Ingenious Inkling

Self Portrait Solution

This week's Wanderlust lesson was to first draw and then paint a self-portrait.  We started with some collage papers.  I used a torn page of vintage sheet music as well as both sides of a scrap of designer paper.

 

 

Next came the self portrait.  I watched the video ... I followed the instructions ... but it looked worse than things I remember drawing in 2nd grade.   I let it sit overnight, hoping I'd feel better in the morning ... but nope.

So I decided, if in the other lessons I used paint and paper to cover up things I liked ... why couldn't I use paper and paint to cover-up something I didn't like.  I still know it's there ... and I know I had the experience of creating it (which was the ultimate purpose) ... but now I feel more joy when I look at my finished pages.

 

 

 

I had printed my reference photo on a piece of copy paper, so I cut it out and glued it over my painted photo (you can see a bit of my painted hair peeking out).  Then I went back in with some white paint and more gesso to finish the page.

I thought the quote from my Buddha book summarized my intentions for the year, which was the focus of the page.  I also want to seek experiences that bring me Joy and Peace.

a Twinchie Holiday

Our current prompt at Jingle Belles is to create a card featuring Inchies (one inch squares or circles) or Twinchies (two inch squares or circles).

I cute three two-inch squares from some Tim Holtz packaging and then use a collection of Tim Holtz Holiday Ephemera, stickers, and gems to build three little collages.

 

I backed the collages with some Poinsettia paper and then lined them up on a 7" card base before wrapping with some twine.

 

 

We hope you'll have fun going small with us this week at Jingle Belles.

String Theory Sass

When I saw this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! I was immediately reminded of a String Art Tutorial from Understand Blue, so I went and found it.

 

 

I couldn't find a phone book or rubber globes, so I used an Encyclopedia and just got inky fingers.  I used Taylored Expressions Cookie Monster Ink and made these four String Theory pulls (first pull on the bottom and second pull on the top).

 

 

I used one of the first pulls because I thought it more closely resembled the sketch, and then because I was feeling a bit punchy tonight, I used stamps from The Ink Road Empower (thank you Tina Fey).

 

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• 5 Ingredient Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls
• a quick t-shirt headband tutorial
• intrigued by this Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake
• this Soufflé Omelet looks interesting
• how to up-cycle a glittery Rainbow Village
• turning vintage shutters into a DIY Coat Rack
• I may have to try making Kimchi
• tips for adding color to embossing folders
• I love Boston Cream Pie
• Recommendations for storing fruit
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• How pretty is that Peaches & Cream Pretzel Pie (shown)
• I love my Kitchen Shears

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Garden of Wishes

This week's Wanderlust Art Journaling exercise was to use all sorts of materials to create a Garden of Wishes for 2021.

I started with text pages, sheet music, and flower photos.  This week I decided to move to a larger watercolor paper journal to be more balanced with the images I wanted to use.

 

 

You can see under the flower pictures that I added some green paint to the pages for a rough base.

 

 

I glued some flowers into my garden together with some coordinating colors of designer paper and then glued the text into my sky.

 

After filling in my garden with finger painting with paints & ink, the next step was to turn the journal upside down and add washes of white paint to the sky.

 

This was my finished spread with each painted flower representing a wish for 2021.

Too Glam

When I saw the fabulous Pepin Vintage Fashion Stickers from The Ink Pad NYC that Lauren used on her Traveler's Notebook, I knew I had to have them to make some cards.

 

And when I saw the Less is More Challenge was all about Fashion, I knew they would be the perfect centerpiece.  The cool thing about these fabulous stickers was all it took was a single sentiment stamp for each to make a complete Fashion Set.

 

 

I used sentiments from Echo Park Salon Collection Stamps ... this one in the oh-so-perfect poppy ink.  I just love those gloves.

 

I love how this card is in the Pantone Colors of the Year ... and another great Echo Park Sentiment.

 

These last two are on some perfectly sized little Paper Source Notecards I had in my stash ... I just love the collar on this one.

 

And this final lovely Pepin Lady was perfect with this sentiment from Essentials by Ellen Pure Magic.

AAA Cards Summer in January

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to Guest Design for the current AAA Cards Challenge which is Up To One Third with the optional twist of Summer in January.

 

 

 

I started my card design with the fun Happy Camper Stickers from {a vintage girl} & her daughter.  Then I realized the stamps from The Greetery Destination Summer were the perfect size to create a fun little Summer in January scene.

 

 

I finished with a sticker from {a vintage girl} & her daughter Valentine Dividers under the sentiment (remember my discount code SMILYNSTEF gets you 15% off your sticker purchase).

Old School Valentine

When I saw the #staycraftywithhero Challenge was to use a heart, I pulled out my Valentine Drawer where I keep lots of vintage stamps and embellishments for the holiday. 

 

 

I found the vintage Hero Arts Horizontal Crayon Heart Border that is apparently so old I couldn't even find a picture on the Internet.  I went "old school" and stamped it three times using my eyeballs to line it up (how we had to do everything before the MISTI).  

 

I trimmed it down and then added more hearts with Hero Arts Peg Stamps from 1999 (that came in a clear bucket-like container).  Then I used a vintage Hero Arts Sentiment - C4602 Valentine's Day.

 

I decided to keep it pretty flat and simple, so it will be easy to mail ... just a little foam tape under the sentiment.

A Merry Gnomie Christmas

At Jingle Belles it's RESOLUTION-ary as we create with both Old & New items from our Stash.

For my New this week I broke out the limited-release Gina K. Designs Gnome dies & stencils with Therm-o-Web ... I just love that cute little guy and couldn't resist cutting a second *nose* from white for a Santa pom pom.

Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge is to create with Red (I also used Color Hue's Red & Grey Challenge), so I added more red to my background with Cherry Red Ink Stenciled through the Gina K. Festive Stencil  (love the tone-on-tone effect).

 

 

For the old, I used a sentiment from Gina K.'s Holiday Wreath Builder with three different dies from Gina K. Designs Master Layout Die Sets.

 

 

I'm also joining the Use Something New Challenge at The Paper Players.

 

 

Simon Says Stamp is also linking-up Something New.

 

 

Thursday Link Love

The first week of 2021 link discoveries:

• 9 Famous Introverts
• Fruit Salad wit Honey Yogurt Sauce (shown)
• vintage snow scenes in Central Park ... and more vintage NYC pictures
• 5-Minute Brownie in a Mug
• Journaling Prompts for 2021
• these Cheddar Biscuits looks amazing
• 50 Ways to be Healthier & Happier in 2021
• Ingenious Book Shelves
• Spiced Irish Oatmeal
• Kitchen Refresh Ideas
• I am intrigued by Bigos - Polish Hunter's Stew (their German Chocolate Cookies look yummy too)
• 52 Ways to Declutter Your Life

Have a tremendous Thursday!