Less is More challenge blog is following up their ‘B is for Beach’ theme with a new seashore-related subject: ‘under the sea’. Just enter your clean and simple card designs in the next two weeks featuring the theme for the chance to have the accolade of being shortlisted for our favourite card. I’ve not got any ocean-related stamps, so have created this panel card to fit the theme:
It’s recipe time at Less is More, and your ingredient is ‘a tag’. Just make a clean and simple card featuring a tag, upload it to your blog and share the link over at the challenge blog. I’ve made this card for inspiration as part of the design team:
It’s lovely to have restarted my art journaling sessions here at the Studio (first and third Monday evenings of the month). This means that I have also returned to my art journal after a several-month hiatus to create the sample pages for the session. This month the theme is scratch ‘n’ scrape, in part known in the trade as sgraffito. We’ll also be playing with analogous and complementary colours. The overall effect is quite grungy and builds up using quite a few layers and media.
If you’d like to know more then I have one space left on Monday 4th October and four spaces on Monday 18th October, just let me know if you’d like to come.
Next month’s art journal session (spaces are available) puts to use the small clear mini stamps that are available on the front of Craft Stamper magazine. Over the months I have collected a fair number of them, and the challenge is to use them in an art journal spread.
For February’s Studio workshop, we’re going to be playing with adding dimension by using paperclay to create bas relief centrepieces for your cards/scrapbook pages and mixed media projects. Here’s an example I’ve just finished:
Not sure if I have got the balance right between the vase and the roses, and may be an ivory card for the sentiment might have worked better too. But that, after all, is what playing is all about…
If you’d like to come to the workshop on 4th February, there are spaces available. For more details, see my workshops page, or email me to book your space.
Ok, I’m still not caught up… but this is Day 3’s exercises for Creative Chemistry 103 (CC103) led by The Professor (Tim Holtz). This particular class was centred on getting texture using the various collage mediums and texture pastes recently introduced to the Distress product line. I don’t have most of these, so substituted various DecoArt products instead and I reckon they do just as good a job!
It’s the first time I have used Distress Crayons, and I have to say I am impressed. Slightly softer than a gelato, the crayon blends beautifully under fingers and into other colours, and the reactivity with water is superb. Glad my spending overruled my scepticism and they were there to use!
I thought I’d catch up with a couple of days’ worth of classes today, but, alas, it wasn’t to be. I did however get Day 2 samples done – a few more well used techniques revisited, but a couple of new ones there too. And a note to self, in passing… Always test your mica containing sprays well away from other items in the studio, and clean them before putting them back in the box. That way, there is a fair chance the spray a) mists rather than spurts, and b) actually sprays.
I’m on another design team! Early in January I was selected to design for ‘The Crafting Cafe’, and they have just launched their challenge blog. For the ‘anything goes’ theme this month, I’ve used the fabulous ‘Tulips 1’ digi stamp from LEJ Designs. I’ve created two cards, the first using ProMarkers to colour, and the second with Distress Reinkers both on a bespoke background created with Distress Stain and kitchen salt:
I’ve just finished designing my fifth tag in my Twelve Tags for 2012 series. This one features a distress stain background using techniques I learnt on my recent Tim Holtz’s Creative Chemistry 101 course, as well as air dry clay Lily of the Valley flowers. I love it when a plan comes together – I couldn’t find a stamp that I liked enough, so this was Plan B and I am rather pleased with the outcome, even if I do say so myself! I’ll be demonstrating how to make it and an accompanying card at the Manic Stamper Craft Club on 21st April. Instructions on how to make the tag are now available here.
Today we looked at a ‘Paint Primer’ – and I discovered a number of Snow Cap dabbers that were solid… and I only have the Rock Candy (clear) Crackle Distress paint. But I persevered and here are my homework tags:
I’m not sure about the acrylic resist on canvas in the centre – it really didn’t work out well, and I suspect I need more contrast on the background to make the yellow and pink dots stand out more. The Shattered Stains technique though is going to become a favourite!
