I believe that our life experiences shape so much of our interests and passions. Throughout my childhood, our family moved often, we lived in both ordinary and extraordinary places. One such place was Puerto Rico.
Read moreMixing It Up with Relics & Artifacts Ambassador Darlene Madden
I think the greatest gift my mother passed on to me was the ability to see potential, potential in the broken, battered, everyday items, as she always found a way to work her magic and make them beautiful. I remember as a young girl watching her take apart an upholstered sofa that definitely was worn, weary and weak in its current state. When I asked her what she was doing, she told me that she was going to re-cover it with new beautiful fabric! I said, “Do you know how to do that?” She replied, “No, but I will figure it out as I go.” Millions of staples and upholstery tacks later, she had pattern pieces to work with in order to guide her along on her “new and improved” journey. I admired her “chase fear to the curb” kind of attitude in all that she did in her life. I try to live that way everyday.
Speaking of everyday, I decided to do a special project for this blog. Taking a few everyday items from my local dollar store I combined them with some spectacular pieces from the Relics & Artifacts collection, a self-imposed challenge of sorts.
Materials Needed:
Relics & Artifacts Coquille
Metal substrate
Acrylic paint
Trims
Filigree trims
Small glass vial
Map portion
Assorted mini beads and sea glass
Ribbon and wire to wrap handle on substrate
Adhesive
Stencil
Texture paste
glitter
Spray inks, blue, green.
Directions:
Apply brown acrylic paint to Coquille shells.
Wipe off immediately with a soft cloth, leaving a nice aged patina to start creating with.
Using a blue acrylic paint, paint the metal substrate and let dry. Choose a watery looking stencil and use texture paste and spray inks to add some color on to the metal substrate. Let dry.
Add trim to the outside of the substrate for more texture and place shells and filigrees in place. Using a bit of white glue, add a touch of glitter on the waves for reflection and interest.
Glue shells on with a strong adhesive and then embellish each one with treasures inside the shells. Wrap rope handle with wire and ribbons and add a few beads to dangle at one ends of the handle.
Let dry overnight and enjoy a watery feeling art piece made from simply Mixing It Up!!!!!
Dragonflies Introduce the Spring with Relics & Artifacts Ambassador Heather Thompson
As the days finally seem to be getting longer and longer, I yearn for spring. As these long winter days seem to just drag on in this frozen tundra, there is a glimmer of hope with more daylight and the signs of snow slowly, ever so slowly, melting away.
I yearn to see my dragonflies. From little ones to big ones, to brightly colored and plump ones, each one has a unique beauty about them. Whether it’s the flawless look of their wings glistening in the sun or the unusual, but oh so captivating markings on their body, their beauty is unsurpassable.
So as I sit and wait for the subtle hints of the changing of seasons, I know when I see my dragonflies that spring is finally here and I can enjoy the beauty around me.
Supply List:
Relics & Artifacts Coquille
DecoArt Acrylic Paints
Cat Kerr stamps
Iced Resin Opals
ICE Resin
"Art Journal" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Milagros C Rivera
I hope you are all enjoying our month collaboration with Canvas Corp Brands. When I received my package I did a very happy dance. You may not know this, but I love to draw and getting a whole notebook with blank pages is like Christmas for me and with a super size too!!! So, inspired by summer, the beach, and sunsets here's my piece!
I wanted you all to see how gorgeous the High Impact Paint, Glimmer Glaze, and Glimmer Mist work with the Relics & Artifacts. And what's more summery than sea shells, right? The Coquille set works on mixed media projects, jewelry and even scrapbook layouts.
Milagros has prepared a Snapguide tutorial so you can create your own beach inspired journal of your own.
Don't forget we are having a giveaway at the end of the month. Here's the information.
Here is all you need to do. Be sure to use #RACCBmatchup so that we can track you down!
-Leave a comment here on any or all of the Match Up Posts during the month of July with Relics & Artifacts® and CCB. You can leave one on each post for more chances to win.
-And/or leave a comment on the CCB Facebook page.
-And/or leave a comment on any of the CCB Instagram posts where you see any of the projects from the CCB team or the RA team.
Feel the urge to join the addiction that is Relics & Artifacts®? Take a look in the Sandra Evertson shop and stock up. You can also join our Relics & Artifacts® Tribe on Facebook and be inspired by fellow creatives in the best creative group on the web!
Be sure to follow along by searching #RACCBmatchup too. If you love what you see and would like to join our Facebook group, the CCB Collective, just click the link and ask to join today. We would love to have you!
"The Reliquary" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Milagros C Rivera
A reliquary, also a shrine, is a container for relics. It may include bones, pieces of clothing. It is important for Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and many other religions.
While frequently taking the form of caskets, they range in size from simple pendants or rings to very elaborate ossuaries.
Since the relics themselves were considered "more valuable than precious stones and more to be esteemed than gold," it was only appropriate that they be enshrined in containers crafted of or covered with gold, silver, gems, and enamel. Ivory was widely used in the Middle Ages for reliquaries; its pure white color an indication of the holy status of its contents.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe ( Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a venerated image enshrined within the Minor Basilicia of Our Lady of Guadalope in Mexico City. The basilica is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, and the world's third most-visited sacred site. Pope Leo XIII granted the venerated image a Canonical Coronation on 12 October 1895.
I visited the Basilica and it is such a spiritual place. Here's my homage to the Virgen de Guadalupe. My own Secret Shrine.
"Memories of the Ocean" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Monica Downing
Living in Arkansas now, I rarely get to the coast. I grew up inland from San Francisco and my grandmother lived in the city so we would go visit her on a very regular basis. She would take us down to Fisherman’s Wharf for sourdough and clam chowder. We would have fish 'n' chips and watch the seals on the lower piers. The sounds and smells of the pacific were always just so fresh and wonderful and very much a part of my childhood.
Read moreTimeless Inspiration with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Debby Anderson
Angels and spiritual ephemera are very dear to me and usually inspire my creative journey.
I love the Relics & Artifacts® Coquille set and find that the oyster shell is a beautiful substrate to work in miniature.
My inspiration started with a inkjet printed copy of this beautiful image of the Madonna and two angels. My design style is spontaneous while using many layered mediums, materials and techniques while striving to replicate in an "old world" and "time worn" fashion.
"We are each of us angels with one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another." ~Luciano de Crescenzo
Supply list:
Relics & Artifacts® "Coquille"
Apoxie® Sculpt
KROMA Crackle®
ICE Resin® Iced Enamels- German Silver
Ice Resin®
Image of Madonna and two angels
Mod Podge® (seal inkjet image)
Rubber Stamp "Hail Mary"
Sand Paper ~ medium grit
Golden® Raw Sienna Acrylic Paint
Golden® Raw Umber Acrylic Paint
Mica Flakes
German Glass Glitter
Selection of tiny Shells, Pearls, Rhinestones
Rough faceted Quartz (crushed with a hammer)
Stand (top of vintage candle stick)
Hand forged wire for "Seven Sorrows" embellishment
"Paint People" RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Guest Feature: Karyn Bunting
Art has always played a happy part in my life. I love looking at things that people view as having only one purpose and seeing another life for that piece. In 2012, I moved to Tampa to take care of my now 94 year old mother. When I moved into her condo I painted everything in sight. Walls were pink and black, while the furniture showed years of love shared with her puppies and many, many cups of coffee. I went through gallons of paint and lots of paintbrushes. It seemed a shame to just cast aside brushes that had done so much to beautify our home.
Read more"Take Me to the Ocean" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Monica Downing
I love the ocean, the sound of the waves, the fresh ocean air, the feel of the sand between my toes, walking along the beach just hoping to find a beautiful shell or maybe some sea glass.
Read moreStella Maris- A Golden Shrine with Ambassador Milagros C Rivera
There's a mystique in faith and worship. A history that may or may not touch you but it's palpable in every culture.
Read more"Art Comes From The Heart, Art Gives Me Wings" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Milagros Rivera
Inspiration, it just hits you. It has a way of sneaking up on me in the middle of the night, during a conference, on a trip, whenever I'm quietly driving, I just never know, do you?
Read more