Envelope #273

September 30, 2014

Envelope #272

September 29, 2014

Envelope #271

September 28, 2014

Envelope #270

September 27, 2014

Envelope #269

September 26, 2014

Envelope #268

September 25, 2014

Envelope #267

September 24, 2014

Envelope #266

September 23, 2014

Iron Craft 2014 Challenge #19--Decoupaged Switch Covers (Project 38)

Decoupaged Switch Plate Covers

UFOs. Challenge #19 was dedicated to Unfinished Projects. I had so many unfinished projects I was almost paralyzed with indecision.First,  I decided to hang up my artwork from previous challenges. Since I have been doing Iron Craft Challenges since 2011, I have many of my projects stored in art bins. So I decided to hang some of my challenges on the walls for decoration.

One Wall

Second Wall

After I placed as much of the artwork as possible, I felt that I really hadn't completed the challenge so I looked around for something else to do. I am ashamed to say that I had an uncovered light switch in my bathroom that I finally decided to cover.

Uncovered light switch

Finally covered.

Once I covered the light switch, I decided that it looked a little plain. I then decided--I can do better than that. I took a scrap piece of Japanese paper and decided to decoupage my new light switch cover.

Decopaged Light Switch Cover
(using Japanese Paper)

Once I started, I couldn't stop myself. I decided to keep on going and tried experimenting with different materials.

For one cover, I decided to use decorative 3D stickers and colored tissue. In this example, I glued a base layer of hand tinted tissue. Once the glue dried, I applied 3D lady bug stickers. I then placed another layer of tissue on top of the stickers. Once the glue dried, I applied another coat of glue.

For a second example, I decided to use decoupage tissue. This is thin printed tissue specifically made for decoupage. This is a single layer of decopage tissue/paper. Once dried, I applied two coats of glue.

Left: Lady Bug Cover Plate
Right: Decoupage Paper Cover Plate

Still not satisfied, I decided to experiment a little more. Rather than use decorative stickers, I decided to see if my silhouette cutouts could be used. I wanted to do another boy and girl example. For the boy example, I decided to make a dragon cut out. I applied a layer of orange tissue paper. Once dried, I placed the dragon cut out on top. I applied another two layers of orange tissue on top (letting dry between layers). Once dried, I applied another coat of glue. The same process was used for the Victorian silhouette.

I am very pleased with the way all of these turned out. I will start selling these in my Etsy store very soon.

Envelope #265

September 22, 2014

Envelope #264

September 21, 2014

Envelope #263

September 20, 2014

Envelope #262

September 19, 2014

Envelope #261

September 18, 2014

Envelope #260

September 17, 2014

Envelope #259

September 16, 2014

I am rather proud of this envelope. Not because it is perfect but because I decided to continue with a design that I wasn't happy with. When I started the 365 Day Challenge, I committed to share the final project regardless of how it turned out.

My rationale was that these were supposed to be doodles and an exercise to jump start my day or something to relax my mind so I could sleep easier.

I cut the stencil and decided that I wanted to color the butterflies and then have a solid background so it would be a reverse silhouette. Well, the colors I chose were so dark against the black background that I wasn't happy with the result and was going to start over. In addition, my black marker was running out.

Well--that was the plan when I started the challenge. So, I needed to try and find a way to salvage the doodle. I decided to take the stencil and outline the butterflies in metallic ink. For two of the butterflies, I decided to doodle within the outlines with the same colored metallic ink.

So sometimes, the added benefit of messing up is trying to figure out how to salvage something and having the self-confidence and belief that you can make it better.

Project #37--Broadway Babies Card

Front of Card

Back of Card

The Broadway community is a very tight-knit group/family. When something happens to a cast or crew member, everyone responds. During Bullets Over Broadway, one of our cast members (and his wife) had twins born during the run of the show. To show our support, I made this card and everyone signed it.

The card is designed to be displayed in an open position. The back of the card becomes the left side and the front of the card becomes the right side. Therefore, we have a Broadway Babies card. The twins were a boy and girl so I lined one side in pink and one side in blue.  The greeting on the card is shown below.

Inside Greeting

Envelope #258

September 15, 2014

Envelope #257

September 14, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

This is another airbrushed background in four colors. These flowers are all variations of the original large flower in the left corner. The medium flower has one layer trimmed off. The clover leaf has two layers trimmed off. The color of the flowers is a lavender color rather than the cornflower blue color shown here. 

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book.

Envelope #256

September 13, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

This is another airbrushed background in four colors. The flowers in this case are really a pastel pink but my scanner lightened the color.

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book.

Envelope #255

September 12, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

This is another airbrushed background in four colors. 

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book.

Envelope #254

September 11, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

This is another airbrushed background in four colors. This envelope was designed with the tragedy of 9-11 in mind. My agent died on 9-11 when debris from the second plane struck her car as she was being driven to work.

I would move to NYC in 2002 in remembrance of her, her life, and her love for me. Fran, I miss you more than you could ever know.

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book.

Envelope #253

September 10, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

This is another airbrushed background in four colors.

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book.

Envelope #252

September 9, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

In the envelope above, four stars were cut (two each in two sizes). The envelope was airbrushed in four different colors. The interlocking stars were then glued in place.

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book. 

Iron Craft 2014 Challenge #18--Collaged Book Covers (Project 36)

Front Cover

Back Cover

For this challenge, we were given another Alphabet Challenge--the letter C. I had intended to do a totally different project but then life got in the way. My niece called me in a panic. She is attending the 6th grade in a new private school. She didn't realize that she needed to provide her own book covers for her textbooks. She didn't want to make the brown paper bag book covers that her mother and I grew up with. Nooooooo! She NEEDED to have custom Uncle Russ book covers.

I reached out to my Face Book friends to see what the tastes of a 6th grader were. I didn't know if they are into sparkle and glitter or something else. I then took my supplies to my niece's apartment and we got busy. Rather than glitter and sparkle, she settled on "artistic" and "artsy."

So C is for collage and cutouts.

Step One: Prepare the paper. We chose a plum Canson paper. It is a little thicker than craft paper bags so I felt that it should be able to withstand the semester. I then airbrushed the paper in five different colors.

In the process, I also airbrushed some collage pieces (here are pages from a Statistical Abstract book and pages from an A&F catalog.).

Step Two: Mount the pieces to the pre-folded book cover. I dry fit the book cover so I could see where the flat sides would be (and to get a sense of dimension). The pages were hand torn to size and the deckled edges were then colored with a Sharpie to coordinate with the paper and paint.

Working pallette

Cover with all sides folded down

Step Three: Mount the cut outs onto the collaged sheets. For this process, I placed the textbook inside the cover so I could center the final cutout.

Front Cover (without cutout)

Back Cover (without cutout)

My niece chose Victorian silhouettes for her book covers. These were cutouts that I had previously used for an Opening Night card. Once I enlarged the design, we were ready to mount them to the collaged pages.

Envelope #251

September 8, 2014

This week's doodles are based on cutouts from the book, The Art of Decorative Paper Stencils by Kanako Yaguchi. I will make a different cutout for each envelope and will then use it to decorate. 

In the envelope above, the green cutout was used to trace the brown background. The envelope was then turned 180 degrees and the actual stencil was then mounted.

Full disclosure: I was compensated in no way for using, or mentioning, this book. 

Envelope #250

September 7, 2014

Today's Zentangle is called Drupe. The pattern is demonstrated here.

I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a You Tube Video.

Envelope #249

September 6, 2014

Today's Zentangle is called Facets. The pattern is demonstrated here.

I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a You Tube Video.

Envelope #248

September 5, 2014

Today's Zentangle is called Betweed. It reminds me of cooked bamboo shoots. The pattern is demonstrated here.

Cooked Bamboo Shoots
(from Yahoo! Images)

I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a You Tube Video.

Envelope #247

September 4, 2014

Today's Zentangle is called Quiltz. It reminds me of folded origami bases (the balloon base which is used for making water bombs). The pattern is demonstrated here.

Balloon Base
(From Yahoo! Images)

I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a You Tube Video.

Envelope #246

September 3, 2014

Today's Zentangle is called Dyzzee. It reminds me of little packages with bows on top. Demonstrated here.

I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a YouTube Video.

Envelope #245

September 2, 2014

This pattern is called "Flux" on a wavy line. Demonstrated here.

UPDATE: I have decided to include the original source where I found the pattern. Clicking on the link will take you to a YouTube Video.