Thursday, July 31, 2014

Fairy Mushroom Mini Book Featuring Sin City Stamps and Altered Pages

Hello everyone!  Today is the start of a new month with Sin City Stamps, and August proves to be yet another fun partnership with our good friends over at Altered Pages.  The designers on both teams will be using the theme "Fairies" for the first half of the month.  So be sure to stop by both blogs to see all the inspiration from everyone.

In keeping with the fairies theme, and because I received this awesome little mushroom chipboard book  from Sin City Stamps and lots of fairy collage images from Altered Pages, I made this adorable little mini book.






I prepared this video preview showcasing each page and a brief description of how I put it together.

 

Supplies Used:

Sin City Stamps:  Mushroom Chipboard BookAnime Fairies 2 Art Rubber StampsFairies and Blossoms 2 Art Rubber Stamps; Fairy 2 Die Cuts; Fleur de Lys Die Cuts; Fairy Die Cuts; Vine Flourish Mask;

Altered Pages:    AP-1060 Fairy Dolls;  AP-1554 Little FairiesNiji Oil PastelsWhite GessoStazOn Jet Black; Delicata Gold; Petaloo FlowersGerman border scrap; Stickles glitter glue; Art Anthology dimensional acrylics (Kona)(Terra Cotta)

Other:   Molding Paste, Acrylic Paints, StazOn colors, watercolor paper, crackle paint, glitter glue, various flowers and embellishments, Prima Pixie Glen paper pad

For a complete video tutorial on how I made this book, please visit my youtube channel by clicking this link.

Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to visit Sin City Stamps and Altered Pages for more shopping and inspiration!

Have a wonderful and crafty weekend!

Barbara

Monday, July 28, 2014

Dragonfly Dreams Pocket Card with Altered Pages & Leaky Shed

Hello everyone!  Happy Monday!  As you may already know, Altered Pages has partnered with Leaky Shed Studio and their design team this month.  Our theme is "Flies", and we can interpret that any way we choose.  I got these beautiful chipboard butterflies from Leaky Shed, so I knew I wanted to make a fun card using it as a dimensional embellishment.  



I began with a pre-made 5"x7" kraft card.  Cut green paper from Botanical Odyssey to 4-1/2" x 6-1/2", ink edges with Crushed Olive.  Cut purple paper from Hummingbird to 4"x6", ink edges with Milled Lavender.  Layer green, then purple papers to kraft card front.
Print "Aux Violettes de Nice" collage image, trim top to match size of print border die cut.
Tape both pieces together on reverse with tape.

Apply adhesive around bottom and sides of this piece and adhere to front of card, forming a pocket.
Adhere yellow baby ball fringe across seam.
Stamp larger dragonfly from the Muse Dragonfly rubber stamp set onto card front, as shown, and paint with Imperial Purple Art Anthology Sorbet.
Here is a close-up of how sheer and shimmery this paint is.  It works beautifully for coloring your stamped images because it does not cover up your stamping.  If you look closely, you can see the images beneath the paint on the wings.  Awesome product!
Paint Leaky Shed's spring butterfly with Inktense ink blocks.  While this is beautiful in its own right, it is quite matte, and I knew I wanted more glitz.
This prompted me to pull out the Art Anthology Sorbet acrylic paints again.  I covered the top (purple) portion with Imperial Purple, the bottom (green) with June Bud, and the body (brown) with Kenyan Copper.  This paint is very sheer and shimmery, and I believe it shows in the photo.  
Adding a few dew drops in an amber color to the body added a bit more bling.  It also covered the foam dots I used to attach it to the card front.
I removed one of the tag die cuts from the Botanical Odyssey paper pad, inked the edges with Crushed Olive, and stamped Dragonfly Dreams in StazOn Spiced Chai.  Then I stamped the tiny dragonflies in StazOn Gothic Purple and colored these, once again, with the Art Anthology Imperial Purple sorbet.
I added a large clear dew drop to the top of the tag to act as a sort of tag pull, and a nifty embellishment, too.  This gets inserted into the pocket for a bit of interaction with your recipient.  You could always add a little note to the back of the tag, also.
One more look for a slightly different angle shows the dimension on this card.  

Supplies Used:

Altered Pages:  ATC Blanks; Kaisercraft Botanical Odyssey Paper Pad; Kaisercraft Hummingbird Paper Pad;  Muse Dragonfly rubber stamp setAP-278 Fun Florals collage sheetArt Anthology Sorbet dimensional acrylic paints: (June Bud, Imperial Purple, Kenyan Copper); Ball Fringe baby size (yellow); Dew Drops
Leaky Shed:  Spring Butterfly Small (3pc)
IMAGINE Crafts: StazOn Midi Gothic Purple, Spiced Chai
Other supplies:  Large clear dew drop (The Robin's Nest)
5"x7" kraft card
Distress ink:  Crushed Olive; Milled Lavender

I hope you enjoyed my card project today, and have been inspired to make a pocket style card for someone you love.  And don't forget to comment each day on the Altered Pages blog for a chance to win this awesome prize package!



Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative week!

Barbara

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Sin City Stamps Design Team Announcement


Hello everyone.  I have some exciting news to share with you today.  I am so pleased and honored to announce that I am going to be on the Sin City Stamps Design Team for another term.  I have been with them since the beginning, and am so very proud to continue to work with this wonderful company.

I also want to let you know about a few of my favorite new products that are now available.  First, I am in love with the new Hot Air Balloon Chipboard Book.

As a matter of fact, I just released my very first Youtube video featuring this cute little book, which you can view here.  


In addition, I have designed a Shrine Chipboard Book, which, although not a new design, one that I have adjusted to my own specifications.  This little beauty can be used as either a triptych, or cut apart to use as a book. I will be showcasing this in the near future, and probably try my hand at  a second Youtube video.  


My newest favorite stamp set is the Up Up and Away 2 set, which I also featured in my Youtube video.  Here is a look at the wonderful images on this plate.


I could go on and on, there are so many new products and fun images, but let me just invite you to visit the Sin City Stamps online store to see all the new items, and if you visit the Sin City Stamps blog, you will get tons of inspiration from the team.

As always, thanks for your support and for stopping by today.  Hope to see you all next week with my first project post for the new term.  We have a lot in store for you over the next few months.

Happy crafting!

Barbara


Sunday, July 20, 2014

Take It Make It Challenge: July - Embossing Resist Technique

Hello everyone.  So glad you stopped by today, because I am entering the Craft Stamper's monthly Take It, Make It Challenge for the first time.  The Craft Stamper Blog challenge this month is embossing resist technique.  Here is the finished card I made.





Stamp newsprint background onto smooth white card with VersaFine Onyx Black.
Apply color to background with blending tool and distress ink colors (Salty Ocean, Wild Honey, Peacock Feathers).  Dry thoroughly.
Stamp Windowpane Monarch over background image using Versamark ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Surround Windowpane image with sticky notes.  Apply Walnut Stain ink with blending tool over the image.  Wipe off excess ink from embossed areas.
Remove sticky notes.

Trim images.

Ink all edges with Walnut Stain ink, including inside open frame area.

Adhere foam tape to reverse of central image.
Cut 12"x12" teal card stock to 7" x 10", fold in half to make 5" x 7" card.

Trim 6"x6" piece of printed paper to 4-3/4" x 6".  Trim 3/4" off of left side.  Adhere print paper  to front of teal card, leaving a gap, as shown.
Cut opening in fold of card and insert ribbon from inside, as shown.
Wrap around to front and adhere.
Adhere stamped frame to front.
Adhere Windowpane Monarch piece inside opening with foam tape.
Darken HOPE charm with Black Soot distress stain.  Dab a tiny amount of Broken China distress paint over charm.  Let dry.
Tie a knot in a small piece of ribbon, add HOPE charm with a vintage pin, as shown.
Add some flowers and bling to finish it off.  (See photo at top of post.)


Supplies used:

Lagoon Bazzill cardstock, BoBunny Mama-Razzi 6x6 paper pad
Rubber Stamps:  Inkadinkado Newsprint Background; Hampton Art Windowpane Monarch;
Ink Pads:  Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Distress Salty Ocean, Wild Honey, Peacock Feathers, Walnut Stain
Broken China Distress Paint, Black Soot Distress Stain
Golden Yellow 3/4" wide satin ribbon
Tim Holtz Idea-ology word token
Vintage pin

I hope you enjoyed my card today.  I enjoy reading your comments, so I would appreciate it very much if you would leave one.  As always, thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week.  And don't forget to stop by the Craft Stamper Blog to see the rest of the fabulous entries.

Barbara

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Sin City Stamps: Mixed Media Hot Air Balloon Chipboard Book

Happy Friday, everyone!  I have been a busy little beaver lately.  I finally decided to take the plunge and attempt to learn how to make a video.  I wanted to share with you this new Hot Air Balloon Chipboard Book from Sin City Stamps, as well as one of the newest stamp plates to go along with it, Up Up and Away 2.  There is lots of room to further embellish your book, add photos, quotes, or whatever you want to add to it.



Here is my first video attempt, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it for you.




Supplies used:

Sin City Stamps:  Hot Air Balloon Chipboard BookUp Up and Away 2 stamp set; Gear 3 Die CutsGear 17 Die CutsGear 19 Die Cuts
Paper:  Carta Bella Well Traveled collection; 140 lb hot press watercolor paper (to stamp on)
Inks:  VersaFine Onyx Black; Distress Inks:  Evergreen Bough, Salty Ocean, Wild Honey, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint
Ink Spray:  Maya Mist - Brown Mist
Acrylic Paint:  Fresco Blood Orange, Cinnamon (Paper Artsy); Malted Milk (Ranger-Jenni Bowlin);
Other:  White Gesso, foam brush, watercolor brush, matte medium, ink blending tool, Inka Gold: Gold, Copper (Viva Decor), Distress Markers, Derwent Inktense ink blocks, spinner, brad, various metal embellishments

Thanks for watching, and please be sure to visit the Sin City Stamps Online Store to see all the newest products, not only in new stamps, but also tons of new chipboard and die cut pieces for your crafting enjoyment.  And I hope you will visit the SCS blog often for lots of inspiration from the rest of the team.

Have a wonderful weekend, and happy crafting!!

Barbara

Monday, July 14, 2014

Time Flies Mixed Media Canvas - Altered Pages and Leaky Shed

I know it is hard to believe that it is already mid-year, but July is going to prove to be another fabulous month of inspiration. Altered Pages has partnered with Leaky Shed Studio and their design team, so be sure to check back every day to see what each designer on both teams is creating for you.  Our theme this month is "FLIES", to be interpreted any way we choose.

I decided to make an altered canvas with my supplies.


My interpretation of "Flies" is what I consider Time does...  yes, time does fly, and it is definitely one of those things I wish I had more of.  Hence, "Carpe Diem" (Seize the Day) seemed to be an appropriate title for my piece.

WARNING:  I have a lot of pictures, but I hope it helps you move through my tutorial faster.

Supplies:

IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko: IrResistible Bronze Colored Texture Spray; Memento Luxe Peanut Brittle; ; Radiant Neon: Electric Green; Electric Blue, Electric Purple; StazOn Midi Jet Black; Versamark;
Distress Stain:  Pumice Stone and other various colors
Crackle Texture Paste
Krylon Gold Leaf Pen

Directions:

To make my clock, I first resized the clock face collage image to fit over the beer mat (coaster), cut out and adhered to mat.  Ink edge with Memento Luxe Peanut Brittle.
Spray bronze texture spray over shiny side of CD.  Get a thick layer around the edges and let dry.
I saw this collage image of watch gears and wondered how I could integrate them onto my clock face.  Aha!!!  I resized the clock gears background to 4.5" x 6" so it would be large enough to cover the clock face and printed it out onto an acetate sheet.   
I ran the acetate through my Xyron to get full coverage of my adhesive, then adhered it to the clock face.
Trim excess acetate and Voila!
Center clock face coaster image over CD and adhere with tacky glue.  Color white metal clock hands with Krylon gold leaf pen.
Punch hole in center of clock face, add clock hands with decorative brad and gold bead to center.  (Remember, the CD has a hole in the center, so I was able to punch through just the paper covered beer mat and add these elements.)

Ink Birdcage with black pigment ink, heat emboss with silver embossing powder.  Reheat and sprinkle black embossing powder to antique it.
Glue bird cage down over collage image from AP-134 Vintage Paper, trim excess.
Stamp one of the mannequin tags onto smooth white card stock with multiple colors of distress ink.
Use blending tool to add Wild Honey and Peeled Paint over image, cut image out and glue beneath Birdcage, set aside.
Add gold Gilder's Paste to die cut wings, and a very light coat of silver Gilder's Paste over that.

Tear strips from the Vintage Paper collage sheet and adhere to canvas.
Audition your main focal pieces (clock and winged mannequin birdcage) onto your canvas. Nothing is glued down at this point.  
At this point, I also decided that I would place these die cuts of hinge hardware and bird, as shown.  I took a photo to remind me where I wanted to place these before moving on to work on my canvas background.
Remove all elements and apply crackle paste through Tile Texture Stencil.  Let dry.  Apply crackle paste through Time Travel Stencil.  Let dry.
As mentioned above, I have planned where my focal images are going to be placed.  This is important, because once you glue pieces down, you are pretty much committed to that placement.  Use matte medium to adhere die cut hinges and bird.
Add a wash of gesso to the entire canvas, use a paper towel or wet wipe to remove some of the paint from the text papers and let dry, or use a heat tool to speed it up.
Spray background with Cherub Pink, let dry.  The next series of pictures show the metamorphic changes to this canvas as it progresses.  This is what I so love about mixed media.  You just keep adding until you like it.
Spray background with Dylusions Squeezed Orange and water, let dry.
Paint a wash of Art Anthology Kona over all, spritz with more water, let dry.  You can see how this toned down that bright orange color.
Add a few random sections of Pretty Peridot Silks acrylic glaze.
Spray background with Dylusions Calypso Teal and lots of water.  This is a strong color, so use sparingly.  Let dry.
Add Snapdragon Silks acrylic glaze randomly over background.
Spray more Dylusions Squeezed Orange in spots, let dry.
Apply Faber-Castell Gelatos in metallic blue, orange, and ochre, to the bird.  Apply orange and rust to the hinges.  Use a damp (not wet) brush to spread the gelatos.  This will keep the colors more intense, but still allow them to blend.

Add shadows to the hinges and bird with black Gelato and a damp brush.  It really gives depth and dimension to your images, and makes them pop off the page.
Re-align Time Travel Stencil over stenciled images and use a sponge dauber to apply Delicata Golden Glitz through stencil.  This will highlight the images.
Now that I'm happy with my canvas background, it is time to start adding my remaining focal pieces.  Refer to the photo of the finished canvas for placement.  The following pictures are some closeups of select areas.

The clock was adhered with pop dots to raise it off of the canvas.
Upper Left
Metal studs were added to the hinges.  The wings were glued down beneath the mannequin birdcage, which I also adhered with pop dots.
Upper Right
A tiny black gem was adhered to the bird for an eye.
Lower Left
I used a wash of Pumice Stone distress stain over the paper beneath the bird cage and over the Time Flies letters to deepen the color and to get a better match with the whole canvas.
Lower Right
I stamped "Carpe Diem" onto a scrap of brown card stock with Versamark ink and gold embossing powder.  Cut out the letters and added them to the center of the canvas with this cool metal arrow.
I like to finish my edges so I applied antique gold Gilder's Paste to four strips of black German Scrap and adhered the strips around along the canvas' edge.
One more thing was missing, so I cut the wings off of one of the Leaky Shed butterflies.
I used Peanut Brittle on the body, adding a touch of black StazOn to the antennae.  To color the wings, I added Radiant Neon colors in Electric Blue, Green, and Purple.  I adhered the body and wings over the clock face, using small items on my desk to prop the wings while they dry.  This gave it that dimensional "in flight" look I was after.
If you are still with me, then I applaud you.  Of all people, I know how precious your time is, and I hope you were able to simply skim over the pictures, read what you wanted to read, and get on with your busy life.  Most importantly, I hope you enjoyed my project today.  

Please be sure to come back often, and stop by the Altered Pages blog , as well as the Leaky Shed Studio Blog, to see what both teams are creating for you this month.  And don't forget to comment each day for a chance to win this month's drawing.  Each day you comment gives you another chance to win.  

Thanks tons for stopping by today.  Have a wonderful and creative week!

Barbara