Snow Angel - Artful Academy

Moikka! Even though there's not a snowflake in sight here in the southern Finland, I can still dream. If you would like to dream too, Artful Academy has this online course called "Winter Wonderland" (link). There's four tutors with winter projects in there, three with a video to show you how to do it and one step by step.

As you have probably guessed by now, I'm one of those four tutors and this is my project for the collection. She's a snow angel, sprinkling white glistening snow to the earth along with wishes of peace, love and understanding.

I use different materials to convey that snowy and icy feeling and show you how to re-create such a card. You can naturally turn the angel also into an art journal page, a small canvas or any other project. It would make a wonderful little Christmas gift, too, don't you think? 

Thank you for stopping by today! And here's the link again, should you want to see the collection (link)! It's just 4.50 € (about $5,50), you know!

Materials: WOW! Embossing Powder, Sizzix, Prima Marketing

Introducing Tom and Pom

Boo! Did you get scared? No need, these two guys are friendly even if they might be a bit scary looking. My husband named them Tom and Pom. They were made for a Halloween collection at Artful Academy (back then Mixed Up Creative) and you can see the course here (link). Nowadays they live at the editor-in-chief and owner of the Artful Academy Katy's house.

I've done some art dolls before these but they all were a part of a canvas or had another kind of background to support them. When thinking of what to do to this collection, I saw some little paper mâché pumpkins and an idea sprung into my mind to turn those into little characters. One of my favorite Halloween -styled films is The Nightmare Before Christmas so I took some inspiration from that. 

On top of the paper mâché pumpkin the dolls are made out of air-drying clay, pipe cleaners and some other elements. If you want to see a step-by-step tutorial to them, you need to enroll to the collection! There's five video tutorials and four step-by-steps in the collection!

Have an inspiring weekend! Thank you for stopping by today!

Materials: Prima Marketing, Sinelli

Leave room for thought - Artful Academy

Hi there and fantastic Tuesday! Today I'm sharing a piece I did quite a while ago for Artful Academy (back then Mixed Up Creative). It's done for an online workshop about flowers. The workshop is a collection of lessons from different tutors and it's called "Flowers and Foliage". You can learn more about the workshop here (link) at Artful Academy's site.

My lesson is about making some easy peasy flowers using the same technique but different materials. The lesson is in two parts - first about the technique to make the flower and the second part is to use those flowers in a mixed media project. 

I made this altered painter's palette as my project. The title refers to the design where I left the thumb hole to her head. It's like there's a void space for thoughts and inspiration. 

Thank you for stopping by today! Have a great day!  

Materials: Prima Marketing, Posca, Ranger

Heart on Fire - Mixed Up Creative

Hello there and creative new week! Hopefully your Easter holidays went and are going swell and you are safe! Today I'm sharing a project I did for a Mixed Up Creative Academy's and WOW! Embossing Powder's co-operation. I played with quite new Seth Apter powders and products (link) in my make and turned something quite plain into rusted metal.  

This project is one of many at a new FREE Sponsored Showcase at Mixed Up Creative Academy. As you can see from the picture on top, the showcase includes projects by Jo Herbert, Niamh Baly and me. All of the segments are in video format. Underneath is more info about the Showcase. 

"For this FREE Sponsored Showcase at Mixed Up Creative Academy, we've teamed up with WOW! Embossing Powders to show that embossing powder isn't just for cardmaking! It's a fantastic mixed media resource that will give your projects zing, sparkle and... the WOW! factor! On this mini programme, you can join Jo Herbert, Niamh Baly and Riikka Kovasin as they share different ways to create molten mixed media magic with supplies from WOW!. This Showcase includes three video tutorials, lifetime access and downloadable content for each lesson."

So, if you want to see how I created this piece, please enroll to the Sponsored Showcase (link)! And it's free, so what are you waiting for! 

Thank you for stopping by today! All the best to you all and good new week! 

Materials: WOW! Embossing Powder, Sizzix, Prima Marketing

The traveler - Mixed Up Creative

Hi there and happy Thursday! Today I'm blogging something old and blue, and even something borrowed in a way. This project was done for Mixed Up Creative Academy using their printables so they are in a way borrowed. It's a part of Mini Collection "Printable Play" that's available through Mixed Up Creative. You can see the course here (link).

I used a couple of different printables in my make and treated them in a couple of different ways. What's fun about the workshop, though, is that there's several different styles for you to draw inspiration and you'll also get the printables so you can play! 

Wishing you a lovely day! Thank you for your visit today! 

Materials: Mixed Up Creative, Prima Marketing, Carabelle Studio, Ranger, Wow Embossing Powder

Time gone by captured - Mixed Up Creative

Friday! Yay! Are you planning on a creative weekend? If so and you need a booster, can I suggest Mixed Up Creative Academy (link)? There's a vast selection of different courses and workshops available from all price ranges, too. 

This project is something I made quite some time ago and is now a part of Mixed Up Creative Academy's "Vintage" Themed collection tutorial pack. 

Here's the description of the collection from the Mixed Up Creative Academy site (link). "There's something so romantic about a vintage project isn't there? Old photos, worn textures, shabby faded blooms, crackled surfaces, and aged trinkets. Whether you want to make something meaningful with a family heirloom, capture past memories, or just evoke times gone by, this Themed Collection is for you! Ten timeworn projects, packed with inspiration, ideas and techniques, await you! Your purchase includes lifetime access, as well as video and PDF resources for you to download and keep."

I could have done anything, but this time I chose to do a dimensional mixed media piece. It's inspired by a cabinet of curiosities and is an assemblage of lovely vintage things.

Thank you for stopping by today and have a great weekend! 

Materials: Prima Marketing, 7 Dots Studio

Tin foil heart - Savvy Supply School challenge ATC

It's Monday! Today I'm sharing the third and last ATC I created for the Savvy Supply School challenge! I hope you have joined in the fun as the prizes are really great! If you'd like to learn more about the workshop and challenge, please see this earlier post (link). 

This ATC was shared at Mixed Up Creatives Facebook group on Friday (link). It's again a simple, fun technique using household item and acrylics. You can see the video here (link).

I’ve used this trick with either kitchen foil or aluminium tape so long that I’ve forgotten where I first caught the idea. I think it’s connected to the early days when I started crafting and saw a Tim Holtz embossing folder with a riveted metal sheets kind of pattern. I didn’t have a die cutting and embossing machine back then, so, I started to think how to get the look without the folder and machine. My father is a carpenter and a diy person, so we had some aluminium tape at home. I soon realized that when you push a hole to the surface and add paint on top, the look is somehow similar to the riveted plate even though the direction is opposite. 

In this technique a touch of elasticity is required. The material you are patterning needs to give in a little so you can draw the lines of the plates with a grill stick or a knitting needle. You also need the material to be soft enough you can puncture the rivet holes to it. That’s why I used a piece of cardboard instead of a piece of cardstock in this card.

The last touch to the surface in this technique comes from the black paint. Without it the holes look just holes and the surface is usually looking too shiny. When you add the paint on top, let it dry for a while and then wipe some of it away, you are tricking the eye to believe the surface to be something it’s not. The look transforms into old and worn with a simple addition of colour!

Thank you for stopping by today! If you haven't already, get your spot to Savvy Supply School early enough as the seats are limited! You can purchase the workshop here (link) and please use the code RKSSS20 to get a 20% discount! And please join in the challenge as well, you still have some time! 

Have a great start to the new week!

Materials: Prima Marketing