Live Stream Today & Watercolor Glass Glass is Here!

Hi friends! I am happy to report that I have finally finished the much anticipated Watercolor Glass Class! As always I want my blog friends to get the best price so use the coupon code SHINE or click any of the special discount links in this blog post to save 50% throughout the month of August 2020. 

Thank you for being so patient waiting for this class. I have been working on it since January but finding quiet times to film with construction and then the kids home due to the pandemic has been challenging. But we did it and I think this might be my best class ever! With over 8 hours of in-depth step-by-step instruction, you will know the ins and outs of painting glass and how to deal with any unique variable you come across.

I’ll share 3 different approaches for creating transparent glass: We will start by learning how to use masking fluid and where it will give the best results as well as the pros, cons, and concerns of that product. I’ll show you an easy method of using white pen or gouache for quicker glass renderings perfect for sketchbooks or when you just want to jump in and start painting without a lot of planning and finally I will show you the heavily planned and methodical techniques of building up layers and painting around the whites for flashy, refined sparkle.

You will learn how to paint clear glass and colorful glass and learn how patterns and textures on the glass affect the other objects around, inside, and behind the glass. By the time you are done with this course, I am confident that you will be able to paint any translucent glass that comes your way!

In addition, I have added a bonus section with resources for finding interesting things to paint and shopping recommendations. I have even organized an archive of past still life tutorials featuring glass if you are looking for more to paint! As with all of my class you can ask me questions as you go along and upload your paintings for feedback. You get all that for $39.50 (That’s half off the normal price of $79) just for being an early bird. You can click here and enroll at a discount or learn more about this new exciting class!

And…
…today (Friday, August 7) at 12:30 Eastern Time I will be having a live stream on YouTube where we will paint this sweet little railroad lantern perfume bottle. It’s a beautiful mix of glass and tarnished metal and so fun to paint! Join me for the free live painting lesson and you can ask me any questions you have about the new class too! Just make sure to tune in on YouTube at 12:30pm ET if you want to chat live.

A replay of the live stream will be available if you can’t join live. I have a pattern available for you here and a reference photo. Just grab your basic set of paints and watercolor brushes and you will be ready to roll!

I hope to see you later today for the live stream and maybe even in the Watercolor Glass Class! Happy crafting!

Succulent Shaker Card

Hi friends! Any type of frame can be used to create this unique shaker card. Try using nesting circle, rectangle, square or Triangle dies to make the frame for this and have fun!

Watch the video to see how!

This video is sponsored by Rubber Stamp Tapestry  – use coupon code: LINDSAY and receive 15% off your retail order of $10 or more of peg stamps, peg stamp sets, and unmounted stamps! Coupon expires a week from this video publication. Continue to receive great deals by becoming a PegStamp VIP here.  As a PegStamp VIP
you’ll get a weekly deal via email plus links to fabulous tutorials by me, Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and other designers.

Supplies from Rubber Stamp Tapestry:

• Succulents unmounted stamps set (Hey, I designed these:) *Also try the succulent peg stamps if you are making a smaller terrarium
• Handmade with Love Clear Stamps (inside of card)
• Dye ink (Northern Pine) Memento *Ink refills for Memento ink pads now available at RST!
• Adhesive: ⅛” scor-Tape

Other Supplies(Affiliate used where available)

• Gold Metallic Cardstock
• Heavy white cardstock (110# recollections) 
• Craft foam (I used yellow because it was close to gold, you could also use white)
• Clear “window” transparency sheets (I use this kind because you can also stamp in it if desired or print on it with an ink-jet printer but you can use any clear sheet including product packaging!)
• Seed beads in shades of brown and white
• Dies or shape cutter to cut the shaker frame of your desired shape. I used the treasure trove die from Local King that I bought at the stamp show
• Markers: Ohuhu brush tip 48 set
• Cactus washi tape
• Other: Clear stamp blocks, foam mat for stamping, scrap paper, post-it notes for making masks

Directions:

1. Cut terrarium frame from gold cardstock and craft foam. Make a 4 ¼” x 5 ½” card from white and trace the terrarium shape on it so the top of the shape hangs off the fold and cut out with scissors. This will be the base of your shaped card. Cut a window for the shaker from clear transparency.
2. On the card base stamp your succulents masking as needed. Color with markers.
3. Using skinny tape adhere the foam layer on top of the cardbase over the image you just colored.
4. Fill the opening of the frame with small beads. I used brown and white so it would look like potting soil. Adhere the transparency sheet on top to seal in the beads.
5. Carefully line up and adhere to top frame with skinny tape.

Inside of card:

1. To disguise the bleed through of the markers from the front of the card doodle around them with a water-based black pen. Then, if desired, glue down another die cut frame like you used in the front. If your card isn’t symmetrical and you used a die you can cut it from the reverse side of the cardstock and it will work.
2. Use washi tape and paper or a post-it note to add a sentiment to your card. I stamped an “ok to reuse” sentiment inside my card that can be easily removed if they would like to regift the card.

Tips!

• Foam tape can be used in place of craft foam if that is more convenient for you.
• Don’t worry if you don’t have the exact die cut I used. You can use any dome or frame or any nested die set to make one. You can also use shape cutters. If you are not using a die then foam tape will probably be easier than craft foam for the middle layer.
• Sequins, glitter or sand can be used in place of beads.
• If you don’t have alcohol markers you can use whatever you like (watercolor, chalks, water-based markers, ink and daubers etc) and as a bonus you won’t have to decorate the bleed through on the inside.

I hope this project sparks some ideas!

Last Day to Save 50% on My New Pastel Class!

Hi friends! I just wanted to pop in to remind you that today is the last day to take advantage of my launch month special for my new Soft Pastel for Beginners online class!

I always want to make sure that my friends and supporters get the chance to learn at the lowest possible price and that’s why I launch my classes to you at 50% off. I appreciate you taking a chance on me and trusting me to guide you through your artistic journey.

Every time I use pastels in a video I get asked if I will do a class for the basics to walk people through what to buy and how to safely use this wonderful medium. I go over the best bangs for your buck and what you should have and what to skip, where to skimp and where to splurge and I also walk through four finished paintings. Watch this quick overview of what to expect in the class:

I also show you the options for pastel painting so it can be the most enjoyable for the way you like to paint. If dusty fingers and the noise of the pastel scraping on the paper bother you I share alternatives such as pan pastels and applicators and I show you how to adapt the lessons for those if you wish.

I want to make sure your painting is a safe and fun experience so we will build good safety habits from the start. It is one of the reasons I recommend a student set of pastels to begin, not only do they cost less but they are non toxic too and do not take away from the enjoyment of the medium.

If your goal is to try a new art medium this year I encourage you to give pastel a go! It is a beautiful medium on its own or as a compliment to your watercolor painting. Click here to learn more about Soft Pastel for Beginners and save 50% off today! Use coupon code COLOR if the discount doesn’t appear. Regular price is $79 but you save $39.50 with coupon code COLOR Through 3/1/19.

 

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement and I hope to see you in class soon! Happy crafting!

A “Sweet” Live Watercolor Lesson & Any Class for $42!

Edited to add final painting photo. Have a great weekend!

Hi friends! Today we are going to paint lovely luminescent gummy bear candy in watercolor!

I spent my birthday with my family and we spent the day in Belfast and we stopped into Perry’s Nut House as we do every summer to get nuts, candy and fudge. Lila asked me if she could get some gummy bears and they looked so pretty in the bin that I said “Sure, but I want a few to paint” so last night she told me “Mom, if you want some of these to paint you better take them now.” Haha:) You can use the photo above for reference but I will be working from the actual bears in today’s lieve stream, I managed to keep them safe LOL!

As always you can watch the live show or reply here on my blog but if you want to chat live and ask me questions please watch on the YouTube watch page at 12:30pm ET (New York time.)

Supplies available at sponsor Jerry’s Artarama!  Use coupon code: frugal20FS49 for 20% off $49 + Free Shipping (Excludes: Sale, Super Sale, Egift Cards, Buy It Try It’s and Vendor restricted items. Look for the green coupon eligible icon on the product listing.

• Watercolors: Turner
• Watercolor paper: Arches or a cotton paper #140 cold pressed
• Brushes: Mimik value set
• Optional: Col-Erase colored pencils for sketching:  *you could also use watercolor pencils, regular colored pencil or a graphite pencil. I have been wanting to try out my col-Erase though:)
• Maybe a white gel pen or fine tip paint pen or gouache *we may not use it but have it ready just in case:)
• Other: 2 buckets of water, paper towel, masking tape

Birthday Week Deal! Any Class for $42!

I turned the big 4-2 this week so I thought it would be fun to put all of my courses on sale for $42 for a week. Use coupon code HB42 to get the discount! Just click “Add Coupon” after clicking to enroll and add HB42 in the box, or simply click on the class you want below and it will take you to the discounted price. You can also get a 46% off discount of payment plans if that fits your budget better. I had a lot of interest in my older classes recently so now you can grab them for a song. If you click on one of the thumbnails below the discount code will already be applied:)

Don’t wait if you want a class, this deal is only good for a week! I’ll see you at 12:30 for a free live watercolor lesson, til then, happy crafting & painting!

LIVE Today! Let’s Paint a Ruffly Parrot Tulip & My New Watercolor Course!

EDIT: Here is the finished painting from today’s live stream, I think it is one of my favorites!

Hi friends! It has been an exciting couple of hours here in the Frugalcrafter family! I just launched my first watercolor course called Essential Tools and Techniques for Watercolor Painters and it is getting an amazing response! More on that later. First up let’s talk about today’s free live painting class at 12:30pm Eastern Time on YouTube! We are painting a beautiful, ruffled parrot tulip! 

You can download a printable PDF pattern here or sketch it from the photo above. You can watch the free live painting tutorial, or the replay, in the player below but if you want to chat with other painters live or ask me watercolor questions during the show be sure to watch on the YouTube watch page.

Supplies:

• Arches Watercolor paper 9″x12″
• Watercolors: Quin. Rose, Hansa Yellow Light, Olive Green or Sap Green, (and maybe Ultramarine blue and Yellow ochre) I linked to what I am using but you can use any other brands you wish.
• Brushes: Mimik Synthetic Squirrel and Royal Majestic 
• Palette: Porcelain flower palette and glass plate.

Now on to my exciting news!!!!

For years blog and YouTube subscribers have asked me to create a watercolor class. I wanted to distill the essential techniques every watercolor painter should know down into a course with easy digestible chunks. I wanted to provide information on the tools and supplies so you get what you need without getting overwhelmed with all the options out there, and I wanted to give practical techniques to practice and perfect so that you could go forth and paint whatever your heart desires.

I also wanted to show you how to apply the techniques you learned so I created three paintings that you can follow along with and put your new skills into action.

This class is self paced and you have lifetime access to the content. The lessons are broken up into manageable chunks so you won’t be overwhelmed.

I also wanted to simplify color mixing using a split-primary palette so you can avoid the mud when you want brilliant colors and create interesting neutrals and shadows when you need to.

Last week as I was wrapping up my filming I asked you “What would you like to see in a watercolor course?” and I carefully reviewed your thoughtful answers and I am proud to say that I think I covered almost everything!

I would be honored if you took a moment to check out my class and let me know what you think. My goal is to start watercolor beginners off on the right foot and fill in the gaps for more experienced painters who feel unsure about some of the foundations.

If you like the idea of learning watercolor painting at a relaxed pace from the comfort of your home please check out Essential Tools & Techniques for Watercolor Painting. I taught this curriculum as an 8 week course in my studio with success. Students paid $180 for the class in person and I always had a waiting list! I am offering this online class to my subscribers for $39 (Regular $79) during the month of May.

Most of all I want to thank you for the support and encouragement you have given me over the years and the confidence to create this course. You are the best! I hope you can join me live at 12:30pm Eastern Time on YouTube to paint this fun flower! Til then Happy Crafting & Painting!

Ask a Crafter 17!

Wow, when I first started this series people asked me “what are you going to do when people run out of questions?” Ha! They don’t know my fabulous viewers! You are a clever lot and have a never-ending list of questions. I love a curious mind and I am really loving the kind generous community forming around these videos and blog posts. If you only watch the videos on my blog I urge you to watch it on YouTube because you can take part in the camaraderie in the comments thread. So many crafters have offered advise and ideas that I would never have thought of and I bet you will make a friend or two as Lorraine and I have! I wish I could have you all over for coffee but this will have to suffice (until I get an industrial coffeepot and a WAY bigger house!)

That WAS fun! If you have a question for me or Loraine please leave it here in the comment section or on the YouTube video and we will answer it next week. Oh, and I am trying to compile a “crafters gift wish list” so let me know what you are hoping to find under the tree this year and I will do a video on that, you can let friends and families watch it so you will get something good this Christmas! Of course they might question your sanity for watching videos by the likes of me LOL! Thanks for visiting and til next time happy crafting!

WOYWW: Ask a Crafter 13!

Howdy folks! It is Wednesday and time for What’s on your Workdesk Wednesday! I wasn’t going to WOYWW this week but when I got back from walking the dog this morning I had 2 big boxes on my porch from Papermart! Also on my desk is an ATG gun and refills that my lovely YouTube friend Valerie sent me! Thank you so much Val, I hope I can figure out how to use it!

I am planning to go to town and get some Christmas shopping done today but first I had to unbox all of that crafty goodness, speaking of Christmas you should check Papermart’s prices, you will get WAY more bang for your buck for your crafting and wrapping!

It is figuratively a ton of wonderful goodies from Papermart and you will see this stuff in action in tutorials over the next 6 months. My first planned tutorial is a Thanksgiving centerpiece, be sure to keep an eye out for that!

OK, now down to business, it’s time for this weeks Ask a Crafter! I am so glad to have Lorraine as my co-host again this week, she is a riot! Let’s find out what my viewers and readers asked this week shall we? Oh, and if you have a question for next weeks episode you can leave it in the comments section.

BTW, I did make a lighthouse painting tutorial and I’ll post it on my blog this weekend or if the suspense is killing you it’s on my youtube channel. That’s all for today! Wish me luck Christmas shopping and til next time happy crafting!

15 Minute Scrapbook Page! {rainbowy goodness!}

Happy Weekend folks! Just a reminder that today is the last day to get 40% off everything in my shop Lindsay’s stamp Stuff. The sale is over at midnight so don’t wait to stock up on digital stamps, party printables, clip art, cutting files, templates and Learn to Paint kits! Speaking of painting, here is a quick and fun scrapbook page made with white cardstock, a black marker and watercolor paint:

This is really easy to make, in fact I made the page in real time, I thought about pausing the video while I cut out photos, traced the letters and wrote my journaling but apparently I have no trouble thinking of stuff to gab about while preforming these tasks. I hope I shared enough scrap-booking tips with you during this video to make it worth your while, if not, let me know and I can certainly make the next scrapbook video shorter. At least I can prove it is a 15 minute page (not counting drying time that is LOL!)

As I mentioned in the video I went to a crop yesterday. I also mentioned on the video how I like to print my photos (I print them at home using a photo collage software so I get the layout work out of the way and it is really quick and easy to scrap) I was able to get 8 more pages done during the 4 hours I was at the crop and that is counting the 45 minutes I chit-chatted with the girls and ate Chinese food! Printing photos collage style makes it possible. When I got home I decided to organize my photos and go through the big file of memorabilia I have been collecting over the past few months. It was an over stuffed unruly mess. Here is how I sorted my photos and ephemera:

1. First I pulled out all of my full sheet 8.5″x11″ photo collages and sorted them by year. I am pretty caught up so I had a few 2012 sheets and a lot of 2013 photo sheets.
2. Then I put regular 8.5″x11″ sheet protectors in my albums. I use a 3 ring style 12″x12″ album by WeRMemory keepers and it accommodates the 12″x12″ page as well as the standard office supply ones.  I slid the photo collages in the page protectors.
3. I sorted any memorabilia (maps, ticket stubs, programs, brochures etc) that went with the photos and placed them in the page protectors behind the photos. This way my photos can be enjoyed while they are waiting to be scrapped!
4. Then I pulled out any lose photos in my file folder. There were a few from earlier years. Many of the photos were leftover from pages I already scrapped. If they were digital I put them in a pile for the kids to scrapbook (more on that pile later) and if they were 35mm prints I put them in my family photo storage boxes because I do not have a digital back up. I found 3 events that I still wanted to scrap so I put them in their own pocket in the file folder to scrap some other time because if I put them in the year they belonged in I would forget to do it because I consider pre 2012 done! 🙂
5. I sorted all of the stuff I pulled for the kids into a pile for each child and put each pile in a  large manila envelope with the child’s name on it. Then I put the envelopes on their craft table with their albums. They will get a nice surprise the next time they go to scrapbook!

I really feel good about this system because my family can enjoy the photos while they are waiting to be scrapped. If I decided tomorrow that I never wanted to scrap again they still have a photo book to enjoy. If I feel like spontaneously scrap-booking I just need to grab an album, my on the go bag and a stack of paper and I am all set. It feels good to be organized!

What are your best scrapbook organization tips? Do you feel caught up or hopelessly behind or do you just like to hop around and scrap what moves you at any moment? I’d love to hear! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!

Free Watercolor Video Tutorial: Eggs & Nest

Hello friends! Today I felt like painting…and sharing…and sharing my love of painting so I decided to make a video showing you how to paint this simple watercolor card:

Anyone can do this, all you need is a piece of watercolor paper (or watercolor greeting card), a round brush (either a #8 brush and a jug or water or a water-brush) and watercolor paints or watercolor crayons. Ready? Here we go!

So, what did you think? Ready to give it a try? I am hoping to bring you more easy watercolor tutorial videos if you want them:)

Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!