Mixed Media Owl Canvas

I'm up on the ColourArte Blog 

today, and if you head over there, 

I've got a step by step tutorial on how I created this canvas.

 Can you believe this design started with a piece of printed vellum?

Happy Birthday

April happens to be a month of birthdays for my family (including mine!) But when I saw this adorable Bebunni stamp set, I thought it would be perfect for my sweet nephew. I used the Spectrum Noir markers and pencils to color the image, and added stickles to the frosting, and Crystal Lacquer over the jellybeans.

Crafter's Companion

Bebunni - Yum Yum Yum Stamp Set

Sentimentals - Greetings

Die-sire Classiques - Pennant Bunting

Spectrum Noir Markers: IG1, IG2, IG3, LY1, LY3, 

EB3, EB1,FS9, FS2, FS6, TB1, TB2, TB3, OR2, TN1, TN3

Spectrum Noir Blendable Pencils: 016

Webster's Pages Patterned Paper
May Arts Ribbon RG27

3D Crystal Lacquer

Stickles

Challenges:

Simon Says: Happy Birthday

Play Day in the Studio

At the end of the week, I need time in my studio to unwind and create.  So today, I did just that.  I made this mixed media piece on a wood panel and really just had fun. I sprayed the background, then stamped/heat embossed the next layer, and added stenciled modeling paste with embossing powder sprinkled on it while still wet.  The snowflakes were rub-ons, and worked great over the modeling paste (I wasn't sure if it would work or not, so it was a happy success!).  I also thought it would be fun for a frosty canvas to add "frozen" droplets of water.

So after playing for a bit today, I feel refreshed and ready for the week ahead!

 Supplies:

Lindy's Stamp Gang:

Flat Fabio: Pop Rock Purple

Starburst: Tea Pot Purple; Jazzy Jivin' Purple; Clam Bake Beige

Embossing Powder: Midnight Ruby; Magic Moon Pearls; Terra Cotta Plum; Pop Rock Purple

Creative Embellishments:  Under the Mistletoe Chipboard

IndigoBlu: Bubbles Background

7 Dots Studio: Nature Walk: Cloudy, Tags

Webster's Pages: Flowers

October Afternoon: Rub-ons

Stampendous: Shaved Ice, Glass Glitter

Golden: Molding Paste, Gesso

Layers of Color: stencil

Zva Creative: Bling

Challenges

Lindy's Stamp Gang January Color Challenge

(Supplies listed/linked in supply list)

Creative Embellishments

Inspiration + Modeling Paste

IndigoBlu: Glitz and Glamour

7 Dots Studio - December/January Challenge

The Holiday Spirit 

I wanted to create a canvas to celebrate the New Year and somehow a frosty landscape celebrates a clean slate, a type of starting anew.

Simon Says Monday Challenge

Inky Backgrounds

Scorpal's Bunches of Beautiful Boxes - Lexicon of Love

 

Want a quick and easy way to spruce up a deck of playing cards?  How about a custom box?  The original Lexicon Of Love tutorial, by Leslie Miller , but my updated version uses the latest edition of the Scor-Pal making this cute idea even easier!  The patterned paper from Webster's Pages seemed like the perfect choice, while adding just a slight bit of humor

Supplies:

Cardstock 5 3/4 x 7"

Patterned Paper

 (2). 2 3/8 x 3 3/8

(2) 5/8" x 3 3/8

Scor-Pal

Scor-Tape

Ink

Twine

Cut the cardstock to 5 3/4" x 7". Line the 7 inch side along the upper fence, and in the upper left corner.  Score at 3/4", 3 1/4", 4" and 6 1/2".  Turn the paper so the 5 3/4" side is aligned in the upper left corner and score at 3/4", 4 1/4" and 5".

Trim the flaps as shown.

 

Add the patterned papers as shown, and assemble with the Scor-Tape.

 Add some playing cards, and you are all set for some fun!

Thistle Flower Tutorial with Cheery Lynn Designs

I love trying to re-create flowers using paper - and today, I challenged myself to make a thistle.  I've always thought this was such an elegant flower, and I hope you like what I came up with.

 

I needed something for the base of my flowers, so I used some Creative Paperclay to form my basic shape.

 

 

After these were dry, I cut them in half, so that they would be flat on the backside, and then colored them with markers to blend into my flower colors.

 

 

(I would probably choose a little softer colors for my marker next time - but this did o.k.)

Now for the fun!  I cut about 30 of the asterisk shapes( from Build a Flower One, using green cardstock.  Cup this by rolling a large flower shaping tool or stylus in the center in a circular motion.  Pinch the two side together and curve the flat side into an arch shape.  Add a small amount of glue to the flat edge, and start attaching these, row by row, starting at the top, and working down. The rows will be closer togther at the top, and get further apart as you work down.

 

 

Cover the entire base, and allow to dry.  If you have bare spots, go back and add another cut.

 

 

The flower is complete in the same manner, except you will use the #7 pieces from Embellishment #2 set.  The stem is also from this set, and the leaves are from the Build a Flower #2.

 

Here's a detail of the final flower.

 

The flower is sitting on a frame cut using the Honeycomb frame. And finally just a little snippet of Lace Light Deco Border - which reminds me...The new challenge this week in Borders and Edgers! So add some borders to your project and play along, for your chance to win a $20 gift certificate to CLD!

 

 



Feminine and Frilly

I have a rather girly card to share with you today.  Sometimes, it can be a little scary, figuring out how to use patterned papers with detailed scenes or graphics, but you just have to jump in and not worry too much about covering over some of the gorgeous designs.  Although it is very layered, I still kept a light and airy feeling by using transparencies, vellum and sheer ribbon for my layers.

Here is a close-up, where you can see the layers a little better. 

 I used the new Spellbinders Marvelous Squares, and cut two layers from WorldWin Papers vellum. Next, I cut a layer using Scor-tape, and then attached one side of the sticky to my vellum, and then removed the backing paper and sprinkled it with Wow Embossing Powder (Opaque Bright White Regular). I heat set the powder, and it gives a nice distressed appearance, as the adhesive heats up, and crackles a bit. 

I assembled my card, and added the cardstock lady from Pink Paislee's Vintage Vogue collection, a few flowers and a lovely May Arts Ribbon Bow (350 5/8"x50y SHEER/RUFFLE EDGE - 350-58-17).  I inked the edges of the Webster's Pages background with Tattered Rose Distress ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

Grow With Love

I wanted to play in the challenge at JustRite Friday Challenge - and this week it was a color challenge.  I really kept feeling stumped by these colors, and thought they just weren't "my" colors - until I got ready to post this card, and started laughing when I saw the card I posted right before this one, used almost the exact same colors! Kind of funny.

JustRite Stampers Classic Lace Edges Two Clear Stamp Set

JustRite Stampers Seeds Of Summer Clear Stamp Set

Spellbinders Classic Edges Two

May Arts Ribbon

Webster's Pages Pins

Want2Scrap Pearls

Copic Markers

Basic Grey Patterned Papers, Chipboard

Challenges:

JustRite: Color Challenge

Love is the Flower

Have you ordered your new Cheery Lynn Designs dies yet? It was such a great release, I've added more to my wishlist too! The Build - a -Flower I is a must have for anyone who likes making their own flowers.  I used it to create the Clematis for this card.  I used the Princess Tree for my buds.  Something else that you might not recognize is the Wedding Vows die ~ I made two cuts with it, and just used the background portion of it for my rectangular frame.  So don't think that it is limited to wedding only projects. It's such a beautiful die, you will want to use it any time you can!

There is also a new challenge this week - Add a door or window.  This will be the perfect time to try out the new gorgeous window dies!

Cheery Lynn Designs Dies

Build a Flower One

Princess Tree

Lace Corner Deco I

Wedding Vows

Polynesian Sails Oval Doily

Pair of Ferns

Webster's Pages Patterned Paper

Verve Stamps

Inspired By Stamping - December Release Day Two Preview

It's the second day of previews for this months stamp release from Inspired by Stamping! I'm sure you were inspired by all of the great projects you saw yesterday, and we hope you enjoy today just as much.

My project for today is a card - and I love how it turned out! This is such a fun set to layer and paper piece.

We'll be showing you the entire set on Saturday, but be sure to check out what the rest of the team created. And you will want to make sure to stop by the Inspired by Stamping Blog for a chance to win this set before you can buy it!

Amber Goble
Deb Hickman
Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Gini Cagle (me)
Irit Shalom
Jennie Garcia
Joanna Munster
Kassi Hulet
Kendra Sand
Kim Score
Lesley Croghan
Susie Moore

Challenges:
Card Patterns: Sketch

Inspired by Stamping

Do you ever see a stamp set that just makes your heart skip a beat, because it's so beautiful? That's how I felt when I saw Inspired By Stamping's Delicate Doilies. I was immediately in love! And I also used a couple of stamps from the French Boutique set - they look so wonderful together! I stamped my main medallion and the arch on vellum and embossed them with dark brown powder. I was really pleased with the effect I achieved with this technique. Inspired by Stamping had a new release this past week - and I promise you, there are more gorgeous stamps waiting to be discovered. So head over and check it out. In December, the Design Team will start previewing new sets, so be sure to keep stopping by!

Challenges:
Mojo Monday: sketch
Mark's Finest Papers: Your Favorite Technique
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Recycle (a very old button from my button box)

Flower Soft Hop for May

We invite you to join the fabulous Flower Soft® team on an inspirational blog hop featuring projects using Flower Soft Stamps!

The blog hop starts on the Flower Soft® Blog on May 11^th at 6:00am CT and ends May 24^th at midnight CT. The winner will be announced on the Flower Soft® Blog on May 25^th. If you get lost along the way the complete hop list will be posted on the Flower Soft® Blog.

Be sure to comment on every blog in the hop. One lucky person that comments on one of the blogs will be chosen to receive a $50 Flower Soft® shopping spree!!!

Hello hoppers! You should have just come from Debbie Seyer's blog - I'm sure she dazzled you! I'm the last stop on this hop - so if you missed it, go back and start at the beginning.

For my card I used the Gate Stamp. I colored my fence and gate using copics, and then painted it with Rock Candy Crackle paint, let it dry, then rubbed the entire thing with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I love how this made it look like a worn garden gate. This stamp set also came with the Secret Garden Sign, as well as the grasses that I stamped on the background. I added Flower Soft for my flowers and grass using Peony Pink, Meadow, Delphinium Blue , Ocean and Pine.
The paper is from Webster's Pages, and was the perfect backdrop for my secret garden.

Flower Soft® website: http://www.flower-soft.us.com/index.php

Blog hop list!

Dina Kowal
Deb Felts
Cibele Glazer
Debbie Sherman
Jeanne Streiff
Linda Beeson
Debbie Seyer
Gini Cagle

Cookin with Unity

I love trying new recipes, and you know I love stamping and scrapping - So, when Unity Stamps issued the challenge to make an 8x8 layout featuring a recipe to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day - it was a no brainer for me!

I love making chutneys to use on paninis - and cranberry chutney is one of my favorites. It really helped that I had this adorable Webster's Pages/Unity stamp set featuring the preserve jar.

Challenges:
Unity: Recipie Layout

For the Birds

I wanted to share an altered project with you today. I found this cute church birdhouse at Michael's and decided I would see if I could make a book, with recipes for the birds (you know...bird treats) - that would nest onto the front of the house.

I am really pleased with how this turned out - the book fit perfectly.

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show: show some love (granted..it's some love for the birds!)
Delightful Sketches: Come Fly with Me

Webster's Pages Butterfly card

I love Webster's Pages - and I've always admired Tim Holtz - but this Christmas, with Tim's 12 days of tags - I really got hooked! If I try to make something that looks like Tim's style - it just does not work for me. But I love taking some of his techniques and using them in a uniquely "Gini" way. I made this butterfly charm by cutting the image out of Webster's Pages and gluing it with stickles to the back of one of Tim's facets. I then mounted on a TH book plate. Honestly, I had been going to make a necklace out of this, but it just wasn't working for me. The stamp behind my charm is one of the new Webster's Pages/Unity stamps. So far, the stamps are all Christmas themed, but this just goes to show that it does not have to be used that way. Oh, there's also some Dusty Attic chipboard thrown in for good measure!

I cut the flower out of WP DP using the Tattered Florals die, and beaded around a "Whimsie" from WP for the center. I used lots of Glimmer Mist (which I always love!)

Belles N Whistles - Forever Young - Blog Hop

What an exciting day! We have a new release at Belles N Whistles - Forever Young. To showcase this fabulous new collection, we have a blog hop. I know you are going to love each and every new stamp - they are all adorable. And besides getting to see all of this inspiration, you have a chance to win this entire release! I'm sure that got your attention! If you have been hopping along, you should have arrived from my friend Elise's blog. If you just stumbled here, you will want to go back to the very talented Iris's blog. Be sure to leave some love at each of the DT's blog for your chance to win.

I love the stamp I am getting to hightlight - A Merry-Go. Doesn't that just bring back wonderful childhood memories?

You can pre-order these stamps today, and they will ship on June 22 or 23rd. (Please note, the store will be closed from June 23rd - July 5th, so you will want to get your orders in before that so you don't have a delay).
Now it's time to hop on to Jodi's blog - I know that she will have something fabulous to show you!

Challenges:
Paper Sundaes - sketch
Lexi's Creations - something old (old book was cut up for flower)
Shabby Tea Room - Summer fun
Colour Create - baby pink and blue
S2G - pink
Stamp Something - Happy somethings
Bunny Zoe's - Nice and Girly

Summer is Here!

That's right! Summer is here. I spent a few hours at the pool on Saturday and have a tiny bit of sunburn to prove it. In honor of the season, we have a new challenge for you at Karen's Doodles - Show us summery.

I used one of Karen's older images, Mermaid - but I love it! And a Mermaid should certainly help ring in the summer. My paper and trims are from Webster's Pages (are they not yummy?)

Karen has tons of images in the store that would be great for this challenge, so if you don't have what you need, go pick out something fabulous and show us what you've got!

Challenges:
Papertake Weekly - sketch
Caardvarks - embossing and stamp
Just Us Girls - digital
By the Cute and Girly - Old, new, borrowed, blue
Bunny Zoe's - Nice and Girly
Quirky Crafts- summer
Stamp with Fun - Fairytales/mythical