Shuttered Soul by Betsy Skagen

With holiday crafting put away for the season, I am able to refocus on mixed media art.

I am a classic over-thinker when it comes to art. Okay, truth be told, I might just be a classic over-thinker when it comes to everything--but today we are focusing on art. In creating this piece I pushed myself not to meticulously plan every detail and just go with the flow. 

The driving force behind this piece was Gypsy Soul's Window with Shutters. First I covered the shutters with black ink. Then I applied a coat of embossing ink, added Rocky Road embossing powder and activated with a heat gun. 

Setting that aside, I created my background paper by layer after layer of acrylic paint, spray ink, ink pads, paint pens, washi tape and stamped images to cold press watercolor paper. 

Next I took a collage image from a magazine and layered it behind the window. I then adhered the window shutter to the background paper. 

I then adhered a couple of my favorite rusty found objects to the page. 

To create the frame, I added grit paste to the edge of a piece of chipboard that I cut slightly larger than my background page. After it was dry, I painted it with black acrylic paint and then sealed with a matte polyurethane spray. 

After the frame was dry, I adhered the background page to it and my project was complete. 

That was it! Projects are definitely easier when I don't overthink them! 

My wish for all of you is that you each enjoy a holiday season filled with loved ones, warmth, good food and good feelings. 

Love to all, Betsy

Great Stuff

Window with Shutters

Distressed black soot ink

Embossing ink

Seth Apter's Rocky Road Baked Texture Embossing Powder

Cold press watercolor paper

Acrylic paint

Washi tape

Black ink

Spray inks

Paint pens

Rubber stamps

Found objects

Chipboard

Beacon Adhesive Fabri-Tac

Lock-Tite

Grit paste

It's Plaid to See by Betsy Skagen

Buffalo Plaid is all the rage right now. I especially love my plaid purse I picked up on ebay last year. It is what inspired me to create this holiday ornament. 

There is plenty of texture in this shadow box ornament--from plaid, to billowy wisps of snow, to deep black glitter.

To make this ornament, begin by assembling the Fold Up Box Oval and covering both the inside and outside with plaid paper. Use a utility knife to cut out the oval window.

Ink the edges with embossing ink, cover with Black Magic Embossing Powder and activate with heat gun. Assemble the two pieces of the box and adhere together with glue.

 

Punch two holes in the top of the box thread black velvet ribbon through. Tie and adhere to the inside top of the box. Because my ribbon was wider, I folded my ribbon in half and glued it together to form a narrow thick velvet rope.

 Paint a plastic toy deer with matte medium and cover with black glitter.

While the deer is drying, completely cover the front of one large and three small metal stars with embossing ink. Dip in Black Magic Embossing Powder and heat until the embossing powder turns to liquid and fully covers the stars. Repeat if necessary. While the embossing powder is still hot, sprinkle black glitter over the stars and let cool.

Use a strong adhesive to adhere the deer and stars to the box. After the glue thoroughly dries, pull apart a cotton ball and glue it to the bottom of the box. Dab white Stickle glue to the cotton to add a little shimmer.

To finish your box, print a message on your home printer, adhere it to some glitter paper and glue it to the front of your box.

All that is left is to hang your ornament on your tree! -Betsy

Great Stuff

Fold Up Box Oval
Plaid paper
Eileen Hull Black Magic Embossing Powder
Embossing ink
Black glitter
Tim Holtz metal stars
White Stickles
Cotton ball
Beacon Fabri-Tac
Matte medium
Lock-Tite
Black velvet ribbon
Plastic deer
Glittery paper
Inkjet printed message

Meet Minty the Snowman by Betsy Skagen

Meet Minty the Snowman. Some say his attitude is a little fresh, but I maintain that is just the splenderifious combination of peppermint and newly fallen snow.

To make Minty, begin by covering a Styrofoam ball with Paper Clay. Poke a small hole with a tooth pick. Let dry overnight. If not completely dry, you can help it along by heating it in the oven for a few minutes at a very low temperature.

Paint the clay ball with white acrylic paint and dab on some light pink cheeks. Let dry. Paint the entire ball with matte medium and then cover with fine clear glitter. Paint a toothpick orange and secure the tip of it tip of it in the hole with some glue.

Fill the interior of the jar with red and white straws that you cut to size.

 

Cut apart the chipboard snowflakes, paint white and dry.

Cover both sides with matte medium and glitter.

Use permanent glue to adhere the snowman head to a glass bottle. While it cures, thread small white beads through the top of a salt shaker and secure it place with a permanent glue. Add the snowflakes to the back of the saltshaker hat.

Use more permanent glue to adhere the salt shaker top to the top of the snowman head.

Wrap a pipe cleaner around the neck to create arms and cover the rest of the neck with some festive ribbon.

Add a tiny jar filled with tiny Perler Bead miniature candies (there are many tutorials you can find online). Add labels, such as the adorable labels made by team member Nichola Battilana and your snowman is complete.

Have a wonderful, frosty fresh weekend! -Betsy

Great Stuff

Let it Snow chipboard
Merry Little Christmas Labels
Glass Jars
Paper Clay
Styrofoam ball
Craft glue
Lock-Tite
Matte medium
Toothpick
Fine clear glitter
Saltshaker top
Pipecleaners
Acrylic paint
Glitter
Ribbon
Paper straws
White beads
Miniature peppermint candy made from Perler Beads

Mixed Media "Creativity" by Betsy Skagen

 Some of my favorite found objects--a piece of lake glass, and old rusty wire and a rusty star--make up this new mixed media piece titled "Creativity".

To make it I first covered a box with black gesso.

Next, I covered the interior and exterior with paper that I cut to size and inked the edges with black ink.

I then added distress grit paste to the outside edges of the box and to a Chevron Frame. 

 

After it dried, I painted both with acrylic paint. I added another square of paper to the back of the frame. I then dabbed the frame with wax paste and added a bit of the vintage gold wax paste to the paper square. I then sprayed the box and square frame with a protective coat of matte polyurethane.

If you look closely, you can see I punched a small hole in the paper behind the frame. That was where I attached a rusty gear and lake glass (those of you on the coasts probably call this sea glass) that I wrapped with rusty wire.

I then attached the frame to the square of paper and added some tiny star sequins.

After determining where I was going to place the frame in the box, I dry brushed a square of black acrylic paint onto the inside back of the box to create a shadow effect. I then used adhesive foam to adhere the frame to the box. Both the foam and the painted shadow help add dimension to the piece.

Next I adhered an old rusted garden stake that I had found this summer to the back of the box.

To finish the piece, I added a rusty star and used adhesive foam to add the word "creativity" which I had torn out from some scrapbook paper.

Great Stuff

Gypsy Soul Chevron Frames
Cardboard box
Acrylic Paint
Wax paste
Decorative paper
Grit Paste
Black Soot ink
Black gesso
Rusted Wire
Rusted garden stake
Lake glass
Metal gear
Rusted star
Star sequins
Beacon Fiber-Tac
Matte medium
Matte polyurethane

Oh Baby Baby Part 2 by Betsy Skagen

We are now just days away from a new baby arriving in my family. I am making a little book for my niece, who is the mother-to-be, for her to keep memories of those first precious months.

The book features all sorts of pockets, magnetic flaps and little spaces to store precious photos, mementos and tags to record milestones and memories. On some of the pages I used Gypsy Soul chipboard to create three-dimensional elements and frames. 

Tutorial--How to Make a Baby Book

Ad demonstrated in Part 1, begin by gently bending the wire binding and remove the chipboard pages.

Cover the pages with black gesso.

Dry with a heat gun.

Paint the Flourished Frame Laurel, star from Celestial Shapes Set and Little Dreamer elements with gesso. Dry with heat gun. Paint in the the colors of your choice and dry with heat gun.

Cover the element with embossing ink, coat with ultra thick clear embossing powder and activate with heat gun.

To create the wild texture on the cloud, add a layer of white chalk paint and dry with heat gun. Then again cost the element with embossing ink and clear embossing powder and re-activate with heat gun. Watch as the paint swirls as it mixes with the embossing powder. 

Using a sharp blade, carve out a small circle from the back of the star element. Glue a micro-magnet in place and cover with decorative paper.

Adhere decorative paper to the black page bases. For the Little Dreamer page, first glue a micro-magnet onto the black page base in the location where you will want to add photos or tags. 

Glue the Little Dreamer Element onto the page. Then let the star magnet snap into place.

If you wish, you can cut tags from decorative paper for the star magnet to hold, or you can leave the area free for cute baby pictures. 

For the Flourished Frame page. cut a piece of teal cardstock to fit behind the frame. Glue only the bottom edge of the frame to the cardstock so that a picture can be slid into place. 

Glue the frame to the page and add a decorative baby duck. 

I am so excited that I am almost done with the book and can give it to my niece. I hope she likes it!  -Betsy

Great Stuff

Little Dreamer chipboard element

Celestial Shapes Set

Flourished Frame Laurel

Chipboard album

Black gesso

Authentique Paper

Assorted decorative paper

Teal cardstock

Black cardstock

2 Micro magnets

Teal paint pen

Yellow paint pen

White paint pen.

White chalk pen

Embossing ink

Ultra thick clear embossing powder

Baby duck embellishment

Oh Baby Baby by Betsy Skagen

There's a baby arriving in my family next month. Shhh....don't tell, but I am making a little book for the mother-to-be to keep memories of those precious first months.

The book will feature all sorts of pockets, fold-outs and teeny little spaces to store precious mementos and tags to record different milestones and memories. I am using some of Gypsy Soul's wonderful chipboard to add some fun elements.

Right now I am just putting together the individual pages. Once they are done, I will reassemble them back into book form.

Tutorial--How to Make a Baby Book

Begin by gently bending the wire binding and remove the chipboard pages.

Cover the pages with black gesso.

Dry with a heat gun.

Cut a pocket from black cardstock.

Adhere decorative paper to the page.

Glue the bottom flap and right side flap to the back of the page. Because of the binding on the left side, instead of adhering the left pocket flap to the back side of the page, you need to adhere it directly to the decorative paper beneath the pocket.  

Place decorative paper on the front of the pocket. 

Paint the Special Delivery chipboard element and dry with heat gun.

Cover the element with embossing ink, coat with ultra thick clear embossing powder and activate with heat gun. When cool, adhere the element to the front of the pocket.

Cut tags that fit into the pocket from decorative paper. Glue paper on the back that is conducive to journaling.

Adhere decorative papers and a tiny pink vellum envelope to the back side of the page.

To finish your page, use sandpaper to sand down all the edges and rub black ink around the edges. 

So sweet! Now I have to get busy and make many more pages before the stork brings a tiny bundle of joy. -Betsy

Great Stuff

Special Delivery chipboard element

Chipboard album

Black gesso

Authentique Paper

Assorted paper

Black cardstock

Black ink

Pink paint pen

Embossing ink

Ultra thick clear embossing powder

Pink vellum envelope