Spellbinders CHA Roundup - Day #5

BLOG HOP AND GIVEAWAY

Every year in December, craft and art companies across the globe begin to share details about their new product lines that will officially be unveiled at the annual Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Conference and Trade Show in January. Soon after, the products are available to all to buy and use.

This year is a very special year for me as I have teamed up with Spellbinders Paper Arts to create my very own collection of products to be released at CHA that are designed for artists, crafters, journalers, scrapbookers, cardmakers, and all other creatives too. In other words, for everybody.

The idea for this line began nearly two years ago and I couldn't be more excited that the first of my many planned releases is nearly here. This week, Spellbinders has hosted a blog hop where all their amazing designers have revealed one or more items from their new collections and shared creative tutorials with you as well. Today, the last day of the hop, is my turn. If you missed the earlier posts, you can find them here:

Stacey Caron

Becca Feeken

Tammy Tutterow

Yana Smakula

Debi Adams

Loretta Lock

Donna Salazar

Jennifer Ingle

Seth Apter (you are here)

Teresa Horner

This blog hop is just the beginning. There will be other events and giveaways prior to, during and after the January CHA Show. You can sign up for updates and find all the details and dates here.

Read on for the first of many upcoming product reveals. Details on how to join today's giveaway can be found at the end of this post. 

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MEMORY KEEPER

The inspiration for this project began with my new Spellbinders Drip Drop die. This set consists of two dies but I chose to only include one, which I ran through the Platinum Die Cutting and Embossing Machine. The paper I used to cut the shape was my own hand painted paper from my stash.

I wanted to add depth to this die cut and make it dimensional. Using Drip Drop and teal cardstock, I cut nine more of the same shapes.

I stacked and glued them together, placing the die cut from my hand painted paper on top.

This gave me the dimension that I wanted and shifted the die cut from a piece of paper to more of an actual object.

I decided to create an embellishment to place within the circle of Drip Drop. I chose a hand painted paper and die cut the correct sized circle using the Standard Circles Small die set. I highlighted the circular shape by stamping with two of my new rubber stamps, one from the Turnarounds 1 set and the other from Turnarounds 2.

My next step was to create a background to highlight the die cut stack and stamped circle. I chose a piece of simply painted paper and ran it through the Platinum Machine along with my new Gridiron Embossing Folder. I rubbed an ink pad over the raised surfaces and further highlighted the texture by shading the embossed circles with a gel pen.

As the pieces were coming together I decided to place these elements on a larger surface to create a more substantial artwork. I took two cradled wood panels (8" x 10" x .75") and painted the outside surfaces and the insides.

I then attached the two panels together using hinges and a clasp. 

This created a book-like container that opened and closed.

At this point, I went hunting through my drawers, boxes and table tops to find a grouping of embellishments, found objects, hardware to alter, and other random doohickies and thingamajibs to complete the piece. 

In the end, I created an artwork that combines some of my new Spellbinders products with both commercial embellishments as well as altered and found objects. In other words...mixed media!

MEMORY KEEPER

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Supply List

Spellbinders Paper Art Supplies:

PL-001 Spellbinders® Platinum Die Cutting and Embossing Machine

S4-116 Spellbinders® Nestabilities^TM Standard Circles Small

S4-621 Spellbinders® Drip Drop Die Set

SEL-002 Spellbinders® Gridiron Embossing Folder

SBS-032 Spellbinders® Turnarounds Set 1 Cling Rubber Stamps

SBS-033 Spellbinders® Turnarounds Set 2 Cling Rubber Stamps

Preferred Partners: 

Imagine Crafts StazOn midi ink pads, Sakura gel pens

Other: 

Cradled wood panels, metal hinges, metal clasp, screws, acrylic paint, gesso, gilders paste, paint brush, hand painted paper, adhesive, scissors, tin snips, embellishments, found objects, vintage book covers, rub-on letters, beads, needle, thread

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GIVEAWAY 

Spellbinders is giving away the die set and embossing folder used in this artwork. You are of course more than welcome to leave a comment on this post but in order to be eligible for the giveaway, you must click the link below and follow the directions there within 48 hours of this posting. 

For Giveaway Entry, click HERE.

For official contest details, click HERE.

I am just one of many artists participating in this sneak peek.  For another chance to win, make sure to check out the work of Teresa Horner who is also posting in the Blog Hop today.  

Questions? Email ContestQuestions@Spellbinders.us  (no entries will be accepted at this email address)

See You at CHA! Blog Hop: Sneak Peek & Giveaway

Welcome to the See You at CHA! Blog Hop, running online from 12/7 to 12/11. Nearly 60 participants are posting to celebrate the upcoming 75th meeting of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) at their annual conference and trade show in Anaheim, CA on 1/7 to 1/12/16.

This conference brings together manufacturers, retailers, designers and other creative professionals from the craft and arts worlds. Companies exhibit their newly released product lines, workshops and business seminars are held, and there are endless formal and informal networking connections happening round the clock.

While the event takes place in January, the excitement starts today with this Blog Hop. All participants will be sharing new product sneak peeks, details about their workshops or demos, project tutorials or their own personal show stories. If you cannot attend the show, this Blog Hop is the next best thing to being there. Oh and did I mention that you have a chance to win a $625 gift card?!?!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Click here to see the other participant's links.

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This will be my third year attending CHA and definitely the one I am most excited about. I will be teaching two workshops, walking the aisles to better be able to report the trends to you, and -- most excitedly --releasing new products with two companies.

I will be releasing 12 new rubber stamps with Impression Obsession and demoing in their booth #521, with schedule to be determined. These new designs, along with my already-released stamps shown below, will bring my line with them up to 34 individual stamps. 

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I am also releasing my first collection with Spellbinders, with whom I am developing a full line of mixed media products. This first release consists of dies, embossing folders, rubber stamps and a  journal/planner/artist book set. If you are attending, please stop by their booth #1735 to see me demoing at the following times:

Saturday 1/9 - 10:00 - 12:00

Sunday 1/10 - 11:15 - 1:15

Monday 1/11 - 1:30 - 3:30

As promised, a glimpse of what you will see...

Sneak Peek

Spellbinders is also hosting their own CHA Roundup with giveaways for an entire week beginning today. Click here to visit today's participants, head here to sign up for updates about the entire CHA experience, and come back to my blog on Friday 12/11 for some full product reveals.

The Elemental Journal

The Elemental Journal by Tammy Kushnir is a newly released book from North Light Books. I received a review copy from the publishers and have thoroughly enjoyed looking through its pages.

This book offers a unique take on journaling in several ways. While many books of this type focus on content, The Elemental Journal focuses on structure. Tammy takes the reader through 15 different journal stuctures and presents step-by-step written instructions and step-out images so that anybody can recreate the designs. The instructions are clear and basic enough for the beginner but allow for enough creativity and variation to satisfy the more seasoned book artist. The projects are organized by material, with sections on wood, plastic, paper, fabric, and metal. And for all the lovers of found objects and believers of being green, many of the supplies she uses are repurposed and recycled. Threaded throughout the book are also several galleries of journals created by many well known artists.

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GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader can win a copy of The Elemental Journal. For a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Thursday 3/31. The winner will be on announced on my Facebook page on Friday 4/1. Please be sure I have your email so I can contact the winner directly. Good luck!

The Printed Pattern

I received a reviewer's copy of The Printed Pattern by Rebecca and Yvonne Drury from Interweave Press. The authors are a London-based mother and daughter team best known for their company MissPrint, which specializes in handpainted fabric. I was not sure how useful this book would be for me as my use of fabric in my art is limited to scraps. But I was happy to see that every single technique described could be applied to paper.

The format of the book makes the process of printing very accessible and easily understood. The book is image-heavy and includes step-by-step photos as well as many well-styled pictures of printed items. Following an introduction that describes the basics of printing, The Printed Pattern reviews relief printing, stencil printing, and screen printing. Potato printing, lino printing, eraser printing, rubber-stamp printing, vintage woodblock printing, stencil printing, and multiple methods of screen printing are all covered in detail. The authors even provide seven sample patterns that you can copy and cut out for printing and pattern-making.

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GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader can win a copy of The Printed Pattern. For a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Sunday 3/20. The winner will be on announced on my Facebook page on Monday 3/21. Please be sure I have your email so I can contact the winner directly. Good luck!

Graffiti Giveaway

Graffiti Wall 2010: a collaboration between Julie, Lynne, and myself.

It started with this...

painted and altered paper

...and this...

stacks of ephemera

...and turned into this...

my contribution: lost and found

...and ended up here...

photo shoot for somerset studio

...and landed here...

Julie's contribution on the cover

...and could now be in your hands...

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GIVEAWAY

Now that the issue has been released, Julie and I find each other with extra copies of the March/April Somerset Studio to give away. To be eligible to win a copy from me, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Tuesday 3/15. I will post the winner's name on my Facebook page on Wednesday 3/16. Please make sure I have your email so I can contact you if you win. And don't forget to visit Julie to leave a comment on her post and double your chances of winning.

The Flavor of the Day

I received a review copy of Mary Beth Shaw's new book Flavor for Mixed Media: A Feast of Techniques for Texture, Color and Layers, hot off the presses from North Light. Mary Beth is joined by 15 well-known artists, all of whom share their techniques and tips for creating mixed-media works of art. In addition, a series of projects are clearly described and illustrated with stepped-out photos. The book approaches art much like a chef approaches food and this theme is carried throughout, even including a number of recipes from the author and the guest artists. Some of the techniques covered that I have not seen in many other mixed-media books include using clayboard as a substrate, using rubbings to create texture and depth, using a collagraph plate, working with Plexiglas, using alcohol inks, creating three dimensional paintings, and using foil as a background.

Mary Beth generously shared her thoughts about her experience creating this book:

When I was contacted by North Light and asked to write a book, my initial reaction was one of disbelief. You want me? Really? I wasn't sure. I mean as much as I had dreamed of writing a book (as a child I imagined myself as a writer, living in a fabulous coastal home), it seemed like the mixed media world had so many books and I questioned if I had what it took to write something different. I wanted to be sure that I could somehow add value to this segment of the art world. It sounds lofty and I was oh-so-holier than thou as I clung to that statement. Truth be known, I was scared. Really really scared.

The idea continued to roll around in my head. I didn't exactly 'decline' the offer, but I didn't exactly jump on it either. I pondered. And pondered. For at least a year, if not more. All the while still thinking about a possible book and contemplating if I had an angle. One day it was suddenly clear to me and I saw the entire thing in my head. That is when I called North Light back because I knew with such certainty and passion that yes! I do have things to say. Ha, anyone who has known me for 2 minutes had probably already guessed that.

Fast forward to the project phase, quickly followed by the guest artist phase, followed by the photo shoot phase followed by the Oh.My.Gosh I really have to write this thing phase. And looking at the computer screen day after day. Working and reworking every single sentence. Then scrapping it all and starting fresh. And getting a case of the jitters. Questioning whether my ideas had any value whatsoever, doubting my ability to pull it off, analyzing my sanity. Oh yeah, talk about second thoughts. But I kept plugging and finally turned my manuscript over, all the while never being sure if I had phrased any of the book in the 'right' way whatever that might be. I was a mass of insecurities, something I don't often show to the outside world, waiting for the edits, imagining the entire book would be rejected with a flurry of red marks.

Fast forward again to the day the advance copy arrived at my house.. I found myself nearly speechless. To see the final product, to hold it in my hands, to flip through it was nearly more than I could bear. Sort of an out of body experience, I really did this?

Before I was teaching, when I was mainly exhibiting at art fairs and galleries, all I ever wanted was for my art to touch people, to find some common ground where someone would be moved by my art. And looking back, I guess that was also my aspiration for the book. To reach a larger audience than I can when I teach. To share the things I have learned, to give others ideas so they might be inspired to make things and yes, cook things!

So now I am to the stage where I am getting emails and blog posts from folks who have actually made projects from the book. I hear lovely comments and see wonderful works of art that the book inspired and I could not be more delighted. I just have to pinch myself to be sure it is all real.

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You can visit Mary Beth at her blog The Common Denominator, at her website Mary Beth Shaw, or at her store Stencil Girl Products where she sells her unique, hand-made stencils.

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GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader can win a copy of Flavor for Mixed Media. For a chance to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Sunday 3/13. The winner will be on my Facebook page on Monday 3/14. Please be sure I have your email so I can contact the winner directly. Good luck!

Spree Decree

Sending out thanks to everybody who left a comment on my post announcing my three year blogging birthday. Your support and encouragement has been and will always be greatly appreciated. Over 100 of you entered my giveaway where you had to leave three words that describe the types of things you would want from a shopping spree in NYC. I was delighted and amazed by the variety of words chosen. And I thought it would be fun to post them in one place as they really are a snapshot of what we all do, create, and love.

The top thirteen picks, starting with the most popular: texture, paper, rusty, vintage, books, quirky, ephemera, old, color, unique, tactile, metal, textile.

And all the rest, sorted for your reading pleasure...


Adjectives: strange, unusual, dramatic, bumpy, funky, sparkly, layered, shiny, flat, subversive, vivid, soulful, religious, whimsical, visceral, authentic, ornate, clunky, unorthodox, one-of-a-kind, Victorian, architectonic, inspirational, sensational, kitschy, outstanding, intriguing, touching, unexpected, funny, individual, comfortable, casual, chunky, small, miniature.

Old: decayed, grunge, worn, patina, tattered, antique, old world, aged, detritus, pre-owned, crusty, dusty, primitive, weathered, dingy, decrepit, history.

Organic: earthy, wood, seedpod, sticks, stones, avian, organic, nest, rock.

Color: bright, sepia, vintage white, red, bold.

Textile: fabric, silk, lace, wallpaper.

Objects: spoons, beads, keys, photos, silverware, costume jewelry bits, stencil, gadget, playing card, ticket stubs, rubber stamp, charm, prism, watch parts, book covers.

NY, NY: Central-Parkish, something New Yorker, Broadway, old tattered NY ephemera.

Write On: alphabets, words, ink, handwritten, postcard, text, typography, letters, pages, script.

Travel: Mexican, Japanese, vintage Czech Republic, Americana, foreign text.

Mystery: labyrinth, talisman, mystical, mysterious, fantastical, creepy cats, creepy, curiosities.

All the Rest (aka ran out of time to categorize these): full of-story, filigree, serenity, surprise, art deco, tin, two for one, stripes, glitter, numerical, lost, memories, art store, thrift store, thought-provoking, time, found, creative romance, love, story- telling, attar, spatial, poetry, graphic design, and chocolate.

And now the winner of the NYC shopping spree giveaway. Drum roll please...........Pat from Lost and Found. I will be shopping for typography, decrepit and chocolate. But not decrepit chocolate! I look forward to the hunt. Once Pat gets her goods, I will post photos of my shopping adventure and her winnings.

Now I am Three!

Three years ago this week I made a choice that I can say changed the direction of my life. Three years ago The Altered Page was born. I truly believe that without my blog, my passion for and dedication to making art would have been a flickering flame rather than a roaring fire. I would definitely not be the artist I am today. And I would never have "met" all of you.

Much has happened in the course of my life in those three years...the highest highs and the lowest lows. In that time my art, my blog, my collaborations, and my connection to this community have always been rock solid. This has been my through line.

I want to take this moment in time to say thanks to each and every one of you. Thank you for your visits, your comments, your emails, your purchases, your gifts, and the creative energy that you have provided. I put a tremendous amount of time into The Altered Page and the response I have received makes every single minute of work worth it.

The very first lines of my very first post read as follows:

"Welcome to The Altered Page. I see this blog as one more element of my mixed media artwork. Much like the paper, gesso, acrylics, and other components of each piece, I believe the conversation that I am hopeful that this blog will generate will become an integral ingredient to the creative mix." Thank you all for helping me to exceed my expectations!

And what better way to say thank you than a giveaway. The Altered Page will only turn three once, so there has to be a unique and special prize to win. And I would say that a shopping spree in New York City fits the bill.

For a chance to win, please leave a comment on this post and include three words that describe the type of art-related treasures you would want to buy if you were let loose in NYC for a day. Choose words that accurately describe the types of objects/supplies/doo dads/etc. that you really love, for example rusty-quirky-handmade. Using those three words as a guide, I will scout out all the flea markets, funky shops, art stores, and secret sources in NYC and pick out a selection of treasures for the winner.

Please comment by the end of day on Thursday August 19th. The winner will be announced on my blog on Friday August 20th. Please be sure that I have a way of contacting you in case you are the lucky winner.

And again...a million thanks to each and every one of you.

The Book Guild - Chapter 12

Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. Nearly 150 artists have answered a list of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. Secret Sunday was the first project and the links to all the secrets can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The Book Guild is the second project and Chapter 12 starts right now!


All artists participating in The Pulse were asked to name their favorite art books. The Book Guild will present this list, along with links, book reviews, giveaways, and interviews with many of your favorite authors. And as members of The Guild, I am hoping YOU will participate by leaving comments related to the books in each post - for example thoughts, book reviews, personal experiences, or a link back to your own blog posts that include artwork based on a project in the listed book.
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Chapter 12: Linda Woods



Rachel Whetzel listed Journal Revolution: Rise up & Create! Art Journals, Personal Manifestations and Other Artistic Insurrections by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino as one of her favorites and as one of her biggest inspirations.

We are lucky to have Linda share some personal thoughts about the book and the revolution!

The Beginning Of A Revolution

It seems like I can't do one thing without it leading to two other things. When I think about the time when we were working on Journal Revolution it is hard not to think of the other revolutions it started. My sister, Karen, and I started working on Journal Revolution in 2005 but we'd been thinking about it even before we started Visual Chronicles. It was really important for us to share our philosophy that art is really about self-expression and not about supplies. We wanted people to understand that the way they lived their lives and that everything around them was part of their truth- part of their art -and that they could express that with whatever they already had. Somehow in the last twenty years art became about using just the "right" supplies or following a certain pattern. People were losing their individuality and their voice and we wanted to bring that back! And, we wanted to help take the fear our of the process for people who needed the guidance.

Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution are all about putting YOU in your art, and finding the most authentic way to to that. Seeing, feeling, meeting, knowing yourself --- it all involves reflection, and coming to terms with, or battle with, or to peace with who you see when you look in the mirror. That is what you will see when you create, one way or the other.

One battle we came to terms with when the books were in production and once they came out was from craft stores that did not want to sell the book. Our books did not fit the mold of typical how-to or craft books because we were not telling readers they had to BUY anything to create art or express themselves. And when we did suggest products for people to buy, they were often inexpensive and non-archival, which angered many of the people who believed the secret to "perfect" art lies in acid-free glue. Our belief is that the secret to any art is to express yourself with whatever you feel like using to capture a moment. You are the boss of your own art. There is no right way to do it. We learned quickly in an era of commercialized cookie-cutter arts and crafts kits, we were fighting an uphill battle in that market.

The more we were challenged, the more we wanted to keep going. We were on a mission to free the artist in everyone! When craft stores rejected us, traditional book stores welcomed us. When we were not being supported by our publisher, our Art Army helped us spread our message. Whenever there was a negative, there was a positive. We were inspired by so many people who made art for the first time, people who learned how to choose colors based on their moods, people who were inspired by their own lives, artists who had forgotten what they already knew. It was liberating!

While we were teaching people, we learned a lot about ourselves and persevering in the process. We spent a lot of time traveling and meeting the people who were becoming artists with Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution as their guides. The Journal Revolution progressed to the next step -- another book and a new revolution. A revolution with even fewer art supplies and braver self-expression!

We had confirmed that constant self awareness creates great art, that great art is simple self expression, and that when you talk honestly with people about what is really going on in their lives, their hearts, their imaginations, we are all so much alike. So, we went to the most frightening canvas there is--the mirror. And we brought simple truth before it to create perfect art.

Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution are both out of print now but Linda sells signed books in her etsy shop and both Visual Chronicles and Journal Revolution can also be found on Amazon.

In addition, Linda and Karen's Revolution continues with Meeting In The Ladies Room: A Reflection Of Women In A Room Of Their Own. Click here for more information and to purchase their newest book.

And visit Linda on her blog mixing the media of life and art.

GIVEAWAY

Linda has generously offered to give away a copy of her book Journal Revolution to one lucky reader of The Altered Page. You know the drill. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post. Comments will close next Saturday July 3. The winner will be posted next Sunday July 4 as part of the next post for The Book Guild. Good luck!