Sure, it's been a crazy year….but there are many reasons to be grateful and to give thanks. Sending warm wishes your way for a blessed holiday. xo
Michelle Ward/GreenPepperPress Blog
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The Winter issue of Somerset Studio arrived this week. My column features Buttonhole Books – named for the style of binding. It was a really easy method to stitch together pages with an exposed spine. I loved it. There's something really satisfying about working on a project that just fits into the palm of your hand. Here's a sneak peek from Nov/Dec/Jan, out soon at your local bookstore or it can be ordered online at Stampington.com.
For the article I made three books, wrote my text, and took 20+ photos. Since the magazine was a little skimpy on what was shown I have decided to share many more views here, because I can! You'll see the completed books, as well as the full sheet painted papers used as a foundation. It's always fun to start a journal with paint + stencil backgrounds….great jumping off platform, and plenty of opportunities to enhance, elaborate, and unify a spread with more color, pattern, or repetitive motif.
Stencils in these books are from StencilGirlProducts.com and GreenPepperPress.com, as well as some hand cut designs. Rubber stamps used are from ShopTheInkPad.com and GreenPepperPress.com.
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Another terrific bundle of creative videos from Nathalie's Creative JumpStart. The theme for Vol. 4 from 2018 is Now We’re Cooking: Mixed Media Art Recipes. My particular segment is titled: Let's Have TakeOut. Ha! Clever of me, right? It's about subtractive stenciling. Loved making the video, some samples from it are shown above.
Best of Creative JumpStart Vol. 4 is the fourth collection of CJS video lessons from the archives. You will receive links to 12 downloadable video lessons from Creative JumpStart 2018. This collection includes project and technique based lessons from 12 unique and super talented mixed media artists. Download the lessons to your library and enjoy learning at your own pace from a diverse group of Creative JumpStart classics. This collection is just $9.99 and available immediately. Get ready to JumpStart YOUR Creativity! Learn more and read a description of the lessons HERE
It's a good time to scoop up this deal, especially if you missed it back in 2018.
Here is a list of the 12 artists and their lesson included in this collection:
- Nat Kalbach: The Secret Ingredient
- Mystele Kirkeeng: A Recipe for Play
- Catherine Scanlon: Traced Flower Painting
- Marsha Valk: Sole Picasso
- Diana Trout: Spice of Life
- Sandra Evertson: Hot Glue Cooking
- Pam Carriker: Mixed Media Angels
- Birgit Koopsen: A Delicious Little Hors D’oeuvre
- Rae Missigman: A Recipe for Color and Resist
- Michelle Ward: Let’s Have Take Out!
- Gwen Lafleur: Collage Papers
- Jen Crossley: Metal Etched Book
And here is a peek at the projects included in this bundle:
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Dear Artists,
I am writing today with a heavy heart. Our sweet friend Linda Warlyn is very ill. As you know, she is the most gentle, loving, generous soul, and if ever there was a time to chime in and say She Matters, it’s now. When wondering what can be done to support and encourage her, it feels good to DO something. I’d love for you to join me in a special, secret, collaborative project as a surprise to lift her spirits and warm her heart, like she has done for us.
Proposal: Secret Mission – Love for Linda
- Size: 4.25” wide x 5.5” high (A2) size, single panel, work your magic! Think of it as a prayer flag or a motivational message, or a statement of love and positive vibes.
- Material: paper/cardstock as a foundation please, as these will be assembled as a book. I will need to be able to punch through the side to accommodate spiral binding. Dimensional elements are welcome, but please don’t make your page too bulky.
- Requirements: finish both sides, sign the back, and keep in mind the margins for binding (1/2” left side of front, 1/2” right side of back)
Due Date: Wednesday, September 23
- Mail to me and I will assemble with coil binding and fashion a wrap-around cover.
- I hope to mail to Linda by October 1st.
- Please RSVP so I know how many participants will be included.
- GRNPEP@comcast.net
- If you want to invite additional friends – the more the merrier! THIS IS A SECRET MISSION so please keep all correspondence private, no social media posts.
- Prior to shipping I will photograph all pages and post on a private page for all participants to see.
Any questions, send me a note.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING THE TRIBE THAT SAYS LINDA MATTERS.
Michelle Ward, 134 Ruby Drive, Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
GRNPEP@comcast.net
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I just got my copy of the new Somerset Studio – Aug/Sep/Oct 2020. My column is usually featured in "departments", and you'll see my name listed, but the article and art is actually by Kim Collister. My article is there, but found in the Table of Contents under "special features". Turn to page 122 (thanks Sharon for the heads up). The theme for this issue: Home is Where the Heart Is. Always a favorite subject for me, I made some art to hang in our home. I've been doing a lot of that lately and it makes me so happy to be safe at home and working in my new studio. Using up lots of painted papers on the work table, and a few special cuts of Italian marbled paper, along with the ever-faithful black cardstock, I made three pieces, driven in size by the frames I had available. Such a blast!
It's a terrific issue, grab a copy at your local bookstore or order online. You can even get a digital download HERE.
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Another bundle bargain from Nathalie's Studio: Best of Creative JumpStart Vol. 3 is the third collection of CJS video lessons from the archives. You will receive links to 12 downloadable video lessons from Creative JumpStart 2017. This collection includes project and technique based lessons from 12 unique and super talented mixed media artists. Download the lessons to your library and enjoy learning at your own pace from a diverse group of Creative JumpStart classics.
The theme for 2017 was Mix/Match/Master and I enjoyed the assignment – sneak peek above.
This collection is just $9.99 and available immediately. Get ready to JumpStart YOUR Creativity!
Learn more, read a description of the lessons, and sign up HERE
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My friend Nathalie is at it again – presenting a bundle of creative mini workshops, revisiting some projects that were revealed in 2016. Here's a chance to "jump" back in with her special offer. Best of Creative JumpStart Vol. 2 is another great collection of CJS video lessons from the archives. You will receive links to 12 downloadable video lessons from Creative JumpStart 2016. This collection includes project and technique based lessons from 12 different talented mixed media artists. Download the lessons to your library and enjoy learning at your own pace from a diverse group of Creative JumpStart classics. This collection is just $9.99 and available immediately. Get ready to JumpStart YOUR Creativity!
My assignment was Matisse + Spray Paint. Twist my arm, right? Had a blast making my first ever video. Learn more, read a description of the lessons, and sign up HERE
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The newest Somerset Studio has arrived. The theme for this issue was using words in art. I literally used just one word, in many different ways. It's a little game I play with myself from time to time, to try something familiar in a new way. The first time I worked with Believer is explained HERE, a blog post from 12 years ago. You can read more about it all in the May/June/July issue – it's a very handsome magazine, filled with beautiful articles. If you don't have a subscription you could always start one, since shopping seems to be out of the question right now. Single copies also available on Stampington.com
In the article I mention that Fallon and I exchange "believer" items annually. We've had jewelry engraved, and in a pinch we will take a pre-made "believe" and dangle on an "r". Here's some of them….
And I also tell the story of how Fallon was deciding on which college to accept….when she saw the "sign" on my studio wall….the red R we placed behind our word years before ended up being the logo for the school she chose: Rutgers. Love when that kind of synchronicity reveals the right answer.
I'm off to look for the Super Moon. Last one of 2020. Hope you're staying well.
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This is likely the first time in my life that I haven't dyed eggs for the holiday. In these unusual circumstances, where buying eggs is limited at our store, it seems wasteful to use only to color, leave for the Easter bunny to hide, then toss before they start smelling bad.
Late 2011 I made these felted eggs, along with some collaged wood eggs for an article (Somerset Studio Jan/Feb 2012). I also made some wood burned eggs (HERE) which inspired an article I did on pyrography. (Woodburning article Somerset Studio May/June 2017). These collections come out every year, and remind me that Easter eggs don't have to be brightly colored and temporary. In fact, we don't even need eggs to celebrate Easter….because the real gift of the holy day is not something you set out on a table, but something you hold in your heart.
Wishing you a blessed day, whatever your faith.
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Getting caught up with you, I will start with some of my recent articles. Somerset Studio is now quarterly so the Spring issue is February/March/April, and was available on store shelves 2/1/2020. Stitching was this theme this time around and since I'm not much of a machine girl, I thought I'd so some more hand-stitching. I LOVED working in my fabric book a few years ago – you can see some of that HERE. An old technique (Civil War era), became new-to-me as I learned more about Penny Rugs. Gave it a try for this article, and a handful of the results helped me complete one of my fabric books from 2016. Here's a sneak peek of the article, and below are additional photos of the work I did – some are in the article, some aren't. Please don't go out and get a copy if you don't already have one – order online….and stay safe.
I will wager you have all the supplies you need to jump on the penny bandwagon. Felt, floss or thread, needle, scissors. Fun and easy to do. Addictive. Satisfying. Once they start stacking up you can decide what to do with them. Google "penny rugs" and you'll see both historical and contemporary compositions for inspiration and motivation. Great to have a distraction, that is a portable project – doesn't take up a lot of space and isn't messy. Let me know if you give it a try.