Possibilities

Hello and thanks for seeing what we're up to.  Today I have an art journal page for you.  The quote pretty much sums it up just perfectly.

"Limitations are only in our minds.

But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."

-Jamie Paolinetti

Well now, isn't that the truth?  This art journal is filled with pages about my own art journey I've been taking this year.  I'm learning so much along the way.  Not only about art journaling but also about myself as a person.

I started off by mixing a bit of Claudine Hellmuth paints in white and black to get various shades of greys.  I also cut out some hexagons (enabeler alert...it's on sale!!!) using the Sweet Pieces set.  The paper is the Tangerine 6x6 paper pad from My Mind's Eye.  I was able to simply outline then with a little white paint using the coordinating Sweet Stamp Shop stamp set.  I also used a warm grey Copic for some detail shading and the script quote along with the Distress Marker in Picket Fence.  The wings are a collage sheet I found here.  Lastly I grabbed some black paint and did a little splatter effect.

Hope I was able to inspire you a bit today.  Don't forget Kim has some of the Sweet Shop Stamps at almost 50% off so be sure to pick them up before they are all gone.  You can do that here.  

Be Kind

Hey there! Thanks for popping in to the eP blog today.   This morning as I look out the studio window, we've got snow!  Whoooot....the first snow and it is oh so very pretty! 

I've got a cute and super easy canvas for you. When I saw the Ruby Rainbow set from Dyan Reaveley I just knew it was going to be fun and it did not disappoint!  I stamped Ruby and the wings from the set on Summer Fresh designer papers from Simple Stories. 

 

Using a 5x7 canvas board, I first covered with tissue paper for a bit of texture.  The stamp on the tissue paper is from Dyan’s Basic Backgrounds.  I used Archival Ink in black.  I also added a little edge around the board with scraps from the left over designer paper.  Then used Further Around the Edge to add more interest to the border.  I’m almost out of my Glue N Seal which I still love by the way and must order more.  I toned everything down using Ranger Distress Ink in Scattered Straw and Walnut Stain with the Inkssentials Blending Tool. 

For just a bit of detail I colored Ruby’s crazy and happy hair with Distress Ink Fired Brick and her eyes with Distress Ink Weathered Wood using a water brush.  I printed out the words “be kind” on some blank book paper and added some buttons to her little coat.

Hope you like her and was inspired just a bit.  Have a great day and see you again soon!

Be Brave

Recently, I’ve been spying people with letter blocks just sitting in their studios with little mantras that have meaning to them.  And while I love the idea of using game pieces such as Boggle or children’s letter blocks, I found these wooden blocks at my local big box and thought I’d create my own. 

I tore up a bunch of vintage book pages and used Glue N’Seal to decoupage them on all the sides of the blocks.  Then I just did a quick little sanding on the edges.  For some added texture and design, I stamped some of my favorite go to backgrounds here and there.  I am in LOVE with Wplus9 Defining Words and BackgroundI.  Because these blocks are smaller, I also used Pattern Craze by Sweet Stamp Shop.   

Then I took a bit of the Claudine Hellmuth White paint and with my finger, smeared some paint on all side of each of the blocks. 

I’m really into the blue/greens these days for my studio décor because my walls are red.  I mixed a bit of the Claudine Hellmuth Sky and Landscape Green.  Now why didn’t I use the Teal….well, that is simple…I couldn’t find it!  I must have used it on another project and it’s in a bin but this still worked like a charm.  Next, I antiqued all the blocks which warmed up all the colors with some Vintage Photo Distress Stain.

Then I added some letters from my stash to spell out “be brave”.  I thought it might be good to just sharpen the edges a bit with Black Soot Distress Ink so each block would stand out.  The last step was the Gloss GlueN Seal which will help to keep my blocks protected but also make them easier to dust! 

So I’m hoping this little mantra in my studio will remind me to be the brave girl that I am!

Our Home

Hello to you!  I'm wondering, have you ever created something and you just were not sure you REALLY liked it?  Well, that's what I've got for you today.  I did learn a few things along the way.   

I started with a gessoed 6X12 canvas.  With my fingers, I covered it with sky blue and white Claudine Hellmuth paint in the little squirt bottles.  They are super easy to use and great for control of where you place your paint and how much you use. 

Then I did a little paper piecing for my homes with Summer Fresh from Simple Stories.  LOVE this paper.  Preeeeetttty!!!  The colors totally rock and the designs are oh so yummy.

We recently moved to a beautiful townhouse so these represent our neighbor's homes too.  Once the houses were down with Matte Medium,  I used a bit of modeling paste to create my clouds with some joint compound tape.  Maybe just fluffy clouds with my fingers would have been a bit softer. 

I had some fun with my stamps (background 1, around the edge, basic backgrounds and background love).  I think what pushed me over the edge with this project were all the random rubons I used from my stash.  Oh well...live and learn!  I also did do a little antiquing with tinted Gloss Medium.   

Oh and I added the little heart, used a marker to free hand the word "love" and found some words in a vintage book for "our home".  I also did a little edging with book pages and painted them.  LOVE that look!

Overall, I had fun, got paint on my fingers (which is a daily goal of mine) and I learned some valuable lessons.  Hope you were inspired to get a tad bit of paint on your fingers.  Enjoy!

Framed!

Hi there and welcome to the eP Blog today!  Michelle here and I'm your hostess for today.  I've been working on this piece off and on for a few days and I decided that it needed to be framed.  I'm kind of liking it.  It's my service project for this week and will be found by an unsuspecting friend on her doorstep when she gets home from work.  Just a little bouquet of flowers to brighten her day. 

 

I took an 11x14" canvas board and covered it with with pieces from an old 1901 Boston Morning Journal newspaper. 

Then I used a cream colored paint mixed with some modeling paste for texture.  I used Love Me from My Mind's Eye for the flowers and did some fussy cutting.

The edges of the flowers are trimmed with Claudine Hellmuth Black Paint.  I LOVE using her paints in the mini bottles.  Super easy to use and with way less mess.

 

 

For the centers of the flowers I used a sewing pattern and just twirled it until it created a circular pattern.  I used  Inksentias Glue N' Seal in Gloss on the flowers and the vase to have them pop off the canvas and kept the background in the matte.  I took a deep breath and then did an all over stain using Tim Holz Distress Stain in Brushed Coururoy.

 

 

 Thanks for stopping in today.  I'm off to deliver my friend's bouquet of flowers!

 



Seeing within

Happy Thursday!  Life has been super busy for me over the past couple weeks but I must say I just love when it’s my turn to host the eP blog.  It pushes me to create, get my fingers covered in paint and loose myself in my art studio. 

So, I have a bit of a confession.  I have a “thing” for vintage books.  Recently I went to my local vintage market and scored some books to add to my collection.  This is one of my new little gems.  It’s just adorable and the perfect size for a little art journal. 

 

 

Of course because I wanted a tall bouquet of flowers, so for this page, I had to flip the book....but I kind of liking.  I'll add some personal jounraling to the page later. 

 

 

Thanks for visiting the eP blog today and I hope I was able to inpsire you just a little bit.

-Michelle

 

Here’s what I used:

Basic Grey What’s Up Paper Pad

Graphic 45 Metal Butterflies

Basic Grey What’s Up Mixed Brads

Wplus9 Design Basic Background Stamps

Inkssentials Glue N’ Seal

Claudine Hellmuth - Teal

Ranger Distress Ink – Tea Dye

Staz On Jet Black

Inkssential Foam Blending Tool

Various Faber Castell Pitt Markers, vintage book paper, vintage sewing pattern and glitter

He loves me, he loves me not...

Hi!  Michelle here to show you a little project I created for you today. 

I'm not much of a card maker anymore but I still am completely and utterly in love with paper!

So how fitting for me to use My Mind's Eye Love Me paper. 

 

I also have this thing with flowers, daisies mostly because they are just so sweet.  I got out my scissors and paper and decided to build myself a flower from scratch. 

Okay, so it's not EXACTLY a daisy, but pretty close if you use your imagination.

Seriously, check out the petals!  Don't they look like tattered fabric?

I just HAD to add some "stitches" with my Copics. 

 

Each of the petals were created seperately on their own wire which gave them a nice little form once I was done.   I did use the Inkssentials Glue N' Seal which is some amazing stuff!  I had been using Mod Podge for the longest time until I started using this stuff.  It's great because it doesn't leave layers of glue all over my hands so papercrafting is so much more enjoyable.  I also added a second layer to my paper flower and a leaf with vintage book pages which just make me happy.  For the center I used some buttons that I airbrushed with my Copic markers.  Then I used a little Charcoal Twinery to keep the button stack together. 

 

For the little charm, I used more of the Love Me paper for the background and vintage book words.  Adhering them with Scor-Tape.

 

Hope you enjoyed my little project for today.  Be sure to come back tomorrow for another fun creation from another eP Designer.