This winter my friend and product designer, Eileen Hull, began a new education team and she was gracious enough to ask me to join it.
Apr23
Make a mixed media vintage junk journal
Author Archives: Betsy Skagen
Apr6
She sells seashells
Apr3
Giving Mother Nature a hand
For decades I have walked the shores of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota collecting lake glass, or what those of you on the coasts call sea glass.
Mar23
I’m building my dreams
Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” For me, that is what this year has been all about. I have been reaching outside of my comfort zone to build the foundation for achieving my dreams.
Actually, I have been going beyond more than just one comfort zone. I have been trying a lot of new things–from starting art product lines, to growing friendships and alliances in the art industry, to expanding the kinds of art I make to opening up about last year’s health scare.
Read the rest of this entryMar22
Stitching together some mixed media spools
I am lucky enough to own a massive bucket of vintage wooden spools. I had been trying to come up with some new ways to use them when I happened to see a picture of artist Cat Kerr’s beautiful mixed media tape dispensers.
That’s it! I thought to myself. I can make some mixed media spools.
Read the rest of this entryMar9
Keep you ephemera close by
There’s a good chance you have a lot of ephemera. I do too. However, I have it stored away in so many different places and in so many boxes, that I often can’t find it when I am in the middle of a project.
To combat this problem, I made a desktop ephemera storage box. While it certainly can’t hold all my ephemera, I can keep it filled with different odds and ends that I can use in upcoming projects.
Keeping some of your ephemera nearby is is especially helpful for those of you who like to make junk journals and art planners. What’s more, it makes for some fun eye candy.
Read the rest of this entryFeb23
She’s got a ticket to ride
What does your creative process look like? For me, some vintage Silver Star tickets sitting on my desk reminded me of the old Beatles song. That inspired me to search through my stash to find the perfect saucy woman.
A lingerie model from a 1940s magazine and several elements from Gypsy Soul, including a silver star, set me on the path to create this mixed media / altered art wagon.
Feb9
Get it on with Love Potion No. 9
Sometimes people need a little help in the romance department–that’s why I invented Love Potion No. 9.
Each glass-like jar contains a potion of cherubic magic. Just open the mason jar, dab a little love potion behind your ears and let the romance begin!
If you want to learn how to concoct your own love potion, visit the good folks at Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts who have posted my tutorial online.
Great Stuff
- Canning Jar Chipboard
- Faux Metal Number Plates
- Wooden frame
- Sheet music
- Deli Paper
- Black cardstock
- Cherub image
- Distressed Silver embossing powder
- Rocky Road Bake Texture
- Metallic silver paint pen
- Metallic silver ink pen
- Acrylic paint
- Number rub-ons
- Heart Sequins
- Architextures black medallions
Feb4
No Time for Love
I wanted to share a piece I finished this weekend called “No Time for Love,” and show you a little behind-the-scenes action of what went into making it.
Jan30
You say you want a revolution?
I began this piece in a Paper Artsy class at Creativation. When I got frustrated with the direction it had taken, I took a break and only returned to it last weekend.
