Pretty Pastels

How about some pretty pastels?  Just in time for spring the  Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  is all about the pastels!  

I was playing around and mixing up the colors with a touch of mint and and purples.  This was my first version and my second take is down below. 

My background was created by inking up the damask stamp with soft purple and stamping it repeatedly across the background.

I added a touch of soft script in Memento London Fog in the background. The edges were distressed and sponged with the gray. 

 The flowers were painted with a mix of purple spray and white paint. The ribbon received the same treatment.  The Eiffel tower was painted and then stenciled with translucent embossing paste and a coat of silver embossing powder was sprinkled on while the paste was wet.  After it dried it was heat embossed.

Product:   Wendy Vecchi - White Embossing Paste, Ranger Distress Sprays - Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Dusty Concord, White acrylic paint , Ranger Archival Ink - Watering Can, Ranger Archival Ink - Blue Violet,  Clearly Besotted - Fresh Flowers,   Canvas Flowers,   Prima Flowers,  Prima Leaves, Prima Small White flowers, Seam Binding, Memento -London Fog, Silver Embossing Powder, Sizzix Eiffel Tower Die, Stampers Anonymous - Damask, Stampers Anonymous - French Collage

The ever generous Simon Says Stamp is offering a gift voucher to a randomly selected participant in the challenge, so come join in on the fun.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

I've been framed!

There are some stamps that just speak to you and you can use them over and over again in a variety of ways.  The challenge this week at   Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  is to show the same stamp in a variety of ways.

I decided to use the Hero Arts Engraved Frame and showcase a few different ways.  

Products: Ranger Distress Stain Sprays (Broken China,  
   Picked Raspberry,   Spiced Marmalade),  Filmstrip,  Stampers Anonymous - Rabbit Easter,  Weathered Clock,  Simon Says Holiday Shapes Dies,  Idea-Ology Life Quotes Remnants Rub-Ons,  Idea-Ology Glass Vials,  Stampendous Ultra-Fine Glitter,  Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste White,  Prima Honeycomb Stencil,  Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Latticework, Gesso, Ranger Archival Ink - Black, Cornflower Blue, Signo Uni-Ball White Gel Pen, Prima Wheat Jute, Seam Binding, Glue Pen

This was my second project which used the frame in the background as a pattern:

The frame can be overlapped or repeated to create an elegant background.  I added layers of stencils, mists and embossing paste to create a mixed media background.

For my first project I created a card using the frame and masking / reverse-masking.

I started with stamping the frame on a scrap piece of paper two times and cut out the frame and cut out the middle.

I then stamped the frame in the center of the card front.  I placed the cut out frame over the frame on the cardfront and stamped the gentleman into the opening. 

After that I laid the inside mask over the image and stenciled the rulers on with black embossing paste on the bottom half of the card.  After that dried I placed the mask again over the center image and another piece of cardstock to cover the top half of the cardfront and misted the bottom half with ranger distress stain spray.

I repeated the process but covering the bottom half of the image and misted the top half of the card.

And then I played around with the words and placement along with the twine. 


Products: Ranger Distress Stain Sprays (Antique Linen    Pumice Stone),   Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste Black, Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Measured,  Ranger Archival Ink - Black,  Stampers Anonymous - Time Traveler, Stampers Anonymous - Documented, Stampers Anonymous - 2015 New Stamps,  Idea-Ology - Metal Game Spinners, Stampers Anonymous -Simple Sayings, Black Cardstock



For my final project I just started another tag and embossed the frame off center to show how it could be used partially on a project.

Products: Ranger Distress Stain Sprays (Spiced Marmalade, Iced Spruce, Vintage Photo),     Embossing Paste Gold, Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Latticework,  Ranger Gold Embossing Powder, Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee,  Stampers Anonymous - Butterflies , Stampers Anonymous - Documented, Stampers Anonymous - 2015 New Stamps,  Stampers Anonymous -Perspective

The ever generous Simon Says Stamp is offering a gift voucher to a randomly selected participant in the challenge, so come join in on the fun.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Dragonfly Love

 Happy middle of the week!  I was cleaning up my desk and found this slip of paper which was a inventory tag.  I just grabbed the dragonfly and stamped him over the inventory slip.

 I love the blue and greens found on the dragonfly and decided to color him using the STAEDTLER Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils.

 I then layered it onto a card and added stenciled white embossing paste using the Tim Holtz Layering Stencil and sprinkled it with Stampendous Ultra Fine Glitter. I let it dry and added a few pops of pink sequins and the sentiment.

Quick and fun birthday card!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Suzz

In Like a Lion

 Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  is based on the expression that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb and the challenge is to be inspired by animals.  I literally took the word lion because I have the Stampendous lion crown stamp which I love and who doesn't get enough ink time.

I decided to create a card that I can use for one of the men in my family. I am thinking of putting a sentiment inside stating "Have a Royal Birthday" or Celebration.

The background was created previously with some leftover ink from the Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Vintage Photo   and Ranger Distress Stain Spray - Iced Spruce.

I then layered in a few strips of Idea-Ology Tissue Tape - Symphony over the background.  I stamped the lion using Ranger Archival Ink - Black.   I colored the image with colored pencils and a waterbrush.

I died some burlap using the distress stain sprays.  I added twine and Stampendous Luxe to the background.

I added a few charms (junkyard findings, Prima Flowers Washer Sunrise Sunset, Heart Locks) to the front and put it on a brown cardstock.

The ever generous Simon Says Stamp is offering a gift voucher to a randomly selected participant in the challenge, so come join in on the fun.

Thanks for stopping by!


Suzz

Wish Big

I have really been enjoying the Creative Gym at the Mixed Media Challenge!  Exercise #5 plays with a black background and adding color to the palette.  I used this as time to play and create a card for someone special.

I painted the background with black gesso and then stenciled with black embossing paste the numbers. I let that dry and added splashes of bright green and light blue paint across the surface.  I used the stencil to dab the green paint over the letters.  I stamped the sentiment in the green paint.  I then mounted it on a black card.

Hope your Sunday is wonderful!


Suzz

Birthday Pop-Up

Hi!  I get the weekly email from Splitcoast Stampers and always like to check out the technique.  A couple of weeks ago there was a pop up card that I bookmarked to try later.  (check out the tutorial there is a wonderful video that shows how to make the card and all the measurements) Here is my take on the card.  My niece always asks for my handmade cards and I wanted something fun and interactive.

 Here is the card closed.  I used papers from My Minds Eye - The Sweetest Thing collection.  I have so many pattern papers that have a few sheets left in each set.  I was glad to be able to use a few of these pretty papers on her card.

 When you open the card there are two windows which allows the second image / sentiment to overlay the first image.

 As you pull open the card the second layer will slide over the first and display in the window.  I am in between computers so the final photo fully open will be uploaded later.

The cute image is from Great Impressions.  I was visiting my son the other day at college and checked out the local stamp store on my way.  I picked up this sweet image because he looks like our puppy.

The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Happy Everyday set.  Ink was Ranger Archival / black and Aquamarine.  The color pencils are STAEDTLER Karat Aquarell.

That's all for me today.  Happy Friday!

Suzz

Sunshine and Butterflies

The weather has been bitterly cold here and when I saw the challenge at   Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  was the letter "B" I knew I wanted to create a summery canvas with some butterflies floating in a summery scene. 

I had started a burlap canvas awhile ago and had set it aside.  This was the perfect backdrop to create my summery scene.

 I painted a coat of gesso added some texture wit the embossing pasted and stencil.  I misted a combination of yellow, orange and purple.  

I created a mix of tissue paper grass, stems and flowers by misting the tissue paper.  I stamped words on the tissue paper for the flowers and tore petals.  I added seed beads to the middle of the flowers.

 Product:  Idea-Ology Tim Holtz Textured Surfaces Tissue Paper, Stampers Anonymous - Butterfly, Prima Honeycomb Stencil , Wendy Vecchi - White Embossing Paste, Ranger Distress Sprays - Mustard Seed , Dried Marigold, Iced Spruce, Seedless Preserves, Shabby Shutters, Ranger Archival Ink - Black,  Stampers Anonymous -Perspective

The ever generous Simon Says Stamp is offering a gift voucher to a randomly selected participant in the challenge, so come join in on the fun.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Pretty in Pink

Tim has been inspiring me again... I started from his awesome March Tag and veered off into my own journey.  I am also playing along with The Vintage Journey challenge who are celebrating their birthday by hosting an "Anything Tim" challenge. 

Tim started with a fun paint technique in the background with tissue tape.  I followed that with some pretty pastel paints.   

His next step involved masking and applying embossing powder.  I had some pretty pink sparkle on the table so I swapped out the embossing powder and sprinkled my embossing paste with glitter.  I used the new Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Flourishes. 

I had this Sizzix Bigz Layering butterfly left over from another project so I decided to use it as my focal point with a sparkly heart accented with a piece of costume jewelry.

With the music in the tissue tape I pulled out a sentiment tied to music. 

Have a fun and glittery day (I will be from all the glitter that walks away with you)

Suzz

I'm Looking Over

a four leaf clover!  The challenge this week at   Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  is to be inspired by clovers.  You can interpret that anyway you want.  I used my new cracked Pistachio color inspired by the green found in clovers.

I have to admit I have just received some new stencils, butterflies and flowers which had me creating flowery bouquets of cards. 

Once I started I couldn't seem to stop...

These are three cards all created during one session and I ended up with several more backgrounds that I didn't even finish off yet.

For my backgrounds I used a mix of sprays off to the side of the paper to get a variegated effect on the paper and mixed the pistachio color with other colors to get different hues.

I also played with stenciling the Wendy Vecchi White paste before and after the sprays were applied.

 Product:  White Cardstock, Tissue Paper, Stampers Anonymous - Butterfly, Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Blossom, Wendy Vecchi - White Embossing Paste, Ranger Distress Sprays - Cracked Pistachio, Pumice Stone, Iced Spruce, Antique Linen, Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee, Stampers Anonymous - 2015 Flowers, Stampers Anonymous -Perspective, Watercolor Pencils, Waterbrush, Stampers Anonymous - Dare to Dream

Come play along  with us this week for a chance to win a gift voucher!

Thanks for stopping by!
Suzz