Friday, January 30, 2015

CHA Winter 2015 -Graphic 45

Happy Friday!

Back with another review from CHA. Today it's all about G45. 

The Graphic 45 booth is always decorated to the nines with lots of eye candy including the costumes that the G45 staff wears. Just a fun place to hang out. 

The new releases include Home Sweet Home, Precious Memories, and Artisan Style. Super excited about the new staples:  mixed media albums and shadow boxes. Also exciting is the re-release collectors edition of Once Upon a Springtime and ABC Primer. 

Here are some peeks at my favorite projects in the G45 booth. 











My favorites are the mixed media album and the Artisan Style. Really crushing on the architectural style stamps. Looking forward to creating some home decor and mixed media with these. 

Which of the new Graphic 45 releases is your favorite?

I have a few more lines to share so stay tuned for more posts. 

Happy Creating!

Hugs, Sharon










Monday, January 26, 2015

Compendium of Curiosities 3, Challenge 20

Hello there,

A great start to a new week.  Hope you had a good day and are looking forward to the week ahead.

Last time I played along with CC3C was challenge 16!  Yikes!  I'm excited to present my take on challenge 20.  Not only is this one of my favorite Tim techniques but I got to use some newly released stamps!  Yay!

There is only one rule for those playing and that's to work from your own version of Compendium of Curiosities 3 and not provide the instructions. This is out of respect for all of Tim's hard work in creating the books for us.

Challenge 20 is all about Distress Watercoloring, Part 2 on page 40.  For more details check out Linda Ledbetters blog here.

I made a couple of cards using the new flower garden and crazy birds stamps. I am in love. Love I tell you.


Aren't these cone flowers just yummy?



And what can I say about the birds?  So stinkin cute. 


Oh my that face just cracks me up.  Hee, hee, hee.


Hope these make you smile too. They just makes me happy. 

The sponsor for challenge 20 is  The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Thanks for stopping by.  Look for more CHA posts this week.  Lots more to share with you.

Happy Creating!

Hugs,  Sharon







Tuesday, January 20, 2015

CHA Winter 2015 - Prima

Hello!

today I want to share my favorites from Prima.  For me its all about the mixed media, metals, and bold vintage.

The Archivist by Frank Garcia is a wonderful mix of masculine, vintage, and botanical with a Parisian feel.











To compliment The Archivist is Memory Hardware by Frank Garcia.  Yummy metals, fasteners, trims, and albums.



What really got my heart all a flutter were the art basics, art extravagance, and art ingredients by Finnabair!  Mixed media heaven!  Art Basics includes 3D gels, Soft Gels, Gessos, Modeling Paste and Light Paste.  Art Extravagance includes sand texture pastes and crackle texture pastes.  And last but not least is the Art Ingredients with glitter, glass glitter, art sugars, glass beads, micro beads, mica flakes and mica powders. 





Love this piece with all the texture and crackle.


Ah look!  Upon closer inspection you can see all the micro beads.  Cool, huh?

There are also some structures to decorate and alter.   Oh the possibilities!




The Prima booth never fails to inspire.  Looking forward to all the paper, inky, and messy fun with the Frank Garcia and Finnabair lines.

Hope you enjoyed by favorites from Prima.  More CHA Winter 2015 posts to come so be sure to stop by.

Happy Creating!

Hugs,

Sharon











Sunday, January 18, 2015

CHA Winter 2015 Classes

Happy Sunday,

I've been back a few days from CHA.  I took Wednesday to decompress and rest and then it was back to work on Thursday.  So much to share with you!  I'll spread it out over several posts.

Today I wanted to recap the classes that I took.  One of my favorite things about CHA are the educational opportunities.  It's a chance to learn some new techniques and use the latest projects.  These classes help store owners create samples to share with their customers and provide ideas for future classes.

Our first class was at Prima Marketing.  Jodie, the owner of Chico Scrapbooks, is a member of a independent retailers group, Crafters Home.  We were bused to Prima Headquarters and were lucky enough to have a class with Anna Dabrowka aka Finnabair.  I was in mixed media heaven!




We started with a canvas and added papers, paste, metals, and flowers.  Here is what my canvas looked like before the black gesso.  Yes, I said black gesso.


I did not get any photos of the next steps as I was so into the project that I forgot!  Gesso, sprays, and some wonderful beads and glitters.  What a fun project.  Thanks Finnabair and Prima!





Sorry for some of the slightly blurry photos here.  I was quickly taking shots of the finished canvas last night as I left it at Chico Scrapbooks to inspire our ladies.  Chico Scrapbooks will be doing a similar project in the near future!

Next class was with Graphic 45.  While I didn't have time to finish my project it was great to get to play with the new G45 mixed media album!  Our project was designed by the lovely and talented Annette Green using the new Home Sweet Home collection.  I will be posting the finished project at a later date.




I was lucky enough to get into Tammy Tutterow's sold out class.  We created an Art Pocket Binder to hold pocket, tag, and atc art projects.  Almost done with this one.  Always a pleasure to play with Distress and Idea-ology.





Such fun to meet you in person Tammy and take a class from you.  Your art is such an inspiration.  Thank You!

My last class at CHA was with Andy Skinner.  Grungy, painty, and messy fun.  Learned some new techniques with Deco Arts paints and products.

We learned Andy's Antiquated Applique techniques.


Lots of distress, rust, crackle, and texture going on here!




Thanks Andy for all the prep work you did for this class!

My finished project.  Doesn't it look like rusty, distressed metal?  But it is so light as most of the pieces are chip or foam board.  Cool!


Another big thanks to Andy, Deco Arts, and Stampendous for all the wonderful products we got to take home.



What a wonderful opportunity to learn some new techniques.  The ideas and products will keep me inspired for a long time to come.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Look for some more posts on CHA.  I'll share my favorites from Prima, Graphic 45, Sizzix, and of course Tim Holtz.

Happy Creating!

Hugs, Sharon