I made a ‘thing’ for Unscripted Sketches and some other challenges :)

Wow, my mind is really fried after having my hubby and kids home for a week and a bit. Holy moley! I made something and don’t know what to call it. It’s for Unscripted Sketches and also some other challenges (finally) so let’s just get on to business shall we?

So I get it, at first glance this is a strange mix of things to put on a … well, it’s not a canvas. It’s not even a canvas board. It’s not really a painting either is it? It’s way, way too big to be a card at 7.25x8.25” (it was supposed to be 5x7 with 1/4” framing borders but it was just too small for the snowflakes so I added a 3” section). And now it’s too big for any standard frame! It’s too warped to just hang on the wall with a ribbon and too big for my SMASH album!

I started with the concept that I would be combining three challenges: The Shabby Tea Room-use snowflakes, silver/white and buttons/bells, obviously Unscripted Sketches and SSS Stamp and Show to use Tim Holtz products. I dragged out all the Tim Holtz stamps I own and was stumped. None of them are winter related at all. But, I have lots of inks and plenty of stamps that make nice background stamping plus plenty other stuff.

So I decided to drip TH inks artfully down a piece of watercolour paper. Hmmm, easier said than done. I chose a great big fat mop brush which would hold lots of paint right? Yep, I was right! However, it seems it didn’t want to release said paint onto the paper, grrr… Ok, second try, smaller fat brush would release the liquid, better but then too many lovely fat droplets ran all the way to the bottom of the page instead of artfully stopping with perfectly round balled ends right where I wanted them too stop. No wonder some artists get the big bucks. This stuff ain’t easy!

OK, so my page is dry, some artful drops have been stopped in the appropriate places, now what? So I fill in the space with some TH stamps. So far so good. Then I realized I’ve used butterflies. D’uh. Oh, well, I can cover them up! Up with what? Hmmm… Thus was the journey of the upper part of my… thing. I’ve seen some canvases end up nicer but look similar. The artist adds many items to the canvas disregarding the colour. Then gessos over the whole shebang, spray mists or paints it solid at first, then adding shadows, highlights and a few more embellishments. Tone on tone effect.

I had planned to add the snowflakes over the coloured drips at the bottom of the upper portion thinking it would create a great contrast, colour vs the silver but instead it just seems to cause competition for your eye and was too crowded. So I added a piece at the bottom and did the same thing with pewter Distress stain as I had done with Distress inks at the top. I started with full strength but it didn’t spread well so I went to a dilute version to help it move then back to full strength to add some deeper colour. I didn't have silver sequins so I took ivory ones, put a pin in the center and used a silver paint pen to colour them. I stroked outwards and slightly downwards from the center which also served to turn them as I coloured then just moved the pin which moved the sequin across my craft sheet so they could dry. Wash, rinse, repeat!

When I saw the Artist sentiment I really wanted to use it but I knew it wouldn’t be read as a background stamp. And it didn’t make much sense by itself. But recently I saw a post on Digital Photography School about snowflake photography. The snowflakes looked like everything from typical snowflakes we see as stamps to satellites in space to glass platters to logos for computer companies to what’s inside a computer. Some were hexagons almost completely devoid of any other form. I know many don’t believe but for those of us who do, snowflakes are a pretty amazing and faith strengthening creation. So I realized this was a perfect way to use this sentiment after all. And it kind of ties in my art on top with God’s art on the bottom (his is way better!)

Sorry that was so long. I hope you will play with us this week at Unscripted Sketches. Hopefully you all had great weeks visiting with family and friends, you stayed safe and healthy, the busyness is over and you all have more time off to enjoy! So why not spend some time playing our sketch? The more the merrier!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Tim Holtz various, Mini Alpha-SU!
Ink: Archival black-Ranger, Worn Lipstick, Broken China Distress pad, Shabby Shutters Reinker, Spring Moss-PTI, Versamark
Paper: watercolour paper-stash
Accessories: Spellbinders, MFT snowflake dies, wood veneers, white Mr Hueys Mist-Studio Calico, Copic markers, hibiscus spring moss buttons-PTI, sewing thread-Mettler, Guttermann, rhinestone brad-American crafts, ivory (silver) sequins-Ellen Hutson, pink and blue sequins-FabricLand, green, pink sequins-SSS, blue star clips-Dollarama, silver EP-SU!, foam dots-Jody Morrow

Icicle Lights Jewellery Set

Wanna know what’s been keeping me so busy lately? Well yes, three kids but I’ve also been getting  into making jewellery. In the next few weeks, I will be showing you what I've been up to!

This is one of my latest pieces. I made this for my autistic son’s respite worker. She’s leaving for three month’s to go to Australia and her work also asks her to bling it up since it’s a nice place so this works for both. It uses headpins (a silver wire with a flat end on it which acts as a stopper) which I strung Swarovski round and bicone crystals in blue, teal and white then turned a 3/4 loop with round nose pliers and slipped the loop over the chain.

Then I completed the loop and wrapped the wire tail around the wire stem just above the beads. I cut the chain to size, added a clasp to the chain and that’s it! The earrings are even easier. Add the beads to the headpin, wrap the loop. Add the earring wire. That’s it. It you are working with thicker wire than I am, you can just turn a loop and not even wrap it!

Planning the beads so they hang nicely, look good and keep them in order while making the was the harder than the construction. I wish I’d planned the second and third in from each end a little better as they don’t lay well. The other’s just don’t have support behind them in the photo to lay perfectly but the end ones just sit funny because they don’t have room. Oh well.

The earrings aren’t as interesting (I don’t like crazy earrings) but I did use a long French wire, (heck I don’t know what they are really called but that’s what I call em) so that makes them a bit more unique. When I asked our worker what style she likes or what preferences she has all I got was “I’m sure I’ll like anything you will make. Whatever you’d like to make.'” and “blue” so I think I’m good!

Enjoy Rebecca

RECIPE
any decent bead store has everything you see here. I used a basic jump ring and lobster claw closure. There are dozens of tutorials on line to teach you how to make wrapped loops and open and close jump rings, the only skills i used. Try Fire Mountain Beads and Artbeads

Elegant Anniversary Card

I made this a very long time ago, maybe a year and a half. Sometimes I browse my photos and wonder if maybe a card has been missed. Now I have a ‘Not Posted’ File so that helps but when I’m in a hurry, it’s so hard to keep track!

Originally I designed this layout as a ‘thank you for your business’ card, without the pearls and with black and gold or black and ivory paper on bottom, for a friend’s business. My BFF saw it and much to my delight, went on and on about how it was hte prettiest card she’d ever seen and how she’d frame it. So of course, I obliged making her one. Then I had the opportunity to make it again for a very classy couple for their anniversary . I thought adding the dancing couple was a nice touch.

I’ve made this as multiples so I know it isn’t that hard and I think it would also make great monogrammed stationery. It would also make amazing formal shower, wedding, anniversary party or any formal invites

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
please email for details. Most manufacturers are found in the tags.

Vintage Stars Card for Unscripted Sketches #236

I decided to do a mixed media card this week; this sketch offered so many options that it stumped me for quite a while!  I was working on a mixed media journal swap so I went with a mixed media card too!

The stars are shimmerier IRL because I added mica powder called Pearl Ex (like Perfect Pearls without the binder) to my homemade texture paste. Recipe courtesy Gabriella Pollacco. But it’s very fine so comes across as brown in the photo. I was going to go with a cleaner more elegant style until I noticed that the music and measuring tapes matches so well  but once I added them I realized it was definitely a shabby/vintage look, not a clean/elegant one.

Then I created a dense cluster of embellies all with a fun, eclectic, vintage vibe. Lastly I added the gold swirlies and sequins. The teal in the bottom paper is foiled so it adds lots of shine! The background paper I added the texture paste too was white but I airbrushed it so it fit better with the vintage style. I ADORE that Copic airbrush system!

Over the holidays, we will still be here! So come and play this week’s sketch! Can’t play? Check out our blogs and leave us some lovin’! Can’t play this week? Maybe next week! Kids or your spouse being home from work or school driving you crazy? Seek solace in your craft room and join us at UNSCRIPTED SKETCHES!! Have a safe and happy Winter Season with Family and Friends!!

Enjoy, Rebecca

for recipe, please email me with specific questions.

Snowflake Crocheted Bead Wreath Tag

I’m a bit bummed about the photo of the wreath on this tag; it’s so pretty IRL and so hard to see in the photo!

I would have made the crocheted strand much longer so the final wreath would be thicker but I ran out of time. Maybe if the background was solid it may have stood out better, in fact I'm pretty sure it would have, my bad.

It’s actually really easy to make, you thread your beads on thin wire, 26 gauge or thinner. Keep your wire on the spool, don’t pre-cut it. Then just start chain crocheting it. Every so many stitches, you have to decide what look you want (one bead every stitch, every second, third…), you slide a bead along and stitch it in. Easy Peasy! I wrapped mine twice but I think I should have wrapped it at least 4 times to make it more dense and stand out from the background more.

For the background, I used Sharon Harnist’s double embossing technique. You can find her tutorial at the Classroom as part of the 12 tags of Christmas. I started by using glitter embossing powder but I overheated it so I embossed over it with clear embossing powder. Then I used two blues, one was more turquoise-ish, and E77 to airbrush the background. Removing the colour from the embossing was the fun part; it is quite dramatic!

I’m also going to enter this in the Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge 62 to create anything!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Thanks All Ways-PTI (on back)
Ink: Teal Zeal-Memento (on back)
Paper: white CS-PTI, chocolate CS-SU!
Accessories: craft wire-Michaels, beads, lace, crochet hook-stash, metallic string, embossing folder-Cuttlebug, 1/2” hole punch-SU!, small hole punch-WRMK Cropadile, Hero Arts ultrafine embossing powder, iridescent ice embossing powder-SU!, Copic airbrush system

Door Sign for Unscripted Sketches #235

This week I took inspiration from an unconventional source. An item from a women’s steals site.

The item I was inspired by was basically the same, a sign for your door with a turning upper layer that rotates to reveal several different signs which I should at SheSteals.com. There was one for your dishwasher, clean vs dirty, too. There are magnets on the back to hold it in place. I would have added some lade or ribbon or more layers of paper but I wanted it to be weather-proof in case I left it out and it started to rain or snow. What I have to really remember is to not leave it out too long with the ‘Come on in’ left showing!!

I made it with die cut circles of craft-a-board and patterned paper with a brad and a flattened bead cap in the center. The flower is made from a Memory Box cherry blossom die which I stiffened with outdoor Mod Podge also applied to the rest of the project. Unfortunately, outdoor Mod Podge is sticky even when dried for a long time, I feature I HATE (I hear Martha Stewart decoupage medium is weather proof and not sticky but I didn’t have any) so inside I added two 1” circles of naked craft-a-board so the larger circles would rotate smoothly.

There is still one more spot on the under layer for another little note but I couldn’t think of anything else. I can still add something if I want to later. I’ll probably have to add a piece of paper or use Staz-on or archival ink because I’ve sealed it but it could work. These are quick and easy to make; contact me if you’d like the exact measurements. It turned out that three messages underneath would fit perfectly so just email me for the circle and cut off dimensions!

We will still be having sketches all through the holidays so if you find yourself bored at all be sure to come on out and play. Do you sew? Quilt? Knit? Do Mixed Media? Paint? Doesn’t just have to be basic card making, paper crafts and scrapbooking though of course we love to see those crafts! We welcome anything you create! We’d even be happy to see baking that fits the sketch! Please play with our super talented team this week too at Unscripted Sketches!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Paper: Authentique, Craft-a-board-Ellen Hutson, chocolate, peach (don’t know real name) CS-SU!
Ink: Teal Zeal-Memento
Stamps: really old alphabet stamps
Accessories: Memory Box cherry blossom die, bead cap, brad-stash, Mod Podge, Circle Nesties

Shabby Baby Card for Unscripted Sketches

This sketch was a lot of fun! Some of them kinda stump me at first but this one flowed easily!

The ‘Baby’ die is by Marianne I think and the baby things are by Memory Box. They are really quite teensy, for comparison, this is a 5x7 card. The bottle and rattle are about a bit less than an inch high and the soother is only about 3/8” high!

I coloured them with Copics and oh, so gently sponged them with Distress ink. I also had to be very careful with the word to get ink sponged on the inside areas of the die. I used a Fantastik for the tiny areas. It’s like a sponge tipped pen you can dip in ink. Also good for fixing missed areas of solid stamping.

The papers are from Little Darlings and G45’s patterns and solids pack. The baby face flower is a chipboard piece. The greyish buttons are Mother of Pearl and look so much nicer IRL!

I have a couple girlfriends who are pregnant right now so hopefully one of them has a little girl! I have several boy cards already in my stash.

I do hope to see you over at Unscripted Sketches later this week! We’d love to have you join us! Even if you can’t play. be sure to check out the DT’s awesome projects; they are a talented bunch!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Ink: Frayed burlap Distress ink
Paper: G45, Ivory CS-PTI
Accessories: EK Success mini scalloped punch, PTI buttons, MOP buttons-Ebay, G45 chipboard, Marianne Baby die, baby things die-Memory Box, Copic Markers, Flowers-Wild Orchid Crafts, Lace-stash, ivory iridescent sequins-Ellen Hutson

Snowman Shaker Card for Unscripted Sketches #233

I decided to make a shaker card for this week’s Unscripted Sketches. It’s always fun to make something beyond a basic card!

In the shaker box I added white glitter, tinsel glitter and microbeads. Microbeads are idea because they heavy enough to not stick to the acetate window. The tinsel glitter doesn’t stick much either but the regular glitter sure does! The snowman is popped up on foam dots so my shaker is two foam layers thick.

I die cut the frame but since my dies weren’t quite the right size, I partial die cut both ends of the rectangle. It’s a great way to get more use from your dies. I used mirrored paper to cut the big snowflake and I used heat n stick powder to add glitter to the white one.

Please come and play with us at Unscripted Sketches this week! We’ve been a bit down in numbers lately so that  means there’s an even better chance of your project making the top three! It’s such a good feeling to be chosen!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SU!
Ink: not quite navy-SU!, Memento black
Paper: CTMH, not quite navy-SU!
 Accessories: snowflake dies-MFT, snowflake ribbon-May Arts, rectangle nesties, tinsel glitter, microbeads-MS, Stampendous white glitter,

Fresh Florals Thank You Card

I love the WPlus9 stamp set called Fresh Florals so when I got a SSS card kit with similar leaf and flower stamps, I was so happy!

This card is so simple, I don’t think there’s much to say about it. I must admit the rhinestones are a bit oddly placed; I stamped the three dot stamp in a bright/darkish purple and it totally ruined it! Not being one to throw away a project that can be saved, I added the rhinestones to cover my mistake! The edging is done with a Pilot silver paint pen.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SSS Life is a Journey
Ink: various hero arts, SU! and PTI
Paper: cardstock-SSS card kit, DP-MME
Accessories: pilot paint pen, oval Nesties, foam dots-Jody Morrow, silver EP-SU!, Tiny Twinkles-TE

Winter Pillow Box for Unscripted Sketches

I decided I am going to make an effort to make items other than cards for my Unscripted Sketches design team projects. I was looking through my alterables and the first thing I found was this pillow box.

I ordered a few of these as possibilities for my sister’s wedding but they were way, way too big. I find it hard to judge sizes unless something is in front of me. Anyway, I swiped the edges with Versamark then added a mix of white and blue embossing powder and white glitter to the pillow and label. The blue snowflake has heat n stick powder and white glitter on it.

I do hope you will join us at Unscripted Sketches this week. You at least want to visit to see all the awesome projects made by the design team! They are really awesome this week (I think I am going to find myself saying that EVERY week; these girls are talented!) You can make any type of project you like; we welcome things other than cards like scrapbook pages, packaging, notebooks or journals, home dec like configurations, frames, wall art or boxes, sewing projects, mixed media, even ornaments! Or anything else you can think of!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SU!
Ink: baha-SU!
Paper: echo park, kraft pre-made box
Accessories: snowflake buttons (backs removed) Jesse James buttons, Snowflake dies-Spellbinders, ribbon, white, blue EP, Dazzling Diamonds glitter-SU!, foam dots-Jody Morrow

Love This Kite Card for Unscripted Sketches

Welcome to another Unscripted Sketches card. This one was really fun!

I decided that I was going to embellish each of the horizontal lines on the sketch rather than leaving them plain. I adore the ‘love this’ font. It’s from a new SSS stamp set I got in a card kit.

Thanks for coming by to visit! I hope you will come by the US blog to play with us! We are always looking for new people with new styles and takes on the sketch to wow us!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamp: Love this-SSS
Ink: Memento Teal Zeal, Frayed burlap distress
Paper: kraft cs-PTI, DP-MME, cheap white CS
Accessories: MME sticker, aqua ribbon-Really Reasonable Ribbon, MS lace punch, buttons, twine-PTI

My First Unscripted Sketches Post as a DT Member!

Although it was announced last week, I am proud to let you all know for the first time here that I am a DT member of Unscripted Sketches!

I am so excited and thrilled to have been accepted. I haven’t been on a DT since I was preggy with Teddy and he is almost two! So it’s awesome that I was accepted to the first team I tried out for! Yahoo! So without further ado…

I mustn’t be too bright because until I read the design team requirements, I didn’t realize that the ‘unscripted’ part of Unscripted Sketches means you have free reign to make any project you like, adjust the proportions, flip, rotate or alter the sketch if you find it more inspiring to do so. As long as you link to our challenge and have a design that we can still tell came from our sketch, it’s all good! I love that freedom! So much more fun!

I do hope that you will come out and play our sketch this week! And if you love our sketches, be sure to subscribe to Unscripted Sketches by email so you never miss any and show you love us by adding our blinkie to your blog!

Thanks so much for visiting, be sure to visit again!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Ink: frayed burlap
Paper: DP-SSS kit, blushing bride CS-SU!, doily-Wilton
Accessories: prima flowers (large), small flowers-Really Reasonable Ribbon, Copic marker R83, Y35 (airbrushing doily and small flowers, pearl colouring), Hug Snug seam binding ribbon (hand dyed by me), twine-PTI, sticker-SSS kit, pearls-Dollarama

Love Us Anniversary Card

I got a new Simon Says Card kit and decided to work ahead and make my hubby’s anniversary card early! Our anniversary isn’t until November 25th so I am way, way ahead!

I always remember the anniversary and we make plans but I forget about the card until the very last second. And if you know me, you know that I NEVER make things until the last minute. I added a red heart for each member of our family. I accidentally cut the patterned paper too short so that’s why the banner is at the bottom. I know it isn’t that balanced but hubby won’t mind :) I should have cut the DP and placed the gap behind the banner but for some reason I didn’t think of that ‘til now.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Love This-SSS
Ink: Versamark
Paper: black CS-PTI, DP-SSS kit
Accessories: heart die-SSS, paperclip-SSS kit, Nestabilities die, foam dots-Jody Morrow

Gold Embossed Card

I tried something new on this card. I added a sprinkling of embossing powder to the ink I used (direct to paper) to accent the dry embossing.

Some of it stuck to the bit of ink that got on the debossed areas so I brushed it off with a soft brush. The circles that look really dark are just mirrored gold sequins. I promise they aren’t dark brown!

This card is for Cardabilities #80 (unfortunately, I am several week’s behind) and Joan’s Gardens.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Ink: Encore gold pigment ink
Paper: white CS-PTI
Accessories: Anna Griffin embossing folder-Sizzix, gold ribbon, lace, large gold bead, white bead-stash, corsage pins, pearls-Michaels, small gold bead-Fore Mountain Beads, rose-Jesse James buttons, sequins-Fabricland, gold EP-SU!

Crystal Blue Persuasion Necklace and Earrings

Since the Monday (shabby and grungy) SSS challenge blog with the theme of anything goes said we were welcome to enter jewellery, I decided to enter a set I made a couple weeks ago.

I made it hoping to get on a design team but turns out they only accept US residents. I even have a US addy I can use but unfortunately, the reason is for speed of delivery and that’s something I can’t offer at that address. I had won a prize of beads from this same company so I used mostly their beads to make this. All the pearls are from ZnetShows.

The crystals are Swarovski, though Znet also has amazing crystals, and the lampwork bead is one I fell in love with years ago when I bought it but it’s not just an bead and I hadn’t found the right home for it until I made this necklace.

I’m afraid my loops aren’t quite perfect on these earrings though what looks like a lot in a close up photo is probably only a mm or 2 IRL. I made my own earwires for the first time and I was pretty proud.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE (as above) plus silver head pins, silver lobster clasp, rhinestone rondelles-Ebay, Beadsmith 19 strand wire, extender chain

Home Sweet Home Pumpkin Mixed Media Canvas

Creating this was interesting on so many levels. I’m trying to enjoy fall more by decorating my house a bit. These aren’t colours that go with the little I have decorated but it’s still fun.

I hate fall because it brings cold weather right after I’ve enjoyed summer so much and is a forerunner to winter with even more cold. But I really wanted to enter a couple challenges that this theme worked with. I experimented with a new medium, water soluble oil pastels. And I tried out some other new techniques like adding colour to my embossing paste and not the background.

So here’s how it’s made.

1. add crumpled tissue paper to the background. I used one with birds, leaves and bird cages. Use gel medium underneath and on top of the tissue and allow some wrinkles to form.
2. add gesso mixed with water over hte top. Create as much opacity as you like. I often add two layers to make sure I don’t get too much coverage the first time.
3. This step is one I don’t know I’d use again but it was fun experimenting. Add dark brown oil pastel around the edges and over the edge, about 1”. add a lighter brown inside that. Buff with a rag and add gilder’s wax to the outside edge spreading some colour across  into the center of the canvas. (this didn’t end up showing in the end, I’ll explain as I go).
4. add music paper to the bottom of the page with gel medium, colour with alcohol ink.
5. add lace.
6. Die cut ivy tendril and flourishes, sponge and stamp them
7. cut sentiment from paper pack and add gold paint pen to edges in distressed (not perfect) way
8. tear oval shapes from orange paper. I used a die to tear against so my shapes were torn but still smooth-ish on the edges. cut a stem. ink all edges and assemble adding a twine bow .
9. add pumpkin and flourishes to canvas with gel medium. Use layers of scrap paper under upper portion of pumpkin to raise it to the height of the bottom portion which is over the lace. I didn’t make sure it met the edge of the lace.
10. add embossing paste to top of canvas using a stencil. Allow to dry without using heat gun. I found when I used the heat gun, it brought the oil from the oil pastels to the surface and made it shiny. When I buffed it, quite a lot came off and I had to add back more colour. It never looked quite as good as it did in the beginning.
11. when paste is dry, add green and brown ink. the good thing about the oil pastel background is it resists inking so the colour only sticks to the leaves. a nice bonus and something to think about when I use pastels next time.
12. add sentiment using layers of scrap cardstock behind it instead of foam dots. not only was a worried about the foam dots sticking on the oily pastel background, it is more sturdy to use cardstock.
13. add antique linen distress stickles to the pumpkin using a thin layer and to the heart in the sentiment using a thick layer. The moisture from the stickles and the uneven backing to the pumpkin allowed it to warp slightly which is a shabby look I quite like.

I’m entering this in the holiday SSS Wednesday blog challenge Anything Goes, the Mixed Media Colour Challenge to make a holiday themed project, the SSS Monday blog challenge Anything Goes and TSTR 190 to make a project using a pumpkin.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: fancy flourishes-PTI
Ink: artichoke-PTI, Vintage photo Distress
Paper: Simple Stories
Accessories: Portfolio Oil Pastels, homemade embossing paste, Crafter’s workshop stencil, gilder’s paste-?, lace-stash, ivy die-Poppy, flourish dies, twine-PTI, Krylon paint pen, tissue-?, gel medium, gesso-Golden, canvas-Dollarama, nesties ovals (as tearing templates)

Hi Inlaid Die Cuts Card

I won a set of alphabet dies from Taylored Expressions a few months ago and I decided to use them for the PTI Make It Monday challenge to embed die cuts in the background.

I used washi tape for the black dots. The paper is from Webster pages I think. You can check out the post on Nichole’s blog for directions but the basic idea is that you use the dies to cut the shapes out of the background then also out of a contrasting paper and put the die cuts into the holes in the background. Easy right? I thought my die cuts didn’t have enough contrast so I inked them. Tricky since I’d already adhered them into the background but I cut the dies again from scratch paper and used the negative space as a mask. I also cut the letters from the same paper as I used on the card; the holes are hiding underneath the white panel! :)

I’m also entering this in Seize the Sketch 7. And in the SSS Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Ink: Berry Sorbet
Paper: white CS-PTI, DP-Webster's pages
Accessories: TE alpha dies, heart die-PTI, washi tape-Queen and Co

Winter Wishes Tags for PTI October Blog Hop

Welcome to Paper Trey Ink's October Blog Hop. This month's theme was to make a set of at least 5 holiday gift tags. I don't celebrate any holidays so I just made some fun winter themed tags.

I dyed my own ribbon for this project. The first batch I used some reinkers that ended up splitting into too many purple tones so I redid it with only a greenish navy. That worked perfectly. Then I added some pewter Distress stain to add a metallic sheen which looks pretty IRL but is impossible to photograph and just looks white. Oh well. It’s also impossible to see the glitter I added to the snowflakes with glitter embossing powder.

The die cut is very intricate and dainty and therefore would be hard to adhere except for a new product I used, E6000 adhesive spray. It is messy as there is lots of overspray so use scratch paper or your craft sheet and be sure to hold it in place for at least 1 minute as it isn't very tacky at first. Other than that learning curve, it's a great product! It also says to clean out the entire nozzle and straw after every use which is a huge pain but I've not done it and so far, so good!

Enjoy the rest of the hop! Rebecca

RECIPE

Stamps: SU!
Ink: night of navy-SU! Versamark
Paper: white, blue CS-SU!
Accessories: tag die, buttons-PTI, snowflake die-Memory Box, Hug Snug seam binding, silver cord, iridescent ice EP-SU! Distress stain-Ranger, E6000 adhesive spray

A Tweet Thank You

This is the card I made after the ghost stamping didn’t work. It’s much better than my first try which is hiding under the top panel. I’m thrifty like that!

I love how Hero Arts pale tomato ink looks on kraft CS. It’s hard to find a soft red that doesn’t look pink. I love it when I find papers and a design that look good as a guy card and I didn’t even struggle with the design! In fact, this was a rare time when I had an idea in mind BEFORE I started to stamp AND the card ended up like I envisioned. So many designers can just dream up card while they are somewhere else, then sketch or make notes and come home and make it.

Not me! I usually start with a reason for the card (like an occasion or person it’s for) and/or some kind of challenge, pull supplies that might work and see what inspires me from there. I wish I could dream up cards in my time spent waiting or when I’m watching the kids and can’t get to my craft room! How do you design your cards?

I’m always teasing Kristina Werner by commenting on her cards that it wouldn’t be a ‘Kristina’ card without her signature dash lines on it. Once I got this card completed, it looked unfinished without anything to separate the top layer from the matching colour card base. I was going to sponge the edges like I usually do but it just didn’t seem to suit the style. So I added some dash lines and I quite like how they look on this style of card.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Giving Thanks-SSS
Ink: Pale tomato, cup o joe, green fields-HA, summer sunrise-PTI, Paper: Lawn Fawn DP, kraft CS-PTI
Accessories: may arts twine, frayed burlap Distress marker

Ghost Stamping Flowers Card

I hosted a new swap on Swap-Bot for ghost stamping as shown by Jennifer McGuire a while back. I love the look but struggled to find the right stamps at first.

First I tried using the tree from the giving thanks set. Not such a good look. I think it best suits backgrounds and single images. It looked weird when I tried to create a scene with it. So I redid that card, I’ll post it soon, and started this one since I still needed a ghost stamped card for the swap. I’m really happy with how it turned out. It’s rare that I make a one layer card but I could make a ton of these happily! Maybe I should make a set and keep them as a hostess gift! I like making some small things and keeping them on hand as gifts.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Giving Thanks
Ink: Hero Arts pale tomato, cup o joe , lemon tart, summer sunrise-PTI, white-Versamagic
Paper: kraft-PTI
Accessories: rhinestones-Dollarama, Zva Creative, Y35 Copic

Giving Thanks Card

One of my favourite new stamps is this Giving Thanks stamp from the October SSS card kit. I love the font and its such a nice sentiment especially since i make so many think you cards.

This was another Retro sketch challenge (84) that I forgot to link up. What is wrong with me? I’ve got to start blogging my cards right away, like the same night! I stuck with the sketch pretty closely just changing the spacing to accommodate the sentiment and not tearing the ends of the strips there there’s a gap.

These papers and sequins area really fun. The heart is also a SSS product, their hearts die with all the different sizes and shapes. I’m enjoying making some quick and easy CAS cards with my kits. Its a whole new way of looking at card making and I’m getting some products I’d never choose on my own so its a refreshing change. If you visit for the shabby cards, don’t worry, there will still be plenty of those!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Giving Thanks
Ink: Teal Zeal-Memento
Paper: Lawn Fawn DP, Bazzil cardstock from kit, scrap white CS for heart
Accessories: hearts die, foam dots- Jody Morrow, Lawn Fawn sequins

Sea Shell Mixed Media Canvas

I ADORE anything beachy or ocean-related and I was in desperate need of some decor for my powder room AND I’m learning to do mixed media so this is what I created!

It also happens to be perfect for this week’s SSS Monday Challenge Blog to create something with a nautical theme!

I used die cut paper, lace, washi, glitter and charms to create little spots of interest on the sides of the canvas.

You can see the shells I stamped. Because they were stamped with dye ink on acrylic paint, they didn’t dry so I clear embossed them. Since they didn’t stand out as much as I had hoped, I added some Faber-Castel Big Brush pen and smudged it in to accent them just a bit.

The stamps are part of a sheet of rubber I bought so sorry, I don’t know who created them. Maybe Rubber Buggy Bumpers? They are out of business now. The background is music paper and book paper in three languages (French and Dutch) on top of a canvas board and then covered in gesso and paint.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: large shells-SU!, small shell-Flourishes, other ‘botanical illustration’ stamps-stash
Paper: vintage music and book paper, hawaiian shores, aqua mist CS-PTI
Ink: hawaiian shores-PTI, Archival cobalt, potting soil
Accessories: charms, lace-stash, MFT scallop die, various PTI dies, washi tape-MME, shells-school supply store, E6000 glue, Golden Fluid Acrylic paints