Life Book (LB) week 3 with Joanne Sharpe Lettering

In Life Book week 3 with Joanne Sharpe was fantastic! I love lettering so this was my time to really go with her lesson and try something new with my lettering. I usually just write some words and add a bit to it. The way she taught us here was a whole new experience for me. My own lettering. Instead of the perfectionist lettering I try to do freehand, she taught us to use our own writing. So here it is...

My first attempt at her lesson.

I am not too fond of watercolor. I don't feel very confident with it. I tried her technique but I am such a perfectionist I had to fill in every space with watercolor and try to have the colors blend. So you can see there is no white accept for where the letters are. 

This one I made with my own style of drawing and lettering on a very good water color paper with twinkling h2o watercolors. I never did finish going over the black lines so they are a bit twinkly.

This is my third attempt. Still struggling with the watercolor letting go a bit, but my drawing was getting better. This was lot's of fun so much that I did not want to stop and probably if I had all the time in the world to paint I would have made a hundred of these. I'm certain I will make more. They are addictive.

Chandra

Life Book 2015

 Yes I am doing Life Book this year! 

Here is my warm up exercise given by Tam.

It was fun!

 I added my word for the year Authentic. This year I plan on being my authentic self. Being the true me, honoring me, letting me be me. Letting the real me be seen. Who know's what will arise but I feel it's really me. Creative, passionate, strong embracing my authenticity.

Chandra

International Mixed Media Postcard Swap!

I joined an International Postcard Swap and so I made some Valentines! Here they are...

I was supposed to make 10 but made more they were so fun! I love Love and hearts and paint!

I got some heart punchinella from a friend at the Mixed Media Meetup I hold in the shop. I love it!

I used acrylics, stamps, brail paper ( from another woman in my mixed media group) and cut out magazine hearts. I liked putting the ink on the brail bumps. I had a great time decorating the envelopes as well because Shannon wanted us to protect them rather than send them as a postcard in the mail. I put a cute snail stamp on the other side where the real stamp would have gone. I also had a cute To: stamp that had a mailbox filled with Valentines.

I want to thank Shannon for having this swap! I loved it. I hope those that received them did too!

 Happy Valentines! I love Valentines :) Love,

Chandra

I also love comments! Thanks for stopping by.

Beginnings

Welcome to The Flying Lessons Blog Circle on beginnings. This year has definitely had some beginnings for me! I am so excited to have a wonderful group of Artists coming into the shop for Mixed Media Art. 

Mixed Media Art has blossomed! 

Who knew there were so many Artists out there interested in mixed media? It's interesting because I wanted my business to grow, I wasn't sure how it was going to grow but I knew it was coming.

I knew that my little whispers about making art were a good sign. If you dream it it will come. I wanted to make art. I knew I liked doodling, painting ( but I wasn't sure how to paint) and collage. That's what mixed media art is all of these things and more. There are so many neat techniques out there just waiting to be discovered. It's definitely a new beginning for my creativity to fly! And the shop is filled with wonderful people making creating and having fun! What more could I ask for? 

If your interested in coming to the shop for Mixed Media Art check out my Meetup site. 

The Cozy Craft Corner

My Jewelry making is changing and twisting and growing as well! 

Cheers to beginnings!

Chandra

Hop on over to...Laly Blue

Artist Trading Cards Tutorial

Artist Trading Cards or better known as ATCs have been around for a while. I have only recently discovered them. They are great fun!

 I have made a tutorial for anyone out there wondering what ATCs are and how to make them. Artist Trading Cards are small 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 size cards. On one side you create a masterpiece and on the other you write your information like blog, email, web site, name and date. Grab your supplies and start creating!

Supplies

Card stock 

Scissors

Paper cutter

Glue stick

Pen's

Optional materials depending on what media you use

Paint

Decorative papers

Stamps

Glue gun

Cloth

Felt

Embroidery floss

Pictures

Magazine cutouts

Ribbon

Anything you want to use!

You can make the base card out of anything, card stock is what I use. But you can also use canvas, watercolor paper, an old playing card (covered in paper or gesso). There are even ones that are pre-made for all types of media. I have bought some of the pre- made ones. They are nice if you want to use a specific medium like watercolor, but card stock works fine.

So, let's get to the making. Start with the card stock. Measure out 2 1/2 along one side with a pencil mark, and 3 1/2 along the other side.

Card stock and ruler measuring 2 1/2 inches across.

 The next step is cutting the cards out. Here I use a paper cutter for straight lines. Of course you can use scissors as well but I tend to make crooked cuts so I use the cutter. 

There you have a nice card just the right size.

I like to round the edges with an edge cutter. I have tried cutting the edge myself, needless to say I can't make good edges with scissors. You can leave them square as well. 

Now the fun begins! Get your supplies. Here I have the scraps from another project I was working on they have paint stains. The large paper is for the back side. This is where you can get creative, make backgrounds with paint or paper, collage, whatever you like.

 I use a glue stick because it goes on smooth, doesn't wrinkle the paper and is quick drying. I made a frame with the scraps of paper.

Here I have glued a decorative paper on the back.

Cut the back paper off.

I stamped the back paper with a Made with love stamp. You can use any stamp that has lines or just write your info on the back.

I colored in the stamp with gel pens and added my info.

Now for the front. Here are my examples. In this one I colored inside the frame I made of papers.

Here I had drawn a picture on another paper and cut it up, glued and done!

A different stamp with lines to write in your info.

Here is the stack of the ones I made that day. 

Now it's time to trade them! Find a local group in your area, a mail group or make a group yourself. 

Every Friday at The Cozy Craft Corner from 3:30 to 5:30 we have an Artist Trading Card class and swap. It is so fun! I love making small pieces of art. It's tiny and manageable. We usually end up making about four each class and trade them. 

I have also started a group of women from my Flying Lessons class with Kelly Rae Roberts to do ATC's in the mail. This has been very successful so far and great fun! 

I hope you now have a better understanding about how to make Artist Trading Cards. Enjoy :)

Here are some sites that give you ideas and themes;

Altered Art

Art Junction

Family Fun

Here is an interesting idea Tea Bag ATCs

Here is one that has supplies.

Sky Blue Pink

Here are some books on ATC's

I have this on in my shop Artist Trading Card Workshop

1,000 Artist Trading Cards: Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs

Trading Card Techniques & ATCs

Have a wonderful day,

Chandra

Wire Wrap Bracelet Tutorial

Make your very own wire wrap bracelet with this easy tutorial.

Supplies you will need:

Beautiful Beads

Wire 16 gage (I used aluminum in gold)

Wire 24 gage ( I use BeadSmith gold)

Round nose pliers

Flat nose pliers

WIre cutters

A file (I use an old metal file because it is easy to hold)

1st Step

Cut your 16 gage wire into two pieces for the frame. Depending on the size of the wrist anywhere from 7 to 12 inches. Remembering to measure extra for the swirls and waves.
Cut another two pieces for the clasp. 12 inches for the swirls.

2nd Step 

File down all the edges of the wire so they are smooth.

3rd Step

Making the clasp.

Take the wire you cut for the clasp and bend into a circle. Then using your round nose pliers, curl up the ends into a spiral. Start at the very end pinch the wire and roll in toward the circle. Do this on both sides. 

Then do the same as above for the other side of the clasp. Fold over this clasp's circle to make the hook. I didn't take enough pic's but here is a link to a tutorial of The Garden Gate Clasp, from Art Bead Scene Blog.

4th Step

Bend your frame into waves or spirals. This is where you can get creative. I just waved mine.

Then you wrap 24 gage wire on the end of the two frames. Starting on one side and going along to the other side. Place beads on the 24 gage wire and wrap around the frame wherever you like. 

5th Step

Put the two frame wires into the swirls of your clasp and bend over the top with your round nose pliers.

Connect the clasps on each end this way.

Your done!

Clasp to your wrist.

Enjoy!

Have a happy wire wrapping day!

Chandra

Valentines Day Cards are so fun!

Valentines Day is quickly approaching so we must get on to making them! I have pulled together papers, ribbon, stickers, cards, card stock, envelopes, pens, doilies, heart punch, and fairy pictures for this years Valentines. First I saw this idea to make rings out of chocolate kisses and pipe cleaners. We tried this and it was so hard to wrap the pipe cleaners around the kiss. Eve struggled with it for a minute and said it is too hard. I tired it too and it was very hard after the 10th one or so I got a hang of it. I made them for her class and a huge one for her teacher. She loves chocolate!

So as I got ready to make the cards my daughter had another idea. She is going to teach a Valentine card craft class to all the children but actually it was only me. So she gets out her white board and red pen to write down all the things we are going to do. She had me making Valentines for her friends. She made some too. They had to say happy Valentines Day for the girls and for the boys Have a pumped up Valentines Day.





















Then I made some of my own. It was great fun! To top all this off we had planned to make cupcakes for her schools dance as well. She was excited and made it into a cooking class. She put on her apron and went to work. Mixing the batter. It was a box cake because it was for the school. So easy peasy. She mixed the white cake and after pouring into the heart shaped cups, I squeezed the chocolate filling in the middle. She topped them off with more batter.
After all we turned out to have a great time and came up with some great cards.

Happy Valentines Day!