Monoprint Note Cards Using Gelli Arts Printing Plate and Grafix Art Plastics

It's springtime in Oregon and that means a lot of us are spending every sunny day outside weeding and preparing our gardens for summer fruits and veggies.  When I'm working with my hands in the dirt, my feathered friend, Lisa is scratching right beside me.  She's a clever one.  She knows that when we work together, she'll get the biggest, fattest grubs that can be found in the yard.  Can you tell I love my chickens?  Naturally our girls have inspired this theme and when I'm done I'll have a fun set of handmade cards to mail to family and friends we're missing right now.

Materials used:

Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
Gelli Arts Mini Printing Tools
Grafix Dura-Lar .004 Wet Media Film (for masks)
Grafix Super Sanded Shrink Film
Grafix Artist-Tac Permanent Dry Adhesive
Canson XL Mixed Media Paper
StazOn Ink
Rubber Stamps
Acrylic Paint
Brayer
Handmade Foam Stamps
Kraft Card Stock for Card Bases
White Card Stock for Card Fronts
1/4" Scor-Tape Adhesive
Colored Pencils
Embroidery Floss
Scraps of Burlap
Scissors
Paper Trimmer

A couple of weeks ago I discovered that I liked the ease of cutting Grafix Dura-Lar Wet Media Film for a stencil I had created.  The film cuts really well with both scissors and a hobby blade.  The durability of the film was appealing to me so I created my chicken masks from it as well by tracing sketches I had made of our girls.  After I had used them, I realized that the masks could also be used later as an image attached to a card or collage.  For now, I'll keep it in my stencils and masking supplies for printing.

I started out by creating a few different background designs with a Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate.  I used a brayer to blend colors onto the plate, then the Gelli Arts Printing Tools and handmade foam stamps to create textures onto the paint that was printed in layers onto Canson XL Mixed Media Paper.  Regular printer paper could have been used and that would actually be a great way to recycle the kids' schoolwork, but I liked the weight and texture of the Mixed Media paper and I had some on the shelf, so that's what I used for this project.

After I was happy with the few backgrounds I had created, and long after they had time to dry, I cut them up.  If you know me, you know I love to create one big panel and reduce it to create several cards from it.  I knew in the beginning I would be quartering the panels which is why my chickens were sized and placed where they were.

The panels were pretty just the way they were and they would have been fine on a card alone, but I thought they needed a little something extra.  An embellishment created from Grafix Super Sanded Shrink Film was just the thing!  I used the masks, this time as a stencil, to trace my chickens onto the film.  I used colored pencils to color them, then stamped sentiments onto them with StazOn ink.  I then used scissors to carefully cut inside of the lines of the chickens so that the lines wouldn't be seen on the finished pieces.  A dedicated toaster oven was used to shrink the film according to package directions.

A length of embroidery floss was cut and separated so that each panel had six strands of colored thread across it.  It was attached on the back of the panel with little pieces of Scor-Tape.  I then attached the panel to a piece of white card stock cut just smaller than my card base, which happened to be 4 1/4" by 5 1/2". 

The last thing I needed to add to my cards was the little scrap of burlap and the Shrink Film chickens.  I didn't want to mess with wet glue and decided on trying Grafix Artist-Tac, which happened to be the perfect adhesive for both items.

I now have some other card ideas I'd like to try, but only after our chores and homework are done!  I hope this has inspired you to try something new.

I encourage you to visit Grafix and Gelli Arts social media pages for even more inspiration, product information, and project ideas!

Gelli Arts
    Facebook: @GelliArts
    Instagram: @GelliArts
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/gelliarts
    Twitter: @GelliArts
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/gelliarts/

Grafix
    Facebook: @GrafixInc
    Instagram: @GrafixArtPlastics
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/grafixarts
    Twitter: @ArtsGrafix
    Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/grafixarts/

Coloring Page - Thinking of You Note Card

EMBRACING CHANGE: Many of you have witnessed a shift in my creative interests lately.  I began my journey as a sock monkey maker, and while I still do love the sock monkeys and still enjoy making them (and I will if you ask me!), my rubber stamp adventure ultimately required more of my time than making sock monkeys.  BIG CHANGES ARE ON THE HORIZON.  I'll have more to tell you about that very soon.

About a year ago, a very dear friend sent me a set of watercolors to encourage me to give them a fair chance (thanks, Jenn!); I knew then that I really do love painting more than I had realized.  I'm not defined by just one type of art or craft.  Little moments in everyday life inspire new interests, crafts, and hobbies.  I love it all!  And with that, I'd like to share those pieces of myself with you whenever I can.  I'd love also to encourage YOU to draw, color, paint, sculpt, sew, crochet, knit...  anything.  Simply CREATE.  Every day.  If you have children, create with them.  If you don't have children, create with a friend.  I believe that art is a form of therapy.  Even writing a letter can be therapeutic.

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF: Occasionally I'd like to create a coloring page to share with you.  It's not super fancy, it's just for fun.  Coloring pages are for personal use and are not to be used for reproduction or for sale.  Today's coloring page is actually a set of note cards.  After you download and print your page, cut the paper in half horizontally so that you get two pieces of paper that measure 8.5" x 5.5".  (The images should be on the right.)  You may then score and fold the pages in half, giving you two cards that measure (A2) 4.25" x 5.5".

Color your pictures, then send the cards to someone with a handwritten note inside letting them know that you're thinking of them.  Enjoy!

As always, thanks for following along on my handmade journey!

How To Tuesday - Geode Shrink Film Charms for Jewelry and Stitch Markers

For those of you that follow me on Facebook and Instagram: THANK YOU!  I try to share my project progress to show a little bit of what happens "behind the scenes" and where my inspiration comes from.  As promised, here is a step-by-step photo tutorial showing how I made shrink film geodes. 

To begin, first gather your supplies:

Grafix Super Sanded Shrink Film

StazOn Ink

Colored Pencils

Scissors

Standard Hole Punch

Oven, Cookie Sheet, and Parchment Paper

Mod Podge Dimensional Magic or Comparable Dimensional Sealer

Glitter (optional, but recommended)

Small Paint Brush (optional, but recommended)

Jump Rings, Jewelry Hardware, and Pliers 

Step 1: Use StazOn ink on a Geode Rubber Stamp to stamp images onto the sanded surface of the shrink film.  Leave a little bit of room between images.

 Step 2: Using craft scissors, cut images apart.

 Step 3: Using a variety of colored pencils, color your geodes.  Search the internet for color inspiration and reference.  TIP: Use a white or lighter colored pencil to blend colors.

 Step 4: If a hole is desired, it is important to punch a hole BEFORE shrinking the film.  Punch a single hole on either side of the geode for making charms or stitch markers.  Don't punch a hole if you would prefer to keep a solid shape.

 Step 5: Bake your geodes according to package directions.  TIP: I use parchment paper on a cookie sheet with a second piece of parchment paper over the top to prevent curling.

 The geodes shrink to about HALF of their original size!

 Step 6: Put a drop of Dimensional Magic on your craft sheet (in my case, it is the parchment paper from the oven.)  Use a small paintbrush to brush the Dimensional Magic onto the center of your geodes.  Dust the geodes with glitter.  TIP: Using the parchment paper as a craft sheet will allow you to return the unused glitter to the original container.  Set aside to dry.

Step 7: Seal your geodes with a layer of Mod Podge Dimensional Magic for a thick gloss finish.  TIP: Keep a pin on the table to pop any bubbles that may appear.  Set aside to dry according to package directions.  I usually leave mine for about 24 hours before attaching any hardware.

Now you have a collection of unique charms to use to create a variety of projects.  Some suggestions are: stitch markers, earrings, necklace charms, lapel pins, rings, decorative accent buttons, wine glass charms, card embellishments... and I'm sure you can think of lots of other ideas, too!

I hope you have found this tutorial to be helpful.  If you like the geode rubber stamp and want to see more original hand carved rubber stamps, I invite you to visit my Etsy shop.  If you've found this tutorial to be informative and know someone who may benefit from it, please share it with your friends.  Happy crafting!

Hand Stamped Note Cards - A Brief Tutorial

Often, when I'm testing out a new rubber stamp design, I'll stamp the image repeatedly over a sheet of cardstock, then splash a bit of watercolor on it.  (If you follow my adventures on Instagram you've probably seen the timelapse videos showing the process.)  It's simple and so much FUN!  Then I have a handmade, hand stamped sheet that I can cut down to make note cards.  You can make your cards in any dimension that you'd like, with any medium and supplies you have on hand, but I'll include notes below for how I made mine.  

Supplies needed:

printed paper (hand stamped, hand painted is what I used)

paper cutter

scoring mat and bone folder (optional)

pigment ink (permanent, optional)

glue 

For every one 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of printed cardstock, I will need two sheets of blank cardstock for the card bases.  I cut the printed paper down to 4" wide by 2 1/4" high (giving me 8 cards,) then I cut the other two blank sheets down to 4 1/4" wide by 5" high (giving me 8 card bases.)

I use a scoring mat and bone folder to score the card base at 2 1/2" so that my finished card measures 4 1/4" wide by 2 1/2" high.

Since I like to use my note cards as Thank You cards, and because I just LOVE this chunky "Thank You" stamp by Inkadinkado, this is my go-to for these types of cards.  Any sentiment stamp will work.  Or, you don't have to use any type of sentiment stamp at all.  It's up to you!  I happened to have this Ranger archival ink pad out, and because it has permanent, waterproof ink, this is what I used on my cards.

Be sure to have a scrap piece of paper behind your work for this step, otherwise you may have an inky mess on your work surface!

Now that my stamping is finished, it's time to attach the cards to the card bases.  Tombow Mono Liquid Glue is one of my very favorite adhesives to use.  (My kid's too.  I know because he's ALWAYS stealing mine to use on his art projects.  I've since learned to buy them two at a time.)  That's just me.  Use your favorite adhesive or tape runner to attach your cards to their bases.

Really, that's it!  You can modify this technique to create any size card that you need.  For example: quarter the sheet (4 1/4" x 5 1/2") and you've got four A2 size cards.  That may be useful when mass-producing holiday cards!

For unique hand carved rubber stamps, I invite you to visit my Etsy shop.

Happy Crafting!  And as always, THANK YOU for following along on my handmade journey.

FREE Coloring Page - Multnomah Falls, Oregon

I feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful region.  When I first moved to Oregon, I often found my way out to the Columbia River Gorge and traveled the twisty, winding, Historic Columbia River Highway 30.  I've sat with coffee watching many sunrises at Crown Point.  In recent years, we've spent several weekend days hiking the trails and visiting the many waterfalls that dot that stretch of our gorgeous landscape.  The Columbia River Gorge, to me, truly is a magical place.  

So begins my journey with coloring pages.  I can't think of a better place to start than with the magnificent Multnomah Falls.  It's a beauty to observe from the ground level as a stop along the highway, but it's a whole different thing to hike a mile up the switchbacks to view the Columbia River and north into the state of Washington from the top of the falls.  (Don't stop there.  Your hike on the mountain has only begun.)

This coloring page is FREE for you to print and color at home or in the classroom.  (Illustration is property of R.Goodwin/hoffeeandanuffin and may NOT be used for sale or reproduction.) For educational purposes, have students research and discuss:

Columbia River Gorge
Oregon History
Lewis and Clark
Logging
Benson Footbridge
Salmonberries (and other edible wild fruit)
Hiking and Trails
Hiking Safety

To print this coloring page, click on the image to view the full page, then right-click on the image and "Save Image As" to your computer.  I hope you enjoy coloring Multnomah Falls, Oregon.  I would love to see your colored pages!  Follow me on Facebook and tag #hoffeeandanuffincoloring @hoffeeandanuffin on Instagram.

How To Tuesday - Rainbow Tree

As you know I've recently discovered Tim Holtz Distress Inks and have been experimenting with them and learning how they work.  One of my favorite things to make lately is the Rainbow Tree.  I love layering and blending colors, and this is a fun (beginner/great-for-kids, too!) project to use techniques that allow colors to play with each other.  I also wanted to compare creating trees with distress inks to creating trees with watercolor paints.

What you'll need:
Tree (With Endless Possibilities) Hand Carved Rubber Stamp

Three Tiny Hearts Hand Carved Rubber Stamp

(okay, those stamps are completely optional, but I do recommend them!)

Watercolor Paper
Distress Ink
Water
Watercolor Paintbrush

Paper Towels

A Sense Of Adventure

When I was shopping for distress inks, I deliberately purchased only three colors to see if I would even like using them.  I knew that as long as I had "red", "blue", and "yellow", I could create a "rainbow" of colors to use.  This is how the Rainbow Tree came to be.  Take yourself back to elementary school, to a time when you were learning about the rainbow, primary colors, and secondary colors.  This diagram shows the placement of color to create the "rainbow" effect on my tree.  A little bit of water and a few brush strokes between those primary colors blends to create secondary colors, and ultimately the "rainbow".  (I should note that this diagram was actually created with watercolors, NOT distress inks... but you get the point.)

 Here's another example using distress inks.  This time I added a few layers of color to really build up the pigment.  I do love the look of layers of distress ink, especially when water is added to the distress ink after it has dried.  Notice the trees in the center, and center left.  When droplets of water are added to the ink, it "lifts" the ink, and can be blotted away with a dry paper towel, creating a sort of bleached effect.  It almost reminds me of lens flare.  It's really pretty! 

Another option is to add color with another rubber stamp.  In this example, I used my Three Tiny Hearts rubber stamp, but any little stamp can be used.   I first discovered this technique for my tree when I used a pencil eraser to add R, Y, B ink to my tree, then sprayed water on it to activate the ink and get it moving around on the paper.  Later I discovered blowing on the wet ink with a straw to push it out toward the edges of the paper, as if the tree were stretching outward.  That was kind of fun, too.  (Kids will LOVE that!)

Next is a tree I made with watercolor paints.  I have been using the distress inks as watercolor so much that it sort of became a "default" technique for adding wet color to my projects.  (How do you use distress ink at a "wet" color?  See last week's How To Tuesday for that demonstration.)  In my opinion, both techniques work really well and I don't think I prefer one over the other.  They're just different.  I do feel like I had more control and richer pigment with my watercolors.  I love the layering I can achieve with the distress ink, PLUS the advantage of "bleaching" the color with the addition of water.  (That's so much fun!)  They're both great.

Top Row:
  Left - Tree (With Endless Possibilities, small) rubber stamp with Timber Brown StazOn ink.
  Center - distress ink applied as a watercolor
  Right - distress ink applied as a watercolor, "bleached" by adding water and blotting with dry towel

Bottom Row:
  Left - watercolor paint
  Center - diagram of "rainbow" effect
  Right - tree with color stamped with Three Tiny Hearts rubber stamp.

I hope this demonstration offers some inspiration and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.  I'd love to see any trees you (or your kiddos!) make.  Please share them with me on Facebook or Instagram: #hoffeeandanuffin  

As always, thank you for following along on my handmade journey.  Happy crafting!

How To Tuesday - Note Cards

Hello!  I like to practice new techniques on small bits of paper and I think that note cards are a great way to use those finished pieces.  I've recently discovered distress inks and I'm having a lot of fun playing with them and using them along with my rubber stamps.  One technique I'm enjoying is an embossed resist technique, with resist ink as a watercolor paint.  In this "how to" I'll share with you the supplies I have in my personal collection and how I use them.  (I am in no way endorsing any of these products, nor am I suggesting that these are the only brands/types you should use.  Though I do enjoy these products, there are still others I have yet to discover and add to my personal collection.)

Supplies needed:

dog silhouette rubber stamp, 'hello' rubber stamp

watercolor paper cut to 2.5" x 5"

white (pigment) or clear (watermark) ink

clear embossing powder

heat tool (or oven)

pencil (optional)

eraser (optional)

distress ink or watercolor paint

brush

water

palette, lid, or laminated card

paper towels

I began by preparing my watercolor paper with the stamped and embossed image.

Once my cards were embossed, I was ready to begin painting.  Distress ink can be pressed directly to a smooth surface to discharge ink.  With a wet brush, we can pick up color and even blend colors on the surface before adding it to the paper.  TIP: If the ink dries on the plastic, simply wet it again to reactivate it.  This is a good way to conserve ink, too.  There's no need to wipe the plastic clean unless the colors become muddy.  It can be used again at a later time.

The melted embossing powder acts as a barrier, resisting ink and paint in the areas of the paper it was applied.  Pretty cool, huh?

1. Color your paper with wet ink.  

2. Allow it to dry.  A heat tool can be used to speed up the drying process.

3. Water droplets can be added to create a "bleached" effect.  Let the drops sit on the paper for several seconds.  (30 seconds?  A minute?  You decide.)

4. Use a paper towel to blot the water droplets and reveal your finished painting.

 I wondered if it would have been easier to work on ONE large piece of paper that could be cut down later, so this example was a test for comparison.  I cut this paper down to 10" x 5".  That would give me four cards.  I used a pencil and ruler to very lightly mark lines so I knew where to stamp.  I also wanted to compare different inks while at the same time using the same clear embossing powder.  From left to right the inks are: Memento Luxe, Wedding Dress; ColorBox, White; ColorBox, Silver; and ColorBox, Yellow.  I hadn't used my black distress ink yet, so I thought this test would be a good project to use it for.  I painted black ink across the length of the paper, then layered colored ink over the first three cards, adding extra black ink over the last.  I really like the way they turned out.  It's a different effect, and for our gloomy, rainy skies today it seemed rather appropriate.  Once the ink was dry, I erased all of my lines and cut the cards down to 2.5".

NOTE: My preference for white ink would be the ColorBox pigment ink because it was much more "wet" than the Memento Luxe.  Memento Luxe is GREAT!  But for this project, I think the ColorBox was a better pigment ink.

 Don't forget to go back and erase those lines!  (I do like my Sakura eraser.)

I didn't tape my cards down before painting to keep them flat.  When they were dry I stuck them between the pages of a heavy book and let them sit for a bit.  It works for me.  My cards are informal and handmade.  I think the little irregularities add to their handmade charm.

I hope this demonstration offers some inspiration and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.  As always, thank you for following along on my handmade journey.  Happy crafting!