Halloween gift bags

 

Hi Friends, it's Robin Seiz. 

It seems like fall came upon us quickly. In Pennsylvania, where I live, the weather has been unseasonably warm so it doesn't feel like Halloween is right around the corner, but it is indeed!  We all know that teachers are going way above their normal routines to make sure our children, grandchildren, and neighbors' children have a good start to the school year. This project is a Halloween gift bag that is easy to make. You can stuff it with all kinds of goodies. (coffees, teas, candy, gift cards, etc)  

I know the teachers in your life will appreciate the gesture! 

WARNING: This project uses a gel plate and the nature of the gel plate is that --- it's perfectly imperfect!   That's why I love it so much! I always get something that is wonderfully organic. No two pulls from the gel plate are the same.  I say WARNING, because if you are a person who wants the paint to look perfect, the stamps to have a perfect image, and the paint to adhere evenly, then this project may challenge your sense of order. However, I do encourage you to give it a try and stick with it; you are likely to get some absolutely fantastic results! 

Here are the video's. They are short, so it won't take much time to watch. 

Halloween bag - Rubbermoon stamps  https://youtu.be/T5MHiPh_Ge0

Halloween Bag - Artfoamie  https://youtu.be/zxJt9Neev_Q

Halloween Bag - 100 Proof Press  https://youtu.be/uZFhTtuIQqc

The supplies that I used are as follows:

Amsterdam paints: Light Blue Violet, Neutral Gray Value, Greyish Blue, Azo Yellow Lemon, Titanium White, Black Oxide 

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/amsterdam-standard-acrylic-paints

DecoArt Florescent Acrylic - Scorching Yellow

https://shop.decoart.com/americana-neons

Gel Press by Gelli Arts - 8 x 10 

https://www.gelliarts.com/collections/gel-printing-plates/products/8-x-10-gel-printing-plate

White paper bags - 5 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 8 3/8 -  Paper Mart

https://www.papermart.com/p/white-shopping-bags/4136

Rubbermoon Stamp - Trifecta

https://rubbermoon.com/collections/halloween/products/mk787-trifecta

Rubbermoon Moonlight Duo Hue and Ink Pads

https://rubbermoon.com/collections/moonlight-duo-tint-hue-ink-pads-accessories/products/moonlight-duo-ink-pads-assorted-colors

Artfoamie - Bonehead

https://artfoamies.com/collections/holidays/products/sandra-evertson-bonehead-foam-stamp

100 Proof Press Stamp - Ornate Gate

https://100proofpress.com/collections/architecture/products/5802-ornate-gate

100 Proof Press Stamp - Flying Bat

https://100proofpress.com/products/4318-flying-bat?_pos=1&_sid=16a138119&_ss=r

I hope you enjoy this project. It's quick and easy and the results are satisfying! 

Enjoy and let me know what you think. 

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Special Guest Gretchen Ehrsam

Happy Introductions!

Today here at RubberMoon Arts we would like to do something a little different. We are super excited to have a very special guest here on our blog.

Please welcome Gretchen Ehrsam! Many of you long time RubberMoon fans know Gretchen from the hundreds of wonderful stamp images she has designed for RubberMoon over the past fourteen years!
Gretchen is primarily a print maker (most of her stamp images are carvings) and a calligrapher and she is also a wonderful watercolor painter!
She is so creative and multi-talented. We always love seeing what she will do with the fabulous stamps once she gets her hands on them!
Recently, we sent Gretchen a small RubberMoon Ultimate Red Rubber Palette. We did not tell her anything about it at all. (We just wanted to see what her wonderful imagination would come up with!) She certainly did not disappoint and she sent us this awesome picture tutorial!

Here, Gretchen shows how to use the Red Rubber Palette to make some monoprinted heart cards and tags.

These are the tools and supplies you will use:

punches, card stock cut to size, ink pad, red rubber palette, glue

Trace around the red rubber palette on a piece of card stock, this will show you where to put your design

Punch out some shapes from cardstock (cardstock is best because it needs to have a certain amount of thickness). Glue the punched out pieces randomly but in a nice pattern in the traced red rubber outline.

Next, ink the surface of the Red Rubber Palette

Make sure it is covered well

Next, lay the inked red rubber palette ink side down onto the patterned square, press down had over the entire surface...

Lift up carefully and you now have what you will be printing with! (and that piece of printed card stock is awesome too!)

Lay the Red Rubber Palette inked side down on to a piece of cardstock cut to the size you want (a little bigger than the Red Rubber Palette)

Press it hard going over the entire surface, lift it up carefully and now you have your first monoprint!

Keep making prints, one pattern piece is good for about 10 prints and then the prints start getting less sharp.

When you have printed a batch you can cut them up or punch them into shapes and you can make quite a few  cards and from the little scraps make tags.If you wait until it is really dry, you can also cut up the  patterned piece that you were printing from.

Gretchen says, "The back story is that I said I would do a valentine project with the kindergarten and I needed something that little hands could do easily.

So I used construction paper that they could cut hearts out of  with those crummy scissors-- they could even WRITE on the  hearts and the words would print.

I used  MarsCarve carving material. It doesn't work with, say, a blank stamp because it is too hard/rigid but the Red Rubber palette has enough give that it works perfectly!

When I was planning out the kindergarten project I got so into it, I documented it in a notebook, and that is how I started doing my  idea journals!

Here is a pic of one like the kindergartners  did and then later, when they went on a nature walk, I showed them how to print leaves with the same technique!"

Gretchen and her daughter, Romy, (also a RubberMoon designer!)  Live in West Seattle. Gretchen illustrated a book that has just been published in Canada ("Leaving Mr Humphries"  by author Alison Lohans) .

Romy is a 7th grader at Madison Middle School and is currently showing at Firefly Cafe in West Seattle.

Albert & Shooey are their spoiled lapdogs!

We are honored and privileged that Gretchen is not only a RubberMoon artist, but also a friend! Thank you Gretchen for sharing your beautiful work and creativity with us in so many ways!!

We hope you have enjoyed meeting Gretchen and getting to know her a bit more!

Sending Moonbeams,