Snow Scene

I saw a tutorial by Heather Telford on the Penny Black blog the other day for a snow scene, and decided to give it a try.  I adapted the tutorial by using the supplies I have on hand; for example, instead of using Miskit on watercolour paper for the "snow", after the scene was done on regular cardstock I spritzed with Perfect Pearls mist. I like that it gives a bit of glimmer to the snow spots.

 I used Tim Holtz distress inks Spun Sugar, Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans,  Tumbled Glass for the sky and snow hills, along with Pumice Stone for the trees in the background. Regular black Archival ink for the foreground trees. Instead of the Penny Black branch, I used a tree from an older Stampin' Up set. After I stamped them, I didn't realize the rubber had shifted on the wood block, so they came out a little crooked. It has to be years since I last used this set! Well, I can pretend there was a strong northeast wind on a stormy, wintery night.  tee hee hee. Tim Holtz Rock Candy stickles glitter was dabbed on the branches for  some icy glitz!

Added a verse with the Spellbinders Fancy Ribbon Tag set and a sheer ribbon, as well as a silver snowflake. There is also a bit of Stickles Star Dust glitter on the tree branches for extra shimmer.

This card was quite easy to do actually, and would be good to do in multiples. Have to remember it for next year!

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Sharon
Dec. 14, 2013

Challenges:

Make My Monday - Frosty Theme

Allsorts - Snowflakes

Simple Christmas Cards

Here are two simple Christmas cards I made in multiples of five to send. My daughter and one year old grandson had been visiting for 10 days which left little time in my craft room to play and be fussy with cards this year. They have few embellishments so they can go for the regular postage rate.

The first one uses a new die by Impression Obsession  DIE-079-U.  There are four birch trees and two birds posing in opposite directions.  When I first cut the tree from vanilla cardstock, I thought they looked too plain. So using a few Tim Holtz distress inks (tea dye; brushed corduroy; pumice stone; antique linen) swiped randomly across the trees, with some accents of a white gel pen and black Micro pen, I think the trees now look like they have birch bark on them.

I stamped some snowflakes with Versamark and coated with Wow platinum embossing powder. Tied some red string around the panel and stamped the greeting on the bottom.

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The second card has a tree die by Memory Box #98405. I cut it out of green shimmery cardstock and added gold stickles to the stars. The white triangle behind the tree is a Spellbinders pennant die.  Verse is stamped on white c/s, cut & embossed with a Just Rite label die, and blended TH Evergreen Bough around the edges.

 

 

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Sharon

Dec. 10, 2013

Poinsettia Tag

With the stormy weather recently it was nice to be in my craft room creating. This is a tag I made for my friend who has a tree done in gold and white.

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For the background I cut a tag out of kraft paper with Tim's alteration tag die and embossed it using Stampin'Up folder "Northern Flurry". Then I swiped the tag with Brilliance Platinum ink and coated with clear EP. On the raised parts, I swiped them with Encore Gold Ink, and heat dried once more. This is a technique I learned with Tim's 12 tags of Christmas 2012.

The small oval is a Sizzix die that I cut from TH grungepaper, coated with white Distress Paint. Once dry, I coated it again with Ranger embossing ink and TH distress powder, then a blast with the heat gun to give it a shabby look. The white paint shows through. (Tim's rusted grunge technique). I stamped the verse on white C/S, covered it with self-adhesive clear film, cut out and glued to the back of the small oval. The larger oval, cut from gold brushed C/S, is from the "Opulent Ovals" spellbinders set.

For the poinsettia, I used a die by poppystamps #861 "Blooming Poinsettia". The petals are from white Bazzill, while the leaves are from glitter paper. I edged all with TH Antique Linen distress ink,  applied Shabby Lace Stickles to the petals, and a gold rhinestone in the centre.

On the bottom of the tag, I applied a 1/4" line of white glue and sprinkled Stampendous Frantage Champagne glass glitter patting it down to stay put. Love this stuff - it is so chunky, sparkly. However, you have to be careful patting because it is actual glass. I usually wear a thin latex glove while doing this just in case..  Once it is all dried on the tag, it doesn't seem to be sharp.

That's it for today. I have three dark fruitcakes in the oven, so I may do some more simple Christmas cards while waiting for them to bake.

Sharon
Nov.29/2013

Challenge

Frilly & Funky:  Gift tags and note cards

Sewing Tag

I made this monochromatic tag for a friend who loves quilting and sewing other items for the home.

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Before cutting the dress form with Tim's Alterations Manniquin die, I applied sticky back canvas to grungepaper. Then sponged Walnut Stain distress ink around the edge. The base is from Coordinations Kraft core paper which was sanded to "age". Dressed it up with some pearls, ribbon roses and netting for the skirt.

I cut a tag from My Mind's Eye "Penny Lane" paper which is heavy and nicely textured lining up the tag die so that the lace pattern of the paper was at the bottom of the tag. Sponged Walnut Stain randomly over the tag; stamped pattern pieces (Stampin Up!); buttons, scissors, flourish, and needle (Crafty Secrets #SS15 Material Girl), zig zag machine stitched around the edge; and finally distressed with Tim's distressor tool. Coloured in the scizzors with a Copic Marker and sponged some more Walnut Stain around the edge of the whole tag.

The banner is also sticky back canvas cut from Tim's Tattered Banner strip die. The verse is from the same Crafty Secrets set mentioned above.

For the spool, I daubbed Ranger Snow Cap acrylic paint over grungepaper, applied crackle glaze and set it aside to dry. Once it was dry, I sponged the surface with Walnut Stain to sink into the cracks, and wiped the rest off giving the spool an aged look. Wrapped with real brown thread.

The crinkled silk ribbon and crocheted ribbon was sponged with Tea Dye, and I added some tiny cream buttons for embellishment.

Hope she likes it!

Sharon
March 19, 2013

Challenges:

The Shabby Tea Room - Anything Goes

My first Mixed Media Art Canvas

I have been seeing lots of these art canvas pieces on blogs and wanted to try one for quite some time.

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I followed a  youtube video by Kim Schofield at Eclectic Paperie for painting the canvas with acrylic paints, stamping with acrylic paint, and also for doing the butterfly (Martha Stewart clear stamp stamped with Botanical verse from Tim Holtz "Papillon"set). However, I added some of my own ideas so that it was bit different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTRg-KaZb84&feature=player_embedded#!

The large flower is a tutorial by Wendy Vecchi using her art film paper. Other products used are Tim's Tattered Floral die, crackle glaze,  distress paint and gold paint daubber; Botanical verse, and Wendy Vecchi "Believe in Art" greenhouse advert.

http://studio490art.blogspot.ca/2013/03/tattered-floral-fun-giveaway.html

The blue "flower"  with the gem is a Cuttlebug embossing folder "Floral Fantasy". I embossed a sheet of paper stamped with the Botanical verse, tore out a section with the flower, sponged with distress inks, and layered on the canvas with matte medium. I also used some Tim Holtz tape "journey" and "symphony notes" and inspire word embossed in black EP applied in the same manner.

The stamps I used are from Tim Holtz "Papillon" and "Ultimate Grunge" sets; the large word "inspire" is  from a set by Chocolate Baroque of England; and small UM's  "dream" and "art".

Other supplies - TH Alterations Die "Elegant Flourish", Rock Candy Stickles, and TH metal corners.

I'm going to enter this into Tim's Tattered Floral Challanege, Inspiration Journal Add a Little Pop (the pop is the flower and butterfly) and The Craft Room In the Garden Anything but a Card Challenge (butterflies and flowers are found in a garden)

Sharon
March 19, 2013

Challenges:

Tim Holtz Tattered Floral Challenge

Inspiration Journal - Add a Little Pop

The Craft Room - In the Garden anything but a card

Clean and Simple

I've been intriqued lately by CAS, in other words "clean and simple". Reminds me of the stamping that I loved many years ago before there were all the tools and embellishments that we use today to create cards. They are also great for mailing, no extra costs for bulky layers!!!!

So I thought I would give it a try by doing a card that encompasses the Wings challenge at Addicted to CAS and also the Colour blocking challenge at CAS-ual Fridays.

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First of all, I created a stencil template by measuring off 1-1/4" squares across a piece of scrap cardstock, and punching the squares with my SU punch. Then I sponged Tumbled Glass, Spiced Marmalade, and Shabby Shutters distress ink in the square openings on a fresh piece of white cardstock.

In black Memories ink, I stamped the butterfly collage (Kaisercraft "Botanical) over the sponged squares. I also used a Sizzix Letterpress plate "Festive Swirls" on the bottom of the white area. The verse is an older acrylic stamp - sorry can't say who makes it.

For dimension, I stamped a small butterfly, coloured with Copics, punched out with a Martha Stewart punch,  dabbed a bit of Black Stickles on the body, and mounted it on the corner of the card.

Sharon
March 9, 2012

Challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays CFC93  - Colour Blocking

Addicted to CAS#8- Wings

Butterfly Tag

Ok, here's the scoop! I wasn't happy with the card I made for Brenda's challenge at Floral Fantasies for her blog anniversary. So I gave it another attempt with a tag.

All the stamps are by Tim Holtz. I used his tag die and small baroque die to cut the shapes from Deena's Penny Lane "Free Bird Leaves of Love" by My Minds eye.  This green paper is already printed with leaves and brown weeds, sort of like the background of Brenda's blog header. I cut the baroque layer from the reverse side of this paper on which I embossed the imagination verse, more weeds stamped in Walnut Stain and Crushed Olive DI, with Crushed Olive and Vintage Photo sponged on the edge. The butterflies are in Barn Door.

I used Tim's Tattered  Flower die to cut the "poppy" from verse printed paper, then I dabbed Barn Door distress stain over the surface and spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearls. A black button and some gold stickles makes the centre of the flower.

The butterfly is a Memory Box die cut from a scrap of yellow printed paper on which I sponged Barn Door and Walnut Stain. 

The brown detailed corner is a Sizzix die "Architectural Accents". A bit of green ruffled ribbon at the bottom and crushed silk ribbon at the top completes the tag.

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I  am pleased with this tag and think it better reflects the colours and theme of Brenda's blog header!

Sharon
March 3, 2013

Challenges:

Floral Fantasies  Blog Challenge

Simon Says - Anything Goes

Bright Butterfly

I was invited to join a "blog anniversary" challenge by Brenda at Floral Fantasies blog who is celebrating 4,000 followers since starting her blog over four years ago. Quite an achievement!

 

Anyhow the rules are quite simple.. simply interpret her blog header- whether it is the colours, flowers, or whatever else one sees in the picture.

Since I don't have any poppy stamps, I chose the butterfly.  I'm sorry to say that I do not know who makes the stamp on my card. It looks like Magenta style? The embossed image was given me quite some time ago in a swap and I just came across it the other night when going through my stash. When I saw the butterfly in Brenda's header, I grabbed for this image to colour. Now I realize her colours are mostly red, yellow and green, and I coloured the echinachea flowers in shades of pink, but I hope the "theme" of butterfly and flowers will qualify.

Since the image is so large and colourful, I choose to make a relatively simple card adding just one backing layer of Bo Bunny dotted green, some fushia silk ribbon, and an embellie (Tim Holtz idealogy acrylic tag, and a tile image from Bottle Cap Inc. that I sponged with Shabby Shutters distress ink). I also added black Doodlebug Sugar Coating glitter to the body of the butterfly. The edge is distressed and sponged with Vintage Photo DI.

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Brenda is allowing up to three entries, so I may have another go at her challenge when I get the chance.

Sharon
March 3/2013

Bicycle Lady

This is a birthday card for my hubby's sister. Usually I do her a card with birds or butterflies and wanted to do something different this year.  While I was going through my verses and stamps, hubby liked this verse, so I designed the card around it instead of picking the image first!

The bicycle lady, paris circle, and Columbia bicycle advert are from an unmounted 5"x7" sheet by Victorine Originals . The verse is Penny Black by Mo Manning diecut with a Stamping Up punch. Also used a clear acrylic postcard verse stamp.

To give a shabby chic look, I distressed the edges of the background layer (a piece of printed paper from my stash) on which is stamped a script verse, and smudged with Tumbled Glass, Scattered Straw, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo distress inks. Also distressed the Columbia advert.

I made the  flower from tissue paper with Tim Holtz Tattered Flower dye, sponged with Tumbled Glass and Tea Die, stamped with a script verse in blue, spritzed with Biscotti Perfect Pearl Mist. A brown ribbon rose sits in the centre.

Some vintage lace also adds to the shabby chic look.

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Sharon
March2/2013

Challenges:

Sugar Creek Hollow - Lovely Lace

Simon Says  - Anything Goes

Allsorts - For a Lady

Tim Holtz: Tattered Flower Challenge

Spring card for friend

Yesterday I made this card for a friend in the States. We plan our vacations together to meet each year in Anna Maria Island, Florida. I was thinking of spring coming so I choose bright colours.



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Supplies used:

-Just Rite Stamp "Butterfly  Botanicals" CR-02245 & Black Memories Ink
- Spellbinders lacey circle die
-Bazill paper
-Martha Stewart butterfly punch, and quilted edge punch
- Quickutz Flourish die
-May Arts Silk Ribbon
-JillBean Soup paper "Blossom Soup" scraps
-Copic markers
-Pearl Brads, and Pink Stickles Glitter

Sharon
Feb.14/2013

Challenges:

Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #66 - Spring Colours and Ribbon