Inspiration is a Curious Thing

Most of you know that I am torn between many passions and poetry is one of them.
Imagine my delight when I discovered that Walt Whitman was into paper butterflies.
Here is a picture of the famous poet posing with his paper butterfly and a close-up of the butterfly with the message it carries.   I love to combine words with my art and especially affirmative words.

When I work I have the whole room strewn with all the bits and pieces I never take the time to put away and suddenly my eye will be caught by a very unexpected 'marrying' of two elements that I would never of thought of, unless like in this situation of random chaos, I see them side by side.

It is almost like an intuitive leap of faith which is really what art and discovery is all about.
Please enjoy these pictures of Walt Whiman and one of my affirmation collages.

Using Elements Outside your Theme.

I have been busy with Christmas cards and while making one last night in a Vintage theme I decided I was going to use my new  die-cuts not related to Christmas in the traditional sense but because we live in Hawaii I wondered if a little palm tree would add an exotic touch.    I also wanted to use a little bird and cherry branch so I added some music notes to have him appear  to be singing a Christmas carol.

 

Experiment with your die cuts and  by using silver or Christmas print papers  you will have them fitting into a holiday theme that you didn’t dream possible.

 

 

Tissue Batik using Re-Inkers

I felt like getting inky fingers today and here are the resuts.

It is drying now as I type but I took some progress shots.

This is a simple technique using ordinary tissue paper, a stamp with solid areas, Versamark ink and clear embossing powder and a couple of colors of re-inkers.

You'll also need a flat plastic tray or cookie sheet to protect your work area

once you start with the coloring step.

First up, stamp your image randomly on the tissue paper with Versamark and then sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat. I chose the sun stamp.

Next drop on two colors of re-inkers.  I chose yellow and orchid. You can wait for them to spread or lift the tissue and re-position to absorb color from the plastic underneath.

If you would like a negative effect sandwich the wet sheet between two dry sheets of tissue and run the brayer across. Lift off carefully to sepearate the pieces.

You can now hang your batik up to dry and feel like you are on a beach in Bali.

Have fun playing, and if you like, you can post a link to your results on my Blogspot.

Here is an ATC  Background I made with some of the scraps. 

Fan-Fold Pop-Out Book

http://orientalstampart.wordpress.com/stamp-artist-of-the-month/

Supplies:
Credits.
Papers: The Far East Stack from DCWV
Stamps:  Some Unknown- Wiki C.A.P.S  Asian Dragon Clear Stamp
www.wikicaps.com
All Night Media, Chinese Calligraphy,  All Night Media Chinese  Dragon,  Kodomo Inc, Chinese coin, Great Impressions, #B125
Inks:  Versamark Clear, VersaMagic Cornucopia, Brilliance Pearlescent Beige, Adirondack Dye inks, Cranberry and Caramel, Stampin’ Up Whisper White.

2  sheets- 12X12 matched scrapbooking pages
2 sheets, more of co-ordinating  scrapbook paper.
or you can use matching papers from any source.
Cut as described in steps below.
2 - 5 ½ X  5 ½  pieces book end thickness cardboard (I used packaging scraps)

Book Covers:
Cardboard, as above.
From the matching scrapbooking paper cut:
 2- 6½" square pieces with a  motif or feature for the covers.  I featured dragons from the print for mine.
2X 6" squares plain paper or cardstock for inside covers.
1X 8" square with print on one side and plain on the back side for fan pop-out.

Glue the cardboard onto the  6½" front and back cover pieces,  leaving an even margin around them.  I use Fabritac glue as it gives more room for re-positioning and it dries clear and will not buckle the paper. Trim across the corners (as shown) and fold in the edges.

Cover the inside and hide the edges  with the  6" sq. plainer matching paper or cardstock. Book covers finished.  Set aside for now.

Now the fun part of decorating the fan-fold.

 On the white side of the 8" piece of co-ordinating paper, stamp your theme ( I used dragons, calligraphy and oriental coin stamps) in Versamark ink and emboss with clear powder for the  images you wish to appear as distressed .  Stamp calligraphy and coins in Caramel and Cranberry. You can add more dragons in a white ink, if desired.

For brayering  the background, choose inks that will match your paper as closely as possible.  I chose dye inks Cornucopia, Cranberry and Caramel and gave a final coat of Brilliance Pearlescent Beige. My brayered and stamped piece is on the left and the design paper I matched is on the right.

 Using  the  brayer start with a light yellow and brayer the entire sheet.  Roll off the brayer between colors. Make the final layer a Brilliance Ink for a pearly finish. Let the sheet dry well then fold per folding instruction sheet.

Orient the design so that it appears right side up when the fan unfolds and slit to the center on line indicated.  Fold,  valley, mountain until it forms a small triangle.  Attach front and back covers evenly as per fold sheet.

Embellish with quotes printed on tissue and torn,  or stamped quotes.

Tie yarns around with beads attached and embellish with crimped cardboard, fiber and a brass coin or figure.

I'll look forward to hearing your comments and seeing your creations.  Please post a link to your creations...I would love to see them.

Christmas Card Time

It is always good to get an early start on Christmas cards so
I decided to play with my newest set of nestabilities. (labels Seven) and a Tim Holtz small reindeer
diecut.  This card is a standard A4 quarter folded back on itself and covered with co-ordinating
Christmas print papers.  The front piece is made with the nestabilities matted and set over another, same size label with, a message stamped on it.
I will post a view inside of the card tomorrow after I take a picture.

Bachiko and Pet Butterfly

I am doing a new series of collages inspired by paper folding.
Bachiko and Pet Butterfly. I am told, Bachiko means Happy child in Japanese.

The butterfly is a symbol of all that we cannot hang onto or that is unattainable

in life.

This is the first, and I have given a second one away to a friend without scanning it.

Here is the third in the series. I am really enjoying making these as and sharing them as gifts.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



Moving Window Template

When making cards or ATC's it is sometimes hard to visualize how the paper will appear
behind a solid shape.

Here is when a window template in the exact size of that part of your project,
that you can move across the paper background will show you how it will appear
before you cut it out.

Use the template for the card (print an extra copy so you can cut it open)
to make a window template.  Move it across your chosen background
until you see a pleasing effect.

I use this method with a hollow 2.5" X 3.5: hollow frame when I make ATC's

It really works to isolate a pleasing aspect of the image you have chosen.

The full image.

The waterfall isolated for an ATC Background.

Two for One

Two for One

A large amount of the time we put into a project is finding the perfect color cardstock,
co-ordinating papers, ribbon, brads and message or quote to pull the finished product together.

I need to remind myself of that more often and offer this suggestion.
Whenever possible make two, or more of the same card or ATC,  while you have
all the supplies out.  It makes sense and will save you going hunting
for all the same things if you decide to repeat the project another time.
You then  have one to send and one or more to keep for a future occasion.

Here are the completed cards. I can't get them to load side by side.

Origami Cranes

Here is a fun idea for a birthday card.
It is almost therapeutic folding these cranes.
I use 3 inch squares to attain this size crane.
The card is a standard size 5 1/2" X 4 1/4


I fold these when I am sitting watching TV
and now have quite an assortment I can draw on
 to whip up a nice Birthday card on a moments notice.


Folding instructions are here:

http://monkey.org/~aidan/origami/crane/

Creating a Specific Size Circle

For the last Challenge on OSA,  I needed a circle  3 ¾ “ to mat a 3 ½ “ Washi paper which  I   had cut with the largest of  the small Circle Nestabilities set ( I don't have the large circles, yet )  so I  thought of going on Google for a circle template.  My problem was it needed to be black.

I decided to make my own circle template in my Kaleidoscope program,
Dazzling Reflections.

 

I then opened it in word and re-sized it to 3 ¾” and printed it out.  I wasted less printer ink because the  washi paper layer covered the center that was white.  I cut it out with scissors and found,  I  did have to take a   black re-inker  and a brush and paint the outside of the circle to match the black card stock.    Feel free to use the template I created.

Using Parts of a Stamp

Sometimes if you look at your stamps in a different way you can use

part of them  for a project to alter the style or form, and create a whole
new look.
Most experienced stampers know how to isolate the part of a stamp they want to feature by creating a mask.  This can be a positive or a negative mask.
For my  aqua Oriental screen  I created a faux lacquered look with a Holly Berry House
House- medallion stamp, by making a negative of the arch and stamping inside it with Versamark ink.
I laid my paper on top of the stamp and pressed it all over with my fingers, making sure it didn't shift position,  then  embossed it with fine black powder.  I used a similar method of stamping as seen for stamping the background in this video.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/6010775/how_to_learn_rubber_stamping_techniques_masking/

I then ran it through a mini-crimper.  The result was quite a realistic impression of an oriental screen.  For the front image I used a Marieandme  bamboo- pine- plum- stamp and stamped  only the bamboo in  versamark ink and then stacked it where the top of the bamboo began and stamped again (just the cane) then embossed it in  fine black embossing powder.

http://mariandme.com/Catalog/AsianDesigns/AsianFlora3.html

scroll down to bottom

 Here is the finished screen plus one I made with Best Creations Inc oriental print paper.

The single crane is from a Hero Arts  stamp of multiple cranes.  I inked up one on the end

and stamped it individually.

Paper Crafter’s Optimizing PC Use

1. Using the Search Feature :

Many of us use our computers for saving images and download so many,

  it is sometimes difficult to locate the one we want without a big long
  search for it. 
 The trick is to give it a simple category name when saving it and save it to a sub-folder  in your Crafts folder that has an easily remembered name. 
So if you have a main folder called Papercrafts make a Sub folder eg.,Oriental - save all your images there  in more subfolders eg., Geishas,Cranes, Samurais, Backgrounds. etc

Now if you forget where you saved your Samuaris you can do a Search in the main Paper Crafts Folder.  Search Bar is located on top right of Window. Enter: Samauris
 There, you see your Samurai…now R Click on  the image, then Properties and

look at Location. If it is a long file name use your left arrow  to read across it.
 Now you can go and find the whole folder.
You can locate most any file this way.

 2. Customize Your Screensaver

 You can also make your main screensaver into a slide show of all your papercaft image files.

  Say, you have a folder that you have named Cut-Outs where you save all your vintage photos or collage pretties. If you would like to be reminded of what you have in there:

Go to Contol Panel:

Click on Personalization
Change Screensaver
In the drop down box select Photos
Click Settings
 then Browse
Find the folder you want to show, and click on it.
You can select the theme and speed. (I like the collage effect)
Then  Apply.

Now whenever your screensaver comes on you can be reminded of

 all the images you have saved for collage or cardmaking.
 

3. Side Bar Slideshow

  If you have Vista you can create little slideshows of your craft images.
   Once you have created these they will play on the side of your Desktop and you can be reminded of images you have saved when you see them rotate by.

Control Panel

      Click on Personalization.
      CLICK SideBar
     Add Gadgets to Sidebar
      Slideshow

The small screen will appear in your sidebar.  Now hover the mouse over the top left corner and you will see a little wrench icon. Click on that and from the drop down

 browse and choose a folder and the transition mode.

      Click OK

More info on SideBar Gadgets here:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Windows-Sidebar-and-gadgets-overview

Suzanne Delaney

Don't Foget Your Eyelets

Now I have a cropodile- it is so quick and easy to add the finishing touch of eyelets.
They give your cards that extra pizzaz and you can use them in more places than just the corners.
Here are ten different ways you can use them.

1. Attaching vellum or washi paper.

2. To "hang" things from-
- Charms
- Signs
- Tags

3. Centre of flowers.

4. Corners of picture mats.
5. Attach elements on a card by wrapping wire or fibre ,
    string thread, embroidery floss, raffia, or twine, etc through eyelets

6. Ends of antenna on a butterfly or dragonfly or for dots in the wings.

 7. Making a rotating circle. Do not set as tightly as normal, so the eyelet will pivot.

 8. In the hole of a tag to thread yarn, raffia, or ribbon through.

 9. Centre of a pinwheel, or to attach a tassle to a fan.

10. Stepping stones on a garden layout .

Washi Scraps- Add A Touch of Luxury

Color As You Emboss

Today I used my Tsueniko Splendor Multi-color pigment stamp pad and a two-toned Moon Glow , embossing powder called Angel Wings Peacock, to color an image of a fan from ArtPrints.

http://shop.motherrubber.com/Two-Toned-Embossing-Powder-Angel-Wings-Peacock-Angel-Wings-Peacock-EP.htm

I pressed the entire inkpad onto the stamp without moving it and then stamped onto white cardstock

and embossed it.  The combination of the multi-colored ink and iridescant embossing powder
gave me a delightful rainbow effect. I picked up and enhanced the colors with  cardstock and washi paper layers. The design I followed is  Layout  154 .

Here is the result.