Look at the new digi freebie I've made for you! Last week, I asked what you'd like to see on our next sheet. Guess what? I did my best to get most of your requests on this one awesome sheet: witches for Marion, red riding hood for Char-D, feathers for Lenna, a peacock feather for Janet, kitties for Lisa, a vintage pumpkin for Gena, a heart with leaves for Carole, Theda Bara as a witch (boo-tiful glamour girl) for Sandy, leaves for Linda, children dressed up for Halloween (see the cute witches) for Shelley, a touch of red and green for Peg, a frog for Sid, a raven for Anna...woohoo! Even more good news, all of you will get a $5 gift certificate to ARTchix!
Get your free, high resolution digital download by simply emailing blogfreebie@artchixstudio.com.
Enjoy! : ) You're welcome to use them in your personal artwork, jewelry, journals, etc. Or hold onto them for a future project. This item is not for resell though.
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Introducing the lovely Gena Boone-Curtis and her adorable doggie, Junie. Just look at Gena's amazing art in her studio...so colorful and happy! She recently told me that she rarely makes art in her studio...she usually drags her supplies into her living room so that she can be with her hubby and kids while she's creating. Great idea!
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Gena has been making some awesome jewelry and ornaments with our new Wood Jewelry Line. I asked her to tell us how she made them.
For this necklace, first, trace Medium Wood House onto thin, sturdy cardboard or heavy watercolor paper, make sure you trace the inner windows too. Cut out and find images you like to fit into the window spaces (cut slightly larger) glue onto template. (Or another option would be to trace the windows onto a Medium Wood House Tag/Back.)
Next, paint your Medium Wood House with white gesso and sand. Paint a layer of black paint over entire house and let dry. Lightly sand to expose some of the white underneath. Add crackle paint here and there...when dry rub a charcoal pencil over the crackle paint to enhance.
Lastly, glue your house template to your Medium Wood House. Add a ribbon flourish, jump ring and chain.
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For this necklace, first, trace Medium Wood House onto thin, sturdy cardboard or heavy watercolor paper, make sure you trace the inner windows too. Cut out and find images you like to fit into the window spaces (cut slightly larger) glue onto template. (Or another option would be to trace the windows onto a Medium Wood House Tag/Back.)
Next, find a piece of vintage paper (thin is better) and glue over your Medium Wood House being careful not to get glue on top of your paper. Let dry and then push the paper through the windows and trim all of you edges. You can use scissors or sandpaper.
Paint your house using light washes of watercolors, watercolor crayons or watered down acrylic paint. I painted my edges black.
Lastly, glue your house template with the pics onto your Medium Wood House. Add a little splatter paint, a jump ring and chain.
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For this ornament, make a mini-collage on the XL Wood House Tag. Cover with matte medium.
Paint your edges of the XL Wood House Tag and the XL Wood House Frame black. Let dry.
Cover your XL Wood House Frame with white glue, then loosely place a piece of gauze over the top and let it drape over the edges. Press the gauze lightly into the glue making sure to cover your edges. Let dry. Snip away excess gauze as you see fit.
Glue your XL Wood House Frame to your XL Wood House Tag. Let dry. Paint entire piece with watered down black acrylic paint....dabbing away excess paint. Let dry. Sponge on metallic paint. Add a jump ring, ribbon bow and hook to make an ornament.
Thanks for sharing all of this with us, Gena! : )
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I couldn't resist making some quick and easy ornaments with our new Wood Jewelry line too. Check out my new class. I'm just dying to put a Christmas spin on these ornaments!
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What would you like to make with our new Wood Ornaments?
Leave a comment with your idea.
Three of you will win a Wood Ornament Pack that will include 3 wood ornaments (fronts and backs) and our new transparency that's sized to fit.
Hi Helga! If I had these frames, I think I would combine them with some of the photos I've taken over the last year. I've been taking a series of incredible photography classes online and I can't think of a more wonderful way of showcasing some of my favourite images than using these frames to make a personal talismen or two...or three.
Here's links to the photos I've created if you're curious:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19674523@N00/sets/72157627600404420/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19674523@N00/sets/72157627095704280/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19674523@N00/sets/72157625845446322/
I really like how Gena texturized the frames. It makes them that much more fabulous!
Posted by: Lelainia | October 12, 2011 at 11:06 AM
Thanks for the freebie and I love these samples! I'm just itching to try one!
Posted by: Janet B | October 12, 2011 at 11:22 AM
WOOD I like these? I WOOD!
Posted by: Sue B | October 12, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Thanks for the cool witches in the freebie and for sharing Gena´s beautiful artwork - love it!
Posted by: Marion | October 12, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Great stuff and you did a frog for me....how sweet, the wooden boxes are great too. Thanks so much !
Posted by: Sid | October 12, 2011 at 12:35 PM
These windows are great! I have some heritage buttons that I would love to incorporate into one of those beauties!
Posted by: Marrianne Tullis | October 12, 2011 at 01:24 PM
Helga, I am wanting to use the wood house ornaments to create a sweet Christmas village all dressed for the holidays. Gonna order some this week-Woo Hoo!
Posted by: Suzie | October 12, 2011 at 03:26 PM
Helga..........once again.........thank you so much for the inspiration! Fabulous! And lovely artwork Gena!
I picture using the mini ancestors sheets or photobooth sheet combining it with nature photos like a grassy field or a barn landscape or moon.........or or or..........lol!
the free digi collage is fabu! :) Helga, you are an endless source of creative genius.......and we love you!:)
Posted by: Peg Englishman | October 12, 2011 at 03:46 PM
i love the idea of christmas just think you could make mini christmas collages add snow to the rooftops or use the techniques from the artist above of painting them using the crackle paint you could glitter them. Then use them on gifts as tags for special people or give them as little gifts to neighbors or coworkers. So many cool Ideas to use them for........I guess I will be sending in a new order on payday! Just had another Idea you could make little scenes in small boxes and glue the house front on the front of the box. do several and have a little village. thanks for all the products to make great art
Posted by: Kim Sirak | October 12, 2011 at 04:15 PM
I would like to make Thanksgiving Wood Ornaments with pictures and/or images of coming home for thanksgiving, the feast and family.
Posted by: Char-D | October 13, 2011 at 02:45 AM
I love your Christmas idea. I want to add family pictures and make it a keepsake gift. Add some puffy snow paint to the roof.
Posted by: Tracy Ross | October 13, 2011 at 03:53 AM
This week's post is really full of great stuff. Thanks so much for 'introducting' Gena Boone-Curtis to all of us. I adore her art.
The freebie digi-collage is wonderful. Love the frog.
Posted by: Mary Wilkins | October 13, 2011 at 06:03 AM
Love the wood houses - especially the ones with four windows. They would be great place holders for my Thanksgiving table that my guests could take home with them - would use snippets of photos that would be personal for each guest. A face, a piece of nature, a trait I associate with that person, and a small charm that would fit into a window that would remind them of Thanksgiving. Kind of a rustic "over the river and thru the woods to grandmother's house we go" piece. Love the crackle!
Posted by: Sandy Alsfasser | October 13, 2011 at 07:46 AM
hi Helga,
I love, love, love the digi-freebie sheet! Thanks for including my idea. The mix of images is great. okay, my idea: at first, since i'm a quilter, I was thinking like a mini-quilt: four types of fabrics in each window w/ lace embellishment on the outside. Then, all of a sudden: 'Cat House' comes to mind!! Four little faces, or maybe three, and a birdie!!
Thanks again for my gift certificate. Have a great day!
Posted by: Carole Kurth | October 13, 2011 at 08:11 AM
I LOVE these ornaments!!! I think I would like to put pictures of myself, my brother, and my sister when we were little in them. THEN, I will dress them up for Christmas/winter and hang them in my house somewhere! It would look SO AWESOME on a fresh green pine wreath on my inside door!!! YIPPEE!!! How awesome!!!!
Posted by: Theresa Grdina | October 13, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Dear Helga,
Love the freebee sheet. Thank you so much. I would (wood) love to make a banner of pictures of my husband who passed away last Christmas to hang this year on our tree. I would take pictures from my fav memories through the years and decorate them with all kinds of items that go with the picture.
Posted by: Sallie Rodman | October 13, 2011 at 09:27 PM
These are very cool! I think they would make an awesome advent calendar all mounted on a piece of wood or a canvas. The countdown to Halloween (like an advent calendar).
I also think these would be fab on a large canvas depicting a family tree.
I have a few other ideas rolling around in my head!
Susan
Posted by: Susan G | October 14, 2011 at 04:51 AM
WoW...so many great ideas!!!! I agree they would make awesome personal ornaments. Can't wait to see some of them ! Thanks for all the nice comments ;D
Posted by: Gena | October 14, 2011 at 08:27 AM
Helga, you included kitties! LOVE them, thank you so much, and for the gift certificate, which I am on my way to use mere minutes from now!
LOVE Gena's crackled houses; the texture really makes them special and the owl house is fabby fabby!
Needless to say, I love Carole's "cat house" idea (especially as my husband and I are currently building an outdoor kitty retreat in our back yard, which he refers to as "the cat house")!
I would use the wood shapes on the cover of an art journal, as I am very much into making those lately. A Christmas themed journal would be so amazing, with little pictures in the house of Santa, a stocking, an ornament, a tree...
Or perhaps because it's so close to Halloween, a "spooky" house filled with black cats, witches and bats! :)
(Too many ideas, not enough time!) Thanks again, Helga - you totally rock!
Posted by: Lisa M | October 14, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Wowsers what a great post. I think Gena has really outdone herself with her pieces and thank you for sharing how you made them. I love that owl and house. Spooktacular.
I think Santa faces would look darn cute peeking out of those windows or...children's faces waiting in anticipation for Santa to come....The arch how about a lovely angel with glittery wings with a saying like Joy to the World. I could keep going, can you tell I would love to win these and play.
Thanks Helga and Gena for great inspiration
Lesley♥
Posted by: Lesley | October 14, 2011 at 06:34 PM
I love the wooden houses with the four windows. Since my grandfather has been in a nursing home with dementia, my grandmother has dug out many photos of their life together over the years. I would love to make her a necklace with their wedding photo, one of their tractors, the Navy emblem (grandpa served in WWII) and grandma's beloved cat. I would add some feathers since we are part Native American, and one of your lovely feather charms!
Posted by: Shelly Kane | October 15, 2011 at 12:19 AM
I'm thinking a Santas workshop ornament would be darling and maybe for Halloween a apocathery shop.
fun fun fun!
Posted by: Lynn Stevens | October 15, 2011 at 08:46 AM
What a fab digi-freebie! And what Wowza art Gena makes ... way cool. I love all the ideas (especially the Thanksgiving/Christmas ornament ones). I would want to make a luggage tag with images of home to carry with me on my suitcase (and a way to distinguish my generic navy blue one from others ... just had a mix-up like that at the airport yesterday!). Happy art-ing and thanks for all these fantastic ideas and inspirations!
Posted by: Paula Boyd Farrington | October 15, 2011 at 12:17 PM
I adore all of the creations with the wooden ornaments!
My dad is 93 and I would enjoy making him a year round
ornament/wall-hanging with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren
displayed for him. He gets so much enjoyment from having family
pictures all around him!
Many thanks to you...
Cindi
Posted by: Cindi | October 16, 2011 at 07:28 PM