Stencils Idea 7 with stitching and fabric

Well, Kids, I saved the easiest one for last. All I did was take a Zoe stencil, go around the edges with a Sharpie water-based paint pen, drew a heart on it and colored it in with the same pen. When it was totally dry, I scratched off some of the paint pen by running my fingernail right to left and then top to bottom. Afterward, I wrote, on top of the scratched out paint with another color and sewed that little baby down by zigzagging it down, going around the shape of the heart only, on top of my page which I had previously embellished with fabric scraps, lace and a photo. The words may be a little hard to read at the angle the photo was shot, but they are: P.S. I love you!
If you would like to purchase any of these stencils, you can find them in my daughter Jeane's etsy store by clicking here.
I had a lot of fun playing with our stencils all week and sending out posts. I hope you will have fun playing with our stencils, too.

Stencils Idea 6 with stitching and fabric

This is the inside of the front cover of the journal I have been writing about all week. The bright pink and green are like the lining fabric for the inside of the front cover. Since every good journal needs some great pens, of course a pen pocket comes in real handy. Pen pocket. Pens in journal. Good to go, right? Certainly you could use your stencil pocket for something else, too: images, tape runner, stickers, heart's desire. I think you see where we're headed. : ) Anyway, before I get entirely carried away, after picking out an Abigail stencil in just the size I needed, all I had to do was stamp letters on it with permanent ink and sew it down around the bottom and sides. Done. I only used one row of stitching, but more like I used in other stencil projects earlier this week would be fab, too. And, if you feel like sewing a little ribbon across the top, sticking down some decorative tape, what have you, that's all good.
If you would like to buy any of these stencils, you can get them in my daughter Jeane's etsy shop.

A Girl's Gotta Do What a Girl's Gotta Do, Right?

Apologies for interrupting my seven days of what to do with Jeane's and my stencils, but a girl's gotta do wha... oh, we covered that in the title. There will still be seven days in a row, so no worries, yes, including today, Friends. Go one article below.
Ok, so I tottered over to my mailbox just a short time ago in the late of night, and tucked neatly inside was the newest edition of Haute Handbags. My article and tote, It's Hip to be Square is on p. 132. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best edition ever published for this magazine. Really, really mean it. And I am so pleased to be a part of it. It is scheduled for newsstands April 1.
I have been unable to find the correct cover picture to include on my sidebar, but when I do, I'm gonna be all over it. For now, this photo I took of it will have to suffice. If you look carefully, you will see some of the journals I have been working on to sell when I teach at Art Unraveled this year sitting under the magazine. Fun, fun times ahead!

Stencils Idea 5 with stitching and fabric

I know I have been blogging about the fabric journal my previous posts are in. Today you get to see the cover. Attached to the edge of the cover is a little tab made from a Grace stencil. All I did was outline it in Sharpie water-based paint pen, stamp it with a polka dot stamp and permanent lime green ink, cut it in half and sew it down. Using different sizes of stencils will create very different tabs. I think I want to try using a stencil the same length as my page and have it run down the entire length of the book. These little tabs could be kept clear, spritzed with spray ink, doodled on, whatever makes your heart happy, and used on as many pages as you would like. What fun! If you would like to buy any of these stencils, you can get them in my daughter Jeane's etsy shop.

Stencils Idea 4 with stitching and fabric

This is probably my favorite of all. I started with a Luca stencil and put little dash lines around the edges with a permanent marker. Then I laid the stencil on my fabric page. The fabric page had already been spritzed with liquid watercolor and heat dried, so it was ready to go. After placing the stencil on the fabric, I simply stitched straight lines across it, leaving the loose ends dangling. The lines are now ready to be written on. I didn't do that before the photo because I wanted you to be able to see the detail. The cool part about the lines is that they show through on the other side where they can be written on again. I simply stamped around them with permanent ink, and the page looks very different. My last step was rubbing on some leftover rubons for a little extra embellishment. Although I used a very large stencil, the same effect, of course could be achieved with any size in any place you want a little writing. If you would like to buy any of these stencils, you can get them in my daughter Jeane's etsy shop.

Stencils Idea 3 with stitching and fabric

In case you have never heard of a tip in, it is a page that is tipped in or added after a book is already made, thereby adding one more page to a book. That is pretty much what I did today. If you choose to try this, you can do it before hand to look like it was tipped in later, or you can actually do it as described first. Anyway, first I outlined an Olivia stencil with a permanent marker, then I wrote a message, also using a permanent marker. The paper in the first photo doesn't really belong in the book, but I put it there to make reading it easier. The second photo shows a more accurate representation. Last, I drew on a little heart using a Sharpie water-based paint pen and sewed the stencil page down to an existing fabric page that I had embellished with other stitching, ribbon, a photo, a fabric scrap, and some wide lace which extends beyond the edge of the fabric page as an added decoration when the book is closed. If you are interested in getting any of these stencils, visit my daughter Jeane's etsy shop by clicking here.

Stencils Idea 2 with stitching and fabric

Today you get to see what I did with the Olivia stencil I saved from yesterday without washing it off. After smearing it while still wet, and allowing it to dry, I turned the stencil upside down (inky side down on fabric and clean side up) on one of my book pages and sewed it down with intentionally uneven stitches. First, I sewed with lime green and then I sewed with black. Afterward, I just placed another scrap from the book cover on top of the stencil, cut out a heart from another scrap I had in my scrap stash, and zigzagged around it. If you would like to buy any of these stencils, you can get them in my daughter Jeane's etsy shop.

Stencils Idea 1 with stitching and fabric

Today's idea will go with tomorrow's. All of my samples for the week are now sewn together as pages in a fabric book. The line you see going from top to bottom is stitching to hold the book together. I did all my pages before sewing the book together. Start by placing an Olivia stencil on top of a piece of fabric. Since I was going to be spraying the right side, I placed a piece of heavy paper over the left hand side next. After that, I sprayed all around the stencil with spray ink. I used Adirondack spray. Of course, some of the spray got on the stencil, but I just let it sit and dry rather than washing it off. That turned out to be a good thing. You can see why tomorrow. Carefully lift the stencil so you do not smear the ink. You can allow it to just sit, if you like, until it is dry. I lifted mine, smeared it around on a piece of scrap paper and saved it for the project that will post tomorrow. You can speed up the drying time if you use a blow dryer or heat gun to dry your ink. Next, stitch lines across the space of your fabric that did not receive any ink. These lines can be used to write on. I didn't write on mine before I took the photo, because I was hoping you would see the detail of the lines better. I also sewed between the green lines you see here with the longest stitch possible, then removed the stitching and it sort of looks like primary school paper with the little dots between the lines, I think. Afterward, embellish to your heart's content. I added a piece of twill ribbon on the top, handpainted canvas scraps from my book cover and photo. If you would like to buy any of these stencils, you can get them in my daughter Jeane's etsy shop.

REviSitiNg the StEnciL ProJeCt

Back on March 13, I posted information on "The Stencil Project," as I like to call it, because my daughter Jeane and I are working on it together. Together we have worked up some ideas on what to do with stencils, or masks, whichever word works best for any particular one of our ideas. The set of "Quinn" stencils are shown above, but we have many other styles and mixed packs of minis, too. Jeane has been showing some of the things you can do with our stencils, but next week, it will be my turn. Jeane's blog mostly has examples that revolve around paper. On my blog, we are going to put ideas of what you can do with the same stencils she is using, but the ideas will revolve around fabric and stitching. Starting tomorrow, I will post one idea a day for seven days in a row to show you different ideas of what to do with the stencils. If you would like to purchase any of these stencils, right now we have them all in Jeane's etsy shop, but if we have any left come August, I will be selling them at Art Unraveled the week I will be there teaching there and setting up my table of goods for sale.

The Baby Doubles

So today was play day with Penney. I was experimenting with different color schemes and variations of the Double Doubles I showed last week. These are the baby doubles. There are still three spines, but with two thicker signatures and they are a tad smaller than the original double double. I just couldn't help it. I went to put some things away and all that blue fabric called to me. I had planned to make another black and white since my original is on display at Frenzy Stamper, but blue screamed louder. It's only a matter of time before the next black and white finds its way out of the studio.

And, Call it a wrap!

I have posted several times about a monthly Rolodex card swap I have been participating in. Fourteen months have come to an end, and my Rolodex is full with categories such as metal, black and white only, valentines, Halloween, numbers, alphabet, and many more. I just love the way it turned out. I went back through it last night looking at all the little cards and admiring them and glad that I participated. If any of you fellow Rolodex swappers are reading this, thanks for your contributions to my little art gallery!

The Stencil Project

My daughter, Jeane, and I do a lot of artsy things together which includes planning, what ifs and other talk, not just creating things to keep one another company. This past week was no exception. We have been working together on making sets of stencils in different shapes and sizes that can be used in mixed media work. You can use them to block out areas of your paper or fabric, and color, spray, ink, etc. the area around them to save for art, writing, evidence, or whatever makes your heart happy, using and reusing these over and over again. You can also write or stamp on them and use them as journal decor. She has more samples of our sizes and shapes and what has been done with them on her blog now here and here and is selling them in her etsy store now. Stay tuned to her blog for additional ideas of how to use them. We plan to try them out on fabric next and I will have a supply of our stencils for sale at Art Unraveled this summer, if they aren't all snatched up before then.

The Double Double

Make Mine a Double

What’s more fun than fabric + journals? A Double-Double. It’s time to dust off those machines, Girls! I will be teaching this class on May 1, 2010 at Frenzy Stamper in Scottsdale from 1:30-6:00. You can choose to make a multi color or a black and white fabric cover. You will also pick your own funky envelopes and pages to go inside which will help "make it your own" from the fabric and paper stashes I'll be hauling in to the class. More details should be available at the store soon.
This beauty has three spines, four signatures and is so easy to do, even a beginner could do it. When each double double opens up, it is still all one piece, even though the photos might trick your eyes and make it look like there may be two separate books in each tie. If you can sew an almost straight line, you’re good to go. SEriOuSly. And better yet, all you have to bring is your sewing machine with it’s needles and bobbins and a pair of scissors that can cut fabric ‘cause I will be bringing everything else you need! The ribbon, fabric, thread, paper, tape, secret ingredients, etc. Yes, everything else. If you have no machine, contact me, and we might be able to swing a deal. Everyone in class even gets a little personalized label to sew down on their masterpiece. That’s pretty cool.
After class, you can go home and make more as gifts for those you love and bribes for those who need them.
Optional: If you have a small personal paper cutter to cut paper or a ruler with an edge that you like to use for that torn edge look you may bring either along, but they are absolutely not necessary. Extras just might speed up the paper part.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I'll get back to you.

Oh big surprise!

More than anything I love to play with in the studio, it is journals, I think, so it is no surprise that these two babies are here. It is hard to tell from the photo, but they are smaller than the ones I have been making lately. One has a cover of random scraps on random scraps. This came about when I was practicing playing with my thread and topstiching, and I liked the way it turned out. I am not sure I will ever part with that one.
The other is a rescued mistake. I was making a slipcover for a little binder I have when I realized all the strips of zippers, ribbons, and fabric I was sewing together just weren't tall enough, so plan B kicked into action. You can call it a happy mistake, I guess. I haven't shown the inside of my journals lately, but they all kinda look like these, recycled papers given a new life.

Write about yourself in third person.

Well that is what Jane's prompt said, so she is. You see, Jane is taking four classes at once online, and never stopped to think that, or care that, she would not be able to do all with the same fever at the same time. One of the classes includes 180 prompts to pick from in no particular order, and Jane chose the one to do this blog entry that reads something like this: Write about yourself in third person.
Previously, Jane had read the prompts, saw some videos, printed out some things, and called it a day with that class until yesterday. Jane is on Spring Break now and finally had some extra time on her hands. Jane took the class so she could experiment with a form of art journaling she usually doesn't do, but yesterday, and today, it all came together in a two page spread. That's what you're looking at up there. It may have something to do with Jane and her two brain cells that work together for computer stuff finally realizing there was a section of the online class that had gone untouched, based on an assumption of what that part was but never checking it to see. What was Jane thinking? Aren't all parts of a class important enough to check into, at least? Well, not when you're Jane and you make stupid assumptions.
Maybe next time Jane will follow a collage prompt and a writing prompt at the same time. More likely not. Jane doesn't usually follow all the directions on this sort of thing. Luckily, Kelly, the teacher is used to this and always asks the students to think, "What if?" and Jane takes full liberties with that. If you want to know more about this class, A Life Made by Hand, Kelly's blog has a much better explanation.

Hand Painted Fabric Fun!

In the about 12 years that it has been since I posted last, I haven't really just been sitting and watching TV. I have actually been busy on lots of projects. I just haven't gotten around to blogging about them. So since I have a week off to mess around without the usual worries and busy-ness of the work week, I got a few pictures taken today. These are fabric painted by me. Some began life as plain white fabric. The ones with Barbie pink peeking through began plain pink and the blue ones began life as someone's Hawaii type shirt in blues. None of them were anything I would use alone, so I went to work on them. I have decided that when I find a decent piece of cloth that has colors I find unappealing either for my own stash or my "go to class bins" that I am not throwing it out. I am gonna slap some paint on them, and these are some samples. Some just have different types of paints, and some also have paint pen, gel pen and marker doodles, drawing, and graffiti on them.