I wish I had more time to put up some artwork and do a new tutorial because I have so many ideas swirling around in my head! Unfortunately for each idea I have, I also have some other task that needs my attention! So for now I have to be content with putting up a couple of new images! I may not be able to post anything for a couple of days, as I will be out of town visiting my college girl! When I get back I will put up something new and exciting!

Have a great weekend!

a few of my new digi stamp images

* I can’t wait to color these! Hopefully next week I will get the chance!

Happy Valentine's Day! A Heart for You!

Once upon a time there was a young girl who liked nothing more than to draw sweet little illustrations. The girl worked for years and years drawing her pictures and sharing them with people far and wide. She would go from kingdom to kingdom showing her whimsical designs and teaching many creative people how to make beautiful note cards and lovely pieces of art, using the images she had drawn. Then one day the King and Queen of Shadyville summoned the girl to their castle. They wanted her to teach only in their kingdom and in return, she would be paid well and be treated like royalty. Although she was unsure, the girl agreed. But she soon found out that the King and Queen were evil and had no intentions of paying her and they treated her horribly. They were so mean, in fact, that she soon fled the kingdom forever, leaving all of her precious art supplies and her stacks of artwork behind. The evil King and Queen (who weren’t really even a king and queen after all) claimed all of the girl’s artwork as their own and began selling it to all the people in the land. For years the girl felt so badly that she was not able to draw her sweet illustrations or even doodle a simple design. But after a time she could no longer contain the ideas in her head and slowly she began to draw and color again. She realized that although her pictures might have been taken from her, her talent and her desire to create was something that could not ever be taken away. The girl (who had grown into a woman), created lots of new pictures and they were better than ever! And she lived artfully ever after.

…I really appreciate all of you who have begun to visit my blog! For the “surprise” I have been writing about, please visit my new shop kristenpowersink I will be adding new images every week and will have lots of new paper craft tutorials! This has been a big step for me and I am so grateful to all of you who have been so encouraging! If you would like the above image as a free digital download image, just send me a note and I will email it to you. Please continue to visit for new artwork, ideas and some giveaways too!

Thank you.

xo

kristen

Here is my first ever blog craft tutorial ! You can make this sweet angel pendant/pin with a few supplies and a bit of time!

Here is a list of items that you will need:

1. poly shrink plastic

2.fine black sharpie

3. colored pencils

4. 24 g. craft wire

5. wire cutters, round nose plier, 1/8 hole punch

6. a few beads (with holes big enough to fit on the wire)

7. pin back

8.industrial strength glue (I use quick grab or e-6000)

* for shrinking the plastic, I use a craft heat tool and a couple of blocks of wood. You may want to use and oven-follow the shrink plastic instructions…

start with a piece of shrink plastic approx.3.5x4.5 inches. sand one side until sheen is gone.

draw your image on the sanded side using your sharpie marker. (if you are satisfied with your drawing, I recommend making a copy of your image so that you may trace it again in the future).

cut out your shrink plastic image

color (the rough side) using your pencils

punch holes for the arms, legs and "hair".

this is what the rough side looks like once it is all colored and the holes are punched.

now you can shrink it using a craft heat gun (you may also use an oven or toaster oven-follow manufacturer directions for this procedure).

shrink it until it is flat. let it cool before handling.

add wire and beads for hair. "curl" hair using round nose pliers.

continue adding wire to make hair full and cover up the punch holes and add arms and legs.

make a separate little heart on scrap of plastic, cut out and shrink.

glue on a pin back and/or bail on the side that you colored on-the opposite side (shiny side) will be your front.

Isn't she cute?

If you don’t want to make one yourself, you can purchase one that I have made by visiting my Etsy shop!

kristen’s art-Our Lady

zoom

Description

This original art pendant is 100% handmade by me, Kristen!

via kristen’s artOur Lady by wearforartthou on Etsy.

Kristen’s note* I love her wok and I love this piece!  Look at Danita’s shop a.s.a.p!

This is a 7″x 8″ high quality print of my original collage, “LOVE YOURSELF”. It is printed on high quality Epson 8.5″ x 11″ matte paper and it’s signed and titled in the front by me, Folk Artist and Illustrator Danita.

Ready for matting and mounting or to be enjoyed on it’s own, this print will add a very nice touch anywhere you choose to display it. It goes great with any decoration!

via LOVE YOURSELF Giclee Reproduction From Original by danitashop.

Well, I am back again after  a very long pause! I didn’t mean for it to be so long, I have just been so short on time with school starting (for both the kids and me). Besides that I have been getting ready for multiple shows and also super busy at the shop. (But I know I should still always try to find time for a quick blog)! Life definitely does not always go as smoothly as one hopes or plans, that’s for sure. So anyway, even though I have not been here to tell you about the new things I am creating, I have been busily making and developing new things to share and to post. I am super excited by my recent purchase of a book binding machine (got a killer deal on Craig’s List). Needless to say, I am now making hand painted/made journals. Here are a few:Another new thing I have put together (and I am so excited about these too) are DIY paper jewelry kits:

These kits include 2 paper disks, a bale/pinback, “25 inch piece of leather cord and full color basic instructions on how to make your own pendant/pin. They are available for $6.00 plus shipping in my Etsy shop! I will be demonstrating and selling at Green Tree Festival in Kirkwood Park Sept. 19th and 20th in booth #123 -not the best spot in the park, so please come find me! (Mention my blog and get a surprise!)

So, these are a couple of things I have been doing lately, besides eating bon bons

none

My Etsy shop is now up and running. Hooray! It’s I feel as though I have found where I need to be. I tried cafepress, which is really totally different, and that has not been all that great for me. I have now made the decision to close my cafe press shop. But I just have a good feeling about Etsy and think it is definitely more ‘my style’. I will be adding to my shop daily and am working on, not only, different designs but different items. For now, I have some  of my new “paper” jewelry pendant/pins up for sale. I need to get some bracelets and hair-clips up soon too , but I have been so busy working on putting together a catalog of the designs that I want to continue to offer. I am still in the design phase of this new line because I have only been making it for about six weeks! It is a very new ‘venture’ for me. It’s crazy how much I love what I am doing ! Please visit http://www.wearforartthou.etsy.com when you can and give me your thoughts, comments and suggestions!