Another Art Quest Challenge

For this challenge, we need to use an actual label or packaging from food or drink. Hhhmmmm, I knew just where to look! We got a case of mix matched cool beers one year for Christmas - and I saved all the labels.

Here is the label I choose to use for this challenge:

Here is the background I created :

And here is the final result :

Deco's

A group of us have decided to pass around some deco's. Tiny books that each person who receives, decorates a page and then sends it along to someone else. The person who works on the final page returns the book to it's owner. I received two on Tuesday and below are the pages I created in each.

Another Background Noise #10 Acrylic Paint Marbling

I created these backgrounds last weekend, but only now got around to scanning them and creating another page in my sketchbook. Very fast and very easy, my kind of background!! The paper I used was from the sampler book from Marco's . . . .LOL! Had I known how much I would like them - I would have used larger pieces. One word of caution . . . . I would try this out on scrap pieces of card stock once you have choosen your colors. I used a beautiful purple acrylic paint - and it turned out gray on all of the pages!! YUK!

Here are my pages in my Background Noise sketchbook:

And here is an updated scan of my cover. I am scanning it every time I have another row of inchies added. As you can see, this is my 10th background in this journal :)

Background Noise #9 - Distressed Scraps

In our on going challenges by Trish we come to another Background Noise challenge . . . . Distressed Scraps. I have shown my background in progress and then my sketchbook page using them. Clicking on the pictures will give you a larger image and you should be able to read the instructions.

This is what my pages looked liked after applying various scraps to the white card stock:



After applying some watered down gesso with a sponge brush:



The 2 pieces of card stock were then both cut in half and colored. The piece below was colored with Iris water color spray by Stamp Zia:



The next one was colored with Cherry color wash spray by Stamp Zia:



This one was colored with Denim Adirondack Ink applied with a sponge brush:



And the final one was colored with Caramel Adirondack ink and a sponge brush. After applying color to all four, I then took a damp paper towel and rubbed off color in areas for a more distressed look:



Here is the page I created in my Background Noise sketchbook. I used stickers for the title, stamped on the others with black stazon ink and even created a small paper weaving with some of the pieces:

Paper Weaving

We have been creating a lot of backgrounds on Next Generation Stampers - so I decided to host a paper weaving swap with the hope of putting some of those to good use. This swap could use paper, fabric, etc.

Here are a couple I have been working on . . . some are not yet finished, but since I had the time to scan, I took advantage of it :)

Tip-ins . . . .February and March

I completed two more sets of tip-ins for a monthly swap I host.

February's theme is "birds"

March's theme is "Travel"

Background Noise #8 - added H2O-holic

Here are the sketchbook pages I created with my H20holic backgrounds:

NEW Background!! H2Oholic

We are in the middle of a snowstorm here in Wisconsin, so Pea was lucky enough to have a SNOW DAY!!

WOOHOO!! I have wanted to come up with a new background, using supplies that I already had in my home!

(one would think that would be easy . . . . right??) Well, in this case, it actually WAS!

SUPPLIES:

Disposable pan . . . . I cut my card stock into 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" - so my pan didn't need to be any larger than that. If you are using full sheets, you would need a larger pan. This could be any container that you wouldn't need to use for food again, as long as it is at least 1 1/2" deep.

white or beige card stock - cut to size you want your background to be

water

Alcohol Inks - colors of choice plus one metallic

paper towel and newspaper

paint brush (you will be using the wood end - not the brush)

(told you this was going to be EASY!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Lay out your newspaper on a surface suitable for drying your backgrounds. Place a layer of paper towel on top, so the newsprint doesn't stick to your card stock

I placed my tray right in my kitchen sink - turned on the tap until the water was deep enough for the paper to be submerged.

I used three colors of alcohol inks at a time - PLUS one metallic (I used gold, just because I like it!)

Drip 5 or 6 drips of your lightest color into the pan filled with water. This will become the color that your paper will "mostly" be tinted. You will see that it pretty much disolves evenly throughout the water. Next

drop in 3 - 4 drops of your METALLIC alcohol ink. You will see that this spreads out a bit, but stays on the surface in "blobs". Take your remaining two colors and drop small drips of each color "into" each of the metallic ink blobs.

Take the end of your paintbrush and use it to swirl and break up the blobs . . . . you will see that it still remains on the surface.

Take your first cut piece of card stock and lay it directly on top of the water. Let it rest there for 10 seconds or so . . . then gently place your fingers on top and lower your paper underneath the water. Let sit for 5 - 10 seconds. Lift up, let some water drain off and place on your paper towel.

THAT'S IT!!!

I did try second sheets without adding any more alcohol inks - and they are VERY muted. BUT, you can add more colors right into this water. I only changed the water when I was drastically changing the colors.

Just to let you know - you may want to have multiple pieces of cut card stock on hand as this was rather addicting!!! I could have done it all day - except that I actually had to help shovel ? ! ? ! ? !

Hope you have fun - and would love to hear some comments after you have made yours!

(Click on images to get a bit better idea of true color - they are actually brighter in person!)

Trish's 4th Challenge in our Art Quest Sketchbook - Stencils!

Well - this was a twist for me . . . . . . I have only made stencils once before - and that was years ago when I couldn't find exactly what I wanted for our kitchen walls! But that stencil was much larger and easier to cut out :) I went with a southwest theme for the challenge of making my own stencil. I made a clay pot, a lizard, and a border. What you can't see is that the background of this page has stamped southwestern images all over it. I wanted it subtle . . . . but I guess my camera can't pick it up!!

Here are the stencils I made - with a transparency sheet. I left the paint on so you could see it . . . LOL.

Here is my sketchbook page:

New addition to Art Quest Sketchbook

I have added a personal addition to my Art Quest sketchbook. This is an old favorite of mine.

I learned this at a convention at the Stamper's Anonymous booth. Images are stamped with Black Stazon

or Black India Ink on white glossy. After it has dried, many colors of stazon inks are stamped on top. I took this a step farther to make a mosaic page :)

First, I painted two pages in my Art Quest book, then added texture with a stencil and molding paste. Set aside to dry.

Next I gathered together some stamps I thought would work well for this technique, keeping in mind that the larger ones will be cut up into smaller pieces. I stamped these images in Black India Ink on three pieces of White Glossy card stock.

I then got out my sponges and my stazon inks and started sponging on color over the entire sheet.

The next step is a bit time consuming, but I do it at night while watching TV (last night was "House"). I cut up all three sheets into little pieces.

Then I used 4 pieces of black card stock and adhered EVERY small piece to the black card stock - leaving margines on all sides.

If you guessed some more cutting coming up, you are correct!!! Cut out EVERY shape leaving a very narrow edge of black on all 4 sides.

Next I layed these out on the pages . . . . and kept changing it until I liked the pattern. When I was finished - it still didn't look quite right (look at right hand page). So I got out my white poster paint marker and started making dots around the "mosaic" squares. This just seemed to pop it a bit - and make it look "together" if that makes any sense.

The white molding paste was just a bit "in your face" so I sponged some of the blue and gray paint on top - and I like it much better. Below are my finished pages . . . . . and I have lots of pieces left over to make some cards :)