mama elephant | design blog: JUNE STAMPEDE AND RELEASE

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mama elephant | design blog: JUNE STAMPEDE AND RELEASE: Welcome to the Mama Elephant June Design Team blog hop!  Our June release is now live and available for purchase in the store w...

Designer Paper Starburst Cards for Fathers Day

Yeah over two weeks to Father's Day and I have my cards done. Maybe a first for Last Minute Melissa.  

I  used the Designer Paper Starburst from April/May 2013 issue of Technique Junkies Newsletter. Www.techniquejunkies.com. I used scrapbook paper with a gender neutral theme ie travel. This technique is easy and a good way to use the pretty paper I hoard. 

Here is a close up of the starburst panel. 

When ever I make cards I try to make more then I need so I can chose the one that's perfect for the person and I have extra when I send cards (yes I do send snail mail, so old fashion of me) forget a birthday or wanna give one to someone who needs a pick me up. 

I usually tweak each one just a bit so they are still individualized. 

This auto stamp is a Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz.

I won't share the Starburst technique out of respect for copyright.  I can not say enough about Technique Junkies and strongly suggest that you should subscribe to this newsletter. 

 I will give the ingredients and the steps I took to create the cards. 

This sea shell is from Dragonfly Laser rubber stamps. Www.dragonflylaser.com. This is a great stamp because it is so versatile it's great for a focal image or as a design element.  

INGREDIENTS 

Black Card Blank

Black Cardstock

Decorative Paper or Cardstock (I used travel themed paper pad)

Adhesive (I used glue stick)

Double Sided Tape

Ruler (I used a omnigrid quilting ruler)

Xacto Knife

Cutting Mat

Stamps

Ink Pad (I used Staz On ink)

Deco Tape

Deco Twine

Scissors

Matching Marker (I used Tim Holtz Distress Marker in Broken China)

STEPS 

1. Create the starburst square with black cardstock, glue, deco paper, ruler, xacto knife and cutting mat. 

2. Attach deco twine by wrapping it around starburst panel and secure with double sided tape.  Create tassel using deco twine; cut equal lengths of twine, fold over panel twine and attached with a larks eye knots. Attach panel to card blank. 

3. Create stamp panel by stamping image on light deco paper with Staz on. Color with marker. Attach to black cardstock and cut out leaving a black frame.  Attach to card using double stick tape. 

4.  Embellish with deco tape. 

This stamp is from Stampendous. You know I'm from Portlandia so I have to put a bird on it. 

Gelli plate give away

Gelli plate is this awesome printing tool and they have an awesome giveaway. Here are the deets.  enter and see if you are lucky 

And here's our giveaway:

Our fabulous prize package includes:

1. One (1) 6"x6" Gel Printing Plate 
2. One (1) package of Copper Leaf (25 sheets) by ArtMinds 
3. One (1) package of Ranger Perfect Pearls (set contains 4 colors and 2 brushes)

One lucky winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, May 29th and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page.

To be entered to win, simply leave a comment here on our blog or on ourFacebook page. 

SHARE this blog post, and we'll add your name again for another chance to win!  
You can share via Pinterest, Twitter, Youtube or your blog! Just let us know where you've shared and we'll happily enter you twice :)

Experimental journal page

I use my art journal to experiment with material I have and this page has a lot of experimention on it.

I used so many things I can even remember them all. 

 

I glued down flowered tissues paper and then layered a napkin I had with the same colors. I wanted to see how this would look. 

I had bought the Plaid's folk art extreme glitter on clearance a while back but had never used it. So I pulled it out. I found using a foam brush and a pouncing motion gets the best coverage. It is definitely extreme glitter. 

 

Then I was watercoloring another page and accidentally got green watercolor on this page. It actually was the right color and worked well. 

I sprayed Smootch Spritz on the top. Another clearance item I have had FORever. 

Then using archival black ink I stamped the flourishes over both the extreme glitter and the smooch spritz to see if it would work. It did!

I cut the bird from paper using a felt embellishment I had as a template (old school die cut. Hahahaha). Then I stamped it using the same stamps and archival ink but these impressions are second generation to be lighter. I outlined it with the smooch spritz using a paint brush. I glued it on the page and out lined it again with Pitt artist pen in black and a brush tip.  Drew some little legs on the bird with the same pen. 

Funny how the simplest looking page is the most complicated.

Squid Watercolor......Kinda

I love watercolor. I think anyone who is a watercolorist is amazing and very talented. 

I want to be a watercolorist. I probably should at least take a class or read a book, huh?  Well instead I did some looking on the web and found a way to cheat at watercoloring so I was all for it. The website was 30 minutes crafts.

http://30minutecrafts.com

 I used inktense pencils and blocks instead of watercolor. 

Ingredients 

Watercolor paper (I used my mixed media journal)

Stencil (see below)

Masking Tape

Inktense Pencils 

Inktense Blocks

Pencil Sharpner

Waterbrushes 

Paper Towel

1.  Tape stencil to paper. 

2.  With a the darkest jellyfish color pencil outline the stencil. It is much easier to do with a very SHARP pencil. I applied pressure to the stencil as I traced it to decrease its movements. 

3.  Color in with the two lighter colors for the jellyfish. Connect the bridges created by the stencils.   I added some blue and yellow highlights to the body of the jellyfish to give it some depth. 

4.  Using the smallest waterbrush blend the edges and small sections of the stencil. Then with the medium waterbrush for the next largest areas and finally use the large waterbrush to color in the top and other large areas. 

5.  Use a paper towel to clean the brushes between colors and to mop up any extra liquid.

6. Carefully remove the stencil and clean it. 

7.  Color in the underside of the body with yellow and blend with waterbrushes. 

8.  With darkest blue pencil outline the jellyfish. 

9.  With the medium blue pencil color in between the tentacles and around the dark blue line.  

10. With lightest blue pencil color around the outline. 

11.  With inktense block in same color as the lightest pencil color the rest of the paper. 

12.  Use waterbrushes to blend the blues. 

13.  Let dry. 

Now all your friends will be impressed with your water color skills.

This stencil is a squid/octopus/jellyfish included in the book "Stencil Me In" by Marthe Le Van. 

I confess I have not read the book yet but it comes with 24 of the most awesome stencils. 

Watercolor on!!!!

Faux Paint Swatch Cards

I spent the evening working on some cards using the Faux Paint Swatch Technique from the publication Technique Junkies Newsletter. If you are a card maker or a paper artist of any kind this newsletter is a must. It comes out about 8 times a year and is just chuck full of all kinds of techniques for all skill levels.  I will post the link at the bottom. 

Ingredients

Kraft Card Bases

Decorative Papers

Washi Tapes

White Cardstock

3 Shade of the Same Color of Dye Ink (I found distress inks worked great for this technique)

Masking Tape

Acrylic Stamping Block

Fuchsia Folk Art Extreme Glitter Paint

Sponge Paint Brush

Tiny Heart Stencil (I used Heidi Swapps Confetti)

Stazon Black Ink

Rubber Stamps  

Glue Stick

Ruler

Xacto Knife

I won't share the Faux Paint Swatch Technique because you should buy the publications.  But look at how cool this background technique looks. 

I made two sets this one above with several colors of pink.

This set is several shades of orange. 

Here is the website http://www.techniquejunkies.com/

Enjoy!!!!!

Metal Collage on Wood - Mixed Media part two

This part is about working with the tin and assembling it all

Ingredients
Decorative Tin
Can opener
Rubber mallet
Metal Shears
Sharpie
Template for designs. Here I printed out letter in the font and size I wanted.
Hammer
Hole punch that will go through metal. I used my cropadile
Small golden nails. I believe these are called brads
Picture hooks. Not sure what these are called. You can also use pull tops from soda cans.

If you are smart you will wear work gloves and safety glasses

1. Put on the glasses and gloves. I skipped this step so im glad i wear glasses.
2. Using the can opener cut the bottom off the tin.
3. Using the metal shears cut up the seam of the tin. Cut seam off and discard.
4. Lay tin on work table with pretty side up. Using your hands smooth the tin out. It is difficult use rubber mallet.
5. Locate the part of picture on tin you want to use. Mark with sharpie on the back.
6. Trace template onto the back of the tin. If using letter make sure to do it backwards.
7. Carefully cut out design using metal shears. Be careful to cut off all jagged edges.
8. Use the metal hole punch to poke a starter hole any place inside design like the center of the D. Use shear to cut out the unwanted part.
9. Place design on collaged wood.
10. Secure with nails using hammer
11. Outline with graphite pencil to give it depth.
12. On the back figure out where hanger should go. I choose the center of the block and about a third of the way from the top.

There you have it.

Metal Collage on Wood - Mixed Media part one

Ever seen one of those large neglected tins that holiday goodies come in and thought wow thats pretty but what would I do with it?

This is what I do, I cut it up and use it for a collage element.

Ingredients
Wood these pieces are 4 inches x 4 inches by 2 inches. They are cedar but that doesn't really matter it just has to be something you can hammer nails into.

Sand paper with a sanding block helps.
White Gesso. I used golden brand
Acrylic paint. I used Claudine Hellmuth Studio in teal
Collage elements
Dress Pattern
Graphite Pencil
Gel medium. I use Goldens regular gel medium in matte
Paint brushes

Steps for wood base
1. Sand pieces of wood to a smooth finish so it is easier to paint.

2. Paint front and 4 sides with white gesso. Let dry.
3. Cover gessoed area with acrylic paint. Let dry.
4. Collage paper items on front and 4 sides. Cover up with wrinkled dress pattern paper. Let dry.
5. Dry brush gesso over the tissue paper.

Next part will be about cutting the tin and putting it all together

PS sorry I can not type directly under the picture but I don't think the mobile app allows you to do that. If someone has figured it out please let me know.

Sometime You Need a Camera's Perspective

I was struggling with this journal page. To me it seemed to need something, but what I could not figure out. So I snapped a picture thinking I would use it to illustrate the blog how-to. When I went to crop the picture. Low and behold I like the page. Go figure. 

It's actually a pretty simple page.  The background was me experimenting. I have done this technique with acrylic paint and plain rubbing alcohol but never thought to use alcohol inks until now. 

Ingredients

Acrylic paint 

     Golden Hansa Yellow Light

     Golden Naphthol Red Light 
Alcohol Ink (I used Adirondacks Sunset Orange)

Water

Brush

Stencil (I used The Crafters Warehouse Ribcage)

Painters Tape 

Gesso

Paper for Heart (I used a popcorn bag)

Glue stick

Black Pen (I used Pitt Artist Pen in black with brush nib)

Gelato - Black 

Scrap Paper for Heart mask 

Scissors

Deco Tape (I think this tape is recollections from Michaels)

Steps

1.  With paint brush and clean water, wet down page. 

2.  Thin yellow paint with water and wash over page. The acrylic paint needs to be very watery for the alcohol to displace the paint. 

3.  Drop orange alcohol ink in random spots. It like magic and cool to watch. Let dry. 

4. Using paper mask of heart and red paint create burst. Let dry. 

5.  Tape stencil down using painters tape. Dab gesso through stencil with foam brush. Let dry

6. Cut out striped heart. Glue in place. Outline with pitt pen and gelato. 

7.  Apply deco tape. 

New art journal first page

Recently I decided I was going to start two things, morning pages as in The Artist Way and start an art journal based on the book Journal Fodder 365. I have not started to read the journal fodder book but I decided just to start creating.

The journal is a mixed media Stathmore 90lb weight. Page size 5.5 by 8.5 vellum surface. It seems perfect for what I plan to do.

So here is my first page. Goal to start and to own the journal.

I used the urban subway stencils to write my name using a light green inktense pencil and colored the letters in with bees wax crayons. I washed out the inktense around the letters then did an orange wash with watercolors on the rest of the page. The stripes on the bottom are from a napkin glued down and the little birds butterflies and flowers are cardboard table confetti. I basically used what I had next to me.

I needed to start somewhere and so I did.

Newest completed creation

I completed this pillow from a kit this afternoon while at Crafternoon meet up. I've been a lot more creative and ill post some of the creations and instructions when it makes sense