Trena's Creative Space

In Flight

In our Michael Strong Yahoo Group, we have a bird challenge this month. I used wax to create my scenery beneath my bird in flight.

1. Use iron and waxes to create background, hills, foliage and sky.  Click here for tips,  and a link to a teaching video,  I learned when working with the iron.
2. After it dries, buff it with a soft towel.
3. Ink up bird image and stamp. Allow it to dry.
4. Use paint brush and acrylic paint to add color to the bird.  If you get paint some place you don't want,  gently wipe it right away with a clean paper towel.  The wax surface is easy to wipe clean. Do this immediately when the paint is still fresh.
5. Assemble layers.

Stamps: Michael Strong's Mini Cloisonné Wings MS336EZ
Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Neenah Classic Solar White, Stampin' Up! basic black
Inks: StazOn jet black
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons, folkArt acrylic paints wicker white, metallic periwinkle, light periwinkle, floating medium, #6 filbert paint brush

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Flowers For Sale

For Art Impressions Blog challenge 21 you have to use flowers. I chose to bring focus to my flowers with Flower Soft and also used paper flowers.  I used AI's Project 8 Series Instruction booklet to help me build my scene.  For additional information on this AI way of water coloring, see Bonnie's videos at  http://www.artimpressions.com/YouTube.asp

1. Use marker to color directly onto sign-pole image. Stamp onto watercolor paper. 
2. Use paintbrush to pull color out of lines.  NOTE: remove access water before pulling color.  
3. Repeat for house.
4. Color onto a pallet and then use paint brush to add color to the house and  color  background coverage.
5. Use maker to color directly onto other images and stamp onto water color paper. Use paintbrush to pull color.
6. Use permanent pen to fill in detail and print sign.
7. Add white glue to tiny flowers and sprinkle Flower Soft. Lightly press into glue. Tap off excess and put back into jar.
8. Adhere scene onto layer. Use push pen to poke holes into green layer.  Push brads through flowers and green layer.
9. Adhere green layer onto base card.
10. On the inside of the card use the jumbo grass image and green marker to stamp across the bottom. Use the small daisy image and purple marker to add some flowers.
11. Remember to sign your artwork!

Stamps: Art Impressions  Series 8 WCSet2, branches, leaves, daisy bunch, teeny tiny grass, jumbo grass, sm. vine
Paper: Strathmore 140lb cold press watercolor paper,  Stampin' Up! always artichoke, Neenah Classic Solar White
Ink: Marvy 92, 96  ink pads, Brush Art & LaPlumeII markers - various colors
Accessories: Flower Soft Heather, art glitter adhesive, paper flowers, brads,  Sakura Micron .005 archival ink pen, #4 paint brush

Take care and STAY POSITIVE! 

Trena

We know Way Too Much About Each Other....

This card is for the June Art Impressions Card Contest - golden oldies.  AI has so many fun images!  I used a combination of inks, markers and paper piecing with design papers to make this card.  This card is 4" x 6".

1. Inked up image with black distress ink pad and stamped on glossy card stock. Allowed to dry.
2. Decided which parts of the image I wanted to use the design papers on.
3. Used a small paint brush with various ink pads. I also dipped my brush in water to help spread color. I was not sure if it would work on the glossy card stock, but it did!
4. To add color in small places, or to fill in for ink pads I did not have, I used markers. 
5. Added some detail with drawing pen.
6. To give some grounding to the party group, I used a stipple brush and gray ink pad.
7. I stamped the sentiment last with VersaFine and used a stamp positioner for placement.

Stamps: Art Impressions 
Paper: glossy card stock, Basic Gray design paper
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress  ink pads, VersaFine onyx black, Stampin Up!  ink pads
Accessories: LaPlumeII  Markers, paint brush, stipple brush, Sakura Micron .005 archival ink pen, Tombow liquid adhesive, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Take care and STAY POSITIVE! 

Trena

A Splash of Color in Your Coffee?

Pink is the splash today!  And a touch of gold on this lovely coffee cup.

1. Choose your design papers. I thought this swirl design went so well with this cute little coffee cup image!
2. Ink up coffee cup image, sprinkle with emboss powder and heat set. Add a splash of pink to the image and line areas of cup with gold pen.
3. Use die cut to cut circle around image and a layer scalloped circle.
4. Trim all layers to fit on base card.
5. Adhere everything down. All done!

Stamps: Michael Strong's Hetty's Coffee Cup Set MS352EZ
Paper: Club Scrap design
Ink: VersaFine vintage sepia
Accessories: heat tool,  craft knife and cutting mat, Stampin' Up! clear embossing powder, Spellbinders Nestabilities classic circle & scalloped die cuts, Tombow 703, Sakura gold gel pen

Take care and STAY POSITIVE! 

Trena

Arizona Sunset

More Encaustics! I can not help myself. Once I get started, I just get caught up in all the colors and the surprise of the design.  :o)  When I finished this piece, it reminded me of an Arizona sunset.

1. Ink up image with gray ink pad and stamp image for placement on glossy A2 size piece of  card stock. NOTES: (1) I stamped this image upside down   (2) Since stamping for placement I only inked up a part of the image as a guide for the painting.  I also planned not to use the handles.
2. On a scrap piece of card stock, ink up image with StazOn and stamp.
3. Use iron and waxes to create back ground.  Click here to see a post with tips and Encaustic tutorial video link.
4. Use your stamped guide to show where the leaves will come out of the vase.  Add a little wax just below the top of the vase and then use the tip of the iron to pull and shape the leaves.
5. Use the stylus with the drawing tip to add gold wax to accent the leaves and also the vase on scrap  card stock.  Follow the pattern of the vase.  TIP: use a little bit of clear wax with the gold to reduce the strength of the color.
6. Cut out vase.
7. Adhere layers & colored  image over guide.  Stamp portion of image on the inside of the card (Encore gold metallic ink) and use a metallic pen (Sakura) to draw in leaves.

Stamps:  Mini Cloisonné Containers MS334EZ
Inks: StazOn jet black, Memento london fog
Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Neenah Classic Solar White, Stampin' Up! basic black
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, stylus, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Talk to the Hand

Today's card features Michael Strong's hand in hand image.  The designer card stock I chose has an embossed paisley image and is also designed by Mike. It coordinates very well with his hand image. 

1. Rub anti static bag across white card stock
2. Ink up large hand image with black craft ink, sprinkle with emboss powder and heat set.
3. Choose two  or three coordinating PanPastel colors to match design paper.. Use sponge soft tool to pick up a small amount of lightest color and then spread it inside the image. Pick up the next shade darker and apply the same way. Repeat until you get the colors you desire. Use a clean paper towel in a circular motion to remove pastel from embossed image, also to burnish the pastel into the card stock.
4. Cut out image.
5. Adhere ribbon to design layer and onto base card.
6. Use pop dots to adhere hand.
7. Stamp small hand on vanilla card stock and adhere to the  inside the card for the note.

Stamps: Michael Strong Cloisonné Hand in Hand MS347EZ
Paper:  Club Scrap designer,  Curious Metallic CRYOGEN WHITE 89lb card stock, Stampin' Up! very vanilla
Ink:  Stampin' Up! craft basic black
Accessories:  PanPastel Artists' Pastels, Sponge soft tool, Stampin' Up! emboss buddy, ribbon, and black emboss powders, pop dots

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

B&W

This card was inspired by a card on  Mike's blog.  He has a very nice tutorial creating a B&W card using a basket technique.  This card is 5" x 5".

1. Cut layers for card.
2. On smallest black layer, ink up large swirl image with silver ink pad and stamp in the center, about two thirds up. Ink image again and stamp image to the left moving it down half way, overlapping the side.
3. Ink image again and stamp to the right moving it up, overlapping the side.
4. Turn your paper around, and stamp to overlap the top of each of the stamped images.
5. Allow to dry. Adhere layers.
6. Ink up large coffee cup image with white ink and stamp onto white design card stock, sprinkle with emboss powder and heat set.
7. Cut out coffee cup. Use craft knife to cut inside handle.
8. Adhere to top layer. 
9. On inside, ink up small coffee cup and stamp on left side. Repeat up the side.
10. On the outside coffee cup, add a swirl and dots with a Pearl Pen.  Allow to dry completely.

 Stamps: Michael Strong's Hetty's Coffee Cup Set MS352EZ
Paper:  Stampin' Up! basic black & silver metallic, The Paper Company Designer Paper (I found it at Joann's),  Neenah Classic Solar White (for base card)
Ink: Encore ultimate metallic silver, Stampin' Up! whisper white craft
Accessories: heat tool,  craft knife and cutting mat,  judikins opaque white embossing powder, Pearl Pen white

Take care and STAY POSITIVE! 

Trena

Underwater Scene

This week I will be sharing a card featuring Michael Strong's images each day. For this underwater scene, I chose Michael Strong's mini fish - such a cute image!

1. Ink up image with StazOn and stamp. Repeat for two more images.
2. Use iron and waxes to create water background.  See here for post on tips and Encaustic video.
3. Holding card stock in mid air, lightly touch and pull away the iron to create the ocean bottom.
4. Using the tip of the iron pull the wax up for underwater foliage.
5. Use the stylish with the hot brush tip and clear wax to reheat the wax inside each fish. Wipe away color with a tissue or paper towel.
6. Use pencils to add color to each fish.
7. Adhere layers.

 Stamps:  Michael Strong Mini Creatures
Inks: StazOn jet black
Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Neenah Classic Solar White, Stampin' Up! basic black
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, stylus, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons, Prisma Pencils

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Another Where Your Heart Is...

Sharing another card I made for Melanie's blog. I am honored to have been featured on her blog during her February release of a Gina K set. The vertical fold over card is perfect for an image that can split apart.

 

      


Stamps: Gina K Where Your Heart Is
Inks: Memento tuxedo black, Versafine vintage sepia 
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury card stock white heavy base weight 120lb,  brown, & digital design, Vertical Inspiration Foldover Card
Accessories: Copics E11, E13, E25, Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die cuts, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Take care and STAY POSITIVE! 

Trena

Mountain View

Here's another scene where I combined my joy of using Stampscapes images with my new favorite technique of Encaustic Painting. For mountains I used another cool technique I learned from Micheal's Learning Skills DVD. There are so many!  I also found another great teacher of this technique, John. Click here to see one his videos.

1. Choose three colors for your mountains. I chose a blue and two shades of brown. Melt 1st color wax on iron and then spread on two-ply tissue. Repeat for two more colors, overlapping the colors.
2. Lay the wax down on glossy card stock and use the tip/top part of your iron to create a peak. Pull partially away to check how it looks. Repeat for number of desire peaks.  Remove the tissue, and immediately use your finger to spread/blend  the color.
3. Use iron, waxes, and crayons to create remaining background, spring hills, foliage and sky. I colored various waxes directly on paper then melted and little clear wax on my iron and spread over the sky to give more of a subtle look.  Click here for tips,  and a link to a teaching video,  I learned when working with the iron.
4. After it dries, buff it with a soft towel.
5. Before inking up the buck image, I masked the lower portion. I wanted  to make it look like he was standing in grass. Ink up image, remove mask and stamp. Allow it to dry.
6. Assemble layers.  Remember to sign your art work!

Stamps: Stampscapes  008A  
Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Stampin' Up! close to cocoa, taken with teal
Inks: StazOn jet black
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons, two-ply tissue, low tack sticky paper

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Another Encaustic Scene

This time, no stamping. :o) It's all iron and wax.  I have taken over part of the counter space in my kitchen. I'm so fortunate to have a supportive husband - who is actually the chef at our house, and working around my wax set up.  Click here to see a video on Encaustic painting a landscape scene.

Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Neenah Classic Solar White, Stampin' Up! basic black, tempting turquoise
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Hambo Hoedown 18

This project features one of Hambo Stamps new adorable fruit/veggie children. They can be found in New-Additions at the Hambo Digi site. 

1. Used the Paint application on my PC to cut the words away from the TIF file I received. I  saved it as a separate file.  I wanted to have more room to cut around it.
2. To print the images, I inserted the digi images into my word.doc application.  TIP: The first time you print, print it on copy paper. Check to make sure it is the size you want.  When you are sure the size you want,  then print on your nice card stock.
3. As soon as I saw the image, I knew what design paper I wanted to use - Papertrey Ink's new release includes the cutest fruit design paper. I matched the colors of markers to the paper.
4. I used two or three colors from a color family to add color to the images. Because the strawberry is such a large area to color, I used four markers - R21, R24, R27, R29.
5. For the background layer of the image and the work sentiment, I cut them out using die cuts, left the die cut in and used the airbrush system to add color with a boarder. NOTE: When you use markers over your die cuts, you can clean them off with alcohol.
6. Adhered all layers.
7. Added a strip of design paper inside.

Stamps: Hambo 
Paper:  Papertrey Ink red card stock and design paper,  Neenah Classic Solar White
Accessories: Copic Markers & airbrush system ,  Spellbinders Nestabilities

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

 

ATCs for June Received

   

OOps.  I noticed I posted my June ATCs as July. I'm moving quickly through the summer in mind. :o)  Now that I have corrected the month, I'm sharing the ATCs I received at our ATC Live Trade on Saturday.  I really enjoy my time with this group of lovely, talented woman!

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

ATCs for June

This month our theme is weaving - something I have never done. :o)  So..... as I thought about my project and looked at my supplies, I decided to use yarn. As I learned, not a good weaving material - too many fibers. ::o)  I had fun. I just hope they stay together long enough for me to trade.

1. Used my new favorite medium of wax to create bright backgrounds, ironing on 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of card stock.
2. Cut them into slightly smaller ATC sizes  and adhered them to black background layers. 
3.  After I viewed a couple Youtube videos, I was ready to weave. I laid out several pieces of yarn horizontally on my desk and then taped them at both ends.
4. I then cut several layers of yarn and started weaving it through. Oops, that cute strawberry paper is in the photo accidentally. It's from Papertrey Ink and will be used on a project I'll be posting in a few days featuring a new Hambo Stamps digi image.
5. I used my Xyron to create a double sided adhesive piece of card stock.  I peeled back one side and laid a sticky side onto my long weaved piece.  I trimmed the extra card stock away.  I cut up the weaved yarn into small pieces and set aside.
6. Inked up basket of yard image and stamped onto card stock. Repeated for several images.
7. Used 2 or 3 markers from the same color family to add color to the image. Cut out each image and ran through Xyron.
8. Assembled each ATC.  Used glitter pen to add a little bling.

Stamps: Lockhart  
Paper:  Cryogen White,  Sunday International ATC cards, Peddler's Den Glossy
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
Accessories: Copic Markers, Xyron machine, Sakura gold metallic & clear glitter pens, tape, Encaustic Creations iron, wax squares,  Crayola Metallic FX Crayons, yarn

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena

Springscape

For last month's StampscapesII Yahoo Group swap, we made spring scenes. For this scene, I combined my joy of using Stampscapes images with my new favorite technique of Encaustic Painting.

1. Use iron and waxes to create background, spring hills, foliage and sky.  Click here for tips,  and a link to a teaching video,  I learned when working with the iron.
2. After it dries, buff it with a soft towel.
3. Ink up images and stamp. Allow them to dry.
4. Assemble layers.

Stamps: Stampscapes  151E, 293C, 277F
Paper: Encaustic Creations glossy card stock,  Neenah Classic Solar White, Stampin' Up! basic black, tempting turquoise
Inks: StazOn jet black
Accessories: Encaustic Creations iron, wax squares, Crayola Metallic FX Crayons

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!

Trena