Top 10 Contest WINNER!

I know I know I'm late!!
I'm so sorry! I have no excuse...I simply was overwhelmed with work and the holidays (Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur) and completely forgot!

I wanted to write a post about your 10 most favorite projects but the weirdest thing happened...you couldn't choose. Usually there are a few projects that take the lead and get picked the most as one of the favorite three, but this time all the people who voted picked different projects! Almost all of the projects were mentioned! There were no specific favorites!

So first, let me thank you all for loving so many of my projects. Second, I feel so blessed that you see me as a source of inspiration it fills my heart with so much joy! THANK YOU!

So without waiting too much longer the winner is...

Gina Garibaldi

Congratulations! email me your address so I can send you your goodie bag!

Thanks everyone who joined in the fun!

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

How to Create a Family Photo Wall Collage

I have been wanting to do this in my house for a long time but always found a reason to postpone it. For some strange reason I was scared it wouldn't come out right. But that was my first mistake, there is no right or wrong way to do it. Just a few principles to follow will guarantee that your will will look great!

1. Use different size and shape frames
If you use different sizes and shapes frames it will save you the need to measure and create even gaps between the frames. That is because our eye will focus on the shape and size and the gaps between the frames will in fact be invisible.

2. Use color wisely
If you use colorful frames then have black and white photos, and if you want to use colored photos then keep the frames' colors neutral like black, white or brown. Choose frame colors that compliment the colors in the room and furniture. You can also use the wall collage to inject a splash of color to a neutral colored room.

3. Incorporate other embellishments
Add little embellishments in between the photo frames. You can use shapes, canvases and other wall art. I also framed birds and flowers drawings in addition to the family photos.

4. Add a personal touch
Other than your family photos add words, sentiments or quotes that you relate to. If you make them yourself like I did. I cut out letters from a tissue paper that some gifts I bought were wrapped with and glued them to a canvas with gel medium. Plain, minimalist and simple addition to your wall with hardly any money spent.

I'm really happy how my wall turned out and I'm even considering adding more frames. Now I have a new wall for the new year!  Please share with me in the comments how you display your family photos.

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

The Power of Art: How My Autistic Son Saved Me

I always felt I'm in the wrong place professionally. When I finished the army (yes, I was in the army but that's another story) I went to university and studies Social Sciences like I was expected to. It's not that I wanted to study something else, I didn't know what I wanted but instead of stopping and thinking about it I did what was expected of me.

When you start a path in life then you go on it and everything in your life aligns with it. The job you find is a continuation of that path and my job was in civil service. First the police and then the foreign ministry. A 9 to 5 job in an office, with a boss which was the logical natural place to be after getting a degree in Social Sciences. The thing about paths is that you walk on it until you reach an intersection and then you can decide if you want to continue on your path or take another one. The problem is sometimes you miss the intersection completely and you just keep on walking. But the universe is smart it puts that intersection in your path again and again but eventually if you still don't see it it makes you see it! And that is exactly what happened to me...

I had a beautiful baby boy. At first everything was fine,he did what every baby is supposed to do. But with time we started to noticed some things are not as they were supposed to be. Finally we got a diagnosis: Autism. My son is autistic. Being the practical person that I am I immediately started to work: taking him to therapists, pshycologists, putting him in a special needs education system and so on. He flourished. Making huge progress every day. But slowly I realized working in the foreign ministry meant living abroad, going to a different country every few years, that was not a way to live with an autistic child who needs stability more than anything.
I had two choices: stay and be cooped up in an office for the rest of my professional life or leave. I left. I decided my son's well being and development is more important than my career. But what am I suppose to do now? I need to find some kind of a job...

"When God closes a door, somewhere open a window" This saying is the best way to describe what happened next. One day I discovered the word scrapbooking and searched it on Google. I was shocked to find an amazing world I knew nothing about, but immediately knew this is what I wanted to do. That was the first step in my new professional life as an artist and designer. I started a business for custom designing scrapbooks and the rest is history.

So what actually happened? My autistic son was my wake up call. He was the one that opened my eyes to the intersection in front of me and made me choose the right path. I know now this is the path I'm supposed to walk on, this is what I'm supposed to do in this world. But there's more... not only did he show me my true path he gave me the tools to help him. By being an artist I have an outlet for my feelings and frustrations and I have a place to process them. And by doing that I'm a better mother to him, more patient, understanding and able to cope with whatever comes my way. Art is truly powerful I see it everyday and i wouldn't have found it if it wasn't for my son.

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

5 Minutes Craft: Gift Box

I'm always looking for original, beautiful and unique ways to wrap gifts. Here's an idea for giving a gift in a box of your own creation. instead of wrapping the gift put it in a box!

All you need are two square papers depending on the size of box you want. I used 12x12 papers and got a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" box. So basically the size of the box is approximately third of the paper size.

The great thing is about this idea is that you can customize the size, the colors and the theme of the box and match it to the gift itself and the recipient. For a boy's gift use a paper with cars, dinosaurs or shapes. If you're giving a friend concert tickets use a paper with a music theme or if you give your mother a pearl necklace create the box from vintage papers. The possibilities are endless!

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

Tips to Use and Store your Pens

If you are even a little like me then you have lots of pens. On friday I shared with you what are my favorite pens. Today I want to share with you how to use them and store them so they'll last as long as they are supposed to.

Working with Pens

1. Make sure that your surface is completely dry if you're using acrylics or acrylic mediums before you start writing or doodling. If the surface is wet the tip will be destroyed.

2. If using watercolors or watercolor crayons, go over the surface (when you are finished and everything is dry) with a thin coat of gloss medium to seal the watercolors and give it a surface that has some tooth. Keep the application thin and you may have to work in small sections so that the watercolors don't mush around. This way the pen will write more easily and smoothly.

3. Keep an even hand. The ink should flow from the pens with a steady flow. Don't apply too much pressure.

4. Keep a piece of scrap paper that is uncoated nearby so you can test your pens on it.

5. Test your pens on similar color/kind of paper before you use it on your artwork that way you can see if the color is what you want and if it does what you want.

6. If you're using a Gel pen write very slowly to achieve an embossed raised writing.

7. If you are using a paint marker, shake (always with the cap on) the pen and pump the tip up and down on scrap paper to get the ink flowing.

Storing Pens

1. Keep your pens capped when not in use. They dry up very quickly if you don't recap them.

2. Keep the pens flat-like they are laying on a desk. This is the best way for most pens to be stored. I know they look pretty in your special cup with the caps up facing you, but over time the ink will drop to the bottom of the pen and you can kiss it goodbye. It happened to me...

3. Keep the pens in a cool, dry place (away from heat or anything that will dry them out.)

I hope you found this informative :) Questions? You can leave a comment here in the post.

What's your favorite, must have pen?

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

Toys Shadow Box Wall Hanging

I did some new year's cleaning in my boy's' room and found some old toys they didn't want anymore. I gave most of them but I kept a few small ones that I likes to create a toys' shadow box to hang on the wall. It reminds me of the old days when they were little kids playing on the carpet and making noise.

I used some old jewelry boxes as the base of the shadow box collection and covered them all with paper on the outside and inside. I tried to match the paper to the toys as well as adding the same themed embellishments.

You can use all kinds of boxes to create this collage and different size or theme toys. For a girl some ballerinas, butterflies or small dolls would be great! It's a really nice childhood memorabilia to display at your home.

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

My Favorite Pens List

I love pens! I unwillingly have a collection of them. I don't want to but somehow they find their way to my bag, studio and desk drawers :)

Before specifying the list of my favorite pens I want to share with you how I know it's a good pen.
* Has to write on dry acrylic paint without skipping, jumping or getting all gunked up!
* Lasts a long time and doesn't dry the minute you open the cap.
* I don't mind if it has odor but I don't want it to be toxic.
These criteria works for me and might not work for you...

Uniball Signo White Gel Pen
I love this pen and how crisp and vibrant it looks even after drying and it's cheap too. It writes beautifully on acrylic paints and colorful pages in my art journals. It also writes on canvas with no trouble.

Uni Posca Paint Pen
Great pen that comes in different tip sizes and a variety of colors. It is water based and permanent and writes on ANYTHING. It has an odor but I don't mind it. The only downside is that they are not waterproof so I can't paint over them. It dries quickly and lasts for a long time. I especially use the black ones.

Sakura Micron Pens
Great for illustrations and writing on paper. They come in many colors but I love black and are permanent, crisp and intense with color. I like the tiny tips, although it can be hard to write on acrylic paint.  I love how they are also waterproof so I can paint over them. So when I use them in my art journals or mixed media projects I use a wide tip.

Pitt Pens from Faber Castell
They are a nice crisp, permanent, vibrant color and the variety of colors is amazing. My preferred tip is the "brush" pen which is like a paint brush. Love how you can paint over them once dry, too. The best thing about them is you can use your fingers to blur the color before it dries so it's almost like using paint.

Check out the Guide for using your pens correctly that will be posted on Tuesday!

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

New Year Creative Resolutions & why I celebrate the new year twice

Being Jewish has its perks and one of them is celebrating New Years twice! First the Jewish new year that is on Sept. 13th (this year) and then the regular new year on Dec 31st. If you are wondering why I celebrate the Christian new year on Dec 31st it's because this is the calendar we all use and live by. The banks, newspapers, everything with a date works according to this calendar. So having the chance of a Do Over is really nice. I can have a new year resolutions list on September and review it on December or even have a new list.

Another great thing about it is I get to have a year and four month to complete the list because I can start on September, which is the Jewish new year and end on December which is the end of the regular year. You can say I'm fooling myself and I probably am, but what the **** I'll take what I can get!

So here's my New Year Creative Resolution List which I hope I'll follow through on all of them or at least some...

Complete an inspiration board Yes I'm one of those who still don't have one...I want to make one SOON!
Be retweeted a 100 times I still haven't figure out the mystery that is Twitter...
Post daily on Instagram I need to develop a personal mechanism for posting one GOOD photo on instagram every day in the hopes of increasing my following.
Post Daily on Google+ I only post there about my videos tutorials so I need to do that more.
Master Facebook I want to master the art of posting on facebook, getting lots of comments, likes and shares.
Finish at least 2 new classes by 2016 I know you are waiting...
Arrange my Wall of Inspiration I have all those beautiful canvases that i need to hang on the wall!
Get Better at writing blog posts diversifying my topics and improving my writing skills
Double the number of items on my Etsy shop have more stuff for sale and more products categories.
Try a new craft or technique at least once a month.
Get on two design teams two teams that I really love their products
Plan better find a way to plan ahead my week and month better so I can get more done
Stop procrastinating...
Start a video club something I've been planning for a long time but haven't done yet. Details to come...
Have a product line with my name on it what do you think, stamps, papers, stencils?
Find out what Periscope is and if I want to be on it.
Research new social media places like Vine.
Finish the Netherlands travel book I started it but now I'm stuck.
Purge my craft studio get rid of unwanted and unused supplies.
Work less and rest more...ya' like this is going to happen...

I'll be happy to get your feedback and help on this list. maybe you can give me some tips or share your experience. Let me know on the comments and share what your new year resolutions are.

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

Art Journal Page: Your Mind is Amazing

Mor, my autistic son, had his 16th birthday a few days ago. I can't believe he's 16 already...His birthday made me think about the past 16 years from the day he was born and the journey we made from then to now. The journey with Autism.

This is not an easy journey. Some people I meet try to hide their pity. They think this is a disease and they feel sorry for me and him. But the most important thing I've learned in the past 16 years is that not only do I not need to be felt sorry for. I'm proud, happy and honored to a mother of such an AMAZING boy!

He has such a unique way of seeing the world and understanding it. And even when he doesn't understand he doesn't give up he finds his inner strength to cope with everything that the world throws at him. He is gentle, considerate and has a good heart. He's so loving and caring.
Yes sometimes things get difficult, he gets angry or sad but he has me and together we are invincible!
I see how he solves the problems and challenges in his life and it fills me with pride. Such a unique young man that is an inspiration!

I created this art journal page so quickly because I just knew how I felt and I didn't need to think or plan. It just poured out of me and it just describes everything I wanted exactly how I wanted. Definitely one of my favorite art journal pages of all times.

For the complete process of creation watch the video tutorial.

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

Rule of Thirds...You don't need a calculator

If you think you need a calculator you don't! Rule of thirds is not about math or numbers it's about creating balanced, eye pleasing and artistic visual images like photographs, scrapbook pages and works of art.

The image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections,which are the four focal points.

I often get asked about the rule of thirds because it seems to be elusive and hard to follow. But I'll share with you what I tell my students. When you create something like a layout or a canvas and something seems off...try moving things around. Most likely the composition of the page is wrong and the elements are not aligned with the lines or intersection of the nine squares grid. This means that intuitively your brain and eyes look for the rule of thirds and all you need to do is be aware of that and change the composition accordingly.

The photo on the layout is positioned on the upper left intersection of the grid lines rather than the center of the page.

The focal point of this canvas is the oval frame which is positioned on the left side intersections of the grid lines.

Once you start following this rule you'll notice that it comes naturally to you while you're taking pictures, painting or creating something.
Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!

Photo Size:The Ultimate Guide

Need to know how large you can print your photo? Or how to save a high resolution file? Or why you have to crop your image if you want to print a 4x6 as an 8x10? The answers are all here!
The ultimate guide for high and low resolution photos and how to create them on Photoshop or Elements!

High Resolution

When you take photos with your camers they are already in high resolution, as long as you don't reduce the resolution as part of your edit. 

Low Resolution

When sharing online like on a blog or on FB you need low resolution photos.

Now you have all the information on how to create the right kind of photo for the right kind of use!

Don't miss out! Keep up with all the crafty goodness by subscribing to the Einat Kessler creative newsletter

Have fun creating!