How To Turn Frumpy Into Fabulous, Art Tutorial 18, By Lynne Suprock

How To Turn Frumpy

Into Fabulous, Art Tutorial 18

By Lynne Suprock

OK, so I did get a little behind with posting a few of my Art Share projects.  This one was completed in July.  I did a bit of everything here.... cut apart a full length jumper, made a few ruffles and a glorious pocket, incorporated a linen bag into the works and then monoprinted for dimension.  I LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT.

So, if you are curious, I made a video of the transformation to share.  You can pause at anytime to catch your breath and cut, or just enjoy the show.  Follow this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1AsqNbjrXY

let's begin with scissors...

Sharing Some Happy... By Lynne Suprock

Sharing Some Happy...

by Lynne Suprock

Tinsel, trees, stockings, bows…. The season is upon us and where exactly did the summer go?  I’ve been across the country and back in miles, caught up to see both extraordinary and ordinary things, welcomed a new grandson (number 2) into a crazy world, and decided to freeze a few moments in time by giving them my complete presence of mind.

I continued to try a few new things sewing, filmed a few projects for the PBS show Make It Artsy (seasons 5 and 6), hosted workshops, as well as taught little on the road, and have thought about a few print worthy how-to’s. This year has also been a time to sort out the lines between art friendships vs business friendships, and good business vs not so great business regarding the retail scene.  As a mixed media artist, I like to think the best of everyone, but it has not been that way with some of my experiences.  It is time to walk away from any negative vibes, and stay focused on what truly has meaning, and makes a difference.  This focus, and working with small businesses I believe in, allow me to be more happily present in what I do.  .

So, during the end of March, before my last post, I traveled to Montgomery County with hubby and friends to experience the ultimate in indoor free fall and flight at iFly.  If I could, I would fly everyday!!  Oh My Gosh, you just have to go do it yourself.  It was such a game changer and super fun. I will never be the same. 😊

April then brought with it, a visit from friend, Erin Gerlach, who came to visit and work on a few projects using the Aves Apoxie products to showcase on the wildly wonderful PBS show, MAKE IT ARTSY, with the ultimate art host, Julie Fei Fan Balzer. What a blast we all had doing that.  Filming happened in May. I will include a link to one of the episodes at the end of the post, for those interested in checking out a segment.  Others will be up on my YouTube Channel as the episodes air. 

Alas, but no other producer called me after my on set persona demo’d some serious project making.  However, for what it was worth, I met a lot of wonderful people and got to be under the lights, in front of the camera, and in the middle of all the action for a few fun days.  Thank you, Erin Gerlach, for providing me the product and collaboration to film four more awesome episodes, and thank you Kathy Stull, and your wonderful team, of K&S productions, for making these episodes possible on Make It Artsy!

Also in May, I zipped off to New Orleans for the first time ever!  Holy smokers, what a place indeed.  How amazing was the local culture and the art! Oysters aren’t my thing, but there were plenty other choices of local cuisine.  Before he closed the business, I was able to visit Thomas Mann’s art shop/studio.  Ou-la-la, what an artsy place to visit.  I was scouting around in hopes of teaching in NOLA myself one day.  Perhaps…… 

The very end of the month found me in Chicago, where I attended a conference and had one beautiful day  to catch up with my cousins, Lori and Kathy, living in the area.  We had lunch and kinship at a wonderful place along the river.  Love these girls. I wished we lived closer!

In June, a most lovely, although wet, week was spent in West Palm Beach.  Gosh, how I love the beach, even in the rain.   My sister and I also finally made it to the Pittsburgh Art Festival at Three Rivers.  Oh my, pierogie and brisket trucks lined the street.  Yes, we did partake just a little in that feast!

   

Right before the 4^th of July, it was also so exciting to spend teaching full weekend workshops at The Muse, in downtown Frederick, MD.  I love that my workshops sold out!  Thank you Whitney Dahlberg, owner and artist, for hosting me. :-) 

    

In the middle of the month we readied travel to NH for a family visit, and to welcome the arrival of a newbie boy to the family in July.  We made a second trip up in August to provide a bit of support to our daughter in law as our son was involved in a little work travel. Distance and our own work/travel obligations make visiting less frequent than it should be. I know lots of you out there understand and live this circumstance, as well.

September found some teaching time in the studio and prepping for an annual beloved art and mixed media retreat, Art &Soul, in Virginia Beach.  Afterward, another beach week to Myrtle Beach with friends. Hubby spent time on the west coast and over in the UK the remainder of the month.  For me, I get lazy and that means no cooking….yay! Although I have to say, I eat healthier when I do cook.  Several days of me time, found me taking direct hits of almond whipped cream straight from the can and spooning marinara sauce right out of the jar.  Yes, I did just say I did that.

October was here before I could blink and I was off to vend, teach workshops and bunk with some art sisters for a fabulous week at the Art & Soul Mixed Media Retreat.  It is always wonderful to connect with other teachers, students and art friends.  The heart needs these reprieves.

                                                       

   

Lucky to head back down south, with hubby, to Charlestown, SC for a business trip.  Wonderful warm weather and connection with colleagues and friends.  I finally got to tour a beautiful plantation.  The architecture and gardens were beautiful.  My fav restaurant once again Fleet Landing.  Oh my word what seafood!!

And here we are in Dec, and in the epitome of holiday hub-bub.  I play the holiday music the day after Halloween, you know.  Drives everybody crazy for sure. They bring me the best memories though.  Yes, the best of Christmases past.  I bake a few pies and clean a bit to make room for all the commercial trimmings.  Decorations seem to be somewhat less each year, but the ones left for display are most special.  I look forward to the meet up with friends and family. The best time of year for grandchildren, and reliving a little bit of your own magic of youth.

So that brings me to today.  I left out the most personal stuff that colors in the days between milestones.  There have been certainly the most exquisite blessed moments and some, which were nearly tragic awful and scary.  We all have these times without roadmaps, which makes life’s trip a bit rogue when you'd rather it not be.

For now, I’m enjoying the time of year where we are all a little kinder, a little more understanding and forgiving, and a bit more sentimental.  Looking ahead to putting a few more things in my Etsy store, getting out a few more videos on YouTube, launching a new website, and starting up a new studio.  Looking forward to finding happiness in another year forward, as I hope you all do too.

Below is one of the episodes from Season 5 of Make It Artsy.  Check out my YouTube Channel for others as they air at https://www.youtube.com/user/lsuprock/videos

Make Chihuly Like Pond Balls And Ornaments on Make It Artsy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3vByOoTqzs

Design A Plate Using Gel Press and Pebeo Paints, Art Tutorial 17

Design A Plate Using Gel Press and Pebeo Paints, Art Tutorial 17

By Lynne Suprock

This is an AMAZING gift idea, and so simple to do.  Seriously...simple!  I got to thinking after a friend posted pictures of a few favorite dinnerware pieces found at a popular retail store.  I loved the pieces as well, but could never happen upon them while out.  Part of shopping for me is the thrill of the hunt....so, yeah, I could've ordered some online, but did not.  Instead, I thought I would try my Pebeo Paints, Porcelaine 150 for ceramic, combined with my Gel Press for monoprinting and give it a go myself.  I collect eclectic stuff as well, so this was as eclectic as they come.

Here is an image of one of my pieces.  Follow the link to learn a few of the how-to tips and supplies used.  Happy creating!

How To Design A Plate Using Gel Press

Soldering Tutorials - Art Tutorial 16, Extraordinaire, By Lynne Suprock

Soldering Tutorials- Art Tutorial 16, Extraordinaire

By Lynne Suprock

Over the past few months, I put together four simple, but popular videos that feature the "How-To's" of basic jewelry soldering techniques.  These techniques are not my own innovations.  The process of soldering has been around for dozens of years and used in various art or commercial media.  It takes practice and lots of work to incorporate this media into your own awesome projects 

These basic videos come in handy for students who want to learn the basic how-to's of soldering before completing projects in a class.  Click each link and watch these short and sweet, easy- peasy tutorials and ENJOY!

How to Solder A Jump Ring To Charms

How To Make Solder Dots

How To Solder A Circle Necklace

How To Stamp Into Solder - Successfully

How To Alter An April Cornell Piece Using Extra Fabric And A Gel Press: Art Project Tutorial 15

How To Alter An April Cornell Piece Using Extra Fabric And The Gel Press: Art Project Tutorial 15

By Lynne Suprock

Oh my, oh my, OH MY!  Seriously, there's been a sewing frenzy here once again!  Oh heavens…. the paints, the Gel Press, the scissors, and this poor little, sad little, old little shift, all meeting up on my dining room table…..and then strewn there  for days!  Lol

So the back story goes…. in 1986, I actually discovered the April Cornell line of dresses and honest to gosh, swooned.  I did not have the money to spend on the outfits that I coveted, but on outlet sale day in Baltimore….. I got an ensemble!!   This wine colored silky frock came with a navy tulle over coat that had matching embroidery.   Ou la la.  Well, ou la la in 1986 anyway!

So now it is 2018, but I throw away no outfits once coveted.  The tulle coat still makes an appearance, although a bit tattered.  However, this shift has definitely seen better days…..did I just say DEFINITELY seen better days?  Be that as it may, I wanted to experiment, and sew I did.  J

Let’s walk through the transformation.  This time I am using Gel Press with my fav stencil for March, "Scribble Scratch", from Carolyn Dube and Stencil Girl Stencils.  I think the best thing to do with this dress is to add a few good pleats.  For those inserts, I will pop slices of color onto the fabric.

Step one:  This will always be my Step One... so I will type it and reaffirm. Take a deep breath and say....."well, I don't like it anyway, so nothing I do to this piece is going to make it worse"...... lol. Now proceed to step two!

Step two:  Find that extra fabric to paint, cut, and insert later into pleats.  Lay out your stencil and measure so you will have enough to cut for the six pleats. Set that fabric aside for now and move on to let's say..... make an over slip of another colored fabric that will match the eventual pleats.  I thought why not?!

I have a fav Tina Givens pattern that would work perfect for an over slip, and I liked a see through gray sheer nylon fabric, so decided to use that with the pattern.  As well, I thought I would add a wine colored trim!  Oh yeah.  That was the yum!

Step three:  Follow the pattern instructions.  I left the facing off the sleeves and neckline, and just turned, pinned and sewed the fabric under.

 The trim was pinned and sewn into place.  The whole slip was so lightweight and had such movement.  

Step four:  Time to paint, paint, paint!  So, here we go.  Keeping it simple, I used equal amounts of GAC-900 and Golden acrylic, mixing in a teflon pan for ease.

Step five:  I could hardly wait to get my awesome Stencil Girl Stencil onto the Gel Press.  Then I rolled the paint generously over the total stencil, and removed it.

Step six:  Each of the square pieces of fabric that were cut to the length and width of the widest part of the pleat to be inserted.  Then, each piece was gently smoothed over the Gel Press and allowed to dry.  In between gel pressing the fabric pieces, I wiped off the press with a baby wipe and repeated the process of rolling paint over the stencil times six.

Step seven: I collected all six panels, cut them, and pinned them behind the vertical slits cut into the shift.

Step eight:  I made the final press at this point and of course.... put on one of my necklace designs and..... swirled around the yard for a sorta fashion show!  :-)  Again, great accolades to the photographer!

Follow me on FB where you can instant message me with any questions.  I also have an Instagram page at lynne_suprock

If you like video tutorials, join me for a few on www.youtube.com/user/lsuprock

Stay tuned for the next Segment, with more stories, images, and tips throughout the weeks and months ahead

How To Alter A FLAX Bag Into A Wearable Frock: Art Project Tutorial 14

How To Alter A FLAX Bag Into A Wearable Frock: Art Project Tutorial 14

by Lynne Suprock

SEW.....  not much around here stays plain for very long.....

A few months ago a good friend sent me a few things from her local FLAX boutique.  Let me say, "I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, FLAX clothes" and was sew excited when the package arrived.  Anywho, there was also a plain cloth bag that arrived in the package along with my ensemble, and although it was FLAX awesome as well, it screamed for a chance to live the dream of being an actual supercalifragilistic FLAX wearable.  

And "SEW" again……….  I decided to give it a whirl and set out to alter the hungry little bag into a marvelously stitcherized frock!  Apologies. I don't have my image of the bag in its before state.  Close your eyes and imagine a basic sac with handles, tag on the inside.  OK? Ok.

First things, first.  Let's turn it inside out to see that adorable little FLAX tag. Yep, let's leave the tag showing! Next it was time to tear out the bottom bag seams and then cut the fabric off, straight across the bottom.  That gave me some extra fabric right away. I used that fabric to create a few free motion stitched appliqués as add-ons.  

Next it was time to remove the bag handles and stitch them on their opposite sides, to use as jumper shoulder pieces. I also removed the side seams so I could later add 3" from the shirt mentioned below, to have better movement under the arm part of the piece. Heart flower motifs made nice appliques, so a few were added and eventually sewn with black thread and free motion stitching. 

This is where things got a little crazy because it was time to introduce my FLAX hybrid to the make or break supercalifragilistic moment regarding a must have union with a neutral colored thrift store shirt.  (Men's size large). I cut two, 2" strips, from the shirt and free motion stitched the word “wirth” to one of those strips.  Both of the strips were positioned in the back, their ends sewn between the repositioned bag handles, to keep it all from slipping off my shoulders later.  

Out of the rest of the rest of the shirt, came two side panels under the arm areas and a purposefully uneven strip to add to the bottom.  Too plain again......so I free motion stitched some more hearts, in black, along the bottom of the added fabric.   The string of hearts matched the free motion appliqué designs earlier placed on the front of the frock.

A little bit of tidying loose threads and hemming it all up, ahhhh .......and voila.  

This was a fast, free, and fun frock to make and layer over another smock or wear over leggings. 

And yes, indeed, I paired the outfit with one of my little purse necklaces.  Yum.  Kudos to the photographer!

Frock Over A Smock...

A Different Look Over Leggings...

Follow me on FB where you can instant message me with any questions.  I also have an Instagram page at lynne_suprock

If you like video tutorials, join me for a few on www.youtube.com/user/lsuprock

Stay tuned for the next Segment, with more stories, images, and tips throughout the weeks and months ahead