StencilGirl Guest Designer

Hello Beautiful People

I am so excited to finally be able to share with you, that I was asked to be a guest designer for StencilGirl Products. I have been using StencilGirl Products stencils for a long time, and to say that I am over the moon about being asked to be a Guest Designer, is an understatement.

I decided to do 2 projects because the possibilities with these Stencils are just endless...so I had to stop at 2 or I wouldn't have been able to submit my work for this blog post lol.

For my first project I did a journal page. I really love for my journal pages to be inspiring. I want someone else to be able to look at a journal page I have done and be moved by it, or take something from it and be able to relate to it. More than anything I want you to be confident in making journal pages of your own.

I used the Wall of Words Stencil for this piece, along with the Deconstructed Floral Bouquet Stencil and the Love Collage Stencil by Traci Bautista.

First I stenciled the flowers randomly on the page. Then I grabbed the Wall Of Words Stencil and used the entire stencil. 

I did some doodling at the upper left on along the side of the lower right. 

After that I used a black permanent gel pen and outlined some of my favorite words and quotes from the stencil. I really love how this turned out and I am seriously thinking of having it printed to Canvas.

Here are some other shots of the page. 

 Ok for my second project, I made a mini quotes album. I had this super cool little flip tag that came with a Harley Davidson Leather Jacket I purchased and it turned out to be the perfect vehicle for a mini album. I love recylcing things into my art.

I used all of the stencils again. The Wall of Words Stencil, the Deconstructed Floral Bouquet Stencil and the Love Collage Stencil by Traci Bautista.

Here is a shot of the completed album

The first thing I did was take the album out of the elastic piece that was holding it together. I gesso'd both sides of the pages. I really loved that I could still see some of the words through the gesso.

The next thing I did was create different backgrounds. I used as many different colors as I could grab.


I applied the paint with my fingers, moving it around and blending the paints together.

Next I grabbed the Deconstructed Floral Bouquet Stencil and the Love Collage Stencil by Traci Bautista and started adding the next layer.

 I used white paint for highlited areas.

Here I have started doodling. I used a white signo gel pen and also a black pen. I just traced the outlines of the stencils and added some different shapes and lines.

Here in this shot you can see gold...I just use a gold writer...shake it up and push the tip down on my craft mat until a puddle of the liquid gold comes out..then I fling it all over everything. 

So now I add my words from the Wall of Words Stencil. I put different words together to make different quotes and sayings and also used some of the ones that were already on the stencil.

Then its time to put the book together.

I hope you are inspired to go make some beautiful art using StencilGirl Stencils. Go make a journal page or a mini album or anything really. Just have fun.

Please be sure and visit the Stencil Girl Products Website here
StencilGirl Product Website

Below are links to the stencils I used to make both of these projects...
Wall Of Words Stencil
Love Collage Stencil by Traci Bautista
Deconstructed Floral Bouquet Stencil by Traci Bautista

Thanks so much for stopping by today.
x0x0x
Monica

A beautiful Spring Cuff Bracelet using Relics and Artifacts by Sandra Evertson and Prima

Hello Gorgeousess

Oh my goodness...I've been so busy lately...I've been terrible about keeping up with my blog.

I must do better.

Today I am sharing with you a cuff that I made today. I got my art table all cleaned up and just sat down and started playing.

Ended up with this beautiful cuff bracelet.

So I started with a fabric covered leather cuff. I picked up a bunch of them actually, at Tuesday Morning awhile back. Turns out these are actually a Prima brand product from 2011.

I layered a piece of lace over the gold fabric. Then I reached for my Relics and Artifacts by Sandra Evertson and Prima. I used one of the Cameo's from the Cameo Collection. You can pick up a set here Relics and Artifacts Archival Cast Cameo's. Now, while you are there at the shop be sure and check out all of the other beautiful craft blanks that can be altered in oh so many ways.

Ok so, I painted the Cameo using Finnabair's Art Ingredients Mica Powders in Black Cherry and Teal. When I painted on the Black Cherry Color, I grabbed a towel and wiped it off of just the face and neck areas, then went back in with another coat after that dried. You are going to want to seal this with a fixatiff or a matte spray sealer.

Now for the fun. I layered lace pieces, some beautiful rose trip, then topped it all off with some rhinestone bling. I glued them all together, then centered the piece on the cuff and glued it down.

I LOVE how it came out and cannot wait to wear it.

Here are some more pictures

Thanks so much for stopping by. Stay tuned because I've got some catching up to do on some other projects I haven't blogged about. And I am going to be back in the studio tomorrow with another project.

Have a Beautiful Easter.

See you soon
x0x0x
Monica

2016...my Art Journey

Hello Beautiful's...

This year...I have such great desires for this year...I truly believe it is going to be AMAZING...
I am going to be making and sharing so much art, and my journey with Sandra Evertson and her amazing Relics and Artifacts line of products.

I am also hoping to be able to do a bit of traveling and make some art with friends. This is something I have always wanted to do. I don't have any friends locally who want to play with me and get artsy so I really want to go and be with my people in other places, even if it's just for a weekend.

This year is going to be about trying new things, new techniques, new products. I really want to expand my art horizons and I believe it is going to happen.

A lot of people choose to make New Years Resolutions, which is fine, I'm just not a resolution kind of girl. I chose a word for the year, which I have done in the past, but this year I am going to be lead by this word, stay true to this word, and do just what it says and EMERGE.

Already a few amazing things have happened this year that will be revealed in due time and I can't wait to share them with you. I am also going to be working with my husband to create my own website so I can sell my art. I am not o.k with having to charge higher prices in order to accommodate a second party commission to sell my art, so, my own website it is!!! I also want to get published this year so I am going to be submitting like crazy to some of my favorite art magazines.

For today I am going to share some art that I have created so far this year.

I made this first piece using my word of the year for inspiration. I love to collage and mix mediums and making these MAD Artz Bloxz (as I call them) is so much fun and the possibilities are endless. I cut my own blocks. My husband bought me a scroll saw for Christmas 2 years ago and I love it. The bloxz are the same size as an ATC (Artist Trading Card), which is 2-1/2 x 3-1/2, but mine are 1-1/2 inches thick. I like them chunky and it gives me more space to cover with art, papers, embellishments etc. I have also been known to cut some other shapes and sizes and I will be incorporating those in some future Artz Bloxz. Really the sky is the limit with these babies, and I am definitely going to be making more of them.

I love using printables and I have TONS...I also love making background papers with my Gelli Plate and using them for collage and other art projects. I took an amazing class by Mary Jane Chadbourn summer of 2014 and it has been very inspiring for me.

I did this next piece using my Gelli Arts Gelli Plate and Stencil Girl Products Stencil Doodle It Geometric Landscape which you can find here http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/stencil-doodle-landscape-maria-mcguire-p/l337.htm . I used some of my favorite stamps, did some doodling, and then wrote out some of my favorite hashtags in the circles. I really love how bright it came out.

Super fun...super bright and desperately in need of a frame so I can hang it up!!!!
So that's what I have so far this first few days of the New Year. I plan on spending some more time in the studio tomorrow evening.

I have to get things tidied up because my Relics and Artifacts and Prima goodies should be arriving soon and I must make room for them.

Stay beautiful and be sure and find some time to make some art.
x0x0x
Monica