A Lovely Dream

USAQ DT Project #4 Mica Mermaid Dreaming

It was a dream that started like any other.
It started with babies asleep.

 

And they dreamt of US Art Quest Mica Flakes and Mermaids.

The kit is great because it comes with different colors and types of Mica. A little goes a long way so many, many projects can be made with them.

In the dream a drawing was glued down to wood with PPA glue.

Color and texture was added.



The kit comes with the cutest scooper.
Scoop out flakes and scatter them around a glued surface.

 

Clear mica flakes were used and scattered around, even on her face. The flakes are delicate and are translucent so you can see what is under them.

You can paint over some of them for pronounced texture.

And then the babies dreamt of the beach.

and like how dreams go unusual things pop up.

 

"What the hell is that?" Finney thought.
"Should we get closer?" asked Gigi.
"Why of course!" said Miss Blu,
"Only spectacular things could come from a car like this!"

 

The closer they got the more they presumed this was some sort of a xmas car as it was covered with angels and fake snow and things of that sort. Ornaments hung from its interior. A fabulous car indeed!

And seeing as this was a good time to look cute and
wave at the camera, Miss Blu did just that.
But in her dreams she really wishes someone would help
her pick out better clothes.

After a few more moments of looking at the San Diego sky,  Finney Glitter Sunshine Magic,  Gigi Rainbow Sparkle ,and Miss Blu, drive home. (It's a dream, so Gigi drives).

And look who is waiting on the porch for them! It's Kaptain Kitty!



Miss blu told Kaptain Kitty about the Mermaid and the Castle Car and the beach and the drive home and Kaptain Kitty says, "Phew I'm glad I'm a home body and stayed on the porch!"

 

USAQ DT Project #3

Well here we are again! It is so very fun to receive packages in the mail with someone saying Go Ahead Do Something With This Then Scurry Back To Show Me. Mr. Kitty said, "Ok Let's go!"

(Captain Kitty who lives on my porch)

And what do we have to play with for this challenge? MICA TILES! I've never seen them in craft stores but I have in stamp stores and I always wondered what can one do with these? They look dreamy and dark even while sitting in the package. But I had no idea so was intimidated to try.  But USAQ sent me them and said Play so that I did!

Taken straight from the USAQ website:
Mica Tiles are natural pieces of mica, which are heat resistant, acid free and lightfast. Each Mica Tile is distinctly different from the other, but all can be delaminated and relaminated making them perfect for preserving photos, pressed flowers and mementos. 

They look like nature because they are nature. Sheered rock things.  But whats cool about them is each mica sheet is made up of several layers and if you put your finger into one they easily peel apart.  Each time you do this the mica gets clearer and looses its natural sepia sheen, but the possibilities are endless for mixed media layering and using each layer in your piece.  They glue nicely to journal pages.Ok so though, Suzi, get to the point. What did you do?  I dribbled alcohol inks on them and made a colorful transparency.  First I made a few cards.  The words are from a Melody Ross's Brave Girl stamp. I honestly don't know where the birdie came from. I know i bought it at Michaels and its a clear stamp.

You must use Staz On ink for the stamp to adhere to the Mica Tiles. Its the best stamp ink for everything because once it dries it won't bleed which will protect the image as a layer. Other inks will lift off when you put a wet brush over them. Sometimes you want that, but sometimes you don't. (mmmm I'm thinking mounds bars now xoxo)

You'd think it was hard to cut but its like butter. A hole puncher goes through it easy easy and so did trimming it with cheapie decorative scissors. (I used to spell them scizzors before I blogged. Took 42 years for me to understand that word. yogurt too.)

The color in the middle is the natural mica tile. A nice light coffee. I dribbled alcohol inks down the back just a little, and wrote words with a sharpie. You can see in the middle where a back layer has been taken off a bit.  (My message is for the mounds bars. How I long to be reunited.)

Collaging on the back of a alcohol ink stained Mica Tile. (Spell check is trying to tell me collaging is not a word but it is TOO a word! Friggen living in the dark ages don't they know anything?!)

This is the back of the tile. I stamped on tissue paper and glued that and fabric to the back of the tile with PPA glue. 

But the kewl thing I did with the Mica Tiles is add a glass effect to a window in my little Circus House for Unity Stamps.

I doused alcohol inks over the tiles then glued it onto the back of the house with PPA glue. Simple but adds so much.  

Miss Blu looks out the window and says, "Oh I wish I could go to the circus I do I do! Finnie and Gigi do you want to go with me?"

"Yes we want to go to the circus!!"

Ok so here we go!

This is the actual Mica Tile with no special effect photoness on it.  A wonderful transparent distressed layer with very little effort on my part. Which is nice. There is circus fun to be had!

 

When we open the board book here is the page opposite the window. Miss Blu has been working so hard at acting proper, she really needs to let loose.  Pinkie the poodle shows her the way.
 

But there's the pesky truant officer again! He's always afraid Miss Blu will get out of line when she plays. But Gypsies have to roam free, no rules for her!

And out of control is exactly what she needs. (This is my Queen of Glitter stamp that has been cut out and the head and legs repositioned. Its important to me that my stamps be versatile, I encourage you to take my Petite Dolls and put them into different positions. They have lives to live!

"If you cannot be the poet, be the poem." A suzi stamp and quote from
David Carradine




(Suzi Stamp on white paper with cream tissue paper glued over)

Miss Blu realized at the circus that that is where she should be. With the colors and the lights and the furry animals and twirling for no other reason than to twirl.  At the circus you are free to explore your dreams. Everyone is an artist there. Everyone is whatever they want to be.


(sometimes we need reminding. Suzi Stamp on Muslin.)

And now, tired from the Circus, Gigi takes a much longed for nap.

 

P.S. Leave a comment by July 25th and I'll randomly choose someone and send you out a Mica Tile and suzi stamped tissue paper to play with !

US ArtQuest Project #1

  

So let's learn about new products shall we! I am going to teach you how to make this bookmark using Suzi Stamps and some wonderful tools from Art Quest.

*Attention! Woo Hoo it's another BLOG HOP. Hoppity Hop on over to all the Art Quest Design Team Members, leave a comment on their blogs, and your name will be put in to win The Draw & Gild Kit that we have used for this challenge! You must LEAVE A COMMENT ON EACH DESIGNERS BLOG by 11:59 EST, Sunday, June 27th. The drawing will take place on Monday, June 28th.

Sarah Anderson

Lea Cioci

Jessica Griffin

Jan Hennings

Terri Sproul

Connie Vogt

Julie Ranae

USAQ Blog

Supplies:
Petite Doll Suzi Stamp from Unity (not available yet so use another stamp or you can hand draw a doll onto watercolor paper)
Watercolor Paper
Staz on Ink Pad (once dry it wont wash off if you paint over it)
Draw and Guild Kit
Card stock
Scrapbook paper
Sand paper
Prismacolor colored pencils (creamy, my favorite brand)
Paper Punch
Fabric

Directions: (click on photos to make them larger)

 
1)  Stamp a Petite Doll image onto watercolor paper. Staz On ink will allow your image to not wash off when you paint over it. If you don't have a stamp of a girl then draw a girl with light pencil.

2) Pour the Duo Adhesive into the pens reservoir and draw with the glue anywhere you want gold leaf and mica powder to stick. 

3) IMMEDIATELY wash the tool under warm water and use soap. Never let the glue dry inside your tool.  Blow into the reservoir to make sure it is empty. Do this every time you use the tool.

4) Put Mica Powder onto the glued lines where you want mica powder.

5) Put Gilding Leaf wherever else there is glue and you want it to sparkle. What is nice is to mix up the leaf so that there is gold, bronze, and silver in your project. Makes it less predictable.

6) Rub off excess leaf and mica powders from your project and behold what has stuck to the glue!

7) You could leave it this way. If you stamped with white ink over dark paper the gold would shine even more brilliantly. Think of all the different kinds of paper you can stamp on.  I need to, of course, take the girl a step further. Being a mixed media artist it is no fun unless you get to play with lots of stuff!

8) Cover project with Clear Gesso. It will seal what you have done and also create a new ground that you can draw and paint onto.

9) Close up of that. Paper will ripple a little. Let dry completely before you add colored pencil.  To keep your paper from excessive rippling do not add water to your brush. 

10) Brush around the gilding with watercolors.

11) Further your painting with acrylics and Prismacolor colored pencils.

12) Although the gliding is still there you may want to add more if some areas have become too dark. And you can! That is what is fabulous about this tool. It is a necessity if you layer to have tools that will work over things.  Let your painting dry then fill the reservoir with the Duo Adhesive and think about the areas you want to embellish. I want her upper eyelid to be shiny and gold. And more gold on her heart. (Clean out gilding tool the minute you are done with it.)

13) Add gilding leaf and mica powders to where you want them.

14) I love the dreamy look of mixed metallic next to shabby darker moody colors.

15) Copic markers are fabulous because they write over most everything. You can darker the area around lettering with these markers to make the gold pop even more.

16) Adhere decorative paper to card stock with PPA (Perfect Paper Adhesive) It is a little heavier than matte medium but not sticky like Mod Podge. Because it is NOT TACKY when dry it is the perfect glue to use inside journal pages!

17) Rough up edges with sand paper.

18) If you like a shabby look you can rough up the edges of your painting too. I encourage rips and tears! 

19) With PPA glue adhere painting to covered cardstock.

 
20) Viola! Pretty pretty shabby shabby sparkling goodness!

21) If you want it to be a Tag or Bookmark, punch a hole through the top and add strands of torn fabric. Knot in any old fashion. The messier the better. A great gift for any occasion!