Holiday Blessings

I've had the Tim Holtz/Sizzix die of the (angel) wings sitting out for a while looking for a reason to use them. Here is a Christmas card with the wings in all their glory. Although you can't really tell from the scan, there is a lot of texture on this card. The layers of the wings are embossed vellum, suede paper, and glittered paper. The star in the background and the sentiment frame are glitter paper. The background is letterpress (Sizzix) and sprayed with distress stain spray. All of this is mounted on a textured teal cardstock base. The sentiment is stamped using a SweetStamps stamp.

My card is being entered into several challenges: SweetStamps --non-traditional Christmas colors; Simon Says Monday challenge -- anything goes; Tuesday Throwdown -- Christmas;
Stampendous --holiday happiness; The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge -- tic tac toe (diagonal - die, glitter, star); Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; and Dies R Us -- anything goes with a die cut.

Good Old Fun

I am a city girl and I do love the city. However, I have memories of spending summer vacations during my childhood at my great-grandparents farm. There my great-uncles would ride us around on the tractor and we could see the different crops they had growing. When Simon Says challenged us on Monday to remember the good old days, this is what I came up with. I used the layout from the Mojo Monday sketch challenge as the basis for my layout. All of the stamps used are from Artistic Outpost. Prisma colored pencils were used to color the images. This layout was a bit of a challenge since I had to use six masks to get every stamp where I wanted them to be.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Mojo Monday -- sketch; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- Good Old Days; Artistic Outpost -- anything goes using Artistic Outpost stamps.

O is for ... Oriental

I'm back after a 3 day absence spent in the hospital. It felt good to spend a little time in the studio. Using the sketch layout from the Marks Finest Papers Oriental challenge, I created this card. The background panel is cut from a Chinese newspaper. The red panel was made by using a stencil and stencil paste and then spraying with distress spray. The bottom panel was stamped using an Oriental stamp from MFP..
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- O is for...; Three Muses -- printed word; Addicted to CAS -- stencil.

Colors of autumn

This is a card that I've been thinking about for some time. It worked quite well with the sketch challenge from Mark's Finest Papers Sketch With a Twist. The twist is to stamp  the background. I used the leaf background stamp from Heartfelt Creations. The leaves were stamped on a piece of white cardstock with Versamark ink and then Pan Pastels were applied in fall colors over the inked surface. The leaf was cut and embossed (Sizzix/Tim Holtz) using Core'dinations paper and then sanded.The sentiment (Our Daily Bread Designs) was the perfect finishing touch to add to my card. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is to use a stamp as the finishing touch.

Our Daily Bread Designs challenged us to create a fall inspired card based on their picture. I followed the traditional fall colors as seen in the top left panel.  A Vintage Journey also wanted to see the colors of autumn.

Autumn

The first official day of Autumn 2014 is just around the corner, so why not a card celebrating autumn. My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday challenge sketch. My colors were all chosen to represent autumn. My background is a more current take on a technique I learned at my first stamp show, years ago. Then it was Versamark and chalk. For this card I pulled out my Pan Pastels. The colors are so much richer than any chalk I have in my stash and they work in a similar way. I stamped the background  on watercolor paper (for the tooth) with Versamark ink. Then I added the Pan Pastels. The technique is easy to do, and quite effective. All of the sunflower stamps are from the latest Heartfelt Creations release. I do love sunflowers! All of the die cuts were cut with Spellbinder dies.) All of the coloring was done with my Pan Pastels. The sentiment is a Club Scrap stamp.The diagonal design paper is from my stash.
I am also entering my card in these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- fall colors; Simon Says Monday Challenge -- techniques; City Crafter -- diagonals; Dies R Us -- fall festival; Inspiration Journal -- fall is in the air; E-Play -- fall; Art With Heart -- fall back.

Autumn Bloom

Today is Labor Day her in the U.S. It was a beautiful day here in my part of Chicago. My lovely daughter grilled, so I could enjoy some time in the studio followed by a great meal. It was the perfect set up for a brightly colored card.
My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. The Mixed Media Monthly challenge wanted us to be inspired by the colors in their photo (above) When I looked at the inspiration photo my reaction was bright, bold, and floral. I started with a neutral, white cardbase. The background panel is burnt orange. The left panel is a piece of white cardstock which I colored metallic gold using the metallic pan pastels. I then took my marbled stencil (Prima)  and used embossing paste for the marbling. Over that I stenciled a border of leaves (Dylusions) with distress paint. The panel on the right is blue cardstock layered with mesh dry wall tape. The flower (Heartfelt Creations) which was stamped on watercolor paper and then was colored using the watercolor marker technique (Marvy markers). I added the ribbon and a pressed flower sticker (SEI Inc.) which I layered on a white background and then a burnt orange framing panel. I stamped the word "autumn" right on the sticker.
I am also entering my card in these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- bold colors; Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- bright colors; Artistic Stamper -- fall colors.

Again be Children for a Day

Today's card celebrates the fun of Halloween. Last year I missed all of the fall stamping since I was in the hospital, so I decided to start on Halloween a  little early. My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday tall and skinny sketch challenge. My card base is kraft cardstock. The background design papers come from Tim Holtz's Seasonal Stash. I used a kraft panel to back my image and sentiment.  The Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge was witch-kraft. I decided to use both kraft cardstock and the adorable witch from Artistic Outpost. In fact, all of the stamps used are Artistic Outpost stamps. Artistic Outpost has a monthly challenge. The August challenge is anything goes using Artistic Outpost stamps. At City Crafter the challenge was to create a shaker card. I think the little owl makes a great shaker.

Two Together

Those of you who know me know that I love to make ATC's. I don't make them a lot anymore, but when A Vintage Journey challenged us to make an ATC Tim style, I was thrilled. For those who don't know, an ATC (artist trading card) is a piece of art that is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches in size. It can not be sold, only traded or given away.

Enough background... My theme is based on the inspiration photo challenge (left) at City Crafter. The technique I used for my ATC  is based on Tim's August tag of the month. Tissue tape is used to create an area for the stamp image. My image is from an old Tim Holtz stamp cube that I have had since the beginning of time. The background is embossing paste and stencils with distress stains for color. The sentiment is from Tim's alphaparts framed which I grunged up with distress paints.

I am also entering my ATC in these other challenges: Tuesday Throwdown -- furry friends (love that adorable puppy);Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- anything goes; and Artistic Stamper -- anything goes.

Grandmothers

What do jam, jelly, jars and junk mail have in common? ... the letter J, of course. this card is my answer to the challenge theme at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- J is for... At first I thought that the challenge would be a little difficult. Then I couldn't stop thinking of J words. My background is made from die cut junk mail envelopes which I colored using pan pastels. The jars were die cut from  a piece of plastic packaging. The jars, labels and contents are stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs. The sentiment is from Club Scrap.
Hels at Ink on my Fingers challenged us with the theme bits and pieces. Once I started working on this card, I understood the challenge. All of the contents of the card were cut from bit and pieces of paper in my scrap box. I am also entering my card in the Marks Finest Papers Colors challenge -- blue, lime, red.

The Face of a Friend

I was really happy to see this week's theme at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge. It is about a face. I have been wanting to use this Andy Skinner stencil for some time now. This was the perfect challenge for it. My background panel is another piece from a recent gelli plate printing. I added a layer of picket fence stain over the print to lighten it a little and then some spun sugar distress stain to bring out the pinks. I used one of Tim Holtz's shadow press words as the sentiment. It was a little hard to stop there, but I was afraid that adding any more elements would detract from the overall effect.  I layered the piece on a black panel and then on a pink card. I really like the effect.

Leave Ordinary Behind

I must explain myself today...my grandchildren were occupied today, so I got lots of time in the studio. The result is a flurry of posts. This card is the result of two great challenges. A Vintage Journey challenged us to use every stamp in a set and Simon Says Stamp Monday said we ought to use this more. I love  stamp challenges. The stamp set I used is Tim Holtz's French Marketplace. I used the four stamps to create my collage background. All of the stamps I used, except the sentiment, qualified as stamps that I have hardly used at all. In fact, only one had seen ink before. Tsk! Tsk! I like the stamps a lot; I've just overlooked them.

Live Life

It's always fun creating something for the Compendium of Curiosities III challenge. Tim Holtz's techniques result in so many unique works of art. There is a new challenge every two weeks from his book, A Compendium of Curiosities III. The current challenge is Layering stencil: texture paste from page 49; and a special thanks goes to Inspiration Emporium for their generous sponsorship. Of course, I can't reveal the technique (but it's laid out clearly in Tim's book), but I will say that I used several stencils, a couple of Stampers Anonymous stamps and lots of color (distress stains and distress ink).
I am also entering this card into the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- anything goes; Kraft Journal -- shabby chic; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge -- stencil it.

Paint the Sky

This afternoon I had a little time to play. I just received the two new smaller Gelli plates. I like the 5x7" plate because it is the perfect size for a card background. I had this bird stamp from Club Scrap that I wanted to use. The Gelli plate background (acrylic paint) was perfect to use with the stamp. My sentiment is from the Cosmo Cricket Tiny Text stickers.
I am entering this card into these challenges: City Crafter -- for the birds; Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- paint.

Bon Voyage

Another fun afternoon playing in my art journal! My background started with two shades of blue distress paints. Next came stencils of clouds and distressed stripes. These were added using Dylusions sprays for the clouds and Glimmer mist for the stripes. I then stamped the ship and the sentiment. Once I finished stamping I added more bits and pieces of stenciling. The clocks were done using reverse stenciling and paints. The rest of the stencils were added with distress markers and distress ink.
I am entering my page in these challenges: Fashionable Stamping -- clockwork; Tuesday Throwdown -- paint or mist; City Crafter -- Nautical; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- paint.

Creativity

I couldn't miss this week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challege. The theme is to use an artistic stamp. Has someone been peeking at my stamp collection? After a difficult time deciding which stamp I wanted to use, I pulled out David. For my background I went back to Creative Chemistry 101.I used the archival resist technique. The sentiment is also one of Tim Holtz's stamps.
I am also entering this card into these challenges: Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations --cardstock only; Word Art Wednesdays -- anything goes.

Perspective

I started my card off with an experiment. I decided to try distress paint marbling on a piece of kraft cardstock. The result was a very subtle background since the paint tended to soak into the kraft. However, it worked great for what came next. I then took Tim's doily stencil, laid it over my background and sprayed with Dylusions white linen spray. It really showed up well. I also added a little ink over the chevron stencil. Since the current challenge for Compendium of Curiosities III is to try Tim Holtz's glitter technique from p. 56 of his book, I die cut the frame and flowers from grungepaper and used  Tim's distress glitter. Oh yes, I also added a drop of stickles to each of the flowers. The stamped image is from SweetStamps. Distress markers were used to color the image. The sentiment stamp from Tim Holtz was die cut using a Cheery Lynn Die. Also I'd like to give a shout out to The Funkie Junkie for sponsoring the CCC3 challenge this time around.
I am also entering this card into these challenges:  Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- botannical; Kraft Journal -- flowers; Sweet Stamps -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- no designer paper; and V's Sweet Ideas challenge -- distress.

Journey

It's been a fun studio day. I spent lots of time creating. Fashionable Stamping has the challenge theme - Circle the Globe. They want to see circles. Mojo Monday gave us this sketch to follow, and what do we see, but lots of circles. I love it when challenges work together. The car, balloon, sentiment stamps, and globe die cut are all from the Tim Holtz collection. I figured that as long as we were circling the globe, I'd stick to the journey theme. I'm also entering my card in the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge. The theme is "M", so I went monochromatic.

12 Tags of 2014 -- April

April is quickly coming to a close. That means it's time to share another tag inspired by the wonderful Tim Holtz in his 12 Tags of 2014 challenge. I really like the way Tim used  tissue tape and paint to make the background collage. I ventured away from my comfort zone a little with my color choices. Mustard seed and persimmon seemed to work as the background and embellishing ribbon for the roses.  I did have to improvise a little with the trellis. I haven't received my frameworks dies yet, so I used a similar die from Cheery Lynn. The shape worked fine, but the thin die doesn't cut through grungepaper totally (I knew I couldn't use grungeboard.) , so I had to use a scissors to finish the cut. The pinecone die really makes  pretty roses, doesn't it?
 I am also entering my tag into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- inspired by yellow and City Crafter --paint it.

Machines and Nature

Today my card is a little steam-y...steampunk that is. I found a quote from Antoine de Saint- Exupery which I thought was appropriate to use here. "The machine does not isolate man from the great problems of nature, but plunges him more deeply into them. My card started with a panel of Steampunk word design paper from Graphic 45. I then cut a panel of transparent packing, colored it with alcohol inks, and dry embossed it. I attached the two panels by using brads in the corners.  The die cut leaves and bicycle were cut from Cheery Lynn dies. The hat was off stamped over the typed quote.
This card is being entered into these challenges. SanDee & Amelie's Steampunk challenge -- transparency; Three Muses -- age of steam; Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy challenge -- 3 or more brads; and Simon Says Monday Challenge -- transparent .

Inspired Thoughts

I was in the mood to create a tag this afternoon. SweetStamps Cameo Girl was stamped on canvas and framed with an ornate frame die cut (Tim Holtz). She makes a wonderful centerpiece on a tag covered with Graphics 45 flowered design paper. She is embellished with lace. The sentiment is found on the pin and tag (Inspire and Thought).
 I am entering my tag on these challenges: SweetStamps -- anything goes; Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge --a cameo appearance; Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends challenge -- anything but a card; and City Crafter challenge -- flowers and lace.