Linda Nelson, Author at Linda Nelson - The Createaerie

FOR FAST RELIEF……..

March 7, 2015

…don’t go to your medicine cabinet.

Instead, run to your craft room, and grab these items!

a piece of cardboard
gesso
a wood, masonite or canvas panel
scissors/craft knife
glue
your favorite go-to painting supplies (acrylic paint, antiquing ink, tinted past wax, etc….)

Sketch a simple design onto a piece of cardboard, then cut it out. Use your scissors to remove the excess cardboard surrounding your design; use the craft knife for attacking awkward angles and perfecting the shape. Now, glue your design onto your panel. Slap on a few coats of white gesso, do your thing with your favorite painting and antiquing method, and……….

©Linda Nelson 2015

Voila!

It ain’t instant relief, but it’s pretty darn close.

I’ve got one more relief remedy to share, so do stay tuned. Didn’t get to view the first relief tutorial? Well then, click right here.

FOR FAST RELIEF…….. Read More »

RELIEF YOURSELF: A TUTORIAL

March 6, 2015

Need some relief from all of this snowy, winter weather? Well, here you go; here’s some relief.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Perhaps you’d like to relief, yourself. You’ll feel great, and to do so, this is what you’ll need –

gesso
molding paste
a cone shaped plastic goody bag
an empty cone-tipped plastic bottle
acrylic paints, antiquing stain, or any coloring supplies of your choice
a surface to relief upon

©Linda Nelson 2015

Sleeve a plastic goody cone bag inside a glass, then spoon in equal parts gesso and molding paste. Twist the bag shut and use a squishing technique to mix them together. Snip the tip end of the cone and squirt your mixture into the plastic bottle. Prime your surface area with a coat of plain, white gesso. I chose a blank hemp journal, but wood/canvas panels, clay pots, etc…. would serve as great options, too.

Pre-sketch with a pencil, or just free-hand draw a design onto your surface. Grab your little concocted bottle of relief and do your thing. Now, set your piece aside to dry.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Apply a few coats of gesso over the entire surface area of your piece, allowing it to dry after each coat. Finish it off with a dry brush coat of acrylic paint, antiquing ink or any preferred technique to achieve the look you want. I sponged on some mossy green acrylic paint. I let it dry, then did a sponge on/wipe off coat of brown and teal tinted gloss medium. The journal book came with a satin cord bookmark attached to it; I simply added the skeleton key.

©Linda Nelson 2015

If you’re a purist, you know that this isn’t an authentic relief process. But, who cares. There’s snow on the ground, and in lieu of shoveling, you might prefer a less back-breaking activity.

There you have it.

Now, go relief……, yourself.

RELIEF YOURSELF: A TUTORIAL Read More »

JUST LIKE LITTLE HALF CHICK

February 22, 2015

Remember the folktale, Little Half Chick?

©Linda Nelson 2015

Well, meet Little Half Egg. That’s right, Little Half Egg.

©Linda Nelson 2015

You see, its creator (yours truly) was experimenting with decorative cement recipes and failed to mix the correct amount needed to fill the mold. Nothing to show for the effort but half an egg. A frickin’ half-a$$ed egg.

See?

©Linda Nelson 2015

Wait, let’s flip it around.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Look any better? Nope, not really.

Even Little Half Chick ended up with a permanent and dignified position living atop a cupola. One such as that is useless to Little Half Egg. Perhaps he’ll have to settle for a desk job.

As a paperweight.

Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend, folks. And remember, laughing at oneself is the greatest form of flattery AND the best medicine.

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MAKING A LITTLE PAPER BONNET

February 20, 2015

I stumbled across a video, via designer Mark Montano’s blog, on how to make paper. The recipe is very simple, perfect for doing with children. The kid in me decided to give it a try, elaborating upon the stimulus with using my own approach, and ending up with this.

Since I’ve been on the spring bonnet kick lately, I thought a handmade paper one would make for the perfect little addition to my collection.

And, I thought a salt shaker would make for the perfect little hat stand. I think she looks a bit like Sunbonnet Sue. I filled the shaker with lavender from my garden that I dried this past fall, but it could be filled with pretty little nonpareils, too. A charming tablescape favor, don’t you think?

While I was at it, I whipped up another mesh bonnet, as they are just so easy(and fun)to make.

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