April 2025 - Arty April News
And just like that, it is the last day of April...
We had Anzac Day on Friday, a day to reflect upon how lucky we are to live in such a peaceful, free, welcoming and beautiful country. The Post Office was closed too, therefore I had planned some time in my studio stamping, painting or collaging poppies. Like lots of plans, I did none of those, I enjoyed some colouring of stamped images in my Dylusions journal :) Did you have some time out to rejuvenate your soul too?
Business Hours as of 28 April 2025 ...
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - available 10am to 5pm (ACST, SA time).
- Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday - closed.
- our online shop is open 24 hours a day, 8 days a week :)
... click here for useful info and frequently asked questions .
Here is a quick update of the happenings at Art by Jenny, last refreshed and edited on Wed 30th April 2025 ...
Arrived ...
- 4 brand new sets of Sizzix Studio by the talented artist Vic Hollins.
- the start of Dina's Spellbinders adventure with the 'Collaged Birds' sets which are even more beautiful in real life. Dina has been having a wonderful time creating with these!
- restocks of essentials (waterbrushes, stamps, something else).
Embossing folders from the Vault ...
- Tim's new embossing folders from the vault in regular size and A5! Get your embossing machine out of the cupboard so you can have a play the moment you unpack your parcel, these embossing folders look amazing! Find them in the "What's New!" category or in Tim's Vault collection.
If you would like anything else by Sizzix, Tim, Dina or Dyan that isn't showing up in my shop, sing out anytime and I will help :)
Wishing you a Happy Easter - (for the other day) ... I hope you enjoyed a weekend of peaceful arty crafty moments (around the family/friend celebrations) with chocolate bilbies, boiled eggs to colour in before you eat them or simply a handful of ginger bickies, which are quite nice in the afternoons, especially Arnotts! They're the next best thing to homemade :)
Speedbumps of Life .... It's a little chaotic at the moment with Dad sick but thankfully he will get better eventually, it's not anything cancerous, nasty or scary, just a misbehaving disended bladder. So relieved! It will still take oodles more time for him to heal, so life will remain being a proper time juggling act for a bit longer. Which is fine because Dad's fine, really! His only gripe is that he hasn't played golf for a month! 😂 So this is why I've been quiet in Insta/FB, while I look after Dad, Mum, the shop, the home and everything. That quote from Dyan's stamp set 'Full Blown Circus' suits me to a tee 😆 I really have no method, just madness! edit 30th May, Dad will be fine, shop is back to our normal work-speed :)
This vivid page was created over Easter inside my Dylusions 9x12 Ledger Journal using a gel plate (to flip hunny Bunny), Dylusions stamps, Archival Ink Pads and Dylusions Ink Sprays (applied using brushes).
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I started one day stamping the two heads from 'High Tea' and the 'Hunny Bunny' body (flipped on the gel plate) then turned the pots into coffee mugs. Next I stamped cats, the sun, a few bees, some background patterns then coloured it all in the next day. I've started writing a blog post with more details and afterthoughts... watch for that in the next few days 🤹😁
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Thank you for your patience if you've been shopping, I'll get back to seeing all your amazing shared creativity in Instagram soon! Happy Arty Days! xxx
- click here to see my colourful page -
Read on for other information about arty products we love to call Precious, I mean Arty Treasures ...
Tim Holtz ...
How exceptionally inspiraionally fun was Tim's latest Easter video? I love that eggcellent mirror ball egg! New arty treasures by Tim and Sizzix are landing in a couple of weeks - vintage inspired amazing embossing folders (from the vault) in regular A6 sized designs. And a few days earlier, Ted and his son had a unique experience showcasing Tim's stamps and stencils, all of them from eons ago until now. Some of the sets they showed were the clear stamps and stencil sets, some of which I've ordered - mostly those designs we don't already have in red rubber or are a different size. I'll get them online soon, when I know a delivery timeframe :) We already have the Hippity Hoppity Bunnies in stock! So adorables!
Bunnies . Rabbits . Hares ... Other furry friends in stock are Tim's Mr Rabbit stamp set, as shown below in my 6x6 inch art journal. I've covered the page in watercolour paint then smooshed Ranger's Stickles Gels all over it. I can't remember what I used for the gold. I can see the groovy doodled scallops from Tim's Media Marks stamp at the top and right hand side, so most likely I used a brayer with gold metallic paint on the stamp and pressed it onto the page.
... click here to see our extensive range of everything by Tim ...
To find anything in our shop, simply use the drop downs in the main menu or pop a word into the search area :) Need a hand? I'm here to help.
I love watching Tim create! Did you know there is almost 20 years of video lessons in YouTube now, all free, all entertaining, easy to follow, fun, educational and inspiring! Once in Tim's channel, use the search function to find Hodgepodge, Mr Rabbit, Easter or Creative Ideas - or enjoy a wander through all the chapters, organised playlists and crafty sessions.
We have a huge selection of our favourite Tim Treasures for you to wander through while you wait for your parcel to be delivered :) Window shopping can be quite good for dreaming up new ideas, almost as good as watching our favourite artists in action! lol :)
Dina Wakley MEdia ...
Dina was at a trade show over the weekend and while there, showed us her Spellbinders releases (there are two, birds and botanicals) in Instagram. The "Collaged Birds" collection is beautiful. There are so many possibilities with these designs... the technique of inking plates and running through a (BigShot) machine is similar to how Tim showed us years ago - ink your dies / plates with Archival Ink or BetterPress Ink (which is Ranger's Archival but in a slower drying consistency), run through your machine, enjoy the result of indented already-coloured prints ... simples!
It will take practice and results will depend upon what paper you've used. Dina has been using her heavyweight watercolour paper and Spellbinders have a selection of thick papers for their system... have a go with all your favourite thick papers.
Spellbinders also has a marvellous accessory (BetterPress system) so we don't have to work out which plates to use too. If you'd like the system set, sing out any time.
The BetterPress letterpress system is perfect for all excuses to create - from ATCs (artist trading cards) to A2, 5x7 and slimline (narrow tall) cards, as well as scrapbooking, bookmaking and journal layers.
The A5 (large) embossing folders and cutting templates are compatible with most manual die cutting machines (Sizzix Big Shot, BigShot Switch Plus, Vagabond and Sidekick, Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Platinum), while the BetterPress plates are recommended to be used in conjunction with the BetterPress letterpress system.
Dina's wonderfully inspiring Ledger Journal will be back inStore mid to late May (we're waiting for Ranger to print some more) while her other Ranger essentials (versatile brushes, new paints, stencils and beautiful stamps) are in stock :) Those paints are so pretty!
... click here for our Dina Wakley shelf ...
Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions ...
NEW! We now have Dyan's beautiful arty design of artwork within circles on a black backgroun to wear as an apron with large pockets! It is canvas yet not heavy and feels luxurious, and the strap doesn't drag on the neck being annoying and itchy.
We also have for you, Dylusions Dyamond gemstone Rocks in oodles of colours, an abundance of fantastic stencils in original designs and the fastest drying wet glue in the South. Ok, so the glue is the same as Dina's new wet glue - so both are equally fast and quite amazing. So fast that it doesn't spend time soaking into papers and felt making it all soggy.
fyi, speaking of glues ... Tim's Collage Medium is a gel matte medium (wet adhesive and a sealer for surfaces or finishing), also could be called a wet glue. However, it is different to Dyan and Dina's in that it is a teeny bit slower at drying, acid free, non-yellowing, super strong and permanent for almost everything (metal, plastic, glass, paper, foil, vellum). The redline tape we have by iCraft is ok for paper as are the Zots (little premade dots) - everything has a reason to exist! Sometimes it boils down to how fast we want things to dry, what we're sticking together and how we feel :)
When was the last time you dug out and used your Ranger Perfect Pearls? Did you know that Dyan's Dylusions Dyamond Dusts are the same as Perfect Pearls (a pigment infused water-soluble mica powder) but in brighter more colourful tones?
They can be used with clear embossing inks, Archival inks, paints, gel pens, paint pens if you're quick, pastes, glues and other arty mediums. To seal the beautiful colour simply mist with water or spray with a fixative. Hair spray, while we used to think would work, does not and it goes yellow with age anyway. Use the pretties with Dylusions' ultra thick Dyamond Rocks, stencils, stamps, chipboard (Dyamond Boards) and jigsaw puzzle boards - fun and games for all the arty crafty moments!
... click here to visit the Dylusions shelf of everythings ...
Sizzix Studio - Mixed Media Kits ...
Yes, I'm still chatting about these amazing stamp and stencil kits! I love them, even though they're clear polymer/something stamps, they quality is actually very good and not soft and squishy like clear stamps from 10 years ago.
Sizzix have worked with two talented and clever mixed media artists, Cat Kerr and Vic Hollins, to create 'Sizzix Studio', a beautiful and versatile collection of stamp and stencil sets. There are 12 designs to choose from, each with a wonderful theme to inspire creativity and timeout for the overthinking mind. Possibilitarian and Ad Astra, and R's Have It with the big beautiful feathers, are my current favourites. Who am I kidding choosing faves? I love them all :) They're all my favourite! I sound like Poh when she's deciding which rice is her favourite ;p lol
If you're looking for a handy tool for journaling (and working on canvas or board), checkout the Sizzix Deep Hinge Adapter. It works with the Sizzix Stamp and Stencil Tool (a large stamp platform) and their award winning Stamp and Spin Tool, which is a very cool adaptor that helps make circular and mandala patterns using any stamp you have, clear or cling. Brilliant and practical ideas!
... click here for Sizzix Studio ...
Looking for crafty inspiration?
Our Creative Space, an art and craft blog with tutorials and ideas, has a growing selection of ideas and tutorials to wander through. Enjoy!
... Click this link for our Creative Space ...
Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you enjoyed your wander around our shop while you wonder what you could be making next :) Art is so good for the soul, the mind and making as gifts for loved ones. Enjoy every moment!
Our Happy Easter photo features Dina Wakley's pretty pastel paints and Furbabies cat stamped on Dura-Lar Wet Media, Sizzix stencils through texture paste and Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions Chipboard Flowers (Dyamond Boards), on a page inside the Stamperia Watercolour Journal.
Happy Creative Days!
:)
Jenny
Arty Treasures ... because not all treasure is silver and gold, except maybe metallic paints, inks, leaf and paper!
