Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Week 41 Life Documented Tutorial and Week 33 String Art Challenge

Hi there, creatives! I am pleased to share a fun tutorial with you on the Facebook group, Life Documented 2018 and on their blog. Come check it out!


Facebook Group


Finished the Week 37 challenge also. Well, the prompt was to make a mood board, and that I did not do, but I did try the string art challenge. I used my marbled papers from week 33 as my background paper, so that's where I put it in my unPlanner. :)




Thanks to you all for visiting! :)

♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥

Monday, August 20, 2018

Life Documented 2018 Week 33 Guest Post and Weekly Views

Hi! I have a tutorial on the Life Documented 2018 blog. Come see, come see! :)

See it HERE! 



So, my weekly views for week 33 in my unPlanner is ready to fill in, starting with Sunday. I added a fun paper clip this morning, and now I'm having so much fun! It hearkens a bit back to scrapbooking, which is such a part of me yet. :)



I have been making lots of marbled paper, and I've found a way to use them here. See the blog post at the Life Documented Blog for the link to the YouTube video - it was that video that got me into using the shaving cream method! :)


Washi tape is by Rae Missigman. She has delightful art marks kits that comes with the washi. Most of the month tabs are from this kit, too. 






To see more of my unPlanner 2018, visit my Instagram, and follow the hashtag #annasunplanner2018. You can also click on the tag: "unplanner2018'' at the bottom of this post, close to where comments appear for my other unPlanner2018 posts, including two YouTube videos about it. :)

Thanks so much for visiting me here! If you leave a comment, I hope to see it, but I've been having some difficult with Blogger right now. I apologize in advance for any missed questions you might have left me here. You can contact me at artfulstories(at)gmail(dot)com as well or on Instagram. 

Enjoy your week!

♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Roben-Marie Smith Design Team Mini Blog Hop


WELCOME TO THE SUMMER BLOG HOP WITH A TWIST!

Hi all! Thanks for hopping with us and I welcome you here!

Head to my Youtube channel to watch me play in my unPlanner with fun goodies by Roben-Marie Smith Art Pops and PaperBag Studios!

Read more blog hop info below, see my fellow team members' beautiful projects and to learn how you can win some fabulous prizes! :)


(I had it embedded in this blog post, but the page was loading too slowly. Hope this helps!)






In the video you will see:

1. The decorating of this pink and purple envelope using RM stamps.



2. The journaling on the ART POP card.



3. Decorating the doodled calendar.




To see me make the January calendar, visit me on Roben-Marie Smith's Youtube channel HERE.


4. See me make the February tab on the video as well.







Work in progress: Painted a Starbucks bag with gesso, and is ready for some artsy play.


Here I used a pallette knife technique, which was a prompt/lesson back in March, for the project I'm involved in called Life Documented 2018.

aaaaaaaand! Finally the Blog Hop details! 

Today kicks off the Summer Blog Hop with a Twist.  We have the usual art inspiration and giveaways, but the twist is that there is also a SALE! 

AND, there is another twist; Roben-Marie will be closing Paperbag Studios and her Art Shop at the end of July. Read more about it in this article HERE

PRIZES
Grand Prize: One winner will receive a spot in Roben-Marie's latest workshop: SALVAGED: a Layered Pieces Journal and a signed and dated original abstract collage by her.
Three Secondary Prizes: gift certificates for an additional 30% off in your choice of the Paperbag Studios or Art Shop. 

Be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop and leave a comment to increase your chances of winning the discount!

HOW DO I ENTER?
All you have to do to enter is comment on this blog post and then keep on hopping across to all of the Design Team member's posts, leave a comment on them and be entered with more chances to win.  Giveaway closes on Sunday, July 15 @ 9:00PMEST.  Prizes will be announced on Monday, July 16.

WHERE DO I GO?
Here are the links to all of the amazing Design Team Projects so be sure to visit all of them, leave a comment and increase your chances of winning!

Jenni Zmuda

Ashli Oliver

Anna Friesen
(you're here)

Kristi Nazzaro

Torrie Gass

Cindy Gilstrap

Kristin Petersen

Sue Kemnitz

Laurie Haley

Thanks so much for hopping with me here, and do check out the other artists beautiful projects! :)

(My page might be loading slowly, so if you wait until it's loaded completely, the comment section should show up. Sorry.)

♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

REDEEMED Mixed Media Scrapbook Layout with a Time-Lapse Video


Hello, peeps! Today I've got a time lapse video for you! Tap/click HERE. It will take you toYouTube. 

This layout's home is in my 2018 unPlanner. To see more of my unPlanner - this year and the years previously, see the tabs at the top of my blog.

Scroll down past the video to see the supplies used and tips and tricks, and observations I made in the process of watching back the video. I hope you enjoy! :)







Supplies Used (In the order I use them in the video, mostly) 

- Mixed media paper
- pencil
- A fat round paint brush (I like the ones that hold lots of paint and water for this technique.) Using fingers to paint might work fine too.)
- water
- heat gun (optional)
- acrylic paint (Permanent Violet Dark by Golden, Bahama Blue by Deco Art, Americana line, Deco Art Phthalo Turquoise and Phthalo Green-Blue, Artist's Loft Neon Pink and white)
- Various doodled-style stamps (I used Paperbag Studios rubber stamps Doodles and Daters and others.)
- Distress Oxide Inks by Ranger (Use inks that show up well on dark paper and paint.)
- Staz-On black ink
black cardstock
- sewing machine (or hand stitch some touches? Or have you seen the Sew Easy tool? So fun - comes in lots of different designs, too!)
- metallic pink thread
- double-sided scotch tape
- photo
- acrylic block
- dictionary paper
- scissors
- word art (I made my own) Scrapbooking 3d letters would look great too. Love THESE.
- glue stick
- black Sharpie (or some other permanent black marker) - extra fine tip 
- Scrapbook paper for the tag, or make your own paper, or use those delectable artPOPS by Kristin Peterson of AlteredStatesStudio.
- reinforcement stickers
- paper clip with fabric ribbon: you can get my Roses Dreaming Planner Clips  from my Etsy shop HERE.




- glue dots (or other strong glue)


- paint pens or opaque gel pens
- Last, but not the least, my journaling bible.

Tips and observations about my project: 

- When applying colour, add dimension by creating darker shades and lighter ones of the same base colour. (For this layout, I chose dark purple as my main colour, adding water or white paint to lighten up the colour.)  

- Using black elements or other contrasting colours is always an easy trick when creating a focal point. Having a focus point helps our eyes to zoom in on one thing first, then to the secondary and further elements. Our brain likes the order it brings.

- Stamp clusters of detail in three spots (triangular formation) over the two-page layout. If you're creating a similar design just on one square sheet of paper, you can still apply this rule of thirds and clustering trick. 

- I use double-sided scotch tape to easily attach unmounted rubber stamps to an acrylic block.

- Apply white paint or bright colours in areas where it feels too dark or muddy. It brightens things up.

- To choose stamps, think what you want to portray, but also the scale and pattern of each, I like to use some intricate designs, paired with bolder and larger. Also think stripes, circles, triangles. Opposites.

- Baby wipes are a fast and easy way to quickly clean your stamps, or smudge areas you want blended in more, or to pick up too much colour in places.

- I had trouble with the neon pink not popping enough on those finger-painted circles, so I should have put down a white paint first. My experience with neon paints is that they are quite transparent. If you know of a paint that is opaque, message me. I'd love to find some! 

***Warning ahead: reading further might cause you to go down a rabbit hole. Yep. Classic Alice. 

As I typed my tip above, I googled "opaque flourescent acrylic paint", and discovered an amazing article about some tricks to create an opaque look! See HERE! It does seem like a lot of work, haha, so, let's just get a product that does everything for us, correct? ;)

- Use an apron or old clothes when you do the splattering. I got my favorite summer dress full of paint, and my glasses as well...lol

- I got my bible out, finger-painted around the bible verse I'm meditating on, and then copied the words to the back of the journaling spot that sits under the photo.

And that is that! What enormous fun I've had in creating the project, the video, this blog post, everything. Now back to my house, which has suffered a little in the past few days...Please leave a comment if you enjoyed the project, or if you have any questions. I welcome all feedback. Or just comment to say hi! :) 

♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥






Saturday, June 30, 2018

Life Documented 2018 Project Tutorial Week 26

Hi all! Popping in here to let you know of a tutorial I made.

Week 26 Life Documented 2018 Project Tutorial



I'm guest artist for the year-long project this week, so if you're interested in this tutorial, visit Life Documented 2018 HERE or the Facebook page HERE.


♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥


Wednesday, June 27, 2018

unPlanner Play Video Tutorial

Hi all! 

My blog has been on the back burner for a long while, and my excuse? I opened up an Etsy Shoppe. I do love blogging so I'm not stopping altogether, it'll just be less. You know, unfortunately our days only have 24 hours...

 That said, here I am to give you a quick update on the artsy things I've been working on.


I have a video demonstrating how I work in my unPlanner. As I am on Roben-Marie Smith's design team, the video is on herYoutube channel. I used her gorgeous mixed-media art cards and stamps.

See HERE!






I hope to complete the second part to my process, but I am having issues with some of the programs on my laptop since I updated Windows. GRRR. Sorry to anyone that is waiting for the second part. :(

Now, back to Etsy. I have some more listings, including a new washi design! Do check it out here: Artful Stories Etsy Shop.



And three different-sized pouches!



My favourite? These one-of-a-kind original pieces of art. I keep using that scripty stamp from PaperBag Studios over and over again!


And of course, the cabbage roses. They are my safe place. :)


I also made another Artsydori, which I had a hard time parting with!

Traci Bautista stencils are always a good thing, right? Added some handmade doodles as well, annnnnnndddd...other yummy stenciling. Can't get enough of the floral one by Stencil Girl. See the pink flowers at the top of the dori cover?


Decided to add pockets to the inside. I just adore the polka dots!


Grungy looking edges and funky pen loop.



Here it is lain flat.


I have done a few other things too, but I also share lots of Instagram, so come visit me there if you like.

Back to summer vibes, design team work, and working in my unPlanner! See you another time! :)

♥♥♥  Anna  ♥♥♥

P.S. If you're interested in making YOUR own Artsydori, take a class from Cindy of Junque Art Studios to learn how! ♥♥♥