The Captain

Hi Friends! 

I hope all of you are having a great week so far!

Today I am sharing this Mixed Media vintage style card on the Artistic Outpost blog and wanted to share it with you here as well.

This card uses the January 2017 AAO Release stamp set The Captain along with the AO Steampunk Gears Dies, AO Vagabond Treasures Collection 6x6 Paper, AO Grunge Elements stamp set and ODBD Pierced Rectangles Dies (all available from Our Daily Bread Designs).

I am going to link this card to the Splitcoaststampers Free for All F4A348 "Back to the Future" Challenge (from 10/21/16- so thankful that their challenges do not "expire") as well as the Word Art Wednesday #268-#269 "Anything Goes" Challenge. 

If you have not had a chance to visit us at the AO Blog yet or the challenge sites yet, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous inspiration is posted weekly from all of my AO Design Team sisters on the AO Blog and the challenge sites have fabulous examples in their galleries as well!

To create this card:

1). Ink the ship image from AO The Captain with archival black ink onto a piece of vanilla cardstock with vintage photo distress ink, use a black pen to add details to the sails, etc. and “antique” the paper with neutral distress inks.  Ink the compass image from AO The Captain for the corner, add distressing with the large splatter stamp from AO Grunge Elements and stamp the coffee stain image from AO Grunge Elements with picket fence distress stain.  When you are satisfied with the “antiquing” of the panel, die cut and emboss with the ODBD Pierced Rectangles Dies (the largest frame in the set).

2). Cut a panel of the AO Vagabond Treasures Collection 6x6 Paper Pad with the ODBD Pierced Rectangles Dies (the largest frame in the set), trim this panel and add to a black cardstock card front along with the stamped panel in step 1.

2). Cut a strip of the gear patterned paper from the AO Vagabond Treasures Collection 6x6 Paper Pad, mount onto espresso cardstock , lightly sand with a sanding block before sponging vintage photo distress ink over the edges.  Mount this strip to cover the seam on the joined papers on the card front.  Add a torn strip of the same gear patterned AO Vagabond Treasures Collection paper to the lower left corner (distressing with the sanding block followed by distress ink using a sponge dauber).

3). Die cut and emboss several of the gears from the AO Steampunk Gears Dies from espresso cardstock, mount onto the card front with antique brass brads.

4). Ink the sentiment from AO The Captain with archival black ink, stamp onto vanilla cardstock, antique with distress inks and the compass image from AO The Captain before die cutting and embossing with a smaller die from the ODBD Pierced Rectangles Dies.

5). Stamp the captain image from AO The Captain stamp set with archival black ink, stamp onto vanilla cardstock, sponge antique linen distress ink over the image, fussy cut and mount onto black cardstock, fussy-cutting close to the stamped image.

6). Mount the entire card front onto the espresso card base and add the sentiment along with the captain image using dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Thanks again for taking the time to visit my blog- I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend!

The Captain

Grunge Elements

Steampunk Gears Dies

Vagabond Treasures Paper Collection

Pierced Rectangles Dies

Artistic Outpost New Release and Blog Hop!

Hi Friends!  Today is the day for the March release from Artistic Outpost!!   Six fabulous new stamp sets and endless possibilities (please see below for more details) :-)

Grunge Elements, The Golf Club 

To allow you to continue with the Artistic Outpost March New Release blog hop, I will have more details on how to create these cards in future blog posts :-)

Harvest, Seed Packets Background and Grunge Elements

The six new stamps sets are Grunge Elements (a wonderful set that will complement all of the stamps in the Artistic Outpost collection), The Golf Club (fabulous for feminine and masculine cards),  Harvest and Seed Packets Background (wow, these two can be used individually or together for some very unique cards), Bottle Caps Background and Ice Cream Shoppe (another set that complement one another or can be used separately)...

Grunge Elements

The Golf Club

Harvest

Seed Packets Background

Bottle Caps Background 

Ice Cream Shoppe 

There is so much inspiration from my sister Artistic Outpost Designers- please continue to hop along with us and leave a comment at each blog-  you may win a prize:

Prize Information: 

Just for commenting on the Design Team Blog Posts, you have a chance to win a $15 Gift Certificate to the ODBD Website.  You have until April 1, 2016 at 10:00 PM CDT to leave comments on the participating AO DT blogs for a chance to win! One random winner will be selected from the comments left on the designers blogs, the winner will be announced on the AO Blog on April 2, 2016, be sure to check back there to see if you have won! 

Julie Gearinger  (you are here)

Avril Bailey

Lisa Somerville 

Shari Trumbull 

Terry Horrall 

Tracy Evans

Thanks again for stopping by- good luck!  Have a great week and I am looking forward to seeing what you create with the new March release from Artistic Outpost!

Artistic Outpost- Winter Walk Friendship Never Melts

Hi Friends!

Today I am sharing my project from the Artistic Outpost blog :-)

I realize that spring has arrived and we are celebrating Easter this weekend, but I do like to create Christmas and winter cards all year round and just love the combination of the two Artistic Outpost stamp sets, Winter Walk and Skating Emporium :-)

I am also including this card in the Splitcoaststampers’ Ways to Use It WT567 “Baby It’s Cold Outside”Challenge (to use cool colors) along with the Mixed Media Monthly Card March Challenge #21 "Trees" with opt. birds and the TPD March Tic-Tac-Toe Card Challenge (diagonal- Ribbon, Stamps and Emboss).   

I hope you will take the time to visit the Artistic Outpost Blog as well as the galleries for the challenge sites linked above- fabulous inspiration :-)

To create this card:

Ink the interior of the Tim Holtz® (TH) Poinsettia Knit Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder with Ranger® TH  Evergreen Bough Distress Stain and emboss a piece of retired Stampin’ Up! (SU!) Baked Brown Sugar cardstock.

Trim the edges, spritz with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint Spray and use a sewing machine with the zigzag stitch to adhere to a piece of retired Forest Foliage (SU!) cardstock.

With the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Beautiful Borders Dies, cut a border from Forest Foliage cardstock, adhere to the embossed background and add the strip of light taupe/gold satin ribbon (Offray®- Oatmeal from my stash) along with the strands of pearls.

Mount the entire background panel onto the Baked Brown Sugar (SU!) card base.

De-static a piece of Whisper White (SU!) cardstock with the Embossing Buddy®, ink the Winter Walk stamp set from Artistic Outpost(AO) with Versamark™  ink, stamp onto a prepared cardstock, add the retired Forest Green Stampin’ Emboss® Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Close up of the texture of the background along
with the pine branches :-)

Once the image has cooled, use a sponge dauber to apply TH Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress Inks over the embossed image, spritz with water to soften the ink and gently wipe with a paper towel.

Trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Forest Foliage cardstock, add dimensional foam to the back and adhere the panel to the card front.

Use the Big Shot™ with the ODBD Lovely Leaves Dies to cut the pine needle branches from Forest Foliage cardstock, mount the branches to the card front and add the triple light gold satin ribbon bow.

Hard to see the gold embossing on the sentiment - looks
better IRL :-)

Even though I like the plain version (I thought I could use it as a note card), I decided to add a sentiment and heat embossed the “Friendship Never Melts Away” sentiment from Skating Emporium using Gold Embossing Powder onto Forest Foliage cardstock.

Once the embossing powder cooled, I cut the sentiment apart and added to the card front to finish off the card (it looks better IRL since it is difficult to read the sentiment in the photo).

Stamp Sets: Winter Walk and Skating Emporium (Artistic Outpost)

Ink: Versamark™,Ranger® Tim Holtz® Evergreen Bough Distress Stains, Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress Inks, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint Spray

Paper: Whisper White, retired Forest Foliage and Baked Brown Sugar (all Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories: Big Shot™,  ODBD Beautiful Borders Dies, ODBD Lovely Leaves Dies, TH  Knit Poinsettia EF, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® Forest Green and Gold EP, Heat Tool, Sewing Machine, Pearls, 5/8” Oatmeal Satin Ribbon (Offray®)

Would you be so kind to let me know in the comments, if you were the recipient, which one would prefer to receive- with or without the sentiment?  I read each and every comment and would so appreciate your input!! 

Thanks again for stopping by- hugs and have a wonderful Easter weekend!

The Ornament of A House....

Hi Friends!

I am sharing my Mixed Media card on the Artistic Outpost blog today and I am featuring the Artistic Outpost stamp set,  The Outpost .

I love the images and sentiments in this stamp set and designed my card using the top row colors in the Splitcoaststampers’ CC573 Bingo Color Challenge  along with the MIX163 “To Die For” Challenge (I used a rectangle die for the main image) as well as the Mixed Media Card Challenge #21 Trees (with optional bird).  

I hope you will find the time to visit the Artistic Outpost Blog as well as the Splitcoaststampers' galleries for the challenge sites linked above- so many creative ideas and inspiration!

To create this card:

Use an Embossing Buddy® to de-static a piece of Whisper White cardstock and using Versamark™ Ink, stamp the main house image from The Outpost onto the prepared panel.

Apply Stampin’ Emboss® Early Espresso Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.

Once the embossing powder has cooled, create a mask with a 1 ¾” Circle Punch and add the mask to the panel (also create a mask for the house image).

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Strawberry Slush and Soft Sky Classic Ink to the sky area and an Aqua Painter to add Old Olive Classic Ink to the foreground.

Ink the script stamp from The Outpost using Soft Sky Classic Ink and stamp over the sky area (a bit difficult to see in the photo).

Use the Big Shot™ with the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Double Stitched Rectangle Dies to cut the panel (I used the die that fit the height of the image but it was a bit too long on the length, so after the initial die cut, I re-inserted the panel back into the die on the one end and ran it back through the Big Shot™ to shorten the rectangle length).

Mount the die cut panel onto Early Espresso cardstock, trim and mount onto Soft Sky cardstock. 

Use a Sponge Dauber with Early Espresso Classic Ink to add a bit of “antiquing” to the image., create the “photo corners” using a 1” Square Punch and add to the opposite  corners of the main die cut panel using Antique Brass Brads.

Mount a piece of Soft Sky cardstock to the Early Espresso 5.5” square card front, use a Distressing Tool to distress the edges of a piece of Beautiful Boho Collection 6x6 Paper (ODBD) and use a Sponge Dauber to apply Early Espresso Classic Ink to the edges.

Add the strip of Old Olive cardstock at the bottom of the card front and cover the edges with white lace and 1” Dark Brown Satin Ribbon (both were from my sewing stash).

Mount the entire layered panel onto a 5.5” square white card base, add the lace to the corner of the focal image and mount the embossed house panel onto the card front with dimensional foam.

Using Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder, emboss the sentiment onto prepped Early Espresso cardstock and allow the powder to cool before cutting the words apart.

Add the sentiment to the card front using dimensional foam and add pearls to the upper right hand corner as well as diagonally on the lace corner of the house image panel to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: TheOutpost (Artistic Outpost)

Ink: Versamark™, Stampin’ Up! Classic Ink- Old Olive, Soft Sky, Early Espresso, retired Strawberry Slush

Paper: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Soft Sky; Beautiful Boho 6x6 Paper Collection (ODBD)

Accessories: Big Shot™, ODBD Double Stitched Rectangle Dies, AquaPainter™, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® White and Early Espresso Embossing Powder, Pearls, Ounches- 1 ¾” Circle, 1” Square; Antique Brass Brads, 1” Dark Brown Satin Ribbon and White Flat Lace (from my stash)

Thanks again for stopping by- hugs and I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Life's Roughest Storms...

Hi Friends! 

I hope you have had a relaxing weekend so far!  My hubby and I were able to relax this afternoon and, of course, I had to take time a card since stamping and designing are one of my favorite ways to relax.

I designed this card using the Two Paper Diva’s February 2016 Sketch Challenge (a new challenge site for me) along with the Word Art Wednesday #220 "Anything Goes" Challenge and the Splitcoaststampers' Alphabet Challenge (A is for Anchor) :-).

I decided to hand tear the curved edge for the sketch and the sentiment is covering part of the curve (but I think you can still see it :-)).

If you have not already visited the above sites, I hope you will have a chance to do so- both sites have wonderful Design Team samples and entries!

To create this card:

Using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink, stamp the anchor scene from Anchor the Soul(ODBD) set onto Very Vanilla cardstock and color with Stampin’ Write Markers- Soft Sky, Sahara Sand, Smoky Slate, Blushing Bride, Pink Pirouette and Baked Brown Sugar.

Use Clear Wink of Stella®  to add a  bit of glimmer to the sand, seashells and anchor and die cut with the Big Shot™ and Double Stitched Circle Dies (ODBD).

Die cut another circle (the same size) with the Double Stitched Circle Dies (ODBD) from Basic Black cardstock, split the Basic Black circle in half and adhere the focal image to the black circle halves.

Sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the edges and use the Color Spritzer Tool with the retired Stampin’ Write Baked Brown Sugar marker to add distressing over the sand area and sky area.

Trim a piece of Typeset Designer Specialty Paper, mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock, sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the edges and mount onto the Whisper White card base.

Cut three strips of the Going Places Designer Series Paper, hand tear the lower edge to create a curve for the sketch, distress the edges with the Distressing Tool, mount onto Basic Black cardstock and sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the edges.

Mount the three strips onto the card front (the center strip flush to the card front and the two side strips with dimensional foam).

Tea stain a piece of 1 ¼” Burlap Ribbon (cut the edges off , pull apart and tea stain using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tattered Twigs Distress Stain (spritzing water over the stained burlap ribbon and drying carefully with the Heat Tool).

Add the burlap to the card front and mount the focal image using dimensional foam.

Use the Embossing Buddy® to prepare a scrap piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and a piece of Basic Black cardstock.

Stamp the sentiment from Anchor the Soul with Versamark™ ink and stamp onto the Basic Black cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.   Once the embossing has cooled, trim the panel close to the sentiment.

Ink the seashells from Beyond the Sea (Artistic Outpost) using Versamark™ Ink and stamp onto the prepared piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Once the embossing has cooled, color the seashells with Stampin’ Write Markers (Sahara Sand and retired Primrose Petals) and carefully cut out the seashells.

Knot a length of Hemp Twine, apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tattered Twigs Distress Stain (spritzing water over the stained burlap ribbon and drying carefully with the Heat Tool) to tea-dye the twine, twist the ends to fray the twine and mount onto the card front.

Add the sentiment to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Anchor the Soul (Our Daily Bread Designs), Beyond the Sea (Artistic Outpost)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Stampin’ Write Markers-Blushing Bride, Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky, Sahara Sand, Smoky Slate, retired Baked Brown Sugar; Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tattered Twigs Distress Stain, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink, Clear Wink of Stella®

Paper/Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Basic Black; Typeset Specialty DSP, Going Places DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, Double Stitched Circle Dies (ODBD), Sponge Dauber, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® White and Black Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Color Spritzer Tool, 1 ¼” Burlap Ribbon, Hemp Twine, Distressing Tool

Thanks again for stopping by- it is true, with Christ as our Savior and Anchor, we can go through life’s roughest storms! 

Have a blessed week, my friends!

TCC47 Warm Winter Roses

Hi Friends!!

It’s time for new The Card Concept #TCC47 "Floral Elegance" Challenge!  I just love this neutral color palette along with all of the different floral textures in this cake from our fabulous photo inspiration- don’t you? 

For my Mixed Media card, I combined the colors along with a fun textured background (a bit difficult to see the texture in the photo but IRL it almost feels like leather :-)).

Just a reminder that the Card Concept is a bi-weekly challenge that has an inspiration photo along with a number of design styles that you can choose from to create your card- Clean and Simple, Clean and Graphic, Clean and Layered, Shabby Chic, Freestyle Collage, Classy and Elegant and Mixed Media.  

I hope you have a chance to visit us at The Card Concept and check out the rest of our Design Team samples as well as the other challenge sites- fabulous inspiration from all!

I have also linked this card to the Artistic Outpost January 2016 “Show us Your AO Art Challenge"- wonderful designs in their gallery as well:-)

To create this card:

On a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, apply Liquidtex® Matte Gel Medium and layer pieces of white tissue paper over the gel (allowing the paper to crinkle a bit).

Carefully use a Heat Tool to speed up the drying process and apply ProArt® Gesso® over the surface.

Once the Gesso® has dried, add color using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Inks (layering, spritzing and drying with the Heat Tool between layers).

Once you are satisfied with the background, lay the Memory Box™ Winter Flurry Frame Stencil over the corners and remove the ink using a wet cloth (again, drying with the Heat Tool as you re-position the stencil and continue to remove the ink).

Ink the images from the Artistic Outpost (AO) Skating Emporium with Early Epresso Classic Ink (I used the snowflake and the Central Park Script stamps), repeatedly stamp onto the panel and cut out the panel with the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Double Stitched Rectangle Dies .

Mount the panel onto a piece of Smoky Slate cardstock, sponge Vintage Photo around the edges and mount onto a piece of Early Espresso cardstock.

Add the 1” Dark Brown Satin Ribbon Strip and mount onto the Smoky Slate card base.

Ink the Holly and the Ivy (A/O) image using Staz-On™ Jet Black Ink and stamp onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.

Using Sponge Daubers, apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Inks around the panel to color the background of the image.

Use a paint brush with Titanium White Acrylic Paint (dilute with a small bit of water) to highlight the fur on her collar/arms, ribbon in her hat and the flower at the top right.

Use the Big Shot™ with the (ODBD) Double Stitched Rectangle Dies to cut out the image (I had to re-position the image back into the die after the first pass to reduce the size of the rectangle), mount onto a piece of Smoky Slate cardstock, sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges and mount onto a piece of Early Espresso cardstock. 

Add the Holly and the Ivy panel onto the card front using dimensional foam.

Create the flowers from Very Vanilla and Smoky Slate cardstock using the My Favorite Things™ (MFT) Mini Royal Rose and Royal Rose Dies-use the Crimper Tool to crimp the paper before rolling into the flower and sponge a bit of Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink on the edges.

Use the Martha Stewart (MS) Leaf Punch to punch out the leaves from Early Espresso cardstock, crimp the leaves with the Crimper Tool and attach the leaves along with the flowers using Hot Glue to the card front to finish off the card.

I did not add a sentiment yet since I think this card could work for several occasions- Valentine’s Day, Birthday (Winter Months), Christmas or a “Thinking of You”...what do you think?

Stamp Sets: Holly and the Ivy, Skating Emporium (both Artistic Outpost)

Ink: Staz-On™ Jet Black, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress; Titanium White Acrylic Paint

Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Smoky Slate, White Tissue Paper

Accessories: Gesso®, Matte Gel, Big Shot™,  ODBD Double Stitched Rectangle Dies, MFT Mini Royal Rose Die, MFT Royal Rose Die, MS Leaf Punch, Crimper Tool, Sponge Daubers, MB Winter Flurry Frame Stencil, 1” Dark Brown Satin Ribbon, Paint Brush

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I hope you can gather your supplies and pick a style to create your own card for our gallery at The Card Concept!