A couple of months ago I promised a solution to the relative expensive Gelli plate.  Here is a recipe for a very good alternative.
4 pkgs of Knox gelatin
1and 1/2 cup po hot water
1 cup of alcohol
1/2 cup of glycerine

mix together and pour into a shallow pan or container.  Let set up on a flat surface.  Refrigerate until hardened.  Play with as you would a Gelli plate.  Return to fridge to harden.  If the plate gets torn or worn pull it up from the pan and place in a microwave safe bowl and gently heat until liquid.  You might want to skim the bits of paint that might be on the surface.  Pour into shallow pan and allow to set up and then return to fridge.  This appears to be something you can do over and over before having to start a new batch.  Some like to take the sheet out of the pan for use but it seems to hold up better for me in the pan.
Check out the Gelli projects on YouTube.  So many fun printing projects.
This recipe came from Patti Parrish on Youtube.  Thank you Patti.

colored pencils and scrapbook paper

Have you ever brought home scrapbook paper just because it was so pretty and then had to buy a box to keep it nice?  The paper then got stored in the box on the shelf until you forgot what you were going to use it for and now it is just not quite the right color blue in the flowers for your current project.  You might be snowbound or, as the case is here heat bound and unable or willing to go out and buy more paper.  Such was the case here.  I am teaching a colored pencil class next week at Paper Boutique and wanted something new and different for the class to color on to practice shading.  I had a lovely piece of cardstock with butterflies all over it.  The background was neutral and the butterflies were not colored.  Inspiration!  Those butterflies needed coloring.

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This was so much fun and so easy to do that I have gone through my papers and found so many flowers and birds and prints that I have updated in the colors I need right now.  It is simply a matter of looking with a new eye at old paper and trying to figure out how you can adjust the color of the design to meet the need you have for the paper now. 
I was offended one day when a shop owner asked me if I just bought paper to be buying it or did I actually make things from the paper.  The answer is I shop somewhere else!
Have fun and I hope this idea helps you use up your stash.  Watercolor pencils and chalk and markers will all work and soon I will have some Inktense pencils to try.

So many things in production this summer that I have not taken time to update my blog.  Coming soon are alternatives to the expensive Gelli plate and pictures from my summer art journal.

Changing the size of your pinwheels

I mentioned in my last post that I thought these pinwheels could make nice jewelry.  I did a little experimenting.  Here is what I discovered.  Take the size of your square and double it for the base square.  If you want some color to show around the outside edges then add about 1/8".  Then proceed as in the earlier post on making pinwheels.  The smallest one I have done so far is 1/2" square base with 1/4" squares.  I had to use my "Pick Me Up" to handle the tiny pieces but they would make darling earrings.  The blue and purple pinwheel was done on 1 1/2" square base and 3/4" squares.  The green one just above it is a 2" square base with 1" squares.  I think I have done the small end of the spectrum now I am going to see how the larger ones look.  Imagine big ones in Red White and Blue for a Fourth of July wreath!   The pinwheel at the top is the one we started with that has the 2 5/8" square base with 1 1/4" squares.  I hope you enjoy this.

Ann's paper pinwheels

I would love just once to position the type and the imagesIi right where I want them.  It is nice to see that they are in the order I wanted them...SIGH... We will proceed from here.  The photo above shows the square sizes that are needed.  I have pictured four neutral squares that look blue in the picture.  You will actually need eight of those.  For the one inch squares you will need 4 and two of the 2 5/8" squares.  In a world where the artist knows what she is doing on the computer you would already know that these are directions for the pinwheel card I am doing for a class at Paper Boutique.  Step one follows...AMAZINGLY!

 The two 2 5/8" pieces are going to glued together to make a star.  It is easier to do this on graph paper if you are very fussy about details.  Lovely!  Moving on...

 I used a one inch postage stamp punch to give some detail to the flowered paper I used on four of the 1/1/4" squares.  You will see this is optional when you have done a couple of your own.  Glue the scalloped 1" squares in the middle of the 11/4" squares and put aside.

 I used a sliver of scrap paper to remind myself and you that we do not want to glue the bottom side on the first square firmly down yet.  It will need to be lifted up to accommodate the last square.  Place the square in the corner of one point of the star with a tiny bit of the base color showing.

 Alternate the placement with a plain 1 1/4" square placing it over the first one and into the next point of the start going clockwise.  Glue it down. 

Note:  This picture might be out of order but I have no clue how to fix it.

 This is how it should look. 

 Alternating one plain with one decorated square around the star you will find yourself back at the scrap of paper holding the place where you can see to lift up the first square and slide the last square into place. (remove the scrap paper for another time) Take a look at the placement of the whole and if you are happy, carefully place glue where it needs to be to hold all the pieces of your beautiful pinwheel together.

 This is the almost finished product.  It needs something in the middle.  Yes, you are right.  Now go through your stash and find a button or a brad and get ready to wrap this up.

 I decided first on a brad so I made a small hole in the center.  The brad did not suit me so I removed it.

 I punched a small flower and placed a little blue stone in the middle.  Not completely happy but it is there until I find something perfect.

Here are three of the pinwheels I have completed.  I hope you enjoy this project and find lots of ways to use it.  Check out Paper Boutique in Springfield, Illinois at Facebook or on their web site for the time and date of my class.  It is a wonderful store so if you are in the area please stop by and be sure and say where you heard of them.

FLASH!  Wouldn't this be darling made about half this size for a broach or tiny for earrings or glued back to back for a pick for cupcakes.  WOW!  One more cup of coffee and I will really be ready to create.  OR... three times this size for a wreath or
                                                                                    yard ornament!

This is a punch art owl I designed using the darling owl paper from ADORNit .  It is called "Owls All Around Us".  I purchased the paper at Paper Boutique in Springfield, Illinois.  Pulling ideas from the owls on the paper I was able to use the punches I had to make this owl.  Think of all the designs out there that could be made into a punch design.  Just in case you are interested, here are the punches I used to make Miss Owl.
Body  fat oval from Marvy
Grey head    "
Grey eyes  3/4" punch
Bib  Stampin up scalloped oval
White eyes 1/2" punch
Blue eyes   1/4" punch
Black eyes  small hole punch
Eye brows  Stampin Up Boho blossom punch
Red wings  Stampin up Big blossom punch
Dotted wings  "
Branch  Stampin up Bird punch
Middle flower from a tiny thumb punch I have had for so long I do not know its source
Feet  and beak are bits of paper leftover.
Have fun with this and do not hesitate to use other punches.
I will be teaching this owl card and a really cute monkey card on the 21st of March 2013 at Paper Boutique in Springfield, Illinois.  There are still spaces left!