Art Journaling with some Mischievous Monkeys for Unscripted Sketches #244

Happy Thursday! My apologies for not posting quite so much lately. Yes I am still creating... just at a more leisurely pace. I'm also taking some classes and learning some new things. These first two months have flown past and it's already time for the annual street painting festival I participate in this weekend.

Today I'm sharing my Sketch-It Saturday project featuring Unscripted Sketches #244... a UFO that I started last year at a workshop I attended taught by Dyan Reaveley {CLICK HERE to see my previous pages}. WOW - that was nearly a year ago now. But in my Dylusions journal I have many pages started and some new pages made in a workshop with Dina Wakley.

This art journal page was already sprayed with several colors of Dylusions Sprays and stamped with some of Dyan's stamps using stazon ink... a nice starting point. When I saw this week's sketch I knew it was time to break in my swinging monkeys stamp {I've had it for years and it's never been kissed}. This worked out perfectly. I stamped my monkeys and then created faux branches using some torn strips of crumpled black cardstock. I started off tracing letters using an old-school letter stencil and a blue gelli stardust pen for my quote that I thought was a perfect match for my mischievous monkey clan. By the time I got to "disorderly" I ran out of space and I had to freehand the rest... and I ran out of room for "discoveries" {it is there underneath some gelatos and painted book paper with the word printed out from my label maker}. Works like a charm and my word is equally accented to go with "disorderly".

For the remaining accent on the sketch, I stamped a tree frog onto green mulberry paper; mounted it on aluminum tape for stability and added some color with pens and markers. I added some depth to the forest with my new friends - GELATOS - and the scene just came to life. The lime margarita is my favorite color, just translucent enough to let the dylusions spray shine right through.

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun... and post your creation on their page via inlinkz for all the world to see!

•••••••••••

Thanks for dropping by today... have a wonderful day!  Sb :)

• • • • • • • • • •

CLICK HERE for Details how you can enter to WIN!

Happy Halloween... Counting Two Times the October 12 Tags of 2013 FUN!!!

Happy Halloween!!! I can't believe this month is at the end. I had to crack down three days ago and say NO MORE Halloween projects and move on to Christmas projects. In doing so I managed to complete two variations of the Tim Holtz' 12 Tags of 2013 for October. When I saw T!m's tag for October - it was SCREAMING for Amazing Crafting Products... so I have created all my embellishments for this tag using Amazing Mold Putty, Amazing Casting Resin and an assortment of Alumilite Dyes. This tag is totally a Halloween Treat! 

My AMAZING tag for October!

PLEASE CLICK HERE to see the HOW-TO.

Now for the second version - a stamped winter wonderland using the same techniques just different a color scheme and elements... and of course some Amazing Mold Putty too!

PLEASE CLICK HERE to see the HOW-TO.

Thanks for dropping by today. Hope you have a safe and happily haunted Halloween! See you Saturday for my weekly Unscripted Sketches project. :) Sb

Flashback Friday... Halloween Shaker Accordion with Ranger Distress Ink Faux Wood Pages

Hi Everyone! It's finally Friday and I'm sharing a Halloween project that I made back in July {you know us crafters working on whatever strikes our muse at the moment}. This project is full of inked and stamped goodness... and SPOOKY - too!

I created this haunted accordion book using two sections of the Genuinely Jane Studios Wood Book - Square With Star Cut Out - G102 Size: 4 x 4" for the covers of this Spooky Stamped Mini Book. The wood pages are covered using misted brown paper mounted using VLVS! MIRACLE SHEETS; then overstamped with layers of barbed wire background #5793... just to start! The inside accordion pages are a plethora of inky stamped goodness using loads of VLVS! stamps and a SURPRISE awaits on the back cover. Please read on for a little how-to of how I got the stamped detailing on the cover and more of my book...

I started with some seasonal paper scraps, the Genuinely Jane Studios Wood Book - Square With Star Cut Out - G102 Size: 4 x 4" and some blank cardstock and my stash of Halloween Viva Las VegaStamps!

Misted and painted crumpled brown paper will cover the wood base pages to house my accordion.

I taped over the holes with masking tape to create a flat surface and adhered to backside of painted paper using a pre-cut section of MIRACLE SHEET.

I cut the paper with approx. 1/2" overhang, then used Miracle Tape around the edges.

Making nice hospital corners, I wrapped the edges around to create the front and back cover. I repeated these steps to cover the other panel with the star cutout {see below}.

Originally I had started with an accordion cardstock of natural/creme color, but it was too stark with the beautiful covers. So I quickly cut, scored and assembled another out of chipboard using more sections of MIRACLE SHEET {I LOVE THIS STUFF}. Then using several Ranger Distress Inks colors, I rubbed ink pad to paper in liner strokes to create this faux wood grain that has loads of depth and detail. My hands were permanently orange for the weekend, too! Setting this aside to dry, I got to work on my covers again.

Using the barbed wire I stamped it in pigment ink and then applied a rust embossing powder. This is before I heat set. After I heat set some of the detail was lost as the embossing powder was very distress-like and pretty much covered everywhere - even the negative areas.

So I inked up the stamp again and applied more barbed wire right on top, then heat set again. This made for nice depth as some of the detail stayed forward and some of the newly stamped image blended into the embossing powder. I never reapplied more EP.

This is the completed front cover after a third stamped layer and heat setting. I finished up by adding some faux barbed wire decor from the Dollar Tree and a salvaged vintage cabinet knob. 

This is the back cover wrapped the same way. Because I am making this side a shaker star, I left off the barbed wire detail... I have something else in mind. I lined the backside with one of my patterned paper scraps and ran a bead of Diamond Glaze in the edges to seal the cracks so my confetti doesn't get lodged there in the Miracle Tape.

I have a fun selection of seasonal confetti - they are fun for all kinds of projects and perfect to make shakers. I selected some stars and other shapes and also a few colors of seed beads. To seal up I ran a bead of Diamond Glaze near the outer edge of the star shape then took a toothpick to spread it close to the edge - being careful not to let it seep over the edge. I waited a couple minutes for it to begin to set up, then I applied my acetate stamped with the Oct. 31 #18899, Fancy Spider Web Corner #19208, and Spider #16794 all Viva Las VegaStamps! in Jet Black StazOn ink. I added doodle accents with a black and white pen, and also my fav Sakura of America Gelly Roll Stardust Clear Pen. I set an acrylic block on top to give even pressure to the Diamond Glaze and left to dry for a little bit.

  

I finished off the edges with some fiber wrapped black metallic pipe cleaners and screwbrads that have the same rusted embossing powder treatment.

There is so much more to go inside this book - now that Halloween is finally just days away... I will have plenty of memories to tuck inside!

Have a wonderfully creative weekend. I hope you are inspired to get in your studio and PLAY! See you tomorrow for Sketch-it Saturday with Unscripted Sketches :) Sb

Orange and Black Breed Fun and Festive Halloween Treats with Anything But a Card Challenges No. 28

Happy Sunday! Today begins the THIRD and final week of Anything But a Card Challenges #28 "Orange and Black" Color Challenge. To see more fabulous work from my fellow design team members today over at ABAC, CLICK HERE.

Being part of the ABAC is quite fun and we have planned the challenges quite far in advance. I love creating Halloween projects and I have been patiently waiting to share these projects for this "orange and black" challenge... and they are full of Halloween goodness. So I am sharing two projects with you today. One has a how-to, and due to the length, the other has a link to jump over to another how-to. ENJOY!!!

Inspired by my orange and black stash of crêpe paper, I made a fun treat holder with handmade fringe, distress stained acetate, and a handmade acetate prize ribbon... with my Miracle Tape, assembly is quick and easy!

Also - I've made my own crêpe paper fringe with Miracle Tape! It's super easy and adds just the right amount of seasonal color and festive texture. First I layered an orange section of crepe paper {about 3 feet long}; then ran a stripe of 1/4" Miracle Tape down the center for the entire length. Then I repeated with black; then tape and repeated 4 more times alternating colors until I had six layers.

I added a stripe of Miracle Tape to the back of the first layer; then pressed everything flat to get good adhesion in the layers and folded the whole thing in half. The final stem is trimming small cuts at about 1/4" intervals to make the fringe.

I waited until after I adhered it to my piece to fluff it out.

Now for painting the acetate. I spread some Peeled Paint and Seedless Grape Ranger Distress Stains onto a craft sheet and rolled over with my brayer. This will make a nice drippy background.

I dragged the acetate through the puddles of distress stain, rolled a little with my brayer and repeated until I got the effect I desired. This particular acetate I'm using takes ink very well because it is recycled film from my imagesetter at work {please test inks on your inkjet or overhead projector acetate before trying with your final project}. I let it sit and dry for about a 1/2 an hour and while I waited, I mopped up the rest of this inky goodness with some blank tags and cardstock for use later. Before forming my cone, I stamped the creepy tree with Staz-On Black ink and accented the eerie eyes in the bat, pumpkin and stump with Sakura of America Souffle® 3-D Opaque yellow pen to make them glow.

I added strips of Miracle Tape to the length along the bottom edge and also along the short edge where the seam will meet. I formed it into a cylinder shape, exposed the tape and sealed my tube. This is a good time to secure with a couple staples for good measure.

Now a bit about the ribbon rosette... if you are going to attempt this in acetate - you need a hot glue gun and several hands {though I managed to do it with just two}. I reserved a section of stained acetate that was mainly purple and cut three strips using my Fiskars deckle edge scissors. I stamped the winner stamp on a scrap of green/purple stained cardstock and punched out with a tag punch. I gave it a shimmery touch with my Sakura of America Gelly Roll® Stardust® Glitter Pen. The Stardust is my most used of all pens - it's sheer and gives a twinkle to everything. 

Two of the strips I accented with ribbon for the tails. The third section I scored at 1/4" intervals on my Scor-Pal® and accordion folded. Now for the tricky part. Form the accordion into a loop and secure the ends together with Miracle Tape, then lay it flat and form it into a circle. I had another punched tag ready with Miracle Tape to secure the back, but it popped off as soon as I let go. So I put loads of hot glue in the center and sandwiched the top stamped tag on top to hold it tight. I put a glass on top to keep it flat until the glue completely cooled {about 10 minutes}. When cooled I added a small dab to hold the tails on and it's all complete.

I added the fringe and fluffed it pretty; punched holes and laced some coordinating ribbon and filled my cone with candy corn - topped off with some green and purple paper fringe that makes the Prize Ribbon "POP".

This prize is ready to be awarded... or I've earned my sweet reward - LOL!

•••••••••••

Supplies used: STAMPS - "Costume Contest Winner" #19211 and "Halloween Tree Silhouette" #19205. Other supplies: white cardstock; Staz-On Black ink; Miracle Tape; Sakura of America Gelly Roll® Stardust® Glitter Pens; Sakura of America Souffle® 3-D Opaque Pens; Ranger Distress Stains - Peeled Paint and Seedless Grape; Scor-Pal®; hot glue gun; Fiskars deckle edge scissors; recycled acetate; decorative paper shred, candy corn; and ribbon.

•••••••••••

Now for my second project - a spooky fringed mini accordion book complete with a shaker box... the perfect home for all the fun seasonal confetti we crafters hoard for projects {c'mon... admit it - you can't resist all those fun festive confettis - I know I can't}.

This accordion mini book is full of inked and stamped goodness and is ready and waiting to house this year's Halloween photos. Please CLICK HERE to see the full-how to of how I created this book.

I hope you are inspired to play along with the "Orange and Black" challenge - you have a full week left to create! Thanks for dropping by to visit. Today I have my monthly art club and it's the last day I will have to tool around in my convertible MINI Cooper {crossing my fingers the weather stays nice}. Have a great Sunday!!! Sb

Wishing you a very "HOPPY STEAMPUNK" for LeslieRahye's Hippity Hoppity Steampunk Spring Bloghop

To view last month's Very Steampunk Valentine Bloghop
please click here!

WELCOME to LeslieRahye's Hippity Hoppity Steampunk Spring Bloghop. Thanks to our fabulous hostess for giving us our fill of "STEAMPUNK" - which we all LOVE!! I am totally addicted and a TOTAL steampunk junkie now! Today I'm sharing a tag based off this month's T!m Holtz 12 tags of 2013 using the silhouette of the mechanical bunny stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps!

On a easter colored patterened paper that I grunged up and distressed - I stamped several Steampunk images to have a base then went from there with T!m's inspiration tag.

One more pix to complete the scene... and it's full of gears and metal goodness!

Thanks so much for dropping by. Please click the blocks below to visit the other fabulous stops on this special Spring Steampunk hoppity.
Sb :)

It's all in the Cards - Week 2 of Anything But a Card Challenges - Challenge 13 is "Number 13"

Good Sunday Morning!!! Welcome to week two of the current Anything But a Card Challenge... Challenge number 13 - "The Number 13". Are you ready to CREATE and play along! The other day I needed a note pad and I couldn't find one for the life of me... so I MADE ONE - and plan to make more of these since it was so much fun. This is a matchbook style notepad with about 20 sheets of paper stapled within a wraparound cover. I tied off the base with twine to conceal the staples. Beautiful and easy-peasy.

There's two weeks to play along and link up via inlinkz froggy. Anything But a Card Challenges is a bi-weekly challenge and today, the Design Team showcases NEW projects using a brand-new challenge #13 of "The Number 13". Please click here to head on over to ABAC and see all the fantastic projects shared by the fantastic design team AND submissions by all of you. 

REMEMBER this challenge blog is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING... except for Cards. ATC's aren't greeting cards...so please link up your ATC's!!!

Anything But a Card Challenge 13 {wow 13 challenges so far} - since it's the 13th Challenge we want you to think about superstitions, the number 13, magic, luck, bad luck, good luck etc. That's a broad theme, and just make sure to explain in your post what it is if it's not obvious. You could use black cats, ladders, thirteen of something, 13 in the title of a scrapbook page, etc.

This theme has sent me off on a creating tangent, especially with St. Patrick's Day fast approaching. My project I'm sharing today is a mini matchbook style notepad - the cover a completely inked and stamped collage. I love getting all the toys out and just creating at will. The background is stamped using a large harlequin pattern stamp inked with a Ranger Big and Juicy Rainbow ink pad and misted with water. I created several painted paper backgrounds in a about a 1/2 an hour using this technique {some I varied by misting paper and directly pressing ink pad to wet paper - see another example HERE}.

With this broad theme I was thinking about luck which led to gambling and about the randomness of things "being all in the cards", so to speak. And the girl on the tightrope, she's so risky. The images {about 10 stamps total} all melt together in this wonderful collage of color. I hope you like it and find this inspiring. If you would like to know what stamps any of these are, please leave a comment.

Have Fun and Happy Creating!!!

https://apps.facebook.com/mylinqto/saturdaycraftsfair

Thanks for stopping by!!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and have some time to create. A reminder... next weekend debuts a new ABAC Challenge. I'm so lucky that I can share my creations with you here. Are you looking for creative playtime and inspiration on Saturdays? Please join me live at 4:00pm EST {1pm PST} in the Daylight Musings room at the Saturday Crafts Fair on Linqto! Join me every Saturday where I share my projects, how-to's, tips, and more. The weekly event starts at 2pm EST with three hours of fun - I hope to see your there.  : ) Sb

Piecing together a Thank-You with Unscripted Sketches #199

Happy Saturday! I'm bringing you today's Sketch-It Saturday with Unscripted Sketches project using this week's sketch #199. This is a quick and easy card that I made using paper scraps and leftovers from a previous card created using Viva Las VegaStamps! and two of my favorite stamps "sunflowers #9918" and "thanks a lot #587".

When stamping and trying out techniques I often have two or more try-out's that are left over...what to do with these??? Make other cards or integrate them into other altered projects. These leftovers go into a box with stuff for collaging. I was rummaging through my magical bin for things to use in another project and my "ONE-TOUCH" rule kicked in when I flipped to these color-coordinated pieces. To see the previous card made using these elements, please click here. All I had to do was trim and tear elements to size, add a little color using my Ranger Distress Markers, tack everything down with Miracle Tape and add some twine and 3D pop dots. I love the combination of the kraft card base with the burnt orange and yellows.

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun... and post your creation on their page via inlinkz for all the world to see!

* * * * * * *

https://apps.facebook.com/mylinqto/saturdaycraftsfair

Thanks for stopping by!!! I hope you have wonderful weekend. Are you looking for creative playtime and inspiration? TODAY I'll be participating in the annual Lake Worth Street Painting Festival but the show still goes on. There are three great hours planned today at the Saturday Crafts Fair on Linqto, including two {2} brand new hostesses! The event starts TODAY at 2pm EST bringing you three hours of fun. 

: ) Sb

My Favorite Stamp this Week...a Snoozin' Flamingo

Happy Tuesday - but today certainly feels like a Monday redux. I worked yesterday and today feels like Monday again and I am so ready for a nap.

I don't know if this just happens to me, or it's for all creative types... some days I just can't decide what I want to make. So I break out all of my Ranger Inks, and get out some blank paper and bring out the piles o' rubber. I admittedly am a rubber hoarder... especially of the VLVS! variety. So last night, I started rifling through all my new stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps! and I want to use them all, and I just can't decide. Then this snoozing flamingo jumped out at me. I got this because my nickname is snoozin' {really - I even have it engraved on my bowling ball}. I can sleep anytime, anywhere in a matter of minutes. After flipping through a few more stamps I arrived at a funny quote to go with my feathered friend.

This project is featured over at the Viva Las Vegastamps! blog today. Please CLICK HERE to see the how-to. Hope you have a creative day! Sb

What to do when You Get Valentine's Candy... Make Fun Jewelry!!!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Today I have a special project to share with you: a brand new "original sbartist creation" using Amazing Crafting Products by Alumilite Corp.  

When I get some creative inspiration - I run with it - and today was no exception. This morning I received some cards and a box of fun valentine candies from my sweetie. Holy cow!!! I couldn't wait to break the conversation hearts out of the box and turn them into a new piece of festive jewelry.

Because to be perfectly honest - a real candy necklace on me would last about... ummmm ... 37 seconds! So problem solved... with my Amazing Mold Putty!!! I arranged the hearts in a circle and I mixed up some Amazing Mold Putty into a ball and pressed it around form a mold around it. Then I painted a few colors of Ranger alcohol inks in each of the hearts and poured in some Ranger UTEE {ultra thick embossing enamel}. And viola - in a little over an hour, I have a brand new necklace to wear for this special day. You just gotta love this stuff!! 

My husband is going to be so puzzled and surprised at the new jewelry he gave me for Valentine's Day. Want to see how I made this, step-by-step??? CLICK HERE to see my demo at the Saturday Crafts Fair on Linqto. To learn more about the Saturday Crafts Fair, please see the details below.

Presenting my new

"Gumdrops of Love" Pendant

Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day!!!

https://apps.facebook.com/mylinqto/saturdaycraftsfair

Thanks for stopping by!!! I hope you have fantastic day with your loved ones. I'm so blessed that I can share my creations with you here. Are you looking for creative playtime and inspiration on Saturdays? Please join me live at 4:00pm EST {1pm PST} in the Daylight Musings room at the Saturday Crafts Fair on Linqto! Join me every Saturday where I share my projects, how-to's, tips, and more. The weekly event starts at 2pm EST with three hours of creativity and fun - I hope to see your there.

: ) Sb