Saturday, June 28, 2014

Stamp #260 Saturated Canary

Is this image not the cutest ever????  I can’t believe I have waited so long to ink her up.  I am entering this in Simon’s Monday Challenge I really ought to use this more.  Those Candies are another thing I am trying to make myself use more of.

IMG_5792 (637x800)

Image: Saturated Canary

Sentiment MFT

Dies: Simon Says mini heart and MFT Blueprint 15 strip

ah love and stamp #259MFP

IMG_5790 (653x800)

I won this sweet wedding set from a drawing on Stamping’Bowds website last year and haven’t really had an opportunity to use it.  The set is from Mark’s Finest Papers.  I had a request for two anniversary cards and thought this would be a very pretty way to use this sentiment.  I stamped the lily of the valley image in Shadow Ink.  I added  a scalloped piece of white to soften the big letter paper I used for the back ground and ran that strip of washi across the top for the same reason.  Inside says Happy Anniversary.

I am entering this into Simon Says Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.

lovin’ the MFT sketch 182 and stamp#258

IMG_5791 (800x629)
MFTWSC182
Using all MFT stamps and dies, this was a very fun card to make.  the thimble turned out so very cool and I don’t even know where that paper came from it was just a piece of scrap.  I still have a bit more, maybe I should die cut all the rest into thimbles.
For the sentiment I left off the Us at the end.  This was an anniversary card going out to a young couple. The dotted banner is from By the Numbers MFT.  I used three different blueprints dies on here. I love the wonky panel especially from BP 15.  Faux stitching is the only way for me.  It looks so real, eh?
 MFT sketch 182 will get this entry and also the Simon Says Monday I ought to use this more.  Seems I'm always forgetting that i have Washi tape.  so i used it on this one and the next card i made too.  Even these dies have never been used.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

oh how fun

I watched THIS by Kristina Werner and had to try it.  Now, I’ve been watching and seeing all these rainbow inspired cards and to tell the truth I just really don’t care for them that much.  But after I saw Kristina use this technique and these colors; well, I just  loved the look.  Now because this is a CASED card I did change a few things up.  I made a top fold, used a different stencil and different inks and also changed the banner.  I did faux stitching instead of the real thing but I just love how the stencil elements just POP right off the card.  they look embossed or raised up but it is as flat as can be.
So here’s my offering for today.  I am entering this into Work It Wednesday for June with Simon Says
IMG_5746 (661x800)MFT Stencil
MFT BIG Backgrounds
MFT Sentiment
Simon Says Stamp mini heart dies

I used Color Box  Frost White Pigment

Distress Inks : Worn Lipstick, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn

Monday, June 23, 2014

Showers and more

It’s very appropriate to make a card for a shower, that’s all we have been having lately, rain and more rain.  My flowers and grass love it.  it’s so beautiful all around but I could use a bit more sunshine myself.

Have a wedding shower coming up Saturday and Simon Says Monday Challenge is I ought to use this more.  Dig in our stash and shake the cobwebs out of things,  eww…uhmmm…I don't know smile I still have lots and lots of eyelets around.  Remember when that was about the only embellishment that was available, eyelets in every color and shape.  I have frogs, umbrellas, flowers, trains, all kinds.  I think I will try using some of them up.

They made a perfect design for the umbrella.  That little bow was a bugger to tie even with the bow easy. 

IMG_5651 (737x800)

MFT Sketch 180 and color challenge 6

I wasn’t able to participate in this challenge in the correct time frame but I still like to use the sketch and play along when I can.  Had fun with this one.  After embossing the dots on the T-shirt I sanded them to give them a soft texture.  I quite like how this card turned out and I am entering it into the MFT color challenge #6 for the month of June. Natural, Spearmint,  Sweet Tooth and Nightshade Blue.

IMG_5649 (617x800) 

MFTWSC180

DETAILS:

MFT dies:  Fish Tail Banner Stax, T-shirt, Blueprints

Sentiment Tag and Sentiment is Simon Says

Large CELEBRATE sentiment is MFT

Cuttlebug embossing folder.  White embossing powder on strip~Candies

Stamp 257 SU

This was made with scraps from the desk after I cleaned it up last night.  Even the base was a scrap as it had a smudge of black ink on it.  I covered it up with the embossed birthday panel that I received as a protector in a card that was mailed to me. (I usually save those things.) Winking smile

I found this very pretty Hibiscus ribbon at Hancock Fabrics yesterday. They didn’t have much in the line of stamping and this ribbon was clearanced at nineteen cents a yard, uhm yeah, that’s coming home with me.  There were two yards and ten inches on the spool.  Forty three cents total.  After I used my bow easy to make that beautiful bow I had the scrap underneath left.  It didn’t quite fit to tape it to the back of the panel and I decided to tie it in the middle and make a NEW kind of ribbon for me. Now there’s a tip for ya!!  I love the way it turned out. The little Stampin Up image is colored with copics and there you have a cute birthday card to keep on hand.  Used my Gold Viva Pearl Pen to make the brad and the little flower centers.

IMG_5645 (670x800)

Simple Sympathy with Heidi Swapp

IMG_5639 (800x597)

This went together quite easily with my stencil from Heidi Swapp.  I taped it down and then used distress inks on a sponge to fill in the color.  Then a quick spray with Smooch and that was it. 

The sentiment is Hero Arts perched on an MFT sentiment die. 

it’s been awhile

Summer’s are like that and while we still haven’t really gotten only a day or too of really pleasant weather, the summer schedule is here.  Which means, baby showers, wedding showers, graduation parties, weddings.  We have only been fishing once.  I think my worms in the extra fridge are dead.  ewwww….  It’s been too cold to go out and really enjoy any fishing and with all the dampness the mosquitoes are flourishing and nothing seems to keep them away.  I spent a couple of days in Green Bay.  A friend of mine had a surgery and I sat with her through that and then watched her grand kids for her for a couple of days.  So life moves on in spite of the weather.  Of course the day I sat in the hospital with her it was a GORGEOUS day.  When they took her in for surgery I took myself outside for a walk.  ahhhh sunshine!

So I haven’t been home much to be creative.  Here’s one I made for the MFT181 sketch challenge.  I missed last weeks sketch. I flipped the sketch and used the die cut flowery vine as the strip that goes across.  That’s what I like about sketches, they are just jumping off points. 

IMG_5648 (800x624)

MFTWSC181

 

DETAILS:

DIES: MFT Blueprints 5 and 15

Top Dog Dies Madison Doily

Flowery strip was given to me as a gift. Thanks Princess Judy. 

Flower Stamp from Prickley Pear Hibiscus I used a stylus on the front part of the stamp and layered it over an image I  stamped of the same flower on the doily.  I popped up the entire frame with dimensionals.  Tag Sentiment is from same Prickley Pear set.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Father’s Day-Studio G Stamps 252-253-254-255

IMG_5344 (649x800)Scribbling some distress inks on my craft mat and adding water liberally with a spray bottle i dragged my water color piece through it and dried with a heat gun to move the color around. I then put a bit of dylusions spray into a small spray bottle and added a bit of water to tone down the black soot a bit. then sprayed that over the watch stencil for the second layer of back ground. Next I took my little set of Studio G stamps and inked them up with different Ranger Distress inks and stamped the stamps and immigration stamps for a bit of color. I added black soot to the watch image and sprayed with water and then stamped that making another layer.
I stamped the watch image in black soot on a separate scrap piece of card stock. Next I took a teeny swipe with Wild Honey Distress ink on to the craft mat and added a bit of Ranger Glossy Accents and mixed it with a brush and brushed it onto the watch face. I let it dry and then put it in freezer and cracked it. Cut it out and adhered it to the computer generated sentiment that I tore and distressed.
It looked a wee bit bare so I added the Ranger Hemp cord in gray and then a friend set me these wonderful die cut feathers. I added a bit of brilliance silver to the feather with my finger to tone down the black a bit and that was the finishing touch.
This is so WAAAAY not my usual way of stamping but i love this creation that found it's way out of my heart.
My husband enjoys old watches, birds and vintage stamps. It is the perfect creation for him for Father's day. Thanks for looking. I will date this to post after Father’s Day cuz he follows my blog.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

they said to use paint

Whew! I have never used acrylic paints and this challenge inspired me to open up a squeeze bottle that I got at Michael’s for sixty-five cents.  Who could resist that?  But it’s been sitting for some months because I was a bit fearful of it.  This card started out to be something entirely different.  It was going to be an all white embossed sympathy card using the Partial Die Cut technique that was featured at SCS Wednesday Technique Tutorial.   But, alas, when I ran it through my big shot, it had all kinds of smudges on the front piece.  Being the thrifty crafter that I am, I could not in good conscience, throw away a full card size 110 lb quality paper.

THAT’s when I remembered the Monday Challenge at Simon Says  Out came the paints and stencil by Heidi Swapp.  Okie dokie, I wasn’t prepared for how BOLD and heavy those butterflies were going to look or how the paint would seep under the openings on the stencil. Oops, this card is getting worse not better.  Now, what to do. Oh yes, I do remember someone recently writing that they used gesso to tone down something painted.  Let’s try that.  ahh, much better but still looks kind of sloppy.

I really wanted to lighten this up and give the impression of lots of butterflies in a meadow.  I spritzed some shimmer mist through a dotted stencil then took the stencil itself and pressed it right over the butterflies.  Now add a couple of sprigs of green.  It’s getting better.  I used the two die cut butterflies from Simon and glued the top one onto the already partially die cut butterfly up there.  I took my gold pen and glitzed him up a bit and NOW I can stamp this beautiful sentiment on with my new Simon Says Premium Dye Ink.  I love those inks.  And I am glad for the challenge that helped me to create something beautiful out of something that was a disaster.

x-default

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

La-La Land Skater Girl Stamp #251

Isn’t she CUTE????  It was a mistake…I thought I ordered Ice Skating Marcie, I was bummed, but oh well, She’s cute too! So I kept her and never did order ice skater.   Using left overs from another piece that I sprayed with Dylusions Black Soot, what??? are you crazy Janeen?   SPRAYING with black soot?   uhhhmmmmm yeah…protect and cover everything.  I added water of course after spraying through the stencil and then smooshed the (why doesn’t the “dictionary” like that word? ) the stencil onto a and already color washed piece of water color card stock.  I knew it would come out backwards but figured I could use it somehow.  And then when I saw it I knew I wanted this gal to be the image that went with it.  I love everything about this card.  Just love it!!!  The points of the banners, the curve of the scallops, the perfect die cut that fits her, the black, the washi….it just flowed together, and ya gotta love it when that happens.  So thanks for reading as I guuuuussshhh!  Appreciate you. Secret telling smile  Colored with Copics but all the rest is distress colors.

IMG_5340 (639x800)

Still having fun Stamps #249-250 Prickley Pear

Prickley Pear has THE cutest images.  These are a bit of challenge for me because they are so delicate.  I’m used to stamping more bold and big!  But I love the delicacy of these and I had the perfect water colored scraps to show case these cute little open detail stamps.  A belated birthday wish going out to a new friend.  In all honesty, I didn’t know it was her birthday as I met her in the cyber world but her b-day popped up on FB and how can I not send her a hand made greeting?  Using those forever at my side Pearl Pens again, this time in Light Green.  The card looked a bit bare without it and I like how it subtly adds dimension to those flowers.  The beauty of the pearl pen is you can make pearls any size you want so you always have the right size embellishment. They go through the mail better too. I am entering this into Simon's Monday Challenge of MAGIC.  I love the magic that happens with my Viva Pearl Pens.  I love the Magic of water color splotches that you never know how they will turn out, the whimsical flowers are seem like fairy tale magic.  Thanks Simon for all your challenges and great ideas.
IMG_5339 (800x602)

Using Tim Holtz stuff Stamps #246-247-248

O.K.  confession time.  I have never really liked all the Tim Holtz stuff, it’s mostly too grungy for me.  But then I started seeing all those distress inks and I bought one.  Oh my, the clarity, I couldn’t deny it, I LOVED his inks. Red heart  Then I found this stamp set a year or so ago at Michaels marked insanely clearanced at $3.99….alrighty then, this doesn’t look so grungy.  I inked it, stamped it,  Aha…so this is what all the fuss is about.  Stamps beautifully.  I received a gift certificate to Hobby Lobby for my birthday .  I was pretty sure where those $ were going.  Yep, I picked up my first pack of Distress Markers.  Oh my, no disappointment there.  I am in love with these brilliant clear colors.  I will have to learn to use teeny amounts.  I thought I used teeny amounts and look how deep this turned out.  I love the vibrancy though so I decided to turn it into a wedding card.  I had no plan when I started, just wanted to use my inks and thought his stamps would be a perfect place to start and so it morphed into this.  I got a lot of mileage out of a few scribbles.  I also got two more pieces of water color paper inked up with a base coat.  Also three more cards all made from the same few scribbles.  I can see my Water Color Paper stash will not be coming into the spotlight.

IMG_5337 (717x800)

My FAVORITE Dream Weaver stencil

This stencil gets used a lot in many different ways.  Today I ran it through the big shot with water color paper after the paper had been colored with a wash.  I then put the stencil on the top of the embossed piece and highlighted with the pink and then spritzed it all after taking the stencil off.

It is so soft and beautiful, I feel so creative and satisfied. I used my other favorite crafting embellishment.  The Viva Pearl Pen, this was in cream color.

Tim Holtz Distress markers.  (something new for me…..I did the flicking trick with the paint brush for spatters)  I was always afraid I would get big blobs instead of dainty little dots.  WHEW!!!!    Feel the fear and do it anyway!!!   In love

IMG_5338 (800x616)

WOYWW #2

IMG_5334

My spot is a lot cleaner this week as I spent Tuesday making all these backgrounds with distress markers and some new Ranger distress inks, those little cubes.  Oh so fun.  My entire disaster area  crafting space needed cleaning.  It really only took about forty minutes to get it all clean and put away, even the scraps, gasp!!Disappointed smile

Then last evening after everything was all tidied up, I went in and designed these Kreations.  I have four finished projects on my desk this a.m.  I used the rubber butterfly to stamp the inside of this sympathy card.

  I had fun with the La La Land skater girl.  Oh she was so fun to color (she’s copic though, not WC) the back ground is WC.  I had sprayed some Soot Dylusions on that pink polka dotted piece to make a banner and then I sprayed water on it again and turned the stencil over onto a WC paper and smooshed it.  Then it just looked like it was asking for this never been inked before LaLaLand girl. 

I had a TON of fun with those markers.  Lesson:  they are INTENSE.  Scribble just a bit and add water, add water, add water. 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Oink, Squeal, Grunt Stamps #244 & 245

Since Gilbert has worked for a bacon company for 30 plus years this Simon Exclusive set from Kelly Purkey just had to find a home with us.  I am entering this into Simons Work It Wednesday for the month of May. IMG_5329

All elements Simon Says for this CAS card.  I paper pieced the larger pig.

Oink Squeal Grunt…..that sounds like me trying to get my yoga pants on.  LOL

Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing

Edited to add…after making this card I somehow smudged the one side with inky finger print and before giving it to my wonderful husband I “fixed” it to now look like the second photo.  Smile  We are so sly.  Shifty

 

Check out Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats for THE best bacon EVER. IMG_5342 (600x800)

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Stamp 243 My Favorite Things

The Wednesday sketch challenge 178 was to use a grid.  I chose this stencil and laid down color with Peeled Paint distress ink by Ranger.  I then used MFT stamp set called Lifes Direction.  Inside says Your Destiny will be determined by the direction you take.  This is for a young outdoorsy type young man graduating from high school.  I love how it all came together so nicely.

I used a ribbon and twine in place of the banner shown on the sketch. IMG_5317 (643x800) The die cuts are MFT dies.  I love love love this set of alpha and numbers.