Craft Attitude Makeover Part One - Boho Handbag

I decided even though winter will still be on my doorstep for another two months at least, there wasn't any reason why I couldn't at least start thinking about spring!  And spring to me means a couple of things - warmer days, and the rebirth of COLOR in nature.  

I've seen lots of cool examples over at the Craft Attitude Facebook Page on how to personalize your iPhone, but I rarely use mine unless I am travelling.  So instead, I thought - why not try my hand at repurposing a rather lack-lustre handbag.  

I found this one at Winner's with a substantial discount and it was a light color.  Since I was introduced to Craft Attitude about two years ago, I always have my eye open for light colored and inexpensive 'objects' to add some "Attitude" to! 

Plain Old Inexpensive Handbag

This month I seem to be drawn to a color pallette that is half  Bolliewoodish and have Bohemian  and so once I`d layered a suitable number of images (courtesy of Iktupilli and Tumble Fish Studio) I adjusted the color pallettes to suit a brightly colored motif: 

Back of Bag  - digital collage

Front of Bag - digital collage

I used 3 sheets of Craft Attitude (you can use any type of Attitude product) - they are all the same just different packaging.....trust me on that!

And above is a photograph of the ALL of the supplies you need to make your handbag (gluestick,

scissors, x-acto knife, brayer....easy-peasy.

I really did not expect it to be this easy.  The fabric of the handbag (100% polyester) seemed to be  the perfect match for the Craft Attitude.  I am NOT shy with the glue stick, - just sayin....please do not try to skimp on the glue or you may end up with bubbles underneath.  Not pretty.  I NEVER have any bubbles.  I sometimes have globs of glue on my hands at the end of it all, but NO Bubbles EVER.

Above are photos of the front and back.  The purse was not the same size as the Craft Attitude (8.5 x 11 inches) so I did have to add extra little strips to each side so that it it was fully covered.  The pattern was very conducive to being able to do this successfully.  

Here are a few snap shots I took randomly in an effort to capture how beautifully the Craft Attitude molded to the fabric of the bag - I will be looking for more of this material!! 

 

I remain impressed at how the film becomes part of the texture...if you look closely you can see slightly raised dots on the surface of the purse.

Craft Attitude Boho Handbag - Spring 2014 coming soon!

PS - I could not stop at just the bag.....I will be back in a few days with photos of.....I bet you can you guess what I made next?   Stay tuned.

Thanks for the visit - and as always,  your comments are always appreciated...more than you know!

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Walk In the Snow - Linda Tanaka

 Below is the process Linda Tanaka undertook to create her work titled  "Walk In the Snow" for the Open Studio Project with Craft Attitude.  To read more about Linda and her statement on this piece please follow this link. 

Materials:

Canvas

Acrylic ink

Golden open acrylics

Golden soft gel

Liquitex Opaque Flakes

Craft Attitude Transportable Inkjet Film

1.  Preparing the canvas with Golden Irridescent Pearl and Liquitex White Opaque Flakes -

2.  Creating the calligraphic lettering to be transferred on to the Craft Attitude Transportable Inkjet Film -

 3.  Using a light table Linda made a sandwich of the paper turned upside down and a layer of Craft Attitude taped on top, shiny side up. A  traceable pattern  allowed her to hand letter on the shiny side of the Craft Attitude that could then be applied to the canvas.

Note:  An alternative to the method Linda used above,  you could also take a photo of your original calligraphic lettering, and then with an inkjet printer, print the lettering directly onto a sheet of Craft Attitude.  Don't forget to choose " mirror image " in your printer setting options before printing it out. 

3.  Linda used a Nikko G flexible nib dip pen to letter on the shiny side. The pen glides easily but does not allow for as much pressure and lift as a calligrapher would want to use. The material is a bit “stretchy”; that attribute is what allows Craft Attitude to be applied so successfully to a textured surface. The calligrapher has to be careful not to distort the material with too much downward pressure when making the stroke.

4.  Cutting the Craft Attitude out - 

5.  She then adhered the art film onto her canvas substrate using Golden soft gel medium and completed her lovely  textural piece.

"Walk In The Snow"

Mixed Media on Canvas - 7" x 9" inches

Linda Tanaka

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Enter to Win A Free Copy of - Incite: Dreams Realized - Hardcover Book

Today, I spent some time reflecting on how blessed I am for a list of reasons far too lengthy to begin to list here.   I also began to make my "to do" list of  what I hope to accomplish this week, adding in what plans were already booked.  

Noticing Friday was Valentine's Day, I found myself thinking back to the times I spent as a divorced woman, raising two children .  I can recall a few years when Valentine's Day was not about celebrating with someone I loved, but more about surviving another year of being rather frazzled and lonely.  On more than one  occasion I confess at some level I  did partake in my  own little pity party about how being a single woman in her 40's wasn't the life I had planned.  

So now, when Valentine's Day approaches every year, even though I eventually did find the love of my life,  I continue to  count my blessings  along with feeling a deep sense of compassion for the many single Moms out there who find themselves alone on a day designed for couples, but who probably deserve ( more than many others with husbands, boyfriends, or partners)  a dinner out, a glass of champagne and a surprise bouquet of flowers to arrive at work.  

Although I am not able to effect the lives of every single mother with children alone on Valentines Day, I can perhaps offer a small gift that may bring a smile to one woman's face on February 14th, 2014.   It was a 'dream come true' for me to be published in this lovely book, and an honor for me to pay it forward!!! -

Here's how to enter:    

If you are a single woman, raising children, or you  know someone who is, OR, you can think of a  good reason why you would be deserving, please  leave a comment stating your reason below and this Friday I will select a winner who will  receive  a free copy of this beautiful hardcovered book -  Incite:  Dreams Realized - The Best of Mixed Media.   

 

And, along with a stunning selection of artwork from 93 different artists, my artwork is featured on Page Five - 

Night Sky – 6” x 6”x1.5” inches

  mixed media on rice paper, made with a  Craft Attitude film overlay, watercolour, vintage ephemera (cigar labelling),  skeleton leaves on cradled wood panel

Below - 3 different views - 

 Good Luck - and....Whatever your dreams may be this Valentine's Day - may they all come true!

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Step by Step Tutorial: Craft Attitude: Heart Shaped Lavender Potpourri with Free Images for Download

The folks at Craft Attitude were kind enough to invite me back to create a fun little Valentine's Day project with, you guessed it... Craft Attitude! 

After pouring over dozens of Pinterest photos, tossing around a few ideas, I decided - Who says hearts have to be red?

I am declaring Valentines Day 2014 the year of the Green Heart! 

   

So, here's my little idea  along with a suggestion I hope you'll be open to???    Instead of surfing the web right now, why not spend an evening creating a few fragrant lavender filled potpourri's?   The internet will wait.  And start to finish  all you will  need is 3 hours....  and no experience  is necessary!

All you have to do is find a nice cozy chair, print out one or more  little heart shaped graphic (see below for link to FREE graphic),  grab a needle and thread, maybe a glass of wine or  a nice fragrant tea and by the end of the evening, you'll have a lovely little heart shaped potpourri.  

You can use an old pillow case or some such, nothing fancy.  After all, isn't a gift that speaks of  time dedicated and thoughtfulness felt   worth more than a box of chocolates?  (well, just, maybe?)

Wrap one up for your BFF this Valentines Day...what girlfriend wouldn't appreciate this?   Or maybe you need to just give yourself a well-deserved treat and tuck it  inside your own lingerie (aka PJ's :0) )  drawer.

Here's what you need:

• Heart images from Hidden Vintage Studios at Deviant Scrap . BLESS her soul, Tracey Parker, the Designer at Hidden Vintage generously offered to provide the heart graphics she created FREE OF CHARGE for you - you can download them here or here, or here.  Thank you Tracey!!!  If you want to send a thank you in the comment section beow,  I'll be sure to forward them off to her!  She's a true sweetheart.  Thanks Tracey!
• One sheet of Craft Attitude  ( one sheet will be enough for 4 4x4 inch hearts)
• Printer
• Scissors
• 10x10 inch piece of repurposed fabric
• Scissors
• Thread
• Needle
• Embroidery thread
• UHU Glue stick
• seed beads
• lavender and/ or polyester stuffing/fragrant loose tea, (or a drycleaning bag cut and squished up if push comes to shove!)
• Ribbon, scraps of tatting, ephemera bits.

Steps:

1.  Print the  heart  pattern out on to Craft Attitude Transportable Inkjet Film. 

2.  Glue shiny side  and place over recycled cotton fabric.

3.  Remove  the  backing attached to the art film  and smooth the two combined layers  out with your fingers, or iron it flat.

4.  Now, cut the heart out, and leave about a quarter inch salvage.

5.  Embroider, stitch, and embellish the heart  complimenting the colors  already in the collage to your heart's content.  It's lovely just as is too if you are pressed for time!

6. Cut out the piece of fabric for the back side of heart, leaving a 1/4 inch salvage.

7. Placing right sides together, stitch around the heart, leaving a small opening to fill the heart with stuffing/lavender or???? Here's a thought -  if you don't have lavender - check out your herbal/spiced tea bags...so many teas these days are so fragrant. 

8.  Stuff the  heart and then stitch the heart closed.

9.  Make a bow from ribbon and stitch to top of heart.  Adourn it with any other found objects you have waiting for this exact moment!

Here's what the Craft Attitude Inkjet Film looks like as it is being removed from its backing.  Tip:  Be earth friendly and keep the backing for later use!  I make greeting cards with it.

Gather your supplies (I always use a box to make clean up breeze.)
With everything  ready to go, next - boil the water, or pop the cork.  Time to relax.

Stitch around various areas and add beads here and there.  I came across  an old piece of vintage tatting (the little cream colored round bits)  and decided to sewed it on too.  Depending on how much spare time you have, you can add more beading or stitching. Anything goes!

Most of all I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day (in any color you choose!) and thanks for stopping by!

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Holiday Blog Hop - Craft Attitude Collage Tutorial

Welcome to the Craft Attitude Holiday Blog Hop!

Teaming up with the enthusiastic and uber talented Jonathan Fong, equally talented jewelry craft expert Candie Cooper and other well known Arts/ Crafts/Design professionals and enthusiasts,  I am delighted to share with you  a relatively new  and exciting collage technique  I've developed and test over the past several months.  I call it the "Collage Under" and I'm excited to share this exciting new image transfer technique.


In this step by step tutorial,  I will walk you through  a few simple steps showing you how easy it is to combine a few scrap papers ( you most probably have on hand)   along with  one sheet of Craft Attitude,  to create a one-of-a-kind mixed media collage.  

 I love receiving  handmade gifts - nothing feels more meaningful to me in these days where time is such a valued commodity.  Why not begin today and in less than a few hours, create an inexpensive but  great gift for one of your friends or family members this holiday season? 

 "My Baby Sister - A Special Gift"

8 x 10 mixed media collage 

Mixed Media Artwork by Trudi Sissons

Image Credits:  Tumble Fish Studio - Winged Splendor and Merry Merry Kits

Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved

Skill Level:  Beginner-Intermediate Mixed Media Craft Enthusiasts

Time Required:  2-4 hours max

Here's a list of what you'll need:

* 1 sheet of Craft Attitude Art Film  (you can buy any one of the various packages of "Attitude" - they all contain exactly the same product, just different instructions explaining different ways to use it) 

* UHU stic  - acid free glue stick that dries clear (or other comparable brands, like Mod Podge or Elmers)

* Photograph  -  I used a vintage image from Tumble Fish Studio's "Winged Splendor" kit available from DeviantScrap   But, why  not add that extra  personal touch to your gift  by using your own vintage family photograph?  The Graphics Fairy also has a large selection of vintage photographs available at no cost. 

* An assortment of left over scrap paper bits (if they're handmade or cotton, even better!)

* One page from a book  slightly larger than the  finished project dimensions (I used a vintage paper from an old dictionary)

*  an Inkjet Printer
* a brayer or similar roller (in a pinch, use your finger tips...I often do)
* Golden  Artist Colors - Soft Gel Matte #3010-5 (optional as a final top coat and/or as an adhesive)
* Optional - Mat and Frame (see Step 5 for money saving tips)

 Steps:

1.  Gather up a collection of complimentary  paper scraps combining different colors and textures. 

2.  Using whatever image software program you have, print your  photograph on to Craft Attitude, remove it from its carrier sheet and place it on your work surface shiny side facing up. 

 Photograph used - Copyright Tumble Fish Studio's "Winged Splendor Kit"

(see above information to purchase this image)

 

Tip:   If you like, go ahead and test different compositions by placing different papers under the transparent art film  image until you are satisfied with your composition.  I decided  on the  arrangement above and then numbered which scrap I would glue first and so on.  A bit of planning at the start of your project may save you time overall.

3.  Glue each scrap of paper right side up, then turn it over and adhere it to the shiny side of the Craft Attitude art film. Using a brayer or your fingers, smooth  the surface to ensure maximum adhesion.  Repeat, layering each scrap until you have achieved your desired composition.

Front and Back of  Collage -  Work in Progress 

4.  Take the final large printed page from a book or dictionary, cover it with glue and adhere it on top of all of the other smaller scraps, again using a brayer to ensure a full adhesion.  This layer will cover any spots  not covered with the other paper you've attached and shine through to the top.  It also provides a good substrate to hold your final piece together.

5.  Attach your collage to a mat and frame and PRESTO - another gift ready to go!  

Tip:  To save money, size your final piece to standard sizes - 4x6, 5x7, 8x10.  That way you'll be able to buy ready made mats and frames at a fraction of the cost of  having  your artwork professionally framed.  Michael's often has 40% off a large selection of their standard frames too.

 The images below  illustrate the final collage (both front and back) and  a sequence of  photos  as it progressed from start to finish.

Now it's your turn!   I would love to see your mixed media collages using Craft Attitude.  You can mail me at trudisissons@shaw.ca with a link to your work. 

For questions about where you can purchase Craft Attitude please visit their website at www.craftattitude.com

Press  here to be redirected to Craft Attitude -  FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS

Happy Creating and Happy Holidays from my home to yours.

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Secrets, Life and Videotapes!

If you are reading this post, more than likely it's because you've been to The Altered Page and learned about Seth Apter's new book "The Mixed- Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams From Over 40 Amazing Artists" and how he is featuring 30 Artists 30 Days .

Thanks for taking the time to visit and Congratulations Seth!

Waves of gratitude flow through me each day when I view work of other artists included in this book.  I mean that.  To be among them is a true gift.   I can't imagine life without continuing to explore my creativity daily, and this, well, it really encourages me. 

My work in Seth's book took on more than what I'd initially anticipated.  As many of you already know,  he has a knack at digging below the 'surface' and is gifted  in 'drawing out' artist's  thoughts, motivations, desires, and visions.  It's no surprise considering that, apart from his artistic endeavours,  he also holds a PhD in psychology. 

As a positive consequence, many of the questions he posed in this process shone the spotlight on several of my own thoughts/musings and encouraged me to reexamine them in detail.

 

Over several weeks, one of these thoughts became a goal* and finally  transpired into this 47 second video below (which shows just a smattering of an estimated 150 iterations and edits.)

*To provide a tiny glance into my digital art process and provide viewers with an opportunity to understand and better appreciate this emerging new media.

In real time, "The Chairman" took over 40 hours  to complete, not counting the photographic elements, nor the time spent on the initial old  tattered drawing (circa 1980's) I dug up from an exercise in Betty Edwards book "Drawing From the Right Side of The Brain". 

I hope it will give you a glimpse from my side of this computer screen  and increase your understanding  of how new media  has far more in common with non-digital, traditional art techniques than what immediately meets the viewer's eye.

 "The Chairman" - From a Graphite Drawing to a Digital Collage - Trudi Sissons Two Dresses Studio

As for the secrets and dreams behind what inspired me to create "The Chairman" - well, you'll have to read about them once your copy of  Seth's book arrives.   They may surprise you!

As always, comments and feedback are appreciated.

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After a full week of stressful events, one of which was a big scare over whether one of my daughters would have to undergo surgery involving her CNS, another involving a very scary plumber who I feared was going to attack me, I decided I needed some pure one on one time with my imagination. 

This digital illustration had several incarnations until it finally became my imaginary Victorian Stripe and Polka Dot Maker Machine. 100% fun to create with images from two of my favorite designers - Tumble Fish Studio and Itkupilli. I hope this tickles your own imagination!

Digital Illustration:

The Imaginary Stripe and Polka Dot Maker

Image Credits:  Tumble Fish Studio and Iktupilli

Copyright 2013 TwoDressesStudio

All Rights Reserved

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The Tunnel

"The Tunnel"

Digital Art

Image Credits with thanks to Holliewood Studios - Altered Reality

Copyright 2013 TwoDressesStudio

All Rights Reserved

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It's not a dream, It's not a dream....

 Good Evening Folks,

Mindi is off this week.  I am pleased to announce, due to popularity, and with a bit of coaxing with treats, she (Mindi)  has accepted  responsibilities here at Two Dresses to assist me as a  part-time blogger, volunteering for literally the price of a small piece of bacon.  Now, it`s my job to bring some home!

This week I have had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  I've always subscribed to the idea that if something is too good to be true, then...well, you know the rest.  I also have a tendency to hesitate announcing anything until it is 'signed, sealed and delivered.'  But now the 'cat is in the bag' - I'm delighted, proud, pumped and overall giddy to share my news...

First, I received an email from Seth Apter to announce his second book titled " The Mixed Media Artist:  Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from 40 Amazing Arts" is now listed on Amazon for pre-purchase.  I have two pieces of artwork featured in his book, along with a link that will go live  to an exciting stop-motion video of one of these pieces as it progresses from a graphite pencil drawing to a full color collage. 

-The Mixed Media Artist - 

Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams From Over 40 Amazing Artists

Author - Seth Apter

Secondly, in December 2012 (aka best.gift.ever) I received word that I was among the winners in a competition hosted  by  Artists Network culminating in this hardcover book -  Incite: Dreams Realized - The Best of Mixed Media.     "Over 100 of the most inspiring works from the mixed-media art community are featured under the theme "Dreams Realized," offering readers a level to aspire to. This premier competition book will unite artists from around the globe and will showcase the power of positive intention!"

"Incite" is also now listed for pre-order via Amazon.  Preordering prior to publication equals savings of approximately 35%   Both books are due to be released at the beginning of  October 2013!

Incite - Dreams Realized - The Best of Mixed Media

Publisher - North Light Books

Thanks for visiting and also for your encouragement in the form of comments to keep me blogging for the past six years!

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My new Haircut and Mom's Craft Attitude India-Ah Treasure Box

Mom just asked me to publish a quick post to let you know she's been busy taking photos of me and Buddha but will be back sometime soon!  We're hoping the snow will all be gone on Sunday.  I don't like "going" in the snow - it's so cold and even colder now with my new haircut.

Happy Weekend Blogland!

xox
Mindi

Oh, I almost forgot,  besides the photos, she also  made this box last weekend.  It took her for-EVER!    It's made out of Nepalese handmade Lotka papers, layers of Craft Attitude , the curio feet come from Tim Holtz's Ideology line and the images from Iktupilli.  She called it "Indie-Ah".

"Indi-Ah" - Mixed Media Box

Copyright 2013 TwoDressesstudio

All Rights Reserved

Art - Trudi Sissons

Images - Iktupilli

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