's the process that heals.

3. Paint, draw, color with crayons or use any other favorite medium to make a series of pictures of yourself, varying each one. This is an exercise--don't strive for perfection or visual accuracy. Just think about an incident or an emotion and draw yourself in that state. How do your eyes look? Your mouth? Your hair. Finish each one quickly (5-10 minutes) and then move on to the next one, using a different moment or feeling as the inspiration. Repeat until you feel you have put all of your feelings out on paper. You might want to come back in a day to see what you've done, or you might want to keep moving right then. Look at all of your quick portraits and take the parts of them that speak to your pain and put them together, either by copying aspects of what you've already done or tearing up the quick portraits and collaging the "best" pieces together into one portrait.

THANKS CATE!!! This is wonderful info.

AND.....................

DRUMROLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The lucky winner of Cate's **signed ** book is.........................

...chosen by the Random generator...#2

Congrats to ANNETTE!!

Here's her post...

Annette said...
OK, I'm not kidding, I want this book really bad! I have been really intrigued by self-portraits this past year. Perhaps it would be the ideal project to follow up my "All About Me" scrapbook I completed and taught last year. It was such a great journey. I should do a self-portrait to bring it all together! I will be pondering this all day....hmmm....

Annette...please send me your address & I'll get it sent to Cate!

THANKS to ALL who took the time to read & comment.

Congrats again to CATE and thanks so much for the giveaway!

CHEERS! Here's to continued SUCCESSS!

wendy

A blast from the past & meet NATALIE!!

Here's what Rick & I were doing 36 years ago today...


I can hear those calculators going...I'll save you the time...I was only 10 when we wed! ha! Believe it?

So...to my sweet hubby...
THANKS for a GREAT 36. Let's keep going for another 36!
You're THE BEST!

More photos..............

When I was in Texas, I had THE CUTEST gal in my class. I talked about her before, but I thought you'd like to meet Natalie.



Natalie look my Ranger technique class & let me tell you...
She's a pro! Here's one of her stamped tags...



She sent me these photos yesterday, so I thought I'd share them here. Not only is she A REAL cute arty gal, but she's got GREAT taste too. She chose a Stampers Anonymous stamp.
THANKS for sending the photos Natalie!
I hope you're doing well!


And a reminder...leave a comment on yesterday's post & be entered to win a *signed* copy of Mixed Media self portraits, by Cate Prato.
Got a question for Cate?? Enter it in the comment section & I'll have her answer...
I'll be posting the winner tomorrow.

That's it until tomorrow.
Make ART!
wendy