Wall of Inspiration with Ann Butler inks

I'm a huge believer in the phrase: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” by Pablo Picasso. I feel it almost everyday. I get my best ideas when I'm working, because creating gets the process rolling and sets the mind to follow.

So...I decided to create a wall of inspiration. It'll be a collection of small canvases with phrases and words on different mixed media techniques that I will hang on the wall in front of me and every time I'll look up I'll see this burst of inspiration and creativity!

The first canvas in the collection id DREAM. I created a very muted background with a bokeh effect. I started with converting Ann Butler's Crafter's Ink to water colors with a water pen and layering. I build a colorful background with purple and teal colors in a cloudy dreamy look.

Then I punched a few circles and used the negative cardstock pieces as stencils and created different sizes of  circles with white ink and a finger dauber. I layered the circles and spread them around the canvas. When the background was finished I added the sentence with a pen nib and black ink.

What gives you inspiration to create?

Check out the step by step video tutorial for all the details and tips on how to create this canvas with all the water colors effects.
Follow me on Facebook and YouTube for more crafty treats!
Have fun creating!
Einat

Masculine layouts: Blue Fern Studios

I'm a big fan of masculine layouts and I have to be because I have two teenage boys who like to look at all the layouts I create with their photos and comment about them. So I always have to balance between design and embellishments, make it interesting but not too feminine.

In these two layouts I did just that. The first layout is pure masculine, not a flower in sight...only gears and cogwheels with masculine colors. All the chipboards were colored and embossed in several layers using different embossing powders. I cut the photos into circles in matching sizes to the chipboard. After adding them to the layout I add some doodling with a white gel pen as well as a title.

Check out the video tutorial on the Blue Fern Studios channel.

The second layout has flowers on it. I like adding flowers to boys' layouts as long as I keep the balance and not add too many. I also try to limit myself to a masculine color scheme and avoid colors like pink.

Do you create masculine layouts?

Have fun creating!
Einat

Mixed Media Art Journal Page: Follow your Heart

Art journal pages are a form of personal expression and I think they have the power to encourage us, lift us up and inspire us when we need it. I always try to add positive messages or sentences to my pages. today I want you to follow your hearts! It can be in a little thing or a large thing, just listen to it...

This page also fits Valentine's Day although it's primarily about you and not someone else, but I think loving yourself is just as important! I started the background for this double spread with a tissue paper. Then I added some heart cards from patterned paper that I had in my stash.

I wanted the page to have vibrant colors especially red. So I added Inka Gold in esd color all around the page creating a frame. I used a homemade stencil I created from white cardstock to create the hearts pattern with color sprays. To sharpen the shape and add definition I colored around each shape with different color Big Brush Artist Pens. Then I added a lot of texture to them with inka golds and modeling paste.

I sprayed some more color on the background to add contrast and light and added some black rub-ons for more black color and contrast. Finally I added the letter stickers: Follow your Heart. I only had white stickers so I colored them with a water proof black pen. As a last addition I added butterfly wings to the large heart.

What projects do you create to inspire and encourage you?

Check out the step by step video tutorial for all the details and tips on how to create this page with all the mixed media effects.
Follow me on Facebook and YouTube for more crafty treats!

Have fun creating!
Einat

Blue Fern Studios February Sketch

Welcome to February and a brand new sketch! Since this is known as the month of LOVE, this is a romantic sketch for you to work with, complete with a heart. Of course your project doesn't need to be love-themed you can interpret the sketch any way you'd like.

One lucky winner, selected by a random draw, will receive a prize package of Blue Fern Studios chipboard! Go over to the Blue Fern blog and check out all the great layouts created by the DT and submit your layouts.

Have fun creating!

Einat