Shabby Chic Altered book for UPA

Hey, Friends.



I altered a book to make an Shabby Chic ATC storage box
For my UPA column this month.
Take a look here:
http://unrulypaperarts.blogspot.com/2013/06/pushing-boundaries-shabby-chic-altered.html?m=0

Have a blessed week
Cathy

The nut doesn't fall far from the tree....

Hey, Friends!

Just wanted to share a project that my son

made this week to give to his sister

who we are seeing this weekend.

He saw the idea for the vase on Pinterest.

It's made from an empty oatmeal cannister

vintage paper, black paint and bamboo skewers.

Isn't it awesome?

And it's completely his sister's style.

I think she will cry.

Happy tears.

Have a wonderful weekend and

hug your Father if you can!

Cathy

Intuitive Watercolor ATC's

Hey, Friends !

My Paper Traders Art Group is hosting an

"Intuitive Watercolor ATC" Swap.

This was something that Becky H. shared with us

 from a chapter on the intuitive watercolor

technique as outlined in the book 

Artist Trading Card Workshop by Bernie Berlin.

I have to say this was the most "art" fun I have had in awhile.

You start by painting a full sheet of watercolor paper

any which way you want but without structure

 and fore thought.  Just paint away and really 

try not to lay anything specific down.

This was harder than I thought to do.

Then you cut your paper apart into ATC 's

and start imagining what you see in your paint.

This was actually easier than I thought it would be

and so makes me a little worried about myself.

;)

Turn your paper around and look at it at 

different angles. Once you think you have your

image or scene, trace it out lightly with a pencil

and go back over it with a black Sharpie.

This prehistoric bird is being linked to 

Inspiration Ave.'s Bird Challenge

This one was my favorite.

I only had to make 4 for the swap but I was

having so much fun that I made 8.

Happy Monday and hope you have a 

wonderful week of creating art.

Cathy

Create Your Own Stencils !

Create your own Stencils

Supplies:

Manila folders
or
Plaid Simply Stencil blank sheets
Can get them from Amazon $12.00 for 6 (8’x10”) sheets
and at Michael's as well.

Magazine/book pages with interesting patterns
Mod Podge
Black Sharpie pen
X-acto knife- sharp new blade
Light desk or bright window-optional
Scanner –optional , if you want to change the size of your images

Stencils are all the rage now in mixed media canvas art as
well as art journals. I love what they add to your layering
process. But they can be expensive and sometimes
the craft supply companies just don’t have the design that
you need or want for your particular project. Pre-cut basic
stencils are about $3.00 and up from Plaid and
about $5.00-$20.00 for Martha Stewart brand stencils.

How about making your own? It really is quite easy and if you
dedicate a few hours you can end up with a nice stash of
new and unique stencils. I find inspiration for designs from
magazines, newspapers, books as well as just free-hand drawing of
simple shapes.

I use both manila folders and blank stencils sheets.
You can also use the plastic packaging that comes
with a lot of the supplies you buy. It’s a good way
to “green” up your supplies.




This was a design that I found in an old spanish language
text book. I scanned it into my computer and then manipulated
the size and printed it out on the manila folder
(cut to size to fit the printer). I could have traced the original
image but it was a bit bigger than I needed. Having a scanner
gives you that flexibility to change the size of your image,
but it is not necessary.

Using an X-acto knife with a new blade, cut your shapes out.



When you are finished cutting the stencil out, coat it with 2 layers
of Mod Podge on each side and let dry. This will give your stencil
durability and you will be able to clean it with baby wipes.




I had received a really cool post card from Australia
from one of our Paper Traders members (thanks Jo M.)
and it had a wonderful hexagram pattern on it. I used
a Plaid blank stencil sheet and copied the design
with my Sharpie pen. You will not need to coat
this with Mod Podge as they are made of plastic.




Here, I just free hand drew some fat squiggles on a manila
folder section; cut it out and coated it with the Mod Podge.



This wonderful design was from a local specialty newspaper
we have here in the South. Because the design was rather light,
I traced over it with the black Sharpie. I then used my light desk
and traced the design onto the blank stencil sheet. Using a
light desk is not necessary unless you are tracing onto
manila folders where it can be hard to see the design.
You can also tape your design onto a sunny window
and trace it from there. Nature’s light desk!!

My husband made my light desk from a 4 bottle wine box and a Fluorescent light fixture.







Sometimes, you can find some really unique designs but
the backgrounds may be dark and so the lines are hard
to see. If you trace over it with a white sharpie, you will
have no trouble seeing it through the blank stencil sheet.

Some samples of the designs used on blank art journal pages.




I really like the ghost print you get when you
flip the stencil over and press all the extra ink off.
In some cases, I like it better.






Also, if you own a die cut machine, it is very easy to
create stencils with your waste paper. Another way
to keep your art “green”.

Have any other ways you make your own stencils? 

Let me know in the comments section. I love learning

new ways to stretch my art budget.

This tutorial is also featured at the Paper Traders Art Blog.

Cathy

For the Men over at TIOT

Hey, Friends!

It's time for another Try it on Tuesday Challenge

and it's all about the men this time.

We have a new sponsor this month Dilly Beans 

at www.sillydillybeans,blogspot.co.uk

There is digi stamps prize up for grabs this month. 

My design team piece is a birthday card for

the sweetest Dad.

Mine!!

"Vintage is the new Modern"

The inside sentiment said,

"Which means if you are around here long enough

you will certainly be cool again!"

Thankfully, my Dad can take a good ribbing

from his favorite (and only ) daughter.

;)

I used an actual vintage car ad and

a vintage paper "computer" calculation sheet.

The vintage typewriter stamp came from

 Michael's dollar bin.

 It had a valentine's greeting on it but I just didn't 

ink that part of the stamp.

I initially didn't have the black frame around the design

and it just didn't pop. So I left it on my desk

and came back to it awhile later with a fresh eye.

I think it works now.

Hope you will join us at TIOT with your masculine designs.

Cathy

A Little Shabby Chic for Unruly Paper Arts

Hey , Friends !

June is Shabby Chic Month over at Unruly Paper Arts

and my RAQ (Reader Art Quest) DT sample 

is this heart shaped "love notes" box.

Painted the chip board heart box with white acrylic

and distressed the edges with sandpaper.

I layered the sides with some french text.

Sealed it all with Mod Podge.

Made some roses and leaves out of dryer sheets

and tinted them with some stamp ink.

Did you see my tutorial on how to do this here?

Made a little tag that said "love notes"

and tucked a little ribbon in between the roses.

Filled it with love notes from God as an

encouragement to a special someone.

Hope you will join us over at UPA in our

Shabby Chic 3D - RAQ 2

and link up your creations.

Cathy

Glam Stars Moo Cards and an ATC Swap

Hey, Friends!

This past week had me finishing up a couple of

swaps with my Paper Traders group.

I hosted a "Glam Stars of the 50's" Moo Card swap.

There is something just really fun about Moo cards.

It is approximately half of a business card (lengthwise) :

 2.8 x 7 centimeters or 1.1 x 2.8 inches.

I love that small , skinny size and it really forces

you to edit but still make an impact with your design.

I decided to make mine look like little film strips.

Remember those old filmstrip projectors we had in school?

Dating myself here.

:)

Doris Day, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Leslie Caron, & Marilyn Monroe

Paul Newman, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson, Christopher Plummer & Cary Grant

Doris Day and Rock Hudson were my favorite movie couple.

Loved, loved their movies together.

Cary Grant..... what can I say? YES!!

Marilyn......what can I say again? 

Stunning vulnerability.

And a little secret, 

for many years I was going to marry

Capt. von Trapp

 so that's why he was included.

So, of course when I finished these,

I had to watch "The Sound of Music".

:)

On to our Chirp Chirp ATC swap.

This was a little experiment. 

Normally, I concentrate on making a multi-layered 

background and then have a rather simple focal point. 

So, I decided to flip it. 

I just embossed a single color background 

and then used a cut -out bird

from some restructured paper pieces,

which I then stamped.

So, all the layers and detail is in the focal piece.

I like it; what do you think?

I'm putting together a new tutorial on creating your

own embossing folders. I hope to have it

posted on Monday.

Have a great weekend.

Cathy