color mediums – Page 2 – Craft With May

Nuvo glue & gilding flakes

These two products are awesome alone – or together and are products I’ve been using a while now yet somehow don’t ever seem to get mentioned here so I wanted to share a quick little video + post about them. affiliate links are included in this post

The glue pen comes in several sizes, however I really like the BIG one because so often I want a lot of glue but with minimal swiping. This does the trick!

Here is my YouTube video showing how I added gold leafing to a die cut.

Now gold leafing – it is a mess. It is so light even a soft breath out in its general direction can make it flutter around! That said, its finish is like no other and it really is a lot of fun to play with whether covering using glue like this, double sided tape, or any other ‘sticky’ solution. Remember dry clean hands are the best hands to handle this – and good news. It does clean up easy even if it is a mess to use.

The finished results always wow me – though they sure are hard to photograph.

If you continue to gently rub the gold leafing, and press you can get rid of any and all loose flakes/particles of course. I personally like it a bit on the wild side. Other favorite methods for using gold leafing include gel medium + stencil, with a (sticky) rub-on, and a strip with double sided tape. Looking for some of your own? I’ve seen these Nuvo flakes in tons of stores including scrapbook.com and Ellen Hutson. Same goes for the glue pen – here’s a link to the scrapbook.com selection of glue pens/options from Tonic.

Coloring with Scribble Sticks

What are Scribble sticks? Quite simply they are sticks of color that are water reactive/soluble which means they react & play with any other mediums such as gelatos, watercolor, distress, dylusions, and so on. What I love about them is how much rich color I get from a small amount. I also love that they are pure color sticks – which means they’re very dry and hard which means I can’t break them and tons of shards don’t go flying like some other mediums.

I find that plain paper works, but I mostly like either treated (matte gel or gesso) paper or smooth surfaces or manila cardstock. I did not have success with these on heavily textured or even moderately textured surfaces. This is important because if you work mostly on paper? These may be the colors for you! But if you like a lot of coloring textures and such… well maybe not.

I created a video to show how I’m using these – here is a link to YouTube.

Below I will also (affiliate links used – thanks in advance for supporting my site!) list supplies used and a special code good at the time I’m posting this to Ellen Hutson’s site! I really am enjoying these colors they are bright and beautiful, and I’m loving that it adds some new (easy to store!) colors to my mix & match stash of mediums.

Ellen Hutson has a sale! (I’d like to think just for my birthday – ha!) 20% off all in stock items use code momsday17 when checking out. (more details below. In this post I featured:

Scribble Sticks – available as a set in stores now including Ellen Hutson

Small version of bee stamp I used

Birdy stamps as shown above

gel medium matte finish (or) gesso

Save 20% on EVERYTHING in the Ellen Hutson shop May 14th – 16th!
Upon checkout please use coupon code: momsday17
Sale is on in-stock items only, does not apply to previous purchases or the BCRF Fundraiser Set, and ends May 16th at 11:59PM PDT.

I scream for… water color!

Note: affiliate links are used in this post, so if used there is no cost to you but a small % of any purchases does come back to support this blog. So thank you in advance!

I am all for trying the new. Often, testing a technique or idea will lead to something unexpected or take you down a new idea road that has wonderful possibilities. I also love being able to learn in a fearless way. What do I mean by that? I mean being able to create without worry of messing up or ruining anything. Today, I want to share with you a quick peek at an experiment gone right.

This little ice cream cone may seem super basic, unimpressive even. But you see, I don’t use watercolor to draw! Not outside a basic shape like a heart or a circle that is. Here is a video on YouTube if you’d like to watch me do this creative experiment. So what inspired it? Scrapbook.com has a variety of online classes (free!) and last weekend I sat down and watched the one on watercolor basics. This lesson intrigued and inspired me the most so I decided to give it a shot, and for a first time I don’t think it is too shabby!

I used Daniel Smith watercolors (here’s a link) – I have a few of those colors as well as a few of several other companies. I like variety in my stash. And I look forward to branching into playing with more colors, as well as other new ideas. Ready to be inspired? Here’s a direct link to the class – like I said you can sign up free!

stencil + distress crayon background

How do supplies work together? What combinations are great and what don’t work so well? How much water to use with what color?

All these questions and so much more get answered when I let go of trying to make project and just play! From color mediums to stamps to whatever else I’ve got – I do so enjoy a good creative play session.

My usual choice for such experiments is manila tags. Watercolor paper, standard cardstock, or if another material is used then I’m really testing how a material works with something else. No wrong choices here – just play! On this particular day I decided to test distress crayons, paste, and a new stencil. Sometimes stencils and stamps look different than I expect. I know that might sound crazy – but sometimes when you actually go to color and use them, it’s not what you have in your mind. So these kind of exercises prove extremely helpful!

Want to see this in action? Here is a link to my YouTube video.

I really didn’t love how the pink blended with the other colors in this pack. I do love it and use it often – just apparently usually with other colors. This is one of many reasons I so like tests! Interested in the supplies I tested today? (affiliate links) supply links are listed below.

Crafty Chica Stencil available at Simon Says Stamp & Scrapbook.com

Tim Holtz Distress Crayons (and Ranger Texture Paste) available at Ellen Hutson.com, Simon Says Stamp, and Scrapbook.com

Opera Pink watercolor play

Hey everyone! I’ve been rediscovering some favorite colors and I have a process video to share as well.

Oh and before we get into this – I have exciting news!! I have a new online class up now. It will begin September 19th. Want details and registration info? click here!

Back to today’s coloring session – I am deep in love with Opera Pink by Daniel Smith. It is the pinkest pink – I love that bold color and it is not easy to find in watercolors! For this I used a large stamp (I’ve had it a long time – sorry can’t find any online source!) to begin my play. My favorite way to finish a piece like this? Splatter with watery color once dry. It adds a layer of color and “messy” funk that I just love.

Here’s a link to my YouTube video if you’d like to see my coloring process and see how this comes together.

I really do love it, and I’m happy to rediscover some favorites and play with color. This style of watercolor is so forgiving, but also so fun since it never turns out the same twice!

Looking for this color? Here’s an (affiliate) link to the Opera Pink – oh how I love this color!