If the Crown Fits!

I've had the honor of becoming friends with Tiffany Windsor and her sister Heidi Borcher & getting to know a TERRIFIC new product they've just come out with: Cool2Cast. This is a quick setting fiber plaster like material that is specifically used for creating jewelry & home dec accents. After pouring a whole package of the material into molds of all kinds, I finally got around to actually CREATING a piece of jewelry from it! Here's a video on Cool2Cast coloring.

• Mix Coo2Cast as directed
• Pour into molds
• Allow to dry, pop out, allow to dry further
• Sand back edges with sanding block
• Stain with alcohol ink & stamp with images (using StazOn permanent ink)
• Spray with polyurethane to seal
• Using Smooch metallics: Sugarberry, Gold Lame, and Sassy Pink, accent crown
• Use Beacon Adhesives, Quick Grip to adhere bail & felt to back
• Braided cord through bail, attach closure findings
• WEAR & ENJOY!

While at an all day ART event in Memphis, one of the vendors there was Artistic Outpost! It was nice getting to see Robyn & Shelly again and of course I just HAD to buy several rubber stamp plates! As I looked over all the stamp plates they had, it was hard choosing 3 at least! As I look at any stamps these days, a lot of "thought" goes into it. I have to justified in my mind at least 3-5 ways in which to make these stamps WORK for ME after they are bought. The plates I ended up with were: The Oz Collage, The Wonderland Collage, and The Neverland.

Can you see a story building here? At least three I'll say! These images are awesome and the uses are plentiful. Here is the first use of a phrase used in Alice in Wonderland.....from Artistic Outposts' "The Wonderland" die plate.

Hello Punkin

Well, Fall is here & I see pumpkins are all around me! Thus this piece was created.

While in Electica for a club meeting, a class on scratch board was taught. Of course, I didn't leave the store without a little package of the scratch boards in all different sizes. Artistic Outpost images were used on this piece. Here's how this pendant was created.

• Stamp images with StazOn black ink.
• Using a Q-tip, color images with StazOn colors, yellow, orange & green, making sure you don't rub hard, DAB your colors on to keep from smearing the black.
• Using a needle awl or carving tool, scratch your highlights into your scratch board.
• Go back & fill in some areas if desired with inks (ie. the background here)
• Add some black trim
• Drill a small hole for a jump ring (I used a Dremel Drill Press)
• Lightly spray with sealer
• Add jump ring & ball chain
• ENJOY
  

Tags for Artiscape 2009 in Ohio

Well, I WISH I were going with Candice & Roxi to Artiscape!!!!! Okay, I'll just make my presence know there if only with my artwork. RockCandy, have a blast & sell tons!

Here's some tags I whipped up for RockCandy http://stores.rockcandystudios.com/StoreFront.bok who will be vendors at this year's Artiscape in Ohio. The fibers are Himalayan Silk from RC and well as the black trims, rusty lil bell, game pieces, silk ribbon, and ticket. The images are all Artistic Outpost : Vintage Circus and Fortune Teller. http://www.artisticoutpost.com/index.html

Using the Fortune Teller plate by Artistic Outpost, I created this tag. A tiny rusty bell was used as the teller's headpiece. Game pieces were stamped with $10 & adhered to the main body of the tag. Bordered with black fleur & scalloped trims and silk ribbon......this tag turned out really well.

Greatest Show on Earth tag is stamped with "Vintage Circus" from Artistic Outpost of course! Trims, fibers, and ticket stub are from RockCandy Studios.

Just created this one tonight. I believe it's my favorite one. Using a coffee cup sleeve I created a pocket for the tag. All embellishements from RockCandy and images from the Vintage Circus by Artistic Outpost.

These little pieces of artwork will be on display at the Artiscape 2009 show in Ohio next weekend.

Enjoy!

Get READY for Valentines Day!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner....are YOU ready yet? Got that special Valentine Card for just that special person in your life?

I used the "Feathered Tye-Dye" technique from Technique Junkies: http://www.techniquejunkies.com/ . All stamped images are from the Cutie Pie plate by Artistic Outpost: http://www.artisticoutpost.com/ . Just LOVE the images!

While I was at it, I created a ring using the plate. Bought the ring base at Pier 1 and covered it with pearl polymer clay. Added some seed beads, crystals and the cutie herself in shrink art. It's big but it's noticeable!

Artistic Outpost: Vintage Halloween

I just finished up on this card tonight. The little girl was stamped on shrink art with black Staz-0n, colored with chalks, then heated to shrink. The little girl is hanging on waxed linen thread along with a few beads. A window cut into the front of the card & the sides are edged with RockCandy trim. Images used: Vintage Halloween & Home.

What fun this card was to create! ALL images are by Artistic Outpost, http://www.artisticoutpost.com/index.html. Plates used: Hair is Important, Geek is Chic, My Knight, Serenity and Polaroid Cutie. Polaroid Cutie was stamped on clear acetate. On canvas card stock, paper was lightly colored & stamped with a gray ink as to not interfere with the main image but to add depth to the overall piece. Card stock panel glued to card & black brads put in the four corners. The colors are brighter than this image scanned. I love the way the five different plates complimented each other.

Generations

I couldn't resist creating this box using the Distant Generations images by Artistic Outpost. The box was painted red then painted again using brown. Sanding through the brown to leave whispers of red showing through gave the effect I sought. Wooden candle holder pieces were painted & glued to the bottom for added dimension. Corners of the box were stamped with the a flourish image from the same plate. Cardboard letters painted black, then sanded lightly to age.




The family tree image was stamped on ivory cardstock, aged with distress inks and glued to the lid. The image was then covered with a crackle solution to further age the piece. Lace trim, tinted with red, was glued to the bottom of the image and a button added. The little chest was then sealed to protect the finish.

Singing Cowboy

Well, my little cowboy made it into "Take Ten" by Stampington! The colors are sharper than what is showing. All images by Artisic Outpost the Cowboy Plate. This plate was super fun to work with.

Ok, this is the game plan. Tomorrow is SATURDAY and I plan to spend most of the day in my studio. I plan on getting to WORK by 9 am. BUT that means......you got it.......I will need to pick up my counter space to provide more than a 12 x 12 working space! You name it....it's on that dang counter top! It doesn't matter that the counter is 8 feet long......I will usually end up working in a 12 x 12 space! So in the hours before dawn breaks (yes, I get up mighty early) I will spend that time picking up: bits of paper from around my cutting area, off the floor ~ ok, some drops along the creative process--give me a break here; brads that didn't find their way back into their holding containers; beads that keep showing up everywhere!; eye & flat head pins (makes me wonder what I was working on last to use them); pieces of fabric, ribbon, flowers, leaves, twigs.........oh my goodness....do you get the POINT yet?

All in all.......I plan on getting at LEAST 4 projects completed & put aside for CHA! If time remains, I'll begin on other projects.....but if I don't get done, no problem, I would have met my goal!

After CHA, I plan on doing some MAJOR reorganization in that studio of mine! This will include putting up shallow shelves so I can put my new dyes & inks on, crackle paints, and, and and..... too much to put in too little space! I believe I can take out old furniture that isn't efficient & replace it with furniture that will suit my needs to a T. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Tune in tomorrow! I will be posting a canvas piece that was used as a final in my painting class. It describes who I am.....I'll let you be the judge!

Artistic Outpost ~ Keeper Plate

I was asked to create a card for a fella retiring from JSCC. Knowing he likes to fish, I found the Keeper plate from Artistic Outpost to be perfect to use! Here's the card...minus a few eyelets to be put in the bottom right hand corner space. The Keeper plate just made it's entrance yesterday!

Artiscape V

WOW....what a day! Artists from all around west TN gathered to spend a day creating & learning brand new techniques. Three designers: RockCandy Designs, RM Designs, VG Designs, along with the Artistic Stampers club taught the classes. Four wonderful vendors were there to further heighten the excitement of adding extra dimension to our artwork. Artistic Outpost was there with a brand new line of unmounted stamps and wonderful display boards mounted with the wonderful works of art created from the new stamps. Robyn & Shelley kept busy ringing up sales most of the time! Visit their website at: http://www.artisticoutpost.com . RockCandy Designs also made their first appearance with RockCandy Trinkets & Treasures. Beautifully packaged hard to find items are their specialty making them very unique in this field. Their online store, www.rockcandydesignsonline.com will open the 1st of August. Roann of RM Designs fascinated us with the technique of transfers. Known for her vast work in calligraphy we were able to drool over her wonderful artwork! To further visit & see lots of her work: www.roanndesigns.com . TLC was represented by Michelle C. A wonderful array of scrap booking packages were available for sale! This made for a wonderful mix at Artiscape V!

The fun had by all can't be summed up in one posting! When I get the pictures downloaded, I'll include a few for everyone to view. Thanks for ALL those who attended!! This event is a pure labor of love for the arts.