Creative Squad

Videos from the Creative Squad – Part 2

My Creative Squad has made some really cool videos for their projects through the years (what a talented bunch indeed) so I thought I’d do a little 4 part series where I share some with you. Also I encourage you to check out the Creative Squad archive of projects as an excellent resource for serious artistic inspiration.

Let’s get started!

First up is Creative Squad alum Marsha Valk, sharing a trio of mini mixed media canvases using my Actually I Can and Fanfare rubber stamp sets and my Central Ave stencil. The theme that she was working with was Little Wonder – We’re thinking small this month and focusing in on a tiny scale, exploring the delicate details, and creating something that is petite and precious.

Here is the link to her original post and here is the video she shared of her process:

I love the bright color palette she uses and the layered backgrounds she builds up.

Keeping with a bright happy color scheme is this project from alum Nicole Watson who is using my Mini Motifs and Triangle Love stamp sets and the theme: Rise & Shine – Sometimes it is inspiring to think of each new day as an opportunity to do something good – to shine. Create something that will encourage others to do the same and let’s all bring a little more light into this world!

Here is the link to her original post and here is the video she shared of her process:

The combination of saturated color and crisp black stamps just pops. I love them!

If you had fun watching these videos, be sure to tune in next time for a couple more from the archive.

Here are some of the supplies used in these projects:

Nat

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Best Grass in Town – Art Journal

“I’m too busy working on my own grass to notice if yours is greener!”

I thought it would be fun to pull out some of my hand carved stamps again and put them together. There are about 5 hand made stamps in the background which I stamped with a black ink pad. Then I used some magenta and yellow paint and created a glaze with matte medium, spreading it over the background.

I stamped one of my Fan-fare stamps as well as the lady from my Actually I Can set inside the window and added some journaling with a fountain pen.

Here are some of the supplies I used:

Nat

Comments (2)

  • Robin

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    I love the phrase almost as much as the art!!! So good!

    Reply

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Little Wonder – Marsha Valk

Hello from the Creative Squad and today we have another farewell post – this one from the super talented Marsha Valk! Marsha has been a joy to have on the squad and we will miss her but of course we will still be watching what she’s up to online :) Today Marsha brings us a lovely little trio of mixed media canvases and a how-to video. She’s using my Actually I Can and Fanfare rubber stamp sets and my Central Ave stencil. This month’s theme is: Little Wonder – We’re thinking small this month and focusing in on a tiny scale, exploring the delicate details, and creating something that is petite and precious.

 

“Wie wat bewaard, die heeft wat” is a saying in Dutch. It translates into: Someone who saves things has something.

On the lookout for ideas for this month’s prompt, I found a pack of four mini canvases while rummaging in my studio cabinet. I have no recollection of buying them, or why. I’m sure I thought they would come in handy one day. And they did!

Our mission this month is to use a small rubber stamp that we haven’t used before and a stencil.

There is no chance of me not having used a stamp in my n*Studio collection. However, I’ve been dying to do a project with the ladies from the Actually I Can Cling Rubber Stamp Set. And, for this special occasion, they will be joined by the Fashion Dame, an old friend from one of Nat’s earliest stamp releases.

Watch the step-by-step video to see how I combined the Millie Cling Rubber stamp with the tiniest set of stamps in n*Studio collection and one of Nat’s 4”x4” stencils.

Wishing you lots of little wonders!

Marsha.

Thank you Marsha! These little canvases just make us smile :) And what a great way to end your time with us here – it has been so much fun sharing your unique creative vision with our readers!

Want to try some mini canvases like Marsha has here? You can find all my Rubber Stamps and Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the other products she used:

Feel inspired? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share?  I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next  “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

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Never Stop Dreaming – Maura Hibbitts

  

Welcome to a post from Maura Hibbitts from my Creative Squad! Today Maura is sharing with us an art journal spread that reminds us of all the strong momen who have come before us! Maura is using my Mesa Verde and Downtown stencils and my Actually I Can stamp set. This month’s theme is: Never Stop Dreaming – This month we’re sending a message of confidence and empowerment to all those in the world (near and far and maybe even you!) who have been told “You can’t”, “That’s not possible”, or “Not you”. Actually we can and we will! And we’ll never stop dreaming either :)

When I looked at this month’s theme, I began to think about all the dreams we women have in our lives…family, friends, career, health, financial, pets…so many things touch our lives. I know my mother encouraged me to become the person I am today, and I am thinking her mother did the same for her. It could be our relatives cheering us on, or friends, but just think of the many generations of women behind each of us who have believed in the next generation.

I headed to my art journal, and scraped a layer of Diarylide Yellow and Quinacridone Gold down my page with a key card. Before the paint dried, I stamped in Nat’s “Actually I can” rubber stamp a number of times.

I added my next layer using the Mesa Verde stencil and some Pyrrole Red, using a light touch.I worked in a random fashion and left some areas open.

Then, I shifted the stencil down slightly and sponged in a layer of gold. Now I have a shadow effect.

Time to add a border to my page with Nathalie’s new Downtown stencil. As you can see, I just used part of it to make my border with black.

Now comes the fun part – stamping and coloring these two lovely ladies, Maiko and Millie. I wanted to tie in some of the same colors in both of their outfits to help link them together.

Time to put it all together! I put Maiko, in traditional dress behind Millie, to represent the previous generations of women. I stamped “Actually, I can” with black ink, and outlined it a bit with a white pen, and added my own thoughts. I also used the Mesa Verde stencil with the black pen to create the word box, by outlining one side, and moving it to “stretch” it. Finally, a shadow under the ladies to create a bit of depth with a graphite pencil and water brush.

Think of the many generations behind each one us, and Never Stop Dreaming!

Thank you Maura for such a thoughtful project! You can find my stencils and my stamps in my online shop. Here are some of the other supplies that Maura used:



Feel inspired? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share?  I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next  “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

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Never Stop Dreaming – Jennifer Gallagher

  

Today we have a post from Jennifer Gallagher from my Creative Squad. She is sharing some really nifty paper doll inspired cards that use my new Millie and Actually I Can stamps. This month’s theme is:  Never Stop Dreaming – This month we’re sending a message of confidence and empowerment to all those in the world (near and far and maybe even you!) who have been told “You can’t”, “That’s not possible”, or “Not you”. Actually we can and we will! And we’ll never stop dreaming either :)

This month we are creating with positive affirmations and the idea of female empowerment in mind. While pondering a fun way to use Nat’s new Actually, I Can stamp set, I was reminded of all of the fun I had as a child playing with paper dolls. I would spend hours as a child daydreaming of parties with ladies wearing fancy clothes and shoes while changing the outfits on my paper ladies. This stamp set takes me right back to those days. I was inspired to create an encouragement card that plays on the idea of a paper doll.

I began by stamping the Millie stamp in the center of a 4 x 5.5 inch ivory card base with black archival ink.

Next, I brayered out a mixture of Dina Wakley Media Acrylic paint in cheddar and magenta onto my 5×7 gel plate. After placing Nat’s Buenos Aires stencil down onto the paint, I pressed my stamped card face on top of the stencil and pressed evenly across the surface.

I pulled up the stencil to find what is referred to as the “ghost print”. I laid a second card base down to pull that leftover paint off the plate.

Once the gelli print is dry, I colored in the image starting with the skin using a Posca Pen in light orange. Her hair, dress, and shoes were also colored in with various posca pen colors. You can really have a lot of fun with this step adding stripes, polka dots, etc. I finished off the front with the “Actually, I can” stamp in the upper left hand corner and a stamp from Nat’s Small Circle Jumble stamp set in the lower right corner.

I took a few extra card bases and cut them in half. Then I stamped the Millie image on the front of each one. Next, I fussy cut around the edges of her dress and colored them in with my Posca paint pens to create a few changes of clothes for Millie. Once dry, I placed scor-tape on the back of the dresses and added them to the insides of my two cards.

I took a Sakura Gelli Roll pen in black and drew a clothes hanger for Millie’s dress. Later, when I send it I will write in an inspirational quote for the recipient beside of her new fancy party dress.

I hope you have enjoyed my paper doll inspired cards. Be sure to check back each Tuesday to see more from Nat’s Creative Squad.

Thank you Jennifer! These are so fun and I know who ever receives them will love playing with Millie’s wardrobe :) You can find my new Millie and Actually I Can stamps, along with all my products, in my online shop. Jennifer also used some of the following supplies:



Feel inspired? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share?  I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next  “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

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Never Stop Dreaming – Tania Ahmed

  

Welcome to a post from my Creative Squad! Today we have a gorgeously layered art journal page from Tania Ahmed – showing off some of my rubber stamps including my new Actually I Can set and an oldie but a goodie – my Marks set. Tania was inspired by the new theme for this month: Never Stop Dreaming – This month we’re sending a message of confidence and empowerment to all those in the world (near and far and maybe even you!) who have been told “You can’t”, “That’s not possible”, or “Not you”. Actually we can and we will! And we’ll never stop dreaming either :)

It can be incredibly hard in today’s world with all its demands and expectations to make time to do what is right for ourselves and this is something that I personally struggle with. The theme this month for the Creative Squad was “Never Stop Dreaming” and to me this, coupled with working hard to achieve those dreams, has proved a powerful motivator for change.

I’ve had many conversations with people in my life and artists about what stops them from going for their dreams … there is fear of failure, disappointing others and the expectation that one must live a “conventional” life. I have lately discovered that the biggest motivator for me to go out and work hard to achieve my dreams is the consequences of not doing it! Life is too short for regrets, so I have learnt to do more of what makes me happy, look after myself and occasionally agree to do things that scare me or put me out of my comfort zone, haha!

I made an art journal page for my disc bound journal to celebrate and remind myself that yes, I can do anything I can dream of as long as I work hard for it and keep learning from the inevitable failures that come my way.

I hope you enjoy the video that I made using Nat’s stamps (I must confess I am in love with the Millie and Maiko stamps!) Please do let me know if you have any questions about the page that I made and I apologize for the strobing effect in my video which was caused by the craft mat. You might see me using Millie and Maiko in future projects as well :)

Thanks for popping by, and have a great day!

Thank you Tania for sharing with us – it’s always fun to see the process of a page coming together and to know the important ideas behind it :) To get your hands on my Millie stamp, just visit my online store. Here are some of the other supplies that Tania used today:



Feel inspired? Working on something yourself that you’d like to share?  I love to see how you interpret our monthly themes. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next  “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

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