What goes around...

This month, I happened upon a couple of complete strangers who could use some cheering up, or at the very least some friendly support. So I made cards for them, and sent them out yesterday.

This one was to the lady I initially met:

The outside says, "Adopt the pace of nature;
her secret is patience. -Ralph Waldo Emerson"
Inside, I wrote, "I hope this card gives you an
excuse to smile and take a deep breath."
I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in 'Vintage Photo',
'Walnut Stain', and 'Antiqued Linen'. I also used
Stazon ink in 'Timber Brown'. Embellishments
were 'antiqued' with Adirondack Acrylic in 'Eggplant'.
Ranger Stickles in 'Icicle' were used to decorate
the flower and flourishes. Stamps are 'Natures Secret'
by Stampin' Up, and flourishes by Hero Arts.

This card I made for her best friend, who was
recently diagnosed with breast cancer:

It was made in much the same manner as the first.

Inside, the quote by Richard Bach, says,
"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world,
the master calls a butterfly."
And I wrote,
"You don't know me, but that's ok.
I know you've recently been diagnosed with
breast cancer. I'm so sorry.
Even though I am a complete stranger,
I wanted to do something that might
lift your spirits during this possibly
scary and difficult time, so I made this card for you.
And even though I'm not Christian,
I asked my Christian friends to pray for you.
I hope you get well again."

I hope they get a smile and good feeling
when they get these, like I did while making them.

Nile Dragonfly

This is a necklace I made yesterday. The button design was cast from a Czech glass button with Suze Weinberg's Mold n Pour, and is made of Suze Weinberg's clear UTEE mixed with green and blue To Dye For solvent inks, psychedelic embossing powder, and Krylon gold leaf pen to color the insect and rim the piece. It is mounted onto a brass ox filigree finding, that has various glass seed beads, and Czech fire polished glass beads in gold and emerald hung from the bottom. The pendant hangs on a gold tone figaro chain, with a heart (lobster) clasp, extension, and tiny gold leaf dangling at the very end.

Now this is the cool thing I discovered: When you mix a psychedelic embossing powder with UTEE, it gives the initial appearance of being glittery blue on the surface, and when looking at it indirectly. But if light should catch the button, you will see the original color, which in this case is green. The next picture is of the button being held up to a light, so you can see it's actual color.
Isn't that just awesome??
This UTEE is fun stuff!

Mechanical Aeshnidae

As I've been saying for a while, I've been playing with UTEE (Suze Weinberg's Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). While I've made a handful of buttons and embellishments, this is my first piece of art incorporating a creation made with UTEE:

I made a mold of a Czech glass dragonfly button, with Suze Weinberg's Mold n Pour. I used Suze Weinberg's To Dye For solvent ink dyes in blue and green to get the beautiful teal color in my otherwise clear utee. I also mixed a little embossing powder called 'Psychedelic' to get a rich sparkly blue effect in the button. I used Krylon gold leafing pen to color the dragonfly, and rim the button. I used Loctite Super Glue Gel to adhere it to a 1-1/2" fender washer treated with Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks in Rust, Espresso and Butterscotch. Surrounding the button, are copper ox findings, star lock washers in various sizes also treated with Alcohol Inks, aluminum Metal Mesh also treated with Alcohol Inks and Krylon gold leafing pen, and large brass ox findings on a 4x4" black ceramic tile.

Here is a close up of the 'button':

inky inky 4x4, hanging on the kitchen door...

I've been making gifts for people. I know the people these are going to are of religious persuasion, so I figured I'd make something to help them celebrate their beliefs.

These are 4x4" ceramic tiles I bought from Home Depot, in 'Almond' color. I colored them with Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks, then stamped and heat embossed them in silver. I trimmed them with plumbers' foil tape I also purchased from home depot. I'm making wire frames for them, that will be twisted into scroll work and embellished with Czech fire polished beads in complimentary colors. I made 4 of this design, (the other 2 are in speckled pinks and striped purples.) I'm making about 10 of these tiles, 6 of which will have various stamps and embossing colors.

I have also been playing with my Utee, so I'm going to post my Utee experiments next! Stay tuned!

Where the dominos grow

I've been playing with dominoes the past 2 days. I've made a bunch that I really like, but the set I'm posting tonight are painted with Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink, then hand painted with acrylic. I really like the way they've turned out! But in doing these, I ran into something curious: if you paint acrylic over the alcohol ink, let the paint dry a bit then rub the acrylic off with a paper towel and water, the acrylic will pull up a bit of the alcohol ink, in exactly the pattern that had been painted. Look closely at this last picture, an enlarged view of 'Irises':
Notice the lighter swirls? I originally painted a swirl pattern, but wasn't satisfied with it. So, I took the acrylic off with water, and found what was left to be really pretty.

Cutting corners

I really love art, and live for my crafting. Unfortunately, I usually can't afford to just go out and purchase any ol' tool or craft embellishment at my whim. Necessity being the mother of invention, I often find ways to 'cut corners'. Here's my first post describing a couple ways I've found to cut those corners. Literally. Substituting design elements or embellishments may not look nearly as fancy as a professionally designed product, and often takes more time to accomplish. But, I think the time and intention put into a project is every bit as special as something that looks uber fancy or nearly store bought. This might sound like I'm trying to justify being 'cheap', but fact is, poor thrifty people like to craft too.

First, a disclaimer: When at all possible, please invest in the proper and safe tools recommended by the pros for the tasks you want to do. I am sharing what I use to accomplish certain tasks or crafting effects, and should you decide to use my examples, you do so at your own risk and assume any and all responsibility for your own actions.

That said, let's get started! I recently made a 'bookmark card', and had to figure out a way to temporarily attach the book mark to the card, without adhesives, and despite the fact I don't have photo corners to use on them.

(in the card tutorial, I cut right into the card itself.) But in this example, I cut out a contrasting base paper slightly smaller than one half of the card I'll glue it to. I then position the bookmark on it at a pleasing angle. Then I used a fine tip black pen to mark points on that paper. Imagine drawing a diagonal line across a corner of the bookmark, at least the size and depth a photo corner would be. Draw a little dot to mark the very edge of the bookmark, along that imaginary diagonal line.
I don't need to be exact or measure it, but I try to keep the dots in approximately the same depth and length on each corner. For extra stability, I also marked 2 dots on the left and right sides of the bookmark, to make small rounded tabs.

Click the pic to see an example of the dots.
I remove the bookmark,
and using a craft knife on a cutting mat or other surface safe for cutting, I make straight incisions from dot to diagonal dot, at all four corners. I should then have 4 slits that the corners of my bookmark will slide into. Next, I carefully cut a half circle incision, that points to the center, on both the right and left sides, using the dots I marked for these tabs. Please see the first photo for reference.
When I have all my incisions made, I gently separate each incision, and slide my bookmark into the slots.
Here's a hint: Substitute the word 'bookmark' for photo, card, or design element.


















This is another corner I cut: I do not have a proper paper distressing tool, though I have every intention of buying one as soon as I can. Until then, I use the sharp edge of my craft knife to distress/age the edges of my card stock.

I grasp my card stock firmly, at an upper corner, and carefully drag the sharp edge of my craft knife down the edge/side of the paper. It may take several passes to get the effect I want. I like making small scrapes, sometimes back and forth to rough up the fibers. This method isn't without it's challenges. If I press too hard, I could accidentally cut or tear the paper. But I've found this issue to usually make the paper look even more interesting. Tip: if my card stock is bending up or down, I am pressing too hard. I like to take my time and be safe.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial, and as I come across more ways to cut corners, you'll be the first I share them with.
Inspiration to you!

Tribal Leftovers

I've been working so hard to get my cards and various gifts made, that I'd been neglecting tutorials I've had in the works! While I am still nowhere near finished with my holiday rush, I just have to take time out to share what I've done with left over rubber from mounting rubber stamps. A couple months ago, I started buying my first Stampin' Up unmounted stamp sets on Ebay. The rush I got from assembling my own stamps was awesome! But my goodness, there was so much waste! I sat there, my cogs turning, wondering if there were other applications for these rubber 'leftovers'. And it came to me: I would cut them down to various sized blocks, and save them for later.

At first I had the idea of making my own tile background for stamping. I got out one of my huge wood stamps that I knew I'd never sell, and started fitting and mounting the leftovers together on the top of the stamp, to form a pleasing pattern. I then put it away until last week. A friend of mine decorates his home in 'tribal' design. So I went on the internet, and drew inspiration from some very lovely examples of African tribal art to make something unique for him. That's when the gears finally fell in place, and I had a use for the leftover rubber! Not only that, I found some very creative uses for other items in my crafting supplies.

As you see, I used a handful of supplies to make the stamped picture. I made a small rectangle stamp using a piece of the leftover rubber. I simply peeled it up off the large stamp I'd made, and stuck it to the 'top' edge of another wood stamp in my collection. For ink, I used Opaque Stazon in Cotton White, on the black paperboard background that came with this 16x20" frame. Working from the outside to the center, (stamping from top to bottom) I used a long ruler to butt the bottom of the stamp against to keep my patterns even, as I worked one stripe at a time, from top to bottom.

To make specific patterns for this tribal look, I used the 'I' and the 'O' letters of the Jive alphabet by Stamp Craft. You can see their respective patterns just under the 'I' stamp, and to the left of the 'O' stamp. I also used a stamp from the Stampin' Up set 'Artifacts'.







I then took a foam stamp I bought at Walmart many moons ago, and I cut it down to get abstract line patterns. (See the deep red, Oriental foam stamp? The round center stamp is what it looked like before I release the tribal patterns from it. You will see remnants of the actual foam stamp I cut up with a craft knife to the top, bottom, and very left if it. Notice the pattern right under the very left stamp for which it was used? Cool, huh?)



:::This is the final product! Isn't that just cool looking? I made a monogram in the middle to match my friend's name. For the overall pattern, I used 4 various sizes and shapes of leftover rubber, 2 quirky alphabet stamps, 1 cut up foam stamp I hadn't otherwise used in 4 years.

While I was making this, I also realized the design potential for this technique to be EASILY modified to look like tire tracks. I thought of it, because this also fits my friend, as he rides a motorcycle. See, wherever you take this technique, the point to this tutorial and a great tip is to think twice before you throw those scraps away!!

Before I go, I want to share with you another blog that I found to be absolutely fantastic, that has a tutorial similar to this one. While I stayed blocky, she took her leftover rubber to a whole new level. Please check it out for more ideas on what to do with those scraps!

Bookmark card

Every year, I try to make a Christmas card for my mother and closer acquaintances. I usually spend hours designing something, that often takes as long to make. But this year, I took my card a bit further. For the people who read books, or want to throw something interesting on their refrigerator, there is a removable bookmark inside the card. Otherwise, it just looks really interesting and unique when left as is.

Front: Paperbilities 'Naturals" paper and other cardstock, colored with
Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Vintage Photo,
Walnut Stain, Pine Needles, and Aged Mahogany.
Stampin' Up set 'Nature's Secret', snowflake stamped in
Stazon opaque Cotton White ink.
Handmade tag, wrapped with hemp,
natural weathered jute, and placed on dimensional foam.

Inside: Bookmark colored with
Distress Inks in Antique Linen, Vintage Photo,
Walnut Stain. Kitty and clock were stamped with Brown Timber Stazon ink,
the gears and clock numbers were heat embossed with
Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Embossing Powder in Walnut Stain.
An 'Autumn Leaves' ribbon yarn by Lion Brand Yarn was
tied to the top of the bookmark, and strung with a
square yellow AB finish acrylic bead.
A length of copper wire was twisted into a coil and
attached to the ribbon where it's threaded through the bookmark.
It was further embellished with a tiny watch gear,
a rhinestone, and gold eyelet.

This is the bookmark when taken from it's tabs,
which were just cut right into the card with a craft knife.
The sentiment was affixed to the inside with a small craft zot.
Aside from a signature, date and personal sentiment
written in dark ink on back of the bookmark,
I left the overall bookmark design
ambiguous for year round use.

Thank you kindly to Rachel Greig, for inspiration.
I was really taken with your tag card posted on Ranger Ink Link,
and this is what evolved from it.

Flowerpress and Inks

This was a really fun project, though
it took some time, special equipment and preparation.
All told, I'd say it takes 2 seasons to make,
if you wait for the flowers to grow.
:)


This is a really neat piece of art I made using a 4" x 6" double sided frame, flowers pressed in a Microfleur Flower Press, Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks, a transparency, an ink jet printer and any graphic program like Adobe Photoshop. I'd also consider using your favorite stamps with Stazon ink, if you'd prefer not to mess with computer graphics or printing. I made a scan of my favorite french text design, then printed it onto an 8.5" x 11" transparency. Once the ink dried, I cut a piece to fit inside the glass of the frame I'm using. Careful not to get fingerprints on it! Using long handled tweezers, I first arrange the flowers I will use on the transparency, to have the composition and placement figured out before I glue anything. Then I very carefully apply Scotch Quick-Dry Tacky Adhesive to the dried flowers, one by one, and place them back in their place on the transparency.

I grew some of the flowers in my patio garden, or came across them on one of my many summer night walks. There's nothing like the thrill of Lilac Larceny or Grand Theft Pansy to get the adrenaline flowing! (Just kidding! Always ask permission before picking someone else's flowers!) The flowers were pressed during last spring and summer, and I keep a file drawer full of dried flowers to use in my art whenever I please. (pressed flowers make me smile on cold Winter days!)

Next, I removed and cleaned the glass panels of the frame thoroughly, and avoided getting fingerprints on them during the next phase, by handling them around the edges (but careful not to cut yourself!!) On one of the glass panels, I used Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks in Lettuce, Stream, Wild Plum and Stonewashed. I kept the brighter colors to the outside, while using Stonewashed in the middle. You only need to paint one side of the glass with ink. Once you are pleased with your inking and it has dried, place your flowered transparency on top of the inked side, (So that the ink will be on the inside of the frame) and place the second panel of glass on top of the transparency. Slide the glass CAREFULLY into the frame. I do not suggest using any flower or fiber thicker than pressed lavender for this project, otherwise the glass won't fit back into the frame, or it might break if forced too much due to thickness.

In the two projects I've made so far, I used Flox, Lilacs, Lobelia, Dogwood, Bleeding Hearts, Lavender, several smaller unidentified flowers, and assorted greenery. If you love flowers, and like to embellish projects with natural fibers, I highly suggest looking into a Microfleur Flower Press. It is quick, easy and fun to use!

Nautilus framed and Peas!

I covered a 10" x 10" artist canvas with Moda Marble Grey fabric, using furniture tacks and a small craft hammer to secure the fabric to the wood frame. (the Making Memories tool set hammer is just right!) I then cut a piece of transparency about a 1/4 inch larger than the 6"x6" AI Nautilus. The transparency is to protect the art, without the weight of glass. I lined up the AI art and transparency, and poked a hole in each corner. Then I attached the art to the canvas using light grey brads that matched my fabric. I wanted to steer clear of using glue to attach it, since I did not want any discoloration to show through any of the layers. I then selected various fibers from a set by Hand-Dyed Hobbies called 'Quince'. I used Elmers' glue on my fibers, using sewing pins to secure where necessary until it dried, and using just enough fiber to wrap around the art, the front, and sides of the canvas. Sea shell slices were also used to embellish. I attached a hanging wire to the back, then covered the tacks and fabric on the backside with black felt and Elmers' glue. This piece is just amazing!!

This is a set of glass pearls in Sage,
wrapped with wire to resemble pea pods.

A close up of the earrings, which are both the same length.
Because of the way they were hanging, and the fact they have
a slight bend in their design, it looks uneven here.
(I double checked!) They are approximately 2" long, from
the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the pod.

This is the pretty pendant to match those earrings,
with glass pearls that are larger than those used in the earrings.
It is 2" long, and hangs on an easily adjustable 21" silver figaro chain
with a lobster clasp.

Experiments and Gratitude

Hello!
Lately, I've been playing with UTEE, and testing various papers with the alcohol ink painting and tinting as explained in my previous posts. To my joy, I was successful at recreating my very own Czech Dragonfly buttons, using Suze Weinberg's Mold-N-Pour, and Utee products! I will definitely be getting pictures of those up soon.

On other projects, I had absolutely no luck using printed transparencies in my Nauti process, (please refer to recent previous entries) but I of course have not given up on them as a potential crafting medium! Perhaps, I could cut out various shapes of transparency, use some stazon and my favorite stamp, then pour clear or lightly colored utee on it. I wonder what temperature these transparencies can withstand? If they are laser printer safe, then they should be fairly heat resistant. Worth a try anyway, and I could get more shapes than just the squares or rectangles of microscope slides and memory glass... (cogs are turning)...

Oh, if only I weren't too tired to go play with that idea!

I have a tin purse nearing completion, that I used Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks on, and all I can say so far is, "WOW". I'm trying not to hold my breath on this one, because I want to take my time to get it just right. But I'm excited at the pattern and intensity of the ink alone, as even without the beautiful copper heat embossing it is simply gorgeous.

Before I go, I'd like to give a HUGE Thank You to Suze Weinberg, for mentioning my blog in her current newsletter! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, but you've definitely made my year, Suze! I called my mom, and everyone else I knew to tell them who noticed my blog!! I'm thankful for art, for crafting, and I appreciate the quality products Ranger produces to help us express ourselves. Furthermore, I appreciate your artistry and inspiration Suze. You have no idea how much art, and your influence has effected and helped me on a very personal level.

I'd also like to express gratitude for Jan, of Red Rubber Paper and Ink. Her kindness, enthusiasm and inspiration has been, and continues to be a wonderful gift. (Thank you!)

And finally, thank you to all the wonderful artists who frequent RangerInkLink. What a truly gifted and talented lot you are!

A very warm and Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

A daisy for me

This is a photo of a gerbera daisy I painted
with Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks
in Lettuce, Butterscotch, Cranberry
and Eggplant.

It looks good as is, but I'm not done
experimenting!

As soon as I get my printer up and running,
I will post a new variation of this project,
using a transparency instead of vellum.

ABC's of being Nauti, or, a tutorial on Alcohol Ink painting and tinting.

Materials Needed:
A computer
Printer with a black ink cartridge
A photo or graphic retouching program like Adobe Photoshop
A jpg or scan of a picture you want to use in this project.
1 piece high gloss photo paper
1 piece lightweight (flimsy) white vellum
Q-Tips
Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks, various colors of your liking.
A craft mat is useful (especially for larger photos or clutzy painters!)
A painter's palette with paint wells, or a small plastic measuring cup
for mixing alcohol inks (useful, but not necessary).


1) I decide on a picture I like. In a program such as Adobe Photoshop or any picture/photo processing program, I completely desaturate the photo, turning it into a black and white picture. I also lighten the contrast and increase the brightness slightly, as the lighter the printed picture, the more color you'll see after it's colored with alcohol inks. But if you go too light, you'll lose definition. (Please see the black and white picture of the nautilus in my photo album, to get an idea of the lightness.) Then I resize the photo to the desired size and resolution. (I use a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (web quality), and a pre-measured size suitable for the frame I'll be using).

For my projects I've been using Kodak Inkjet Photo Paper. But when using any brand, the higher the gloss, the better. On the printer settings, use the 'glossy paper' or 'transparency' setting located in your printer properties. Print one copy of the picture on the high gloss photo paper.

Next, I change the brightness setting in my printer properties to 'light'. This uses not only uses less ink and decreases smearing, but makes the next copy just a tad lighter, which is good for effect. Print your black and white picture on a piece of light translucent vellum.

(For the nautilus, I used a piece of white iridescent speckled 'Neutral Vellum' by Paperbilities. The flimsier and 'clearer', the better, as it will allow more color to come through. Colored vellum does not seem to work very well for this project, so I try to stick to the white vellum.)

Let both copies dry. Once they are dry, I apply Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks with a Q-tip to the photo paper copy only! I like using Q-tips for this because there is relatively little ink waste, they are effective, low-mess, no lint, cheap, and disposable once my project is finished. To make my own colors, hues and saturations, I use a 15ml (.5 Fluid Oz) measuring cup, add a little blending solution and drops of AI to suit my whim.

(the measuring cups I use are extremely handy with various crafts, and can be obtained from suppliers of DIY skin care products. Follow the link for an example:
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/equipment/thumbnails.asp?category=EQDisp
You will also see other nifty things to have in your craft room, like pipettes, funnels or larger mixing/measuring cups.)

I 'paint' all areas I wish to show up colorful, and I do not worry about being precise or staying exactly in the lines. The vellum you will put on top later, diffuses light and because of this, is somewhat forgiving. Also, the more you go over any area with AI, the colors will layer and darken; so you want to remain mindful of the colors you layer together, that they will change hue and darken considerably.

Once you have 'painted' your photo, and the AI has dried, take your black and white vellum copy, and lay it on top of the photo copy. The copies should exactly match each other in picture and placement, once you line up the edges. To trim, I tack the edges of the 2 layers together with a small bit of tape, and carefully cut with a paper cutter (or scissors) to the final size of my project. (To place in a frame, use on a card, etc.)

I hope this helps! But if I was unclear on anything, or if anyone reading this should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Also, should you want to see pictures of the project I just described, refer to my previous post. Thank you!

Nautiness

This is a picture of a nautilus slice printed on
glossy photo paper, then painted with
Adirondack Alcohol Inks in
Stream, Butterscotch, and Wild Plum.

This photo shows the 2 layers being placed
together; the painted base with a vellum
transparency printed with the same picture,
in a very light black and white.

This photo is the finished picture,
and it looks very ethereal in person!!
Please see the following post for detailed instructions
on how to make this project.

Merry Chrismoose and Longfellow

I used Ranger Distress Inks applied with a felt applicator,
in colors of Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo and Tea Dye.
I used the Distress Inks for all the stamping too.
The paper is 'Neutral' cardstock by paperbilities.
The Longfellow stamp and snowflake stamp is from the Stampin' Up
set "Nature's Secrets". The lines on the front right was hand drawn
with Staedlter watercolor pencils, and was embellished just off center
with a sheer dark sage ribbon. The snowflakes on the dark
background were stamped with VersaMark and have
Bronze Pearl-Ex rubbed into it. Unfortunately, the scan
does not bring out the color of the Pearl Ex.
The inside sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts.

My 'Merry Chrismoose' was a really fun project I did last year.
I made this card 'book' style. I used burgundy and hunter green
corrugated paper, mulberry paper with grass in it, and
'Neutral' card stock from Paperbilities. I used dimensional
foam under the snout, Root Beer buttons by Lasting Impressions
for the eyes and embellishment,
'Jive Alphabet' by Stamp Craft, 'Greeting of the Season' by
Anna Griffin, vellum paper and Evergreen Versacolor Ink.
The ribbon is doubled sided 'chocolate and strawberry'.
The oval dies used for the head and lower jaw are from Fiskars,
while the ears, antlers, eyes, snout and nostrils were fashioned freehand.

At the time I made these, I really didn't have much to work with,
but I was very happy with the results none the less. Some of the people
I gave them to actually framed them!

Pea Pods, Pearls, and Copper

The necklace above, "Copper Asymmeter" was made with antiqued copper figaro chain,
freshwater pearls and moss agate. The drape of this necklace is absolutely gorgeous, but I lack a proper display to show off the intended asymmetrical positioning of the necklace.

The necklace and earrings above are almond colored glass pearls wrapped in
silver wire to resemble pea pods. These things are truly beautiful in person!
I call this color scheme "snow pea".

In the earrings above, I used silver beads, glass pearls, purple twisted glass bugle beads,
and 8mm AB Swarovski crystals hung from a Victorian scroll finding.

This box, "Retrohex", has been one of my favorites, as it was fun to design
and turned out gorgeous!
I used Delta Ceramcoat acrylic in 'Chocolate Cherry' on a
hexagonal paperboard drum box. I made the polyblend bow and stitched
it together by hand, and affixed it to the lid with mauve, tea rose,
baby's breath and green silk flowers.
The bead work on the sides include gold beads, yellow acrylic AB finish beads,
and amethyst glass beads strung on copper wire and affixed to 6 panels
around the box.