Hello friends! I’m here again with another post for Gwen Lafleur’s Artist Tribe. I’ve been playing in my art journal with one of Gwen’s three new Paper Artsy stamp collections - Eclectica³ EGL23 a.k.a. Ullasa. It’s the second edition in her Build-A-Collage series with seven nature themed designs that coordinate beautifully with her other collections. I just love using these stamps to create both focal points and collage fodder for my journal. Some examples of collage fodder I’ve created are pictured below. Here I’ve stamped the mirror images of the butterfly onto a vintage book page. I love the shapes... Read more →

As part of an Instagram Hop, StencilGirl© recently challenged me to create something fabulous from a box of random art supplies that they sent me. Click here to go to my Instagram Post where you can find out how to enter. (Note that the contest will close on 10/18/21 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time USA.) My box of goodies included a generous selection of Sparkle and Spectral Spirit Alcohol Inks by Kristie Taylor, a Derwent Inktense Paint Pan Travel Palette, and an Oil Based Sharpie Marker. Anyone who follows StencilGirl’s Mary Beth Shaw knows that she is the ultimate Mad... Read more →

I’m so in love with this project that I created for StencilGirl©. A decoupaged image, a StencilGirl© stencil and a little love turned this sad little chest of drawers into a sweet storage chest for my art studio. You can read how i created it and see more pics here on the StencilGirl© Talk Blog. Before: After: See you over on the StencilGirl© Talk Blog. Hugs until next time, Jill Read more →

Today I’m playing in my art journal and sharing a quick and easy way to add a little background noise to your art journal pages with Gwen Lafleur’s Alphabet and Number stamp set and an idea for making some fun embossed reversible collage fodder. Read more →

Welcome to another of my posts for Gwen Lafleur’s Artist Tribe. If you’ve followed any of my art journeys then you probably know that I love to repurpose unusual things in my projects. I recently came across, (more like tripped over) a peach basket full of old piano keys in my garage. They had been stashed there compliments of a neighbor who generously left his old upright piano on the street for the monthly bulky trash pickup. Well that was just too tempting of a morsel for me to pass by. So with a big grin, I filled up my... Read more →

Just a quick post to link you to my Waxed Canvas and Denim Tutorial on the StencilGirl Talk blog. You won’t believe how easy it is. Hope you give it a try. ‘hugs, Jill Read more →

Welcome back to my blog and another post for Gwen Lafleur’s Artist Tribe. Exciting things have been happening over at Gwen Lafleur Studios this month. PaperArtsy released three new stamp sets from Gwen. I’ve been playing with the Peacock set and a quick technique I’m calling Stamp Tracing that I want to show you. Stamp tracing gives you the flexibility to put your own spin on stamp designs so that you can make them unique to you. And you won’t believe how fast and easy it is to get great results. Here are the three new sets: EGL16 Letters and... Read more →

Just a heads up that my spring column for the StencilGirl Talk Blog is available. This time I’m sharing tips on buying and cleaning vintage textiles and three techniques for printing on them using the sun. You can read all about it here. I hope you’ll stop by and see the process pics for this textile Cyanotype project using Rae Missigman’ s Botanical Wildflowers Stencil and my own Jardiniere Stencil design. Until next time.... Hugs, Jill Read more →

Have you ever experienced a Kismet Moment? You know, when a little rush of adrenaline bleeds through your veins like an ink splat on a wet watercolor paper and whispers that the tiny scrap you just picked up off the floor is the perfect shade of blue to make your journal page sing anthems of joy kind of moment. (Ok, that was a really long sentence...). They don’t happen very often for me, probably because I have a tendency to overthink most things, which in turn stifles any opportunity for a kismet moment to actually happen. So when one does... Read more →

Hi Friends, I’ve got a Sweet art journal page created for Gwen Lafleur’s Artist Tribe to share that I’m really excited about. If you haven’t heard, StencilGirl’s StencilClub release for February 2021, the Feathered Tribe was designed by Gwen Lafleur. And as members of her team, my creative co-conspirators and I got the opportunity to play with the set before its release. This page is all about layering papers, specifically layering stenciled papers using Gwen’s designs from her Feathered Tribe set with my own December 2020 StencilClub design called Block Prints to recreate a framed garden motif in my art... Read more →

I’m just so excited that I was asked to design the December 2020 StencilClub set for StencilGirl®️.  The set is called Block Prints, an homage to their inspiration, my collection of vintage Japanese Block Print books published in the mid 1800’s. We’ll be creating origami gift card holders for our project. Read more →

Want to learn how to get more out of your stencils? I created a short video to show you how I transform a stencil with a repeating linear pattern like this: To create a square motif like this: I’m using the 9x12 stencil for the December 2020 Block Print Collection in the video. It’s part of a set that I designed exclusively for StencilGirl’s StencilClub. If you’re not a member follow this link to find out how to join. Happy Stenciling! Jill Read more →

I’m so excited to announce that StencilGirl is launching seven new stencils today that were designed by me! The series is called Trivets and is made up of three mini 4x4 stencils, three small 6x6 stencils, and one large 9x12 stencil. All were inspired by my love for Japanese Woodblock prints from the late 18th century. What I love about this series is that all of the stencils are designed to reveal hidden patterns when they are repeated next to each other. I created a short video to show you what I mean. It includes a quick demo on how... Read more →

One of the things that I love about mixed media is that it gives you opportunities to combine many passions into one project. Like this project that meshes my fascination with Zhen Xian Bao, (aka Chinese Thread Books), my newfound love of Eco Printing/Staining, and encaustic wax. The making of Chinese Thread Books is an ancient folk art. Traditionally made of paper, Thread Books were used to store string, needles, paper patterns and other loose items. The paper is cleverly folded into collapsible boxes that are then stacked and bound together in such a way so as to create hidden... Read more →

Get a video glimpse showing how I created and stenciled an origami-style Twisted Treasure Pouch with StencilGirl Stencils. Then comment for a chance to win in the StencilGirl Gift-Worth Blog Hop. Contest ends 11:59 pm CST on 10/8/19. Read more →

Recently, I posted on the StencilGirl®️Talk blog about a stenciled tissue holder I made. Since it was so quick and easy to whip up, I decided to make a second one to keep in my car. This time I worked on a piece of vintage fabric I’d recently picked up in a FaceBook Auction. If you’ve never joined in on a FaceBook auction, warning - they are addictive. Who even knew even knew that such a thing actually existed? I love this bandana fabric. It reminds me of summers and picnic baskets. Since this project uses so little fabric, I’ll... Read more →

If your anything like me, you’ve got a cache of treasures squirreled away in cigar boxes and file cabinet drawers just waiting for the perfect project to come along. Well recently I got my hands on a few jars of the new BoHo Bits, semi-precious gemstone, crystal, and mica embellishments for mixed media from Gwen Lafleur and Emerald Creek, and inspiration struck! In no time, the idea for creating a BoHo Tunnel Journal out of an altered book came to be. Sometimes you just need a new art supply to get you to put old treasures to good use. I... Read more →

Welcome to the StencilGirl®️ Creative Team’s Squared-Off Swap Hop. I decided to stay true to the Swap Hop theme by filling Origami frames made out of my squares with mini mixed media collages, landscapes, and abstracts. What I want to do today is to show you what I did with my Origami frames, and inspire you to watch a few Origami tutorials, try a few folds of your own and start to use up those pile of paper scraps on your desk. I’m going to leave teaching the folds to the Origami You-Tube professionals Read more →

I’m thrilled to finally be able to share that StencilGirl®️Products is releasing the Chinoiserie & Jardiniere Collection today. And my toes are absolutely twinkling with excitement because these stencils were designed by me! It has been excruciating not to be able to share this news or to keep from posting pics of the projects I’ve been creating over these past few months. But now my lips have been unsealed so I can tell you what inspired me to create them and finally show you some of the projects I’ve been so quietly working on. My inspiration for all four of... Read more →

Hi All, I’ve got a new post up on the StencilGirl®️ Talk Blog. The theme for the month is stenciling on food. I made a Piped Chocolate Giant Cookie Topper with stencils designed by Gwen Lafleur and MaryBeth Shaw. There’s a step out complete with pics so that you can see how it’s made along with a self critique and my thoughts on how to make it better next time. Check out the video below for a quick preview, read the post and let me know what you think. In case you were wondering: I’ve been pretty quiet on my... Read more →