Creative Squad

Inspiration From Around the Globe!

nspiration from around

This Tuesday we’re taking a short break from our Creative Squad (they will be back next week with a new June theme to play with!) to bring you some amazing projects from around the globe. My stamps and stencil designs are available for purchase online and maybe even in your local craft store, so crafters and mixed media artists and art journalers from around the world are using them. I am always excited to see how YOU use my products in your own projects. I am even more excited to share some of the beautiful and creative examples of these projects with you today. Enjoy this inspiration from around the globe!

Robyn Seaniger

First we have this very fun travel-inspired art journal spread from Robyn Seaniger from NSW, Australia.  Robyn has used both my Elephant and my Urban Scribble foam stamp sets to create this colorful ode to India.

Elephant Parade Metal

Metal Artist Elitia Hart from Calgary, Canada, used my Elephant Parade stencil in this very original metal embossing project.  This is a very creative use of the stencil and I highly recommend checking out her video below explaining her process.  It is long but definitely worth watching as it is a real step by step class!

Cool, right?

envelope

Judi Kauffmann from Maryland, USA sent me this fun mail art envelope using my Bird and Urban Scribble foam stamp sets. What a nice surprise in my mailbox :)

Finally, we have a couple of awesome videos from Lindsay Weirich from Maine, USA for you to check out.  In these videos, Lindsay uses my Urban Scribble foam stamp set to create a cool card project and then she uses my Bird, Elephant, and Urban Scribble foam stamp sets to make a gorgeous art journal.


Join us again next Tuesday for another great project from one of our Creative Squad members!  They will be working with a new theme for June.  And in the meantime, share with me what you’ve been working on with my stamps and stencils.  I would love to feature your project in an upcoming post!

Try some of the above techniques for yourself with these n*Studio supplies:



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Elephants Never Forget – Michelle Rydell

CS May Elephants Never Forget

It’s Tuesday and time for a project from my Creative Squad and this month’s theme: “Elephants Never Forget”. Throughout the month of May, the team is using my new Elephant Foam Stamp, Rubber Stamp and Stencil Set to interpret the theme. I asked them to draw from a childhood memory, and to use the elephant as a symbol of something that fascinated them as a child. And if you want to hear a little bit about me, you can read about my personal connection to elephants here (just scroll down to “WHY an elephant…”)

Today we have an art journal spread by Michelle Rydell. Michelle used the theme as a jumping off point for this colorful page.  I love her inspiring message!
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Michelle May Headshot

When I heard the theme “Elephants never Forget,” the first thing I thought of was my daily entries in my art journal. The ones where I record little bits of my life each day, so I don’t forget them! I decided it would be fun to let Nat’s regal elephants guard my memories for the week! Here’s how I did it…

I painted my whole background with black acrylic paint, and then covered up the black with squares of bright colors. Next I stenciled the foam elephant stamp with white paint onto black cardstock – twice, and then cut them out.  You know how sometimes people wrap a thread around their finger to help them remember something? I wrapped a little crochet thread around one elephants trunk, and the other ellies leg to symbolize that! After that I pasted the two elephants onto the journal spread.

RydellElephants1

RydellElephants2

I felt like the page needed something to make the colored blocks work cohesively together; so I glazed the whole page (except for the ellies) with a thin coat of Golden’s fluorescent chartreuse paint.

RydellElephants3

I used the stencil that comes with the kit to create a border with black paint. My page was then ready to add memories as the week progressed!

RydellElephants5

Here’s how the week looks all finished. I just love my elephants parading across the bottom. I really feel like it makes the page special!

RydellElephants6

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I love Michelle’s color block background and the very fun way she tied reminder bows on the elephants!  Here are the links (some are affiliate links) for the supplies Michelle used:

SuppliesCJS

 


Maybe you will even play along with us -I would 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 what you did at the end of the month!

See you next Tuesday for inspiration from around the globe using some of my stamp and stencil products!

Comments (4)

  • Sharon Fritchman

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    I love your art journal pages, Michelle! I especially like the fun theme and what you did with the stencil!! So creative and fun!

    Reply

  • Joi @RR

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    Hehhehe – ADORABLE Michelle. What a great journal creation. j.

    Reply

  • Julie Tucker

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    Love love love this Michelle!! LOVING those elephants and the colors!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

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Elephants Never Forget – Marsha Valk

CS May Elephants Never Forget

It’s Tuesday again so here is my Creative Squad with another fun project for you with this month’s theme: “Elephants Never Forget”. Throughout the month of May, the team will use my new Elephant Foam Stamp, Rubber Stamp and Stencil Set to interpret the theme. I asked them to draw from a childhood memory, and to use the elephant as a symbol of something that fascinated them as a child, inspired awe, or just got their little brain all wrapped up with wonder. And if you want to hear a little bit about my childhood, you can read about my personal connection to elephants here (just scroll down to “WHY an elephant…”)

Today we have a mixed media piece by Marsha Valk.  After persisting through a brief creative block (it happens to everyone!) she created this gorgeously layered piece using a fantastic combination of purple and orange.
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Marsha May Headshot

It’s hard to choose just one childhood story or memory, so I concentrated on the elephants and tried to come up with as many elephants as I could remember from my childhood. The big one is that my little brother collected elephants when he was young. He had many, many elephant figurines. At least two of those came from my grandmother’s house and I remember that at one point they were in the guest bedroom. The room had a typical 70’s decor. It wasn’t psychedelic in any way, the walls where neutral, the furniture was white, but there was an orange washbasin and purple bed spreads with a fringe.  I loved those bed spreads! When we were very little, my sister and I used to play with them when we woke up early.
MarshaValk_nSCS_ElephantsNeverForget-1
Anyway: the colour scheme for this project was set! It had to contain purple and orange. I struggled with what to do though. I tried some things first with no great success, until I decided to just have fun! I chose the back of a shallow round tray (28 cm) as a substrate. I love working on wood panels, so when I saw this at my local craft store, I knew I wanted to use it as a ‘canvas’!
MarshaValk_nSCS_ElephantSteps-2
The problem with ‘having fun’ is that I can’t exactly tell you what I did. I started to prepare the wood tray with two coats of gesso that I sanded smooth. Then I randomly applied soft body acrylic paint to the surface. Once that was dry I started painting, stenciling and stamping layers using soft body acrylic paint, paint markers and permanent stamping inks.
MarshaValk_nSCS_ElephantSteps-1
I tried to get the whole surface covered. Then I decided on my composition, stamped and embossed the Elephant cling rubber stamp image and painted the top layer. I also scratched into the surface and I added acrylic inks and black and white charcoal pencil.
MarshaValk_nSCS_ElephantsNeverForget-4

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I love Marsha’s circular design and I’m so glad that she decided to have fun with it! I think the results, and those super nice, 70’s inspired colors :) speak for themselves. In addition to the supplies (some links are affliate links)  listed below, Marsha also used a wooden tray, black and white charcoal, and the stencils from the Urban Scribble, Bird, Mish Mesh, and Fashion Dame stamp sets.

SuppliesCJS



And maybe you will even play along -we would love to see how you interpret the theme. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share what you did at the end of the month!

See you next Tuesday for the another project from the Creative Squad, with the theme Elephants Never Forget.

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Elephants Never Forget – Cheiron Brandon

CS May Elephants Never Forget

It’s Tuesday and time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s theme: “Elephants Never Forget”. Throughout the month of May, the team will use my new Elephant Foam Stamp, Rubber Stamp and Stencil Set to interpret the theme. I asked them to draw from a childhood memory, and to use the elephant as a symbol of something that fascinated them as a child, inspired awe, or just got their little brain all wrapped up with wonder. And if you want to hear a little bit about my childhood, you can read about my personal connection to elephants here (just scroll down to “WHY an elephant…”)

Today we have a card design by Cheiron Brandon. She shares a very sweet memory and a wonderful card project with a fun inking method that I know you will all enjoy!
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Cheiron May Headshot

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been obsessed with pens and stationery. I remember going shopping with my dad at the office supply or card store, and getting to pick out special stationery to write letters to my great Grandmother on. We called her GaGa and I used to send letters back and forth with her. I sure wish I still had some of those letters today.

I fondly remember picking out one stationery set that came in a cardboard box with a lid that contained writing paper, matching envelopes and a special pen…all in my favorite color, rainbow! I did not let ANYONE touch that stationery box and the only person who got a special letter on it was my GaGa.

I still am fascinated with anything rainbow colored and love bright colors. This month I am restocking my stationery stash with some notecards featuring rainbow elephants. I am going to keep a bunch of these on hand, and I will definitely share them this time. I left them blank so I always have a card for any occasion and I can add a sentiment as I use them.

cheiron_elephant card 1

To make my card, I used the big elephant solid foam stamp from the Elephant Stamp & Stencil Set. I used a paint brush to paint Distress Paints onto the stamp, then sprayed it with water and stamped it onto a watercolor notecard. I got 2-3 stamped images for each time I painted the stamp.

cheiron_elephant card 2

I got so wrapped up making rainbow elephants, that I have a dozen of these. I can’t wait to send out happy elephant mail! Each one is a bit different, but so vibrant.

cheiron_elephant card 3

I hope you are inspired to make some stationery of your own. And please remember to share it :)

cheiron_elephant card 4

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I love Cheiron’s herd of rainbow elephant cards and am so happy she shared the design with us! I think anyone on the receiving end of one of these will definitely be smiling.

SuppliesCJS

And maybe you will even play along -we would love to see how you interpret the theme. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share what you did at the end of the month!

See you next Tuesday for the another project from the Creative Squad, with the theme Elephants Never Forget.

Also, the winners of the Stampendous blog hop have been announced! Thank you to all who participated and find out who the winners are here!

Comments (2)

  • Joi@RR

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    Heheheheh – totally ADORE your rainbow elephants Cheiron. I am smiling big. You made my day!! j.

    Reply

  • Michelle Rydell

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    Your rainbow elephants are gorgeous Cheiron! Those vibrant colors are so happy-making! Now I want to go make some rainbow cards too!

    Reply

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Elephants Never Forget – Gwen Lafleur

CS May Elephants Never Forget

Happy Tuesday! It’s time for my Creative Squad to share a project with you with this month’s new theme: “Elephants Never Forget”. Throughout the month of May, the team will use my new Elephant Foam Stamp, Rubber Stamp and Stencil Set to interpret the theme. I asked them to draw from a childhood memory, and to use the elephant as a symbol of something that fascinated them as a child, inspired awe, or just got their little brain all wrapped up with wonder. And if you want to hear a little bit about my childhood, you can read about my personal connection to elephants here (just scroll down to “WHY an elephant…”) :)

Today we have a super vibrant art journal page from Gwen Lafleur. As a travel enthusiast, her interpretation of the theme is definitely close to my heart.
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Gwen May Headshot

With this month’s theme of working from a childhood memory that fascinated me, the Elephant Stamp & Stencil set couldn’t have been more perfect! In my art journal spread, the elephant represents this memory and the object of my childhood inspiration perfectly. The memory that jumped out at me was one of me laying on the floor of our living room on my stomach poring over a book. Not just any book, but “Lands and Peoples of the World.” I was obsessed with it, and this particular scenario played out many times. Looking back, the book probably wasn’t all that great – the cover was brown with a photo of a tribe of some kind, and most of the pages were black and white. I’m guessing it was printed in the 70s. But it enthralled me completely. I can’t remember precisely what it was that I loved about it, but I think just the idea of all of those places and cultures that were so different from what I knew, really captured my imagination. As an adult, I’ve been blessed to take that fascination and act on it, traveling all over the world and seeing many of those places and cultures first hand. I’ve since looked for it at my parents’ house on many trips home, and have finally accepted the fact that the book is gone, but the memory remains. As for that childhood fascination with exotic locales? Some things never change!

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread - Gwen Lafleur - wm

For my art journal pages, I decided I wanted to go really bright to represent all of the intense colors and patterns of many of the places I dreamed about visiting and have since gone to. I painted some stripes of paints in different shades of blue, yellow / orange, and green acrylic paint – all different brands, I just randomly grabbed what I had.

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread Step 1 - Gwen Lafleur

Then I used all three of the stamps in the set to stamp out elephants on to deli paper. I used paint with the foam stamps and black Archival Ink with the rubber cling stamp. I used the stencil from the kit on top of the plain stamped elephant to add some pattern with gold paint. Then I pulled out Nathalie’s Elephant Parade stencil that matches this set and stenciled the larger open elephant with Golden Gold Iridescent heavy body paint, and I stenciled the patterned version with black acrylic paint onto a red background. I cut out each elephant and adhered them onto the background with Golden Matte Medium.

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread Step 2 - Gwen Lafleur

Next, I started adding details. I used a black PermaPaque marker to outline each elephant. I also added some embellished circles to connect and ground the images. I colored in the different sections with various paint markers and started adding dots. I knew I wanted to use maps on the page to reinforce the theme, and I wanted to put them in the middle of each of the circles. Since I needed to be able to see through and trace the area to cut out, I decided to do a quick packing tape transfer. I just put two strips of clear packing tape over a section of a map. Then I soaked it in warm water until the paper on the back started to pill when I rubbed it. I gently rubbed off all the paper leaving just the image on the tape. This made it pretty transparent, so I traced the shape of the circles onto the tape with a Stabilo All pencil and cut them out, then adhered with more matte medium.

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread Step 3 - Gwen Lafleur

For the third phase, I added white dots around everything to create unity on the page, and went through and added a bit more detail here and there. To add depth to the piece, I used oil pastels to put in a bit of shading. I really like using these on top of acrylic paints; you just have to be careful not to put them where you want to add more layers or acrylic or do any writing – the paint won’t stick to it and the pens won’t write on it, so this needs to be one of the top layers.

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread Step 4 - Gwen Lafleur

Finally, I used some old rubons to add a title to the page, then just went around randomly adding writing around the elephants and journaling about this memory.

Never Forget - Art Journal Spread Close-up 1 - Gwen Lafleur

I hope you enjoyed today’s project! I’m really looking forward to hearing about the rest of the team’s memories, and hopefully some of you will play along as well!

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Oohhh this is so much fun!  I love all the ways Gwen incorporated the Elephant stamp in her page and her use of pattern definitely suggests exotic far-off places. I hope she finds that book again!

Besides the supplies listed below, Gwen also used acrylic paint, markers, maps, clear tape, and old rubons:

SuppliesCJS

And maybe you will even play along -we would love to see how you interpret the theme. Email me how you used my stencils and stamps with the theme and email me an image – I would love to share what you did at the end of the month!

See you next Tuesday for the another project from the Creative Squad, with the theme Elephants Never Forget.

Comments (4)

  • Mary Holshouser

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    I am so jealous. I collect elephants and would love
    to have this one for my collection.
    I have to get that stamp and make my own.
    thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  • Michelle Rydell

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    Gwen your page is beautiful! I love the vibrant colors and all of your doodly details!

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Gwen, such a little addition, but the white dots do pull it all together.

    Reply

    • gwenlafleur

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      Thanks so much Sue! I really love my dots :D

      Reply

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The Only One or … In My Art Journal Today

AJOnlyOne01

“And so today, my world it smiles, your hand in mine we walk the miles,

Thanks to you it will be done, for you to me are the only one.” Led Zeppelin

AJOnlyOne04

Over a painted background I added a mix of blue paint and gesso and while the mix was still wet, I layered the Peacock Background Stencil on top and using a babywipe removed parts of the paint again. This revealed the underlying paint once again. I layered the stencil on top again and spread some embossing paste through it.

AJOnlyOne03

I stamped the Elephant rubber stamp with archival ink on top of the background and enhanced some areas of the elephant design with markers and pencils.

AJOnlyOne02

For the journaling I used a black acrylic marker and then overwrote it with a white signo pen.

Here are all supplies I used:

SuppliesCJS



Hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Comments (5)

  • Darcy Shannon

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    I love the colors and the texture of this journal page. Just beautiful!

    Reply

  • Theresa De Shon

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    Just getting into Journaling at the cancer center, learning a LOT from this blog…look forward to all the posts and pics. Thank you!

    Reply

  • Joi@RR

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    The peacock stencil reminds me of an India type tapestry – perfect for accenting your wonderful elephant. This is just gorgeous Nat. You colors are so unique – I would never have thought to put them together but you – are so good at making colors look unique. They truly look wonderful on your pages. And that pop of pink on your elephant is just perfect too. How I adore your work. Have a super fine weekend sweetie. Hugs. j.

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Rule of Three #1 – Three Ways to Ink up Foam Stamps

Let me introduce you to my new series of mini-videos: “Rule of Three”. As we all know all good things come in three and these mini-tutorial-videos will show you all kinds of fun and practical things and techniques in coming in three.

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Comments (5)

  • Joi@RR

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    YES Nat – loved seeing your ‘rule of 3’! And you are so right – the fun of foam is that it’s not a perfect imprint – which is what I love best about your foam stamps. But then, I have always been weird that way – never wanted to do anything the same as anyone else!!!! I think your foam stamps are INCREDIBLE…. just like YOU!!!! XXj.

    Reply

  • Tommy McDonell

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    Thanks. I bought your bird and it and I can tell you ways that it doesn’t work well! Looking forward to trying it again!

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Tommy, glad you liked the video and yes give it another try. Just keep in mind that a foam stamp is not providing a perfect image as a rubber stamp and that is the wonderful thing about it. You can create texture with it – visual and actual texture and there are many more ways than the three I showed in the videos to apply paint – I will share some other tricks and tricks in the coming months. Hope you have fun with the bird stamp! Nat

      Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    I’m glad that you showed how to store the cut and foam with paint on it. I would not have thought of that. Thanks for the tips.

    Reply

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At 2nd Glance or … In My Art Journal Today

2ndGlance01_NatKalbach

“You’d be surprised how much you have in common at 2nd glance!”

On this page I used teal acrylic spray paint over a stencil and then covered the spread with translucent orange acrylic paint taking off some of the paint while still wet to reveal the color underneath.

2ndGlance02_NatKalbach

I stamped the silhouette side and the pattern side of the Elephant Foam Stamp with baltic blue acrylic paint onto the art journal spread. For the elephant rubber stamp, also in the set, I applied paint through a dauber bottle and then stamped on top of the elephant silhouette created with the foam stamp. I had mixed the paint in the dauber using 1/2 of Unbleached Titanium White Soft Body Acrylic Paint and 1/2 Titanium White Acrylic Ink. I love the texture the dauber creates but also the easy application method.

2ndGlance03_NatKalbach

Then I painted a turquoise border -actually only to try out the new paint I had just received ;)  Next I cut heart shapes out of a sheet of deli paper which I had used to run off paint and stamps while demoing and applied them with some Matte Gel Medium.

I flicked some black ink with a brush to tie the hearts into the background and added some black lines with a fine liner to the border. The fineliner is filled with a mix of 1/2 Black Carbon Acrylic Ink and Mars Black Soft Body Acrylic Paint.

The journaling was added with a black acrylic marker overwritten with a white Signo pen – my go to pen when it comes to white journaling pens.

2ndGlance04_NatKalbach

Here is a list of the supplies I used:

SuppliesCJS

Can you tell I am still obsessed with elephants? What animal do you like to use in your art?

Comments (3)

  • lorenagm07

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    I just picked up the elephant stamp set @ My Hearts Fancy. Can’t wait to use it. I love the color combination!
    That is a good question, I didn’t realize that I don’t use very many animals in my art but the one that I seen always go for are bees. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  • Joi@RR

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    GREAT COLORS – wow. What a fun page. So vibrant and unique. Love the sentiment too – hehehehe – so true!!! I’d be obsessed with elephants too if I created LUSCIOUS ones like you do Nat!!! I have used a bunch of animals in my art but strangely enough – my favorite animal, I have never used – a rooster. One of these days I am going to have to remedy that!!! I recently did a painting with Puffins in it – now THAT was a trip – they are funny creatures!!! Have a super fine week sweet girl. XX j.

    Reply

  • Delores Azary

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    I love elephants too! Thanks for feeding my obsession with your stencils and new stamp set! Love these pages ❤️

    Reply

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Be Strong, Smart, Brave Enough or …. In my Art Journal Today

BeStrong_natKalbach01

“Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it”

Very true and this year I will be brave enough to ask for help when I need it…hope I will be smart enough to know when I need it ;)

BeStrong_natKalbach04

I have tried out some new supplies for this art journal spread. Well – my new Elephant Set also counts as new :) I painted the background with several soft body acrylic paints and then applied the copper acrylic paint with a brayer onto the solid Elephant Foam Stamp side. I stamped the elephant and let it dry. I cleaned the Foam Stamp with a baby wipe and later throughly cleaned it with water. I stamped with archival ink applied to the Elephant Rubber stamp on top. I added some white dots with a Fineline applicator filled with a mixture of white soft body paint and acrylic ink.

BeStrong_natKalbach02

As the Elephant has the quatrefoil blanket, I pulled out my new metal Stampendous Dreamweaver Quatrefoil Stencil for pattern repetition. I applied the Metallic Copper Dreamweaver Paste through it. Oh how yummie!!! It is shiny and beautiful and dimensional and oh so scrumptious – I might have fallen in love with the paste :) I also thought Michelle Ward’s Maltese Stencil would be a good pattern fit and spray painted with two different colors through it . For the journaling and some mark making I used again the Fineline Applicator – one filled with white and one filled with black acrylic paint+ink.

BeStrong_natKalbach03

I love the rich colors – not my usual color palette but I really liked playing with it and I think I will use it again :)

What new supplies have you tried out recently?

Here is a full list of the supplies I used:

SuppliesCJS



Comments (5)

  • sally

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    Please describe the “white signo pen” and its uses.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      It is a white gel pen that works wonderfully on acrylic paint.

      Reply

  • Joi@RR

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    Heheheh – well Nat – there is no doubt you are SMART enough – no question there but…. brave enough… when it comes to asking for help – that’s a tough type of bravery! I am not good at that either – at all. OR accepting it graciously!!!

    LOVE your journal creations. Your elephant just makes me smile every time I see him!!! And he looks so elegant – like royalty – this time. Must be that yummy dreamweaver paste!!! Your colors are so intriguing too. It’s just a really great project. LOVE IT. j.

    Reply

  • Sue Clarke

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    Love the texture and the copper. Not a new supply, but I’ve been using my white Signo pen all week.

    Reply

    • nathalie-kalbach

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      Thank you Sue! Oh I love my white Signo Pen too – never goes old :)

      Reply

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