For the Birds

Hi Friends!!

I had a chance to create another Clean and Simple (CAS) Mixed Media card using the Stamplorations™ For the Birds Clear Stamp set along with the CAS(E) ThisSketch #233 Sketch Challenge along with the AAA Cards CAS Game #95 Rainbow and the Stamplorations™ Never Ending "Anything Goes" Challenge.

If you have not already had a chance to visit the above challenge sites, I hope you will do so- gorgeous examples from their Design Teams as well as in their galleries!

To create this card:

1). Die cut a piece of Whisper White cardstock using the Stitched Hillside Borders Die, trim the edges and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock.

2). De-static the upper panel  with an Embossing Buddy®, stamp the sentiment from For The Birds with Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, apply Clear Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

3). Mount the entire panel onto the white card base.

4). Ink the For the Birds image with Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, apply Clear Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.  Color the image using Zig® Clean Color Real Brush Markers, use an AquaPainter™ (water brush) to soften and blend the color, fussy cut and adhere to the card front with dimensional foam. Use a Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen to add shimmer to the bird image.

5). Finish off the card with a few drops of Nuvo™ Jewel Drops- Rosewater, Pale Periwinkle and Orange Marmalade.

Stamp Sets: For the Birds (Stamplorations™)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black; Zig® Clean Color Real Brush Markers- Yellow, Orange, Blue, Light Green, Light Violet; Nuvo™ Jewel Drops- Rosewater, Pale Periwinkle, Orange Marmalade; Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories/Tools:  Big Shot™, MFT Stitched Hillside Borders Dies, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, AquaPainter™ 

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

Psalm 62:1- My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone

Hi Friends! 

Wow, I cannot believe that August 2016 will be over for us here in the Mid Atlantic in a few hours!!  This summer has gone by fast for sure :-)

I have a few more cards that I created with the Our Daily Bread Designs August 2016 Release stamps that I wanted to share and this card was designed with the new ODBD By The Sea stamp set along with the ODBD By The Shore Collection 6x6 Paper Pad.

I love the pelican image along with the verses and sentiments in the ODBD By The Sea stamp set as well as the new By The Shore Collection 6x6 Paper Pad- so many fabulous summer scenes and paper pattern designs! 

Psalm 62:1  "My soul finds rest in God Alone" is so comforting to me!

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my husband Dave and I enjoy watching birds- we find that enjoying nature and God's masterpiece of creation allows us to "Rest in Him" for sure! 

I am linking this card up to the Word Art Wednesday #246-#247 “Anything Goes”Challenge and the Splitcoaststampers’ MIX173 “Frame It” Challenge.  

I think that the large die from the ODBD Ornate Ovals Dies makes a very nice frame for the pelican, don't you?

If you have not had a chance to visit the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog or the two challenge sites yet, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Die cut and emboss a piece of dark brown cardstock with the ODBD Flourished Star Pattern Die, mount onto a piece of sky blue cardstock, trim close to the die cut and mount onto the white card base.

Die cut and emboss a piece of sand cardstock with the ODBD Lavish Layers Dies, mount onto a piece of the ODBD By The Shore Collection 6x6 Paper (die cut and embossed with the ODBD Rectangles Dies) and set aside.

Die cut an oval from the ODBD By The Shore Collection 6x6 Paper (I used the sky area) with the ODBD Ovals Dies and mount this oval onto a die cut a piece of white cardstock (die cut and embossed with the largest die from the ODBD Ornate Ovals Dies).

Stamp the sentiment from the ODBD By The Sea stamp set with archival black ink onto white cardstock, die cut and emboss with the ODBD Layered Lacey Ovals Dies and mount onto the layered panel created in the above step.

Ink the pelican image from the ODBD By The Sea stamp set with archival black ink, stamp onto white cardstock, color with watercolor pencils (adding just a bit of water and applying layers of color for more dimension), fussy-cut the image and mount onto the layered panel with dimensional foam.

Adhere the triple taffeta ribbon bow along with the antique brad in the center (wrap the ends of the ribbon behind the panel) and mount the entire panel onto the card front.

Add a white highlight to the pelican's eye with a extra fine white paint pen and use a clear glitter pen to add glitter to the feathers (difficult to see this both in the photo) to finish off the card.

Thanks again for visiting- hugs and have a blessed week, my friends!

ODBD By the Sea	Lavish Layers Dies	Flourished Star Pattern Dies	ODBD Ornate Ovals Dies	ODBD Layered Lacey Ovals Dies
Rectangles Dies	Ovals Dies	ODBD By the Shore Paper Collection

A Sneak Peek....Birthdays are Feathers in the Wings of Time

Hi Friends!

I hope all of you are having a great weekend so far!  Today I am sharing a card designed using the brand new stamp set, Woodpecker to be released on August 1 at Our Daily Bread Designs.

My husband Dave and I love to watch birds and the Red-Bellied Woodpecker is a frequent visitor to our suet and peanut feeders!  

They are a shy bird and extremely fun to watch, so I was thrilled to see this new Woodpecker stamp set in the Our Daily Bread Designs August 2016 Release :-)

I am incorporating the Splitcoaststampers’ SC601 Sketch Challenge into the design along with the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #78 Jean's “B” Theme (Birthday, Button, Bow, Bird, Branch, Border).

 If you have not had a chance to check out the above challenge sites or the Our Daily Bread Designs Blog yet, I would encourage you to visit soon- fabulous examples from all!!

To create this card:

Using the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Flourished Star Pattern Die, cut and emboss a piece of white cardstock as well as a piece of the ODBD Americana Quilt 6x6Paper Collection, cut the pieces in half (a bit larger than half for the Americana Quilt piece), mount the white die cut piece onto the top portion of a piece of brick red cardstock, add the Americana Quilt piece to the lower half, trim the brick red cardstock panel and mount onto a piece of denim blue cardstock before adhering this entire card front onto the white card base.

Ink the ODBD Woodpecker image with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink, stamp onto white cardstock, color with alcohol markers,  "fussy-cut" and use a water brush to add a bit of frost white shimmer paint to the wings and tail area (hard to see the shimmer in the photo).  

This card uses quite a few dies for the layers:

1).  Die cut and emboss a piece of white cardstock with the largest die in the ODBD Layered Lacey Square Dies

2). Die cut and emboss various pieces of the ODBD Americana Quilt 6x6 Paper Collection with ODBD Pierced Squares Dies (one larger than the other)

3), Die cut and emboss a piece of white cardstock with the ODBD Matting Circle Dies, stamp the sentiment from Woodpecker onto the die cut using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink

4). Die cut and emboss a cut a  piece of denim blue cardstock with the ODBD Double Stitched Circle Dies

Layer both of the die cut Americana Quilt 6x6 Paper Collection pieces onto denim blue cardstock, trimming the edges close.

Cut the die cut Layered Lacy Square Die piece approximately in half (layer behind the larger pierced Americana Quilt Die cut piece to determine where to cut).

Mount this layered panel onto the card front, add the smaller die cut and layered pierced square along with the stamped and layered circle sentiment.

Add the silver metallic thread bow with the red button and mount the Woodpecker image with dimensional foam to finish off the card.

I hope I have inspired you with this new ODBD Woodpecker stamp set and check out the Our Daily Bread Designs website on August 1, 2016 for the entire new release!

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

In addition to the ODBD Woodpecker (sneak peek) stamp set, I used the following items:

Flourished Star Pattern Dies	Americana Quilt Paper Collection	Layered Lacey Squares	ODBD Custom Pierced Squares Dies	Matting Circles die
Double Stitched Circles Dies

Refuge Under His Wings

Hello Friends!

I love the images and words of the new clear stamp set, His Wings (designed by Korin Sutherland for the CreativeWorship Line of Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps) and I decided to pair it with Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Grunge Elementsclear stamp set for this quick Clean and Simple (CAS) Card.

I also incorporated the Splitcoaststampers’ SC577 Sketch Challenge along with the Stampin’ Celebration SC124 Photo Inspiration Challenge for the design  :-)

I hope you will have a chance to check out the galleries at both challenge sites- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

De-static a piece of Whisper White cardstock with the Embossing Buddy®, ink the three feather images along with the bird from His Wings  (SNSS) using Versamark™ Ink and stamp onto the prepared panel.

Apply Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.

Once the embossing powder has cooled, use Stampin’ Write Markers to color the large feather as well as the peacock feather (I used Soft Sky, Tempting Turquoise for the large feather and Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight for the peacock feather).

Fussy cut all of the images and set aside.

I love the verse:
"He will cover you with his feathers,  and under his wings you will find refuge"   Psalm 91:4a (NIV) 

and decided to use the "Find Refuge Under His Wings" for my sentiment.  

Position the words on a large clear block (I used my MISTI® Tool) and stamp with the Basic Black Archival Stampin' Pad™.  

I heat set the words with the Heat Tool and added the splatter with the large splatter image from Grunge Elements stamp using Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink (to lighten the image, I stamped off the splatter image onto a scrap piece of paper before stamping over the words).  

Trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock, trim and mount onto the Whisper White card base.

Add the feathers with Silver Cord looped around the feathers to the card front.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Argyle Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Whisper White cardstock, trim and mount onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock and add to the card front using dimensional foam.

Mount the bird using dimensional foam and add a Rhinestone to the peacock feather to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  His Wings, Grunge Elements  (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)

Ink: Versamark™, Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad™, Tempting Turquoise

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Argyle Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, MISTI® , Silver Cord

Thanks again for stopping by! Hugs and have a blessed week, my friends :-)

Choose Happiness - Feel Better Soon :-)

Hi Stampers!

This weekend I had a chance to play around in my craft room and created a fun Mixed Media card for the As You See It #97 Sketch Challenge using the Colour Me...!#81 "Colour Me Playful" Challenge along with the Friday Mash Up! FM218 "Let's Eat" Challenge (food and/or drink or use markers to color or both- I chose markers to color only :-)). 

If you have not had a chance to visit the above challenge sites yet, again, I would encourage you to do so- wonderful inspiration from all!

To create this Mixed Media card:

Use the Big Shot™ with the Honeycomb Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Whisper White cardstock, trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Calypso Coral, trim again and mount onto a piece of Blackberry Bliss, trim once more and mount onto the Pink Pirouette card base.

De-static a piece of Vellum and stamp the woodgrain banner image from Choose Happiness several times using Versamark™ ink.  Apply Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder and use the Heat Tool to heat set.   Once the powder has cooled carefully cut out the banners.

Mount the banners at varying lengths to the upper right hand portion of the card front.  

Ink the flower and stem images from Choose Happiness with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and stamp two of the flower images as well as three of the stems onto Whisper White cardstock.

 Use Stampin’ Write Markers to color the images- Pink Pirouette and Calypso Coral for the flowers and Garden Green for the stems (scribbling the Garden Green onto a craft mat and using the AquaPainter™ for the first layer of color, then coloring direct with the marker).  

Spritz the colored images with water to help soften the edges of the marker and “fussy-cut” out the images.  

Use the AquaPainter™ to apply Frost White Shimmer Paint to the petals, and, if needed, the White Gel Pen to highlight the center. 

Stamp the bird, sentiment and border using Blackberry Bliss Classic Ink onto Whisper White cardstock.  Fussy cut out the bird image and set aside.

Trim the border image and sentiment into strips and create the banner point using the Hexagon Punch.  Layer onto Blackberry Bliss cardstock, create the banner points using the Hexagon Punch, layer onto Calypso Coral cardstock and create the banner points once more with the Hexagon Punch.

Mount the banners to the card front per the sketch and add the stems.

Mount the flowers to the corner (using Stampin’ Dimensionals® for the second flower) and add the bird image with Stampin’ Dimensionals® to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Choose Happiness, Express Yourself (retired Hostess set)

Ink: Versamark™, Stāz-On® Jet Black, Blackberry Bliss; Stampin’ Write Markers- Calypso Coral, Garden Green, Pink Pirouette, White Gel Pen

Paper/Cardstock:  Whisper White, Blackberry Bliss, Calypso Coral, Pink Pirouette

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Honeycomb Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Hexagon Punch, Frost White Shimmer Paint

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- I will be sharing one more card shortly :-)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

His Eye Is On The Sparrow- A Mixed Media Card for Two Challenges :-)

Hi Stampers!!

Sorry I have not posted in a few days – I have been creating cards for the upcoming 2015 Dare to Get Dirty Week at Splitcoaststampers!

This year I will be hosting one of the DTGD challenges for the very first time and only Fan Club Members are allowed to see all of the challenge particulars and participate (see details here on becoming a Fan Club Member).

The yearly membership fee helps to offset the cost of maintaining the Splitcoaststampers website, so if you are not already a Fan Club Member, I hope you will consider joining (no, I do not receive commission, but for all of the gallery inspiration, free tutorials, etc. that Splitcoaststampers provides to our art community, it is well worth less than a penny a day to become a Fan Club Member :-)).

In the meantime, while I had some of the Mixed Media supplies on my craft table, I decided to create a card for the Mixed Media Monthly Card Challenge #13 “Blue” along with the Splitcoaststampers Free For All F4A282 “Anything That Flies” Challenge (see details here and gallery here).

Again, I hope you will take the time to visit the above sites- fabulous Design Team creations as well as gorgeous galleries and inspiration from all! 

This card was created using Gesso® over a piece of Stampin’ Up! retired DSP as the background “base”, applying layers of Gelatos®, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Stains and Adirondack® Alcohol Inks as well as Crackle Texture Paste with Stencils.  Keep applying layers until you are satisfied (I am a messy Mixed Media artist so if you are like me, you fingers will become "blue" as well as the background- lol!)...

Add the crochet lace, ribbon, stamped bird and digital sentiment along with a few Pearls and you are done :-)

Stamp Sets: Choose Happiness, Script (retired background stamp), Word Art Wednesday (digital sentiment)

Ink: Stāz-On Midnight Ink, Island Indigo; Gelatos®,  Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Stains and Adirondack® Alcohol Inks

Paper: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Island Indigo, Mossy Meadow, Perfect Plum; retired SU! DSP (patterned covered with Gesso®)

Accessories: Gesso®, Heat Tool, Big Shot™, MFT Royal Mini Rose Dies, Flourish Stencil, Crackle Texture Paste, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Crochet Lace, MS Leaf Punch, Hexagon Punch, 3/8” Perfect Plum Taffeta Ribbon, 5/8” Satin Ribbon, Pearls

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- it is such an encouragement to me!  Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Happy Mother's Day- A Color and Sketch Challenge

Hi Again Stampers! 

This is the second card that I created  using the Just Us Girls JUGS289 Color Challenge along with the Splitcoaststampers SC496 Sketch Challenge- see details here and the gallery here.

Again, if you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to visit the above sites- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Using Soft Suede Classic Ink, stamp the sentiment onto Very Vanilla cardstock and punch out with the Word Window Punch. 

Layer onto another frame created from two pieces of Soft Suede cardstock punched from the Word Window Punch and layered to be just a bit wider than the sentiment.

Trim the Graphic 45® Botanical Tea cut-apart and mount onto a piece of Soft Suede cardstock.

Trim the brown print Botanical Tea background paper and mount onto a piece of Soft Suede cardstock, trim again and mount onto the a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.

Trim the pink polka-dot patterned Botanical Tea background paper and mount onto a piece of Soft Suede cardstock.

Add the polka-dot panel to the print background and adhere the entire background panel onto the Soft Suede card base.

Use the Bow Builder Punch to create the Soft Suede bow, adhere the retired In Color Dahlia Assortment Adornment to the center of the bow and mount onto the focal image panel.

Add the focal image to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals® and mount the sentiment with Stampin’ Dimensionals® as well.

Add the Pearls to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Soft Suede

Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Graphic 45® Botanical Tea

Accessories: Punches- Bow Builder and Word Window, Pearls

Thanks again for visiting- have a wonderful evening, my friends!

The Card Concept #28- Thinking of You Mixed Media Easel Card

Hi Stampers!!

I had a great time creating this Mixed Media card for The Card Concept #28 Romantic Roses Challenge using the gorgeous photo for inspiration.  I was inspired by the neutral colors of the roses along with the wooden box :-)

Side view of easel card fold 

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 will have a chance to check out the rest of the Design Team projects and create your own project to join in on the fun!

I also incorporated the Splitcoaststampers MIX66 Mix-Ability Challenge "Things that Fly"  and The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge #9- "Think Pink" (pink roses, borders and distress stain) :-)

To create this easel card:

The background is a combination of Gesso on a 5" square piece of Whisper White cardstock, allowing it to dry and then applying various Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Stains and Alcohol Inks (spritzing with water and allowing the inks to drain down the panel, drying with the Heat Tool and repeating until the background is the color that you desire).

Ink the retired background stamp, French Script with Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink and randomly stamp onto the background panel. 

Background panel before adding gesso stencil 

Add additional Gesso using a honeycomb stencil and allow to dry, trim the panel and mount onto a piece of Blushing Bride cardstock, trim again and mount onto a 5 ½” x 5 ½” Early Espresso panel.

Add the die cut border along with the 5/8” Early Espresso Satin Ribbon bow. 

Tear a piece of designer paper and distress the edges using a Distressing Tool and Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink.   Adhere the torn panels to the background panel with one of the panels overlapping the ribbon and apply Mod Podge® to the torn panels.

Add the banners in the upper left hand corner attached to the Natural Linen knotted rope.

Using My Digital Studio (MDS), print out the bird image from Nature Walk onto Whisper White cardstock, color using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Distress Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Apply Mod Podge® over the bird to give it more substance. 

Cut the heart die from brushed gold cardstock and add to the background panel.  Adhere the bird image and add the highlight to the eye with a Faber-Castell White Pitt Pen.

Create the easel card base (see tutorial here at Splitcoaststampers) and distress the cardstock using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink and randomly stamp the background stamp using Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink.

Add the panel of distressed designer paper to the lower portion (mounted onto Blushing Bride cardstock and again onto Early Espresso cardstock), distress the paper with Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink and add Mod Podge® to the entire designer paper panel.

Create the rolled flowers from Blushing Bride and retired Buckaroo Blue cardstock using the 1 ¾” and 1 ¼” Scallop Circle Punches (see basic tutorial here).  

Close up on angle - gesso stencil a bit more apparent

“Antique” the roses and edges of the panels using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink and add the roses to the center of the die cut heart as well as the inside panel with leaves created with the Bird Builder Punch from Mossy Meadow cardstock.

Apply Mod Podge® over the roses and leaves (the roses look ceramic up close) :-)

Print out the Wonderful Wings image using MDS onto Whisper White cardstock, color using a Blushing Bride Stampin’ Write Marker and Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink.  

Add the butterfly to the lower portion of the card along with the stamped and distressed sentiment and apply additional Mod Podge® to the butterfly wings and sentiment.

Add the Pearls to the corners of the sentiment, lower panel and upper panel and adhere the main focal image panel to the easel card. 

Close up of opened bottom panel of card 

Adhere the Antique Brad to the center of the Satin Ribbon bow to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Nature Walk (MDS), Wonderful Wings (MDS), Gorgeous Grunge, Kind and Caring Thoughts, French Script

Ink: Printer Ink- Black, Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink, Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo, Old Paper and Silver Metallic Distress Stains; Tim Holtz® Adirondack® Gold Alcohol Ink,  Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo and Old Photo Distress Ink

Paper: Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Early Espresso, Mossy Meadow, retired Buckaroo Blue, Brushed Gold, Tim Holtz® Idea-ology® Wallpaper Designer Paper

Accessories: Big Shot™, Beautiful Borders Die (ODBD), Ornate Hearts Die (ODBD), Punches- Banner, Hexagon Punch (for sentiment banner points), Bird Builder, Scallop Circle- 1 ¾” and 1 ¼”, Gesso, Balzar Designs® Mini Punchenella stencil,  5/8” Early Espresso Satin Ribbon, Antique Brad, Pearls, Natural Linen Thread, Sponge Daubers

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- again, I hope you will find the time to visit us at The Card Concept and join in on the fun!!