Hello. Were you wondering if I fell off the face of the earth? Nope. I ‘m still here! I, as usual, have been super busy. But good busy and happy busy! I promise I have been working on making new art and cool new stuff to share!

I have big changes and updates:

First of all, I’ve been listing new stamp images like a mad woman in my etsy stamp shop and it’s really coming along! I have the first sets of clear stamps too. The sample stamps are already in and for sale in my shop! The biggest news though,  is that I am getting ready to launch a new blog! It will pretty much take the place of this one. I am doing this for a couple of reasons… I wanted to switch to a Google blogger account and I wanted to actually have the name kristenpowersink.

It may take a while for the actual switch but I am working diligently and I have a couple of GREAT and EXCITING things to introduce to you when I actually make the change!

In the meantime, keep checking in. I am going to post a new tutorial here within the next few days….

i see good things in the future....

Going around in circles. Although that is how I feel some of the time, this is just another d.i.y. tutorial on how to make a cool pendant using my paper jewelry technique!

here are the items you will need:

1) Ink-redible fine-craft paper (you can use other types of heavy paper but this works the best!)

2) circle template

3) acrylic paint and/or acrylic ink

4) decoupage medium or paint on glaze

5) pencil,scissors,paintbrush, eyelet setter and hammer (to punch hole)

6) jump ring

art pendant made from paper

use this paper and a circle template

Choose whatever size circle that you want. Trace and cut it out. File the edges a bit to smooth.

Using your circle template again, start drawing many circles and half circles to look like...

....this!

Choose your paint colors (of course, let your imagination go wild here!) I used acrylic paint and acrylic ink. oh and I made a mess!

keep going...

Now it's all painted . make sure it's dry. I give it a shot with my heat tool.

Next, I outlined all my circles in black...makes it POP!

make sure your outlines are dry and then flip it over and paint the back!

Once your piece is thoroughly dry give it a few coats of gloss, letting it dry in between coats. Do this to both the front and back.

After the gloss has dried completely, punch your hole. I use an eyelet setter. Make sure you punch approximately 1/8 of an inch down. Otherwise if you are too close to the edge it can split your paper. ALSO you may want to skip punching a hole altogether and use a glue on aarnraku type of bail. (note * a regular hole punch will not work when using this paper)

ready for a jump ring!

now put it on a cord or chain...

make art. wear art!

(clue # 10… a chip off the old block)

click here to purchase ink-credible paper 2 5x7 sheets for $2.95

Well, I made my first “Robox” and now I don’t feel so silly saying that I am making a robot out of a matchbook. My little friend has been well received! So now, of course, I want to make more! The only problem really, is time. ugh. (Although somehow I managed to make another one yesterday)! Here he is…

before

after

He is bigger than my last little guy, but still really cute!

TTYS

kristen

p.s. clue # 9  you may or may not have to *th*ink….

I promised a new tutorial and here it is! I have to say I  like this project because it is something that I can really use! It was, actually, pretty simple. It took me about 2 hours from start to finish and it only cost about $8 for my supplies. Again, I try to do crafts that are versatile and that you can change up to suit your own style.

I will quit ‘talking’ now and show you what I made…

This caddy is simple and inexpensive to make!

list of items I used for this project:

1.) a couple of mailing tubes (and I also used an empty coffee container)

2.) a plastic lazy susan

3.) some scraps of fabric (This fabric is my from my own collection once sold at Hancock’s so I had extra lying around, but you could also use magazine pages and collage that would be great too)

4.) hand saw and mitre box

5.) mod podge and sponge brush

6.) scissors

7.) glue

8.) large nail file

here are the things I used to make my art supply caddy

I used this empty coffee container too!

measure and mark the mailing tubes to be the height that you want for your 'cups'. I made mine 3, 3.5, 3.75, 4, 4.25 and 4.5 inches. I left the coffee container it's full size.

I cut my tubes using a hand saw and a mitre box. There is probably a better way but this is all I could figure out without powers tools! Mine did not come out perfectly straight-but after a little sanding, it looked fine! This was the hardest part and probably would have been a little easier if my saw was not so dull! *HINT: use a sharp saw!

Here is what a cut piece looked like- a little rough around the edges. Nothing a jumbo nail file won't take care of!

Here are the tubes (cups) all cut. I like to place them on the caddy to see how I want to arrange them.

smooth all of the edges with a big nail file.

The next step(s) are to cut your fabric to fit each tube, leave about 1 or 2 inches overhang at the top so that you can fold it over. Brush on a generous amount of mod podge all over the outside of your tube.

roll your fabric around the tube, making sure the fabric is lined up along the bottom edge and that your fabric is smooth and free from wrinkles. Fold a small "seam" at the end and glue it all down using mod podge again.

Here is one "cup" almost completed. I cut a few small notches at the top so that I could fold it all down inside the rim and it would lay smoothly.

Here are the cups completed. Now make sure they are aranged just the way you want them.

Glue them in place. I used quick set industrial glue.

Ta Da!

Owl always love this caddy!  And as always, I welcome your comments and questions! Now for the clues…(you didn’t think I forgot did ya?)

Clue #4: Image is everything!

Clue #5: Everything is not always black and white.

Happy Friday! I was not going to post a new tute until Sunday but I had this idea and I couldn’t wait! I have always loved “Nesting Dolls”. I didn’t even know until recently, that they are called Matryoshkas. My good friend, Elana, is from Russia. She went home to visit her family at Christmas and I asked her to bring me some “nesting dolls”.  She just gave me a blank look until I described what I wanted, then she smiled and said, “Oh,  you mean, matryoshka doll!”  Yes, that is exactly what I meant! And she did bring me back a beautiful set. (Thank  you Elana. I love them!) I have been wanting to create some cute charms or do some illustrations of these beautiful, whimsical, colorful dolls ever since and, well, this is the first thing that ‘came out’. I thought it would be pretty simple and it really is! Once again, I try to create projects that are versatile and that you can ‘make  your own’…. Make some big and some small, try different color schemes or  make up a few different sizes  and string them on a necklace…whatever you want. But, whatever you do, have fun!

matryoshka doll earrings by me, kristen!

Here is a short list of things you will need:

1) air dry clay

2) eye pin(s)

3) acrylic craft paints

4) small detail paint brush

5) wire cutter

6) earring hooks

the supplies you will need for matryoshka doll charm(s)

get a pinch of air dry clay

(about this size)

roll your clay. you want to make a pear shape.

pinch it a bit. be gentle and use a bit of water if you need to smooth it, but only to moisten, you don't want it too wet.

it will look something like this...

cut your eye pin down to approx. 1/2 inch.

insert your eye pin into the top of your pear shaped, wet clay. let dry overnight or until completely hardened.

letting it dry overnight. tick tock, tick tock...... waiting is the hard part.

after it has hardened overnight, paint it in the base color of your choice.

paint the face. this is where you can get really creative! make her as simple or as detailed as you wish. maybe give her rosy cheeks and a little heart shaped mouth...black hair or blonde? If you are not sure, then make a few little sketches first. remember, if you make a mistake, you can always paint over it with your base color, let it dry and start over!

here is my example with her finished face and the start of the body design...

here she is with her body design completed, i used hearts, swirls, flowers and dots...

now add a little something to the back.

add your earring finding or a jump ring...(and I added one, quick coat of glossy mod podge.)

if you want earrings, make two!! awwwwww. pretty darn cute huh?

* here is a view of the back and front!

The Phoenix is such a symbol of hope and renewal. Perfect for a cold day in January!

It’s Sunday evening and I have so much going through my head right now. I start back to school tomorrow after a much needed (and much too short) break! Most of the time didn’t really feel like a “break” anyway with all of the busy-ness of the holidays and the many hours of shopping, cleaning and cooking. I’m not complaining because it was fun to have time with the family and it’s always wonderful to have my oldest girl home from college.  But as usual, time just flies by and before Calgon can take me away, the time has passed.  Like I said, it’s back to school tomorrow and it’s going to be a full load. The kid started back last Tuesday but then had a four day weekend due to the snow and ice and I have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to be rough on all of us getting back into a routine in this frigid weather, ugh!

I sure hope you have enjoyed my tutorials and the new look of kristen powers ink!  I plan on posting at least one or two craft  tutorials per week. I hope that if you like what I am doing you will subscribe. I have a lot in the works for this year, so please check in often!

Artfully yours,

Kristen

make this to hang in your studio or as a sweet gift for your favorite creative friend!

Hi ! Here is another craft idea that is really fun to do with the kids! It’s pretty simple to make and it is just really sweet!

Here is the list of things you will need:

here are some supplies you will need to make your little colored pencils...

1) a few ’round’ toothpicks

2) a tiny wood flower pot (or you could use a thimble)

3) white glue

4) craft acrylic paints in the colors of your choice

5) small paintbrush

6) scissors

This is a versatile little project! You can paint the pot with whatever colors, designs or message you would like (of course you can!) And you may turn it into a magnet, a pin or even a super cute pencil topper! See the photos for full instructions! Have fun…..

cut your toothpicks to desired length (if the cut end is rough you may want to smooth with a nail file).

paint your toothpick with craft paint, leaving about 1/8 inch of the pointed end unpainted.

now paint just the very tip of the toothpick with the same color.

here is what they will look like when they are all painted!

paint your pot with whatever colors or designs you wish.

here is my fnished pot!

put a few drops of glue into the bottom of your painted pot.

place your pencils into the glue....

now you may add a magnet or pinback or find some other clever use for this whimsical little pot of cuteness! Enjoy!

Hope you make lots of “colored pencils” (it’s so funny because people ask me all the time if they are real pencils!) Please check back soon and I will show you a couple more cute things you can do with these tiny treasures! TTFN…

Artfully yours,

Kristen

January 5th already? Is that even possible? Aargh! I start back to school in just 6 short days and my biggest consolation is that it will be summer in the blink of an eye…Well,  I know I have been remiss in my blogging but I have made a promise to myself that I would post something at least 4 times a week. Now I can’t say for sure what I will blog or how long the posts will be, but I am going to put something up to at least keep the visuals fresh. Of course my ultimate goal is to have a blog with tons of art and craft ideas and instructions along with interviews and pictures of great artists and craft-apreneurs. I hope to strive more towards those goals once I am finished with school. But in the meantime, I hope to continue to post my new art and chat about my oh-so-exciting- life!!!

TTFN,

kristen

"The Fun in Fungi"

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I suppose it goes without saying that I can’t believe that the holidays are over and it is already 2010! I know that I say this a lot, but I will say it again, “time flies whether you’re having fun or not”! I feel terribly guilty about the horrible neglect of my blog! I just don’t seem to be able to find the time to get to all of my projects. There is always so much I want to do and  not enough of me to go around. Just now I started ‘catching up’ on my art and my etsy shop and now it is time for the kids to go back to school and I will be starting back myself next week….sigh. I hope that I don’t sound like a downer because I certainly don’t want to come across as such! Actually I am really quite happy to be busy and I love that I have so many things to keep me creative! I just wish I could just get better at organizing my time. I don’t really make ‘resolutions’, but I am going to try to work my time management skills this year. Anyway I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! All the best to you and yours in 2010! Something new I have decided to try is ACEO cards, here is my first one…peace, love & kristen

If you have looked at my blog at all, you know I love rainbows! I wanted to paint a different sort of rainbow! And here she is!