Playing with Paper

Copic Marker Certification & "Simply Me" blog

November 2011 I took the beginning and advanced certification courses for Copic Markers . . . Wow! That was challenging and rewarding, all at the same time . . . 

We started with some simple blending techniques:

And then we moved to more blending techniques:

From there, we moved to actually coloring/blending some images

So, we started with Tee's and then moved on to Trees

And we rounded out our lesson with a full landscape blending exercise

So, now for more practice . . . How is everyone else doing with their copic markers?

The blog I'd like to share today is called "Simply Me" and is Donna Downey's inspirational site.  She was with Creating Keepsakes for a few years and now has her own line of product with Prima and her own studio and puts on a retreat every year.  You can find Donna here:

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/

Remember, if you have any blogs you'd like to share with me and that I can share with the other readers of the blog . . . let me know!  Always looking for inspiration!

 

Blue and White Inspiration & I'm Just a Girl blog

While we were in Australia in the fall we visited Cairns - for the reason most people visit Cairns:  to snorkle the Great Barrier Reef.  The town is a very "beachy community" with some interesting architecture.  Here is a photo of a door that is very inspiring to me . . . gotta make a card with this in mind . . . what does it inspire in you?

And, the blog I'd like to highlight today is called "I'm Just a Girl" and is Margie Romnie Aslett.  I've taken classes from Margie when she worked for Making Memories.  She branched out a few years ago and now has her own line of paper and embellishments.  She also hosts a yearly creative event called "Spark".  You can find Margie here:

http://www.margieromney-aslett.typepad.com/

It's the beginning of summer . . . and we've had a few days of 93, 95, and 97 degrees!  How is the weather where you are?

Aboriginal Beads + Blog "Christy Tomlinson"

Here's the final post from my Australia adventures.  Loved to see these beads in a showcase with just the right light . . . look at the beautiful colors:

  

And the blog I'd like to share with you today is Christy Tomlinson.  Follow this link:

http://www.christytomlinson.typepad.com/

Christy is really into mixed media and has online workshops for canvas art.  She also has a monthly scrapbook kit called "Scarlet Lime" - see link at the top of her website.  There's also a link at the top called "Scarlet Lime Bead Art" and it has watch kits that look like alot of fun.  Full disclosure . . . I've never ordered from her . . . but have thought about it often!  Let me know what you think . . . 

Oh, and do any of you want to share blogs that you visit?  I'd be happy to pass them along!

Aboriginal Ceramics + Blogs "Maya Road"

So, to continue from my last post . . . we spent 3 weeks in Australia last fall and while travelling around I kept my eye peeled for ART - here's some great ceramics I found:

        

  

And, there's 2 blogs I'd like to share today . . . from Maya Road.  Did you know they had more than one blog?

Here's a link to the Maya Road Company Blog:

http://mayaroad.typepad.com/mayaroad/

Check out the "tutorial" link in the right column for some step by step projects.  And then look at the "archives" link at the top to go back and see lots of inspiration!

Here's a link to the Maya Road Blog by owner Caroline:

http://www.mayaroad.typepad.com/

She posts creative inspiration and also personal information . . . see her tribute to her father who recently died and also her athletic endeavors "in the mud".

Welcome to Summer and Welcome to June!  Hope all the warm weather is treating everyone well!

 

 

 

Aboriginal Art & Blog "6 Degrees"

Some of you may know that I spent 3 weeks in Australia in the Fall of 2011.  I was able to get a few photo shots of Aboriginal Art - here's a few I'd like to share:

               

The Blog I'd like to share with you today is "6 Degrees" is written by Layle Koncar - find it here:

http://www.laylekoncar.typepad.com/

She's on the Basic Grey design team and has a great post about exercising and weight lifting and her love/hate relationship with the scale . . . make sure to scan down the whole article to see what she fits into now after all her hard training!  Really like the easy way you can see her work on the left column of her blog - just click on "layouts" or "cards" and you'll see and endless variety of inspiration!

 

Fabric Decisions & Inspiration & Blog "Left Handed Crafter"

Is May almost over already?  That means summer is right around the corner . . . So, these bright summer colors might inspire your creativity this week:

          

Fabric and not paper, you may ask?   It's my first fabric purchase in over 10 years!  Let me explain . . . I'm not a sewing girl!  Sad, but true.  However, my sister recently sent me a vintage apron that my grandmother had made for my mother.  Somehow it has remained in one piece and the design is quite unique.  Well, I can't bring myself to wear the original, but I thought it would be great to find some fabric and with the help of my sister, to make 2 other aprons for me to actually use!  So, when I was with my girlfriends in Ohio (they are both quilters) we ended up in some fabric stores and I made the above choices for the aprons.  The first photo shows the section in the fabric store that attracted my attention and the next two photos were the actual combinations I chose.  I will post the photos when the aprons are complete.  In the meantime, use those gorgeous colors for inspiration!

Onto another blog I go to for inspiration:  Left Handed Crafter by Sue Laufer.  Sue is a Close to my Heart Consultant and along with calling her a close friend, I have spent many days with her crafting and taking her inspiring classes.  Enjoy the inspiration on her blog!  You can find Sue here:

http://www.lefthandedcrafter.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the week and let me know if you are creating something or would like to share a blog for others to enjoy!

 

Canvas Creations & Blog "A Bit East-Coast"

Hi All - so happy to be back to my blog!!! Feeling more creative every day!

So, first of all I'd like to share a photo of a canvas creation from the Quick Quotes Retreat I attended Fall of 2011.  I actually won one of these kits and haven't had a chance to put it togehter yet . . . ah, it's just waiting for me!!!

The blog I'd like to share today is "A Bit East-Coast".  This is Keisha Campbell.  Keisha is a Design Team Member for Theresa Collins and Making Memories, among her other accolades!  Her blog was named "A Bit East" for awhile because she was living in China (if I remember correctly), so she had loads of photos of creative from items from all over Asia.  She also has two beautiful daughters and they get photographed a lot!  I also remember for a short while when she moved back to the United States she posted photos of her home and her painting and decorating decisions as she put her home together - very inspirational as well!

Here's the link to her website:  

http://www.abiteast.typepad.com/

Her photography skills are superb and thus you'll really enjoy her inspiration creations!  

Enjoy and have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

2012 - Getting the Creative Juices Flowing - Tim Holtz Blog & Inspiration

Hey all my Crafty Friends!

Most of you know that my art studio is completely packed and awaiting a new home.  Thank heavens I have some photos of creative projects from the end of 2011 and a few from 2012 to share with you.

So, I left the blog off last year with some inspiration from my participation from Quick Quotes Private Reserve.  I have a few photos of projects that were part of a contest that took place.  Here's two versions of shadow boxes.   I'm thinking I need to make one of these for my new house!  Has anyone made one of these types of pieces of art?

 

    

Also, I just cleaned up all the blog links on my computer and I'm going to share some of my favorite blogs with you!  Please let me know if you have some favorite blogs as well and we'll do an interactive "sharing" right here on Playing with Paper.

So, the first discovery I made today was that Tim Holtz has a whole new website . . . maybe most of you know that by now . . . but I've been out of the loop and I just discovered it.

You can find Tim Holtz here . . . 

http://timholtz.com/

So, what do I like about the new website?  Well, it's very "Tim" - love the altered and inked look of the design! 

Calendar - you can see where he's going to be teaching . . . too bad it doesn't say anything about "Denver, CO" on that calendar.

Blog - on the blog page on the right-hand side LOVE the categories section so that you can easily find inspiration.  What caught my eye? Christmas Tags 2011 - because I totally missed it! And, the 12 tags of 2012 - I'm guessing because the Christmas Tags every year are so popular that he decided to do 12 tags every month this year and I just peeked at May's set and they look challenging!  So, when I have time to check back, I definitely will - you know, for more inspiration.

So, here we go . . . I'll try to post a few of my favorite blog sites over the next couple of weeks and, please, share yours as well!

One more Layout I made at the Quick Quotes Retreat

So, as you all know by now, I attended the Quick Quotes Private Reserve last month in Novi, MI.  We made many layouts - a scrapbooker's dream!  Check out this beauty:

New paper from Quick quotes and isn't it beautiful and serene?  Oh, and of course there is a great quote to highlight the meaning of this layout!  Making tags and making pockets for them was enjoyable.  Oh, and something new for me - check out that "scrunched" ribbon border on the left-hand page! I had purchased some copper Stickles and wanted to splurge and when I had finished the this layout and the class used copper brads, I decided to had highlights and it turned out really well.  So, don't forget about the Stickles!

Labor Day weekend is here - find time to be creative!

Loved Being at Student at Quick Quotes Private Reserve

Aloha all - I've been home for awhile now but haven't had time to get to my blog - Ugh!  Life gets in the way of my hobby!  Anyway, I really wanted to share some of the projects we completed at the retreat, so here's one layout that I'm sure you'll be inspired by:

What great colors, right?  And the "pipe cleaner" flower is made just as you suppose - just loops of chenille!  And the stem and leaves are made with ribbon!  Check out that dragonfly - one of Quick Quotes new embellishments that we played with all weekend - inking, glittering!  And the mini flip album along the right-hand side add lots of space for photos!  Hope you enjoy the inspiration!