Hi friends! We’re celebrating Love & Friendship today over on the StencilGirl blog & I’m sharing a fun & easy “Whats New is Old Again” project. Drop by for a look!
Love & Friendship Frame
Posts Tagged ‘StencilGirl’
StencilGirl® Products & Ampersand Blog Hop
Hi friends! Thank you for joining me for the StencilGirl® & Ampersand Blog Hop. I’m especially excited about this blog hop because it combines two products that I use regularly.
You’re already familiar with my love of StencilGirl stencils, but I also use a variety of Ampersand panels in my creative process. I like to use them for collage making, when playing with encaustics, pan pastels, acrylics, watercolor, and alcohol inks, as I’ve done here.
If you haven’t previously used Ampersand panels, you can learn more about them HERE.
I started with 2 8×8 clayboard panels.
After first giving my panels a light spray with rubbing alcohol, i added drops of ranger alcohol inks and let it flow.
Introducing a second color of alcohol ink is where you begin to see the magic happen. I just love how they blend and pool.
Never one to be shy of color, I added a brighter pop of color and more alcohol until I was satisfied with the results.
Once the alcohol inks were dry, I used the Circle Play Stencil and white gesso to help create some contrast.
Because alcohol inks react wonderfully with rubbing alcohol, I used alcohol prep pads, much like I would baby wipes, and removed color through the Union Small Stencil to create some texture.
One on my favorite part of using these clayboard panels is that you can scratch into them, which is what I did here. Using some clay tools, I scratched into them, through the Hash Marks Stencil.
Using pan pastels, I gave my scratched hash marks some definition.
To create some drama, I used the Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash Stencil and some black acrylic.
To finish off my panels, I stamped out a sentiment and adhered it using matte medium.
Thank you for following along and sharing in my creative process.
Now what would be a Blog Hop without a GIVEAWAY, amiright?? Well we’ve got you covered!
You can enter by commenting below.
Once you’ve done that simply hop from blog to blog, checking out the many wonderful projects created by the rest of the StencilGirl Team. Be sure to comment along the way for multiple chances to win!
GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to Ampersand
AND a $50 Gift Certificate to StencilGirl® Studio!
Enter to win by leaving a comment below.
Then be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop and comment to win.
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
One winner will be chosen at random from all blog comments!
(One comment per blog please.)
You have until Tuesday, November 20th at 11:59PM Central Time to leave your comments.
Winner will be announced on
StencilGirl® Product’s Facebook page on Wednesday, November 21.
Blog Hop Order:
Debi Adams
Gwen Lafleur
Belen Sotelo– You Are Here
Tina Walker
StencilGirl / resketch Blog Hop
Hi friends, welcome to my blog! Today, in honor of Earth Day, StencilGirl has teamed up with resketch for a fantastic blog hop!
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated worldwide on April 22. People from around the world come together to celebrate our planet and demonstrate support for environmental protection.
In case you aren’t familiar with resketch, they create wonderful journals and books, often using reclaimed paper. That makes their products some of the most eco-friendly paper products in the world.
I’m excited to share with you what I created, so let’s dig in! After you’re done here be sure to hop on over to the other blogs and comment along the way for a chance to win the Giveaway!
I stared off with giving my page a coat of gesso.
I brushed on a blue background, using acrylic paint and rough strokes to creates some texture.
Next I used Dina Wakley’s white gesso, in random spots over the glow to add a variation of dimension. This is my favorite gesso for this type of application, I basically just use it like white paint.
Next, using that same white gesso, I sponged on a leaf pattern from the Inspired By Frida stencil, then went back over it with a mixture of greens.
I used black acrylic to sponge on Frida’s hair & eyebrows, as well as some bright yellow for her blouse.
After giving the paint a minute or two to dry, I went back over the blouse with fuchsia acrylic to add a few details to her blouse.
Once everything was dry, I added Frida’s trademark floral headpiece, again, using the Inspired by Frida stencil. I did this using an assortment of gel pens.
I added a small spider monkey to her shoulder, a couple of butterflies, and stamped out a sentient.
To finish it off I added an assortment of mark using the Soulful Scribbles Dots Dash stencil.
Thank you for following along. Please leave a comment below for a chance to win the giveaway prize!
And what would a Blog Hop be without a GIVEAWAY??!!!
One lucky winner will receive both StencilGuts
AND a Resketch Gift Pack !
What do you have to do to enter? Just leave a comment below. Then visit these amazing artists’ blogs and comment for your chance to win!
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
One winner will be chosen at random from all blog comments!
(One comment per blog please.)
You have until Wednesday, April 25th at 11:59PM Central Time to leave your comments.
Winner will be announced on
StencilGirl’s Facebook page on Thursday, April 26th.
Blog Hop Order
StencilGirl / Lindy’s Gang Blog Hop
Hi and thank you for stopping by my blog! I’m so excited to be taking part in this StencilGirl / Lindy’s Gang Blog Hop. For me, this was a wonderful opportunity to bring together products from two companies that I’m crazy about,
This is a BIG blog hop, full of inspiration from both creative teams, so after you’re done here be sure to hop on over to the other blogs and comment along the way for a chance to win the Giveaway!
I started with a spiral bound media journal and gave it a generous layer of gesso. I taped off the handle so as to not get gesso on it.
Once the gesso was dry, I used modeling paste and the Fleur Mix Stencil to add some texture to the cover.
I added color using some of Lindy’s fabulous sprays. The colors I used were:
- Tears On My Pillow Tangerine
- Summer Lovin’ Sea
- Mango Mania
- Autumn maple Crimson
After hitting it with a heat gun, I used the New Orleans 4 stencil and a bit more modeling paste to add some contrasting texture.
While that dried, I sprayed some resin moulded flowers with Autumn maple Crimson Lindy’s spray then rubbed a bit of gesso lightly over the tops of each to enhance the ridges and grooves.
I added some scraps of trim that I had in my stash and an old photo, then added Sandra Dee Sepia spray and touches of Magical Shaker in Guten Tag Teal for contrast.
To finish it off, I added some burlap and lace butterflies and mounted all the pieces to my journal using hot glue.
Thank you for following along. Please leave a comment below for a chance to win the giveaway prize!
Blog Hop Order:
April 18
Mary Beth Shaw
Gwen Lafleur
Mary C. Nasser
Debi Adams
Tina Walker
Kate Palmer
Cindy Wille
Natalie May
Pascale Bernard
Anat Weksler
Bertheas Peggy aka Nirvana
Elena Martynova
April 19
Belen Sotelo – You are here
Cindy Gilstrap
Kiala Givehand
Torrie Gass
Janet Joehlin
Valerie Ouellet
Aga Baraniak
Sivan Amedi
Aleksandra Mihelič
Joanna Marquet
Phoebe Tonosaki
Caroline Parent
April 20
Carol Baxter
Sandee Setliff
Karen Gaunt
Louise Nelson
Sherry Canino
Kerry Fellowes
Yulianna Efremova
Kasia Bogatko-Skoczypiec
Olga Bielska
Olga Ravenskaya
GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will receive both a $25 Gift Certificate to Lindy’s Gang
AND a $25 Gift Certificate to StencilGirl Products!
Enter to win by leaving a comment below.
Then be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop and comment to win.
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
One winner will be chosen at random from all blog comments!
(One comment per blog please.)
You have until Tuesday, April 24th at 11:59PM Central Time to leave your comments.
Winner will be announced on
StencilGirl’s Facebook page and Lindy’s Gang’s Facebook page on Wednesday, April 25.
Stamp Carving with Stencils
Hi friends. It’s Throwback Thursday over on the StencilGirl blog today, and I’m showing how I use stencils to create hand carved stamps.
xo, Belen
StencilGirl / etchall Blog Hop
Hi and welcome to Day 2 of the StencilGirl / etchall Blog Hop! When you get to the bottom of my post be sure to comment to enter the giveaway then hop on over to the other blogs and comment for even more chances to win.
For my project I used these two etchall products.
- etchall stencil spray
- etchall etching creme
I also used a glass craft block that I picked up at my local craft store.
After giving the back of my Women Will Heal The World stencil a quick spray with the stencil spray, and letting it dry a few minutes, I placed it over the front of my glass block. I have to tell you, this spray is awesome. It prevented seepage and kept my etched design nice and crisp.
I used just a bit of washi to mask off any parts of the stencil that I didn’t want to etch into my block.
Next, using the an etchall squeegee, I applied the etching cream, per the directions and let it sit the required amount of time. It was about 15 minutes.
I love that the etching creme is reusable. Anything you scrape off can be put right back into the bottle!
Once all of the creme was removed I gave it a quick wipe with a baby wipe and rinse it under water.
To finish it off I added a piece of gel plate printed card stock to the back of it and added a few lights inside. Just like that, and in a few short minutes, I transformed a plain glass block into a decorative nightlight.
These glass blocks are really versatile.If you want to dress it up even further, you can fill it with rocks, or corks as I’ve done below, affix some flowers to the outside, and add your lights.
Thanks for following along! Be sure to check out all of the other wonderful projects made with StencilGirl stencils & etchall products!
GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will receive an etchall® Glass Etching Bee-ginner Kit,
reposition/reuse stencil spray
AND a $25 Gift Certificate to StencilGirl Products!
Enter to win by leaving a comment below.
Then be sure to visit the other blogs in the hop and comment to win.
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
One winner will be chosen at random from all blog comments!
(One comment per blog please.)
You have until Tuesday, March 20th at 11:59PM Central Time to leave your comments.
Winner will be announced on
StencilGirl’s Facebook page and etchall’s Facebook page on Wednesday, March 21.
Blog Hop Order:
March 14
Mary Beth Shaw
Gwen Lafleur
Mary C. Nasser
Debi Adams
Tina Walker
Cindi McGee
Nadine Carlier
Joe Rotella
March 15
Belen Sotelo
Cindy Gilstrap
Kiala Givehand
Janet Joehlin
Anita Scroggins
Erin Reed
Candy Rosenberg
Susie Bentz
March 16
Carol Baxter
Sandee Setliff
Louise Nelson
Terry Ricioli
Christie Troxell
Steph Ackerman
Julie McGuffee
Art On The Go – A Look Inside My Travel Art Kit
Hi friends. I love to travel and find that my creative self is often inspired by the sights, sounds, & scents of the places I visit. After a full day of exploring, or even before heading out for the day on a new adventure, I enjoy spending some quiet time getting my art on.
I’m frequently asked which art supplies I take with me when I travel, so I thought it time to share a detailed post.
“Memories are the best souvenirs”
While some of the kit’s content can vary a bit, depending on my mood, travel destination, or a new art supply that I may be obsessing over, for the most part I’ve found what works for me and I stick with it.
Here is my most recent travel art kit that I put together for our recent trip to the Hawaiian Islands.
Kit Contents:
– Small Journal
I whipped up one of my own Painty Papers Journals the night before we left and slipped it into a travelers notebook cover by Foxy Fix.
– Water Soluble Pencil
I’m using a dark blue Aquarelle by Faber Castell.
– White Pens & Markers
– Black Pens & Markers
– White Gesso
I like Dina wakley’s brand by Ranger because I they come in small tubes. The white gesso pulls double duty as gesso and as white “paint”.
– Dark Heavy Body Acrylic
For the dark paint I like using “Night” rather than Black, because it’s a deep blue with a wonderful depth of color.
– Small Paint Brushes
– Water Brush
– Scribble Sticks
I like Dina Wakley’s scribble sticks because they’re easy to transport, water soluble, inexpensive & come in a wide range of colors.
– Gelatos
I like that they’ll go on dry and pull double duty as a wet medium, with a little water.
– Glue Stick
Uhu is great for humid climates.
– Watercolors
I like the colors in the Jane Davenport Bright Palette. They’re inexpensive, come in a tin that helps them travel nicely, & they offer a nice pop of color.
– Spray Bottle
Ranger’s Mini Mister is perfect for travel.
– Ephemera
I take a small assortment of stamped images, decorative papers, & bits of painty underpaper. These are great for collage and adding texture & color
– Stencils
I absolutely love the 4×4 stencils by StencilGirl. They’re the perfect size for travel. You can also cut down larger stencils into smaller pieces, like with their ATC Mixup Stencil. I also just added smaller stencil bits to my kit from Traci Bautista.
– Baby Wipes
They’re handy for tidying up and a great tool for removing paint through stencils for texture.
Tucking my stencils right under the band of my travelers notebook keeps them all together in one place.
The Bag:
I’ve tried several types of pouches and bags for my travel art kit and finally found something that I love. It’s a Wash Bag from Lorton & Horn. It has a flat bottom and has a great doctor’s bag opening for easy access.
The best part is that it’s roomy enough to hold all of my travel must-haves plus new additions to the kit, like this set of oil pastels and new Posca Markers.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” -Mark Twain
Enjoying some art time as we arrive on the island of Kauai
Thank you for joining me as I share a peek into my travel art kit. If you have any comments or questions, I’d love to hear from you.
Wishing you a week full of art and a week full of whimsy.
xo, Belen
StencilGirl & Tim Holtz Ranger Blog Hop
Hi friends! This is such a Happy Day for me. Today is my turn to jump in on the StencilGirl / Tim Holtz Ranger blog hop that started yesterday. I get to share a video with you showing how I join together two of my favorite products, StencilGirl stencils and Distress Oxides, to create fun and vibrant art tags!
Before the art making begins, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of my post and leave a comment here on this page for a chance to win the giveaway.
When you’re done, please click on the rest of the StencilGirl team to hop on over to their blogs for even more artsy inspiration! Leave comments along the way, for multiple chances to enter the giveaway!
Now, let’s make some art, shall we?!
Stencils used:
I used the large and mini stencils from MaryBeth Shaw’s Private Collection 17.1 as well as her Hash Marks stencil
Carolyn Dube’s Scribble Scratch and Union Small stencils
Cat Kerr’s Starlight Starbright
and Rae Missigman’s Bittersweet Mini
You can find my tutorials for dyeing your own ribbon HERE and HERE.
Be sure to visit the rest of the team. So much great stuff to see!
October 19: Distress Oxide Ink Pads
Gwen Lafleur
Belen Sotelo – You Are here
October 18: Adirondack Alcohol Inks
Mary Beth Shaw
October 20: Distress Crayons
Sherry Canino
GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate to StencilGirl Products!
Go to StencilGirlTalk.com and Sign Up for The Scoop for your chance to WIN!
Then visit the blogs of Team StencilGirl and comment for MORE chances to win!
The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to WIN!
One winner will be chosen at random from The Scoop subscribers and blog comments.
You have until Tuesday, October 24th at 11:50pm Central Time to leave your comments.
The Lucky WINNER will be announced on
StencilGirl’s Facebook page on Wednesday, October 25th.
Altered Tile Coasters
Hi friends! I hope your week is off to a wonderful start. Today I’m over on the StencilGirl blog sharing how I created this set of coasters using acrylic paint and a few stencils.
With the holidays fast approaching, these make wonderful gifts. They’re also a lovely way to protect your furniture at your next dinner party.
I hope you’ll stop by the StencilGirl blog for my tutorial and be inspired to create your own set.
Cheers! -Belen
Altered Art Tag with the July 2017 StencilClub Stencils
Hello & Happy Weekend! Today I have an altered art tag process video to share with you. I used the 2017 StencilClub stencils, designed by Jessica Sporn for StencilGirl Products, and a 5×7 Gel Press.
Thanks for watching!
xo, Belen