Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to wish all my US pals Happy Thanksgiving today!  It's a day of family, food, and good wine!  Well at least for me!  I do not have to cook at all today!  I am bringing jellied Cranberry sauce from the can... that's my favorite!  Don't judge! I'm also bringing some of my favorite bottles of wine which I might share with my family... I plan to enjoy and relax. I've run nonstop for over two weeks now!  I'm in need of relaxation if I even remember what that is!  I did treat myself to a pedicure on Tuesday but that was more because I knew it would be 60 degrees today and I was embarrassed with the state of my toes.   In Central New York, that is unheard of!!!  I plan to enjoy it and take a nice walk around my In Laws neighborhood and later in my neighborhood to walk off the yummy meal that I know my Mother -in-Law, Kathy, will make!
The reason we are not staying home this year is this:

We are totally redoing the kitchen!  It started when I left for my Art Teacher's conference a week ago.  They gutted it and built the wall where a doorway had been (we had 3 entrances into the kitchen) and now we have 2.  One led into my art room and it was a waste of precious wall space!  Now, I have one open side and more wall to hang inspiration and art!  Can't wait until we finish painting it all!  They are done with the initial electrical work and building so now we wait until next week when the cabinets get installed!  I'm so excited!!!  We are adding an eat in island too!  The cabinets are going to be quarter sawn oak in the Mission style!  Okay, so I'll take update photos as we go.
Okay, so I am now going to leave you and get ready to go to our feast... but I'll leave you with a recent layout from Scrapbooking From The Inside Out's November kit "Mindful". 

 This page has a funny story attached.  I picked up Christopher, my 3 year old, from daycare one day and he handed me a drawing.  He usually has at least 4 for me each day!  LOVE that!  Being an art teacher, I'm pretty good at guessing what they are.  This one was obviously a creature or person.  I asked him to tell me about it.  He told me that it was Mommy!  I asked what the dots were.  Thinking they were polka dots (I wore a polka dotted shirt that day)... nope.  They are my "eyes, boobies, and butt"... I laughed about that for a good long time!!!  What an observant and funny little artist he is!

 I punch circles of varying sizes and layered them to play off the circle theme!  I love the effect!

This page is a treasure.. I will never forget that little drawing and my proud little artist who made it for me! I may add the original drawing to the page protector when I put it in his book!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!  I'll be posting another post tomorrow highlighting many layouts and projects using chipboard for a team I'm hoping to join! 

Helmar and May Arts Blog Hop!!! Come Hop with us!

Our team has been excited about this hop. We love playing with ribbon and May Arts always has gorgeous ribbon for us to play with. What is even more fun is that Helmar and May Arts are giving away TWO chances to win some great product on this TWO day Hop!

 

Helmar will be offering two Arts & Crafts Starter packs! 1st winner will be selected 11/21. Second winner will be selected after Thanksgiving weekend.

***Please note that picture above is a graphically representation. Actual products provided are listed on Helmar’s store websites***

  May Arts will be offering two prize packages of winner’s choice of 2 spools of ribbon!  So, how do you enter to win a chance at one of these grand prizes? Hop through with us and visit each designer’s blog and leave a comment on their Helmar and May Arts Blog Hop post. The first winners will be chosen on the 21st and the second winners will be chosen after the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend! So let’s get started!
Here is my project using Helmar Adhesives and May Arts ribbon! I made a wall hanging using Basically Bare canvas, felt and chipboard, book paper, Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products, May Arts silk ribbon and Helmar Craft & Hobby PVA glue and 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.

 I covered the chipboard page with map paper using the Helmar Craft Glue, added a doily and then covered a mini canvas with book paper also using the Craft Glue.  I glued the canvas down with the 450 Quick Dry adhesive.

 The wings and canvas were colored with Faber-Castell Gelatos.  I glued the fabric and felt down with the 450 Quick Dry adhesive.  I added the silk May Arts ribbon as the hanger here.   The silk is beautiful and makes gorgeous bows!

I hope you enjoyed my little project and will follow along with the blog hop for a chance at winning one of those awesome prizes!
Day 1 – November 19th

• Charlene Driggs: http://www.paperandinkplayground.com/
• Letitia Grace Lauer : http://www.gracesscrapattic.blogspot.com
• Alexcia Patterson-Schroll: http://makeandmingle.wordpress.com/
• Kate Vickers: http://www.scrapsation.com
• Christina Colón: http://www.thetwistedmuse.com/
• Jen Matott:  <------ are="are" br="br" here="here" you="you">
• Gini Williams Cagle: http://www.ginicagle.blogspot.com/
• Carisa Zgloblicki: http://ladyguineveresinkyfaeries.blogspot.ca/
• Emily Lanham: http://createserendipity.blogspot.com/
• Jen Shears: http://jenshearsdesigns.blogspot.com/
• Jingle: http://www.justjingle.blogspot.com/

Day 2 – November 20th

• Karen Baker: http://thebalddragonfly.blogspot.com/
• Martha Richardson http://themermaidscloset.blogspot.com/
• Kendra Wiggins: http://scrappincricut.org/
• Lisa Wilkinson: http://www.createfor7.blogspot.com
• Leah Farrar-White: http://1alabasterowl.blogspot.com/
• Sally Lynn MacDonald: http://www.sallylynnmacdonald.com/
• Monica Edwards: http://scraps2treasure.blogspot.com/
• Amy Lassiter: http://sparklinggnome.wordpress.com
• Nicole Martel: http://www.nicolemartel.blogspot.com/
• Virginia Fynes: http://www.fynesdesigns.com/

Updates AND Some Exciting News!

Lots going on here in my crazy life.  Right now, I'm home sick with laryngitis and an upper respiratory infection.  I have no voice and if you caught me on Tuesday night on Helmar Live on Ustream you heard the beginnings of my downfall.  I had a froggy voice then but now it's almost gone completely!  Not fun for me!  It's impossible to teach with no voice so I'm home resting and hoping to get back to it tomorrow. 

While I've been fighting this illness, I am catching up on some work. I have some exciting news to share...

1) I am a new Helmar USA Online Educator DT member!  I will be hosting one Tuesday Ustream class a month and blog postings on the Helmar USA blog!  If you missed last Tuesday's class, you can catch the recorded version.  Don't judge the voice or lack of energy that I portrayed!  I will be much more energetic next time... may kids and hubby were also being noisy!  I need to find another location to hide out during my Live time!

2) On the homefront, I am so excited to announce that we are remodeling our gross kitchen!  Okay, it's not that gross... I mean we do clean it, but it's old, cabinets are breaking, and the appliances are original to our move in 13 years ago!  I am so ready to have the kitchen of my dreams!  I picked out cabinets and I know I'm going to LOVE LOVE LOVE them.... Quarter Sawn Oak cabinets with Stainless Steel appliances!  This is not our kitchen but an image that I found online that inspired my choices! The cabinets will look the same as here. I am not getting a double oven though... just don't need it but I love the stainless look!  We have to pick out Quartz countertops, tile backsplash  and appliances but mostly we have the design done!  I'm so happy!!  Merry Christmas to us... it should be done by then!

Okay, now to share some new artwork!   I have been a busy crafter...

The Wheel In The Sky Keeps Turning

One of my layouts for October's Scrapbooking From the Inside Out's Journey kit.  I used the lyrics from a Journey song for this one.  The photo is from my trip to Italy last year.  It was a store front window display.  All the paper airplanes were made with maps!  LOVE that!  So I loved the kraft circle flowers and craft letters with this!

An altered paper mache pumpkin using Faber-Castell Stamper's Big Brush pens and Rubber Cafe stamps.  I also used puffies paint from The Rubber Cafe!  So fun!

One more to share...

I created the pieces on this with Black Gesso on Mixed media paper.  Once dry, I drew designs with a Stamper's Big White Pen and White Colored Pencil!  I love this pen from Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft! It's opaque and awesome! I cut up the design into different sized pieces and created a shingle look.  I added some Jenni Bowlin kraft tags and Tim Holtz words.  This is one of my favorite pages!  I was inspired by this Pinterest image.   This artist does amazing work!  I was so inspired by their work!

Thanks for letting me share my work and fun news!  Hope I get my voice back soon!  
BTW... I picked a winner from the World Card Making Day post and it's Marianne!  Email me your addy for a Gelatos set!

Blog Hop...

 Today’s the start of the blog hop between Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft and 100 Proof Press!  We’re very excited for our first collaboration with them! Hop with us today for a blog hop packed with inspiration and techniques!

I'm going to share my project with you!  I created a piece of mixed media artwork using a piece of 12 x12" cardboard.

 

 "Nevermore" by Jen Matott

 First I traced a crow shape on the cardboard.  I stamped the Japanese Script stamp  and Four Gears from 100 Proof Press using the Stamper's Big Brush pen in black.

 I also stamped the 100 Proof Press Favorite Feather stamp twice using Stamper's Big Brush Pen in Black again. I used a craft knife to cut around the images just through the top layer of the cardboard.  I peeled away the top layer to reveal the texture corragated part.

 In the top left corner, I stamped the Flock of Crows, Single Crow, and Church Window.  I colored in the window with Stamper's Big Brush Pens in several colors and added bling in the center.

 A doily with gears (from Prima) were added for interest.

 The top right corner was colored with Design Memory Craft Gelatos®  in Metallic Blueberry and Metallic Grape.  I added water and let it drip.  I stamped the word "Nevermore" with the Prima Press and Stamper's Big Brush pen.  I also poked holes on either side of the crow and treaded some twine through.  I tied a gear, key and  Tim Holtz pen nib with a crow feather glued to it.

I added a few words and bling to finish it off!

 I hope you enjoyed my artwork!  I LOVED working with 100 Proof Press stamps! They are so awesome!  The selection of images is huge and unique... Make sure you check out their site!

We also have prizes for those who participate.  Be sure to visit leave a comment on my blog and  each designer’s blogs along the way.  When you’re finished, comment on the company’s blogs to be eligible for the following great prizes:

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft will be giving away a $40 prize pack, and 100 Proof Press will be giving away a $30 gift certificate! 

Want an extra chance to win some prizes?  Tweet Design Memory Craft at @DesignMemCraft about a technique you learned on the hop for a chance to win their NEW Stamper’s Big White Pen!  Or "like" 100 Proof Press’s Facebook page for a chance to win the calendar you saw on this hop!

The blog hop will be open until midnight on October 26th, and the winners will be announced on October 29th on Faber-Castell’s blog/twitter.

Your next stop will be at Tracy Evans's blog.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

START:
100 Proof Press: http://www.100proofpress.com/_blog/Blog
Tiffany Johnson:  http://iheartartblog.com/
Jennifer: http://justjingle.blogspot.com/
Jen Matott:  <---------YOU ARE HERE!
Tracy Evans: http://craftaddicts-tracyevans.blogspot.com/
Colleen McGinty: http://artbythelake.typepad.com/my-blog/
Gladys Chia: http://gladyschia2010.wordpress.com/
Mou Saha: http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/
Sara: http://zemphira.blogspot.com/
Amy: http://tsurutadesigns.blogspot.com/
Rita Barakat: http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/
Gerri: http://gerriherbst.blogspot.com/
Alexa: http://alexalett.blogspot.com/
Nicole http://www.nicoleeccles.blogspot.com/
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft: http://www.designmemorycraft.typepad.com/

World Card Making Day

I hope you will join me in celebrating World Card Making Day with WOW Embossing powders.   With the cooler temps now, I'm thinking of winter already.  Not to rush anything but I'm dreaming of twinkling lights and softly falling snow.   So, to celebrate this day I'm sharing this card with you! The dots made me think of snow falling and thinking of someone special!

I used some new WOW border stamps and sentiments along with Matte clear, Metallic Platinum, and Bodacious Blue Glitter WOW Embossing powders and Faber-Castell Gelatos!  

Materials:

Suzy West WOW Embossing Powders: Bodacious Blue Embossing Glitter

WOW Embossing Powders:  Clear Matt Dull Regular, Opaque Bright White Regular, Metallic Platinum Sparkle Embossing Glitter

WOW Stamps: Everyday Sentiments (STAMPSET17) and Funky Border Stamps (STAMPSET18)

Bling: Prima

Metal Snowflakes

Doily

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos: Blueberry, Metallic Blueberry and Boysenberry

 WOW will be giving away 4 prizes in total: 2 sets of Christmas stamps and 2 sets of 12 packs. To be eligible to win a prize all you have to do is come comment on the WOW blog post.  Thanks for visiting and if you share a card link with me today, I have a little prize for you!  I'll send you a set of Gelatos if I randomly choose your name!  Don't forget to link up a card here and visit the WOW blog for a 2nd chance at a prize!

New Card and sneak peek!

Hi, my crafty friends... it's been a relaxing weekend and I wanted to share a card that I did for The Rubber Cafe blog today. 

 I love Halloween colors (orange & black) together but instead of using them for a holiday card, I created this fun Thank You card.  I explain how I did it over here.

It's the end of the month and I'm going to share with you my final layout for September's kit at Scrapbooking From the Inside Out.  This page is about how I am guilty of self doubt.  I sometimes take forever creating a work of art or page because I compare myself to other's work or worry about every little design choice.   It can be crippling!

 For this page, I used the My Mind's Eye paper that had a lot of the design already done so I just had to balance the page out and make it mine. 

 I layered some scraps, ribbon edged strips, and doily to create another area of interest on the page where the photo can be spotlighted.  LOVE those Pink Paislee rub ons!  They are gorgeous!

 Here you can see the layers and the little black flower added.  The feminine details in this kit made me so happy!

 Now to embellish the empty space to tie the two design areas together.  I punched some hexagons and layered a few of the stickers over it.  Then added my title with those cute little letters!

This was one of my favorites this month!!   Tomorrow is our new month's kit release... October is "Journey" and this is an AWESOME kit!  It's full of fabulousness!  Here's a sneak peek of the kit:

Head over to SFTIO website tomorrow to snag one of these delicious kits full of brand new products and gorgeous color!

Have a creative day!

The Rubber Cafe Steampunk

A little Steampunk project that I did for The Rubber Cafe!  Check out the post here! 

 I used Basically Bare shapes and WOW Embossing powder to create the metallic effect.  I love the May Arts ribbon with it's stunning stripes!  The Steampunk stamp set is one of my favorites from Rubber Cafe!  Get it for yourself at The Rubber Cafe.

I'll be back with more new projects soon!

Innocence

Just popping on to share a new page from the Scrapbooking From The Inside Out September kit called "Innocence".  This kit is gorgeous!  Lots of subtle colors, beautiful trims, embellishments that will make you sigh... just beautiful!

I created this page and it is one of my favorite photos of my little Christopher as a newborn. I can't believe it's been almost 4 years since this photo was taken! Seriously how to kids grow so fast???

 I love the My Mind's Eye papers with it's board of hexagons and beautiful colors!  I added the left hand borders with the Pink Paislee papers. 

 The American Crafts thickers were decorated with the WOW glitter in graphite.  I love that sparkle!  The feathers and trim are gorgeous too!

 I will never forgot looking at that sweet face and feeling absolute awe and love for Christopher!  He was such a sweet and kissable baby!  Actually, he's still pretty kissable!

 Prima's wooden embellishments are just awesome!  I also dripped some black ink here and there!

 I used Creative Memories hexagon punch to cut out some shapes from the Bella Blvd. papers and added the Glitz bling along with some Prima ones that were left over from another kit.

Sigh... more feathers for my angel and I added a doily (one of my favorite trends right now!)... Just a beautiful look to an innocent page!  I absolutely love this kit for child and personal themes right now!  Check it out if you haven't already!

Until next time....

It's a Banner Day!

I am so excited to share a project that grew while I was demoing Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products in the Rubber Cafe booth at the Somerset, NJ Scrapbook Expo.  I met Melissa there and it was a pleasure!  Wish we had more time to chat but they were busy and I had to head home right afterwards.  In the two days I was there, I created individual banner pieces using the Steampunk and Vintage Treasures stamps.  I loved using these images on my projects!

 Here is my finished banner all put together and ready to hang in my art room!  I used canvas, cardboard, matboard, and mixed media paper for the base. 

 I just want to highlight a few of the pieces using the stamps from the two sets.  This one is on a piece of mixed media paper (thicker and more rigid than watercolor paper) using Faber-Castell Big Brush Markers in Black and Nougat to stamp with.  I then used Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos in Yellow and Blue sets with water and foam brush from the Lil' Inkerz set.  I also used a stencil to create the hexagons and dots. The gears are from the Steampunk stamp set and the clocks from the Vintage Treasures set.

 Here are a few more close ups of the banner pieces.  Another using Gelatos to stamp with.  I just colored the stamps with a combination of colors and stamped them with a light mist of color on the stamp.

 Peeling away the top layer of the cardboard in a few places gives texture and drama to a piece.  I then colored with Gelatos and stamped too. 

Another piece with stamping and  Gelatos using the foam tool for a bold dramatic look.  The colors are bright and I also used a text stamp that comes with the Steampunk set.

Stamping with Big Brush Markers, washes of watered down Gelato, and colored modeling paste. I used gold and silver Gelatos to color on a mat and then added modeling paste to mix with them to customize the look.  I used that stencil again!

I love the different techniques that I can use with the stamps and hope to have some short videos detailing some of them in the near future!   Stay tuned!

 I hope you enjoyed my project today!

Supplies:

Stamps:  The Rubber Cafe' - Steampunk & Vintage Treasures

Paper: Strathmore Mixed Media paper, cardboard, canvas, sheet music and matboard

Embellishments:  May Arts ribbon; feather

Tools: The Rubber Cafe' Lil' Inkerz

Other:  Crafter's Workshop stencils; Golden Light Modeling Paste, Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos ( Blue, Yellow, Red, and Green and Metallic sets); Faber- Castell Design Memory Craft PITT Big Brush Marker in Black, Violet & Nougat.