Wishing You

Yes, I've made yet another Christmas card for my box - one card closer to done.  A quick post tonight as I really have to get to bed - I just had to get this card out of my brain before going!

I gold embossed the sentiment onto a panel of white card die cut with a Stitched Mat Square from Lil' Inker Designs.  I adhered 3 wood veneer stars on the gold foil strip.

My card design was inspired by the following challenges:

Merry Monday

Addicted to Stamps and More - Holiday

Freshly Made Sketches

Stamps:  Alpine Christmas - WMS
Paper:  White - PTI, Gold Foil Sheets - SU
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories:  gold embossing powder, heat tool, Stitched Mat Square - Lil'Inker Designs, Wood Veneer Stars - Studio Calico/American Crafts.

Wanderlust Class - Inspiration Art Journal

Week 10 of the year long Wanderlust classes I have signed up for (see side bar) was a class by Karen Michel called "Inspiration- Art Journal". And here is the journal I created from the class.

The pages inside - all different sizes and some have tags stapled onto them

 

Wrinkled seam tape knotted on the binding cord.

I can't tell you exactly how I made it - as it is from a class - but it involves taking apart an old book, using Mod Podge and cloth material to cover - and creating pages to re-bind inside your book.  Here are photos I took along my creative way:

I'm not sure what I'm going to use my Inspiration Journal for yet -  but it's ready for me when I figure it out!

I absolutely love the colors and patterns on this beautiful cloth that I purchased at Joann Fabric.  I really didn't need to add anything to it - but wanted some kind of title on my journal - and so adhered these Tim Holtz Alpha Parts Phrases that I highlighted with some Cracked Pistachio Distress Paint.

I am learning so many creative things from the Wanderlust Classes -  things I wouldn't be doing if left to my own devices - things I thought I wouldn't be interested in are making me stretch!

You can still join in on the classes - enrollment goes through July - all the classes are on video so you can view them and create from them at your own pace.  Check it all out here:

I'm also linking my journal to:
Anything But Cute: Challenge Earth Day
Recycled book, beautiful floral material

 

Every Moment Matters

I was excited for April to come so I could play along with the next challenge from The CAS Mix Up Challenge run by Loll and Bonnie.  This month they want us to play with stamps and stencils along with other mixed media of our choice from the list on their sidebar.

And here's the card I created.  I used the beautiful Eve, a Modern Woman stencil from Stencil Girl with WV Archival Pink Peony Ink on a white card stock panel, placed slightly off center.  Then I randomly stamped the WV Script Background in WV Archival Fern Green Ink along 2 edges.  I stapled a piece of Idea-ology Film Strip on the side.

I stamped the sentiment from WV Artful Life set on a square of patterned paper using Archival Jet Black Ink and heat dried it.  I put Glossy Accents over an Idea-ology Fragment tile and laid it over the sentiment/patterned paper.  I adhered it with ScorTape over the film strip.

To finish off my design - I added a few Sugar Blend sequins from Avery Elle.

I'm also linking my card to:

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -  Dimension

The Fragment tile, loosely stapled film strip ribbon and sequins add dimension to my card.

 AAA Cards - Stenciling

Stamps:  Script Background and Artful Life - Wendy Vecchi/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  White, Limeaide Ice - PTI, DP - This and That Paperpad/Echo Park Paper.
Ink:  Archival Jet Black, Wendy Vecchi Archival  Pink Peony and Fern Green.
Accessories:  Fragments and Film Strip Ribbon - Idea-ology, ScorTape, mini attacher - Ranger, Sugar Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, Eve, A Modern Woman Stencil - Stencil Girl, Glossy Accents - Ranger.

April Mixed Media Card Challenge - Sunshine

Happy April Fools Day!  Do people still play tricks on each other today??!!  Well, it's no trick that we've got a brand new Mixed Media Card Challenge for you today!  The theme?  Sunshine with the optional element of bricks!  Perfect for spring and all the sunshine we hope we will be having!

 I incorporated both into my design this month.

I started by dabbing Adirondack Alcohol inks in Shell Pink, Citrus and Aqua along with some Alcohol Blending Solution and Gold Mixative onto a 5" x 7" panel of Yupo Paper (see Tim Holtz YouTube tutorial here).  I placed the Ray Stencil over the panel and dabbed Alcohol Blending solution through the stencil to remove most of the Alcohol ink in the stencil area.  Then I dabbed some Butterscotch Alcohol ink at the base of the rays to create the sun.

I used  Basically Bricks stencil with White embossing paste along the bottom half of the panel - just putting paste on partial areas so as not to cover the sun.  I had actually colored the white embossing paste with Shell Pink Alcohol Ink -  but as the paste dried - it absorbed the colors from the panel so looks mostly greenish!  I added a Small Talk Sticker that I outlined with a black Stabilo pencil then went over it with a wet finger to smudge it.

 I just noticed that it looks like blue clouds at the top of the sun rays - not planned but kind of cool!

 I hope you'll join us in this month's Mixed Media Card Challenge -  you will find lots of Design Team inspiration as well as the link for your creations here.

Paper:  Yupo Paper, White, True Black - PTI
Ink:  Adirondack Alcohol Inks - Shell Pink, Butterscotch, Citrus, Aqua, Alcohol Blending Solution, Gold Mixative.
Accessories:  Wendy Vecchi White Embossing Paste, Wendy Vecchi Basically Bricks, Rays Stencil - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Small Talk Idea-ology, Black Stabilo Pencil.

Fusion March 31 - Orchid Occasions

Spring is here - hopefully weather wise as well - and it's time for a lovely new Fusion Card Challenge.

I was inspired by the blues and the sketch this week.

First I did a watercolor wash over the watercolor paper panel.  I die cut the oval out of matboard, inking it by rubbing my Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink pad over it.  Then I flicked water onto it and dried it with my heat tool.  I die cut the butterflies also out of mat board and used Tim Holtz' Eroded Metallic Technique on them shown on this post.

So show us what inspires you with this weeks Fusion Challenge!   Link your cards up here.

You will find all of the Design Team cards there too - they are also linked below.

Deanne Kay 

Jeanne Jachna

Julia Aston - me!

Karren Johnson 

Katie Brooks

Kimberly Wiener

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Michelle Williams

Michelle Lupton

Sandie Munro

 Shannon Jamarillo

Stephanie Severin

as well as our March guest designer!
Kate Lorenzi

Stamps:  Everlasting Life - Verve
Paper:  Water Color Paper - Ranger, Mat Board - Sizzix, True Black - PTI, DP Fine and Sunny Paper Pad - Kaiser Craft.
Ink:  True Black - PTI, Ranger Distress Mermaid Lagoon
Accessories:  Die - Small Oval/Alterations, Small Butterfly - Movers and Shapers - Sizzix/Tim Holtz, sequins - Waltzingmouse, blue watercolor paint, paint brush, water.

More for Easter

Today I'm sharing some Easter cards I've made for 2 of the Saturday Inspiration Challenges over at Splitcoaststampers.

Two weeks ago the inspiration was the Easter Egg Hunt Pinterest Board.  

My first card was inspired by this feather egg in the egg cup

 Here is my card.

I curved the die cut oval egg and kept the curve in it by tying twine around it. Since this egg is just cardstock, I cut a little slit on each side to hold the twine on the edges. I doubled up 2 thick foam dots to hold the center of the egg curved out off the cardbase.   I had these feathers for a Thanksgiving project I did with my grandnieces and nephews last year. (think turkey tails on plastic eggs!)

My 2nd card was inspired by this pinterest post

Here is my card:

 I layered the gold foil egg to a thicker piece of grungeboard. I again curved the egg a little and held the curve by tying the ribbon tightly around the egg while I held the curve. Then I mounted it over the die cut saucer and panel with two thick foam dots.  I added the die cut bunny to the side also with foam dots.

This past Saturday, the Inspiration Challenge was Google It - the Google Art Pinterest board

I always enjoy the Google art and wondered who created it.

I was inspired by this leap year google art with the leaping bunnies

and created this card.

I used Loll Thompson's Splash Watercolor technique on everything - using Brushed Corduroy and Worn Lipstick Distress on the bunnies and bows, Brushed Corduroy and Peeled Paint for the wild flowers, and Tumbled Glass on the background - all on Arches watercolor paper.  I die cut the EASTER (to look like GOOGLE) using Alphanumeric thinlit dies from Tim Holtz on a piece of thin cork.

All three cards hopped out the door at our Easter Cards and Treats sale at church last Sunday!

He is Risen
Stamps: Denami Designs
Paper: white, vintage cream, true black - PTI, DP Archaic - Basic Grey
Paper Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2
Ink: Archival Jet Black
Accessories: die - Large Oval/Alterations, twine, feathers - Michaels, thick foam dots 

The Golden Egg
Stamps: Rubber Soul
Paper: Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock, white - PTI, Gold Foil - SU, grungeboard - Ranger
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: Archival Jet Black
Accessories: Dies - Medium Oval/Alterations, Bunny and Bows Die Set - Lil'Inker Designs, Tea Time - Alterations, ribbon - May Arts, thick foam dots, Pink Tiny Twinkle - Taylored Expressions, small oval punch - SU 

Cork Easter
Stamps: Keep It Simple Birthday - PTI
Paper: Arches Watercolor paper, Vintage Cream - PTI
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: True Black -PTI, Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass
Accessories: Dies: Wild Flowers and Alphanumeric - Thinlits/Alterations, Bunnie and Bows - Lil' Inker Designs, Sequins - WMS, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, thin cork - Staples, foam dots, Craft Mat, mini spritzer, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive

Baskets for Easter

Have you seen the wonderful Wednesday Tutorial Betty posted over at Splitcoaststampers last week?  Here's a link to it.  She calls it a slatted basket.  I love making treat baskets so I ran right up to my craft room to try it out.  This took me less than 15 minutes to score, cut and put together. The base of the basket is 4" x 4" and it stands about 8" tall to the top of the handle.

First you take a double sided 12" x 12" piece of patterned paper or card stock, score, cut and adhere the sides to create  the box base.  Then you cut 6 strips, center and adhere them  across the bottom of the box, fold them up to the top and adhere them under the rim of the box.  And to finish - you cut the handle and adhere it inside the box.

You can decorate them with tags, flowers, and stampings of course -  but I simply tied a long tailed bow with wrinkled seam tape on mine and called it done!  I'll add candy or maybe a small gift - like soap, a candle or body lotion depending on who I present it to!

Then I thought it would be fun to make one for my son.  Mind you - he's now 38 years old - but a mother has to give her boy an Easter Basket right?!  I always give him a few treats and thought a basket would be much nicer than a plastic shopping bag!

Two things define Josh - he proudly served in the US Army and he loves to ride motorcycles - and since I didn't have any motorcycle style patterned paper on hand (none big enough anyway!) and I did have some camouflage paper - the Army theme won out! 

I decorated the handle with some Jolee Army stickers that I've had for ages - so long that the stickers on the backs of them had dried out so I had to put new ones on!

The other side of the handle with more Jolee Stickers - A duffle bag and a shirt.  I added a few treats that he likes - malted milk ball eggs, Reeses Peanut butter eggs and Cadbury Eggs.  I added his name with Idea-ology Label letters.

I knotted a piece of frayed linen ribbon on the top of the handle - because all Easter baskets have to have ribbons right? But I didn't want it to look feminine.   I thought this would look like an ace bandage that he might have had in his Army first aid kit!

I think he'll get a kick out of this basket - I know he'll like the treats!

What's in your Easter basket??!!

Easter Basket
Paper: Sweet Sorbet Double Sided DP - SU  
Accessories: wrinkled seam tape, ScorTape, ScorPal, Quick Dry Scotch adhesive

Army Basket
Paper: Green Bazzill, Green Camouflage - Creative Imaginations/Joanns  
Accessories: ScorTape, ScorPal, Quick Dry Scotch adhesive, frayed linen ribbon, Army Fatigues Jolee's stickers, Label Letters - Idea-ology