Field Guide - Week 3 - Paint on my fingers

May Flaum over at Big Picture Classes is running a class called Curious Scrapbookers Field Guide. This is an anything goes class - not just scrapbooking.  Each week we get a new technique, tool, you name it - to challenge us to try something new.  This week - Acrylic Paint.  I cannot remember the last time I dug those paints out.  Imagine my surprise when they were all in great shape.  I tried something different this week - inspired by a project I saw on May's site.  I found a stretched canvas box in my 'stash', and got started.

I base coated the canvas with Claudine Helmuth, Traditional Tan paint.  I now know why Hels uses this all the time.  Such a great color!  I cut Tim Holtz Heart Wings out of swirls embossed grunge board.  I painted the wings and crown with an adirondak gold dabber.  The heart was spritzed with Polka Dot Pink Chalkboard Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (isn't that a dreamy color!)  The edges of the canvas were painted with butterscotch and lettuce adirondak shimmery acrylic paints.  I used White liquid pearls to do the canvas (Wouldn't do that again....ugh).  I also highlighted wings with Rock Candy Stickles.  We were encouraged to use glitter - but omg...the mess that makes.  Distress Stickles are really the all time best glittery item on the market - just go get them :-)

I am having a blast getting back into my craft room and 'creating!'.  I hope you are having fun too.

Field Guide - Week 2 - Get Inky and Stamp

May Flaum challenged us this week to use our stamps, different kinds of ink, and something we haven't used in a long time - or at all.  I was having so much fun, I created 2 cards this week.

First, I decided to use a Tim Holtz technique I have always loved, with a stamp I haven't used in years, Penny Black Tiger Lily.  This technique works best with bolder images, rather than fine lines.  I used Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Black Soot, and Olive distress inks.  I tapped them randomly on the stamp.  Then I spritzed the stamp with water to blend the colors and stamped onto my paper.  It creates a beautifully blended look, along with a sort of watercolor look.  I over stamped the image with a text stamp from Stamp in the Hand.  Then to get a little shimmer, like we learned last week - I spritzed the whole thing with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mist.

Second card - I practiced the technique that our guest artist shared - resist stamping with an embossed image.  I used another Penny Black stamp that had been long neglected - Fresh Fields.  Stamped and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then worked with Distress Stains in Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey over the top.  These are going to take some getting used to.  They all seem to come out the bottle a little differently.  After many tries - this is what I ended up with.  Definitely a light hand, and less is more approach works best.  I randomly stamped a couple of my other favorite Stampa Rosa and Hero Art stamps over the top.

All in all - I had a very fun day!

Field Guide - Week 1 - Getting all Misty

Field Guide Week 1 - and the fun is starting off with one of my favorite 'inks'.  The challenge was to use mists.  All kinds of mists - the kind you buy, the kind you make, and the kind you can 'flick' with  brush.  I tried them all!  In the end - I went with my faves for this project - Tattered Angels premade mists.

Here is the first picture - of the Caged Bird Die that I cut from home made paper.  I misted pale yellow cardstock with Tattered Angels:  Patina, Copper, and Pearl.  After I cut out the birds - I spritzed them with Dark Denim mists to add dimension.

I chose, Graphic 45, Steampunk Debutante papers for my final project.  Wow - if you haven't seen these up close and personal - do yourself a favor and check them out.  They are simply gorgeous.  I topped the card off with a cutout from a Spellbinders wonky rectangle die.  


I am looking forward to seeing all the wonderful art projects everyone taking the class post as we go along.  May Flaum is very talented, and her enthusiasm for this class is certainly contagious.  Be sure to check back each week to see what our next challenge is!  

Exciting 12 weeks ahead

I have embarked on a new venture for me.  A 12 week Curious Scrapbookers Field Guide class taught by the amazing artist,  May Flaum.  The class is offered by Big Picture Classes.  I hope you enjoy the journey along with me!  It's not too late to sign up for the class - registration closes Feb 15th.