What fun!
I saw on Pinterest (a truly dangerous place!)a super cute project transferring photos with a gel medium on to metal. They used metal roofing flashing (mine is 5×8) which is soooooo inexpensive (aka cheap!) and comes with a built-in stand for your project! So, I rushed out and bought a few and that was that….they sat.

Today, I wanted to make something for a friend and really wanted to use a wood block but I didn’t have one in the right size. In my search, I came across my metal friends! Before you wonder what kind of friend I am, this is not the project that I’m making for her! I wanted to test how the various mediums would work on metal before I started on hers.

Like so many mixed media projects, it has a life of its own! I started in one direction (wish I had taken a picture because it was so far from the finished project!) and almost threw it away because it went way South at one point. But one thing I really like with mixed media is that point where it just seems to come together.

This is a mix of gesso, Mod Podge, acrylic paints, distress stains, various stamp inks and Faber Castell pens with techniques including stamping, stenciling, paper piecing and just plain ole finger painting!!
I hope you like it and that it encourages you to get creating!

Fear is the greatest obstacle to creativity ….
Be fearless!
S

Today’s fun is a bit different. Instead of a card, I’ve been playing with an itsy-bitsy (4×4) canvas. I’m taking Christy Tomlinson’s She Art workshop and this is my first attempt at a girl. Mixed media is so much fun and very forgiving! I feel like a 4year old…covered in paint and Mod Podge!

I really can’t give you all of the steps….it just seems to happen. But I’ll try to hit the highlights.

I cheated a little with the girl and didn’t give her a head ….baby steps! I cut her dress from patterned paper and her apron (if I call it a pinafore, I’ll show my age!) from a solid. I embellished it with rub-ons and ribbon.
The background is a mix of pattern tissue paper (yeah, you know- like Simplicity or McCalls!) gesso, acrylic paint, India ink and Gellatos with bits and pieces of random stamping, doodling and rub-ons. The kitty and mouse were stamped on more pattern tissue and added to the canvas with Mod Podge. The furry friends are from Paper Smooches set Nine Lives. From there it was a lot of shading with the Gellatos and Faber-Castell Pitt big brush pens.

I printed the sentiment (which you’ll recognize if you’re a friend of W.T. Pooh!), cut it out and adhered it with more Mod Podge. A bit more shading and there you go.
You should see my studio..IT IS A MESS!!! Mixed media is not for the faint of heart or those who are afraid of getting messy – but in my book, it is so worth it!
I hope you’ll create something – whatever your medium.
Thanks for stopping by,
S

I used Americana acrylic paint in Snow White, Sea Breeze and Milk Chocolate with a dash of  Claudine Helmuth Studio paint in Purple Palette. I did one print with the Clockworks stencil from Tim Holtz and then did another layer with the Moroccan stencil from Simon Says Stamp. I was having so much fun! I’ll post a few of the other prints I made at the end of this post.

I cut down the mono print (sounds so impressive doesn’t it?) to 3 panels. I rounded the top corners – which was an error but hey, life goes on! I intended to round the top left corner and the bottom right but I picked up the right panel upside down!!  (Sigh)

I used the Memory Box Dancing Tulips die to cut the center panel. I mounted all 3 panels on foam tape to add to the dimension. I stamped the sentiment (Simon Says Stamp Thinking of You set) and added a few fun sequins.

This card was so much fun to make – I hope you like it and it inspires you to play!

If you’re interested, some of the other prints I made with my GP can be viewed here!

Later –
S
On now to SUPER BOWL fun!! GO BRONCOS!

More fun from Online Card Class – Stenciled!

I penciled in the Mini Harlequin stencil from The Crafter’s Workshop with Inktense pencils and accented with a fun sentiment from Simon Says Stamp set “Only have eyes for you” and circle accents  from SSS “Thinking of you”.  I stamped the green background paper with Hero Arts “Friend Definition” stamp with Versamark ink and clear embossed.

Lots of stencil fun!

I think we’re going to fly up to the Grand Canyon tomorrow so I may have to catch up on “homework” on Monday!

S

Today’s card is for the Online Card Class – Stenciled. Awesome class with so many great ideas for using your stencils.
This card is a combination of sponging and stamping over the stencil.
More fun to come!
S

For my friend’s birthday, I wanted to shower her with positive encouragement for the upcoming year. The Paper Smooches stamp set Group Hugs was so perfect! All of the wonderful positive wishes I wanted to extend were there. I couldn’t decide which one I wanted the most – – –  so I used lots of them!

I stamped the sentiments over the card stock and embossed with clear embossing powder. I masked off in stripes to ink the fun colors! I used Memto Luxe Ink in Dandelion, Pear Tart, Bahama Blue and Rose Bud.Celebrate was stamped on velum using the Paper Smooches Alphadot set (LOVE this set!!) and the YOU was a Simon Says Stamp die that I inked and embossed. I used the heart and drink to cover the glue dots behind the velum (shhhhhh).  I’d love to tell you where the cute drink came from but it has been in my stash for ages. I want to say it came from Michael’s but…..

I’m submitting this in the Paper Smooches challenge “anything goes” – click the link below and join in the fun!

http://www.papersmoochesstamps.com

Fun for a challenge on Splitcoast Stampers – to white emboss on Kraft card stock and color in with a watercolor or color wash technique.
I used the Hero Arts stamp Tall Flowers and the “awesome” sentiment is from the Incredible set from Technique Tuesday (Ali Edwards).
I colored using Inktense pencils and a water brush. I was really happy with the vibrancy of the colors.
Thanks for checking it out,
S

Happy New Year!
You guessed it! My New Year’s resolution – get back to my blog! (that and those pounds I want to be rid of…..) Anyway, back to reality and the card for today!

I created this card for a color challenge on Splitcoast Stampers — black, white and silver. Ok, I cheated and snuck in a little red!
I embossed using the Hero Arts Newspaper Skyline stamp. (love this stamp!) I stamped it once and embossed with clear embossing powder. I then stamped it again (positioned differently) and embossed with silver .
I reverse masked the moon and sponged it in with silver ink.
The sentiment is my hope for the upcoming new year – Spectacular! I stamped it in black on vellum and embossed with clear embossing powder to make it stand out. I used a couple of crystals to hide the glue dots under the vellum (shhhhh don’t tell…) and called it done!
It makes me think of being in NY and watching the ball drop – from the warmth of Arizona!
Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!
S

Haven’t posted in a while – life gets in the way! I decided to participate in the Holiday Card Workshop and WOW – information overload!! If you have taken one of the Online Card Classes, you know what I mean and if you are a card maker and haven’t taken one, I would highly recommend them. Each day focuses on a couple of different tips and techniques. (NOTE: My intent was to post each day and I just couldn’t make that happen. The 10 day workshop ended on Friday and I had yet to post day 1! So, I’m going to do a few posts highlighting some of what I produced during the workshop – hopefully!!)

Working really gets in the way! Each morning I devour that days class and itch to get to my craft room and start putting it to practice. Instead, I wait (not so patiently, I might add) for the weekend. Problem with that, I was truly in overload. My biggest challenge is focusing on just one thing at a time – I want to try all of them!! So, I’m going to try to post them by day and without all of the details of making them, so if you have questions, just ask! So on to DAY ONE….

One of the things I always forget about until the last-minute is small gift toppers. This is a 3×3 card that is perfect for that. One of the challenges presented in day 1 was coloring images. I love coloring… takes me back to school days. There is something really relaxing in it. I topped this off with Stickles on a few of the ornaments for a bit of glitz! Please don’t ask me what the ornament stamp is called…. I cheated – I had stamped the image LAST Christmas card making season and had never used it so I colored it in etc and now, I can’t find the stamp! I’m really sad cuz I really liked the stamp. I’m sure I’ll find it – if I ever straighten up my craft room!

Since I was feeling guilty about using   something that was previously stamped, I decided to make another 3×3 card (actually, I made 2 – guilt is a great motivator!)

The “pine cone” version was not technically coloring (Jeez – the guilt is going to consume me here!)  – I colored the stamp with Distress markers and then re-inked the stamp with Versamark and embossed it with clear embossing powder. After embossing, I inked over it with Vintage Photo Distress ink. In spite of using my Stamp-a-Majig, I moved slightly when I stamped with Versamark and when I inked over it, it resisted the ink and it looks like snow! Yes, of course I meant to do that…

Another challenge was to make the envelope for the small card. I love making envelopes! Once I figured out how to make them… a monster was created! The cool thing with envelopes on small cards (gift toppers – too small to go through the mail) is you can use fun patterned paper and embellishments if you like.

Fun isn’t it – and that was only part of day 1….

I think I’ll get this post up and show you the other project in another post.

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you and if you have any questions, please ask!

Later,

S

Hi, I’ve been really lax in posting new projects the last few weeks … not sure where the time goes! Anyway, I’m finally here with a new one!

I have a dear friend with a birthday today. Sadly, but par for the course, I just made his card yesterday! I should make a batch of belated birthday cards to have on hand! He is as big a baseball fan as I – if not bigger, so the choice of a baseball theme was easy. I wrote on the inside : I struck out and missed your birthday –  hope it was a GRAND SLAM! Hopefully it will make up in creativity what it lacks in punctuality!!

On to the card:  I made the card base with Kraft card stock folded to 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″.  I embossed a piece of brown card stock with my Bigshot and a Sizzix embossing folder “diamonds”. I lightly sponged it with Black Soot Distress Ink from Ranger. All of the other designer papers are from the MVP line from W R Memory Keepers.  I layered the  embossed piece on a “lightly” patterned piece (I have such a hard time covering up a great pattern!!) I would usually cut this piece about 1/4″ smaller on all sides than the base but I knew I wanted to do some faux stitching around it, so I cut it a bit smaller.

I then had fun with the patterned paper! I cut a plain piece of “typing” paper to approx 2 1/2″ by 3 3/4″. I cut the patterned paper into strip of varying widths and glued them on the diagonal to the plain paper. I trimmed off the edges and sponged them lightly with the Black Soot ink. I added brads to the 4 corners and adhered with dimensionals.  I tied hemp around and debated on having the hemp go on top of or underneath the  paper-pieced element – underneath won!  Both the brads and the hemp are from my stash of unidentified embellishments!

The baseball was stamped with a PSX stamp on white glossy card stock. I inked the stitching with a red Marvy marker and the ball with Chestnut Roan Chalk ink. I punched it out with a 1″ in punch and distressed the ball and the edges (it stood out like new white sneakers!!) with several shades of brown, blue and burgundy ink. I then covered it with Glossy Accents by Ranger. I mounted it on the same paper as the 1st layer and attached with a foam dimensional. I added my friends initials with Thickers that I sponged with the same browns, blues and burgundy ink. A little faux stitching with a white gel pen finished it off.

I’m adding this to the CAS-ual Friday Challenge this week which is to use embossing. Hope you enjoyed and that it inspires you to create!

Later,

S