This video shows a fun method to create a winter painting as a gift or for your own home! Stephen Lursen has been doing some work with Donna Downey, and he generously shares this winter silhouette painting! I hope you enjoy it.
For those of you with an electronic cutting machine, you are a step ahead! Cutting a stencil to use would be a breeze!
The Close to My Heart Artbooking Cricut cartridge has this reindeer image which would make a great stencil for the holidays. Otherwise, just search for an image you can cut with your machine!
Add a little decorative element to your home for Halloween by creating some “magic potions!” I know many of you enjoy doing your own lettering and drawing, and you can use this idea as you like. However, when pressed for time, or if you just want to use the get it done version, here’s how to make it happen. When I saw these cute little label stamps, I knew I had to do something fun with them!
Magic Potions Stamp Set, #C1509
Each of these label shapes can be cut with a Cricut die cut machine from the CTMH Cricut Artiste Collection cartridge, #Z1790. You can see that the page of the accompanying booklet and the cutting size are marked right along side the stamps. Since they are clear, they are easy to see exactly where to place your stamp on the label.
I grabbed some random bottles and decorated them! You can see I did a very basic version of dressing these bottles. There is so much more you could do, but I wanted you to see that just doing something simple can be very effective! These would look cute with candy in them. Since these bottles are rather tall, I filled them with water and added food coloring to the water to create the colors I wanted in each one.
CTMH Scaredy Cat papers with the Magic Potions stamps.
I love the Black Shimmer Trim! It was perfect for this project to add a little zip to the top of each bottle. All you have to do is pull off the backing tape, and it’s ready to adhere to your project!
Paper rosettes make a nice backing to the labels, or just use some of the coordinating papers from the Scaredy Cat collection, #X7185B.
Magic Potion stamp with paper rosette from Scaredy Cat paper collection.
Cutting the labels with the die cut machine makes easy work of decorative labels. Inking the edges finishes this label nicely.
Magic Potions stamped label with inked edges.
Coordinating decorative papers, as well as plain colored card stock make it easy to create projects have a cohesive look when doing a grouping of items.
Coordinating papers make the perfect background to add even more interest.
There are so many possibilities for these label stamps. Wouldn’t they look adorable on treat bags? What do you think you’d make with them, my little pretty?
Here’s a peek at the Scaredy Cat printed paper. There are also pieces of coordinating card stock not shown.
Chalkboard art is quite popular right now. I’m sure you’ve seen a thing or two that lately that has the chalkboard look. I’ve got a couple of ideas for you today.
We’ll use a punch to create a stencil.
We’ll create a chalkboard look for a scrapbook page.
Here is more mileage we can get from that same heart punch that we’ve used for several ideas. You can use most any punch for a stencil. You’ll need:
Black paper for your background
Your punch
Paper to punch and make your stencil
White Ink – a pigment ink will allow you to smear it well
Sponge for applying your ink
A white (or silver) pencil or pen for the detail work
After you sponge in your punched stencil with the white ink, just take your white pen or pencil and create some doodled lines! Doodles DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT! Just have fun.
I first drew in simple lines that ran between the hearts.
Next I drew a second line and just ran back and forth over the first one. It creates kind of a ribbon look.
Then I just added some curls at the ends of my lines.
I then added dots on my “ribbon” and at the end of the little curlicues.
There are a number of options you can consider using for your doodling. I used the white watercolor pencil on this project.
Now you’ll want to make the black paper look a little more chalky so that it looks like it has been erased a few time. Two options I like are:
Lightly sponge on more white ink, using the sponge almost dry so that you don’t get too much. You can always add more, but it’s hard to remove it!
You can use an Embossing Buddy, which is meant to be used on the surface of your project before using embossing powder. It has a slightly powdery effect which will make sure you don’t have static and have embossing powder clinging where you don’t want to emboss. Rubbing it across your black paper gives it that “chalky” appearance. However, it is still kind of powdery, so if you are using this technique on a scrapbook page, you may want to select the inking technique.
At this point I added a photo to the page and added more doodles around it. Then I added a title, and even more doodles. Then I decided I needed some more hearts, so I stenciled in a few more hearts. Okay, I may have gone overboard, but it’s a fun page, and I enjoyed doing it! I got a cute picture on a page, and I enjoyed myself!
Loosen up and try your hand at something new. My page isn’t perfect, but I don’t care. In case you haven’t noticed, there are people who are enjoying quite a following creating art that isn’t perfect. Is is NOT about the perfect! I hope you’ll give the chalkboard technique a try and you are always welcome to share your work with us over at the Artful Adventures Facebook Group!
Last, but not least, here is another page I made that has a similar look. This page was done with the February sketch layout from my friend Beth at ScrappingWonders.com.
Many of you said that you have problems finding ways to use some of the products you have in your stash. Today’s project will show you how to use extra alphabet stickers, ribbon, and patterned paper! I’m going to show you a masking technique to create an interesting element on a recycled project. This project will also work if you want to use die cut letters, which is actually what I will use today.
You’ve probably heard me tell you many times that thrift stores, estate sales, and even garage sales are great places to find thing that you can alter or up cycle. I was at the thrift store the other day and found two hinged boxes that I decided I would spruce up and use for handmade cards an envelopes, which I will probably use for gifts.
So, here is the before and after picture.
First, wipe down your item with rubbing alcohol to make sure it is clean and free of any dirt or oils.
Next, if the existing color on the outside rim of the lid, and the lip it closes over don’t coordinate with your choice of paper, you’ll want to recolor it. You’ll either need an alcohol ink, pigment ink, or in this case I used StazOn. I opened the lid of the stamp pad, and squirted a few drops of the StazOn ink refill into the lid, and just used it like paint to cover the edged which would not be covered by paper.
StazOn ink refill in the lid of the stamp pad. Use it like paint on the rim of the lid.
Paint outer edge of lid, and the lip that it will close over.
Select your paper and measure around the box for the length needed. Measure the height of the area you will place the paper in. This box needed 28 inches of paper to wrap around, with a height of 3.75 inches. I was able to use a 12×12″ paper for the body; but had to use a second piece for the lid. Place the tin upside down and trace around it for the top piece; or hold it in place and press the edges into the paper to mark where it will need to be cut.
Now, take your paper that will wrap around the body, and adhere it together for a single piece.
Next take some painters masking tape to mask off a boarder along your paper. IMPORTANT TIP: Take the masking tape and tape it to your clothes and lift it off. Repeat several times until you can tell the tape is still just a little bit tacky. Be doing this, your masking tape will stick to the paper, but will easily come off the paper without ripping it!
IMPORTANT TIP: Take the masking tape and tape it to your clothes and lift it off. Repeat several times until you can tell the tape is still just a little bit tacky. Be doing this, your masking tape will stick to the paper, but will easily come off the paper!
Now we are going to put those alphabet stickers to work! If you don’t have alphabet stickers, you can get the same effect by using die cut letters. These were created with the Big Shot. To use these as stickers for the masking technique, simple turn them upside down and apply non-permanent adhesive. The 2-Way Glue Pen is perfect for this. If the glue has a bit of a blue tint, it will bond items together. If you let it dry, it becomes a non-permanent bond, like a sticky note. So, that’s what you see here, the glue is drying so that I can make them removable.
2-Way Glue Pen is perfect for making a permanent or temporary bond. Leaving them in the paper makes it easier to apply the adhesive.
Now apply your alphabet stickers between your two rows of masking tape. If you are using alphabet stickers, use the same method as we used with the masking tape, before you stick them on the page. We want to take the stickers off in a minute, so stick them on and off of your cloths or a cloth, before you stick them on the paper. You can be as random or as planned as you want with the placement.
I used an ink pad and a sponge to apply the color. Be careful that you don’t knock the letters off the paper. Gently sponge as much color on as you would like. Notice that I only inked enough to add color, and left it somewhat transparent, and you can see the design of the paper still.
Ink along the length of your paper.
When your are finished inking, you can gently remove your alphas and your masked off borders. Apply your paper to the tin! I used Sticky Strip so that it would have a secure hold on the metal, and will be secure enough if this item is not going to see heavy action. A few glue dots helped tack the paper in place to make it more manageable to deal with. (If a super duper, all over hold is desired, you could use ModPodge to adhere the paper to your tin, but it will greatly increase the length of time before completion because you’ll have to wait on it to dry.)
I ran a length of ribbon around the body and added a bow. I opted to not place anything else on the lid, although I had made a paper flower. It just seemed that it looked best at this point without more embellishments.
I hope this will help you with some ideas to use your stash of supplies! If you need something, feel free to shop my Stampin’Up!store for the items used above:
StazOn Ink Refill – #102566
Stazon Ink Pad – #101406
Paper – “First Edition Specialty” – #121878, digital version – #124408
2 Way Glue Pen – #100425
Stamping Sponges – #101610
Black Classic Ink Pad – #126980
Sticky Strip – #104294
Glue Dots – #103683
Black 3/8″ Ribbon – #119962
Now, get out there and have some Artful Adventures! —Kristie
Chalkboard art is quite popular right now. I’m sure you’ve seen a thing or two that lately that has the chalkboard look. I’ve got a couple of ideas for you today.
Here is more mileage we can get from that same heart punch that we’ve used for several ideas. You can use most any punch for a stencil. You’ll need:
Last, but not least, here is another page I made that has a similar look. This page was done with the February sketch layout from my friend Beth at ScrappingWonders.com. 
I hope this will help you with some ideas to use your stash of supplies! If you need something, feel free to shop my Stampin’Up! store for the items used above: