art journal pages {backgrounds} #printmakingunleashed

i purchased the PrintMakingUnleashed. Traci does a great job of explaining her process and how to play with it. i love some of her techniques and have started regularly using some of the homemade stamps and stencils i created while playing along.

i have been making additional backgrounds in my art journal and thought i would share some of my favorite page right now.

happy friday....

SHE tags

i had been thinking about SHE and what i could make for a local women's day/ conference. the day is set aside for women to get their mammos and then come and shop and get other information about women's health. and to remind us- to embrace the SHE.

i came up with these tags and left the back open so that if you have a date or a special woman who survived breast cancer or maybe needs to be remembered- i would be happy to individualize your tag with the information.

i posted them in my usual spots to share, and decided to put them into my etsy store so anyone could have one.

the blue eyed bird with fluttered wings {on fabric}

i was recently in a swap challenge where we were to create something with wings on it. now normally this should be easy, however for whatever reason i seemed to have a block for this project. or maybe there were so many ideas floating through my head that it was hard to focus on just what exactly i wanted to do.

with the deadline looming, i needed to decide on what i was making, and focus. i had been reading a past ClothPaperScissors issue and had seen cloth that had been painting on and then, sewn on and thought this may be just what i was thinking of.

i grabbed a small piece of white cotton and started by putting down some spray inks with stencils to help create my background. i used a variety of inks and a little spray of alcohol to allow some of the colorful ink to run, then going back in with some acrylic paint and finally sewing on on bird.

i did initially stitch around the outside of my square to secure the layers of fabric. i did use 2 pieces of cotton with a thin layer of fleece in between. i stitched a couple of times simply for interest and of course, not totally straight.

i did also add a vintage ribbon handle so this blue eyed bird could be hung. and finished it off with my signature.

happy thursday!

key chain tags {sewn}

i was inspired by an article in one of my ClothPaperScissors magazines that was on fabric. i wanted mine to be smaller and able to withstand almost anything- so when i was done sewing and stitching up my fabric scraps, i used a fusable vinyl to seal the tags. here is my little stack.

i used white cotton fabric, stencils and spray ink to add color to my fabric first. the fabric pieces are 2 of cotton with a single layer of fleece for some batting in between the layers of cotton. i then stitched on my square which are about 1 inches by 1.5 inches.

 
i did add the little black and white heart to add a little pop on that colorful background as well as some shrinky dink charms that i made by stamping, punching and cooking. when was the last time you used shrinky dink material?....it is kind of fun to watch the film shrink up; i like pulling that out every once in a while.

this is the back....once i was done with the sewing- i cut out 2 pieces of the fusable vinyl and used the iron to heat through and attach. for an added texture- i did a zig-zag stitch around the vinyl.

monday = first day of school

the sound of heavy feet moving slowly this morning is a little busier than the past few lazy-days-of-summer months as the kids go back to school today. they of course will tell you that they do not want to go, but, as a mom....i am ready for a little more structure in our household.

our oldest son will head back to college at the end of this week, and i am ready to find my dining room table. he seems to think this is an extension of his room, as almost anything of his collects here. so 2 years down and a couple more to go.

this year has an excited, and strange feeling as our only daughter is finally a senior.... which blows my mind for some reason. all of these "last" things that are attached to this senior year...i just can't hardly seem to fully grasp that this is her last year and that college will be looming for her in one short year.

and quickly behind her is her younger brother who is a sophomore. i just feel like once we get to that sophomore year- the time just flies and they are done.

so today, i am just going to enjoy this busyness and the schedule of school and the rush in the house....excited for the kids as they continue to grow up.

happy monday.

one little word {lost}

i have been working recently on my used and saved papertowels and decided to stay with this theme for my one little word project as well.

there was already a base of color on it and i easily added more color, some stitching, a little stamping, and my word. when it comes to color, to me, it is easy to get lost....this was a perfect fit.

i love the drip and dribbles that sprinkled across the towel. i also used some washi tape that you can see in the top pink circles.

i used a homemade stencil that i had made when working in Traci Bautista's new book- PrintMakingUnleashed for the turquoise blue towards the bottom.

really like the blending and transition of the color....easy to become lost. if you are going to stitch onto papetowels, you need to provide some paper support underneath for your stitching- you can see a peek of paper across the top edge. if you do not provide that support- your papertowel will stretch and pull and will not lay flat. 

happy friday! hope you are able to get lost.

mixed media flower with a map and papertowel

found a little play time in the studio this weekend in between a volleyball tournament and family time. i had been saving a used paper towel for something good and the something turned out to be the background for a mixed media flower.

i had been using an old map to roll off and clean my brayer when using my gelli plate and found a section that i loved; so i cut it out. then, i spied my used paper towel and knew what to do.... make this flower.

i had a few small scraps of fabric that i used for the flower stem and leave; using black thread to stitch it all together. i did use my new Dina Wakley paint for the blue (sky is the actual color) flower petals. here is a bird's eye view of the whole piece. i also used Tim Holtz's alphabet stencil to spray on my letters with Dylusions spray ink.

happy monday....

tgif- got some ear-candy for you

just love this song....it totally makes me smile...feels a little old school with a bubbly new feel.

happy friday.....

whispered to....

i had ordered the new Print Making Unleashed book by Traci Bautista and a handful of acrylic paints from Dina Wakely's new line. everything has arrived but with school looming here this week has been very busy with appointments and getting things done; so i am anxious for the weekend to play in the studio....

i am being "whispered to"....to come out and play. so glad it is thursday......almost done this week.

stacking up the thank yous

i had have a few thank yous that were due and carved out a little time to create some cards to send.

the cards are a pleasant combination of stencils and spray ink with a dab of acrylic paint, some paper scraps on my counter....then, stitched up with some love.

check out my foam crown stamp i made- love it! and really like using it for my signature especially on cards.

 thank you for stopping by! happy tuesday!