Celebrate

 Happy New Year!  Welcome back!  Today I am sharing from the newest Sizzix Tim Holtz Release.  I picked the fun Celebrate Colorize dies.  I am always in need of birthday cards and these dies are perfect for celebrating!  

 

 

I wanted to use balloons using text based inspiration!  I pulled out my old torn up dictionary and looked up a few different pages with definitions from celebrations and birthday to cut out my layered balloons. 

 

 

 

I had fun pairing them with some accessories in a shimmery yellow.  The background was created using the layering stencil with a mix of the same ranger die inks used on the balloons. 

 

 I cut out additional balloons and tried different effects with them with stamping and sponging on inks. 

 I also tried various backgrounds to highlight the balloons.  First there was a general misting of the shimmery yellow mica stain spray. 

Next was a series of numbers stamped across the background using versamark on white cardstock.

 

Then the numbers were embossed with clear embossing powder.  Yellow mica stain spray was spritzed across the entire surface.  After the spray dried brown dye ink was sponged across the surface to highlight the numbers.  Tiny text from a stamp was stamped over the surface.  To finish off the effect a dry buff of the background was done to remove any excess ink on the embossed numbers. 

The next background used a stencil to add some texture.

The background was embossed with distress paste and a stencil.  After it dried the background was spritzed with mica stain over the entire surface.  After the spray dried then brown dye ink was sponged around and over the raised background.  Then a script was stamped using the same brown ink over the surface.  To finish the background a splattering of brown and yellow sprays were splashed across the background. 

Hope this has inspired you! 

Suzz

Products: 

• Sizzix Tim Holtz Celebrate Colorize Dies
• Ranger Distress Ink - Wilted Violet
• Ranger Distress Oxide Ink - Vintage Photo
• Ranger Distress Ink - Salvaged Patina
  
• Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black
• Versamark Watermark Ink 
• Stampers Anonymous - Botanic Collage
• Stampers Anonymous - Exquisite
• Ranger Seasonal Halloween Mica Stain Sprays #3
• Ranger Clear Embossing Powder
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Opaque Embossing Paste
  

Birthday Candles!

Hi!  The summer is flying by here!  I can't believe we are near the end of July!  The birthday parade is still happening this month so a perfect time to share a few projects with the new Darkroom Door Eclectic Stamp - Candles!

 I love the simple pattern of them and the fun polka dots!  I started by creating a few mini bags for either party favors or gift cards!   I used a die to cut out the bag shape which required some simple scoring and taping together.  I used a larger paper bag as my material.

I then left them flat and unfolded to play around with the surfaces.  One was painted white acrylic paint on the surface with a splattering of pink dye ink.  The other was stamped with white acrylic paint.   I did the same thing on both sides of the bag. 

I then took out some tissue paper and stamped the candles multiple times on the tissue paper to use as filler for the treat bags.

To add a little whimsy I created mini tags and stamped the happy birthday sentiment.  (I could have used the Thank You sentiment for party favors.) 

I also wanted to create a bigger tag to use as a gift card holder. 

 I stamped a fun frame stamp first onto the tag and then stamped the candles inside of the frame.  After that I added the sentiment on the top.   I had a leftover sentiment on a piece of cardstock that made a perfect gift card pocket on the reverse side.

I then just stuck the tag inside of the bag to give as a gift with a gift card for a local restaurant.  The recipient is going to be very happy!

 After I played with the pinks and hints of purple I wanted to play with blues and greens and these two cards formed themselves!

I pulled out the Rubber stamp Set Stars and started stamping stars in a mix of green and blue.  I then stamped the candles in the same colors.  I cut them out and started layering and mixing them up.

I thought wouldn't it be fun to give a candle background inside of the outline star.  I stamped a series of the stars and stamped over them with the candles.  I then just cut out the stars that I wanted to use and paired them with a coordinating candle.

I inked up some twine and colored some sequins with alcohol markers to coordinate.  The cards probably took me a lot longer in composition than anything I did for the individual pieces. ;)

I then decided to try a pretty violet color and did a layering of candles with a simple sentiment.

I stamped the candles multiple times across the card base.  I stamped the candles on another piece of cardstock and then cut them out.  I added a hint of shadows on the base card with a gray watercolor pencil and a waterbrush.  I pop dotted the top layer and alternated the candles. 

The final touch was to add the stickles to give light to the candles! 

I wanted to finish with the card I shared the other day to show how fun it is to use markers to color the candles different colors. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Products:  (Linked to Darkroom Door Site)
Darkroom Door - Eclectic Stamps - Candles 
Darkroom Door - Rubber Stamp Set - Stars
Darkroom Door - Rubber Stamp Set - Simple Sayings Vol 1 
Darkroom Door - Frame - Emulsion
Darkroom Door - Small Stamp - Birthday
Ranger Archival Ink - Violet, Thistle, Magenta Hue, Forget-Me-Not, Leaf Green
White Acrylic Paint
Staedtler Watercolor Pencils
Waterbrush
Copic Alcohol Markers
Sequins
Twine, Raffia
Ranger Distress Watercolor Markers
Stickles

Time to Put on our Party Hats!

The Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge has a new home and a new name.  The new location is here and our new name is Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge. To celebrate the anniversary of  our challenge we are hosting a celebration challenge this week. I decided to put on my vintage party hat to come to the party.

I needed an idea of how to create my party hat so up to the party decorations I went.

I de-constructed a party hat to get the general shape of the hat to create my own template. 

Next step was to pull out vintage newspaper print.

I laid down a stencil and used the gold embossing paste to create a harlequin pattern over the paper. I repeated this process on several pieces of paper.

I tore it into pieces and applied watered down glue under the pieces and over the pieces to cover the party hat. After the hat was covered with the newsprint and embossed pattern I smeared white acrylic paint to soften the effect in areas of the hat. I distressed around the edges with brown dye ink.

I cut crepe paper into strips. Placed tape around the bottom edge.  Crinkled and attached the crepe paper.   I stapled the crepe paper to hold more wrinkles in place with the tiny attacher.  I added that hint of brown again on my crepe paper with the brown dye ink.

I then die cut stars from cardboard and distressed with the gold embossing paste and white paint.

I attached the stars to the hat. I then made tulle poms by cutting a bow from white tulle. Cut the bow ends to form a pom pom.  I sprayed it with gold glimmer mist.  I then used a glue pen and added chunky silver glitter to the poms. I added an accent in the center with small brass stars.  I added more glitter around the bottom and finished the top off with another larger pom pom with glitter.

I had a hard time getting a good photo of my hat so I asked my youngest to put it on and took several photos. For her last photo I asked her to pout and this is the photo:

 I love the sad look. :)

Products: Wendy Vecchi Gold Embossing Paste, The Crafters Workshop - Harlequin Stencil, Melissa Frances Vintage Crepe Paper, Basic Grey Brass Stars, Stampendous Silver Crushed Glass Glitter , Tattered Angels - Gold Glimmer Mist, Vintage Papers, Glue Pen, Tiny Attacher, Ranger Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Spellbinders Stars

Come and celebrate with us this week for a chance to win a gift certificate from the ever generous  Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Celebrate

I recently played with the beautiful Peacock background stamp form Hero Arts and my STAEDTLER  Karat Aquarell Watercolor Crayons and Pencils.

The background is created with mixing colors of  watercolor crayons. I smeared the water color crayons together on STAEDTLER watercolor paper and then used water to blend them together. I used a mix of spritzing water and my fingers to smooth out the colors and blend.   After that had dried I stamped the peacock with purple ink.  I then came back and added colors to the peacock using the Karat Aquarell watercolor pencils.  Then to bring back in the highlights I used a white gel pen for touches of white. The sentiment is from the Stampers Anonymous - Simple Sayings plate stamped using the Rose Madder color from Ranger Archival Inks.  I inked over the stamped image with Versamark. I heat embossed with the Stampendous Crystal Embossing Powder. It adds a beautiful subtle shimmer to the surface. 

I sent this card off to my sister whose birthday was yesterday.  Happy Birthday Lisa!

Suzz