Christmas Countdown

No, I'm not really counting down to Christmas yet but this project has been on my work table for awhile and it was time to get it done.

I salvaged this broken toy from a box I was donating. Originally the blocks had little sensors that, when the blocks were matched properly, made the animal sounds to match the images. I'd seen similar date blocks and thought it would make the perfect Christmas countdown.

This is what the original toy looked like. I sanded down all the little circle sensors, painted the base and added papers to all the sides of the two blocks. I used a 6"x6" paper pad from Authentique as they all matched and the patterns were scaled down for the 3" blocks.

I cut the numbers with my Silhouette Cameo in dark green card stock and used Mod Podge to adhere them to the blocks. I also cut the "Days til Christmas" from red card stock and added it to a strip of one of the papers on the base. 

The hardest part of this little upcycle project was determine the numbers for each block. At first I couldn't get it to work out, but then I realized that the 6 and 9 were interchangeable so I only needed one of them.  For one block I used numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; the other block has 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8.

I think this is a pretty and useful redo!

"Reflection" Altered Book page

This is a simple page with a painty background and bits of drywall tape.  The focal image is an old stamp that I stamped on tissue paper and then decoupaged to the page. Black Stabilo pencil was smudged around the image, the title and the edges of the page.

Documented Life Project - Week 52

Week 52 - Dec. 19

Art Challenge: Hidden Journaling

Journal Prompt: The greatest gift I can give myself...

Since this challenge was for the week of Christmas I decided to go with a Christmas theme. Time was short so I just created on the left page and used the entire right page for the days of the week.

I took a few process photos along the way.  I started by glueing on a pretty printed tissue 

paper that a gift was wrapped in.

Then I "stamped" with white paint and bubble wrap all over to tone it down.

For the hidden journaling, I wrote in the area that would be covered by the angel's dress.

This shows the angel decoupaged on the background. I used music paper for the dress, manila paper for the head, and gold paper covered with a layer of loosely-woven white fibrous paper.

Once that was dry I painted the head a flatten, swiped Inka Gold metallic paste over the textured wings and painted the dress green. (Sorry, got in the zone and forgot to take photos of the final steps!)

To decorate the dress I used some white and black Christy Tomlinson scallop border rub-ons along with some very old white Recollections snowflake rub-ons. The Christmas ornament border and the large 25 are also from Recollections. (It feels good to use up some of these miscellaneous items in my stash!)

I sponged on a very light white paint border around the entire angel to make it stand out more from the background. I also doodled around the shapes with a black pen, used a white paint pen to draw scallops on the wings and a gold Krylon pen for the halo.

52 weeks down - one more to go!

September LBH Art Journaling Workshop

Here's the information for my September Art Journaling Work-
shop at the LBH. I hope many of you locals will join me!

September Art Journaling Workshop

“Creative Mediums and Studio Glaze” with Susan Tidwell 

September 2, 2015 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

$15.00

This month we will be focusing on and playing with some new artsy mediums 

from Imagine Crafts and Tsukineko. You will create a double spread in your journal 

using stencils, Distress stains and sprays, metallic and iridescent mediums, napkins and glaze.

Try products before you buy! I will explain their properties as well as fun techniques

and ways to use them on your projects. And, as a bonus, I will be demoing the new

Ken Oliver Color Bursts!

Please join us even if you are a “newbie” - there are no rules or “have tos” 

in this class - just lots of fun ARTSY PLAY!

Closeup

Supply List

art journal or mixed media paper
(you can find at LBH) 

heat tool and palette knife (if you have)

one or two small napkins with images you like (if you have - I will have 
some to share)

chipboard letters for a title

Call the LBH at 817-431-7930 or Come by the store and Sign Up for this 
upcoming Art Journaling Workshop