Leaves of Fall

Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge this week is all about Leaves. I was inspired to create a branch full of fall leaves.  I love the cool breezes of fall how beautiful the leaves look

I wanted my background to look like an old picket fence with a white wash effect. I started with white cardstock. 

  

 I pulled the brown dye ink over the white cardstock. I repeated multiple times until the surface was covered. I then smeared white acrylic paint over the brown dye ink in strokes. following the grain. :) 

 

I used a ruler and a black pen to draw the gaps between the wood planks.  If it is uneven it even looks more realistic.

 

I added the Autumn words by stamping them using brown ink over the wood grain.

The bottom leaves are die cut from colored paper and embossed using the embossing folder.  I then standed off a little of the embossing.  I sponged the edges of the leaves using versamark and heat embossed with Aged Gold Embossing Enamel. 

The top layer of the leaves is a combination of a white cardstock leaf sponged around the edges and a tissue paper leaf taped over the white cardstock.

The tissue paper leaf starts with the image stamped on white tissue paper using black ink:

I placed the die cut over the section I wanted cut out:

I sprayed the leaf using yellow glimmer mist.  While it was wet I added touches of red and orange glimmer mist to the leaf.

I then sponged the edges using brown dye ink.

To finish the leaves I inked up the tissue leaf using versamark and heated it with clear embossing enamel. I embossed both sides of the leaf to increase the transparency.

The finished card:

Products: Artistic Outpost (Think & Wonder, Kudzu Kafe, Memory Box Leafy Branch, Memory Box Maple Leaf, Stampendous Autumn Words, Sizzix Patchwork Quilt Embossing Folder, Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (red, yellow, orange), Adirondack Snow Cap Paint Dabber, Ranger Distress Inks - Vintage Photo

Get out your leafy inspiration and play along for another chance to win a $50 voucher from Simon Says Stamp

Thanks for stopping by! 

Suzz

A little Thank You

I created a thank you card today using the fun sketch from Mojo Monday #260.  The choice is round or square sketch.

I chose the round design:

I used the circle cutter to cut my circles. I mounted everything on brown cardstock to make the white and yellow pop.

The backgrounds are stamped using ODBD Daisy Background and Scattered Straw Distress Ink. I stamped the sentiment(ODBD Sentiments Collection) using Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee. The butterfly is the Two Step Butterflies from ODBD. 

I punched a border on white cardstock and cut it into pieces to frame around the edges.  I turned out pretty and went pretty quick.

Have a lovely Sunday!

Suzz

Pink Shimmery Hearts

I finally found time to play along with Linda's Week 2 of 12 Tags. The challenge is sponsored by her store The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  Her tag uses Tim's Riveted technique and she mixed in some fun snowflakes and gears.  That inspired me to use the riveted technique but try a different finish: 

 Recipe:

1. Start with manila tag and cover with bits of metallic finish paper.  I took a sheet of aluminum foil and applied it to a sheet of tape. I cut it into pieces and peeled off the backing and applied the pieces overlapping onto the tag.
2. I repeated the process on 6 varying sized hearts cut from white cardstock. 
3. Smear Red Pepper Alcohol Inks over the surface of all pieces. 
4. Run Score Pal tool over surface. 
5. Smear Adirondack Pearl Metallic paint over the alcohol ink on all of the pieces.  Heat dry which adds a touch of bubbles from the metallic paint bubbling up. 
6. Sand off the surface of the tag. 
7. Stamp lace (Stampers Anonymous) across bottom using versafine or versamark and heat emboss using black embossing powder. 
8. Stamp flourishes (Hero Arts) using versafine and heat emboss using black embossing powder. 
9. Stamp Damask (Memory Box) on hearts using Stazon black Ink. 
10. Edge hearts with a touch of the pearl paint. 
11. Stamp Love (Memory Box) using versafine and heat emboss using black powder. 
12. Accent with gems, pearls, and ribbon. 

Have a fabulous Saturday!

Suzz

Spooky Fun!

Welcome to the Artistic Outpost Blog Hop!  Today the Design Team is featuring Halloween inspiration on their blogs.

I decided to create a ATC Arch:

The background is Halloween paper from My Minds Eye.  I stamped the frame from the Gothic 31 plate using black ink on white cardstock. I cut around the edges and sponged with orange dye ink.  I cut the center out and replaced with a metallic silver cardstock to imitate a mirror.

I stamped the raven from the xxx set and cut it out to place in the frame.  I cut three roses and colored with purple and green watercolor pencils. I printed out the sentiment and cut and sponged.

I also am sharing another ATC that I call the Grateful Dead:

 I thought it would be fun to repeat the skulls in a variety of colors and add Mr. Skeleton on the front.  I stamped the skeleton and cut him out and cut him at the joints to allow him to do his little dance.

Here is a list of all the stamps used: Gothic 31 , Haunted Halloween,  Ephemera Backgrounds,  Quote and Quotables


The rest of the Design Team are sharing spooky inspiration on there blogs. . Hop along to see their wonderful projects:

 Gerrie Johnnic

Lisa Somerville 

Suzanne Czosek 

Tracy Evans

Linda Coughlin

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Sparkle

My mother had a fondness for vintage holiday decorations.  She even kept some of her Christmas decorations out  year round in her China Cabinet.  This week's challenge at Simon's Says Stamp and Show, is sparkle.  The thought of shimmer brought back memories of my mother's decorations and inspired my project this week: 

 

I started with a metal star that I had in my alterable pile.  I think that the  new Tim Holtz Sizzix 3D Star would be perfect for this as well.

  

I covered the star with an old sewing pattern to get a thin tissue paper effect on the surface. I mixed the  glue  with water and painted the surface of the star.  I then tore pieces of the pattern and applied it to the surface. After I applied a layer I painted more glue/water mixture over the surface. I repeated until the surface was covered with multiple layers.  

 

 This is the first piece applied with leaving the paper hanging over the edges. 

I folded over the edges and turned them under when I finished applying all the layers. 

 

 After the glue dried on the pieces. I added a layer of green dye ink onto the paper.  I then smeared Adirondack Pearl acrylic paint onto the surface. It gave it a beautiful sheen. 

 

The next step was to stamp the beautiful La Blanche Santa image onto white cardstock and color with a touch of watercolor pencils.  I diecut the image using a circle die.  I sponged the edges of the circle using green dye ink.  I used score tape around the edge of the circle.

I added buttons around the edges of the circle and layered in shimmery green leaves from a branch of faux silk leaves.

To finish off my shimmer I used the same score tape around the edges of the star and sprinkled Stampendous Green Crushed Glass Glitter to the edges.

and a final close up of the Santa with the buttons and shimmery leaves.

 
Products: La Blanche Smiling Santa, Stampendous Fresh Green Crushed Glass Glitter, Adirondack Pearl Metallic Paint Dabber ,  Ranger Archival Ink Black, Ranger Distress Ink - Crushed Olive, Buttons, Score-Tape

Come join in on the fun and create something with a little sparkle and you also have an opportunity to win a $50.00 Gift Voucher to Simon Says Stamp.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Brand New Old Art Journal

My very first entry in a new old journal uses the CR84FN63 colors this week and a stencil for Hel's Behind the Mask Challenge.  The CR84FN DT are hosting the second week of the challenge along with a chance to become part of the design team.  The DT is wonderful and so is Mona so if you fancy a chance at being part of the DT play along this week.

 

This project started with a ledger that I acquired yesterday.  I was wandering through the Antique Mall on Friday and picked up a few bits and pieces. I saw this beautiful Ledger that had the most wonderful entries done in beautiful script.  I looked at it but didn't buy it.   Yesterday as I was out and about I started thinking about that ledger and how it would look with the pages full of art and had to go back and pick it up! 

I decided to ink up my ledger today with my first page:

Here are the steps:

1. Smear white acrylic paint across the surface. 
2. Spray with Chalkboard Glimmer Mist (blue) 
3. Add a little more white acrylic paint. 
4. Sponge edges with brown dye ink. 
5. Sponge stencil over the surface using The Crafter's Workshop stencil and brown dye ink. 
6. Stamp Stampendous Hollyhock multiple times using Ranger Archival Coffee. 
7. Stamp Stampendous Follow Your Art and Butterflies using Ranger Archival Ink. 
8. Color with watercolor pencils and waterbrush. 
9. Highlight with Signo Uni-Ball White Gel Pen. 
10. Accent with Stampendous Blue Glass Glitter. 

Here is the cover.  I am going to do something with the cover in the future: 

I had to chuckle when I saw this doodle in the back:  

 Looks like a boy had this journal for awhile and added his art!

Have a lovely Sunday.

Suzz

Gloria

Today I am sharing a tag I created for Linda's 12 Tag challenge. The challenge is sponsored by her store The Funkie Junkie. She has the most beautiful tag and I was inspired by the gold tones she used in her tag.

I cut a tag to size from white cardstock. I wanted to achieve the soft gold tones that Linda had and also use a resist to provide a hint of white.

I stamped the Hero Arts Snowflake in the background using versamark and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I then took the Metallic Distress Stains Tarnished Brass and Brushed Pewter along with hints of Pearl Adirondacks Paint and smeared layers over the background.  I used a baby wipe to remove excess off of the resist snowflake.

After that had dried I stamped the Stampendous Angel over the top of the snowflake: 

I used StazOn Timber Brown ink to stamp the angel and the sentiment.  I didn't remove the resist with an iron. (Too lazy to go find it) But because I used the StazOn it will stamp over the embossed areas.

I stamped the lace trim along the top with the same ink. (Stampendous Rosebranch)

I then stained ribbons and lace to match using Walnut, Tarnished Brass, and Brushed Pewter Metallic Distress Stains.

I finished off the background with some copper star gems. I was looking for the clear ones to color them to coordinate but couldn't find them. :) I added to my lace and ribbon trim a few Idea-ology pieces.

Hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Suzz

 

Golf Anyone?

I have a few family members who like to play a round or two of golf.  I picked up a set of clear stamps from a show I was at from a company called Raisin Boat.  I really liked the sentiments with their different sets. They had a great selection for men, boys, and tweens.

I used the set along with the Mojo Monday Sketch #259 to create a birthday card for my dad:

My dad and I have been known to go out and play a round of golf now and then.  He has such patience with me when I am hitting the golf ball into the rough!   I think he will enjoy this card and the humor in it. 

The papers are from the Oxford Collection.  The stamps are Raisin Boat - Fore the Golfer.  

The sketch: 

Have a beautiful day! 

Suzz

Baby You're A Star

Today is the new release for Artistic Outpost and I am excited to share two projects featuring the new Picture Star plate and the Gothic 31 plate. The Picture Star features image in the style of old Hollywood Glamour. The Gothic 31 provides a little bit of goth to traditional Halloween images. 

My first project uses the adorable baby image from the Picture Star plate:

I knew when I saw the plate that I would be using this cutie pie with the star sentiment.  My project started with a leftover paper that had the star die cut in the scrap.  I cut it to the shape I wanted.  I stamped the stars over the backgrounds using Scattered Straw dye ink.  I sponged the edges with a touch of Vintage photo.  I added additional stars cut from using the Spellbinders star dies. I  stamped the baby image using black ink and colored him with watercolor pencils. 

I matted everything in black to make the yellow pop.  I am saving this card for someone who has a performance or graduates!  I think they will get a kick out of it!

My next project mixes the new Gothic 31 along with some of my favorite images from the Vintage Halloween plate.   I created a pocket tag card.  Perfect for a gift card treat:

 The outside is stamped with the music score from the Ephemera Backgrounds plate using a brown dye ink.
 I stamped over the background with the elegant flourish spiderweb in the corner and a double stamped sentiment and lace trim using black and orange.

The Spider was stamped on another piece of cardstock and cut out and pop dotted. I gave him a glittery trail of gems. 

The inside has two sides.  The first side features the sweet witch with a little Halloween wish.

 The reverse side contains the rat by a fence and a little greenery in the background:

 Here is how it looks with the card peeking out.

For more inspiration hop on over to the rest of the team:

Gerrie Johnnic

Lisa Somerville  

Linda Coughlin

Tracy Evans

Thanks for stopping by! 

Suzz

Dragonflies and Cherry Blossoms

The Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge this week  is to tape it up.  I was excited about this challenge as I love using tapes and I have several "ahem" varieties in my stash. 

My original thought was to create a background that looked like brick. Here is the tape I used along with a few pieces cut and distressed and one of the leftover pieces:

  

I started with white cardstock from my scrap pile.  I covered the surface of the cardstock with tape. Overlapping the edges and in different lengths but covering the entire piece of cardstock.  After I had covered my cardstock I cut the taped cardstock into 1" strips.  I cut those 1" strips into 2" lengths.  Keep any extras as when you build your wall you will need little bits to finish off the edges.  I sponged all my bricks to give them a red and brown finish.

Now it is time to build a brick wall!    Cut the wall from cardtsock. Sponge the edges of the wall to add a distressed feel.  My wall measured 5 1/4" x 5 1/4".  I  used tan cardstock to go with my brick wall theme. 

 

 

I started with my first piece being centered in the middle of the cardstock and leaving half of the width hanging over.  I attached all my bricks using tape.  I left my space between my bricks about 1/16" around each brick.

On the next row start with a full piece and center it under the gap between two of the bricks above.   Repeat until the entire surface is covered. I applied all my full bricks first and then cut the edges off to use them to fill in the spaces.

Here is my finished wall:

I was pleased with the finished background.  I could have stamped or layered images over the background.  I decided to use mine as an Asian panel instead of a brick wall. 

I had this metal stand from Zutter called the Display It All.  It was given to me by a friend and I wasn't sure what to do with it and when I looked at my panel it really inspired me to create a hanging piece of art. 

I took the versamark ink pad and ink pen to cover my metal surfaces.  I heat embossed using Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel.  (I love this stuff and can't get enough of it!) This took several times because of the round surfaces on the poles.  I also re-heated the embossed surfaces on the bottom and the top and stamped into the warm embossed surface with a Kanji poem.

I sprayed the beautiful Dylusions sprays onto cardstock to prepare paper to use for my flowers and dragonfly.   I let them dry before my next step.

I stamped the Stampendous Holly Hocks twice onto my sprayed paper using versamark ink.  I heat embossed the flowers with the gold embossing enamel.  I crinkled up the flowers after I cut them out to add texture.  I layered the same flowers together and glued them to each other.  To finish off the flower I  added black crushed glass glitter to the centers of my flowers.  I used silk flower stems to create my stems in the background.

I stamped the dragonfly twice on a sprayed background using versamark.  I heat embossed using gold embossing enamel. I cut out both dragonflies and layered them together.  I accented the body of the dragon fly with the same crushed black glass glitter.


I sponged the edges of my panel with versamark and heat embossed using the gold embossing enamel. I pierced two holes in the panel and attached the panel to the metal stand using chains and brads which were embossed to coordinate.

The sentiment is one of my favorites and is from the Artistic Outpost Quotes and Quotables.

Slightly different angel to see the embossing highlights:

Products: Artistic Outpost - Quotes & Quotable, Versamark Ink pad, Versamark Ink pen,  Zutter Display-it-All, Hero Arts Kanji Poem, Stampendous Dragonfly Vine, Stampendous Aged Gold Embossing Enamel, Stampendous Hollyhocks, 7Gypsies Paper Tape Global, Dylusion Sprays, Ranger Distress Inks (Fired Brick, Vintage Photo), Ranger Archival Ink - Black, Stampendous Black Crushed Glass Glitter

For your opportunity to win a $50.00 Gift Voucher to Simon Says Stamp come join in the challenge:

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Blog Header for Fall

I don't have an art journal but when I am inclined to create my blog header backgrounds I pretend that I am creating a page in my journal. :) 

This is my project:

                 click on picture to enlarge

I was inspired by an article in the Martha Stewart Living magazine this month.  They talked about the old technique we used to do in school with taking real leaves and placing them under paper and then rubbing a crayon over the top of the paper to capture the outline and veins of the leaf. 

I went around the yard pulling various leaves from different trees and bushes.  I took one of the leaves and placed it under my cardstock and pulled out my white crayon.  I rubbed it over the surface and was pleased to see that it grabbed the outline and leaf.  I did end up with a little extra crayon in spots but I didn't mind the effect.

I then grabbed Ranger Distress Inks (Rusty Hinge, Peacock Feather, Seedless Preserves)  I started sponging the colors on randomly in various areas.  Repeat multiple times increasing in color and blending.  The white crayon is the resist and gave such a pretty effect.  After that was complete I added a little water splotching by flicking water over the surface.  I finished off my main effect with a misting of Perfect Pearls Mister.

After all that had dried, I stamped over the entire surface using the Seedless Preserves and the Hero Arts Kanji Poem stamp.  I came back and added berries using a Chapel Road stamp.  I tried the lovely Verses Rubber Stamps sentiment in vellum in the corner but decided not to use it on my blog header and instead used Picasa to type in my blog name and a little fall ramblings.

This was very fun to play with and is what my art journal page would look like if I had a journal. :)

Have a beautiful day!

Suzz 

Waiting for Santa

Happy Friday!  The weather changed here to get a little cooler and more fall like.  I like the crisp air in the morning.  I pulled out a vintage image from Stampendous this morning and stamped it on some neutral papers and that started my inspiration going.  The design is using the guiding principle of  movement from  the Moxie Fab World Design Handbook Challenge for Movement. 

I started with Halloween paper (wouldn't have guessed that would you?)  and stamped the postcard and key onto the background using black ink. To make the image pop, I added shadowing and color using watercolor pencils and a brush.  I added highlights with the white gel pen.

I positioned  the frame overlapping onto the original postcard. I masked the postcard image and stamped the Hero Arts frame using black ink.  I added shading and a touch of highlight to the frame. I took the top off my large embossing jar and turned it in circles on my ink pad to ink it up and then stamped it onto the paper in the corner.  To finish off moving the eye across the paper I scattered snowflakes from left to right. I added the little girl to the corner.  I wanted her to look like she is patiently waiting for Santa but she fell asleep before she could catch him. :)

Products: Artistic Outpost Snowy Woods, Artistic Outpost - Favorite Book, Hero Arts Simple Frame, Stampendous Cling Key Note, Signo Uni-Ball White Gel Pen, My Minds Eye - Lost & Found - Halloween. 


I hope your weekend is going to be full of fun!  We are having a pool party and the weather should cooperate.  Looking forward to a little crafty time this weekend too!

Suzz

Bliss

I am busy making Halloween ATC's  and wanted to make something soft and frilly, I took the time to play with the Mojo Monday Sketch #258.

I started from the sweet La Blanche image as my focal point.  The background is embossed using an embossing folder.  I love her somber reflection.  I accented everything with a touch of broken china distress ink.

The butterflies are stamped with a touch of script.  The flowers and leaves are from Prima.  The dies are spellbinders and Sizzix.

Thanks for stopping by...

Suzz

Stamptember Simon Says Stamp and Show Blog Hop Winner

The winner of the Simon Says Stamp STAMPTEMBER gift voucher from the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge blog hop from last week on my blog is:

Plume 

Please contact me at stampersuzz@yahoo.com with your info. .Congrats!  Thank you to everyone who came by and left a little love for me! 

Suzz

Stampendous Handmade Gifts Blog Hop

The Stampendous DT is having a blog hop all week showcasing handmade gifts that can be given for any occasion or at the holidays!

I took a metal piece purchased at Claire's Jewelry in the clearance section and added some details to make it more vintage and eclectic.

I used the Cling Lone Bird and Rose Branch Border Perfectly Clear Stamp Sets and stamped them on tissue paper that was glimmer misted to match the paint. You can find the directions for this project  on the Stampendous website HERE.

For all of the details on the blog hop and how to win prizes go here.  Today's blog hop participants sharing some fun gifts are:

Janelle Stollfus

Wendy Jordan

Have a wonderful day!

Suzz