Show me your splatter!

Show me your splatter!
Show me your drips!
Show me your misty mess!
Impress me with your blobs!

Why?
I want to know how you can be inspired by art. Specifically, the work of abstract, expressionist, Jackson Pollock. He is famous for his techinque of pouring and dripping paint onto a canvas he had placed on the floor. Now, I'm not saying you need to put your card or layout on the floor (klutz that I am, I would have it all over the carpet), but let me see your take on this technique.

A quick internet search of Jackson Pollock will introduce you to his work and get you thinking. It worked for me...

Did you know that Distress Stains make great splats?

I splatted my cardstock with 3 different shades of Tim Holtz' Distress Stains, and then spritzed with water. I let it dry, and added these simple embellishments (a ribbon scrap, "celebrate", and a chipboard "u" that I "bling-ed" with gold glitter).

(inside: cuz baby you're a firework! Have a fabulous birthday!)

So, you've been inspired...what do you do now?

Submit your creation to Scrapstreet Magazine for my submission call. Graffiti, is a feature in each issue of Scrapstreet (actually, it will be a feature of Scrapstreet, this is my first request). I'll be highlighting a different artist or technique in each issue, and then asking you to show me how the artists can influence your scrappy creations. So, go! Now! I'm waiting....create, and then show me your splatter! Send it to submissions@scrapstreet.com. The deadline is midnight, October 30th. Please keep the image size around 600x600 pixels.

And, yes...your creation is good enough to be seen by others.


***On a side note, go visit www.tatertotsandjello.com, sign up to win a new Silhouette Cameo.  If you aren't supposed to run with scissors, can you still run with a cutting machine?  hmmm...pondering.

I tried to resist

I didn't want to start.
I held off as long as I could.
I tried to resist.
I REALLY tried to resist.

My self-control is poor.

Temptation won.
I'm talking about...
Copic markers.

I took a Copic card class a few weeks ago and it brought back some memories. It gave me that same feeling I got from coloring in my Strawberry Shortcake and Land of the Lost coloring books when I was little. At that time, there was nothing like the smell of a new box of pointy, shiny Crayolas. The big box of 64.  With the built-in crayon sharpener.  It was SO cool!  Now, it's Copic markers.

So far, I am exhibiting good self-control. I've only bought enough to get started. This week my practice was these cute little green friends from Studio g.

                                   




               BEST WITCHES!

Best Witches...for a Halloween that will make you scream!

Best witches...for a sparkly birthday!

 

Best witches for a scrappy week!

Supplies: Paper: assorted scraps, Stamp: Studio g, Markers: Copic , Ink: Tsukinenko/Memento, Glitter Glue: Ranger Industries/Stickles, Tools: Punches: Fiskars

Pumpkinspiration

I'm a guest over at www.bugaboominimrme.blogspot.com today!  It is PUMPKINSPIRATION time!  There are paper crafts, home decor, Halloween and Fall decorations, and more, more, more.  She even lets you take a peak at her Pumpkin Pinterest board!  Here is a sneak peak at my creation...

WARNING! Crafty kid ahead!

Witches...goblins...ghosts...all trying to get their hands on my scrappy paper supplies!  So, this week, I gave in!  My daughter and I created a simple, funky, paper pumpkin. 

First take some double-sided Halloween paper (or if you want to be "high-maintenance", like my daughter, have your child insist that you glue 2 single-sided sheets together).  Curve the paper in half (don't fold or crease).  The side that you fold "out" will be the inside when you are done, so think carefully about which side you want to see more of.  Use clothespins to hold the paper in place while your child cuts from the curved fold toward the edges, stopping about 1 inch before the edge.  We used some fun paper edgers, but regular scissors will do too.

                        

Cut strips one inch wide all the way to the end and remove your holding clips.

                      

This is where a parent is needed, or someone capable of using a hot glue gun safely.  Lay a strip of hot glue on the edge of one side of  your "inside" paper.  Turning your paper "right side out", line up the edges and adhere. 

Using a strip of scrap paper 1" x 2", hot glue this scrap to the inside edge of your rings.
                    


Add a dab of hot glue to the end of the scrap paper and bring your rings around to connect and make a circle.  This could be a cool wreath too!

                   

Now, according to "Fancy Nancy", everything is better when it is "accesorized".  This paper pumpkin is still not looking too "pumpkiny".   So, we cut strips of paper and used our Fiskars Leaves Border Punch to make vines.  We wrapped the border strips around pencils to give them that "real" vine look.

                    


We added a crunched-up, used, paper lunch bag as our stem in the center to finish off our accessorizing. 

Wouldn't you love to find this funky pumpkin in your garden?  According to my daughter, it looks "MAHVELOUS"!

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Recollections, Tools: Paper Edgers: ProvoCraft, Border Punch: Fiskars, Other: cardstock, hot glue sticks and hot glue gun, brown paper lunch bag (used, recycle!)

quick, a winner

Just a quick check-in to let you know that I am here, but my computer is not.  Bad virus (bad, bad, virus) hit it hard on Tuesday and I've been checking in from my ipod (which isn't easy).  Just didn't want anyone to think I forgot about the Fiskateer Orange Blog Hop winner....Kim C. is my winner and goodies will be coming her way.  Hope to have my computer back next week and a new post on the 12th, here and on Scrapstreet.

BOING, BOING, BLOG HOP! Howdy Fiskateers!

Happy hopping to everyone who is here for the

Fiskateer Orange Blog Hop!  

If you hopped over from doverdi  at  http://www.craftingthismoment.blogspot.com/ ,
you are in the right place! This is the 10th stop on the Orange Blog Hop where members of Fiskateers, a community sponsored by Fiskars, is sharing their passion for crafting.  If you need to start from the beginning, go over to Fiskateers and hop on.

Yes, visiting all of the blogs on the Fiskateer blog hop is going to take some time.
No, you shouldn't watch the clock.
Yes, you will be so inspired you might fall off your chair.
No, it won't hurt.
Yes, we all are sharing Fiskateer love!
YES, I'm giving away some goodies if you leave a comment.
YES, I have more exciting news at the end of this post!

Autumn is my FAVORITE time of year. I love the smells, the colors, the cool temps, the crunch of the leaves.  I decided to bring some autumn into the house by creating my own tree! 

I punched out some leaves from yellow cardstock using my Fiskars Oakey Dokey squeeze punch.  In case you are not a regular follower of my blog (and why aren't you?), you may not know that I NAMED THIS PUNCH!!!  Isn't that cool?  Just one of the many reasons I love Fiskars!
 

To re-create the rainbow of fall colors on my leaves, I wiped inks on my splat mat and misted them with water.  Then I dragged the leaves through the colors to get that real-leaf effect.  While they were wet with ink, I squished and folded them and let them dry overnight.

When they dried, I punched tiny holes in the leaves using my Fiskars 1/16" hole punch.  I made the tree by cutting 25-30 pieces of different lengths (approximately 5-7 inches) of wire and twisting them together at the bottom.  I then wrapped the "trunk" with twine.  I stabilized the leaves onto the wire with Zots glue dots and curled the ends of some of the wires using a round nose pliers. 

I sanded and distress stained a 5x7 wood frame that I got from The Dollar Store.  I popped out the glass, and I placed my tree on some patterned paper (from Kaiser Craft) that I "swiss-dot" embossed with my Big Shot and a Cuttlebug folder, and then distress inked.  I added a Tim Holtz "autumn" sticker and I AM DONE!

This is the fastest and easiest way to grow your own tree!  Ok, you still need water, but no seeds!  And, you won't ever need to rake these leaves!

Now for EXCITEMENT!

Leave a comment and you will be entered for a chance to win some crafty goodies!  Make sure you check back on Monday to see if you are a winner!

Now for MORE EXCITEMENT!

Not only is today the Orange Fiskateer Blog Hop, it is my debut as a writer for Scrapstreet and GingerScrapsStreet magazine...  the  October issues of Scrapstreet and GingerScrapsStreet magazine come out TODAY!  If you have not gone to Scrapstreet yet, what are you waiting for?  It is free...did you hear me?  IT IS FREE.  After you are done hopping this weekend,  you will probably be tired.  By Monday, you might want to go take a relaxing walk on Scrapstreet.  

Become a Scrapstreet subscriber...make me smile!

I have a submission call out for some "Graffiti" for the January Scrapstreet issue...see if you can create what I am looking for!

Now for even MORE excitement...I don't know, can you handle anymore?  Keep hopping...your next stop is Connie's Crafty Goodies at http://www.craftygoodies.com/.  Sit back, relax, put springs on your your shoes, and keep HOPPING!