CHAPTER 26: Sizin' up a Sketch...

"The Caterpillar was the first to speak.

`What size do you want to be?' it asked.

`Oh, I'm not particular as to size,' Alice hastily replied; `only one doesn't like changing so often, you know.'

`I DON'T know,' said the Caterpillar.

Alice said nothing: she had never been so much contradicted in her life before, and she felt that she was losing her temper.

`Are you content now?' said the Caterpillar.

`Well, I should like to be a LITTLE larger, sir, if you wouldn't mind,' said Alice: `three inches is such a wretched height to be.'

`It is a very good height indeed!' said the Caterpillar angrily, rearing itself upright as it spoke (it was exactly three inches high).

`But I'm not used to it!' pleaded poor Alice in a piteous tone. And she thought of herself, `I wish the creatures wouldn't be so easily offended!'

`You'll get used to it in time,' said the Caterpillar; and it put the hookah into its mouth and began smoking again..."

Hello! How is everyone here in Wonderland today?

We are sizing up a GREAT sketch by JEN and the main panel just HAPPENS to be THREE. INCHES. TALL. :) Now, of course you don't have to stick to this if your image won't fit, but we didn't want to anger Mr. Caterpillar by saying that Three inches wasn't a respectable height, so here's the sketch:

And here is my sample:

{click to enlarge}

{click to enlarge}

Background pieces were colored using distress inks by Ranger, perfect pearls, Liquitex modeling paste, and watercolors. Center piece includes Ching-Chou Kuik's Full Moon image colored with Copic markers and shaded with distress inks, highlighted with distress and regular Stickles.

And, hey, thanks so much for stopping by today and since we won't have a sponsor this week (but WAIT til you see who we have later in the month and in September! WOOT!) so you have no time limit to play!

Ta for now! ~ky

My first Ustream!

I had so much fun doing my first Ustream show on Tuesday! You know, it's always fun to play with your toys, but it's even better to help someone else learn while you do it. I love teaching and sharing! There were many questions from the audience, and I promised some links and other information. This post will attempt to pull all that together for you. If I've overlooked something, please email me at scrapacat at yahoo, and I will edit this post to include the info.

Types of inks

Dye inks - water-reactive inks great for smearing and mixing:

Ranger Ink distress inks - a dry-time extended, heat embossable, water activated dye inks. 

Memento dye inks - when dry, perfect for use with Copic inks when heat set.

Pigment inks - glue or paint based inks, great for heat embossing and archival qualities

Stampin' Up Craft inks, 

Colorbox cateye chalk inks,

Versacolor and Versafine inks - embossable, archival, pigment inks.

Solvent inks - permanent on most non-porous surfaces, reactive with solvents like alcohol

StazOn, Ranger Ink Adirondack, and Copic inks - appropriate for porous and non-porous surfaces, fast drying, and solvent-reactive inks.

Storage Solutions

Stampin' Up's Ink spinner
Storage binders: for 8.5x11 3-ring binders, and other sizes
Patter Cross - my hero of organization!

Where I shop Online

Eclectic Paperie - great source of Ten Seconds Studio and Tim Holtz gear
Live.Teach.Create - awesome variety of tools and product
Gina K. Designs - wonderful stamps, excellent papers and inks, and the BEST customer service
Unity Stamp Company - the best, most innovative stamp company hands down. This is where I got those outstanding acrylic handles. Tell them I sent you!

Where else you can find me!

Recipes from my personal chef line

Art Journal specific challenges, new each Sunday

The Learner's Permit art, stamping and sewing teaching Ustream show.

I hope you find this information helpful. Remember, let me know if I've left out something and I will gladly share the information!
~ky

CHAPTER 25: White Rabbit, White Gloves, White Wonderland...

"After a time she heard a little pattering of feet in the distance, and she hastily dried her eyes to see what was coming.


It was the White Rabbit returning, splendidly dressed, with a pair of white kid gloves in one hand and a large fan in the other: he came trotting along in a great hurry, muttering to himself as he came, `Oh! the Duchess, the Duchess! Oh! won't she be savage if I've kept her waiting!'

Alice felt so desperate that she was ready to ask help of any one; so, when the Rabbit came near her, she began, in a low, timid voice, `If you please, sir--' The Rabbit started violently, dropped the white kid gloves and the fan, and skurried away into the darkness as hard as he could go..."

~Alices Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 2

Hello dolls!

We are back in the WHITE heat of August with another fabulous challenge for you today! This week at Oh, Alice we are trying to BEAT that heat, and you know, they say you shouldn't wear dark colors this time of year to keep cool!

In the spirit of that, along with our WHITE Rabbit and his WHITE kid gloves, guess what our challenge is for you today?

That's RIGHT. WHITE WONDERLAND. And we're not talkin' about Christmas! Your mission today, should you choose to accept it is to create (WITH the exception of your main image panel) an ALL WHITE card or project!

We have some fun news today and before we go I'd like to thank EMMA EADS for being our July Guest Tea Party member. You did an WONDERFUL job, girlie and we are gonna miss you here on the team! Since it's the beginning of the month, we are also excited, as it's time to welcome STEPHANIE JONES as our August Guest! Stephanie is SUPER excited to be a guest at our twisted table and we are so happy to have her!
What's more? Kellie is the OWNER of Tickled Pink stamps and is offering 1 RUBBER LOLITA of choice to one lucky winner this week! Here's some inspiration:

Well, it's time to STOP treating these challenges with kid gloves and get crackin! You have until Friday, August 13th (our FAVORITE number!) at 8pm CST to enter your creation using InLinkz at the Oh Alice! Challenge Blog...Good luck!

Educated by Itty Bitty Art

I had the great opportunity to virtually meet a lady who's art interest exceeds her physical limitations. Let me introduce you to Beth Meador, and let her tell her story:

I've recently started doing artwork for people to heighten awareness about blindness. I have a hereditary condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. I currenty have 1% of vision remaining. That can sometimes be confusing to people when they meet me.

I have severe night-blindness and almost complete tunnel vision. My central vision can be corrected to 20/30 with glasses which gives individuals with RP the nickname "the sighted blind". I have been blessed with a talent and will continue working with my artwork until I can no longer see light.

I enjoy working with pencil sketching and acrylics and am in the process of including watercolors to my art. I believe that working with my art keeps my eyes well trained and keeps my spirits high and is a great way to show people that just because I'm legally blind, I am still capable. If you are interested in having me do a sketch for you, feel free to send me a message. For detailed information regarding Retinitis Pigmentosa visit http://retina-international.org/.

I sent my info in to Beth (who has a hilarious sense of humor, btw), and I received this beautiful piece of art from her:

Winter Forest ATC by Beth Meador (3.5 in x 2.5 in)

Beth's goal is to get her art into the hands of as many countries, provinces and states as possible before her lights go out. Check her My Space page:  http://www.myspace.com/blindgirlartist for a map of where she has not yet reached and suggest someone to her, or share with a friend you may have in the region. No one asks for money, this is strictly for educational purposes - to get the word out about this tragic form of blindness!

Thank you, Beth, for showing us how to press beyond the health barriers that come into our lives. Often it just takes a change in perception to recognize there is opportunity beyond that stumbling block. You are an INCREDIBLE lady, and I'm still so touched that you cottoned on (as Mom would say) to my love for my bunnies. Blessing to you!

Ta for now, ~ky