Salt of the Ocean

Happy Sunday!  I am busy creating and playing with my sprays and inks.  I created this tag for the Mixed Media World Challenge #10 which is a color challenge this month and I am enamored of the colors and the Mixed Media Place Creative Exercise #15 - Freedom. 

I started with a mix of inks on my craft mat and spritzing them with water and then picking them up on my paper.  I then added a hint of script on the top with pumice stone ink.  I then stamped a Stampscapes ocean image along the bottom with black ink. I came back in with colored pencils to add additional colors.  I added the bird and the sentiment (Verses Rubber Stamps)  and then sponged the edges. 

Here is the inspiration photo: 

Have a lovely Sunday!

Suzz

Fossilized Amber

I have been in quite the amber mood lately.  I am playing along with Linda The Funkie Junkie's 12 tags of Christmas - Week #2.  Her challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. I was inspired by Linda's beautiful tag by the stars and rays coming down from the sky.

 I tried about 5 versions of the rays and stars stenciled in various colors and materials.  I ended up using this tag where I started with a stencil that had very thin rays which I sprayed over onto the tag with the yellow sprays.  I then stenciled the stars over the top with white embossing paste.

Then onto my next problem no trees the right size for the tag. I almost bought the cool tree dies that Linda used but I ended up using my money elsewhere. :(  So I dug through my stamps looking for something to stamp beneath my lovely sky.  I found this Stampscapes scene which I used to stamp along the bottom. I finished off with some more spray in a lovely green color.  I added more highlights/shading to finish of the tag.

I then used my Fossilized Amber Dye Ink pad to sponge in a large moon on the background. I wanted to try using the Ken Oliver's Color Bursts to create flowers.

 I sponged in my moon with a mix of the yellow, orange, and brown dye inks.  After I finished that I stamped in the stems of my flowers.   I then very carefully tried to squeeze a little of the powder around the ends of the stems.  I then spritzed with water to activate the colors.  (This was my third version)  Each time the powders ended up a little different.

Well that is all I have to share today!

Suzz

Owls

Another couple of entries for the Simon Says Stamp and Show your background. I love creating backgrounds. I started with the beautiful Owl stamp from La Blanche.  I stamped it several times and pulled a few scrap pieces from my scrap pile of backgrounds I had created previously and never used.

My first card is done in oranges, touches of yellow and brown: 

 The backgrounds are both Hero Arts stamps. (Artistic Windows, I tried finding the second one and I think it must be retired) The sentiment is from Stampscapes Nature Plate B.  They have the most lovely plates full of verses to go with their stamps.  I have one plate and have used it so many times.
 
My second card started from a green and blue background:

The sentiment is from the same Stampscapes Plates. The background is stamped with Hero Arts Old French Writing stamp.  The owl stamp was stamped onto the background first but didn't pop enough so I re-stamped onto tissue paper. Then glued it over the original image with a combination of water and glue.  I was still able to color the image and background with watercolor pencils and waterbrush.

This was my first time using the La Blanche images. I have been wanting to try them after seeing them at CHA. Their designer at the show is a brilliant artist and so inspiring. The details on their stamps are fantastic.

Have a lovely day! 

Suzz

The Beauty in Neutrals

The Flourish challenge for Bring Back Beautiful is Neutral Beauty. I love working in neutrals because the shading and highlights are the focal points.  I had sitting in my scrap pile a stamped map background (Cornish Heritage Farms) in a lovely soft gray. As soon as I saw the challenge I pulled it out.

 

I decided to pull out my flowers from Hero Arts to layer them over the map background. This also applies for the Hero Arts Challenge this month which includes layering of stamped images. 

I stamped the flowers first using the Ranger Archival black ink.  I then colored them using a variety of watercolor pencils (black, brown, gray, and sepia). I highlighted with the white gel pen at the end to bring back touches of white. 

After I finished the flowers I really wanted to make the center pop, I decided to draw a box around the image using the same shades of watercolor pencils and add a touch of the aqua brush to soften the effect. I finished off with the bees (Cornish Heritage Farms) and the sentiment from Stampscapes. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz