For the Love of Texture

I'm so sorry I've been quiet.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  But I'm trying to rework things so it should be better in the future.

You may recognize some of these ATCs from previous posts.  This is a photo I took after I was having more playtime with my supplies.

I had ATCs leftover from a piece of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper where I didn't like the pattern side of it.  I also have old tags in my stash.  Unfortunately, some of my paint supplies dried out.  No they weren't open.  I had Dina Wakley tubes and some Dylusions tubs, so bright and colorful.  Very disappointing.  I can imagine a lot of reasons.  Air could have possibly gotten in at some point.  Life events, moving, or somple mistakes that you're not expecting can cause it.  I remember using them, but I went through a big dry spell due to life, so it's possible that dry spell affected my supplies.  On the plus side, my mediums seem to be okay for now.  And while I love a good psychic, or medium, that's not the type of medium I'm talking about.

Now I have not gone to art school, nor have I taken any strict art classes.  I've taken in person and online classes from several artists (Dina Wakley, Dyan Reaveley, Joanne Sharpe, and Dawn DeVries Sokol come to mind).  In taking the classes, reading blogs, magazines, all of that, I've learned techniques and terms.  Mediums in art are things like gesso, texture paste, and gel medium.

I like using paint with stencils, but .  Also, different paints have different thicknesses.  Some are heavy body so they hold form very well, others are free flow, so they are good for gelli printing.  But for this experiment I wanted more depth without compromising the color.  Most colors I don't mind them being lighter.  However, I'm not the biggest fan of pink.  I can handle it in certain cases, but I was using red, and didn't want pink.  So I know I couldn't use gesso.  Enter texture paste.  I grabbed some red paint, mixed it with texture paste, and used it with a stencil to add the mixtures to some ATCs and tags.  The picture is the result.

I also had some green/blue watered down paint that I didn't want to let go to waste, so I had some play with both stencils and freehand brush strokes.

When you play, do you have a plan or do you just see where things go?  What was the result?  I'd love to hear more!  Come back soon!

Be Bold

Do you have a huge stash you have to bust and use more?  I've definitely got that and I've been trying hard to use items in my stash.  There's one product on this ATC that I had grabbed to use for another project and it didn't happen.  So I worked, and made other projects and finally found a great spot for it.  Which item am I talking about?

The white asterisk sticker, which I believe is from an American Crafts Thickers set.  My background is paint applied with a brayer and through stencils, with some polka dot tissue paper adhered with gel medium, as well as rub-ons, stamping, doodling, and a few items from my stash.

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenge:

Creative Fingers Challenge

I'd love to know what you're holding onto in your stash that you want to use more of!  Comment below!

Hello

As you've seen I like using lots of supplies.  Sometimes things come together quickly, sometimes not.  This one was a bit of a challenge, and it's a bit different, but that's a good thing!  Less doodling in my usual ways, but sometimes a little different can be good.

The background has a bunch of layers.  Some paint, stenciling, stamping, then I added some die-cuts, doodling, and paint splatter.  I also broke in a new stamp, a big wood-backed rubber stamp of small dots; you can see it in the bottom left corner.

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenge:

Crazy is Our Fame Challenge

Do you struggle when creating?  What roadblocks do you come across?  Tell me in the comments below!

ATC 3 Star

Do you hoard supplies or half-finished projects, just waiting for the right finishing touches?  That was me with this.  I was trying so hard to find the right products to add to this ATC without covering up the background because I love it.

I think I solved my problem.  This ATC is one of several I prepped with a layer of gesso through a stencil.  Then I added some watered down paint to give a light background wash.  I was trying so hard to not cover up the color.  The red circles in the corner is red paint combined with texture paste and put through a TCW Punchinella stencil.  I added doodles, rub-ons, some stamping, a star pin, some thread, and Liquitex ink.

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenge:

Simons Says Stamp Monday Challenge

What are some of your favorite supplies?  Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Noteworthy

So check out my newest ATC!  I added some paint because I wasn't a fan of the background.  Then I went to town with adding other details.

This ATC has chipboard, stamping, doodles, stenciling, a digi stamp, and maybe a little more

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenge:

Crafty Addicts Challenge

What are some of your favorite supplies?  Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Courage to Go For It ATC

I had an idea to try something new with this ATC and I really like how it turned out.

 

I used a lot of different supplies with this ATC.  Stamping, rub-ons, acrylic paint, die-cuts, adhesive enamel shapes, paint markers.  Did I mention I used a lot?

I'm entering my ATC into the following challenge:

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge

What supplies do you put together a lot?  Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Background is important

Making a background is important.  It can be the kick start to a new project...

I made a bit batch of ATCs, including this one.  And then I went to town, heh.

I'd love to know what you think.  Have a great day and come back soon!

Ugh...Revisited

So I promised more information, and here we go....

I did a lot of stuff on this ATC.  Tried some new techniques and discovered something new about a stencil.  SO this ATC started out as gesso through a Dylusions stencil and then watered down paint colors added to it (the orange and yellow).

Then I added some darker teal, and then when I was playing with texture paste, I added what I was playing with to the ATC.  I'm going to post more about that soon.

I traced around a few of the numbers with a Sharpie pen as well as around the edge of the ATC.  I also had some ultramarine and purple paint mixed together and added to some projects with a sponge.  I decided to use a stencil that I call a pie chart stencil and only filled in two petal shaped sections with the paint.  I loved it, so I did it again on notebook paper and cut out the heart.

I stamped the star, added the paint bits, and sectioned off letters on another Dylusions stencil to create the word, before outlining the letters with my Uni Posca white paint marker.  I've seen that technique used several times.  I don't know if that's how it was done, but it worked for me.  I will say it took a looooong time.  I used washi tape to block off the letters, but between that and trying to add just the right amount paint to prevent bleed through, the whole process took time.  More time than I thought, though I like the effect.

Will I do it again?  Not sure.  Maybe finding a way to make the process faster.  The paint bits are that paint that spills out over the opening and dries.  You pull it off and save that part.  Those I really love.

I also entered the following challenge:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

I'd love to know what you think.  Have a great day (or night) and come back soon!

Ugh

I was playing around making ATCs and I discovered something interesting with this one...

Come back tomorrow to find out more!

I'm also entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

Do you like this ATC?  Let me know and have a great day (or night)!

Meh

So I did a thing, I created an ATC heh...I was experimenting and it took a little while with what I was doing.

I used washi tape to mask off the letters and then outlined the letters in white.  And that red bit in the top right corner?  I don't know if there's a name for it, but it's when you pull the dried paint from inside the cap of a paint bottle.  I had done a few layers before it got to this point, and I really like it.

I'm also entering the following challenges:

Creative Fingers Challenge

Crafts Galore Challenge

Enjoy the awesome ATC and let me know what you think!  I hope you visit again soon!

Something brewing...

I have a project brewing...   Here's a little look to feast your eyes on!

 Lots to look at, lots to enjoy!  Come back soon!