Enjoy the Journey -- Sizzix Tag & Bookplate Die Tutorial

My niece is going to be 14 next month. It's hard to believe she's going to be 14, where has the time gone -- but that's another story. Last year she said she wanted "one of my beautiful hand-made cards".

I usually give her art journaling or crafting supplies for giftie occasions -- but she's been away and I'm not sure just what she wants or needs. Since a gal can never have too many journals I picked up a new Dyan Reavely journal for her and a gift card so she can pick out her own new art supplies that she wants to play with. (The Dunkin' Donuts GC is just for placement!)    

 

The tools I used to create this gift card holder tag were:

•   Sizzix Tag & Bookplate 656938
•   Sizzix Styled Labels 656642
•   Watercolor Paper, 16 x 20
•   VersaMark Ink Pad, Black Embossing Powder, Background Stamp, Heat Tool
•   Cream Card stock, Gold Corrugated Card Stock
•   Sewing Machine
•   2 Wood or Chipboard Butterflies
•   Metal Tag and Metal Pin
•   Black Seam Binding Tape

 

• Cut a strip of watercolor paper 16" x 4"
• Score and fold at approximately 3 ¼” and 8 3/8”. Your folded paper needs to sit just INSIDE the ridges of the die so you get the folds and not cuts.
• Cut with the Sizzix Tag and Bookplate 

 

• Paint both sides of the tag with your choice of Distress Paint, let dry.
• Cut and paint the small Oval Bookplate with the same paint.
• Stamp just the front of the tag with the background stamp and a VersaMark Pad. Sprinkle with black embossing Powder and emboss with a heat tool.

• Cut the Styled Labels from Gold Corrugated Card stock and ink the edges and top with Black StazOn.
• Attach the small Oval Frame and Styled Labels to the bottom half of the tag with brads. 
• Paint the butterflies with black distress paint and let dry.
• Attach one butterfly to the center of the Styled Labels with foam tape. Create the sentiment from a thin strip of cream card stock and stamps or rub-ons. Attach the sentiment to the pin and stick in the foam tape behind the butterfly.
• Use a sewing machine to stitch the left and right sides of the inside flap where the gift card will be.
• Secure the second butterfly on the inside flap and use a piece of twine to tie the metal tag over the top. 

• Tie a triple bow at the top of the tag and scrunch with your fingers.  
• Use a piece of twine to secure it to your gift. 

Easy peasy – and quick too depending on how detailed you make the decorations! Thanks for joining me today, have a GREAT day!

Button. Button. Who's got the button?

I've got a TON of super secret projects I'm working on right now and I can't share anything I'm making -- but I thought I'd share these fun little buttons I created. I MAY or MAY NOT use them -- but they were super easy and fun to make with DipTic.

That's all for today, have a GREAT day and Have a GREAT Friday! Thanks for stopping by.

Oh Whatever.....Round 2

Woohoooo- it is not over....there are so many more Whatevers out there...they all need a story...and seriously it was way too much fun! We so enjoyed each others stories and the MANY amazing stories of those of you who participated that we've decided to create another year worth of stories and call this one Whatevers Two.

Whatevers 2 from Nathalie Kalbach on Vimeo.

And, since we had so much fun we thought we would invite a few friends to join us! So please join us as we offer a big round of applause and a great big welcome our friends Carmen Sanchez and Martha Richardson as they join us for Round 2 of the Whatevers! 

We will start with the first Whatever in Round 2 on July 15, 2013 AND we would love to have you join us. And just in case you don't know how the Whatevers work, here's a short summary :)

The Whatevers – is a creative story telling project founded by Nat Kalbach, Vicki Chrisman and me in 2012.

I know you've been to a flea market now and again. As you peruse the different tables you come across a pile of old photos that just draws you in. As you look through the pile you get a weird thought and then begin to wonder just what were those people doing, thinking, experiencing in their lives? Sometimes you find a little trace of the history on those photos, the name and city of the photographer, a scribbled note or year on the back of the photo…but that is it. There is no more.

Really…no more? They are forgotten as long as they have no name and no story…

If you want, you can watch our intro video from 2012:


 

Here is how it works

• Vicki, Nat, Cuchy (Carmen), Martha and I and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos for our Whatevers that we will write a story for.
• Every month – if possible always on the 15th –  each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along with the same photo.
• If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you to download and show us your version of The Whatevers. The photo will be posted at the end of our blogposts- but not on Facebook!
• There is no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the length or the form of the story- it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER
• There is no rules on the art form you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an art journal page – WHATEVER
• Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us and show us your story.
• These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!
• If you want to participate we’ll have a linky list for each Whatever Post.
• You can also join our The Whatevers -Facebook Page

See you on July 15 with the first Whatever Two!
THANKS for stopping by - have a GREAT day!

Camping + Art Journaling = Perfect Combination

We went camping over the weekend to one of my favorite places in Maine. The Rangeley Lakes area is -- well to me anyway -- one of the most beautiful places on this earth! Right now the wild lupines are blooming -- purple, light and dark pink and even white -- everywhere along the side of the road.

I can't count how many photos I took of them -- I even caught a great one with a bumblebee collecting some honey. This photo though, was my favorite. A little thunderstorm had passed through leaving some fog and a wet table -- it's perfect! I'm always looking for inspiration for art.

Since it rained quite a bit while we were there -- and I was the ONLY girl with 3 men -- 2 of them teenage boys -- I brought my art journal box with me and created 2 great journal pages.

I always have paintbrushes, paint -- distress paints are the perfect size for traveling, markers, colored pencils, watercolor pencils and paper whenever I leave home for a few days. Just in case I need them.

Plus, it's a great thing to do in front of the camp fire! 

 

 

 Now I just need to find a quote for this one -- and let it air out because it smells a little bit like camp fire smoke :-D

Thanks for stopping by -- have a great day.

The Whatevers #12: A Letter from Wintson

So I managed to keep you in suspense for another month, and it looks like I might have to leave you hanging again. I've got 2 pages left in my book so I thought I'd finish this up soon. This is the last picture for our Whatevers and I just couldn't bring it all to an end with this photo -- but I've got a great finale planned that I think you will love. Until then I'll get you in the mood for some more mystery, ha ha.

And, before I get started with Cordelia and Winston, take a minute to check out what Nat and Vic's Whatevers are up to this month!

• Nat's Story Here
• Vic's Story Here

____________________________________________

Cordelia had returned home to Germany without Winston and had settled in to the Castle with her family for the long haul. Life was starting to return to normal -- and it was summer so she had plenty of summer activities to keep Winnie and Newt busy. Like boating on the pond on the Castle grounds. 

Normally a fun passtime, but now she couldn't even think about boating. A messenger had just hand-delivered a letter. The envelope had her name scrawled across the front. 

And it was in Winston's handwriting. 

She was afraid and excited to open it -- she thought she should wait until she was alone in case it was bad news. So she slipped away from the festivities at the pond.

My Dearest Cordelia,  

I don't have much time before the guard returns so I will spare you the details until I see you again. 

PLEASE DO NOT worry. I am fine.

I am working on a way to get home to you and the children. 

your loving husband.

W

Cordelia was elated and her wonderful husband was still alive! She said a little prayer and returned to the party. It was a wonderful day to celebrate the Summer Solstice -- she couldn't hope but have a little hope that he'd be home before the end of Summer so they could go home!

____________________________________________

Here's the image so you can play, just take a minute to check out the details below! 

• Vicki, Nat and I have made a one-year commitment to each other and picked twelve photos with Whatevers whom we will give a story.
• Every month – if possible always on the 15th – each of us will do a post with an individual story that goes along for us with the same photo.
• If you want you can play along and we will have the photo for you – just right click on it to safe it to download and show us your version of The Whatevers.
• There are no rules to the story itself- it can be funny, sad, uplifting, breathtaking- WHATEVER
• There are no rules on the length or the form of the story- it can be a short sentence, an essay, a poem or a soap opera – WHATEVER
• There are no rules on the art form you choose – it can be a scrapbook layout, an altered art project, an art journal page – WHATEVER
• Here is a rule though: if you take the photo you have to link back to us and show us your story.
• These pictures are from our personal stash and are for personal use for you only! If you want to use them for a publication whether a book or magazine in print or digital form please ask for permission!
• If you want to participate we’ll have a linky list for each Whatever Post.
• You can also join our The Whatevers -Facebook Page 

 ____________________________________________

With LOVE for Flip-Its

Head on over to the Sizzix Blog to see how I created this With Love card using the Majestic Flip-Its! 

Thanks for joining me, see you next time!
Catherine Scanlon

In + Out Art Journal Toolbox

I'm pretty excited about my newest In + Out class that's starting tomorrow:

Click on the image to go over to My Creative Classroom and read ALL about it!

Have a GREAT day, thanks for stopping by.

Drawing Away!

I've been working away every night making these black and white illustrations.

I'm working on a fun project with them, can't wait until it's ready to put in my Etsy Shoppe!

And look at this fun painted one!
 
Thanks for stopping by - have a GREAT day!

Time to get Back to it...

Exercise that is! I'm excited to finaly add exercise back into my daily routine!

 

My friend and I joined a gym last week, so far I've gone 4 times. Let's hope I can keep this forward momentum! Love my new socks and sneakers! 

And I'm working on the healthy eating, again!

 
Have a great day, thanks for stopping by! 

Flexing my Muscles!

Thought I'd share a few snippets of things I've been working on. Lots of drawing. Really, only drawing. Oh, and I joined a gym thinking maybe I could get fit. Or maybe just stop feeling weak.

Drawing is really all I want to do. It's all I think about.

I'm OK with that though. I'm flexing my creative muscle. I feel pretty strong in that department.

It feels great to have a short to-do list for a change. It also feels GREAT to have a HUGE stash of pages FILLED with art. Now I just need to do something with them. Etsy maybe? Not sure what to charge. Ideas on what you'd pay for a 9x12 pen and ink illustration?

I do think the busy-ness factor is going to change pretty soon with a few big industry projects on the horizon and some other personal local projects that I have in mind. Phew, maybe I ought to get to work then.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a GREAT day!

NE PaperCrafts was in the HOUSE!

Monday I had the lovely Laurel Pollard from NE PaperCrafts and Cre8time over for a visit to my studio. We had a lovely visit -- that included some crafting and chatting. I prepared a fun make + take for her based on the Mother's Day Paper Quilt I created with the Sizzix Hexagon die last month.

It was a great brainstorming visit - she left with her pretty card ready to send out and makings for her sweet daughter to make one too and some great tips on using Sizzix dies.

However, I had a little bit of a wardrobe malfunction in that I could NOT find the Tim Holtz Stick pins to add a pennant to the card while she was here. (Remember, never clean your studio and reorganize because then you can't find things when you need them!!)

I did finally find them this morning, right where I KNEW they were!

So, if you liked the Mother's Day Paper Quilt I created, see how easily you can reduce the size and make a card out of it? This is a 5" x 7" card! Just reduce the mat size to fit on your card base and follow the rest of the instructions to make the perfect card.

Thanks for stopping by, have a GREAT day!

Just Had to Get them ALL

In case you haven't heard of the new Tim Holtz Distress Paints -- I thought I would let you know how fabulous and wonderful they are! I picked up some of my colors from Eclectic Paperie -- which is where that link back there will take you. Great place to shop, and fast and reasonable shipping too!

Anyway, to use them I start out with a drawing on Strathmore Mixed Media Paper and add color with the Distress Paints. When watered down they react just like watercolor paints -- allowing you to get nice light washes that you can layer on top until you have the desired look.

Or you can paint with them full strength for some really vivid and vibrant colors.

This page was painted exclusively with them. I just take the cover off and set it to the side and dip my paint brush right in the bottle to get some paint. That way I don't waste any!

Look how vibrant the colors are!

If you haven't tried these, I highly recommend you start with 3 colors that you can mix other colors with and then once you see how lovely they work you'll just have to have them all, like I did! 

Thanks for stopping by today, have a GREAT day!