Outside the Box with Jenn

Video Survey: Tell us what you're watching!

Jenn Mason — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:53:03 GMT

We'd love to know how you like to watch videos so that we can make you some more amazing video content like the ones we've captured in our Art Journaling Exposed eMag in the photo below.

We've put together a quick survey that will help us to understand what it is you like to watch and how you like to watch it. Do you like to watch short videos on your smart phone? Do you watch YouTube videos on your TV? Or are you old school and like to watch real DVD workshops with a TV and a DVD player. No matter what you like to watch, your 5 minutes will help us make more of what you love.

Click here to take the survey!

Thanks for your time,

The Cloth Paper Scissors Editorial Planning Team

photo Friday–brick remnants

Jenn Mason — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:37:00 GMT

Today’s photo comes from one of those gift moments in life. This is one of those times where you’re just walking down the street, minding your own business and something special appears. I took this shot in Portland, ME. A town I highly recommend you look up if you’re in the area.

Make especially sure that you stop by Fiachre on Pleasant Street. This lovely little garden-like shop stole my heart with Turkish stone candle holders (that weigh about 30lbs. each!).

Also inside was a lovely collection of assemblages by mixed-media artist Nan Hadden and some wonderful stitched gelatin prints by local art teacher Cami Davis.

I intend on using this image as a transfer as a starting point for an encaustic collage. It will immediately add texture and dimension and will look so ethereal encapsulated under a layer of delicious beeswax. If you find today’s photo inspiring, we hope you’ll create something with it and share it with the community by uploading it here.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo Friday-converging lines

Jenn Mason — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:17:00 GMT

Taking a new look

While walking in New York City recently, I realized the dichotomy of the dirt and filth of the streets, buildings, bridges, and sidewalks against the beauty of the city when taken as bigger chunks.

This is a photo I shot while walking back to the subway in Brooklyn. I love the play of the tree which is trying to grow up toward the sun, up against the building, bridge and street lamp--which all seem to be doing a better job at reaching up.

I had fun playing with this image on the computer. I would actually love to make a combined painting, collage, and encaustic piece with this image as the inspiration. I can imagine painting in a beautiful blue sky, like the one above—or maybe I’d use the shades of gray in this image to create a more abstract sky. Then I’d use the architectural part of this piece as a image transfer, and then follow that with a wash of encaustic medium to add some visual depth.

Do you find beauty in other people’s ugly? Have you used it as inspiration in your work? Could you?

If you find today’s photo inspiring, we hope you’ll create something and upload a it here.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Photo Friday–the view from here

Jenn Mason — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:35:00 GMT

I’m currently listening to a great book called Lean In: Women, work, and the will to lead by Sheryl Sandberg and I am reminded of the quote, “What would you do if you couldn’t fail?” While this is a powerful question for someone in the world of business, I think I can easily make it apply to my work in art.

I am a great fan of semi-abstract landscapes. Whenever I go to a gallery I am immediately drawn to them. I want to make them, paint them, collage them. But I am afraid.

Pure and simple, afraid.

I can see the beautiful piece in my head, but what if what I make doesn’t match this vision? I am afraid to fail. I think if I wasn’t afraid to fail I would focus on making gorgeous landscapes. I might even make some horrible pieces—but I would learn. And if I’m lucky? Well, then I would have a personal masterpiece. Perhaps if we restructure our idea of failure into a lesson in patience, we would all be a little less afraid to try something new or intimidating.

What would you do or create if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Today I hope I inspire a few of you to be inspired by this landscape I shot on the train from NYC to Boston. I believe I was in Rhode Island somewhere but I’m not sure and it doesn’t matter—I think I’ve found the inspiration in this photo to try. If you find that inspiration too, please share your work with us by uploading a it here.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo friday–button, button, who’s got the button?

Jenn Mason — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:15:00 GMT

Today I’m writing this blog from our PAGES vol. 3 photo shoot. We have tables filled with fun props to choose from. Each of us brought goodies from our studios in boxes, bags, tackle boxes, and backpacks. Interestingly, we ended up with a lot of books that were propped with buttons.

So today, one year after starting Photo Fridays, I’m sharing a photo of buttons inspired by our photo shoot! I know you’d rather get a look at PAGES but we’re working on that.

What can you make with a sheet of buttons? How many of you would rather have this box of buttons than a picture of the box of buttons . . . I know, me, too.

Whatever you make with this photo, we’d love to see it! Share it with us by uploading a it here.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo friday–a flash of color

Jenn Mason — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:42:00 GMT

I’m feeling super saturated today! I can feel spring right around the corner. I can buy three bunches of brilliant daffodils at the supermarket for just $6. And I am looking forward to wearing my fun green-feathered fascinator on St. Paddy’s day. No, everything is not all perfect and rosy in my life right now—but that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate life with color. In fact, a little bright cheerful shot of color is just what the doctor ordered to shake away the dreadful thoughts of pending taxes, yard clean up, or a pantry in desperate need of organizing—at least for a little while.

Today’s photo is a close up of some watercolor work I did in an art journal, but I can easily see it as the start of an encaustic background that gets some yummy image transfer added to it. It could also be printed onto fabric with a fun French-knot garden stitched on top.

I hope you are inspired to use today’s picture as a starting point for your own piece of art, or as inspiration to play with some vibrant colors. Once you’ve finished your colorful journey, share it with others by uploading a it here in our gallery.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo friday–blocked

Jenn Mason — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:24:00 GMT

Being blocked when you’re wanting to be creative is a real downer. It’s like your pencils and pens are ignoring your passionate pleas. How do you get through it? One of my favorite ways is by accepting a challenge.

Just agreeing to accept a challenge starts to change my brain chemistry. I start to go from feeling helpless to feeling defensive and even strong.

So today I double-dog-dare you to accept this challenge. This is a very challenging picture to be inspired by. It’s not beautiful, cute, or even terribly interesting…at first.

Look at it again. Consider the rows of bars up against each other. They are almost entirely see through (which makes them great barriers for the Thanksgiving day parade) unless they are all stacked together. Consider the grit on the ground under the barriers. Consider the way the feet are weaving in and out of each other. And lastly, consider the colors. I mean really, we have 50 shades of grey here—and some NYPD Blue.

Can you get through a block and tackle this photo inspiration? Will you crop out one part of it, print it as a screen, use it as an image transfer? Whatever you choose to create, please share it with all of us by uploading a it here in our gallery.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo Friday–snowed in

Jenn Mason — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:27:00 GMT

As an adult I had the chance to live in the Dallas, TX area for a few years, where snow was a novelty. Having grown up in an area where snow is what happens between Thanksgiving and summer, I always found it odd to see the mixed joy and fear when snow just happened to fall in Texas. The kids are so excited and anyone who has to drive is afraid of the slipperiness.

Living back in snow country now means a lot more shoveling, and snow days, and slippery roads. And even though we’re used to the snow and how to drive in it, there is still magic in it.

This week’s picture was right after another short storm. It was just a few inches but it fell at just the right time for the sun to rise and glisten off the snow-covered branches. The skies were overcast and the lighting was just spectacular. I knew immediately that I wanted to capture this moment for all of you.

What would I do with this photo for inspiration? To me, this is a perfect thing to art journal. Have you experienced snow, do you love it, hate it, both? If you’re somewhere in the world experiencing the heat of summer, can you soothe your sunburned shoulders with thoughts of big fluffy snowflakes? Try journaling about snow today, or this weekend. Cozy up with a mug of your favorite beverage and put your thoughts and feelings onto paper. When you’re done, share it with all of us by uploading a it here in our gallery.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

I {heart} paper, do you?

Jenn Mason — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:09:44 GMT

I hope by now you’ve heard about our new magazine for paper lovers because our submission deadline is closing in quickly!

Want the inside scoop of the type of projects we’re looking for?

Here are some ideas!

Silhouettes (people and or pets!)
Books from a single sheet of paper (origami styles are great!)
Simply bound books
Paper mobiles and chandeliers
Wreaths
Things made from old books (sculpture or utilitarian)
Paper projects for the home office (file folders, binder clips, magnets, message boards, blotters, etc.)
Laminated paper purse/tote/clutch
Memory game on chipboard or wooden tiles
Party décor (think menus, centerpieces, labels, cupcake wrappers, appetizer picks)
Utilitarian Origami

Interested? Check out our submission guidelines that follow and be part of Cloth Paper Scissors history!

You could be in our premier issue of I ♥ Paper!

I {Heart} Paper is a new publication bursting with gorgeous paper art that will inspire artists of all types—from the sophisticated scrapbooker looking to branch out, and the insatiable paper addict, to the mixed-media and collage artists who love working with paper. All article features focus on paper re-imagined into fantastic, beautiful, and/or purpose-filled items like wreaths, collage, sculpture, artist cards, party and home decor, and so much more. This issue promises photographic eye candy and clear instructions that will delight all.

We’re currently seeking submissions for the premier issue, which will be on newsstands this August. All submissions must be emailed to us by March 4, 2013, to be considered for this issue.

What we’re looking for:

Beautiful, decorative, and/or practical projects that showcase paper.

Project supplies can include all paper art basics such as scissors, craft knives, craft mats, rulers, pens and pencils, punches, adhesive, bone folders, awls. Other supplies like paint and gesso, stamps and inks, stencils, thread and fibers, wire and metal, letterpress, silk screening, dyes, and fabric may also be used but should be limited to just one or two from this list. Please no stickers or scrapbook pages (decorative scrapbook paper is welcome!).

Quality craftsmanship, unique ideas, beautiful projects in the following categories:

Gifts and Stationery: Small items that could be given as gifts, such as key chains, jewelry, book covers, bookmarks, gift books, magnets, etc. Also, creative gift wrap, tags, and cards.
Note: All card submissions should focus on a specific interesting technique like letterpress, printmaking, cut paper, etc. We are not accepting card submissions made primarily with commercially purchased embellishments.

Entertaining: Create a whole party ensemble or just a decorative paper element for entertaining. Think cupcake wrappers, party picks, buntings and banners, centerpieces, menu and place cards, cake plate edging, placemats and table runners, party favors, and more.

Home, Office, and Studio: Projects large and small that help to decorate or fill a need. Think laminated-paper device covers, calendars, business card holders, hand-bound notebooks, portfolios, wreaths, message boards, recipe holders, customized tools, and book ends.

Art: Scrumptiously lovely pieces of two- and three-dimensional artwork that would make any paper lover drool. We’d love to see paper sculpture (flat and in-the-round), collage, assemblages, and more!

How to submit:

Please send the following to submissions@clothpaperscissors.com: 2-3 photos and/or sketches of the project(s) you’d like to write about; a short outline of the project, including a materials list; a 100-word bio; and your full address and contact information, including blog, website, and social-media information. Please put I HEART PAPER in the subject line.

REMEMBER: All submissions must be received by March 4, 2013, to be considered for this issue.

Brought to you by the editors of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine!

Your artwork must be free of any text or images that are protected by copyright, unless you have the expressed written permission from the person or institution that holds the copyright and you provide that written permission with your submission. Artwork and instructions must be your own.

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

photo friday–faux bois background

Jenn Mason — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:49:00 GMT

This month I’m celebrating my #oneword “give”. I’m so glad to have you along for the journey. To read more about my #oneword adventure for 2013 click here. Check out the links at the bottom of this post to read more about other “giving” situations!

Today I’m “giving” you some wood (and a quick how-to!)

This isn’t the most exciting photo of wood you’ve ever seen, because it’s NOT wood! This is actually gesso and fluid acrylics! I think it makes a very fun background and I hope you are inspired to use this image as a great layer for a collage, an artist trading card, an art journal page, or something else fun.

I also hope it inspires you to try making a faux bois background yourself.

You will need a faux bois tool to create this pattern. You can pick one up in the decorative paint section of a craft store, hardware store, or a paint store.

I used a nice sturdy watercolor paper for this image and taped off the section I wanted to paint with blue painter’s masking tape.
Next, I used a earthy mustard color (fluid acrylic) to paint a base coat using an old hotel key card and let that dry completely.
To create the wood grain, I laid on a thick layer of gesso over the mustard-colored paint and dragged the faux bois tool through the gesso while slowly rocking it back and forth (this creates the cool grain texture. This technique will pull up parts of the gesso completely letting the mustard color show through here and there. Let the gesso dry completely.
Next I covered the surface with a brown fluid acrylic paint using the hotel key card in the direction of the grain. This lets the high parts show through differently then the low sections.
Let this top coat just dry for about a minute and then start scrubbing with a baby wipe. This will reveal even more of the gesso texture and some of the yellow will show as a layer beneath the brown.

If you try your own faux bois with gesso background or use this photo in a piece of art, upload it here for us all to see.

Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Give Blogs

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.
To read about the new Make-Along Webinar click here.
To read about the the new I HEART Paper magazine submissions click here.
To read about the Fabric Notebook Paper Tutorial click here.
To read about how my giving came back, click here.
To read about the most recent Photo Friday, click here.

Photo Friday–shovellandia

Jenn Mason — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:57:00 GMT

Today I’m going to “give” permission (although you don’t actually need it), to upload one of your own fantastic photos to our gallery here.

I really couldn’t avoid putting up a photo from our big blizzard last weekend for this week’s Photo Friday. This shot is the pile of growing snow outside of our house the next morning. Funny that we have 7 shovels and only 4 people! I just love this photo in black and white with the center focus, and I know so many of you have mad photography skills. We’d love to have you share your photo to our Photo Friday Gallery.

In the spirit of sharing inspiration, I ask that you share an inspiration photo and in the description please write OK TO USE IN ART. As always, our readers are welcome to use my posted photos in their own art. But we ask that you not use another person’s photo from this Gallery unless it’s posted “OK TO USE IN ART.”

I look forward to seeing the lovely images our readers send us and may even pick a few favorites to share with everyone next week.

Remember, you can always create art inspired by this photo, OR share your own photo this week uploading a it here and remember to mark it OK TO USE IN ART.

Have a great President’s weekend for our state-side members and Happy Photo Friday!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Give Blogs

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.
To read about the new Make-Along Webinar click here.
To read about the the new I HEART Paper magazine submissions click here.
To read about the Fabric Notebook Paper Tutorial click here.
To read about how my giving came back, click here.

Giving comes back

Jenn Mason — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:35:00 GMT

Sometimes when you give—you get back big time!

Yesterday’s Conversation Heart Make-Along Webinar was so fun.

Our two assistant editors (Barb Delaney and Tina Hussey) followed along from their offices, and hundreds of you joined us to share the mixed-media love.

I was especially touched by Carol’s Facebook post (and art below)…

#IHEARTART Hi Jenn, your make-along yesterday was great! As a Valentine's treat, I invited my 81 year old mom to lunch and watch your webinar at my house. She loves to draw and paint but due to some issues with her neck is no longer able to enjoy these. So I have been looking for new techniques for her that don't require her to hold a brush. This assemblage was fun for her! And here is what we made together. Thanks for this fun opportunity. I hope you'll do more of these. ~Carol Clapp Hays ♥

I hope those of you who attended will continue to post your #iheartart photos! And I encourage you all to give from your heART! The reward can be amazing.

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Give Blogs

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.
To read about the new Make-Along Webinar click here.
To read about the the new I HEART Paper magazine submissions click here.
To read about the Fabric Notebook Paper Tutorial click here.

paper, fabric, or both?

Jenn Mason — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:23:00 GMT

Today I’m giving you another cool tutorial!

Project Tutorial: Fabric Notebook Paper

What we’ll be making: In today’s tutorial, we’ll be making a basic fabric notebook paper that can be used in any number of ways. When the deadline for the Limited Edition Sketchbook Project loomed and my book was still blank, I started to panic every time I opened up the book to the blank pages! I couldn’t get past the blankness and wished I just had some notebook paper so I could sketch while I talked on the phone or sat in long meetings. I decided to have some fun and create a quilted set of pages. The directions are rather basic but you’ll really need a sewing machine to pull it off. You can get by with just a simple stitch on the sewing machine (straight and zigzag.) So, if you don’t have one, you can just borrow a friend’s.

Materials

Fabric scissors
White cotton
Heavyweight interfacing
Quilt batting
Sewing pins
Sewing Machine
Thread (white, pink and blue)
Fabric pens
Iron and ironing board
Ruler

Estimated Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Let’s Do It!

		Step 1. Decide how many pages you want and what size you want them to be. I wanted 5 finished pages (The middle 3 pages were folded in half and sewn to each other and the first and last page were attached to the book cover so I needed 8 x the book width plus 4 inches for turning/sewing.) Cut a piece of interfacing, quilt batting, and fabric to this width x your chosen height. (My pages were about 1/2 inch shorter than my cover.)

		Step 2. Layer the interfacing, batting and fabric to make a sandwich and pin together to keep it from slipping.

		Step 3. Time to sew. Put the blue thread in the machine and use a straight stitch to start sewing the lines on the fabric notebook paper. I started in the middle (you’re stitching the long way here!) When you get to an end, turn 90 degrees and sew up a couple stitches, then turn 90 degrees again to start stitching another row. Continue stitching until you have sewn all your blue lines. Remember to leave a little more white space at the top—just like notebook paper.

		Step 4. Now is a good time to iron! Just iron it nice and flat, and enjoy your sewing prowess. Then cut off the extra 4 inches (2 inches on either side) that you allowed for turning/sewing.

		Step 5. Use the iron to help you make the one long piece into a folded book signature. It’s easiest to start in the middle. Use a ruler to measure your pages if needed.

		Step 6. With a pinkish-red thread in your sewing machine, sew the quintessential stripe down the pages. Note that you’ll actually be swing pages together in this step. Pages 2 and 3 will become 1 page, pages 4 and 5 will become 1 page, and pages 6 and 7 will become one page.

		Step 7. With white tread in your sewing machine, use a zigzag stitch to finish off the top and bottom edges of each page.



		Step 8. Use a zigzag stitch to attach the fabric pages to the front and back cover along the outside edge.

		Step 9. Have fun doodling and sketching in your book! I used a Pentel fabric gel pen.

I especially love my robot!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Give Blogs

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.
To read about the new Make-Along Webinar click here.
To read about the the new I HEART Paper magazine submissions click here.

Giving you a new publication!

Jenn Mason — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:15:00 GMT

Today I’m giving the submission guidelines to our newest publication (which I just KNOW you’re all going to love!)…

You could be in our premier issue of I ♥ Paper!

We’re currently seeking submissions for the premier issue, which will be on newsstands this August. All submissions must be emailed to us by March 4, 2013, to be considered for this issue.

What we’re looking for:

Beautiful, decorative, and/or practical projects that showcase paper.

Quality craftsmanship, unique ideas, beautiful projects in the following categories:

How to submit:

REMEMBER: All submissions must be received by March 4, 2013, to be considered for this issue.

Brought to you by the editors of

Cloth Paper Scissors magazine!

Cheers!

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

Give Blogs

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.
To read about the new Make-Along Webinar click here.

Conversation heart make-along

Jenn Mason — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:33:00 GMT

Today I’m “giving” an announcment and calendar reminder!

In honor of Valentine’s Day we’re hosting our very first Make-Along Webinar!

Join me at 1:00 Eastern Time on Thursday, February 14th, for a 30 minute Make-Along to make one of these Conversation Hearts!

To join the free webinar, you just need to register here and gather a handful of supplies you probably already have sitting around your creative space!

Bring to the webinar:

Scrap paper
Scissors (for cutting paper and fabric)
Cereal box cardboard
Pencil
Matte medium or similar (soft gel medium, decoupage medium, craft glue)
Old letter (or write your own letter on vintage blank book paper)
Gesso
Used gift card, hotel room key, or expired credit card
Old text (I used music book paper.)
Glue stick
Fabric scraps (I used a red print and a sheer.)
Hole punch, or awl (I used a Crop-a-dile.)
Black waterproof pen (I used a Micron pen.)
Ribbon

Optional (but recommended)

Baby wipes or damp paper towels

If you’re one of those students who loves to work ahead, I encourage you to cut a couple strips of scrap paper and play with all the different ways you can create pleats and ruffles—you’re sure to get an A+!

So register now and mark your calendar!

Cheers!

P.S. Need to know what time the class is in your time zone? Check out this website.

P.P.S. After the Make-Along, share your heart with your social media friends and use #IHEARTART.

Twitter@mixedmediajenn

Facebook@mixedmediajenn

To read more about my word of the month for January click here.
To read my first “give” post, click here.
To read the Giving for Create post click here.
To read about Photo Friday click here.