WINNER - July Magenta Challenge

A winner has been chosen for the July Magenta Challenge!!

The winner is Joy!

Joy wins this fantastic prize of Magenta paper and stamps

Be sure to participate on the Magenta site for the next challenge!

White Gel Zen

Susie gave me a Pentel white gel pen, and I have been playing with white gel on black smooth, almost shiny cardstock.  It's really been fun trying it out.  It has such a completely different feel to using an 01 black Micron!  Not sure if the first one is completely finished.

by Dianne Johnson

by Dianne Johnson

Summer Flowers

I'm back, using another beautiful stamp from the new Magenta catalog.  This one is Echinacea, by the very talented Ellie Knol.  All three cards use the same technique:  I colored the stamp with Memento markers; then spritzed it with water mixed with a little perfect pearls, and stamped it onto white cardstock.  I added Stickles to the top of each flower (because I like everything to be shiny).  I'm showing 3 different color palettes, and 3 different layouts to showcase how versatile this stamp is.  The ants in the second card are also a new stamp from Ellie Knol (LOVE the ants!)

By Dianne Johnson

Magenta stamps used:  Echinacea 48.005.O; Life's a Gift 07.640.G; 

Floral Border 40.299.L

Memento markers:  Bamboo Leaves; Cottage Ivy; Bahama Blue; Danube Blue

Memento Ink:  Danube Blue; Bahama Blue

1/4" white silk ribbon colored with Copic B14

Waterfall Stickles

Blue So Silk Paper

By Dianne Johnson

Magenta stamps used:  Echinacea 48.005.O; See the World 07.734.F; Ants 48.009.D

Memento markers:  Bamboo Leaves; Cottage Ivy; Lilac Posies; Rose Bud; 

Memento Ink: Rose Bud; Grape Jelly

Embossing Folder:  Secret Garden, Craft Concepts -

Ornate Treasures Collection CR 900041

Purple Stickles

So Silk paper in Pink Beauty and Purple

By Dianne Johnson

Magenta stamps used:  Echinacea 48.005.O; Script & Postmark 95.085.M; 

Circle of Friends 07.674.F

Memento markers:  Bamboo Leaves; Cottage Ivy; Grape Jelly; Elderberry

Memento Ink: Grape Jelly

Spellbinder Dies:  Tear Drop Circles S4-344; Standard Circles Small S4-116

Dark Blue Stickles

Mardi Gras Candis from Craftwork Cards

Magenta green patterned paper

Purple So Silk paper

All of these cards are on display at Art 'n Soul.  Be sure to check out the new Magenta collection.  You're going to love it as much as I do!  You can see the catalog on the sidebar, or you can view it in person at Art 'n Soul.  I'll be back soon with more creations from this fantastic collection.

Beautiful Leaf from Magenta

The new Magenta catalog is so full of fabulous stamps, it's hard to choose a favorite; but if I did have to choose, it might be the new Leaf stamp 0661.H.  I can't seem to stop stamping with it!  Maybe it's because no matter what you do with it, it looks beautiful.  I've made 4 cards, all using the Leaf stamp in some way.  These cards are now also available to view on the Magenta blog, and in person at Art 'n Soul.  Our order from the new collection is due in to the shop today, so come in early to get the stamps you want.  If we don't have the image you want, Magenta is always an open catalog!

For the card below, I stamped the Leaf on the left side of the card, inked with Memento Lulu Lavender and Grape Jelly.  The butterfly was stamped onto watercolor paper with Versamark and heat embossed with Judikins Lapis Lazuli embossing Powder.  I colored over the butterfly with Tombow markers 606 and 636 and applied a wet brush.  The image was puched out with a 3" circle punch and popped up with foam tape.  The sentiment was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

by Dianne Johnson

 Magenta Stamps used:  Leaf 0661.H; Large Butterfly 0659.O; 

and Sending You Warm Thoughts 07.806.K

The next one is such a simple card!  I inked the Leaf stamp with Kaleidacolor Melon Berry ink and stamped, while masking the nearest other leaf.  The panel was affixed to Flame Stardream paper, and I applied a few enamel dots from My Mind's Eye and some orange fuzzy twine.

by Dianne Johnson

 Magenta stamps used:  Leaf 0661.H; Anyone Who Keeps the Ability 07.590.J

When Helene Metivier of Magenta Stamps was in Washington state and stopped to teach at Art 'n Soul, she challenged us to look at our stamps in different ways.  This is one of my favorite techniques she taught us:  how to use a leaf stamp to make a beautiful flower. 

I stamped the first 4 petals inked with Memento Lulu Lavender, and edged with Grape Jelly.  I continued around the circle and stamped 4 more times, inking with only Lulu Lavender.  The sentiment was stamped with Memento Grape Jelly.  The panel is matted with So Silk Purple paper, and the pearls are from Hero Hues Pearl and Gems, Floral.

by Dianne Johnson

Magenta stamps used:  Leaf 0661.H; I Am in Love With This Day 07.730.H

The Wedding card below uses the same technique, but it looks so different, I wanted to include it.  The first 4 petals were stamped onto white cardstock with Versamark ink and heat embossed with Judikins Detail Silver embossing powder.  The second 4 petals were stamped with Memento Gray Flannel ink.  The sentiment is stamped with Memento Gray Flannel and the rings are embossed in silver.  The panels are matted with Black glossy card stock.

By Dianne Johnson

Magenta Stamps used:  Leaf 0661.H; Congratulations 07.665.I

Zen Bleu

I've been Zentangling in the evenings to unwind, and have been sticking my pieces up everywhere.  I did this one last night, and decided to stick it to a card base that I had lying around, and take it in to Art 'n Soul for the Zentangle table.  I'm not completely happy with the earthworm-type image, but I really like the idea of using it as the string.

By Dianne Johnson

For my Art 'n Soul readers, our Magenta order is due in on Friday the 19th, and I will be there!  Many of the new stamps from the new Magenta catalog will be in the order.  You do not want to miss this!  I have some samples at the shop already, and they will be appearing on the Magenta blog soon.  After that, I will also share them here, and I'm working on more.  Stay tuned!

Zentangled Thank you

Just a short post - I wanted to share a card that I did with L-Letterpress and Zentangle.  When we were playing with our letterpress plates from Lifestyle Crafts one day over at Art 'n Soul, Susie Tracy casually said that she thought the scalloped plate from the Petals printing plates would be fun to Zentangle.  Oh yes, I immediately stole that idea, and brought out the black ink to crank through a few cards in preparation.  I'm not sure why I thought I had to do a different tangle in each scallop though.  Next time, I will definitely use some repeats.  I showed this card to Pam Nelson, and she said "But...will anyone you send this to even have any idea what they are holding in their hands?"  Send this to someone?...what?  Maybe I would, but it would absolutely have to be someone who would appreciate it...no trash bin for this card!

By Dianne Johnson

 This is a view of the whole piece, flattened out.  I tangled in all of the scallops, front and back.

By Dianne Johnson

This is the front.  The Thank You and the scallops were L-letterpressed.

By Dianne Johnson

This is the back.  It was so much fun to do, I'm sure I will do more.  As soon as I can find the time!

Zentangled Bike

I promised to post pictures of my son's bike with the Zentangled chain guard, and here they are!  We had been warned not to spray a clear protective coating onto the piece directly, but to test it first.  The first test we did with a spray lacquer blasted the marker right off the test piece.  Sherry Barello, our current Guest Artist at Art 'n Soul, advised using a spray fixatif on the piece first (2-3 coats) to protect it.  We obtained some fixatif and did a test spray with that first.  The fixatif did work to protect the piece, so anyone who is interested in trying this, be sure to take this step.

Photo by Austin Johnson

 Here is the bike; isn't it a beauty?  It's made by Public, but he has made lots of changes to it.  The knitted piece is from the Netherlands.

Photo by Austin Johnson

 He painted the chain guard piece first with white primer; then spray painted it with white paint.  I used a fine point sharpie to do the Zentangle.  I'm afraid it will fade, and would like to find a better pen that won't fade.  I don't think the bike gets left out in the sun much, but it does get ridden a lot!

Photo by Austin Johnson

 I had given him 5 different samples, drawn to scale so he could choose the tangles he liked the best.  I love how this turned out.

Photo by Austin Johnson

 He used leather washers so as not to scratch the artwork!

Photo by Austin Johnson

I told him now I want to do a whole bike!  He may try to find one to refurbish so we can do that.

I'm working hard on some samples using the new Magenta stamps!  Stay tuned!

Memory Box Dies

For my Art 'n Soul readers, I just wanted to let you know that we have received the first shipment of Memory Box dies and stamps from the new 2013 Holiday collection!  It arrived at the shop late today, too late to even be unpacked; but I will be doing that first thing tomorrow.  Please come by and see what we got in!  Check out Memory Box online for what's in the new collection, and make your wish list.  If we didn't get in what you want, we have the catalog open, and will be sending another order very soon.  Also check out the Memory Box blog (a link is below in my favorite blogs list) for some cool projects using their new dies.

Here are a few of my favorites:

New Magenta Collection

I am so excited by the new Magenta collection of stamps and paper!  We have many of these images already on the way to Art 'n Soul.  Come by and see if we have your favorite stamp coming.  If not, please order, since Magenta is always an open catalog at Art 'n Soul.

Click on the image to link to the new Catalog

A New Magenta Challenge!

Magenta Challenge - July 2013 :

Color Combo (Layout or Card)

You have till July, 28 to submit a layout or card inspired from our color combo, using at least one Magenta product, papers, stamps, embellishments, Peel Off's, chipboard or other.

You have till July 28th, to participate in the Challenge

You could win this Magenta Prize :

The Kit contains the 2 cling stamps

and enough supplies to create 3 cards!

Here's my entry.  I again used Magenta stamps designed by Ellie Knol.

I am in Love With This Day
by Dianne Johnson
Magenta Stamps Large Blossoming Branch Silhouette 48.001.S
Small Blossoming Branch Silhouette 48.002.J
and I am In Love With This Day 07.730.H

I started with Tombow markers 515, 623, 676, 725, and 772, scribbled onto 140# watercolor paper.  I then painted water over the color with a wet brush.  I stamped Ellie Knol's beautiful stamps, 48.001.S Large Blossoming Branch Silhouette, and 48.002.J Small Blossoming Branch Silhouette, along with the sentiment "I Am in Love With This Day!" 07.730.H, with Black Archival ink.  I then painted the blossoms with Silks acrylic glazes in Oyster, Raspberry Wine, Boysenberry and Blue Flame.  There is a lot of mica in the glazes, and in real life there is a lot of shine to the blossoms!  I mounted the watercolor paper onto a card made from Purple So Silk paper, and last I flicked some USA Artquest mica watercolor (Blue and Purple) onto the front of the whole card.   It turned out a little darker than I was hoping, but I do like the watercolor effect.

Mixed Media

When Helene Metivier of Magenta Stamps comes to Washington to teach, it's always a big event, not to be missed.  In May, when she taught classes at Art 'n Soul in Lacey, one of her classes was on mixed media techniques.  We used cardboard pieces, available from Magenta (and available for sale at Art 'n Soul) that have foam in the middle, which seems to add structure and strength.  It's always hard for me to tell if these kinds of pieces are really finished.  The bird piece is definitely not completely finished; the Butterfly one - not sure; the other two I'm thinking it's definitely time to step away.  

We started by tearing up pieces of patterned paper and sticking them onto the cardboard with Creative Medium by Imagine Crafts.  We painted over the top of the paper with Liquitex Matte Medium.  We added acrylic paint; Silks acrylic glazes; and whatever else we wanted.  The images were stamped onto tissue and added to the piece with Liquitex.

This was actually the first one I worked on.  I want to add more color to the bird itself, and maybe tone down the background colors.  I just don't feel that it's exactly right.  I do like how the patterned paper flower still shows through.

Live Your Dreams
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:  Live Your Dreams 22.047.H and
Bird on Branch 37.285.P
Ornamental Dots 42.097.H

This one is a CASE of one that Helene did.  On mine I used Silks acrylic glazes.  In real life, this piece has some glittery shine.  I'm still thinking it's not finished though.

Life is Art
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:  Life is Art 07.700.G;
Asian Butterfly Large 0621.O

On this next piece, I just love this stamp from Magenta, designed by the talented Ellie Knol, with the large blossom silhouettes.  This is a CASE of one by Susie Tracy.  I love the way the Silks glazes color the blossoms.  In real life, there is a lot of glittery shine on the blossoms.  This time, following Susie's lead, instead of cutting the stamped image out of the tissue and applying it, I applied the entire piece of tissue.  I intentionally left it wrinkly for texture, and I really like how it turned out.  The background colors are from the patterned paper and paint under the tissue.

Blossoming Branch
by Dianne Johnson
Stamps by Magenta:
Large Blossoming Branch Silhouette 48.001.S
Texture with Circles 48.060.I

This last one is my favorite.  I love how the colors of the papers in the background shine through the fish.  I also used Prismacolor pencils on the fish before adhering the tissue to the cardboard.  After adding the "seaweed" I painted over it a little with Silks glazes also.

Fish School
by Dianne Johnson
Magenta Stamp:  Bold Branch 37.266.O
Fish Heads are from Symmetry series by Stampscapes