Facebook challenge

An internet friend was having trouble creating cards from the backgrounds she had made.  She asked if any of the group would like to take a background and show her what they would do with it.  I spoke up first and asked for the woodgrain sheet.  I neglected to get a photo of it first but I think enough of it shows up that it really wasn't necessary for you to see it after all.  It's a beautiful background; the photo doesn't do the bronze shimmer on it any justice.  In real life it's absolutely gorgeous.

The tag was cut from thin watercolor paper.  I smeared distress paints (antique linen and pumice stone) on my craft sheet, spritzed with water, then plopped my tag on to the puddles.  Heat set and did the process over and over until I was satisfied with the color placement.  I smeared Antiqued Bronze distress paint on my craft sheet, spritzed it with water then moved it around with my new TH splatter brush.  I picked up enough paint to flick on the tag to bring out the same color on the background.  The sentiment (Stampers Anonymous Clear Stamps - Phrases 2 - HC006) was stamped in Jet Black archival ink.  The bottom of the tag was torn and the edges touched up with brown distress inks.

I had some EKSuccess Deep Bronze sheet metal 12 x 12 sheets that I've not used since I purchased them many moons ago.  They were perfect for this card.  I cut a strip and ran it through my Big Shot Plus using Sizzix Festive Greenery decorative strip die.  Now it didn't cut cleanly but enough so that I could get the pieces out without too much tearing.  I used a small sanding block to lightly scuff up the pieces before gluing them down with Glossy Accents.

You probably recognize the Sizzix mini movers & shapers deer.  It was cut from grungeboard and painted with several brown distress paints.  Once dry I sanded it then went over it with brown distress ink (whatever was on my tool). 

Silk ribbon and fabric strips created the bow on the tag as well as the deer.  Both were from past projects; I just hate throwing stuff away!  One look in my craft room and you'll know I'm not lying!

The base card and green layer are both Bazzill but I don't know what colors.  I'm running low on my favorites so I need to find a new source but looking at tiny photos on the internet don't always give the true color.

This sentiment is perfect when you need to hear some encouraging words.  I'm so glad it's in the set and in my collection. 

Veterans Day thank you

My oldest niece asked for photos of veterans to share with her classrooms on Veterans Day.  Even though she teaches art she wanted to incorporate the special day with her regular lessons.  I sent her photos of my husband and her great-grandfather.  Walt was quite surprised to receive an envelope full of handmade thank you cards from her students.  In turn, he felt we needed to let them know how much he appreciated the recognition.  Here is the card I made to say 'thank you'.

This stamp set of Tim's was perfect...not just for the first day of college for my youngest niece (the only one left in school).  The base card is white with a layer of red Bazzill cardstock.  All images were stamped in Jet Black archival ink on distress watercolor paper and colored with distress markers.  They were backed with blue Bazzill cardstock.  The sentiment came from the Crazy Talk set (also stamped in JBAI).

Love the Sizzix flag die...so many uses!  This was cut from distress watercolor cardstock...make sure you let each color dry before going to the next or you'll have some icky bleedovers.  I did put some tape on the back so the white stripes (left natural) would stay put.  The flag was placed atop a blue Bazzill oval (Spellbinders).

He included a heart-felt message to the students and my niece that I hope resonates with them for a long, long time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm grateful for all the support I've received over the years from my artistic friends.  Because of them this blog was created...and today is my 800th post!  It's been a fun journey thus far and I look forward to many, many more posts sharing my creativity with you.

The base is orange cardstock (unknown manufacturer) and the black/orange layer is Core'dinations Black Magic cardstock.  After sanding down the embossed portions (Sizzix Thankful background embossing folder) I went over them with a bit of brown distress ink to darken the orange.

From watercolor distress paper I die cut Sizzix Layered Leaf.  I smeared several distress inks on my nonstick craft sheet, misted the ink, then carefully placed my leaf into the ink and water drops.  I dried the piece then kept dipping it in the ink drops until I was satisfied with the color placement.  Love the coordinating texture fade...I smeared the inside with brown distress ink first before running it through my Big Shot Plus.  When it came out I misted it with a bit of water and dried it with a towel before hitting it with the heat gun.  The brown was a bit too strong for my liking.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warm soup

I needed to send some Campbell's Soup Labels for Education to a friend but didn't want to just dump them in an envelope and post them.  Fall is a wonderful time for soup and my 'Autumn Type' Provocraft embossing folder happened to be at my fingertips...perfect for the occasion!  And I knew I had a tin can stamp (doesn't everybody???) from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers that I use to celebrate Tin Can Day on January 18.  A card was born!

The base card is black Bazzill cardstock, the embossed layer gray, the tin can on white with silver embossing powder.  I highlighted 'warm soup' with a silver metallic marker.  The card fits into a small business-sized envelope (...maybe 3.5" x 6.25"?).

Remember...

we'll be attending local Veterans Day services at our grade school and the outdoor community service in the evening (weather permitting...strong storms and tornadoes possible).  I haven't been able to get a poppy from the local veterans group so I made my own using Stampers Anonymous 'Flower Garden' CMS215 stamp set. 

The poppy-looking stamp was inked with Jet Black Archival Ink and stamped on crinoline several times.  Various red and orange distress inks were used to color the images.  I cut them all apart so I would have layers to stack and make the flower dimensional.  The center was colored with green and black distress markers.

From more crinoline (added a layer of paper for support) I punched out 2 oak leaves and inked them up with green distress markers.  On white card stock I stamped the word 'remember' from an old Uptown Rubber Stamp sentiment in Jet Black Archival Ink.  I went around the edge of the banner with a bit of brown distress ink. 

Hot glue keeps it all together on top of a paper base and will be pinned to my sweater. 

Let us never forget anyone who has served 

or 

is currently serving 

their country. 

Leaves...one of a kind

and nature's colorful version of snowflakes.  This month Tim Holtz' tag featured the pumpkin blueprint stamp and the word 'autumn'.  You know me, I try very hard not to copy his but go my own way.  While I followed along for the 'how to' I chose a different image and word but still kept to the general theme of celebrating fall, my favorite time of year.

My stamps came from CMS126 and 133 (oak leaf and woodgrain background).  I replaced the arrow and twine with a token (genuine) and a long fastener.  My distress ink color palette was similar.  Instead of a cork sheet I used a real leaf I had picked up on a morning walk and pressed dry.  My Alphanumeric thinlits die is the 1" version.  I also added a rub-on (one of a kind).

While I love the riot of color that fall brings to the trees in east central Illinois, I certainly do NOT enjoy raking them or bagging them.  Hope fall is or has been pretty in your neck of the woods!

Celebrate fall

with a pocket letter!  There's a Facebook group for Studio 490 called 'Making Art' and this month's challenge theme is 'celebrate fall'.  I had a number of ideas but finally settled on creating a pocket letter using only Studio 490 stamps, many of Wendy's archival inks and embossing powders and a few stencils.

A pocket letter is basically 9 ATCs (can be a pre-determined theme) that are enclosed into a page-style sleeveholder and extra elements or embellishments are included behind each ATC.  In the last one you would include a brief note about Pocket Letters.  If you're doing this for a penpal your note would also include a bit about yourself. 

Studio 490 stamp sets:  008, 009, 010, 012, 013, 022, 023, 041, 043, 055, 059, 081, 089

Studio 490 stencils: Classic Words, Layered Tree

Ranger:  distress markers, distress inks, Snow Cap pigment ink, archival inks and powders (Buttercup, Tiger Lily, Red Geranium, Tree Branch, Orange Blossom, Potting Soil, Fern Green, Sky Blue, Jet Black), Black Fude Ball Pen, shrink plastic

The center ATC features Wendy's faux graniteware technique which I HAD to use...love it!!!  The bottom middle ATC has a real leaf that I picked up on one of my morning walks.  Lower left I used Tim's splatter brush to create the droplets...love this tool!  Middle right features a leaf stamped onto paper toweling that was used to catch oversprays from stains and mists.  On the center panel I used the Sizzix Alphanumeric die to cut the theme title.

So, how are you celebrating fall?

Pocket letters

Have you heard of Pocket Letters?  You can search YouTube, Pinterest, and plenty of other sources to learn more about them.  Basically you're creating 9 ATCs and adding some goodies along with a brief note about yourself.  Perhaps you'll strike up a penpal relationship with a like-minded soul.  Here's the first one I created.

The second photo shows the goodies I sent.   Ephemera of any sort is quite acceptable.  You can also send brads, buttons, eyelets, etc.  Since hers arrived before Halloween that was her theme.  I love fall so I chose the brilliantly colored leaves as mine.

So what are you waiting for?  Find a new friend and send your own Pocket Letter!

Starry night

I recently lost a friend to breast cancer.  She had fought long and hard for over 11 years, nearly 5 of them at Stage 4.  The cancer ravaged her body but she didn't let it take her spirit.  She was a huge Mickey Mouse fan so when I found this eyelet in my stash I knew I had to incorporate it.

The sentiment was stamped on white cardstock using Jet Black Archival Ink and edged with a silver pen.  The glittery dark blue paper was run through the Starry Night Texture Fade; silver sequins were glued on using MultiMedium.  The next layer is more white cardstock edged with a silver pen.  The base card is also white cardstock.

Rest in peace, MickeyDee.  You've earned your ears!

More leaves to rake

After yesterday's rain and moderate winds, more leaves have fallen.  Guess I'd better get started on raking before I become overwhelmed by the chore.  The sentiment on this card illustrates my feelings.

Ann-ticipation stamp; kraft cardstock, handmade paper, brown cardstock; Studio 490 Layered Tree stencil; distress inks, Jet Black Archival Ink; Impression-Obsession die 201-K