She Who Stamps & Scraps

How to Make an ATC Mini Album

I have a new article up at Unruly Paper Arts using some of my favorite Tim Holtz stamps and lots of wonderful stencils. I started by making a stamped/stenciled masterboard on Ranger Manila Card stock, and then cut six ATCs from it using the Sizzix ATC die:

Here's how it opens up:

I used Tim's Distress Stains to dye my ribbon to match the ink colors I used.

More photos and details are over at Unruly Paper Arts.  

Thanks so much for the visit!

Marjie 

~~ linking to Creative Every Day.

Unruly Paper Arts: Attach an ATC

The March issue of Unruly Paper Arts is dedicated to Artist Trading Cards... it's called the ATC Extravaganza Issue. I'm submitting this layout for Reader Art Quest #2, which calls for an ATC attached to a project.  The other challenge this month, Reader Art Quest #1, calls for an ATC house. Both challenges are open through March 25th.

I've made my layout using black cardstock, 7 Gypsies Tissue tape, a Tim Holtz ATC sized background stamp, and some small accent stamps from Technique Tuesday.  I've also used Tim's Idea-ology spinners on some watch faces I inked with distress ink.  

I coated the entire ATC with embossing powder and heat set it, as well as the little flags I made out of tape to show my son's ages in these pics.  Hope you'll visit Unruly Paper Arts and join in one or both of the Reader Art Quests.  

I'll be back on Monday with an ATC mini-album that I made for the March issue as well.  Thanks for the visit!

Marjie

Tutorial: Gelli Plate Prints

Thanks for stopping by!  Earlier this week I had an article published at Unruly Paper Arts showing a variety of prints I made with my Gel Arts Printing Plate.  I learned how to use it when Julie Fei-Fen Balzer demonstrated it during a class in October. Seriously? I went into that class thinking I do not need a Gelli Plate.  I have enough stuff.  I didn't even want to watch the Gelli Plate demo. However! Julie did such a good job, I had to buy it in both sizes!  Rude not to.  

The plate is best stored in the plastic packaging it arrives with. You can print with it on paper, fabric, etc.  I used deli paper (also known as waxed paper) which I buy in 500-sheet boxes and use for a variety of things.  This is what it looks like clean:

Set the plate down on your work space and spread a layer of paint on it. I like the inexpensive paints from Dick Blick.  Personal preference determines whether you use liquid acrylics or heavy body paints... just know that the thin layer will dry quickly so you do need to move fairly quickly.

                

You will get better results if you make a thin layer as in Photo #1, but I'm showing you two versions so you get a feel for how you can mix and play with your colors.

Lay a stencil on top of the wet paint and put a sheet of deli paper on top.

  

Press down on the paper with a brayer, or simply smooth it out with your hands.

                 

 Lift up to reveal the print:

I've done it again with a darker paint to make it easier to see.  Note you get the positive and the negative impressions, depending on how you flip the stencil:

The fun comes with layering.  I used a lot of different stencils (Stencil Girl, Prima, The Crafters Workshop) and a lot of different paints.  Here's a bold solid one:

And here's a more muted, softer print:

The sky's the limit with this plate! There are a dozen prints on the UPA article.  I think these last two images show how versatile the Gelli Plate is... no matter what your style.  I used the Sizzix Tag & Bookplates die to create my tags. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Enabler Alert:  Dick Blick has them on sale right now!  Click the picture below to see.

 Marjie 

Creating Custom Papers with Gelli Plate (Tutorial)

 

I'm happy to demonstrate how to use the Gelli Arts gel printing plate today.  I learned how to use it in class with Julie Fei-Fen Balzer a few months ago, and I have to warn you, it's addicting. There's no right or wrong, and it's easy to make cool customized prints. I had an article on this published in Unruly Paper Arts earlier this week.  Here's the process: 

This is what the gelli looks like when it's totally clean. You clean it with plain old H2O. 

Apply paint with a brayer to make an even coat. You get different results depending on the paint you choose - liquid acrylics are the easiest to work with but they dry very fast so you need to keep moving.

Lay a stencil down in the wet paint.

Put a sheet of deli paper on top and either brayer it or just run your hands over the paper. You can definitely get a fine print just using your hands to smooth the paper down over the stencil.

Peel back to reveal your print.  I repeated with darker paint so you could see better:

Don't you love how you get both the positive and the negative prints?  Then you just keep layering and layering (since the paint dries so fast, I barely wait before applying another layer) and end up with super rich prints:

 

 

Enabler Alert:  Dick Blick has Gelli plates on sale right now... click below! 

Thanks for visiting!

Marjie

available in two sizes

available in 72 colors

Unruly Paper Arts: Add Dimension to Canvas

The October issue of Unruly Paper Arts is all about canvas, and we're starting the month off with a few new Reader Art Quests where all are welcome to join in on a specific theme.  This one is adding dimension to canvas.

I've used many layers of paints, archival inks, Dylusions ink sprays, stencils, and modeling paste. I'll join in at Try it on Tuesday with their layers challenge. Hope you'll pop on over to UPA and join in the challenge, and check out all the great articles lined up this month.  

Thanks for visiting!

Marjie

Collaged Magnets

I had so much fun making these little magnets for Unruly Paper Arts!  All three ladies are stamps (Teesha Moore and Lynne Perrella) colored with Ranger Distress Markers. I have a short article up at UPA today... hope you'll pop over and say hello.  

Did you recognize what I used as my three magnet bases?  Love recyling my lids:

I'll also enter these at Fashionable Stamping Challenge, where the theme is "Alter Something."

Thanks for the visit!

Marjie

 

Unruly Paper Arts Reader Art Quest

The September issue of Unruly Paper Arts focuses on collage.  We have loads of great articles up already and more are scheduled throughout the month.  

This is part of a Reader Art Quest challenge, featuring a 4"X4" collage format.  That's a very small space!  I made my collage with scraps of patterned paper and a map, alpha stickers, a magazine clipping, fibers, inks, stamps, stencil, flower, brad, and a diecut Sizzix heart.  

Hope you'll come over to UPA and join us this month!  There are loads of ideas waiting...

Marjie

Unruly Paper Arts: A Dozen Layouts

Today my article is up at Unruly Paper Arts with our August theme being Journaling. Though I'm doing more art journaling lately than scrapbooking, I've focused on my scrapbook layouts for the article because of the variety of journaling I can show.

I've shared a dozen layouts and provided samples of:

- hidden journaling

- top ten lists

- journaling on strips

- oversized journaling

- handwritten entries

- repetitive journaling

- the kitchen sink

Hope you'll pop by for the full and check out the whole August issue.  Thanks for visiting!

Marjie

Layout: Sketching at Piazza Navona

I made this layout for our Journal It theme over at Unruly Paper Arts. We recently went to Italy and both my sons carried around sketchbooks, taking every chance they could to capture some of the amazing art and architecture. I was one happy mom working in my art journal while they worked in theirs!

I journaled on strips of patterned paper I ran through my printer. Papers, brads, and suitcase are from Bo Bunny, and the letters are Tim's Sizzix Wordplay die. I cut an extra set in grunge and mounted them to add some depth. The old fashioned pen is by A Stamp in the Hand.  Everything is edged with distress inks.

Thanks so much for the visit.  Please pop on over to UPA to see the other samples for this month's theme... it promises to be a very creative month!

Marjie

Unruly Paper Arts - Ink Techniques - Mixing Wet & Dry Inks

Today's my first appearance as a columnist for Unruly Paper Arts. Hope you'll pop by!  The theme all month has been Ink Minx, and there is loads of inspiration over on the blog. My column is on ink techniques, and my tags are inked with a variety of Dylusions Ink Sprays, Archival Inks, and Distress Inks (all by Ranger). I started with this:

And ended up with this:

I used tons of stamps and stencils on this project, and I've included a lot of stepped-out photos in the column over at UPA.   Hope you'll pop over to see the whole thing.  Thanks so much for the visit!

Marjie