Winning Washi

If you came by last week, you might have noticed a little competition on this blog here. To be in it all you had to do was leave a comment on the Washi post to go in the running to win a couple if rolls. With only 7 entries the odds were pretty good… We had some great links posted there for Washi uses and ideas, so go check it out and find something new! (Links are in the comment section)

The winner was chosen via “Random number Generator” and person number 6 on my list was Eva!

So this little parcel of goodies is now in its new owners stash!

Enjoy

Turning on the Texture

This page in our Art Journal was an exploration of some different mediums that most of us hadn’t tried before. I love new stuff!

There are a bunch of new mediums on the shelf at the shop, flakes, beads, sand, stucco and more!

Oh and so many different Mod Podges your head will spin!

This is Shelley’s art tonight “Patience”.
We all had a pick a word for tonight, as if picking a colour wasn’t hard enough. I struggle with this, straining my head and all it’s contents for the perfect word, which if course doesn’t exist. Pick a word. Heck, Michelle sure knows how to throw me a curve ball. Of course I want a word that is meaningful to me, for today…My first word was going to be “Procrastinator” but I needed spending a little more positive. I went through a dozen in my head, like “Blissful”, “Relieved”,”Perfect” to “Valium”, “Drained” and “Alone”, (Yes it was a big weekend in our home) until I decided on “Celebrate” – lets celebrate the painful end to having to pick just one word!

We all enjoyed this class so much many of us decided to begin a second page. This time (inspired by Suzie’s colours) I have used a red and yellow ochre mix, next thing you know, there’s browns and terracotta happening as we’ll. Fun! But it’s too late now tonight to do any more… Goodness gracious me… It’d take me another 45 minutes to choose a different word!

Be good and sleep well.

Far and Away

Tonight’s class was small, just the four of us, so relaxing and easy that I decided to complete the page along side with the girls. We used Teresa Collins “Far & Away”, I love the banners the most!
Of course because I decided to do this last minute I didn’t have the correct size photos, so I needed to leave the black & white Washi tape and the “sign post” off in order to fit the photos on. So, my layout isn’t as striking as Michelle’s, but at least it’s done. Gotta be happy with that. Our classes are all adaptable to your own style or taste, and to accommodate your photos. There are kits left from this class, call us for yours on 08-99648288

An easy night with some fun chatter and some laughs – and a bonus was that I ended up with a few of my “phone” photos of my nephews scrapped! This was our amazing and fun whirlwind weekend away to do the class with Finnabair at Scrapbook Secrets in Perth, which turned into a bit of brotherly love as my two brothers were both in the city too. Loved this weekend – good things.
Night – sleep well xx

Art journal covers

Know what I love about people? That they are all different. Yup! It takes many different people to keep this big ole world of ours turning.
In class I love seeing how people create in different ways. We pretty much all began with the same tools, and given a few simple directions we all head off on our own way. Here’s a few cover photographs I managed to snag from some of our art journal class.

Eva’s cover is very textured, using the cog stencil and texture paste, glimmer mist and even some Washi tape over the spine. Very cool !

I have taken picture from the wrong side of the table so it’s upside down, this colourful and happy cover is Josie’s. It says IMAGINE, I love that title for an art journal!

The scrolls on Minnie’s cover were my favourites from the very first art journal class, something about the textured swirls and colour – doesn’t it just make you smile?

These lovely books are from the teacher herself. When you look from the pages side of the journal you can see sneak peeks of wonderful colour, just begging you you take a look inside. (And if you would like to see some of these wonderful pages in Michelle’s books, stay tuned for another art journal post soon)

Julie used the same stencil that I did, you can see my cover if you click HERE. Julie’s artwork has flowers, bling and an ingenious idea of incorporating a sheet if clear film to protect the surfaces, plus it looks pretty fancy! She is full of great ideas!
Stay safe and be good to one another.

Learning to Draw an Eye using Charcoal

Having a daughter who is talented artistically is wonderful but having one who is willing to give the old lady a lesson or two is bloomin marvellous. She was telling me about the newest art assignment, “surreal, with a human element” and it sounded so interesting, I wish I was on school learning cool stuff. They were doing an eye using charcoal and then bringing in colour in the form of a landscape within. Trouble is I couldn’t even draw the basic eye in charcoal, let alone a landscape as they were planning in class.
My sweet girl assures me I could draw an eye, I just need to actually sit down and try properly.
So she sets us up to draw a basic eye, my first time with charcoal, messy stuff!

You need charcoal, paper (I did it straight in my art journal book) an eraser and a mirror. Light would have been good at this point in time too. Oh well.
With Miss Em’s instruction we began with the outline, shading as we went, looking at the eye for lines as well as the dark/light properties. Then bit by bit adding pupil, iris lashes and brow, blending and shading. The key was to really look at the subject, see the light and dark elements, add contrast where it needed it… and over and over she told me “it doesn’t need to be perfect”.

I erased my outlines a dozen times and it still looks pretty dodgy but for my first time with charcoal I am happy with the result, it does in fact, looks like an eye!
I think Miss Em is a fine teacher!

Quick easy cards with stickers and markers

Viv has created some card samples using the peel off 3D foil stickers – she makes it look so easy! The trims and words have been around for donkeys years, but I haven’t seen the flowers and other pictures used so well before. Makes me look at these little stickers in a different light now.

Using stickers, card and markers you can make a gorgeous card like this! Peel off the stickers, (there are transfer sheets to make the job easier if you have a tendency to warp them) and stick them on card. Colour inside the lines with distress markers!

Viv darkened sections of the colour by going over it again whilst it was still drying. The gold resists the marker to keep the colour inside the lines, how helpful!
Another sample here has the stickers on clear acetate, and it’s coloured with sharpies. You need a permanent ink on the clear film, this could also look good coloured from behind. Alcohol ink works well on clear film too.

A terrific look you can achieve with some simple stickers.

Thanks Viv!

Share the Washi Love

Over 400 rolls of Washi tape rolled into our store today, it had Sharon and I in a dilemma… How much can we smuggle home? Keep reading if you’d like a get a couple of free rolls for yourself.

So… What’s your favourite use for Washi? I was thinking it would be nice for gift wrapping (picturing Kraft wrap, bakers twine and matching Washi)

If you have an idea… Leave me a note or a link in the comments in the next week and next Wednesday night I will (randomly) choose someone to get some Washi sent to them! (Australia only please) or, if you’d like to buy some, get on in to our store quick!
Looking forward to your comments and ideas.

Have fun!