Pick A Stick Challenge - March 2016

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I hope you are having a wonderful blessed Easter weekend!  He lives!

Yesterday, my Fab4Creates pals and I published our videos of the projects we made in response to our monthly Pick A Stick Challenge.  If you haven't joined us before, be sure to head over to our Facebook Group Page and check it out.  We're having a blast and love seeing everyone's projects each month.

This month the steps seemed even more daunting to me.  For some reason, having to work with pictures, image transfers and photos struck fear in my heart!

I powered through, however, and I'm pretty pleased with my page.

I started out with an old mop up page in my Canson Mixed Media journal.  For my "picture" and image transfer, I took a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper and gave it three coats of matte gel medium.  My understanding is that gloss gel works better, but since I didn't have any, I just used what I had!  Consider it an experiment, especially since I have never done image transfer before.  And honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever do it again.

I loved the effect I got with my Gelatos over the images that had the gel medium on them.  It's so easy to blend the color with a baby wipe.  It didn't work quite as well on the image transfer flower, but again, I count it as a learning experience.

I tried to get extra creative with step ten, which was to print out your own photo and cut it up.  I punched a circle from scrap paper and applied adhesive all over the back.  Then I took the strips of the photo I had cut and created a herringbone pattern with them.  After I attached it to my page, I again used my gelatos to color it.  I now had a funky sun on my page!

I had actually intended to basket weave the strips, but I had so much trouble that I ended up ripping off the strips and starting over with the herringbone pattern.  Nothing like a Plan B to bail you out!

You can see how I interpreted the rest of the steps of our challenge in my video.  And don't forget to check out my other three partners' videos.  You'll find their links in the video description.




Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Tag It Tuesday March 2016 Linky Party

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

It's that time of the month when we link up the altered tags we've made with this month's theme.  For the month of March, we're using the Pantone color "Green Flash" as well as adding a favorite quote or word to your tag.

First of all, two disclaimers from me:  1) As usual, I forgot to take still shots of my process while I was filming my video, and 2) I totally screwed up my quote on this tag.  The actual quote is "The Earth laughs in flowers."  For some reason, the word bloom popped in my head and that's what I used instead.


Here's my process video.  I hope you'll take a look.



I started this tag by collaging some papers onto it.  I then added some Dylusions ink sprays, Color Bloom sprays, and some white acrylic paint applied through my favorite bubbles stencil.  I tried to do some ghost stenciling with the Flower Medley stencil, but the background was just too busy for it to show up.

I took some white paper flowers and colored them with sprays as well.  After cutting off the wire stems, I curled those with my paper bead making tool.  I love doing that.  It adds a fun extra touch to go along with the flowers.

I used my Derwent Inktense Pencils to add shading around the outside edge of the tag, the quote panel, and a few of the paint dots.  I also added Liquitex Glass Bead Gel to the flowers, tendrils, and a couple of edges.  I love that silly stuff!

After I finished filming and the tag was dry, I decided to add a bit of gold and cream baker's twine around the lower portion of the tag.  I also backed it with some green card stock to emphasize the "Green Flash" color we're using this month.

Now it's your turn to link up your tag!  And please be sure to visit the other participating artists and leave them some love as well!



Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!

Tag It Tuesday Theme for March 2016

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

It's time to announce our theme for March's Tag It Tuesday!

As you know, this year I'm focusing more on colors, and in particular, the Spring 2016 Pantone colors.  For the month of March, our color is GREEN FLASH!  Ok, I can't help think of the Green Lantern character when I say that.

Green Flash is a bright, happy green.  It makes me think of spring and all the flowering bulbs that are pushing up through the Earth to make their flowery way into the world.  Too bad we don't have any of those here in South Texas!  Oh well....that's the trade off for not having to deal with snow and ice during the winter months, and I'll definitely take that trade.

In addition to using this color, I'd love to see you throw in a favorite quote or word on your tag.  If you've chosen "one word" for the year, you could use that.

Back in January, we discussed warm colors.  Greens are part of the cool color family. Cool colors include shades of green, blue and purple.  They're called "cool" because they evoke a feeling of water, forests (trees) and night.  They often bring out feelings of relaxation, calm, and reserve.  Designs that use these colors are sometimes thought to be more professional or businesslike.  Unlike warm colors, there is only one primary color (blue) in the cool colors.  Therefore, to get other colors you'll have to mix some red or yellow in.  This then makes green and purple a bit warmer than blue by itself.

So grab your green and get to tag making!  As always, you can use any size or style of tag, and work with any medium you like.  The most important thing is to have FUN!  The link up post will be published on March 15, so you have plenty of time to get creative!

Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves. Happy Crafting!