Small things Bright and Beautiful... StencilGirl® Zine Challenge

Hello friends! It's a new season and though it's been awhile... I'm still creating! This has been a year of putting family and home first, and getting back to painting. I have lots to catch up on in the coming days and weeks.

Today I am excited to share the "StencilGirl® Zine Challenge"... a new collaboration project in which Tina Walker posed the challenge to create a one-sheet ZINE using StencilGirl® Stencils. These collab projects are fun and really stretch my creative muscles!!

For this challenge I used things that end up in my purse and pockets... the tags with quotes from my daily cup of tea. My ZINE is fashioned from a recycled ledger paper folded to ATC size (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"), which is the perfect size and scale to properly showcase these tags. My ZINE of "Wise Words from the Tea Leaves" is made using my stash of StencilGirl® ATC stencils.

This is the inspiration we were provided for this Zine Challenge. With a simple sheet of letter size paper folded following the illustration, a mini book is created. Size it up or down, this format can be arted up in a zillion ways!

I think this will be really interesting out of a large sheet of painted up watercolor paper, but for this challenge I am working small so I can use some of my stash of StencilGirl® ATC stencils that I've never used. I love to make "Artist Trading Cards" (ATCs) for trading with artsy friends. This small art is sized at 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and making a book using this sizing proved to be quite fun!

I let the muse rule here and she always goes for the "one touch rule"... using things that I have picked up on search for other things. My base is a sheet of ledger paper on the table leftover from an altered composition book project. An interesting choice – OK why not?!

The paper is slightly larger than letter size. I want my end result to yield  ATC size pages so I do a few measurements and tear edges down to size. I want to stencil black on this greenish paper, though it is a bit thin. I'm concerned about bleed-through on this old paper. The way the paper folds to create the zine I won't be utilizing the back of sheet when folded down. I applied a light coat of black gesso to the back with an old hotel key card. Sorry no photo, I spilled my black gesso and had a mopup painting emergency. I'm happy to report that no paint went to waste! LOL!

With paper dry and reinforced, I followed the zine folding steps and went over folds with a bone folder to make them nice and sharp. Since my outer edges were torn, I also tore the center where the diagram says to cut. Fold down a quick and easy book!

Follow along as I share how I built up the layers on this spread in my Zine...

Overall I stenciled with Vicky Boutin Gold stencil paste using StencilGirl® L763 -- ATC Mixup NASSER

Wow!!! I love the shine and contrast on the ledger paper. 

Next I pounce blue acrylic through this wonky squares pattern on StencilGirl® stencil L543 -- ATC MIxup 1

Now we're getting somewhere! 

Loving this but I'm about to go crazy...

Grabbing what is on the table, I used a cheap office store brand glue stick through the star pattern on StencilGirl® L657 -- ATC Mixup DUBE

I am using a fun and messy technique – a glue stick resist. First, I apply glue stick through stencil, let dry. Then I apply a layer of black acrylic over the top. While wet, gently wipe paint away in a circular fashion to remove the glue stick with the excess paint to reveal the lovely layers below. 

This glue stick didn't mask everything like I had expected but the effect is pretty exciting! I go back with some pens and markers to complete and add some more stars. Next time I will get out my "art project" assigned glue stick, not the cheap gooey one for sealing envelopes.

I attach the tag, finish the final details with scribbles and pens. This page is the perfect backdrop for this tea tag wisdom.

"BRIGHT and BEAUTIFUL"

Completed spread.

Detail of tea bag tag quote...
"The universe is withing you. Bright and beautiful."

An inspiration worthy of being a mantra.

I love the size and scale of my Zine and it fits nice in the pocket of my purse. I am enjoying making additional volumes of this to use more of my tea bag tag quotes. I have a whole baggie of them that need a home.

StencilGirl® Stencils Used :

L763 -- ATC Mixup NASSER

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-ATC-Mixup-Mary-c-Nasser-p/l763.htm

L657 -- ATC Mixup DUBE

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-ATC-Mixup-Dube-Carolyn-Dube-p/l657.htm

L543 -- ATC MIxup 1

https://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-ATC-Mixup-1-Mary-Beth-Shaw-p/l543.htm

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I hope you enjoyed this project. How would you create your own ZINE? CLICK HERE to jump over to see the other zines made for the "StencilGirl® Zine Challenge".

Thanks for dropping by! :) Sb

Let your #Cre8time Fly... Gina K. Designs and Designer Crafts Connection Bloghop

Greetings everyone! Today I am joining the creatives with the Designer Crafts Connection in getting inky for a new bloghop featuring projects made with Gina K. Designs stamps and die-cut ephemera.

Gina K. Designs carries the highest quality stamps, ink, cardstock, dies, stencils and more! Everything coordinates beautifully so you can start creating right away... inspiring with great ideas for paper crafting success!

I love to customize a plain composition book and collage with lovely papers, stamps and ephemera. I was provided with these beautiful Gina K. Designs ephemera watercolor floral die-cuts and butterfly "Never Lose Hope" stamps which are perfect to decorate a new inspiration journal.

Supplies: Blank composition book; scissors, glue stick, black Staz-On ink; misc patterned paper and ledger paper; vellum paper; coordinating lace and ribbon; paintbrush; Ranger Old Paper Distress Oxide; double sided adhesive tape; Gina K. Designs butterfly "Never Lose Hope" stamps and ephemera watercolor floral die cuts.

Using Staz-On black ink, stamp many butterflies onto vellum and ledger paper.

Look at all the flowery goodness here in the ephemera watercolor floral die-cut package!

Before gluing down floral pieces, I quickly antiqued with Ranger Old Paper Distress Oxide applied with a brush.

With just a quick brushing of ink, the die cut pieces look aged with bright colors and whites toned down.

Covering a journal is really straightforward. Trace around the cover onto the back of a patterned paper which is a nice cream with some sparkle detail (pretty sure this was leftover from something Christmas themed). I cut on the traced line and apply a liberal slathering of glue stick to the cover, then press paper onto the cover. Easy-peasy!

Fussy cut out all of the butterflies. I enjoy cutting out a pile of hand-stamped images.

Now I'm ready to grab the glue stick and apply things to the prepared journal.

The combination of the black ink on ledger paper with the antiqued florals give a shabby-chic feel.

I slightly overlap floral pieces and leaves to create depth.

I finish the edge of journal with a piece of lace layered with a tri-color ribbon adhered with double-sided adhesive. This ties everything together to complete my journal redux.

Shabby-Chic Journal takes flight!

With just a few supplies, I have transformed a plain composition book to something that looks like those sold at the bookstore.

The sparkle detail on the paper adds a bit of bling to the neutral colors.

I love the neutral colors with just a pop of color in the florals. This journal is ready to be filled with creative ideas and inspiration from my daily travels.

CLICK HERE to jump over to the Designer Crafts Connection blog to view more projects using Gina K. Designs Bloghop.

For more info on Gina K. Designs Products, project inspiration and to purchase visit Gina K. Designs website HERE.

Thanks so much for visiting! What would create with Gina K. Designs? Sb :)

** This is a sponsored post. Gina K. Designs, LLC provided products for use in this project in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions. My ideas and opinions are my own.

Pinch Me... I'm ShamROCKin' a DIY Ribbon Rosette #NationalCraftMonth

 

Hello friends... March is National Crafts Month and St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner! Today I'm sharing a quick and easy ribbon rosette project that is perfect for pinning on the winning float at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade!

For this project I gather a few supplies: gold oly*fun® metallic fabric, scrap of green cardstock, scissors, paper trimmer, hot glue, Scor-Pal®, double-sided adhesive sheets; and fun Irish themed button flair, embellishments and stickers from my fav dollar store.

I have these pins from the dollar store in my crafty stash that would be perfect to transform into ribbon rosettes using gold metallic oly*fun® -- a fun reflective fabric that adds the perfect amount sparkle & shine to cardmaking and other craft projects!!

To make fabric a bit stiffer to fold and hold shape, I mount to green cardstock.

On a scrap of 6" x 9" green cardstock, I placed a cut-to-size section of double-sided adhesive sheet, removed backing, then mounted piece gold oly*fun® and trimmed back the edges.

Following pattern for making rosettes using my Scor-Pal®, I scored both sides of the paper-backed fabric to create peaks and valleys at 1/2" increments.

I divide this scored sheet into three, 2" sections, With some double sided tape, I joined the three sections together into one long strip. Fold back and forth on score lines to make the accordions. When shaped this will make a large rosette to set off my 3" button!

Now the fun begins! Shape the according into a circle and glue in place. It seems to take about 4 hands to form and hold a rosette down to secure, but once you do it a time or two it's pretty easy. For this I apply a ring of hot glue around the edge in the center and placed a faux gold coin on top... Ta-DA! Hold coin in place until glue cools and it is secure then repeat on other side.

I fashion a ribbon tail out of another section of oly*fun® backed cardstock, a smaller section popped up on chipboard cut on my guillotine paper cutter... easy-peasy! Glue the feature button pinback onto the front of the rosette, and added some fun foamy & glittery shamrock stickers to finish things off. Place a sticky back wall hook on the back upside-down and it's ready to hang on the winning float!

I just love the shimmer and shine of the metallic oly*fun®! I can't wait to be ShamROCKin' this over to award to my favorite float at the St. Patrick's Day Parade!

A ShamROCKin' Award....

What are you creating during National Crafts Month?! I'm enjoying the art of cut paper and glue over at the Collage-Lab SPRING FLING Virtual Retreat... you can still join the fun -- all classes are accessible until December 2022.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! Clover on over to the Designer Crafts Connection blog for more fun craft ideas!

Happy creating! :) Sb