Daddy Buttons

Many of you know that the anniversary of my father's death was this week. It's been one year and I miss him everyday. I have many of his old things and I like to incorporate them into what I do.

I also love to make things to wear on the show floor at CHA. Here's something that I put together that uses some old buttons from some of my father's uniforms. I love it!! ...and yes, another piece of him I can carry around with me. xoxo

I did crochet these flowers.... which reminds me. There will be a crochet class this Thursday Feb 2 at 6:30pm in the studio. I will be teaching people how to create crocheted flowers, stars and hearts with yarn OR baker's twine (student's choice) to add to your cards or layouts, etc. $15 includes supplies. Let me know if you'd like to come. .... but this necklace is MINE! :) ...just sayin!

Have a creative day everyone! Next stop for me (and my Daddy buttons)....CHA

Ustreaming tonight.....

I hope you can join me.... going to make a background canvas for a valentines day piece.

Click the link to take you directly to the USTREAM channel

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-art-house-studio

Inspired by Classes...

I love it when people come in to the studio show me what they've been working on inspired by what I've taught them in a class or on ustream.tv.

Since I've been busy working on CHA projects that I can't post yet, I thought I'd share one of these "inspired works" with you.

This Happy Spring card was made by Wanda and was inspired by this month's Technique of the Month class - creating your own styrofoam stamp (in this case, the tulip), stamping on shrink plastic, shrinking and creating some fun embellishments. How cute is this?

Thanks for sharing this with me and the blog reader's Wanda!! Love it!

....and don't forget to send me some of your creations inspired by what we create here. Love to see and share!!

Have a creative day everyone!

Ustream Follow Up - Jan 21, 2012

So here it is.. My completed Luggage Tag. As you can see I finished the edges and added a snap closure so I can actually use it!

I love how this turned out!

What you'll see on the USTREAM broadcast:

• image transferring (booktext)
• acrylic washes
• how to use stencils with paint and molding paste
• quick felting
• free style stitching (well... what the camera would let you see.*wink*)

Enjoy!!! And thank you for watching!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me any time! AND don't forget to send me your "Karen inspired" artwork ... I'd be happy to post what you've been doing too!

Mixed Media Luggage Tag - USTREAM Broadcast Jan 21, 2012

I will be USTREAMing today (because I didn't last night *smile*)....

What am I making? I think I'll paint up some canvas to make a luggage tag for my CHA bound suitcase. My mind is spinning with possibility!

Hope you can join me! Here's the link. I will start recording at 1pm

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-art-house-studio

Have a creative day all!!

Yahoo!! Look who's coming to town-

Katharina Doyle and Cathie Allan!

So excited to see them.

I will be closing up shop here a little early today (@5) so I can go pick them up from the airport.

I am not sure if I'll be back in time to broadcast tonight (depends on flights) so that may be a little late. If I don't get a chance to broadcast tonight... look for me tomorrow afternoon at 1pm. Watch for twitter/facebook notices.

Have a creative day everyone!

So? How do I look?

*smile*

had to add a punch of colour for CHA!

Go big and bold, I say! I'm loving the Magenta in the hair.

Whatcha think? Is it me? heheheh

Hi ALL! I've been busy, busy, busy creating samples for the upcoming CHA Show in Anaheim at the end of the month. I wish I can share them with you but that will have to wait! All good things....right? *smile*

I am looking forward to putting the work away and ART JOURNALING tomorrow night with the girls in the studio.. If you are an art journaler and would like to join us... let me know. LOVE to have you. It's a great group of girls who get together once a month here in the studio to create and inspire each other. It's $2/hour studio time ... and we like to share *wink*

Hope to see you here!

HAVE A CREATIVE DAY EVERYONE!

Creating Fun Magnets & Using Resin too

Thank you everyone for dropping by and spending a fun evening with me on my USTREAM broadcast. Loved having you all there chatting and participating -- And I loved how these turned out BUT ... I think I might make some more and dome these babies with the resin because, there are a couple of imperfections that I'd like to correct with the resin. Once cured in another few hours, I will be able to do a second pour to fill in the edges that didn't get enough resin and dome over the Glossy Accents that we put on them before the resin (which you can't see anymore, btw) That will really make these extra special.

Here's how they are now.....

The Resin paper wasn't quite cured either but I was able to cut it out so you can see the effect. So precious. See, easy peasy to create and now I have instant resin petals or leaves -- maybe even some angel wings! You never know where they're turn up.

If you didn't get a chance to see last night's broadcast and would like to watch me create these... Here's you are! The first video is making the backgrounds and stamping the images and the second is mixing and pouring the resin. It was a 3 hour evening so feel free to have this on while creating in your own studio .. or watch in bits and pieces. :) As always, if you have any questions about what you've seen here -please contact me at the studio. Off to make more magnets!!!

BACKGROUND

RESIN GLAZE

Getting things ready for our Scrapbooking Retreat at the Nottawasaga Resort in Alliston on Feb 25-27! I'm looking forward to hosting the croppers there for a "Flappin' Scrappin'" good time! *smile*

If you'd like to join us, it's not too late to register. Classes for the retreat will be announced in the first week of February. Every retreat goer has the opportunity to take one complimentary - and the classes are open to everyone. Meals and accommodation are included.

Back to the planning!! *smile*

InLinkz.com

Buntings 2 Ways - USTREAM recap

Hello all...

Thank you for joining me last night on USTREAM. It was an interesting one*smile*

I was creating buntings to hang in my studio window next month for Valentines and our Customer Appreciation Day (more to come on that). One was painted scraps of canvas. The other was crocheted. Yes, I did an impromptu crochet class on USTREAM last night. Who knew? *smile* I suppose you never quite know what will be on my desk on a Friday night in the studio.

Here are the pics.

This is how the canvas Hearts turned out.

LOVE that I decided to sew them with the sewing machine instead of hand stitching them. I think they look perfect! I will clip them to a string with a paperclip when I hang them in the window. See... I have already strung some baker's twine on a few to attach them with. Fabulous.

Here is the crocheted bunting.

I do like the orange chain that I will string the hearts with - it will be visible in my window in that colour. If I change it, it will be to a plum colour. We shall see! Loving me some crochet lately!

Have a creative weekend everyone!

I posted workshops 1-5 on the Mixed Minded site this week. If you haven't already, be sure to check them out. Its going to be a FANTASTIC event! I'm so excited. More classes will be posted Tuesday....

Yes, I am USTREAM -ing tonight! Hope you can join me

I want to paint but I also want to do some more work on my bunting project -- some buntings for my Valentines Window Display for the studio.

Here's the LINK

Shrink!!

We had a great time in the studio last night creating styrofoam stamps and monoprinting papers and muslin and shrink plastic.

Here's what I did.... I made a flower stamp from the styrofoam plate, added some paint, stamped it on some shrink plastic, heated it with a heat gun and VOILA!!

Aren't they precious? So much fun!

Jen was here with her son today (He was felting some pocket warmers!) and when she saw them she said "Hey... those would be cool buttons!" Why yes, they would! hummmm... *smile* Might just have to do that! Thanks for the inspiration, Jen.

Hope you had a creative day!

Technique of the Month - Styro Stamping...

yes, as promised... the first Technique of the Month Class of the year will be

creating your own stamps from Styrofoam Plates - the technique that I featured in the Winter issue of the Canadian Scrapbooker. CREATE ANY IMAGE.... No Need for trees! hehehe

We'll try it on muslin and shrink plastic too!

I'm looking forward to sharing the technique with you in person!

Class begins at 7pm. Is only $10!!! (plus the darn tax)

Contact me at the studio to let me know that you're coming. See you then!

Counting down to Mixed Minded 2012

Each business day this month I will be posting a class that will be offered at our Mixed Minded event this May on the Mixed Minded Website.

Here's the first class ... one that will be offered by me

Stencil Me Happy

The best art comes from Creative Play.

Join Karen for a "playful" class on layering with papers, paints and Crafter's Workshop Stencils.

Play with colour and composition, use different mediums and a variety of our favourite Crafter's Workshop Templates to create a 12 x 16 canvas ready for hanging.

Come find your creative "happy" place