Claudine Hellmuth's online Technique Toolbox class

I haven't been able to do much creating lately, but have fortunately been able to follow along with Claudine Hellmuth's online class, Technique Toolbox.  Well worth the money, she provides a cute little recipe box to make along with all the techniques for each week in easy to print recipe card format.  The purpose of the class is not necessarily to have a finished project each day, but to give each technique a try and have that idea handy for the future when inspired to make something.  Guest artists provide some gorgeous examples using the featured technique, and Claudine Hellmuth does a instructional video for each day.  Also, the class is through Bigpictureclasses.com which allows the student access to log in long after class is over to refresh your memory on what was taught.  The classes were 1 daily for five weeks!  Can't beat the price and all the great ideas that will spark future creativity.

12 Tags of 2013 - May

I am still playing along with the 12 Tags of 2013 on Tim Holtz's wonderful blog.  This month, he is featuring a technique using Idea-ology Remnant Rubs.  I didn't have any of those on hand, but did have a stack of alphabet rub-ons from DCWV gathering dust in my stash of crafting things, so I decided to try those to see if it gives a similar effect.  I started off by applying some letters randomly around a tag, and also added some lines of periods so they just look like random dots.  I used Distress Stains in the same technique per the blog and was happy to see it did give a similar effect of resisting the stains.

I did not have the enamel tags from Idea-ology either, so used white Architexture Stone piece from EK Success.  After I applied a white rub-on letter to it, I stained around the letter with Ranger Alcohol Inks.

Another techique I tried which was not on the blog, was to apply Alcohol Ink and then Clear Distress Crackle to the back of the Idea-ology Film Strip Ribbon.  I wanted to add more red/purple to that side of the tag as it was mostly yellow and orange on that side.  Instead of trying to add it to the tag itself with more stain, I added color via the layer on top (the plastic ribbon).  You have to be careful to apply the Crackle only down the middle of the plastic ribbon and leave the edges clean so you can then use double-stick tape to attach it as per the blog.  Also, I cut it slightly larger than I needed so I could have clean ends with which to hold it down flat with weight on each end until it totally dried.  I then trimmed that part off before adhering it to tag.  I feel the crackle gives the film strip ribbon an interesting layer of texture, while it remains smooth to the touch on top.

Once I had stamped a portion of my Inkadinkado Illuminata stamp, I wanted to highlight the center image of the hands to make them more important than the rest of the image, so used Distress Markers in Picket Fence (white).  For anyone who may not catch it, the hands are from the portion of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting called The Creation of Adam, depicting God reaching out to give Adam the spark of life.  I had also stamped a honeycomb image from BoBunny Geometric Patterns stamp set around the edges and highlighted portions of that with the Picket Fence marker.

I applied the saying "possibility begins with imagination" from the Idea-ology Metal Decorative Bands pack with some brads I had on hand and then added a selection of decorative fibers.

I do like how it turned out and will definitely be using this technique again.  After I had finished this, I found out that my local Michaels crafting store now carries the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Word Remnant Rubs, so I got a pack of those to use on other tags, ATCs, and cards.  Can't wait to do that same technique again.

Taking Print Candy printing/mixed media class online

I had been hearing about Gelli plates everywhere and saw this artist offering online class.  http://www.arteyecandy.com Have started the class and really love it.  For first class, we made our own print block with lino cutting.  I haven't done that since highschool, but really enjoyed it. 

I printed out an image I liked (having flipped it via printing software).  I then traced a rough outline onto the Speedy-Cut material.  You can use carbon paper or just rub a soft-lead pencil across the back of image to be able to do the transfer.

I had a Speedball Lino Cutter and carefully cut out the image.
Once I inked it to test it out to be sure I liked it,
it looked like this...

I then used it
to make this tag...

It was fun to try this out.  However, I own lots and lots of stamps that I have purchased through the years, so don't really see myself getting into lino cutting.  That being said, it is always good to know you can make your own custom image if you don't have an appropriate image on hand.

The next class involves monoprinting with Gelli Plate from Gelli Arts.  I did not have a Gelli plate, so made a gelatin plate via directions from this excellent printing artist...

http://printmakingwithoutapress.blogspot.com/p/gelatin-printing-tips.html

I have already tried it and liked it so much, that I went ahead and bought a Gelli plate from my local scrapbooking store.  The advantage of the Gelli plate is that it does not have to be stored in fridge and will last much longer than a gelatin one.  I will be posting what I made with the gelatin and the Gelli plate for my next post.

March - 12 Tags of 2013

My Tag for March.  Based on the tag Tim Holtz posted on his blog, I used Cricut instead of die cuts.  I have a Cricut Mini and love it.  It does not take up lots of space to store, attaches to computer, and does everything the larger stand-alone machines do.  It can use all the same blades (scoring, cutting, and deep cut) and I have not had any problems cutting any type of material I have tried so far.

Cricut gives access to several free images through their online Cricut Craft Room.They had several different types of bunnies, doilies, phrases, and other images free to use from their Easter 2010 Cartridge.  In the Craft Room program, I dropped the bunny into the middle of the doily and used the "weld" feature to get it to cut the silhouette in the middle.  This doily with a bunny-shaped hole in the middle was then placed over a circle of a white glitter paper.  The glitter paper gives it some bling and also a touch of the old-fashioned Easter decorations.  The "Happy Easter" is also from the same cartridge.  Using the Craft Room Program, you can change the size of images to fit what you are making and I find it simpler than the way the stand-alone machines work.

My flowers are left overs from the Tattered Floral Challenge.  They are made using Grunge paper covered with a layer of tissue paper, then coated with acrylic paints.  For these cute flowers I just layered first a brad, then a purchased paper flower, with my larger acrylic painted flower.

Going to try to make my April tag and get it posted in time to add to the pics on Tim Holtz's blog as I missed out for March.

I think my next post will be about stencils.  Everyone seems to be using them!  There are great ones available to buy, but I cut a few of my own using designs from my Cricut cartridges.  I am making some examples, so check back soon as I will be showing them off.

ATC Swap - In the Park

This card is an ATC (2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches) that I just did for a swap.  Although it is very simply done, I was trying for the look of old-fashioned picture postcards...the kind they made for souvenir shops.  I have a collection of postcards that my mother started when she was young and I have continued to add to it over the years.  Without Facebook, emails, or cell phones, this was the way people used to give a short message to let everyone know they were thinking of them.  I even have a card my mother sent to her family when she went on a trip to visit relatives just to let them know she had arrived safely.  She had gone a whopping 80 miles away, a trip that would take about 2 hours now in a car if you were taking your time seeing the sights.  Back then it would take a train trip or a very long car ride (because there wasn't the Interstate with 70 mph speed limits). 

I printed a photo from City Park in reduced size to fit the ATC in black and white only onto watercolor paper.  I then used Tim Holtz Distress Re-Inkers and a water brush to add the color.  It is mounted to a manila cardstock that I sent through the printer to add the text.  This is then edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Tattered Florals Challenge

My Tattered Florals Challenge piece also doubles as one of my Birthday Club Cards I am sending off.  I used a brad with the letter K for the first letter of the name of the recipient.  The flower is made using (of course) the Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Floral die.  I used the technique of acrylic paints scraped over manila folder paper with a palatte knife.  As well, I also used water-color paper for some parts of the flower, some Idea-ology Kraft Glassine and some regular white cardstock sent through an embossing folder after die-cutting the flower shape.

I did not have the Distress Paints, so made my own version.  Using some small plastic cups (about 2 oz size) I filled it half full (so about 1 oz) with white acrylic Gesso and one dropper full of the Distress Re-inker.  When this is wetted with water after it dries, some of the color lifts off and leaves lighter areas.  You can see this well on the pink/red flower.  This uses quite a lot of Re-Inker, so I do plan on getting the Distress Paints.  In addition, the Distress Paints when dry are supposed to stay as they are meaning they don't rewet.  This mix I made does rewet and you can continue to lift color off when you spray it with water.

The little frame around the word "celebrate" is a Grunge-board piece from the Idea-ology Elements set.  I painted it with Jacquard Lumiere fabric paint in silver.

Now to catch up on my other cards that need making.

Birthday Club Cards 3 and 4

Two more cards I did for the ATT Birthday Club. 

In my effort to make cards with only the stuff I already have, I think I did well with this one.  I used one stamp on the pink paper, from PSX Clear by Design Travel Journal.  PSX is not in business anymore, but their stamps still show up on eBay. 

This particular set I bought back in 2005.  The reason I remember so well is because they were one of the only "unnecessary" things I bought during Hurricane Katrina evacuation.  I had not brought any of my hobby things with me due to needing valuable space in the car for people and pets!  I had an order in I had placed before knowing we would need to leave for inks and papers.  The company I ordered from was able to reroute my order to where I then was instead.  So I bought this set at a store just to be able to try out my new inks.

I made the tag with the woman's face using the Idea-ology Fragment (acrylic shapes).  The woman's face is from a preprinted paper.  You simply apply a thin coat of Ranger Glossy Accents to the back of the acrylic shape and press down over the image you want to use.  When dry, trim around the image.  I love how it turned out.  I also like how the ribbon and spiral paper clips look over that gray specialty paper. 

My second card is for a gentleman in the Birthday Club, so wanted it to be more masculine looking.

The small frame is from Idea-ology Harlequin Elements Grungeboard pack, painted with a brass Jacquard Lumiere paint.  The paper is from the Idea-ology Kraft Resist Paper Stash, inked with Distress Inks, overstamped with Studio G clear acrylic stamps, and then spattered with LuminArte Twinkling H20s Radiant Rain.  I attached aged copper brads at each corner and then mounted these two panels on pop-dots.  The metal coils are copper spiral paper clips.  The bottom strip attached to the base paper rather than mounted.