Gwen Lafleur Recommends

Gwen Lafleur is a lifelong artist, crafter, designer, and world traveler from Herndon, Virginia who has found her true home as a mixed media artist. Visit Gwen’s website »

Artistic Artifacts is fortunate to be able to host Gwen to teach classes, and is proud to carry her beautiful line of rubber stamps with PaperArtsy and Boho Blends Embossing Powders and Boho Bits embellishments with Emerald Creek Craft Supplies.

After the global pandemic struck and in-person classes had to be cancelled, we were delighted at how Gwen stepped up to support independent craft stores like us, creating accessible social distancing-friendly live mixed media classes offered via private Facebook group. In 2020 we hosted POCKETbook in May, Flip Art Folio in November, and Ornaments and Amulets in December. In 2021 we held Make a Statement in April and Wrap and Roll on October 23. We were delighted to partner with Gwen to present a new, in-person class with virtually all supplies provided, Stitches + Glue — Mixed Media with Fabric & Paper with Gwen Lafleur on June 25, 2022. Stay tuned to our workshops page for any future classes with Gwen!

Favorite and Recommended Products by Gwen

Tools & Adhesives

• Scissors (for paper and/or fabric)
• Sewing needles and/or an Tailor’s Awl or beading awl (choose needles with an eye large enough for your thread but no larger.
• Rubber Stamps — I love my own line with PaperArtsyl!
• Acrylic stamp blocks if using unmounted stamps
• Grommet setting tools
• Pliers if you like to use them for wrapping with wire
• heat tool and Teflon non-stick mat if you're going to heat emboss
• paint brushes (I like a ½ in. flat or angle and a detail brush- size 0 or 2 round)
• White glue, e.g. Tacky Glue and/or a white fabric glue such as Sobo (if you’re using fabric)

Paper, Fabric, & Substrates

• Various fabric or paper options
• A nice selection of smaller pieces and/or scraps of fabric or paper for wrapping and collage work. (I love the shop's Inspiration Packs for a variety of pieces and sizes in coordinating colors)
• Sari yarn, Ribbons or fibers

Inks, Paints, Pens, etc.

• Ink pads (I'll most often use Jet Black, Sepia, and a few other colors of Archival Inks as well as black and brown StazOn Pigment inks
• few colors of embossing powders (I use my Boho Blends embossing powders
• Paint pens (I used Posca) or markers
• Acrylic paints (I often use Fresco Finish acrylic paints by PaperArtsy in several colors.
• GAC-200 or clear gesso (GAC-200 is preferred; these are only if you plan to paint on glass)

Embellishments

Please refer to a specific class supply list. You do not need all these listed, depending on your project ... and of course feel free to incorporate items not on this list!

• Thread and/or wire for stitching and wrapping (I use WonderFil Specialty Threads embroidery thread (Eleganza) and 24gauge wire)
• Seed beads (I used a variety from sizes 11/0 to 6/0. I love the Artistic Artifacts bead mixes to get lots in one jar)
• Decorative beads, charms, sequins, washers, drilled stones, or other embellishments with holes or hangers
• 3-5 long, thin items (mine were 5-6 in. long) to use for wrapped components —can be twigs or small branches, dowels, tubes, or even test tubes!
• Optional — Tassels, patches or appliquès, feathers, stamped and colored images, small stones, or other flattish embellishments

Miscellaneous

• Baby wipes
• Paper towels
• Optional — sewing machine if you prefer not to hand stitch