Wednesday Wonder – Mini Art Journal Technique with Denise Alloca

In today’s Wednesday Wonder, I’d like to introduce you to Denise Alloca from My Art Adventures. Since I seem to love all things small, I loved her featured video on Donna Downey’s Artist Gang this week. She created a little art journal and shows how she made it from one sheet of paper, and the cover from an empty cereal box. This is a fantastic way to create the backgrounds for a journal, and then have it ready for anything else you’d like to do to complete each page. This basic technique idea will allow you to use supplies you already have on-hand! I have posted two of Denise’s videos below. Enjoy!

If you’re ready for spring, as so many of us are, you’ll love this next video, too. See how she uses pieces of cardboard for some of her mark making, especially the petals of the flowers.

You can see Denise’s entire post with closeups of these little canvases on her blog.

You are welcome to share photos of your own Artful Adventures in our Facebook Group!

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Creating a Practically Perfect Planner

make it monday-pink logoEvery new year, people decide they are going to be more organized, be more productive, and reach new goals. Many of us look for the perfect planner/calendar — every year! I think I have had about every size of planner in too many brands to remember. Have I found the perfect planner for myself? Not really. Each one had its merits, but in the end, none of them every really felt like they fit all my needs.

This year, before the new year started, it seemed like there were even more planners than usual! Along with new planner lines, there seemed to be an abundance of ideas on how to use them, how to decorate them, how to plan better, how to utilize one to better work for your lifestyle. You may be thinking, It’s a planner, how hard can it be? Yet there are those of us who feel like planner failures. I am one.

Why does nothing seem to suit me, or maybe you? It’s because we aren’t the failure, the planners are! Companies design for the masses! They make what they think will benefit the greatest number of people. What may work best for you, may not be right for me, or for my neighbor.

Practically Perfect Planner class with Cara Vincens

I think the most useful idea I ever had for planning, was to use a monthly calendar on our refrigerator. Everyone had their own colored pencil to use for their activities and appointments. At just a glance, I had an immediate and broad view of what my family was doing. As the “director” of the house, it was important to have that view. Other that than, I would use a planner for a short time, and then let if fade into the obscurity of a drawer, or shelf. And how did my refrigerator calendar info transfer to a useful size, it didn’t. So it wasn’t very convenient anywhere except the kitchen!

Is there hope? YES there is hope!

Cara Vincens from the Hooting Pirate

Cara Vincens

My sweet friend, Cara Vincent from the Hooting Pirate, is the mother to six little ones first and foremost, but to keep calm and not lose herself in the day-to-day crazies of being a mother, she is a mixed media artist, turns to scrapbooking, paper crafting and costume design as her escape.  She adores photography, and most times you’ll see those 6 faces that make up her world on her scrapbook pages. She is a planner user from way back. She has tweeked and tweeked planners to find what works for HER life and she has put together a series of lessons to help YOU create your own Practically Perfect Planner!

I have had a chance to go through the class. It truly is amazing to go through the exercises she provides. Who knew some of us needed help figuring out our options, and creating a planner that fits our individual needs? Like most things, it is amazing what some excellent advice and guidance can do. Throw in some Washi tape, and  give it a crafty vibe!

I urge you to let Cara help you with some crafty ideas to create your own planning system!

Practically Perfect Planner class with Cara Vincens

The class starts today, February 9th and runs through March 22nd.

You can find out more HERE.

You may like to listen to Cara discuss the class with another friend of mine, Melissa Shanhun of Digital Scrapbooking HQ, on her podcast.

Chime in with your comments. Do you still need help creating your own ideal planning system?

make it monday-pink logo

This was a little different version of Make It Monday, but you should have come here from Lisa at My Kreative Pursuits, where she shared a “love-ly” project in this week’s #MondayMojo post.

Next up in the Make it Monday blog circle is Beth from Scrapbooking Wondersbringing teaching and crafting together by creating a banner for the classroom.

 

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures,

KS

 

 

 

Camper Crazy Valentine

make it monday-pink logoIt is Make It Monday blog hop! If you are stopping by from Connie Hanks at Clicky Chick Creates, you’re in the right spot. Our theme this week is Valentines. She had some great ideas for cupid, kisses, and heart banners!

Sometimes you just want to try something different. Why not take a more traditional valentine/love themed paper, with hearts and flowers, and combine it with a not so traditional set of images — like campers!

The Camper Crazy stamp set from Close to My Heart is adorable, and yet I still had not ever used it. These little campers would be easy to create if you would like to draw them. So if you like this idea, get started!

The campers were stamped on white card stock and colored with alcohol markers.

camper images

Since I was away from home this weekend, I had limited supplies. I totally forgot a lot of my embellishments! Oh, no! I had some shimmer trim in several colors, but nothing I wanted to use on my project. Then I remembered I could color the the silver shimmer trim almost any color with the alcohol markers!  I decided to create a heart, but I wanted it wider than my trim. I just stuck down three rows of the trim on a piece of plain card stock.

shimmer trim strips on card stock

Shimmer trim strips adhered to card stock.

Next I colored it red with an alcohol marker.

shimmer trim tinted with alcohol markers

Alcohol markers used to tint the shimmer trim.

Finally, I just cut a heart out of my colored trim!

Cut heart out of tinted shimmer trim.

Cut heart out of tinted shimmer trim.

CTMH Camper Crazy Valentine card, using Heartstrings paper pack

Here are “ingredients” for this card:

  • Heartstrings paper pack, using Lagoon and Whisper card stock
  • White card stock
  • Camper Crazy stamp set
  • Silver Shimmer Trim
  • Touch Twin Markers:  Peacock Green, Turquoise Blue, Carmine, Golden Yellow, Warm Gray-WG4, and the Colorless Blender
  • Ink pads: Lagoon, Whisper, Archival Black
  • Adhesive tape runner, foam dimensional dots, glue dots

Now, your next stop on the Make It Monday adventure is over with Jen Wright, to check out the Valentine collage she has for you!

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures,

KS

 

Tool Tip Tuesday – Cosmetic Sponges

Have you ever thought about the fact that using colored cosmetics is like doing artwork on your face? Well, I think so, anyway! One of the tools of makeup application is the cosmetic sponge. It may be a lowly little tool on its own, but it can work magic with application techniques. Not only are sponges handy in front of the mirror, they can be just as useful on your art table!

Cosmetic sponges can serve a multitude of purposes in arts and crafts.

Cosmetic sponges can serve a multitude of purposes in arts and crafts.

 

Sea sponges and synthetic, manufactured sponges that are made to resemble sea sponges are often used in art. However, a bag of cosmetic sponges is usually rather inexpensive in comparison. Plus, the are often already available in our makeup bag!

What can you do with a sponge? Here are some ideas:

  • Use damp to apply and smooth on paint
  • Remove paint as needed
  • Create texture by using different motions with the sponge
  • Snip the sponge into a shape for a “stamp”
  • Use to apply paint or ink with stencils
  • Apply ink to edges, or buff over a project
  • Use as a blending tool
  • Use as a blotter for your paintbrush while watercoloring
  • Use for an extra applicator with PanPastels
  • Use as disposable applicator for any product

What else can you think of that may be a good idea to use a small sponge for? We would love to hear your ideas.

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS