Blog Awards

I've been blessed with 2 different awards recently. I received the "One Sweet Blog Award" from Kristy and the "Brillante Weblog" from Michi. Thank you so much, ladies!!!!



There are many fabulous art blogs out there and they all deserve these awards.. however I must pick a few to list so here they are.

Art With Yogi
Vintage Papers
Evidence of an Artistic Life
Creative Lenna
Gayle Page Robak

Created Byhand Challenge - Dragonflies

This weeks challenge on the Created Byhand blog is dragonflies. I love dragonflies and during the summer I can always go walk around the pond and see plenty of them. Some of Quietfire Design's newest stamps are dragonflies. I used both the small dragonfly and the word "Dragonfly" on this ATC. The background is a technique in the Paper Transformed book where you brayer color onto glossy cardstock, add some perfect pearls that's been mixed with water to form a creamy paint, and spritz it all. I used gold but in the scan is looks very dark rather than shimmery. The dragonflies and word have been accented using the Inkssential white pen.

ggDesigns New Bird Stamps

Check out this new set of stamps from ggDesigns. I just love this bird and there is so much you can do with all these sizes available. I have more ideas in my head than I have time to use them right now :-)) Also check out the frame around them... you could leave it as a frame but I cut mine into 4 stamps that I can use for borders or to build backgrounds among other techniques. Currently this set of stamps is still on the early bird page of ggDesigns here and will probably be there until the end of this month. While it's listed on the early bird page you can get it for 15% off and we do all like a sale (p.s. there are also a couple of other sets currently on the early bird page).

This atc is the first thing I made with my new set of stamps. The background was done by stamping the border multiple times with various colors of VersaMagic ink. Then I stamped the crosshatch border partly on and partly off the cardstock with black ink on all for edges. The birds were stamped with black ink... I used the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest birds. White lines to simulate wings were added using the white Inkssential pen. For the words I stamped a border on a scrap and then wrote with an extra fine sharpie marker, cut them out, and edged them with black ink. This next atc is so cute. The girl image is from Collagevisions (ps. I just noticed she has a Bogo sale going on until the end of this month). I cut out the girl and then also cut up through her dress and along the top of her hand and arm. I cut a slit in the bird along the back of the head and the top of the body and this allowed me to slide the girl into the slit on the bird and the slit of the bird into the slit on the girl so now she looks like she is riding the bird. Cool, huh!! Color was added to the background with Colorbox pigment ink... specifically the cateye pads so that's why you see "points". Along the bottom I stamped a border image and then added the leaves rubon. Words were computer generated.
This last piece is a Twochie or Twinchie (I've seen them called both) meaning it's a 2" x 2" piece of art. This was done with the largest bird. I inked up the bird with pink Colorbox pigment ink, then inked up the circly border image with teal Colorbox pigment ink and pressed it a few times on the inked bird moving to new areas as I pressed avoiding the feet of the bird and then stamped it on white cardstock. Added color around the bird dtp with Colorbox pigment ink. Stamped the border image with teal ink. Added the dot to the eye with a fine tip black pen. Added the gold crown charm and then pink crystals on the tips of the crown. The words were hand written with a fine tip black pen.

Time For Tea ATC

On the Byhand Artists yahoo list Yogi hosts an ATC swap every month. The theme suggestion for September is Tea or Coffee and I did this atc today. The background was in my stash and uses an ATC background stamp from Time to Stamp. The teapot and cup are a Dreamweaver stencil I got from Quietfire Design, you can see it here. I first stenciled the pot and cup with Embossing Paste and let it dry. I layed the stencil back over added color with chalks. The flowers is also a design on the stencil and I layed it over the embossed teapot and colored it with chalk. Some of the chalks I used had a shimmer that comes through in real life but not in the scan. The scallops (also on the stencil) were added with chalks. The words were computer generated.

Music paper, distress inks and an ATC

Every other Thursday is Technique Thursday on the PID yahoo group and the current technique is a distress ink technique. There are step-by-step pics and directions on the PID blog here. The top picture here is an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of the technique. The bottom picture is an atc made with one of the backgrounds I cut from the top pic. The collage image is from PID and the calligraphy stamp is from Quietfire Design.

Painted Paper Towels

This weeks challenge on the PID yahoo group is painted paper towels and this paper towel is the one I made the print from for the background of my previous post. I used Lumiere paint pearl magenta, citrine, and brass to paint the paper towel. The collage image (PID) was torn out and the edges painted with pearl magenta. The next layer is a torn piece of white cardstock and the edges painted with Lumiere pearl emerald. The light post (Tim Holtz) was stamped with Archival Ink jet black. The paper towel is adhered to a burgundy colored cardstock that was stamped with a music sheet image (Tim Holtz) in two corners. The top right corner of the cardstock is painted emerald on the back and after it was dry was rolled forward. Brads and and gold ribbon added. Everything attached to a folded base of white cardstock, edges sponged with Distress Ink shabby shutters.

CBC - Green and Pink

This weeks challenge at Created Byhand is to use the colors green and pink. This background has Lumiere paints - pearl magenta, citrine, and brass... and also some distress ink shabby shutters. On the PID yahoo group this weeks challenge is painted paper towels. One of the ladies on the group suggested laying a piece of cardstock on your freshly painted paper towel, pressing and pulling them apart so you had 2 background instead of just one. I have to say this works very well. The background on this atc started just that way. I painted a paper towel with the Lumiere paints and then pressed a piece of white cardstock on it and pulled it apart... it left paint and a very cool texture on the cardstock. After it was dry I cut an atc sized piece from the cardstock and sponged shabby shutters ink in the white areas. The fiddleheads (Quietfire Design) were stamped across the bottom with VersaMagic ink and dried with a heat tool. The calligraphy stamp (Quietfire Design) was stamped with Archival Ink jet black. The fiddleheads were again stamped in the bottom 2 corners with Archival ink. The heart is punched from black cardstock. White highlights on the fiddleheads and all the dots were made with the Inkssential white pen. Black ink was sponged on the edges of the atc. Pink crystal stickers were added to the centers of the fiddleheads.

DT Challenge

The Paper Imagery Designs design team challenge for September was to use these cool silver fish in some sort of art piece. I did an altered book spread. You can find more silver fish art from the PID dt on the PID blog here.

PID Collage sheets – 138, 157, 165, 230

Zia’s Hot Jewel watercolor sprays

Coral and Seaweed stamps – Stamp Zia

Gesso

Stazon ink

Versamark ink

Embossing powders

I began by sponging some white gesso on the pages in a random manor and let that dry. Next I sprayed them with the Hot Jewels, dabbed at the colors with a wadded up piece of plastic wrap and let it dry. Stamped the coral with Versamark ink and embossed it with bright embossing powders (unknown). Stamped the seaweed with Stazon ink and colored with a metallic colored pencil. The fish are colored with Stazon ink. The words are computer generated but inspired by a stamp from Quietfire Design that says "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

If you click on the pictures, they will come up larger.

Fun with Chalks

Except for the black cardstock on the last card and some gold embossing, all color on these cards was done with chalks. Want to know more.... you can get complete directions on the Quietfire Design website here.

Memory Frame Jewelry

These are pictures of the jewelry I made for September's Project of the month on A Monthly Rubber Stamp Club. The top 4 pictures are two 2-sided necklaces and the bottom one is a pin. The collage images are from Paper Imagery Designs and Quietfire Design. You can find more pictures and complete directions on A Monthly Rubber Stamp Club.

Fall ATCs

These fall themed ATCs all use collage images from Paper Imagery Designs. The printed papers, rub-ons, and dimensional stickers are all K&Company.

House Shaped ATC

The local atc group that I belong to did a mail in swap this month with the theme house-shaped atcs. This is what I made. Both the girl and flower image are from Collagevisions.

Dragonfly ATC

Once I was done with this atc I really liked it although when I was in the middle of making the background I thought it might go in the garbage. I used distress inks for all the colors and Archival ink for the black. "Wishes" was computer generated. The dragonfly stamps (both small and large) and "Dragonfly" word are some of Quietfire's new stamps. The flourish is also from Quietfire. It's really a lot of fun to ink these with one color and then come back with a darker color and just ink the tips of the wings... looks fabulous!!! The same thing with the butterfly I posted before this.

Butterfly ATC

This atc uses one of the new butterfly stamps from Quietfire Design. The calligraphy stamp and harlequin border are also from Quietfire. Distress inks were used.

A Lively Melody ATC

This fun atc uses collage images from Paper Imagery Designs including the background which will be part of new background sheet coming out in September.

Written from the heart ATC

The theme for the August's ATC jackpot on the PID yahoo group is to use the colors tangerine, berry, aqua, and black. I made this atc using the collage image Lila.

Birthday Card

This birthday card was made for my friend's daughter who turned 13 this summer. She loves pink and bright colors. The doodlebug velvet papers were perfect to use for her card.

PID design team challenge from June

These were my entries for the PID design team challenge back in June. Somehow I never got them posted to my blog. The house and bird shapes are wood pieces and our challenge was to do something with them. I actually had a lot of fun with them and the bird became a gift for a friend and she really likes it.

Miss You Card

This is a card I made a couple of months ago and sent to our youngest son while he was at church camp. He really liked it!!

A Twochie (or twinchie)

This is my first twochie, or some call them twinchies... 2" x 2" squares of art. The image is from PID and I used distress inks.

PID August DT Challenge

The challenge for the DT members of PID (Paper Imagery Designs) for August was to use the colors berry, tangerine, aqua, and black. I chose to make a 5x7 canvas board and an atc. You can see what the rest of the design team did on the PID blog here.

5x7 Canvas Board

Supplies –

5” x 7” Canvas Panel – Fredrix
Collage image – Mary Beth – PID
Gesso – white – Liquitex
Fluid acrylics – quinacridone violet, cobalt teal, phthalo green, zinc white, pyrrole orange, hansa yellow medium – Golden
Water soluble oil pastels – Portfolio Series
Colored pencil – black – Prismacolor
Archival ink – jet black – Ranger
French text rubber stamp – Hero Arts
Flower flourish rubber stamp – Inkadinkado
Text background paper
Heavy gel medium – semi gloss – Golden
Masking tape
Glue stick tube – Uhu
Aqua cardstock
Flower punch
Matte accents - Ranger
Extra fine tip marker – black – Sharpie
Paint brushes


Mask out a border around the canvas panel with masking tape, paint the center (mix cobalt teal & phthalo green), remove masking tape and let dry.

Paint the border (mix quinacridone violet, zinc white) and let dry.

Mix gesso, pyrrole orange, and hansa yellow to make tangerine color, dip end of glue stick tube in paint and print circles on canvas, let dry. Paint short lines in the upper left and lower right corners by just dabbing the brush on the canvas. Tear a piece of the background paper, paint, let dry, and glue to canvas.

Add little dots along left and right edge of center with the end of a paint brush.

Cut out collage image, color dress with pastel, blend with a damp paint brush, let dry, and glue to canvas.

Shade around collage image with colored pencil.

Using black ink, stamp flourish onto text paper masking as needed so it only stamps on the paper.

Punch flowers from aqua cardstock, coat both sides with a very light coat of matte accents, let dry, and glue to canvas with matte accents.

Add dots to the center of the flowers and draw stems with the Sharpie marker.

ATC

Supplies –

Collage Image – Isabella, butterfly, word – PID
Flocked papers – Bubblegum, Tangerine – doodlebug design inc.
Cardstock – Archivers
Flourish rubber stamp – Quietfire Design
Archival ink – jet black – Ranger
Water soluble oil pastels – Portfolio Series
Boutique Trims – Bubblegum, Tangerine - doodlebug design inc.
Gem stickers – Hero Arts


Cut bubblegum flocked paper to atc size.

Tear cardstock, stamp with flourish, and layer to atc.

Tear tangerine flocked paper and layer to atc.

Add tangerine dotted ribbon along left side.

Cut out girl, butterfly and word from the Isabella collage sheet.

Color Isabella’s dress and hat with pastels, use a damp paint brush to blend, let dry and attach to atc.

Color edges of word with pastels and attach to atc.

Add flower trim, gem stickers, and butterfly as shown.

A Monthly Rubber Stamps Club

The Project of the Month for August at A Montly Rubber Stamp Club is a wooden tool holder. Here are a few pictures and there are more pictures and complete step-by-step directions available at their website.




Also I don't think I ever posted about the July Project of the Month. For that one I did gel medium transfers onto muslin. Here are the finished items and you can find step-by-step pictures and directions on the website.

dream a new dream ATC

All stamps and collage image are from Quietfire Design. I started with white cardstock. Stamped gothic border multiple times with Distress ink brushed corduroy. Sponged on Distress ink dried marigold and shabby shutters. Added collage image. Stamped flourish with dried marigold and then with black soot. Stamp 'you are never too old' calligraphy stamp on a scrap of cardstock and cut out 'dream a new dream' and add to atc. Add black dots with a fine tipped marker.

Live ATC

White cardstock. Stamped the ticket image (Tim Holtz classic collages set) with Distress Ink brushed corduroy. Sponged on Distress ink dried marigold and fired brick. Stamped bird image (Tim Holtz creative muse set) with Distress ink black soot. Added collage image - Billie (Paper Imagery Designs). Stamped flowers (Tim Holtz natures discovery set) with fired brick and then black soot. Stamped "LIVE" (Tim Holtz creative muse set) on a scrap of cardstock with black soot, sponge with fired brick and add to atc.

Crow ATC

All stamps are from Quietfire Design. I started with white cardstock and rubbed decorator chalks in green and rust all over it. Next I stamped the checkerboard corner randomly over the piece with Versamark ink and dried it well with a heat tool. I then stamped the checkerboard corner around the edges using Distress ink brushed corduroy. Next I sprayed the piece well with Glimmer Mist iridescent gold and dried it. It was interesting to see the gold shimmer more heavily where the checkerboard had been stamped with Versamark. I tried to get a close up shot to show this and I think you can see it a little bit. The crow is stamped with Versamark and embossed with detail black powder (I did use an anti-static bag first), added the white circle with the Inkssential white pen. Stamped the word crows with Archival ink jet black in 3 places and then again on a scrap of cardstock. Cut out the extra word cutting off the 's' at the end and sponged on Distress ink antique linen and pine needles. Added piece of trim, skeleton leaf colored with Distress ink pine needles, and "crow" word.