It's a PARRRRTYYYYY!!!

WhootHoo!!  Welcome to eclectic Paperie's Belated Birthday Bash!  Today we're celebrating the (belated) one year anniversary of the store's new ownership! It's been an amazing year, full of inspiring projects, wonderful classes, and many, many new products!!  eclectic Paperie wouldn't be where it is today without the ongoing support of our customers and as a BIG thank you, you'll have an opportunity to lots of great prizes!  You have until midnight, tomorrow(9/20), to comment for your chance to win the following prizes!!!

 A full set of Tim's NEW Distress Paints
6x6 Paper Pad Bundle
Dylusions Stencil Bundle
A set of NEW Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks
Crafter's Workshop Stencil Bundle

 To be entered into the prize drawing, please be sure to comment on the eclectic Paperie blog and on each of the eTeam blogs.  Check out all of the thumbnail links below to view the rest of the eTeam projects!  Enjoy the hop!

I was very excited to be asked by Kim to help eP celebrate it's first year under new ownership!  When Kim started this new journey of ownership, her goals included  offering lots of new products, ideas and inspiration. I have personally been inspired by the current eTeam members and have enjoyed watching them explore new ideas and mediums in their own creative journeys.  It was with that thought in mind that I decided to try a new technique (for me!) in using the Gelli Plate with clear adhesive (in my case, the sticky side to self laminating sheets).

First things first; getting out all the possible supplies that I thought I might use to make my mono prints.  *Note: originally I had thought I would use Distress Paints for this technique.  It just wasn't the look I was going for. While not pictured, I ended up using Claudine Hellmuth's wonderful paints instead.

Supplies:  6x6 Gelli Printing Plate (HIGHLY recommend the 8x10 one.  That will be on my next shopping spree!!), various stencils, masks cut from dies, embossed papers, Paints (see above note) brayer, non-stick craft sheet

Next; lay out masks in various spots on the Gelli Plate.  You will note that this layout is not the actually one I used for my final project.  It took several prints before I came up with the look I wanted!

The next steps are lacking photographic representation.  It would seem that somebody (ahem!) got caught up in the making of prints that she forgot to take pictures of the steps!  OOOPS!! Basically, I placed my masks on the Gelli Plate. Using the brayer, I applied a combination of Claudine's Dab of Yellow and Dash of Red paints onto the Plate and over the masks.  Carefully removing the masks, I then added some stenciling (TCW's Susana'a Arrows and Mini Ledger) and free hand elements, using the end of a paint brush, an old hair pick and a marker cap.  Remember, for this particular technique, what you see on the plate is what you will transfer to your clear adhesive. You also want to keep some areas free of paint.

HELPFUL TIP:  it is important to let the paint dry between layers to avoid making a muddy paint mess!

AFTER THE PAINT HAS DRIED *VERY IMPORTANT*, apply your clear adhesive to the plate.  I used the sticky side of self laminating sheets for my project.  You could also use clear packing tape. Burnish the adhesive onto the plate using a scraper or a bone folder.  Then, carefully, remove the adhesive from the plate.  If you find an spot of paint that didn't stick to the adhesive, roll back the tape and use your fingers or scraper to burnish that spot again, so that the paint sticks.  

After you have removed your tape from the plate, you have several options for the clear areas.  You could apply some printed tissue paper, dictionary pages, fine glitter, foils, or as I did, some Pearl Ex powder. I chose to use some bronze. I sprinkled the powders on the sticky side and used a "glitter" brush to evenly spread the Pearl Ex evenly onto the surface.  

WAH-LAH!! You now have a wonderful piece with shine and texture to add to a project!  

Originally I thought I would use my piece to make a birthday card (as this is a birthday celebration!) but instead, I went a different path.  I dug out a 6x6 chipboard cover (from my stash) and randomly applied a fairly dry brush layer of Claudine's Charcoal Black  paint.  

Using an adhesive spray I adhered my focal image to the center.  Pulled out some old idea-ology Alpha Parts and added them to the image.

Final project is still to be determined.  I am debating on using this as a cover to a small 6x6 mixed media journal (in which case I will decided on whether to use my Bind It All, Jump Rings or some other binding mechanism to put it all together) OR I will leave this as a little art piece for my desk.  

I wish I could have captured the lovely shiny sheen this has!  The Pearl Ex adds a wonderful metallic glimmer and the shiny surface of the laminating sheet give this another depth that catches the eye!!

Congratulations Kim for your first birthday at eP's helm!!  Here is wishing you many, many more creative years!

Hello???  Hello???? Is anyone still out there?!!

It's been a loooong time since I last posted!! I had to just walk away from it all.

Walk away from the mess created from moving from my craft room to a corner of my bedroom.

Walk away from the overwhelming task of downsizing.

Walk away from trying to figure where to put everything.

Walk away from blogging and looking at blogs.

And then  literally, I started walking and exercising again.  Which takes up quite a bit of my "free" time.

The mess is still present.  I'm ready to start dealing with it again.  I need to deal with the clutter so my messy creative self has room to throw paint, pull out papers and make a whole new pile!! LOL!!

Yep.  I'm ready to get back to my creative journey.

That journey starts today.

I am very excited (and a bit nervous!) to be joining once again with the E-Team as a Guest DT blogger for the month of April!!

Head on over to the eP blog  to get more details on how I used these products-----

to make THIS!!!

She's BAAACCCCKKKK!!!! lol!!

'Till next time.................make a mess!! Explore some creativity!!

Making ART

I'm so excited today!!

First:  I'm hoping with the e-Team as a guest designer today!!

Second:  OMG!! WENDY VECCHI is in the HOUSE!!

Today's hop will not only share projects made with Studio 490 products, but will also share some insight as to the inspiration and thought process that went into making the projects.

The eTeam is a wonderful group of talented women, each with their own style. Some are clean and simple card makers, others love scrapbooking, and still others are drawn to altered art and mixed media projects. The goal of this hop is bring each of the designers and their favorite mediums together and to share how they used these products to express their own individual styles through their projects. 

AND, as an added bonus, the eP store has some great specials to go along with the hop!

• This week only save 25% on all Studio 490 products, this includes Wendy's stamps, stencils, Art parts, Book and Blossom Bucket embellishments. Use code WENDY25 when checking out.
• During the hop, comment on each blog and you'll be entered into a drawing for a prize package worth $50! Your package will include a collection of Studio 490 products as well as paper and embellishments from the store. 

WAIT!  There's MORE!!

• We want to hear about what inspires you! Share your thoughts about why you create, what styles you're drawn to, even share a favorite project on the eP Facebook page. Next week Kim will randomly select a winner from those who have commented on the eTeam Make Art Facebook posts and give away a $25 gift certificate to eP! 

eclectic Paperie--start of the hop!

Wendy Vecchi

Barbara Anders

Broni Holcombe

Julie Masse

Kim Schofield

Mary-Ann Maldonado

Michelle Hill

Micki Harper

Sherry Cheever

Tami Hersberger

Tenia Nelson

and 

ME!

*******

I've been a big fan of Wendy's for a long time.  I love her unique style and her products.  I have to say that if the Clearly for Art Modeling film came in rolls, I'd be first in line to order (insert cheesy smile with a "hint, hint, Wendy!!" here__________________!!!!).  I have made a couple of projects as a previous designer for eP that combined Art Parts, TenSecond Studio metal and the modeling film.  If you are interested a couple of examples  can be found here and here.  

BUT, for today's project, I veered off to a different path.  I wanted to explore using Wendy's stamps in a bit of a different way.

Note:  Today I'm using some of Wendy's previously released stamp sets. But by all means! Check out all the NEW goodies that Kim has in the eP store!!

Let me give you a little peek as to how my brain (sometimes) works when I'm creating.

First:  I rummaged through my collection of Studio 490 stamps and Art parts.  The Art Parts just weren't calling to me (gasp!) so while I was pondering what direction I was going to go, I happened to catch a look at an open back bezel that has been waiting for me to do something with.  I then start looking at my collection of stamps to see what might work with the bezel.   The Visions of Art set and the sentiment "She only flew when no one could see" from It's Face Art set kept drawing me in.  

Both of these stamps were too large for the bezel.  But, by now, I'm stuck on the bezel idea.  Sooo, Shrink Film to the rescue!  I first lightly sanded the film with a sanding block and stamped the main image with Stazon ink.  I usually stamp an image a couple of times just in case I mess up.  

**Disclaimer:  most of these photos were taken at night. My work table is glass topped.  Clear plastic, glass tables, night lights and flashes don't mix!!

The image after shrinking.  

I then stamped another image from It's Face Art onto a piece of clear transparency that had been inked with various alcohol inks.  Since this piece was in my "possibility" file, I have NO idea what inks were used on it!! But it just seemed to fit the color main image!  

After a bit of finagling, I made myself a template for the inside of the bezel (it had a small lip on the inside, so it took a bit of trimming from a tracing to get it to fit right) and cut out the stamped image.  I decided that the background was too light, so I cut out another template from the unstamped portion of the inked transparency. Hindsight says I should have stuck with just the one layer....more on that later!!!

When I create mixed media projects, I tend to come up with a scenario or story line of what my project is portraying. I kept thinking about the sentiment, "she only flew when no one could see", and envisioned my Indian Princess (because, of course, she is a Princess!) allowing her thoughts to take flight to a different place or world that no one else could see or understand.  To symbolize the flight of her dreams, I stamped the butterfly, from Make Mine Mini Art, with black Stazon, onto a piece of the shrink film that I inked with cranberry, red pepper and rust alcohol inks.  I firmly adhered my bezel to a piece of duct tape and  then layered my two pieces of inked transparency and the Princess in the bezel and filled with Ice Resin.  I then added the butterfly and finished filling to the top.

This would be where hind sight should have spoken up earlier.

The double layer of the inked transparency seemed to get an air bubble.  And the double layer also seemed to deepen in intensity, so the main image blended into the background more.

And the butterfly.  The butterfly sank. There was no dreams taking flight here!!

BUT!  I did not toss the project.  I still liked the overall look.  It just needed a little road side assist!!

Another mini butterfly was stamped with Blazing Red Stazon ink onto the shrink film.  A second butterfly was stamped again on the red tone inked shrink film.  Both were cut out and shrunk with my heat gun.  While still HOT (and yes, I do mean you will singe your fingers HOT), I gently molded the wings to add dimension.  I adhered both butterflies with Beacon's Glass, Metal and More Glue.  The result:

Interestingly, the clear butterfly in her hair shows up the red coloration of the sunken butterfly in the picture, but in real life, you can't see the red !!

And the thickness of the butterfly wings is NOT so in your face.  I obviously need to figure out how to take photos of shiny objects better!! 

Originally, I was going to make this a piece of jewelry to wear, but without the light shining through the pendent, it is pretty dark and loses it's definition.  Instead, I think I will look for some multicolored fibers to hang the pendent from and make it into a book marker for myself so that the light can shine through the pendent.

Because books are another way to take flight to different places and  new worlds. 

I hope you take a couple of thoughts away with you today from my project:

First:  There are so many different ways to use your supplies.  Don't be afraid to go off onto a different path!  Explore creativity in a NEW way!

Second:  Even if a project has some mistakes, it doesn't mean that it is "ruined".  It may mean you just have to look at it from a different angle to see the light

and Third:  There really is no such thing as mistakes in Art.  They are just experiences to make the journey of Making Art more interesting!! 

Many, many thanks to Kim and the eTeam for inviting me to hop along with Wendy this week!!  I had sooo much fun Making Art!

Thanks for dropping by and for those of you on the East Coast, my thoughts are with you!!!

Giving Mojo an Ultimatum

I have decided that this extended vacation that Mojo has taken needs to come to an immediate end.  So I'm giving her an ultimatum.  I'm giving her a challenge she must show up for by Tuesday, October 30, for a guest spot on a blog hop with the new E-Team or she will be replaced.

Did I mention that this hop is with the incredibly talented Wendy Vecchi?!!!! Squeaaalllll!!!! 

I'm very excited to be joining the newly expanded E-Team and Wendy Vecchi (squeaaallll!!!) for this hop!!