Altered Cabinet Card Freebies & Tutorial Repost

It's definitely been a weird summer with the weather being unusually cooler compared to our scathing hot summers we're typically use to!  I already see signs of fall in the air from the tell tale signs of falling leaves to the dew on the grass in the morning! This doesn't usually  happen until October!  I keep saying someone shook up the earth globe and the weather everywhere is all mixed up now.  Anyhow, I digress....because of this weather, I'm already thinking about one of my favorite seasons-fall-I love fall for it's crisp leaves fluttering about, and the cool air and smell of fireplaces burning-that I've decided to repost a link to a previous post that will lead you to my Altered Cabinet Card tutorial and freebie cabinet cards you can download.

HERE.

Enjoy!

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Shopping!

Fun & Easy Gouache Paint Tutorial

Altered Bingo Board 

I'm re sharing an easy and fun 

tutorial I put together awhile back 

using gouache paints.

Click HERE to view it.

For unique gifts visit

Gouache Painted Sunflower Tutorial

  SUNFLOWERS
Sunflower, sunflower, standing straight and tall,
Sunflower, sunflower, you're the tallest flower of them all!
Sunflower, sunflower, when your seeds fall to the ground,
Sunflower, sunflower, by the squirrels they'll be found! 

 We recently harvested our sunflowers,
and I just loved the look of them 
lying there with a kind of shabby 
chic look to them.

 I'd like to try preserving one of them.

One of the pictures I turned to greyscale 
so that I could paint it with Gouache paints 
which are opaque watercolors. 
See my below:

 Click HERE to follow my tutorial


Artistic Inspirations to help you create!
 

www.OutsideTheMargins.com

A journey through my creative process...

Birds of a Feather...

 

I started out with 3 canvas panels and covered 

them with a paper napkin (I separated the napkin 

from its plain white backing)  using Golden's 

semi-gloss gel medium.

  

Once the gel medium was dry I gave them 

a light coat of watered-down gesso.

  

At this point I really wasn't thrilled with it and so 

I inked the edges with turquoise blue chalk inks and 

also used the ink over punchinella/sequin waste 

as a stencil.

  

It still needed more depth so I stamped with white acrylic paint using several different stamps. Once the paint was dry I added a layer of Golden's transparent blue air brush paint mixed with transparent glaze. As the final layer I used more of the white paint with the punchinella/sequence waste to give it the honeycomb designs you see. Next I drew some birds and cut them out of scrap paper then  pieced them together, inked the edges and adhered them by running them through my Xyron and for the finishing layer I added Golden's semi-gloss gel medium.

Artistic Inspirations to
help you create!

www.OutsideTheMargins.com

Mailable Valentine & Birthday Card Canvas Panel

Here are two cards I've made using canvas flower panels.  One I created for Valentine's Day and the other for  a special someone's birthday.  I plan to mail these as is in the mail without envelopes.  I have mailed many things as is in the mail from shoes to tins so don't let them tell you that you can't do it.  After all if people can mail live chickens you can certainly mail a little ole canvas panel :-)

Supplies Used

Canvas Flower Panel (Can be purchased Here)

Acrylic Paints

StazOn Ink & Chalk Inks

Stamps

Foam Roller or Brayer

White Paint Pen (Can be purchased Here)

Black Sharpie

Punchinella (Can be purchased Here)

Ribbon

PYMII (Can be purchased Here)

Using the foam roller roll on your paint or you can use a paint brush.	Once piece is completely dry using StazOn ink stamp  your message on to flower panel.
Add color to help pop your piece using chalk inks around the edges.	To add more depth stamp through Punchinella, stencils or doilies using chalk inks.
Turn flower panel over and add your addresses using a black sharpie pen.	Seal & protect the entire piece using the awesome PYMII.

Formica Tile Tutorial

Formica Keychains

Sorry I've been so quiet life has reared it's ugly head again! What the heck is up with that!? I did manage to get this tutorial finished it's been rolling around in the back of my head along with all the rocks! With Christmas (yes you read that right) just around the corner (hey, don't shoot the messenger) and the economy the way it is. All the more reason to start making some gifts for those special people in your lives.

Click HERE to view my tutorial.

Freebie Image

Click on the above image to download your Vintage soda label to use in your art.

Visit my Zazzle Store &
view my newest additions!

Altered Cabinet Cards

I just finished several new altered cabinet cards. Click HERE to view my previous Altered Cabinet Card Tutorial.

Before	After
Before	After

I added some new free cabinet card images you can alter yourself. Click HERE to view and download them.

How to add a Copyright Symbol using PSP

I've had several emails asking how I create a copyright watermark on my pictures. Here's a simple tutorial. I use Corels Paint Shop Pro so if your using Adobe Photoshop you'll have to try to to see if you can adapt my directions as best you can. I've used both programs and personally I've found PSP (Paintshop Pro) to be much more user friendly and the price alone is a lot cheaper. In fact I just found a great deal where you can get PSP at Frys for free with their rebate.

Keep in mind there are many ways you can add a watermark this is what works for me :-)

1. Open an image. Select the text tool and click on the image where you want to place the text.

2. In the text entry dialog, type the copyright symbol (see below) or any other text you want to use for a watermark.

3. Still in the text entry dialog, highlight the text by dragging across it and set the font, text size and formatting as desired.

4. With the text still highlighted, click the color swatch and set the text color to light gray or white then click APPLY.

5. Scale and position the text if necessary.

6. Go to Layers > Properties and set Opacity to 35-60 (the level of opacity depends on how light or dark your background is-the above sample was set at 50 opacity) OK out of window.

7. Now click on File and SAVE AS > rename your file so you still have a clean original photo with no watermark.

How to Create an Alt Key Copyright Symbol
© - Hold down the ALT key with your left hand and use your right hand to enter the numbers 0169 on the number pad. Release the Alt key and the symbol © will appear.

Visit my Zazzle Store &
view my newest additions!

Shipping Tag Bottle Cap Magnets

Here's another project idea for a Mothers or Father's day gift idea!

Click HERE to view my step by step process.

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Bottle Cap Mother's Day/Teacher Magnet Gift Set

I finally found something to do with all the drink coasters I've borrowed collected over the years, not to mention the bottle caps and those glass half marbles I was gonna use one day!

Click HERE to view my step by step Bottle Cap Project.

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Quicky Easter Card

Here's a quicky Easter Card you can make.

I used the following supplies:

Blank Ivory/white Plain Card

Sorbet Collection Color Mists

Heat Gun

Scrapbook Paper

Easter Theme Collage Sheet

Adhesive

Spray blank card with Color Mists.	Dry with the heat gun.
Choose complimentary papers for background	Adhere to the front of the folded card.
	Finished card. Add image and wording from collage sheet.

Faux Metal Crown Tutorial

Don't I look regal in my new crown!

Would you like to make your own

crown and join me in Queendom?

Click HERE to view my Faux Metal Crown tutorial
You know its just not easy taking a picture of yourself, where are those go go gadget arms when ya need them, so you can hold your arms far enough away! Hey, it just dawned on me my silver roots showing work as a double project for Inspire Me Thursday's silver prompt LOL

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Quicky Newsletter Background

Here's a simple background technique using a Trader Joe's newsletter flier as my base. Click HERE to view the tutorial. I love using printed fliers for backgrounds and then tearing them and using just pieces in my art.

Have fun and play!

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Funky Bottle Cap Babe Project!

I've been meaning to make these easy peasy bottle cap dolls for awhile now and finally got the chance yesterday! Aren't they fun and funky!

Click HERE to see my mini tutorial on how to make them.

<==check the archives to view previous posts

Gouache Paints and Cabinet Cards

Gouache Paints

I thought I'd post a replay of my gouache paint tutorial I have since I've been playing with my Gouache paints (pronounced gwash) recently. Gouache paints are fun user friendly opaque watercolor paints. Typically used by illustrators. I've found them to be a great addition to adding color to sepia and black and white photos. The cool thing about gouache paints is that you can wipe them off if you don't like what you've done and start over, they also cover well! You can paint light over dark and they make it very easy to add highlights and shadows by mixing white or black to the basic color your using....perfect for the novice painter.

Click HERE to view my tutorial and link to my 2 new freebie cabinet cards!

(click HERE to purchase an 18 piece paint set with 2 brushes)

ENJOY!

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