sbartist : painting in the dark

"Geared up in Love" for Leslie Rayhe's Very Steampunk Valentine Bloghop

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to Leslie Rayhe's Very Steampunk Valentine Bloghop. This is where Love and Steampunk have craftily collided. I have to admit I have become enamored with Steampunk and have been working on many varied projects in this Genre {it's pretty easy since I have a lot of old rusty junk}.

The center heart is a scrolled medallion I cast in Amazing Mold Putty then melted UTEE and colored with green alcohol ink to get an Absinthe color and feeling. The gears are gold hologram paper die cut with TH Sizzix Die that are also hit with some alcohol ink and maroon cats eye chalk ink. The centers are TH metal gears and the gems brad centers are Imaginisce. The background is a piece of distressed metal tape background embossed with gears embossing folder layered with a gesso/acrylic primer then colored with various alcohol inks. The center gears are layered on some beaded and embroidered trim and finished off with metal corners. LOVE IT!!!

Thanks so much for visiting. Want to win some blog CANDY? I will be giving away some steampunk crafty goodies. Please follow this blog and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing. ALSO - the winner of the last STEAMPUNK BLOGHOP in OCTOBER is....drumroll please...

Cheryl LIndsay said...

So Fantastic and I love your mixed media steampunk art...TFS

OCTOBER 31, 2011 1:33 PM

Cheryl - please email me at sbartist1107 at yahoo dot com to send me your addy. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the bloghop and have a great weekend!

Below are the super crafty individuals participating...just click a box to hop to the next stop! You are currently at {sbartist} box #9.
Sb : )

Wrapped in Christmas Cheer - Festive Friday Bloghop

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to the third installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop! You should have arrived here from Amanda's Page. To get back to the beginning of the bloghop CLICK HERE.

This whimsical scribble gal is wrapped in Christmas lights topped off with some gem bezels and some glittery red floral trim.

I just love handcoloring these scribble gals using my jelley glaze pens, marvy markers and my waterbrush.

DID YOU SEE MY FIRST POST for Festive Friday on January 13th???

{CLICK HERE to see}

As a gift on the First Festive Friday of 2012... I shared a FREE DIGI of my Melted Frosty for personal use to get a jumpstart on your Holiday Cards.

This DIGI is free for personal use only. It may not be sold or distributed in any other manner. This is a black and white printable that you can color yourself however you want! To download, click on the image, right-click and select “save image as”.

Enjoy!!! I'd love to see what you create. Please add your creation via inLinkz HERE. I will be having a giveaway of fun festive goodies to the submission with the most votes by Feb. 23, 2012 {voting to begin on Feb 10}. I will announce winner on Feb. 24th's Festive Friday post. : ) Sb

The next stop on the Festive Friday Bloghop

is Laura at Scrappin' Daphne - CLICK HERE.

Save the Date - Valentine's Steampunk Bloghop on Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Do you love Valentine's Day? Do you love Steampunk? How about getting your fix of both in one place. Stop back by here this Saturday, Feb. 11th to see what I've created for Leslie Rayhe's Very Steampunk Valentine Bloghop.

There are some super crafty individuals participating...you don't want to miss this!
Sb : )

CHA Recap - Making Some "FUNctional" TOOLS using Amazing Mold Putty...

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:29:00 +0000

Here's another one of my "AMAZING" adventures using Amazing Mold Putty that was on display at Winter CHA last week in the Amazing Mold Putty Booth #2252. If you had a chance to visit the booth - I hope you took a few minutes to play with the product and cast something yourself.

This project is a little off the wall...but definitely out of the box! For anyone that knows me knows I love PURPLE, not lavender - purple {like grape jelly} and that I love my tools. I have a gadget to do pretty much everything. My crafty friends call me if they need a tool for something they want to create.

Today's project is catering to all my crafty STAMPING friends. If you stamp, you will appreciate today's project. I started a with this antique stamp holder I picked up at my local artist salvage center Trash 2 Treasure. It came with a couple old rubber stamp handles in varying sizes. So knowing that I wanted to have a complete set of handles for my blending foam and alcohol inks...I decided to cast my own in Amazing Mold Putty. Between the handles that came with the spindle {like T!m Holtz has}, and a couple I already had...I had six. I was off and running.

Please see accompanying image number(s) to go along with written instruction/description.

Photo 1: I gathered all of my handles of varying sizes. Photo 2: With razor blade, gently slice off old decayed rubber stamp and mounting. Photo 3: I glued my handles to my glass cutting mat with hot glue. This is so they are level and they would not move around as I put the putty around them {see Photo 4}. This was a good idea as it resulted in a nice flat surface on the open end - but I lost some control over seeing where I was leaving open areas. I ganged them this way thinking it would use less putty and make it easier when pouring resin. In hindsight, I would probably make separate molds next time - it was quite tricky getting the cured resin out.

To mix up Amazing Mold Putty, I followed the simple illustrated instructions on the packaging. If you want a more in depth how-to of mixing Amazing Mold Putty please click here. Photo 5: For this project, I needed to make a lot of putty to cover the entire piece, so I make several small sections and overlapped them due to the quick setting cure time. Photos 6, 7, 8 and 9 of following photos show the mold build-up process. Photo 10: View underneath completed mold. Photo 11: Using a spatula, I gently pried the mold and glued handles from the glass mat.

NOW FOR THE CASTING with the Amazing Clear Cast Resin:

Please see accompanying image number to go along with written instruction/description.

Photo #12: Completed Amazing Mold Putty mold prior to removing stamp handles. After about a half hour, I gently removed stamp handles from mold. It's recommended to dust the mold with some type of release agent, especially if there is a lot of fine detail. I didn't think I needed this for this resin, yet it would have greatly helped in ease of removal cured resin. Photo #13: After measuring liquid needed by filling mold with water, I mixed just one drop of Red Alumilite Dye and one drop of Blue Alumilite Dye into PART A of Amazing Clear Cast Resin. This resulted in a pretty purple color {when cured it turned a dark violet, almost cobalt blue color}. Photo #14: Mixing together part A and part B of Amazing Clear Cast Resin stirring slowly and mixing thoroughly. I let rest a few minutes to let air bubbles escape. Photo #15: Prior to pouring resin, I placed objects into the mold: purple glitter, assorted colored beads, googly eyes, dichroic beads, and misc. computer parts and screws. This was the fun part of customizing my tools. Then I gently poured the completely mixed two part resing into the molds. The googly eyes decided to float.

After much filing and sanding of rough edges, here are my completed CUSTOM tools. Ready for adhering velcro to apply blending foam or alcohol ink applicators. My stamp handles are fun and just make me giggle - they have PERSONALITY!!! I plan to make more in different colors, embedding other found objects & cleaning out those things in the craft drawer saved for a rainy day!

This photo is taken on a light table, so that the beautiful color is visable.

Check out this cool set of custom handles that I made. Can you guess who these are for??? They were hand delivered and brought huge smiles all around at CHA.

I hope you enjoyed this project. I encourage you to visit the Amazing Mold Putty blog to see the many AMAZING projects from my fellow Amazing Mold Putty Design Team members for some great tips and ideas!

If you have any questions, please leave a comment, select receive e-mail follow ups on comments and I will respond. If you would like to see more of my creations, please hang around a while and stroll around my blog. Happy Crafting : )

"Joy" of Cardmaking using Scraps! Christmas Card #6 using Unscripted Sketches #144

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Happy Saturday...again. Here is today's Sketch-it-Saturday sketch #144 creation. This is Christmas Card number six created using scraps received in a package I received this week in a "SCRAP SWAP" I participated in. I took about 100 different patterned paper scraps of varying sizes from 8" x 10" down to 3" x 5", sent to swap hostess, who lovingly swapped out all submitted and sent back to us. I got the papers out of my new fun pile of scraps. I finished off this card with some glittery Sandy Lion Holiday Stickers and a red metallic twine bow. Quick and easy - AND - I only fidgeted around with the bow for about 5 minutes, too. I really like how the similar colors in all of the elements really pull this card together!

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

Since my trip last weekend, I have been sick, and I still am - so I will be getting some much needed rest {per doctor's orders}. I'm having a relaxing weekend indoors and planning a Steampunk project for an upcoming bloghop on February 11th. Have a crafty day!
: ) Sb

Playing with Pink & Mint - "Jolly and Bright" Tag using Unscripted Sketches #143

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Happy Saturday!!! A little late...I'm bringing you my regularly scheduled Sketch-it Saturday with Unscripted Sketches creation from last week. With last week's sketch #143, I created a JUMBO pink and mint "Jolly and Bright" CHRISTMAS Tag!!!

Five projects in and still sticking with creating for Christmas. This tag is pretty simple using some Fancy Pants holiday paper and striped lace die cut border and center sentiment die cut. The green circular scribble snowflakes are cut out of paper by Memories Complete. The snowflake stickers are from a DCVW holiday paper stack. I layered the sentiment over a large scribble snowflake and a clear glittered snowflake ornament from the Dollar Tree. I finished everything off with some ribbon and this tag is ready for a BIG fun gift!

I'm decompressing from my whirlwind trip to CHA!!! Going to see my work on display at the Amazing Mold Putty Booth was fantastic - I spent quite a lot of time there playing. I made a lot of new friends and on this trip I planted some seeds for many exciting things to come {I hope}. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
: ) Sb

Loving Hearts Repurposed Chocolate Box for the "Love Cast in Clay" Bloghop

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to my project for the "Love Cast in Clay" Bloghop!!!
You should have arrived here from Edie's page...
Life, by the seat of my pants.
To get back to the top of the hop...please click here.

My project started out as a recycled paper heart chocolate box...you know the Russell Stover one's. Mine I have had stashed in my paint drawer saving it for an opportunity for altering! Well here it is. I built up a layer of the Creative Paperclay® around the outer edge of the box to beef it up some - like a ceramic box would be. Then with Amazing Mold Putty, I cast a scrollwork heart frame ornament and also a scrollwork heart pendant. I used the molds I created to mold both of these in Creative Paperclay®. To finish it off, I painted over the Looney Toon's characters adorning the box and the edging of paperclay with red acrylic paint. Then over that, I decopaged a red heart doily using 3-D Crystal Lacquer. Keep reading below about how I painted the hearts {sorry for tugging at your heart strings}. I added some twisty tri-colored trim around the edge of box base and finished off with a pretty green bow.

30 colors of Sakura Terri Sproul's Mixers are now available.
Contact your local SB store owner to get yours!!!

And here's the piece-de-resistance.....can I have a drumroll please....I painted the paper clay hearts with my three magical pots of the BRAND NEW Sakura Terri Sproul Mixers that get mixed into 3-D Crystal Lacquer!!! Ta-da!!!! My box is lovely and reborn. I will use this to send a special gift to my sister for Valentine's Day for her girls.

I hope you have enjoyed the wonderful Valentine's Day craft projects!!! Remember, there is blog candy to be won as well. Winners will be posted on the Amazing Mold Putty blog and the Creative Paperclay® blog. FOUR packages of Creative Paperclay® and FOUR packages of Amazing Mold Putty will be given away!!! RULES to enter to win blog candy prize....just leave a comment at each and every blog stop and become a follower of all participating blogs.

Thanks so much for visiting and the next stop on the hop is Sandra CLICK HERE!

After you finish the hop, please check out my project from January 22nd for home cooked Valentine's Day goodies using Amazing Mold Putty, chocolate and jello! Happy Valentine's Crafting!!!

: ) Sbhttp://www.sakuracraft.com/

Some CHA highlights...just to tide you over!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:01:00 +0000

Hi everybody! Just arrived back home this morning on the red-eye and I'm already back at work three hours after landing {am I crazy???}. I just wanted to share with you a few highlights of the trip - but they were all really BIG events for me. I'm so glad my sister was there with me, too.

Sandy practicing her moves. My sister is on her left and I'm on the right.
Just happened to be standing there...

First up - here we are caught in a candid shot of Sandy Allnock putting on some cat's eyes in preparation for the CharityWings.org Flash mob! Cross this off the bucket list...be part of a flash mob. This was fantastic and it was for charity - so a win...win for everybody. It was so awesome that everyone was cheering, clapping and taping or photographing with their phones! Many people joined in to take part in the fun. CLICK HERE to see one of the many u-tube videos uploaded. It was great meeting you Sandy and I'm proud to be a part of your wonderful organization!

First stop after the bag pipe processional and ribbon cutting to open the show it was straight to see my "Fairy Craftmother" Terri Sproul. She is launching a new line with Sakura Hobby Craft called Terri Sproul Mixers!!! These are fabulous mica powders and other glittery goodness to be mixed in with 3-D Crystal Laquer...these are to die for!!! Terri is so warm a bubbly, just like her video how-tos. Even though I only have conversed with her online, we hit it off immediately and we are going to be craft buddies for a long, long time. You GO GIRL!!!

Next I headed straight over to the Alumilite Corp. booth #2252 - the AMAZING MOLD PUTTY booth where my work is on display with many of my team members. WOW! We're on a flyer and everything. My team-mates work is so awesome in person, too. Terri called us "Rockstars". This is me and Mike the owner of Alumilite Corp., playing with objects and casting molds right at the booth. I have to admit - I spent most of my two days at the show here just playing {like a kid in a sandbox}. I wasn't asked to work or hang around the booth, but I couldn't help but want to. Sometimes you just have to follow your heart...especially when it comes to exploring and crafting. I got a lot of great tips from Mike and some pointers on how to better create my own molds. And I got to demo to the public in the process. Yes, Terri...I made you proud over on the other side of the trade show!

Finally, I too have a T!m photo-op to share. I'm just going to say this for now...before CHA I had a mission and it WAS completed. Proof being the HUGE smile on T!m's face {this was not from saying cheese to the camera}. Thanks T!m for letting me steal a few seconds of your time. I promise I will share the entire story of this photo when I get all the photos together from my cameras and my sister. Craft-on my friend - you are craft royalty!

I will share more of these adventures a little more indepth after I catch up on some project blog posts that I have coming up the next couple of days. It was my full intention to do this in the evenings before bed...but the HOTEL internet was out the entire time. I have my iPhone, so not a big problem except for the one Viva Las Vegastamps! project for Monday had to go live. This was completed and uploaded from the IHOP next door. Free internet access and pancakes with boysenberry syrup is the way to this crafty girl's heart!

: ) Sb

Love Cast in Clay Bloghop Reminder Tomorrow - February 1st!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Please join me and the combined talents of the Amazing Mold Putty and Creative Paperclay® Design Teams for "Love Cast in Clay" Bloghop TOMORROW... Feb. 1st, 2012

Come and see wonderful Valentine's Day craft projects!!! There will be blog candy to be won as well. A winner for the Amazing Mold Putty blog and the Creative Paperclay® blog will be chosen to receive on 16 oz. package of Creative Paperclay® and a package of Amazing Mold Putty {retail value is $25}. RULES to enter to win blog candy prize....just leave a comment at each and every blog stop and become a follower of all partipating blogs...easy as pie. See you there : ) Sb

Bringing Candy Cane Wishes...Festive Friday Bloghop

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to the second installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop! You should have arrived here from Amanda's Page. To get back to the beginning of the bloghop CLICK HERE.

Have you been Naughty -or- Nice?

This whimsical candy cane gal is all decked out

for Christmas in sparkly red and green.

I just love coloring in stamped images using my Marvy Markers

and my water brush pen to get the effects of watercolor.

DID YOU SEE MY FIRST POST for Festive Friday on January 13th???

{CLICK HERE to see}

As a gift on the First Festive Friday of 2012... I shared a FREE DIGI of my Melted Frosty for personal use to get a jumpstart on your Holiday Cards.

The next stop on the Festive Friday Bloghop

is Laura at Scrappin' Daphne - CLICK HERE.

CHA - SNEEK PEEK!!! Steampunkery with Amazing Mold Putty CHA Booth #2252

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:24:00 +0000

I'm sharing a little project I created in Steampunk style that will be showcased as part of the Amazing Mold Putty Design Team's works at Allumilite Corp. booth #2252 at CHA in Anaheim, CA starting on Sunday! I am so excited that I am actually going there to see it on Saturday...and YES - I will be sharing pix with all of you.

Here is my how-to on this project...

Let me start off with saying, I have never created anything in the "Steampunk" style previously and it was a fun challenge - and I am addicted. I have tons of neat things in my crafty stash of junk and this silver shield pin was what I decided to use. I wanted to mount it to chipboard wings, except it had a huge pin clasp on the back and it was soldered on pretty good. So I had a "LIGHTBULB" moment...make another cast with Amazing Mold Putty.

So here it goes. I am sharing with you some of my trials and tribulations as I am playing with these AMAZING products. I mixed up my mold putty according to directions, and as it turned out, I made quite a lot in relation to the size of the piece I was casting. After pressing it into the mold putty I decided I had too much extra so I carved some away to try and use for casting something else....it was already too late, it was already curing and no longer moldable. NOTE TO SELF - this sets-up real quick - quicker than I can change my mind. So I let the mold sit and finish curing for about 20 minutes since it was a little thick and prepared my resin.

So I made up some quick set Amazing Casting Resin and poured the mold. Because I had carved some of the mold edges away, some of the resin ran out the side. As a result, one side of my cast piece was a lot thinner than the other. I used the piece anyway - I didn't want to waste it and it wasn't at all noticable from the front. I want to make another, so I will modify my mold by adding some "gutters" to the original casted mold, so I can prevent the runoff.

On the left, the original pin - on the right, my AMAZING decorated casted pin. I really like how the casted resin piece looks much more aged and weathered than the original.

I painted the cured resin shield with a variety of things and building up color was a layering process. I began with colored with alcohol inks in a dabbing fashion. I found out relatively quick that the blending fluid removes color. I then used the metallic color alcohol inks - these are great. Then added back in some rust and soot colors. After the alcohol inks dried, I dry brushed in some acrylic black and gold acrylic paints to really bring out the patina and details. The wings are hammered chipboard that I embossed with gold embossing powder, then added depth in color with alcohol inks and acrylic paint. I finished it off with suspending some beads, pearls and an old key and also some adhesive gems for a little bling. The finishing touch a pin back hot glued to the back.

This really came out pretty fantastic. I'm not one who makes jewelry - but I have a new found passion! Thanks for dropping by! My next AMAZING Mold Putty adventure to share with you will be on February 22nd.

Save the Date for a special Novella... "Love Cast in Clay" Bloghop on Feb. 1st!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Please join me and the combined talents

of the Amazing Mold Putty and

Creative Paperclay® Design Teams

for "Love Cast in Clay" Bloghop

on Feb. 1st, 2012

Come and see wonderful Valentine's Day craft projects!!! There will be blog candy to be won as well. A winner for the Amazing Mold Putty blog and the Creative Paperclay® blog will be chosen to receive on 16 oz. package of Creative Paperclay® and a package of Amazing Mold Putty {retail value is $25}. RULES to enter to win blog candy prize....just leave a comment at each and every blog stop and become a follower of all partipating blogs...easy as pie. See you there : ) Sb

All is Golden - Holiday Tag with Pocket using Unscripted Sketches #142

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:25:00 +0000

Happy Saturday!!! I'm bringing you my regularly scheduled Sketch-it Saturday with Unscripted Sketches creation. This week's sketch #142 also has a "Piggyback Challenge" of using a pocket. AND...I AM FOUR WEEKS IN AND STILL CREATING FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

How about a close-up...

The tag is made from a scrap of fancy-schmancy, expensive Gold Currency Cover Stock {a perk of working at a commercial printshop - sometimes, but rarely I get offcuts of something really nice}. It really looks like gold coins when embossed! I stamped the "Have a Blessed Christmas" sentiment from Viva Las Vegastamps! Plate 1363 stamped in Regal Burgundy Memories Pigment ink from Stewart Superior embossed with VLVS clear ultra high gloss embossing powder. I used two cuttlebug embossing borders then distressed with a couple of cats eye chalk inks. I finished it off with reclaimed piece of red and gold ribbon. So simple, but so rich and regal : )

Then to complete the piggyback challenge, I created a pocket to hold this elegant tag. The pocket is made from a folded over piece of gold currency cover cardstock that is lined with a scrap of wrapping paper {you know those small pieces we ALL save that are too small to wrap anything}. This paper is a beautiful red and gold checkered pattern that matched perfectly. Using another scrap of patterned paper matted with plain red wrapping paper and the gold and red checkered, I finished off with a to:/from: sentiment and a Sandy Lion snowflake embellishment. This tag is ready to include a gift card or adhere to a package!

It's only one week until CHA!!! My projects are in California to be displayed with all the Amazing Mold Putty Design Team in Booth #2252. If you will be at CHA - please drop by and see our creations in person. I will be there Sunday and Monday - if you want to meetup - please message me on Facebook {CLICK HERE to go to my profile}. I want to meet with all of my crafty friends that I can! I will be giving CHA sneek peeks of my projects that will be featured over the next 10 days.

I have some extra projects coming up this week. Tomorrow, Jan. 20th, I have a guest post over at the Amazing Mold Putty Blog; and my second installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop will be Friday, Jan. 27th. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
: ) Sb

Get Crafty! Come and Dance at CHA for Charity...

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:04:00 +0000

She's Crafty for Charity Wings Flash Mob info & Dance

865 views

Uploaded by CharityWings on Jan 9, 2012

Participate in the "She's Crafty for Charity Wings Craft Flash Mob" January 29, 2012 approx 9 am. you will receive a She's Crafty Charity Wings Craft Flash Mob Apron. Sign up at www.Charitywings.org. Raising money and awareness for worthy causes!

IF you are having trouble viewing...

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE CLIP!

I will be there with my sister! It will be fun...see you in CA!

: ) Sb

Attend CHA from HOME - A Chance to...

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:49:00 +0000

Win free tickets to LIVE from CHA!

Get excited. Get pumped for LIVE from CHA.

LIVE from CHA is an ONLINE STREAMING EVENT. It’s an interactive look into what’s happening at the Craft & Hobby Association’s Winter Trade Show in Anaheim, CA.

Witness for yourself WHAT’S HOT in 2012. You’ll get an insider’s look at the trade show floor, see new product releases, and complete a progressive 6x6 mini book/art journal with incredible manufactures and designers.

January 29-30th, 2012 10am-6pm PST

Live streaming and an interactive chat OR watch the recorded footage whenever you like!

Open to anyone and everyone that enjoys mixed media, scrapbooking, and arts and crafts. All you need is an internet connection.

Exclusive 2-Day All Access Pass

$39.00 (non-refundable) + shipping*

Before LIVE from CHA, you will be shipped a kit that will include your progressive make-n-take, which has exclusive products from designers and manufactures that we will demo from a live show.

WIN FREE TICKETS!!!

EXCLUSIVE!!! These designers are giving away FREE tickets to this event! If you want to be one of the lucky winners, all you need to do is follow the designer’s link and apply to win.

Susan Pyrcz Weckesser

Marisa Pawelko

Michelle Cummings

Eileen Hull

For more information or details, click HERE or visit our website at charitywings.org

*We can only ship kits to continental US addresses. If you would like to pay additional shipping, we can ship to you anywhere! Contact us at info@charitywings.org for additional shipping costs.

Winter Wishes! Holiday Card Number 3 using Unscripted Sketches #141

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Happy Monday Morning!!! Welcome to my weekly Sketch-it Saturday with Unscripted Sketches creation. Doing my new found crafty morning ritual before heading off to work. I am sharing this "Winter Wishes" card - a fun and festive card with some adorable characters.

Using this week's sketch #141, I started with the leftover background DCVW paper from last weeks creation...remember my "ONE TOUCH" rule. This wintery white/creme paper is speckled with a flurry of glittery snowflakes. Now for the elements. The snow base is torn textured cardstock rubbed with shimmer dewdrop inks. The penguin from this adorable set of holiday gift tags that I have been hoarding in my craft stash. I removed the silver cord from his hat. The snowflake is leftover from another project layered over an MS snowflake punch I scored on clearance two weeks ago. I finished the card off with these super cute Sticko stickers that have six different glittery snowglobes epoxys, complete with phrases and colorful snowflakes. I put a "Let it Snow" sticker in center of snowflake. I layered snowman snowglobe {so silly} over the penguin and buried it's base in the layered snow, then overlapped the snowflake which covers the "to...from..." on the penguin's belly. This is finished off with the colorful snowflake stickers...one to cover up the hole in the hat and the rest randomly sprinkled about. I just love this card!!! It is so fun : )

Wow it's the middle of January already and less than two weeks until CHA!!! I'm so glad my day job is sooooo busy to help qualm my anxiety of flying across country alone and my sheer excitement and delight to meet up with my new creative friends. Coming up on Jan. 20th I will have a guest post over at the Amazing Mold Putty Blog; and my second installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop will be Jan. 27th. I have been doing something creative and crafty each day and I'm closing in on 21 days...so I will officially have a new HABIT added to my daily routine. YAY! Hope you all have a wonderfully creative week : ) Sb

Wouldn't you love to WIN Tons of MIRACLE TAPE from Viva Las Vegastamps!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Viva Las Vegastamps is having a give away!

Want to win a prize??? How about a sampler package of Miracle Tape. YES!!! I said a Miracle Tape Sampler Pack!!! This is all the tape you could ever want & more! Valued at $50.00

Here's what you need to do...
1) share this post on Facebook

2) Like the Viva Las Vegastamps! Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/vlvstamps

3) Follow the VLVS blog http://www.vivalas.blogspot.com/

4) Leave a comment on the post at this link to let VLVS know you did all of these. Here is the link for that. http://www.vlvstamps.com/miracle-tape-sampler.html

A winner will be chosen on Monday 1/16/12 to win a sampler package of Miracle tape. YAY!!!

Having A Holiday Heatwave...Welcome to the 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to my first post for Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop! You should have arrived here from Amanda's Page. To get back to the beginning of the bloghop CLICK HERE.

Living in South Florida, this past Christmas was in the mid-80s...not particularly the kind of weather that inspires all things Christmas...hence the Melted Frosty. So today's creation is all about a "Holiday Heatwave"!

This is what happened when Santa and Frosty went on vacation in the tropics the Day after Christmas!

This is a drawing I created to make a bunch of handmade Christmas cards many years ago. As a gift on this First Festive Friday of 2012... I am sharing a FREE DIGI of my Melted Frosty for personal use to get a jumpstart on your Holiday Cards. I have colored this in with watercolor pencils, double matted on green cardstock and finished off with a photo corner, Sandy Lion sticker sentiment and two blue sticker gems.

Enjoy!!! I'd love to see what you create. I will be having a giveaway of fun festive goodies to the submission with the most votes by Feb. 23, 2012 {voting to begin on Feb 10}. I will announce winner on Feb. 24th's Festive Friday post. : ) Sb

The next stop on the Festive Friday Bloghop
is Laura at Scrappin' Daphne - CLICK HERE.

Christmas Card Number 2 using Unscripted Sketches #140

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:34:00 +0000

I would like to start out by saying that I started off not making a Christmas theme creation for this weeks project. I wanted use this queen bee stamp from VLVS along with this sketch. Let me explain my work process...sometimes I can see the end result immediately and set out to it - AND is not what usually occurs. USUALLY I just start rifleling through things, tools and supplies and start - not knowing where things are going - and follow it to where creation leads. After starting to create and make all the pieces, my original project has evolved into a QUEEN BEE of an altered project. As a result, project number two started...and the one touch rule strikes again. Today I present Christmas card number #2.

Okay...Okay! I am going to try and stay committed to Christmas cards all year. To assist in this effort - beginning next Friday, January 13th, I will be participating in the biweekly 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop hosted by Terri Sproul. This just adds more stuff to my never ending mess on the craft table. One upside, I have worked on something crafty every day before work or leaving the house for about 10 days now. And this new sprouting habit is making me very happy. This morning I have been a busy bee {hehe}...I have stamped texture to a bunch of cut-out hexagons and arranged in a pattern {please nobody touch it}. I've also been researching encaustic/beeswax painting...to see how to best complete my evolving bee project.

Using this week's sketch #140, I created this fun and shimmery ornament card. I had some leftover alcohol ink painted paper from my New Year's Card {CLICK HERE to see this project}. I embossed this with the Cuttlebug collage ornaments embossing folder. I cut out the ornaments and rubbed them with antique gold pearlescent dewdrop ink. I also have a 5x7 Christmas countdown Cuttlebug folder - this is where I got the star shape with number. **TIP** I didn't have a lot of this painted paper, so I cut pieces to fit over the parts of the embossing folder needed. I rubbed the star with gold ink and mounted to a piece of shimmery blue paper and trimmed leaving a thin border. I mounted all to card base of a DCVW paper using VLVS Miracle Tape. The star is raised using 3-D dots. The ornaments are topped of with small bows of blue ribbon {yes - I tied each of these}. This card is colorful, festive and full of texture -and not screaming SANTA!

I don't have anything going on this weekend, but my January is pretty busy. I color coded everything into a dollar calendar from the craft store. I needed to keep track of all of my design teams, clubs and other events. Next weekend I have the Festive Friday bloghop, and a Soapmaking workshop on Saturday. I can't wait until the last weekend of the month. I am going to CHA in CA! My work {along with my fellow AMP design team members} will be on display at the Amazing Mold Putty booth! Have great weekend!!!

: ) Sb

AND...We Have Another Winner!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone for joining us for the Viva Las Vegastamps! New Year's Celebration Bloghop!!! I loved reading all of you wonderful comments. Thank you all for your excitement and enthusiasm. To choose my winner I used RANDOM.ORG. Out of 65 comments...it drew NUMBER 37!!!

Congratulations to JOCELYN!!! Woo-Hoo!!

Jocelyn said..."NICE site. Love what you do!"
January 1, 2012 9:44 PM

You have won a $15 gift certificate to VLVS online store and still to be annouced will be one lucky winner who's visited and commented on each stop to win the $25 to the VLVS online store...WOW!!!
Please send me an email to sbartist1107 at yahoo dot com for info to claim your prize.

If you want to revisit any of the creations... CLICK HERE to get back to the beginning.

As a gift to myself for completing a riduculous amount of craftiness in December, I went out an splurged on a webcam. I am going to attempt to make a how-to video...the first being how to make your own embossing folder. For all who are anxious and can't wait...here is a visual how-to I did a while back that will hopefully satisfy your curiosity. CLICK HERE to view that post over on my SalonDArte Studio Blog.

Thanks again to everyone for dropping by and Happy New Year! You all have made mine start off wonderfully : ) Sb

Ringing in the New Year!!! A Celebrationwith the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Welcome to New Year's Celebration Bloghop and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! You should have arrived here from Terri's page...if you have arrived in the middle of the hop, CLICK HERE to get back to the beginning.

Can you believe it's 2012 - last year flew by and today is the new beginning...a clean slate so to speak. Everyone makes resolutions, I just want to be creative more and work less {a nice dream, but certainly something to daydream about}. Here is my creation to ring in the New Year!

This is an alcohol ink painted glossy paper using blues and purples then blended over with silver and pearl. Before I added the metallics, I added some circle masks with removable sticker paper and then blended the metallics over. When dry I gently peeled off the masks to reveal lovely contrasting bubbles. I stamped the VLVS "Happy New Year" #9611 in Purple Staz-On ink. I finished it off by embossing it with a homemade embossing plate I created out of chipboard {yes I said made my own embossing folder}. As a result... I broke my "C" plate in 2 separate places trying to get the layers right. Well I guess that means since my DH is at the football game, I'm off to the craft store...you don't have to twist my arm. Have a bright and shiny day!!!

Every stop on the hop will be giving away $15 to VLVS online store and one lucky winner who's visited and commented on each stop will win $25 to the VLVS online store...WOW!!! What a way to see out the old and RING in the NEW!!! BTW...this is nine separate chances to win - YES - I said NINE {9} prizes. I will select the winner of comments left here at end of day Tuesday Jan. 3rd. GOOD LUCK!

Now hop on over to see what

DeeDee is up to at UmWowStudio...

Who Ate My Gingerbread Man?Unscripted Sketches #139 Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Welcome to my last regularly scheduled Sketch-it Saturday creation for the year 2011!!! I know you are probably scratching your head saying to yourself - why another Christmas card??? This girl is off her rocker!!! Well, I am, admittedly a few crayons short, but only in a fun & creative way. I have been challenged to go all year by my crafty friend SK {aka Christmas Countdown Lady}, to do Christmas cards all year. So here it goes this being #1.

ALSO - to up the ANTE {hope I'm spelling this right}, I have joined Terri Sprouls bi-weekly Festive Friday Blog Hop which is a group bringing you all things Christmas starting January 13th. I must have had too much spiked eggnog! Please be on the lookout for the new things going around here in the New Year.

Using this week's sketch #139, I created this cute little card with this stamped and Gold embossed gingerbread man who has a bite taken out of his head. These were some pieces left over from a card class and REMEMBER my one touch rule...this was first out of the baggie of Christmas patterned stuff. So it's in. This cute little guy is an Imaginesce snag-em stamp. He has a bite taken out of his head because when trimming him out, a big chunk of the gold embossing flaked off and I couldn't salvage it. So with my 1/8" hole punch, chomp...chomp...

The two background papers are Bo-Bunny and this is finished off with some festive teal satin ribbon bows and mounted on a cream cardstock card. Short and SWEET!

I hope everyone has a Happy and Healthy fresh start in the NEW YEAR! Please join me tomorrow along with the Design Team of Viva Las Vegastamps! for a New Year's Day Celebration Blog Hop! There are 9 chances to win blog candy, too!!! One day only this time, I promise.

Thanks to everyone for following along here, and also to those who I have gotten to know and work with over the past year. It has gone by pretty fast and I am having a fantastic adventure on the three design teams. I don't know what the New Year will bring, but January is shaping up to be full of surprises...some of my work {along with my fellow AMP design team members} will be on display at the CHA in California, too! I can't wait to share it all with you.

: ) Sb

Project featured at Viva Las Vegastamps! today...

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:20:00 +0000

Here's a little teaser for my post over at Viva Las Vegastamps! Blog today... It's a good one : )

Click HERE to see it. SUNDAY is the big New Year's Bloghop...don't forget to visit. Every stop on the hop will be giving away $15 to VLVS online store and one lucky winner who's visited & commented on each stop will win $25 to the VLVS online store...WOW!!! What a way to see out the old and RING in the NEW!!!

Below is the Hop order so you can get ready!

Join me for a Bloghop this Saturday - NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:31:00 +0000

Glitter Snowflake Card using Unscripted Sketches #138

noreply@blogger.com (Susan M. Brown {sbartist}) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:01:00 +0000

First let me start by answering the looming question...what happened to sketch 137? Well, due to working regular job, having two freelance projects and a custom order of 35 kinetic Christmas Cards that had to shop last Friday, this elf had to take a break. I will post it next week. So here is the my regularly scheduled Sketch-it Saturday creation!!!

Using this week's sketch #138, I created this glittery snowflake card using a piece of reclaimed wrapping paper from last year. Remember - my one touch rule! Since I'm in the middle of gift wrapping and trimmings are strewn all over the dining room table, this paper ended up in my hand. OK - now it's in the project. It's one of those lovely holographic papers that has snowflakes on it in blue and white.

I wrapped a piece of it around chipboard and mounted it to a piece of blue cardstock scrap. Then, with a whale of a punch, I punched 3 scalloped circles out of cardstock and 3 out of the wrapping paper. Now the fun begins...I have all these new Martha Stewart punches from my HSN autoship program and I broke open the winter set that has one of those new "ANYWHERE" punches {I couldn't resist - it was a great deal...4 punches for less than 1/2 of retail price and free shipping and flexpay}. This one punches a snowflake out of a circle - very lovely. I took the scallop punched wrapping paper, put a dab of adhesive on the punch to hold it in place and punched the snowflake out of the shape. SO COOL!!! Then I mounted these onto the cardstock scallops. The strips are Basic Grey and the center horizontal stripe is a speckled stamped white cardstock that I smudged with pearlescent blue dew drop ink. I finished the center of each snowflake with a gem brad and adhered with 3D pop dots! Sorry that the scanner is making interference in the hologram - but it's so wintery...I just love it!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Hope you have a great weekend with your loved ones. That's where I will be. Check back next week for my regular end of the month Viva Las Vegastamps! post and a New Year's Day Blog Hop special post, too! So three times the fun!

: ) Sb