I love the warm weather. It's so nice to wake up in the morning and hear the birds sing. ...most of the time. ;) There is a naughty little woodpecker that likes to peck away at the other side of my bedroom wall at ridiculously early a.m. hours. He is not my friend. With that little bird in mind, I'd like to share my most recent Artist Trading Block.
If you're not familiar with Artist Trading Blocks, I must warn you, that these are addictive to create. No rules means that there's unlimited creative opportunities. :) For more inspiration, see The Artist on the Block.
I created my project with a Sizzix Die from Eileen Hull. The awesome outdoor-sy scenery on the block is from a Carta Bella Paper. The wonderful little bird heads from100 Proof Press were colored with colored pencils. The rest of the materials came from nature. I had so much fun foraging for twigs, bark and moss!
We love the stamps that make us feel artsy! Maybe your artsy stamp has a sketchy texture, creative doodles, or even a creative sentiment. This week the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge encourages us all to get out those fun stamps and create something "artsy". When I first saw this challenge, I thought of the stamp company, PaperArtsy. Their JOFY mini doodles are whimsical and "artsy", so I wanted to use those to make some fun tags.
I love the doodles!
My doodles were stamped on papers from Prima's Free Spirit line. In this line, some of the patterns are bold, and some, like these, are more subtle...but they're all "artsy!". The chipboard accents from Crate Paper were embellished with touches of my stamped doodles too. I really like using these fun, ready-made pieces but I like adding my own personal touch to make them truly unique.
So fun!
What will you create?
Join us this week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and your project could win a $50 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp. We draw a new random winner each week! Your project could also be chosen to be featured in our weekly designer spotlight.
Everything is in bloom for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. This week, we are challenging everyone to a Botanical theme. My intent was to create a simple project that could be mailed easily.
...And that I could get could get done fast.
The mini cabinet photo frames fit perfectly with the beautiful PaperArtsy stamped floral images. I love these frames. If you like old photographs or paper ephemera, you'll love them too. And check out the back of the frames. Isn't the vintage design wonderful?
I used two stamped images and connected them with a repurposed chain. (ie. an old, broken necklace) A piece of string or ribbon would have also worked.
Simple stamping. Lovely results!
Link your botanical project to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge and you have the opportunity to win a $50 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp. Your project could also be chosen to be in our weekly Designer Spotlight.
This week we are showcasing the letter "M" for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.There's a multitude of ways to interpret this theme. Being that my name is Michelle, I had many marvelous ideas. For my project, I chose to create a Moroccan Mosaic Box. This box is now homemy vintage Amber Brooch that was given to me by my Mother.
The inspiration for this box was from the Tim Holtz die cut strip that you see at the base of the box. I've always thought there there was a Moroccan influence there that I wanted to further explore.
The mosaic tiles were made by embossing a foil sheet and adding metallic distress paint. The foil sheet was cut into strips and then the strips were cut into many squares. I adhered the tiles with Wendy Vecchi Gold Embossing Paste.
Not only did the paste secure the tiles in place, it also gave the box a wonderfully warm glow.
What will you create for the "M" challenge? Show us your work by linking your project to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. Each week we randomly choose a participant to receive a $50 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamp. Your project could also be chosen to be featured in our Designer Spotlight. This is where we showcase our favorite entries.
Do you remember how you learned about the letter "M"?
When I was a little girl, I recall picking violets and clover and creating teeny, tiny little bouquets. My Grandmother used to search for little household jars and bottles to serve as miniature vases. This fond childhood memory is what inspired my project for the Art With Heart Challenge.
I used several Sizzix products designed by Eileen Hull for this project.
I also used an authentic vintage label that I purchased several years ago at an antique auction in Indiana. I love using vintage and antique ephemera! I used faded tans and dusty, soft pinks in my project to lend that authentic, vintage feel. I used the embossing folder on a piece of foil tape to create a fun, textured "lid" for my jar. The silver foliage was added because I like glitter :)
I had so much fun creating this! love my little jar! I love that it's dimensional and that I can keep things in it. I'm tempted to make another one to put Q-tips in it for my bathroom. Won't that be cute?
The Art with Heart Challenge is a monthly celebration of crreativity! This month the theme is, "May Flowers". Each month the Inspiration Team will be showcasing their Art With Heartcreated with Eileen Hull's innovative Sizzix dies. We invite you to play along with us and share YOURArt With Heart!
We want you to create freely. There are no rules, just a few simple guidelines...
1. Create a new project following the Art With Heart Challenge theme. Interpret the theme however you like. OR, if you've created something that fits the theme previously, create a new post with a photo and a link to the original post. *This is a great way to expose older projects to fresh eyes!
2. Include a link to the current Art with Heart Challenge in your post so that others can play along too!
3. When linking up your post please include a direct link to that post.
4. You are not required to use Eileen Hull products in your projects. However, if you do you will be given two extra entries in the prize draw! Yes, there are prizes!
May 5, 2014 Cinco de Mayo!
Or, you could say that today is 5-5.
It's no coincidence that the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge this week is "FIVE". It’s a pick-your-adventure kind of challenge.
A) You could pick FIVE things TOTAL to create your project.
or
B) You could use FIVE of something on your project
or
You could interpret it YOUR way!
For my project, I used FIVE products to create a set of FIVE tags.
I had so much fun with these!
I used watercolor pencils to create a fun wash with squiggles.
I used BasicGrey Spice Market Die Cuts and Transparencies for additional elements.
Take Five! Link your "Five" Challenge to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and you could win a $50 voucher to shop at Simon Says Stamp! A voucher is given away each week. Your project could also be chosen to be featured in our Designer Spotlight.
