frog dog studio

Surround Yourself with Friends--A Mixed Media Canvas

2014-05-27T06:30:00.000-06:00

Good morning! Today I have a canvas project tutorial to share with you. This is one of my personal favorite projects--it was fun and easy to do. Let's get started!

To begin, I used an 8 x 10 canvas board covered with a light coat of gesso. I used several shades of blue paint (including the one in the kit) and a brayer to lightly spread the paint around.

Next, I laid down a stencil and used the liquid chalk ink from the kit to create a light background pattern.

Using stencils, spray ink, and distress paints I created a few layers on the background.

I went around the edge of the whole board with gold Gelato and rubbed it in with my fingers. Then, I added a little bit more texture with spray ink and stencils.

Using the dropper in my sepia ink, I loosely sketched in some tree branches. I did this by just starting at the edge of the canvas and slowly dragging the dropper across the canvas. You can squeeze more ink out to make the branches thicker, or just spread sections that are already thick to add thinner branches.

I set the canvas aside to dry and pulled out a sheet from the vellum book in the kit. Using the new Dina Wakley stamps (which I LOVE!), I stamped the bird images then colored them in using a mixture of the oil paint crayons, oil paint medium, and watercolor crayons. I wanted a very soft blended feel.

Since this has a very springtime feel to it, I thought I'd make the tree sort of a cherry blossom by adding some paint through a circle stencil along the branches.

I fussy cut the birds and attached them to the canvas using matte medium. Then I added some colored glitter paste to the birds just for a little extra sparkle and texture. I also put a quote from my stash.

And here is the final product!

Gelli Plate cards

2014-05-25T01:00:00.000-06:00

Hi, Sanna here today with my last May project. Remember the gelli prints I created for this canvas? I had only used half of them so I had plenty to create some cards from. If you want to see how I created those backgrounds, go back to this post.

Since the prints were already very bold in colour and pattern, I just glued them down on the card bases and added only a few decorational elements. I also added some crackle paste thru various The Crafter´s Workshop stencils here and there on the cards. Here is what the finished cards look like:

All the additional embellishments are various random pieces from my stash. There are also some resin embellishments on some cards. I created those while I was making my April jewellery projects (see details on this blog post).

I used all kinds of little elements I had at home:

And in the end I had all these molds to play with. On some of the resin embellishments I have used a silver Alumilite metallic powder in combination with the Amazing Clear Cast resin and the Alumilite red or blue dye ink. Other resin pieces I created without the silver powder. I loved creating these molds and my custom resin pieces. Now I have plenty of those ready to be used on some future projects too.

Have fun creating,

xoxo, Sanna

Simply stencils - Mixed Media Layout

2014-05-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

Hello there! Here comes my final project with the May kit. For this layout I wanted to mainly use the Stampendous stamps set (by Nathalie Kalbach). I just love these designs!! And there is also a free template included in the stamp set, by the way!!! Therefore, be prepared for yet another stencil project :) ...

This is how I did the layout background:

I sprayed some yellow and green spray ink directly onto the white cardstock. The colours I used are by Lindy´s Stamp Gang (Yellow Rose of Texas and Rusty Lantern Lime).

Next I took some black and grey dye ink and stamped with the "Wired" stamp set near the areas where my photos would later be. The grey ink is a shadow ink and will end up being a much lighter tone, when dry.

After that I applied some black Glimmer Glaze and created random ink splatters for contrast.

I really like adding ink splatters to my layout background so I added a few more :). This time I first used the "New Sprout" ink spray (from the kit). And a Lindy´s Starburst colour "Shabby Turbine Teal".

Then I proceeded by placing the stencil that was included in the stamp set over the cardstock and dabbed randomly over the stencil with VersaMark ink.

After that I just first poured some grey embossing powder over the inked area and after that added the green powder. Then I just heated the powder with a heat gun.

This is how my background looked before adding the photos, embellishments, the title and journaling.

This is the finished layout. I added some vellum paper to the edges and painted it with the blue "Beach Hut" tone and stamped with black dye ink and the circle dot stamp from the kit over it. I love the look of the vellum when painted with the Fresco Paints!! I also treated the wooden heart with the light green chalk ink that was in the kit. Other than that I left the embellishments as they were (untreated).

I hope you have enjoyed this little step-by-step and get those stencils and stamps out and play a little :)!!

xoxo, Sanna

Lucious Layering and Stamped Resin Pendants...

2014-05-24T10:01:00.000-06:00

Hello – it's Brenda Burfeind visiting today from the Amazing Crafting Products Creative Team! Today I am going to show you a technique I hope you will enjoy. Many times I use my products not like they are supposed to be used. I love to experiment and with that let's see what I have to share with you today.

There are still a few April Add-On kits with the Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Clear Cast Resin... and a birdie told me that it's on Sale in the Frog Dog Studio store {as well as the Alumilite Metallic Powders}.

I received the new Frog Dog Studio May Mixed Media Kit and wasn't quite sure how to use it. There are a lot of cool items in this kit, but for me it was a bit overwhelming. I'm not much of a artist in the sense of drawing and painting. Today I am sharing what I have done with some of the parts and pieces.

In the April Kit we received these awesome acrylic pieces. Of course I had to mold them before using them. You can go here to see a video how to make your molds using the Amazing Mold Putty. I molded this piece with the Amazing Casting Resin and Alumilite Metallic Silver Powder.

I applied the Beach Hut Paper Artsy Chalk Acrylic paint directly to my stamp and pressed my Amazing Casting Resin piece directly onto the stamp upside down and let it dry. Then I used the Pastel Peach Quick Dry Fluid Chalk onto another part of the stamp and pressed my resin piece directly onto it upside down again. The reason I did it this way is so that I could control which part of the stamp I was using, since it is a big stamp.

I just ran my stamp under some warm water soapy after I was finished stamping and it came pretty much clean. The paints do not alter your stamp in any means, just not as gray as it was brand new. You just don't want to let the acrylic paints dry and clog up the detail in the stamp.

Now before I did all this I knew I wanted my piece to have a textured, 3D effect. How was I going to create that texture of the stamp? How about embossing it? I of course did not have any colored embossing powders to match those colors that came with the kit – but last month we also received these fabulous Aumidust Powders. SO off to experimenting again... I combined regular clear embossing powder with the Orange Alumidust and mixed them together.

Eureka!!! DIY Orange Embossing Powder!

Then after I had stamped my image from above, I sprinkled the embossing powder over the resin piece IMMEDIATELY. The Pastel Peach says its quick dry and I didn't know how "quick" drying it was.

Poured the remaining embossing powder back into my container and, then I set the embossing powder with my heat gun. The result is fabulous shimmery detail.

I wanted my piece to shine so I mixed up some of the Amazing Clear Cast Resin and added a layer to dome my piece. You might be curious as to what I have my pendant suspended on... CLICK HERE to see my DIY Doming Platform for resin.

That had to set up and cure for about 24 hours...

and now I have another pendant created all while experimenting.

I hope I've given you some ideas on how to use your products – not the way they were intended... don't be afraid to experiment. Sometimes you may "fail" but I always have fun trying new and different things. I really love the dimension and layers of texture captured in the Amazing Clear Cast Resin.

Thanks for stopping by! I will also be sharing another project on my blog on June 2nd using more of this month's kit. So please save the date and hope to see you at Creativity is a State of Mind.

Until next time, keep experimenting ~ Brenda Burfiend

{type: another mixed media print}

2014-05-23T07:30:00.000-06:00

Hello there! It's Smitha again this month and I am sharing another fun project with the May Mixed Media Kits. This one a special one for me because I love all things typewriter!

I started by cutting up some of the packaging materials that came with the kit and creating a collage on my page.

Next, I applied paints and mists and added some color.

I then used the stencil that came in the kit with the chalk inkers and added the typewriter onto the collage.

Finally I added some embossing paste and copper embossing powder to add dimension to the typewriter.

And here is a look again at the finished page. I added some stitching here and there to bring in more texture.

And here are some detailed looks...

Playful Musings: Sending Your Love

2014-05-22T01:30:00.000-06:00

Postcards and cards from the edge!! Time to send friends postcards and cards as RAK's (Random Acts of Kindness). Create a stash of cards and postcards to send out at a moments notice.

The paint and ink in the kit was used to create a free-form background. Messy is GOOD!

Used another Prima Marketing peach ink color (not in kit) to stamp an image from the N Studio stamps from Stampendous.

Take the same stamp and stamp with the green ink in the kit. Use the green ink and add the fence looking background.

Use the stencil in the N Studio stencil from the package and stencil in another Prima ink color (not in kit) or any moss green color you want.

A stiff brush or stencil brush was used to stencil the typewriter "Stencil Girl" stencil. Mary Beth (from St. Louis like me) started this Fantastic company with many talented artists designing stencils!

The green ink was used and then added pearlescent ink on top to add shimmer.

Create and Art was stamped...and now you have a finished postcard to send!! I used t-shirt cardboard, but any heavy-duty cardboard can be used. This is 4x6 sized.

Stepped out of my box to try lettering!!! Vellum and Gelly Roll Pens are a marriage made in heaven!!!! A previous kit had some pens and I have a stash to play with.

What I did was make some little lines in pencil. Then I did the letters. I want to do more and find a book on lettering so I can learn many styles! I am hooked!!!

The vellum was only adhered at the top so you can flip the vellum up. Added adhesive to the colored areas and the wood pieces also held the vellum in place.

The little flower from the kit was colored with Gelly Roll pens. Colored two-toned to make it pop with a little dimension.

Solid stamps and bright colors can also work :-)

There are different thickness of vellum. I have more ideas I might be able to share in the future. This vellum is a bit thicker than most, semi-opaque.

Make cards, share with your friends. Make them smile!!!

Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

May Kit Journal Page with Gelli Plate prints and Stencil Girl:)

2014-05-21T04:00:00.000-06:00

Hello again!!

I'm loving our May kit so here I am up again with my next project...a spread in my

Gratitude Journal.

I'm so grateful for good friends...friends that know all your flaws and love you just the same:)

For this project, I used

Oil Pastels

Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paint (beach hut)

Stampendous, n*Studio Stamp Set

Stencil Girl typewriter stencil

Scarlet Lime pen

Uni-ball Signo pen (white)

Pitt multi-liner pen (black, XS)

Gelli plate prints (from previous May project)

Super heavy gesso

So, I started by adding blocks of color with the oil pastels.

Next, I brushed on (with a foam brush) the Fresco Finish Paint

It's transparency allows the beautiful color beneath to come through.

I loved using the Fresco paints with my Gelli plate, so I made plenty of prints during my previous card and envelope project this month. You can see how I created these here.

I tore them into pieces and applied them to the pages with matte medium.

Next, I used super heavy gesso to stencil this cute Stencil Girl typewriter.

I added bits and pieces of detail with the my three favorite pens...

Uni-ball Signo (white) , Scarlet Lime, and Pitt multi-liner (XS)

It's all in the detail:)

(except for the pencil lines I forgot to erase!)

I used a Brilliance ink pad in moonlight white to apply the "chain link" stamp

Hope you feel inspired to journal with our great May Kit!!

As always,

It's a joy to share with you!

Sue

Elmer's Glue Resist with Oil Pastels

2014-05-20T04:00:00.000-06:00

Hello!

Happy Tuesday:)

I think I like the process for this project even more than the completed page...

I really enjoyed experimenting with ALL the products in our wonderfully made May Kit!

So, here it goes...

I grabbed a piece of black card stock to create this page.

Using clear Elmer's glue, I drew a design on the right and left sides.

(You don't have to use clear...white glue dries clear as well- it's just what I had on hand.)

Next, I colored in the design with the Oil pastels.

I love how they look on the black background.

Next, I used the cute Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink (pastel green) & the Stencil that came with the Stampendous n*studio stamp set

(on the black paper, the green looks almost white)

I wanted to tone down the stenciled "dots" above, so I stamped over it (in black) with one of the stamps from the Stampendous n*studio stamp set....see below.

I used another stamp in the set (I especially LOVE this one!) and applied the very cool Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paint (pumpkin soup) with a Q-tip

For a little more "pop" to help my sentiments stand out...

a little Brilliance in moonlight white...

using a third stamp in the kit...what a great value to receive all 3 of these great stamps!!!

I added some detail with one of my favorite pens...Uni-ball Signo in white.

The Fireworks spray mist (new sprout) looks great on black too, so I "dripped on" some fun "splatters."

As always, so many of the kit products will last for a long time to come...

THANK YOU FROG DOG!!!

Hope you are inspired to create today!!!

It's a joy to share with you,

Sue

"Dream" canvas and another simply stencils idea

2014-05-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Today I´d like to share with you a little step-by-step tutorial on a canvas I created with the May kit.

I started with the vellum paper and used several tones (check out the store for more colours) of Fresco Finish paints in combination with The Crafter´s Workshop stencils on my Gelli Plate. I kept on adding different paint colors and stencils over each other and also used one of the stamps by Nathalie Kalbach to create more layers. These are the finished vellum pieces for my canvas.

Then I went along and added some stamp images (N* Studio stamps from the kit) over the prints. I used a dark grey chalk dye ink for this purpose.

Then I cut the pieces in half (I am going to use the other half of the gelli prints on another project later) and teared the vellum paper edges for a more grungy look.

I have to confess that I was so into creating at this point, that I forgot to take another picture of what I did next. But it is pretty simple, so I am sure you will get the idea even though I don´t have a photo. I now cut these pieces in half again and rolled them into tiny vellum rolls (I used a regular glue here). Next I took a piece of thin wire and wrapped some of it around each roll for additional detail. Then I left them to dry.

Next I decorated the canvas and first covered it with white gesso, let that layer dry properly and then applied a layer of crackle paste thu a stencil onto the canvas. Then I just let that layer dry a while too.

Next I applied Fresco Finish paints over the crackle paste. I used "Beach Hut", "Mermaid" and "Guacamole" tones. I used a regular paint brush for applying the paint and when the canvas was all covered I sprayed some water over the surface and then let it dry again.

After the paint was all dry I grabbed some Lindy´s Stamp Gang color sprays and sprayed teal and green tones over the layer of paint. I let the mists drop/run freely across the canvas as I really like this effect. After this layer was dry, I grabbed some golden iZink and white Liquitex Ink and did the same with those. I love the droplet look and the white and gold inks add a really nice contrast to the background.

Next I just stamped some black patterns - using on of the N* Studio stamps (from the kit) - onto the background around the area where my vellum rolls would later be. There are also some black ink splatters here and there. I made those with Glimmer Glaze. Then I just glued the vellum rolls down onto the canvas and added the decoration. This is how the finished canvas looks like:

and here are some close-up photos for you:

I hope you have enjoyed this little step-by-step. The stencils I used for the Gelli Plate prints are by The Crafter´s Workshop, just in case you were wondering. The embellishments are all from previous Frog Dog Studio kits.

Have fun with your kit!!!
xoxo, Sanna

Jewels in the Sand...

2014-05-18T21:30:00.000-06:00

Hello creatives! Susan here to share a special project combining Amazing Crafting Products and Frog Dog Studio – our Partners "In-Crafting". Last weekend I took a little road trip north up to the Daytona Beach to visit with family and have a meetup with ACP Creative Team member Brenda who was vacationing in Florida for the week. All things worked out – including the weather for a perfect weekend at the beach!

This May Mixed Media Kit is the perfect mix of colors and products to create a summer getaway keepsake. Please grab a cuppa {and perhaps a snack} this is a bit lengthly with techniques I'm sure you will be excited to try.

I was so excited to receive the Paper Artsy paints and an add-on of Grunge Paste... if you've used modeling paste – Grunge Paste definitely kicks it up a couple notches.

I have been on a kick of organizing supplies, purging and utilizing projects started but never finished. This project is starting out as plastic shell dishes that I had in my stash leftover from a party from who knows when {yes - it's been that long}. I had started out to make a clamshell shaped book with these and collaged two of them with recycled phone book pages. I need a couple of templates for making my pages and embellishments later on; so I also traced onto a styrofoam takeout box {for it's non-stick qualities} and scrap of cardboard. I repeated the traced shape about 1/8" inside and cut on the inner line to create slightly smaller shape for pages.

I began by priming my collaged base using a gesso/paint/glazing medium mix that I prepare so often I mixed a whole bottle of it. I applied this in a dry brush fashion so as to not wet the paper too much; covering enough so the ink from the pages won't bleed through. After the gesso layer was dry, I misted the New Sprout Fireworks Mist on my craft sheet and brushed this onto the shell shapes. This is starting to really come to life now.

Now to add some texture and dimension with the Paper Artsy Grunge Paste. I grabbed some craft sand I have in my stash {I like to combine it with pearlescent glitters for summertime projects} and dumped a little on the craft sheet. I combined a spoonful of the Grunge Paste with the sand and a few spritzes of the New Sprout Fireworks Mist and also the Lindy's Shadow Mists from March Kit. I applied this methodically to build up the highpoints and texture, but not covering the collaged paper entirely. I used my fingers to feather and blend out any hard edges and set aside to dry on a recycled takeout styrofoam box.

I set those aside to dry completely for about an hour then flipped over and sprayed a bit of the two Lindy's sprays and the Fireworks to the interior of each shell. I certainly could have stopped here... but I'm all about the details and bringing my vision of this book to life.

Next - bringing out the depth with rouging! I brushed the high points with the Prima Chalk Edger Pastel Peach ink. I love mini ink pads to do this kind of detailing. The small foam applicator fits in small areas and drys almost instantly. I focused on the high points with the peach. In the right photo, the top shell has the peach and the bottom looks flat and monotone.

Now for contrast by adding the Pastel Green Prima Chalk Edger ink pad in the low points. This really brought the blue tones out of the collaged paper below and finished off the realistic texture I was going for. I had originally planned to use a can of that texture spray stuff from the hardware store – this worked out so much better than that!

WOW... these really look like weathered old shells found on the beach!

I'm going to be needing some interior pages for my book. ACP Creative Team Member DeeDee Catron invented a new twist on the image transfer technique using Amazing Casting Resin and this project is a good project to give this a try.

I have some photos that I took at the beach that I will transfer to the casting resin and when cured will leave me with durable, sturdy pages ready for more mixed media application. Please CLICK HERE to view the how-to on the image transfer process. With 4 laser printed photos prepared sized to fit my shell template, I poured one Tablespoon {1 oz.} of parts "A" and "B" of Amazing Casting Resin. I poured both into a mixing cup and stirred slowly. The casting resin starts out cloudy and milky and will turn completely clear when it's completely combined – then it's ready to pour.

I poured some resin onto each photo and spread out across each image to cover completely. This will be a distressed book, so I'm not so concerned with the perfection of flatness of the resin pour. When the resin cures it becomes opaque white.

I started with a thin layer because I want to be able to cut these to the shell shape when done, so I'm prepared to make multiple pours to cover images completely. The left image is after the first pouring; the right is after a second pouring of the Amazing Casting Resin. In hindsight, I will do one photo at a time – the resin heats up and cures faster when adding multiple layers which limits time to manipulate and spread out the resin.

These are the completely covered images after the third and final pouring of Amazing Casting Resin. The last pour cured faster than anticipated so the backs of my pages are very streaky and distressed – adding to the charm of my shell book.

I prepared a shallow dish of warm water and soaked my images. After about 15 minutes, I began the rubbing process to remove the paper to reveal the images below. These images are approx. 5" x 7" so this took a considerable amount of time. I used a 28lb. color copy grade paper {a step up from standard 20lb. bond paper} for my images. I plan to experiment with a cardstock weight paper and see if the removal process eases – for with this paper I used it seems the resin soaked all the way through the paper making the paper seemingly moisture resistant. After much rubbing, sanding and scrubbing, I enlisted my bone folder {one made of actual bone} to use as a scraper to break through the layers of paper fiber revealing my images. The bone folder has a dull edge allowing me to apply some pressure in pressing sideways across the image and not scrape it entirely away.

Since I used Amazing Casting Resin as the base, the durability of the images is SUPREME! My photos took a considerable amount of abuse to reveal their beauty... and I this was totally worth the labor put in. Just these four images took a couple of hours to remove the paper fiber to my liking. I am grateful to DeeDee for this gift of a technique – I have tried pretty much every image transfer technique, which are far more time consuming resulting in delicate, thin images which are great for layering in collage. Transferring to the Amazing Casting Resin eliminates much of the preparatory steps and gives a beautiful transfer that is durable with an opaque base that is ready for mixed media application on the back. This process was totally worth the time and elbow grease invested, and I look forward to exploring this technique further on different papers and also using Amazing Clear Cast Resin.

With image transfers completed and dry, I hold my template behind the page in front of the light to see where I want to crop my image. Holding the template in place, I trace around the template with a Sharpie, then cut out using my tonic scissors.

Any visible marker after cutting is removed with rubbing alcohol. I gently sanded the edges and added more distressing to the image with an emory board and sanded the backside of the page to remove the glossy finish. Then I spritzed with the New Sprout Fireworks mist... BAM! This page looks aged and weathered with a pop of color and I repeat with the other three pages.

Inside the shell scoop area I am creating a pocket to hold a mold/cast resin starfish and pieces of shells from my recent trip to the beach. I punched a series of holes using my Crop-A-Dile to wire wrap some beads and pearls from my stash {leftovers from other projects}. I also punched two holes set with eyelets at the bottom of each shell to accept binder rings for assembly. I repurposed some plastic packaging from some embossing folders and cut two shell shapes – distressed and stamped with Nathalie Kalbach n*Studio Stampendous stamps; then added a rub-on distressed border. I layered some shimmery floral mesh and May Arts burlap, added shells and secured items in place with hot glue.

On left is collage of shells and blue mesh with a copper die cut shell from my stash. On right, pocket is complete with plastic cover in place. I wire wrapped beads and pearls around the edges. The plastic will stay secure in place wedged under the wire wrapping – allowing access to add more beach found treasures later.

Each of the pages have been accented with the Pumpkin Soup and Beach Hut Paper Artsy Fresco Finish paints and over-stamped using my collection of Nathalie Kalbach n*Studio Stampendous stamps with Fresco Finish in snowflake. These stamps are so wonderful... I had to have the other two sets also.

The backs of each page rubbed with with the Pumpkin Soup and Beach Hut Paper Artsy Fresco Finish paints to bring out the weathered, watery detail. I will add other pix and ephemera to these pages later. This book has room to grow.

The stamping over the image transfers add texture and interest.

Using medium book binder rings from my stash, I assembled the book together. I even included a little charm "made with love" from by bead stash completes this treasure from the beach.

I tied some strips of tulle, gold ribbon and sections
of frayed May Arts blue cotton ribbon.

I'm so excited to have completed this labor of love to commemorate my special time at the beach. This is a keepsake I will enjoy adding to – and include my trips to beaches in exotic destinations.

I'm so in love with the end result of this vision I had long ago. Thank you for taking time to stick with me to the end. I hope you are inspired to create your own mixed media keepsake using ordinary items.

You can find more of my work at the Amazing Crafting Products Blog

or at my personal blog... sbartist : painting in the dark.

~ Susan M. Brown {sbartist}

Frozen Charlotte/Stamp Resin with Amazing Crafting Products

2014-05-16T09:41:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy Friday!

Tina here today with our monthly Amazing Crafting Products feature. Each month, we feature ACP products in combination with our current month kit for more Amazing projects!

Today, I am sharing a video tutorial on how I created this super fun ATC cards, using ACP Mold Putty and Amazing Casting Resin.

Before we get to the video tutorial, here's a couple of close-ups of my ATC cards!

And the video!

So what do you think about creating a mold from your stamps? What a fun and creative idea!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial today! Thank you for stopping by!

Art for a Journal

2014-05-15T09:36:00.001-06:00

I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to talk shop (as they say) with you today. What great supplies we have to use from our kits (Tina has the best style)!!!

Here is my true art love, a journal. Create without stress because you can keep it the way it is or come back to it forever. Doesn't need to look good on the wall or become a gift for your mother-in-law. Just relax and create.

I have a journal that I've finished covering all the backgrounds with ink, paint and some texture using stencils. I chose a page that would really make the teal paint pop.

Teal is opposite of magenta in terms of the color wheel, so it gives a great contrast. The teal paper strips are just the vellum pages painted with teal and a bit of the pumpkin to add depth.

Once I chose my pages, I stamped some great texture with Natalie's stamps from the kit.

I love the giant circles because they really support focal points.

Just like my last post, I used paper from Graphic 45's Coture collection. I liked repeated the girl image like she was in bubbles. I used the inks around the edges of the circles.

With the paper strips I made, I use a border cut out of patterned paper.

For really great layers, continue what patterns you started in the background in small amounts overlapping the new layers and the background. This convinces the eye that everything in unified.

It is also a good idea to put some of your new layer's color into the background.

Notice that I got a great effect from stamping with teal paint for a while then inking the dirty stamp and pressing hard! It was planned (nope I'm lying).

Make a cluster of collage to support the visual "weight" of your focal point.

The kit's embellishments are wonderful because they can be painted to go with almost any theme.

This is how I made my pages, and I hope it sparks some ideas for you! And notice, being different is an ecellent idea.

Art is like magic except the tricks are open to everyone. I welcome questions!

-heather kindt

#Cre8time Play with Pergamano...

2014-05-14T08:01:00.000-06:00

Hello! Sandra Strait visiting again from the Amazing Crafting Products Creative Team to share another project made with the May Frog Dog Studio Kit and Amazing Crafting Products.

I was thrilled when I opened the May kit. I've wanted to play around with the parchment pergamano technique. The kit included a Clearprint Vellum book which contains a form of parchment, so my chance had arrived!

The May Frog Dog Studio kit:
(1) Stampendous, n*studio stamp set, Wired
(1) Stencil Girl, n*studio, 6x6 stencil
(1) Clearprint, 6x8 Clear Vellum Field Book
(1) PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint, Pumpkin Soup
(1) PaperArtsy, Fresco Finish Paint, Beach Hut
(1) Imagine Crafts Fireworks Spray Mist, New Sprout
(1) Royal Langnickel Oil Pastel 12 piece set
(1) Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink, Pastel Peach
(1) Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink, Pastel Green
(3) Maya Road Metal Clips (random)
(3) Prima Wood Embellishments (random)
Valued at over $45

Amazing Crafting Products:

Amazing Mold Putty

Amazing Casting Resin

Alumilite Alumidust Powders - Gold, Cotton Candy, Lt. Green, Bright Blue

Parchment Pergamano Technique

Pergamano is essentially a dry embossing technique. Using instruments with rounded tips you press into the paper as though you were drawing. This embosses, pushes the paper out on the other side, turning it white. I decided to gussy up the cover of the vellum book.

Stencils are often used as guides with pergamano so I decided to use the typewriter from the kit.

It's a bit difficult to describe the process so I'm going to start by showing you the finished embossing. The Clearprint Vellum book has two covers, one a heavier vellum (which is desirable for pergamano), and the other a slick cardstock with printing.

I placed the stencil on the back of the translucent vellum and ran my embossing tools in the open spaces so the raised surface would be on the front of the book. Here you can see how the vellum turns white and is raised.

I used two different sized ball styluses for most of my embossing. For the tightest, narrowest places I used the tip of a palette knife, and to even out the large areas, I used a pencil eraser.

When I was done, this is what the front cover looked like.

Creating Depth

Having two covers, one of them translucent, gave me the perfect opportunity to create even more depth. For this part of the project, I used both Fresco Finish paints, the Fireworks spray mist and the Chalk Edger ink in Pastel Peach, as well as the circle of dots stamp.

With a waterproof black pen, I sketched in the image of a piece of paper on the inside cover, and then painted around it with Beach Hut.

I inked up the stamp with Pumpkin soup and stamped circle all around the pages, keep the 'paper' clear. I added a second layer of Beach Hut to the top portion of the page so there would be a 'wall' and a 'desk' area.

I always seem to forget to photograph at least one step, LOL. Laying the vellum cover down so I could see the stamped circles underneath, I took a waterproof black pen and outlined them. Then I turned the vellum over and used the pergamano technique to create white outlines.

With a red oil pastel, I colored on the back side of the vellum, leaving the embossed areas white. I used a paper stump to smooth out the color.

I spritzed the front of the vellum with the Fireworks spray.

And sponged on some Pumpkin Soup in some areas. I then wiped off most of the Pumpkin Soup so it just tinted most areas, except where the Clearprint logo was. I left it dark to help cover the logo, and to be the base for the dragonfly.

Gluing the Covers Together

Once everything was dry, I used a foam brush

to spread gel medium on the inside cover.

I pressed the vellum cover down to glue both covers together. While it was drying, I used the largest ball stylus tip to work beside the embossed areas so they'd be sure to adhere. I didn't apply too much pressure though, as I didn't want to leave marks.

I set the book aside and went to work on the 3D embellishments.

Creating the Dragonfly

For this part of the process, I used a mold that I had already created using Amazing Mold Putty (for more about that project, check out this post). I made a dragonfly knot with waxed thread, mixed even amounts of both putties, and pushed the putty around the knot, resulting in a shallow but nicely detailed mold.

To color the dragonfly, I brushed Alumidust Powders into the mold.

I cast my dragonfly with Amazing Casting Resin, mixing equal amounts of Parts "A" and "B", and then stirring until all swirls were gone, about 2-3 minutes. I poured quickly – the resin will set within minutes.

My finished dragonfly glowed with color!

For the wire elements, I placed some gel medium and some Alumidust on my craft sheet, and dragged the wires through the gel first and then the Alumidust. I dabbed the gel medium on the wood pieces and used a paint brush to pick Alumidust and brushed it on.

All that left was to glue the dragonfly, wood and wire items onto the cover. Because both the resin and vellum have slick surfaces, I used E6000® glue to make sure they'd stick and stay on.

List of tools used:

E6000® Adhesive
Gel Medium
Waterproof black pen
2 sizes Ball stylus
Palette knife
Pencil Eraser
Make-up sponge
Foam Brush
Paint Brush
Paper Stump

I hope you enjoyed my foray into Pergamano!

To explore all the products that are available,
please visit the Amazing Crafting Products website.

For more of my work in Amazing Mold Putty, Zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles,
tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog. ~ Sandra Strait

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

...........................................

I invite you to check out the Amazing Crafting Products Blog for more mold-making and resin projects, tips and techniques.

A set of cards and another simply stencils idea

2014-05-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Today I´d like to share with you a few quick cards I created using some pieces I had left over from my previous project.

I had mixed some light blue molding paste together for the second art journal page and since I had some paste over I wiped it onto a piece of white cardstock and used it for the "hello" card. I also sprayed some "New Sprout" spray ink over the masked paper to make it more colorful. Then I just fussy cut it and glued it down on a card base, added the stamped sentiment and some black color splatters and the card was all done.

For the bird card I used a piece of vellum paper. I first placed the vellum over a dry embossing folder, then rubbed/scratched with oil pastel pens over the paper to get the pattern onto the paper. After that I just stamped a bird (Dina Wakley "Scribbly Birds") with black Archival Ink onto the vellum, fussy cut it and glued it down onto the card. The rest I just doodled onto the card.

For the 3rd card I again took a piece of vellum paper and made the pattern as follows:

I first colored a layer with different oil pastel color tones pretty randomly.

After that I colored a second layer with a black oil pastel pen on top of the other layer, placed a leaf stencil (by The Crafter´s Workshop) over the layer and scratched with a sharp plastic tool the black layer off around the stencil lines. Then I just repeated this phase as long as I had the pattern I wanted. After that I just wripped the paper quite randomly around the edges and glued it down to a card base and stamped a sentiment. Fast and easy and reminds me of my first grade art class lection at school :).

Hope you have enjoyed this little "Simply stencils" idea and get inspired to try it out yourself! Have fun!

xoxo, Sanna

Kick Back to Elementary School

2014-05-11T20:44:00.001-06:00

by Heather Kindt

This month, I used the kit to create an 8x10 canvas.

With the colors in the May kit led me to add the Graphic 45 Couture collection.

I used the green spray and beach hut paint to cover a page of vellum. Then I stamped on the page and adhered it to a canvas.

With the oil pastels, I covered the whole surface with black. Then just like in elenentary school, I gently made scratches to reveal the color underneath. The effect is still cool!

Then I finished the collage with some of the bright papers and a mirror image of the fancy lady.

Art Dolls with Popsicle Paws

2014-05-10T11:41:00.000-06:00

Hello! Sandra Strait visiting here from the Amazing Crafting Products Creative Team today and I'm sharing a project I made with the May Frog Dog Studio Kit and Amazing Crafting Products.

The May Frog Dog Studio kit:

(1) Stampendous, n*studio stamp set, Wired
(1) Stencil Girl, n*studio, 6x6 stencil
(1) Clearprint, 6x8 Clear Vellum Field Book
(1) PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paint, Pumpkin Soup
(1) PaperArtsy, Fresco Finish Paint, Beach Hut
(1) Imagine Crafts Fireworks Spray Mist, New Sprout
(1) Royal Langnickel Oil Pastel 12 piece set
(1) Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink, Pastel Peach
(1) Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink, Pastel Green
(3) Maya Road Metal Clips (random)
(3) Prima Wood Embellishments (random)
Valued at over $45

Amazing Crafting Products:

Amazing Mold Putty

Amazing Mold Rubber

Amazing Casting Resin

Alumilite Alumidust Powders - Orange, Copper, Lt. Green, Bright Blue

Alumilite Mold Release

From Origami to Art Doll

I was playing around with an origami doll kit that I bought while traveling. As I was making the folds, it occurred to me that the vellum paper from May Frog Dog kit would probably fold nicely.

I tried it. It did.

And from there I used a hybrid of Origami, paper-folding and toilet-paper-mache to make an art doll.

Origami how-tos are an art of their own. Rather than recreate the origami wheel, I've included a link to a video that shows the basic folds I used, from someone who does them much better than I.

To start with, I needed a 4 x 8 inch square piece of vellum, a 4 x 4, and two sheets of 2 x 2. I removed the sheets of vellum from the Clearprint book, and tore them to size, using a ruler.

I used a kimono folding pattern, but left it open to make a dress instead. Then I folded the collar and the coat. For the head, what I had in mind was a French bulldog. None of the folds for dogs, cats or foxes quite gave me the look I wanted, so I made up my own.

I cut out a circle and a strip from the promotional

Paper Artsy Postcard included in the May kit.

I glued the circle to the front of the head, and the strip to the back. Then I inserted the strip into the collar and glued it down.

The collar fit into the kimono, and the kimono fit into the coat. I glued them all together. I cut two popsicle sticks in half, dragged them through some PVA glue and stuck them on for arms and legs.

When it was all assembled I had a strange cat-like art doll. I know. I said French bulldog, but as you saw above, it worked as both. The paint job made all the difference.

Molding the Doll

Now I started preparing the doll for molding. I applied glue everywhere. When you use Amazing Mold Rubber, it is in a liquid state at first, and it will seep under and around all the nooks and crannies. Some overhang is okay, but you if they are too deep, your mold may tear because it's caught in a hole.

I used a brush and a toothpick and covered every bit with PVA glue. I let the glue dry, and then went back looking for little holes and gaps, until I was satisfied that my doll was solid. (Amazing Clear Cast Resin might be a better choice for this. I would have used it, but I was away from home, and PVA glue was what I had.)

I smeared glue on back and pasted it down on a piece of art board.

Then guess what? I had made the doll with degrees of depth – one leg in front of the other, etc. so there was distance between parts of the doll and the board. More nooks for the Amazing Mold Rubber to catch on. These had to be filled in. (NOTE: I could have gone at this a different way. I could have put the art doll into a can that was slightly larger than the doll, figured out a way to keep it standing, and poured mold rubber all around it. I would have got a truer shape mold, both front and back, but I also would have used a LOT more mold rubber. I might consider trying it this way next time.)

I hauled out a roll of toilet paper, and began tearing off small bits, and used a toothpick and popsicle stick to push it in to fill the gaps.

When I'd filled everything in, I added more glue, wiping away excess as I went.

Now I needed to make a container for the Amazing Mold Rubber. You don't need to find a box or tin that fits – you can make your container from masking tape. Since I had an art board underneath, I stuck pieces of tape together, in a threefold way, half of each piece sticking to the art board, and half to each other.

Since my doll was made of mostly PVA glue and paper, there was a good chance it would stick to the mold rubber and tear. So I painted on three coats of Alumilite's Mold Release, covering the doll and the board thoroughly.

When I had my container ready, I mixed up my Amazing Mold Rubber. I used about half of both the 'A' and 'B' parts. You mix 1 scoop of the pink catalyst to each plastic cup of the thicker white goop in a separate container, until the whole magilla is a pale pink.

Then you pour it into your prepared container and let it set for several hours. I poured mine just before going to bed, and it was ready the next morning. Amazing Mold Rubber cures in 4 hours, but it can take even longer though, depending on the temperature and humidity.

Casting the Doll

I cast my doll with Amazing Casting Resin. As with the mold rubber, you mix equal amounts of Parts "A" & "B", and then stir them together until all swirls are gone, about 2-3 minutes.

I cast my first doll without adding anything

to the mold, because I knew I'd be painting it.

Before

After!

But I decided I wanted to try the Alumidust for the second doll. I brushed in Orange and Copper for Kitty's fur, and dressed her in Bright Blue and Lt. Green.

Painting the Dolls

For my Bulldog's face, I used the Jacquard Piñata 'Mantilla Black' from the March Frog Dog kit. I started out by painting the entire face, then once dry I used a white gel ink pen and a black sharpie to draw the eyes. Gel ink won't stick to resin, but it will stick to ink or paint, so it works as long as you paint first.

I painted her fashionable outfit in Beach Hut, Pumpkin Soup, and a mix of the Pumpkin Soup with the New Sprout Fireworks spray.

But what trendy outfit doesn't have texture and embellishment? I used two of the stamps from the May kit, inking up just a portion of the stamps...

...folding and pouncing one across the skirt...

...and the other on the edge of the coat, so it looked like fancy stitching.

And what self-respecting dog goes out with smashing accessories? I glued on the wire heart shape from the May Kit to give my bulldog a fashionable harness.

For my pretty kitty's eyes, I spritzed a little of the New Sprout spray into the Beach Hut paint. I added the detail with white gel ink pen and black Sharpie. To give more of an impression of a tiger tabby, I painted stripes of Pumpkin Soup on her face and paws, then stuck a toothpick into the Mantilla Black ink, and finished up with faint black stripes.

I decided I want to stay with a slimming minimalist look for her outfit, but it needed some definition, so I added a coat of Beach Hut to the coat lapel, and a mix of all three colors to outline the folds of the blouse.

Here is a video by Winsome Yuen that shows how to fold the collar, the kimono and the haori coat.

List of tools used:

PVA glue
Make-up sponge
Popsicle Sticks
Foam Brush
Paint Brush
White Gel Ink Pen
Black Sharpie

I lurve my art dolls. Hope you do as well!

For more of my work in Amazing Mold Putty, Zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my "Life Imitates Doodles" blog.

~ Sandra Strait

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

...........................................

Join us each Monday on the Amazing Crafting Products Blog for Mold Rubber Mondays – where we share projects and inspiration using this fabulous product!

Gelli Plate and Fresco Finish Paints...a match made in heaven:)

2014-05-09T03:00:00.000-06:00

OH WHAT A KIT!!!

I feel like I say that every month, but Tina puts the most amazing products together!!!

This project utilizes the delicious

Paper Artsy Fresco Finish Paint (Beach Hut)

Stampendous n studio Stamp Set (wired)

Clearprint, 6X8 Clear Vellum Field Book

Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink (Pastel Peach)

The Clearprint Vellum Book made me think of Vellum Envelopes right away...

this was where my inspiration for the mini notes with envelopes began:)

I decided to try the Fresco paint on my Gelli Plate. They are a match made in heaven:)

Squeeze out a small amount of paint, spritz with a little water and roll out on the

Gelli Plate using a brayer.

Lay a stencil down on top of the rolled out paint. (At the time, I didn't even realize the Stampendous n studio Stamp Set came with a 6 x 6 circle/dot stencil...same idea as the one used here)

The print you see above to the right, is the image created by laying the Vellum page on top of the stencil, on top of the "loaded" Gelli plate.

Not wanting to waste any paint, I flipped the stencil over (paint side down) onto another piece of Vellum and got the print below.

Below, I started the process again....dab of paint, spritz of water, roll with the brayer.

Press the stencil onto the Gelli Plate and then pull off...below is the imprint left.

I really like the transparent look of these Fresco Paints!

Next...Vellum on top.

Below is the print from this.

Again, I took the stencil from the Gelli Plate, and pressed it onto another piece of vellum.

(paint side down)

Below is that print.

So, now that I have some printed vellum ready, I drew the envelope pattern on each.

(a 6 x 6 stencil is the perfect size for this envelope pattern)

You can get the pattern here.

Trace the pattern with a pencil.

Once traced and cut, erase the pencil lines.

Fold...

& glue the bottom using kraft glue or matte medium. (this is what I used)

Back

Front

For a little more detail, I used the very cool stamp (above) from our kit.

For the card to go inside the envelope, I DID use the circle/dot stencil that came with the

Stampendous n studio Stamp Set

I opened the Prima Marketing Chalk Edger Ink (peach) and stamped right over the stencil onto a piece of white card stock. Then cut each card to measure "just a hair" over 2 1/2" square.

I added some details with my Scarlet Lime Pen

Adding a bit more with the card stock cut out and stamped words on white.

On the back of the envelope flap I stamped, using a small section of the "wire circle" in the Stampendous n studio Set.

The texture on top of the peach card stock came from the "wire grid" stamp included in the

Stampendous n studio Set.

More projects to come with the rest of the GREAT products included in our May Kit!!!

It's a joy to share with you!!

Sue

Impressionistic Art with Oil Pastels and Vellum

2014-05-08T01:30:00.000-06:00

Working with oil pastels is a love of mine. They lend themselves to so many surfaces! I would like to show you how to use your "finger" to spread out oil pastels, and to "paint" with oil pastels.

Here is the May kit. Mixing everything within the kit works well!!

The background is created in the vellum book. Oil pastels are colored thickly and then spread out with my finger. The heat and oils from your finger(s) breaks down the oil pastel. I used Amazing Crafting Products Allumilite Metallic Powder in Pearlescent. Use a soft mop brush to spread out the powder.

Note: I used the powder straight from the jar because it is a large surface I wanted to cover. BUT if you are using the powder on a smaller surface or background, use a small watercolor brush, dip in container, and tap off in the lid. This will prevent too much powder on the surface.

Stenciled over the background using the stencil in the Stampendous N Studio Stamps and Stencils. The Prima Marketing ink was used. Lightly tap over the stencil with the ink.

This is an illustration I created, draw or stamp an image (permanent ink). Pencil is used and then a Micron Pen (Sakura of America) is used to trace over my pencil lines. A kneaded or nylon eraser will remove the pencil.

I alternated inks with oil pastels to add color. The inks were used on the moon and skin and light areas of pants. The edge of the oil pastels used to add spots of color, then spread with my fingers.

Although the photo cannot show it, I used the Allumilite Powder in gold and pearlescent to add highlights and accents.

Here is a drawing of my son, asleep on the couch. I liked the natural look so after the drawing I did a light spray of fixative so the pencil marks didn't smear.

With your craft sheet or on plastic, lay down thick patches of color and then use a watercolor brush and odorless mineral spirits to break down the oil pastel. Dip the brush in the mineral spirits and light tap off the brush a little so it isn't dripping. Color areas, adding more oil pastel and mineral spirits.

add more oil pastels on top to add texture and shading.

Here is a close up of the oil pastels. This was created on bristol board. On cardstock or a more porous surface, the color will soak in even more. This is where you have to make sure to tap off your brush, if it is drippy, it will stain the cardstock.

An easy way to achieve the same look is to stamp an image with permanent ink and do the same technique.

Hope I have brought you some ideas to try with this month's kit!!!

Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

Just My Type--Gelli Printing and Stenciling on Vellum

2014-05-07T09:07:00.000-06:00

Good morning everyone! Today I am sharing a tutorial with you on how to create an art journal page using your Gelli plate and some of the fun May Frog Dog kit items.

To begin, I put down some of the paint from the kit onto my Gelli plate and spread it around with my brayer onto a sheet of the vellum from the notebook found in the kit. I added a few other complimentary shades of paint from my stash.

Next, I laid down the super cute typewriter stencil from the kit and brayered the blue paint from the kit over the top.

I added a little bit of the liquid chalk from the kit to the page. This stuff is seriously cool!!

I found this cute little quote stamp in my stash and stamped that on with black StayZ On ink.

Next I added some of the spray ink to the page and let it run and drip.

While that was drying I began to prep a page in my art journal using some stencils and paints to create a few layers.

I added some stamping to the vellum page and the journal background page using the Nat Kalbach stamps from the kit. I also added some pink Ranger Distress Paint to add some more color. I really like the pastel colors in the kit.

Finally, I glued the vellum sheet to the art journal page. Then, I added some journaling to the side. Here is the finished page:

Now or Never....

2014-05-06T09:07:00.001-06:00

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Tina here today with an Art Journal page!

I'm not sure if you've had a chance to play with the Clearprint vellum yet, but if you get the chance, please do. I really love the light weight feel of the paper, yet it handles all mediums very well. I've had no torn or ripped paper, and I have been embracing the 'wrinkling' effect when it becomes wet.

To start, I taped 2 sheets together (with Artist tape) to create a larger canvas.

I added some ephemera to the background, by adhering it with Matte Medium.

I started adding color with Fresco Finish paint, and Fireworks spray. Love how these 2 look together.

I also added Pumpkin Soup (Fresco Finish Paint), and some stamping for texture.

Once I create a base background, I hand-drew randomly shaped squares on my page.

I colored the shapes in with several colors of wax pastels and blended a bit.

I decided I didn't like the bold colors of the wax pastels, so I watered down Cotton Candy (Fresco Finish Paints) and painted in the squares. You can still see peeks of bright color through the paint.

I also outlined the squares with a Stabilo All pencil and de-fused the line with water.

I continued to add texture and layers with more stamping, doodling, and painting.

And some close-ups of the yummy layers!

And the finished page! Love the color and simplicity of this page.

I hope you enjoyed my piece of art! What have you created recently?

Thank you for stopping by!

Guest Designer, Nathalie Kalbach!

2014-05-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy Monday!

Today, we are so happy to announce that the wonderfully talented, Nathalie Kalbach has graciously agreed to share her creative inspiration with us this month, and create a couple of projects for us!

Here's just a peek at her projects, but to see the full reveal and more amazing details, please hop on over to her Blog, N*Studio and check them out!

I seriously love her creativity! {insert MEGA happy face}

Thank you Nat for taking time to create a bit with us!

Altered Paintbrush!

2014-05-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy Saturday! Tina here today with a quick post!

Today, I'd like to share with you an altered Paintbrush, created with wonderful PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paints, Fireworks spray, and several bits and pieces from my personal stash.

(p.s. - we have MANY additional colors of the Fresco Finish paints in the Frog Dog Studio store. I love the matte, chalky finish of this paint)

To begin my project, I sprayed the brush and chipboard embellishments with a good coat of Spray Gesso. (love this stuff).

I then built texture with simple Drywall tape, from the local Hardware store. This stuff is fantastic because it is self-adhesive and full of fun.

I then added several colors/layers of Fresco Finish paints (and a spritz or 2 of Fireworks spray) to the brush and embellishments and let dry.

For more texture, I added random bits of Grunge Paste (this paste is much thicker in consistency than 'normal' modeling paste, but is great for awesome texture)

Then more layers of paint, spray, gesso, and Lindy's Magicals. (from my stash) .

Once the brush and chipboard embellishments were colored to my liking, I filled the inside of the heart embellishment with Amazing Crafting Product clear resin and Iced Enamels Shattered Opals.

I glued it all together and added a ribbon to match. I LOVE how this project turned out and would love to create an entire wall of altered brushes for my Creative Room. Wouldn't that be cool?

Thanks for taking the time to stop by today! Have a gorgeous weekend!

"Simply Stencils" - Art journal pages with the May kit

2014-05-02T12:00:00.000-06:00

Hi there! I had a great time playing with the May kit and here are two art journal pages I made (warning!! long and photo heavy post coming up :)...):

btw. these are my first "simply stencils" May projects, but I have a feeling there will be some more coming up :)...

Here are a few details on how I created these two pages. Lets start with the upper one first:

I first covered the paper with white gesso, let it dry and then went on by applying the Fresco Finish translucent paint onto the page (Beach Hut & Pumpkin soup from the kit - more colours on the store). After the paint was dry I sprayed some "New Sprout" spray ink here and there.

I then applied some black artist oil pastel color onto the mask that comes with the kit and placed the mask over the page. Next I just used my finger for rubbing all the color from the mask onto the page.

After that I used some Dina Wakley mixed media stamps with blue Staz-on ink (April kit) and Hero Arts shadow dye ink (cup o´ joe) for stamping random images onto the background.

I then took a piece of vellum book paper that was in the kit and dabbed some fluid chalk ink over it. I just love the soft look these inks create on the vellum. Then I let the ink dry properly.

After the paper was dry I stamped a few stamp images with blue Staz-on ink onto the vellum paper. The stamp is by Dina Wakley (from the Scribbly Birds set).

Next I just glued the vellum piece "into" the typewriter and added some doodling and ink splatters.
Here are some detail photos:

Here are some step-by-step photos of the second page:

I again used the Fesco paints and a green oil pastel pen for the background.

Next I used the pastel peach chalk ink for creating flower patterns.

Then I mixed some molding paste with the blue Fesco paint to create a light blue paste and applied it over the stencil using a palette knife.

Then I went and outlined the flowers with a black Copic brush pen.

After that I took a dry embossing folder and placed a piece of vellum paper over it and then scratched some green oil pastel colour onto the paper. This way you can "copy" the pattern onto the paper. I remember using this technique with coins and a pencil when I was small :). I then used this piece for creating a typewrite sheet for my page. As you will see on the main photo, I later changed the colour to yellow, as I didn´t quite like the green rose pattern.

Here are some close-up photos of the second page. As you can see I´ve also added some oil pastels over the flowers to create more depth and separated the two background colours from each other by creating a doodled leaf pattern.

There are also some black and white doodled accents here and there on the page and I have outlined the stencil pattern with a thin black pen for more contrast.

Have fun with your May!

xoxo, Sanna

{be you: a mixed media print}

2014-05-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello there! Smitha here to share this month's "Make it colorful" segment.

This month's kits have so many fun colors and elements and here is the first project I made with it.

I started by lightly sketching the words onto some watercolor paper.

Next, I used the prima chalk inkers that came in the kit to stamp a background pattern.

Once the chalk ink dried, I colored in the words with a bright Orange Oil pastel crayon.

I then outlined the words with a black pen and applied a thin layer of gel medium on top of the words to give it a slight shine.

I finished it off with some doodling and dropped some of the green mist that came in the kit at places.

And here is a look again at the finished project!

I absolutely love the color combination of teal/orange.

'A Blank Canvas' May Edition

2014-04-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy Wednesday!

Tina here today with my May Edition of 'A Blank Canvas'. Each month, I share my creative process on how I transform a blank sheet of chipboard into a Mixed Media layout, using the current month's kit supplies!

Let's take a peek at my layout.

I completely fell in love with the PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Paints and Nat Kalbach Stamps!

Here's several close-ups before we get to the Video Tutorial!

I hope you enjoy my creative process.

We would love to see what you've created with the May Kit(s). Please share them on our Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!