Top Ten Blog Hop of 2015

Can you believe 2015 is coming to an end? This year has flown by!  I couldn't even catch up!  My blog posts were few and far between but I swear that I am going to try to do better this year... a sort of resolution.  I accomplished so much this year in my art and also in my life.  So many changes, so many positive choices, some mistakes and lots of laughs!  

For this blog hop, you just need to leave a comment on each of the posts (links below) up to 24 entries!  

We are giving away an $80 USD to the online store of the winner's choosing. To be entered you need to leave a comment on my blog by 11:59 pm CST on January 3. Then hop around to as many blogs as you want! Christine will choose a winner on the 4th and then I'll post it later on the 4th here.  You can get up to 24 entries for commenting on each blog.  Many of us have individual giveaways too - so make sure to check out those requirements. I will have details on my individual prize at the bottom of this post!

2015 was a crazy year for sure.  Time flew by and I found myself scrambling to finish projects but I also made some of my favorite art ever!  Sometimes deadlines help get me moving and creative juices flowing! Here are my top 10 favorites this year:

 This is an encaustic piece that I won 1st place at the New York State Fair Art Exhibit this year!  I love this piece an plan to create more in the series! It's made on drawing paper, beeswax, Pan Pastels, oil pastels, Gold Leafing, charcoal, and Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Stamper's Big Brush Pen.

 An art journal page with lots of Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products!  Love the Cicada stencil from UmWowStudio!

 Another art journal page with lots of Steampunk Gelatos colors! 

 There are not many scrapbook pages here this year... I just love my mixed media projects, but I do love the colors and techniques on this page.  My gorgeous friend, Nicole from NicoleJames Photography took this photo.  It's a symbol of womanhood to me... strong and soft.

 This little mini album was so fun to make with UmWowStudio's tag book and stencils.  LOVE the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products on here too!

 Even though my Ustream video cut out due to an electrical storm that cut my power during the filming, I still love this mini canvas!  Someday I'll re-tape the process.  I just haven't had the time lately!

 This tote bag was a favorite of mine to create and I love the mediums and stitching that I did on here!  It's gorgeous and I always get complements wherever I wear it!

 This box was made for the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft and Graphic 45 blog hop... I love this ATC box so much!  All the little details with mediums, Gelatos colors, and metal accents!

 Another Ustream project... a canvas bib necklace.  Love wearing this!

Another project that I did for a blog hop on Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft blog... clutch purses are so fun to make.  I think I'll be making more to match different outfits!

These last two are more encaustic work that I love.  I make the above when subbing for a professor at a nearby University this summer!  I was so honored to be asked and enjoyed the time to make art with students who inspired me! The below was a gift to my mom and dad for Christmas.  Empty nest symbolism but the colors were so soft and the nest was from a photo I took of a nest in the Adirondacks this summer.

So a few more than 10 but that's okay... I love looking back at how much I did accomplish this year in art making.  Even if I didn't share it all here, I love reviewing the past year and looking forward to a new artsy year!  Leave a comment here and on the other blogs and you could win a gift certificate of $80 for a store of your choice!  I am also giving away a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Steampunk Gelatos set!  

Comment here by 12:01am on 1/5/16 and I'll choose one lucky winner!  Check back on 1/5/16 at 8pm and I'll post the winner!  Happy New Year and happy blog hopping!!

Blog Hop List 2015

Christine Meyer http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com

Mendi Yoshikawa http://snippets-of-mendi.blogspot.com/

Cathy Harper http://alteredplayground.blogspot.com

Nicole Nowosad http://justnicks.blogspot.com

Chantalle McDaniel http://copasetique.blogspot.com/

Becki Adams http://beckiadams.blogspot.com/

Wendy Antenucci http://antenucci.blogspot.com/

You are here---->Jen Matott http://arttalk-sigmagirl.blogspot.com/

Katrina Hunt http://paperscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/

Michele Kovack http://chelemom.blogspot.com/

Kelly Holbrook http://kellyrholbrook.blogspot.com/

Rhonda Van Ginkel http://snapwhiz.blogspot.com/

Jennie McGarvey http://jenniemcgarvey.typepad.com/

Suzanna Lee http://lifestrivialities.typepad.com/

Monique Liedtke http://moniquesscrapbook.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Haggerty http://livethemoment-jen.blogspot.com/

Marcia Dehn Nix http://onescrapatatime-bymumsie.blogspot.com/

Rebecca Keppel http://www.myclutteredcorner.com/

Kelly Jean Guzlas http://www.kelsterjean.com/

Melissa Elsner http://www.theprofoundbrunette.com/

Shannon Morgan http://designsofapaddymack.typepad.com/

Juliana Michaels http://www.17turtles.com/

Monika Wright http://www.iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/

Audrey Yeager http://audreysreflection.blogspot.com/

ComposiMold and The Mixed Media with Gelatos kit!

Hello my artsy friends!  I am sharing my necklace that I made using our product feature, ComposiMold and the Mixed Media with Gelatos kit that I designed for Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft!  Since I have created the original artwork in this kit, I decided to challenge myself and create a wearable piece of artwork.

 

 ComposiMold was a new product to me but I immediately knew I wanted to create something with wings.  I loved how easy it was to use... just heat, stir, and pour over items (make sure the items are adhered to the bottom of the container before pouring).  I put the mold in the refrigerator to cool faster.  You know me, I hate to wait!
 Here's what it looked like when firm and removed from the container.

 I took the Cold Porcelain clay from the Mixed Media with Gelatos kit and mixed some with the Gold Champagne Gelato® and pressed it into the wings.

 I used some of the map tissue paper to cover some beads that just weren't that pretty!  I used the Textural Accents Gel Medium to adhere the paper.

 Next, I spread I light layer of the Whipped Spackle with the palette knife on a section of the wood veneer board and then placed the stencil over the layer and added more Whipple Spackle. 

 Once dry, I added the three Gelato® colors and stamped with Stamper's Big Brush pen over a rubber stamp. I coated the entire thing with more Textural Accents Gel Medium.

 Here is a good photo of the texture created with the Whipped Spackle.

 I cut out the main shape and adhered it to the back of a chipboard doily shape from UmWow Studios.  A gear, brad and the molded wings were added.

 See that bead I covered?  So cute!

 I used a hinge and stamped on it with the Stamper's Big Brush Pen.  Just a fun accent.

I can't wait to wear this with a fun outfit and show off these colors and fun products! I have a blast creating this unique wearable art and I hope you enjoyed it today!  Leave a comment on the Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft blog about how you plan to use both products, and you'll be entered in a giveaway to win a set of the ComposiMold and the Mixed Media with Gelatos Kit. 

BUT also, I have a Mixed Media with Gelatos kit to giveaway here!   You have to leave me a comment on my blog here for a chance!  I will choose my winner on Friday, July 18th at 8pm.

Supplies:

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Mixed Media with Gelatos kit

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Stamper's Big Brush Pen in black

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Textural Accents Gel Medium

ComposiMold

Chipboard Doily: UmWowStudios

Gears: Tim Holtz

Brads: Prima Marketing

Beads

Hinges

Jump rings: Prima Marketing

Chain: unknown source

Beacon FabriTac adhesive

Faber- Castell Design Memory Craft and ICE Resin Blog Hop

I'm honored to be sharing an artwork using a really cool product from ICE Resin and my favorite products from Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft! 

 Here are some of the items I received from ICE Resin... immediately, my mojo was super charged!  I couldn't wait to try it all!  I have never used ICE Resin before so I had no idea how to begin.  I went looking for online tutorials to get me started!  ICE Resin has some great demo tuts on their website and I found a few from their designers too!
So, with some ideas from the tutorials, I started mixing up some resin.  I let it sit for a few minutes while I prepped a stamp with some Gelatos®colors in Margarita Mix, Snow Cone, and Metallic Mint. 

I also used a mold I had and got a few papers to try some Resin paper with the left over. 

I poured the ICE resin on the stamp so that a puddle formed and left it to set.  I poured a bit more into my butterfly mold and sprinkled some Opal Fire inclusions into the wet resin.  This stuff is GORGEOUS!  With the left over resin, I brushed it onto the papers. 

Here is what I made with the papers, poured resin and molds:

 This mixed media pendant necklace was so fun to make!  I had some scrap fabric, metal pieces, and wire to create a fun piece that would be special to wear or to display. 

 Here is a close up of the resin papers.  I colored them with Gelatos®colors too and then brushed the resin on and allowed it to set.  The papers are flexible and translucent.  This is a technique I'm going to try again and make some other items with them!

 The ICE Resin came right off the stamp with the Gelatos® coloring the transparent resin just by pouring it over the rubber stamp!  It is so cool!  I cut it with scissors and could punch through the resin to attach to the metal and jump ring.

 Here is a view of the resin butterfly.  I just set it there but may use it in another piece later. I used some ribbon for the necklace part. 

 You can see the little turtle charm that I embossed and some ICE resin with inclusions and a word sticker that says "Joy".

I hope you enjoyed my project for the blog hop... check out the other designers projects throughout the week by following the links below!

 Want chances to win a Designing with Gelatos Kit or an ICE Resin Kit?
The blog hop projects will end on Friday but you have until midnight Eastern time on Sunday, May 18 to post a comment. Winners will be announced Monday, May 19th.  Two winners will win a Designing with Gelatos kit OR a  prize pack from Ice Resin (a Resin Plunger, a Bezel, Medium and a Relique). 

Monday May 12
ICE Resin: Kathy Cano Murillohttp://www.craftychica.com/site/2014/05/mixed-media-greeting-cards/
Faber Castell: Jill Fosterhttp://www.studiosessionsart.blogspot.com/ 

Tuesday May 13
ICE Resin: Jennifer Priesthttp://hydrangeahippo.com/2014/05/use-art-ice-resin/
Faber Castell: (This is me!) Jen Matott http://arttalk-sigmagirl.blogspot.com/ 

Wednesday May 14
ICE Resin: Tatiana Allenhttp://blog.craftycutie.com/inspiration/if-you-do-you-will-be-ice-resin-and-faber-castell-bog-hop/
Faber Castell: Rita Barakat  http://wp.me/p47OIs-yy 

Thursday May 15
ICE Resin: Jamie Doughertyhttp://jamiedoughertydesigns.blogspot.com/2014/05/blog-hop-with-ice-redin-and-faber.html
Faber Castell: Tiffany Johnson  http://iheartartblog.com/?p=12820

Friday May 16
ICE Resin: Jen Cushmanhttp://jencushman.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/oodles-of-dood...-faber-castell/
ICE Resin: John Creighton Petersenhttp://artnewwave.com/?p=747
Faber Castell: Mou Saha http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/2014/05/blog-hop-with-ice-resin-faber-castell.html