Peaceful children

Don't these children look peaceful and calm as they walk hand in hand?  I fell in love with the image and couldn't wait to create a card.  The one in the local store was quite neutral and had a fiber bow; pretty but I knew I had more in mind for the image.

Ranger:  distress inks (Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass, Old Paper), Jet Black Archival Ink

Budding Vine Die-namites die

Impression-Obsession DIE278-E, D13399 stamp

Sizzix: Quilted texture fade, Stitched Ovals thinlits die

Studio 490 Lots of Dots stencil

Watercolor cardstock, cream cardstock

Tag assortment

Here are a few tags I recently created to send to a friend who lives north of the border.  The tags were entirely my own ideas...usually I've at least perused Pinterest for a jumping off point.

Dylusions sprays (Calypso Teal, London Blue, After Midnight); vellum; Sizzix Thinlits dies (Paper Snowflakes 660059); Jet Black Archival Ink; Martha Stewart snowflake punch; Stickles; black machine stitching

By stamping on vellum and stitching it over the base tag, the dark background around the snowflakes is still quite visible but muted so the message stands out.

Stampers Anonymous stencils (arrows, stripes, schoolhouse); lime, turquoise Sharpies; misc. card stock; Stampers Anonymous Phrases 2 stamp; Sizzix mini M & S jalopy die; clear embossing ink & powder; Black Fude Ball pen

I first drew around each arrow with the Black Fude Ball Pen.  Left the stencil in place and overlayed it with the arrows stencil and drew around it in turquoise.  Removed that stencil and overlayed the arrow stencil with the Schoolhouse stencil and drew around it with the lime Sharpie.  I'm a terrible doodler left to my own devices!

Black #8 tag; white pigment ink; white embossing powder; Stampers Anonymous snowflake CMS066 and snowman CS067; Sizzix mini branch die; Martha Stewart fern punch; Hero Arts alphabet stamps; white card stock; Jet Black Archival Ink; White Enamel Accents; Orange/Brown Sharpies; Glossy Accents; Sizzix Typewritten dec. strip die

Studio 490 translucent embossing paste; red/brown distress inks; Stampers Anonymous hearts stencil; Sizzix mini cupid; Die-namites Dies 'Love Heart' DN-1008; Brushed Pewter distress stain; Black Marble Dylusions spray; Black Enamel Accents; tissue wrap; Glue n' Seal; black card stock

With caring thoughts

Inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest - heythererosigirl.com/2011/10/just-couple-of-cards.  It's the 2nd card on her blog page.

Kraft card stock; Snow Cap Pigment Ink, Jet Black Archival Ink, brown distress ink, Tattered Rose/Bundled Sage distress markers; Let Your Art Have Wings - background stamp - LCS022 (Studio 490); Spring Sprung - butterfly - CMS084; burlap scrap; Hero Arts sentiment; Budding Vine DN1038 Die-Namites die

A distant relative died suddenly in his sleep while his mother was recovering from colon surgery.  It was hard to find the words and images to convey my thoughts at this difficult time.

Halloween sights

Halloween is just 8 weeks away!  And it falls smack dab in the middle of my favorite time of year...FALL!  Love the colors, sights and sounds...reds, oranges, yellows all touched by a bit of brown....mounds of leaves recently raked, mums and pumpkins by the front door...the crackling leaves as you scuffle through them, nuts falling from the trees, the cheers from the football fans....ah, I love FALL!!!

I've created this Halloween piece to fulfill the requirements by 2 month-long fall-themed challenges.  The first is by Die-namites Dies and the second is for eclectic Paperie.  Both are offering $25 gift certificates to their stores.  DD requires that you use at least one of their dies in your piece, use their sketch; there's an additional challenge to incorporate the dare.

Without further ado....

Overall size:  8.5" x 8.5"

Die-namites dies:  Leafy Branch DN-1046, Knobby Branch DN-1048, Summer Branch DN-1056
Canvas Corp.: Black & Ivory Ribbon Strip cardstock, Spooky Word on Ivory cardstock
Martha Stewart: fence, dripping blood border punches
Ranger: Glossy Accents, Black Soot Distress Glitter, Spiced Marmalade Distress Crackle Paint, Spiced Marmalade Distress Stickles, distress inks & stains, Biscotti Perfect Pearls Mist, Jet Black Archival Ink
Sizzix:  mini movers & shapers spider, arch frame, Pattern & Stitches border embossing folder
Stampers Anonymous:  Apothecary stamp set CMS138, layering stencils (Halloween, shatter)
Core'dinations: Black Magic color core cardstock
Misc.: buttons, silk ribbon,

I love the look of layering the three Die-namites into very dimensional fall trees.  With the middle layer using core'dinations color core (orange with black surface) there's an added layer of color when the edges have been sanded.

Pewter Distress stain coated the back of the shatter layering stencil then placed it around the edges of the black base.  The image left behind is a bit shimmery but not shiny had I used silver distress paint.

Hope you get your fall colors on soon!

First time home owner

Recently my oldest niece purchased her first home.  Guess that means she's all grown up now, doesn't it?  Oh heavy sigh.  I remember when she was little and the only one.  Now I'm the proud aunt of 7.  One just got his masters, one is in med school (4th year), one is working on her masters, two are art teachers, one is in banking and the youngest will be a senior in high school this fall.

White Bazzill cardstock, misc. scraps of colored cardstock

Sizzix window die; Die-Namites 'Leafy Flourish' die (cut apart); Martha Stewart punches (border = window treatment, flower, ice cream cone - cone = flower pot)

Jody Poesy sentiment (no longer in business)

Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger

I helped my niece move from her rental home.  Never let it be said that red-headed sisters, 4 daughters/nieces can't move an entire house full of furniture and stuff (lots and lots of this!!) by themselves in a mini van, trailer and SUV.  We rock!

Day 4 - card-sized stencil

What a clever idea!  I didn't have white StazOn so I used Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Just dabbed a bit on my craft sheet and using a foam blending tool just pounced it on.  Love it!

Ingredients:  Die-Namites 'Knobby Branch die, Picket Fence Distress Paint, clear acetate, Tim Holtz/Sizzix magnetic movers & shapers leaves dies, distress ink and markers, sentiment from Savvy Stamps, Jet Black Archival Ink, Glossy Accents, Tim Holtz/Sizzix 'Stacked Artful Words', white card stock

I impressed my self with the color of my leaves, the veining and the gradient coloring of the numbers.  This is a keeper!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours the merriest of Christmases!

Nearly 100 of these dies were cut out of metal sheeting that had been run through a Xyron.  Near the end I remembered about using wax paper between the intricate die and the metal sheeting.  It made things easier and I was able to better maintain the circular shape when adhering it to the card.  The evergreens and balls were not stuck down, only their connecting stems, so that the image would be more dimensional.

Bazzill card stock; green and white card stock; Hero Arts alpha stamp; metal sheeting; Die-namites die; Ranger Fern Green Archival Ink

First artistic attempt

Not sure how this looks to everyone else but considering my vision is still skewed, I'm pretty pleased with my interpretation of the sketch.  I'll be entering this card in the October challenge over on the Die-Namites Dies blog.  Your entry should feature at least one Die-Namites die and the dare is to include a tag somewhere somehow.  A random winner will be chosen to win a $25 gift certificate to the Die-Namites store. 

The base card is Avalanche Bazzill cardstock folded to an A2 card.  I don't remember where the green layer came from as it has been in my stash for quite some time.  The edges were run along the blades of my scissors to distress them.  The top white layer was run through a texture fade that Tim Holtz and Sizzix have  called 'Candy Stripes'.  I lightly rubbed brown distress ink over the stripes to show them off.

On this card I am using the Die-namites Pine Wreath die (DN-1059) that I cut from watercolor paper.  It took several passes and next time I would use lighter weight watercolor paper.  The die cut was colored using distress markers (too many to name) and a water brush.  Once dry I put a bit of Glossy Accents on the red berries then sprinkled on Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter.  I did the same on parts of the pines but used CRCDG that had been colored with Meadow alcohol ink.  Glitter just does not photo well.

I turned a scrap of cardstock into a tag, tore the bottom and smeared distress inks on it.  A few splatters of water and the colors melded together.  More brown distress ink around the edges makes it pop.  I stamped the sentiment (from Tim's 'Winter Sketchbook' CMS094) in Jet Black Archival Ink.  A snippet of ribbon finishes the tag.

For the next few days I'll be too occupied with my folks to create any more art but these eyes need a rest so the timing is perfect. 

Die-namite dies

A few weeks ago I was a lucky winner of a $10 gift certificate to Die-namite Dies.  I chose several and they've arrived.  Oh my gosh...the details in these are just awesome!  And then I saw on Lynne Forsythe's blog that there was a challenge using a sketch and a dare (ribbon).  I thought, why not?  And so I did.  A random winner will be chosen to win a $25 gift certificate at Die-namite Dies.  I still have some dies on my wish list...hint hint! 

Die-namite dies:  Leafy Branch, Knobby Branch, Leafy Flourish (thank you, Lynne, for encouraging me to see the forest beyond the trees and tell me to cut these dies apart for more versatility!)

I started out with a piece of corrugated cardboard and slapped some Liquitex Ceramic Stucco on it.  Once dry I smeared Claudine Hellmuth studio paints until I was happy with the result.  I cut a piece of burlap to fit on the board and glued it down with Multi Medium. 

The patterned card stock is from My Mind's Eye (Mischievous) and the blue cardstock is from a core-dinations pack.  It was run through Tim's Halloween background embossing folder, sanded and smudged with brown inks.  The edges were tattered with the distress tool.

From more core-dinations kraft core I die cut the pumpkin and tattered leaves (Tim's movers & shapers).  I cut the mini bottle (new movers & shapers die) from cardboard and smeared Antique Linen Distress Crackle Paint over it.  Let it dry then smudged brown inks into the cracks.  I created a faux label by blocking the area off and smearing more brown ink off the edges.  On the label is a small skull & crossbones remnant rub.  The pumpkin has a bit of raffia tied around the stem and a small leaf added from the leafy branch die.  The bottle also has a bit of raffia tied around the neck.  It's supposed to look as if the branch is holding the bottle.

The leaves and branches were sanded and scrunched for dimension. 

Idea-ology time piece, game spinner, long fastener and ornate corners finish off the piece.  I did treat the corners to black soot distress paint, a bit of sanding and Caramel alcohol ink.  You'll see Tim's on-the-edge die (Iron Gate) cut from black kraft core-dinations and used at the top.  A few strands of burlap and a ribbon were added to the upper right hand corner.

The finished piece is about 7" x 8" and has an easel on the back.

I wonder what other dies can I cut apart for more versatility??????