Tuesday, August 28, 2012

CHF-08 Circles

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for stopping in today because it's time for the next Cornish Heritage Farms challenge.The theme is circles and I decided to make a circle easel card.


Want to play along???? If you would like to play along with us of course we would love to have you! AND - if you do, you could win a $10 Gift Certificate and a Winner's Badge to put on your Blog!
To play, create a card using CHF images. You can use either CHF digi or rubber stamps to create a card or project.... anything you like as long as the stamps are Cornish Heritage Farms. (Yes, they can be older stamps.)

Once you have created your card/project come back here and place a comment with a link to your card/project to this post so that we can see what you created. If you upload your card/project to SCS don't forget to include the keyword CHF08. We can't wait to see what you create!

Don't forget to check out the Cornish Heritage Farms Design Team's card on their blogs.

* Anne * Barb * Barbara (You are HERE) * Cindy *

* Dawn * Debbie * Deneen * Dianne *

*Frances *  Holly*  Jacqueline * Kris *

* Kristine * Lisa *  Michele * Steph *

Friday, August 24, 2012

Colored Pencil Art

Hi Everyone,
I want to share with you some artwork that I had the pleasure of seeing Wednesday.This artwork is on display at the Carnegie Visual and Performing  Arts Center in Covington, Ky. This building was built in 1902 and opened as the Public Library with an auditorium, which come to find out is quite rare. As a child, this was the library that I used and it was within walking distance from my home. It was a cool building. The main thing I remember was the huge round skylight visible from the main floor in the center room.

After many years of being a library, it closed after a new library was built. Then it was neglected for quite a few years. Then came restoration and it has become the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center. OK so lets fast forward to the exhibit taking place now.

Angie and I went to view this exhibit since the art was all colored pencil artwork. I must say there were pieces there that just blew me away. They looked like photographs, just no other way to describe their impact on your visual senses.

So here are a few if the 121 pieces of art that really blew me away. Keep in mind that almost all this art work was framed and behind glass so you will see some glare, and I am sorry for that. However I think you will get the idea of how gifted these artists are as you really look at the photo's I am sharing with you.

First a few shots of this historic building

These stairs lead up to the 2nd floor. Same as when I was a kid.


Here is a glimpse of the gorgeous skylight, this shot was taken from the 1st floor looking straight up.Just as I remember it from when I was a kid.



Here is a peek of the theater from the balcony, right now the performance of Xanadu is playing.


The 2nd floor balcony of the theater


The restored art work above the curtain 

OK on to the art work in the exhibit


Sorry for the glare on this pic. Here is a drawing of an ostrich. It is a great piece of art work!!

 A small child



This took top honors. To see this in person was quite breath taking, because remember, the artwork you are looking at  a colored pencil drawing, not a photo!


A billboard rendition

Bad glare, sorry. 
Leather gloves and sunglasses


This one was quite unique! A man looking at a person in the background.The person in the background is a little out of focus just as if the art work were a photo instead of colored pencil art.


This piece really caught my eye as it looks so much like silver serving pieces and there are no colored pencils that are shiny silver. As I looked at this piece very closely, I saw white and shades of gray and of course the blue in the reflections depicted on the silver serving pieces. What was the best on this piece, was the image of a person taking a photograph in the reflection on the pitcher. You just had to see this to appreciate the art work.




A blue jay



Here is a beautiful piece of a kitchen chair with fruit and a kitchen towel on it.


This one caught my eye, since I really love trees. There were 3 colors in the sky, and those same 3 colors were used as a faux matting, framing the art. Amazing.




Here is the last piece that I am sharing with you today.
What a great art exhibit, a treasure trove of art all using colored pencil as the medium. You just had to see these in person to be able to appreciate the visual effects these pieces of art have on your sight. Most of the pieces you would swear were photos.

Well that is how I spent a few hours Wednesday, drinking in some of the artwork of some very talented artists from all over the US and a few from Australia, I believe.

Thanks for stopping in today



Friday, August 17, 2012

My stamping shadow, Buddy

Hi Everyone
Just had to share with you a picture that I've been waiting weeks to get. Everytime I see Buddy sleeping like this, he hears me coming and changes his position, so I have never been able to take a picture of him sleeping  in this position til tonite. I swear, his hearing is so acute, I think he hears everything that is going on around him. LOL I know cats and other animals really don't get into a deep sleep most of the time so he probably does hear everything. Survival mode I am sure. This time my camera was right by me and I was close enough to get the picture without getting up.


I have 2 other cats as well and they don't ever sleep like this. This position just cracks me up. And he sounds like he's snoring when he is like this. I am surprised he can breathe. Even when he is not laying face down, he snores sometimes. 

Buddy generally is close by me all the time. If I go to my studio, he follows me. If I go to the bathroom, he gets up and follows me. Generally speaking where I am, he is close by. He's like my shadow. LOL

Buddy adopted me last year when he stopped at my house and never left. After many months of him sleeping on my front porch, he got to come in and stay. Finally I had him fixed and got him his shots and now he's all set. He no longer goes out because he is a flea magnet. He goes out and they jump on him. They must think he's a roving motel, except they don't leave. I've given Buddy 3 baths and believe it or not he is really patient and he never meows through out his bath. He is the best little guy. Now if my other two cats would just get off their high horse, we'd all be happy.

Thanks for stopping by to see Buddy. See you soon


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Tutorial for the Tri-Fold Scenic Card

Hi Everyone
Yesterday I posted a tri-fold card. Today I am going to show you the steps I used to make the card. It's easy, really!!

Here is the card again, completed


OK lets get started.

Step 1 - I started with a 4.25"X11" piece of card stock, scored at  4" and  7" .( I hope you can see the score marks)
Note: You will not fold the card til the card is colored and cut.This makes stamping and cutting easier.


Step 2 - I stamped the main image in the center between the scored lines.The image I chose actually fits between those scored lines. If your image is larger you may have to mask off the side areas to keep your image in the center.The center that you are looking at is the inside of the card.
Note that stamped the image about 1.25" from the bottom of the card.



Step 3 - Turn the card over and mask off the whole center panel, lining up the sticky edge of the Post-It notes with the scored lines.




Step 4 - Stamp the right side of the CS.I stamped the image at the bottom  of the card. By stamping the side images at the bottom and the center image up farther you will get a perception of depth. I wanted to have the scene look like the mushroom garden had lots of mushrooms so I kind of off set the image when I stamped this side of the panel. Remember this panel is the right side as you are looking at it, but when the card is folded and turned around this panel will be on the left side of the card.


Step 5 -  Stamp your image on the left panel keeping in mind how the scene is to appear. I left a larger space on the left side of this panel to accommodate the frog.

Step 6 -  I stamped the frog


Step 7 - I colored the center panel. For this card I used Copics, but you can use whatever coloring medium you prefer to use.


Step 8 - I turned the card over and colored the left and right panels.
Note: In using Copic markers you run the risk of bleed thru. You can add another panel to the back to cover that up, but the side panels would be harder to do that to. If you decide to do the side panels, then make sure to add the CS before the cutting step so the cut would be a smooth match.


Step 9 - Fussy cut the images on each side. I started at the edge of each panel and fussy cut along the image to the center of the card. Next I cut down the scored line from the top of the card to when the fussy cut is.


Step 10 - Now it's time to fold the side panels in. And your card is finished.


Have fun with this. I hope you agree that this card is really easy to make.

Thanks for stopping back today for my tutorial.

                 Here are some







Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nature

Hi Everyone,
This week must be critter week here at Art and Soul Creations because I've had a few dogs, a bird, and now a frog!! Funny how themes run sometimes. These were definitely not planned.

I recently received this set, (along with a whole host of other sets that I still need to work with) and I thought I wanted to develop a scene of sorts. And I remembered something I saw at CHA. This set had some stamps that would probably work with this idea. So, I thought, here goes.

I made a tri-fold card and stamped the center on the card.Next I turned the card over and stamped the 2 ends and fussy cut those images out. Next I folded the end thirds over the center portion to make this scene.
Here is the card closed.


Here is the card opened. 


This is really not hard to achieve. As I make another one of these I will take pic's of the steps to show you how to do this. It's really not hard.

The stamp set I used is really darling and one of the newest sets over at Sparkle N Sprinkle. It is set 467 - Nature and it is on sale, so, here is another set you might want to snag at the lower price.

Thanks for stopping in today and I will see you soon,




Tuesday, August 14, 2012

CHF07 - Animals

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for stopping in today because it's time for the next Cornish Heritage Farms challenge.The theme is animals and I decided to use a digital bird image I have in my digital stash. I really love birds. I also really like trees and where do you see birds, but in trees.

As I looked at the bird I envisioned it sitting in a nest on a tree limb, so I drew the tree with an overhanging limb.

To make the tree I penciled in the sketch of the tree on the cardstock. Next, I cut the cardstock and embossed it and added a cream colored ink to bring out the embossed wood design. Next I used a die to cut the leaves. The nest, I made from a small branch punch and used about 25 pieces.

This beautiful bird is a great digital image of a robin.  Check out all the digital images, there are so many to choose from and you don't have to wait for the postman.The sentiment is in the Ornamental Beauty set



Want to play along????

If you would like to play along with us of course we would love to have you! AND - if you do, you could win a $10 Gift Certificate and a Winner's Badge to put on your Blog!

To play create a card using CHF images. You can use either CHF digi or rubber stamps to create a card or project.... anything you like as long as the stamps are Cornish Heritage Farms. (Yes, they can be older stamps.) 

Once you have created your card/project come back here and place a comment with a link to your card/project to this post so that we can see what you created. If you upload your card/project to SCS don't forget to include the keyword CHF06. We can't wait to see what you create! 

Don't forget to check out the Cornish Heritage Farms Design Team's card on their blogs. 

*  Anne  *  Barb  *  Barbara (You are HERE) *  Cindy  *
*  Dawn  *  Debbie  *  Deneen *  Dianne  * Frances  *  
Holly*  Jacqueline  *  Kris  *  Kristine  *  Lisa  *  
Michele  *  Petra  *  Steph  *  


Thanks so much for stopping by today. See you soon!!

Monday, August 13, 2012

My Dog Loves Me

Hi Everyone
I have another doggone cute card for you today. I used more stamps from the 168 Dogs - Dog House set over at Sparkle N Sprinkle.


Isn't this little guy sweet!!??!! This is a center step card and the directions on how to cut this card are here. This card design is really easy to cut and make, so I hope you'll try it!!

Thanks for stopping in today, I will have a new post tomorrow. Hope you stop in to check it out.


Saturday, August 11, 2012

Doggone happy

Hi Everyone
Today I sat down and started working on my Sparkle N Sprinkle cards for the month and decided even though I wasn't able to participate in the blog hop last week, I would go ahead and make a card that celebrates Our Furry Friends. I used dog stamps from a set that I recently received. These are really so cute, I thought I'd share the project with you.

The set I worked from is Dog House, set 168.  BTW that set is on sale right now, so you might want to snag it at its lower price..


 Stamp Set 168 - Dogs - Dog House


Since I have three cats, they seemed a little put out that I made this dog card but they'll get over it. LOL


I decided on a step card and it turned out so cute. I love it. Also, directions to make this cute step card are here. It's really easy to make a step card, so I hope you try it. Well that is all I have today , oh, BTW, there is one more thing before I go......................

A few months ago I mentioned I had some news I would be sharing later on in the summer. Well, it's later on and I thought I'd let you all know what the new venture is that I've been preparing for. I am very excited to announce that  I will be teaching locally and because of the new venture I've just added a new tab here on my blog, right above, the current post. The new tab is called My Class Schedule. When you click on that tab, it will take you to another page that shows a calendar with dates showing the classes I have scheduled and where I will be teaching. By clicking on a date that contains an entry, you will get a pop up window with a class description and other information. Also by scrolling on down, right under the calendar, you will see pic's of class samples. The calendar will always be located under the tab My Class Schedule on that new page.

So, for those of you who live in the Greater Cincinnati area, I hope that you can join me in some classes that you might be interested in taking. Please remember to call the store and arrange to reserve your spot.

I am really excited about my new venture and I hope some of you local ladies can join me in some of my classes.Oh if you are ever going to be in the area, hope you decide to sign up for a class if there is something that you like and if our schedules coincide. LOL

Well that is all I have today for you.See you soon,





Thursday, August 9, 2012

Butterflies and Opportunities

Hi Everyone,
Well I think I have recovered from Stampaway. And I am  getting back in the swing of things so I thought I'd share with you a messed up piece that turned out OK.

At Stampaway I taught a class using the microfine glitter and I really love this stuff. In my stash, I've got some double stick leaf stickers by Hot Off The Press and I was playing around with these to see how well  I was going to like them. Well as it turns out, I am not wild about them. There is no easy way to change colors of glitter as there is with regular outline stickers. OK, so I am trying to get this to work and as I pull the image from the release paper I see that I am leaving pieces behind and there is no way to rectify that. So I do the best I can do and decide to go ahead and glitter this up anyway.BTW,  I was working with a butterfly. I decided to glitter it up green, ( I seem to be stuck on green lately). So here is a butterfly with green glitter all over except on one wing.


 Since I had transferred the sticker onto white cs, there was a bit of the white cs showing on that wing. Next in just playing around, I colored the white areas with a YR65 Copic marker, kind of an orange color.Now, what was I going to do with this butterfly. Well the butterfly wing looks kind of altered so I got out paints and Inka Gold and stencils and made an altered background. Mounted the butterfly and added a leaf and stamped a sentiment and it's ready to send out.




This card will be going out to the president of Glue Arts to thank him for the fabulous package of products he sent me after I ran into him at CHA. Thank you so much, Jim.

This card looks better in person than the picture shows.

OK, so the moral of this story is this,  there are no mistakes, just opportunities!!! LOL

Products used:
Adhesive - Glue Glider Pro ExtremeTac - Glue Arts (LOVE THIS STUFF)
Inka Gold- Gold & Blue - Viva
Dazzles Double Stick Leaf Stickers & Butterfly Stickers - Hot Off the Press
Dabber Paints - Aqua, Lemonade, Hazelnut - Ranger
Copic Markers - YR65, E15
Micrifine Glitter - Grasshopper, Blush - Glitter Ritz
Stencils - The Crafters Workshop and Dylusions
Peachy Orange CS, White CS



Sunday, August 5, 2012

In the Blink of an Eye

Hi Everyone,
Well Stampaway has come and gone and now I can take a deep breath!!!What an exciting few days. And in the blink of an eye it's over and it's time to start thinking about what to submit for next year.

So here is a recap:
My glitter class Wednesday night at Stamp Your Art Out was a great class. Sixteen ladies who loved the projects and learned how to work with micro fine glitter. I must say, I love that type of glitter. Looks so pretty on paper, and works great with outline stickers. Among other things, they learned how to transfer the negative outline pieces from the sticker sheet they come on, to the adhesive sheet and then they were off glittering and cutting and assembling, etc.

Thursday's class was a very aggressive class in that they had 3 projects that were advanced and the 38 students in this class were up for the challenge. They all loved the 3 projects and Pat, Denise and myself were given a round of applause at the end of the class.That made our day!!!! All of the ladies at this class were so much fun and I hope to see them next year.

Pat and Denise, my trusty assistants, were there to keep me on board. We each presentated a project and explained it to the class. They were awesome. I couldn't have done it without them.


Pat
  
        
Denise                   
                                                                                             



Here I am explaining what to do with the white triangle, to some of the class participants


Here is a recap of the projects in the Thursday class:

The Star Card Closed

The Star Card Opened
Sorry this is sideways.


The Fan Fold Card


The Fan Fold card opened

Circle Flip Book
Closed


The book opened


I would like to give a special thanks to a lovely lady from Hawaii who gave me a special wrapped gift of chocolates and macadamia nuts straight from Hawaii. That was so sweet of you and "Thanks So Much".

I attended the Dessert Party Thursday night. Connie hired a magician and what a show he put on. He was amazing and great!!! I wonder how they do all the things that they do.Maybe next year I can be a fly on the wall. Hmm.......... BTW, at this party they had a chocolate fountain with lots of sweets to bathe in this yummy liquid chocolate flowing from that fountain.That can lead to chocolate overload for sure. Next was the ice cream bar with a whole host of toppings.And who doesn't love ice cream!!! Everything was delicious.

Met and spoke to Joe Rotella. He had 4 classes at Stampaway this year. They were extremely well attended  and to be honest I think Joe is on the fast track. If you like his style, take a class from Joe, you won't regret it.

I saw people who I haven't seen since last year and some it's been 2-3 years.It was great catching up on stuff with friends, wasn't it Tre'??? We had an impromptu get together for about 4 hours. Needless to say I had a long drive home, cause this year I didn't stay up at the hotel. I only live 25 miles away but it seemed longer at 2AM

Friday night was the preview party and the theme this year was Prom Nite.There were quite a few who dressed for the occasion and one was particularly the life of the party.


This cutie was a date to one of the prom attendees. 
Isn't he the cutest. LOL

Not sure who this is???
It's Ted, from Stampers Anonymous/Inky Antics/Art Gone Wild
He was a hoot!!


Both Friday night and Saturday, I worked at the Gary Burlin booth. I demo'ed  Gary's glitters, Design Adhesives, sticky powder, leafing and answered a lot of questions that the customers had. Love this booth and love every item he carries. I WANT IT ALL. LOL



Now its time to unwind get re-organized and put stuff away in its home, so I can find it again. And it's time to  get back to the usual.

Well, all in all, Stampaway was fun and I loved every minute of it. Can't wait til next year.

Thanks for stopping in to see what has kept me from my blog. See you soon,