Studio Wreath Redo

You know how much we love to use the 'undo' and 'redo' keys on our laptops?  Well, I decided to redo my studio wreath and add more flowers.  Let me know what you think.

It now has flowers all the way around it.

Here's the original wreath:

...and here it is now:

I have 2 and they're both hanging inside.  I just took this outside to get a better photo of it.  So, tell me what you think.  Should I add some butterflies?  It has a lot of lace from the Artisan Embellishment Kit, but it doesn't show up very much in the photo.

I have been so busy this week in my studio.
After getting the retiring list and then my brand new catalog (goes live on May 31), I marked all the retiring products from the current catalog and then started pouring over the new catalog.  I like it, I like it, I like it... a lot!  I just sang that.  Could you hear me?

In preparation for my Left-Overs Party (class) on this Sunday afternoon, I pulled out all the retiring stamps and accessories.  I then studied the layout of the new catalog.  The stamps are organized a little bit differently than in the current one.  I relabeled and resorted all my stamps and put them away according to the new format.  I will have to get used to everything being moved a bit.

Now, I'm off to play with the new stamps and products that I got in my pre-order.  You'll be seeing some sneak peeks very soon!  I'm happy now that I did the work first.  I will enjoy my creating just that much more!

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Watercolor On Canvas Tutorial

When planning my last workshop, I decided to use a product that is not new but often gets neglected.  I paired it with a new product that has mostly been overlooked in our Spring Catalog.  What did I use?  I dusted off my Watercolor Wonder Crayons and paired them with our new canvas sheets.  I loved the results.  This project is easy and fun and makes you really feel your artistic energies coming into play.

I also decided to use a color combo that I hadn't used for a long, long time --- Wild Wasabi and Marina Mist.  I really like how it all turned out.

 

I cut the oval canvas before I started coloring.  You could do it after, just as well.  I colored with Marina Mist, then Baja Breeze, then Wild Wasabi Watercolor Wonder Crayons. 

Using an Aqua Painter, I added quite a bit of water onto the canvas --- just brushing it on as with any water coloring project.  This blends your colors for your background beautifully.

As you can see, the canvas will curl when it's wet.  Don't worry about it.  Set it aside to dry or, if you're in a hurry, you can heat set it.  As with all water coloring, it will dry lighter.  If it's really wet, you can blot a bit with a paper towel.  If you blot, just be aware that it will dry even lighter because you're blotting away some of the color. 

When the canvas is completely dry, stamp your image using StazOn Ink.  I think the project works best with more of an outline stamp.  You can try different images and see what you think.

Now, why haven't I used these fabulous crayons for so long?  I have no answer other than it must be because we have so many fabulous products that I forget to play with some of them.  Do you have a product that you haven't used for a while?  Get it out, dust it off, and get busy!

I have more tutorials coming up, so be sure to check back to see what else I'll have to share with you.   

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

How to go About Dyeing!

Today, as I did in my workshop last Saturday, I'll teach you how to go about dyeing -- with reinkers and roses, that is:)  I tried to do this in the easiest way possible and with the least mess.  I think this works great.

How to go About Dyeing:

• Lay out several layers of paper towels.
• Cut a strip of our Flower Trim the length you'd like to dye.  (p.5, Spring Catalog)
• Take a Stampin' Spritzer and fill it 2/3's full of water.  (p. 179, large catalog)
• Add 3-6 drops of the reinker color of your choice.  (The more reinker, the deeper the color.)
• Add a little more water, if needed, leaving room to replace your top.
• Shake, to mix the color into the water.
• Gently spritz the Flower Trim, as desired.  The more you spritz, the greater the saturation.
• Let dry.
• Add the Flower Trim to your project by attaching with Liquid Tombow.  

Optional:

• Add a spritzing of alcohol / shimmer paint, if desired, for a little sparkle.
• You can add a little more depth of color by highlighting the top edges of each flower with a marker.  (Mine shown do NOT have this detail.  I'm just highlighting examples of several color choices.)
• You can also use sponge daubers to add color to the flowers.  The spritzing gives a quicker and better coverage, I think.  Try both ways and see what you like the best.

I experimented with several colors, to see how I liked them.  The flowers do look a little lighter after they dry. 

Here's the card we made, using some of our flowers.  The embossed layer is actually Primrose Petals, even though our flowers are dyed with Regal Rose reinker.  As with ribbons, you can use coordinating color tones together and it will look great.

 

 

Which color do you like the best?
In my next couple of posts I'll be sharing more about dyeing, so come back soon and check it out.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Sneak Peek at Wrapping up Christmas

I had so much fun at my Open House yesterday.  Everyone was busy making lots of fun cards for Christmas and I got to see a few people who hadn't been here for a while.  That's always fun.  Everyone enjoyed the projects and the goodies and visiting with each other.  With all my Christmas decorations up, it just really put us into the Christmas spirit!

Here's a little sneak peek today at what we'll be making this Friday at my Wrapping up Christmas class.  This class will focus on a few super elegant cards, some tags and gift card holders --- all to help you wrap up your Christmas preparations.

It's difficult to see it, but there is a shimmer mist over the embossed flower and the entire front of the card.  To add even more elegance, I used a sponge dauber and covered the embossed vanilla layer with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

I like to stamp the envelope to coordinate with the card, too.  I stamp the lower left corner on the front and then add something to the flap on the back, too.  By using black and vanilla, it just gives off a special elegance.

 

Come back soon for more Christmas fun.  Have a great day and a great week!  

A Gorgeous Color Combo / Vintage Cards

Would you like to try a gorgeous color combo?  Try Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and a touch of Very Vanilla.  It's a winning combo!
Today's sketch was inspired by another sketch challenge.  I want to show you why I get my creative juices flowing by starting with a good design.

In today's post, I will show you 2 cards -- both inspired by the same sketch design.  The first card is has a feminine, vintage look.  The second card is all guy.  I decided to stay with the same exact color scheme, so you can readily see just how easy it is to follow a good sketch design and go most any direction that you'd like to try.

The first card uses the Elements of Style stamp set, along with snips of ribbon, seam binding and crochet lace trim.  I added lots of texture by using textured CS on the Soft Suede layer, using one of the framelits dies (1/2 on each side of the focal piece), and embossing the Crumb Cake layer with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.  An embossed image from the Notably Ornate stamp set adds even more texture to the Soft Suede background.  The text is punched out with the Modern Label punch.  The circle punches are 1" and 1 1/4" circles -- for the little accent piece.  I actually used Stampin' Write Markers to color all the stamps, except for the embossed image in the background.  I love the look of this technique in stamping.

The second card is all guy --- a cowboy!  I started with all the same colors / same layers, including the embossed image from the Notably Ornate stamp set.  I used only 1/2 the piece cut from the framelits die this time and added embossed horseshoes to go with the cowboy theme.  The cowboy and horseshoes are from the Out West stamp set.

I tied a few knots along the hemp, to give the look of barbed wire.  One horseshoe is 'hanging' on the 'barbed wire' and the other 2 are hooked together.  I don't know if my arrangement is lucky or unlucky.  I'll hope for the best:)

Both cards have lots of layers, lots of texture and lots of dimensionals. 

I've never really had any trouble coming up with my own designs, but I just love the challenge of trying to follow a given sketch.  I think it's always good to push yourself to try new challenges, new color combinations, new styles, new everything --- just to keep yourself motivated and constantly growing as an artist ... and to keep your designs fresh and alive.

I hope this post inspires you to really jump in and try creating cards using design sketches for a good place to start.  Plan out your colors and choose your stamp sets.  You can plan out embellishments to compliment your design as you work through your project.