stamping up a storm {foam stamps}

this weekend was busy, but, on sunday i did sneak down to the studio to play and do some catch up with the printmakingunleashed 31 day challenge....i must buy this book- this has been the most amount of good creative fun i have had in a while with such wonderful prompts to get you started....

(focus...)...okay- so the newest challenge was to make and use foam stamps. i looked around my studio and found my stack of play foam sheets and a small amount even had sticky backs! i set to work making up a pile of foam stamps. check out my pile...

with my new foam stamps i combined with my gelli plate to create backgrounds and several very cool pages in my art journal. i used my brayer to apply paint to my foam stamps; sometimes covering the whole stamp, and other times rolling just once and leaving empty space on my stamp. i didn't even mind if the edge of my stamp touched the page as you can see below.

are you playing?....let me know and i can stop over! happy monday.....

tag.....you are it!

i managed to sneak in some much needed studio time yesterday before the prom activities started. i had signed up to participate in a tag swap and needed to get my tags done.

i love saving the tags from clothing to use for this type of project. the kids clothes usually have the best tags, but, i have gotten some good ones from mine as well. i have a little stash of clothing tags that i dug through to find some base tags to use yesterday.

i loved the shape of this one with the cut corners.

this long skinny tag was perfect for my next tag....i used my gelli plate to produce the black and white back ground. i used washi tape and stamped tissue paper to create the background for this tag and then, used a scrap piece of paper with the hot pink flash as my pop of color that this black and white tag needed. and, finished it off with the perfect book words- "a new kind of tag."

i have to say though....this last tag i have been saving for some special inspiration because of the words on the back of this tag. i selectively painted out a few of the words to leave the sentiment that i was looking for: "translation: special techniques to apply inks, dyes, and details that means differences. it's all intentional, make everything original.

i made the background and then, added the heart. i stitched up the edges and added a little dash of black fabric. just a note because this was regular book paper i added another scrap of paper to the back where the fabric was to add support for the stitching- otherwise, with the repeated stitching it would have easily ripped through leaving my fabric unattached to my paper.

29 faces 2014 challenge: days 21, 22, & 23

i was about fit to be tied after not being able to go down to my studio for a few days....so when i got there, there was a sigh of relief. i love walking in and seeing my stuff just sitting there waiting for me to go to work. this was the view of my work table.

i was a few days behind on my 29 faces, but, quickly went to work and created my faces. this was from a model post. i used gesso on a portion of the page to see how my new stabilo pencil would work on gesso. my left eye was on gesso and the right is not- which do you like better? i think i like the left one....but, cannot quite decide.

for this face, i used my gelli plate to print the background first layering a few colors with stencils. then, used my stabilo pencil, and black and white india ink.

on my day 23 i had used a number stencil on the gelli plate and simply printed off the stencil onto my paper. i loved the perspective of her in the picture. i may have to try her one more time. the pic was taken looking up so her chin was very pronounced. i used my stabilo pencil, black and white india ink on her.

29 faces challenge 2014: day 15 & 16

 i am still playing along- and i have to admit....i am proud that i have stuck with this. this challenge is difficult for me because, i would say that i do not "draw" well and that faces are hard for me. but, as long as i am playing my way- which is a little off the beaten course....life is good.

on saturday i played with my gelli plate- cutting out shapes and printing, rolling off my brayer, cutting some more shapes, and more printing.....seriously love my gelli plate. i used this art journal to print in to prepare pages for the next few days.

my drawing below, i used a water blendable charcoal, white ink and a sharpie over my gelli printed back ground.

29 faces challenge 2014: day 1

i did decide to give 29 faces challenge a try.....faces are something i feel like i struggle with- so this will be the perfect push outside of my comfort zone.

here is my face from yesterday-

i am using an art journal that i had used my gelli plate to print the backgrounds first. i also used stencils and spray ink. my image came from a fashion model i had pinned and knew i wanted to draw. 

she is interesting and i am hoping that as this month progresses, that my abilities will get better......

gelli plate and stenciled backgrounds- love....

i have been making additional backgrounds in my art journal and thought i would share these additional backgrounds. check these out....

 i love the colors and shape on this one....i had simply cut a piece of card stock to block out the shape found on the right hand side. each time i have used the shape, it gathers a little more color and i keep thinking i will actually use it in my art journal and cut another one- but, it continues to be "seasoned" and look even cooler with each use.

 this one i used paper scraps i had on my counter to block out when printing- love the bold shapes in the red. the yellow was printed onto the page and the green i used a stencil.

this last one was the end stage printing....the red was probably the third print off of my gelli plate onto the previous layers. the circle is actually a stamp. i stamped off onto this page when using it for something else i was making. sometimes it is dangerous to decide that you want a lighter version of a stamp- because i tend to "stamp"it off onto anything that is handy. i love the big circles though with the little polka dots peaking through the layers. great fun!

art journal girl- yet another

i did sneak a little time this morning to play in the studio. have i mentioned how thoroughly i have been enjoying my gelli plate for making back grounds?......blank art journal page + print, print,print + face= HAPPINESS!

i have been layering the prints until i am happy and then, drawing a face on top. i have several more backgrounds ready to go and had bought a new pencil to try out.

i have several charcoal and sketch and wash pencils, and i was looking for something in between. i found a pastel pencil and thought i would give it a try. i liked that it was more stable than my charcoal and sketch and wash pencils when adding paint- like at her eye; but, will wash out and blend with direct contact- like at the lips.

art journal- doodle and stencil

i have started a new art journal and discovered i really like the size of the pages. it was one i picked up on sale. i am sure we have all done that....picked up something on sale or clearance at the art store? and then discovered something about whatever that was that was a little off...a little wonky? correct?!

this one has a cover that is a little weird- but, being a mixed media artist- make a better cover...done.

the only other thing i have noted now that i have done several pages and worked back to back, is that the pages are a little thinner than what i would like. i definitely have to gesso the pages because depending on what i have used on the backside-some of that may have bled through. sometimes that is no big deal, but, other times you don't want to see whatever is on the backside...so, again, just because it is on sale does not mean it is a good deal, but, this is probably not going to stop me at the art store in that clearance section.....

still loving my girl which is a homemade stencil.....i think because she seems to have an attitude. check out my process on how i made my stencil here.

and this was a quick doodle with charcoal and pen and had used my gelli plate to create the back ground for this one. still loving my gelli plate! do you have one yet?....they are so much fun, they are addicting!