The Robin's Nest Design Team Announcement

DOING THE HAPPY DANCE!

Yes!  I made the team!  The Robin's Nest has selected me (along with many other talented artists) to be on their Design Team for this term, beginning July 1st!  I am so honored and excited...and happy.  I even get my very own watermark!  Check it out!

How awesome is that?!

In celebration of this auspicious event, I created a card using some of the wonderful Robin's Nest products!  It totally reflects how I'm feeling right now!

I layered black and white card stock (Recollections) and added a wonderful layer of The Robin's Nest Airplane Diamonds Cardstock from the Special Boy Collection.  The airplane is from Unity Stamps October 2009 KOTM.  The sentiment, well, that was all me.  Hand cut, hand written.  And here's a closeup of something special...

Those little marvelous diamonds are from The Robin's Nest's Ace of Diamonds Dew Drops Mix.  Don't ya just love 'em???  These little Dew Drops come in all shapes and colors (see the little tail decoration on the plane?).  

If you're inclined to see what other wonderful products they have to offer, check out The Robin's Nest!  They have a wonderful assortment of papers and embellishments, not to mention tons of ideas and inspiration on their blog.

I am so happy to be a part of their Design Team!  I'm truly flying high and feeling happy!

Til next time, keepin' it crafty!

SinCity Stamps Design Team Tryouts

Oh, SinCity Stamps....PICK ME! PICK ME!

Yup. I'm at it again. I have another Design Team I am desperately coveting.  This is what I hope to be displying soon....

SinCity Stamps has an AMAZING selection of stamps.  I just recently discovered them and immediately placed an order.  Unfortunately, the set I ordered was a pre-order, so I didn't get it in time for their Design Team Tryouts.  

In order to "compete" for a spot on the Design Team, I needed to make a card showcasing my stamping abilities and techniques.  There were sooooo many to chose from, I had a really hard time narrowing it down.  Then I kept getting interruptions (life just does that sometimes).  Then I kept dropping things.  Then my internet was acting up and what should have taken 20 minutes to post took hours.  But I toughed it out and finished...on time.  Whew!  I've never had such a tough time with a post before.

But anywhooooo...Here is my project....

I chose to do a side-step card.  If you would like instructions and measurements for this card, they can be found on Split Coast Stampers, or, if you have a Silhouette Cameo, you can download a file to do the cutting for you from the Silhouette Store.  That's what I did.  So easy peasy.

Here are the basic instructions for my card.

Cut out card base and layers. 

Using a permanent ink stamp pad, stamp design in brown ink.  I use brown because it isn't so stark of a contrast compared to black when watercoloring.   Color with Stampin' Up! Watercolor Pencils and use a water brush to "paint" the images.  Let dry.

Archival Ink

Art Impressions Stamp Set

Stampin' Up! Watercolor Pencils

Next step is to stamp the stamps again and color and cut out the sections that are to be "popped up".  I chose the bunny, watering can, bench and flower pot.  I added a coat of Glossy Accents to give them a little shine.  Be sure to let it dry!

Glossy Accents

Meanwhile, back at the Batcave...

I used some Marvy Brush Markers to "watercolor" the layers.  I determined where the stamped images would sit and colored the background to match up.  These markers are so easy to paint with.  Simply "scribble" some color into a tray and add a few drops of water from the water brush.  Mix and paint.  

Marvy Makers

Palette and Water Brush

Start of Water Coloring

More Watercoloring

When those are dry, adhere them to the card base.  

Now it's time for some dimensions!  I used Flower Soft on the plants to add some texture and dimension.  I love this stuff!

My Flower Soft Collection

Dots of Adhesive

Flower Soft Colors

Once those pieces are dry, it's time to add the dimension dots to the back of the pop-up pieces.

Pop-Up Squares

Put all the pieces into place, add a few pearls and a sentiment tag, and TA-DAH!  You have a wonderful card! (Not to mention a very messy desk!)

Messy Desk...Lovely Card

Here are some close-up pictures of the main areas of the card.

And one more look at the finished piece.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial.  Keep your fingers crossed that I make the team.  I will keep you posted!  And feel free to follow me and/or leave comments.  I love both!

Until next time, keepin' it crafty!

FCCB #166: Frame It!

Woosah!

I find myself saying that all the time (remember all the "woosah's" from Bad Boys 2?) to remind myself to relax and be calm.  I say it to other people to tell them to "chill out".  I say it to myself at night when my brain lets all the rampant thoughts impede my sleep.  It has become my mantra.  

One of my "woosah" enablers is picturing a tropical beach.  I would live on one if I could.  Something about the ocean and the salty air and the seagulls.  And it wouldn't hurt to have an umbrella drink, namely a Bahama Mama, in my hand as well.  And some steel drums playing in the background.  Ahhh...I'm relaxing already.

So when this weeks FCCB theme came around, Frame It, I immediately pictured a picture.  Go figure.  But the picture that came to mind was my tropical beach.  My inspiration for this project.

FCCB Challenge #166: Frame It!

And this is what my woosah moment inspired:

I decided to "frame" a shaker-box and add a little beach.  It started out with my watercoloring a tropical sunset (really getting into the mixed media on this one!).

I used George and Basic Shapes to design my 1/8" wide frame and cut it out of cardboard four times.  I adhered each layer with tape and used a marker to color the edges.

My white gel pen came in handy for adding some waves to the watercolor and "relax' to the acetate.

I cut out the palm trees from "Life Is A Beach" and added a little detail with a green Crayon.  Yes, a crayon.  Don't judge.  I like it.

I purposely offset the green leaves to give the trees a little more dimension and shadowing.  I then used some strong adhesive tape and attached the palm trees to the background and the frame base to the watercolor.  Then I added my beach sand and attached the acetate to the top.  I then attached my top frame cut from teal cardstock and added a shell from the sticker stash.  

I think I may actually KEEP this card for myself.  I have it sitting on my desk at work to remind me to WOOSAH...relax...breathe deeply...be calm.  

Hopefully you are all relaxed now too and can hop on over to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog and see what the other Design Team Members have framed up for you.  Come play along and share what you've created!  

Woosah.

Until next time, keepin' it crafty!

Art Journal Share

My Foray Into the World of Mixed Media

I have been watching a LOT of videos lately on art journals and mixed media.  I have to admit that I am quite enamored with these creative outlets.  So after watching a few videos from Terri Sproul (you really need to check her out on her blog here and on Facebook here), I dug out some of my coveted supplies and carved out a little time to play yesterday.  

Here is my first creation.  I am in LOVE with this!

I used a little bit of this and a little bit of that* and am delighted with what it ended up as.  

* This and that ended up being Gelatos, acrylic paints, Copic markers, Gel Pens, Ink and Stamps.  

I had so much fun playing with this stuff.  My plan is to do an art journal of things I am thankful for so that I can remind myself to appreciate even the smallest things in life.  Now that I've tried it, there's no stopping me.

If you get the chance, check out Terri's videos and search the internet for all the other amazing artists who do art journals.  There's no limit to the wonderful things you'll see!

Until next time, keepin' it crafty!

FCCB #164

Happy Father's Day to All The Dads Out There!

And especially to my father-in-law, Jim.  You are a GREAT dad!

Appropriately so, this week's Fantabulous Cricut Challenge is geared toward Father's Day.  So I decided to do a cute little card for my granddaughters to give their Daddy.  Ribbitt....

FCCB #164

Isn't he too stinkin' cute?  I cut him out a while ago, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to incorporate him in a project.  He is cut from Create A Critter and then embossed with a Cricut Embossing Folder.  I used a scrap piece of ribbon to give him a snazzy tie and some sticker butterflies to add a little company for him on those lily pads (the background is printed from the internet).

The journaling is computer generated and thought up from my very own lil brain.  Clever, eh?

 And, the pièce de résistance...an Action Wobble of course!

I hope you enjoyed this ribbiting presentation (had to do it! lol).  Come on over to Fantabulous Cricut and see what the other Design Team members have to share, and hopefully you will want to play along too!

Til next time, keepin it crafty!

52 CCT Challenge #18

Warm Winter Wishes.

No, I haven't (totally) lost my mind.  It's just that I finally found a spare moment to play along with one of the challenge groups that I adore: 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.

Here is the sketch:

And here is my interpretation:

I really cleaned out some scrap stuff on this one!  So, unfortunately, I have no clue as to who made the papers.  The stamps used on the front are from Stampin' Up as was the ink.  The tiny snowflakes and sentiment were embossed.  Here's a couple of close-ups and an inside view:

Hope you enjoyed my little Christmas in June kinda card.  I have to say, I love doing the 52 CCT challenges....by Christmas time, I will have such a nice assortment of one-of-a-kind cards to send and share!

Hope you will play along too!

Til next time, keepin' it crafty!