Friday, April 29, 2016

Craftsy Sale this Weekend



***This post is linked to an affiliate, I am compensated if you make a purchase***

It's finally Friday!  And what a fantastic way to start the weekend with an incredible sale!  You know how I love a good sale!  Ok so here is the deal:
 Starting today (April 29) and through this weekend, you can find top kits and supplies for your crafting at BIG savings on Craftsy.  Check out the fresh picks from some favorite brands and designers, and take advantage of the exceptional prices!  But hurry because this deal ends Sunday (May 1)!







Click here for direct link to the sale.http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=338170&m=29190&u=1021421

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Art of Coloring Paisley, by Leisure Arts, Book Review


How is it that coloring books have become so popular amongst adults?  I think one of the reasons is our need to unplug and return to the real and tactile activities.  Performing activities such as coloring involves using your hands in a different manner than when using our devices and computers.  Working with our hands brings us back to feeling more human and connected to the world.

** Note: Leisure Arts has given me this product to review, all opinions are my own**



Plus, making art is a terrific way to deal with depression, anxiety, and a whole list of health issues.  Even if you consider yourself healthy, using tangible items like pencils and crayons is a great way to unwind and relax.



So what is so special about the "New" Adult Coloring Books?  Well, for one there is such a wider variety of themes and titles available in the market presently.  It seems that every kind of store sells them too!  Adult coloring books have been available for years in Art supply stores, and some bookstores.  However, they were more of a specialized item that appealed to a small niche.  When social media took an interest, it just snowballed and has become the phenomenon we now know.



I have always loved to color in books and just on any surface.  I could never get enough coloring books.  Now I am so pleased to see all the that the market has to offer.  As a child, I never questioned the quality of the books themselves.  I did feel some frustration at having images printed on both sides of a page, though!  I felt challenged to color the left-handed side of pages, and that the paper was usually newsprint.  Today I prefer thicker papers.

I love the weight of the paper used in the series of coloring books from Leisure Arts.  The paper is bright white, thicker than the old style books, the images to color are printed on one side of each page, and the pages have perforations to enable an easier way to tear out.



I used a variety of coloring tools to test out the quality of the pages: crayons, pencils, markers, and pens.  I found that each had good to excellent results.  My tools of choice were mostly by Tombow** (Irojiten Colored Pencils, Recycled Colored Pencils, and Dual Tip Brush Markers).  I used crayons from my children's old stash which was a mixture of brands.  The pens I used were also a combination of Gel and Ballpoint pens from various Brands in my stash.  When using markers I recommend placing a sheet of scrap paper underneath the page you are coloring, to prevent the ink from bleeding onto the next page.  I experienced this only with some very new, and juicy red markers!



**Tombow provided me with the mentioned products as part of the Brand Ambassador Program.

Links: http://www.leisurearts.com
           http://tombowusa.com

Thank you for stopping by, and enjoy relaxing with some coloring!

***I am compensated if you click and purchase on the links to Amazon***
tombow products

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Cricut Crafters Rejoice


**This is an affiliate-linked post, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. **

Hi, crafting peeps!  I love playing with my Cricut die cutting machine, and if you ae reading this then there is a good chance that you too like Cricut!  Well, then this is the post for you.  I just learned that Cricut has a fantastic deal going on just for us Cricut Access™ members!  Not a member?  No problem just follow this link and get signed up:  Sign up for Cricut Access™ and get unlimited access to images, fonts, and projects.

But wait, are you wondering what is this Cricut Access™?  Ok, let me explain briefly.  Cricut Access™ is a subscription program for Cricut users that enables its members to access over 30 000 images, over 1000 make it now projects, and 370 fonts. All from the comfort of home on your computer or devices.  The sale means you can get even more content for your crafting pleasure.  Note, certain discounts are limited to place of residency.

Already signed up?  Then click on this link for speedy access to some great savings:
Extra savings on clearance items exclusively for Cricut Access™ members!


                                          My first Cricuts                                             




Cricut Gives Your Ultimate Cutting Precision

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Chibitronics Bird House

Chirping with chibitronics Bird House how to today as part of the DCC blog hop forApril.  Hi, thanks for hopping on over to my blog today to check out my latest project using Chibi Lights Led Circuit Stickers from Chibi®Tronics.  I am "electrifying my World" one crafty project at a time, and so can you.  It is easier than you may think, and oh so fun!



Check out what all the Designers have made and enter the contest for a chance to win your very own Chibi Lights kit.


Here is a look at my project:



Note the little bird is out so the lights in his house are turned off, as he is very conscious of conserving energy.  Below when birdie is home the lights come on:



This project was achieved by using some Chibi Lights that come in an easy and well explained kit.  Try it yourself and let your imagination soar!



Supplies:
Chibi Lights Led Circuit Stickers by Chibi® Tronics (provided to me)
Wooden Birdhouse making kit from the Dollar Tree (I purchased)
Acrylic paints from Deco Art (Sponsor program)
Faux leaves, nest, and bird Dollar Tree (I purchased)
Home Tweet Home sign made by me with a scrap of paper and some decorative adhesive tape from my stash.


To make I assembled the house following the kit instructions, leaving the front panel off.
I painted the house, let it dry, and then applied the copper tape, and Chibi  led circuit stickers according to the Kit's instruction.  I used hot glue to adhere the leaves, nest, and bird.


Thanks again for stopping.  Please leave a comment, follow me if you are not already.  Click on the this link to be brought to the DCC Blog and start hopping to the other Designer's blogs.




Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Earth Day Recycling with the Gel Press Blog Hop


Welcome to the Gel Press Earth Day Blog Hop!  We want to encourage you to reuse and recycle with Gel Press. Have you thought of making Gel Press Prints on old maps?  What about old Christmas cards or even magazines?  Hop around and see what the Designers have come up with for this hop.  Gel Press will be giving away a prize (USA only)  again for the comments on the Gel Press Blog when you tell us what your favourite project was and why.  Comments will be accepted from April 20-24.  The winner will be announced April 25th on the Gel Press Facebook Page and the
Gel Press Junkies Facebook Page.  Good Luck!


Supplies:
Gel Press Reusable Gel Printing Plate
Acrylic Paints
Gesso
Cardboard recycled from cereal, cookie, or other food boxes
Pieces of trim, fabric, paper, etc
Stamp(s)
Ink pad(s)
Adhesive

                                                         note: I used the 3 x 5 "

See how I create backgrounds for ATC's below.    ATC's are "Artist Trading Cards", they are essentially playing card size pieces of art that artists/crafters make for their own enjoyment and for exchanging with other fellow artists/crafters.  They are not only fun but a fabulous way to create small works quickly.  Today I am sharing with you how I use my Gel Press plates to create some fun backgrounds for these ATC's.  The ones I made for this post were made out of recycled cardboard boxes that once held wrapped snacking cakes, and cereal.

To begin I take the boxes that once housed cereal or cookies, make sure they are clean, open them up and cut to size. (2 1/2 inches by 31/2 inches)




Once cut I like to brush on a coat of gesso just to give some of the more shiny cardboards better grip for the layers of paint to follow.  Using my Gel Press plate I start puling abstract prints onto the cards.




After the paint has dried I go to my jar of bits (ends and snippets of ribbons, fibres, papers, and leftover tiny pieces from other projects.  I may also use some stamps and ink to add some interest.  I glue the small pieces into a pleasing arrangement on the cards.



The result is a small piece of art that uses up a lot of materials that would otherwise go into the recycling bin, or trash.  It is a small way for me to contribute to my planet.



Check out the other Gel Press Designers' works, leave a comment on each site and don't forget to visit the Gel Press blog and let us know which project is your favourite.  Here is the list of participating Designers.  All you need to do is click on their name.

Thank you for stopping by.
Gel Press , KristiTeresaKeriSandeeCindiCyndi,LeaBixKathyAnn (you are here), Elena




Monday, April 4, 2016

How To Add Interest to your Colouring

Hi, today I am sharing with you another idea I have on using the lovely colouring pages we make into a craft project.  I used my favourite Tombow Recycled Color pencils to color a page in my " Art of Coloring Animals" from Leisure Arts.


Step one:
Relax, and enjoy colouring.



Step two:  Make photocopies of the page.




Step three:
Adhere the page to a already finished background page in art journal.



Step four:
Cut out the bird and some flowers from the second copy, and adhere to the art journal page with dimensional adhesive.

Step five:
Add some glitter with glue to the centres of some of the flowers.



Products Used:

Received from Tombow (Brand Ambassador Program) Recycled Color pencils
Received from Leisure Arts "The Art of Coloring Animals"
Adhesive (my own)
Art Journal (my own)

***Note: some products as mentioned above were given to me to be used in projects by the named companies.**

Thank you for stopping by.