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Random Musings on Art and LIfe

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Renegade Stenciling At A Birthday Bash

May 12, 2016
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As much as I love playing in my studio, I’m still a kid that likes to play with my friends. Last weekend, I headed down to the Twin Cities for a bit of Renegade Stenciling with my sister Sharon.     We’re celebrating Sharon’s 4th Bonus Year this week. Four years ago, she was…

Add Zip To Your Zippers With Custom Vinyl Stencils

May 5, 2016
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Several weeks ago, I was working on my Urban Computer Satchel. After I added the facing strips to the zipper on the front of the bag, Art Brain called a time-out and tossed the whole thing squarely into Project Purgatory. She (Art Brain) was Not Happy with those little facing strips! To rescue a project…

Silhouette Fabric Test – Part 2

April 28, 2016
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In Part 1 of my Silhouette Fabric Test, we talked about stabilizing fabric for cutting without adding stiffness to the fabric. Today, we’ll look at fusible stabilizers and then compare the options. [Tweet “Fusible web is a great stabilizer for cutting fabric with a Silhouette.”] The next step in my fabric cutting test was to…

Silhouette Fabric Test – Part 1

April 21, 2016
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] One of the big things I wanted to understand about my Silhouette Cameo cutting machine was how to cut fabric. At the conference I attended, and in the instructions I have read, everyone called for stabilizing the dickens out of the fabric (making it more like paper) before cutting it with the machine. But…

A Simple Stitch Separator

March 31, 2016

  While I was preparing a lesson for a recent class, I decided to paint up some panels for a new computer tote.   I wanted something with a lot of color, and I found this piece of hand dyed fabric in my closet and decided it had suffered in the purgatory called my stash…

Got Glass Rubbing Plates?

March 24, 2016

One of my favorite things about working with Paintstik Rubbings (and teaching you to use them!) is that we can make rubbings from just about anything that is reasonably flat and has a texture. Including glass. [Tweet “See how you can save Grandma’s pie plate on fabric.”] During one of the recent classes, Kathy Maras…

Testing A Flower Collage Overlay

March 17, 2016

Do you ever have an idea for a project you are working on – but hesitate to check it out because testing the idea could destroy all the work you have already done? I often find myself wanting to play it safe rather than pushing ahead with something that might be really cool. The nagging…

A Kraft-Tex Bag Corner Tutorial

March 10, 2016

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Almost 3 years ago, I made a lovely bag from some of my painted fabric. And, for the first time, I added pieces of Kraft-Tex to the corners to corners of the bag to protect them from wear and tear. (See Kaleidoscope Bag post here.) Just last week, as I was posting this link…

Rubbing Plate Surgery

February 25, 2016

Several years ago, when Zentangles were very much in fashion, I designed a set of rubbing plates I called Doodles. Many of the designs were divided into sections instead of having one distinct design for each plate. [Tweet “Build your own textures with Rubbing Plate Surgery!”] My favorite plate in the collection is the one…

Clay Prints with Zahava Sherez

January 21, 2016

As a teacher and a Creative Mentor, I’m always encouraging you to Try Something New. And you know what? It’s good for me to take a dose of my own medicine! So… On a recent “sisters” trip to California, I arranged a private class with Oakland artist Zahava Sherez. I met Zahava during my travels…

Make Time For Your Creative Nature

January 14, 2016

Do you ever open a fortune cookie and see something that makes you sit up and take notice? This bit of wisdom found me after dinner a few years ago – and I still have it posted right next to my desk. For me, it’s a valuable reminder of the long path I traveled the…

Piping Hot Experiment Comes Full Circle

January 7, 2016

Don’t you love it when things come full circle? Just before Christmas, I returned home to find a gift bag hanging on my front door. Inside? A lovely little zippy bag made from my Piping Hot Experiment blocks! Thanks Deb – I love it! [Tweet “Check out the latest on Shelly’s Piping Hot Experiment.”] In…