Altered Art

Find Out Fridays or …A Challenge is a Challenge

A couple months ago Donna Downey sent me an email and asked if I was up for a challenge. She would send me 4 supplies one month for her Find Out Fridays Challenge and I would have to record the unpacking and creating with those supplies. I was allowed to add whatever I wanted from my own stash. Now …I thought why not and said yes :) And then the package came …and I realized …a challenge is a challenge. LOL. It was pretty pretty hard to be honest and I didn’t want to add gazillion of things from my own stash as that felt like cheating for me …but see yourself ;)

Here are some photos:

It was actually fun and super out of my box- thank you Donna for making me get out of my comfort zone- We all need that once in a while :)

In addition to the Find out Fridays kit, I used the following supplies, some affiliate links:


What would you have created with the supplies?

Have a wonderful day

Nat

Comments (4)

  • Laura Weed

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    Wow, Nathalie!! What a cool project. I think you did an amazing job with a surprise package! Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you Laura :) Thanks for coming by and have a gorgeous weekend!

      Reply

  • Jean Goza

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    Very cool project! The gold gesso is now on my “want” list. Love the effect.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you Jean! The gold gesso definitely is yummie :) I like it a lot!

      Reply

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Upcycled , Recycled: Stenciled Coasters Project

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These coasters were so much fun to make. A couple years ago, someone had given me those coasters, which were pretty, but not quite my taste. Time to upcylce and recylce!

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I painted all coasters in the same color  mix of two different blues with acrylic paint and let them dry.

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Then I grabbed the Buenos Aires, Santiago and Toledo 4×4 stencils which fit exactly onto the coaster. For some coasters I simply placed the stencil on top of the surface and stenciled with a different acrylic paint color through.

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For some I layered some color directly on top of my blue background and then placed the stencil in the wet paint surface and removed paint through the stencil with a baby wipe.

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Once all the stenciling was done and the paint was dry, I coated the coasters with Pouring Medium. I let everything dry overnight and gave them another coating with Pouring Medium to seal the surface off and also to give the coasters some depth and sheen.

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And here you go – the different coasters

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I gave those to my sister in law and she really loved them as they are in her favorite colors. Now …time to make some for myself…maybe for Thanksgiving .

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Here are the supplies I used to make those coasters – some are affiliate links:

supplies



What have you put aside to upcylce or recylcle, but haven’t gotten around to do it yet?

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Joi@RR

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    These turned out so much more YOU Nat! Perfect way to showcase your stencils. Xj.

    Reply

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designed by n*Studio features: The Envelope, Please! By Judi Kauffman

One of the things that make me really giddy is when I spy someone using my stamps by Stampendous or also my Stencils with StencilGirl Products :) So, once in a while I feature the work of those wonderful talented people with a series called: designed by n*Studio features:…..

And today I feature: Judi Kauffman. Judi has no blog – so please leave some love for her here :)

I am so happy to have my friend Judi Kauffman back for another feature!

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Here is what she has to show and tell:

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Thank you for inviting me to be your guest designer, Nathalie. When I saw your new Fiesta stamp set, the first thing I thought about was envelopes! A decorated envelope makes any card or letter extra special and the stamps and stencils in the set are the perfect fit in every way.

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The stamps provide a great combination of lacy and floral elements, bold as well as soft-edge, large and small – just right for mixing and matching, layering and overlapping. The silhouette stencil and masks of a lady and gentleman dressed in their finery sparked all sorts of ideas and added to the possibilities.

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Given that envelopes are meant to be ephemeral, tossed after they’ve done their job of carrying correspondence, I like to decorate them quickly, working in big batches. Ideas beget more ideas; before you know it there are a couple of dozen envelopes ready to use, a series of one-of-a-kind creations that take only a few minutes each.

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Sometimes all I do is stamp and smudge and call it a day. But other times I take the envelopes beyond the initial stamping and smudging: Markers and pencils and pens come out to play!

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Instructions:

  1. Spread out some newsprint to protect the work table. (Save the newsprint to use for collage, it will have partially-stamped images and lots of smudged color on it!)
  1. Temporarily mount the stamps on acrylic blocks. Using a dark color dye-based ink (sepia, stream, or denim, but not black) stamp a series of envelopes making sure to leave an area for writing the recipient’s name and address. Envelopes shown are A2 size. Substitute #10 or any other size you prefer.
  1. Using artist’s sponges smudge the same ink and other ink colors over and around the stamped areas.
  1. Use the silhouette masks to create open areas toward the center of some of the envelopes as shown.
  1. Stamp some more envelopes using lighter colors.
  1. Use markers, pencils and pens to add bold accents or subtle color blends, highlight and bring out areas within the design, and create doodle patterns. If you enjoy wet media make sure to stamp with permanent inks and use watercolors, acrylic paints, and mists to accent the envelopes (in addition to, or instead of, the markers, pencils and pens).
  1. For the finishing touch, choose postage stamps that coordinate with the colors and designs on the envelopes.
  1. While you’re at it: Stamp some cards, create some collage papers, or work on art journal pages using the same design strategies and supplies.

A list of the supplies is at the bottom. Here are some more samples:

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Thank you so much Judi – I love this unique idea for using my stamps for Mail Art! You are amazing!

Here are the supplies that Judi used besides Dye-based inks in assorted colors; Artist’s sponges; White, off-white or ivory envelopes in A2 size (or any preferred size); Acrylic blocks, Winsor & Newton ProMarker :

nSupplies



Nat

Comments (6)

  • judi kauffman

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    No, they’re standard poodle puppies, Cheryl.

    Reply

  • Toni

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    Awesome, colorful work! What did you use for stamping and with the stencils, Judi?

    Reply

    • judi kauffman

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      Toni, I used Ranger dye based inks for stamping and smudging, then ProMmarkers and Sakura pens and Prismacolor pencils to add more color and line work in selected areas. Smudging was done with a round artist’s sponge, found in the fine arts aisle of a craft store.

      Reply

  • stephanie

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    Great ideas for envies! Thanks.

    Reply

  • Cheryl

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    Hi Nat and Judi,

    I love decorated envelopes. Great job. Can’t wait to try this technique.
    Now, the dogs that are with Judi in the photo – are they Affenpinschers?

    Cheryl

    Reply

    • judi kauffman

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      No, they’re standard poodle puppies, Cheryl.

      Reply

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Water Tower Fun

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A couple weeks ago I stumbled upon these cardboard water towers on an instagram feed by Boundless Brooklyn. They come blank, are made out of 100% recycled material and you can paint and decorate them as you wish. I was super excited as I love those iconic water towers around NYC and Jersey City. I ordered them right away and 12 hours later I had them in my hand. Nice flat envelopes with scored chipboard pieces and glue dots inside, easy to assemble.

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I had ordered two different sizes – The Medium Water Tower comes in 10 3/4” H x 5”  . I spray painted the chipboard using my Elephant and What’s The Point Stencil and added the text on the water tower roof. 

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while adding layers to the chipboard I made sure that I would move the folds so that the cardboard would not become stiff. It was really easy peasy and the whole design made it to simple to put together in a very short time once it was painted.

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For the small water tower which comes in 5 1/4″ H x 2 5/8″ W x 2 5/8″ D,  I used Spray Paint and marbled it on the background by spraying wet in wet and then moving the pieces around. Then I added parts of the Batik and the Lilly Stencil with some acrylic paint.

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I sealed off the water towers with some Pouring Medium which gives them a nice shiny glass finish. You can take of the top and put some small stuff in there. Loved this. I have one more water tower and a billboard sign to play with – cannot wait for it.

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What would you do with these water towers- ideas?

Here is a list of supplies.

nSupplies



Nat

Comments (8)

  • Stampendous Stamps

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    OH MY, Nathalie, these are just adorable… I think they might be a MUST BUY item! And it looks so real and perfect on your balcony! Finally, the act of spray painting them for that graffiti thrill without the crime is just perfect! What a terrific project!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Awe- thank you! LOL- love your analogy of graffiti thrill without doing something illegal- I would probably though not do it because I am not the right person to climb up high ;)

      Reply

  • Boundless Brooklyn

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    Thanks so much for the amazing writeup and support, Nathalie. The towers looks incredible, and they’re all so different. Especially love the supplies’ list; makes it so much easier to see what’s needed to make this magic.

    By the way, the elephant tower is beyond cool!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you so much :) Looking forward to play more if your products in the future!

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    LOVE that quote and love LOVE love the water towers as well.
    I would use them as centerpieces for tables for an event.
    Names could go on them such as “friends”, “family”, “bride’s side”, etc…
    They are such fun!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      What a great idea to have them as centerpieces for an event- Love that Sue!!!

      Reply

  • Heidi

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    Nathalie ~ These are the coolest! I love what you have done with them & I love the idea of the water towers!

    Reply

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Paper Clay Play

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A couple months ago I was looking for some little bowls or plates that I could use for dropping of my bling in the evening but nothing really made me truly wanna spent money as colors or shapes weren’t what I was looking for.

So I remembered a tutorial that I had seen a long time ago on Pinterest on using Paper Clay and Lace to make your own little bowls and decided to give it a try with my newly arrived Stamp Sets. The Paper Clay I used doesn’t need any firing or heating and just air dries. Easy peasy :)

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For this bow I rolled a piece of Paper Clay to a little ball and then rolled it out with a rolling pin to a flat wonky circle. I then stamped into the clay with some of my Kaffee Klatsch Stamps. You don’t need to press to hard to get a nice sharp impression. I found a bowl where I liked the shape on the bottom as a guide – since I wanted mine to be not a high bowl and a bit quirky – and pressed the top onto the clay to cut out a nice circle. Next I  formed the clay circle into the bottom of the bowl.  I let everything in the bowl dry for 12 hours and then carefully took the new paper clay bowl out. Since the moisture in the paper clay mostly is evaporated by then it shrinks a bit so that it is easy to get it out of the template bowl. It was still a bit moist on the bottom since now air could get there so I just put the paper clay bowl upside down and let it dry for another 12 hours.

I did the same steps with this plate – just using a plate as a template and the Fiesta Stamp set for the Impressions

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Once they both were dry I used Liquitex Soft Body paint thinly over the surfaces, waited a couple seconds and then using a paper towel rubbed some of the paint off again, so that the impressions were more colored and more prominent. That way the texture really popped off. For the plate I used two colors to and blended them. I painted outside of the bowl and the bottom of the plate and then everything dry again. I applied some Liquitex Transparent Raw Amber Acrylic Ink over the circle impression of the bowl to have it pop up even more and to give it some patina and let that dry again. To finish everything off I coated the bowl and plate with Liquitex Pouring Medium which gave it a nice shiny glossy and glass like look and feel. I coated it twice leaving a couple hours in between for curing.

Done :) Hope you like this little crafty fun project – I also made some christmas ornaments using the same technique…there is a lot of potential in this – you just have to play . Here is the full supply list:

nSupplies



Nat

Comments (11)

  • AmyO'

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    I have some Paper Clay in my stash from long ago – I’ll be digging it out this weekend to see if I can still use it – I love these!

    Reply

  • Stephanie

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    Great project. Thanks for the tutorial

    Reply

  • andrene

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    OK I am so doing this. Hope mine turn out as beautiful as yours!!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    That dish is so sweet and I love the new stamp on it.
    It’s nice to have a place to place one’s rings and such at the end of the night (or while washing yucky pots and pans).

    Reply

  • Petrin Diaz

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    Oh, Nat…so long not writing, but always take time to read all your publications…Love thiis “little idea”…and will try asap, as soon as i can. Thanks always for your kindness! lovely colors!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      So good to “see” you again! thanks for your sweet words!

      Reply

  • Kathy Gledsdale

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    Oh these are gorgeous, I adore them, thank you for sharing the idea.

    Reply

  • Win Dinn

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    Love these, and I love it that you made it rather than buying something that was less then appealing – living the art-ful life!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you Win! I agree, making something your own instead of buying is always double the fun!

      Reply

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Be a voice not an echo

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This is a watercolor paper page mounted on a piece of cardboard which I made for CHA a couple months ago, in order to show my new stamps with acrylic paints. I also used some canvas letters that I altered with acrylic paint and a pen.

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I used the Kaffeeklatsch and Mark Maker set set with this one and I love how the white and green pop off the ultramarine blue.

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I wish you an amazing day

Nat

Comments (3)

  • Joi@RR

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    Nat – you always teach me something!! This is so neat. I didn’t even think about canvas letters. They look great. Thank you for sharing! j.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Nat, I especially like how the white stamped image shows up on the blue. Nice job as usual.

    Reply

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Abstract Kaffee Klatsch

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This Canvas was really fun to make. I used the Stencil in my Kaffee Klatsch Stamp Set with Heavy Gesso, and used the stamps with Acrylic Paints but also pressed into the gesso and paint surface as texture tools.

 

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I love how the patterns of the stamps became organic

 

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some hints of purple and orange as a contrast and finished up with a splatter of black acrylic ink.

 

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Here is what I used:

nSupplies


Hope you are having a great week!

Nat

Comments (19)

  • keast

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    Really love the texture on this and your colors… Makes me happy and want to play.

    Reply

  • JAN KRASSNER

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    Natalie, this is fabulous! I love abstracts with lots of color and texture; and, this painting has it! What size is the canvas?

    Reply

  • leadonna

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    Love the colors and the texture, Nat! Beautifully done, as always!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    These are the colors which scream Nat to me!
    I know that you need to experiment with new colors but these just grab me and the texture is wonderfully full and I could just dive in and swim out of this snow.

    Reply

  • Barb J

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    The colors are just yummy. I really enjoy your work.

    Reply

  • Mary W

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    Gorgeous!

    Reply

  • maura

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    Fabulous texture!!

    Reply

  • rivonda

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    Thank You! Love me some abstract! :)

    Reply

  • stephanie

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    Stunning! Love the colors and texture

    Reply

    • stephanie

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      Also, when will you new stamps be available????/

      Reply

      • nathalie-kalbach

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        The stamps are coming in into stores every day now – I am seeing them popping up here and there – so hopefully soon :))))) Thank your for your interest!

        Reply

  • jackiepn

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    Yummy textures Nat!! I love the reveal of the colors underneath! So cool!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thanks Jackie – I like that too – it always a bonus !

      Reply

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In The Same Boat? Canvas

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One of my favorite views in Jersey City at Liberty Landing . At least the view is accessible for everyone :)

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I played with different paint viscosities to achieve a different kind of texture. Fun.

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Here are the materials I used:

nSupplies



What is the place with your favorite view?

Nat

Nat

Comments (9)

  • Ursula

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    Hallo Nat, – super eingefangen. Ich sehe mich schon wieder auf dem Boot, die Skyline abfahren – LG Ursula

    Reply

  • Gina Sismilich

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    Absolutely gorgeous – you get better and better!

    Reply

  • Jackie P Neal

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    Nat, Absolutely stunning is what I have to say!
    My favorite view is from a bluff over looking Lake Ontario- up North of where I live- I’ll send a picture next time I go! “)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      That sounds like an amazing view!!!! Yes I wanna see :)

      Reply

  • Stephanie Schütze

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    Nat, das ist ein wunderbares Bild! Tolle Farben und die Boote sind der Hit! Es passt einfach alles! Toll! Liebe Grüsse über den grossen Teich, Stephanie :-)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Stephanie, vielen lieben Dank :) Ganz liebe Grüße zurück über den Teich- hoffe der Herbst lässt sich gut an :)

      Reply

  • Nurse Ratchet

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    There are no words coming to me that adequately express to you how much I adore your amazing city scapes!!

    Reply

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New Online Workshop: Season Canvas Fall

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There is a new project based Mixed Media Workshop in the house : Season Canvas Fall.

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Here is a little video about the workshop:

Season Fall Promo Video from Nathalie Kalbach on Vimeo.

Who is this workshop for?

This class is for the aspiring artist, the crafter who wants to dabble their hands in some paint or for anyone who just wants to create something fun for their home.

Cost: 25USD

You can sign up here : Season Canvas Fall.

I also posted a list of suggested supplies- but I will talk about some alternatives during the class – so don’t buy anything until you see if you want to use it or have a substitute already in your stash.

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I hope you will join me in this Fall Workshop. Once you signed up- you have unlimited access – any time, anywhere :)

Happy Fall!!!

Nat

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