School Daze Deux-A Peek-a-Boo Project

It’s the saddest month of the year for teachers in Maryland. This is the month we say good-bye to our summer selves. This year is very different than most as I have been teaching virtually since march 13, 2020 and will begin the Fall Semester doing the same thing. This begins my 32nd year and I have seen things I never thought I would see or need to process as a teacher, it's very different from the one room school houses where my grandmother trained new teacher. Here's to wishing all educators, students, and their support systems the best year it can be under this new normal. I enjoy summer as it I my most creative and productive time. Last year I made a power point of some of my childhood school pictures. They are the inspiration for this instillation.

1.  The Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Mini House Album comes with 6 sections, I have never used them before so this was a learning opportunity for me. I like how the shape reminded me of one room schoolhouses I see often when I grew up in Pennsylvania.

2.  I made a template of the shape as I wanted to connect the houses together accordion style.

3.  I cut the template a bit smaller as I wanted the papers to be framed with a border.

4.   I used electrical tape to put the pieces together.

5.  I made sure each section would fold pressing the electrical tape with a bone folder.

6.  I wanted the border to look like a chalkboard but did not have that type of paint, so I improvised and used Krylon Stone Coarse Texture Spray-paint-Obsidian.  Do this in a well-ventilated area.

7.   While allowing to dry fully trace and cut out panels you will use on each of the conjoined pieces. I also cut out additional pieces I would use in layering the individual “frames”

8.  Before gluing chosen images to panels I coated entire piece with matte medium.

9.   Use Weldbond to attach papers.

10.                I wanted to add more layers and I used a cursive stencil applying iron paste with a plastic spatula.

11.                To further this theme, I added other script using stamps and poppy and leaf green inks.

 

12.                To unify the piece, I made a wash of Quinacridone Nickle Azo Acrylic Paint and Matte Medium and a paintbrush.

13.                I felt there needed to be more drama and layers and found some decorative napkins I could use to do just that.

14.                Make sure you take apart the napkins so that you have just the one ply remaining.

15.                Add these napkin pieces using matte medium and a paintbrush.   

Some Final Thoughts.
It’s hard to settle into a new school year. This year I begin my 32^nd year of teaching. People ask me when I will retire, and I wish I could some days but also know that teaching keeps me young at heart and I have been reminded of my lasting impressions on former students. These are two I keep nearby that carry me through dark days of summer’s end.
“I had you for my 6^th grade home room. I’m 22 now and I just wanted to let you know I’m a shift supervisor at a Starbucks. In my training I tell everyone, “Don’t be sorry, be different.” I remember you used to say that to us every time we got talking or goofing off. Never really understood what you were saying then, but as of today I take those words and use them 9/10 times while coaching my baristas. They always ask me where I heard the saying and I always tell them my experience while you were my teacher. Thank you for all that you do Mr. Lowe, your teaching never goes unnoticed…even years later!” 

“I am graduating this year and middle school just feels so far away, but I remember your class like yesterday. I just wanted you to know I always remembered you and that you are an amazing teacher and person, you were my favorite teacher! The most important thing you taught me besides science, is how to be myself, always so accepting, that was something that nobody helped me do before you and I wanted to thank you for all of your hard work and compassion, never ever change”

Reading these among others gives me the courage to go back into the strange land called “Middle School”. It’s never too late to thank a teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies:  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Mini House Album, Pencil, Card stock, Scissors, Electrical Tape, School Theme Scrapbook Paper, Bone Folder, Spray Paint-I Used Krylon Stone Coarse Texture-Obsidian, Matte Medium, Paintbrush, Iron Paste, Cursive Stencil, Plastic Spatula, Script Stamps, Poppy Ink Pad, Leaf Green Ink Pad, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Acrylic Paint, Decorative Napkins

I cannot wait to see your interpretation of this project. Share it on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Craft Group Page on Facebook. I would love to see what new creations you are working on!

beautiful authentic life...a journal

As with most of the nation, these days I find myself sequestered at home. Although this creates a mixed bag of emotions, I find myself appreciating the little things I see outside my window. This is the inspiration behind today's project for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. I have created a tribute to the emergence of spring in the form of a small journal.

  I begin with the GSLC mini house album.
This set contains six small house shaped chipboard pieces.
 
Next, using collage medium as an adhesive, I covered one side of each house with old dictionary paper. When completely dry, I cut any overhanging edges with an exacto knife, then adhered the paper to the back sides of the houses in the same manner.
Each papered side is coated with a layer of clear gesso. After the gesso is dry, it is time to begin adding details. I start with Paper Artsy fresco finish paints. Using the dry brush menthod, venice blue is applied leaving areas of the dictionary text to show through. Wild grass is painted along the bottom of each of the houses. Each of the pieces is painted on both sides, allowing time to dry in between layers.

While the painted pieces are drying, I die cut various wildflower shapes from watercolor paper. These pieces are then colored with a water brush and distress inks. 

The flowers are added to the different pages using collage medium.

Using a foam sponge, I lightly apply paint to each of the pages using a rays stencil to create the look of sun shining down upon the beautiful scenes. I make sure to keep the paint light so that it does not overpower the appearance of sky and also allows that dictionary pages to show through.

When the paint is dry I add various rub on words to each panel.

Following are some close-ups pictures of the journal.

I hope that you all are managing alright through these trying times. 

I look forward to the days when we will be able to gather once again, giving hugs to those we love.

Thanks you so much for taking the time to stop by today, 

I truly appreciate it.

~Ann

 xxx

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts used:

mini house album

A Little House Book

Hello, Lora here having fun with all the wonderfulness that is Gypsy Soul laser Cuts!
This week I have been playing with the Mini House Album and have turned it into a cute, odd little book. It doesn't really have a theme except that it's got a lot of interesting little characters and there is a lot of the color green. I just played with the pages and let them be whatever my imagination wanted them to become.

 For scale, here is a picture of it in my untidy, paint spotted hand.

And some pictures of the inside bits.

I am going to highlight a technique in this post as I am going to assume (this once) that most folks who look at this blog have used either Mod Podge or Matte medium before and that is how all the papers are attached to the substraight, which is the Mini House Album.
Here is where I began, by cut and gluing all the papers to the front and back of each 'page' and then measuring where I wanted the holes punched for binding the book together.

The technique I am going to show is a simple one, but I get asked about it when I teach a class so I am going to show you here.
I you look at the pictures above of the finished book, you'll notice that the key shapes and sometimes the borders on the background papers are dark around the edges to define and edge, draw the eye and make a feature object stand out a bit more.
What I like to do is use a Stabilo pencil that is what they call "Aquarellable" which basically means it is soluble when liquids are applied to it. That can mean water or any type of liquid media like matte medium or glaze.

In the photo above I have used it to draw around the edge of the paper ruler border I glued on to the background paper of the house.
In the photo below, I have used matte medium and a brush to activate the pencil and it darkens and smudges, creating a blurred edge that makes the ruler pop a bit.

You can also use watercolor pencils in the same way. If you use matte medium or glaze, the color stabilizes and cannot be activated with water or any other wet medium and that allows you to paint, draw ink or whatever you choose to do on top of the pencil or watercolors. Many thanks to artist Karen O'Brien for sharing her watercolor/matte medium technique which lead me to the Stabilo Auquarelle pencil!
I really like using the Stabilo pencil because I like the gray black fuzzy edges it makes, but feel free to experiment with what ever you choose.

In this picture (above) I have use the same technique on the edges of the torn paper in the mid-racge and the bottom edge of the house.

Here is the completed panel. I may have been a wee bit enthusiastic with my pencil, but it's so dang fun to play with. Hope you have fun trying it too!

SUPPLIES: I used a mixture of bits and pieces from various Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts kits and individual pieces which are listed below;

Mini House Album
Decorative Windows 1 to 24
Mini Bird Cages
House Jewelry Pieces
Creepy Corners (for the spider)
Printers Ornament Corners
Tiny Number Plates

Additional Supplies:
Collage sheets ( used a lot of Sandy Gordon's Art Tea Life digital collage images on this piece)
Stamperia Patchwork Scrapbook Papers
Acrylic paint
Matte Medium
Stabilo Aquarellable Pencil
Brilliance Ink Pads in Galaxy Gold, Rocket Red Gold, Pearlescent Thyme
Stickles Diamond Glitter Glue
Waxed Line thread
Wooden beads