nathalie-kalbach

Let’s Help “A Place To Bark” with Live from CHA

Charity Wings is a wonderful non-profit organization which has a two-fold mission.  One to support Artists, Crafters, and Scrapbookers who want to raise money and awareness for their favorite causes. Two to offer the community unique and creative opportunities to give.

This year Charity Wings organizes Live From CHA – fundraising towards Bernie Berlin’s “A Place To Bark ” and Meow too . Many might know Bernie Berlin who is an amazing Mixed Media Artist. She founded this organization many years ago to rescue dogs, taking in the dogs that have been abandoned, abused or police confiscated. She quarantines, fosters, retrains, transports & adopts. Cats are also welcome at her rescue. She is drawn to the unwanted, unloved and misunderstood. Hoping to educate and effect change for the animals that do not have a voice of their own.

This totally speaks to me as my Mom has been an animal rescuer for an animal protection organization as long as I can remember. We always had all kinds of mistreated dogs and cats at home for some time and lot’s of the work that Bernie does I know from my Mom and I admire. If you have ever seen how thankful those little friends are after you helped them, you know what I mean.

Here is the gist of LIVE from CHA:
-Basically, if you can’t attend the show, we attend for you!
JUST $10 to join and you get entered into 45 drawings worth over $4500!
-You get to chat online with 45 manufacturers and designers from the show floor.
-Anyone anywhere in the world can watch from their internet connection
-They are raising money for A Place to Bark a wonderful rescue run by Bernie Berlin

I will give away a free ticket to one of you who helps Charity Wing to promote this event either on your own blog, Facebook or twitter or who buys a ticket and tells me so here in the comment section (I will trust you !) . Simply leave me a note you did so and I will draw a name on the 15th and send it to Charity Wings so you get your raffle ticket.

I will also donate a package to the raffle and you will see me LIVE and at LIVE from CHA  ;)

It would be wonderful if you would join!

Have a gorgeous day

Comments (10)

  • Tiffany

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    I shared it to my Facebook and thru my twitter account at twitter.com/cropandchatclub

    Reply

  • Andrene

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    I am such a sucker when it comes to animals – bought 5 tickets and liked on Facebook. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Reply

  • ulyth

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    I tried posting a few times and i just wanted to say thanks for helping this great cause. I got five tickets! woot woot. Great job Nathalie

    Reply

  • belxsar

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    Hi Nathalie,

    Got home from my first class with you at Bizzy B’s tonight and checked out your blog/website. What a worthy cause (I love animals too! :) )…..so of course I had to go and buy 5 tickets. Thanks for alerting me to such a great event and organization! Looking forward to spending the rest of the weekend in classes with you! =)

    Reply

  • Vicki H. in Canada

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    Hi Nathalie,

    Got home from your class at Bizzy B’s tonight and checked out your blog/website and saw this post. Sounds like such a great cause (I love animals too! :) ), I had to go and buy 5 tickets! Thanks for alerting me to such a cool event and organization. Looking forward to the rest of your classes this weekend! =)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Hi Vicki! Thank you for your help :) Congratulations – you won the raffle ticket – it was a drawing this evening and Bettina s lucky hand picked your name :) Have a wonderful time- Elena from Charity Wings should get in contact with you soon.
      Nat

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I will buy 5 raffle tickets for $20 tomorrow Nat.
    Great cause for sure and what a fun raffle to boot!

    Reply

  • Gail Bales

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    Shared on Facebook

    Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Of course I shared that on facebook, well done, thanks, Birgit

    Reply

Leave a comment

Love Love Love…or Me thinks that was the best decision ever

to marry my hubs ;)

and oh boy I really thought I would never marry when I was in my 20s ….but I have not regret one single day – seriously – not one! And that is as romantic as me grunge girl can get – LOL.

Supplies: Prima: Item# 921934 Poppy Canvas Sheet, Item# 922016 Fabric Poppy Flowers, Item# 921996Fabric Poppy Flowers, Item# 547486 Lovely Leaves Collection, Item# 551438 Say It In Crystals, Item# 516215 Journalist Collection Chipboard Letters, Canvas 12×12, Gerstaecker White Gesso, Liquitex Heavy Body Gel Medium, Liquitex Acrylic Ink, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Foam Tape

Nothing better than tearing, ripping, dipping and painting while thinking of amazing memories of a special day.

What was the last special day you created a project for?

Nat

 

Comments (18)

  • marjiekemper

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    I love the page, and also the way you are gazing at him. Beautiful!

    Reply

  • Kathy Gledsdale

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    How stunning!

    Reply

  • Andrene

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    Gorgeous!! Love all the texture and dimension. Looks like a very happy day – nice photo (and your colors make it pop right off the page.

    Reply

  • Jeanette Nyström (Jeany)

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    Beautiful LO! I love what you have done with the flowers!!! You are so beautful in the photo!!!

    Reply

  • lisa

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    Nat this is beautiful. It looks like a wall background. Love it!!

    Reply

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    Wow! What a beautiful canvas, Nat, and what a beautiful bride! <3

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Simply beautiful Nat. I did a canvas about our special weekend at Peaks Island (off the coast in Portland Maine).

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      that sounds wonderful Sue! Ahhh Portland Maine – beautiful!

      Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    This is wonderful!

    Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Oohhhh was für ein schnuckeliges Layout und eine so wunderschöne Liebeserklärung, schmacht, liebe Grüße Birgit

    Reply

  • Martha Richardson

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    What a gorgeous LO and your love for hubs shows through in it & with your words!!!

    Reply

  • eloisa

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    Precioso…romántico y la texturas, maravillosas, como siempre.

    Reply

  • Cuchy

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    Oh what a sweet layout. And that pic is beautiful.

    Reply

  • Gunvor

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    Lovely artwork Nathalie (as usual)! Love the flowers with paint on – do you dip them in paint?

    Reply

  • lindabrun

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    Beautiful layout Nat. Love what you’ve done with the fabric poppy.

    Reply

  • france papillon

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    you can feel the love back then and now in that lay out, gorgeous!

    Reply

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Prima Make & Takes at Summer CHA 2012

Let me show you a little sneak of my Make n Takes for Prima at CHA next week – Booth #633

I would love to see you there if you make it…and if not…don’t be sad – I will post the tutorial after CHA  on my blog :)

Huge hugs and have an amazing day

Nat

Comments (7)

  • Milagros

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    Me encantaria , pero desde España me es dificil , oh Dios lo que me voy ha perder…

    Reply

  • Jessica

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    I wish I could! Hopefully one will come to the New York area soon…

    Reply

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    Looks so pretty! Wish I could come play along. Sure enjoyed meeting you at the Winter CHA in California. Have a fun trip!

    Reply

  • Miae

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    Oh I wish too….have fun!

    Reply

  • Gunvor

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    Oh I wish … But I just have to wait for the tutorial after CHA. Have a great time there!

    Reply

  • MiaKL

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    I will be there, how does it work, do you need to sign up somewhere or just to show up?

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Mia – you just show up on time (a bit before) and secure a place. Usually there is about 6 people to 8 people that can sit down and play along :) Looking forward seeing you!

      Reply

Leave a comment

Love is Making it’s Way Back Home

I found this beautiful video created by Erez Horowitz who used construction papers for this movie- it is fun!

[vimeo 36535758 w=400 h=300]

I love the stencil work – and the tune :)

Have an amazing day

Nat

Comments (6)

  • suzieq23

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    you always find the most unusual videos! I really enjoyed this, the song, and the way the stencils were used. WOW and thanks.

    Reply

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    I am beaming! This was so fun! Thank you for finding it, and for sharing it!

    Reply

  • Nydia Dominguez

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    They did a wonderful job with the artwork in this video! Loved it!

    Reply

  • Mary Werner

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    How do you find these meaningful videos? Not only beautiful to look at but so interesting to watch and take in. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  • pearlmaple

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    Fabulous find Nat,
    have not heard that tune before but think it will be my new theme song for the next 10 days
    how cool are those stencils

    Reply

Leave a comment

Texture Grunge Flowers or…Where should I put all those Canvases?

Another Canvas…I can’t stop creating them…which is …well not bad perse…but seriously…LOL. where should I put them all….sigh….

This one is 12×16 inch – I had a wonderful time creating all the texture and those flowers.

It was one of those pieces which I loved in the beginning- having a picture in mind

and then started to HATE it…not kidding- painting it all over – disappointed I ruined with one step what I had liked so much

But now I love it even more…maybe because I had this fight…just like with everything in life, right? Things that come to easily to you, you do not really cherish, things you struggle to achieve are the dearest milestones in your life.

Supplies: Canvas, Sewing Pattern, Gerstaecker Gesso, Liquitex Gel Medium, Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paints, Crafters Workshop Stencils, Ranger Dylusions, German Scraps, Lascaux Struktura, Liquitex Acrylic Inks, Paper Clay, Prima Canvas Buttons, 7Gypsies Tissue Paper

Have you had a fight with a project recently and love it now the more?

Nat

Comments (9)

  • Kathy Gledsdale

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    Wow how stunning!

    Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    I think it is great!

    Reply

  • Cassandra

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    Amazing!! Love the texture and the rich colour! I know exactly what you mean about one step can ruin it for you – I’ve totally been there and done that. I find it’s worse when I fall out of the groove, and work carelessly. When I’m in the groove it all flows, when I try to force it to happen, bad things happen!! Hope that makes sense lol ;)

    Reply

  • Cuchy

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    I have a free spot on my wall ;) -just in case
    Why didn’t you like it?. It got me only with the textured background. Love it!

    Reply

  • Miae

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    Gorgeous canvas! Your love/hate post is certainly thought provoking…sometimes I just have to walk away to never return but thank goodness most times I return with a new set of eyes:) TFS!

    Reply

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    Wow! This may be one of my favorite of your pieces! Beautiful, Nat! Interesting thoughts about appreciating one’s own work more after a struggle; I want to spend some time today with that thought, for sure! I have a project that I am currently hating. There may be no resolution for now, though, because I am crossed-arms and not speaking to it. Lol!

    Reply

  • Bev W.

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    Love this Nat!!!! I am forever fighting with my projects!!! Sometimes I love the outcome, sometimes not. But I guess that’s how we learn to grow…lol
    Have a fun weekend!
    ♥Bev

    Reply

Leave a comment

We always learn when we try…or What is being creative?

This spoke to me
[vimeo 18079655 w=400 h=300]

What have you tried and learned recently?

Have a lovely creative day!

 

Comments (1)

  • Marta

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    Thanks for sharing!! ” We always learn when we try!!” So true…

    Reply

Leave a comment

Sometimes I’m Still That Little Girl and Exciting News :)

I am turning 39 today….and I do not feel like 39 because sometimes I am still that little girl in the photo. Curious what happens next. Always expecting something fun and beautiful. Pretty naive…still…most of the time. Often times feeling insecure. Loving new shoes. Loving quirky fashion and always the mouth half-open either in awe and just laughing. And still I love birthdays and presents and can’t sleep the night before…still…

…could be worse than that, right? LOL

but wait there is more today….and actually this goes along well with the post I had started above ;)

And then – I also have some exciting news to share with you :)

Donna Downey asked four artists around the globe to accompany her in the first workshop in the series “Internationally Inspired”. She shipped each artist a big box of her products and asked  to video record their creative process. For some this was their first time in front of the camera, for others it was old hat…their only instruction was that they had to use some part of every product in the box. With no limitations on their creative styles, additional products or finished result, the results were authentically beautifully representing each artist and showcasing their stylistic niches.

this will be an experience like non other…as the world becomes just that much smaller and the talents from around the globe share with you unique ideas as they each assemble dynamic mixed-media books step-by-step right in your own home.

each artist’s video is approximately 1.5-2 hours in length and details the process from start to finish, allowing you to watch all the way through, create alongside her or interpret her ideas in your own style.

registration opens JULY 15, 2012 on Donna Downey’s page

and will be offered at an incredible price

$65

{5 workshops for the price of 1… incredible right!!!}

and here are the artists the first of the new online workshop series Internationally INSPIRED.

2011 finn2

anna dabrowska

warsaw, POLAND

Anna sample-

Cari Fennell Low Res

cari fennell

new york, USA

Cari sneap peek

Nathalie pic

nathalie kalbach

hamburg, GERMANY

Nathalie sneak peek-

Headshot

birgit koopsen

winsum, THE NETHERLANDS

Birgit sneak peek-


Me head 5x7--

donna downey

north carolina, USA

Donna sneak peek-

So stoked to be part of this. Thank you Donna for asking me to join you .

I hope you will join us next week when the sign up starts :)

huge hugs

Nat

 

Comments (16)

  • marjiekemper

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    OMG, I am so up for this workshop! And happy belated birthday wishes to you! What an awesome lineup of talented women.

    Reply

  • Andrene

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    Happy Belated Birthday!!! Hope your day was awesome. Cant wait for the workshop…what a great idea. And I am already introduced to 2 new artistic faces I did not know. It should be a lot of fun….and Donna is such a hoot!!!

    Reply

  • Amanda H

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    Happy Birthday Nat (a day late)! And a HUGE congratulations on your latest achievements! So awesome to see an international series like this!

    Reply

  • martha

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    What a wonderfull project! Compliments :)… and Happy Birthday too :))

    Reply

  • The Rock Chic

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    Happy birthday sweet chick. I hoe you had an amazing day and were spoiled rotten

    Reply

  • Martha Richardson

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    Happy Birthday to you….happy birthday to you…happy birthday dear Nat…happy birthday to you! And….I’m so in on this workshop:)

    Reply

  • Liz Thayne

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    Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day with lots of pressies. Congratulations on being chosen for the international workshops.

    Reply

  • Lena

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    happy birthday! i wish you a lot of cake and wrapped up presents!

    Reply

  • Marsha.

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    Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Nat… Happy birthday to you! Hope you are having a wonderful day! And as for Internationally Inspired: woohoo! So proud of you and Birgit!

    Reply

  • Gunvor

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    Happy birthday Nathalie! And congrats to be among the ones chosen for Donnas project. I’ll keep a look out for this – you and some of the others are amongst my favourite “muses”

    Reply

  • france papillon

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    a huuuuuuuuuge bereknuffel for a happy birthday! totally agree on the half open mouth whether to laugh or in awe :)
    congrets on the international project!!

    Reply

  • Bev W.

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    Happy Birthday!!!!!!! What exciting news!!! I’m sure all you talented ladies will come up with some awe inspiring creations:)

    Reply

  • Deborah Pierro

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    Happy birthday, Nat! You’re much older than I am (but I’m not going to say by how much here).
    I enjoy your art and your blog!

    Reply

  • Tineke

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    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR NATHALIE! NEVER LET THE LITTLE CHILD IN YOU GROW UP:-). HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY WITH LOVELY PRESENTS AND AWFUL DELICIOUS CAKE!!!! TOGETHER WITH DONNA DOWNEY AND OTHER TALENTED LADIES IN A WORKSHOP! WOW! CONGRATS! YOU ROCK. HUGE HUGS, TINEKE

    Reply

  • Felicitas Klink

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    alles liiiebe für dich, alles guuute für dich… :)

    Reply

Leave a comment

Note to self…or Cocoa Daisy July Projects

It was so fun working with this kit! I love all sorts of text and office themed papers and embellishments so I totally fell in Love with the Cocoa Daisy Kit.

I can’t stop

The photo shows my grandmother and the quote is from the Cocoa Daisy business card. I love it!

Lot’s of paper tearing and distressing here.

*my story*

my husband is a real goof- LOL- every time we go hiking, he does those things, it is actually so predictable and still I can’t stop laughing about it.

I handcut five circles, cut some slits to the middle and added a brad as a flower center to create those flowers.

I added also some Ranger Crackle Paint to the paper and the photo to get some more texture.

*the roof*

Seeing the roof when I climbed the chimney ladder in 2004 sold the yet to be built apartment to me. I still love our our roof and the view and the picture reminds me on that day when I came up the ladder and was able to visualize the terrace on top.

some faux stitching inside the circle stamp and the border.

I also had fun playing with the twine and for better contrast I traced the letters.

*Wochenend und Sonnenschein*

the 7Gypsies picture holder in the kit was the perfect little gift for my great aunt who is in short term care right now – attached one of her favorite pictures (and mine too) of her brother and sister (my grandmother).

What would be a “note to self” for you today? My note to self today is “BREATHE ” ;)

hugs

Nat

Comments (5)

  • Miae

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    Great projects! Brilliant idea to make flowers from the viewmaster reels!

    Reply

  • ___Caroline___

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    The pages are really cool. But omg you cut in the viewmaster disks :p, that is sacrilege ;), my favourite toy from when I was young :)

    Reply

  • Margrethe

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    Haha! I just love that photo of your husband!

    Margrethe

    Reply

  • Martha Richardson

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    Great LO’s…”BREATHE”…sometimes I just forget to do that!

    Reply

  • peg

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    Cool pages Nat :-)

    Reply

Leave a comment

n*Lab Tales – Today featuring Letraset Promarkers with Letrajet Airbrush System

I had to postpone my play date in the n*lab several times- but finally I stuck to my plan and tried the so far untried Letrajet Airbrush System.

Another tool I have not yet used and had in my tool box for a long time. As I do not really work with markers, though I love my Promarkers, I found the idea totally thrilling to use the markers in an airbrushing way.

Attaching the whole thing to the bottle and the marker weren’t as hard as I had imagined- LOL -but I won’t lie- this whole pressure bottle thing is a bit intimidating to me. I think that is also the reason why this whole thing was living a sad dark life in my tool box.

After some just stupid writing and playing I grabbed a Hambly Transparency and started spraying on top to see how I liked it. I realized that I liked the colors on the sheet- but for stenciling that I would have to be a little bit more careful, since the airbrushed marker was so fine that it would easily go underneath the stencil. I also realized that the air container would need a rest pretty quick and as otherwise it would only start spitting out paints. I told you I have never airbrushed before- so every pro will now probably just shake the head …well- have fun and keep on shaking like a headbanger…LOL- you gotta start somewhere Dude ;)

So I finally decided to change the blue iPad cover…although as some of you  know it is the end of the Bee Gees in my handbag – I still use the cover at home. It is practical though it looks dirty pretty quick …I cleaned it up just for you and this photo- hahahaha

I started spraying different colors using some of the awesome Ranger Dylusions Stencils – and I loved how the Promarkers were wonderfully covering up the underlying surface.

Again I wasn’t paying attention enough to hold down with skewers or brush handles the stencils- I don’t know why- I do this always when I work with aerosol spray paints – but I guess my brain wasn’t commuting with my hands in the right way that day ;) So I just used another stencil on top ;)

So my favorite features of the Letrajet System were:

  • I love that I can use my Letraset Promarkers also as sprays – more possibilities!
  • vibrant colors
  • the colors cover the surface in a great way
  • awesome possibilities to use them on transparencies
  • awesome possibilities to work very fine and detailed

I like it a lot- but I know I won’t use it very often – although all those awesome features are true. The reason why? I do love to use many different colors and I am just a terribly impatient person when I am in my creating zone- I wanna grab the paint media and just go. The fiddling to get the markers exchanged in the system with my little sausage fingers was making me a bit grumpy. The other thing that plays a role with my impatience is that the air container needs a pause very quick…so you can only work for a certain time on the project and then need to pause. BUT – I know exactly I will go through this for certain projects whenever I want beautiful vibrant colors and there is a slick surface involved ;)

I wonder what I should put down next in my calendar to try for my n*Lab day ….oh I have something…LOL…I just checked my shelf and found another paint media that was looking a bit dusty and sad.

Have a gorgeous day

Nat

Comments (6)

  • mjmarmo

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    So cool!

    Reply

  • Cat

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    This is quite possibly the coolest new product I have seen for quite some time…wonder if you can use it with the other alcohol markers…probably not. But I do,love your new iPad cover.

    Reply

  • Martha Richardson

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    uhmmmm…I think I need to get a new iPad cover because you have inspired me ;)

    Reply

  • Milagros

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    Me encanta la idea de poder alterar superficies plásticas, queda fantástico. Es como hacer graffitti, pero yo también soy muy impaciente.

    Reply

  • Cuchy

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    Love the idea of altering the ipad cover and how yours turned out. mmmmm hubby… you better hide your ipad :)

    Reply

  • jerseytjej

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    I love all of the colors and had you not pointed out the splotches, I would not have seen them. It feels like graffiti!

    Reply

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