Altering An Old Dictionary

Happy holidays everyone! I have a project that took two videos to make! I love making art journals and have made lots of them.  What makes this one different is that I use the old book paper for the inside of the journal.  In the first video, I make book cloth using lots of stencils and a few different sizes of Gel Press® Plates to create a colorful cover.  In the second video, see how the book cloth is attached to an old dictionary book and how I prepare the book to become an art journal.

Video 1:

Video 2:

Front Cover

Back Cover

Inside Cover

Front Cover

Here are some other creative uses for book cloth:

• Die-cut into flowers and layer to use as 3-D embellishments
• Cover a lampshade
• Sew into a brush or pencil holder
• Cover a box 
• Make a cloth journal
• See more ideas on Pinterest HERE (I especially love the "quiet book" idea for children)

I would love to hear your ideas for using book cloth. Please leave a comment below.

Thanks for visiting today!

Kathy 

Always Be Grateful

No matter how you may feel, there is always something to be grateful for.  I recently saw a video where American olympic skater, Scott Hamilton, talks about how he is handling the return of a brain tumor. Watch the video Here.  His positivity is something to strive for!

I made this little accordion card to inspire myself to be grateful no matter how I may feel.  Find out how I printed with real leaves to make this card in my video.

Here are the quotes:

Find something to be grateful for today.  

“The first thing I teach skaters at my skating academy is how to get up — because we’re going to fall,” Hamilton says. “And that’s how I live my life: I’m going to fall down, I’m going to make mistakes, I’m going to do all kinds of things that I’m going to wish didn’t happen. But it’s what’s next — it’s how you get up … The more times you get up, the stronger you are to face the next thing, which will happen — because that’s life.” Scott Hamilton

Hope you are having a wonderful fall season! 

Kathy

Video Frenzy With Gel Press® and StencilGirl

Today is Video Frenzy Day with Gel Press® and StencilGirl and Gel Press® designers have been working hard to inspire you with their projects.  Look for the link at the end of my blog today to see the rest of the videos.  Here is my project.

Thanksgiving Card Made from Masterboard

Using a Masterboard to make backgrounds is a great way to start seasonal projects. I used the 12" x 14" Large Format Gel Press® Plate and StencilGirl stencils and printed on large mixed media paper to make my Masterboard.  What is a Masterboard, you ask?

Masterboard- a large mixed media background of various patterns and colors that can be cut into smaller projects.

I love StencilGirl stencils and have dozens of them.  Many leading artists design their unique stencils so there is something for everyone!  They even have a monthly club that I was a member of for over a year. I received 3 exclusive stencils every month, along with access to a private Facebook group and monthly video on how the artist who designed the stencils used them.  Find out more about the club here.

See how I made my fall themed Masterboard in my video.  

Masterboard Technique Steps

1. Place the stencils/masks onto the Gel Press® Plate. 
2. Drop fluid acrylic paints on top of the stencils.  I used 2 or 3 colors that would not make mud.
3. Remove the stencils.
4. Brayer one or two colors of heavy body acrylic paint onto palette paper.  Make sure that the brayer is covered with a thin layer of paint. 
5. Brayer over the fluid acrylic paint on the plate.  The heavy body paint will fill in the areas where there's no fluid acrylic paint. 
6. Pull the print.  

Tips:

• Overlap large patterned stencils/masks over smaller patterned ones (or vise versa) for interesting results.  
• Placed stencils in a tub of water to make cleanup easy.
• Add a touch of metallic or luminous colors for dramatic results.
• Use similar colored fluid acrylic paints and heavy body acrylic paints to avoid muddy colors.
• Use contrasting colors for the different layers. Just don't brayer over the same spot in Step 5 or you could get mud and ruin the stencil pattern.

Thanksgiving Card Using StencilGirl and Gel Press@

Place Cards Using Masterboard

Gel Press® Printed Avery Labels

Masterboard Projects

Ready for the Holidays!

Now go check out the rest of the videos on the Gel Press® YouTube Channel or on the Gel Press Facebook Page today.

I hope you are inspired to make something crafty with Gel Press® and StencilGirl stencils.  And when you do, don't forget to share it on Gel Press Junkies Facebook page! For more inspiration follow Gel Press® on Pinterest and Instagram.

Have a great Holiday Season!

Kathy

Shiny Happy Little Canvases

Remember that 90's song by REM, Shiny Happy People?  Here's a reminder.

Can it get happier than that? Yes. It can.

I think about that song when I look at these bright fun doodly little canvases! 

And how I made them is equally as fun! I shared the video a few days ago and thought I would give you a closer look at the canvases themselves.  Here is the video in case you missed it.

I sometimes doodle during meetings, church (don't tell) or when I am on the phone, but usually not in my art. I really got into it with these colorful prints. It was very relaxing!

And I have to admit, that cutting them up after all of that work was scary and a bit risky. I kept second-guessing myself.  But in the end, I listened to my intuition. 

These little canvases were screaming for some positive words.  So that's what I gave them. They are perfect sitting on a shelf because of the deep edge and are sure to brighten any space. I plan on doing more of this type of art because it makes me happy to create AND to look at!

Here they are individually.

 Wonderful Things

Wonderful Things

Impossible Things

Impossible Things

Never Give Up

Never Give Up

What Comes Next

What Comes Next

BE

BE

Imperfection

Imperfection

Timing

Timing

So there is my shiny happy blog post! Hope I have brightened your day a little bit! If you are interested in purchasing any of these canvases, I will be posting them on my facebook page, but you can also let me know below.  

4" x 4" Deep Edge Canvases

$15 each plus shipping

Till next time,

Kathy

Falling Leaves With Gel Press

Check out my tutorial about how I made these mixed media leaf streamers on the Gel Press® blog today.  

I had lots of leftover leaves and wanted to share what I made with them.

I knew these colorful leaves would make really pretty cards but I wanted to make art that I could hang on my wall. So I came up with this layered collage.  

I love this 12" x 12" shadow box frame I got at Michaels that allows me to pick the depth I need.  I get them on sale half off (about $10) and then grab a bunch in black and white to keep on hand for projects like this. I've done mixed media scrapbook layouts and given them as gifts ready to hang on the wall. 

So what kind of crafty fall projects are on your desk? Are you working on Christmas projects yet?Leave me some comment love below!

Till next time, 

Kathy

Prima's Rust Paste and The Blue City

I love companies that have unique and successful artists create products because those products are usually things that other artists really want.  Prima is one of those companies and Finnabair, aka Anna Dabrowska, is one of those artists.  Along with many other artist, Finnabair has her own very successful line of stencils, stamps, embellishments, mixed media paints and mediums with Prima.

I love creating patinas and when I saw Finnabair's Rust Paste, I knew I had to have it.  It comes in a set of three colors, red, brown and gold, and has an opaque, textural, matte finish. I applied the paste to some chipboard die-cuts to test it out.

Rusting It Up!

I started by applying the brown paste first, then added red, leaving some of the brown showing. It goes on gritty but layers beautifully and does not flake off when dry.  It looks like rust that has built up over time.  I was really impressed!

I added a touch of Finnabair's new acrylic paint, Art Alchemy, in Violet-Gold, which is much more fluid and works really well over the Rust Paste. I applied it with my finger and a very light touch so I could create just a glimmer of gold. If I added too much, no problem! I just kept layering Rust Paste and paint until I liked the results.

I only have two colors of Art Alchemy: Metallique Light Patina (turquoise), and Opal Magic Violet-Gold. The latter has two-tone qualities, for a very unique effect. I LOVE the beautiful shimmer that this paint has, and there are many more colors to choose from. I must have more!

The Project

So what will I make with these rusty die-cuts?  Sometimes the answer is right in front of me.  I had a canvas that I started and didn't like where it was headed.  So I put it on a shelf that faces my desk.

Unfinished Canvas

Ugly, right?  Well, I had an idea. I removed the orange from the canvas and started layering Finnabair's beautiful, shimmery Art Alchemy paints over the layers that were already there.

After the paints dried, I used a rubber stamp from Finnabair's Dirty Walls Stamp Set (oh man, this set is so cool!) with Manganese Blue and Sepia Archival Ink to add more depth to the background.

After much song and dance with my rusty die-cuts, metal Prima embellishments and some photos on my desk, my canvas was finally finished.  

I've been obsessed with this blue city in Morocco since I discovered it online a while back.  Blue is my favorite color and to think that there is a city where all the buildings are blue makes me giddy! The town is called Chefchaouen and someday I want to see it in real life.  But for now, I can dream in blue!

Is there a place that inspires you?  I would love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today! 

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