FaveCrafts

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Mixed Media Ideas for the Scared and Skeptical

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“Mixed media” is one of the most intimidating phrases in a crafter’s vocabulary, but, on behalf of AllFreePaperCrafts, I’m here to tell you that it shouldn’t be. Mixed media crafts can be super simple, and you’re guaranteed to get some incredible results. Shaking your head already? Stick with me as I bust some common myths about this ultra-cool art form that’s taking the crafting world by storm.

 

Myth 1: There is no such thing as an easy mixed media project.

Mod Podge Photo Transfer Block

Most likely, you have some experience with mixed media already. If, for example, you painted heart on the front of a card and stamped it with a holiday greeting, you’ve done mixed media. Sharpen your skills with easy mixed media project ideas like this Mod Podge Photo Transfer Block.

The finished product may look like it was made by a professional, and that’s part of the beauty of mixed media. Once you master the technique, you’ll be able to crank out photo blocks for every occasion, and I guarantee that this delightful gift will be accepted with a smile.

 

 

Myth 2: Mixed media crafts are too expensive.Tissue Paper Dragonfly

Crafters tend to shy away from mixed media projects because they look as if they cost a fortune to make. Luckily, not every mixed media craft comes with a laundry list of fancy supplies. Some of the tutorials on AllFreePaperCrafts only call for a handful of materials.

Check out this Tissue Paper Dragonfly, a beautiful piece of mixed media art for beginners. You can hang it in your window and enjoy the pretty patterns it makes on sunny days. As its name implies, the main material you need for this project is tissue paper, and you probably have some from Christmas. Layer the paper, decorate it with markers, and you’ve got the makings of a gorgeous pair of dragonfly wings. Best of all, it didn’t cost you a dime!

 

Myth 3: Mixed media projects are too fancy for down-to-earth crafters like us.

Beautiful Mixed Media BookmarksMixed media has a reputation of being a little, well, stuck-up. Shake that stereotype by trying some mixed media projects that are intended for daily use, like these Beautiful Mixed Media Bookmarks. Not only are these DIY paper crafts endlessly useful and totally adorable, they also give you an excuse to play with ribbon, fabric scraps, glitter paint, and more.

With all of these simple, inexpensive mixed media ideas at your disposal, there’s no need to avoid this popular art form any longer.

 

 

Are you ready to give mixed media a try? Which of these projects would you like to make?

 

 

 

 

Paper Crafting at CKC-Chicago!

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Hey Paper Crafters! On October 4, 2013, I was fortunate enough to attend Creating Keepsakes’ Scrapbooking Convention in Chicago! I took four classes, and I learned so much about mixed media, stamping, scrapbooking, and card making!

Mixed Medium Mash-Up with Creating Keepsakes

Mixed Medium Mash-Up

This class was easily one of my favorites. Our instructor explained that mixed media art is any paper craft using materials other than paper and stickers. I absolutely loved working with a variety of media in order to create an incredibly dynamic scrapbook layout. The materials we used included Faber-Castelle Gelatos, water color pencils, spray mist (which terrifies many paper crafters but it’s actually quite fun to use!), molding paste, stencils, water, dress patterns, canvas, marker, paper tags, string, and more! My favorite embellishment to add was the molding paste. We spread a layer over an intricate stencil, and this gave the scrapbook layout a great texture and unique embellishment!

Stamp It 3 Ways with Paper Crafts Magazine

Stamp it 3 Ways

This class was a great introduction to stamping. We received a great little collection of fall cling stamps to play with, and with this set we learned three different stamping techniques. For example, have you ever used the BACK of a cling stamp instead of the front? We took different leaves and used the back of the stamp to fill in the color. Then we used brown ink on the correct side of the stamp to give it the leafy outline. I love how mine turned out.

Amazing 12×12 Album Class with S.E.I.

Amazing 12x12 Album

In this class, all of the students were given a full album kit and embellishment pack to create an entire scrapbook album. We learned many innovative ways to arrange our layouts to maximize space. A technique we practiced on many of the pages was scrapbooking outside of the liner. We would adhere photo pockets, envelopes, mini books, and more to the outside of our scrapbook pages to create dynamic layouts that were aesthetically pleasing. There really are endless possibilities when it comes to scrapbooking and scrapbook layouts!

Dynamic Dimensional Cards with Stamplistic

Dynamic Dimensional Cards

This class was easily one of the most popular. It was hosted by Stamplistic, and their booth at the vendor fair was by far the most crowded! Stamplistic specializes in 3D embellishments, and their techniques are unique and eye-catching! They take a regular stamped image and transform it into a 3D embellishment perfect for any card or scrapbook page. We turned a flat image of a pink flower into a dimensional, colorful, and sparkling DIY card.

 

Which of these paper crafting classes would you like best?

 

 

5 Projects to Make with Gelatos

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I am by no means an artist, but I love tools that make me feel like I am!  I love to create my own greeting cards and scrapbook designs, and while I haven’t yet mastered the techniques behind layering color and illustrating with colored pencils and markers, I love what Gelatos do for my layouts!

Available in a variety of colors, Gelatos work like a combination of markers and paint, applying dark color but allowing you to blend colors together for an absolutely beautiful and stunning effect.  Able to be used on all kinds of paper, Gelatos will give your art projects a professional and clean look that’s near impossible to get from colored pencils or markers alone.

To help give you a better idea of what Gelatos can do for you, we’ve gathered up 5 awesome tutorials that you can make with Gelatos from Faber-Castell.  Which one is your favorite?

BONUS!  We’re giving away a Gelatos Kit!  Scroll down to read more…

5 Projects to Make with Gelatos

  • Upcycled Cake Box:  Use Gelatos to create a beautiful ombre effect and turn an ordinary cake box into something colorful and useful! This Upcycled Cake Box is great for storing craft supplies, cookie cutters, or use it to give baked goods to a family member or friend.
  • “Be More” Scrapbook Layout:  The great thing about this “Be More” Scrapbook Layout is that you can use it for almost any reason or occasion. With several embellishments and crafting techniques used here, this colorful and expressive layout is a creative and fun way to work through your craft stash. Use Gelatos to add a unique color dimension that will really make your layout pop!
  • Divine Decorated Canvas:  This Divine Decorated Canvas is a fun way to liven up any room in your home. Made with PITT® Artist Pens and a variety of Gelatos, this canvas comes to live with dimension and color.
  • Velvet Paper Wall Decor:  Looking for unique artwork? Look no further than that Velvet Paper Wall Decor. Made using Gelatos and black velvet paper, this project is a great way to introduce new media into your home.
  • In Mama’s Shoes Card:  Wish mom a Happy Mother’s Day or send a birthday greeting to a friend or daughter with this In Mama’s Shoes Card. Colored with a variety of Faber-Castell art tools, this illustrated card is great for any occasion…and you won’t believe how easy it is to achieve this professional look.

 

Gelatos-KitBONUS!  Win your very own Gelatos Kit!  We’re giving away this kit to one lucky winner!  You have until October 22nd to enter, and you can enter to win once a day!  Head on over to the giveaway page and register to win today!

Classic vs. Contemporary: Which Style of Art Quilt Reigns Supreme?

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This past weekend, my boyfriend and I finally found time to visit the Art Institute of Chicago. After wandering through a few hallways occupied by contemplating Roman gods made of cool marble and archaic jade figurines from China, we found ourselves at a dead end between two exhibits. To the left of us was a collection of portraits from the impressionism period, to the right was the modern art exhibit featuring local artists’ newest work.

As I started to turn towards the renowned works of Monet and Degas, I realized my boyfriend was already staring at what looked like a line of broken Christmas lights in the modern art wing.

We ended up humoring each other and visited both exhibits, but our difference in preference made me wonder — could classic and modern artistic styles be applied to art quilts as well?

Luckily, FaveQuilts has a wide collection of diverse art quilts to choose from; many of which combine different fiber art techniques, including piecework, fabric painting, applique, and embroidery. Whichever your preferred style of art, you’re sure to enjoy these surprisingly easy tutorials for intriguing mixed media art quilt designs.

 

Natural Bird Design

A quilt intended to be viewed as art. Art quilts may combine many different fiber art techniques, including piecework, applique, fabric painting, and embroidery.
Read more at http://www.favequilts.com/Techniques-and-Videos/Glossary-of-Quilting-Words-and-Terms/ct/1#BkExTS7YVi1aiVGd.99
A quilt intended to be viewed as art. Art quilts may combine many different fiber art techniques, including piecework, applique, fabric painting, and embroidery.
Read more at http://www.favequilts.com/Techniques-and-Videos/Glossary-of-Quilting-Words-and-Terms/ct/1#BkExTS7YVi1aiVGd.99
A quilt intended to be viewed as art. Art quilts may combine many different fiber art techniques, including piecework, applique, fabric painting, and embroidery.
Read more at http://www.favequilts.com/Techniques-and-Videos/Glossary-of-Quilting-Words-and-Terms/ct/1#BkExTS7YVi1aiVGd.99
A quilt intended to be viewed as art. Art quilts may combine many different fiber art techniques, including piecework, applique, fabric painting, and embroidery.
Read more at http://www.favequilts.com/Techniques-and-Videos/Glossary-of-Quilting-Words-and-Terms/ct/1#BkExTS7YVi1aiVGd.99

Classic Nature-Inspired Art Quilts

Call me old fashioned, but I am a huge fan of art quilts that feature animals, landscapes, and other beautiful scenes from nature. For example, the tutorial on how to Paint a Fall Scene on a Quilted Tote features a lovely autumn foliage design that is perfect for a DIY Halloween candy bag. For a springtime art quilt, the Painted Pansy Quilt incorporates flower quilt patterns and gorgeous purple paint. My favorite kind of art quilt is one that showcases cute little creatures, like this Natural Bird Design (shown), which adds just the perfect amount of dainty detail for a larger quilt pattern.

 

 

Contemporary Art QuiltsEye Candy Quilt Art Tutorial

For those of you that love making artistic creations that have a contemporary vibe, you’ll love art quilt patterns such as the retro-looking Eye Candy Quilt Art Tutorial (show). In addition, the vivid tree appliques, and bright watercolor background of the Aprons on Clothesline Wall Hanging art quilt truly look like a painting. If you are a beginner quilter, than you can easily learn how to make a quick and easy art quilt design with this tutorial for the funky Free-Form Patchwork Mini Art Quilt.

 

 

 

Studio E Fabric Bundle and Ocean View Pattern
Develop a real sense of artistry in your next quilt pattern with the intricate beauty of the Just Color! fabric collection and the accompanying Ocean View quilt pattern. Enter for your chance to win by October 8th.

 

 

 

Do you prefer classic-looking art quilts or modern art quilts?

 

Clipboard Art Frame and more! Cool2Craft TV

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Mixed Media Cool2Craft TV

This week, the Cool2Craft design team is sharing some of cool mixed media ideas! Join EcoHeidi Borchers, Tiffany Windsor, Candace Jedrowicz, Lisa Fulmer and Savannah Starr for this week’s online episode.

EcoHeidi is crafting a Mixed Media Pop-Open Journal, Tiffany is creating a Decoupage Clipboard Art Frame, Candace is making a Polymer Clay Mixed Media Brooch, Lisa is crafting a Textured Mixed Media Box and Savannah is decorating a Mixed Media Composition Journal.

It’s easy to watch the Cool2Craft TV Channel right from your computer. Watch craft demos and join in the live chat at showtime at Cool2Craft.com. Monday December 31, 2012 – 9 am Pacific/10 am Mountain/11 am Central/noon Eastern. Join the chat on Monday and mention this blog post to be entered to win our weekly prize giveaway!

This Week on Cool2Craft TV: A Cool Craft Challenge

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Cool2Craft TV - Creative Craft Challenge - 4-23-12

This week, the Cool2Craft community is sharing super cool jewelry ideas! Watch your favorite crafters create super cool projects. Join EcoHeidi Borchers, Tiffany Windsor, Candace Jedrowicz, and Savannah Starr for this week’s online episode.

Challenged to use tissue paper, acrylic paint, stamps and beads, here’s what the creative team came up with: EcoHeidi is making a Mixed Media Brown Grocery Bag Collage Journal, Candace is crafting a Sparkle Bread Dough and Tissue Beads Necklace, Savannah Starr is creating a Be-YOU-tiful Stay True Mirror and Tiffany is making Stamped Thank You Notes and Floral Push Pins.

It’s easy to watch the Cool2Craft TV Channel right from your computer. Monday April 23, 2012 at 9 am Pacific/ 10 am Mountain/ 11 am Central/ noon Eastern. Watch craft demos and join in the live chat at showtime at Cool2Craft.com. See you Monday!

 

cool2craft on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

This Week on Cool2Craft TV: Jewelry Box

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Cool2Craft TV - Jewelry Box - April 16, 2012

This week, the Cool2Craft community is sharing super cool jewelry ideas! Watch your favorite crafters create super cool projects. Join EcoHeidi Borchers, Tiffany Windsor, Candace Jedrowicz, Savannah Starr and Linda Peterson for this week’s episode.

EcoHeidi is crafting Window Screen Bracelets, Candace Jedrowicz is making a Mixed Media Crown Brooch, Tiffany Windsor is creating Embossed Foil Bracelets, Savannah Starr is sharing SavvySparkle Bling Rings and Linda Peterson is making a Vintage Inspired Flower Headband.

It’s easy to watch the Cool2Craft TV Channel right from your computer. Monday April 16, 2012 at 9 am Pacific/ 10 am Mountain/ 11 am Central/ noon Eastern. Watch craft demos and join in the live chat at showtime at Cool2Craft.com. See you Monday!

 

Watch live streaming video from cool2craft at livestream.com

Project of the Day: Couching Yarns on an Art Quilt

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The Yarn Crafts week of National Craft Month is drawing to a close, but we’ve still got another yarn project to share with you before the week is over! We’ve already posted five great yarn projects this week from our crafty friends at Bernat, Caron, and other yarn companies. Make sure to check them out if you haven’t seen them yet!

As a bonus to the fabulous craft tutorials we’ve been featuring, we’ve also been offering prizes each and every day of National Craft Month. If you haven’t been chosen as one of our lucky winners just yet, don’t worry. We still  have plenty of giveaways left so stay tuned to the blog for your chance to win!

Today is Day 23 of National Craft Month, and we’ve got a unique yarn craft to share with you all. Today’s Project of the Day is not a knitting or crochet pattern. It’s a yarn project from our friends at FaveQuilts.com. Check it out below!

 

Couching Yarns on an Art Quilt

Novelty yarns aren’t just for making striking scarves! In contemporary art quilting, artists use metallic or brightly colored yarns to embellish quilt tops and add texture to their creations. You can use this tutorial to couch art yarns onto a quilt, or you can adapt the technique to decorate fabric for another purpose. Couching sounds mysterious, but really all you’re doing is stitching your yarns onto your quilt top. You can even use your sewing machine so it goes super fast! One of our favorite ways to use sparkly or colorful yarns on a quilt is to stitch them onto the binding to cover mistakes or liven up the quilt.  Use this yarn couching tutorial to make an artistic, textural wall-hanging or an embellished quilt for a girl’s room.

Check out FaveQuilts.com to find out how to couch yarns on a quilt.

 

 

In honor of National Craft Month, we’ve been giving away a prize every single day! Winning is super easy, too! All you have to do is check the blog daily and find the Project of the Day post. Scroll to the bottom for the daily question, and leave your answer in the comments section. After today, there are only 9 more chances to win!

  • Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
  • One comment/entry per person.
  • Contest closes March 23, 2012 at 11:59p CST.
  • Please answer the question below in order to be entered.
  • Winners will be posted on this blog and notified by email.

Answer this question below in the Comments Section of this post for a chance to be today’s winner:

How do you craft with yarn in unusual ways?

 

Crochet Yarn Painting Project

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Mikey's Bernat Mosaic Yarn Painting

Mikey's Bernat Mosaic Yarn Painting

Doesn’t this look stunning? If I were to ever plan something that would have rocked the crochet world as much as I did with this painting, I probably would not have gotten the attention as this new yarn painting has received.

Watch this HowTo Instructional Video on creating your own. I consider this project free form as you need to create the work to fit the frame. Everyone will have different sizes of frames to work with. This requires you to be a bit imaginative and exercise your crochet skills.

In this frame that is 24″ wide by 30″ high, I’ve created a yarn insert that is basket weave crochet. This video will cover a number of questions such as the following:

  1. How to create the basket weave stitch
  2. Sizing requirements for the insert
  3. How I attached the yarn to the frame
  4. What to look for in a frame due to weight of the project
  5. Materials used and crochet hook size

Over all, I absolutely loved this project. It’s one of my most treasured crochet projects to date. In keeping with the Basket Weave theme, have you seen this Basket Weave Scarf Pattern? It’s the same concept as shown in my project.

Learn new craft techniques! This week on Cool2Craft TV: Mixed Media

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1-23-12 Cool2Craft FaveCrafts Mixed Media 4 up
Join host Linda Peterson for a new episode of Creative Life TV on the Cool2Craft TV Network. This week’s show theme is Crazy Mixed Up Art. Linda creates a No-Sew Cellphone Pouch,  a Mixed Media Embossed Frame, Baby Wipe Vintage Inspired Flowers on Tag and re-shares her fan favorite Sunflower Mixed Media Art Canvas.

It’s easy to watch the Cool2Craft TV Channel right from your computer. Monday January 23, 2012 at 9 am Pacific/ 10 am Mountain/ 11 am Central/ noon Eastern. Watch craft demos and join in the live chat at showtime at Cool2Craft.com. See you Monday!

 

Watch live streaming video from cool2craft at livestream.com

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