Arnold Grummer's Design Team Blog

Happy Earth Day!!  Today is the day that people all over the world collect garbage, recycle things, plant trees and flowers all in the spirit of Earth Day .  Earth Day should be practiced every day!  Every little bit counts!  Today I tried something a little different.  This is my version of a collaged canvas.  I used recycled handmade papers of different colors and textures and collaged a small beach scene.  I hope to get better with these and  add more and more organic elements.  That's just a personal artistic goal of mine.  Here is my canvas..  As Always I began with my handmade papers  by simply using one of the pour or dips methods for creating paper found  here .  I took various colors I made and tore them to create layers on the canvas.  After I layered the papers the way I wanted.. I adhered them with Helmar's Craft and Hobby PVA Glue .  After everything was set.. I  pulled out my t...

...and if you know me, you know I love to use my stamps in unusual ways! Being on this design team has opened my eyes to discovering new ways to utilize my stamps like I never thought of before and having great resources like the Trash-to-Treasure book by Arnold Grummer motivates me to a whole new level! On p. 102, Mr. Grummer discusses using a "rough or patterned surface to use as an embossing plate." Keep in mind that this technique uses a freshly formed wet sheet of paper to emboss with versus using a dry sheet of paper along with a embossing plate.  This is my card I created using a stamp from Paper Smooches, Timber , to emboss with. I took my wet sheet of paper, ( go here for the steps to make your own paper ) couched it, and then laid the paper over the wood grain stamp. I then placed them both in between the boards of the Garden Press  using the adjustable straps to tighten the pieces together. Figuring I might need a little more pressure, I ...