Do You Zentangle??

I love Zentangle - every time I see it somewhere I am totally enthralled with the 3D look you can achieve with lines, shapes, and a 01 Micron black pen!   Up until recently - I had only tried it once - back in 2010 I did one for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers seen here.

Fast forward to January 2016 when the Wanderlust classes started (see my side bar for link) - and before the actual classes started - they posted a wonderful video by Beckah Krahula called Zentangle 101.  

Each design shape is called a 'tangle' and Beckah showed us several that I have used on my Zentangles.  Tipple - the circles on the bottom area, Hallibaugh - the stick shapes above the Tipple, A Maze Meandering Line on the left above the Hallibaugh, Printemps Closed Coil to the right of the maze, Knights Bridge that looks like a checkerboard and Flux Tangle that looks like a leaf stem.  I filled the area in between the tangles either with solid black or with tiny circles.  

I made this first one during my lunch hour at work - and I can't tell you how excited I was when I was done -  it has so much dimension IRL - the photo flattens it a bit in comparison -  I hope you can feel the 3D of it a little bit.

There are hundreds of Tangles - but since I'm a newbie - I just used the ones Beckah taught us!  Here are two more that I made last night sitting in front of TV.  You start by drawing the outside shape with a pencil.  Then you just start filling in the space.  I don't really have a plan when I start, I just start drawing Tangles!

 For my third Zentangle - I drew a square frame to start.  When you have filled your shape with Tangles you then shade the designs with a pencil and blend the pencil lines with a paper blending stub. 

I'm going to layer these to black cardstock - and will look for some pretty frames to put them in.

 Happy weekend everyone!  It's a long one for me - we have Martin Luther King day off on Monday!

Supplies:  
3 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of a Fabriano paper  (you can use any kind of paper you want - some are just better to draw on - so try out what you have. The official Zentangle paper is Tiepolo by Fabriano a 240 lb printing paper ,  I had some Fabriano blank notecards in my stash - so I cut that to size and used that)
01 Black Micron Pen
Pencil
paper Blending Stub

Merry Monday - Is it still Christmas?

Well, not really -   Epiphany has come and gone - the Wisemen have returned to their own countries - and we move into dark winter - but the Merry Monday Challenges happen every Monday and they keep me on track for having all my cards ready before next December!  

The challenge this week is white on white with neutrals.

And here is my card.

The holly is die cut with Spruce and Sprigs, the Christmas is from Christmas Cheer die set and the MERRY is from Christmas Cheer Stamp set - all from PTI.  I pressed lines into the holly and berries to give them more depth

I used Classic Kraft ink for the sentiment.  I used linen cardstock in both Fresh Snow and Vintage Cream.

When I die cut the pieces out of the Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock for my first card - it left an interesting negative panel which inspired me to make this next card.  

I die cut the holly, berries and sentiment in a carefully placed layout out of the white linen and layered it over a piece Gold Foil Cardstock from DCWV using lots of foam dots to keep the panel up off the gold.  

Simple but elegant!

There's just one more day for this week's Make it Monday challenge -  but there will be another one on Monday!

Stamps:  Spruce and Sprigs - PTI
Paper:  White, Linen Cardstock Fresh Snow and Vintage Cream - PTI, Gold Foiled Cardstock - Die Cuts with a View Cardstock Stack.
Ink:  Classic Kraft - PTI
Accessories:  Dies - Spruce and Sprigs, Christmas Cheer - PTI, foam dots.

Fusion Challenge - January 7, 2016 - 2nd Year Celebration!

Welcome to the 1st Fusion of the New Year - and we are excited to be celebrating the Fusion Challenge's 2nd Year!  We have a lovely party table photo to inspire you as well as a great little sketch! 

You know the deal - you can be inspired by one or the other - OR do a Fusion and use both!

To help celebrate Fusion's 2nd year - each Design Team member has invited a friend along to be a Guest Designer this month!  How fun is that?!!! 

 

I invited my friend, the very talented and creative, Loll Thompson, to be my Guest Designer - thank you SO MUCH Loll for joining  us for our celebration!
This is her beautiful creation:

 

I created a FUSION card this month - being inspired by the colors, the flowers and chevron pattern from the photo - and using the sketch for my design.   I really didn't have to work at the sketch - the fun dies from You've Been Framed- Oval from PTI were the perfect match don't you think??!!  I also used the coordinating stamp set. 

I die cut the white framing and background panel out of Linen Cardstock - Fresh Snow - so there is a subtle texture to it IRL.  Then I layered it to a Hibiscus Burst panel and finally to a white cardstock base.

I die cut the oval part of the die from a chevron patterned paper from Sn@p/Simple Stories and adhered it inside the oval cut out.  I stamped the little flower spray with Simply Chartreuse and Hibiscus Burst inks and layered it over the oval with foam dots.  To finish it I simply added a rhinestone to the center of the blossom for a little bling!

We hope you will join with us in celebrating Fusion's 2nd Year by linking up your inspired card! 

 

Favorites: Will be chosen by all of our teammates in two weeks! We each will choose one favourite! The winners will be announced at 4am (PST) in two weeks!! Please check the linky for the days left to play with us!

 

 You will find all of the Design Team AND Guest Design Team creations over at the Fusion Blog!

Thanks so much for dropping by today!

Stamps:  You've Been Framed - Oval - Papertrey Ink
Paper:  Linen Card Stock/Fresh Snow, White, Hibiscus Burst - PTI, Chevron DP - Sn@p Simple Stories.
Ink:  True Black, Simply Chartreuse, Hibiscus Burst - PTI
Accessories:  Dies - You've Been Framed - Oval - PTI, foam dots, rhinestone- Kaiser, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

Wanderlust Book - One Word - Creative

A few months ago I signed up for a wonderful year long on-line set of mixed media classes called Wanderlust (see link also on my sidebar).  I have been anxiously awaiting the first class.

And they just started on New Year's Day!   It is based in England, Kasia and Jamie are the fearless leaders.  There is a 1 hour class each Friday through December 9, 2016 and there are 26 different teachers.  They also run fun optional challenges besides the weekly classes - and one of them is to make a Wanderlust Journal over the next year-  every 1st and 3rd Saturday Kasia will post a word or a thought or perhaps colors etc - to inspire us to create that days Journal page.

The first Wanderlust Book challenge is to make a page based on one word that describes me today.

I chose the word CREATIVE.

 Close up of left page - I added die cut brushes from MFT (more details below), sponged around the negative of a Dina Wakley stencil (Mini Casey and Penelopy) and stenciled words from Dina Wakley Affirmations Stencil on the side.  The stamp in the bottom left corner says "It's good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end."

Close up of right page - there's my little word - Creative (a Chit Chat Sticker) - on the bristles of the brush!  The face is a Dina Wekley Stencil/Moon Faces and more words sponging over Affirmations Stencil.  I randomly stamped little portions of Tim Holtz Ledger Script on both pages in black ink. As a final step - I sponged randomly  with Ground Espresso Ink and splattered white acrylic paint over both pages

I have a few photos of my process.  First I squeezed 3 colors of Acrylic Paint onto the pages - I used Dina Wakley Tangerine, Yellow and Sky.  I used a paintbrush to spread the colors to cover most of the pages (I don't like to go right to the edge the way many people do on their journal pages).  Then I added a darker color,Umber, with my finger.

Kasia suggested adding some dimension with die cuts or some form of embellishment.  I die cut these MFT paintbrushes out of Grunge Paper.  I rubbed Wendy Vecchi Black Embossing Paste over the handles, WV Silver Embossing Paste over the metal part and painted the bristles the colors I used on my pages.

I adhered the brushes to my pages and then sprayed Dylusions White Linen Ink Spray in spots and let it drip down the page -  not real happy with how it dripped - so I sponged lightly over most of it later with Ground Espresso Distress ink.  I can see I need to practice my 'dripping' technique!

I have only ever made a few journal pages - so there is a big learning curve for me - which is one reason I signed up for these classes!   I'm pretty happy with how this came out today and look forward to the next 'page prompt' for our Wanderlust Book in two weeks!

Stamps:  Classics #16 and Ledger Script - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  8"x8" Dylusions Journal/Ranger, Grunge Paper
Ink:  Archival Jet Black, Ranger Distress Ground Espresso
Accessories:  Dina Wakley Acrylic paints - Tangerine, Lemon, Sky, Umber; Paint Brush Dies - My Favorite Things (retired), Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste - Black and Silver; Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, Dylusions White Linen Ink Spray, White Acrylic Paint, Ranger Splatter Brush, Stabilo Black Pencil, Idea-ology Chit Chat Stickers, Dina Wakley Stencils - Mini Casey and  Penelope, Affirmations and Moon Faces. 

Mixed Media Card Challenge - Jan 2016 - Beginnings

If you're looking for my A Vintage Journey post - please scroll down or click here. 
 
Happy 2016 everyone!   Along with the New Year - we are also welcoming the first of the New Year challenge over at Mixed Media Card Challenge! For the month of January,  Shery's theme is Beginnings - with the optional use of sequins.

I interpreted the Beginnings theme as a new life - and made a sweet baby boy card that I will be needing to mail out towards the end of this month.

 I stamped the white card base with a retired grid stamp in Kraft ink.  I used Tim Holtz Marbled Stains technique on the blue panel from Page 46 in his Compendium of Curiosities Vol II book.  I started with a piece of Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper (matte coated cardstock).  I brushed some Ranger Distress Picket Fence Paint on my craft made.  Then I sprayed 3 Distress Stains around the edges of the paint - I used Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Scattered Straw.  Then I dragged the panel through the mix until it was covered.  I dried it a little with my heat tool, and then spritzed it with water to marble it.  After it was dry, I laid a star stencil over the panel and spread white embossing paste over portions of it.

After the embossing paste was dry - I cut out the circle using a Stitched Mat Circle die from L'il Inker Designs.  I adhered the panel over the card base with foam dots.   And I added the optional sequins onto my card using Shaker Mix Vanilla Frost from Waltzingmouse.  Here you can see the marbled look a little better.

I die cut the deer using Wee Folk dies from the Mini Market Kit by PTI and stamped it with the coordinating stamp in Kraft Ink.  I layered it inside the circle with foam dots and stamped the sentiment, also from Wee Folk, directly on the card base.

So please join us for our first challenge of 2016 - what does Beginnings mean to you??  A new year, a new life, a new boyfriend, a new job??!  

You'll find more inspiration from the fabulous design team as well as challenge details and link  - here.

Stamps:  Wee Folk Mini Market Kit - PTI, Distressed Grid Background Stamp - Cornish Heritage Farms (retired)
Paper:  White - PTI, Specialty Stamping Paper - Ranger
Ink:  Classic Kraft, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Ranger Distress Picket Fence Paint, Ranger Distress Stains Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Scattered Straw, Stitched Mat Circle Die - Lil'Inker Designs, Sequins Shaker Mix Vanilla Frost - Waltzingmouse, water spritzer - Ranger, foam dots, Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste, Star Gazzer Stencil - MFT, heat tool.

A Vintage Journey - January 2016 Challenge - Vintage Travel and Luggage

To see my Mixed Media Card Challenge post - please click here. 

Happy New Year everyone!  

(posting in the US - I'm a little early for our new year - but in Great Britain where AVJ lives - the new year has just arrived as this posts!)  

Today we are also celebrating the first challenge of 2016 at A Vintage Journey.  Brenda is our hostess this month and her challenge to us is Vintage Travel and Luggage.  Here is her description of the challenge:  "Let your imagination carry you back to the bygone eras setting off on an exciting journey for the New Year.  Keeping it in Tim's Style, we would love to see what item of luggage or mode of transport you would use on your journey, eg - think hand luggage, travel trunks, hat boxes,hot air balloons, ships and trains."

Well, there must be something in that description that tickles your creative fancy!!??!!

I decided to make a carry-on satchel to take on my vintage travels. A lady always needs certain things with her at all times right?  Her journal, gloves, embroidered handkerchief, perhaps some cash for tipping, a little blush for the cheeks, some white gloves for the evening meal and a good romance novel to pass the time?!  

 I made my satchel using two of Tim's Eclectic Elements Fabrics - the world map and bottle caps.  It is completely reversible -  there are 6 pockets on one of the sides  - below shows the pockets on the inside of the bag.  Plenty of places to put things - in the pockets or just inside the bag.   The finished bag is 17" high x 14" wide 5" deep and the handles are long enough to use as a shoulder bag.

(The pattern is actually supposed to be a baby bag so you could put bottles, wipes, diapers in the pockets, here is a link to the pattern - I bought mine at Joanns)

You can choose to have the pockets on the inside or the outside - depending on what you are using the bag for!

Here's how the pocket panel looks without anything inside them.  There are 3 pockets on front and 3 on the back.

Here are the pieces all cut out and partially sewn together.  I added a fusible interfacing so the cotton fabric would be a little more sturdy.

The two sides finished - before being sewn together.

I also made a luggage tag for my satchel using Eileen Hulls Sizzix die. I used Tim's Marbled Stain technique to color it.  It can be found on Page 46 of Compendium of Curiosities Vol II.   First I spread some Picket Fence Distress Paint onto my craft mat, then I sprayed Distress Stains around the edges of the paint (I used Iced Spruce, Ground Espresso and Tea Dye).   I dragged my die cut luggage tag through it all.  I dried the tag a little bit with my heat tool - then spritzed it with water to marble it.  I wanted a weathered leather look and I love how this came out.  I sponged the edges a little with Iced Spruce Distress Ink.

I added a Pocket Card inside the window of the luggage tag that I  decorated with Chit Chat Stickers and some Remnant Rubs.  I drew around the Chit Chat Stickers with a black Stabilo pencil and rubbed over the lines with a damp finer to smudge. I hung the tag around the satchel handle with a keychain.

I thought I might want to be able to close the bag - so I bought a toggle button on some cord.  The cord wasn't long enough so I substituted some cord I had in my stash and hand sewed the loop and the toggle button to the bag, front and back.  It's not a super secure closing - but it keeps the bag from sagging open!  I added a Philosophy Tag with a Jump Ring below the button.

So now I just need to plan a lovely journey so I can bring my travel satchel along with me!  It's waiting patiently on my doorknob  - ready to go!  

(in the meantime -  I could use it to store some craft supplies! OR as the bag I commute back and forth to work with!)

A Vintage Journey is very fortunate to have Country View Crafts sponsor us every month and they offer one random.org winner a £20 voucher to spend online. Susan does not charge for UK postage, however, international charges may apply.

In addition to the randomly chosen winner, the Creative Guides will choose three pin worthy projects created by our fellow travelers......i.e YOU...... with the chance to be a Guest Creative Guide on a special post over at A Vintage Journey!  So get creating for this fun Vintage Travel and Luggage Challenge and link up your project here!

Ink:  Ranger Distress Iced Spruce
Paper:  Little Sizzles White Matboard - Sizzix
Accessories:  Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Fabrics, Ranger Distress Picket Fence Paint, Ranger Distress Spray Stains - Iced Spruce, Tea Dye, Ground Espresso, Double Duty Bag Pattern - www.sewbaby.com, fusible interfacing,  sewing machine, Luggage Tag Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Idea-ology Remnant Rubs Words and Special Delivery, Pocket Cards, Philosophy Tag, Jump Ring, Chit Chat Stickers. key chain - Tandy Leather.

 

You're the Best

I'm home on vacation this week - but it's a stay-cation since Kent is still recovering from his hip replacement.  He's improving every day - we've been able to take some great 50 minute walks down our local bike path.

So I've been using the time to get ahead on several of my DT obligations - but today I wanted to play along in the Color Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.

These are the colors Karen asked us to use today with the option of also doing some embossing on your card:

And here is my card.

The trophy and ribbon are Alterations Die set from Alterations/Sizzix. All the pieces are popped up on foam dots.

I added two strips of Washi tape to ground the trophy over dotted DP. I stamped the sentiment from Lawn Fawn (free with an order!) right onto the DP.

We had snow today for the first time this winter!  We got about 2" but then it turned to rain - so now it is freezing slush as the sun goes down!

I'll be back at 7 pm Thursday night (Eastern time) with my January A Vintage Journey project - and on New Year's Day with my Mixed Media Card project -  Hope you can stop by!

Stamps:  Sentiment - Lawn Fawn, stars - Scene It/Celebration - PTI
Paper: Indigo Island, Pear Pizzaz - SU, Blueberry Sky - PTI, DP BoBunny Almond Dot
Ink: True Black - PTI, Versamark
Accessories: Die - Mini Trophy Prize Ribbon/Sizzix Alterations, silver embossing powder, washi tape, foam dots