getting messy in the studio with ink bubbles

I had so much fun stepping into the studio space with our boys to play around a bit and make this piece. It reminded me of some of the fun things I did when I was in grade school - and also took me to a place where I was having fun and experimenting with my artwork - something that I've been working on doing in the classes I'm taking. I also added a bit of free motion stitching on top of the bubbles, but ended up covering all but just a bit of that with my layout pieces...

Here's how we made the bubbles:

Add water and concentrated ink (reinker for ink pads) or paint to a plate, and then add just a drop of dish detergent.

Using a straw, blow bubbles until you get a whole pile of them.

Once you have a whole bunch, gently lay your paper on top. It may take a few tries to get the right amount of ink bubbles on your paper.

Either allow your paper to dry on it's own, or apply a heat gun to dry out the ink.

This created a random, soft and subtle background for my layout piece. If you use paint, the effect will be must stronger...

I then added my random free motion stitching on top of my ink bubbles.

I finished by adding my embellishments on top...

Have fun getting messy!

~ Leah

My Kind of Messy :) :) :)

Heeeeeello Hello :) :) :)

What an awesome month for creative shares!!! I so so love the brief 'Get Messy'! Like I would say no LOL :)

With the layout I am sharing with you today I have used heaps of glorious product from the Mercantile! all the information is listed at the bottom of the blog post :).

To create my background I used one of the awesome Dina Wakley's masks; the 12 x 12 Boulders stencil. I have sprayed the stencil with both a white and grey mist and then stamped the mask on to the cardstock background, its as simple as that!!!!!

I have added extra splats of colour with Jenni Bowlin paints; which I applied with a small soft bristle paint brush :)

Aaaaaaand so would you like to know fabulous Jenni Bowlin Studio products I used???

Click on the image to link directly to the Mercantile :) :) :)

These flatbacks are sooooo TDF!!!! :)

What is not to love about these?!!!!!! :)

Well that is it from me for the Mo! I do hope you enjoy all the messy technique fun that will be on the blog this month!!!!!

Cheers and Happy Creating!!

Louise :) xx

The Positive and the Negative

One of my goals this year has been to use my Silhouette Portrait more often. What better way to work on that goal than with the JBS Mercantile kit cuts! I am completely in love with this month's kit cut. Especially since I realized that both the positive and the negative bits were so easy to use.

My first layout was made with the stencil. I used one of the new chalkboard style flatbacks to highlight my journaling. I love how it adds just a touch of the chalkboard trend to my layout.

The stencil leaves behind plus sign shaped confetti! I used a glue pen to adhere rows of little plus signs to this layout. I love that I can use everything from one cut to create two layouts! I snuck in another of this year's trend's bu using Lavendar Sachet ink. It's very close to the Pantone color of the year, Radiant orchid. I used the ink pad to color the letters in the first layout. I have a homemade mist which is the blend of the re-inker and water. I used the mist on the second layout.

How are you using this month's kit cuts? We would love to see them in the Gallery.

- Christy

Let Your Flatbacks Shine!

The Mercantile Papercrafting Kit is a collection of shiny happy bright things and  I'm a bit partial to the chalkboard flatbacks that (big smile) Jenni let me design. <--- thrilled!

The Chalkboard Flatbacks are one of Jenni's newest releases available now and they come in 2 sets:

  Chalkboard Flatbacks I       Chalkboard Flatbacks II

(((I hope you love them!)))

The "shine" flatback was the perfect title to my layout about my sweet dog squinting in the sun. To really make it pop,  I placed it on a Quilt Star Punched piece and accented it with the gorgeous gold sequins in the kit.  I sewed sun rays onto the background paper to bring your eye to the flatback by pointing right to it.

I also highlighted words on Lisa Dickinson's great exclusive paper in the kit by hand sewing circles and accenting with painted wood veneer in the kit.