Oodles of Doodles News! A Thought About Trends, Tim Holtz Alterations Basics 1-2-3 Sizzix Dies, Brayering With Embossing Folder, Making Gifts By Hand, Square Pattern Lantern, Liquid Pencil, Dylusions Tag, "Scraps" Project, Polymer Clay, Stitching Pizazz!

Hello Fellow Doodlers!

"Trends are part of our histories; they come and they go. I watch trends but I also have a strong anti-herd mentality as well. I try to live in balance of both."

Story by Chappell Ellison

Published on Sept 06, 2012 in Read

For creative types, the blogosphere often seems like a living, breathing organism, constantly reinventing itself to suit the new style. On sites like Pinterest, it’s possible to observe visual trends pop up in real-time: the insanity of ombre cakes, chevrons-on-everything, and outlandish photo booth props. Sometimes trends seem faddish or impractical, and it’s easy to keep them at arm’s length — but at what point is it wise to give in to a trend?
This topic is especially sticky for artists, whose creativity can blossom under the umbrella of the latest fad. However, “giving in” can prove to be a double-edged sword: while bringing mass appeal to your work can be positive (and lucrative), it can also limit your vision. George Lois, the true Mad Man of advertising, warned creatives about falling into this trap. “In any creative industry, the fact that others are moving in a certain direction is always proof positive, at least to me, that a new direction is the only direction,” he says. ”The solution to each new problem or challenge should begin with a blank canvas and an open mind, not with the nervous borrowings of other people’s mediocrities.”
So how do we as creatives allow trends into our lives while maintaining individual expression? Though he comes from the the stock market realm, Jonathan Hoenig’s ”follow the trend, not the crowd” mantra is solid advice. “We need not buy into every trend, but being aware of them provides the most meaningful insight into the markets there is,” says Hoenig. “Moreover, being a trend follower doesn’t always mean you’re part of the herd.” In other words, there’s no shame in making the ombre cake. But if you do it, make it your own.

Although I worship the marvelous cuts made with my Cricut machine, sometimes I just want to make something quickly and that's where the investment of die cuts is not at all just a trend (you'll see why in the first video below), but instead a worthwhile investment. To me, this will be an ever-present necessity to card making, scrapbooking, and many other crafts. Actually, I'm addicted to playing with them using my Sizzix Big Kick!
 

ALTERATION BASICS #1-Bigz Dies ... #2-Mover's and Shaker's, and On The Edge ... #3-Decorative Strips and Texture Fades (distressed embossing folders) SIZZIX DIES - Tim Holtz shares all about Sizzix Alterations and what makes this product line unlike anything you've used before...

 

 



 

 

Talking about embossing folders - pull them out of storage ... I came across this technique, Brayering with Embossing Folders, which shows you how to use your brayer 2 different ways on embossing folders. I always keep forgetting about this technique when I'm trying to think of some element to pizazz up my embossing and glad I came across it as a reminder to get some of this done on some holiday cards! Hmmm, wonder what "I'll come up with?" Give it a try too!

 



 

Everyone loves getting those special gifts that someone made just for you. You know that the giver spent time thinking about you during the creative process, and these gifts, while often less expensive than their store bought brethren, are cherished forever by the recipients. Given pride of place on fireplace mantels and bedroom dressers, used frequently with love, each time this gift is enjoyed the recipient stops to think of the giver. These connections can't be bought at a mall, can't be selected with a gift card, can't be duplicated at all.

The Stampendous Design Team is making gifts by hand this year, and they're forging those special ties with their loved ones this season. Each day this week they'll bring you some clever and creative ideas for making some of your own gifts this year. They hope to inspire and delight you with these ideas.

Although images are Free I incur costs too
and would appreciate your "thoughtful" occasional donation of a $1.00
to help with those expenses ... Thank You for your support.

After our recent post discussion about reasons not to craft I've included three DZ Doodles Digi Freebie images of Cardinals that you can use to re-create something similar to help your cost.

This simple Square PATTERN LANTERN is available at the Hybrid Chick along with detailed "how-to" to help you create it yourself!









Pam Carriker's Liquid Pencil Sketching Ink by Derivan Matisse Product. With Derivan Liquid Pencil you can get graphite in your art without a pencil in your hand! Pam Carriker’s signature line of Liquid Pencil Sketching Ink is nothing less than an entirely new medium—a graphite ink that’s easy to use in myriad mixed media techniques. It comes in a handy squeeze bottle with a special tip usable for direct application or to refill regular ink tools. Available in both Permanent and Re-wettable formulas for a wide range of techniques, Sketching Ink can be used to ink rubber stamps, as a dip pen ink, or as paint. The Re-wettable formula can be manipulated using traditional drawing tools like erasers, blending stumps, or even wet brushes, and the Permanent formula can even be burnished to a lovely sheen. Put those boring pencils away and discover a whole new way to get the look of graphite in your art with Pam Carriker’s Sketching Ink!
 

 

 

 

 

I don't know about you, but my interests in stamps and digital is changing to a new direction with all this "new funky" images and projects. Dylusion's are stamps that I find fun! Check out Dylusion's Glitter Girl Tag - too funky-cute!

 

 

Easy Projects with Craft Scraps - Don't toss the fabric and paper scraps lying around your crafts room. Turn them into a beautiful project.

 

 

 

Polymer Clay Bangles make great girly-girl gifts - easy peasy to make too! 1.) Polymer Clay Bracelets. 2.) Polymer Clay Bangle. 3.) Bangles Baby! 4.) Bangle Biscuits Chocolate.

Want to add some stitching pizzazz to your projects? Then you need to browse around the Fat Quarter Tutorials and images to get some quick stitch lesson-motivation! I know I am.

Knot Thread Stitch presents a modern, experimental, and creative approach to thread and embroidery projects. You'll find fun and surprising project ideas, a unique artistic approach, and uncoventional mixed-media materials such as stamps, paint, sequins, paper, and shrinky dinks. These projects are designed to be quick, fun, abstract, and creative, and many offer clever ideas for personal customization. With easy-to-follow steps and project variations, this book also includes project contributions and embroidery patterns from a long and stellar list of renowned artists and bloggers, including Lisa Congdon, Camilla Engman, Heather Smith Jones, and Amy Karol, just to name a few.

Wouldn't you know it, I ran out of ink cartridges for my Canon Pro 9000 Mark II printer because I forgot to restock what I used. So, I'm waiting for my Saturday delivery to hurry up and get here to get back to printing and finishing projects. Maybe I'll do some die cutting and play around with my brayer/inks and embossing folders ... or I could finish the chore I started of cleaning my mini-blinds? What to do? :0)

Oodles of Doodles News! Viva Inka Gold, Copic Markers, Why Don't Crafters Finish What They Start Thoughts, Easy-Peasy Card Challenge Projects, and Felt Owl Trinket Box!

Hello Fellow Doodlers!

I am still adding a variety of digi images to past posts, so don't forget to keep checking back. They could be here today and gone tomorrow!

I decided to venture into a "collage" project last week to try something I haven't done in a long while. I used a variety of elements, a lot of paper cuts and layering on an 8" x 8" The Artist Panel Canvas Texture. The panel was priced at nearly $6.79 but with my 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby it was a steal! I like using these panels for collage as they are museum quality and have a firm wood frame and wood board underneath the canvas, and this make stamping on it a breeze, unlike canvas. I first primed the whole top-side with Mod Podge and let it dry. I used Mod Pdge again to apply my base designer paper and rolled it over the edges, folding the corners as well. When dry trimming paper edges off. After letting all that dry, I began adding everything else, Mod Podging as I went along! A bit of digital printing, some stamping, chain, and silk flowers! Oh what fun!

I couldn't wait to show you, as this activity was a rewarding "break" from my norm. I took my time - a few day's when I felt good about adding an element or two ... truly enjoying the process - I wasn't in any hurry! I plan to make another one similar to this for myself, as this is a gift to my sister Denise, who just lost her husband this summer. And I'm so happy about how this turned out that I'm making another using an 8" x 10" panel to collage something different! If you browse through the Hobby Lobby Canvas and Surfaces pages you can find other sizes as well!



Viva's Inka Gold assorted colors can be used wet or dry, on non-porous items, fabrics, chipboard and wood shapes ... and even using your stamps! See and purchase all of the 19 Inka Gold colors here . But first watch the video Barbara from Joggles ... it shows the many techniques and tips she's found fun and easy to do.

 

 



Whether or not Copic Markers are used to color your projects, any of the other ink marker brands out there can be used in the same way with these Dove Art Studio tutorials of texturing, skin and hair coloring, monochromatic coloring, and much more! However, remember that your results will vary depending on the markers and paper quality, but, it doesn't hurt to give them a try!

 

Copic Color Guide Level 3 (with CD) is coming soon ... don't forget to sign up to be notified that it is available for purchase! Expected in-stock date is October 5, 2012.

 What Are You Afraid Of ?... Why don't Crafters Finish What They Start?

a guestion, a thought, by Nikki, In Stitches

 



Are you a sewer? Are you a paper lover? Are you a jewelry maker? Are you a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker? Most crafters like fitting into these nice, neat molds. It's their comfort zone. The problem with staying in your comfort zone is that it makes you less likely to jump into something new! Creativity is about exploring the edges of what you know and experimenting with what you find there. If you never leave your comfortable and safe place, you'll never learn new mediums, take exciting risks, or grow as a crafter.

Being creative comes with risks.

When you first started creating, you had no idea where it would take you. Would you be good at it? Would it turn into a passion for you? Would it turn into a business for you? Would other people like what you made? Would it matter to you if other people liked what you made? All of these things were uncertain. You risked all of this for the potential love of what you would make.

Where did that risk taking person go? Why don't you jump into a new medium with that same reckless abandon? If you're a fabric lover, are you brave enough to switch over to paper? Could you ever imagine putting a sheet of card stock through your sewing machine? If you're a jewelry maker, do you have the courage to explore the world of yarn? Are you courageous enough to combine the two? Could you incorporate beads into a knitting project? Could you crochet a bracelet?

What's holding you back from delving into a new medium?

• Is it cost? There's really not much more to say here. Crafting can be expensive. Some mediums more than others. Does the potential cost of supplies, equipment, notions, etc. turn you away from jumping into something new?

• Is it the already ridiculously large stash of craft supplies you already have and feel guilty about adding another whole category of products to?

• Is it a lack of knowledge, combined with a fear of starting and not being able to finish?
  
  You never know. You could find out you're not a baker....you're really a candlestick maker.

Crafting should come with a warning label. Warning: Throughout your crafting career you will hoard craft supplies that you will never use, and you will start countless projects that you will never finish. But relax. It’s just part of what crafters do.
It’s “just part of what crafters do. ”But why? Why do you start so many projects but never finish them? Why do you stock up on supplies for projects that you might never start? To be honest, I do it myself!

Here are a few reasons excuses that you might have:

Reason #1
You had every intention of starting that project, you just lost it under the piles of other “never actually started projects” and thus forgot about it.
Translation: You hoard so many notions, fabrics, papers, skeins of yarn, stamps, punches, ribbons, inks, you get the idea, that you are overwhelmed by your craft stash. Thank God you can close the door to your “craft closet.” This helps you feel a lot less guilty about your piles of unused craft supplies when you can’t see them!

Reason #2
It’s not your fault. The pattern writer clearly has never made the project they’ve attempted to provide the instructions for. Carol Duval couldn’t figure out what the heck this lady is talking about!
Translation: You tried really, really hard. You honestly did. But you can’t figure out what you’re supposed to do next. You’re disappointed because you really wanted to make it, but at this point, you’re so frustrated with it…You need to walk away for awhile. (And sometimes you never come back.)

Reason #3
Wow, this project is going to cost a ton of money and require a huge time commitment! You decide to pass.
Translation: You’ve lost interest. Plain and simple: all of your projects are expensive, whether you’ll be investing money or time…that’s part of what you love about them. The pieces you make are your own personal works of art and many become instant family heirlooms. When you leave a project in progress and give the cash or commitment excuse, in reality it’s because that project just doesn’t do it for you.

Do these sound familiar? Could you add to the list?
You buy supplies and start so many projects, but leave many unfinished. It’s kind of sad, isn’t it? You look at your pile of unused (often unopened and still in the package!) supplies like it’s “The Island of Misfit Toys.” They tug at your heart strings….calling your name. Begging you to make something, anything from them. What are your reasons for stashing away supplies? Why don’t you finish projects that you start? I’m sure you could add to this list. In fact, I’d love to hear your reasons excuses! Give them to me and maybe we can work together to stop the cycle and change the thinking that it’s “just what crafters do.”

Project Idea – Happy Fall Tree Card - "Stash ONLY Challenge"
Design a card, scrapbook page or 3D item. Your Papercrafter's Library Challenge – is to use this piece as inspiration and make it into a card, scrapbook page, or other project. You can use the layout, the colors, an element you like…it can look like this piece, or nothing at all like the piece. I want to see where YOU take this. This challenge is strictly a “work from your stash” challenge. If you need a reference you can download the PDF handout HERE.



You may want to use this DZ Doodles Digi Rake and Leaves *Freebie for this challenge.

Although images are Free
I incur costs too, and would appreciate
 your "kind" occasional $1.00 donation
to help with those expenses ...
Thank You for your support.

FREEBIES - MAY BE HERE TODAY AND GONE TOMORROW!
 

   

 

 

Happy Anniversary - This awesome card project made by Jackie Pedro from the Monday Mojo #257 Challenge is a great "stash" papers design ... and I know I have loads of that stuff! Get creative, cut your own hand drawn flowers, make-up a circle from the base of your coffee cup or soda can, cut strips of paper and snip ends here and there ... although there's a list of devices used (and to purchase) start using your "imagination," and stop thinking you "need" your wallet! I'm sure something just as lovely as this can be created! Invest in a couple varying sized pairs of scissors and/or an Xacto knife with #11 blades (and cutting matt)!

Here's another awesome, cut-cut-snip-snip card project idea brought to you by All I Do Is Stamp from a challenge ...



 Come and Get It Challenge Rules are to have fun by following the posted challenge for the week! This week is a simple Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge. Join the fun!

You know me and my felt fabric projects ... well here's a cutie Felt Owl Trinket Box by Creative Breathing that I couldn't pass up showing to you. You see, it's just a punch of circles and pinking shear scissors, and some styro-balls for this project! And woo doesn't love an owl?! I know you've got some "containers" from somewhere or something saved that is use able for the box part!!

 

Well, these are my thoughts and I'm sticking to them!