The Final Challenges for 2013::Ombre Effect with cute monsters

I can't believe it is that last day of the 2013.  Where did the year go?  It has been an interesting year for us, good and bad, like for most people.  More good than bad, thank goodness.  I just wanted to post a final project that will be entered in the challenge at Craft Stamper Magazine and also Stampotique's Anything Goes challenge.

This panel is done on watercolor paper using Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions spray inks.  I kept blending areas down with water to create an ombre effect.  I used Stampotique stamps, the adorable HUG MONSTER and their phrase stamp.

So I'll say goodbye to 2013 and hello to 2014.  I hope everyone has an even better year this year.  Take care, thanks so much for stopping by! ~ Renee

AIRs Themed Project~My last DT project for Tsukineko

I'd like to begin this post by saying thank you to IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko and John Peterson.  This past year of being on their Design Team has been amazing and such a learning experience for me.  I appreciate the patience that John and YOU have shown me during this year.  I also appreciate the EXTREME generosity of Tsukineko, sharing so many of their wonderful products with me so that I could in turn share them with you.  At the end of the year I love their products even more than ever and will continue to use them and share my results with all of you.

The project that I chose to be my favorite "holiday" project may not seem like a holiday project at all but it is something that I dedicate one day a year to.  That day is January 1st and it is my favorite day of the year.  Every year I feel like the beginning of a new year is a time to reflect back on what I'm happy with from the previous year and things that weren't productive.  It is a wonderful "Goal Setting" day for me.

When my daughter was still at home this was a day that we reconnected with old friends with a phone call or a card.  It is also a list making day still for me.  I make a list of 101 things that I would like to make happen during the next year, that task takes longer than you might think!  But for this new year of 2014 I'd like to send a card like this one to let people know that I'm thinking of them.  Here is a short tutorial on how to make it if you're interested.

SUPPLIES

IMAGINE Crafts and Tsukineko

Inks:  Memento Luxe Bahama Blue, StazOn Jet Black, Brilliance Gamma Green & Brilliance Lightning Black

Imagine Crafts Clear Embossing Powder

Fireworks! Spray Ink in Bamboo Leaves color

Stamps

Inkadinkado

Other supplies

Ruby Rocket Red Embellishments, paper frame and rhinestones

Seam binding

Sizzix embossing folder

Big Kick machine (for dry embossing)

Watercolor paper

Heat gun

Stapler

Strong adhesive

White card stock cut to make a card measuring approx. 6” by 5”

DIRECTIONS

Cut a piece of water color paper to measure 5 ½” by 4 ½”.

Rub Gamma Green ink and Bahama Blue ink onto the inside pattern of an embossing folder.  Spray Fireworks! Spray ink onto inked inside of the folder.

Place a piece of watercolor paper into the inked folder and pass it through the Big Kick machine (or embossing machine of your choice).  Remove and dry with a heat gun.  You can get a couple of imprints by simply spraying the Fireworks! Spray into the folder and imprinting another piece of paper.  Distress the 

edges of the watercolor panel with the Green and Blue inks.

Color the seam binding ribbon with the Gamma Green ink and Bahama Blue ink, spray with Bamboo Leaves spray ink, crumple and allow to dry.  When dry tie it into a bow.

Using the Ruby Rocket It frames in the embellishment kit, turn the colored frame over to the white side.  Remove the center white portion of the frame.  Apply Gamma Green ink and Bahama Blue ink to the external part of the frame, dip into the embossing powder and melt with a heat gun.  This gives the frame an enameled look.

Take the center portion of the frame embellishment and stamp a sentiment onto it.  Fit the two pieces back together and apply tape on the reverse side to hold it together.

Staple the bow to the water color panel.  Using strong adhesive glue the framed sentiment to the center of the panel.  Adhere rhinestones to the frame.  Attach the watercolor panel to the blank card using a strong adhesive.

Distress the edges of the white card with Lightning Black Brilliance ink pad.

Thanks for stopping by today, I always enjoy your visits and comments.  Take care~Renee

100 Faces Project

I'm still drawing a face a day for 100 days, this is my second time around.  After the first 100 days of drawing faces I found that I missed not drawing one every day so I decided to just start again.  Today's face is one of a child done with my Magic pencil, Stabilo Aquarellable, on watercolor paper.  I did the blending with a little bit of gesso.  For some reason drawing a face a day is very relaxing and only takes a few minutes.  I have been able to draw some faces without the help of stencils which for me is tremendous progress.

Not perfect but then neither am I.  The more you draw the faces the easier it gets and you can actually chart your own progress by dating the projects.  If it has been your dream to draw faces I would highly recommend trying the stencils by Pam Carriker, Jane Davenport and Julie Balzer.

Try something new today, get out of your comfort zone.  Take care, thanks so much for stopping by!  I always appreciate your visits.  ~ Renee

Snow Day!

We only got 12"-18" of snow but that is enough to keep me close to home.  Very chilly out.  That makes it a good day to do laundry and work on some projects.  The Craft Stamper magazine has a call out right now for "Ombre Technique" work. This technique is a simple but effective way of blending color in a gradient of light to dark or vice versa. It is fun to do the ombre technique on paper rather than my hair.  I just can't see myself with blue hair but you never know.  I did a post card with a light blue color that gets darker near the bottom of the card.  It was fun I'll probably try it with several different colors.  Here is the link in the event that you want to play along.

I hope you're having a safe and warm weekend!  Take care ~ Renee

AIRs Artist Project of Choice:: LOVE card

Today for my AIRs Artist Project of Choice I'll be making a master board and turning it into an all occasion card.  You could make several cards, tags or a journal page using this master board and the embellishments from Ruby Rock It.

Here is a mini tutorial in the event that you'd like to make a card like this one.

SUPPLIES

From IMAGINE Crafts and Tsukineko

StazOn Black Solvent Ink

Brilliance Pearlescent Pigment Ink in Poppy, Olive, Thyme, Rocket Red Gold, Beige, and Lightning Black

Memento Dye Ink in Summer Sky color

Fireworks! Spray inks in Dandelion, Bahama Blue, Tangelo, Lady Bug, & Cottage Ivy

Stamps

Artistic Outpost text, Pam Carriker Heart, Stampotique & Dyan Reaveley

Other supplies

Black waxed twine

Pop dots

Adhesive

Heat gun

TCW Stencils

White Gesso

Card stock

Water color paper 140#

Embellishments from Ruby Rock It collection

DIRECTIONS

Apply an even light coat of gesso on a sheet of water color paper and allow it to dry.

Using the direct to paper method of application, apply Brilliance inks to the paper.  Spray inks with their corresponding Fireworks! Spray inks and allow inks to blend.  Dry with a heat gun.

Lay a stencil over the prepared paper and spritz with water, blot dry.

Lay a different stencil over paper and apply a thin coating of gesso.  Allow to dry.

Using a different stencil apply Brilliance Pearlescent Poppy ink randomly to the paper.  Allow to dry.

Cut panels to fit the size card that you want to make, in this case the watercolor panel is 4” by 6”.  Stamp and cut out a heart shape.

Using Ruby Rock It embellishments pop out hearts and circles, stamp them with text stamps, set aside.  Pop out an oval shape from collection and use the white side to stamp phrase on with the Lightning Black ink.  Distress the edge of oval shape with Poppy colored ink.

Mat watercolor panel on black card stock that measures a ¼” larger all around, mat on to white blank card that measures 4 ½” by 6 ½”.

Stamp heart on panel and then again on a scrap piece of water color paper.  Stencil red circles on to the second heart and cut out.  Attach the cut out heart on top of the stamped heart on the card.

Glue heart, oval and circles on to the card and attach a bow tied from black twine.

Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment if you have time, I love to hear from you.  Take care~Renee

Stampotique Challenge::SDC128 Week 2 of Anything Goes

Hey everyone!  Sorry I've been AWOL for a week, it is that time of year and I've been sick.  My daughter just happened to come for a visit last week and she spent most of her "vacation" taking care of old mom.  But with the help of modern medicine I am thankfully on the mend.

I thought it would be fun to participate in the Stampotique Challenge this week since it is "Anything Goes".  I was flexing my creative muscles today making get well cards and thank you cards for all the stews and soups my friends have brought for us this week.  I feel so spoiled.

I love the Stampotique stamp called "Global Warming".

Reminds me of what I see outside right now and we're due for more snow this weekend!  Stay warm and be healthy, talk to you soon ~ Renee

AIRs Artist Challenge using Ruby Rocket It paper collection and embellishments

Today I'm sharing how to make several cards using the same paper collection in about an hour.  The paper collection is called "Joyeux Noel" by Ruby Rocket It and has matching embellishments.

SUPPLIES

FROM IMAGINE CRAFTS & TSUKINEKO

StazOn Jet Black Ink

Brilliance Inks in Pearlescent Poppy, Lightning Black, Beige, Thyme, Olive, Galaxy Gold

Clear & Silver Embossing Powder

Stamps

Phrenology Head by Lost Coast, Pam Carriker, Hero Arts, Hampton Art

Other supplies

Ruby Rock It papers and embellishments, flowers, gold twine, rhinestones, etc.

Sizzix alpha & feather dies, Maya Road ribbons and flowers

Black waxed twine

Tissue Tape

Four blank cards

Two buttons, a needle and thread

DIRECTIONS

 Card #1

Cut coordinating paper from collection in strips and glue it to the front of a 5” by 7” card. 

Using strips of rhinestones from the collection, attach 3 strips of rhinestones across the middle.

Stamp sentiment across the bottom and heat emboss with silver embossing powder.

Pop out flower embellishments from the collection and glue to the left side of the card with ribbon.

Card #2

Cut a strip of red checked paper from the collection and glue it across the middle of a blank 5” by 7” card.

Use a feather die, cut six feathers from different coordinating papers from the collection, set aside.

Stamp sentiment across the bottom of the card and heat emboss with silver powder.

Sew buttons and flower onto the gingham ribbon with a needle and thread.

Glue feathers across the middle of the card.  Glue gingham ribbon that has buttons and flower sewn to it across the middle of the attached feathers.

Card #3

Stamp phrenology head onto white card stock using StazOn Jet Black ink.  Stamp numbers and diamond shapes randomly around the head.

Edge the white panel with Brilliance Lightning Black and Beige inks, heat emboss with clear powder.

Die cut letters from the same paper collection and glue across the front of the card.

Pop out flowers and flourish, attach to stamped panel.

Mat the white panel on to red coordinating paper that is cut ¼” larger.  Mat to white blank folded card.  Distress the edges of the card with Pearlescent Poppy ink.

Tie red Baker’s twine to the left side of card.  Tie gold twine from the Ruby Rocket It ribbon collection to the red twine.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you'll give one of these quick cards a try.  Take care ~ Renee