Creative Squad

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Marsha Valk

  

Hello again from the Creative Squad! Today we have a gorgeous gift wrapping project from Marsha Valk that is sure to send you running to your kitchen for some coffee filters :) Marsha used a whole slew of my stencils on this one (so be sure to check the materials list at the bottom) to rock the theme: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Let’s do Mother Earth a favor this month and use what we already have.  Maybe we’ll dip into our stash of leftovers from other creative projects or maybe we’ll repurpose something unexpected.  This month we’re thinking about how artmaking can impact the environment and we’re trying to make our footprint just a little bit smaller.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – that’s a topic that has been on my mind a lot lately. I have a lot of different craft supplies. I like to donate any excess supplies I have, but I still have plenty left that I’m reluctant to get rid of because I don’t want to waste it and it may come in handy someday…

The upside to this is that I’m never short on stuff when it comes to gift wrapping!

Paper flowers make fun and easy gift toppers, so I for this month’s prompt I decided to make coffee filter flowers.

I’ve shared how to create similar flowers on the Gelli Arts® blog before:

Using brand new (bleached) coffee filters for a craft project probably isn’t the greenest choice you can make. If you are looking for an environmentally friendlier option, you can recycle used coffee filters.

Unfortunately I don’t have access to a coffee maker that uses filters like these, so I haven’t tested it for you, but I believe you can rinse and dry them. They will be stained, but that will actually add interest to the paper (and the flowers).

Step 1: Monoprint a couple of coffee filters with your Gelli Arts® printing plate using stencils and (white) acrylic paint. Here I’m using Nat’s Buenos Aires stencil.

Step 2: Stain the monoprinted coffee filters with spray inks.

Wet the coffee filter with a spray bottle of water before you spray on the spray ink. The water will help the spray ink spread across the coffee filter, this one has Nat’s Toledo stencil pattern on it.

You can stack the coffee filters you want to have the same colour while spraying. Each new filter will absorb the excess ink from the already sprayed ones!

Leave the coffee filters to dry completely.

Step 3: Cut two smaller circles out of each coffee filter. I folded each coffee filter in half and used a jar to trace a circle shape onto them to get a uniform size.

Step 4: Fold the circles into eighths (or more) and cut leaf shapes. Make sure to cut some larger and some smaller.

Step 5: Unfold the coffee filter flowers and stack two or three on top of each other. Secure them by sewing one or two buttons in the middle of each stacked flower.

Fluff the petals until you are happy with the result.

Step 6: Use a glue dot or double-sided tape to adhere the flowers to your gifts!

I love this Marsha – such a great way to dress up a gift! In addition to buttons and ribbon, Marsha used the following supplies (some are affiliate links):



Play along with us too: 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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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Tina Walker

  

Hello my friends! It’s Tuesday and time for a project from my Creative Squad. Today we have a beautiful and clever book created by Tina Walker who reused two old projects and gave them a new life :)  Tina used my Batik Pattern 3 foam stamp, my Amsterdam 6×6 and Lily Wallpaper stencils, and my Marks stamp set to help her with this month’s theme: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Let’s do Mother Earth a favor this month and use what we already have.  Maybe we’ll dip into our stash of leftovers from other creative projects or maybe we’ll repurpose something unexpected.  This month we’re thinking about how artmaking can impact the environment and we’re trying to make our footprint just a little bit smaller.

Hi! Tina Walker here today with a new month and a new theme and…… my last Creative Squad post. :(  I have SO enjoyed my time as part of Nat’s Creative Squad family and will truly miss this part of MY monthly creative process. But don’t despair, I will still be around and will see y’all in cyber-land. Thank you again Nat! And thank you to this wonderfully creative community.

September’s theme is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. These three (little) words have such a strong, powerful meaning in today’s world and have a very special meaning for me. I am hosting a year long project called, The Sustainable Souls Project, where a group of like-minded artists are creating awareness about sustainability topics and how we impact the world and the environment. Our very own Nat was a Guest Artist for two months and we thoroughly enjoyed her vision. For today’s project, I expanded the idea of repurposing, to include my art. I will show how I recycled two past, uninspiring projects into one new project that I am happy to share.

Several months ago, I created these two projects, ironically as part of a Creative Squad post. I never shared them and created something else, so how perfect to repurpose them into something new for this month’s theme?

Here’s a peek at my two (previously) created projects.

  

Using part of both projects, I created a larger mini journal, that can be functionally used or displayed. Let’s take a look.

I deconstructed the book and home décor hanging, removing the embellishments, ribbons, and papers. Using the papers as the base for my new book, I repeated the same Batik Pattern 3 foam stamp for a cohesive look.

Next, I repeated the same Lily Wallpaper stencil for more cohesiveness and added stamps from Nat’s Marks stamp set.

Using one of the paper pages, I created a binding for the entire journal and added it to the inside of the previous mini book covers.

Since the previous mini book was narrow, I wanted my new cover to extend the width of the folded-out pages. I machine-stitched the home décor hanging piece to the new cover. I used the Amsterdam stencil here for the background. I also added a piece of string, a button, and the metal hanging embellishment from the previous projects to my new cover. It went from drab to fab in a quick minute.

Just a few last details and my new book is ready for assembling. Here’s a peek at several of the inside pages.

I am so happy with the ‘new’ result and I am glad for the challenge.

Do you re-purpose old, unwanted projects? Yes? We would love to see them.

I hope you enjoyed my project today. Have a great day!

Thank you Tina for your (re)creation!  :)  In addition to vintage papers, jewelry findings, buttons, and twine, Tina used the following supplies (some are affiliate links):




Play along with us too: 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

Comments (4)

  • Karen Bearse

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    Love how you combined 2 projects to make this hip, funky original arr journal. Very inspiring!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Clever, pretty, green and gorgeous Tina!

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That’s the Way I like it – Art Journal

“I have no idea what I’m doing and that’s kind of how I love it” – True for a lot of areas in my life ;)

I painted with my new Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint, which Finnabair has sent me to try. I like that they are a bit on the thicker side and the colors are beautiful. I used my Batik Mini foam stamps and love how much texture they created. For the circles I used a round sponge which I had laying around and then stamped inside of it in white with the back end of a brush.

Using a more grey-ish ink I added some texture using my Cardboard rubberstamp set.

I traced some of the patterns with a black pen.

What about you , are you a total planner and know exactly what you are doing or are you also a bit of a “let’s try it” person?

Here are some of the supplies I used for this spread;



Nat

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Let’s Go Somewhere – Michelle Rydell

  

Happy Tuesday my friends! Today Michelle Rydell from my Creative Squad is sharing a happy and bright journal cover using the Batik Pattern 2 foam stamp, the Batik Pattern 4 foam stamp, and this month’s theme: Let’s Go Somewhere. We’re in the depths of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and looking for an escape! This month let’s reminisce about past vacations and plan future adventures to help us get through these gray days.

I decided it would be fun to bring this month’s theme to the project of decorating my journal cover – which is the place where I document the biggest adventure of all – life! Here’s how I went about doing it…

I already had painted a base coat of orange and pink paint on my journal cover. I busted out the Batik 4 stamp, the stamp buddy, and some pink, white, yellow and Quin Magenta paints to get started…

I applied the paint to the stamp buddy in a stripey pattern, and covered the whole cover with the Batik 4 stamp, in a tile fashion…

Next, I applied some fuschia and payne’s grey paint in random patches to knock back the busyness just a bit…

For the third layer I used the swirl from the Batik 2 stamp and turquoise paint applied with a sponge, to add a border along the bottom. After that was finished I could see the beginings of a sunrise peeking through. Do you see it?

I decided to bring the sunrise out with some fluorescent orange paint; and filled in the rest of the foreground with more of the yellow and white Batik 2 stamping…

Final details were added with white and black sharpie poster paint pens. I’m so happy with my new journal cover – I’m all set to document the journey of life!

I love these colors!!! Thank you Michelle for such a vibrant project and for showing how you can use just parts of the Batik stamps to create new designs. Here are the supplies Michelle used in her post- some links are affiliate links:

 


Play along with us! 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 “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

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Nat

Comments (4)

  • Diane Baker-Williams

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    Love the colors you used. They make the white truly pop. Appreciate you sharing the steps you took to create.

    Reply

  • Sherry Canino

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    What a gorgeous art journal spread !! Absolutely love the colors too ❤❤❤

    Reply

  • Gerrie Johnnic

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    Love love love this! Wowza, what colors…….amazing project!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Such vibrant colors Michelle! I feel like I took a few minutes on a warm island while sipping my chai this morning.

    Reply

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Let’s Go Somewhere – Marsha Valk

 

Today is Tuesday and that means it’s time for a post by my Creative Squad! Marsha Valk is sharing a fun and creative way to use the Batik Pattern 3 Foam Stamp, as well as the Batik Stencil, the Embroidery Stamp Set, and this month’s theme: Let’s Go Somewhere. We’re in the depths of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and looking for an escape! This month let’s reminisce about past vacations and plan future adventures to help us get through these gray days.

Let’s Go Somewhere… Somewhere exotic… somewhere where there are palm trees… cocktails… and where the women wear beautiful patterned summer dresses in vivid colours!


The assignment was to use the Batik Art Foamies and batik only means one thing to me: fabric. So I decided to create patterned designs using embossing powder instead of wax in an attempt to make my paper look like batiked fabric. I’m not sure I succeeded, but it was a fun experiment!

Here are the steps I took. There are a lot of repeat steps, to create a multilayered look!

Step 1

Use embossing ink to stamp small patterns (like these stamps from the Embroidery Stamp Set) onto sheets of white (mixed media) paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 2

Cover your paper with watercolor. Let it sink into the paper, wipe off any watercolour that beads up on top of the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 3

Take some papertowels, place your paper on it face down and iron with a hot iron. The embossing powder will melt and absorbed into the paper towel.

Step 4

Use embossing ink and stamp the Batik Pattern 3 Foam Stamp onto your paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 5

Cover your paper with another coat of watercolor. Use a slightly darker shade of the same colour or choose one that mixes well with the colour that is already on there. Wipe the excess watercolour off the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 6

Apply embossing ink through the Batik Stencil onto your paper. Sprinkle clear embossing powder on top and heat emboss.

Step 7

Cover your paper with a last coat of watercolor. Use an even darker shade of the same colour or now choose one that mixes well with the colour that is already on there. Again: wipe off the excess watercolour from the embossed areas and let the paper dry.

Step 8

Take some papertowels, place your paper on it face down and iron with a hot iron to remove the embossing powder.

Step 9

Use the paper as a background for art journaling, use it as collage paper or… doodle on top to really make it look like patterned fabric!

 

Wowowwwoww! Thanks Marsha! The results are awesome and I definitely want to try this. Here are the supplies Marsha used in her post- some links are affiliate links:




Play along with us! 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 “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

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Nat

Comments (5)

  • nathalie-kalbach

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    Marsha, you amaze me ! I love the technique and the way you layered all the different tools and patterns on top of each other- and your video is super fun! Love it!!!! Thank You!

    Reply

    • marsha.

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      Well… Thank YOU for designing such wonderful Batik stencil and stamps!! This was fun!!

      Reply

  • Michelle Rydell

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    What a cool technique! I want to try this too! Thanks for sharing Marsha!

    Reply

    • Anna Friesen

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      Hi Shelley!! I agree!!! Now I wanna play!! Loved the techniques. (annarummagingthroughherout-of-cotrolartstash) ??

      Reply

    • marsha.

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      Thanks Michelle! Have fun playing!

      Reply

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Let’s Go Somewhere – Cheiron Brandon

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! Today is Tuesday and time for a post by my Creative Squad . Cheiron Brandon is sharing a beautiful Art Journal spread using the Batik 1 and Batik 2 Foam Stamps as well as the Embroidery and Stroll Through the Hood #1 Stamp Sets and this month’s theme: Let’s Go Somewhere. We’re in the depths of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and looking for an escape! This month let’s reminisce about past vacations and plan future adventures to help us get through these gray days.

Hi there! Cheiron here with my monthly post. This month’s theme is Let’s Go Somewhere! I always love warm weather, but I am not opposed to snow an winter either. As we are approaching Valentine’s day my thoughts for my journal page drifted to Paris and the romantic pinks and blacks. I wouldn’t mind wandering through Paris in the snow and stopping to warm up every so often with some warm food and wine…

I created this page by laying down a foundation of gesso, then stamping with paint  to create lots of layers using the Batik Pattern 1 and 2 ArtFoamies and stenciled using the Beacon Stencil. I partially applied paint to the shapes I wanted by using a foam blending tool. I used lots of stamps from the new Mixed Media Stamps Embroidery Set and the awesome graffiti style love from the Stroll Through The Hood #1 Set.

To finish off the page, I added some splatter in coordinating colors. I can tell that these new stamps are going to be a staple in my art journal. I hope you are having a great day, whether its warm or cold where you are, and if you are planning a vacation or just dreaming of one!

Thank you so much Cheiron! I love how she used bits and pieces of the Foam Stamps instead of using them as a whole image and I also love the grungy feel of this page and the wonderful colors. Now I want to go to Paris too :)

Here are the supplies Cheiron used in her post- some links are affiliate links:


Play along with us! 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 “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

Comments (3)

  • Michelle Rydell

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    Cheiron your page is beautiful! I love how you used the stamps, and those colors are yummy!

    Reply

  • Sherri Scott

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    Hey Nat! Of course you would have a Creative Squad. I’m glad Cheiron is a member. I have always enjoyed her work, it’s light, colorful and nice to look at.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Sherri – so good to see you here :) Yes- I love Cheiron and her work! I hope I see you soon again my friend!!!! have a great rest of the week, Nat

      Reply

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Let’s Go Somewhere – Tina Walker

 

Hello Everyone! Today my Creative Squad is starting February with a new theme and some great new ideas for you. Tina Walker is sharing a really fun stamped fabric pillow using my Batik Pattern 4 foam stamp, some embroidery stitches, and this month’s theme: Let’s Go Somewhere. We’re in the depths of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere and looking for an escape! This month let’s reminisce about past vacations and plan future adventures to help us get through these gray days.

Hi! Tina Walker here today with my take on this month’s theme, ‘Let’s Go Somewhere’. What a perfect theme for the winter doldrums! During the guts of a cold, dark winter, I often dream of sitting on a warm beach, breathing in the salt air. When dreaming of ocean vacations my thoughts take me to faraway places full of color, vibrancy, and energy. Using these as inspiration for my project this month, I created a hand-made pillow using colors that remind me of beach blankets, fruity drinks, and the bright colors that are everywhere.

The base for my pillow is a rust-dyed piece of muslin. What a perfect way to represent the salt air and how it seems to oxidize everything it touches. The process of rust-dying is simple; place rusty metal pieces on-top of a piece of natural fiber fabric, spray with vinegar water and let the magic happen.

To create the bright, colorful feature of the pillow, stamp (using fabric paint) with your favorite Nathalie Kalbach ArtFoamies stamp. I used Batik Pattern 4, rotating the stamped image each time. Heat set per manufacturers directions.

For added dimension, hand-stitch over the stamped image in coordinating colors of embroidery floss. The more random, the better.

Machine stitch to ‘frame’ the stamped image. This also adds more dimension and a bit of texture.

Continuing the bright and colorful look, I made a ribbon flower for the center of the image. The ribbon flower pulls the four images together and finishes the pillow off.

Now let’s construct the pillow. Cut a piece of coordinating patterned fabric for the back of the pillow and place the front and back together, right sides facing each other. Machine stitch the entire outer edge except for a section on one side. Keep this section unstitched.

Turn the pillow right side out, using the unstitched section to pull the pillow through. Once you have the pillow right side out, iron the edges to create a crisp seam.

Stuff the pillow using your favorite stuffing. Hand stitch the open section using a blind stitch.

What vacation dreams do you have for 2017? Do they include the ocean? the mountains? or everything in between?

Thank you for taking time today to visit us today. See you next month.

Thank you Tina! I love how she combined the stamped images with embroidered touches. I am now officially dreaming of beach life! In addition to muslin fabric, patterned fabric, vintage ribbon, a vintage button, and a sewing machine, Tina used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:



Play along with us! 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 “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Michelle Rydell

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    Tina – this is awesome! Such a creative and beautiful use of the stamps! The embroidery really makes it pop!

    Reply

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Dream a New Dream – Marsha Valk

 

Happy Creative Squad Tuesday! Today Marsha Valk is sharing a beautiful and bright art journal spread using my Santa Fe Positive and Negative Foam Stamp set, my Batik Stencil, and her unique take on this month’s theme: Dream a New Dream. This January, let’s focus on all the possibilities of a fresh start.  What are your dreams for this year?  Whether it’s art-making, family, travel, or work related, January is a great time to dream about what the future could hold.

I am not a dreamer. I mean: I definitely am a dreamer… but the zone-out, lost-in-thoughts kind, not a big-plans-for-the-future one!

 

I do plan for the year ahead, but I do that at the end of December and I’m usually all set and ready to go in January. This year I’m not quite that organised, but… January is already well on the way now and whilst I was creating my journal page, I kept thinking ‘dream’, but… my gut kept saying ‘no’. So even though I wanted the page to be about dreaming, it ended up about ‘not dreaming’.

 

 

 

 

 

I am excited about what the new year holds though and I chose to work with greens, because I’m super stoked about the Pantone colour for 2017: Greenery!

 

 

 

 

Thank you Marsha! I love Marsha’s honest take on our theme and wow those are some great colors! Marsha used these supplies – some links are affiliate links:




Play along with us! 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 “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

 

Nat

Comments (4)

  • susan debourguignon

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    Marsha,
    i, too, am a daydreamer as opposed to a goal setter. the future is too much for my head to wrap itself around. i am not a fan of green, but your page really speaks to me. thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply

    • marshavalk

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      Thanks so much Susan! Glad to hear I’m not the only one! ;-)

      Reply

  • nathalie-kalbach

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    Such a wonderful take on the theme Marsha, and I love how you mixed the patterns of the Batik Stencil with the Santa Fe Foam Stamp – so gorgeous. Now I just want to move on to Spring ;)

    Reply

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Keep your eyes on the stars !

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“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground” – what a wonderful advice this is. Truly something to follow :)

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For this art journal spread I used some gesso to blend over the background which was colored from some scrape off paint from other painting sessions. I stamped over the background with the Grunge Stamp set and stenciled with the Batik Stencil to add some pattern and tie everything more together.

kalbachkeepyoureyesaj02

I applied some crackle paste through the Toledo 4×4 Stencil, let it dry and then lightly spread some purple ink over the crackled areas.

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I added the journaling with a black marker, overwrote it with a white marker and painted over a magazine image to finish the page up.

Here is a list of the supplies that I used for the page -some links are affiliate links:

supplies



I hope you enjoyed the page and have your eyes on the stars and actually reach them  :)

Nat

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