Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Jordan Hill who is sharing an art journal spread inspired by one of her favorite books and using my ATC Mixup stencil and our monthly theme: Lost in a Book.
Hello everyone, I’m excited to be back with you for April! Initially, I wasn’t sure how I wanted to approach this month’s theme of “Lost in a Book”. However, after much thought, I decided to base my project on the manga series Haikyuu!!, which is my favorite series of all time. At its core, Haikyuu!! is a story about a high school volleyball team, but it is steeped in symbolism and contains some of the best character writing I’ve ever seen. Let’s get started!
First things first, I selected a page to work on. I liked the birds on the left side of this spread, since birds (especially crows) are a reoccurring visual theme in Haikyuu!! On the right side of the spread, I had previously glued down a number of scraps of paper. To attempt to blend some of these scraps together, I used CraftSmart acrylic paint in the color Suede and painted over the edges of the pieces. I then used the back end of my paintbrush to scrape through the paint and create some subtle circles.
Next, I used Nathalie’s ATC Mixup Stencil with some white acrylic paint and a makeup sponge to add patterning to the painted sections of the page. Though it’s not exact, these shapes did vaguely remind me of the segments of a volleyball.
I knew that I wanted a quote to be the main focal point of my page, so I used my typewriter to type one out onto a scrap of brown paper bag. This is one of my favorite quotes from the series; I find it very beautiful, and it has stuck with me for many years. It only made sense to incorporate it into one of my journals.
At this point, I decided that I wanted some blue paint in the upper right hand corner of the page in order to represent the sky. I selected the color “Cloudless” by the brand Apple Barrel, and used a paintbrush to apply it to my page. I then cut out the quote from the last step and glued it down. Then, using a black pen, I added a few “bird” shapes to some areas of the page I thought could use a bit of interest. I specifically chose to do seven birds in order to represent the number of starting players on a volleyball team.
Next, I wanted a border of sorts, so I used an Archival Ink Pad in Black to brush along the edges of the page. I then used a graphite pencil to make some light marks along the left side. I have been experimenting with similar marks in some of my recent work, and I felt as though it could be interpreted as a volleyball net.
To add some finishing touches to the page, I used an orange oil pastel to add a hint of color, since the jerseys in Haikyuu!! are orange and black. Next, I added a Mod Podge image transfer of the number 10, to represent the number of the main character’s jersey. I also used Nathalie’s ATC Mixup Stencil once more to apply the paint ever so slightly over top of the blue section in order to blend it in a little better. I was then ready to call this page done!
I hope you enjoyed following along with the process of this little spread in my journal and that you are able to find something in it to inspire your own work!
Thank you Jordan – I loved how you used various visual elements to symbolize important aspects of the book. The finished page is really interesting with the different layers of media and meaning.
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and in addition to collage elements from her stash, here are some of the supplies Jordan used:
Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.
We’ve got an extra project from Creative Squad member Judi Kauffman for you today. If you enjoy sending notes in the mail or even tucking little cards in lunchboxes or laptop bags with a special note on them then this is definitely for you :) Judi is on a roll with my ATC Mixup stencil with these and rocking all the patterns. Read on!
If you’re like me, far too often all attention is paid to the exterior of the cards I make and the interior is left blank, getting at most a line or two and my signature. I thought it was about time I do something different so while I was stenciling insert cards for my early April “Lost in a Book” library pocket project, I stenciled a big bunch of extras to keep handy for stamping with a birthday, anniversary or other sentiment, or for adding a hand-written note to the inside of some of my upcoming folded note cards!
These are larger than ATC size, but this same idea would work at 2.5 x 3.5 as well. Masking the center area with torn paper before stenciling the rest of the surface provides interesting open spaces for writing or stamping and for adding collage or found poetry.
Thank you Judi – love the combination of color and bold pattern on these. They are also a great reminder when you’re working on a larger project to keep some cards, tags, or ATCs around to stencil, stamp and work on as well.
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Judi used:
How well do you know our Creative Squad? Each week one of our talented design team members shares a project with us and we have come to know and love each of their individual artistic styles. BUT we realized that maybe we could learn a bit more about what makes each of these lovely artists tick. So, we decided to do a quick interview with each. Read on and stay tuned for a new interview each month :)
Welcome Riikka Kovasin! Riikka is from Helsinki, Finland and has been on the Creative Squad since April 2021. She always amazes us with the variety of forms that her projects take on and the beautiful videos she creates to accompany them. Let’s learn more!
1. How old were you when you first started making art? What is an early artmaking memory?
Not sure it’s art but my earliest memory of presenting a drawing to a stranger was when I was perhaps three and I had drawn a picture of my family to the nurse at a child health clinic (in Finland a child’s growth is checked in these clinics regularly until school starts and a child is then moved to school health services). But the nurse wouldn’t believe I had drawn it! I thought there was something wrong with the drawing, but instead she was hesitant to believe I had drawn such a complex picture with circles at that age. After she put me to draw rectangles, triangles, and circles she believed it was my doing. I have no memory of the drawing, but I remember the feeling of her not believing and then the agony of drawing the shapes and they turned out horrid in my mind, but she was excited! Like the whole situation then turned upside down.
I’ve always loved making stuff, drawing, and crafting. I started going to this “art school” when I was seven and continued until I was fourteen. It was great to experiment with different techniques and materials! I studied in a polytechnic and graduated as a Bachelor of Culture and Arts. When my first daughter was born in 2009, I found scrapbooking and through that mixed media when my other daughter was born in 2010.
2. If you are an art journaler, when did you start your first art journal?
Oh my. I do a lot of various kinds of projects, but I do journal, too. From my blog I could find a post where I write that the page in that post is my very first art journal page. It’s from June 2012. During that June and July there seems to be more pages like the first one. The included picture here is that of the second ever art journal page. But then, at least according to my blog, there’s a big gap with journal pages as the next ones are from 2015. Those start to be more “me” than the first tries. The other picture is from a page from 2016.
3. What is one technique you just rediscovered or learned that you are now using all the time again?
These come and go as I revisit an old post, an old journal or otherwise stumble upon something. Something I’ve recently come to love is Infusions, so at the moment they seem to be my “go to” way of breaking a blank page.
It’s not a technique, but the same goes with colors, too. I tend to linger in a color scheme for a while and then pick a new pair that I then use all the time. The latest one has been blue and brown, but it seems like I’m in a turning point while writing this. Next one might be black, white, and brown, inspired by DeeDee Catron. Or then something else entirely!
4. Describe your artistic style in 3 words.
Before those three words, I must say that I can’t be brief! They call me “Ruuneperi” at work after a Finnish writer and poet Johan Runeberg that means I’m long worded. Give me an essay to write – no problem! Ask me to do an abstract – I’m in trouble.
“Happy painty fingers” was something I wrote on aprons of participants in my workshop back in the day, could that be it?
5. What are some of the biggest influences on your art?
In a way I think I need to say materials, mediums, and tools. As those effect the colors I’m choosing, patterns I’m creating and the feel I have on my fingertips when creating. Then of course my mood, what’s on my mind when I start to create and such, but that’s a part of everyone’s process.
I do follow a lot of accounts in Instagram, too, so I’m influenced by those as well. It’s always a balancing act, as I’m sure you all know. I love to see what others do and create but on the other hand I don’t want to be too much influenced. But of course, everything I see gets absorbed and catalogued in my brain so it would be foolish of me to think I’m not influenced.
6. Favorite color 5 years ago? Favorite color now?
It seems that I partly was too eager to share this! LOL! But my constant, all-time favorite is blue/turquoise. If I need to pick more precise shade, then something like teal or the tone of weathered copper. So, I guess five years ago my favorite was the same – teal.
Now, like I mentioned earlier, my favorite combo is blue and brown, but then the blue is more of a sapphire tone, a lot less green. Just to have another color mentioned, maybe at the moment my favorite color is a warm tea tone brown.
When it comes to clothes, though, I hardly ever use anything but black.
7. Show us where you create.
I create in the corner of our living room, in front of a huge window. I love the light it brings to the space! I do all my photography in front of it, too. My space consists of an Ikea shelving unit, two trolleys, and a little writing cabinet my grandfather made for me over 20 years ago. I do my videos on top of the living room table, though.
If you want to take a tour to the past and present, here’s some blog posts of the space along the years. Here’s the 2013 version, then the 2014 version, and finally one from 2019. The photos here are recent, from 2022 – I really should clean and organize the trolleys again!
8. What are your 3 favorite Creative Squad projects that you’ve created?
I looked at the projects, and I have to say that one of my favorites is the very first pair of cards I created for the Squad! They are quirky, colorful, and fun – at least I think they are. They were a joy to make and take photos of. And even more fun to send out!
The other favorite are these envelopes for a couple of reasons. I love using an analogous color scheme and usually steer away from complimentary colors in a project. This is a good example of that – quite a limited color palette, lovely earthy tones. And again – they were so fun to send out!
And then I had no other choice for the third favorite as the raven piece! I do love those birds and like I mentioned in the post, have a small collection of pieces depicting them. If you’d want to give me a present with any reason, a raven inspired craft project is always a safe bet!
9. Describe the perfect artistic day for you.
Funny you should ask; I think I’m having one today as I write this! Not that I have actually done anything with paints or inks, but I love the flow of today. Normally I’m at work during the week and sometimes weekends, too, but those Saturday shifts then mean a day off during the week. Kid of a day to myself as I have the apartment just for me as everyone else is at school or work. Such a day is usually my “art day”, although it might include finishing editing, writing, or proof-reading. In such a day I love that I have worked ahead so I can take my time to finish things.
But a perfect art day should include some joyous splashing with mediums, too. Happy painty fingers, you know? So, I think the perfect day would start with a slow morning, then working with the computer and everything would just flow, no writer’s block, no glitches with software… Then a lunch, maybe continue a little, and then a nice walk in sunny, crisp spring weather (I’m not a fan of summer). Then later finish the day with some actual art making! It could be just slapping some paint to a canvas or journal or a more finished project.
I guess the biggest thing would be the sense of ease, the lack of any hurry whatsoever.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Robin Seiz who is sharing an art journal page inspired by a book that has helped her on her artistic journey and may be something you will want to pick up too, so read on! Robin is using a bunch of my stencils (Grove Street, Central Ave, Park Blvd, Broadway, Valley Road, ATC Mixup, and Signals) and our theme: Lost in a Book.
Hello friends, This months theme, “Lost in a Book” was such fun. The hardest part of this project was choosing the book. I love to read and there are so many books I have enjoyed. I chose a book that is on my studio table right now, Marry Your Muse. – Making a lasting commitment to your creativity, by Jan Phillips. This book was one of the first books I read when I started my journey into mixed media. It’s easy to read and has suggested exercises at the end of each chapter. I admit that I didn’t do all of them, but I did choose a few. I know that I have enjoyed a book when I find myself writing in the margins and highlighting as I go along! This book offered a significant number of nuggets.
Although I’m not much of an artjournaler, it seemed an appropriate substrate for this project. I chose to represent the book through building blocks. There were considerable amounts of useful information which helped inform my mixed media practice, each piece building on one another.
To begin my project, I went through the book and chose the nuggets that were most meaningful to me. I ripped a piece of paper from the journal and loaded it into my old fashioned, pink, Olympia typewriter. I typed many of the key learnings I had highlighted when I first read the book. The paper is heavily textured and the black old fashion type was perfect for this paper.
Next I drew the blocks on white construction paper and cut them out. I laid them out to make sure the size would fit on the page and to play around with the composition.
I wanted each block to have a primary face (like you see on children’s blocks) so I used Nathalie’s 4×4 stencils, her ATC Mixup stencil, a makeup sponge, and post-its to mask the sides of the block. This created the face I was looking for on the block. I used Teal and Pyrrole Red Light — these colors are my go to colors right now. I love how they stand out! On the sides and top of the block, I again, used post-its to mask and sponged on both colors.
Once I completed the first block with the print on the front and coordinating colors on the sides, I realized I didn’t like the white blocks. The stencil print didn’t pop, so I started again and created black blocks from black card stock. The two colors I chose really stand out on the black and I was much happier with the result. TIP: Don’t be afraid to change mid-stream on a project. Part of what I learned in this book is to just follow your muse, she will take you to the right places if you listen.
Once the blocks were painted, I used a black Posca Marker and ruler to outline the outer edges of each block. This created more dimension, making the blocks look 3-D.
Next I blended some light moulding paste and Liquitex Black acrylic paint. With a soft spatula, I applied it through Nathalie’s Signals Stencil to break up all the lettering and add more texture.
For the final step, I stacked the blocks and adhered them to the page with my adhesive gun.
I hope you think about your favorite book (childhood or adult) and give this project a try. Please tag me with what you create. I can’t wait to see it!
Thank you Robin! Love this suggestion for our reading list and seeing you change it up despite the work you already put in is a great suggestion when you realize it needs to go in a different direction.
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Robin used:
Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post and video from Riikka Kovasin who is sharing an art journal page that is an ode to a favorite book from childhood. She is using my ATC Mixup Stencil and our theme: Lost in a Book – What is one of your favorite books (from childhood or as an adult) or a book that you recently read and really enjoyed? Create a project inspired by the characters, plot, or any element of the book that really stuck with you.
The Muse of Poetry
Hi there everyone! It’s Riikka here today with an art journal spread with the month’s theme “Lost in a Book”. I had a number of possibilities here – like “The Blind Assassin” by Margaret Atwood, the only book I’ve been reading when a complete stranger walks up to me and says: “That’s a really good book” to start a conversation. Or Agatha Christie’s “Big Four”, a really neglected looking volume in the school library that I ended up picking for a reading assignment and it blew my mind so that I ended up reading everything the local library had from Christie.
But while these could have been the books to draw inspiration from, instead I chose perhaps the first book memory I have. I had this children’s story book called “Satuja” by Raul Roine, and I was leafing through it before I could read. When I then could read, I did like the stories, but I especially loved the illustration. The pictures were done by Rudolf Koivu, a beloved Finnish illustrator and artist. I was captivated by the beautiful pictures, the ornate details but also about the fact that none of the pieces had any yellow!
I still have the book, but I wasn’t going to cut into it. Instead, I found a copy of the same book in poor shape in a second-hand bookstore. It had water damage but I didn’t mind as most of the illustrations were still intact. I bought the book just for art journaling. You can see me leaf through the book in the beginning of the video.
My next task was to decide which one of the beautiful illustrations to use. I again took a trip down memory lane and tried to remember which illustrations I was most drawn to. There were three, that I remember. An Asian princess with a big fan and a graceful stance, a princess with blue garments flowing in the wind while she hurried away from the palace, and a muse of poetry opening a beautifully decorated door, all dressed in black. As you can see from the photos, I went with the one mentioned last. There was a couple of reasons, but one was the name of the character – “Runotar”. It’s somehow such a beautiful word, the beginning meaning a poem (runo) and then the female suffix (-tar), corresponding to English “-ress”. Although poemress sounds a bit daft, the Finnish version is really beautiful to my ear. As the topic was connected to books essentially, I thought that following the words would be the thing.
I used the thing that used to make me ponder as a child, to my advantage in the art journal page. That is the lack of yellow. I went with just red and dark blue. I first dyed the paper with a pink dye and then layered the patterns on top using Nat’s “ATC Mixup” stencil. I just love that stencil! It’s so handy with different patterns so you have plenty to choose from! If you want to see how I made the spread, please see the video below.
As you could see from the video, I used two book pages as my background for the whole thing. Like I say in the video, they are printed with blue, not black. As a child I also found that really intriguing, too, as all the other books had black text! Using the pages was another way to add the words, the text to the project. The final addition of text was the text stickers and the image caption I added to the spread. The black word stickers make up a recent story, a journaling for the present, while the caption adds another reference to the past, the story which the illustration belongs. The story is that of Peukaloinen, Little Thumbling, by the way. In it he decides that he wants to be a poet and needs to find his way.
Thank you for stopping by today! Wishing you a wonderful day!
Thank you Riikka – loved hearing about what drew you to this book as a child and then seeing how you incorporated these unique style and color elements in your own artwork.
Give it a try: you can find all my Stencils in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Riikka used:
Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Judi Kauffman who is sharing a bunch of sweet bunny cards using my Embroidery and Cardboard rubber stamps and our theme: My Kindred Spirit – Animals are often symbols of qualities that we humans identify with, so let’s take some inspiration from them this month. Do you have an animal whose characteristics you identify with? Maybe it changes depending on your mood or what life throws. Who is your Kindred Spirit in the animal kingdom today?
A Bunch of Bunnies by Judi Kauffman
I love this month’s Creative Squad theme. We were asked to choose the animal whose spirit we most identify with and then use exclusively Nathalie’s stamps to create a project. It was easy to choose the animal: I’m a dog, a poodle, to be precise. I’ve got curly hair, I’m obedient and I enjoy a nice meal served in a bowl; I’m fairly high maintenance. But when it came time to do a project it just wouldn’t work so I had to go to my second-favorite animal – the rabbit!
I’m not at all like a rabbit, other than being spooked by sudden, loud noises. I’m not fast on my feet, I don’t like raw veggies and I’m way too neat and private to live in an underground warren with a bunch of relatives… But I do LOVE how rabbits always seem busy, how they seem to find joy in jelly beans and Easter baskets filled with colorful eggs. And when my friends need a listener, I’m as ready as any rabbit has ever been – tuned-in and all ears. Maybe I am part-bunny after all.
My project is a Bunch of Bunny Cards, perfect for Spring and Easter, and the ones with a pair of rabbits would even work well for Mother’s or Father’s Day. The Embroidery and Cardboard mixed media stamps I picked will totally transform your leftover scrapbook paper. I hope you’ll join me!
Instructions:
1. From spring-palette/pastel scrapbook papers die-cut, hand-cut, or machine-cut a bunch of simple bunny silhouettes in at least two sizes.
2. Using Dark Teal ink and Mixed Media stamps from Nathalie Kalbach’s “Cardboard” and “Embroidery” series/sets, cover the bunnies with random or planned patterns.
3. Using Purple, Dark Teal or Orange ink, or a combination thereof, smudge color onto the bunnies and the edges of the shapes. Make sure to darken the tail. Then add just a tad of Black ink at the edges only.
4. Add a round sticker for each bunny’s eye, or draw one! Use a white gel pen to add details to the fur if desired.
5. For the illusion of grass on all cards use Citrus Green ink to stamp Mixed Media “Tread” across the bottom portion of folded card bases. Adhere one or two bunnies to each card using double-sided adhesive tape and/or foam squares for added dimension. Refer to photos. (Be sure to sign your creations!)
Thank you Judi for sharing all these sweet bunnies with us – love the variety you created with just a few stamps and lovely spring colors!
Give it a try: you can find all my Rubber Stamps in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Judi used:
Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.
How well do you know our Creative Squad? Each week one of our talented design team members shares a project with us and we have come to know and love each of their individual artistic styles. BUT we realized that maybe we could learn a bit more about what makes each of these lovely artists tick. So, we decided to do a quick interview with each. Read on and stay tuned for a new interview each month :)
First up is Maura Hibbitts – she has been on the Creative Squad since 2018 and comes to us from beautiful Upstate New York, where she is inspired by the surrounding nature and her love of supplies.
1. How old were you when you first started making art? What is an early artmaking memory?
Hello creative friends, I’m Maura Hibbitts. As far back as my memory goes, I can remember being a creative kid. I can picture myself sitting under a tree in our back yard, coloring in a bunny. If I wasn’t doing that, I was gathering twigs and leaves and making nature sculptures, or sketching.
2. If you are an art journaler, when did you start your first art journal?
I began art journaling about 10 years ago, and haven’t stopped. The “fashion plate” pages are from a class I took with Nathalie years ago, and it was the first time I used acrylic paint. Well, she opened a new world for me! The other page is a hybrid scrapbook/art journal page of my dog, Jasper.
3. What is one technique you just rediscovered or learned that you are now using all the time again?
A technique I love to use is embellishing my own handwriting, and going hand in hand with that is telling stories through my art. It’s not really a new technique for me, but tried and true.
4. Describe your artistic style in 3 words.
Eclectic, Colorful, and Steampunk
5. What are some of the biggest influences on your art?
My art is definitely influenced by the many wonderful artists I have taken classes with over the years, my husband who is an artist, the natural world, and books I read.
6. Favorite color 5 years ago? Favorite color now?
My favorite color five years ago is the same as today, and has not changed through my life – it’s green, in its many glorious versions. It makes me think of spring and growth, and Ireland.
7. Show us where you create.
I create in a space I’ve commandeered in the living room, that looks out towards the mountains. I love my view, but don’t have a quiet space (headphones and music come in handy). I’m sharing my desk area, because the rest is a mess! When the weather is good, I love to work out on our deck.
8. What are your 3 favorite Creative Squad projects that you’ve created?
My perfect artistic day is when I have the house to myself and no distractions! I’d work from mid morning into the afternoon, then maybe remember lunch. I’d have paints, inks, stamps, stencils and whatever I’m working with scattered across my table as I work through my inspiration. I would just play!
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Jordan Hill who is sharing her unique take on our theme this month by working on an old playing card with my Triangle Love stamp set. Our theme is: My Kindred Spirit – Animals are often symbols of qualities that we humans identify with, so let’s take some inspiration from them this month. Do you have an animal whose characteristics you identify with? Maybe it changes depending on your mood or what life throws. Who is your Kindred Spirit in the animal kingdom today?
Hello everyone! I’m excited to be back with a new project for the month of April! I had a lot of internal debate on which animal I wanted to focus on for this month’s theme; however, since I’ve always loved amphibians and the symbolism surrounding snakes (the idea of rebirth and new beginnings), I decided to go with a snake. I hope you enjoy following along with the process!
Since I knew that I wanted to do an illustration of my animal this month, I started things off by sketching a snake design on a scrap of watercolor paper with a pink Col-Erase pencil. I used a photo that I found online to get the general shape of the snake down.
Next, I used a piece of tracing paper and a pencil to trace over my sketch. I then used a craft knife to cut out the shape of the snake so that I had a mask that resembled my drawing.
At this point, I wanted to focus on the background. This helped me know how to color my focal image. For the base of my project, I selected a playing card from a deck of cards I purchased at the thrift store for 49 cents. Then, I used a mix of plain rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and a few colors of alcohol inks to create my background.
It was then time to paint my snake. Using clean water on a paintbrush, I filled in the shape of my snake. I then dropped several colors of watercolor paint in light oranges and dark greens directly into the water and allowed the colors to blend together.
Once the watercolor was dry, I then wanted to add some pattern to the snake. I taped the mask I created in Step 2 over my illustration using washi tape, then used Nathalie’s Empire Triangle stamp paired with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in the color Walnut Stain to cover my snake with a variety of pattern. I then removed the mask and used an ink pen to add some lines the illustration.
In the end, the use of the mask became mostly meaningless, because I decided I wanted to fussy cut my illustration, again using a craft knife. I then rubbed an Archival Ink Pad in Black around the edges of the piece so that it would stand out more against the background. It also covered some of the raw edges I got from cutting with a blade that wasn’t quite sharp enough.
Then all that was left was to actually assemble the playing card! Using Aleene’s Tacky Glue, I adhered the snake to my background. I then used a small phrase I typed out on my typewriter to give the card a title, rubbed my Archival Ink Pad around the edges of the card, and I was ready to call it done!
Altered playing cards can be a great addition to your mixed media repertoire; you can create an entire deck, or staple them into your journals to create quick pages! I hope you enjoyed following the process of creating this card and that you give some of the techniques a try for yourself!
Thank you Jordan – I love that you chose to work on a playing card, and the use of the stamp to create the snake’s marking is just perfect!
Give it a try: you can find all my Rubber Stamps in my Online Shop and in addition to an old playing card, here are some of the supplies Jordan used:
Looking for more projects? Follow the Creative Squad on Instagram here.
Hello from my Creative Squad! Today we have a post from Robin Seiz who is sharing a project that will have you thinking about Spring! She is using my Small Circle Jumble, Floral Tile Small, Fan-fare, and Mini Motifs rubber stamps and our theme: My Kindred Spirit – Animals are often symbols of qualities that we humans identify with, so let’s take some inspiration from them this month. Do you have an animal whose characteristics you identify with? Maybe it changes depending on your mood or what life throws. Who is your Kindred Spirit in the animal kingdom today?
Hello friends,
This month’s themed project, Kindred Spirits, was lots of fun for me to do. Although I live in the Northeast, I’m a warm weather person (Go figure!) Gardening is my outdoor passion. I have a big vegetable garden and a property with lots of native plants. Butterflies are a critical part of the ecosystem. I love watching them fly from one plant to another doing what they were meant to do – move pollen from one plant to another. While they love nectar they drink from puddles to supply the minerals they need. I, like butterflies, am attracted to bright colors. We are both nearsighted but they can see ultraviolet colors invisible to the human eye. I absolutely love the Monarchs, who live a few weeks longer than most butterflies. Their colors are so beautiful and they blend into their surroundings to avoid predators. All and all, they are a beauty to appreciate and a true helper in the garden.
We are using Nathalie’s rubber stamps this month and when I thought of the butterfly and the garden, the Small Floral Tile set, the Mini Motifs set, and the Small Circle Jumble Set all immediately came to mind as they remind me of flower heads. The Fan Fare Cube has the perfect designs for both the butterfly wings and the leaves of the flowers. This months project has more whimsy than I usually create, but it was fun to push myself out of my normal comfort zone.
I started the project with a 5” x 5” piece of Clayboard as the substrate. I was reminded during Creative Jump Start that Clay Board can provide some dimension and texture.
Since there is quite a bit of masking required for this project. I planned out the placement of the flowers on a piece of paper, marking which ones would be stamped in the front, which were 2nd, and so on. This helped so much when I was ready to actually do the stamping.
I stamped several of each “flower” and cut them out as masks and then I began stamping on the Clay Board with Versa Fine Clair Ink. The most important thing about masking is that all stamps that are in the foreground go on first and then you work your way back into the background with masks in the foreground so the 2nd row of stamps look like they are “behind” the other stamps.
Once all the “flower heads” were stamped I began to embellish them with Posca pens to bring out the colors and make them pop. I drew stems with Posca pens, and used one of the “leaves” in the Fan Fare Cube to place “leaves” on the stem. I quickly realized that once I painted the background with watercolors, the stems and leaves would disappear. (oops) The wonderful thing about clay board is that the smooth surface is very forgiving. I took a baby wipe and erased all the stems so I could lay down the background of green grass and blue sky using Qor Watercolor paints.
Once the background was completed, I drew in the stems again and then scratched around the stems with my utility knife. This gave the green background a texture and added quite a bit to a dimension to the piece.
To finish off the flowers, I stamped one leaf, over and over, onto the stem from the Fan Fare Cube. In order to get ink on just one portion of the stamp, I covered the rest of the stamp with a stickie note (but you could use any paper) I continued to embellish with the posca pens.
Finally, I took my butterfly die cuts and stamped them with a stamp from the Fan Fare Cube and the Circle Drive Positive Small from the Small Circle Jumble Set; both perfect for the wings. I attached my butterflies to the flowers with two sided adhesive dimensional tape which completed the whole scene.
This project makes me smile because it reminds me that spring is right around the corner and I’ll be planting seeds and watching those butterflies before long!
One of the greatest lessons for me in doing this project was how important it is to stay open to seeing the stamps in new ways. A circle, square or even a triangle can easily become a flower!
I hope you chose the animal (or insect :o) ) that resonates with you and try something new. Please tag me with what you create.
Thank you Robin – your technique for organizing your layers is a great idea. And we love your beautiful stamped blooms and butterflies!
Give it a try: you can find all my Rubber Stamps in my Online Shop and here are some of the supplies Robin used:
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So nice to learn more about you Maura! I love seeing your work!
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