Catrina's time to shine!

Hey everybody where did the month go? OMG it's almost gone!!! Well I think it's time we dust ourselves this beautiful lady and bring her back out to celebrate All Hollows Eve and Dia de Los Muertos they are both pretty close to each other and Miss Catrina is our perfect Bloom Girl to helps us set the mood!

You know when you have an idea buzzing in your brain and you find what you're looking for? Well today I set up to find just that! Here's my finding and subsequent transformation!

I thought it would be the perfect size for my stamp but it was a tad smaller, no reason to stop!

I took my glass out and armed with StazOn I stamped my girl.

Next step in creating a faux stained glass effect was to trace the image using Pebeo Cerner Relief

Once traced leave it to dry. Of course I couldn't just sit and wait right!

I decided she would pop more if I painted the lantern black!

Looking perfect

Now to color it in I tried using a paint brush but the result was undesirable. I had a streak mark, not what I was going for!!! Then I remembered the needle applicators for Dina Wakleys acrylic paints and that was the perfect thing. It was like flooding a cookie with icing in between my " solder lines"! I've posted a video on my Twitter feed @paperboutiquesb that can show you how I did it. It's also on the FB page of the Bloom Girls

You can find another short video on faux soldering on my Instagram feed @milagroscrivera

For the lantern sides I had a little helper who got all excited when coming from school to find this project and begged me to help!

She's so intense, and yes you can totally engage your kids in helping you with this type of projects, and don't mind my mess, creative mind at work!

Time to enjoy my creation at home!

Here's the palette of colors I used just in case you are inspired to give it a go

Happy haunting my friends!!!

Milagros

Quentin, a book for Father's Day

Hi everyone, Milagros today with you! It's June and it's the month when we celebrate Dad's, who better to help us than adorable Quentin?  For today's project I used a Folio by Tim Holtz and some hoarded papers by Graphic 45, vintage "A Proper Gentleman".  Of course you are welcome to go through your stash and find something masculine to help you build your man!

come on in

Let's get started

 As you can see I stamped the bow and collar in 2 different pattern papers, to create a contrast, then fuzzy cut

 I wanted to use a real chain over Jamie's drawing so here's my solution, a TH brad, ready for the actual chain

 I cut a circle of plastic, out of packaging for my lens, a metal rim for the glass that I then gold leafed

 I used 111 Prima watercolor pencil for the eyes

 they were inspired by my DH...

 All of that is pretty explanatory, cut and paste!

 I cut some gears in metal and used a gold leaf pen to highlight his gears, the bow was popped

 I used a Faber Castell Big Brush in White for the hair and mustache

 love the way he glows!

After I though I was done, I wasn't so I decided to use a stencil to add some texture

 yup, he needed that!

 and of course he got dusted with some Mica powder in Gold!!!

I hope he inspires and helps you in this upcoming Father's Day!

Milagros

Quentin stamp

chipboard album

Dies and die cutting machine

metal, chain, brads

Turning Stamps into Art !!!

Hi Bloom fans, Milagros here with you today!  Only a few more days until Sunday when we celebrate Mother's Day.  Today I am sharing a sweet project you can make in time for Mother's Day, believe me it takes barely a couple of hours with stunning results, thanks to Jamie's awesome stamps!

Inspired in my mom's garden which gets visited by hummingbirds on a daily basis here's my project

 

You will need

Catrina, Mother and Anneli Stamps

I am sharing the full images just so it's easier for you to picture where I got my images from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start by priming your canvas, I always begin with a coat of gesso

Stamp and roughly cut your images

Adhere them to your place of choosing with gel medium

now you are ready for some paint!

I am using Liquitex acrylic paints in different shades of blue and white

For my hummingbirds I chose a mix of watercolor pencils, acrylic and mica powders

For my roses I chose a couple of different reds and white to create depth and richness in my flowers

here's a closer look at my canvas

 

the hummingbirds sparkle with the gold, green and blue mica powders, just as they do in nature.

I hope you have enjoyed my project, that it has brought some last minute inspiration for your Mother's Day gifts.

 

Enjoy this weekend with Mom!

 

Milagros

 

Supplies used

Catrina, Anneli and Mother stamps

canvas, paint and brushes

gel medium, gesso

Art Ingredients: mica powders in gold, green and blue

 



Unmasking Catrina with Milagros

Hi Bloom Fans, Milagros here as your host today!

There's still a few more months for the day of the death so I decided to reveal the beauty of the lady behind the mask.  The roses in her hair are divine.  I recall when seeing her for the first time noticing she was wearing a headdress we know as "mantilla", a custom we inherited from Spain. I also remembered my Grandma, she used to go to mass with a "mantilla" on her head every time.  She even looks like a bride, you'll see it in my process.  It was what I wore on my head the day I got married. So many memories Ms. Catrina brings to me!

So you don't lose perspective here's the original stamp

 

As you can see she's all there! Those beautiful roses get me every time!

Here's some of my process, I stamped her omitting the mask, her beautiful face is there, the only thing missing are the eyebrows, that you can easily draw as one big comma.  I had fun drawing her with sun glasses using her mask around the eyes.  Will share later!

 I wanted to place her in an old room, something forgotten by time, using the floral texture , from Prima's Floral Bouquet stencil as a peeled wallpaper, I also needed some white crackle for that old world feeling

 I used a very heavy coat trying to be careful around her gorgeous features

Although I will use my fave Prima watercolors for her features I couldn't resist mixing it up a bit and using acrylic paint on her.  You will see I used it on her roses, lips and her hair

Then I used the Prima watercolor pencils for her skin tones, (soft neutrals and spring and fall tins) are the ones I used

Inspired by a paper napkin I went with some turquoise to match her pink roses

and voila after some metal and hammer she's done!

I am hoping you feel inspired to transform some of your stamps

Have you used them in a different way, do share it with us on our Face Book page or leave me a note here for me to visit you! 

Until my next transformation!

 

Milagros

 

Supplies used

 

Catrina Bloom Girl Stamp

Wood Canvas

Prima's Floral Bouquet Stencil

Finnabair Modeling Paste and Crackle Medium

Faber Castell Pen

Liquitex Acrylics

Prima Watercolors

Metal, Hammer, Nails

Die Cut machine and dies