Stamp School: Coloring with Gel Pens and felt tip Fineliners!

Hi friends! Tonight I am going to share a coloring tutorial using pens that are usually used for scrapbooking or sketching. I will also show you how to make use of the heavy weight 6×6 paper pads that are so easy to collect.

I really like this technique because you get a rich vibrant color with a lot of depth. I also like it because these pens don’t cost a fortune. I am using pens by Amazapens, they sponsored this video, they are also offering 10% off any purchase through December 18th with code 1010SAVE so if you like them it is a great time to try them!

Supplies:
Amazapens 24 Sketch Fineliners
Amazapens 24 Gel Ink Pens
Hot Press watercolor paper (for Stamping)
Gumball Machine stamp: Carmens Veranda
Stamping ink: Ranger Archival
Waterbased blending pen: Tombow
Pattern Paper: BoBunny
Washi Tape
Buttons
Adhesive

If you have pens like these in your stash give them a try, if not the Amazapens packs of 24 are a great value. If you are trying to decide between the two I’d recommend the Sketch fineliners because they write beautifully, and have a nice range of colors to pick from. They are great for scrapbook journaling and coloring in the “adult coloring books” that are so popular now. The gel pens are nice and the glitter ones I used in the video give a very similar sheen as the Wink of Stella pens for much cheaper. I also liked the silver gel pen for writing on black as it was very opaque. I was not crazy about the pastel shades in the kit on black paper but they looked nice on white for subtle coloring. One thing I want to mention with ANY gel pens; it is a use it or lose it proposition. If you buy them you must use them or they will dry out. If you have some, use them up before buying more. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to revive a dried up gel pen I could finally buy that beach house in the Caribbean I have been eyeing. And before you ask, I have never been successful in gel pen resuscitation. So, use it or lose it, don’t hoard and stockpile your gel pens. There. Rant over. That said I really LOVED the glitter pens in the kit and they were quite addicting. I recommend them (only if you have used up what you already have for gel pens!)

I want to thank Amazapens for sponsoring this video and thank them for the 10% off discount code 1010SAVE through December 18th 2015. You know, if you wrap up a beautiful coloring book with a pack of the pens you have an awesome Christmas or birthday gift ready to go. Oh! I think I just finished my Christmas shopping with that idea! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

I Need Gift Bags STAT! Let’s DIY!

Hi friends! Let’s face it, there is nothing as quick as plopping a gift in a bag and calling it a day (am I right?) There is also noting quite as satisfying as using up our hoard of scrapbook paper. Let’s kill 2 birds with one stone, shall we?

A sweet viewer sent me an extra gift bag punch board (WeR Memory Keepers makes it) last summer and I had not even used it but I figured with Christmas right around the corner I would give it a try. I also had some chalkboard paper (DCWV brand) that I picked up cheap at a craft store so I thought I could make some snazzy bags with my Crafty Croc Liquid Chalk Markers! BTW save 15% on Crafty Croc products with coupon: FRUGAL15 now through December 31st 2015. Oh! Don’t despair if you don’t have the punch board I mentioned, I’ll show you another way to make the bags with stuff you already have:)

Reasons to LOVE these chalk markers:

• They are opaque and vibrant!
• They write on slick surfaces like glass and metal yet can be wiped away with a wet cloth!
• They are awesome on white or colored paper!
• Chalkboards! *But not on DIY painted chalkboards, they might leave a “ghost” behind.
• They are great for rubber stamping, finally a quick drying opaque ink that’s not greasy!
• My kids love them and it keeps them busy for hours:)
• There is a coupon code: FRUGAL15 (15% off!)
• They come in neon colors, brights, earth tones and white, 18 colors in all!

A product has to work pretty hard to earn a spot on my craft table and these do, I have the Crafty Croc Liquid Chalk set of 18 in my marker rack with my other favorites. I think you will enjoy them too. Now, what are you waiting for, get your gifts wrapped already LOL! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Sponsored by Crafty Croc

 

 

Clay Play! (DIY Ring Dishes)

These little dishes can sit on the window sill and keep your rings safe when you wash the dishes and they are so easy to make!

I used supplies from the October Smart Art box. If you are looking for a gift for an artist (or yourself) you might want to give these a look. Every month you get an ample box full of supplies to try a new kind of art. I have been receiving these boxes for a few months now and they never disappoint! I have been sent other monthly art club boxes in the past but this was the only one I would allow as a sponsor because it is the only one I felt had a good value of what you get compared to what you pay. You can see past boxes on their website if you want a better idea. The boxes are a surprise, you never know what you are going to get but that is also part of the fun!

Supplies:
Polymer Clay-Super Sculpey-firm
Molding Tools

Other supplies:
Toaster oven
Craft mat or waxed paper
Acrylic paint and varnish (Liquatex paint and Minwax polycrylic)

Directions:
1. Condition clay.
2. Shape into dishes.
3. Press leaves in clay.
4. Bake at 275 F for 15 minutes. Let cool.
5. Paint and varnish.

This is a fun thoughtful gift to make. Please visit our sponsor Smart Art to learn more about their monthly  art boxes or to subscribe today! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Craftmas-Teacher’s Gifts!

Hi friends! This week for CRAFT-mas I am teaming up with Kathryn from Do It On a Dime and since she is a teacher I thought it would be cool to make teachers gifts:

Notecards are something that all teachers can use and won’t collect dust. They are easy to make and don’t take many supplies.

Supplies:
Card Bases & Envelopes (I got a pack of 80 for $5 at Michaels or you can make your own by cutting a 8.5″x11″ cardstock in half-each cardstock)
White cardstock
Patterned Scrapbook Paper (this was also from a $5 pad of paper by American Crafts I purchased at Michaels)
Paper Punches (circle and fancy shapes-or you can trace a shape and cut with scissors)
Alphabet and frame stamps
Ink pads
paper trimmer and scissors

All the directions are in the video! Now check out the projects that Katheryn made, being a teacher herself she has some great ideas!

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

Chicken Painting in PanPastel LIVE today!

Hi friends! Just a quick post to let you know that I will have a live painting tutorial on YouTube at 12:30pm ET. Please watch it on the YouTube watch page if you want to ask questions or chat with fellow painters! This is what we will paint:

I call it a “Tribute to Rosie.” While I was working up this painting in PanPastels I realized that you can totally do this with oils or acrylics.  I think the reason I like PanPastels is because the painting methods are so similar but I don’t have to bother squeezing out paint or wasting it because it won’t dry out. I can paint as quickly as I like or take my time and my colors will not change. If you have any questions about my materials you can ask them to me during the live show, I am super excited! You can watch the show on the player below but if you want to chat please catch it live on YouTube. I will also share lots of tips and tricks! It will be recorded though so you can rewatch it again if you like;)

This live broadcast is sponsored by Snapfish! Why not have your artwork printed on travel mugs, ornaments, pillows or throws for gifts this holiday season. Or make up a wall calendar, you can even have a print of your painting made into a jigsaw puzzle or jewelry, how cool! So many options at the click of your mouse, don’t wait, deadline for Christmas delivery is December 14th.

Materials list and resources:

Supplies:
Sofft tools and sponges (or brushes if using paint)
Canson Mi Tientes paper in a soft green shade
PanPastels in the following colors:
Titanium white
Perm. Red Shade
Chrom. Oxide Green
Burnt Sienna Extra Dark
Diarylide Yellow Tint
Burnt Sienna
Yellow Ochre
Turquoise
Pthalo Blue EX dark
Magenta ex dark

Black pearl medium fine texture (optional)
Pastel pencils (optional)
Soft pastels for final highlights (optional-I am using Schminke)

Reference photo (Credit: Paint My Photo user Hugashrimp)
Pattern

Big thanks to Sarah Gladu for being my live show moderator, she will tell me what you all are talking about in the chat, there is no way I could do this without her!  If you are catching this after the live broadcast (or don’t want to watch on YouTube) but have a question you can leave it in comments and I will answer it in the comments after the show. Thanks so much for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Snowman Spa Set!

Hi friends! Need a quick gift or party favor? This snowman gift set is fun and easy (and cheap too using supplies from our sponsor Papermart!)

The inspiration came when my kids dropped a full plastic bottle of lotion o the floor and the plastic split. Rather than throw out all of the hydrating goodness I reached for the food safe bottles I used in my DIY Ink Spray video and filled them up. Then I thought that it would be a cute way to package homemade bath product too! Today I will show you how to make an easy bath soak and I will show you how to decorate the bottles too!

Video!

Supplies:
4oz black cap bottles (sprayers and pumps available!)
1 oz lip balm pot
black and orange permanent markers
ribbon scraps
black and orange craft foam
epsom salt
essential oils
*or you can decant your favorite lotion into these bottles!

Directions for bath salts:
1. Fill bottle halfway full of epsom salts.
2. Add 2-4 drops of essential oils.
3. Shake well, add more salts and shake again.
4. Decorate the bottle!

Easy Lip Balm Recipe for Kids!
ingredients: All Vegetable shorting (like Crisco), powdered drink mix (like Kool-Aid)
1. In a glass cup mix 1/2 cup shorting with 1/2 teaspoon of drink mix and stir. You can microwave the mix for a few seconds to make it easier to mix.
2. Scoop mixture into small pots or tins.

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

Stamp School: Colored Pencil Layering for Beginners!

Hi friends! Break out the colored pencils and get ready to feel like a kid again!

I left this tutorial in real-time because it is geared to beginners. I think it is helpful to see how long it takes to build up layers, how to hold the pencils and how much pressure to apply. If it is too slow for you simply play the video then click on the gear at the bottom of the player and you can play it faster, warning, it might make me sound like a deranged chipmunk but at least you can watch it in half the time!

The stamps I am using in today’s tutorial are from our sponsor ArtNeko! Save 10% off your next order of any size or get free shipping on orders over $50 (whichever discount is greater you get!) just by mentioning thefrugalcrafter!

Supplies:

• Stamps (full set of all 50 states birds & flowers plus bonus images)
• OR the individual image is available for $5
• White cardstock
• Ribbon
• Die cuts or embellishments of your choice
• Colored pencils (Prismacolor colors I used listed below)
  pc 1015 deco blue
  pc 903 true blue
  pc901 indigo blue
  pc 917 sunburst yellow
  pc 914 cream
  pc 943 burnt ocher
  pc 946 dark brown
  pc 911 olive green
  pc 908 dark green
  pc 912 apple green
  pc 923 scarlet lake
  pc 924 crimson red
• Pencil sharpener
• Pattern paper
• A2 size card base in red

Feel free to use the paper and pencils you have on hand. Even Crayola. It is better to see if you enjoy using colored pencils before shelling out big bucks for a professional set. I love the burnishing technique (coloring firmly) but it might make people’s hands tired after a while. I want Stamp School to be about trying techniques and exploring media without busting the bank, and if you love the colored pencils, well, Christmas is right around the corner and there are many lovely brands to pick from! I hope you enjoyed this project and you give some of these techniques a try! Happy crafting!

 

 

Poppies anyone?

Hi friends! Time for a watercolor quickie! I took a few days off for the holiday and during that time I cleaned and rearranged our upstairs office so I would have an area to work and film during the cold months. I seem to be getting spleeny in my ahem…older age and I could not even make it till Christmas working all day in the cellar. So, for the next few months my basement studio will be my walk in art supply closet. Don’t worry, it is not cold enough to damage any supplies, just too cool for my liking.

I had to figure out a way to film in this new set-up, I came up with an amazing solution involving a shelf, gorilla tape and a selfie stick:

Oh and I taped a piece of white paper to the wall over the shelf to make a place to take pics of my finished artwork. I can also put my laptop on the shelf to look at reference photos (or binge watch Doctor WHO) while I am working LOL! So, what does this have to do with poppies? I did a test run filming here, I used the external webcam I use for live shows to film because I was worried about the weight of my normal camera. You will see the result below. It was OK but I prefer my normal camera so I tried it and it held up fine so I will be using that. Gotta love gorilla tape LOL! If you decide to do this do so at your own risk, I do not want to be responsible for your camera falling off a gorilla taped selfie stick into a pot of dirty rinse water. How’s that for a disclaimer?

Here is the poppy video!

OK, I know some of you don’t like the speed painting but I watched the long one and I thought it was a bit dull so I sped it up. Don’t worry long painting fans, I am planning either a long pastel or watercolor tutorial for the live show Friday:)

Other deets: I used Gansai Tambi watercolors on this painting on a 140# Strathmore watercolor greeting card. You can see the reference photo here. I hope you enjoyed this little painting. In other news, basketball season has started and the first games were tonight, both kids teams won their first games tonight and it was awesome, what a difference a year makes in a team! Thanks for stopping by and till next time happy crafting!