Day Eleven – Seeing Stars

Continuing with working on my June artist trading cards for Saturday, I cut out the patterned and layered tissue papers from yesterday. I chose a kraft brown cardstock for the backing. It's easy using Sizzix die #656332 for cutting several cards with rounded corners.

Then I tore the cut out cards with the two different patterned papers roughly on a diagonal to be combined, gluing them to the cardstock with Golden matte medium.

Next I began trying out some ideas with stencils, distress ink and some fabric and washi tape. I had previously stamped a vintage image of children with a flag for a July 4th holiday theme of red, white and blue. Then I hand colored three image variations, scanned and re-sized in Photoshop to fit ATC size better. Finally, I printed a couple of sheets in color. I'm liking the way the elements are coming together. Tomorrow I'll finish assembling which is the fun part.

Day Four – Pansy Fairy

Pansy Flower Fairy

I completed my second watercolor in my flower fairy series today, which I started yesterday. The image was rubber stamped with Ranger Archival Olive ink on watercolor paper. I've had difficulty with this particular stamp in getting all the details to stamp. So for this one, I had to fill in some of the illustration myself following the color image on the back of the stamp for guidance. The illustration is by Mary Cicely Barker licensed to Stamps Happen. The medium is Ranger Distress markers by Tim Holtz. I use the markers to watercolor by picking up the ink with a water brush after scribbling on a plastic palette, craft mat or directly drawing on the paper. 

Day Three – Celtic Crosses and Ornate Type

I did a few things today. I started another flower fairy watercolor which I will post when finished. My daughter asked me for some help with the construction of a Celtic border pattern and how it could be done in Illustrator or Photoshop. After sending me her sketch and a similar Googled image, I began to deconstruct the design. At first I thought it would be pretty difficult but after analyzing it, I saw that it really is only a couple of repeating shapes. So I made a few simple sketches on my phone with a paint app. They are pretty rough but the shapes can be seen fairly easily.

The letters I actually did yesterday but didn't really fit with Day Two's post. Someone at my last ATC group meeting was getting rid of this complete wood mounted rubber stamp alphabet set, Ornate Floral by Stampin' Up. Being a typophile, I couldn't let these go! Each one was stamped with black Ranger Archival ink on white cardstock. I will be scanning the stamped letters to use later for my own digital projects. Their actual size is about 5/8". There is just something cool about using rough imperfect letters with computer art. 

Day One – Geranium Fairy

Flower Fairy

Today is the first day of my New Job— to create art. I am committing myself to creating something every day for the next year starting today, June 1, 2015.

My rule is simple:

1. Do something creative every day.

It can be complete or incomplete, an idea jotted down, a step towards a finished project, a new technique learned. I will document what I've done for that day here. Here is my first post. I finished hand coloring an image from a week or so ago. It is not an original drawing but a rubber stamped image by Mary Cicely Barker entitled Geranium Flower Fairy. I stamped the image on watercolor paper with a light distress ink. Then I used Ranger Distress brush markers with a watercolor technique learned from Tim Holtz. He has video tutorials and online classes if you want to learn more.

Mermaid ATC

I recently joined an Artists Trading Card group and this is the first one I made for the swap for August 2013. These are 2.5 x 3.5 inch artist trading cards that you make several of and trade with other artists so then you have a collection. I made 25 which was way too many for this group but I'll have some left to trade another time or with other groups. I also found out that I didn't have to make them all the same but it's ok to. The theme was "beach." Without getting to technical, I used some recycled materials such as Pendaflex file folders that were being trashed at the office, aluminum soda cans both die cut to card and tag shapes. Rubber stamps, ink, embossing powder, markers and gel pens were used for images. The recycled metal die cut tag frames inset with mermaid collage elements were finished off with Glossy Accents by Ranger. Pearl Paint beads completed the string o'pearls.

Waiting For Mr. Right

Here is a Birthday Card I made for a family member. This is the front and matching envelope. Gears were cut from glitter and metallic cardstock with Sizzix Vagabond with dies from Tim Holtz. Wrinkle Free Distress technique was created with Ranger Distress inkpads. Rubber stamp image "Waiting for Mr. Right 1938" is from Lost Coast Designs.

Detail of last minute additions.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Easter Card features a 3D pop-up egg with a hidden surprise. Remove the smallest front egg by sliding it up to reveal a miniature Spring scene. Techniques used are spritz/flick distress background, then Perfect Distress stamped image. The flowers are die-cut on Bazzill card stock with Sizzix Vagabond. Easter bunny and text are from Ideaology Seasonal paper, embellished with Stardust gel pens. The 3D egg is hand cut from double-sided patterned paper using a template from Some Assembly Required, designed by Sandy Jackson. The edges of the egg pieces are lightly distressed with inkpads and tool then spritzed with Perfect Pearl Mist, Heirloom Gold, after assembled. It actually will fold flat for mailing. Tiny butterflies are stamped, cut out then glued on egg edges and flowers. I have learned so much from this class and hope to keep going. Thanks for looking!

Birthday Card

Birthday Card
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

This is a Birthday Card I made for my friend using Distress Techniques I learned from Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry class.

I also entered it into the 12 Tags of 2012 - April project since it fit the theme and materials used.

Perfect Pearls Distress

Perfect Pearls Distress
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Typographic treatment of my name using the Perfect Distress Technique from Day 9 of Tim Holtz's Chemistry 101 online class. This tag on black cardstock was stamped with Distress embossing ink with some foam letter stamps. The lower case "n" is mounted crooked on the base but I decided it's just showing some "character" and so did not bother trying to straighten it. The butterfly was another attempt from Day 8's rock candy crackle on pre-cut cardboard shapes from Michaels.

Day 10 - THCC 101

Day 10 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Distress Stickles Technique.
I can't believe this is the last day's project. This class has been so educational. I haven't done this much stamping at one time ever. All three of these tags use color Distress Stickles (Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Fire Brick Red - set) rather than the clear Distress Rock Candy Stickles although it's hard to see in the photograph. The butterfly is another attempt at Day 8's lesson. I had the hardest time with the Rock Candy Crackle. I was being oh so patient with letting them slow dry. They were looking beautiful until they were dry and all the crackle was flaking off! I think it was because these were pre-cut cardboard shapes that I applied Snow Cap pigment ink and Perfect Pearl layers before I put the crackle on. One or both of these seemed to resist the Rock Candy (more like repelled!) once it was dry. In an attempt to save them, I put another layer on, heat dried and then put some alcohol inks on as I don't have any re-inkers or stains yet.

Day 9d - THCC 101

Day 9 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Perfect Distress & Mist Technique
All three of these tags used the Perfect Distress technique. The last tag on the right used the Perfect Distress Mist on the background as well. I didn't have any re-inkers to make a distress ink mist so just mixed PP Kiwi in water and sprayed after doing a wrinkle-free distress. Then I stamped the peacock feather with Distress markers direct from the stamp. The image didn't hardly take as the mica must have resisted it. So I drew over it with more markers, colored pencils and opaque paint markers. Then I added some more pearl bling. The middle tag used some foam letter stamps I have with Distress embossing ink. The butterfly was another attempt from Day 8's rock candy crackle.

Day 9c - THCC 101

Day 9 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Perfect Distress & Mist Technique.
Here's a close-up of the peacock feather stamp with not so much light reflecting on the iridescent shine of the mica powders. I mixed just PP Kiwi in water without any ink and sprayed after doing a wrinkle-free distress. Then I stamped the peacock feather with Distress markers direct from the stamp. The image didn't hardly take as the mica must have resisted it. So I drew over it with more markers, colored pencils and opaque paint markers. Then I added some more pearl bling.

Day 9b - THCC 101

Day 9 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Perfect Distress Technique Close-up.
These stamp images were probably too detailed for this technique but they came out interesting. Perfect Pearl color Kiwi is the best EVER!

Day 9a - THCC 101

Day 9 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Perfect Splatter & Distress - The two outer tags are the Perfect Splatter technique, and the middle one is Perfect Distress. The tag on the left was 1st and the one on the far right was 2nd generation from the same ink/PP puddle. It was difficult to get a photograph showing the luminescence of the mica powders. I LOVE the PP color Kiwi. The 1st class is over now but anyone can sign-up for it now and take it anytime.

Day 8c - THCC 101

Day 8 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Shattered Stains & Paint Resist
For the middle manilla tag, I used white acrylic paint dabbed directly on the stamps with cut n dry foam. The two tags on the outside are the rock candy crackle paint resist. I use the really cheap craft foam from the 99 Cent Store to hand cut the shapes. It came out... interesting. The foam is thinner than regular craft foam and has a soft flexible feel to it like leather suede. I'm wondering if it could be used to make faux leather bracelets. It didn't melt from the heat gun but could have potentially burned if was used too long. The crackle paint was barely dry so has a thin crazing to it. I stained it with Adirondack alcohol inks as I didn't have stains or re-inkers, fun to watch!

Day 8b - THCC 101

Day 8 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Acrylic Paint Resist
This is white acrylic paint dabbed directly on to stamps, applied to sticky-back canvas. I used Distress inkpads to direct stain the canvas and water. I can see how the Distress Stains would be easier to use for this technique. The canvas doesn't like to absorb the ink too much and has a grainy look.

Day 8a - THCC 101

Day 8 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Crackle Paint Resist
It worked as expected. It can be tough to stamp a detailed design over the thick dried crackle paint. Rubber stamp images are from Lost Coast Designs and Tim Holtz Collection.

Day 7b - THCC 101

Day 7 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Distress Powder Resist Embossing
I'm still working on getting this technique down. I think maybe I'm heating it too long. The tag on the right was the first one I did and I wasn't happy with it. Then I did the next one on the left and liked it better. But the two seemed to look nice together, one completes the other like Yin and Yang. This one will be a do over to try to get it right another time.

Day 7a - THCC 101

Day 7 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Nostalgic Batik & Rusted Enamel Technique
The first tag on the left was a do-over as I really didn't like my first effort. I will work some more on this technique as I like the principle. I don't think my stamp choice works with the colors. The tag on the right came out really cool, first try! But this is all for learning and want to save my energy for the next lesson.

Day 6 - THCC 101

Day 6 - THCC 101
Originally uploaded by Sandra SS

Distress Markers
Watercolor (far left and far right) and direct color on stamp techniques (middle). I used Inkssentials gloss paper as I didn't have the specialty stamp paper. Opaque paint marker created the white spots.