Blatherskite: noun

a person who talks foolishly at length

pronunciation

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I don't mean to be fighting the whole concept of water coloring but it's hard to resist the temptation to add layers, to texturize to do something fun and funky to your work!

You might see how I started to distress the bottom of the picture, ( by roughing up the paper and by using salt ) if you can't, then here's a close up of it. I am having the hardest time not giving into the urge to add onto the watercolor...some days are better than others...lol

Faber Castell water colors

Sakura waterproof pens

Sunday with Sandee - art journaling

Hi everyone, today I am focusing on a background technique which can change your inks and watercolors and that makes things more fun and versatile! 

Here is the short video explaining "sizing you paper".

Here is a close up of the inked papers

You can also use this technique with watercolors. Here I was using the Faber Castell water color crayons but this time using white acrylic paint to size my paper first. Just like in the inks, the watercolors are brighter and more vibrant on sized paper than on untreated paper. Plus as an added bonus you can move the watercolor around more on a sized background where it sinks in more into the plain paper.

So, if you aren't getting the results that you've wanted, maybe try sizing your paper first and see what that does? It's always fun to play around and experiment. 

Dylusions Ink Spray Gesso Watercolor Crayons

InLinkz.com

Loblolly: noun

lout; a stupid, rude or awkward person

pronunciation

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I tried to use just one word, honestly I did, and my word was "content" but as you can see that I have discovered that trying to use just one word is as difficult as letting someone have the last word in an argument...I just have to throw in something else to say...

  The images were cut out from magazines, one a glossy image and the other more like a newsprint quality. I used my American Crafts Slick writer to outline the glossy flower and my Sakura waterproof pen to outline the newsprint vase. 

The background was made with my Faber Castell water color crayons, ( I am loving the fun of these.) I applied the watefrcolors over some acrylic paint that was left on my bubble wrap after playing with my Gelli plate. It's always good to have your journal nearby when doing gelli prints.
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and the winner is.....

my e-mail:

sandeesetliff@yahoo.com

Die Cut Crazy blog hop

Welcome to the Die Cut Crazy Magazine Holiday Blog Hop. The designers have made some wonderful holiday projects to inspire your own holiday crafting with your die cuts. If you just joined our hop, be sure and go back to the Die Cut Crazy Magazine Blog to learn how you can enter to win a prize from Die Cut Crazy Magazine when following the hop from designer to designer.  

My holiday project I am sharing today is...

 When I was a little girl, I had this story I wrote about called Santa's Magic Key and how he used it to get into all the houses around the world where families didn't have a chimney for him to access. And, no, we had a chimney so I think I was very concerned about the other little boys and girls.

On the back of the keys, I have written the special instructions needed...

Cricut - French Manor, p.64 ( 11" )

Really Reasonable Ribbon

bell, chipboard, paper - misc.

Next up in the hop is Anna with Craft with Anna. Go see the amazing project she has prepared for you to enjoy, I can't wait to see it myself!

If you just joined the hop, here is a list of designers so you don't miss any

Debbie  http://www.scrapmequickdesigns.com/

Sandee  http://inthehillsofnorthcarolina.blogspot.com ( you are here ♥ )

Anna http://craftwithanna.blogspot.com

Allie http://mycardparty.com

Melissa http://cardtreasures.wordpress.com

Die Cut Crazy Magazine  http://diecutcrazymag.com/

Thanks for stopping by the Die Cut Crazy Magazine Holiday Blog Hop. I hope
my Santa's Key project inspires you to create your own.  Please leave a
comment to let me know you stopped by.
Stephanie will announce a winner of the overall blog hop on the Die Cut Crazy Blog and Facebook page.

entering Santa's Key in:
Die Cuttin' Diva's - #139 Anything Goes
Craftin Desert Divas - #18 Link it Up Party
Challenges 4 Everybody - #32 Anything Goes


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( And for everyone who is waiting on the winner of the Mixed Media kit to be announce...I promise I am working on it, I am so sorry for the delay!! )
winner has been announced!

Kakorrhaphiophobia: noun

An abnormal fear of failure.

pronunciation

I hope you enjoyed this months phobia words :)

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So, I'm taking a course called Draw Your Awesome Life by Joanne Sharpe and the first thing I learned is....it's good to have a nice artist eraser! lol I haven't water colored in years so I admit to doing quite a bit of erasing, especially on the page on the left. Heck, I had so many problems with it, I actually gessoed over a third of it, and then learned that pencil marks do not erase well at all on top of gesso.

 My first thought...are they ready? lol I'm a little fun loving and kooky ( ::gasp::...I know, right? ) and this is a new group who does not know me. 

There is only one person I know so I am wondering...

should I behave? ...

probably, for awhile anyway! lol

 Who would have thought that steam would be so hard to do? Not me, but this was the second attempt 

( after gessoing the page over)...I went for whimsical art colored steam this time. lol

 Then I was real disappointed that Snoopy looks like he has a pink mustache! lol Oh well, the best laid plans sometimes go awry! But I have had this Snoopy mug since I was in college, which is like 30+ years ago and I really wanted it in there. Stubborn, aren't I? Go ahead, it's OK to nod your head yes!

 If you check out the post from the day before, that's when I broke in ( literally ) my Faber Castell water  color crayons. I have fallen in love with them...( notice what I wrote on the yellow one? ) I can either draw directly on the page with them, or rub my wet paintbrush against them and use them in a more traditional way!! BONUS!

also used:

Pens - Sakura, Sharpie, Reminisce

Happy Halloween!

Winner for the Mixed Media Kit will be announced later today, please come back to see the video announcing the winner :)

Helmar is spider-licious!

Happy Hallow Eve!

A short, quick and easy post for Helmar today!

I love making little spider web doilies for my Halloween decor! 

Take a piece of wax paper and "draw" your spider web design on top of the wax paper with your Helmar Craft & Hobby PVA Glue.

After "drawing" your spider web pattern, dump a whole lot of glitter on top making sure all the glue is covered. Set it aside to dry. I usually leave mine alone for a couple of days just to make sure that even the thickest part of the "strands" are completely dry.

Next, peel off your web and take it outside to spray with Helmar Crystal Kote Gloss Varnish to seal all that wonderful glittery goodness so that you don't leave glitter everywhere...unless you like that...lol

Next, every web needs a glittery spider to go along with it, after all who's going to guard the treats? I "painted" the plastic spider first with Helmar Craft & Hobby PVA Glue with a paintbrush ( you can use your finger too ) !

Next, the glitter application! ( that is one glittery mess!! )

And then comes the sealing process!

Last but not least,  a few pearls for eyes....all the better to see with you with!

Brontophobia: noun

An abnormal fear of thunder.

pronunciation

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I'm taking an online class which starts tonight called Draw Your Awesome Life with Joanne Sharpe so I thought I'd do some random wording and play with my pens and markers. This is what happened...it's messy, unorganized chaotic goodness. It was fun to intentionally be loose and just let things flow. It doesn't matter if it's perfect, it's in my journal...it's for me....it's about me.

It is me.

I used everything but the kitchen sink I think; acrylics, watercolor crayons, sharpies, PITT pens, Sakura pens and paint markers. Even a real Sugar Maple leaf that I was using as a stamp on my gelli plate. 

( I used a gel medium to cover it and it stayed extremely flexible, I'm very pleased with the result. )

The other leaf, in the top left corner, I used from the gelli print making process, while it was covered with paint I pressed it ( using a paper towel ) onto my journal.

entering this hot mess in:

Simon Monday Challenge - Anything Goes