Friday, May 16, 2008

Quicky Playtime Artwork

I needed something for the byhand Newsletter pronto, as I really wanted to publish it before we went away for the weekend! So it's not my most exquisite lettering..... sorry! You can see the newsletter here.


I wanted to demostrate the 2-line Automatic pens and how you could letter with acrylic ink and then paint over it. I didn't get the drama in the watercolour wash I was hoping for, darn it! (but I was after delicate colour - can you have delicate and drama - oh, ya, but not today.... smile!)


For this project I used


I really enjoy a 2-line pen - the Automatic pens come in several sizes of 2-line. I also carry the Scroll marker here. It sure makes you pay attention to your pen angle!

I lettered Home with the Automatic pen using the Cobalt Blue Magic Color ink and allowed it to dry. Acrylic ink dried waterproof which is fun because you can do a watercolour wash over top and the lettering won't budge. (I don't like acrylic ink for small formal lettering though, I've never been able to get good hairlines with it)

I used the Pigma Pen to letter the rest of the quote. The Pigma ink is also waterproof when dry.




I mixed up little watercolour puddles in my palette (I love the Robert E Woods palette and use it exclusively for painting). When I began painting, I took a workshop, but then I learned *a lot* from pouring over Jeanne Dobie's Making Watercolour Sing. I used a wide Gesso Brush and slopped, yes, pretty much slopped, the water onto the watercolour paper (which I didn't have to worry about stretching and buckling because it's a block). I wanted a delicate colour mixing, so I had to water down that strong FUB quite a bit.

Tip the watercolour block to allow the paints to mix before they dry. Magic!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Created byhand Tuesday Challenge - Fabric



Okay, so I'm cheating by using something old, but hey, I just dreamed up this challenge yesterday!


I had such a good time making this ATC. I think it just needs to be finished off around the edge with a blanket stitch..... One of these days.....
Happy creating! Suzanne


Monday, May 5, 2008

Created byhand Challenge - Charms


Here is my submission! I was suppose to go to my first ATC swap yesterday, but didn't quite make it (for a really wonderful reason, though!). The theme was marine things, so I made this atc and thought the charm was a teasing poke at fishermen who "embellish" the sizes of their catches! (There are a lot of fishing types in this part of the world!)
This atc is done on Tyvek using Magic Colour Acrylic ink to colour the background. The fishy stamp is Fred Mullett, the flourish is Quietfire Design Flourishes. The One Inch charm can be found here and the brads are here!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The Brag Flag Book

Here is a Special Project for you!
I was delighted to be asked by Tim Hammonds of Scor-it and designer Judi Kauffman to create the first piece for a series of Scor-it articles on Scrapbooking.com, the online scrapbooking magazine.
Here is a direct link to the article with instructions, in their Paper Crafting section, and you can see the slide show below.


Monday, March 31, 2008

byhand Newsletter 7th Anniversary Contest


The Featured Quietfire Product for this project is Distress Embossing Powder!

This is one segment of a scavenger hunt for a $30 gift
certificate from Quietfire Design, celebrating the 7th Anniversary of the
byhand Newsletter compiled and designed by me.

Read the details of this hunt here!

Good luck!
I also used Flourishes, one of the Mini Images, Walnut Ink and a collage image from Suzanne's Favourites.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Walnut Ink Background Variation

This is my contribution to the byhandartists Background Swap! I've just discovered the special effect of Distress Embossing Powder! Combine it with Walnut ink and what is there to lose? Add some of the incredibly brilliant Tro-Col copper and you get the glitz with the texture. Wow!








Here's what you need:



Instructions:

  1. Mix up the strongest batch of Walnut ink you possibly can. Make
    sure all the crystals are dissolved.
  2. Spritz a piece of watercolour paper with water.
  3. Begin brushing the Walnut Ink over the paper.
  4. Before the Walnut ink dries, begin randomly sprinkling Distress
    Embossing Powder on the surface.
  5. Sprinkle Tro-Col Copper onto the surface. If the surface has begun
    to dry, spritz it again as you don't want everything to blow off
    when you begin heat setting.
  6. Heat set a small area at a time, working your way over the entire
    surface of the paper.
  7. You will have wonderful texture! Don't worry if some of the Distress
    Embossing Powder flakes off. It's meant to do that!
  8. Have fun!!!


7th Anniversary of the byhand Newsletter


Well, I've been putting out the byhand Newsletter for 7 years. Way back then, I really wondered if I'd be able to scrape together enough to say to keep it going. But with lots of help from many very talented artists who've submitted their wonder creations, here we are today! How time flies.

It takes me about 3 days of work to put together a newsletter and I love doing it. Only rarely do I feel like I've gone through labour and delivery and those are usually newsletter that require a huge amount of photo-editing.


The next newsletter is almost ready to go.

!!!Check it out - we're having an Anniversary Party!!!!!

I'm giving away $100 worth of gift certificates in 3 separate "contests". Stay tuned for contest details in the newsletter!
To subscribe to the byhand Newsletter, visit the News Department in the right hand column of the Quietfire Design.ca homepage!
To see back-issues of the newsletter, click here!
Good luck! Suzanne

Sunday, March 2, 2008

The House Book


I've been planning to do the Home Sweet Home Journal for over a year and it's finally to my satisfaction so I can write it up as a workshop! Yay!
I just love these architectural miniatures! They are just so classy. That was probably the biggest hold up, but I have them now! I was so excited when they arrived.
I had a hard time deciding which door to use. The book isn't large

enough to use a door and a window on the cover, so the window went on the back cover. You can see more photos of the journal in the February byhand Newsletter.
The front cover is done on Arches Text wove starting with a very concentrated solution of Walnut ink. The surface was blotted and spritzed and Schmincke Gold Tro-Col as sprinkled in as well as Distress Embossing powder. It was gorgeous!
When the paper was dry, I began lettering with water, sucking out the Walnut ink and dabbing in Perfect Pearls in whatever colour took my fancy - I think they were mostly from the Patina kit. It was so much fun! Except for some of the lettering parts. Lettering over the spots that had Distress Embossing Powder on them was really tough!
I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.



Sunday, February 24, 2008

Created byhand Tuesday Glossy Paper Challenge


This is a birthday card for my son.
It's made with Alcohol Inks on Glossy white cardstock. The lettering was done with the Sailor Glue pen (Roann Mathias had me bring them in for her class at the calligraphy conference - I have no idea what she does with it, but my fingers have been itching to try it for months!). The glue was allowed to dry then I rubbed transfer foil on top. Yay! it stuck!
I did many layers from the Bazzill Greens Monochroms pack. What a great way to package paper! I love it!

Thanks for dropping by!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Winner of the One World - One Heart Event!


And the winner is....

TADA

Bethel of Bethania!

Thanks so much to everyone who dropped by!