SoFL Snow Day... BOOTS in April!!

Hello friends! April 2: Its a special occurrance that lasts for only 36 to 48 hours... the RARE SOUTH FLORIDA SNOW DAY! This is when the folks who live in SoFL get a brief respit from the sweltering heat and can break out wintery wear {a.k.a. sweater weather attire for everyone else north of the FL/GA line}. Any talk from weather forecasters this late in the winter/spring season teasing us with a COLD FRONT is mostly ignored. Most of the cold stuff doesn't usually make it this far south - we only see a brief couple days where the humidity doesn't punch you in the face when you walk outside to get the morning paper.

Today is a day when I miss my Chili-red MINI convertible most. It's only going to make it to the mid 70s today and I'm running about the house getting ready for work chanting, "BOOTS... BOOTS...  BOOTS!!!" This may be my last chance to wear them until I go back to Chicago. I've got my brown knee-high flats paired with my cute blue shirt dress and some multicolored leggins. Artsy and comfortable! I walked outdoors and was greeted by the birds singing to this glorious blue sky.

Later on a work, there were these puffy clouds scattered about. I can't resist snapping pix of clouds with my phone. Wish I would have captured the stunning sky ablaze with rust and orange at sunset with the silhouette of the everglades brush beneath a yellow glowing sphere. I was driving. It was a beautiful sunset worth noting.

Have a great rest of your Friday... thanks for stopping by!

<3 Sb

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I pledged to blog every day this month {along with a few hundred other bloggers} with Effy Wild and her “Artfully Wild Blog Along“. If you’d like to join in... both bloggers and readers are invited to join in the fun! The only requirement is that you agree to comment on three blog posts for every blog post you share in the dedicated Facebook Group.

#Cre8time Paint Play brings #MixedMedia Variety...

Join me today for another installment of my "Thoughtful Abstractions" column at Unruly PaperArts. The theme for April is Gelli® Plates and Monoprinting... focusing on the mixed-media painting technique that virtually ANYONE can do – anywhere! This is one of my favorite techniques and is a source of Cre8time inspiration.

CLICK HERE to jump over to Unruly Paper Arts to read my latest column that includes a monoprinting tutorial.

Monoprints are so versatile and can be a starter for all sorts of projects. Here are a few examples of projects I've made using different techniques.

My "Faux Van Gogh" stamped collage is a fusion of three layers: the base a painted sheet of white cardstock; a monoprint created with Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic paints {Cadmium Orange Hue and Cerulean Blue} and deli paper on a Gelli Arts® Gel Printing Plate {yes, I do actually own one}; and a stamped image on deli paper. This is a fun way to use your monoprints. This blue and orange was acutally a clean-up sheet that I was rolling my paint filled brayer on. CLICK HERE to view tutorial on how I created this.

How about using a monoprint to découpage onto a dimensional project? Oh yes! This made painting so quick and easy and my whimsical steampunk pinewood derby car came to life in minutes. CLICK HERE to see the entire project.

Round monoprinting plates are the lastest craze and it dawned on me that I also have loads of round shapes lying around, too! A whole pile of them!!! Several of my mold rubber molds sitting in pretty little stacks like crafty pancakes.

First I applied some colors to one of my rectangular plates with a brayer, then pressed my nut and bolt mold into the paint – this leaves a beautiful circle with hexagons in the negative space. Then I can stamp off the color from the MOLD onto another print or blank paper. Gorgeous!!! CLICK HERE to view more variations of applying color.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you are inspired to try some painterly play during your Cre8time! Have a wonderful Sunday. :) Sb

Tasty Snacks Leave Creative Treasures...

It's no secret that greencrafting is one of my favorite pastimes. Especially when tasty snacks come in such fun packaging just screaming for some Cre8time love.

Join me today for another installment of my "Thoughtful Abstractions" column at Unruly PaperArts. The theme for March is TRASH 2 TREASURE... focusing on recycling, reusing and upcycling. I don't have to look far for finding something to create with – there is usually plenty of interesting things to use for crafting in my recycling bin... or in today's case... compliments of "The Laughing Cow" in  my refrigerator!

CLICK HERE to jump over to Unruly Paper Arts to see the full transformation. :) Sb

Bursts of Color Light up the #Cre8time Sky

Hello Everyone... WE are just over two weeks until the new year - I cannot believe how fast 2014 has flown by. This month's challenge theme is "FIREWORKS" for the Reader's Art Quest at Unruly Paper Arts and is perfect for getting ready for the shiny new year. I have created a painting using a myriad of supplies that I haven't used in ages and just had fun with the inspiration provided.

The Unruly Paper Arts Reader's Art Quest "FIREWORKS Inspiration photo and color palette, are full of bright bursts of color much like you see when fireworks light up the night sky.

 

I came across a stash of some old 16x20 illustration boards that were screaming for some attention. I turned on some tunes and just threw some inks and paint and made the colors fly. I added more details with markers and colored pencils.

The brush nibs of the markers and texture of the colored pencil strokes are a nice contrast to the drips and splatters - all reminiscent of a sky aglow with bursts of light.

I hope you enjoyed my project and that you are inspired to join us in this month's Reader's Art Quest. I would love to see what you create. Please leave me a comment with your link.

Happy Creating! Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday too! :) Sb

The Sky is the Limit in my #Cre8time with Amazing Crafting Products!

Hello friends! It's November which is my favorite month of the year because it has my FAVORITE holiday of the year... TURKEY DAY {aka my birthday celebration}!!! Today I'm starting off the month with a bang with my latest "Thoughtful Abstractions" column in the new "Make and Bake" Issue of the Unruly Paper Arts Blogozine. This month is dedicated to focusing on ways to Make and/or Bake your own embellishments using products such as Shrink Plastic, Paper Clay, Polymer Clay, Amazing Mold Putty, and Resins... totally right up my creative alley!

CLICK HERE to view more on this.

There is also a brand new Reader's Art Quest at Unruly Paper Arts. This month's challenge theme is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" which is perfect way to spend a little Cre8time getting in the spirit of the season! This month Amazing Crafting Products is the sponsor of the Reader's Art Quest Challenge and if you play along and linkup your creation via inLinkz HERE, you could be entered to win this AMAZING prize package!!!

  

I'm all in the Christmas spirit and beginning to create a menagerie of these snow domes using recycled plastic bottles, wine corks, patterned paper scraps, ribbons/fibers and an altered bottle brush tree. These will be perfect handmade holiday gifts for family and friends {CLICK HERE to see how I made these}.

In my "Thoughtful Abstractions" post today at Unruly Paper Arts, I share how I create a mold of some original artwork I've created to use for embellishments and other altered projects. That just scratches the surface of what these AMAZING products can do. Please scroll down to see a sampling of some of my projects that utilize Amazing Crafting Products.

Click on the image or link below to jump to the post for each. I invite you to jump over to the Amazing Crafting Products Blog to see MORE... there is a whole Creative Team providing project ideas, tips and inspiration daily!

Original designed Snowman Figurine

Wishbone charm molded/cast in Amazing Casting Resin

Miniature Faerie Garden Birdhouse

Steampunk Cuckoo Clock... yes that's a PEEP®!

Vintage Keyhole Charm

Amazing Molded Cookie Cup

Starfish and Sand Dollar Embellishments

Lime Slice Earrings

Clear Cast Resin Bangle and Upcycled Tape Spool Bangle

Handmade Owl Charms

Custom shaped Sugar Cubes

Custom Stamp Handles

My prized creation... the Golden "Steamunk Eggship"

And I have so many more... too many to share. Please follow me via bloglovin if you want to keep up with my creative adventures.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you are inspired to try something new and look forward to seeing your creations in the Reader's Art Quest. Happy Monday! :) Sb

#Cre8time in a DASH... Quick Makes and My Take on CAS

Happy Friday everyone! It's that time again... time for another one of my "Thoughtful Abstractions" columns at Unruly PaperArts. This month's GOTTA DASH ISSUE at Unruly PaperArts... dedicated to quick and easy makes and Clean and Simple Designs to inspire your Cre8time. This was a particularly interesting challenge for me as my creations usually take on a life of their own {and not usually quick or simple} but I found the CAS style refreshing and inspiring! In looking back at some of my creations, a style I'm quite fond of and visit often.

Please CLICK HERE to view my Thoughtful Abstractions column in the Unruly PaperArts GOTTA DASH ISSUE. I'm just buzzing with tips and ideas for making your Cre8time quick, easy and fun! Below I have rounded up some other CAS makes that I'm quite fond of that have some interesting twists - Enjoy! 

This card features a mosaic pattern of inchie stamps layered with a dimensional butterfly embellishment. These were 6 separate stamps {Inkadinkado} that I grouped on my acrylic block before stamping. You could get the same effect by cutting up a patterned paper, photo or stamped image into squares and spacing in a mosaic fashion.

Recognize these cute little gifts??? They are from a large sheet of patterned paper with these all over the page. Use those busy papers by cutting out the images and making fun and FLAT card embellishments. The center gift is topped with a ribbon bow for that perfect finishing touch!

How about stamp a border to set off that perfect stamped sentiment? I've transformed solid cardstock into my own patterned paper by just lining up and repeating one stamp with my feature image set off with a co-ordinating matte {all stamps from VLVS!}.

The feature of this card is the lovely clutch of hand-colored bunnies {stamp from VLVS!}. I made this card special by adding some pops of color with the flower embellishments and a hand cut fringed/coiled grass matte for a little whimsy.

These quick and easy makes don't keep me limited to just cards... I can apply the same techniques in customizing a plain wicker box into something a little more "PERSONAL" {all stamps from VLVS!}. Even when you are short on time, your imagination can still be front and center!

I hope you are inspired and are ready to go run and make something!

Are you a NITE OWL who loves "The DARK of NIGHT"??? That's the theme for this month's Reader's Art Quest at Unruly PaperArts. This is a perfect prompt for Halloween and blustery fall creations. One lucky creation linked up via inLinkz will be randomly chosen to win a fabulous prize package from our sponsor this month Eyelet Outlet and Brads!. CLICK HERE for the details!

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Thanks for visiting. Have a fabulously creative day :) Sb