Creative Squad

Endless Summer – Jennifer Gallagher

  

Welcome to a post from the Creative Squad! Today we have Jennifer Gallagher sharing a really fun art journal page with her take on summer. I have been loving the projects this month because it has prompted the squad to share a little more about themselves and it is always fun to learn about the people behind the art :) This time Jennifer mixes it up by pairing my Window rubber stamp with my Santiago stencil for our theme: Endless Summer – The days are long, the sun is shining, the air is soft… it must be summer! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and save a summertime memory forever.

Summer is my favorite time of year. While working on this month’s creative squad post we were experiencing a heat wave. I was sitting at my window watching the hummingbirds at my feeder outside when I was inspired to create this art journal page. I started by turning Nat’s Santiago stencil to create squares on the art journal page. Using a mini blending tool, I applied acrylic paint through the stencil.

Then following the lines of the stencil, I applied yellow acrylic paint to create an interesting line for your eye to follow.

I really wanted to play with my stencils and push what can be achieved by changing it up a bit. I used my white posca paint pens to add additional patterns and details to the stencil design.

Next, using archival black ink, I stamped the window stamp from Nat’s My Home is My Castle set into the squares on the journal page.

At this point I decided to add more additional pattern work with my black posca pen.

Lastly, I added a quote that felt appropriate for this particular day and this particular page.

Although I found the quote humorous, I would encourage you to get outside and enjoy the Summer. Inspiration is everywhere! Be sure to share your n*Studio projects with us.

We couldn’t agree more with Jennifer – get out and find inspiration for your artmaking! And of course when it’s a heatwave, enjoy the view from the window :) Here are some of the supplies that Jennifer used:



Be sure to check out all the Creative Squad projects on the Creative Squad webpage and if you feel inspired, share your projects with us! We love to see what you’re working on. I post projects almost every month in my Inspiration From Around the Globe posts!

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Endless Summer – Josefine Fouarge

  

Hello my friends and hope you are enjoying your summer (if you are in our hemisphere I guess lol, otherwise Happy Winter!). Today we have a post from Josefine Fouarge from the Creative Squad, sharing with us some absolutely gorgeous cards using my stencils and the happiest summer colors. This month the squad is using the theme:  Endless Summer – The days are long, the sun is shining, the air is soft… it must be summer! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and save a summertime memory forever.

Summer has started, it’s official. We are having the first days with over 100 degrees in California, so I spend a lot of time in my pool. When we bought our house, we fell in love with the pool. It is plastered with a variety of blue tiles which shine amazingly when the sun hits them. The colors of the pool were my inspiration for this month’s theme – Endless Summer. But as always, I started with those colors and then couldn’t stop.

But let’s start at the beginning. I decided to create a few greeting cards. I haven’t done a lot of ink blending lately, so that’s the technique I went for. It all started with picking 4 stencil designs and then heat embossing the patterns with clear embossing powder. For that, I placed the stencil onto a 4 ¼ x 5 ½ piece of card stock, dapped the Versamark ink pad through the stencil, added the powder and heat set it. I did that with the Manhattan, Chicago, Toledo and Art Deco stencils.

My original plan was to use the same blue shades of Distress Inks and Oxides for the cards (which were inspired by our pool), but after the first card I changed my mind and went all over the rainbow.

I always started with the lightest color, inked the background up and then switched to the second color. I went over the same areas a couple of times to get a bright color.

When I added the second color, I always went back to the first color and blended over it.

At last, I added the darkest color. Usually, I didn’t ink up the darkest color too much to not overpower the cards with it.

At the end, I cut two of the panels into 4 x 4 squares and adhered them onto a 4 ¼ x 8 ½ card base. The other two are cut to 4 x 5 ¼ and adhered to a 4 ¼ x 8 ½ card base. I also added one sentiment sticker to all of the cards.

Here are all 4 cards with the colors I used:

Manhattan stencil with Distress Ink in Squeezed Lemonade, Carved Pumpkin, Abandoned Coral

Chicago with Distress Oxide in Squeezed Lemonade and Distress Ink in Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn

Toledo with Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers, Evergreen Bough, Mermaid Lagoon

Art Deco with Distress Oxide in Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet

I hope that these colors got you into a summer mood, at least a little ;)

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to come back every Tuesday for more inspiration from the Creative Squad.

Thank you Josefine! I love how that embossing sets off those lovely colors. Here are some of the supplies that Josefine used:



Did we inspire you? 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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Endless Summer – Tania Ahmed

  

It’s Tuesday my friends so that means another fabulous post from my Creative Squad! Today we have the lovely Tania Ahmed bringing us a fresh set of cards using my Santa Fe stencil and a layering technique that is awesome! You have to scroll down and check out her video showing exactly how she does it. This month we are also working with a new theme: Endless Summer – The days are long, the sun is shining, the air is soft… it must be summer! Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and save a summertime memory forever.

Summer is and has always been my favourite time of the year, I thrive in the warmth of the sunshine and I love being able to putter around in my garden on the days when I am home. I adore bright colours (if you haven’t already guessed, ha!) so when I read the briefing for this month, I had a play with Nat’s Santa Fe Stencil and some of my favourite PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Paints!

I love that you can layer the designs of the Santa Fe Stencil so create a new look. I love a stencil that does double duty like this one does. When I first discovered that you can do this technique with the Santa Fe stencil, I was practically “seal-clapping” with glee! Don’t you love it when you have mad ideas that work!?!

I applied the paint with a sponge through the stencil and then aligned the stencil design over my pattern to create a layered look. I experimented with different kinds of opaque and translucent paints to get different effects. Make sure to tape the stencil down so that it doesn’t move around too much.

When I had a few backgrounds prepared, I quickly made them into very simple cards and I used the offcuts from the patterns to create a fourth card using scraps layered diagonally. When in doubt, I do diagonal stripes like this and add a simple sentiment. It works like a charm every time!

I have created a video tutorial that you can see below and if you have any questions about this technique please do let me know.

Thank you for taking the time to take a peek at my project and I hope that you have a fabulous day!

Thank you Tania for sharing a fantastic way to get more out of the Santa Fe stencil! I love your cards! Here are some of the supplies that Tania 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“.

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All Shapes and Sizes – Maura Hibbitts

  

Hello my friends! Today we have a Creative Squad post from the very talented Maura Hibbitts. Her “Treasure Tea Box” is a gorgeous way to upcycle an old tea box and really shows off how to layer up multiple stencil and stamp patterns to create a rich design. Maura uses my Batik Pattern 1 and Broadway foam stamps, my Cross Circle rubber stamp, and my Buenos Aires and Batik stencils as well as inspiration from this month’s theme: All Shapes and Sizes – Circles and squares, big and small, let’s mix it up and play with different shapes and sizes this month. Just because things are different doesn’t mean they can’t look great together!

“Treasure Tea Box”

We drink a lot of tea at my house, and then have the containers they come in sitting around waiting to be repurposed. This tea came in a box that I thought was perfect to alter with paint, stencils and stamps. Now, it can hold treasures, pencils, jewelry, or even more tea!

I started by painting a layer of white gesso on the outside of the box and let that dry. Next, I squirted on a bit of Cobalt Teal Hue, Cerulean Blue and Green Gold heavy body acrylics onto the box lid and bottom. I pulled the paint down the panel, and also brushed some over the sides and dried it thoroughly.

  

Next, I stenciled the box using the Buenos Aires stencil and Quinacridone Gold heavy body paint with a cosmetic sponge. I wanted to be sure my first layer was dry, so the new color would not blend with it.

I also wanted to do some stenciling around the edges of the box, and took a section of the Batik stencil, held it carefully in place since the box was narrow, and sponged on the Quinacridone Gold.

Time to do some stamping, and the Art Foamies Broadway set is perfect for adding a design layer. I added some Cadmium Orange Hue and Diarylide Yellow to a craft sheet, then used a brayer to add the paint to the foam stamp. I varied the hue a bit with the orange and yellow.

Then, I used the Batik Pattern 1 Art Foamie and brayered on some of the Diarylide Yellow paint and added part of the design to the box. More shapes and sizes added to the box.

I wanted to add some gold, and spread some Glorious Gold onto my craft sheet with my brayer, then laid the Cross Circle stamp into the paint and dabbed the design on randomly all over the box.

I felt like my box needed a focal point, so stamped the Broadway Art Foamie with black archival ink and added that dark image to the top. Later, I went around areas of the design with black and white pens.

I decided to add a layer of matte medium to the bottom of the box, so the acrylic paint wouldn’t stick when it gets humid around here, and I also cut a sheet of patterned paper to fit inside the lid and bottom of the box to finish it off. I love it when I can upcycle a piece into something brand new – yes, it is still a box, but now it is all dressed up!

Thank you Maura! I am a huge fan of repurposing things we already have, and this is such a beautiful reinterpretation :) In addition to her old tea box, Maura used the following supplies:



And if you feel inspired to share some of your own projects with my stamps and stencils, please send them my way. I post projects almost every month in my Inspiration From Around the Globe posts!

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Nat

Comments (2)

  • julie b

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    Beautiful and has an oriental flair too. Thank you!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Gorgeous colors and patterns and useful to boot.
    Thanks Maura!

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All Shapes and Sizes – Jennifer Gallagher

  

Happy Tuesday from the Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Jennifer Gallagher that will definitely inspire you to up your summer entertaining game! Jennifer brings us some awesome stamped and embroidered napkins using my Valley Road and Mini Batik Pattern 1 foam stamps, and inspired by this month’s theme: All Shapes and Sizes – Circles and squares, big and small, let’s mix it up and play with different shapes and sizes this month. Just because things are different doesn’t mean they can’t look great together!

This month we are celebrating all shapes and sizes. I am a firm believer that mixing shapes and patterns leads us to the most interesting design. With that in mind, I am making a fun set of stamped and embroidered napkins that mix some of my favorite n*Studio ArtFoamies. Although I am using different shapes and designs, you will find they compliment each other quite well.

I started with a package of four white 100% cotton dinner napkins designed for embroidery. Make sure to prewash these types of items to remove the sizing. After washing and drying them, I gave them a quick steam to knock out the majority of the wrinkles. I then laid a large piece of cardboard under the area I would be stamping to prevent the paint from soaking through to the layers underneath.

I didn’t have any textile paint on hand, but I did have some textile medium. I mixed up my paint with the medium according to the directions. This product turns your regular acrylic paint into fabric paint. I settled on a bright and cheerful yellow.

Next, I dipped my ArtFoamie onto the paint. It is important not to overload your stamp with too much paint. ArtFoamies are very high quality stamps and will hold the paint and leave a wonderful impression. There is no need to load too much paint as it will seep into the negative spaces of your stamp and leak out once pressed down. I am stamping with Nat’s Mini Batik Pattern 1 stamp and the Valley Road stamps.

Once the paint dried, I placed my napkin into a four inch embroidery hoop. After choosing a handful of colors to embroider with, I began some basic stitching. You don’t need to be an embroidery whiz to add some basic stitches to your napkins. There is a wealth of free information online about embroidery. If you have never tried it before just do a quick google search.

Each napkin has a variety of stitches and colors used. You can customize your own set by varying the n*studio artfoamies you use and the colors you coordinate.

These fun napkins are perfect for a summer picnic. I hope I have inspired you to stamp and embroider your own items. Be sure to share with us what you create! Enjoy.

Thank you Jennifer – these napkins made me so happy. What a cheery and fun project! Here are some of the supplies that Jennifer used:




And if you feel inspired to share some of your own projects with my stamps and stencils, please send them my way. I post projects almost every month in my Inspiration From Around the Globe posts!

Nat

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All Shapes and Sizes – Josefine Fouarge

  

Today we bring you a post from the Creative Squad! The lovely Josefine Fouarge is with us today to share a fun art journal page that celebrates one of her favorite shapes and one of mine too – the circle! Josefine uses my Mini Manhattan, Buenos Aires Border, and Central Avenue ArtFoamies stamps as well as my Numerals rubber stamp for her page. She was inspired by our theme this month: All Shapes and Sizes – Circles and squares, big and small, let’s mix it up and play with different shapes and sizes this month. Just because things are different doesn’t mean they can’t look great together!

I’m super excited about this month’s theme. I love shapes and it’s so much fun to incorporate them in my art journal. If I would have to pick a favorite shape, it’s definitely circles. I constantly draw circles and add bubbles to my projects.

That’s why I decided to emphasize them even more for this theme. I started by picking some random mono prints. I have a huge stack of them and thought that they are perfect for adding random marks and then cutting them into shapes. In addition, I selected a few ArtFoamies foam stamps and Dina Wakley paints. I made sure that the paints fit to the mono print background, so I didn’t end up with harsh contrasts or muddy colors.

On the first page, I stamped using the positive and negative Mini Manhattan foam stamp.

Next up, I used the Buenos Aires Border foam stamp and stamped one pattern next to another. Here, I didn’t add one color to the entire stamp, but tried to create an ombre effect with a lighter and a darker blue. I stamped the pattern several times lined up next to each other.

For the third page, I picked a contrasting color and I decided to change the shape of stamp as well. Here I used the Central Avenue stamp. I liked it so much that I added a few more circles, stamped with the Central Avenue stamp, to the first and second page as well.

Now I had to cut out some shapes. Even though I love circles I’m not good in free hand drawing them, so I used a little help, a paper cup, and randomly drew a couple of them onto the first two pages.

I wanted to mix and match parts of the circles, so I cut some of them in halves and the rest in quarters. Before doing anything with the circle pieces, I prepared the background of my art journal page. It was as simple as using some tissue paper with a magazine print on it (it’s actually French fries paper from a restaurant) and adhering it with gel medium onto the page. I made sure that it looks really messy, with wrinkles and torn edges. I then “puzzled” individual, non-matching circle pieces back together and adhered them onto my art journal page.

Next, I cut out a few squares from the contrasting mono print piece and made those pieces even smaller by changing the shape into triangles later on. I randomly adhered these triangles around the border of my art journal page.

To add a few finishing touches, I outlined all the circles and triangles with my water color pencil and blended it out with a water brush. It still felt like something was missing, so I picked the Numerals stamp from Nat’s My Home is My Castle stamp set and stamped it all over the page with grey ink – in some areas just parts of it and in some areas the entire row.

At the very end, I added some scribbly journaling to it.

I hope you enjoyed this theme as much as I did. Thanks so much for stopping by! Don’t forget to come back every Tuesday for more inspiration from the Creative Squad.

Thank you Josefine! I love that you collaged together some really cool elements like papers from your mono print stash and even paper from some french fries! The layers are so interesting to look at. If you’d like to try something similar, here are some of the supplies that Josefine used:



And if we inspired you today and you’ve made some artwork, send me a pic and you might just see yourself in our next Inspiration From Around the Globe!

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All Shapes and Sizes – Tania Ahmed

  

Welcome to a post from my wonderful Creative Squad! This week we have Tania Ahmed and her super cool tote bag project using my Buenos Aires and Broadway ArtFoamies stamps. I love using these foam stamps on fabric and Tania shares a video with us that shows just how easy it can be to get a great looking result. Tania was inspired by the new theme this month: All Shapes and Sizes – Circles and squares, big and small, let’s mix it up and play with different shapes and sizes this month. Just because things are different doesn’t mean they can’t look great together!

I have had a love for block prints all my life and have grown up wearing colourful prints with handmade patterns. Nat’s Art Foamies are perfect for creating backgrounds and patterns and are so very easy to line up.

The challenge this month was “All Shapes and Sizes” and I was inspired to create a repeating pattern on a canvas bag that I had been saving for a while.

I made my own fabric paints using some fabric medium that creates paint that is the perfect texture for stamping on to cloth. Plus it makes it more durable.

Watch the video below to see how I decorated the canvas bag:

Thank you Tania! There are so many ideas for this one – spiffing up those shopping totes, maybe a new summer beach bag, or even a tote for summer library books. Here are some of the supplies that Tania 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

Comments (2)

  • Tracy Evans

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    Fantastic project , colours and step by step video. Thank you. Tracy x

    Reply

  • maura

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    Awesome bag, Tania! Love the colors you used, and how you left part of the bag natural. Maura

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Inside Outside – Maura Hibbitts

  

Happy Wednesday my friends! Today we have a post from Creative Squad member Maura Hibbitts to brighten your day. Maura is using my Stroll Around the Block, Snail mail, and Cross Circle stamps and my Buenos Aires stencil to create a lovely art journal page that definitely has me thinking “Home Sweet Home”! The theme this month is Inside Outside – Inside can be cozy and warm. Outside is about fresh air and freedom. Are you a homebody or do you suffer from cabin fever? We’re creating with these opposites in mind.

I have long been an admirer of the Arts and Crafts Movement, the pottery, wallpaper, furniture, and love the Craftsman style homes. The outside details of Nathalie’s Craftsman house stamp make for a delightful little cottage, one I would love to live in. I do have several pieces of furniture inside my home made in this style, that we enjoy every day, and I can foresee passing these on in the family, they are so sturdy and well made.

I started with my gel plate and squirted on a bit of burnt umber, green gold, and quinacridone gold with my heavy body paints, then used the brayer to blend them out a bit. Next, I laid the Buenos Aires stencil down onto the plate and pressed a sheet of copy paper over it, then lifted the stencil. Be sure to clean the stencil right away and not leave it too long on a sheet of paper. (I learned the hard way that they will stick together. If that happens, just soak the stencil in water.)

I pulled two prints from my gel press to use in my project. The print on the left made from laying the paper down on the stencil and paint, and the one on the right is the second pull directly from the plate.

I tore the edges of my print, and adhered it onto a kraft page in my Dina Wakley Media Journal with matte medium. Once dry, I brushed on several transparent colors, then wiped them away in some areas with a baby wipe. I used Hansa Yellow Medium, Quinacridone Gold and Green Gold for this layer.

While that was drying, I stamped the house and mailbox on watercolor paper, and colored them with Prima watercolors and a water brush. Once they dried, I cut them out.

I used my other print to cut out part of the stencil to layer and create my sun, and the stone pathway to the house. I added a bit of doodled lines, and watercolor to the stones.

When I first looked at the Cross Circle stamp, I saw flying birds, so I used part of the stamp to add some birds to the page.

The house, sun and mailbox are attached with foam tape. I also scribbled a bit around the house, mailbox, and stone path, and wrote Take the Path Home onto my page as this seemed appropriate. After all, I know my home always calls me back, especially if I’ve been away for a while.

 

Thank you Maura! I love the little scene you’ve created and so cool that you interpreted my Cross Circle stamp as a flock of birds – I love that idea! Here are some of the supplies that Maura used in her art journal:



Do you feel inspired to create now? Are you 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 send me an image – I would love to share your projects in my next  “n*Spiration From Around the Globe“.

Nat

Comments (1)

  • Sue Clarke

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    I would love to vacation in the house you created Maura.
    The path is my favorite part of the design.

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Inside Outside – Jennifer Gallagher

  

Hello my friends from the Creative Squad! Today we have a boldly patterned and colorful art journal page from Jennifer Gallagher. She uses my Batik stencil for some awesome background patterns and my Stroll Around the Block stamp set for the houses. This month’s inspiration was our theme:  Inside Outside – Inside can be cozy and warm. Outside is about fresh air and freedom. Are you a homebody or do you suffer from cabin fever? We’re creating with these opposites in mind.

This month we are creating with opposites in mind. I immediately thought of positive and negative and wanted to play with this idea through stenciling. I went straight to my Dylusions large journal to create a fun art journal spread. Nat’s Batik stencil is one of my favorites and the bold designs would be perfect for the play on positive and negative space. On the right hand side page, I laid my stencil down and painted with Dylusions Mushy Peas, leaving some parts of the design not painted. I then filled in those spots with the matching Dylusions Ink Spray in Mushy Peas. This is where the fun starts. There will be a lot of ink left on the stencil. Carefully turn the stencil over and press it down on the left hand page. This will leave the opposite, yet complementary, design of your stencil. Do this technique multiple times until you are satisfied with the left hand page.

 

I knew I wanted to add another color and decided to go with a complementary color choice. Red is the complement to green but this always makes me think of Christmas. I tend to avoid this direct combination in my art. I decided to go with a deep pink and peony blush was just perfect. I sprayed my peony blush ink spray through the stencil on the right page and then pressed the leftover ink onto the page on the left. Repeating the process the same as before.

At this point I added a third color for a visual pop. Yellow is always great for this, so I used my Distress Stain in mustard seed. And no page in my art journal is complete without a little black paint. The ‘x’ design on Nat’s Batik stencil makes a cool design detail.

I stamped up a few of Nat’s rubber stamps from her Stroll Around the Block Set and finally, keeping the theme of opposites in mine, I settled on the Art Deco stamp and the Queen Anne stamp. I colored them with my Dina Wakley Media scribble sticks.

I cut out the stamped images and placed them on my pages with scor-tape. I added journaling on both pages with my fude ball pen and ran a stripe of Dina Wakley Media washi tape down the center of where the pages meet. I hope you have enjoyed this page. Be sure to play along with the Creative Squad each month and share your creations with us.

Thank you Jennifer! I love all the different elements you pulled out of my Batik stencil for that gorgeous background! Here are some of the supplies that Jennifer 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

Comments (2)

  • maura

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    Love how you’ve layered the Batik stencil, Jennifer! It’s one of my faves too. Your pink houses are so fun! Maura

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Thanks Jennifer…you’ve inspired me to play in my art journal!

    Reply

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