Sharing Inspiration

We are excited about the Valentine's Card Exchange and have ideas swirling around for our card creations.

Details and exchange signup is HERE

Here is some inspired cards and art for you to peruse.

We have glassine envelopes and gems and papers and ATC size cards with envelopes too!

Flowers and specialty papers Galore!

Card/book by Trisha Neal using Digital collages 

Tags and trims and more collages!

Stencils and Paints

Our digital collages are Da Bomb for making cards with themes.

Go here to register for the exchange

Trust Your Heart

This  month DIY Design Studio is bringing you "Art from the Heart" and we encourage you to join us. 

Tag us on social media and show us what you create with #DIYartfromtheheart.  

Come along with me on my very first project of 2019!

I have created a mixed media piece by upcycling a heart shaped chocolate candy box that I saved from Valentine's Day 2018.  To create this I used cardboard pieces, gesso, acrylic paints, Gelatos, misc. inks,  chipboard as well as lace and other embellishments. 

Here was the process.  

 I applied gesso to the box, then added torn cardboard using Aleene's Tacky Glue. 

Another layer of gesso was added so there was a primed surface for everything else to adhere to.  Not necessary, but I just tend to gesso most surfaces. 

 Next, came a layer of pink and white acrylic paints. 

Next, I dry fit papers, die cuts and vintage Rolodex cards for a textural base. 

Lace was added and painted paper hearts were attached with mini clothes pins, paper flowers and more painted card board pieces were glued down. 

I also added a little text sentinment for a title.  I just printed this on my computer and outlined it using my micron pen and adhered it with Tacky Glue. 

You can better see the paper flowers I used in the pic below.  These specifically came in white and I added the same pink ink to the centers that I used to colorize my background of the entire piece (you can see the drippy ink elements in the 2 photos above).  I also dry brushed a bit of black acrylic paint to the edges of the petals.  You can NEVER have too many layers of color.  The Little Birdy paper flowers are very pretty on their own, but colorizing them to 100% match the other elements ties the whole look together.  

The final element was diluting white acrylic paint and adding white splatter marks to the entire project.  Okay, that gets everywhere so be aware of that before you go flinging watered down paint on your work of art. You will find white little dots for days.  But, hey that is all part of the fun!  Get a little inky and painty...it is good for your soul!  Oh, a fan brush works best for splatter...well that or running your finger along a toothbrush drenched in watered down paint.  WHAT FUN!!! 

I hope you enjoyed this project.  

I hope your New Year is off to an amazing start.  

I also hope you are inspired to make Art from YOUR Heart.   Stay tuned for more inspiration from the DIY Design Team!

Be sure to check DIY Design Studio for all of your 

craft, vintage and painting supply needs!

Happy Friday! 

~Stephanie

A Card Exchange of Sweetness

I was so inspired by Lisa Kettell's 

Christmas Card Exchange!  

I spoke with Lisa and she is excited and supportive that DIY will do the Valentine Card Exchange 2019.

We will be inviting you to participate at the 

DIY Forum page - click here.  

OR leave a comment here and send your mailing address to Artsociates@gmail.com

Some people do not have the opportunity to receive Valentine cards, this exchange should be such a positive way to share good cheer and friendship!

Just a few simple guidelines - handmade, Valentine (love, sweet, heart, friendship, snarky) theme and a promise to mail on time for Valentines day.  We will provide a mailing list for you.  You can choose to be in a group of 5 cards, 10 cards or 20 cards.  That means you will mail cards to your list members and then will receive cards from the sweet names on your list.  That's where the Promise comes in!