Coloring Contest!

When I was around 3 years old I entered a Cookie Monster coloring contest. I colored several pages of the Cookie Monster picture. I colored him a rainbow of colors not solid blue. My parents tried to talk me into coloring him "right" but I refused. My mom mailed in my entry and a few weeks later it was announce that I had won a set of tickets to Sesame Street Live. My mom spoke to one of the judges and was told that I won because of how creative my coloring was. It was very exciting. The framed picture was in my bedroom for years. I wish I remembered where it was now. I'd love to put it up in my office.

Now my youngest son loves to color. I created a zombie cookie coloring sheet for him, and this is the beauty he had me hang on the fridge:

I created a reindeer coloring page to share with everyone reading. Then the idea hit me. I'm holding a coloring contest for kids 0- 10 years old.

Here's how to enter:
Print and color the reindeer coloring page.
Scan or photograph the finished picture.
Email it to me : stephlongoria@xyfactory.com
Subject: Coloring Contest
Please include the following:
Child's name (First only is fine.)
Age
Parents email address
Permission to share your child's creation on the blog as well as on facebook.


I will announce the winner of the coloring contest Monday, December 17th. Winner will receive a special plush doll just in time for Christmas.

I can't wait to see what you create!

Christmas Coloring Sheet

I've been super busy prepping for holiday craft shows, a doll design workshop and helping with the PTA I haven't had much time to post anything. I'm hoping to have time to post a Christmas tree pinata tutorial next week but until then I wanted to share a coloring page with you. This is inspired by kid youngest son's current obsession with coloring. I bought him an art kit with crayons, markers and paints, now it's his favorite new hobby. I hope you have as much fun coloring this cute little guy as my son did.

Is It Too Early for Christmas?

 

Is it  too early for Christmas? Not if you want to get ahead on your sewing. I've designed my first pattern fabric print! I think it came out pretty cute. I have a sample swatch coming soon, then it will be up for sell on Spoonflower. I've asked a kids wear designer friend of mine to help test my new print. I can't wait to see what she comes up with. I'm picturing a really cute outfit for a little girl.

Tree of Thanks

It's November, a month of giving thanks. For the past few days I noticed a few of my Facebook friends posting daily things they are thankful for. Today I caught up with them and posted my 7 days worth of thanks. After posting I thought about what I could do with my kids to help them share the things they are thankful for. Like myself, my boys enjoy working on "projects". Last month my little one helped me string some leaf shaped doilies to make a garland. I still have plenty left, I ran across them in my supply closet this weekend. That's when the idea hit, a tree of thanks.

I made a small, bare tree out of poster board, masking tape, and brown paint.  I hung it in the small hallway between my bedroom and laundry room which is open to the living room. This was the perfect spot because is will be seen every day, by everyone that enters my home. This way we can make sure to add to it daily.
I pulled out the leaf shaped doilies and asked my boys to write what they are thankful for (included their names and the date). Then with stuck them on to the tree. As of right now our tree looks bare, but by Thanksgiving I'm sure it will be full of leaves.

 

Crazy for Calaveras

 I'm so excited, this weekend it the annual Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Rose Marine Theater in Ft. Worth. This is the 3rd year that we participate and sell our art. I love this event so much, I look forward to it all year long. This past week I've been on over drive, working on special projects for this event. I've been making masks, traditional style and some huge bobble head style.

My mom told me about these cute little dancing skeletons. I picked a few up and painted them. I can't wait, only 2 days left to work on more projects.

Tutorial: Tissue Paper Flowers

I'm in the middle of of drying some paper mache masks. As I wait for them to dry I'm working on a stack of tissue paper flowers that I plan on decorating the masks with. Tissue paper flowers are really simple to make.

You'll need:
Tissue paper (1sheet makes 2 small flowers)
Scissors
Wire Cutters
Floral Wire

1. Flow tissue paper in half .

Something big is coming!

I'm working on something BIG *wink wink. I can't wait to share later this week.

Dia De Los Muertos Coloring Sheet

I've been busy prepping for upcoming shows and I haven't had a chance to do much blogging. Dia de los Muertos is coming up, so I decided to share a coloring page for the kiddos (adults too.) Feel free to print and color. Please share your creations with us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/longoriagirls Enjoy!



*This coloring sheet is for personal use only. The image is not to be resold or used on any products that are for resale. Thank you.

Construction Paper Papel Picado

Recently a friend asked me for some ideas for a kids Dia de los Muertos craft project. First thing that came to my head was Papel Picado. I remember learning how to make Papel Picado when I was around 10 years old. My mom took me to a workshop at Texas A&I Kingsville, the guest artist teaching was Carmen Lomas Garza. I've been a huge fan of hers ever since.
Yesterday my oldest son was out of school recovering from a stomach bug. I decided to teach him how to cut Papel Picado banners. This was also a perfect way to test the patterns I drew up for the children's workshop. I simplified the process to make it kid friendly. We used construction paper and scissors instead of the standard tissue paper and x-acto knife. I'm proud to say that my son did an awesome job following directions and cutting out the design. I was afraid that it would be too complicated.

 If you'd like to make your own Papel Picado banners here's what you'll need:
Construction paper (tissue paper if you are more experienced)
Scissors (X-acto knife)
String (ribbon, yarn, twine, or anything else you'd like)
Pattern (print the ones below if you'd like)

Weekend Recap

I've been busy this weekend. I finished up a new series of paintings and sewed up some fresh new plushies. I'm in the mood to make monsters! Take a look at what I've been up to.

Monsterously Cute Monsters

I've decided that I will dedicate this week to working on some new paintings. Once I got started drawing the images I couldn't stop. As I type I have more in my head that I can't wait to get on canvas. I've created a few new characters the past few weeks, including a Chupacabra named Chuy who owns a pet goat. A Yeti, & a Sasquatch who are yet to be named, but they are cousins, this I am sure of. A swamp creature named Swampy. A vampire who is also not yet named, but I can tell you for sure he doesn't sparkle in the sunlight. As I wait for my fabric to come in I thought it would be fun to paint some pictures of them in their natural environment doing the things they love to do. I've also included Cucuy and Wolfie in my new paintings. Here are some pictures of the sketched out canvases waiting for me to paint them. I'm excited to get to painting that I will leave you here to check out the sketches and maybe send some names ideas for Yeti, Sasquatch, and the Vampire.

Cardigan Makeover

I love cardigans. I love them almost as much as I love sequins, flamingos, and skulls. I have a ton of them. I have been eying a couple of tattoo cardigans on a website I visit frequently. I just can't bring myself to pay $80 for a sweater I will only get to wear a few time a year. I am however willing to pay $13 on a clearance cardigan at Target, even if the color matches very little in my closet.

Last week I received my Crafty Chica product tester package. Inside was a package of Crafty Chica Juicy Inks fabric markers and a set of iron on transfers. The transfers included a muertos bride and groom and a sacred heart. When I saw the heart I knew exactly what I wanted to make with it. I had the makings of a cardigan similar to the one I wanted.

I ran over to Target and found a light blue cardigan on the clearance rack for $13, awesome, and it was the last one my size, even more awesome! I came home and got to work. 30 minutes later I had my AWESOME new tattoo style cardigan finished and ready to wear. I can only pray that there is a breeze tomorrow so I can wear it proudly out of the house.

Making my cardigan was super easy. All I needed was:
1 plain cardigan
1 Crafty Chica iron on transfer
an iron
1 set of Crafty Chica Juicy Inks (fabric markers)

 Step1: Iron on transfer image according to package directions. 

 

Step2: Color in image using fabric markers.

Step 3: Wear your awesome new cardigan proudly.

Enjoy :)

*I received this complimentary product(s) from CraftyChica.com as part of the Crafty Chica Design Team, was asked to share an original DIY project.

#craftychicaproducts

10 Random Things About Me

Today I thought I'd share a 10 random things about me.

1. I love new sketch books. I have a tendency to start drawing in a new one before I finish filling the last one. This comes in handy when I do finally fill up a book and need drawing paper. I go through the old ones to find blank pages :)

2. I'm obsessed with socks. I LOVE the feel of new socks. If I won the lotto I'd spend a ridiculous amount of money on socks and never wear the same pair twice. Unless they had an awesome design on them. Right now my favorite pair is grey, with dinosaurs :)

3. I have mild OCD when it comes to symmetry. I have a hard time not making my artwork symmetrical. I'm working on this, really hard. One step I've taken is making the art wall in my studio asymmetrical. 

4. When I'm around my best friend I revert to being 12 years old, which is really strange since we didn't meet until we were 17.

5. I am full of random knowledge. For some reason I soak up weird random things, ie: Sunflowers face the sun through out the day.

6. When I have building directions with words & pictures I will always try building the item only by looking at the pictures.

7. If I wasn't a graphic designer, I'd probably be a police detective or PI. I'm very observant, and I love mysteries. In my head I am Veronica Mars.

8. I have the ability to predict the outcome of 95% of movies I watch. My husband finds this very annoying. Yet it doesn't stop him from asking what I think will happen.

9. I am terrified of reptiles! Especially lizards. Of course my husband would promise my children that they could have one. Panic attack soon to come.

10. I have started a fire on the kitchen stove by boiling water.

Now you know a little more about me, probably more that you ever wanted or needed to know. I'd love if you shared some random facts about yourselves. 

Crafty Chica Juicy Inks Fabric Markers

Saturday afternoon I received a wonderful surprise in the mail, my Crafty Chica product tester package! I opened it to find not one but two products, the Crafty Chica Juicy Inks fabric markers and an awesome set of iron on transfers.
I knew exactly what I wanted to to with my markers. For a while I've been playing with the idea of a Color-Your-Own Cucuy doll, or even an hand colored artist series of Cucuys. I ran over to my computer and printed out a blank Cucuy doll, transferred it on to some white cotton fabric, and headed into my studio to get to work.

As a loyal follower of the Crafty Chica I know she loves tie dye, so I decided to create a tie dye style print on to my Cucuy.
I started off by creating some star burst designs with the blue Juicy Ink marker. I then added the purple and green colors over the star bursts. The colors blended very easily and did not mess up the marker tips. I then blended the pink and orange colors onto the Cucuy's fur, to create a hair like texture. I let the inks set over night.

The next day I pinned and sewed the Cucuy together. Turned him, stuffed him and closed him up. I love the way he came out. He reminds me a little of the Grateful Dead bear. I can't wait to color a few more.

Click here to see if a Michaels store in your area is carrying the Crafty Chica line.


I've created a plushie coloring sheet for you to create your own hand colored plushie.
You will need:
White cotton fabric
T-shirt transfer paper
Crafty Chica Juicy Ink Markers
an Iron
sewing machine
thread
scissors
printer
cotton/poly stuffing

I'd love to see your glue gun plushie creations :)

* I received this complimentary product(s) from CraftyChica.com as part of the Crafty Chica Design Team, was asked to share an original DIY project.