I had this idea...**updated**

**updated with the finished card @ the end of the post**

@ 2 AM...what?
Yes...a vision so clear I HAD to get up & try it...

Someone in a class told me that art keeps her sane...
that might NOT be the story here...2AM???
I know...
It's TOTALLY nuts!

ANYWAY...

One of the techniques we learned @ Ranger U is tim's wrinkle free distress...it's a FAVORITE of mine.

You swipe the distress ink pads right on to the craft sheet...mist with water from the mini mister, & then press the tag into the inks & dry. FUN...

But since I'm the "official" Perfect Pearls demo chick for Ranger @ CHA...
I've been thinking about what new fun I could have with Perfect Pearls...

You need to gather these ingredients & work on Ranger's craft sheet... if you want to play along...

A border stamp...studio 490, of course
(I'm trying a giant background stamp next)

3 colors of distress inks..I chose peeled paint, broken china & brushed corduroy

a mini mister...add a dab of Perfect Pearls & fill with water up the the last "R" in Ranger...then shake.
I used Perfect Gold Perfect Pearls for the sample.

Pat the inks onto the craft sheet...leaving no space between the colors...then mist the inks with the pearlized mini mister, until you see the ink bead up.

It should look like this...


Stamp the numbers stamp into the ink, then stamp on the tag...
do this 3 times...
no need to clean the stamp in between the stampings...just stamp & go...then dry with the craft tool.

It couldn't be easier...a distress Perfect Pearls background...



So, instead of misting the entire background with shimmer, as I've showed before...
the shimmer is only on the stamped area...
Take a look... I like it!



Remember, once mixed with water, Perfect Pearls are
permanent.
You won't be WEARING glitter and no special fixative is needed.

Now I'm off to find a flower to use on this background and...

Make ART!
wendy
ps...Happy Easter! I hope you eat LOTS of candy!

Here's the update...

Ok...so I didn't use a flower...

It's shocking...

I saw my cute tree stamp sitting there...just what I wanted...

All stamps are studio 490...

It's easy to make the Maya Road bird more dimensional...

Just trace a wing onto the back of grungePAPER, cut it out, ink & stamp...and curl...

An idea-ology snap is the perfect embellishment...

Now I'm off to try this with a background stamp...those class kits will have to wait just a bit...

I'm on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

studio 490 build a better bird...digging for treasures

As requested...here's more info on the build a better bird workshop...

This guy will be flying out to either Buffalo Stamps, in NY or to the Stamping Place in Columbia SC.
Both stores have this workshop scheduled in May.

Here's yesterday's creation...another is in the works...but it's not ready for a debut just yet...



a reminder...
distress inks can easily change the color of a fabric brad...
this started out as stark white...
just a little brushed corduroy toned it down for a coordinated look...


I LOVE the grunge wings...there's that leaf stamp again...
looks a little different than yesterday's post...




Each person will start with the same wooden bird (several color choices are available)...
and create a unique...
ONE OF A KIND...piece of art...

You'll have TONS of organized trinkets & treasures to choose from...
here's a partial photo...




And, if you like to dig for buried treasures...
you'll like this pile of stuff...

Other ingredients include grungeboard & grungePAPER...perfect for stamping with studio 490 stamps,
to make custom wings, the tail or even a hat. It's up to you!




I've been collecting STUFF for a long time & this is the perfect time to use it & enjoy it...

After the class, the bird can be left on the wood block for display or it can be added to a base of your choice...

I'm off to build another better bird and...
make art!
wendy

take one of these and 4 of these....

add few more ingredients, pictured below...

you'll also need some scraps of grungeboard & grungePAPER & peeled paint distress ink...


Now you can make this...



here's how...............

Stamp 4 studio 490 leaves onto grungeboard, cut out & ink the fronts & backs with dusty concord.

Using Jet black archival ink, stamp a studio 490 background stamp on all the backs...

Punch one tab from grungePAPER...
ink with dusty concord...& stamp with a background stamp...

Edge each piece, using Ranger's gold paint dabber...

I LOVE that it's so simple...and it dries quickly...
I like that since I have zero patience...

The finishing touch is a few squirts of Perfect Pearls.
I used sunflower sparkle...

It's mixed with water in a mini mister...just mist, then dry it with the heat tool...

Once mixed with water...the sparkly Perfect Pearls are set...no special fixative is needed...

no mess like glitter...I like that a lot...

Sunflower sparkle is my favorite...
but then so are turquoise...perfect gold...and I can't leave our heirloom gold...

HEY...
this is MY BLOG!

I can have as many favorites as I want! ha!

Here's a closer look...



Once again...

a reminder...

Look past the obvious...the leaf...

and see the potential...it's FUN!!

And speaking of fun...

Here's a little teaser for the art chicks attending Scrap St. Louis...

A box FULL of Ranger goodness...it just arrived yesterday...




Want to see what's inside???

Hmmm........too bad..

I guess the photo doesn't show everything.

You'll just have to come to St. Louis to see it all...

I hear that there are some openings...

I hope you can join us...

I'm expecting a GREAT weekend!

There will be...

Lots of workshops...lots of SHOPPING, lots of friends & laughs...

lots of good food...YEA!! NO COOKING!!!

Did I mention LOTS of SHOPPING?????????

And one more thing...

I'm certain we'll all....

Make ART!

wendy

inspiration is EVERYWHERE...

it REALLY is and here's the proof...

Tina works @ Scrapaganza & decided @ the last minute to take the Maya Road 4 inch binder class...
but... she didn't have her craft sheet with her.

So...she grabbed a 12 x 12 chipboard to use as her work surface & to protect the table.

Toward the end of the class, when I was walking around,
this caught my eye...

portions of studio 490 stamps, distress ink...black archival ink...


It was Tina's chipboard...

I immediately saw a wonderful background & showed everyone...
then told Tina, that I would save it & make something...a card...whatever...

Guess what?
She did...and she showed me...

Here's Tina's art...it's wonderful!



Click for a closer look & you'll see the background which could have easily been banished to the trash.

The moral of today's story?

Waste NOTHING!
See the potential, then...

Make art!
wendy
ps...THANKS for sharing Tina! GREAT job!

We misted, inked, stamped, grunged & even fragmented...

@ Scrapaganza in Davenport, Ia.

Don't faint...
I actually did take a few photos this weekend.

We started Friday evening with Maya Road's 4 inch binder class...FUN! Phew...5:30 'til past midmight...but everyone left with a finished project and inky fingers...
I like that!

The first class on Saturday was my studio 490 stamped, inked grungeboard/grungePAPER flowers...

Here's some of the girls hard @ work...
In the foreground are Lolli & Linda..
Lucky Linda won one of the doorprizes...which included the elusive GRUNGEPAPER...
yep...she squeeled!



The second class Saturday was the "use your scraps" fragmented journal.
We take 2 pages from Maya Road's 4 inch binder & make a journal that is actually USEABLE...

I told them @ the beginning of the class, that as many times as I've done this class...there has NEVER been an ugly one made...

SERIOUSLY... they were doubters...but in the end...they ALL agreed.
I didn't get all the journals...some of my photos were really blurry......

Here's the proof...and some inspiration for you...




A closer look @ these...




2 more...




Now I bet you're wondering about the cutie on the right in the next photo...





Here'a a better look...
This was made by 8 year old Emily...
she was for sure...THE CUTEST art chick there...


Very polite, very talented, VERY smart & oh so sweet.




I will NEVER forget this story...

When Emily asked if I'd like to look @ her book...she asked if I thought she should send a photo to TIM HOLTZ...WHAT????????
An 8 year old?????????
Boy, the fans sure do start young...

When I sort of laughed...
(because I thought her mother put her up to that)
she told me that she has "2 emails from tim already".

I smiled all the way home...


Well...all the photos so far have been wonderful...


The next is NOT...


Here's what we woke up to this morning..............



Looks like no new Easter outfit is needed...just a winter coat.
It's APRIL.......where is the weatherman????????
Who do I report this to???
GEEEEEEEEEEEEZ........


Come back tomorrow & I'll show you something very cool.

Tina took what could have easily ended up in the trash & made a wonderful framed piece of art...
it's Cool...very cool...


Stay tuned, stay warm... and...
Make ART!
wendy

catching up on random stuff...

I posted my first & ONLY layout the other day & I've had several requests for a close up of the collage in the corner...

Sorry...I almost forgot...old age sucks...( that's my excuse!)

Here's the original photo again...



So here you go....a closer look...




Now to answer the question...
How do you make collages?
Where do you start??

For me, if I add the largest part...in this case, the large grunge flower...
and then the large leaves...

Then I find it easier to fill in with the small art parts.

I like the mix of grungeboard, grungePAPER, chipboard & metal...

It makes things interesting...flat is boring...

Odd numbers of the same embellishment or the same type of embellishment seem to work well...

So...if you look closely...

There are 3 of tim's idea-ology snaps...

3 idea-ology corners...actually there are 4, but one is almost covered...

3 of Maya Road's Vintage pearl trinket pins...

The collage in the corner also has some consistency...
lots of ROUND art parts were included.

I hope this makes sense and answers the question...

Here's the cover of a new class...

It's Maya Road's 4 inch binder & it's called "Full of Flowers" and believe me...it is...
It's bulging with embellishments...

Inside peek...
2 full bags of Maya Road chipboard alphabets are included...
I like to be able to mix & match the fonts...



And speaking of Maya Road...
I got a huge box of goodies...
just for the gals attending Scrap St. Louis...
FUN STUFF!!
It won't be long now!

And speaking of Maya Road again...
there's a giveaway here...
Enter...for a chance to win!

Another studio 490 sighting...YIPPEE!

Take a look @ Ranger's home page...

Debbie Tlach made a card & you'll see some familiar looking leaves...COOL!!!
The instructions are there too...
try out the new alcohol inks...

Have a good day...

I'll be...

Mak(ing) Art (kits)
for the gals @ Scrapaganza in Davenport, Ia....
a fun weekend is planned!
wendy

going green...

actually...it's Maya Mist metallic turquoise!

Anyway...yesterday, while making kits for the classes this weekend @ Scrapaganza...

I punched out all these grungeboard circles from tim's shapes set and ended up with the stencil you see on the right.

Hmmm...the polka dot leftover was too cute to toss in the trash...

What could it be???

I layed it on a MRoad square banner page & misted it with turquoise Maya Mist...

I like it...

Next, I think I'll mist the grungeboard more...cut it up & use it for a border on something...

or...

maybe I'll save it & use it again with another mist color.

Ah...the possibilities...

I bet you'll see this base inked with a distress ink...most likely vintage photo...

Then I'll add a studio 490 grunge flower...

But first...

I better finish the kits...

then I can...

Make art!

wendy

ps...I asked Sue where she got the bird in yesterday's post...

I had no clue...she lives in the UK...

The internet sure makes this a small world...