10 Year Anniversary of Being Me

In a recent look back at my jennmason.com site I found out that I started this a decade ago on October 4th. So I thought it would be a great idea to give it a whole new look and freshen it up.

A look at my new website!

I used Adobe's Muse to make all the fun and interactive bits of this but the fun part is that I'm now StartUp Institute Boston learning how to do these things the hard way.

You'll notice I'll be blogging a little less for the next couple months as I enjoy the bootcamp work life of SI. If you want to know what I'm up to, please visit my Startup blog: SheStartsUp. I'd love to chat with you there!

If you have a website, what do you use to design it? Does HTML scare or excite you?

Mason Jar project without the jar!

Julie and I on the set of Scrapbook Soup.

Happy Friday and here’s another Scrapbook Soup episode for you! (http://www.scrapbooksouptv.com) 

Here is the info on the episode that will be airing for one week starting at 10am (EST) on 10/10:

In an interview with Jenn Mason, we learn how Jenn took her interest and talent in scrapbooking and applied them to other mixed media art forms.

  

Episode 402 Off the Page

Our designers are not content to stay on the page. First, Kazan Clark embellishes mason jars with die cut flowers. Jenn Mason talks with Julie about her creative process in a short interview. Next, Kathy Cano-Murillo shares her technique for creating a colorful sugar skull to embellish an album or journal. Julie shares a last technique using sugar skulls and flowers to embellish Halloween themed mason jars.

I like this episode because it has some fun Mason Jar art. And you know I love Mason jars. In fact, I thought I’d take a moment to share one of my favorite Mason jar projects that doesn’t even need a jar!

When we finished remodeling the basement of our carriage house I wanted to create a staircase that gave a nod to our name “Mason” and also gave the house a sense of whimsy.

Watch this video to see the finished project:

Here is how I got it done:

1. Choose your design element. In my case, I chose all different Mason Jar logos.
2. Set up an enlarging station. I use Tracer projector over the design element and project up onto a wall.
3. Project onto clear contact paper. Tape up pieces of the contact paper (paper-backing side down) with paint tape and project the element in a larger, desired size. Trace around the element with a Sharpie©.
4. Cut out the shape creating. Use a craft knife to create a sticky stencil.
5. Place the stencils. Remove the paper backing and adhere to the stairs. 
6. Paint the open stencil areas. I painted directly on the stained but unsealed stairs with oil paint (because they were sealed with an oil-based polyurethane. The oil paint too a LONG time to dry.)
7. Distress if desired. I took some fine grained sandpaper to the painted items to make it look more like old crates had been used for the stairs.
8. Seal as desired.

That's all there is. It's a little time consuming but pretty easy and worth it! What would you paint on your stairs? Share in the comments and enjoy this week's episode of Scrapbook Soup.

Have a great weekend!

TV time with Scrapbook Soup and ScanNCut cards!

Watch Scrapbook Soup episode 401 this week with host Julie Balzer and guess who!?

Here's the 411 On the most recent episode! (not written by me)

It’s a whole new season of Scrapbook Soup on line! Episode 401 will be on the Scrapbook Soup website starting at noon on Friday, October 3, 2014 and will run for 7 days.

The 400 series is all about developing a personal style. Create your own style as you mix it all up: materials, designers and techniques for one flavorful Scrapbook Soup!

Host Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and her guest, Jenn Mason, use ScanNCut to create colorful cut-out cards with photos.  Jenn draws her own template for the card and includes a mini-gift card in the template so she can scan and cut out both at once.  Using decorative papers that are colorful on both sides, she uses the perfectly cut images and negative space to create one-of-a-kind cards.

And here's the 411 on the most recent episode (written by me!)

Filming with Julie is ALWAYS a blast. We are all giggles behind the scenes and laughing with the crew. Even though I don't really scrapbook, I do love being crafty, especially with friends. That's why I always say yes when Julie invites me on set! 

If you watch it, let me know what you think! and if you make something from the show, send me a pic, too!

Have a lovely weekend all!