Mixed Media Portrait Video

I created this mixed media painting awhile back, and realized, I never shared it! So I thought it might be a good way to start of week.  I've got a short video as well, explaining the process. Enjoy!

Acetate Stamping Tricks Video

It's been awhile since I've shared a video with you, but I think you will learn a few new ideas for stamping on acetate.  I've used Joy Clair Stamps and Imagine Crafts inks, so be sure to check out those sites.

Joy to the World

 Happy Thanksgiving! I think this means we are officially in the Holiday Season.  I've got a blog post up over on the CardMaker Magazine Blog, and would love to give you a little peak.

Supplies used: Cardstock from WorldWin Papers; Shimmery Cardstock, Festive Wonder Festive Frame die (#S-FW-EF6-FF) and Decorative Doily die from Crafter’s Companion: Merry Christmas Sentiments stamp set from Joy Clair; VersaMark watermark ink pad, Brilliance pearlescent olive ink pad and gold embossing powder from IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko; gold micro beads from Martha Stewart Crafts; 1-inch satin reversible stitched edge ribbon from May Arts Ribbon; Tattered Flower Large punch, Spiky Floral Medium punch and Holiday Greens die set (#658759) from Sizzix; Grand Calibur Circles dies and die-cutting machine from Spellbinders® Paper Arts.

June Tutorial for Crafter's Companion

 Watercolors, Masking, and Embossing, Oh My

Crafter’s Companion US supplies:

Sheena: PoppiesStamp

Stamp-It Australia, Dreamer: Once In a Lifetime Stamp Set

Spectrum AquaMarkers: Orange, Sunset, Scarlet, Aquamarine, Teal

Crafter’s Companion Watercolour Cardstock

VersaMark Ink

Other Supplies:

Heat Tool

Imagine Crafts Sheer Shimmer Spritz ( Sparkle), Embossing Powder: Gold, Black

DCWV Corrugated Cardstock

WorldWin Cardstock, Vellum

Round Watercolor Brush 

Coarse Salt

Tombow Removable Adhesive

May Arts Ribbon EM94 1.5" Net

Button

 Directions:

1.  Stamp the poppy image onto the watercolour paper using watermark ink. (Be sure to stamp a little of the image off to the side and bottom).  
2. Sprinkle with black embossing powder and heat set.
   
3. Using the Spectrum Aqua markers, add a little Orange to the bottom of the flower and Scarlet at the tops of the flowers, leaving white space in the center.
4.  Spray Sheer Shimmer Spritz onto the craft mat. Using a watercolor brush, blend the colors together with the Shimmer Spritz.  This will create a beautiful glimmer to the colors.
   
5.     Use the fine tip end of the Spectrum Aqua markers to color the stems.
   
6.  Stamp the poppy image onto vellum to use as a mask. Since the vellum is clear, this will make it easier to align the colored image and the mask.
   
7.  Cut around the mask, including inner areas of the stems.
   
8.  Use removable adhesive to place the mask on the colored image.
   
   
9.  Stamp the script image over the poppies, using watermark ink. Sprinkle with gold embossing powder.  Remove the mask before heat setting.
   
10.  Replace the mask and use the darker blue marker to add shadows around the poppies, and the lighter blue to add color to the background.  Blend using the brush and Shimmer Spritz. 
    
11.  Sprinkle coarse salt over the wet watercolor and allow to dry.  Brush away the salt.
12.   Remove the mask. Add panel to card base as desired.

Oh So Shabby Mother's Day Card

Are you intimidated by Shabby Chic styles? No need to fear, they are really pretty easy and very fun. I'm going to show you in a few steps how to add some easy techniques to achieve this trendy look.
 So Shabby Mother's Day Card Supplies:

• Core Essentials Pastels
• Sand It Gadget
• Darice Embossing Folder Large Petal Background
• Verve Stamp Sets:
• Petaloo Flowers
• Cheesecloth
• Want2Scrap Pearls
• Memento Luxe Ink - Angel Pink

 Step 1. Begin with a 4 x 6" card base.
 Step 2. Cut a slightly smaller panel and emboss. Sand the raised design.  
Step 3. Cut remaining mats as shown for card. Use a distressing tool to roughen the edges.  
Step 4. Have you ever wished that you could match embellishments to a patterned paper, and you just didn't have the right colors? It is so easy to create your own designer papers using Core'dinations and a simple background stamping. That way, you can create whatever you imagine. Randomly stamp a small image using an opaque ink.  
Step 5. Machine stitch the stamped panel and the backing panel together.  
Step 6. Add flower clusters, cheesecloth and sentiment as shown.
See, it's really easy to put together your own shabby chic card. Here are the key ideas to incorporate to get this look -

• Soft, muted colors
• Distressed edges
• Stitching
• Sanded embossed designs - especially florals
• Lots of layers with textures

Happy Easter! with video tutorial

Happy Easter! I hope you all enjoy the blessings of the day!  I have a card and video to share with you today, for the celebration.

Supplies:

Imagine Crafts: Creative Medium Purple Iridescent; irresistible Pico Embellisher: Gold; Delicata 4: Bronze Burst, Golden Glitz; Diamond Trowel Palette Knife;  Sponge Dauber;  Radiant Neon: Electric Purlple; Neon Amplify! : Electric Purple; VersaMark; Imagine Embossing Powder:  Gold

Stampendous: Cling Winged Cross

Dreamweaver Stencils:  Corner Flowers

May Arts Ribbon:  GC07

Art Institute Glitter:  Bonnie Blue

Want2Scrap Pearls

Fun Stampers Journey: Journey Rectangles Die

Spellbinders: Grand Calibur

Xyron Adhesive

Heat Tool

Cardstock

Challenges:

Stampendous/Dreamweaver -April Showers (The flowers are showered in glitter, thus bringing the May Flowers) 
Simon Says Monday Challenge: Pastels

May Arts Ribbonistas Light It Blue

At May Arts Ribbon, we are helping to celebrate the Light It Up Blue - Autism Speaks. This kicks off the Autism Awareness month.  For more information, please visit Autism Speaks.

I chose to create a Mixed Media piece for this hop - because I know with a piece like this, it is easy for everyone to see something a little bit different.  As we celebrate Autism Awareness, I think this is perfect to express the beauty of each individual that is affected with Autism. The cherub is to remind us what sweet angels we have living among us.

May Arts Ribbons:

3 Inch Floral Lace w/Scalloped Edge - 514

Frayed Thread Ribbon 521-15-18

  5/8" Adhesive Rosettes A487-58-01

Flowers For You

I am having so much fun playing with my Spectrum Aqua Markers, so I have another card to share with you that I colored with these great pens!  I stamped the image onto watercolor paper, put some of the marker onto an acyrlic block, and used a round paintbrush and water to apply a light shade of pigment.  For the darker areas, I used the pen directly onto the paper, and blended it out a bit with the brush and water.

Supplies:

Sheena Floral Fantasy: Bluebells and Daffodils Stamp Set

Makey Bakey: Thanks Petal Stamp Set (Sentiment)

Die'Sires Create-A-Card- Ornate Lattice Die

Spectrum Aqua Markers: Leaf Green, Olive, Sunflower, Gold, Yellow

StazOn Ink: Jet Black

May Arts Ribbon

Core'dinations Cardstock

Watercolor Paper

Tiger Lilies

 

I've got a lovely card to share with you today, that I created for Crafter's Companion resent segment on HSN.  I was thrilled getting to sneak a peak of this on t.v.  The flowers were stamped using the Sheena Lily stamp and colored with the Spectrum Noir markers.  Since I colored these as tiger lilies, did you notice that I used the Tiger Stripe embossing folder on the backgound?  Just a little tongue in cheek humor for you!  And, my pearls are a perfect match, because I used the markers to color plain white pearls.

Crafter's Companion Sheena Lily Stamp Set.
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers: OR1, OR2, OR3, CT1, CT3, CT4, FL2,DG3, DG4, CG2
Sheena Tiger Print Embossing Folder
White Pearl Shimmering Cardstock.
Yellow Pearl Shimmering Cardstock.
Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock
Memento Luxe - Morocco
Sponge Dauber

Bee Well Soon

Texture and mixed media are the "buzz" words now, and Core'dinations papers are the perfect paper for this trend. Not only is the paper great for tearing, embossing, and distressing to add texture, but many of the papers have an aged look already, like the Tim Holtz Shattered Collection that I used to create this Bee Well Soon Card.  
Bee Well Soon Supplies:

• Gemstones
• Kraft-core Shattered
• Kraft-core Nostalgic
• Stampendous: Queen Bee, Timeless Tags Stamps
• Penny Black: Sweet As Honey (sentiment) stamp
• Sizzix: Book Cover #1 Embossing Folder
• Spellbinders: Classic Ovals Small, Pierced Ovals Die Sets, Grand Calibur Machine
• Close To My Heart Heat Tool
• May Arts Ribbons: 445-15-32; SM-27
• Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Delicata Golden Glitz; Versafine Onyx Black; Memnto Luxe Elderberry ink pads; and Shimmer Spritz Sparkle; Radiant Neon Amplify – Black, Electric Yellow; Clear Embossing Powder
• Madeira: Gold Thread
• Xyron Adhesives
• Tapestry Needle

Step 1. Emboss a panel of Shattered with an embossing folder.  
Step 2. Rub gold ink over the raised areas and sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat set. Step 3. Stamp the bee and die cut.
 Step 4. Add hand stitching around the oval panel.
Step 5. Paint the bee with Amplify! and heat set to create dimension.
 Step 6. Layer the card as shown with mats, sentiment and ribbons.

 There are so many techniques to try using Core'dinations! Just jump in and give it a go. ~Gini

Waxed Embossing Technique for Crafter's Companion

Directions:

Step 1.  Attach a 5.75” square mat of black cardstock to a 6 x 6” card base.

Step 2.  Emboss a 5.5” square piece of black cardstock using the Indian Ornate Screen embossing folder. Leave the paper in the folder.

Step 3. Use a candle to rub over the raised areas, letting the folder act as a support for the paper.  This will create a resist.

Step 4.  Use a sponge dauber to apply Radiant Neon Ink to the embossed paper.

Step 5.  Use a dry paper towel to rub away the excess ink, thus removing the ink from the waxed areas. Dot centers of pattern with Amplify if desired or substitute adhesive pearls.

Step 6.  Mount the panel to the card base.

Step 7.  Stamp the sentiment with watermark ink and heat emboss with black powder.  Trim to fit on  patterned paper strip as shown and add ribbon.

Step 8. Mount another piece of patterned paper with black mat that has been scalloped border punched. Place on card as shown.

Step 9.  Stamp the butterfly image with the Memento Ink.  Color with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.

Step 10.  Cut the image with scissors.  Slightly bend the wings up and glue down just the butterfly body to finish the card.  

 Supplies:

Crafter’s Companion US supplies:

 Sheena A Taste of India 5 x 7” -  Indian Ornate ScreenEmbossing Folder

 Sheena A Little Bit Sketchy –True Colors Stamp set

 Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers: DG2, DG3, GB7, GB11, BT2,BT6, BT9, Blender

 Radiant Neon Inkpad-Electric Blue

 Memento Inkpad – Tuxedo Black

VersaMark Watermark Inkpad

 Other Supplies:

  May Arts Silk Ribbon (SK-125-04); 

Radiant Neon – Electric Blue Amplify;

 Graphic 45 – Steampunk Spells patterned paper;

 Xyron – Mega Runner; 

cardstock, black embossing powder, scallop punch