Creating Process for Shaped HMPC’s

 

I am hosting a monthly Shaped Handmade Postcard swap and thought I would share how I create them.  These would also be fun to send as a RAK to brighten someone's day.

Process

u   Cut out several book pages or scrap papers 5x7 (or larger).

Draw shape onto one of the sheets, keeping it as true to the dimensions as possible. I am working with 5x7.

Cut out the shape.

You can proceed one of two ways:

• Glue the cut out shape to watercolor paper/cardboard.  I used a glue stick and a brayer to adhere the cutout.
• OR: Trace the cutout onto the watercolor paper and cut out the shape.

Get creative and use whatever means you want to color and embellish.

Note: I stipulated that for this swap that the shape doesn’t have to reflect the theme/design of the PC. i.e.: you do not have to portray a house on the house shape.

The Heart 

 Drew heart on 5x7 watercolor paper

 Adding paint.

 Mixing silver metallic paint with glass gel medium

 Haphazardly covering the heart with the glass bead gel, allowing the paint to peek through.  Allow to dry.

Embellishing.  

Note: I use Beacon's 3-IN-1 or Mixed Media glue then roll over with a brayer to ensure embellishments are tightly glued down for mailing.

If you have any suggestions please leave a comment below.

Get up. Get Dressed. Paint.: Faltering with a new technique

Starting with a leftover paint painted & inked splotched page

I stumbled upon THIS art journal tutorial via Roben-Maria Smith's blog.  My interest was peaked as I watched artist Karen Gaunt use a palette knife to create the background.  I really wanted to try it!

Right away there was a problem as I couldn’t get an even layer of gesso on the page with the palette knife. Switching to a catalyst blade, what I’m used to, got the job done.

I went back to using the palette knife to spread the paint.  I simply did not like how it felt in my hand, gave up and went back to the catalyst blade.

I ran into a snag when she pulled out the Art Pops stickers as I don't have these.  A bit of a panic set in but then the idea of cutting up some painted deli paper would work (a technique I learned from watching Rae Missigman's videos).

I traced around a cardboard cylinder for the circles

Adding some of the same paint used in the journal background then making marks using
POSCA paint pens, these circles blend in nicely

I did not have the same Distressed Alphabet Rubber Stamps so I used these (know idea of the brand)

Beautiful messy aftermath!  In the right corner you can see the postcard I was creating at the same time.

Finished Journal Page

I altered the word from chance to change as I continue with the 52 Small Changes Challenge

HMPC for August.  As I pondered the word my partner needed , Spirit whispered, "DREAM".

What I learned

• While I prefer to use the artist's products (it helps support them)  I simply can't buy everything nor do I have the room for it.  There is nothing wrong with using what you have to recreate the page.
• On the postcard I did not paint enough black and the M was left hanging there.  I bugged me so I used a tiny brush to fill in around the M with black paint

Before

After

• In the lower right hand corner I had gessoed this black spot and hated it.  Using the same background paints I covered it up.

Before

After

While using the palette knife did not work out for me, I learned a new background technique.   I encourage you to watch the video and give it a try then let me know how it works out for you.

Transforming a decorative napkin into art.

There are so many fun projects using decorative napkins..  I use them in my art journals, tearing images from them to add color and interest.  I often use them for backgrounds, especially when creating handmade postcards.  Transforming this:

Into this:

5x7 watercolor paper base

Using stamped ink and embossing to add layers and texture

This HMPC is for a swap requiring a book page be used somewhere on the PC.  I used it for the flower and as a layer under the photo (from the Simplicity Desk Calendar).  This is the flower before I painted it.

Ready for mailing.  Hope my partner enjoys it!

Today I am joining in at Microblog Mondays and Mixed Media Monthly Challenge: Altered Embellishments.

Get up. Get dressed. Paint. : The power of green

Desk full of wondrous shades of green.

Sometimes a color comes to you and stays for while. For the past year or so I've been attracted to all things green and this week I'm noticing it seems to have taken over. 

According to Empowered by Color:  "The color green relates to balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating equilibrium between the head and the heart.
From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being. This is why there is so much of this relaxing color on the earth, and why we need to keep it that way." 

Listen to My Heart art journal

This quote came up on the Seize the Day desk calendar reminding me to stop dwelling on why I continue to be stuck and not making any forward movement.  Instead, use this time for renewal, getting my head and heart synchronized.

Earlier this week I created this handmade postcard for a swap:

Joining in with Mixed Media Monthly

What color do you notice being attracted to lately? Click over to Empowered by Color and see what it might be trying to tell you then share what you find out.

What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday:

The hearts with the glass bead gel took on quite a transformation since last week  They have been painted, glued and outlined with a distress marker. The distress paints are waiting to put away as are the butterfly stamps and Sakura souffle pen.  The Distress Oxide in wilted violet is just visible (absolutely LOVE it). The wrapped almond fudge biscotti has been sitting there for several weeks now.  When I brought it upstairs I must have thought I would find time to munch on it without putting any thought into the fact that it's rather difficult to eat when my fingers have paint all over them!

This spread in my Listen to Your Heart art journal was tedious and pushed my patience but I love how it turned out. For a closer look click HERE.

The next day I took another desk shot as I thought you would all get a chuckle at how I have to work around Allistair.  I use that phone book as a glue book.  When I apply glue to paper I have a tendency to get it everywhere so I use an old magazine or phone book, turning the page when I need a clean surface. Of course, Allistair sat right where I was gluing!  Fortunately, I have a solution for this:

a cat window seat!  We have four of these in various windows in the house.  This one in my craft room saves me from having cats walking across or sitting on wet paint.

Lastly, a handmade postcard.  The swap theme was "put a definition on it".  It is traveling all the way to the Netherlands.

I wish all the deskers at WOYWW  a fabulous week.  I've come to realize that some of the participates are going through some difficult trials and I just want you to know my thoughts are with you.  I'm sending hugs and love to everyone's desk this week.

Joining up with What’son Your Workdesk? Wednesday where desk snooping is not only allowed but all part of the fun! What's on your desk?

Get up. Get dressed. Paint.: Distressed heart

It’s been a tough week and I find myself feeling down in the dumps, distressed, lost.  My thoughts trying to get a grasp on things without much luck.  This page transformed into something totally different than how I wanted. Partially because of the week I had but mainly because I was trying to mimic another artist’s journal page and rarely is that a successful undertaking.  Yet it reflects exactly how I'm presently feeling. Distressed heart is fitting figuratively and artistically. 

Hearts cut out from white card stock with glass bead gel haphazardly added. 

Heart after painted and distressed. You get a glimpse of where I used Tim Holtz new Distress Oxide ink in wilted violet on the edges of the page.

Decorative napkin decou-paged to journal  with messily embossed butterfly.

 Bits of the background peeking through the layers: tissue paper base painted over with distress paints, stamped over with Tim Holtz mesh background stamp then modeling paste pushed through a stencil.

Using Tim Holtz Linen background stamp to diffuse the brightness of the hearts and distress oxide ink in wilted violet to diffuse some of the white.

Coordinating postcard made for a swap.  It is easier to see the Tim Holtz new Distress Oxide ink in wilted violet around the edges of the card.

While this page took a disappointing turn,  it is exactly as it is meant to be, a reflection of the healing my heart needs from the daily stressors of teaching.

What are your art journal pages telling you?  Are they a reflection of how you feel as you create them or are you one of those fortunate artists who can change the course of their feelings as you create them on paper?   It's something to think about and I would love to read your insights.

Creating in my Listen to My Heart Art Journal using dylusions 8" x 8" creative journal while working on my painting and layering techniques.