Snip, Sip and Sew Recap

Snip, Sip and Sew Retreat hosted by Glenda Miles!

One way I let myself play is by being a beginner. When it comes to sewing, I feel like a total newbie. So when I heard about the Snip, Sip and Sew retreat hosted by Glenda Miles, I signed up!

If you’re a frequent blog reader you know I make quite a few Oopsies…and me with a sewing machine created plenty of opportunities for oopsies! I actually managed to sew my fabric to the foot on the machine. It wasn’t stuck. It was actually stitched on to the free motion foot. I have no idea how I did it, but it took me quite a while to cut it off of there!

You can see my sewing talents in a short video on Instagram here. You’ll see I like to sew fast and loose!

But that wasn’t the only Oops. Check out the photo below.

I was actually being careful when I was stamping on the fabric as I spelled the word oops…and misspelled it! OOPS big time! No problem, I just did it again right next to it! What did we do with all this painted and stenciled fabric that we made? It became a purse!

The purse has pockets, both inside and out. And I didn’t have to use a pattern or carefully measure a thing! It felt so good to accomplish this project even feeling like a newbie…I credit the 3 talented instructors for that!

Thank you Linda Willis, Kecia Deveney, and Kari McKnight Holbrook for all the techniques, tips, and generous supplies! I was so amazed by all the purses created by all the amazing women this weekend. Every one was so unique!

There was far more than art to this weekend. There was heart. Glenda Miles orchestrated the weekend and she has a gift for creating safe spaces for creating and connecting. I got to meet the most amazing women and the creative energy in the room was soul nourishing!

St. Mary’s Retreat is an amazing location. So peaceful. So tranquil. Worked into our schedule was time to explore the grounds and take walks along the trails around the center. The rooms were extremely clean and the building was very well maintained and all our needs were taken care of! Thank you Glenda!

This event included all our meals. Homemade meals. Scrumptious morsels for the taste buds like fresh homemade bread. If you wanted to eat outside, you could. Oh, was it ever glorious out there too! The way it was planned allowed for freedom to be yourself. If you wanted to be around people you could. If you wanted some time to yourself, you could. Love that this was designed for both introverts and extraverts!

Want to create and connect with others? Glenda puts together fabulous creative events and I highly encourage you to check them out! Glenda’s next event is Jacqueline Sullivan teaching at St. Mary’s Retreat- you can find all the details here!

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How to Use Modeling Paste with a Stencil

Video using modeling paste with a stencil on an art journal page plus using spray ink with a calligraphy pen by Carolyn Dube

Why do I love modeling paste so much? It’s versatility. It can give me texture and color variation -just like it did on this art journal page when I used it with Dylsuions spray inks.

In the video you’ll see how to use modeling paste plus you’ll see how I use spray inks for more than just spraying. Dip pens were made to be dipped in ink…so why not Dylusions inks? That’s how I got all the writing on there

Watch How to use modeling paste with a stencil on YouTube.

Here’s just the modeling paste and one color of Dylusions spray ink. Two coordinating colors appear but I only used one color of spray ink.

Spray ink is ink…so why not dip a pen in it and write! This way my writing coordinates so perfectly with the blue diamonds. It’s the same exact ink!

The one drawback to modeling paste for me is waiting for it to dry. I’ve found several ways around that, like with these dimensional ladies running across the page. They were made previously with modeling paste in this workshop so it has all the texture and goodness I love without having to wait for it to dry as I made this page!

Want to know more ways to use modeling paste? Or texture paste…or dimensional paste…or embossing paste…it goes by many names but each does about the same thing! Find out more about this self paced, downloadable workshop and the bonus lesson here!

Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!

Alternating Diamonds Stencil	Dip Pen	Finding Your Tribe Stencil
dylusions spray ink	Flexible Modeling Paste

InLinkz.com

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Let’s Play and Brighten Up an Old Art Journal Page

Video sharing how Carolyn took an old art journal page and made it sparkle!

Let's Play, a link party where you can be inspired and be inspiring!

This page was fine. It was okay. But it could be more fun so I gave myself a do over! I’m allowed to do that and so are you! It’s an art journal page not a legal contract!

What is Let’s Play? It’s all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me rediscover how to play. This month I am sharing how I allow myself to change my mind on my art journal pages. You can see all of this month’s do overs including the super ugly one here.

Be sure to get entered in this month’s $50 giveaway to Michaels by leaving a comment and there are ways to get even more chances- check out the end of this post).

In the video you’ll see me using watercolors on wet acrylic paint. Can you do that? You bet!

Watch Art journal page redo with more color and sparkle on YouTube.

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

Here’s the page that started today’s play. It’s fine. It’s nice. It has room for more color!

I fiddled around with the background with white…but it didn’t stay white for long thanks to watercolors. And yes, I used them right on the wet paint!

The white space is all gone!

Even with all that color, the yellow heart needed more. First some stenciled women from my Finding Your Tribe stencil, an bit of journaling, and then sparkles thanks to Viva Decor’s Glitter Paste!

Now you’ve seen my play- I’d love to see yours! Share it with us all in the Facebook group here.

Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.

There’s also a change to how Let’s Play is happening starting this month. I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play. Instead of the link party as in previous months, we’ll start sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play. In fact, lots of you are already sharing it there!

What about the monthly giveaways? The monthly giveaway is conintuing – just leave comment to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org. Want more chances to win the $50 gift certificate? Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win!Giveaway closes the Monday, May 30th at 8am EST and the winner will announced on the blog!

Why did I choose to switch to the FB group? It allows for more people to comment and encourage and interact which was one of my hopes for Let’s Play. I looking forward to seeing your play!