NEW AquaBlend Watercolor Pencils by Spectrum Noir REVIEW!

Hi friends! I was so excited when I heard a rumor that Crafters Companion was coming out with watercolor pencils and I finally got my hands on some!

I will tell you what I think of them and demonstrate them in today’s video!

Thanks to Hallmark Scrapbook (who ships worldwide and has the lowest prices) for sending me these pencils to review:)

Supplies used:

• Aquablend Pencils
• Spectrum Aqua Markers
• Stampendous Build a Bouquet Stamp Set (On sale for $10.19!)
• Watercolor paper
• Prima Waterbrush

Review!
Pros:
Low price
Highly pigmented with soft rich creamy leads
No duplication between sets
Color releases instantly when touched with a wet brush, no scrubbing the paper move the pigment.
***Superior Lightfast 50-100 years (I just checked according to manufacturer! Yay!)

Cons:
I don’t have any….

Bottom line: I totally recommend these pencils, they are as bright as any of the other brands I own. If you are on the fence and want to try one set I recommend the Primary set and see how you like them then you can build your collection depending on what you like to color. For the price you can’t beat these pencils! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

 

Weird Tricks for Getting Exposure for Your Art on Socail Media!

Hi friends! You may think that there is a magic way to game social media to boost your art and craft business. In today’s Art Marketing Vlog I’ll show you how!

Hmmm, that’s probably not what you wanted to hear huh? Truth is, it takes work to build traction on social media and you can’t just hop on and push your products, You need to be yourself and give people value, otherwise why would they follow you. No one wants to be marketed to but everyone wants to connect in a meaningful way. Ask yourself how you can offer value to your followers?

The other advice I would offer is not to spread yourself too thin. You don’t need to be on every social media platform, pick the ones that make sense to your customers. For me it’s YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.  I have other accounts but they never took off as well as those and since my time is limited I’d rather do well on a couple platforms and flail on all of them.

I hope todays video helped you realize that doing well on social media is all about caring about your followers and being yourself. If you want more tips on building a handmade business check out our sponsor Rich Mom Business and their Free Handmade Training course. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Pretty Watercolor Magnolia and an Idea for Your Artwork!

Hi friends! Today I will show you how to paint this pretty magnolia:

DCF 1.0

I teamed up with Snapfish to come up with a fun way to showcase artwork. I’m sure you know what a good job Snapfish does with photo printing but you can create so many awesome things with your artwork too! They have a lot of fun items you can have your art printed on in addition to cards, calendars, canvases and books! You can even have your art printed on blankets and pet beds! Take a look at what I had my painting printed on in today’s video!

Supplies:

• Watercolor paper
• Watercolors (Grumbacher set of 12 transparent)
• Watercolor  (Koh-I-Noor)
• 140# watercolor paper
• pencil
• 1″ wash and #8 round brush (Grumbacher)
• Paper towel, water bucket, tape
• Reference photo

I had a lot of folks ask me to do a long version of this painting and I am thinking of doing it again for Fridays live show. What do you think? Should I do a long version in watercolor, oils, pastels or acrylics? Let me know in the comments below. I had so much fun partnering with Snapfish on this video and I was really impressed with the quality of the print on the pillow, I also wanted to mention that unzip the cover if you need to wash it. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

Live Orchid Painting Tutorial NOW with Faster Internet!!!

Hi friends! Great news, we just were able to upgrade to faster internet with should make todays live stream (12:30pm ET) better than ever. The upload speed is 5 times faster than I had before so not only will you still get to hang out and chat with other painters but you can enjoy a clear crisp picture too. I am hoping I am not jinxing myself by saying it out loud LOL! If that is not reason enough to tune in here is what we will paint:

And here is a printable pattern.

And the photo of my orchid (you may remember it from other painting lessons, I can’t believe it is still alive!)

You can watch the live show or the reply in the player below but if you want to chat with friends or ask me questions during the lesson you need to watch on the YouTube watch page.

Supplies can be found at our sponsor Jerry’s Artarama!

• Turner watercolors
• 140# watercolor paper
• Mimik Kolinsky brushes
• Water, paper towels

Wish me luck with the new internet, I am so happy it is being offered out here in the sticks! I’ll see you at 12:30pm ET for the live show, til then happy crafting!

Classy Packaging!

Hi friends! I have a quick tip for you tonight on making your jewelry packaging a lot more upscale without a lot of extra cost!

A satin lined jewelry box adds to the perceived value of your work and makes the jewelry extra giftable for buyers. When someone is buying a gift they will think favorably upon packaging that is fancy and can be given as is. Well, I do anyway! See how to line a box with satin using supplies from our sponsor Papermart!

Supplies:

• Satin Fabric *Clearance! 20 yard rolls of 65″wide satin for $26.04-$30.64 depending on quantity ordered, great for costumes, formal wear and home décor!
• Kraft Jewelry Box
• Ivory Tassels
• Strong double sided tape

Directions:
1. Apply double sided tape to the inside of the box right at the top edge.
2. Cut satin fabric 1/2″ larger than box on all 4 sides.
3. Place satin right side up inside the box, remove the lining from the tape on one side and fold under the fabric and press to the tape so no raw edges show. Do to adjacent sides.
4.  Place fluff in box and adhere the fabric to the remaining sides.
5. Place your jewelry in the box, put on the lid and tie on a tassel!

One more thing!!! I will have a live show tomorrow at 12:30pm ET, all the details are here and I will post more about that Friday morning. I just didn’t want anyone to miss out:) Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

 

Mask painting is FUN!

Hi friends! This project took me back to the summer art camps I used to run back in the day before I had kids of my own and actually had the energy to handle large groups of kids all day!

So when the February Smart Art box arrived on my doorstep I knew I would have a good time! Some good news! Smart art is doing another shipment of the February box and giving you a 10% discount but order soon because they ship out March 1st. Smart Art now ships to US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Austria! I love that this company listened to your suggestions. You asked months ago to be able to order the boxes after you saw what was in them and you asked for international shipping and they aim to please. Don’t worry if you’d rather get a surprise box, you can still subscribe and get the boxes a month before everyone else. I think it boils down to the amount of stuff you already have. If you are new or have not branched out into many art forms the subscription is a good bet because it is unlikely that you will have the supplies in the box and the boxes have everything you need to get started in a medium, but if you already dabble in many crafts you might want to wait and see to make sure you aren’t getting supplies you already own.

Now, let’s paint a mask!

That was fun, I think I might try and get more blank masks for the kids class I teach at the library, they would love that!

Supplies:
Paper mask
Acrylic paint (Turner Acryl Gouache)
Ebony Splendor Brushes (#4 round, 1/2″ wash)
Glitter glue

Directions:
1. Mix paint to create shades of tan and brown and apply with a crumbled paper towel.
2. Add “veins” with brown using the round brush.
3. Add colorful details around the eyes, nose and top of the mask. Let dry.
4. Brush on a coat of glitter glue with the 1/2″ wash brush.
5. Tie elastic (supplies with mask) on and wear!

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Sponsored by Smart Art

Embossing Powder Techniques from A-Z Book Review!

Hi friends! Tonight I am going to recommend a book that I received not too long ago. It’s called Embossing Powder Techniques from A-Z. It’s by Fran Seiford from Stampendous and I think it deserves a spot on every stampers workdesk.

In today’s video I give you a sneak peek and tell you why I love it so!

Now, a lot of the techniques are not new to me, I have been stamping for 15 years but having them all on one place is awesome! It is such a good resource and it will help me use my rather impressive stash of embossing powders. I am really looking forward to trying Fran’s Encrusted Jewels technique because that is new to me! The price of the book is $16.99 and did I mention it is a real book? When it comes to art resource books I want a real book that I can have at my craft table with me as I work.

If you have a lot of embossing powders this is a must have. If you are thinking about getting into heat embossing Embossing Powder Techniques From A-Z can save you money by explaining the tools you need and what powders yield what effects. The most endearing thing about this book is that it is designed to work with any brand embossing powders, you don’t have to use the Stampendous brand (although they make great powders) and Fran even shows us how to mimic her Frantage line of products. Fran Seiford (the author) has been a gift to the stamping industry for 35 years and this book really illustrates that. It is the best craft reference book I have come across in years, I fully recommend it!

Disclaimer: This is Not a sponsored post, my reviews are my own and I was not compensated for this video although I received a complimentary copy of the book. That said I probably will end up buying a few copies for gifts! Happy crafting!

The crafty thing I use the most…

Hi friends! This is not an exciting post BUT I bet it will be useful! A few weeks ago I went through my sewing box and organized it. It is an item I use a few times a week for mending the kids clothes, sewing on buttons and attaching scouting patches to vests. It is a workhorse. Nobody likes mending and it is a chore that we often put off until the offending piece of clothing needs to be worn (or 5 minutes before you have to leave for a Girl Scout meeting. On a side note I propose the first scouting badge our kids earn should be a sewing badge, anyone second this motion?) This is what is in my sewing box: (full supply list below the video!)

It sits on a shelf in our living room where everyone can access it (don’t worry, no one will except you, I am pretty sure it would be a great place to stash some chocolate in fact!) In today’s video I will show you what’s in my box!

Supplies my kit:
Small spools of thread in a rainbow of colors
Needles (ditch the case they come in and put them in a small mint tin with a magnet.)
Ball end pins
Needle threaders
Thimble
Good small sharp embroidery scissors (ditch the cheap one that come in the kit)
Safety pins (only for when you absolutely do not have time to sew it-really, it takes 5 minutes to sew it so…)
Seam ripper (cuz we all make mistakes)

I restock my kit with needles and thread from small sewing kits I get as gifts or from hotels. You also might want to make a small kit for your car or office for the on the go emergencies. It is not hard to mend clothing and it will save you so much money.

Have this tool kit handy so everyone can access it. There is no reason your kid can’t sew up a rip in a stuffed animal or sew on a merit badge and they might even enjoy it! Til tomorrow, happy crafting!

Are You Being Paid in Fun? {art marketing vlog}

Hi friends! There is a point in every artists or crafters career that they have to decide if they are going to get a real job or charge enough to make a living or even (gasp) plan for retirement and build wealth. This myth of the “starving artist” bugs me for several reasons. The biggest one is that some people believe that since the job is fun we should not be paid much. Often that feeling comes from the artists and crafters themselves. Let’s discuss this in today’s art marketing vlog:

This video is sponsored by Rich Mom Business and their FREE handmade training course.

The fact that YOU are the only one making YOUR art, that should make it more valuable. Here are some steps to ensure that you charge enough for your work and get paid what you deserve:

1. Learn how to figure out what you should be paid (materials, hours, overhead, profit)
2. Stand by this price.
3. Educate your customer on the value of your work.
4. Learn the pitfalls of charging less: If you take less for a job than you are going to need to rush to do more work to make up for that, your quality will suffer and your work will end up being worth less. When people know you will work for less they will never pay a fair price.

In many of these art marketing videos I share ways to make and build an art business but you also need to learn to sustain it so you can stay in business. Good luck in your art and craft career and til next time happy crafting!