Helmar Creative Team

Winter Fun with Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection

Hi Helmar Fans! It's Kate Vickers here today sharing a layout that I did with Pink Paislee's Portfolio Collection. Pink Paislee very generously provided a ton of goodies to our team and I was very happy to play with it!

For those of you who are big Pink Paislee fans, like me, you probably know that they opened their digital store just a little while ago. I jumped on that immediately and purchased the circle digital cutting file that you see used in my project. There is also a super cute star and heart version of this cutting file.

Here is what I created.

I treated each circle differently and embellished a few of them while leaving others with just patterned paper or a photo.

I used lots of Helmar Zap Dots with the Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection ephemera to add interesting vignettes to my page. I love adding dimension!

Supplies

• Helmar Adhesive Runner
• Helmar Zap Dots
• Helmar 450 Quick Dry
• Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection Ephermera
• Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection 12 X 12 papers
• Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection alphabet stickers
• Pink Paislee and Heidi Swapp mistable chipboard arrows and stars
• Pink Paislee digital cutting file
• Epiphany Crafts Heart 14 and Star 25 Tools and Epoxies
• Twine by Maya Road
• Enamel dots by My Mind's Eye
• Black rhinestones by Zva
• Pen by Copic

Thanks for joining me today!

  Kate Vickers
  Helmar Design Team Member

Welcome Pink Paislee...Helmar is Glad to See You!

Hello...hello! Welcome to the Helmar Design Team blog...we are starting off a fun-filled week with a cross promo with one of our preferred partners Pink Paislee. Pink Paislee has some yummy collections and I like the fact that they are full collections containing everything you need to create with. This is from the Portfolio Collection and I found these colors perfect for a layout of my grandson who is going to be 9 this month.

I don't do many LO's but when I do I like to layer lots of paper...this one has 5. I love to use Helmar Quick-fix Permanent Adhesive Runner as it helps put all the layers together fast and I don't have to wait on dry time. The final layer received some added interest with 3 stencils, acrylic paint and washi tape. Once I have the base layer created I switch to Zap Dots to adhere the various elements...pictures, emphemera, tags. I want to create height with these elements and this allows me to build various heights by combining several Zap Dots.

   

Here's the completed layout:

Close-ups:

I also created a tag for Helmar's March Challenge Make-a-Tag. The Helmar Challeneges our created by the fabulous Lydell Quin from The Color Room. Do you know that you can play along and have the opportunity to win some great Helmar products. Here's the information you need to play along.

Here's my tag using left-over pieces from Pink Paislee Portfolio Collection.

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to stop back everyday to see what the other designers have created!

Martha Richardson~HELMAR Design Team member

 

Altered paint brushes and Helmar Hotties

A couple of the Helmar Hotties have recently altered paintbrushes for your inspiration.  The first was created by Amy and you can check out her awsome take here.  Next we had Jen create another on Helmar's USTREAM Channel and you can check that out here   I was SO inspired by thier altered paintbrush and wanted to make one, but wasn't sure that I would actually pull it off... well until I came up with my own idea.  

I decided to create an altered paintbrush mini album of my boys creating their own art. The hardest part was trying to find a paint brush big enough for what I wanted to create... I eventually found a decking brush that was 15cm or 6'' wide by about an inch and a half thick at the paint store.  Cost me a bomb, but I knew it was perfect so thought 'oh well' all in the name of art!  

The brush handle and body was a beautiful light stained wood that after I was finished with it I REALLY wish I had gotten a start pic of it.  Many of layers of paint, standing, screening, stamping and distressing later, I ended up with a beautifully aged looking brush.  

I removed all the hair from the brush which was a bit of an effort as there was 5 layers of brush hairs strongly glued in.  And this is where My Helmar came in.

I added chipboard chickwire to the handle and body using some Helmar 450 Quick Dry - it stuck to the metal so well.  I added pages into the areas where the brush hairs were previously using Helmar 450 Quick Dry and some Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to give it a little more fill as the area was wider than the thickness of the pages.

I then got to creating the album. 

Whilst much of a novice when it comes to copic colouring, I thought this La La Land image was just perfect for the albums theme.  So I gave it a go.  These markers are quickly addictive and whilst this is only about my 6th image I have ever coloured with them, I am sure to start learning and using them more.   I also coloured all the bunting with the copics.  I added the image with some chipboard from a box behind it with my Helmar Acid Free glue.  Most of the elements of the pages were adhered with Helmar 450 Quick Dry and the buntings with Helmar Liquid Scrapdots.  I did get a bit of help with inspiration from Pagedrafts sketches, they are amazing and just help me get started sometimes even if I end up on totally different tangents.  I also used Kaisercraft's 'Basecoat' range and My Mind's Eye's 'All is Bright' range together to create the album part.  

 

This looks so great haning up in my boy's craft area.  I now can't wait to create another with all the new crafting they are doing in this area, they have so much fun there!

I do hope you have found some inspiration here today, and maybe even give an altered paintbrush a go yourself.  If you do we would love to see your take, so feel free to post a pic on our Facebook page here 

Beck Beattie

Helmar Design Team

 

 

Decorating on a Dollar ~ Chalkboard Plaque Tutorial with Helmar

Hello everyone!

I am so excited today to show you this sweet little project created with some our fantastic Helmar Products! I was inspired lately by an event I am helping organize to really look into the "Arts". After working with so many creative people who do so many different things like write poems, Sing or play music, dance and create art I decided to make a little something that would hopefully inspire our next generation (my kids and those that will be benefiting from this local event) to express themselves through the Arts.


Supplies:

• Helmar Crystal Kote Matte
• Helmar Acid Free Glue
• Helmar Liquid  Scrapdots (optional)
• A plaque or board you can make into one if your that handy
• Black Primer Spray Paint
• Black Chalkboard Spray Paint
• White Chalk
• White Paint Pen
• Book Pages
• Mists (your choice of color)

Step #1: Spray your plaques with the black primer, fallow the instructions for drying time and distance to spray from. Be careful not to over spray, you want these as smooth as possible. I sprayed them front and back with the primer.

Spray them with Chalkboard paint on the front side.

(I have had these plaques for a while... I snag them at the $1 Store during the holidays when I like the shape of them)

Step #2:  Use Chalk to layout and color in your typography (text) design and any doodling you wish to add. In my case I had graphics I made from book pages I wanted on either the left or right depending on the plaque. (you will see these in later steps) just be aware of what images you may want to add so you can design your text around them.



Step #2 TIP: I used a lot of cotton swabs to clean up any chalk you erase or chalk dust that may leave marks. Just wet the tip after wiping the chalk off and clean the board. Let it dry before reapplying more chalk.

Step #3:  At this point I used the Helmar Crystal Kote Matt Spray to seal in the chalk. It did wind up lightening it a bit but it keeps it from smearing and it allows you to use the white paint pen over the chalk to brighten it anyway as you will see later.

Step #4: White waiting for the Helmar Crystal Kote to dry I worked on my images I wanted to add to the plaques. I drew/traced them onto book pages and spritzed them with shimmer mists. Then after they dried I used Helmar Acid Free Glue to adhere the layers together.

Step #5: Also use the Helmar Acid Free Glue to adhere the images to the plaques once the Helmar Crystal Kote is dry. (See in this image how I designed the typography text around the image I wanted to glue on?)

Step #7:  Take your White Paint Pen and trace all the main areas of the text or any areas you think need greater contrast to really make your chalkboard art pop.

I created four in total. 


Note: Helmar Liquid  Scrapdots were used under the skirt to help lift it and add dimension to the page once the  Helmar Acid Free Glue that was used to adhere the top of the leotard had dried.

Note: Helmar Liquid  Scrapdots were used under the sides of the "feather" to help lift it off the page once a thin line of Helmar Acid Free Glue was adhered and dried up the quill and to the board.



Please leave me some comments below and tell me what you think. This was my first attempt at chalkboard art and I had a blast working with it. I hope you try it too! Please leave a link below if you do or post it on our Facebook page.

Thank you for your time, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

L. Grace Lauer

Helmar Educator

www.gracesscrapattic.blogspot.com

Mixing it Up with a Tag

Hello there..

 

Michelle back to share with you what I have been playing around with this month.

 

Now Lydell is super with the monthly challenges and I must admit I have been too busy for ages to play around with them. I have been printing them all out and have had grand plans to play along for a few months.

 

So this month I decided enough was enough... I just HAD to play. Especially when I saw the super cute tag Lydell  had designed for Helmar. 

 

So.. I played around with the tag a bit and here is what I came up with.

 

Super easy with the tag sketch to give me some inspiration.

 

Now I am not much of a tag person... I don't tend to make them much as a stand alone item.

 

So.. Here's what I did with my tag.

 

I decided to use the tag as the main embellishment on a layout so to tie it all together I used the staples from the tag sketch to staple the bakers twine across the page. Then used same Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to adhere some extra hearts along the twine and some Helmar Gemstone Glue to adhere some silver dew drops I had scattered through it all.

 

I decided to add my buckle separately next to the tag through a piece of ribbon. Now because this was rather bulky I used some Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to adhere it in place.

 

So... I am now a convert. I loved making up this tag and look forward to using this tag sketch to create a few tags in the future.

 

Why not give this months Make a Tag Helmar Challenge a go.

 

TFL, Michelle Wallace x

2013 Helmar Design Team Call

 

Helmar is a recognized leader of adhesives and aerosols in the Arts and Crafts industry and we are looking for new design team members to promote our amazing products. If you’d like to be a part of one of the most creative, fun, and supportive design teams out there, while showcasing Helmar products and your talent, this call is for you!!!

We are looking for dedicated design team members that work well with deadlines, direction and preferred partner products. As a Helmar design team member, you will serve a 12 month term beginning May 1, 2013.

Helmar Design Team members receive…

· A generous amount of Helmar products and advance releases of new Helmar Products when applicable

· Endorsement fees for published layouts and tradeshow projects

· Amazing products from our Preferred Partners throughout your term

What do we expect from Design Team members?:

· Effective and timely communication 

· 3 projects per month which will include a minimum of 2 Helmar blog posts. 

· Keeping your personal blog up to date and linking Helmar at every opportunity.

· Active participation in Helmar social media platforms; ie Facebook, Twitter, Ustream, Pinterest, etc. Social Media is big in the industry and we want you to be a part of it!!!

· Monthly submissions to magazines and publications

· Special projects as per requested for shows, catalogs, promotional items and trade shows

 

If you are interested in being a part of a fantastic team, please send the following information in a single email

1. Name, address, daytime/evening phone number and email address.

2. Do you consider yourself a ‘niche’ crafter i.e. Do you only create layouts, cards, DIY, mixed media art, home décor, fabric art?

3. Short biography.

4. Links to any online galleries, blogs, Facebook, Twitter pages and video streams ( youtube, ustream, vimeo)

5. List or attached resume of other design teams you are or have previously been on.

6. A brief paragraph letting us know why you would like to be a part of the Helmar Design Team.

7. 3-5 examples of your work that will best showcase what you will bring to the Helmar table. (Layouts, cards, altered art, mixed media, sewing projects, crafts etc.) One of these MUST include a tutorial – video OR photo step-out tutorial. Make sure to list any special techniques you’ve used using adhesives. Please no photos bigger than 500kb each.

8. Anything else you feel we need to know about you.

Please submit your application to [email protected] by March 30^th, 2013 with "Helmar Design Team Application" as the subject.   No late submissions will be accepted. The new Helmar Design Team will be announced by the 15th of April, 2013.

Notes:

I’m sorry, but at this time we are only accepting applications from Australia, Canada and United States.

Helmar Adhesives are not required on your submission samples, but are appreciated.

Tag-you're-it Helmar's March Challenge...

Welcome to Helmar's March Challenge!

"Tag-you're-it"

We had so many entries this month, It had been absolutely wonderful going through and having a look at everyones take on the challenge!

Because Our Entries have increased, this month we chose the Winner randomly through the inlinkz website.  It does it all automatically, which really helps when one finds it difficult to choose!!!

 

So Our Inlinkz generator chose....... 

Beatrice Lawson

Congratulations Beatrice !!!!  YAY!!!!

(email [email protected] with your details to get your Helmar gift sent to you!!!!) 

And here is Beatrice's entry......

and to all the other entrants......Thanks for playing along....hope to see you all next month!!!!!

 

So our next Challenge.....

Tag-you're-it.

 

and here are my Tags I made with this basic design.

 

Features of the show........

Helmar 450 Quickdry

Helmar Liquid Scrapdots

Helmar Gemstone Glue

(I couldnt have done it without them!!!)

and some others from our superbly talented Designers

Michelle Wallace

Beck BT

 

 So now its your turn.

Heres what what you do....

1. Create your project using any Helmar adhesives and the Tag-your-it Helmar Challenge

2. Upload your enty to your own blog.  Make sure you list the Helmar products that featured in your project.

3.  Open your blog post by clicking on the title of the post and copy the URL in the address bar.

4. Come to the Helmar blog and click the INLINKZ upload button in our sidebar.

5. Fill in your details and add your blog link URL

 

(AND YOUR DONE!)

Look forward to seeing your entries in March!

 

Your Smile is So Lovely -- Pan Pastels and Helmar

Hi everyone! It's Kate Vickers joining you today to share a layout that I did with Pan Pastels. Pan Pastels very generously provided our team with a six piece set of pastels and applicators to play with. I think I'm addicted now. If anyone knows of a Pan Pastels 12 X 12 Step Program, let me know! :)

Here's my first Pan Pastel project ever!

I used two colours of Pan Patels, Permanent Red (PR254) and Diarylide Yellow (PY83) with a mask from Crafter's Workshop. The colours blended together so smoothly and seamlessly.

If you don't want your project to smudge or if you want to add additional media on top of your Pan Pastels, then I recommend sealing it with a fixative. I recommend Helmar Crystal Kote Fixative Spray. I splattered Color Shine Mist by Heidi Swapp in two colours over top, so my project did need to be sealed.

Supplies

• Pan Pastels
• Helmar Crystal Kote Fixative Spray
• Helmar 450 Quick Dry
• Helmar Premium Craft Glue
• Stencil/mask by Crafter's Workshop
• Cardstock by American Crafts
• Patterned papers, stickers and chipboard by Crate Paper
• Twine by Maya Road
• Markers by Copic
• Alphabet stickers by Jillibean Soup
• Enamel dots by My Mind's Eye

Thanks for joining me today!

Kate Vickers, Helmar Design Team Member