Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Happy birthday ala the Crazy Dogs!

Here are 2 variations on the same idea for friends who are dog lovers.

 Ranger:  distress markers (antique linen, old paper, wild honey, candied apple, faded jeans); distress inks (tea dye, old paper, twisted citron, ground espresso, chipped sapphire); archival inks (potting soil, tree branch, jet black); Gold Liquid Pearls

Sizzix:  lattice on the edge die, crazy things and crazy dogs thinlits dies

Stampers Anonymous:  cms 237 crazy things, cms241 ledger script, cms271 crazy dogs

Misc.: twine, Zing embossing powder/Neon Green, rubber stamps (The Cottage Stamper), Typeset embossing folder/Cuttlebug, Bazzill cardstock, mixed media cardstock

Idea-ology: textured surfaces/burlap



Both stamps were used either on the front or the inside of each card.  I couldn't decide which option I liked better so I created one of each.  One friend has 2 black labs, the other 2 yorkies.  Thought these crazy dogs fit each owner quite well!

Monday, October 31, 2016

Happy Halloween!

I found some downloadable vintage music on Pinterest and when I saw this title of 'Witches Dance' I knew it would be perfect for a Halloween card.  And one will go to a special friend who really is descended from a witch in Salem, MA and was one of the first hung for her practices (the witch, NOT my friend!).

Stampers Anonymous:  Mini Blueprints 7 CMS203

Bazzill cardstock: white, orange

Ranger: Adirondack Lettuce marker; Black Soot, Ground Espresso archival inks; clear superfine embossing powder

Uniball Signo white pen (Mitsubishi)

Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween with lots of treats and no tricks!


Saturday, October 29, 2016

Gray skies

are just clouds passing over.  Blue skies ahead.  (attributed to Duke Ellington)

light and dark gray Bazzill cardstocks, unknown white cardstock

Stampers Anonymous: #38 Bricked stencil, CMS241 Ledger Script

Ranger:  Snow Cap pigment ink; distress inks (whatever was on the yellow, orange, red and brown foam pads)

Sizzix:  Umbrella Man

I love the random appearance of the brick wall as it fades across the card front.  It's a perfect setting for the Umbrella Man. 

This card is for a friend's high school chum who recently suffered a stroke.  I thought the message (above) was fitting and hope that the recipient soon sees sunnier days.

Friday, October 28, 2016

In sympathy and friendship

Another bad week for friends and family...3 members within my circle have lost loved ones in a space of 4 days.  Here's one of the cards I made for a childhood who lost her father.

Rubber Stamp Tapestry SLE 18008 Fall Leaves and Acorns

Ranger: archival inks (Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo, Sunflower, Fern Green, Monarch Orange, Tiger Lily); distress stains (Broken China, Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac)

Unknown cardstocks

My Sentiments Exactly S146-IIO stamp

RIP, Jiggs, you were a good man.  You've rejoined your wife and daughter in heaven.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Cherish

the sweet and precious memories that we hold in our minds.  Life's sweet moments from our past, in our memories always last.  (taken from an unmounted stamp but I don't know the origin).  I needed another sympathy card.  Within the last month the house at the end of the street lost a father and a step-father and now the next house towards ours has lost a mother.  All 3 were older and had considerable health issues but it doesn't soften the loss that you feel when losing a loved one.

Bazzill colored cardstock, unknown white cardstock

Worn Lipstick distress ink

Stampers Anonymous 'Stamptember Holiday' (2016 exclusive to Simon Says Stamp)

Sizzix thinlits dies 'Wildflowers' and 'Handwritten Love'

Fiskars corner rounder

I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it would make a lovely sympathy card.  You'll need to scroll down a ways to see the inspiration card.  The other ideas are simple but equally elegant in their own right.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

I'm so very happy for you!

You've bought a new home!  After years of married life, divorced life and helping out the kids and grandkids you've found a place to call your own.  Which means you can't blame any messes, etc. on anybody else!  lol

Studio 490 (Stampers Anonymous) SCS139 Simply...Art, SCS145 Artful Thoughts, SCS146 Card Art Sentiments

Ranger archival inks (Black Soot, Deep Purple), distress markers

mixed media cardstock, unknown cardstock

Hope you make lots of wonderful memories in your new digs!

Monday, October 24, 2016

Haunted house

front view

 side 1

  side 2

Oh my gosh...what a lot of work...but LOVE the results!!!!!!!!!!!  This is my version of Tim Holtz's Haunted Mansion.  (If you want/need to see larger photos jlmk and I can email them to you.)

I watched Tim's latest video (on today's blog) after I had completed my house and was waiting for everything to set up.  My roof was shingled before I added the tower.  I didn't start out with 110# cardstock but with the black posterboard so I could create texture directly onto the pieces.

The tower was painted in the distress paint colors listed below once I had stamped 'All Cracked Up' in clear embossing ink and heat set with clear powder.  Looks like old stonework, doesn't it?

No mica could I find in my stash so I created 'glass' out of old Sizzix packaging and alcohol inks.  The lower part of the smoke stacks were covered in the stucco, wrapped in gauze then letting it all air dry before I added some Forest Moss, Hickory Smoke and Black Soot distress inks to bring out the texture.

Before assembling the chimneys I traced around the bricks using the white Sharpie then colored them in.  I wanted a base layer so I could add the pigment inks over them.  I was afraid on the black posterboard they wouldn't stand out.  Before the ink could dry I sprinkled clear embossing powder over them; heat set then assembled.

Both roofs were a light green paper that I covered with the distress paints - Forest Moss (let dry), Hickory Smoke (a bit less, let dry) and Milled Lavender (even less, let dry).  IRL this is a really sharp look and rather eery...like moss-covered stone work.  Over the lower roof I stamped the reflections (text in Hickory Smoke and numbers in Black Soot distress inks).  Adds interest without really being able to determine what is on the shingles.  The mansard roof was run through the Notebook texture fade then covered with the same paints.  Again, the colors IRL are just really neat looking...IMHO.

The windows and rings around the upper windows were painted with Hickory Smoke distress paint (just dabbed it on unevenly with my fingers) and stamped the Marble Cube using Black Soot distress ink over it.  Up close it really looks like marble...as least as real as it gets using paper and paint! 

The doors were covered with distress woodgrain cardstock (distress stains and distress crayons to color them).  The door handles are long fasteners and jump rings...so glad the scale was just perfect!

The ghosts I edged with Pumice Stone and Black Soot distress inks then covered with the crazing medium.  Once dry I smooshed Hickory Smoke distress ink all over them.  A flickering tea light was put under the house and voila!  I'm ready for some trick-or-treaters!

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Here are the items I used to create my spook-tacular haunted house...

Stampers Anonymous: Studio 490/All Cracked Up WVBG030: Tim Holtz/Reflections CMS111

Idea-ology: long fasteners, jump rings (door handle/knocker)

Ranger:  distress inks (Pumice Stone, Black Soot, Hickory Smoke); distress paint (Hickory Smoke, Forest Moss, Milled Lavender); distress crayons (Black Soot, Hickory Smoke, Walnut Stain); distress stains (Antique Linen, Walnut Stain); distress embossing ink and clear embossing powder; Texture Paste (Transparent Matte); archival inks (Black Soot, Hickory Smoke); Micro Glaze; Adirondack pigment inks (Sunset Orange, Mushroom, Terra Cotta, Red Pepper); distress woodgrain card stock; distress collage medium (crazing); alcohol inks (Mushroom, Caramel, Blending Solution)

Sizzix: Village Dwelling 660992, Village Manor 661591, Notebook texture fade, Wood Planks texture fade, mini stencil 038 Bricked, ghost trio die cut (courtesy of The Funkie Junkie)

Miscellaneous:  Stampendous Marble Cube stamp TC01, Liquitex Ceramic Stucco, gauze, plastic packaging, black posterboard, white Sharpie pen, skull beads (courtesy of The Funkie Junkie), pumpkins (purchased from The Funkie Junkie)
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I sure hope that covers everything!  Both my workspaces are an absolute chaotic mess right now!  lol