Staying In = Staying Creative

 What crazy weather!!! Last Friday it reached 65 F and despite a full day of rain I still managed to sit under cover and take in that wonderful warm air a bit. And then, Saturday I awoke to heavy gusting winds and a temp of 11 F-WHAT???? And it's been cold since so I'm getting lots of play time in in my art room.

 Trying to stay ahead making simple pages in my calendar journal, like this one:

                                       
 Napkin and printed online freebie sentiment. Sharing my drink with the gang over at T Stands For Tuesday.

 I got a new craft toy over the holidays and I must share it with you because I absolutely LOVE it!!
There's so much talk about the Misti stamping tool and I've seen it demoed but honestly did not want to pay the crazy high price for it. Well, Tim Holtz came out with his stamping platform (much more reasonably priced!) and after researching it online I bought one with a 50% off coupon from Joann.com. For someone like me that does a lot of stamping and card making, sometimes making sets of them, this is such a time saver. And the precision stamping results  are fab-even for those layering stamp sets! Here are a few pics of the platform and how I have used it to  make 25 (so far) card backgrounds for this coming year's Christmas cards:):)

           My note card on the plate. I made tabs from washi tape on the disc magnets for easy removal.

 The card back was masked with post it notes to protect it from getting inked as I was using a large stamp.

         Stamp is in place and inked -ready to close the lid and stamp.

 This stamp is called Christmas Sweater Background and from Simon Says Stamp. Love this pattern!

                                                      Voila!

Speaking of Simon Says, this card is for the Simon Wednesday Challenge (patterned paper):

  Made my own background using Altenew halftone stencil. Other products: white notecard, cardstock; Altenew Layered Cupcake stamp and die set; Archival inks- Buttercup, Turquoise, Black; Staz - On ink-Spiced Chai; Marvy Ochre ink; Stickles glitter glue. (Yes, I used the stamping platform to make 6 cupcakes:)

 For the Simon Monday Challenge (Birds of a Feather) and Tag Tuesday (anything goes):

 Products: Stamps- Wall Art Set (Wow!) from Simon Says Stamp, Bokeh Dots set (Ellen Hutson), Bird Tags set (Invoke arts); various Distress inks; white gesso; red marker; Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers; manila tag; feather.

 Also did a bit of abstract painting, photoshop play, and a journal page:

      Dots of colors on page then scraped down with an old credit card.

                                                      Hue change in PSE

                       
                                            Hue change and watercolor effect

                                           Hue change and glowing edges effect

 I had pretty much paint left from the scraping down so I put it on another page:

YUK!! So I covered it up:

 I love how the magazine page of buildings blended right into the painted background! Joining  Art Journal Journey (theme is New Year, New Adventures), and Paint Party Friday.

 Wishing you a fabulous, creative week! Looking forward to stopping by to see what you've been up to lately.

" Art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take risks."     Mark Rothko