Steph Ackerman, Author at Ann Butler Designs

March 30, 2016 By Steph Ackerman 2 Comments

Mixed Media Burlap Panel

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today and I want you to Be Fearless with this Mixed Media Burlap Panel. Let your creativity flow using something that you wouldn’t ordinarily use. I’ve created on a burlap canvas using a variety of products from Ann Butler Designs.

Supplies:

Ann Butler Designs Crafter’s Ink – Aquamarine, Blueberry, Canyon, Lilac, Limelight
Ann Butler Designs Art Screen – Lattice
Ann Butler Designs Background Basic Stamps – Checks1
Ann Butler Designs Iridescents – Onyx
Earth Safe Finishes Gesso
ColorBox Spritzers – Fireberry, Golf Course, Moody Blue
Prima Flowers
Makin’s Clay clay and push molds
Wood Stamps – Butterfly, Fearless

Burlap panels can be intimidating because honestly, where do you begin? Do you leave the burlap showing? Do you cover it with inks and sprays? Do you gesso it to cover some or all of the canvas?

Well, I began by adding a layer of gesso on the burlap panel, letting some of the burlap show. I wanted to add lots of color so the gesso allowed the colors to show.

Once the gesso dried, I added molding paste through an art screen to add some dimension randomly about the panel. Next, I randomly added color about the canvas in Blueberry and Canyon Crafter’s Inks, inking over the molding paste. I also randomly stamped the Checks 1 stamp along the edges.

I spritzed the entire panel with Fireberry, Golf Course and Moody Blue then painted Onyx Iridescents in the center. I wasn’t thrilled with the effect so I wiped some of the color away.

The flowers were inked with coordinating colors, then adhered to the canvas with vines and leaves created from Makin’s Clay clay and push molds. The butterfly stamp was inked with Aquamarine, Limelight, Lilac, and Evergreen inks and stamped on white cardstock and embossed. After fussy cutting the butterfly, it was added among the flowers. Be Fearless was stamped in Lilac ink and placed in the corner of the canvas.

I am thrilled with how this canvas turned out.

So, why not Be Fearless and use something different in your next project. You might find you’ve creating something amazing.

Thanks for stopping by today.

March 2, 2016 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

Vases of Flowers with Iridescents

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with several vases of flowers to share.

Supplies:

Earth Safe Finishes Ann Butler Designs Iridescents – Onyx, Tangelo
Glass Vases
Ribbon
Hero Arts Stamp
Spellbinders dies

Glass vases provide you with many opportunities to create beautiful home décor that you can customize. I painted the vases with Onyx and Tangelo Iridescents which provide a wonderful translucent appearance. Using a foam brush rather than a paint brush provides nice coverage with no streaks.

Since I wanted the ribbon to match, I painted white ribbon with Tangelo Iridescents. The ribbon looks beautiful and since it dries fairly quickly, I could complete my project with little down time.

I created a pick to place amongst the flowers by stamping a phrase on white cardstock. Next, I die cut around the phrase and finger painted on some Tangelo Iridiscents. I sandwiched the pick between the layers and inserted it amongst the flowers.

Lastly, I finger painted Tangelo Iridescents to the white daisies, giving them just a hint of color. They look beautiful in real life.

Think how pretty it would be having an assortment of colored vases around the house.

What will you paint with Iridescents?

Thanks for stopping by.

Steph

February 1, 2016 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

Valentine’s Day Treat Containers

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with some Valentine’s Day Treat Containers for youto create

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Berry, Canyon
Chalk It Up Paint – Cotton Candy Pink, Cherry Jubilee
Unity Stamps – Faux Quilting Stamps by Ann Butler – 2″ Stripes, Dots, Hearts
Scor-Pal
Offray Ribbon
Dies
Test Tubes

I began by painting the test tubes with Chalk Paint – one with pink, one with red and one with a combination of the red and pink. I wasn’t careful with the paint because I wanted a distressed effect.

Once they dried, I used several Faux Quilting Stamps to create patterns on the glass.

The stamps are flexible so it was easy to stamp on the rounded glass. I just inked the stamps and wrapped them around the glass tubes.

The test tubes holding the treats needed a place to sit so I created holders and decorated them with the Faux Quilting Stamps and dies. Directions for the holders can be found on my blog.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

January 1, 2016 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

2016 Journal

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with a 2016 Journal using some wonderful products from Ann Butler Designs.

With Christmas just passing, it’s time to think about 2016. Do you have New Year’s Resolutions? Do you have goals? Do you have dreams and desires? Well how about documenting them in a special 2016 Journal? Using products from Ann Butler Designs, this journal was fun to create.

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Berry, Limelight, Tangelo, Aquamarine, Blueberry
ColorBox Art Screens by Ann Butler – Stars, Waves
ColorBox Art Screens – Mandala
Earth Safe Finish Iridescents – Berry, Sheer Pearl
Flowers
Ribbon
Canvas album
Molding Paste

The covers of this journal are a canvas resist. I began by spritzing the covers with water, then placing assorted color ink pads directly on the canvas. A baby wipe helped blend the colors together.

On the reverse sides of the covers, I also spritzed water and dabbed the ink pads on the covers. Again, I used a baby wipe to blend the colors. For a little more interest, I randomly used the Waves Art Screen and molding paste. On the back cover, I used the Mandala Art Screen and assorted colors of ink.

Several flowers were inked with Iridescents before assembling and adding to the cover with a tag onto which I’ve added 2016.

The pages of the journal consist of watercolor paper, acrylic pages and canvas resist pages. Some pages were torn, some where distressed and all were inked. Lots of room for journaling and photos.

Ribbons were tied to the rings to complete the journal.

Thanks for stopping by today.

December 2, 2015 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

Stamped Christmas Tags

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with some Christmas Tags using some wonderful stamps and inks from Ann Butler Designs.

With Christmas less than a month away, why not create some tags to add to those special gifts you will be giving this year. Using products from Ann Butler Designs, these tags were not only fun to create, they also came together quickly. Set them up assembly-line style and you’ll have them done in no time at all.

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Canyon, Limelight, Deep Woods, Evergreen
ColorBox Background Basics Stamps – Picnic1, Checks1, Diamonds1
Spellbinders Dies
Rub-ons
Ribbon
Pointsettias

Begin by stamping office supply tags with a variety of Ann Butler Designs stamps and inks. I didn’t clean my stamps between inking so I had several tags with a mix of red and green inks. Then I inked the edges of the tags before continuing.

Using Spellbinders dies, I die cut an oval for each tag and inked the edges in a variety of colors. I found some Christmas rub-ons in my stash and placed them on the ovals. The ovals were then added to the tags with pop dots for dimension.

Pointsettias were added to each tag.

To finish, I inked ribbon with Limelight Ink before adding the ribbon to the tags.

Thanks for stopping by today.

November 6, 2015 By Steph Ackerman 1 Comment

Snowman Canvas

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with a Snowman Canvas. It’s getting colder here in New York so it’s time to decorate for winter and the upcoming holidays.

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Blueberry, Tangelo, Canyon, Aquamarine
Earth Safe Finishes Chalk It Up Paints – Licorice, English Tea Cake
Earth Safe Finishes Crackle
ColorBox Background Basics Stamps – Picnic1, Baskets1, Diamonds1
ColorBox Clear Embossing Powder
Heartfelt Creations Stamp
Stampendous Stamp
Spellbinders Dies
Modeling Paste
Canvas

Paint a canvas with blue paint. Once dry, randomly paint on a layer of Licorice Chalk It Up. Allow to dry, then paint on a layer of Crackle. Again, allow it to dry then paint on a layer of English Tea Cake Chalk It Up paint.

Use Blueberry Crafter’s Ink to stamp a music stamp randomly about the canvas. Let dry, or if you are impatient, heat set it.

Stamp white cardstock with Background Basic stamps using Blueberry Ink. Then die cut into snowflake shapes. Use the left-over paper as a stencil with modeling paste to add snowflakes directly on the canvas.

Next, stamp the snowman with Blueberry Crafter’s Ink and emboss with clear embossing powder. Die cut into shape and mat with a larger die cut. Using a paint brush add color using Canyon, Tangelo and Aquamarine Crafter’s Inks.

Randomly stamp the Basket1 stamp about the edges of the canvas with Aquamarine then add stickers to spell “Let it snow”. Adhere the die cut snowflakes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my Snowman Canvas.

October 23, 2015 By Steph Ackerman 1 Comment

Fall Votive Candle

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with a decorative Fall Votive Candle.

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Tangelo, Limelight
Earth Safe Finishes Iridescents – Tangelo, Limelight, Onyx
Votive
McGill Punch
Wilton Doily

With the advent of fall and the change of seasons comes the beautiful colors of fall. Ann Butler Designs has beautiful colors that were perfect for my project.

I first etched the glass votive with Etchall dip’n etch. Etching with etchall creates a “tooth” surface that allows you to apply all kinds of mediums to glass. Etchall allowed me to paint the glass with Earth Safe Finishes Iridescents. Using my fingers I painted on Tangelo Iridescents. Next, I painted on some Limelight Iridescents.

Finally, I randomly added some Onyx Iridescents.

The leaves were created by inking white cardstock with ColorBox Crafter’s Ink in Limelight and Tangelo, spritzing with water to allow the colors to mix, then punching them out.

The leaves were then spritzed with water and scrunched. After heat setting, the leaves were inked with additional Tangelo Ink and Onyx Iridescents was painted about the edges of each.

Then I painted a doily with Limelight and Tangelo Iridescents. I thought the candle would look pretty sitting on it.

Not only does the candle smell pretty, it looks amazing too.

I hope you enjoyed my project today.

Thanks for stopping by.

Please visit my blog.

October 5, 2015 By Steph Ackerman 1 Comment

Mixed Media Burlap Canvas Panels

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with some small mixed media burlap canvas panels that were simply stamped and inked, to share with you.

Supplies:

ColorBox Crafter’s Ink by Ann Butler – Canyon, Evergreen, Deep Woods
ColorBox Background Basics by Ann Butler – Picnic1
Canvas Panels
Misc papers and embellishments

Begin by inking the edges of the canvas panels with Canyon Ink. Then stamp Picnic1 around the canvas panels using Deep Woods Ink.

Next, cut and tear some paper scraps to fit the panels. Ink the edges of the papers and lightly ink with the Picnic1 stamp.

Assemble the canvas panels with assorted elements that have been inked with Canyon Ink.

Finish the next panel with assorted elements, adding a brad to the clocks.

There you have it – mini pieces of artwork that can sit on y our desk or hang on the wall to remind you of what’s important.

Thanks for stopping by today.

September 28, 2015 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

Upcycled Jar with Iridescents

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with a Upcycled Jar with Iridescents creating a fun altered project. Using Earth Safe Finishes Iridescents you can upcycle anything for a fabulous new look. We’ve all got lots of jars and bottles around so why not alter them and make them pretty.

Supplies:
Earth Safe Finishes – Iridescents in Aquamarine, Ocean Surf, Limelight, Onyx
Adhesive – Helmar’s Decoupage and Craft Paste
Flowers – Prima
Rhinestones – Want2Scrap
Ribbon
White tissue paper

Tear tissue paper into scraps. Adhere the tissue paper around to a glass jar with Helmar’s Decoupage and Craft Paste. Once the jar is covered, paint on a layer of Decoupage and Craft Paste to seal the tissue paper.

Allow to dry, then paint Aquamarine Iridescents about the jar until it is completely covered.

Next, paint Ocean Surf Iridescents over the Aquamarine Iridescents selectively. Let it dry then add Limelight Iridescents.

Allow to dry completely, then paint on Onyx Iridescents. Use a baby wipe to wipe away the Onyx Iridescents. You never wipe it away completely because, as you can see, it hugs the recessed portions of the tissue paper and provides a fabulous aged look!

Decorate with ribbons, flowers, and bling. Doesn’t it look fabulous? I am thrilled with how it turned out.

Please stop by my blog – I’ve upload a short video on how I created this project. And I’d love to know what you think of it.

Thanks for stopping by today.

September 2, 2015 By Steph Ackerman Leave a Comment

Mixed Media Boxed Card Set

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today with a boxed card set using products from Ann Butler Designs. This would make a wonderful gift for someone who still writes notes and letters.

Supplies:
ColorBox Crafter’s for Ann Butler – Limelight
Earth Safe Finishes – Key Lime Chalk It Up Paint
Unity Stamps – 1″ Doily Picnic
Dies – Spellbinders
Flowers – Prima
Ribbon

Randomly paint 4 black cards with Key Lime Chalk It Up Paint.

Full coverage is not necessary and don’t be perfect.