Work Tray Wednesday

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #79

I have another great sketch for you to play along with. Head on over to the Sketch-N-Scrap page to see what the other designers came up with and don't forget to upload your take on the sketch to the blog for a chance to win.

On this particular night I was scrambling to get things done. The kids had played outside and were covered in dirt. I asked their dad to help out by getting them in the tub. He decided to let them take a bath in MY tub. Not realizing that jets can create a lot of bubbles he poured in ample amounts of bubble bath. There was no complaining out of the kids!

Items I used in this Layout:

Card Stock • Kraft

Basic Grey • Hello Luscious • Inviting

Basic Grey • Little Black Dress • Haute Couture

Basic Grey • Spice Market • POTM

Basic Grey • Indie Bloom • Panache

Tim Holtz • Distress Tool

Adobe Illustrator

Cricut Expression

Distress Stickles • Clear Rock Candy

Ranger Glossy Accents

Scotch ATG

New items listed...

I have a couple of punch needle pieces up for consideration on eBay. I finished these two recently and they are one-of-a-kind. Click on the photos to visit the auctions!

April Twistback Challenge

It's time for April's twistback challenge over at Sketch-N-Scrap. This sketch is from October 2012 and the twist is to use a mask or stencil with ink or paint.

I used two different stencils in my layout. The first one I pulled out was this herringbone that I just purchased at Hobby Lobby. I found it in the isle with all of the home decor stencils. I actually purchased a few different patterns. They are pretty inexpensive as far as stencils go. Not as thick of plastic as craft ones so I don't know how long they will hold up or if I'll be able to use them with my dimensional pastes. Time will tell, but it was certainly worth the $3 to try it out!

 The second stencil I used was on the green butterfly. This one was a Tim Holtz burlap stencil. 

Our neighbors raise goats and we went over the other day to check the babies out. It happened to be feeding time so everyone got a turn bottle feeding a baby goat. The kids want to walk over daily now to check the other "kids" growing progress.

Items I used in this layout:

Card Stock • White

Herringbone Stencil • My Stash

Mister Huey's Color Mist • Honor Society

Mister Huey's Color Mist • Doris

My Minds Eye • Fly a Kite • Everyday Alpha Paper

My Minds Eye • Fly a Kite • Genuine Bingo Paper

My Minds Eye • Life of the Party • Happy Day Argyle Paper

Ranger • Archival Ink • Monarch Orange

Tim Holtz • Distress Tool

Tim Holtz • Burlap Stencil

Script Stamp • My Stash

Faber-Castell • Pitt Big Brush Art Pen • May Green

Faber-Castell • Pitt Big Brush Art Pen • Orange Glaze

Brads • My Stash

Basic Grey • Hopscotch • Mini Mono Stickers

Basic Grey • Little Black Dress • Stickers

We R Memory Keepers • Anthologie • 6x6 Paper Pad

Papertrey Ink • Beautiful Blooms 2 • Die Set

Sizzix • Butterfly #12 Die

Sizzix Big Shot

Scotch ATG

Work Tray Wednesday

Getting ready to practice my penmanship. 

Sketch N Scrap Card Challenge #47

Here is another card sketch for you to play along with from Sketch-N-Scrap.

I started my card by digging through my scraps. Once I pulled out the background paper I knew using red for the banner would accent the red in the floral pattern. The sentiment piece was made using product from PaperTrey Ink.

A great day to make cards

I found myself in need of a large quantity of cards this week. For various reasons and occasions. So I decided to take this opportunity to play along with a few sketch blogs. Each one is unique and so much fun. You can click on the sketches below to visit each site.

 

 

 I hope you are inspired to play along with some of these challenges as well!

Work Tray Wednesday

Working on cards today!

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #78

Happy April first! No jokes here, I have a great sketch for you play with! Put together an awesome layout and upload it to the Sketch-N-Scrap blog for a chance to win a prize!

We recently had a streak of warm weather here in Nebraska and the kids have been itching to play in the sand. To keep them from falling in the pond, I dug out their old water table and filled it so they could make sand castles. They would build and the puppy would destroy. It kept them busy all afternoon.

Items I used in this layout:

My Minds Eye • Lime Twist • Life of the Party • Love Sprinkles

My Minds Eye • Stella & Rose • Gertie • You and Me Numbers Paper

My Minds Eye • Lost & Found • Market Street • Happy Birthday Tapestry

Jillibean Soup • Kool Kraft • Corrugated Alphas

Tim Holtz • Distress Paint • Antique Linen

Tim Holtz • Distress Tool

My Minds Eye • Stella & Rose • Hazel Special Title

My Minds Eye • Stella & Rose • Mabel Love Label Stickers

Ranger • Distress Ink • Walnut Stain

Scotch ATG

Playing with Clay Step by Step

I wanted to share with you the process of working with clay. For me anyway. I had a show this last weekend and I made a couple batches of bunnies to offer.  I took photos along the way of one batch.

The first step is putting together the styro foam insides. I used different sizes of egg shapes for my bunnies. Using a short piece of wooden dowel, I hot glue the head to the body. The dowel helps support it. I indented eye areas in the heads.

Next I cover the foam with creative paperclay. My first coat is a thin one just to get the whole piece covered. You can see in the photo I still need to cover the bottom. I let them dry in the sun before finishing the lower areas on them.

After the first coat of clay is dry I add more to the necks to form them how I want and make their noses. I have no patterns for these every one will look different.

I'll note that each of these steps is at least a day apart to give it time to dry. I am an impatient crafter so clay really pushes me. I try to keep myself busy making other things in between steps so I don't rush the clay! 

Here are all of the bunnies with their first ear. I didn't use anything inside the ears, they are solid clay so they took two days to dry. Each bunny has their ears posed differently.

Now they have both ears and are left to dry for another couple days.

Once the bunnies are completely dry I coat them with gesso. Then a thick coat of Ranger Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy.

You need a thick coat on to get an aggressive crackle. Once I've painted the crackle on they are left to dry. Don't rush the crackle with a heat tool, just let time work it.

Once the crackle is dry, I water down some brown paint and brush it on. Then using a paper towel I rub the majority off.

Look at that beautiful aged crackle!

By this time I had less than an hour before I had to leave and set up my show so I didn't get photos of the painting of the nose and eyes. I was scrambling to finish and get them packed. (sorry!) I embellished each one with dyed ribbon and they were nestled into peat pots or tins. I did come home with a couple of these. I have them listed on eBay now, you can click on the photo below to go to my auctions.

I hope you enjoyed my step by step process of working with clay!