Encaustic Animals!!!

A few weeks ago I put out a post on my Facebook Page that I was going to my daughter's High School to teach Art classes for the week, and I promised photos. Well, the week turned into two days, and three days the following week due to the children's sports and activities schedules. I didn't want to rush them to finish, so I offered to give them more time before I came back to finish them up. I'm so glad I did that because they blew me away. I think I learned more from them than they did from me. It was a fabulous experience, and I will definitely do it again. Everyone did a bang up job, and their behavior was wonderful...that was the part I was worried about, but all for nothing. They are a great group of kids, and so talented.  I am so glad my daughter made me go ;0)...and I am so thankful to her exceptional Art teacher Mrs. McClaine for inviting me!

So as promised, here are a few photos. I couldn't take a picture of each piece (90+ children), but I have some of the pieces that really stood out.

This is a super calm and clean photo! This was one of the first classes, so everything was still neat and tidy, and the students were eerily quiet. After six classes, there were Faber Castell Gelatos everywhere, and even color on the floor. It was the most beautiful mess, and loud mess! I told them they could go for an Andy Warhol type vibe, but each person took from what I taught and went their own way. That is what I like the most! Nothing could have made me happier.

I gave each student eight choices of animals for them to use, and this rack held all the canvas boards. It was such a great way to store them. I might need one.

Only these six didn't quite get finished before I left. They only have the last two steps to go, but so far they were amazing.

Lots of the kids gave their animals names. We called this one Blaze the Cat! This photo doesn't do her justice.

LOVE this horse!

This pig was colored so wonderfully!!!

So cool!

Beautiful!

That purple orangutang was precious!

Cute cute cute!

This is Mrs. McClaine's. I love the colors she used!

This is one I was demoing along the way. It's not my favorite, as I had to go real fast, but it's still cute.

And here is the original I made that inspired the class, and in turn they inspired me much much more! They lit an excietment bug under me like I haven't felt for a long time. I truly LOVE my job!!! It's so rewarding.

Thanks for looking, and for all the comments, and as always, I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Christmas Classes!!!

Hello everyone crafty! This time of year is always so busy for me planning out all the holiday classes. It's my favorite time of year to teach as well. Here are three of my Christmas classes that I will be teaching across Texas. I apologize for the photos. It was raining and dark when I took them, and now all the projects are on display at stores, so I can't get better photos.

1. The Christmastime Church Ornament uses lots of Idea-ology from Tim Holtz, Petaloo foliage, Ranger goodies, and what might just be three of my favorite Tim Sizzix dies of all time...all the new Village dies! I could make houses for ever I tell ya!!!

 

2. Twas the Night Before Christmas Santa Canvas uses the whole gamut of Dina Wakley Media from Ranger, as well as lots of Layering Stencils from Tim, and some gorgeous Faber-Castell product. This 16x20 inch biggie made me smile from ear to ear the whole time I was painting it. I've wanted to do a large Santa for years! (***This is not a free hand canvas...lol...I'm gonna show you how to cheat!)

3. The 12 Tags of St. Nicholas Carousel Tree is a big undertaking and uses more Ranger, Stamper's Anonymous,  Faber-Castell, and Idea-ology product than I've used in a class since the the Hood at Christmas Village! That is saying something if you remember it or took the class. What was I thinking? ;0) The tags have an old world feel with the Faux Mercury Glass technique I've come up with to transform each Santa...12 different gents! Every time I travel, I venture into vintage lace and fabric shops and buy all the ribbon I can, and this project uses soooo much of it! The photos do not do this one justice.

 

My first stop in November is Stamp Asylum in Plano, Texas, and then on to The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, and hopefully Scrapbook N' More in New Braunfels in December...we are still checking schedules. Check each store's website or newsletter for all the details.
I humbly thank each and every one of you who have attended my classes! And to those who can't or haven't yet (I'm go nation wide next year...fyi!) thank you for the blog and social media support on Facebook and Twitter!!! You all are beyond wonderful!

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

12 Tags of 2015- October

SORRY to be so derelict on the blogging! I've been running around like a headless chicken around here! Can you believe it's not the end of the month and I'm posting my October tag for Tim's 12 Tags of 2015? I think it's because I've had these dies on my desk for a few weeks, and I was working with them here and there, but hadn't decided what I was going to do yet until I saw his tag. To say I was thrilled to see them on Tim's tag was an understatement. I like someone doing the thinking for me, so thanks Tims! I decided to go ahead and make three tags using all three of the dies.

Oh my goodness, these Sizzix dies are soooo super fun to put together, and the possibilities of colors and textures are out the window! You can really design these however you want! And FYI...all of Tim's new Halloween stuff is gone...sold out...so hoard it if you have it, and if you still see some on the shelves grab it up!!!

Lots and lots of Ranger Alcohol Ink was used on the foil backed cardstock! My nail beds are still nasty looking after 4 days...I LOVE it!!!

I used a plain but cool background from the paper stash, but I thought it needed some stenciling!

I used the same Splatter Stencil as Tim, but I wanted the splashes with more intensity so I used Distress Paint instead of ink on them!

If you follow my tag takes, you know I use the #10 Jumbo size. WHY? Because I love to fill them up with stuff! So I added the new Halloween Handwritten die cuts, some stitching,  more metal, and...

...some cheesecloth dyed with Distress Spray Stain! This is also so fun to do! Then when it came time to put it all on, I had to pole the family to see if they liked the monochromatic look better or a mish mash of the three colors. The monochromatic won with everyone!

Here's Franky!!!

Here's the Zombinator!!!

And here's Blood Sucker!!!

LOVE this trio!!! I know Halloween is not everybody's cup of tea...it didn't used to be mine. But, I have found that I am much more creative with Halloween crafts...it's almost an anything goes! Hope you join along on the fun of the tags! Until next time...and hopefully it won't be so long again!

Supplies:

Metal Surfaces Foil Tape Sheets	Sizzix Magnetic Platform	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - Zombie by Tim Holtz	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - Vampire by Tim Holtz	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - Monster by Tim Holtz
Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool	Pitch Black Alcohol Ink	Ranger Alcohol Ink in Meadow	Ranger Alcohol Ink in Oregano	Ranger Alcohol Ink In Salmon
Gold Mixative Alcohol Ink	Snow Cap Mixative	Adirondack Alcohol Ink In Mushroom	Red Pepper Alcohol Ink	Adirondack Purple Twilight Alcohol Ink
Adirondack Alcohol Ink In Sunset Orange	Ranger Alcohol Ink In Terra Cotta	Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink	Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink	Tim Holtz Mini Ink Blending Tool
Ranger Glossy Accents	Ranger Adhesive Foam in Black	Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 10PK - Handwritten Halloween by Tim Holtz	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash in Regions Beyond 8x8	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Hickory Smoke
Tim Holtz Collection Stencils in Halloween	Tim Holtz Collection Layering Stencil in Batground	Tim Holtz Collection Layering Stencil in Splatters	Ranger Distress Paint in Twisted Citron	Ranger Distress Paint in Spiced Marmalade
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Wilted Violet	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sanding Grip	Tonic Tim Holtz Distress Tool	Ranger Surfaces #10 Jumbo Tags	Idea-ology Long Fasteners
Word Bands, Observations	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments in Oddities	Idea-ology Muse Tokens	Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Black Soot	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Trimmings in Halloween
Idea-ology Jump Rings	Ranger Distress Spray Stain in Twisted Citron	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain in Spiced Marmalade	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain in Wilted Violet

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!