Red Lead

Sewing Circles that You Made!

All of the Sewing Circles are on our Facebook Page in a new photo album, they are all sew creative!

- - - take a look and get inspired - - -

- be true - Chris & Sharon

Something for You to Make - Art Canvas by You!

Art Canvas for You to Make!

It is 5:30 Friday evening and I am in the middle of baking cookies for the store tomorrow, and Chris is at home in her studio putting the final touches on our Sat. newsletter.  Since I haven't posted anything in a week or so I figured I better let you guys know we are all good, and working away on more new stamp designs and workshops. This was the week that the store went from Valentine's Day to Here Comes Spring.  Every time the season changes we redo the display in the front store window.  This time we decided to do something a little different.  I made enlarged  copies of our artwork and collaged them to a large canvas with mod podge. The photo above is of the enlarged copies and the photo below is of the completed canvas.

The canvas is 48" x 60" and makes a real statement.  If you are looking to do a fun project with all of the art you have created this is an easy way to get a large art canvas that is all about you really easy. Here is how You do it:

Take photos of your completed art.

Enlarge the photos in  a photo editing program like photoshop elements, or a great free program -

Picasa from Google.

Print off copies and take them to your local copy shop for color copies.  Don't use the ink jet copies from your printer because the ink is not light fast, and the mod podge will make the ink run.  I started with a lot of 8-1/2" x 11 images, and just began placing them on the canvas until I was happy with the composition.  Then I began to glue each copy on the canvas with mod podge.  I always use a foam roller from  the hardware store to get a real smooth application.  Put mod podge on the canvas and on the back of the color copy.  Burnish the copy on the canvas with a metal ruler - be careful though - if you press to hard you will tear your copy - easy does it.  It took me about 3 hours start to finish to do the canvas.  Now for the cookies. You may know that my new found love in addition to everything else that I love is baking cookies, and sharing them every Sat. at the store.  So far our favorite is from the new Martha Stewart Cookie Book, White Chocolate Chunk with Coconut, Golden Raisins, and Walnuts.  Here is what just came from the oven and we are serving at the store tomorrow.

I couln't resist using this cute white bunny in the photo!  And oh yeah, we have new Paper Quilts

I love these paper quilts and hope you do too - See you tomorrow at the store!

- be true- Chris & Sharon

Calling all Art Sisters - Vote for Cover A

Our good friend and fellow artist Dottee O is being considered for the cover of Stampers Samplers magazine.  You all know what a thrill and honor it is to have your work published - especially to be on the cover!  Spread the word on your facebook pages and don't forget to tweet!

Please take a minute to vote for Dottee!

Vote for Cover A right here!

- be true - Chris & Sharon

Leave a Comment - Artful Jewelry Give-a-Way!

Let's make some artful vintage jewelry - Red Lead Style!

You are going to love this give-a-way!  We will send one of you everything you need to make several pieces of vintage style jewelry.  Clear Bit Crystal Clear  Acrylic Charms, Patina Charms, Brass Charms, Collage Sheets, Beaded Chain, Bracelets, Pins, Word Play rubber stamps plus more! All you have to do to get in on the give-away is to leave a comment right here on the blog. -be true- Chris & Sharon

Don't forget to leave a comment!

 

Vintage Papers + Rubber Stamps = Red Lead

You know how much we love vintage papers, books, dictionaries, anything a little worn around the edges, not too perfect or precious. We have several tall shelves in the basement loaded with old paper stuff we have been collecting for years, not to mention the many boxes stuffed with old photos in our studios.  Every once in a while I get the bright idea that I will organize everything in categories.  I tell myself how easy it will be to begin with the oldest box and sort by flowers, birds, seed packets, etc.  But what do you do with the postcards that have flowers & birds?  Or butterflies & birds?  Are they just nature?  After a few hours of sorting I always get sidetracked with a book that I had forgot about and begin scanning the afternoon away.  The new collage sheets - Paper Quilts - are a result of my deciding once and for all that I prefer a mismash of everything together.  After thinking about this for a minute I guess that is why I like cookies with nuts, rasins, & coconut. Or a big pot of homemade soup with all kinds of fresh vegetables.  Maybe that is why my decor is a little bit old lady, some modern vintage, and a lot of neutral colors. 

I think this is what they call eclectic.

                                      ec·lec·tic/iˈklektik/

Devising ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of subjects - like I said - a mismash. 

The Paper Quilts, new Ancestor Collage Sheets, new Word Play rubber stamps, will be on the website this Friday, and at the store on Sat.  Plus we are re-introducing our Crystal Clear Clear Bit acrylic charms.  Do you remember how cool they are?  We have new shapes and the charms are nice and chunky. The charms are crystal clear, and super smooth.  Wait until you see what Chris has been making with the new charms, rubber stamps, and paper quilts!

Have a beautiful Wednesday - be true - Chris & Sharon

 

Sat. Jan. 28 - Home Made Cookies

If you guys have been reading the blog you know that we have been serving homemade cookies every Sat. at the store.  Kind of a kick I am on.  Anyway the cookie this Sat. is from Martha Stewarts Cookies, and it is a real humdinger.  If you love chocolate chip cookies and banana bread, you are going to love this cookie. I sure do.  Here is the thing I really like about it too.  Not that it is healthy eating but it does have real dark choclate chunks, walnuts, and whole wheat flour- all good for you - right!  A few dozen will be at the store this Sat. and we also have a free Valentine Pocket Card make & take.  Hope to see you Sat.

-be true- Chris & Sharon

Altered Photo Workshop

 

We love to mix photos - old - new - whatever we love - with paint, papers, and stamping, to create an original piece of art that is you-nique.  Here is why you are going to love this workshop:

No rules

your favorite photos

papers your love the most

color

tips & techniques

artful rubber stamping

So what are you waiting for - sign up right here, and yes you are creative, and yes you will love your art, and yes we will have cookies.

-be true- Chris & Sharon

 

 

New Valentine Rubber Stamps

As you can see we are in full Valentine stamping  mode.  The new valentine stamps came in just in time for our email today - plus we have a new exclusive free Art Kit  that includes the You Melt My Heart rubber stamp.  Check it out here on our website.  We reordered all of our other new Valentine stamps and  they are back in stock too.

 

 - be true - Chris & Sharon

 

Follow Your Heart Charming Bracelet

Follow Your Heart Charm Bracelet

When I opened the box and saw this fabulous charm bracelet I told Chris we have to give one of these to an art sister, and honestly this bracelet looks as good in the real as it does in this photo! I only ordered 6 and when I went to reorder they were already sold out! 

Leave a comment right here on the blog.

 We will announce the winner in our Sat. e-mail.

-be true- Chris & Sharon

Clearly Artful Transfers Workshop

Clearly Artful Transfers & Stamping Workshop

This is the workshop for this Sat. at the store, & we are also teaching this workshop in Akron Ohio at the Adventures in Stamping Convention on April 27th.  So if you can't come to St. Louis and workshop with us and you are withinn driving distance of Akron we would love to share our tips and techniques with you - signs ups for the Akron workshop is right here.

Just in case you haven't heard our new store hours are:

and last but not least here are a few cute Valentines for you to play with today!

Be True - Chris & Sharon