Stenciled ATCs - Sweet William, Wild Thing, and Happy Cat

I've been making Artist Trading Cards (ATC) since 2009 and was an active member of ATCs for All. I haven't been on the site in two years.  I recently joined a FaceBook group that trades ATCs and signed up for StencilGirl's monthly stencil club.  The point? you might ask is that I never really thought I could use stencils. I mean I'm just learning how to "layer" paint.  Well, I did it, I went and bought me six more stencils and created the following ATCs. Hah, layering isn't so bad.  I really liked how they turned out.  I even picked up my copy of Drawing Lab For Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim and drew the characters for these cards.  As I haven't drawn in over two years it was kind of awkward, but as Carla points out in her book Steven Pressfield states in his book titled The War of Art "There is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist."

Meet Sweet William the frog:

Wild Thing Giraffe:

Finally, Happy Cat:

These are all ATC size, which is 2.5" x 3.5", and created on Bristol paper.  I rolled paint for the background, dabbed paint through stencils, tore vintage book pages, and colored in each image.  I also used stamps, found words in print, and sticker words for the phrases. Lastly, as I always do, I used my ink pads to create a soft border around each one.

My final point is this: Don't be afraid to try something new and uncomfortable. You can't succeed if you never try.

Mini Stenciled Journals

As promised I am posting the video for making what Gwen refers to as "Mini Stenciled Junque Journals".  When I saw her video I had to make some. I love recycling mailers, cereal boxes, etc. so this was right up my alley.  I love her details and am going to have to get some of the metallic paint pens; I tried using Metallic Permanent Markers, but did not get the same effect. I'm not going to bore you with the details on how to make these journals as Gwen does a fantastic job of explaining it.

What I did differently to make them my own:

1. Collaged paper with a Matte Gel Medium.
2. Used six strands of Embroidery Floss to hold the pages in place and to secure the journal closed with the button.
3. The Blue Journal has lots of dots. I used a White Sharpie Paint Pen and the end of a paint brush to make all of those dots.
4. I used large buttons instead of twine.  I poked two holes and secured the buttons with the embroidery floss.  The blue journal button securing was a little more involved as the button has a loop and not holes.

The stencils used are unique to the Monthly StencilGirl Club members, so you can't purchase them unless you are a member. However, that doesn't mean you can't use some of the awesome stencils they have at StencilGirl Products.

Her video is here:

Gwen's Gems: Mini Stenciled Junque Journals (I changed the link to go where the actual video is located. Sorry for any confusion.)

Red Mini Journal

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Bristol Paper
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Button
White Gesso
Gold Metallic Permanent Marker

StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Green Mini Journal

I stamped the two Rubbermoon stamps directly on with embossing ink and used Gold embossing ink.

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Button
Acrylic Paints
Gold Metallic Permanent Marker
Gold Embossing Powder
Rubbermoon 7-Petal Flower Stamp
Rubbermoon Stampstracts - Petal Pusher Stamp
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 9"x12" Stencil
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Blue Mini Journal

I stamped the "Beautiful Mistakes" sentiment after using Tim Holtz's Distressed Inks on a piece of Bristol Paper. Then I used an embossing ink pad around the edges and added Silver Embossing Ink.

Supplies Used:

Postal Mailer
Oriental Rice Paper (Four different types and patterns)
Gel Medium Matte
Embroidery Thread
Large Silver Button
Acrylic Paints
Silver Metallic Permanent Marker
Silver Embossing Powder
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink - Black Soot
Tim Holtz Distressed Ink - Broken China
White Sharpie Paint Pen
Rubbermoon Moonmail Exclusive "Scattered Stars" Stamp
Rubbermoon Mindy Lacefield's Beautiful Mistakes Stamp
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 6"x6" Stencil
StencilGirl October 2016 StencilClub 4"x4" Stencil

Happy Halloween Cards

I forgot how much fun making handmade cards was until I joined an online group that sends cards for Random Acts of Mail, or I like to say Random Acts of Kindness.  I used Tim Holtz Distressed Mini Ink Pads Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade for the background layering one over the other. I really like the effect these inks have on paper.  I stamped "Happy Halloween" in orange and randomly outlined it with my Black Micron Pen.  Next I used my Rubbermoon Exclusive stars stamp and stamped each background in the center. The pumpkins are stamped on white Bristol paper and painted in with acrylic ink and a white gel pen.  These are Halloween stamps I picked up from Michael's in their dollar section a few years back.  I used 3D circles for mounting the pumpkins on the background.  I cut out some Halloween colored paper and adhered the main image to the paper. I bought some Halloween colored ribbons and self adhesive gems to add some classy touches to each card.

One of these cards has already gone out to a special lady, but I'm not saying who or which one.

Supplies:

3.75" x 4" Bristol Paper
4.125" x 4.25" Halloween Scrapbook Paper
4.25" x 5" Card and Envelope

Rubbermoon Exclusive Stars Stamp
"Happy Halloween" Stamp
Various Pumpkin Stamps
Black Archival Pigment Ink Pad
Black Micron Pen
Tim Holtz Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade Distressed Ink
Halloween Colored Ribbon
Gold Self Adhesive Gems
3D Circles

"Boo to You" Halloween Card

This is a Halloween card I made for my mom.  Every year she always sends everyone a card; every season.  I'm not good at this kind of thing, but this year I'm making her homemade cards for the holidays with my new found love for stamping and making cards.

I started out with Bristol paper for the main page and used Tim Holtz Distressed Inks for the Background colors; Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade.  I then used the "Boo to You" stamp, which I bought from Michael's like umpteen million years ago, for the greeting. Really you can use any saying or sentiment you'd like. The main stamp comes from Rubbermoon and it is the Scary Neighbors stamp. 

Next is very important because I learned a lesson here.  I used an archival pigment ink and applied heat to dry it faster, then I took my VersaMarker and ran over the windows. My intention was to just emboss the openings in Gold embossing powder.  Guess what? When I poured the embossing powder over the stamped area it took it, so the entire Scary Neighbors stamp had to be embossed.  No worries though; I used a 3D Yellow Gel Pen for the openings and everything worked out fine.

I adhered the main image page to a piece of black cardstock and stuck that to the white card.  Finally, I cut strips from some Halloween paper I have left from the years of scrapbooking and glued that down to each side, trimming the excess off when I was finished.  The last element I added by drawing them in was the bats and the ghost.

Supplies:
3.75" x 4" Bristol Paper
4.125" x 4.25" Black Cardstock
4.25" x 5" Card and Envelope

Scary Neighbors Stamp
"Boo to You" Stamp
Black Archival Pigment Ink Pad
Gold Embossing Powder
3D Yellow Gel Pen
Black Micron Pen
Tim Holtz Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade Distressed Ink
Halloween paper

My Cousin; My Friend

I made this card for my cousin that lost her daughter to cancer this year. Brenna was an amazing artist and wonderfully bright person. She was taken at a young adult age,  but she lived and loved without measure. My cousin is like a  sister to me and I just wanted her to know how special she is to me.

I used Bristol paper and stamped the "friendship" image on it.  I colored it in with acrylic paint and embossed the tiny dots and the purple ribbons.

I outlined the image in 3D gel pen and used washi tape to accent the actual card.  It's simple,  but my cousin is a simple person, so I think she will like it.

Art Display Walls

How do you display your mail art goodies?  I use this cork board on the wall in my craft room and frames.

Made for You

I received some awesome stamps in my September/October Rubbermoon Moonmail package and I love them. Yesterday I sat down with my goodies and made this picture. I'm not sure what I will do with it yet. Maybe a card,  maybe something special for someone.  I've never used laser cut images before,  so this was a real treat from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.

I washed the watercolor paper and then painted it rainbow colors. Then I stamped the background with the special moonmail stamps and colored in with permanent markers.  I used a silver permanent marker for the brush and paint lids.  I accented with a white gel pen.  For the square, I rolled white acrylic paint over it and then splattered the square with red acrylic paint using a toothbrush.  Then I outlined the square in black permanent marker and added white dots.  I colored the laser cut images with acrylic paint and used a q-tip to dab on rainbow colors of acrylic paint to give it that "pallete being used look".  Once everything was done I adhered the laser cuts to the square, the square to the background, and then finally put it all on a yellow piece of cardstock.  I used my corner rounding punch to give the corners that rounded look.

Supplies:
September/October Rubbermoon Stamps of the Month

2" Precision Cut Matboard Squares
Yellow Card Stock
Watercolor Paper
Watercolors
Acrylic Paint (White and Red)
Permanent ink
White gel pen
Tootbrush
Gypsy Soul Laser Pallete and Paintbrush Cutout

October 2016 Calendar Picture

I think it was sometime in November or December I received a blank calendar to fill with my own pictures. Well,  it's September and I only have two more months to fill before my calendar is complete.

This is the one I did tonight for October and I really think it turned out cute. I used watercolor paper and painted the background with Peerless Water Colors,  Tim Holz Distressed Ink,  and his new Distressed Crayons. The black paper in the corners came in my August Moonmail package; it was an iridescent color, but I painted with black acrylic paint. The ghost stamp is from Rubbermoon.Com.  The Halloween stickers are leftovers from my scrapbooking days.

Supplies:

4.5 x 3.5 Watercolor Paper
Ghoul Friends and Happy Halloween stamps
Peerless Watercolors
Distress ink
Permanent marker

Distress crayon
Halloween Stickers
Doily like circle paper

Mermaid Beauty

I received this 3x3 square from inchiearts.com in my monthly Moonmail package. I usually don't use them because I'm never really sure what to do with them. So,  I layered some paint,  used distress ink,  and colored pencils to create this "Mermaid Beauty". I've had the mermaid stamp forever and finally had the opportunity to use it.

Supplies:

3x3 chip board
Mermaid and seaweed stamps
Acrylic paint
Distress ink
Permanent ink
Prismacolor pencils
3D gel pen
White gel pen

Bringing the Sunshine

The temperatures have been mild for this time of year where I live, but the sunshine is voluminous.  In honor of the heat and sunshine I started this picture yesterday using some of the stamps I purchased at Hobby Lobby and RubberMoon.  I started out with a face stamp I purchased years ago and have never used.  After this project I realized why I never used it; it is the ugliest stamp EVER. I ended up cutting a circle out of some pretty scrapbooking paper I had and am totally in love with the picture now.

Here is the before and after pictures:

Before

After

I used my puffy 3-D gel and Sharpie White pens for accents.  I would not recommend the White Sharpie pen, as if you push a little too hard the ink comes out in a big blob and is super hard to clean up.  I used a baby wipe to get most of it off, but it still left a hint of the ink.

Supplies:

-Triangle and Stampstracts stamps from RubberMoon.

-Flowers and grass stamps from Hobby Lobby.

-Acrylic paints

-3-D Gel Pens

-White Sharpie Pen

-Scrapbooking paper

I'm going to be adding a sentiment; I just haven't finalized which stamp I will be using.

Collaged Oriental & Fairy Boxes

So, I ordered coffee "samples" from a company called Intelligent Blends for our Keurig and they came in these really sturdy boxes.  I really like the boxes and decided they needed to be upcycled.  I have a ton of art/craft supplies and, so, I proceeded to start figuring out how to collage each box.  The first one has an Oriental feel and I love it.  I was going to give it as a gift and then decided I wanted to use it to store craft supplies. I am now using it to store the little containers of buttons, sequins, and gems.

Oriental Box

Supplies used:

-One Intelligent Blends sample box

-Various types of Oriental Inspired Rice Paper

-Modge Podge

-Acrylic Paints

-White pen

-Cherry Blossom, Geisha Girl, and Stampstracts Stamps

-Sequins

-Metallic Seed Beads

-Oriental Face Bead

-Glass Bead

-Macrame Twine

Steps:

1. Tear paper into various sizes paying attention to color themes.

2. Open box and start collaging paper with Modge Podge to main flap, top of box, back of box, and sides of box.  I chose not to collage the bottom of the box, but that is really preference.

3. Stamp images, paint with acrylic paints, add accents with white pen, cut out each image, and adhere to box with Modge Podge.

4. Paint tops of sides with Acrylic paint or when collaging the side just go up over the top where it's thin.

5. Add sequins and seed beads.

6. Create closure with macrame twine and beads.

Fairy Box

Supplies used:

-One Intelligent Blends sample box

-Various types of Fairy inspired papers

-Modge Podge

-Acrylic Paints

-Fairy and Butterfly Stamps

-Sequins

-Glitter

-Felt Flowers

-Ribbon

-Buttons

-Ribbon Flowers

Steps:

1. Tear paper into various sizes paying attention to color themes.

2. Open box and start collaging paper with Modge Podge to main flap, top of box, back of box, and sides of box.  I chose not to collage the bottom of the box, but that is really your preference.

3. Stamp images, paint with acrylic paints, cut out each image, and adhere to box with Modge Podge.  For the Fairy and butterflies I used Modge Podge and sprinkled each one with a different glitter.

4. Paint tops of sides with Acrylic paint or when collaging the side just go up over the top where it's thin.

5. Add sequins, felt flowers, ribbon, buttons, ribbon flowers, etc.

6. I cut out the word "FAIRY" from some alphabet paper someone sent me and then rub ink over each letter.

I don't think I'm missing anything, but remember the possibilities are endless.