Sacre Coeur Reliquary with Relics & Artifacts Ambassador Rochelle Gaukel

Over the years, I have picked up some beautiful old religious reliquaries. The details inside these special shrines are beautiful.  Often times I wonder how they came to be and what was going through the minds of the artists of these relics. 

When the new Four Portals stamps were released, I knew right away what I wanted to create. To somehow replicate the beauty of the miniature shrines and solder them into a small box that would fit into the stamped clay shrine. An old relic reinvented in a new way.

Using the Sacre Coeur art stamp as the centerpiece, the beauty started to evolve. With vintage papers as the background, some vintage glass glitter, some metal bullion and faceted beads, the reliquary started to take shape. 

I love how we are able to create a very vintage looking piece from the vast assortment of Sandr Evertson's Art Stamps. 

Supplies:
Sandra Evertson FOUR PORTALS Art Stamps “Esoteric”
Sandra Evertson MUSE Art Stamps "Sacre Coeur"
Ice Resin Iced Enamels Garnet
Ice Resin Iced Enamels German Silver
Sculpey Clay
Acrylic Paint
Small Box
Solder
Metal
Glass Glitter
vintage paper
metal bullion

Why You Should Play With Your Food with Relics & Artifacts Ambassador Sherry Westfall Matthews

Why you SHOULD play with your food...

I have a feeling that I am not alone in my choice of a New Year's resolution to be healthier. And a huge part of getting to the healthy new me is making better food related choices.

I mean, we have ALL heard it before, "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT," but who wants to count calories or skip carbs? Although those things can be beneficial to weight loss, feeling deprived is a good way to set yourself up for failure.  I decided my route would be to create food that while healthy, was also a feast for my eyes!

This has me putting a little more thought into what I put into my mouth.  No mindless snacking!

Hope your 2018 is FULL of goodness for your BODY and SOUL!

Materials:
Sandra Evertson MUSE Art Stamps "Epiphany" (although any of the MUSE or FOUR PORTALS stamps would be amazing! Can't you just see a small truffle sitting in a cocoa powder Portal frame?!) 

A Take On the #RAScrapbook Challenge with Relics & Artifacts Ambassador Heather Thompson

Fellow Relics & Artifact® Ambassedor Miss Amazeballs Monica Downing is hosting a great challenge starting January 1st, the #RAScrapbook Challenge.  The only criteria is getting back to our roots were a lot of us started out and using some of those fabulous Relics & Artifacts craft blanks and Sandra Evertson Art Stamps. 

Surprisingly I was all in, but to be honest, I was alittle dumbfounded when it actually came to creating the page. I wasn't sure if it was a creative slump, hungover from too much fun holiday festivities, or just pure laziness.  However, in spite of my rut and with Monica's new challenge going on, I figured I would throw out some inspiration using Sandra's new Four Portals stamps. I used the "Epiphany" stamp from the Muse collection as the focal point along with the "Creation" Portal. 

Frida Kahlo was such a unique artist with so many shapes and textures, I decided to use the Olde Curiosity Shoppe paper collection from Graphic 45. The detailed pages and coloration takes me back to an era with terra cotta rooftops and brightly colored flowered landscapes.  

Frida's artistic style was unique and I wanted to capture that within the scrapbook page. She had uniquely odd paintings with the various self portraits, shapes, and medley of other random objects.  I incorporated those trademark aspects into the page.  The detail work on the paper also goes hand in hand with the details on the portal stamp. 

Don't forget to get out those Relics & Artifacts goodies and get creating! 

Supply List:
RELICS & ARTIFACTS Dresden Trim "Halo Gold"
FOUR PORTALS Art Stamps "Creation" 
MUSE Art Stamps "Epiphany"
Graphic 45 "Olde Curiosity Shoppe"

FOUR PORTALS Art Stamps Limited Release by Sandra Evertson and RubberMoon Stamps

Sandra Evertson and RubberMoon are at it again!  Experience artistic infinitum with "Four Portals", a limited release by RubberMoon.  

These beautiful and timeless frames accent any art stamping project seamlessly and are designed to intertwine with "MUSE" Art Stamps as well as the Relics & Artifacts® resin craft blanks.

Incredibly detailed and made of the finest red rubber on the market, "Four Portals" will add an infinite number of creative possibilities perfect for any style, motif, or skill level.

As a special gift and our way to say thank you, if you purchase all four of the "Four Portals" stamps, you will receive "Alma" as a free give.  Please note that "Alma" is only available as a cling stamp.

Pictured above framed with "Ethereal", this stamp is accented with a thorn necklace and hummingbird pendant.

And please don't forget to grab your "Muse" Art Stamps.  The beauty of these collections is how effortlessly they blend, meld, and mesh together to create one of a kind masterpieces for yourself or to gift to loved ones.

"Four Portals" along with "Muse" Art Stamps are available now at RubberMoon and SandraEvertson.com!

PS:  Can you believe Sandra stamped those images onto FEATHERS?!  Brilliant, I tell you!

Heart of an Artist with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Sherry Westfall Matthews

There are a lot of creative types in this world. Many people can assemble a kit. Most can complete a class project. Some even have the ability to alter those ideas and give them a personal twist.

And then there are those who just create from a random thought or an idea.  They are connected with their muse. But what is it that makes one an artist?  I honestly think it's simple. It's not skill and talent (though that helps). It's not selling your work or showing in galleries.  

It's heart. Creating with heart. All you need is the heart of an artist.

Connect-
Intersect-
Between your heart and head.
Both are tied-
Unified-
By a creative thread.
~Sherry Westfall Matthews

Materials:
MUSE® Art Stamps "Heart of an Artist"
Unfinished wood plaque
StazOn Ink pad, black
Stain
thread
hammer
nails

Fractured Fairy Tale with Relics & Artifacts and ColoriQue Ink

Ambassador Rochelle Gaukel picks up our fairy tale answering and important question.  What happened to Cindy's lost shoe?

While Cindy was off on her escapades with Rocker Dude, she was unaware of what was happening back at the castle grounds. Cindy didn't know that Prince Charming had followed her out of the castle. He was right behind her when he saw her mount the carriage and head off. He was so mad that she got away without knowing her name or where she came from. As he looked to see which direction she was heading, a bird flew above him with something shiny in its beak. It was the black patent leather stiletto!! The bird dropped the shoe and as Prince Charming picked it up, he could see Cindy in the reflection of the shoe.

You see, the shoe was a magical shoe and showed the prince the future. He saw how happy Cindy was with Rocker Dude and how a future with him would not be possible. Cinderella was a wild child at heart.  He knew that such a free spirit could never be tamed.  The Prince was a bit of the old fashioned sort.  While he loved her wild spirit, he also knew this was not his "thing" as far as potential princesses go . So, he whistled for the bird to come back.  Because this is a fractured tale, the Prince also possessed the very fantastical ability to talk to animals.  He asked the bird to take the shoe to a faraway land where it could never be found again.

With a sentimental and amused smile on his face, he watched Cindy ride away in a cloud of dust over the horizon.

Supply List:
MUSE® Art Stamps Esperanza
ColoriQue Ink by Lisa Jimenez:  Verdigris, Black Diamond, Ruby Slippers, Snow Summit, Turquoise Mountain
Beads
Metal finding
Metal cage
 

RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Rochelle Gaukel and Sacre Coeur

When I received my set of MUSE® Art Stamps, the sacre coeur stamp stood out to me. I knew I wanted to create a necklace using this special art stamp.

Sacre coeur, or better known as “sacred heart”, represents the heart of Christ and his sacrifice for all of us. When I see any form of a sacred heart, I am reminded of the vast love that Christ has for us.  I used red coral as a reference to the blood that was shed that day, as well as mother of pearl rosary beads.

This necklace represents the way my faith shows up in the art I create. 

Supply List:

MUSE® Art Stamps Sacre Coeur
ICE Resin
Glass Glitter
Mother of Pearl Rosary Chain
Coral Beads

Summer of Love: A Feature from the Tribe with Sheila Runkis

The idea of this challenge was fun for me. Although I was too young to really participate in the events of the 60’s, the flowering of the ideas of the day certainly influenced my beliefs and values. As I was “Musing” (see what I did there??!) on Sandra’s beautiful stamps, a gorgeous image of repeated Frida and Oculus images plus other elements kept coming to me. A mandala was forming. As I allowed the piece to develop over time, it also began to have a story, which is true of a lot of my work.

In the 60’s, people were finding new ways to spread their wings, expand their consciousness, and express themselves freely, no matter what it looked like to the outside world. Frida Kahlo always authentically expressed who she was and how she felt, no matter what anyone else thought or said. Her art was her lifeline and her wings and it seems fitting that she is pictured here as free as a butterfly. As I was painting the outer borders around her and envisioning the words I wanted to say, I realized that under some images of Frida, a sort of winged shape was appearing, but under the corner Frida images, more like a body shape. These are the two aspects to her and our humanity--the Spirit always within and shared, and the Corporeal Body, our Earthly Home for the Spirit, if you will.

The Eyes of Wisdom in the center guard a treasure, but not the kind you might think. Many children of the 60’s were finding out that much knowledge, ultimate peace, and Union with the Godhead, was within them. All they had to do was be still enough to listen. Their happiness and bliss spilled over in waves of love, acceptance of others, and explosions of color in art and creativity. Like a precious parchment discovered at an archaeological dig, the sentiment “Life is Art” was real gold, and acted out daily with love as the guiding force. As I positioned my square piece of art on what was to become its canvas base, when I turned it on its point, I realized it looked like a God’s Eye. God’s Eyes, or Ojo de Dios, are a woven craft which originated in cultures such as Mexican Indian and Tibetan. Meanings include having the power to see and understand things unknown, and special protection and watchfulness over those who made the symbol.

From Sandra’s Antiquities Treasure Chest, The Uzbek Beaded Tassel speaks to us of a colorful past. Over years rich with history, these kinds of tassels were worn for adornment, luck, and for warding off the evil eye, among other purposes. The blue vintage Tibet Tesbih Prayer Bead is hand painted with flowers and the names of 99 gods. The beads are used to mark the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions.

Both of these special finds express the Bohemian feeling of spirit, joy and love that I had when making this piece and remembering some of the simple yet lasting ideologies of the 1960’s that I try to live by.

Supply List:
MUSE® Art Stamps Fridafly
MUSE® Art Stamps Life Is Art
MUSE® Art Stamps Oculus
MUSE® Art Stamps Epiphany
Antiquities Tibet Tesbih Beads
Antiquities Uzbek Beaded Tassel
 

"Live In Color" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Rochelle Gaukel

When I think of Frida Kahlo, I always imagine her sitting in a garden full of colorful flowers, living her life in color.  She danced to the beat of her own drum and many didn’t understand her and her artwork.

Though disabled as a child with polio and then at the age of eighteen seriously injured in a traffic accident, I believe art got her through her painful medical problems she suffered through her whole life. Art heals.

Many of her paintings were self portraits, using bright vivid colors inspired by the Mexican popular culture. These same bright colors were also reflected in her clothing and in the flowers she painted.

“I paint flowers so they will not die.” --Frida Kahlo

So, let’s live life like Frida, in full color, dancing to our own song, dressed in a frock with all the colors of the rainbow!

Supply List:

MUSE® Art Stamps Pangaea
MUSE® Art Stamps Introspective
MUSE® Art Stamps Namaste
Acrylic Paints
Crackle Medium
Dark Wax
Silk Flowers
Glass Glitter
Soldered Shrine
Glass Knobs
Vintage doll eye

"The Muse" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Milagros Rivera

Two years ago, I visited the beautiful place Frida Kahlo called home.  Casa Azul was such an inspiring place.  Standing in front of her easels, her painting window, brushes and paints, seeing all her mixed media, jars full of glass glitter, I could envision her, brush in hand.

I don't think she ever imagined she would influence so many of us later in life and I can see even more generations being inspired by her as I watched my daughter, in awe of her work.

I wanted to depict her happy, bright colors and the luminescence of her home and gardens by painting over glass with alcohol inks.

Shine on Frida!  We love being inspired by you!

“Si actuas como si supieras lo que estas haciendo, puedes hacer lo que quieras.” 
(If you act like you know what you're doing, you can do anything.) --Frida Kahlo

Supply List:

MUSE® Art Stamps Pangaea
MUSE® Art Stamps Destiny
MUSE® Art Stamps Mantilla
MUSE® Art Stamps Muse
MUSE® Art Stamps Infinitum
Ranger Alcohol Inks

"I Am" Art Pin with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Heather Thompson

"I am"
I am the Queen of my own Castle.
I am a see-er of beauty all around me.
I am the creator of my own destiny.

I am a lover of nature.
I am a compassionate heart.
I am a true art girl.
This is me. 

Supplies:
MUSE® Art Stamps Oculus
MUSE® Art Stamps Namaste
Relics & Artifacts® Visage
Relics & Artifacts® Papillon
Apoxie Sculpt
Retro Art Cafe Digital Collage Sheet
Retro Cafe Clear Acrylic Tags - O'Charms
Red Lead Paper Works Chotski Pin
DecoArt Media Crackle Paint
DecoArt Media Ultra Matte Varnish
DecoArt Antiquing Cream Black
DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Titanium White, Cadmium Orange Hue, Diarylide Yellow, Payne Grey, Carbon Black, Cadmium Red Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue

"Soul Sisters" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Monica Downing

So first things first, these MUSE Art Stamps by Sandra, what can I say?! I couldn’t wait to get them.  The ideas have flown freely since I received them. I have so many projects in the works that incorporate all of these amazing stamps. Thank you, Sandra, for beautiful, unique, original designs, and the mojo boost they have given me. Seriously inspiration overload here.

This piece was born of pure and simple experimentation that started off with a cuff base purchased from my local craft hobby shop.  I wanted this bracelet to have a gypsy-boho flare to it while being able to incorporate the amazing Frida Kahlo Soul Sister stamp into it.

I grabbed sari ribbon and fabric scraps and just started sewing them together. Layering them under the sewing needle, not worried about placement or perfection. I really just let the process flow in its own direction. Once all of the stitching was done, I attached this beautiful mosaic of sari ribbon and fabric to the cuff base and framed it with a gorgeous kaleidoscope colorful glass beads.

The Soul Sister butterfly is stamped into Apoxie Sculpt, painted, beaded, then sealed with Ice Resin.

Let me tell you, it was a process but WOW!  I am absolutely thrilled with this piece of wearable art and I hope you are inspired to let go, let your process flow, and create something for wondrous for YOU from your own creative soul.

I anticipate this cuff will being worn A LOT.

Supply list:
Sandra Evertson Soul Sisters MUSE Art Stamp
Apoxie Sculpt
ICE Resin
Cuff Blank
Watercolor Paint
Micro Beads
Sari Ribbon
Fabric Scraps
Glass beads

"A Fair Lady's Shrine" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Heather Thompson

During ancient times of heroic knights and young fair maidens, kings and noblemen would have their young daughters fancied up in their most beautiful courting dresses and glamorous facial paint.

They would capture the eternal youth, first in portrait, by the most talented artists in the region, then they would encase it in a magnificent shrine made with the prettiest jewels and dressed in trims of gold and silver. The shrines were painted with the brightest pigments and tones for the most dramatic and eye-catching effects.

Conceptually, the more beautiful and alluring the shrine, the more appealing to the eyes of would-be suitor knights, all in the hopes of marrying the young maiden to a rich and wealthy family and unifying powerful families. 

After accords were struck between the fathers of the noble maidens and the suitors, the fair ladies dressed in the most magnificent formal attire.  In this final show of beauty and opulence, maidens were officially affianced to their future husbands in hopes of finding their happily ever after. 

Supply List:
Muse® Art Stamps St. Cecilia
Muse® Art Stamps Oculus
Relics & Artifacts® Dresden Trim Wrought Iron Gold
Relics & Artifacts® Bohemian Jewels Ruby
Ice Resin
Iced Enamels Shattered Mica
DecoArt Media Primary Magenta
DecoArt Media Primary Yellow
DecoArt Media Phthalo Green-Blue
DecoArt Media Cobalt Teal Hue
DecoArt Media Cerulean Blue
DecoArt Media Cobalt Black
Liquid Pearls Buttercup
Coffee Break Designs Mini Ornate Framed Shrine Kit Style 5
Seth Apter Stamps Spot Lights
Seth Apter Stamps Border Lines
Metal Frame
Rhinestones

"The Reading Room" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Sherry Matthews

"Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are."
~Mason Cooley

I can't even imagine a world without books. Books educate and enlighten. They entertain and ease our stress.

Books are a ticket to escape to a haven all our own or a way to connect to faraway lands . Books introduce us to innumerable people, both living and dead.

They transport us through time and allow us to journey through space. Each journey begins with the turn of a single page.  When you curl up with a good book, where does it take you?

"For a fantastic voyage without leaving your nook, crack open the cover and travel by book." ~Sherry Westfall Matthews

Supply List:
Relics & Artifacts® Andromeda Mini Throne
Muse® Art Stamps Basque
Muse® Art Stamps Celestial
Muse® Art Stamps Devotion
Apoxie Sculpt
DecoArt Craft paints
E6000 adhesive
Embossing powders
Ranger Perfect Medium stamp pad
vintage shadow box
vintage millinery flowers
scrapbook paper

"Truth" with RELICS & ARTIFACTS® Ambassador Sherry Matthews

Ever ran across a line in a poem or heard a verse in song and thought to yourself, "Wow! That is the truth!"  Has that truth ever really resonated with you? Well here are a couple of truths, as I see them and may they resonate with you as well.

1- YOU ARE THE AUTHOR OF YOUR OWN STORY.  I find this to be so empowering!  You get to write your next chapter. You can pencil it in, mark it with ink.  You have full editorial control.  That means YOUR story is all up to YOU! You are your own HERO if you choose to be!

2- BE MINDFUL OF WHAT'S WRITTEN IN YOUR LIFE'S LEDGER.  What is written in your story says a lot about who you are.  Be present. Be accountable. I mean, let's face it.  We ALL make mistakes both big and small.  The trick is to accept them, own up to them, LEARN from them, and sometimes, even embrace them!

3- MAKE YOURS A LOVE STORY!  Perhaps not in the traditional sense.  It's not just about WHO you love.  There is also WHAT you love, HOW you love, the love you GIVE and the love you RECEIVE. And let's not forget learning to love YOURSELF.  Fill your pages with love!

Hope you find these to be as true and inspiring as I did.

With all that life may offer
one truth never wanes-

What is held in your hands
may be fleeting.

What is held in your heart,
remains.  ~S. W. Matthews

Materials:
Relics & Artifacts® Rising Spirit V w/ wood support
Relics & Artifacts® Ancient Heart
Relics & Artifacts® Archival Case wooden tray I
MUSE Art Stamps® Scapular
MUSE Art Stamps® Infinitum
MUSE Art Stamps® Sacre Couer
MUSE Art Stamps® Oculus
MUSE Art Stamps® Mandala
MUSE Art Stamps® Sol
MUSE Art Stamps® Flores
MUSE Art Stamps® Fiesta Crown
ICE Resin
VerDay paint set
vintage ledger paper,
lace trim,
doily
American Gel Stain-oak
Archival Ink Pad- coffee
Gauze