Project52: the weekly art challange

After getting some very nice responses to my call whether there were folks interested in a weekly challange project, I've put on the proverbial "stoute schoentjes" (what would the English translation for that be hmm) and opened up a thread for Project52: the weekly art challenge over at ATCsforAll.com. I am so surprised and tickled pink to see so many people responding and joining us!!

Only one more day! Am really looking forward to starting up my Weeklies and being able to share them with others for a change, rather then it being just me. It will also be nice to chat about stuff and help movivate eachother when we're stuck etc. Even though my previous attempts for my daily/weekly photographs were a disaster.. I am really thinking (even though the husband disagrees and worries I'll only put more pressure on myself by adding yet another thing I HAVE to do to my already busy schedule..) a weekly project should be very doable and with you all here to keep me motivated and all .. I just know it's gonne be so much fun!

Feel free to come join us, we'd love to have you!!

Craftyvox Weeklies

I love photography and crafting, but for some reason I always end up just being creative in small bursts of several weeks max at a time. In order to try and do something creative more regularly I decided set myself up with a bit of a challenge for next year. For 2011 my goal is to be creative at least once a week and make something, and to post them to my (newly setup) Craftyvox Weeklies blog. There's a Project365 2011 starting over at ATCsforAll.com but I already know I won't be able to keep up with a daily challenge, a weekly one should be doable though!

Anyone care to join me for the challenge? :) We could set up a joint blog or such too, to share ideas and keep eachother inspired, maybe pick (voluntary) weekly themes to choose from when we are stuck for ideas, and ofcourse to showcase all of our 'weeklies' etc! Would be fun!

new goodies

Earlier this week I had finally put an order for some new colors distress inkpads, and a couple of new stamps. The package arrived this wednesday and while I should have been studying for my finals that start next week, instead I took the evening off to play with my new goodies. Fun!
I created a whole bunch of backgrounds for ATCs to finish at a later point and tried out some new techniques (with mixed results lol). Shown ATC was basically a try-out to learn how to position this stamp (can use some practise still hah), it's simple but I like it. Background was made with some sponged distress ink and spritzed water, then I brushed over with some gesso (which to me still just feels, smells and looks like real thick white paint lol), then I stamped on the image with walnut stain distress ink.
I have a couple of ideas for cards and ATCs and what not.. now I just need to be patient until after my exams are done (2nd week of January) so I can actually playwithout having to feel guilty I am not studying!

Merry ATC Christmas Cards

some tags

Just when I was getting in a more creative mood every day, the AEDM challenge is finished! Today I played with some tags, distress ink, stamps and embossing. I definitely need to practise some more, but have to say I really like working with these distress inks! I have had a couple of these pads for years now but never really knew what to do with them. This changed when I ran into the 2peasinabucket's "Holiday Thinking Inking" class with Jennifer McGuire. I am planning on getting me a few different colors of distress ink pads (and some perfect pearls too cause they are neat to work with, too!) and play around with this a lot more!

and another one

Day 27 AEDM

While I didn't at all manage to keep up with the Art Every Day Month challenge earlier this month, over the past days I've created multiple ATCs per day so I guess that counts as catching up, sorta, right? Hence why I still use the AEDM thing as a title.. though I might actually go back and change it since I don't feel like I really managed to keep the challenge...

Anyway, here's a few more ATCs I've worked on yesterdayevening and today. They for an ATCsized Christmascard swap.

Day 26 AEDM

Worked on 2 ATCs this evening and I have to admit: I am pretty pleased with the outcome! Especially the second ATC needs to be flattened, it's under a stack of books right now. Will try and make a proper pic of it tomorrow.

Day 25 AEDM

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of my American friends&readers, Happy Thanksgiving!

How to: heat-set??

Okay, silly question ahead.. Over the past days I've read about 'heat setting' ink several times, but am not quite sure how one does that?? Is it just basically using your heattool to really dry and 'set' the ink or such?

Meanwhile I am on the hunt for bottles of ink (those refill bottles) to play with this babywipe technique I've been wanting to try out.. but they are no where to be found in the craftstores here in town! :( The only ink they sell in bottles is alcohol ink but I know I can't use those cause it'll mess up my stamps..

Day 20 AEDM: more craftsupplies*

*(as if I didn't have enough already!!)

During a quick visit to the Action (a discounter) this afternoon, I couldn't help but pick up some more craft material and supplies. /giggles They had supercheap sets of unmounted christmas/winter-themed stamps (grabbed 4 of those) and a whole bunch of cardstock and the like (of which I also grabbed some). Also got me a package of babywipes, to try out some new technique I learned about recently.

When trying to take a quick pic of the new goodies (with my phone, sorry for the crap quality) some of our cats ofcourse had to come check everything out. They too curious for their own good I am telling ya! :-) So here's my new stuff including some crafty curious kitties!



From left to right: Nero (up front), Maybe (in the back) and Indy (on the chair next to the table). Aren't they cuties?!

Day 13 AEDM

Yesterday I went and splurged on a new set of crayons: Derwent Coloursoft pencils. I'd seen awesome examples of colored-in stamped images, using these pencils together with mineral spirits and a blending tool. Even though I am crayon-challenged, I just really wanted to try myself!

So this evening I sat down with my new crayons, a small bottle of no-odor mineral spirits and a set of doezelaars. I stamped this cute kittycat on cardstock, using the black Staz-on ink I was told to use (other inks get messed up by the mineral spirits) and got to work. I really do need some more practice but I must say I was somewhat happily surprised with my first attempt.

Day 10 AEDM: Random Acts of Kindness

As my creative activity of today I browsed through all of my craft material and packed together a few enveloppes filled with goodies to send off to some fellow members of the ATC forum. Decorated the otherwise plain&boring white envelopes with some stamps (the rubber&ink kind), and going to scout for some fun postage stamps tomorrow as well. I always like to stick a bunch of non-boring and different stamps on mail to fellow crafties, as postagestamps are always fun to play with.

< will upload the photo I am gonne make when tis ready to be mailed out >

Also I visited the local craft store this afterniin, and bought me a set of Dewert soft pencils to work with. After coloring you can use a doezelaar (I wasn't able to find a translation for this) and mineral spirits to smooth and blend colors. I never been good at drawing and stuff, which is why I like stamping so much I guess heh. I got me some really cute stamps that are perfect for coloring-in and I am going to try out this -for me- new technique soon! I hope it'll work out, if it does, I'll make sure to show you! :)