Mi Casa de aRte

Urban Leather Cuff Bracelets "Vive La Vida"

Get some leather.

Cut to desired size/length.

Punch holes. Add rivets, studs, snaps etc.

Wet leather. Stamp/Emboss phrase or letters.

Give it away. To a very creative soul.

{{HOLidAy WorkShOp}} EZ Knit Scarf, Mini Coil Christmas Book & Jar of Yarn

Hello! I've been working like a little Elf for the Holidays! Here are my latest creations!

First! I learned to knit! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I am so thrilled with the outcome, as well! I love this color combo, but need to learn how to finish off the tails that come with switching out colors! The color combo is: Cranberry, Avacado and Ecru. Very Christmas-y! It was meant to be a gift, but I loved it so much, I kept it for myself!

 

Next on my Workshop List, I have been going nuts creating books for friends. I used coil system for the binding with Cool Red Coils! It's about 1.5 inch thick and 4x4 inches in size. I made this for my Mom for our "12 Days of Christmas" exchange that we are doing. I included about 32 pages of solid cardstock and patterned paper.

On the inside cover I included a clear pocket filled with photos, tags, red/white string and other embellishments! I'm hoping that she uses this immediately to document our exchanges! My thought is that she will use the included items for a quickie assemblage.

I also inclued a digi art gift tag! I love creating gift tags as part of my gift wrap. I used my jumbo craft punches for these tags. zutter bind it all

 

I used full sheets of white sticker paper and digital patterned paper to create the front and back covers. Then I cut to size, adhered it to the chipboard. This way, it was a NO GLUE craft!

I also love the Glittered Crown! These have been a blast to make! I use a Die Cut Chipboard Crown & Glitter! Voila! Your own embellished bling! martha stewart fine glitter

   

Stickles rock! The "day 3" was created on a photo-editing program.

   

   

Mini tags with stamped Holiday Phrases, Mini Wallet sized Photos that I created on my Epson Personal Printer.

    

A Mini Tag with red/white twine for Mom to use in her book!

 

And the finished product! .....

Next up....Jar of Yarn!

 

 

This was something I was so excited to give to my sister for the "12 Days of Christmas" Gift Exchange. We really try to spend as little $$ as possible and also try to recycle as much as we can.

These Jelly Jars I get at Trader Joes and they are to die for! I love the shape and size!

We also just got a new "Yarn Store" in our neighborhood, so I went crazy in that store recently buying some delicious color combos!

I created little baby yarn rolls in yummy colors and added to the jar. For the decor, I used plain white sticker paper and a "lace border punch" to create the doily effect on the bottom. Then add some ribbon and one of my "HOLIDAY ART TOKENS" from Etsy, and there you have it!!!!! (Not mention that she LOVED IT!)

I hope you get a few ideas from this post! Please let me know if you attempt any of these ideas! I'd love to see your take on it!

Holiday {aRt} Workshop #2: Little Wooden People

I am a child of the 70's. Remember Fisher Price's Little People? All the fun you had for HOURS upon HOURS of imagination? Mommy, Daddy, Baby, Brother, Sister, Doggie.....SIGH. Those were the days.

If you surf Etsy as much as I do, then you've stumbled across these precious renditions of Little People.

Made from wooden pegs that you can find at your local craft store....some cheapo acrylic paints...a couple of paintbrushes ( I used a flat and a round), a black paint pen and some clear gloss spray. THAT'S ALL!

Just sketch out your ideas either on paper or in your noggin' and paint the bodies accordingly. For this family, it includes: The Daddy (UPS driver), The Mommy (cute hair-do and a heart), Two brothers (Sporty guys), Two sisters (one curly-top, one long locks) and the token Kitty!

Use a paint pen to dot the eyes and draw the mouths if you so choose!

This project took me ONE hour tops! I finished by spraying with clear gloss spray for protection. This is a cheap and easy project, but one that the small children will ADORE and TREASURE! Many hours of imagination here! HAVE FUN!

 

 

Holiday Art Workshops

Feeling like you need to create during the holiday season? Want some frugal, fun ideas? I will start posting photos, directions and supply lists for the creations I work on during this holiday season! I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment!

Make an image look like a PHOTO w/Shadow

This is done with Photoshop CS.

Open a photo. It will automatically be a background on your "Layers" palette.

Drag the Background layer into the "New" icon at the bottom of the "Layers" palette. This will create a "Background Copy". Next I usually trash the original "Background" layer. Normally it is locked and unable to be trashed...but since you've created a background "copy", you can trash it now.

Next, you need to resize the photo with the Transformation tool. I usually make sure that my preferred layer is highlighted (in this case, the "background copy") and then I do: control+T. This will create the box around the layer and you can resize using Shift and the drag tool. I like to give it a decent amount of space. You should see the gray/white boxes in the background (well, mine are gray/white, yours may be different colors!).

 

Next, I double click on the "Background Copy" in the layers palette. We will create the old-fashioned white border around the photo. You should then see the "Layers Style" palette options box pop up. Click on 'Stroke' and add the following criteria:

Size: 12

Position: Inside

Blend: Normal

Opacity: 100%

Fill Type: Color

Color: White

click OK!

 

Next, you will create the shadow. You can do this all at once, but I'm showing in various stages...

Again, open up your Layers Styles palette by double clicking on your "Background Copy".

You will fix the properties to your liking. However, I did the following:

Blend Mode: Normal

Opacity: 100%

Angle: 30

Global Light: checked

Distance: 10 pixels

Spread 21%

Size: 9 pixels

 

NOW! Just flatten the image and resize the image to your liking! You did it! Here is my finished product! This is my brother. He thinks he's sooooo cool in those shades! :o)

 

Dia de los Muertos Assemblage

I'm going to be teaching a series of workshops at a local artsy store, the Frenzy Stamper!

Here is an assemblage/mixed-media piece I'm teaching in celebration of Dia de los Muertos!

I love how it turned out! The skull was handmade and this is the main technique being taught in class. The piece can be hung or placed on an easel. Enjoy!

Mixed-Media Postcard Swap

I've been swapping like crazy on Swapbot. It's such a great way to release my creative spirit!

This swap was called: Mixed Media Postcard swap. You had to use at least 4 mixed-media techniques. I used the following; acrylics, hand-carved stamp, glitter, image transfer, watercolor, colored pencil, doodle.

I love taking postcards to the Post Office that I've created. The postoffice dude never fails to look perplexed!

 

 

Going to a GOCCO!

So you may have heard me mention, that for my 40th bday, I bought myself a Button Maker? Well, did I mention that I also bought a Gocco Printer? Heehee.

While I was in school last semester, I didn't have time to play. But this summer is different! I have tons of time and that is what I have been doing!

I love how fast and easy the printing is. I love its' basic techniques, yet exquisite results!

Here is a montage of my Gocco Attempts!

1st: Prepare your printer with a high contrast image from your laser printer.

 

2) Using Gocco Bulbs & Screens, "flash" your image to make an inkable surface! Ink it up!

 

3) Insert inked image into cover. Place paper down to be inked.

 

4) close the cover and give it a little muscle!

 

This screened was set up to produce (2) ATC sized images so I can use them in swaps. I was able to do two different color themes by placing "blocking" material between the two images. This helps the ink from running into the other image!

 

Lots of images to dry on the Lego Table! They take about 1/2-1 hour to dry. The more absorbent the paper, the faster the drying time. PLUS...it's been 110 or hotter here, so it's pretty quick!

 

Printed on various papers & a Moleskine Journal!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this little journey with me!

**Creative Gift Wrapping**

I don't know how this is happening! But I actually have TIME ON MY HANDS!! Yes, there. I said it. I have time. I feel like I need to find alot of bottles and try to bottle these precious moments!

And with time, comes timely bday shopping for others....and my most favorite part....GIFT WRAPPING! I love to wrap gifts in a super-cute way. I believe that PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING!

The first package is for a One Year Old bday party. I wrapped in Kraft Gift Wrap on the roll from IKEA. It's a great texture and wt. It has these sweet pinstripes in it! Anyway...I wanted to do something cool to the seam. So I made the seam at the top and left some extra paper so I could fan fold it back and forth. This fan fold effect allowed me to insert the card at the top. Kind of like a pocket! Cool!

Then to hide the tape, I added cute little dingly ribbon. (what ISSS the official name for it?)

Lastly, I put the cutest little name tags hanging from the ribbon with ball chain! SCORE! So sweet! Can't wait to give!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, the next gift, is for a dear friend. And she better not be reading this!

I won't say what's inside the packages, but this was a simple little construction.

I simply used some funky coordinating tissue paper. I added some twisted bakers twine for some color.

The best part was the cute little "old fashioned" flash cards! I used Century Gothic font and printed on cream cardstock. After cutting out, I snipped the right top corner at an angle.

Sweet, eh?

 

Create ATC sized photos in Photoshop!

So....I was playing around with the Automated setting in Photoshop...(File->Automated->Picture Package. Make sure that you have all files closed before doing this!

You will see your page looking like this:

I put the following info in my settings:

Source Image: Use->File

Document: Page size 8x10, Layout (9) 2.5 x 3.25, Resolution 300, Mode RGB, and a check in the Flatten all Layers.

Label: In this section, I just did "None". But you can play with that if you want!

Now, see the blank sqaures? (rectangles...whatever!) If you hover your mouse over the blank spots, it says: "Click to select a custom file". Sooooo....you will click. And of course, as long as you are comfortable browsing or searching, you can click on a file to "place it" in the blank spot!

Now do this for all 9 spots. It will look like this:

When you are done, click OK and let it do it's magic. I print mine on my HP Color Laser on a very lightweight Glossy paper so that I can decopage them onto my ATC cards. They aren't EXACTLY the size of ATC's, but they are perfect for adding on to them! HAVE FUN! Don't forget to play with all the settings, experiment and try different picture package combos! Also, under "Automate"...  you have to check out "Contact Sheets"! I love to use this option to create TEENY TINY photos for my tiny projects!