MW Giveaway on AliEdwards.com

Material Whirled is a Featured Sponsor on Ali Edward's Blog 

and this weekend we are sponsoring her giveaway!

TO ENTER you MUST add a comment on Ali's BLOG at THIS LINK.

GIVEAWAY : Two people will receive a $50 gift certificate to spend at Material Whirled.

Material Whirled is an online boutique catering to anyone creative! Want to add that one item to your work that sets it apart from anyone else's? Material Whirled offers a wide array of items, from handmade journals and albums to yarn. All products are unique and made by women from many different walks of life! Use these albums and journals or add items to your projects to make it unique and sassy!

Check out the embellishment kits, the scrapping pin sets and my "Stash Purge" page! Don't miss the Handmade Magic Gallery, where there are items to wear and share. The inventory rotates frequently, so keep your eye on the site feed. You don't want to miss a thing!

TO ENTER you MUST add a comment on Ali's BLOG at THIS LINK.

Do not comment here in my blog, Ali is handling the drawing.

Painted Tool Bags

I finally finished a project that I can share with you!

yay me.

Introducing... my painted tool bags!

TOTAL COLOR CONTAMINATION.

I went all the way with the reenie palette on these,
because since they are for ME to use.

Materials:

~ Tool totes or bags from your local home improvement store.

(I chose more of a tote since they will live in my studio most of the time)

~ Heavy bodied gesso-- meaning a thicker brand.

~ Acrylic paints and brushes
~ Sharpie water based paint markers

~ Oil pastels

~ Clear coat spray paint

Here is what they looked like before....
They were a divine red and black.
Came with removable shoulder straps...
and have pockets all around the front and all around the inside edges (not shown here).

I gave them both two coats of gesso-- they really drank it up!

At first I gessoed them to give myself a white ground to work on, to make the colors pop!

I did not think they needed the gesso, but once I started applying it I realized they really did. 

The vinyl fabric would have devoured my precious paints.

It's taken me a month-ish to get them finished, been dabbling at them when I get some time.

Close ups of the "Tool Bag",  the one I will keep my hand tools in.

MORE close ups in my flickr album HERE or see slide show below.

Close ups of the "Painting & Travel Bag"~

MORE close ups in my flickr album HERE or see slide show below.

Inspired by my friend Michelle and her bag painting ventures.

Many more images of my bags here in my Flickr Album...

Kapow!

reenieout

Aimlessly Wandering~

Been a bit of a mess lately. Aimless. Moody. Bah.
Bouncing from knitting to housework to napping to painting.
Grumbly and irritable. I am sure I am a real joy to be around. (sorry family).

I will try to find some focused time with the camera to take some pictures of it all.

Miss my focused brain. Wonder where I left it?
Anyone seen it?

Free Range Show Notes~

FINALLY.
Here are the notes from last week's Paperclipping Live Show!
Free Range Art Journal
Click here for the material list post~

This is the list of links that were discussed in the chatroom during our show.
Our favorite site to buy art supplies~ Dick Blick
This is a great place to get your gesso. There is also a good description of what gesso IS and why artist's use it.
Matte gel medium-- is what Jackie and I use as an adhesive and a clear coat. This works great if you are going to be painting over your collaged images.

Material Whirled~ Unique fibers and embellishments! Handmade albums and journals.
LiveTeachCreate~ scrapping supplies
2Worlds~ Mini Art Journal made from Toilet Paper Rolls (love this)

If you were watching the live show and know of any links I have missed (as I mentioned before- I was a bit of an A.D.D. mess so I am sure there are some I missed...) Please put them in the comments and I will add them to this entry.

The show was a LOT of fun, let me know if you make yourself a Free Range Journal!

Stay tuned for a binding tutorial.... I need to organize my brains and get one put together.

xo
reenieout.

Free Range Show Thoughts~

Click here for the direct link to the archived show~

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8260974

The show was a blast-- even though we had some really annoying sound issues for the first few minutes.

(When you watch, hang in there, the sound clears up after about 2-3 minutes.)

Plus the fact hat I am an A.D.D. mess... well, I always think that. Being a perfectionist, I never perform to my expectations, but that is a topic for a different therapy session, haha. Are you like that?

So.....

I am in the midst of a show notes post, with links and products that we discussed.

Going out for a few hours- my brother is in town (flew across the country) and we are going art supply & fabric shopping! Going to make puppets... he is a puppeteer.

AND I want to get some puppet fur to cover my desk chair. tackytackytacky.

Ok. focus reenie.

Time to get everyone in the car and go.

reenieout

xo

Free Range Supply List~

The Free Range Art Journal

 Tues, July 13th at 6:30 pm pst

Paperclipping Live~! (click for link to the show)

The show will be filmed here in the Material Whirled studio!

AND... if you cannot make show time, the show will be archived at the same link!

I wanted to talk just a bit about tomorrow's Free Range Journal class....
I have been getting requests for a material list, which I will type out in a minute...

The class will be a tutorial, but very non-linear. Which in reenie speak means...
There is a process to building the book, one that will take more than a one hour class.
It is built in layers over time, and roamed through freely (hence the name- har har).
Very open-ended, NO RULES, no templates, therapeutic and freeing!
Free Range-- get it?
Like girl-friend therapy in book form.

I recommend watching us misbehave, and prepare to have some fun!
(Us being Liz, Jackie and myself.)
It will all make sense. I promise.
The technical tutorially stuff (such as binding the book) will be addressed tomorrow night, then explained later on in more detail here in the blog.

Material I used for my Free Range Journal~
The point is to use what you already have! None of us need MORE stuff
~ Manilla folders (do not have to be NEW, old, ugly and written on are the best!)
~ Gesso
~ Acrylic paints
~ Water color paints
~ Paint materials (brushes, water, etc.)
~ Collage papers... suggestions...
    - lists and notes from your daily life
    -junk mail that you find pretty
    - scraps from your scrapbook projects
    -mementos, copies or photos that did not make the cut in your albums
    -menus, maps, receipts, shipping labels...
    -book pages, magazine clippings....
    -I could go on and on, the ideas are endless really.
~ Adhesive- your favorite brand or type. I use a tombo tape or acrylic gel medium.
~ Decorative tapes
~ markers, ink and ink pen, pencils, etc.

SO...
Fix yourself your favorite beverage and prepare to have some fun!
Join the LIVE CHAT ... ask questions or share links and resources... heckle us!
I will be posting a show notes this time! Going to attempt to collect links and resources that are shared in the class chat and make a list here.
xo
SEE YOU THERE!
reenie

Links in this post:
Paperclipping.com/Live
Liz Ness Studios
Jackie Wood (aka Jackie Sparkles)

Curious?

The word curious has been popping up all over the place for me lately.

Here is the latest quote...

Message Received.

Moving Forward...

Free Range Art Journal on Paperclipping Live!

We had So Much Fun doing the Paperclipping Live show on June 29th!

Called the "FREE RANGE" art journal.

Tune in on Tues, July 13th at 6:30 pm pst to

Paperclipping Live~!
LINK TAKES YOU TO SHOW ARCHIVES~

Liz, Jackie and I will be guest hosting a SECOND show and

the topic will be how to make a simple art journal to play freely, with no rules.

Here are some shot of a few work-in-progress books...

See you there!

Calming the Hamsters~

It's one of those days.... a good day for sure, but one where I cannot seem to calm those hamsters in my brain.
You know the ones? That are run run running in their wheels so fast they keep spinning all the way around with the momentum?
sigh.

Making lists so the hamsters have relax.

I leave you now with some before and after shots of my studio table workspace.

Before-- complete with piles of creative mess and the kitschy 70s wallpaper covering~

and After, with new white freezer paper. ahhhh some very temporary serenity.

Of course this was about 5 days ago, so the table is now piled up again.

Back to taming those hamsters!

Blog Slacker~

I know..... I have been a blog slacker.
Been busy being mom and hippie housewife. Trying to slow down a bit and absorb some summer energy.  Gardening, canning, puttering in circles around the house and sending a few car loads of stuff we have outgrown to Goodwill.

Today my Ruth is taking me out for a relaxing lunch, and after I will take some more shots of what I have been up to....

NEWS....
Last weekend I updated the shop with some pretty cool things!
Yarns, journals, new pins, embellishments! New Stash Purge items!
Go and see~?

          

          

AND....
VERY exciting news....
Next week, Tues. July 13th we (Jackie, Liz and I) will be doing another Paperclipping.com/Live show!
Topic is an art journal tutorial....
How to Make your own 'Free Range' art journal!
This show will be filmed in my art studio.... in the Material Whirled!
Too much fun.

xo
see you soon!
reenieout