read all about it...

or maybe the title should be...

read all about me!

yikes...

I'm honored to be interviewed today,
 by Susan from 

irreversibly Moi...

I answered some fun questions and I also shared some of my MOST favorite art journal pages...

for this large 
specialty stamping paper 
art journal page,
 I used lots of my stencils and stamps...
and...
I used my white embossing paste 
to add texture with 
the add a stencil, in 3 areas...

did you know we released a LARGE jar of my white embossing paste?
it's a HUGE 8 ounce jar for just $14.95!
double the quantity to
 double your fun...

you asked...
we listened!

now we have enough white paste to use reinkers to create custom colors of embossing paste...
just mix a drop or 2 of your chosen reinker color into the paste, mix right in the jar & it's ready to go...

 the mix & store jars...
are AWESOME...

mix right in the jar...
no waste...
no cleanup...

these jars were chosen because they will keep the custom paste fresh & soft for at least a year!

ok...back to the interview...

you can read about my modern day
"fairytale"
 and how this 
wonderful "art adventure"
 all began for me...

I hope you have time to click the link &

pop over & visit...

thanks so much for the invite Susan! 

THANKS too, my friends, for stopping by!

as always...

I hope you can 
take some time and...

make art!
wendy

more new studio 490...

today's post takes a bit of an intro before we get to the stamps...

we're changing things up 

big time 

listening to your requests...

you asked...

so...

my giant background stamps will be sold individually!

so many people who are not really stampers...

but love the gelli plates, 

have asked for just background stamps, 

to create patterns & texture for gelli plate art...

these backgrounds are red rubber & cling, 

just like all my stamps...

and they are the usual giant size...

the cling style allows us to use them thru stencils easily...

perfect!

backgrounds are probably my most favorite stamps...

without further ado...

introducing...

top left...

is...

fancy florals... 

and bottom right fancy flourishes...

click to make the images larger...

top left is called

from A to Z...

and the bottom right is ornate dots...

next up...

top left is 

reverse dots

and bottom right is vintage mesh...

and the last 2...

top left is the

vintage pricing chart

and bottom right is called 

vintage tapestry...

have I had fun with them?

OH YES!!!

do I have samples of each background to share...

boohoo...

not quite yet, 

because there's too many "secrets" on the samples...

but soon!

so...how does this change affect my new stamp sets?

in addition to these 8 new backgrounds...

I designed 2 large stamp sets and

9 of the smaller sized sets...

you'll see on the storage sheet that

 the large sets have LCS preceding the number and

 the smaller sets have SCS preceding the number...

today I'll share the 2 large sets...

remember my new favorite word?

this set is titled...

charming art...

it's 3 lovely ladies with attitude & 7 fun sentiments...

click to enlarge the photo to read them...

and the second large set is called...

art chronicles...

it's designed for art journals...

cards and more...

I love the bar codes for the backs of our art...

this set is loaded with so many cool images...

there are so many on the sheet 

that Zach had to squeeze the large splat 

way up in the top left corner...

this set is 

so 

much

 fun...

****************************

since I'm not able to share new stamped samples today,

here's a photo of

the gold & silver embossing pastes thru the 2 new stencils...

you can see that the flourishes

work well with just the flower from the "lovely large flower" stencil...

I didn't use the stem...

the metallics are dramatic on a black tag...

and...

have you heard about the new distress markers?

hello...shaded lilac & mowed lawn...

I LOVE you with this flower stamp!

that's it for Friday...

have a wonderful weekend...

I'll be back on Monday with the 9 small stamp sets...

until then, 

I'll be waiting to hear your thoughts on the individual backgrounds & the 2 new stamp sets...

I'm off to...

make art!

wendy

STOP THE PRESS!!

I'll have a jar of my new translucent paste

 for a random commenter...

yes...

bribery to comment!

lol...

distressed, dimensional stencil art...

I've got a cool technique tutorial to share...

today, I'll show you how to create this

distressed, dimensional stencil art tag, 

using my new 

studio 490 stencils for art...

distress inks, distress stains & distress markers...

a little archival ink

and of course some studio 490 stamps...

just a reminder...

always work on your non stick craft sheet, 

to protect your work surface...

ink a small #5 kraft tag with broken china & brushed corduroy distress inks...

apply these with the blending tool...

then add some shading to the tag edges, using walnut stain on the blending tool...

your tag will look like this...

lay the polka dot/striped stencil over the tag as shown, then lightly mist with water...

allow the water to sit on the tag for a few seconds...

remove the stencil...

STENCILS DO NOT LIKE THE HEAT TOOL!

then dry...

the water will lighten the ink & create a subtle polka dot pattern...

your tag will now look like this...

choose your favorite flower from the

3 fresh flowers stencil & place it over the tag...

use post-it notes to block off the area around the flower...

this will protect those areas from the next step & the post-its also hold the stencil in place over the tag...

using a palette knife with embossing paste...

it's the secret ingredient...

spread the embossing paste over the stencil...

use the palette knife to scrape away the excess paste

(put it back in the jar)

the paste should be as thick as the stencil...

for this sample, I kept the texture smooth...

lift & remove the stencil...

***clean your stencil & palette knife with water***

DO NOT let the paste dry on the stencil or palette knife...

 dry the paste with your heat-it tool...

I dry it from the top & from the bottom...

this helps prevent warping of the tag...

from the moisture in the paste 

sitting on the tag too long...

if you just let it sit & dry...

it takes about 45 minutes (depending on the humidity in your area)

& the warping under the paste is much more significant...

 your tag will look like this...

when the paste is dry, use the peeled paint distress marker to ink the stem & leaves...

use the tumbled glass marker to ink the flower petals...

use the wild honey marker to ink the flower center...

it will look like this...

working from the flower center out...

use the broken china marker to add shading to the petals...

color right on the petals, then

use your finger to spread the ink outward from the center...

now your flower looks like this...

with very cool shading...

next, use the faded jeans marker to ink the petals...

staying closer to the center of the flower...

spread the ink with your finger...

your flower should now look like this...

with another layer of shading...

and your blending finger will now look like this!

oopsie!

better get used to it 

if you're going to hang out here!

 place the stencil back over the flower &

 mask off the surrounding area with post-its again...

using jet black archival, stamp any background stamp over the flower...

I used my polka dots...

but any small patterned background would be fine...

I like this text...

the stencil/post-its protect the background from the stamp...

the background remains clean & unstamped...

REMOVE the stencil...

stencils will distort & melt if heated!

you won't be happy...

trust me!

dry the ink with a heat-it tool...

AFTER you have removed the stencil...

using a waterproof pen...doodle around the petals...

the stem & leaves...

make it irregular & artsy!

it should look like this...

trace around the petals with the old paper marker...

this adds shading under the petals...

then use the pumice stone marker to add darker shading around  the flower center...

it will look like this...

it's kind of stark...

but the next step will fix that!

lightly mist the flower with water, 

to blend the flower colors & the shading under the petals & dry...

keep in mind that if you use too much water, it will lighten the distress inks on the petals...

remember...

distress inks always react with water!

BUT, if that happens...

just go over the petals again with the markers...

it's an easy fix!

for more controlled blending...

use the detail water brush to blend the colors...

instead of the mister...

after misting...

you'll see the blending & softening of the colors around the petals...

use jet black archival to add some stamping...

I used my new numbers stamp & the word ART...

to add more water spots,

mist a bit of water into your hands & drip onto the tag...

let sit a few seconds, then dry, to add more texture/depth to the background...

it now looks like this...

shake the tarnished brass distress metallic stain to mix it completely...

with a barely moist dabber top, 

randomly ink over portions of the stamp...

do not cover the whole stamp...

(this is an excellent stamp for random stamping & art journals...

the text is really tiny & it can easily be combined with other backgrounds)

press the unmounted, randomly inked stamp

 over a few areas of the tag & dry...

the tag now looks like this...

for the finishing touches, add some doodling around the perimeter of the tag...

add more walnut stain shading to the edges if needed...

add some glaze pen dots to accent the flower center...

I added a tiny bit of brushed corduroy (on the blending tool) over the flower to tone it down a bit...

use the tarnished brass stain to edge the tag...

it's a great finishing touch...

with the barely moist dabber top...

just run it along the tag edges...

and when in doubt...

put a bird on it!

that little blackbird is a new piece from Blossom Bucket!

he's arriving next month!

I LOVE this look...

it's very dimensional...

very vintage...

very lightweight...

and very easy to create!

PLUS...

there are LOTS of options...

look closely...

below is the same stencil...

same technique,

same distress marker colors...

 but done on a lighter background...

it's Ranger's specialty stamping paper...

and the background is created with the distress stains...

I'm finding the stencils to be very versatile...

here's another variation...

this is the original test drive tag I made...

instead of smoothing the embossing paste, I tapped the palette knife over the wet paste to create peaks...

these petals have a REALLY lumpy texture...

same stencil again...

no embossing paste this time...

just trace around the stencil to create the basic shape...

doodle a bit...

ink with the distress markers...

for a quick journal page...

do you see the possibilities?

what are YOU thinking?

got some fun ideas?

shoppers alert!

if you don't have the distress markers...

they are ON SALE for 20% off 

with this code at checkout...

 BSPM 

it's good today FRIDAY & SATURDAY only!

clicking on any link will take you to the product I used...

this post is getting really LONG...

so I'll save the other options for another post...

just wait to see what I did with 

the HEART stencil...

it was so FUN!

and TOTALLY different 

than the samples I showed today...

 it's coming soon...

 to a blog near you!

one more thing before I go...

I didn't hear from the winner...

so I have a prize package for...

 Helen said...

Loving all the art - and well done Susan! My list of must haves is growing every time you share more art!

August 15, 2012 10:15 AM

 

please send me your shipping info...

wbv1213@me.com

CONGRATS if you've read the whole post!

some lucky commenter may win a prize...

just sayin!

I still have new stamps & art parts ready to ship...

I hope I've sparked your imagination just a bit & that you'll be inspired to...

make (stencil) art!

wendy

ps...have a wonderful weekend...

GO BEARS!

 I always have high hopes...

sad but true...