Back to school

I love finding out new ways to use my supplies.  I also love rediscovering old techniques I have forgotten over the years.  I just signed up for Tim Holtz's Summer of Creative Chemistry over on Online Card Classes.  I did Creative Chemistry 101 and 102 a couple years ago.
Now, Tim will  be offering Creative Chemistry 103 and is having returning students go back to review past techniques.  This week he wanted us to go back and review a couple of days and make a project using just a few items.

Here's my tag and my review of the techniques.  You can sign up at any time and it is so worth the price.  

Have you signed up?

Jess

Tim tag for May

Here is my submission for the Tim tag for May.

 I still love the tiny tattered floral die.  It might be my favorite.  

Jess

Guest Posting on Our Creative Corner

I am so excited to be guest posting over at  Our Creative Corner today! My mermaids won their Return of the Challenge challenge.  Here is the project I created for them.  Please pop over and check it out there too.

I started by using my gelli plate, stencils, and acrylic paint to make my background on a canvas tag.

My focal image is from the Tim Holtz Winged Things stamp set.  The little fairy is colored using Distress Inks and Crayons.

 I made the tiny tattered floral flowers and branches using the tissue paper and collage medium technique I showed a couple posts back.

Once they were dry I ran them through my die cutting machine and added some bling to the flowers.
I stamped on the tag using Archival ink and used white acrylic paint to highlight areas.  Black Soot Distress Crayon darkened up the stitching around the tag.  I also scribbled with my black Fude ball pen around the fairy and the sentiment.

What have you been crafting?

Jess

Fabric Element Canvas Banner

A few weeks ago I was at Joann fabric and picked up a bunch of Fabric Elements.  I bought canvas tags, and couple different size banners and pennants.
The first banner I made is 9x12.

This was a kit that included the canvas, tissue paper, and an iron adhesive to attach the tissue to the canvas.

I used several Distress Stains for the background.  I added them to the tissue and then wet my fingers.  I used my slightly damp hand to blend the colors together.  Acrylic paint is splattered, smeared, and smudged all around.  

The stencil was added using texture paste and then its colored with Distress Paints in metallic colors. I used a Fude ball pen around the letters to add depth.   

This pretty lady is printed on cardstock and her embellishments are a mixture of new and vintage.  I used my Fude ball and Hickory Smoke Distress crayon to add shadows and highlights around her.  

Distress Crayon in Black Soot was blended around the edges.  A few more metal bits and the banner is complete.  

I have another banner to show you in a few days, so check back in!

Frilly and Funkie Opposites Attract Challenge

Anything but Cute-Celebrate Your Style

Try it on Tuesday Spots, Dots, and Splashes

Jess

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

Jess

Distress Crayon Collage Tutorial

I've been having a lot of fun using paper napkins.  I have never used them for crafting, but a group I trade with opened my eyes to this awesome medium.  I have been asked to put together a tutorial, so here it goes. I am making bookmarks here, so they will look smaller than the image above, but I did everything exactly the same.

For the first layer you will need your Distress Collage Medium, one of the underlayers of the printed napkins, and cardstock(I am just using the cheap stuff from the craft store).  Spread a thin layer of the Collage Medium all over your paper and cover it with the napkin.  I squish it on there so I get wrinkles and bumps.  Add a second layer of Collage Medium on top of the napkin.  You can let it air dry or use your heat tool to dry it.  

Scribble on several colors of Distress Crayon and blend with your fingers.  The crayon moves so smoothly over the collage medium. 

You can see I didn't worry about getting it all the way to the edges.  I am going to keep layering, so I am not worried about patches of blank space. 

Use a stencil to add on texture paste.  You can let it air dry or dry it with your heat tool.  Don't forget to clean your stencil right away.  

The texture paste on the left has been scribble on with Distress Crayons.  The image on the right has a paper napkin burnished onto the texture paste using my finger ans a bit of collage medium.  So there are two ways you can do this step.

I added my image and then stamped around it using Jet Black Archival and Hydrangea.  

I added a Small Talk sentiment and used the Black Soot Crayon around the edges. 

To complete the bookmark I used a black and white pen in a random fashion all over the piece.

Here's the one with the napkin.  Same techniques, but it has a totally different esthetic.

Here are some of the others pieces I have made using this technique.

I am entering these into a few challenges:

Try it On Tuesdays- Vintage Photo

Frilly and Funkie- It isn't Easy Being Green(paper napkin layers)

A Vintage Journey- Spring is in the Air

Anything But Cute-Earth Day(recycled napkins and used earthy tones)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and try it for yourself!

Jess

A flashy upgrade

I love the bright and quirky projects that Andrea Ockey Parr creates.  She made some altered flashcards a while back and I was inspired to try it for myself.  It was so fun mixing ink, paint, stamps, and more.  I am not a huge math fan.  These cards made me enjoy math just a tad more.

I'd like to submit these to:

Our Creative Corner Gypsy Fayre

Happy Crafting!

Jess