Gel printing with newsprint

We had a major (for us anyway) snowstorm...I guesstimated 14 inches here, that was done by standing in the snow and then coming back inside to measure how tall my UGH boots are, where the snow came over my boots and how much I probably compressed the snow...very scientific process. Would have been easier had I bought out my ruler with me but this seemed to be ...more me... since I don't measure anything anyway...lol

And what's the best thing to do on a snowy day? Make art of course!

 I am playing today with

 Carolyn Dube's Use Something that would be thrown away January challenge.

For a mixed media artist and anyone that practices recycling means it's not hard to find something to use. I chose newsprint because 1. it's a recyclable item and 2. I've never used it with my Gel plate. 

I also made a stamp to use ( I love making Gel plate stamps and stencils, don't you?

This one I created by drawing a flower on some corrugated cardboard and then carved away some of the areas with my exacto knife. I also lifted up that first layer in some areas to show the corrugation pattern and used my Silent Setter to punch some holes through the middle of the flower.

I figured I should get 2 entries since I also used Cardboard which would have been thrown away....what do you think Carolyn? lol

I knew going into this project that the newspaper was very thin and might stick but was happily surprised that it didn't tear on me. I did pull it off slowly and gently so keep that in mind if you decide to try it. Personally, I loved how it looked with the text peeping through the painted layer.

Awesome, right? Here is a close up of the square print that I made.

I took this sheet and used it to cover the back to my journal, you can see the front of my journal here in this post. I think the black go well together.

One tip, let the paper dry thoroughly before using your exacto knife to cut around the eyelet so your paper doesn't tear.

And my favorite view of my journal...lol 

Pantones colors of the year

Wow, I've never heard so much uproar over Pantones color choices as I did this year. Pantone always defends their color choices and this year you have 2 reasons why to use this palette.

#1

"As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent. Joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace"

or choose this one... 

#2

"Pantone hopes to shatter stereotypes and promote gender equality. We get it: Pantone probably thinks that by presenting two colors with such culturally ingrained associations,  it’s giving people the chance to challenge those norms. Pink razors for men! Blue razors for women! And fair enough—it’s an admirable goal, if a little derivative ."

Whatever the reason you choose and whether or not to choose to create anything in this color range it totally up to you, but our group - Creative Arts Collaboration has a slew of art videos to watch of artists creating something from this particular palette. Hundreds of artists will come together to create a video art festival showcasing winter art themed in every visual and craft media.
Come and watch!
my video
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Letting go

I'm one of those people that hang on to important papers, tax records, car records, heck...just about everything because I'm always afraid I will need it...just in case...

In this case, it was time I could let go of my divorce papers from the 80's. I think everything is finally decided upon by now, lol It's not that I wanted to record the heartache but I wanted to establish that I have healed from it.

Join me over on the Arnold Grummer blog to see how I used the divorce papers to make some pretty art from it.

"Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it."
―Ann Landers

Clicking

Entering my card in:

New Issue  ( Round 2 ) 

Simon Monday Challenge  - Best Friends

Used the free printable from the Capture files, they have lots of darling printable there for free! I cut mine out, added some Ranger's Silver stickles to the flash and some Glossy Accents for the lens cover.

For the background I used my Ranger Spritz tool with my Tombow marker for a speckled look and added some sequins after I stamped the sentiment.

"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."

Henry Ford

Egg-stra special card

I've had plenty of cards published before so why is this card egg-stra special to me?

That's because the image is hand drawn...yep, that's MY artwork on this card!

Pretty nifty, eh?

itty bitty booklet

I made the cutest little itty bitty booklet to go inside the box....I love finding little treasures tucked away inside and this one just warms my heart. I hope it does for you too and that you go and visit me over on the Helmar blog today...it's a rare treat that I get to post 2 projects in one week. :)

I also have a short video slideshow so you can see the whole project from beginning to end :)

an owl and his box

This site, the 3eyedbear has the cutest cut and paste printables and for my project today over at the Helmar blog. I used this pattern to make my little owl and I think he turned out soooo cute. I hope you pop over there and visit and then go to the 3eyednbear and grab some printables for yourself!

Come back this Friday on the 15th and I'll show you what I put inside the treasure chest!

Journal cover

I love my big chunky art journal and I finally got around to making a cover for it too. So excited to be almost finished, I was hoping to have it completed by 2016 but alas, I am about 4 pages shy to completion.

I used some magazine cut outs, stickers, tissue paper, molding paste and paint along with Andy Skinner's Alphabet Spaghetti stencil to create this cover.

 (pretty much everything but the kitchen sink!)

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who likes to view their journal this way too...or is it me...am I weird? If I am then I am happily weird! lol

Any hoo...I begin with the stencil  and some black molding paste and a plan, but as you will see...the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry....lol

So far sticking to the plan, I decoupaged some tissue paper in the center....it looks so nice and neat...and controlled doesn't it?

Still hanging in there with the plan, taping off my crisp border and adding some acrylic paint to the center.

And then...the oops that changed the course; from nice and neat to - oh what the heck...just keep going girl....see, my tape pulled up the tissue paper so I intentionally went back in and tore up more to LOOK like it was meant to be...lol

Then I went back and added more molding paste through the stencil and frankly began liking it so much more than the stiff and controlled start that I began with....and this is the way my mind goes when I creating something...slightly off from where I began!

I took some black paint and went over everything...then wiping it off...adding splotches of gold paint around too...and I also added a Poppy stencil which had been my intention originally except it was going to be in that nice clean center that I messed up....or did I mess it up, or make it look better?

From there I cut out a butterfly from a digital download and cut out some words from a magazine to create a sentiment that fit my journal, and ya know what? I absolutely love the oops and what it turned into. I'm so glad that the mistake happened and even happier that I didn't let it get me down and pushed through!

Entering this in

Simon Says - Stencil It

Frosted box

You might guess from the shape of the box that I used an old Valentine candy box to upcycle. They make a great size gift box although mine is going to hold something different and you have to wait until my next Arnold Grummer blog post to find out. 

I wonder if anyone can guess what it will be? ...hmmm?

I also used something (that is controversial in my group of friends) to cover the box with...

old Christmas cards!

Some people consider this horrific to recycle a card because they keep them, (like forever) but hey, if you send me a store bought card, it's gonna get recycled. 

Now handmade cards on the other hand are another story!

I made a very short slide show video for you to watch if you are interested in the process :)

Also entering this in Really Reasonable Ribbon challenge
using the Snowflakes on Red Satin Ribbon

Spray ink transfer

I am playing along with Paper Issues today with their Take 5 challenge.

I used:

1. the color blue ( actually it's a blue-green...do I get an extra point? lol )

2. the color orange

4. a snowman

6. mist ( not sure if this one counted since I used  my wax paper transfer for the spray inks )

11. sequins

14. hand writing ( journaling...maybe a sentiment counts? )

...and I just love how the embossed gold and sequins make this card shine!

If you would like to see how I created the background and some stamping and embossing tips then here is a very short slideshow for you to watch :)

storing brushes

I love storing my brushes, in jar, cup...almost anything...

It all began with this marble pencil holder which had been my fathers. I grew up with it sitting on his desk and just had to have it when he died. It weighs a ton and has doubled as a paper weight on many occasions. This one holds all my extra large brushes easily without any worries of toppling over.

Sometimes the color attracts me as this red mug did. It's actually a Copy Works mug they give away and one day I will decorate it, but until then I love the color and it holds all my acrylic paint brushes.

This was another advertising mug that I painted over with black drippy looking paint, it holds all my water brushes.

And this pretty sparkly one holds all my watercolor brushes....which is just perfect as I think those brushes are extra special.

I have one more I've added to the group but you'll need to pop over to the Arnold Grummer blog to see it...yep...it's draped in a sheet of handmade paper but it might not be what you're expecting...just saying, go take a peak.

Renew for 2016

I had a fairly busy past 2 years with selling my art, it was a lot of fun and very gratifying experience, but it was also a lot of work and somewhere along the way drawing and painting just for the fun of it was lost. I want to regain that feeling and relax for awhile which is why I withdrew from the studio and when I say relax, I mean to renew what art originally meant for me....a way to just express what I am feeling.

I also printed out on the computer using different fonts some daily affirmations.

Entering my word of the year art journal page in:

The Mixed Media Monthly challenge - Time Flies