Happy Little Spoon – A Project for Gauche Alchemy

Hello everyone!  Today I have an altered spoon for you that I created for Gauche Alchemy.  The spoon was included in the Happy Housewives Kit and I just couldn’t resist.

 
First, I covered the bowl of the spoon with a piece of red-checkered napkin from the kit. Using decoupage medium, I carefully smoothed out the napkin into the bowl, around the sides, and onto the back. I then sealed it with another couple of coats to protect the thin napkin. Next I wrapped the red plaid material from the kit around the handle and glued it down. I used Glossy Accents, but would have been better off with a fabric glue. I then took the piece of embroidered ribbon (kit) and glued it to a strip of chipboard to make a good, sturdy background for the spoon itself. The spoon was then glued to the embroidery strip.

 
I then started embellishing. A clock face with a clay flower and an ampersand worked well with the spoon.

Then I glued a piece of washi tape around the bottom of the handles, just above the bowl. There was this cute little red butterfly in the kit just begging to be used along with several flowers which I glued into the bowl of the spoon. To finish it off, I glued on a hanger to the top back so I could display it on my wall.

As I usually do, I tried to use as much from the kit as humanly possible just to show you how AWESOME these kits are. The only items not from the kit are the ampersand, hanger, and the centers of the flowers. The best part? I have oodles and oodles left to create even more cool things!

So get out there and create!

Until later………………..

With Feeling – A Basically Bare Project

Good morning everyone!  Today I want to share how I inked, stamped, stenciled, gesso’d, and painted a Basically Bare Krafty Keepsake Plain Jane album.  This album comes with a front and back cover made of cardboard, four craft envelopes, and a chipboard divider.  It was tons of fun getting inky with this really cool album.

I started by gessoing the cover and then spraying it with Art Anthology Studio Blue, Honey Bee, and Lark colorations.  Next I stenciled over it with a shattered stencil and silver embossing paste.  The resulting cover is beautiful but very hard to photograph as the silver embossing paste reflects any bit of light.

For the inside cover, I again gesso’d the cardboard, this time spraying it with Art Anthology Colorations in Cinnamon Twist, Plush, and Juicy.  I then stenciled over the mists with modeling paste I tinted with Rainbow Ink, using a damask stencil and a stripes stencil.

I then grabbed my stamps and had fun stamping the front and back of the first envelope.  I colored the sea grass and fish using Copic markers.

I apologize for the dark spot on the photo.  It wasn’t until I was editing my pictures that I realized that I had a shadow & of course, there was not time to take another.  I grabbed more stamps and had fun stamping and coloring with a combination of Copics and Distress Inks on the 2nd envelope.

For the middle divider, I painted the front side of the chipboard with Art Anthology Velvet in Truffle, Mardi Gras, and Orchid and then covered it with Distress Crackle Rock Candy.  The back of the divider was painted with Art Anthology Velvet in Cotton Candy, Kona, and Fiesta, then covered with Distress Crackle Rock Candy.  The stamps are from Stampers Anonymous and were stamped with archival ink before spreading on the crackle.

For this next set of envelopes, I decided to pull out my circle graph and ceiling tile stencils and used them with some Art Anthology Velvets in Terracotta, and Basil.  The stenciled graph was highlighted with Red Hot UTEE.

More stenciling with paints using Art Anthology Velvets in Basil, Desire, and Reef with fern and rain drop stencils.  To keep my paint from leaking under the stencils, I used a makeup sponge, dabbed it into the paint, then pounced it on my craft sheet a couple of times to remove most of the paint.  This keeps seepage to a minimum.

For the inside of the back cover, I first gesso’d the cardboard then sprayed on Art Anthology Colorations in Glorious, Fern Leaf, Denim, and Lark.  Next I used my jumbled stencil and stenciled over that with Golden Clear Granular Gel colored with Rainbow Ink. This was followed with a dot stencil and Distress Ink to add random circles.  For the outside of the back cover, I once again gesso’d the cardboard and then sprayed it with Art Anthology Colorations in Lark, Honey Bee, and Studio Blue.  Then I stenciled in large raindrops using silver embossing paste.

Okay, honestly, this was a lot of work.  I didn’t complete it in a few hours, but it was fun and highly rewarding.  I experimented with different mediums and tools and had a blast.  Now, grab you one of our great albums, your pastes, paints, stencils, inks, and the like, and go have yourself some fun!

Until later…………………….
Smiles~
Marilyn

Supplies Used:
Basically Bare Krafty Keepsake Plain Jane Album
Art Anthology Colorations:  Studio Blue, Lark, Honey Bee, Cinnamon Twist, Plush, Juicy, Glorious, Fern Leaf, Denim, and Lark
Art Anthology Velvet:  Truffle, Mardi Gras, Orchid, Cotton Candy, Kona, Fiesta, Terracotta, Basil, and Desire
Stencils:  Clear Scraps Shattered; Studio 490 Yikes Stripes, Classic Words, & Just Dotty; Prima Damask & Raindrops; Colorbox Jumbled, TCW Ceiling Tile (12×12), 4 Ferns (12×12), & Raindrops (12×12)
Rainbow Ink:  Metallic Bronze and Metallic Blue
Studio 490 Silver Embossing Paste
Liquitex Modeling Paste
Distress Crackle in Rock Candy
Stamps:  Dylusions Seaweed & Fish School; AI Cash Keeper & Golden Oldies; Hero Arts Wildflower; and SA Classics #1
Copic Markers
Distress Inks in Rusty Hinge, Spiced Marmalade, and Black Soot
Golden Clear Granular Gel
Liquitex Gesso

LWD Design Tool Review Tuesday: Glitz Rollerdoodles

For today’s Tool Review Tuesday, I decided to review the Glitz Rollerdoodle.  I chose a Giant Rollerdoodle with a flora pattern and two Tiny Rollerdoodles; lace and feathers.

The surfaces used are watercolor paper, white cardstock, a manila folder cut to an ATC shape, and Ranger Glossy Cardstock.  I am using Ranger Black Archival Ink, Versamark Embossing Ink, paint, and black embossing powder. 


For this first experiment, I used the Giant Floral Rollerdoodle and watercolor paper.  First, make sure you ink the Rollerdoodle very well.  Run it back and forth several times.  I found with the Giant ones, you need to run it across the page in a slow motion while pressing down slightly.  The watercolor paper was a little too rough I think and the image didn’t transfer very well.

Next, I used the Tiny Feather Rollerdoodle and plain white cardstock.  It worked very well, had nice definition, and I found I could get two rolls out of one inking.

Onward!  The next test was with the Tiny Lace Rollerdoodle and an ATC cut from a manila folder.  As you can see, I didn’t get it rolled too straight (understatement of the year) but it did well.  For the middle section, you can see where I didn’t apply even pressure.  This is a consideration with these rolling stamps.

How about a Tiny Feather Rollerdoodle and Ranger Glossy Cardstock?  Not too good a match.  Due to the extreme slickness of the paper, the image smeared in several spots.  Not good if you are going for a crisp, clean image. 

Now for some messy fun.  I took some regular acrylic paint and ran both the Giant Floral Rollerdoodle and the Tiny Lace Rollerdoodle through it and then across my watercolor paper.  As you can see, it’s very blob-y.  Not a good look unless you are going for this look.  I can see it working for different applications.

And now for the big surprise.  It work AWESOME with Versamark Embossing Ink and embossing powder.  I only inked the Rollerdoodle up once and got two good lines of stamping.  The definition is nice and crisp.  This was the biggest shock.  I didn’t think it would work so well.
Now for an overview:  I found the Tiny Rollerdoodles easier to use and roll than the Giant Rollerdoodle.  There was some issue with applying even pressure, but I think that was user error more than anything.  They work better on smooth paper with some tooth (card stock, manila folder) than rougher paper (watercolor paper) and much better than a slick paper (glossy cardstock).

They also work well on cardboard and chipboard.  I used the Giant Floral Rollerdoodle here over a gesso’d, misted, cardboard background.  It was inked with Distress Ink in a color similar to the background.  I found it worked well and accented this album page perfectly.
In conclusion, I like them.  They work well and are perfect for borders, accents, and backgrounds.
You can find the products used here and many more for your crafting projects at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC.  All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Craft Supplies Facebook group.  If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying TOO MUCH for your craft supplies!

Supplies Used Available from Lone Wolf Designs LLC:
Glitz Floral Giant Rollerdoodle
Glitz Lace Tiny Rollerdoodle
Glitz Feather Tiny Rollerdoodle
Ranger Glossy Cardstock
Versamark Embossing Ink

Until later………………………………………………………..

Time Flies, But “Bee” Yourself

Good morning everyone!  Marilyn here today to share another journal page for my Basically Bare 6×6 Artful Binder.  This time, I used one of the Watercolor Paper Expansion Pack pages that are available for this system

This front of the page is very simple (remember, journal pages don’t have to be complicated).  I sprayed the background with Art Anthology Timeless Colorations, then stenciled some clocks using Fern Leaf Colorations.  I then stenciled over a few of the clocks with white Texture Magic and sprinkled on some embossing powder.  Finally, I stamped “Time Flies” in Black Soot Distress Ink.

I painted a set of Basically Bare Basic Wings with Art Anthology Figi Velvet and attached them to a clock face.  Simple, but this page reflects my thoughts at that time.

For the backside of the page, I first sprayed the Watercolor Paper with Art Anthology Waimea Bay Colorations, then stenciled a couple of large clocks using brown Texture Magic.  The chenille bee is attached to a Basically Bare Gear I painted with Art Anthology Black Jacket Sorbet.  I stamped “Bee Yourself” on a scrap of cardstock and then inked it with Wild Honey & Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink.  Since time flies, you have to always “bee” yourself (yep, as cheesy as it is, I used a play-on-words).

I first painted the Basically Bare Dress Form with Art Anthology Desire Velvet then covered it with black and red eyelash yarn.  I cut the stand off the Dress Form and then working from bottom to top, glued on strands of the eyelash yarn.

I now have another journal page to add to my Basically Bare 6×6 Artful Binder.  These pages are so great!  They can be removed one at a time to work on since they are ring bound, which makes them really easy to spray, paint, stencil, whatever!  You don’t have to worry about overspray getting on your other pages.

So, until later……………remember Time Flies, so Bee Yourself!
Marilyn

Supplies Used:
Artful Binder 6×6 Watercolor Paper Expansion Pack
Basically Bare Gears, Basic Wings, and Dress Forms
Art Anthology TImeless and Fern Leaf Colorations, Figi and Desire Velvets, and Black Jacket Sorbet
TCW Mini Time Travel Stencil
Tim Holtz Clockwork Stencil
Texture Magic
Distress Inks in Squeezed Lemonade and Wild Honey

LWD Design Team Showcase: Graphic 45 Couture Paper, Chipboard, & Stickers

Good morning everyone!  Today I'm going to share a card I made using a Jumbo Tag and Graphic 45's Couture Paper, Chipboard, and Stickers.  Graphic 45 is one of my favorite paper companies and their paper and accessories are fun to use.





Take a Giant Craft Tag (#12 size) and fold it over until the bottom edge abuts the grommet hole.  Score with a bone folder.  



Now cut a piece of paper to fit the short fold and attach.  I used a tape runner I had laying around.  This is really too much “paper attaching” to use a wet glue.

Continue cutting and gluing until all sections of the folded tag (um, card) have been covered.



Cover the outside fold of your card with a complementary tape.  I like this one since it showed different styles of shoes and fit the Couture paper quite well.



Now for the fun part!  Grab your Couture paper, stickers, and chipboard and start combining elements.  I fussy-cut some of the images out from the paper pages.



Once your satisfied with your arrangement, glue or stick everything down.  I used foam squares on the woman at the bottom of the left page to make her stand out.



Don’t forget the front!  I attached some of the Graphic 45 stamp stickers to the front of my tag card to make it more dimensional and ran a boarder from the sticker sheet around the top and bottom. 

Now you have a card to give to someone “just because”!

You can find the products used here and many more for your crafting projects at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC.  All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Craft Supplies Facebook group.  If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying TOO MUCH for your craft supplies!

Supplies Used Available from Lone Wolf Designs LLC:
Graphic 45 Couture 8x8 Pad
Graphic 45 Couture Stickers
Graphic 45 Chipboard
Ranger Inkssentials Manila #12 Tag

Until later………………………………………