Designer Spotlight- Ken Oliver

Ken Oliver is a talented artist in the Craft and Hobby Industry. Throughout his education, Ken Oliver studied art and design, but ultimately followed a career path in sales and marketing that took him literally around the world working with clients and factories in Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. His experience in sales, marketing and product development actually led him back to arts and crafts industry. Ken is an accomplished artist who specializes in watercolor, paper crafting, altered art, mixed media book binding and craft projects. Ken lives in Newburgh, Indiana on the banks of the Ohio River.

Ken Oliver is the man behind one of the hottest new products on the craft market "Color Burst". Color Burst is an amazing watercolor medium that lets you create beautiful watercolor techniques like never before! Use this micro-fine concentrated powder with water. It's as easy as "Sprinkle and spritz"!

Great for cards, scrapbooking, mixed media and more!

  Ken Oliver will be here in the great state of Texas teaching and has added The Little Blue House as one of his workshop stations!

He will be teaching 3 different workshop on a 2 day period....

Here is a peek at the class projects you can sign up for

Hometown Minibook- featuring Ken Oliver's hometown
paper collection

Color Burst Watercolor Journal featuring "Color Burst"

Color Burst Wall Décor featuring "Color Burst"

We have all the details about Ken Oliver's Workshops on
The Little Blue House Website- click the link below.....

http://www.thelittlebluehouseonline.com/#!ken-oliver-crafts-workshops/c7n4

photo taken from one of Ken's Classes 

Call or Come by to Sign Up for Ken Oliver's Workshops or if you have any questions about Ken and his upcoming workshops!

Art Journal Page Using Authentique "Playful" Paper Collection

It's Susan Tidwell here to share another project I created with the Authentique "Playful" paper collection I received in my LBH Media Team packet this month. These papers were so fun and colorful and a joy to work with - and, they are available at the LBH!

I decided to use these papers on my weekly Documented Life Project art journal spread for Week 25 (June 20).  The Documented Life Project is a year-long art journal/planner challenge conceived by five talented artists and is in it's second year. You can read more about it here if you are interested. There is a different overall theme each month and every week an art challenge and journal prompt are issued. The challenge is to use these as inspiration for your weekly journal page.

The theme for June was Travel Journaling. The June 20 art challenge was to be inspired by your hometown; the journal prompt was "there's no place like home."  This is the page I created for that week.

I had just enough Authentique papers left over from my previous projects to make the five houses which represent the five places I've lived. I was born in Vermont and then, once married, moved to Missouri then California and New Mexico before finally arriving in Texas in 1999.  I also used the hexagonal chipboard pieces for two windows in the houses. I computer-generated the state names as well as the title: "Wherever we are together, that is home."

The sky and grass backgrounds were painted with Dylusions and Dina Wakley paints, mostly scraped on with an old gift card - my favorite technique for applying paints! I also used stamps with black Archival ink and white paint on a piece of shelf liner to create the textures in the background.

For the week's "calendar" area I painted a large scalloped border, doodled smaller scallops and cut up an old calendar for the numbers. I used a tiny day stamp from Maya Road for the days and documented each day with a permanent marker.

I am really enjoying this project and am happy to say that I have been able to keep up with each week. It is a great way to document this year in an artsy way.  If anyone is interested in seeing past weeks' spreads, you can find them on my blog here: www.susan-artfulmusings.blogspot.com

Diving Into the Beach Party Mini Kit from Echo Park

Well it's me Susan Liles here, and I have a fun layout to share today using the summer-y BEACH PARTY MINI KIT from Echo Park.  Each kit contains 6 12x12 Double-sided papers and a 6x12 Element Sticker Sheet.

I love the fun primary colors and all the patterns included in the kit.  They are perfect for layering and are easy to mix and match by just adding a couple of extra solid colors of plain cardstock which tends to break up the patterns just enough to create cohesiveness.  Don't be afraid to mix and match patterns, especially if they are all from the same collection!

I added a fun embellishment down the right side of my layout using some ribbon and a little plastic ring that is used a lot of times for sewing projects.

Once it was finished, I thought it kind of mimicked a bathing suit embellishments and that's where the inspiration came from.  Some of the other embellishments are simply the stickers that I used with pop dots on them for dimension.  (I hardly ever make a project without them!) Here's a little tutorial on how I made the embellishment: 

I started by pulling the ribbon through the ring.  Then I just folded it over a bit and used my tape runner to tack it down.

Then to make extra sure it wouldn't come loose, I used some Scotch tape and folded the edges in on the loose end and taped it down.

I repeated this on the other side of the ring so that two pieces of ribbon were attached to the ring.  You could completely encircle the ring for another type of look.  Who's going to try it?

Anyway, once I had it ready to go, I ran it along one side of my layout, folded the ends under my base page and taped the ribbon to the back of the layout.

Ok, I hope y'all make some waves about this BEACH PARTY MINI KIT!  I'm off to watch my DVR'd movie, Sharknado.  Catch some waves and stop by the store today to see this layout in person and grab your BEACH PARTY kit.

See y'all soon!  Susan L.

Valerie's Spotlight on Crate Paper's Maggie Holmes Confetti Collection

Maggie Holmes / Crate Paper collections are some of my favorite styles of paper supplies with which to work. I love the colors and the way everything is layered with a touch of metallic gold added for a pop of brightness! Here is a list of the products I used on my projects

Confetti Faux Leather Bows - Maggie Holmes 

Confetti Embellished Pockets - Maggie Holmes 

 Snapshot Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes

Fete Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes 

Hooray Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes 

Occasion Gold Foil Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes

 Gala Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes

 Jubilee Paper - Confetti - Maggie Holmes

Sequins

Spray Mist

Silhouette Cameo

Ribbon

I wanted to create a background using spray mist and a template so I cut a background mask using my Silhouette and one of the pieces of the Maggie Holmes patterned papers - this way I could use the mask later on on another project as I will show later

 I also cut the mask small enough so I could use the leftover outer piece as a frame for my layout - something that I do quite often. Here is the misted piece layered on top of the leftover cut frame

I love the layered look of the embellished pockets and I wanted to further embellish them with some sequins, liquid pearl paint, and machine stitching

I wanted to create a grid on my layout using the pockets to layer my photos, using bits and pieces of embellishments and cut paper to add even more layering and here's how the final project turned out

 

And a few close-ups

And here's how I used the mask that I used to mist my background page - I layered the piece on B-side of Jubilee

then I started the layering process using some photobooth pictures of my younger daughter and me

And a close-up

Thanks so much for checking out my projects!

I hope you have a fabulous day!

Valerie

 

 

Blue House Bundle projects by Vicki Chrisman

Hello Little Blue House friends!

I'm super excited to share a new product we have been working on called "Little Blue Bundles" a hand selected collection of printed papers, alphas and small embellies. Little Blue Bundles are the perfect little bundle for scrapbooking, card-making and even décor projects!  

Today we are releasing are first ever Little Blue Bundle- Happy Day!
Its full of happy bright colors and accents of kraft! Papers from the Chickaniddy- Yippee Collection.
For the full content list visit the "Little Blue Bundles" page on our Website!

Little Blue Bundle- Happy Day price is $14.95   - Limited Edition-

For each "Little Blue Bundle" we create we  send one to a guest designer from our LBH Media Team! Vicki Chrisman was chosen for this kit and she had sooo much fun creating with this Bundle! Keep reading for a few great tutorials and fabulous inspiration from the "Little Blue Bundle"

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Vicki here today to share some projects I've been working on using the Little Blue Bundle: Happy Day! There are so many amazing goodies included in this bundle I had a blast creating with it. 
The papers were from  the Chickandinddy "Yippee" collection.
A super happy fun mix of patterns and colors.My first project is a layout I did of a photo of me and two of my girlfriends. The fun theme of these papers were just what I wanted for this happy photo with the my friends out having a good time together.

I loved adding to my background design with a simple paint technique using a lid and white acrylic paint.I accented the  rings with paper I punched with a little flower punch, and added the Chickaninddy enamel shapes that come in the bundle to the center of some of the flowers.

I think I could have made cards all day long with this kit!  Perfect for a Cherry card. ( or 2 , or 3) lol

Although the pillowbox itself is not included in the bundle is  available in the LBH online store.
The papers I used to dress is up however, are from the Blue House Bundle.

I also created this 11x14 canvas with papers and Chipboard letters from the kit.
( extras like buttons and wire are from my stash, as well as canvas and paint )

I thought I'd show you quickly, how I created the background.

1.  Paint with acrylic paint on plain canvas

2. While paint is still wet, wipe with dry paper towel just a bit ( I wipe it both horizontally and vertically, just for the effect)

3. Sprinkle drops of water

4.  Leave water drops set about two minutes and then lay a paper towel on top of entire canvas, running your hands over the entire thing, to pick up water spots.

This will be your end result

I also wanted to show you this little album I made inside this tin. 
( it's just sitting on an embroidered background for the photo incase you were wondering )

I created it  just by using a circle punch for my papers and photos.
( the circle in the bottom is a bit larger)

I added the chipboard letters on long side to spell LOVE.  

I did add photos on both sides.   You could also  add journaling if you wanted.

I adored everything in this Blue House Bundle: Happy Day!

 I still have some things left from my kit to create a few more projects with.

Visit the LBH Website to purchase this kit! I hope you have just as much fun creating with it as I did!
Thanks for stopping by and letting me share with you!

-Vicki Chrisman-

Pillow Box Challenge!

Pillow Boxes are a fun and creative way to give a small gift!
We love using them for all occasions at the LBH.
We challenged our Media Team this month to create something fun and unique with a pillow box! Here is what they have created!

 

Lindsey- Authentique- Classique Beauty

Nadine Carlier- Jillibean Soup- Saffron Pepper Soup & Maya Road Metal Flower
Nadine created a Video Tutorial for her Pillow Box- Check it out below!! :)

Natalie Sherran- Echo Park: Dinosaur Adventure Mini Theme

 

Susan Liles- Echo Park- A Pirates Life

 

Susan Tidwell- Authentique- Playful

Valerie Bishop- Maggie Holmes: Confetti

Vicki Chrisman- Chickaniddy- Yippee

 

 

I hope this inspires you to create something fun using a pillow box!
You can purchase these clear pillow boxes at The Little Blue House for .79 cents each!

 

Keep Creating!