Are you interested in learning more about Art Journaling?  One of our Creative Team Members, Kimberly, recently taught a beginner art journaling class through Trade School Indianapolis.  Following the standard form of Trade School Classes it was a quick 90-minute class held at Rabble Coffee.  Despite it being a short class it covered some basics of art journaling and fun techniques.  We wanted to share the handout created for those students with you in case you are new to Art Journaling and looking to learn more.

Also, if this peaks your interest, join us on Saturday, August 6 from 11 am - 2 pm for Art Journaling Open Studio.  Kimberly will be there to assist with any questions, and it is a great time to see what and how others are creating.  

We are excited to welcome Ken Oliver to Palette & Paper a little later this month. He will be teaching three workshops focusing on using Color Bursts and other products in the Ken Oliver Crafts family. 

Color Bursts are “an amazing powder watercolor medium that lets you create beautiful watercolor techniques like you’ve never created before”. They come in 20 colors (including the newly released “Caribbean Brights Collection”), and are great for watercolor painting, fine art and mixed media. You can make artwork suitable for framing quickly and easily with Color Bursts (take Ken’s Stencil Magic Class and walk away with a framed 12x12” piece of artwork!). It’s easy to “sprinkle and spritz” to create watercolor backgrounds like an expert also. Palette & Paper has an assortment of colors in the Shoppe that can be purchased for $6 each or in 6-packs.

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Color Bursts also come in Liquid Metals (12 colors).  The Liquid Metals add an eye-catching metallic luster to your artwork and can be mixed with other Color Bursts colors.  Finely granulated metallic powder along with colorant is suspended in a dispensing liquid in a handy dropper bottle to make this unique product.   

It is so awesome to see the colorants react to water and spread over your artwork.  Once you “sprinkle and spritz” you will be hooked!
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Just look at the Gallery below showcasing items made with Color Bursts and Liquid Metals by Ken and his Creative Team.  As you can see, you can add Color Bursts and Liquid Metals to almost every kind of craft type and project.  

Another great product that is hot on the market are Ken’s Cut n’ Color stamp and die sets.  Ken says they were designed with versatility in mind.  Cut n’ Color lets you “color” stamped images, then cut them out with matching die sets making it quick and easy to cut multiple images.  You can use these sets for a multitude of projects including: card making, party décor, mixed media artwork and art journaling.  

Attendees of Ken’s Watercolor Cards class on Friday, July 29 will have the chance to use these great new Cut n’ Color stamp and die sets (there are still a few spots left so register today!).

If you haven’t signed up for one (or all three) of Ken’s classes yet we know you will want to.  His products are so fun to use and can be used in a multitude of ways with various crafts and projects.  This is a great opportunity to learn from the King of Color Bursts himself!

Last Wednesday evening during Open Studio, Creative Team Member Jill Metz offered a demonstration of Tim Holtz Distress Markers and Distress Crayons.  The participants were in for a real treat - - not only did Jill offer a demonstration of the products, but a complete project walk-thru using the markers and crayons!  Just look at some of the gorgeous creations made during the demonstration below.

Want to learn more about the steps taken to create these fun oversized puzzle piece creations?  Keep reading!

​Step 1: Make vertical lines using a black Distress Crayon on the lower portion of the puzzle piece.  The creaminess of the Distress Crayons is really nice and you can get bold lines with the crayon.

​Step 2: Using four Distress Markers (Jill recommends a palette of 2 warm and 1 cool colors + 1 green) draw flowers and leaves/vines using the black lines as stems.  

​Step 3: "Activate" your flowers by adding water with a paintbrush.  In the picture below no additional pigment/marker was added.  The lighter pink that fills in the flower blossom is from the water activating the Distress Marker used to draw the petals.  

​Step 4: Continue to activate your flowers, leaves and stems with water.  Play with it and have fun.  Add pigment with markers as desired.

Step 5: Add highlights to your flowers and leaves with a white Distress Crayon.​

Step 6: Add pattern to the bottom section of your creation and activate with water.  Keep repeating this step until you have a look you enjoy.

Step 7: Outline the flowers and leaves using a black permanent marker.  This step, despite being a little scary to complete, definitely makes your artwork POP!  Tip: hold your marker with the side of the nib touching the surface and sort of roll it.  This will help achieve more of a scribble effect and lighter lines.  

Step 8: Add additional white highlights with white Distress Crayon or acrylic paint for a bolder look.

Step 9: Add a message or typography element to your artwork.  Tim Holtz's Chitchat stickers are great for this.

Easy, right?  Now grab some Distress Markers and Crayons and get to creating!  Be sure to share your creations on our Facebook page or on Instagram with #paletteandpapercreation because we would love to see!

Keep an eye on our Calendar and Events page for notifications of future demonstrations and classes.

The holiday weekend is upon us along with an array of activities and cookouts to attend. We thought we would share a quick round-up of some of our favorite 4th of July Hostess Gifts. Remember, hostess gifts don't have to be elaborate or expensive, but a little something to show your appreciation for the event coordinator's hospitality and hard work is always a nice touch.

Picture 1 - Make a S'mores pack with graham crackers, chocolate bars and marshmallows. Bonus points for using decorative paper to wrap them (we've got you cover with that!).

Picture 2 - Buy a potted succulent or plant and add a festive tag with your appreciation (see below for tag idea).

Picture 3 - Fill up an empty bottle with patriotic candies like M&M's and add a tag.

Picture 4 - Put some goodies in a plain brown lunch sack and decorate with punches from patriotic paper and red and blue washi tape. This idea is especially good if you are headed to an event with lots of kids and want to take them some goodies.

Picture 5 - Fill a clear container with popcorn or another treat and decorate with patriotic paper and washi tape.

Picture 6 - It doesn't get any easier than this, dress up a watermelon with some ribbon or washi tape and add a decorative tag.

Picture 7 - Buy a bucket of Red Vines or similar licorice and decorate with a patriotic theme.

Picture 8 - Create a little bucket of goodies including sparklers, pop-its and candy in a red, white and blue theme.

All of these hostess gifts would look great decorated with paper from Photoplay's Main Street Parade Collection or Little B's foiled flag washi tape (both are available at Palette & Paper).  The sheet of Photoplay paper pictured above makes great tags for all of these ideas shown.  Simply cut it apart (10 tags for a $1!), punch a hole in the corner and tie on to the hostess gift with a message on the back.

We are open today and tomorrow and hope to see you soon! Wishing you a fun and safe 4th of July weekend!
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