Creativity

I love the new quotes from Darkroom Door.  I used the new Quote - Creativity to inspire a cover to a new art journal. 

I like this quote. I think that in creating some times I am too worried about all the details and lose the fun in just playing with something new.  This reminds me to try things out and enjoy the process of discovering the art and not so much the design of the end product. 

I started with a journal bought for a few  dollars.    I actually bought a few of these and created my first journal quite awhile ago.  The previous  journal has lots of sketches, notes, ideas scribbled in it and I am about ready for a new one.

I started with white cardstock which I covered in white acrylic paint.  I laid a new damask stencil over the surface and used DecoArt Dimension Effects to add a layer of texture.  I then had to wait for that to dry. :)  When if finished drying I started mixing in Americana multi-surface Satin Paint in a lovely shade of lavender fields. 

I then stamped the Darkroom Door Butterfly stamp using black archival ink onto tissue paper multiple times. I repeated the process using the Bold Blossoms  I cut the tissue paper and used the Americana Decoupage sealer glue to apply the butterflies and flowers to the front of the journal.  I added the touches of the Americana Satin Poppy paint around the edges of the images. Then added touches to butterflies. I added a touch of white paint after that dried to soften the edges.  I rubbed Soft Plum dye ink over the raised surfaces and touches of white paint to highlight the damask.


I will share the other side of the journal in a future post!  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  We are experiencing our first major change with our kiddos.  Our oldest is heading off to college this weekend.  I am going to be a little teary eyed this weekend.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Suzz

Happiness is....

PaperArtsy is celebrating their 10th Birthday! I was happy to create a project to celebrate their birthday!

Head over to the blog for all the details!  I used the following products to create my project: PaperArtsy Fresco Finish - Mermaid, Limelight, Hot Pick 1009.

Head over for all the details on the PaperArtsy blog!

Suzz

Carnival Fun

I am sharing on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge  a tutorial of my carnival inspired projects. My projects feature the bright and bold colors  of the carnival. 

Head over to the blog see the step by step tutorial on how to create this master board and to see all the projects created from this background.

Products: Hero Arts - Dots, Hero Arts - , PaperArtsy - Limelight, Paper Artsy - Mermaid, PaperArtsy Snowflake, Ranger Distress Inks - Ripe Persimmon

Don't forget to play along with the challenge this week for a chance to win a fabulous gift voucher for Simon Says Stamp! 

  Thanks for stopping by!


Suzz

Halloween Witches

Welcome to the Artistic Outpost Monthly Design Team Hop!  The theme this month is Halloween! 

Awhile back I had purchased a few different  metal decorative trim pieces about 12 " long and 1 1/2" wide. 

I decided to create a mini shrine using the metal trim.  My house shape was created by bending the metal and then connecting it on the top with a piece of wire. I added a backing from pattern paper and some stamping.  I then taped the paper to the back with tissue tape. I added a fringe of black lace, died black with distress paint. 

I stamped the fence on acetate using StazOn and added a whole patch of pumpkins inside and out. The sweet little witch is standing inside with a Halloween moon peeking out behind her as well as a colony of bats. The little witch is stamped in black archival ink and colored with watercolor pencils.

Products: Artistic Outpost - Vintage Halloween, Gothic 31,  Haunted Halloween, STAEDTLER - watercolor pencils - Karat Aquarell, Ranger Archival Ink - Black, Tissue Tape, Acetate, StazOn - Jet Black Ink, Lace, Earring (Black spider)

Hop along for all the fabulous inspiration:

Gerrie * Lisa * Suzanne * Tracy * Linda *Alison * Terry * Kate

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Happy Birthday

How about a quick birthday card using the new Darkroom Door Simple Sayings sentiment?

The sentiment style had me thinking of a CAS design focusing on the sentiment. I paired the sweet sentiment with a  little bouquet of flowers. This  card is ready to send off   to our niece for her birthday.

The Bold Blooms flowers are stamped using Ranger Archival Ink - Chrome. The sentiment is stamped using Ranger Archival Ink - Magenta Hue.  I sprayed a touch of pink using water and a watercolor pencil. 

Have a wonderful day!

Suzz

Carnival Fun

The Monday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp challenge is inspired by Carnivals!  You can be inspired by the colors of the carnival, carnival imagery, or your favorite parts of going to the carnival.  You decide what inspires you and create a project  to play along.

I am sharing a tutorial on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge blog on Wednesday showing how I was inspired by Carnival.

Here is a sneak peek of part of my project:

Come join in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for a chance to win a $50 Gift voucher for Simon Says Stamp. 

Thanks for stopping by and remember to come back on Wednesday for the tutorial!

Suzz 

Butterfly Mini Cards

I am always digging around looking for a quick birthday card.  My girls are constantly running off to birthday parties for friends and usually come in at the last minute.  When I saw the new Simple Sayings from Darkroom door my mind started thinking about a series of cards featuring the new Eclectic Butterfly and a variety of of the simple sayings.

I decided to try a few different ideas when stamping my butterflies.  My first one focused on pastel chalks.  I started with stamping the butterfly using Versamark on white cardstock.  I used STAEDTLER Pastel Chalks to smear color over the surface.   I love how it makes a soft glow to the butterfly.  I decided to use my shadow and enhance it with a line of yellow STAEDTLER Karat Aquarell watercolor pencil around the edge. I softened the line with a touch of water from the water brush. I stamped the sweet sentiment using Ranger Distress Ink Picked Raspberry over the center. 

My next butterfly was embossed:

I stamped the butterfly using Ranger Archival Ink - Veridian and sprinkled Stampendous - Aged Teal embossing enamel over the surface. I purposely only sprinkled in areas to give the uneven effect of stamped areas versus the embossed areas. I added the sentiment and followed the same creative process.

I decided to create a card with just using the pretty colors from the dye inks.

Quickest card ever! Perfect size for a pocket on the inside for the gift cards the girls are always giving their friends. I used Ranger Distress Inks - Seedless Preserves and Ripe Persimmons.

I decided to play with paint on the beautiful butterfly:

I inked up the butterfly using a  Ranger Distress Paint dauber.  I stamped it  and heat embossed  with Stampendous Crystal Embossing Powder. The background is stamped using the Darkroom Door Word Stamp - Creativity and the Ripe Persimmons.  I coated the background with the crystal embossing powder as well.

I had fun using a variety of inks and techniques to create a series of cards and now I  have on hand a handful of mini cards for my daughters to use.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz