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My Favorite Mixed Media Essentials: 5. Stencils & Masks

I often get emails asking me about my favorite tools or supplies and I actually love those emails because they make me think of why I tend to use some things all the time.

Is it laziness? What is it about these items that make me grab for them whenever I create a Mixed Media Project?

One of the answers that came up for almost all of them is “I use them because of their versatility of usage” . That is an easy guess for an answer- LOL- since I named my favorite Online Workshop series Über*Media playing on the fact that you can use some items so MANY different ways.

But let me take you the next couple weeks on a little journey on my favorite Mixed Media essentials and explain why I could bathe in them and show you where I used them.

If you missed the other posts in this series – you can catch up here 

5. Stencils & Masks

Stencils and Masks are a constant companion of mine while creating. If you would see the stack of stencils I own you would think I am a hoarder (well I am in some perspective ;) )- but to my excuse I have to say- I might own like 15 times the same stencil because I use them in my workshops a lot. Because they are AWESOME to use in all kinds of projects!

What I love about Stencils & Masks:

  • You can add with many different paint media wonderful images to a project
  • You can use them to create dimension and layers
  • They can be an awesome tool to add texture
  • They can be wonderful stamps
  • You can use them for Embossing
  • They can be easily created by yourself
  • If made out of the right material they can be used FOREVER
  • They can ground a background
  • You can also use them for tracing patterns

Here are some examples:

Using Stencils to trace the stars and make dimensional embellishments and with paint medium

Creating Texture with Black Gesso and Stencil

Stencils with Graffiti Spray Paints layered for a plant pot

with mostly self made stencils

Texture with mixed acrylic paint and artist spackle

Stencil used in a Die Cut Machine with Canvas Fabric to dry emboss

Masks used with ink pads for a background

Masks used with heavy bodied Acrylic paints

with water based spray paints

with a marker

Cut out stencil image

And there is so much more!

Which Stencils & Masks I love to use:

As always in this series- the answer to this question is based on my preferences, my style and my experiences

  • Since I do love to create texture with my stencils and masks I am always on the hunt for thicker material
  • I do love to use plastic or similar material ones because I want to use them FOREVER and with wet paint media too
  • Of course since I create my own designs for Stencil Girl Products – I love my own designs for them :) (It would be weird if not ;) ) and I love their designs by the other artists too! Very cool stencils.
  • The other brands I use that in my eyes have the most awesome designs and are of thicker design and the material I like  (and I might miss some of course – I can only list the ones I own and tried!) are by: The Crafter’s Workshop  (I think I probably have almost all of them – mostly Julie Fei Fan Balzer Designs and Ronda Palazzari but also some of Dyan’s – still missing on Dina Wakley’s –  this has to change!), Tattered Angels (they do not make them anymore at the moment so I hold on to my old ones), and Pink Paislee (only had a few desings- but I do love them!)
  • I do love some of the thinner masks too  – I try to use those more with spray paints or dry paint media, so that I do not ruin them. The thinner the material the more you can expect detailed images and intriguing images. So it is a bit: one or the other. As designs for thick ones I love a lot of the Prima Marketing Masks that are out there – but again they are very thin and must be treated carefully in order to not rip them.
  • self-made stencils – I love to use thick plastic sheets or cardboard for this. Crafter’s Workshop Templates is now actually now also offering sheets to make your own stencils.
  • House hold item stencils- there is a lot of things that you can use as stencils that you probably have: lace, punchinella, screen mash, nets that hold your potatoes or onions, plastic place mats that have a cut out pattern, die cuts…just look at your supplies and think how it could look like if you would use spray paint or other paint media over it.
  • Letter Stencils from the Hardware or Art Supply store because I love to add titles with stenciled letters

nSupplies

I hope you enjoy this series- next Mixed Media Essentials is coming soon :)

What are your Favorite Mixed Media Essentials?

hugs

nat

Nat

Comments (11)

  • Marjie Kemper

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    You’re singing my song, Nat… love love LOVE stencils. If you get your hands on some Stencil Girl Products you will like them too… funky designs and a fair weight. Loved seeing all these gorgeous samples especially that cool pink/purple LO with the big alpha letters. Happy Kitting!

    Reply

  • Carrie

    |

    Trying to catch up on my blog reading again – I’ve missed so much! Love this post on stencils and masks. You’ve got some fantastic ones. I love them too, and have been using them more and more. Do you have any of Michelle Ward’s stencils yet? I have some of them, and they’re great, really good material too.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Totally have to get some of hers too ! Thanks for the reminder!
      Have a wonderful day! Hope you were not hit too bad by the storm! hugs
      nat

      Reply

  • Alicia

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    Thanks for the info Nathalie…!! I think all your works are great and all the technics seems very interesting…!!! Keep you informed.!
    Best regards!!

    Reply

  • Jessica

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    I love this series! It reminds me of different ways to use my supplies. My latest fave is modeling paste – I like to spread it over stencils with a spatula and then let it dry overnight. Great raised texture!

    Reply

  • Sherri Sinclair

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    Thank you so much for doing the essentials series. I love to try some if the products you use and it gets my creative thinking going in different ways on some items. Thanks!

    Reply

  • Jean Marmo

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    Love the versatility!! I definitely need more stencils and masks!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I never tire of seeing the “TRUST” piece. Just wonderful Nat!
    I like to use embossing paste with some ink in it to get rough texture with a stencil.

    Reply

  • Toñy Hernandez Ramos

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    Nat todas las técnicas utilizadas me parecen geniales. Muchisimas gracias por mostrar tus creaciones. Un abrazo

    Reply

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Photos are like a Rube Goldberg Machine or…Timeless Colors

For me some photos are activating memories like a Rube Goldberg Machine (auf Deutsch auch als Was-Dann-Maschine bekannt). I love this!

For example this photo of my cousin Isa and me in Italy shows a scene that I not remember. But it starts pulling up all kinds of fun memories.

 

Like the dress I was wearing- I loved this dress.I remember I wanted to wear it every day. I also remember that I wanted to be as beautiful as Isa when I grew up and I thought she was REALLY old (LOL- she was like 17 I think on that photo). I also remember the house and the garden and the dog that my Aunt Antionetta and Uncle Giulio had. Which then again reminds me that the stupid dog bit me in the head when stupid me stuck my head into its dog house to check out the puppies. That actually reminds me that this is a good excuse for a lot of things, and I should use it more often. Which reminds me on the time when I burned my shoulder on Aunt Antionetta’s gas stove – how I managed that- no idea. But I remember that she put half a potatoe on my shoulder to heal it, which probably was a weird thing to do, but when I look at my shoulder there is no scar left. This then again reminds me that I could never say Zia Antionetta (Zia means Aunt in Italian) as a kid, so I said Zianetta – and that I actually believed that was her real name till I was 10 or so and then I got it.  Remember, I got bitten in the head by a dog… things take a bit to sink in ;) This photo also makes me remember one of my comfy foods, as that is what we had sometimes along breakfast – fresh olive oil with fresh lemon juice on a self baked white bread with a little bit of salt. I kid you not, when I feel I need comfy food, that is what I eat. It reminds me on my cousins Franco and Alessandro and that Alessandro who was just a couple of years older than me was always way faster than me when we had to wash our hands before eating and that he locked the bathroom door . Which I found really unfair because I had to wait till he was done and was always late for the meals. Which reminds me that this is also the reason why I have a crooked several times broken and operated finger, because one day I was a bit faster and I squeezed in my little finger into the door angle, which he didn’t know and he locked the door, thinking I was yet again throwing a tantrum because I didn’t make it faster into the bathroom. Which reminds me this might be the reason why I love to have all doors in our apartment to be open ;) – It can go on and on….

 

And that is one of the reasons why I love to work with photos and take my time with all the techniques on the project…it let’s me dwell on the memories triggered by the photo while working on it.

The canvas was a workshop called Timeless Colors that I retired after spring.

Do you have Rube Goldberg Machine Photos too or is that just me because I got bitten by dog into my head when I was a child? ;)

Have a gorgeous day

Huge hugs

Nat

 

 

Nat

Comments (8)

  • Sue Clarke

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    So sweet and no, you’re not the only one.
    So you liked to wear dresses even as a little girl.
    PS: Never stick your head into a dog’s house (especially when she has recently given birth to puppies).

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL- thanks for the reminder! BTW I hated dresses in my phase between cute Nat -and now Nat – called punky-tomboy nat phase ;)

      Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    Such a gorgeous background!

    Reply

  • Barbara

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    Reading your rememberances took me right with you, visiting your aunt and cousins as a little girl. Your words are so honest they make your memories glow. Thanks for taking us with you!

    Reply

  • Janet

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    I read every word! Very entertaining! And it reminded me of my aunt jejy, I couldn’t say her name either! Great memories! Photos are great that way. Thanks for the reminder to use the old ones more often!

    Reply

  • Charlotte

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    That was so lovely to hear the chain of memories that the picture reminded you of. I get that quite a lot – you can’t remember the scene photo ever actually happening, but it must’ve done. Reflecting on all of those memories while working on the layout must be really nice. A really nice photo, and I love the layout and the colours. Great words as well. I think my project at home over Christmas is going to be to dig out some old photos :) Hugs x

    Reply

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Meh…or How Facebook Page Updates can be seen again

After getting some emails by people before, telling me that they follow my Facebook n*Studio Page but they can’t see my updates , I finally saw this problem as a question popping up on other pages too and it turns out Facebook now requires “fan” page administrators to pay in order to get posts seen by all of the people who have liked their page – I simply don’t have this money..sorry Facebook. – 200 bucks for an update to show up…you might have to get this from bigger fishies than me. This means though that only 10% of the people that would liked my page are seeing the updates.

So if you are one of the subscribers and would still like to see my updates – here is what you can do. Go to my Facebook page n*Studio

STEP 1: go the page and click on the gear on the right side

 

Step 2: Select “add to Interest List” or in German “zur Interessenlisten hinzufügen”

 

If you have no interest list yet – you can create a new one. I named mine Artists/Inspiration.

Step 3: Now you can see your interest list on the left hand side of your newsfeed and you can see if there are updates too

 

I favorited my Interestlist- so it shows up on the top too.

I recommend doing this for all of the pages you are interested in seeing the updates…

Thank you to all of those that are following me on my Facebook page – I actually post a lot of photos during the day and from classes and other stuff on there too – so it is not all the same as the blog and vice versa :)

Wishing you a gorgeous Friday!

huge hugs

Nat

 

Nat

Comments (8)

  • Natalie Hall

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    Thanks for this! I made a list with all of my favourite designers/artists (and, yes, that does include you!).

    Reply

  • margaeli

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    This is a great tip & I thought that I (as a subscriber) was missing “stuff”/posts from some of my “commercial” friends. I’m going to add many of my likes to similar lists so I can keep up. Thanks again.

    Reply

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    Thanks for the tip! I didn’t realize that my interest list would show up on the left side of the page and that I could “favorite” things over there!

    Reply

  • Deborah Crouse

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    Thanks so much for the tips! I appreciate you.

    Sent from my iPhone

    Reply

  • Riikka

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    Great info! I have your FB page added to my reader, so I’m sure not to miss anything! :)

    Reply

  • france papillon

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    thanks Nath! very useful info :)
    i already did it for your page, and i hope you won’t mind me ‘copying’ this message on my blog :)

    bereknuffel!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      totally not honey- I am not the first to post this – so go on :)

      Reply

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If Halloween is a reason for yummie candy…BRING IT ON

Halloween is still not a big deal here in Germany…but it seems to come in fashion more and more. So in celebration of Halloween-not-so-celebrated-here:  here is my Halloween Layout which was published in the Fall Issue of the new ScrapArtZine

 

I used Derwent Arbars to alter the wonderful danyeela and fontwork papers – both papers I hoarded in my Supply Stash FOREVER – I kid you not. I loved those two papers so much I simply couldn’t bring it over my heart to use them…but there is time for everything, right?

 

 

So spill the beans…which items do you hort for ever and haven’t used them so far because you want to safe them for the best possible project?

 

Have a gorgeous day and a happy funny halloween filled with candy ;)

hugs

nat

 

 

Nat

Comments (4)

  • Lisa Flaherty

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    For me it is all about the paper, too. I recently took something from my stash that I loved so much and decided to try the mindset “it’s just paper–don’t be afraid to cut it up!” And then I felt like I’d ruined it, made a huge mistake, etc. Then Julie’s voice came into my head, “Keep pushing.” That totally helped! I was able to turn my paper into something I totally love! Happy belated Halloween!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Yeah- exactly- the things we tend to dislike the most and then keep going are like hard-work best loved items later :) hugs Nat

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I continue to hoard the paper pack that you sent me of your designs. I have used a few of them but the rest are waiting for a special LO. LOL
    I really have to start to use supplies that have been waiting for 3 years.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Ahhh Sue ….I hope you will share if you use them :)

      Reply

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Second Floor Challenge #11: Six Colors

Are you ready to take the second floor this time? If you have no clue what I am talking about- read all about it here :) The Second Floor Challenge

So today is our 11th Second Floor Challenge and last Second Floor Challenge: Six Colors : Primar and Secondary- Yellow, Blue, Red, Green, Orange and Violet

Click here to see what Julie did

Whatever that means to you or however it inspires you.  The prompt is simply meant to get you started.  The level of challenge you aim for is entirely internal and up to you

I had to laugh a bit about this challenge- if you visited one of my workshops you might have heard me saying, that for the beginning you should try not to use more than 3-4 colors when working with a paint medium because it get’s muddy and brown. And now here I am challenged to use six colors.

So first I decided to use only one paint medium- Derwent Artbars and then I struggled a bit if I should just do something like color blocking, or circles (again?) …and somehow it felt all too easy.

And so I decided to kind of draw a background…something that is not really my strength – but hey…it’s taking it the second floor, right?

I used all the colors in the leaves and background and as it looked really flat I started using the Sgraffito technique to get some texture and dimension revealed.

It turned out ok…I am not overly happy with it, but the main thing is, I had fun and I tried something new. I actually like all the colors together – the leaves…not so much- LOL.

What I learned from this challenge:

  1. I loved the challenge to use colors together that I would usually not use together
  2. I also learned once more that I really don’t like anything that looks too flat and has no texture- either visual or tactile texture – at all.
  3. I loved concentrating on just one paint medium…it made me think a lot on how to get the most out of it- although I guess it would have been a bit more challenging using an art medium I didn’t use that much before.
  4. In the feature I might stick rather to circles again- LOL

As mentioned before this is Julie’s and my last Second Floor Challenge. Only once we both decided to skip a challenge totally out of time problems and so it is 11 challenges we did. So let me put together

What I learned in total from the 2nd Floor Challenge

  • If something looks as if it turns out to be a disaster, keep going- it usually ends up to be one of your favorite pieces.
  •  I learned that it is really good to limit yourself to only a few supplies -it frees your mind.
  • I learned a lot about supplies etc. because I was constantly forced to think in a different way when usual out of the box.
  • Doing something together with my friend Julie who lives too far away has been just fun – the challenge at least made me feel as if we are doing something together which we usually cannot do because of the distance.
  • I love getting the most out of one supply – I don’t like to use supplies in the only way it is determined to be used
  • Paint Media and Texture are essential for me- they are a big part of my style- no need to fight against that ;)
  • I developed a deep love for watercolor paper throughout all the challenges
  • It doesn’t hurt to show stuff you don’t like that much and admit that things didn’t work THAT well, nobody is perfect and I don’t strive to be perfect.
  • I loved to see that a lot of our readers took the second floor too – I learned as much from your experiences as from my own. Thank YOU!

If you’d like to leave a link showing off what you did in response to this challenge, here’s the linky list:

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hugs
Nat

Nat

Comments (9)

  • TeedeJee

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    Loved it. Especially on what you learned on the way. Thank you sooo much ladies! What will be your next challenge??? XXX

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Of course I enjoyed seeing my two scrappy “crushes” working together.
    I will come back to these challenges when I need inspiration in the future.

    Reply

  • gillian1

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    Ah. Such a shame that the second floor challenge is over. I’ve SOOOOO enjoyed following along with you both. I’m wondering whether I might persuade a friend to start something similar with me. She lives at the other end of the country so it would be lovely to have this sort of regular contact. Thank you both for all you efforts.

    Reply

  • Laurie Hunt

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    I have really enjoyed following along as you and Julie worked together. You both are such talented creative ladies that I always learn from you. Thanks much for the inspiration!

    Reply

  • Jessica

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    Beautiful leaves! Thanks for all of the SFCs. They’ve been very inspiring and fun.

    Reply

  • Sabine

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    I like your composition – colourwise as well as picturewise. The leaves all seem to be tumbling down, like they do in real life. Now that you and Julie have tackled the second floor – how about a third floor challenge? :-))

    Reply

  • Janet

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    Very Colorful Nat. I love the list of everything you learned from the challenge! Both this one and SFC overall. Thanks. I hope you do something similar again someday!

    Reply

  • Barb

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    I like mixing colors so this is something I want to try. Your work is very creative.

    Reply

  • Kathy Gledsdale

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    Lovely!

    Reply

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Art Supplies Invading or ….Bold About Us

My husband and I are traveling a lot, but mostly for work and mostly not together. There are times we don’t see each other for 4-6 weeks. But…it is all not that bad, because we both work in our home office when we are here and that is so awesome, so in between we always have 2 weeks that we are both not traveling. We can take all meals together and there is often a short peek into the offices during the day.  So usually…let me admit this…when he goes away…I start spreading out over the whole apartment, you find art supplies even in the bathroom (don’t ask- LOL) , I crank up the music ;) , I forget to get food and to eat, if I finally eat, I eat the stuff that he doesn’t like and I can never cook, I vanish in my studio forever, I watch the WORST TV Shows you can imagine and the first two days it is pretty fun…and then it sucks and I want him home- LOL.

 

This canvas is a retired Workshop called “Bold About US”. It was lot’s of fun teaching it.

 

Supplies: Prima Masks, Prima Londonderry Collection, Prima Ribbon Velvet, Prima Flower Carlotta Latte,

Prima Say it in Chrystals, Gesso, Tattered Angels Chalkboard, Tattered Angels Glam, Rangers Clear Crackle Paint

 

So today- well  when you read this it was yesterday ;) – hubs is coming home- so can’t wait :) But I better get the apartment cleaned up now- LOL. My art supplies are EVERYWHERE :)

If you life together with a partner or room-mate what are the things that you love to do when they are not there for a while? 

Have a wonderful weekend!

nat

 

Nat

Comments (13)

  • Micki

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    My husband travels too and like you, I will disappear into my craft area and don’t cook, which actually frees up A LOT of time, lol. Plus like you, I watch the TV shows I want to watch! Ok, I do have to ask….art supplies in the bathroom???

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL Micki …I love to put craft supplies in my pockets or behind my ear and when I am in the bathroom I take it out and put it all on the shelves …ahem…LOL

      Reply

  • Marjie Kemper

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    Oh, I’d be so guilty of spreading out like that! Love this project, especially the sweet photo.

    Reply

  • Jean Marmo

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    Love this! I also eat things he does not like! Have fun cleaning up!

    Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Ein wirklich wundervolles Layout, ihr seid ja sooo süß ihr zwei. Also eigentlich mache ich genau die gleichen Sachen wie du, wenn mein hubby weg ist. Ich versinke an meinem Schreibtisch, sehe all die amerikanischen Serien und Filme, die er nicht mag, esse haufenweise Schokolade :-( (jetzt nicht mehr) und breite mich auch im ganzen Haus aus. Liebe Grüße Birgit

    Reply

  • Andrene

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    (When I was married) the first thing I conquered was total control of the TV remote. Second was absolutely no ESPN!! LOL. Then I became a non-cleaning, non-cooking, craft when I want to, couch potato!! But eventually Dorothy had to return to Kansas :)

    Reply

  • Martha Richardson

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    I get lost in my studio and refuse to cook anything. When he is home we both have studios upstairs and bother each other ;)

    Reply

  • lynnmcmvt

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    I tend to move art stuff (well, MORE art stuff) upstairs from the basement studio when the Breakfast Guy is away and carve stamps, etc. at the dining room table, and I don’t cook, either!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Have a fun time with hubs. I tend to take over the kitchen counters and the kitchen table with scrappy supplies (I always have the dining room table anyway). LOL

    Reply

  • Jenny Palmer

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    HI Nat
    I dream of time on my own I am a carer for my husband and children [all have disabilities]
    so what would I do SLEEP lol

    Reply

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In The Fall…or Be the Change You Want to See

I stumbled across this video by Steve Cutts, which is funny and sad at the same time- and I love the message!

Attention: This video contains cruel comic movie elements (I don’t really think…so …but I wanna be on the safe side here) …if you have a problem with cruelty in Bugs Bunny Cartoons  you might be better off looking at something else . Don’t email me to complain if you think this is the worst thing someone ever has done to you, just don’t visit my blog anymore because I might post things like this again …

 

[vimeo 27582815 w=400 h=300]

 

 

Wishing you wonderful fall day…eh – I mean as in the season “fall” not as in the movie “fall” meaning ;)

huge hugs

nat

Nat

Comments (12)

  • Carolyn Dube

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    What a fun video and I hope you post more things like this!

    Reply

  • Jessica Sporn

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    Thank you for sharing that video. I have a few people I am going to forward it to. Sadly, we need the reminder often to enjoy the moment.

    Reply

  • Deborah Pierro

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    Very cute, funny, and clever–except for the guy going splat on the concrete.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      I know- I wish it ended just when he was smiling for the rest of the fall

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I love the smile on his face as he realizes that he should really enjoy the last few seconds of his life. Now just to be able to remember this every day. Funny (and sad) how often we need these reminders. TFS Nat.

    Reply

  • Anne Porretta

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    This play on words is a brief but funny reminder to enjoy the “fall” — and the journey before the fall as life goes by so quickly. Thanks for posting, Nat!

    Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    So true – time is just flying by. Enjoying fall here as well!

    Reply

  • Jenny Palmer

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    Hey Nat that was so cool loved him just crusin at the “end”

    Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Genial, danke fürs zeigen. Genau dieses Video sollte man sich jeden Morgen ansehen, wenn man mit seiner Arbeit unzufrieden ist! Super, liebe Grüße Birgit

    Reply

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There’s life in the old dog yet

4 1/2 years ago I created this layout called “Old”. I loved it so much- you know it was for me one of those layouts, when you create something and you are actually love what you did. For a long time it was a favorite of mine. It was also created in a time when I was still thinking that publishing something would define my value of my work….I submitted this layout like crazy and it was never taken. Oh well…I still loved it and that is why this layout had a place in my gallery.

Here is the journaling:

What is all the fuss about getting older? When I’m old I will be wrinkled, funny, kept and sunny- just like this car. Remind me of this writing in 20 years, ok? :-)

San Francisco, 2001

Fast Forward 4 1/2 years later , with lots of wrinkles more ;) I received an email by one of the Somerset Memories Editors, telling me, that she stumbled across this layout in my gallery and she would like to publish it. Can you imagine how giddy I was? Yes, there’s life in the old dog yet. And the moral of the story? Well…don’t think that just because something you submitted and wasn’t taken is not good enough, don’t think just because you didn’t make it to a design team or just because something else you applied for wasn’t taken, that you are not good enough. It might have been just the wrong time or the wrong place. Just don’t give up ! Believe in what you love!

What are you thoughts of getting older?

Huge hugs

Nat

 

 

Nat

Comments (23)

  • Conny

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    *wie sag ichs jetzt richtig ;-)* ich find das layout hammer! und ich finds beneidenswert – weil wenn ich mir meine layouts von vor 4 jahren anseh – gefallen mir nicht mehr viele *fg*….

    hm mein mann hat mir zum 30er eine skulptur geschenkt – mit einem 18 – wobei der 8 zum unendlich zeichen umgekippt war – sprich unendlich liebe, für immer 18 *und noch viel mehr ;-)* erschreckend find ich es, wenn ich mal die zeit finde und vorm spiegel steh und jetzt auch in der rechten ecke ein büschel schneeeeweisse haare seh und mir dann doch gedanken kommen, ob ich älter werde …. so blöde gedanken werden mit schokolade erstickt hehe

    mädl – du bist halt einfach die beste, weil du authentisch bist und du den leuten mit deiner art alles rüberbringst *ich bald deutsch-du werden sehen hehe*

    bussal aus wien
    conny

    PS: telefonisch nichts erreicht- ich geh am sonntag in die kirche – ich hoffe du weisst, was das für ein opfer is ;-)

    Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Ganz genau so ist es! Aber wir Frauen sind ja sowieso immer zu selbstkritisch. Ein Wahnsinns-Layout und ich ich lieeeebbbbee das Journaling. Keep on, hugs Birgit

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Ja- doof oder? Wir Frauen machen uns immer so schlecht – die Männer sind da viel entspannter …oder jedenfalls tun sie oft so ;) ! Huge hugs
      nat

      Reply

  • MIcki

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    LOL, funny you ask. I don’t “feel” as if I’m older, meaning I still think I’m this young kid, sadly especially this year I’ve noticed that my skin doesn’t seem to think so. I’ve noticed a lot more fine lines and wrinkles. it’s not that I’m vain – I’m not but with only two more years until I hit 50, the lines and wrinkles just make me realize how fast time flies by. So basically…. NOPE, don’t like it at all. :-)

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Glad to hear that the LO will be shared in a publication since it’s so original.
    My thoughts on getting older? How much time do you have? LOL
    I am 48 and the older I get the less that I know (I’m not the first to say this).
    I know that about 40 I started to not care at all what people thin of me and that has given me great freedom to just be me. Many people love me and some just stay away.
    No problem. I am young at heart and enjoy playing with children and dogs. They always accept me for who I am.
    Enough for now. Peace<3

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      I love what you say that around 40 you didn’t care that much about what other thinks of you…I feel the same is becoming true more and more and it is so relieving! Loves :) Nat

      Reply

  • SusanJane

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    Begin rant.
    I’m a luddite in the world of old = bad. I simply do not understand why we literally buy into the myth that growing up is somehow wrong or (even worse) evil. Everything, absolute everything grows up, gets old, and dies. Animals, trees, stars, galaxies. What’s the big deal? Is our race so all fire superior that we can cheat the inevitable process and escape the cycle with a $300 jar of cream? A new dress? A new, younger mate? Life is a friggin miracle! The endless cycles of life are a miracle! I’m humbled and honored to be part of it. It’s far more important to put something into the lives of others and the future then it is to put money into Revlon/Clarol/Gucci. Be a luddite and join every single speck of everything in the universe and grow old. Have it be o.k. to be who you are at exactly this age and this moment.
    End rant.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Love your rant :) So true in so many aspects! Thanks for sharing your thoughts SusanJane!

      Reply

  • Jo

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    Nathalie – you and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer are my absolute favourite bloggers! You two always bring something so real and alive to every day! You two are the best! And, I am so happy for you with this ‘old dog’s’ new life!

    Reply

  • Harriet Garrison

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    ps. How did you make all the little white circles in the layout?? They look raised but can’t tell for sure. Thanks again!!!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Harriet- this was a transparency by Hambly Screen Prints, they unfortunately closed. But their transparencies were the best ever!

      Reply

  • Harriet Garrison

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    I REALLY love that layout and the wise words you spoke about not thinking you aren’t good enough, just be patient, was something I needed to hear!!!!! As an artist I think we fluctuate day to day about whether we are good or not. There is always someone better (and younger) out there, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t good in our own “artful” ways…..everyone has different tastes for different things. Art is a million different things to a million different people…just do what you love and makes you happy…someone will come along and share that happiness!!! (War of Art is a neccessary book for everyone!!! thanks for mentioning it awhile ago). You ROCK!!!!!

    Reply

  • magandscrap

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    oh wow !! Love this layout and the journaling too !!

    Reply

  • Nancy Sapp

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    LOVE your yellow truck layout. Old trucks have character, don’t you think?? As for getting old – I’m ALREADY there. I’ve got the wrinkles to prove it but maybe I should think of them as “character lines!”
    Furthermore – you’re very cute & I’m sure you don’t have wrinkles…
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL Nancy….yeeah… no wrinkles- ;) Nah- of course I have wrinkles !
      BTW- yes- old trucks have character- I somehow love spying them and then taking pictures.

      Reply

  • tina phillips

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    Oh I love this!! May IU ask what size this is?

    Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    Congrats! And that is a good reminder for all of us!!! I have a HUGE birthday (60) coming in February. I keep telling everyone that I am not going there. That one is freaking me out:)

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      You look so much younger! You will rock this birthday!!!!

      Reply

  • MichaelaBM

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    Love your Layout!
    My body might get older and the grey hart might get more but my mind and heart still stay young ;-)
    Hugs Michaela

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Exactly- that is what I think too! …Maybe my brain gets a little older- LOL…but as long as I forget that is fine ;)
      huge hugs
      nat

      Reply

  • muriel

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    Hello from France! I consider getting older is for the lucky ones. I have just turned 55 and I hope I’ll have many other birthdays. Of couse I don’t look as I did when I was 20 and I am not going to lie, there are days when I don’t like my face and my body, but when I think of it the most important is not there. Getting older also means seeing my son grow into a man, sharing my experiences, having plans, lots of reasons to be happy. I love your lo!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Muriel I love how you said that – getting older is for the lucky ones! That is such a beautiful way to say it! I wish you many many more birthdays to come too!!!!! Huge hugs
      Nat

      Reply

Leave a comment

About Yarn Sausages, Creative Students and a Walk

Yesterday I came back from Munich where I taught 3 fun workshops at Scrappies. If you wonder why this Blog post is called YarnSausage – well…you know…even in the same country there are differences in food on the menu and if you read “Wollwürste” which I literally translate into Yarn Sausages then you can’t but raise an eyebrow and ask “Ahem…so….what is this”. Sweet Sandra tried to sell those to me like this “ohhhh those are yummie, yarn sausages…they taste like….yarn”…ok…ahhhaaa…oh well..you know what…I ordered something else LOL ;)

It was so much fun to come back after the workshops in April and I loved seeing so many familiar faces and a couple new ones. Thank you again all my wonderful welcoming students and also to Sandra and Gabi- you girls are amazing and I love your store!

Here are some pictures of the first Workshop “Chalk on the Wild Side”

Loved how the students played with the PanPastels and Prima Fluid Chalks

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturdays we had first the Portrait of a Lady Class – I can never get enough of the results and how the students just take it and create fun and unique portraits! They had a lot of fun using the Derwent Artbars, which Scrappies has stocked in their store too.

 

 

 

 

 

and I so loved this portrait of a boy

 

 

 

the last workshop was “Tag You Are it” – lot’s of PanPastel techniques

 

 

 

 

Here is a group photo but some are missing

 

It went by so fast and I miss the fun girls already…but rumor has it…it might not be for too too long ;)

Sunday morning I was woken up by a cup of tea again- thank you Sandra for such a wonderful time again in your house and all the sweet things you did for me. We went out for a long walk through the foggy forest.

 

 

 

 

Pretty hard to do some decent pictures with the phone in this fog but I really enjoyed this os much – I love being in the city but I miss the nature like this sometimes, as they are somehow no real seasons in a city.

Now  back to yarn sausages…what kind of “funny” food is there name wise in the country you come from ?

Have a wonderful start into your week!!!

nat

Nat

Comments (29)

  • Moni

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    Hey Nathalie, es war eine große Freude Dich kennengelernt zu haben! Deine WS haben Riesenspaß gemacht und ich habe viel dazu gelernt. Mein Porträt wird zwar nicht an die Wand kommen, Du weißt schon wegen der Augenbrauen,:-))) aber ein neues Foto ist schon gedruckt und ich werde einen neuen Versuch starten! Deine Freude bei der Arbeit steckt an! Danke und vielleicht bis bald mal wieder! Würde mich freuen! Ganz liebe Grüße Moni!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Liebe Moni, ich habe mich auch gefreut Dich zu treffen! Dein Portrait hat so gut angefangen und die Augenbrauen…ja..LOL, das mit dem Gesso war ne Idee zu viel- aber jetzt weißt Du wie es geht und ich bin sicher es wird super! Sei ganz dolle gedrückt und Danke dass Du da warst. Bis hoffentlich bald…vielleicht nächstes Jahr ;) Nat

      Reply

  • Sandra

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    I love the comment about Spotted Dick …. that was a typical school lunch dish … yummee! How about ‘Toad in the Hole’ …. anybody know that one?????

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      hahahah- I never heard about the Toad one- that is funny.

      Reply

  • Micki

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    Wow those portraits are wonderful!!!! All of them!!! As for funny names, I’m from Bad Hersfeld and all I keep thinking of is the sausages but can’t think of their name. Oh I miss the food! :-) Also miss the forest. Not much of a forest here in Kansas.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Oh Micki, I spent my teenage years in Hessia and I think I might know the sausage you are talking about. Ahle Worscht? It is like a Salami but a bit different? I love and miss that one so much, can’t even tell you — LOL. No Forest in Kansas…wow. I have not been yet in Kansas, so I guess I had a wrong picture of it in my head.
      Have a gorgeous day
      Nat

      Reply

  • Andrene

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    I just had to Google “french fries” and after reading several articles it appears no one really knows. All of the articles did say a probable reason is because the potatoes are “french-cut” into thin long strips. And where did they originate? A ton of countries have tried to claim its origin. It is considered the national dish of Belgium “moules-frites” (mussels and fries). OK enough for the history lesson which really didnt tell us anything anyway

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Andrene, mmmh..the mystery of the French fries ;) Thanks for looking that up- that was interesting!
      hahaha- Chili Willy- that is funny too! And I do laugh a lot at Ben&Jerry’s name too! Huge hugs
      Nat

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Those portraits are incredible! The first one and the last one are so realistic. They must have had a good teacher.

    Reply

  • Charlotte

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    I had such a good time at the Chalk on the Wild Side workshop on Friday!! Thank you SO much. It was my first workshop (and I decided that my first time should be in German!) so I was nervous, but I had a great time, and you are such a great teacher – so lovely. I spent yesterday finishing off my mini-album, and inspiration hit me to use it for a poem I wrote a long time ago. I’m so proud of it! Thanks. As for funny food, I can think of ‘Pigs in Blankets’ (little sausages wrapped in bacon) or ‘Angels on Horseback’ (Oysters wrapped in Bacon) I can’t really think of anything NOT wrapped in bacon.. :P

    (Also, I second Kathy’s comment about coming to England – preferably when I’m back next year. Otherwise, I’ll have to come to Hamburg in the Spring.)

    Liebe Grüße, Charlotte

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Charlotte,
      it was such a pleasure to have you! Thank you so much for your sweet words- that means a lot to me! You had no reason to be nervous- your German is extraordinarily good. Really!!! I wish after so many years of English my accent would lack so much of a German accent as your German is lacking of your British accent. Thank you again for coming and I totally want to see your album with your poem!
      LOL- I love Angels on Horseback …mmmhh- my husband by the way always states that “Everything taste better with bacon” ;)
      Hopefully I will see you soon again! Enjoy your time in Germany- and give me a shout out if you come to Hamburg.
      Viel Spaß noch in München – vergiss nicht, Wollwürste zu probieren!
      Sei gedrückt
      nat

      Reply

  • Riikka

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    Those workshops are looking great! <3

    Reply

  • Kathy Gledsdale

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    Wow what fabulous picture made in your classes, so much talent. Do you ever do any classes in Kent England, I would love to come along?

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Kathy, England is still on my wish list to go and teach – hopefully one day an opportunity arises! I would love to have you!

      Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL- that made me laugh a lot!!! Thanks for sharing Sara :) !

      Reply

      • Sara

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        ;) Thought you might like that one!

        Reply

  • mjmarmo

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    What a fun time. Can’t think of any funny foods here.

    Reply

  • Jenny Palmer

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    Hi Nat
    Glad you had a great time
    Here in Tasmania we call lunch cribs [it is a minning term] and we call cocktail frankfurts [tiny littly red sausage you have on a bread bun or dip into tomato sauce at a party] we call them “Little Boy’s” lol
    Jenny
    waves from Tassie

    Reply

  • MichaelaBM

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    Es war wirklich schön Dich wieder zu sehen!! Meine “Madame Pompadour” hängt schon an der Wand ;-)
    Bis hoffentlich ganz bald mal wieder
    GLG Michaela

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Cool- da freue ich mich. Madame Pompadour ist aber auch zu genial geworden! Sei ganz dolle gedrückt! Nat

      Reply

  • Birgit Kunte

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    Hachz, meine Süße, es war sooooooooooo schön dich wieder zu sehen und die Workshops waren einfach klasse. Ich hoffe, du bist gut nach Hause gekommen mit leichtem Gepäck :-). Hoffentlich sehen wir uns bald mal wieder, drück dich, knutsch Birgit

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Du wirst es nicht glauben…der Koffer war 20 Kg…ehhh??? Tja- so eine Sachertorte, ein bayerisches Brot und ein paar Röntgenbilder scheinen doch mehr zu wiegen als ich dachte…vielleihct ist es die Sachertorte- LOL

      Reply

  • france papillon

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    looks like the ladies were in for a treat, that’s the only way to come to so much mojo loaded pieces! looks like you were in for a treat too ;) i’m happy for you :)

    hugs

    ps: french fries are actually… from Belgium… we should rename them!! lol

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      LOL- France – I have always wondered about that…why FRENCH fries?

      Reply

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