distress crayon shading over archival inks...

it's fun to go back to basics & revisit favorite techniques...

one of mine is

wrinkle free distress...

this background is done on a piece of 

distress watercolor cardstock...

I used tumbled glass, broken china, brushed corduroy and a tiny bit of rusty hinge...

these pads got swiped onto the craft sheet & misted with water...

I put the cardstock into the inks,

dried it and I got this...

on aside note...

see that face profile on the right?

interesting how that happens sometimes...

YIKES!

one of my MOST favorite SiSi's from the new release is the "spring bouquet"...

I sometimes use the full image,

 in a vertical orientation like this...

on this sample I added layered flowers...

this set is versatile...

it makes a good single layer card too...

and...

I like to change it up & use only a part of

 the stamp/stencil...

like this...

just mask off the daisy portion, ink the stamp, remove the tape & stamp horizontally...

ok...pretend you see a photo here...

we both have a crummy cold & that's my excuse...

plugged up snotty head...

HE got it first...

kissed me & this is all his fault!

after stamping, place the coordinating stencil over the stamped image & add ink, using the blending tool...

for the flowers I used tea rose archival & the leaves got inked with fern green...

those little flowers on the right ended up in a blue background area, so I added cornflower blue...

I stenciled some stripes from

 the "yikes stripes" stencil, 

using tree branch archival...

I also added some random dots, 

with the new lots of dots stencil...

and used tree branch again to add some random vintage text in 3 areas...

my sentiment was stamped with jet black in the left corner...

then I grabbed the new distress crayons to add shading...

I touched the wet detailer water brush to the tip of the crayon & that gave me good control for adding the shading...

if you don't have the detailer water brush...

I have to say it's a favorite tool...

I love that the nylon tip stays pointy & has not changed since the first day...

I use it with markers, stains, archival inks & just to add water spots...

and it's great with the distress crayons too...

it's well worth it...

here's my finished card, with that 

cute mat mini "have a heart"...

it's hanging from the dot line (just say it)...

if you go back & look at the original background, you'll see that I added more distress in the lower right corner, under that smaller flower......

because I stamped with jet black archival 

(it's waterproof), 

I knew I could add more distress,

 without making the image bleed...

I used the water brush to add some water under the flower, then dropped in some faded jeans & broken china

 (swiped on the craft sheet & picked up with the water brush) 

& let the water activate the distress...

lessons I learned...

I'm certainly no watercolor expert...

but I had fun & I was reminded that...

practice makes perfect...

just keep going!

and...

keep the archival colors lighter when adding shading with the crayons...

I wish I would have kept the leaves a

lighter fern green, because the distress crayon shading would show up much better...

this was my first time using the crayons over archival inks & I WILL be playing lots more...

the crayons over archival are very forgiving, 

since the color can be removed with water...

again...

because archivals are waterproof, 

there's no problem adding water...

I'm happy that they work well together, 

just as I expected they would...

here's my flat card, 

with the horizontal image...

so grab your inks...

have a play &

make art!

wendy

ps...not all valentines need to be red!

mat mini video by Scrap Time...

my friends

Mark & Christine from Scrap Time 

filmed several videos at CHA...

the video I'm sharing today explains how to use this new "put a bird on it" stamp-it stencil-it 

with the mat mini "birds & their houses"...

I like the mat minis for several reasons...

#1...they have a great price point...

#2...they are easily customizable to coordinate with any project...

#3...they are very light weight,

 but very strong

#4...they are easy to store

and...

#5...they are super cute!

psst...read to the end...

I'm giving them away today!

here's a few ways I've used them...

oh...

first...

I had several questions about that 

hanging chain stamp at CHA...

it's the same straight chain stamp, 

just stamped on an angle 2 times...

I'm always thinking...

how else can I use this?

looks totally different, doesn't it?

and it makes a great sign hanger...

for this sample, I inked thru 

the picket fence stencil

 with potting soil archival...

I kept it uneven to give the idea 

of it being a worn out fence...

hmmm...

I can't find the whole photo for this next one...

but here's some things to note...

this time, 

the picket fence stencil was used with 

weathered white embossing powder...

I stenciled with

glacier white pigment ink &

 then sprinkled on the

weathered white powder & 

melted the powder...

the weathered white is PERFECT 

for this stencil, because of both the color & the texture...

you can also dirty up the white by going over it with archival ink...

look at the top of the pickets...

I accented them lightly with 

watering can archival...

I hope you have this powder...

I demoed it at CHA with my archival on black for a really fun technique...

that's coming soon!

I hot glued a memo pin behind the birdhouse on the right...

that makes it easy to stick into an arrangement...

the flower is my violet embossing powder mixed in equal proportions 

with tim's rock candy glitter...

it is so pretty, but hard to show in photos...

the glitter gives the embossing powder a really cool rough texture and it adds the perfect amount of subtle vintage bling...

and the embossing powder holds the glitter securely in place...

a match made in heaven!

I like that it's another way to use products

 I bet you already have...

I just mix the glittered embossing powder

 in a fillable jar...

I like the jars because they're

small & easy to store...

and

it's easy to see thru the clear lid...

I also use them to store lots of 

tim's tiny idea-ology trinkets...

you'll see the new hex fastener combined with the base of the fluted fastener to create this flower center...

THANKS again to MARK & CHRISTINE 

for the very professional video...

it's always great to see you both!

you'll find the video HERE...

next...

 we have another winner!

this prize package was won by...

CONGRATS to...

 jezebel said...

NOOOOOOOO! I need to buy a Gallon of glue n seal! The archival ink, well, the new colors will always be wonderful and tree branch...I will just get another reinker. But NO MORE GLUE N SEAL? Say it ain't so! Ugh!

I love this set, but then I love every set you have. They're like Lays Potato Chips - you can't have just one!

January 23, 2016 at 11:58 AM

 

jezebel,

please email me your shipping info...

and compliments of Ted...

I have another giveaway for you...

a comment is your entry to win these guys

 that I talked about today...

good luck my friends!

I hope you enjoy the video & that it inspires 

you to grab your supplies and

make art!

wendy

inspiration from...

the home improvement store...

a recent trip to our local 

Home Depot gave me some ideas...

Rick was looking at something boring...

so I wandered up & down a few aisles 

and found these "things"...

I have no clue what their real purpose is...

but I know what I'll do with them...

I think I'll do a little "series" of posts

over the next few weeks using these items...

today's project starts out with this

black plastic "fence post cap"...

it's a nice solid piece & after using the one I got, I will be getting a few more to use with different products...

I have been so anxious to play with tim's new distress paper mosaic kit & I thought this fence post cap would be a great base...

my original plan was to leave a black border/frame around the bottom, so I masked off around the  base with painters tape, to protect it from the grout & give me a nice clean edge...

you'll see later that I changed my mind...

girls can do that...

grout...glue...glaze...

everything you need is in the kit...

the first step is to spread a layer of grout over the base and set it aside to air dry...

while the grout was drying, I decided to use this  sheet of yuletide paper stash...

you sure could use up paper scraps...

and I know I will...

but I've had my eye on this paper since it arrived...

the small patterns were perfect for this project...

I chopped it up into lots of little irregular sized pieces...

this takes WAY LESS than I thought, 

so I'm ready for a few more holiday pieces...

like about 20 more!

yikes!

after the grout is dry, you add the paper "tiles", using the glue that's included in the kit...

I used a small paint brush to add the glue...

then add the "glaze" over the tiles & 

allow it to air dry...

the "glaze" comes in the kit too...

I outlined the edges of the papers and filled in the center with the glaze...

it was at this time that I decided that the black plastic didn't create the frame that I expected... 

it still looked like cheap black plastic...

imagine that!

so...

I used my gold metallic embossing paste to create a more faux gilded effect...

I scooped out a small amount of the gold paste with the palette knife & put it on the craft sheet...

I like to apply a VERY thin layer using my finger...

a thin layer looks best & dries almost immediately...

it takes very little paste...

the less...the better...

just smooth it on...simple...

and then it dried & looked like this...

goodbye cheapo plastic...

hmmm...

now it looked a little too perfect...

so to make it more vintage & distressed, I used a foil sheet in random areas...

the foil will magically stick to

 the dry metallic embossing paste...

the remnant rub tool is an easy way 

to add/rub the foil...

I like to use the flat end...

remember...

pretty side of the foil goes UP...

now it's very vintage/random/worn looking & 

not looking like cheapo plastic...

to alter the mirrored star, 

I added a thin layer of my fav

glue n seal and pressed a piece of 

the foil sheet 

over the wet glue & allowed it to dry...

when it was dry, I ripped off the foil & got this cool metallic/rusty effect on the surface of the star...

reason #887 why I LOVE glue n seal...

now on to the large woodlands tree...

that mister on the right is holding rubbing alcohol and about 6 drops of the potting soil reinker and about 6 drops of the tree branch reinker...

(I made this to mist over a bare wood frame & it's cool!)

I misted the tree & allowed that to dry...

I used the ground espresso distress marker 

to color the wood tree base...

quick & easy!

next up...

something to jazz up under the tree...

I inked the holly stamp & pressed 

the holly mat mini onto the inked stamp...

then inked over it with fern green archival...

adding another layer is always a good idea...

so, I inked the new vintage text stamp with watering can archival & 

stamped over the holly...

I used red geranium to color the berries, after they were stamped with jet black...

but forgot to take a photo...

oops...

the grout was looking a little too stark, so I added just random little bits of tree branch archival 

to the base, using the blending tool...

now it looks better coordinated with the tree...

to assemble, I used an awl to make a hole in the wood tree base & inserted a nail thru the hole from the bottom side of the fence post cap & filled the hole with multi medium for more stability of the tree...

I first added some hot glue under the base to hold the nail in place...

here's a look at the base...

you can also see the holly & berries under the tree...

the tree is decorated with the 

new jingle bell brads...

I cut off the prongs & hot glued them onto the tree...

believe is a tim/sizzix die...

to make this a sticker, 

I used the adhesive sheet on black cardstock,

 die cut it, removed the backing sheet & added it to the tree...

I did add a tiny bit of multi medium too, since I'll be taking it on the road to 

the convention in Madison, 

later this month...

it's hard to show the cool effect that 

the metallic embossing paste

 creates in a photo, so here's a mini video...

or as Rick called it...

a silent movie!

***edited the video, so you don't get sea-sick!***

you can also see that the paper really does look like mosaic tiles...

this is a GREAT FUN KIT!

so...

the moral of this post is that inspiration is everywhere...

even Home Depot...

sometimes we just need to be open

 to SEE it...

if you're out & about...

check out the other pieces in the first photo...

check out local hardware stores too...

they might have other cool shapes...

I had a blast with the metal pieces too...

because...

I used them to...

make art!

wendy

oh..one more thing...

I've gotten some emails about people not seeing all of my FB posts...

it's my understanding that when you go

 to my page, 

you hover the cursor over the LIKED button, 

then click GET NOTIFICATIONS...

then you should see everything...

hope this helps...

archival ink painting...

I wanted to share the original post about 

painting with archival inks...

you'll find the tutorial HERE...

and this is the card that I made for that post...

yesterday I had an idea...

but...not much time to play...

 it was one of those ideas that wouldn't leave my brain until I tried it...

I had very low expectations, 

I figured that most likely it wouldn't work...

and I'd toss it...

but...

 I had to give it a go...

 I discovered that

my white magic mat board is 

AWESOME for painting with archival inks...seriously cool!

I originally wanted the white magic mat board 

to die cut

then ink with distress or archival inks or use with embossing folders...

so this was totally unexpected...

I made this quickie art to test drive the idea...

the background is my archival inks mixed with rubbing alcohol...

the coneflower is painted with archival inks, diluted with rubbing alcohol...

this time I just dipped the brush into alcohol,

 that I put on my craft sheet, 

instead of filling 

the water brush with alcohol, 

like I did in the original tutorial...

I was very surprised to see that the surface didn't bubble or pill...

so now I LOVE the magic mat board even more, because it has 2 distinct uses...

die cutting and as a solid surface...

this makes a framable art & it's a great card surface too...

the material is extremely light weight, 

but very strong...

and you'll LOVE the price...

here's my sample...

and below is a better look at the flower & leaves...

I'm not the best color-er (if that's a word)

and I know I need more practice, but this was a blast!

sorry this is a quickie post...

I need to go & buy a dress today...

Y U C K...

NOT an easy task...

I LOVE jeans & 

wear them 99.999% of the time...

here's the supplies you'll need & hopefully I can get a better post done before we leave...

archival inks

cheapo rubbing alcohol (whatever % you find is OK)

tim's detailer water brush

 a stamp with some open areas or 

a SiSi

embossing powder...

I mixed mine 50-50 

with frosted crystal 

to create a matte finish powder...

I like this best with this technique...

and...

white magic mat board...

that's the basics...

not much is needed...

check out the tutorial 

to get you going...

OK...

wish me luck on buying a dress...

I'd MUCH rather...

make art!

wendy