Tag: Urban Scrapbooker

Back to Bootcamp with Jen Starr

A few weeks ago I decided it was time for me to jumpstart my creativity with a trip back to “bootcamp”. No, I’ve never been in the military, but over the years I’ve had a few opportunities to participate in a learning intensive, lovingly called bootcamp.

This 4-part bootcamp (Paint Bootcamp, Colorful Effects Bootcamp, Stencil Bootcamp and Inka Gold Canvas) focused mostly on background techniques, but the final class we created a 6 x 12 canvas, on which we were encouraged to use what we’d learned during the last day and a half.

Our teacher, Jen Starr, was visiting the PNW from New Jersey. Jen is on the design teams for Art Anthology, Viva, Ranger, and Copic.

  1. Paint: the dread color theory, including creating our own color wheel and understanding how to avoid ending up with mud when you mix colors.
  2. Colorful Effects: Using salt, Vaseline, molding paste, and other fun stuff to add dimension and interest to your backgrounds.
  3. Stencil: Further work focusing on different ways to incorporate stencils into your backgrounds.

I had a great, albeit, exhausting experience and met some neat ladies (Dale my table mate is a very talented artist). Below are some of the things I created at bootcamp.

It’s National Scrapbook Day

To be honest, with the exception of a few paperbag albums and some Smash journals I have never made a scrapbook. Even the paperbag albums I’ve made never had photos added to them. They sit, safely packed away in a box. What can I say, I’m not a scrapbooker.

Why then, you might ask am I entering challenges and giveaways on this, National Scrapbook Day? The answer is simple, really. Scrabookers have the best goodies … goodies that I can use in my mixed media adventures.

Take Washi tape. A scrapbook staple, adding texture, color and interest to any layout. For me it’s wallpaper, tape, a way to turn plain cardstock interesting, and so much more. I have a Washi tape addiction … it is genetically impossible for me to pass up a cool roll of Washi tape. Before you ask, yes, all Washi tape is cool! Is there a Washi tape 12-step program? Truth be told, I probably need that.

Washi tape is just the tip of the iceberg (the Titanic-sinking sized iceberg). There are Wink of Stella pens, Copic markers, Distress stains/paints/inks/markers/embossing powders, Colorbloom sprays, stencils, and Ideology findings (mirrored stars, metal numbers, ribbon slides, and more).

I could go on for days … I have a studio to prove that. Bottom line: scrapbookers have the best goodies.

I love the creative journey and the fact that when I step into the studio I never know what is going to happen. I don’t step into the studio as often as I would like but after my move to Bellevue is complete, I hope to settle into a better routine in my creative space.

What “rolls your socks up”? If you can’t answer, I say it’s high time you figure it out! Get in touch with what gives you joy and energy and try to “get in your creative space” as often as you can!

Here are a few of my favorite spots for inspiration…

A few shopping crafty staples…

And finally, since shopping locally is important: