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Again--A Challenge Closes and Another Begins

Arlene Faber won the Watercolor Challenge. She did a series of carnations in various colors. Worth taking a look at the archived (don't you love that word?--a euphamism for "I can't throw anything away!) Watercolor Challenge.
Worth checking out as well....the two sketches Arlene provided for December. One is for gg design's monthly Challenge and the other for a ggd sponsored Challenge at Rubberstampchat's forum. Check the Gazette for information on both.


You can enter one or both. Prizes are shown at the bottom of the Gazette page. More prize options will be added later in the month, before the winners (by drawings) are selected.

This is a busy time but a brief card making time out might just restore you for tackling the rest of the holiday preparations and chores.

Have a great December everyone.

Charlotte

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The Great Paper Bead Making Saga!

It started innocently enough.....a suggestion on using leftover scraps from the Watercolor Technique Ida Abshier is teaching.

But......it got out of hand!

Not sure WHY?

But hours of web browsing and checking out various tools and techniques available we are now hooked! Well, for the moment at least.

We found dozens of bead roller tools on the Internet, each claiming to be "new" and "original." That may be a stretch, since quilling and the tools for it have been around for eons and most of the bead rolling tools started from the quilling slot tool.

But, that aside, we now own a bunch! Not saying how many.....it's too embarrassing! But obsessive "I've got to buy everything to make up for not knowing enough" folks will understand.

Need to backtrack a bit......The bead making actually started with a project for my granddaughter. Wanted to make some "jingles" for a dress for her Kaya American Girl Doll. Tried a few things but it really didn't work. The attempt did, however, remind us of a tool from years ago, a bead winder. And an Internet search did find this picture of something called "The Bead Crafter."

Unfortunately it's no longer available. (If you happen to have one, eBay has requests for them.)

The site (paperbeadcrafts) that had the picture also had directions for home made versions. It's a great place to visit to learn more than you ever wanted to know about paper bead making!

I tried a few. QUITE a few of the home made versions but there was something not quite right with every one.

Finally.....and I don't know just how the search led me there.....I found a "Bobbin Winder" on eBay. I LOVED the look of it so sent for it thinking/hoping it might work. I LOVE gadgets and this filled the bill.

The vendor didn't understand how I intended to use it for bead rolling but offered to make "adjustment" suggestions. Careful....not something to offer a gadget happy crafter!!!

With my vague description, he made some bead winders out of dowels and cotter pins and even made a "holder" I had described. (Something out of my past....a long forgotten craft I still can't quite remember.)

First....did I say I'm a "messy" crafter? I am! And no matter how careful I am, I end up gluing my beads to the roller much of the time. Somewhere on the Internet (I can't find the site again so I apologize for not being able to give credit where credit is due) someone suggested using hollow (baby proof) Q-Tips to wind beads. They don't stick!!! You cut off the cotton swab ends and wrap around the plastic. LOVE THIS! (Sometime in the future, I'm going to try plastic toothpicks in a dowel to see if that works. We'll see.)

With my bobbin winder-turned-bead-wrapper and a dozen dowel/cotter pin rollers (with Q-Tip straw covers) and their base I have a dandy mini bead factory!


















I tend to make as many beads as I have rollers available at a time. When the beads dry I remove them (unless I am going to add a coating or additional glaze) and start another batch.
I AM SPOILED.

If I had my "druthers" I'd have several bead rack holders for drying and a bunch more winders. But, you have to stop "somewhere!"

Somehow I lost site of the fact that what I really needed now was a roller that would wrap the heavy weight watercolor paper many of us are using to experiment with Ida Abshier's watercolor project. AND....a heavier tension pin version which this nice person included in a batch for me to test.....filled the bill almost perfectly. (He's an engineer and "almost" as a specification makes him crazy!)

What I'm aiming for now is a non-stick (somehow) bead roller (which is really just a version of a quilling tool) that fits my bobbin winder (the 3/8" inch dowel works) and a long tension pin that has a large enough slot for the heavier paper. With water color paper and heavier paper stock options for how large to make the beads would be nice. Though, as I consider this, I am not sure the watercolor weight paper would work in the bobbin winder. It's quite heavy and probably needs to be hand rolled. There's a limit to "primative automation" capabilities.

This "saint" who put up with all my indecision is named Chuck. If you are interested in his bead roller/quiller tool or his bobbin winder there is a link on the Gazette page or you can check out his web page.

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10/26/09 NEWS FLASH!!!!
Drying Rack has been added!!! Now, sets of THREE Bead Rollers and the Drying Rack are available on Chuck's Web Site. OR you can get Three Bead Winders and the Drying Rack at a lower "combination" price. Just check the web page.
The new, heavier/longer bead roller is terrific. Works very well.

: ) And, you might also want to ask him about the bobbin winder. He personally doesn't think it's necessary to make paper beads. It really isn't, but it's a help (with thinner papers, not with the heavy weight water color and card stock) and is lots of fun if you are fond of gadgets!
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Gosh.....all this to support a "hint." Wonder what I'd get into if I were starting a project from "scratch?"

The funny thing is, a look at Aubrey's Beads and I just want to buy strands of beads from there.


They are beautiful and a strand or two would provide embellishments for a long time.

I've lost sight of the idea that originally this was a way to make use of scraps!

Anyway, my bead making career is just about over. Not sure where all these neat tools will take me next.....I'm SURE they will be helpful in future projects.

Come on over to the Gazette and check all this out. Beads are not the focus of this Challenge. The Watercolor technique is. And, while Ida is indisposed (behind her ailing computer) Yogi Grunwald has sent us tips from her experience with the technique.

Come on over....come out and "play."

Charlotte

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One Challenge Closes Another Opens

The Veneer Challenge winner has been announced and the samples and information have been "archived." They remain available and you can always find them to use the tutorials or check samples for ideas. Just visit the Gazette Front Page and scroll down to the table with links to previous Challenges.

Now that the Veneer Challenge is completed a new challenge is presented. : ) It never stops, hopefully!

Ida Abshier, "Queen of Watercolor" is showing us all how to use her fluid, lovely, watercolor technique. There is a tutorial to start you out but in addition, Ida will be answering questions throughout the challenge.....which, due to its difficulty, may last six weeks.

Try it.....if you have questions, submit them to gg designs and Ida will address them.

This really is a lovely technique that looks deceptively simple. It's a lot of knowing when to stop and the "less is more" philosophy.

Ida will hold our hands while we experiment. It's a lovely technique to have at your disposal. A tad frustrating in the beginning but you will definitely be glad to have this "tool" available.

After every one's had a chance to get started, we'll discuss different ways to use it.....and.....what to do with the "rejects." (There will be plenty!)

Join the fun!

Charlotte

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Where does the time go?

The Wood Veneer Challenge is in full swing.....first week and many samples already.
It's clear that most of these were not done specifically for this challenge but instead by people already familiar and comfortable with the material.

If you've never worked with it before, give it a try.

Jeanette Water's great tutorial will get you on your way and the samples already posted will inspire and encourage you.

Check them out at gg designs Gazette.

Here's a quick peek (below) but there are more examples in the Gazette.
Come join the fun.

Charlotte

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Slice 'n Dice Winner Announced
Ida Abshier was winner of the drawing (among the participants in the July/August Slice 'n Dice Challenge).
Here's her entry....but you'll really have to go the the Challenge page to get the full impact!

Check out the Gazette and the Slice 'n Dice Challenge.

Thanks.
Charlotte

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Slice 'n Dice Challenge Exciting!!!

As the samples flow in, the excitement mounts. Rarely in a challenge have there been such diverse directions taken by an equally diverse group of stampers.

Even though I do not participate in Challenges, even those sponsored by gg designs, this particular event has definitely influenced some of the projects I've been working on.

Most customers know that I am not a stamper. Strange, huh? But, from the first stamp party I ever attended, I knew I was more interested in designing the stamps than using them. So, putting my designs, mostly carvings, on the Internet was a great way to keep on carving. (I now have a set of shelves in my garage, filled with a decade of carvings.)

Also, when in an art class eons ago, a strange thing happened. Everyone was working at their own pace, in there own style until one day, the instructor decided to paint along with the class. BIG MISTAKE! From then on, students' work in the class became "clones" of the teachers' work. Think the teacher was flattered but an important learning experience was lost.

Both of these events led to my early decision not to display my own work. A good thing, too. The work of the stamp artists using my designs so out classed what I would have done with them, how I saw them, it would have been exceedingly embarrassing!!!

So....thank you stampers, for making gg designs look so good!

Now to sort of break my own rule!

This Slice 'n Dice project sent everyone in their own unique direction. (My hope for most challenges.) But this one couldn't/wouldn't be contained.

While I do not participate in challenges or post my own work on the site, I do belong to a couple of carving exchange groups. While I was preparing ATCs for one of these groups I suddenly became aware that I was handling these in a totally different way than usual. And I knew the Slice 'n Dice approach was responsible. While I did not apply it in the way the tutorial directed (few of the participants did) its influence became obvious to me.

These are the carved pieces I started with. Had nothing much in mind except experimenting with various background textures.

As you can see, the carved pieces are various sizes and there's really no rhyme or reason apparent.

This is the result:

None of the carved pieces was used "in total." Just little smippets, randomly stamped. It's hard to tell which stamp was used where. I'm usually much more anal about having a plan and sticking to it. This was a whole new-happy- experience.

I'm not showing the finished ATC, since most of the recipients in this exchange have not yet received their copies.

BUT....I'm here to suggest you file the URL to the Slice 'n Dice Challenge away if you are not yet ready to try it. Plan it for a quiet time (what's that?) or a time when you are "stuck." (We all know what that is!) While I would love to have you participate in this month's challenge, it's much more important that you stash the information away so you can use it to "spread your wings" sometime when you really need it.

It is such a freeing experience. You'll never look at your stamps in quite the same way again.

Linda Blackbird, who originally introduced me to this technique wrote (of the entries so far):

Oh my gosh, Char...These girls bring 'Slice and Dice' to a whole new level! Such creativity! What a treat to see so many different spins on the idea. Even though the technique didn't originate with me, thank you for using it as a catalyst for these wonderful creations....They are all truly inspiring!

Here are the URL's to start you off:
July Slice 'n Dice Challenge
http://www.ggdesigns.net/Gazette/Challenges/JulySlicenDiceChallenge.html
and
Linda Blackbird's "Slice 'n Dice" Tiles technique
http://www.ggdesigns.net/Gazette/ClassesSamplesPg1.html

Come on over t0 the Gazette and join us! We're having lots of fun!!!

Charlotte