Balzer Designs

Make Art Every Day!

As you most likely know, I am a huge advocate of making art every day. It doesn't have to be a big time commitment, but it makes a big difference. Here's a quick video about that philosophy: And here is the video I referenced in my "creativity chat" -- enjoy: Finally, here is a peek at the apron I'm wearing in the video. I made it using a combination of heat transfer vinyl, gelatin printed fabric (with fusible), and a commercial print I stitched on to create a pocket. Thanks for stopping by! Read more →

Garbage Stamp Transformation

During the October Member Livestream, I did a short stamp carving demonstration to show how to carve small thin lines. I grabbed a piece of "garbage rubber" -- aka the stuff you cut away while making another stamp -- and carved three thin lines. This is a screenshot from the livestream: After I carved it, I casually said, "I'll have to see what I can do to transform that into something usable." Well, I sat down for ten minutes this weekend and I turned it into this: If I turn the stamp 90º I think you can more clearly see... Read more →

My Weekend Plans: Two Classes with Deborah Boschert

I have a fabulous weekend planned for myself. I am going to take two one-day classes via Zoom with Quilt Artist, Deborah Boschert. Here's a short video she put together about one of them -- it's called "Captivating Compositions": And here is a video about the other class: I will be sure to report back next week, but I thought I'd share a few of the videos from Deborah's YouTube channel that are related to class. This one is about how to prepare your fabric for fusible collage: I've ironed plenty of Wonder Under to fabric, but I had no... Read more →

Adventures in Arting Podcast: The Catch by Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer

Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer, my brother, is the guest on today's podcast. His film, THE CATCH, is going to be debuting at the Austin Film Festival next Thursday. Tickets are just $10 and you can watch from the comfort of your living room! We had a great chat about his creative journey, filmmaking, and what it takes to be in a creative career. Give the podcast a listen: If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link. On the off chance that you've never listened to a podcast or don't get why anybody would want to,... Read more →

Some Favorite Supplies

Yesterday I put together a resource guide for some of my favorite art things and I figured that I ought to share it here on the blog as well. After all, if you're here, it's because you love to make art! So here is a quick guide to some of my favorite art supplies. I limited myself to just a few choices in each category. My true "can't live withouts." You can find a much longer list HERE. Art Journaling No string China Marker/Grease Pencil Catalyst Brushes Liquitex Gesso Pilot Multiball Pen Stamp Carving Speedy Carve Speedball Carving Tools Permapaque... Read more →

ScanNCut Leather & Cork Earrings

Check out these super cool earrings... ...that are super duper easy to make. You can watch the video tutorial below: Every time I've worn them, and I've worn them a lot, I get tons and tons of compliments from strangers. They look okay on the stands... ...but they simply sing when you put them on! They're lightweight and unique and I love them. I hope you'll make some for yourself! Thanks for stopping by! --- P.S. I am a paid spokesperson for the Brother ScanNCut. It is a machine that I love and use. All projects and opinions are my... Read more →

#PrintInktober 2020

This is the original photo I posted when I started the the #printinktober challenge in 2018. There are now almost 3000 posts using that hashtag! You can read my 2018 post here. I swore to myself that I was too busy this October to do the #PrintInktober challenge...but a week into October, I discovered that I didn't want to sit on the sidelines either. So...I decided to jump in a few days this month and not stress when I miss a day. (After all, I had already missed 7 days. Remember, it's never too late to start!) Confused? Here are... Read more →

Art Journal Every Day: A Map Page

If you're new to Art Journal Every Day, the concept is simple: It's a commitment to take ten minutes each day to do something in your art journal. No need to finish anything or even like it. It's about making the time to nourish your creativity every day! If you have the time to flip through your phone, you have the time to Art Journal Every Day. If you'd like to share what you make, use the hashtag #artjournaleveryday so that we can all take a peek. You can find new Art Journal Every Day posts here on the blog... Read more →

Adventures in Arting Podcast: Marta Harvey Tessellations

Mom and I had the great pleasure of chatting with Marta Harvey. Marta has participated in #CarveDecember for many years and her tessellations have gotten more and more impressive every single year. On the podcast we discuss the tessellation lesson she has put together for the upcoming #CarveDecemberClass as well as her journey as an artist (hint: she had to raise her family before she could really get started). Give it a listen: If you do not see the podcast player above, please click on this link. On the off chance that you've never listened to a podcast or don't... Read more →

Tips for Making Cleaning up Your Creative Space Quick & Easy

I recently posted a simple question on instagram and facebook: Starting the week with a (relatively) clean desk. 💪 I have been trying to clean up after myself more frequently, so that it's a smaller task. But it's not my favorite thing to do and so I tend to drag my feet or avoid it. So help me out. What do you do to make cleaning up your creative space quick and easy? 🤷 The responses I got back were great! They ranged from commiseration to super useful tips. Today I thought I would share some of the tips I... Read more →