Terrarium Birthday

Today I played along with the Inspiration Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  My good friend Anne was the hostess and she had us looking at the World Markets web site.   I was inspired by a photo of several potted cactus and created this card:

I stamped the terrarium image onto white Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper using Hero Arts Black Ink  Then I colored the image using Tombow Markers that I spread around using a Clear Glitter Wink of Stella Brush - which gives it a wonderful sparkle that hopefully you can see in the photo below. 
(if you can't see the glitter click on the photo to make it bigger!) 
I used a strip of washi tape behind the image that is popped up on foam dots.

The Birthday die is from Impression Obsession

My design was inspired by

Freshly Made Sketches #318

 Wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy and Crafty New Year!

Stamps: Terrarium - Paper Source
Paper: white Strathmore Bristol Smooth Surface, white, True Black, Hawaiian Shores - PTI
Ink: Black Hero Hues
Accessories: Tombow Markers, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, Birthday Top Edgers Die - Impression Obsession Stitched Edge Rectangle die - WMS (retired), washi tape, foam dots.

December Tag Friday at A Vintage Journey

Whenever there is a 5th Friday in a month - we have a Tag Friday over at A Vintage Journey where several of the Creative Guides create tags for everyone's inspiration.  This month I'm one of the Creative Guides sharing a tag and here it is.

I started with my background which I created using the cling wrap technique.  I used a 12" x 14" piece of watercolor paper and 2 colors of acrylic paint - I used Americana acrylic paints in Mint Julep Green and Milk Chocolate.  I painted the colors on in broad strokes, brushing in different directions and kept adding watered down paint until the page was covered. (you want it to be a little wet)

Then I laid a piece of cling wrap (Saran Wrap) over the paper and scrunched it up pressing with my fingers.

I removed the cling wrap and let the panel dry, and got this lovely distressed look.

I die cut a piece of my painted panel using Tim's Tag and Bookplate die. I added several strips of washi tapes and stapled on 2 pieces of lace.

I stamped one of Alison's stamps from her EAB05 set by PaperArtsy onto the tag.  I cut a slightly larger piece of black cardstock and layered the tag to it.  I looped a piece of wrinkled seam tape through the hole.

 I colored 3 Mirrored Stars with Adirondack Lettuce Ink and added them to the tag.

I colored the Paperdoll girls using Ranger Distress Markers in Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint and Spun Sugar and popped them onto the tag with foam dots.  I added several Metallic Quotations/Quotes stickers.

So please stop by the A Vintage Journey Blog today and be inspired by all the Tag Friday Tags the Creative Guides have created for you! 

Stamps:  Alison Bomber Eclecctica3 set EAB05 - PaperArtsy
Ink:  Archival Jet Black
Paper:  Canon Water Color Paper, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Tag and Bookplate Die - Tim Holtz/Alterations, wrinkled seam tape, Adirondack Lettuce Alcohol Ink, foam dots, washi tapes, Ranger Distress Markers Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Spun Sugar, Idea-ology Paper Dolls, Mirrored Hearts, Trimmings/Lace, Metallic Stickers/Quotations, Mini Stapler,  Cling Wrap, brush, water, Americana Acrylic Paints Mint Julep Green and Milk Chocolate.

Bridge Fold Thank You

Splitcoaststampers had a fun Technique Challenge on Monday -  how to make a Bridge Fold Card.

I made two:

One for my niece Christie

and one for my niece Katie, to thank them both for their thoughtful Christmas gifts.

  The front piece is only attached to the left and right panels so it forms a 'bridge' in front of the card.

I cut panels out of patterned paper slightly smaller than each panel of the card.

I used the On the Edge Thank You Die from Simon Says Stamp but added a strip of black behind the letters as they showed up better here.  I added some  real sequins over the printed ones.

They fold flat for mailing  as shown below and fit into a regular size A2 envelope.

(This is also how you fold it to attach the bridge piece - attaching only on the left and right corners.)

A simple to make card that looks very elaborate!

You'll find a YouTube video of how to make it here

 

Sabrina gave us slightly different cutting instructions that makes the bridge piece a bit longer. Either way will work.  On the video, the woman put patterned paper strips over her bridge strip, I put my bridge strip over the patterned paper.

Cut an 8"x 4 1/4" piece for the card base.

Score at 1 1/4", 2 1/2", 5 1/2" and 6 3/4" along the 8" side.

Fan fold on score lines

cut a piece 1 1/4" x 5 1/2" for the bridge piece.

here is Sabrina's lovely card

Here are metric measurements from Sabrina

cut your card base 10.5 cm high by 20cm wide.
Score at 2.5 cm, 5 cm, 15 cm and 17.5 cm.
Cut the long strip 3 cm high by 15 cm long.
Cut your matting layers accordingly. 

I think I'll be making this fun Bridge Fold again!

Stamps: Sending a Big Thank You - PTI (exclusive stamp won for spending way to much money at PTI one year!, Scripture - Print Works
Paper:   white, Shakers and Sprinkles Patterned Paper Collection - PTI
Ink:  Hero Hues Black
Accessories: Sequins - Avery Elle, On the Edge Thank You Die - Simon Says Stamp  

A Year of Incredibleness

My son, Josh,  and his girlfriend, Sunny,  have just come up from Maryland for Christmas and they are coming over to dinner tonight to celebrate Sunny's birthday, which is today.    I wanted to make her a special card.  They have just moved into a beautiful log cabin house on 30 acres of land so I thought it would be nice to use that theme.

I only have one stamp with a log cabin on it (Lakeside Cabin - Stampscapes) so that's what I used!  I stamped it in Archival Jet Black ink and because that ink stays wet a little bit longer, I was able to clear emboss it after stamping it.   

Then I got out some Ranger Distress inks (Salty Ocean, Forest Moss, Gathered Twins, Frayed Burlap) and rubbed each color onto my craft mat.  I dipped my brush in water than brushed it into a color on my mat and watercolored the image.  I just used simple brush strokes, up from the bottom of the trees over each tree and down from the land over each reflection of the trees in the water.  Then I watercolored the cabin.

Hopefully you can see some of the embossed texture in the photo above. It's really glossy IRL!

Inside I stamped "Here's to a Year of Incredibleness" from MFT.

I'm linking my card to:

CAS Watercolor Challenge

CAS Mix Up Challenge

I used stamps, watercoloring and clear embossing.

Stamps:  Lakeside Cabin - Stampscapes, Birthday Basics - PTI, Happy Birthday Hoppy Poppy - MFT.
Paper:  Rustic Cream, Vintage Cream, Hawaiian Shores - PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black, True Black - PTI, Ranger Distress Ink Salty Ocean, Forest Moss, Gathered Twigs, Frayed Burlap.
Accessories:  clear embossing powder, brush, water, craft mat, heat tool.

Eileen Hull Passport Book Die - Christmas Photo Album

Today I'm sharing a little Christmas Photo Album that I made using Eileen Hull's Passport Book die.  All this month members of Eileen's Inspiration Team are posting holiday projects using her Sizzix Dies.

I have been making little photo albums for special photos of my adorable grandnephews and nieces (currently ages 7,6,5 and 3!)

So this album is for Christmas photos of them - and so far include photos from 2014, 2015 and 2016 with plenty of pages for the coming years!

Front cover.

Back cover.

Embellishments knotted onto the binding jute strings.

I've got lots of photos showing my steps in creating this album.

First I die cut the covers and binding piece out of matboard.

I stenciled the covers using a double  tree stencil from Stamplorations using Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste.

At first I was going to just make this a white book - so I painted the binding with PaperArtsy Nougat Chalk Acrylic Paint.

Then I adhered the binding to the cover panels. 

Given that the binding overlaps onto the covers, I did the stenciling a little off center so not too much would get covered by the binding.  

You have to think about which edge the binding will cover on each panel.

I held the edges with clothespins while the glue was drying and painted over the covers with the same Nougat paint.

Next, I brushed Clear Deco Art One Step Crackle thickly over the covers and binding and let it dry overnight.

Close ups of the lovely crackle

At this point, I decided I wanted to add color -  so I got out  bottles of Patina Effect Paste from Prima in Mint Green, Blue and Brass.  I rubbed green on the tree, blue on the background and brass on the binding and star on the tree using my finger.

Then I added Patina Effect Prima Gold Rust Past - just a bit with my finger - to highlight the trees and binding a bit.

Close up views

I felt the trees needed a little definition after adding all the pastes so I laid the stencils back on and sponged with Ranger Distress Oxide Peeled Paint Ink.

I also sponged over the inside covers with the Peeled Paint.

I die cut the pages out of several hues of blue and green Bazzill papers so they have a little texture on them.  I made 3 signatures of 5 pages each - which gives 10 pages when folded in half and 20 surfaces for pictures in each signature - so I'll be able to have photos for up 15 Christmases if I use 4 pages a year!

I threaded green, blue and orange jute string through each signature and binding - ending up with the knots on the outside of the book binding.

I stenciled one of Tim's Mini Stencils on the inside of both covers using Ranger Distress Forest Moss Ink.

I ask your indulgence as I show the photos that I have put in the book so far -  from 2014, 2015 and 2016 with one photo so far for 2017!

Here you can also see how I stenciled the inside of the front cover and added Idea-ology Holiday Talk stickers.

On Christmas 2014 Madelyn was just 8 months old - look at that toothless smile and spiky blond hair!

Angel Mila was 2 and brother Landon was 4.

Below on left - we see Madelyn's first view of Santa with 3 year old brother James.

And look how Madelyn has grown by 2015 - on the right Madelyn is now 1 yr 8 months and cousin Mila is 3 - in cute little matching outfits!

James 4 and cousin Landon 5 in their matching outfits for Christmas 2015

Visits with Santa for all 4 in 2016 in PJ's!  Landon 6, Mila 4 -    Madelyn 2.5    James 5

On Christmas Day 2016 - in matching outfits -  Mila is ready for her modeling career!

And on the right - the first photo for 2017 -  Landon 7 and Mila 5 in front of their grammies tree that they helped decorate this year!

Please be sure to check out Eileen Hull's blog during December for lots of holiday inspiration using her Sizzix dies!

I'm linking my 3 1/2" x 5" Christmas Photo Album to:

Mini Album Makers Challenge

Paper:  Cream Mat Board - Little Sizzles - Sizzix,  blues and greens Bazzill Papers.
Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxide Ink Peeled Paint,  Ranger Distress Forest Moss.
Accessories:  Passport Book Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste, Trees Stencil - Stamplorations, Mini Tree Stencil - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Adirondack Butterscotch Alcohol Ink, Idea-ology Metallic Stickers/Holiday Talk, jump rings, mirrored stars, Jute String, Tiny Bells, Adornments-Pine Cones, Ice Skates, Nougat PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint, Patina Effect Paste Mint Green, Blue, Brass, Gold Rust - Prima.