Gelli Print Appliqué Accent Pillow

Hi everyone!   I had fun with this project and, although we recorded only part of it during the USTREAM broadcast, I did complete this project live via ustream last Thursday night.  Thanks to all those who joined me live for the fun! *wink*

I had doodled a simple floral design with my Stained by Sharpie pens on a piece of canvas (cut to 14x14 pillow size) a few weeks ago fully planning to appliqué some fabric pieces to it.   I didn't get a chance to do that and THEN saw a post on the Gelli Arts Blog about printing directly onto fusible interfacing and I got really excited.

I scanned my doodled canvas, printed it out and then traced the images I wanted cut with a brush tip Sharpie.  I did this because I knew that scanning the canvas would create a lot of "noise" on the image making it difficult for the ScanNCut machine to identify the lines I actually wanted to cut.   Once it was traced, I scanned it in the ScanNCut machine and saved it on a USB stick.  For there, I created and arranged the cut files on Brother's ScanNCut Canvas site.  Love that site!!   It really opens up the cutting capabilities of the ScanNCut Machine!

Next, I monoprinted in the colour schemes I wanted on 4 different pieces of Heat N Bond Fusible Interfacing (heavy).   Love how they turned out -- the texture is fun!  Almost like printing on coffee filters but much stronger!

Once the fusible interfacing was printed, I placed the 4 colours on my ScanNCut mat and cut the itty bitty shapes required for the pillow project.   I love that I didn't have to hand cut all those little pieces!!!

With an hot iron, I ironed the fusible interfacing to the pillow.   Easy Peasy and so darn cute!

Now it's time to SEW!!
I used my Brother NX450Q for this project.  This machine is my go-to machine for these types of projects because I love how it works, threads, cuts threads (very important in my world), and is portable to move from desk to desk or crop to crop.

I attached the Free Motion Quilting Foot SA129 and stitched around the pieces I appliquéd and did some decorative "swirls" too in a matching thread colour.

I attached a zipper to the bottom of the pillow and straight stitched around the pillow (with right sides facing, of course).

All that's left to do is turn it right side out and fill it with a 14x14 Pillow Form.  I don't sell those here as regular stock (I can get them though...).  I just happened to have one in the back waiting to use! *wink*

Supplies Used
Canvas (from my local fabric store)
Stained by Sharpie markers - assorted colours
Fusible Interfacing - Heat N Bond
Acrylic Paints - USArtQuest 
Gelli Printing Plate 8x10 - Gelli Arts
4" Soft Brayer - Speedball
Catalyst Tools - Princeton (for mark making on the Gelli Plate)
Iron & Ironing Board
Thread

BROTHER PRODUCTS USED and for purchase at the Art House Studio
ScanNCut Machine (CM550DX)
Sewing Machine (NX450Q)
Free Motion Quilting Foot (SA129)

Love how this turned out!  

I hope you create one too!  Have a creative day!

Packing Tape Pulls with the Gelli Plate

Hi everyone!
I had a great time last week playing on ustream with you!  I used the Gelli Plate again (LOVE that tool) to create a Packing Tape pull - a fabulous glossy monoprint!   Then, I took some of that print and made a shaped magnet that I could use to decorate the fridge.  Love magnetic art! *wink*

Enjoy the video- It was uploaded to youtube a few days ago (twice I see ... I will be deleting one of those videos today.  No need for the duplication)

Supplies used:
Gelli Plate - 8x10 (Gelli Arts)
Acrylic Paints (Dina Wakley Media, Golden, USArt Quest Perfect Pigment)
Stencils (Crafter's Workshop)
Catalyst Blade - Red (Princeton)
Solo Cup
Packing Tape (Yay Canada Post!)
Magnet Sheet (Magnet Source)
Button
Cover Stock (for the message)
Archival Ink - Jet Black (Ranger)
Word Stamp (Dina Wakley - Face in the Crowd)
All Pencil - Black (Stabillo)
Pearl Pen - Violet (Viva Decor)
Resin (optional - not in video)

I sent a magnet to our Live Broadcast winner :)   Hope she gets it soon!  Have fun and keep playing!

Catherine Scanlon is coming to the Art House Studio!

I am super happy to announce that Catherine Scanlon will be coming to the Art House Studio to teach three fun workshops for Art Journalers, Gelli enthusiasts and even Project Lifers :)

Catherine will be here SEPTEMBER 19 - 21, 2014.
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Here are the class descriptions -- you can find the supply list and any other info on her registration pages in our online store.  All products listed in the supplies will be available at the studio when she is here.   Have fun looking!  Hope you can join us!!!!

Friday September 19, 2014 - 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Project Life Cards
(I think they make great postcards too *wink*)
$55 plus HST

Join Catherine Friday Night for a fun workshop to create as many as 6 colourful and creative Project Life cards for your Albums.

In this 3-hour workshop I will share my Art Gone Wild stamps, stencils, pre-cut 140 lb. 4x6 Project Life cards, fun quotes and lettering templates with you. At the end of the night you will have a pile of beautiful, unique and custom cards for an artistic Project Life Album and many techniques you can incorporate to fill your albums with creativity.

Saturday September 20, 2014 - 10:30am to 4pm

The Deconstructed Pages

$95 plus HST

Join Catherine Scanlon and learn everything you need to know about a new and creative art form sweeping the Mixed Media community – Monoprinting using the Gelli Arts Gelli Plate. Traditional Gelatin Printing required you to create a Gelatin plate using Knox Gelatin – it was messy and after a few days the Gelatin Plate was covered in mould. In order to continue printing you’d have to make a new plate – but not anymore! With the Gelli Arts plate, which is made of clear silicone – all you do is take it out of the package each time and you’re ready to play.

Monoprinting is a great way to create unique, one-of-a-kind backgrounds using both paper and fabric, this all day workshop will focus on paper. You can use your printed papers in any collage project, art journal, card making and in fact you can use them in any craft that you would use traditional patterned paper with. In the morning we’ll talk about the plate, how to use it, care for it and other basic information. Catherine will demo various techniques using a variety of tools and then will set you to work playing and experimenting with your own plate to fill the pages of your deconstructed visual journal with pattern and colour.

After a lunch break we’ll come back all refreshed and ready to add some painted details and whatever strikes your fancy to your prints and then finish up by reconstructing the visual journal on the original coil.

Sunday September 21, 2014 - 10:30am to 4pm

Art Journal ToolBox

$95 plus HST

Are you interested in Art Journaling but not sure where to start? Or maybe you aren’t sure how to create a custom journal that suits your needs? Maybe you are new to journaling and want to fill your toolbox full of cool techniques. Or maybe you have a busy life and just want to take a class and sit back and play and make art all day. If so, then this class is for you.

Mixed Media Artist Catherine Scanlon is coming to The Art House Studio to share many of her art journaling, lettering and doodling techniques using her Art Gone Wild Stamps and Stencils – no art journaling experience is required! Just bring a few supplies and the desire to get creative with other local artists.

This is an all day workshop that will leave you inspired and wanting to spend all your free time filling the pages of your journal. Catherine will also bring a few of her art journals for you to look at and be inspired by as well as share a hand-out of quotes, a piece of art to add to your journal, lettering hints and MORE.

Have a creative day!

Creating a Custom Alpha Stencil with ScanNCut Canvas

Hi all!
I had a customer ask me to cut a custom alpha stencil for a wall project that she was doing at home.  She wanted a certain font at a certain size and was having trouble finding it so I told her to email me the file she wanted to create in the font she wanted and I would cut it out on the ScanNCut for her.

I printed her file out onto printer paper when I received it and scanned the "image" with the ScanNCut -- saving it to a USB.   I then took the USB to my computer and made it into a stencil friendly file with ScanNCut Canvas - Brother's online file editing program for the ScanNCut Machine.

The video below explains how and why I did that...  enjoy!!  And have fun with your ScanNCut machine! I know I do *wink*

Happy Canada D'eh! .... celebrate with Christy Riopel and I AND some Sharpies!

Here's a little something fun for the summer!

Christy Riopel and I will be posting 3 "Creative Crossover" inspirational projects on how we use our supplies in our art and various crafting projects.  These projects will be summer inspired and will be posted on our blogs on the first of the month - July, August and September.  We hope you join us, try out some of the projects and have an artful summer!t

This month is about the Sharpie...  and if you are a faithful Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine subscriber, you may already know that my article in the current issue of the magazine features some of my work with a Sharpie - Oil, Fabric and Permanent Sharpies!  Be sure to check it out!

Here's a festive way you can use your OIL SHARPIES!!!!   Happy Canada D'eh!  ... I couldn't resist the play on words.   *giggles*

Supplies:

• Oil Sharpies (FINE tip) in Black and White
• A white mug from the dollar store
• fun plastic glasses from the dollar store
• oven (for the mug.....)

I love fun personalized mugs!   I've made a few up quickly as a gag gifts and just for something fun to do.  The kid gets a kick out of them!  Oil sharpies are made for porcelain and glass so they work perfect with non-porous items.   Here's the trick -- to heat "set" your mugs to make them washer safe, place your mug in a cool oven, heat it to 400F and leave on for 40 mins. Let cool in the oven and remove when room temp.    All set!

....and the glasses...  I didn't and wouldn't worry about heat setting these - they are plastic after all and will melt!!   The oil sharpie will dry and not smudge for this use.   Just go ahead and write, doodle and play with your oil sharpies on the plastic.    Can't wait to wear these at our local Canada Day celebration today!!!

While at the Dollar Store, I picked up a few felt flowers to decorate the studio this summer.    

I couldn't leave them alone!   I used the Stained by Sharpie markers to doodle on the felt. These are fabric ink markers and, because of the type of ink, they don't bleed/run on fabric resulting is clean crisp lines even on felt!

I just added a small button to the center of the flowers and secured them in a small dish (also from the Dollar Store).   Something bright, happy and cheerful for our shelves!

Be sure to drop on by Christy's blog-- she used the permanent Sharpies in her art journaling!!!! 

AND....   be sure to check back here in a couple of weeks...I have another Sharpie project to post!