Cherry Blossoms ATC

The sponsor of Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge blog this week #155 is Lacy Sunshine, the title being Cherry Blossoms :

This gorgeous gal is colored with copics, and fussy cut. The background is origami paper, which I muted with a thin layer of pink acrylic paint. The rhinestones and words were added at the end :)

Fave background ?

The stampotique challenge this week is favorite background, SDC 188. One of my favourite things to do is using molding paste and a stencil. What's so fun is that it always comes out differently depending on the paper you use, the medium you use to colorise it and the type of paste you use.

For this atc I used manilla card stock which is quite absorbant, whipped spackle and Dylusions sprays. I love how the color has bled beneath the paste in a few patches, coloring it. 

Twinkie is one of my favourite stamps by stampotique :) although you don't often see him so pumpkin like ! Lol

This atc is entitled Swaperoo. I know, we did this theme a little while ago in the Facebook Stampotique group, but Julie Cassidy chose the same title so I had to play again :

This is the other ATC I made to this theme, and with the same background technique :

The frog on the bike is so great, I wanted to humanise him a little. LOL. 'Bad idea' is right I think !

So bright tag

Agatha is feeling very bright this morning and enjoying her new angelic status :)

For the background I used a blue acrylic as a resist to the dylusions bubble gum pink I sprayed on. Its not exactly neon paint, but it sure glows and gives a similar effect.

Agatha is stamped in stazon, colored with inktense pensils and fussy cut. I stamped bee wings onto vellum and embossed them in a pearlised embossing powder and fussy cut them. The black is doodled.

I am entering this into the neon stampotique designers challenge and tag along angels challenge.

Altered Playing Card Challenge Week 20

My first Altered Playing Card features a smaller piece than is available in the  Southern Ridge Trading Company store, its the outer heart from HRT-479. 

 You make my heart flutter ... I loved that sentiment coupled with the imagery.

The background is painted with acrylic paint and I have doodled around the edge.

I actually further embellished this, adding butterflies in co-ordinating colors to give an ombre effect. Not sure which I prefer, they are both  nice.

What I really like about working with chipboard is the stability and depth of a piece. Here I had stamped and colored my butterfly image, the heart was painted and sanded. Then when it was all glued down I was able to add a thick layer of diamond glaze. It feels so scrumptious. 

The second Altered Playing Card :

The background is acylic paint, the heart is a die cut with origami b&w paper. I loved the sentiment that Claudine used, so I used it too. The dots were added with my black gelli role pen.

The two APC's :

Hope you found some inspiration here, thanks fro stopping by x

Spring is in the Air

The Wicked Wednesday challenge this week is to make an ATC to 'Spring is in the Air'. I made two :

The first is using an image from Nana Vics, called Duckling in the Rain :

 I used Neocolor II and copics to color the background and the image. I printed an additional umbrella image and fussy cut one, colored it, added it over the top of the existing one but shaped it to give dimension. The boots and outside of the umbrella have a layer of crystal effects :

I live in Canada and it is not yet spring here, but I hear that in the Vancouver area the cherry blossom is already starting to bud ... its only mid March, a little early yet ... I love cherry blossom and was drawn to this image, which is colored with copics. This image is called Nest in the Cherry Tree by A Day for Daisies.

The background is a patterned flower paper, Picadilly, a paper pack by Basic Grey.  I added a thin layer of gesso to mute it a little and sponged the edges with a similar pink to the flowers. The ATC is matted on white and then pink.

Hope spring is arriving where every you live, it always bring the feeling of life and fresh hopes :)

Scrap My Stash ATC's ....

I am part of a mixed media ATC trade group, and the February challenge was to Scrap my Stash. I have never done this before, so thought I would play. Basically you send an envelope of scraps to your partners. When you receive the envelopes you make an ATC for each of your partners using primarily the scraps they sent you, then you mail them back.  Seriously, how much fun is that !

So I sent packages of scraps to : Missy, Carolyn and Barb. They create and return the ATC to me.

Missy created this ATC for me, the package I mailed to her was predominantly blue and gold, with a touch of steam punk :) I absolutely loooove what she made for me, so clever how she collaged it. I love the Hunter S Thompson quote she used. Thanks so much Missy x

Barb created 3 ATCs from what I sent her, and there was me worrying I hadn't send enough scraps. LOL This package was lots of pink, especially the background papers, some stamped images and die cuts.  Love how Barb has cleverly used them all in these ATC's. Love the mushrooms with the butterflies especially.

And my final package went to Carolyn, she made 4 ATC's .... LOL - yes, I for sure sent enough scraps :) This was a real mixed bag of scraps, and because Carolyn was organising the trade, I really packed up her bag of goodies :) Aren't they awesome. My favourite is the sea horse one, I especially like how she unraveled the piece of green woolen trim I mailed to her.

I am expecting packages of scraps from : Alessandra, Dana and Dianne. I create and mail back to them.

Dianne's package came first and this is what I turned the scraps into, including using the stamp from the envelope she mailed, it was a beautiful wreath (top right). My inspiration for this was the quote  that I cut off from one of the patterned papers and the girl image. It reminded me of something from the Russian spy era. Top right is a large brad, she is Operator 0 as opposed to 007 etc :) I hope she likes it :

Dana's package was intriguing .... but the main thing that caught my eye was the bird die cut and I though bird - nest - tree. As you do !!! LOL. She had included a variety of colors in the package, pinks, purples and teal. What brought it all together was a black card stock that she had painted with these colors. This was cut up for leaves and I matted the ATC onto it. The nest was made from the doily she sent and the branches from a think brown tissue like paper. I added a few of the bling elements and the hearts became the birds wings. Again I used the stamp from the envelop she mailed, I like the sentiment "Freedom Forever". Love Warms Every Nest is from a stamp in my own stash, but it seemed appropriate :) I hope she likes it !

Alessandra's package contained quite a few lovely backing papers and a yummy napkin. But no focal image really. But the napkin had a passport entry stamp on it, which got me thinking of international postal. I have incorporated the stamps from the envelopes for each of my ATC trade partners, but for this one I decided to make it a focal point, adding a Canadian and French stamp as well. The wording "I'd rather leave while I'm in love' was from the music paper Alessandra included in her package. Monday this little traveller goes postal to Trinidad and Tobago, hope she likes it :)

Well wasn't that a fun ATC trade, I will do that again for sure :)

Thanks for stopping by xxx

Beautified my phone ...

A little while ago Claudine Criner acquired a clear phone case and made some art for her phone, which was awesome. Then my friend Cynthia made one for her phone, which I absolutely love and I started 'needing' that personalized art to beautify my phone too. Well, thanks to this absolutely GORGEOUS Dilly Beans Image #587, Penny's Heart String I have done it. I am sooo in love xxxx

I made this for my resident guest design team project at Not Just Cards Challenge Blog, they have great sponsors and there is really awesome samples and art there, you should check it out and link up something you have made :)

My phone cover is colored with copics and prisma color pencils, then I punched the hearts from the same paper colored with matching copics. The sentiment is from a set by 'Creative Expressions' called Thoughtful Sentiments. I thought it was just perfect. Its amazing what you find when you go through your stash ! lol

Here is a close up of Penny :

 Thanks for stopping by x

The Sky's the Limit Moo's

So I have never made a Moo, but the ART-EXchange trade group that I am in are doing this for March.

A mini Moo is 2 3/4" x 1 1/8" - I know a tiny card to work on !

I actually enjoyed creating more than I thought I would and made three Moo's : 

First is using the Silhouette dove set by Designs by Ryn. My thinking for this theme of The Sky's the limit was to be free and enjoy whats around you. I think 'Peace' would have worked great too.

To create this I sponged the background in spiced marmalade and shabby shutters and then I crumpled up the card stock and added some frayed burlap to the raised areas. then I stamped with a small detailed background stamp from Basic Grey :

Then I stamped the birds in versamark and embossed them with clear embossing powder. Finally I sponged the whole Moo with peacock feathers, and the embossed areas act as a resist so you can see the color and pattern beneath. Love embossing .... so much versatility.

I made three of these Moos and couldn't decide where to put the sentiment of 'free' so opted for a few alternatives. I am still not sure which I like best ?

How lovely to win the March challenge winner at the Designs by Ryn blog - a lovely surprise :)

My second Moo uses the a fab owl stamp from Viva Las Vegas Stamps. The sentiment is 'smart' as in intelligent, not as in smartly dressed, although he is that too :) When I created this I was thinking how using your 'smarts' definitely helps you achieve your dreams, whether that be academic, creative, common sense, motivation, attitude etc etc.

I did a technique on the background called bokeh, which is actually a photography technique, adapted here for stamping. To do it I sponged in a turquoise and peach, then over the top through a circle stencil with white craft ink. Cool isn't it :) I stamped my owl in black versafine ink, and added some white gel pen detail. 

For my third Moo, I just did stamping , using the free foot-print stamp from the Craft Stamper Mazagine from a few months ago, and passport stamps from a set by Crafty Individuals. The grid background stamp is from a retired Stampin Up background stamp. My thoughts here were travelling and experiencing different cultures and countries. There's a whole world out there ... lets go for it.... The Sky's the limit.

So this is what I will be mailing to my partners tomorrow, quite a nice and varied selection, and interpretation of the theme, I think. Hope they like them x

Going Green with Oddball

Well Top O The Mornin To Ya ! Its St Patricks Day soon and I seem to be making lots of green themed projects recently :) 

Oddball Arts have sponsored Wicked Wednesday this week, and the challenge is 'Going Green' :

I have used this sweet image Unicorn Girl.

The background is dylusions sprays, my image is not colored except for a few highlights. I have drawn four leaf clovers on the background  with a white prisma color pencil and made the one she is holding, by punching hearts and attaching them together. The letters are stamped individually and embossed in white and I sponged the ground.

Hope you will come and join us and link up your own 'Going Green' ATC :)

50 Shades of Green

Readers Progressive Blog Hop Giveaway!

Win a $20 gift certificate to spend at Lost Coast Designs!

March 11 - 30

Calling all fans of Lost Coast Designs and Carmen’s Veranda!

Starting today we are hosting our very first progressive blog hop on the Lost Coaster's Review blog and EVERYONE is invited to participate and be in the running to win a $20 gift certificate to spend at Lost Coast Designs!

Members of the Lost Coast Design Team kick off the hop today at 11am PST so pop on over, hop all the blogs, get inspired and join the fun!  Link up your own Shades of GREEN projects from today through to March 30 and keep the blog hop rolling!  Visit the Lost Coaster’s Review blog for all the participation details!  The winner will be announced on March 31 and some Honourable Mention blog badges are up for grabs too! 

For my blog hop creations I am using some of my favourite images. I just love the weird and wonderfully unique images Lost Coast Designs have. On this tag I have showcased this wonderfully dapper crocodile/alligator from the Misc Anthropomorths plate : 

My tag is sprayed with Dylusions inks and the image is stamped in Stazon ink. I then removed some of the green from his body and around him with water - a ghosting technique. The background is stamped randomly with the Leonardo Accessories script stamp, and edged and smudged in black ink. I stamped the letters and ground with versamark, masking the fellows feet. I used a pearlised embossing powder and heat set it.

The idea behind this is that firstly for a green project, it seemed appropriate to use a fellow who is normally green, a crocodile or alligator. (Lost Coast Designs actually have a wonderful alligator background stamp that would have been awesome for this project). But also I loved the play on words for his hop, the 50 shades reference. So keeping with this theme (LOL), my wording is slightly altered but references a certain British comedy program. The Fast Show. Not for the faint hearted ! LOL.

My second tag showcases one of the images from the Isle of Aud Creatures from Lost Coast Designs. I love how unique these guys are, they are totally and utterly fabulous.

I was most amused to couple him with this sentiment 'Yo' -  what a dude :)

The techniques are similar as for the above tag. And you see the little bit of orange that crept it ... naughty and not allowed in this hop, but the inside of my spray box is so saturated with ink, it absorbed into my tag when it was wet, and I thought it looked kinda cool :)

Tags are so fun to make, hope you found some inspiration here :)

Have fun hopping today :)

An InLinkz Link-up

Wicked Wednesdy #148

Wicked Wednesday is sponsored this week, #148 by Enchanted Dezigns Studio. I used the gorgeous Cupcake Cutie image by Concetta Kilmer.  

The challenge this week was to use three things from a long list. I chose use a die cut, Goth and Use sprays.

I wanted to do something a little bit different so I used a spellbinders due to cut this frame. 

Wonderful inspiration, as always, over on the Wicked Wednesday blog, check it out :)

Bee Ware ATC's

I have been creating Artist Trading Cards again, they are small, 2.5" x 3.5". I have used the gorgeous chipboard honey comb, MIS-274. I have used this before, but its just something I keep coming back to and working on this smaller scale was really fun. Its so easy to cut the chipboard, so one size fits all :)

My three ATC's, all slightly different :

 There are a number of elements on my ATC's, including honey in the comb, this is made with gold acrylic paint and crystal effects. The gorgeous bee image is from SCACD, a steam punk bee called Bee Ware - isn't it great.

A close up of my favourite ATC of the three, you can clearly see the embossing, the cogs, honey, chipboard and flowers - also for sale by SRTC at events. The bee and sky are colored with copics. You will see the embossing around but not on the bee - I did this by making a diffuser and then running it through my big shot. Love creating the metallic feel, then adding some flowers to soften it up.

Thanks for stopping by, and hope you found some inspiration here :)

Swaperoo ... ATC trade

The title for the Facebook Stampotique ATC trade this month is 'Swaperoo'. Namely swap body parts to come up with something new ... How fun.

Here are my ATC's :

Quite a few stamped images were involved in the creation of my new beings, but pleased be assured none were injured ! LOL I used mostly images from Magda Polakow and Daniel Torrente. I loved including the star, which is in the Agatha Star stamp, one weird person looking up at it and one down. Great accompanying sentiment from France Papillon, 'Living It'. It made me LOL.

The background is gesso, Neocolor II, whipped spackle and vintage photo distress ink. 

I cant wait to see what everyone comes up with for this ATC trade, I know they are all having lots of fun. This is the most well attended trade yet, 55 players, so fun to see everyone's creativity :) These little beauties will be making their way to the UK and the US, hope my swap partners like them :)

Thanks for stopping by x

Lovers ...

What a fun title for an ATC, and especially during February, the month of loooooove. I had the Bare Naked Ladies song 'Lovers in a dangerous time' playing through my head - love that song, and I'd say it enhanced the experience :)

Anyway, here is the ATC I created :

The background is distress and craft ink. I fussy cut the free silhouette image I downloaded - yes, a labour of love there .... LOL. The silver sequins and 'love' sentiment added later. The ATC is matted onto black card stock. Simple and yet very effective in my opinion - but I am biaised. LOL.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Use Some Red ...

At Lost Coast Designs we challenge you to use some red ...

Here is my card, featuring Housewife :

I used a wordprint paper for the background and added a thin and messy layer of gesso. Then I stamped the large frame from Shadow Frames. I clear embossed it and sponged the edges in dusty concord distress ink. The embossed area resists the ink here so it retains the creamy color beneath.

House wife is stamped in elderberry memento ink and colored with copics. I wanted to make the red really stand out, so used very pale colors for the rest of her. Her slippers were so much fun. I sprayed some mini pom poms red, they look so real. LOL Here is a close up of her :

If you have any Lost Coast Designs images, come over and join us, you might win the prize :)

Thanks for stopping by, hope you found some inspiration here x