Coffee Lovers #3

... and then, of course, I had to use up the Gathered Twigs from the mini Burlap stencil...

Supplies:

• As I said, I had to use the remaining DI on the Burlap stencil,  so I sprayed it with my custom Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mix and monoprinted onto a pre-diecut stitched circle (die from Autumn... thanks-- can't believe how much I use these!)
• Had a black circle also pre-diecut and affixed them together
• I sketched the coffee cup on Strathmore watercolor paper and attached it
• I used a coveted un-cut BasicGrey DP from 2010 for the perfect background... don't you agree???  If you recall from this line (Curio, I think it is), all edges are darkened, so when I cut a 4x6", I needed to get the other edges.  I used Walnut Stain and Black Soot Distress Paint, running the edges with the older sponge-tops.
• Quote from my stash, inked with Gathered Twigs DI and sprayed with my Perfect Pearls mix.

Yay!  

A third card for the Summer 2017 Coffee Lovers Hop.  This particular card has nothing summery about it... unless you are in Seattle.  Picture a rainy coffeeshop. Wouldn't this card just fit in during a summer rain? LOL. 

I will also share this at Simon Says AG on Wednesday... just in case they kick this card out of the Coffee Lovers party...

Coffee Lovers #2

...and here's the second card.  This actually happened hours after the first one... I came back to the scrap shack and liked the first one so much that I started this one:

Supplies:

• Tim's collaborative kraft-core by Core-dinations (the purple paper)
• Paper from one of Tim's pads... my husband was talking to his cousin who lives in the East Village, so I was thinking "New York"... anyway, I added some Rusty Hinge to this sheet and spritzed it.
• Coffee mug drawn on Strathmore watercolor paper and painted with Color Bursts and generic brown acrylic.  Gathered Twigs daubed on edges and then this panel was spritzed with water.  I caught when the purple bled too much, but it turned out pretty cool.
• Vintage ribbon from my stash
• Quote from my stash, daubed with Gathered Twigs
• The kraft card base was inked with Gathered Twigs DI through the mini Burlap stencil

A second card for the Summer Coffee Lovers Hop... not what you might call summery... but here's my pitch: if you are working hard and grinding through your week in NYC, this might be as much summer as you see on the daily!  I mean, that *is* bright purple!  

If they don't accept this as a legitimate summer coffee card, that's ok. The payoff was in the creating!

...and I'll link with Simon Says Stencil It on Monday... they accept me :)

Coffee Lovers #1

My mojo has been out of whack lately, as evidenced by my style lately: all over the place.

The Coffee Lovers Hop caught my attention, and mid-day I kind of had some coffee -inspiration!

This is the first card I made (...and the most summery):

Supplies:

• Scraps of stashed paper
• Tim's Mixed Media die
• Coffee mug drawn on Strathmore watercolor paper then painted with Violet Color Bursts and generic brown acrylic
• Green seam binding from my 
• Tim's Patchwork stitching stamp inked with Color Box archival ink in Glacier Lake
• Quote typed a few months ago

(Get ready to go down Memory Lane...)

I guess the summery-feel of this comes strictly from the brights, but it must be my roots in the 1990s shops... coffee is so dark to me.  Coffee+summer, to me, doesn't make me think of Frappaccinos (though I'll have a Midnight Mint and wash it down with a S'mores any day...)... no, to me, when I hear coffee+summer, I harken back to like 1996 when there was like one Starbucks in Roseville, and summer nights were spent drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes (though I was well under 18...).  I think of my goth-sister and her friends, and my "skater" friends.  I was definitely listening to The Breeders, Beastie Boys, The Beatles... Kelsey was listening to NIN, The Cure, Depeche Mode... 

So coffee and summer is special, but I'll have to stretch to make something much brighter than this... that will be a good challenge for me...

SOS: The lazy days of summer

Happy summer!

This week, the Shopping Our Stash team wants to see how you plan to spend the lazy days of summer, or at least how you would like to spend them!

I have already spent a couple days in the sun with a drink in my hand...
summer in the Sierra Nevada is the BEST place to be!

Here's a close-up... don't compare mine to my teammie, Deena!  She's good!

Supplies:

• Image by Art Impressions inked with Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black on Strathmore watercolor paper.  I own only a few cartoony stamps, and they are all humorous... but I don't use them often because I am not patient enough to color!  LOL!
• Lady "painted" using my oldest waterbrush (Tim's) using DIs in Barn Door, Picked Raspberry, Dried Marigold, and Crushed Olive.  I added metallic detail with a gel pen I bought at the book fair at school two years ago. 
• The background is Broken China and Scattered Straw
• Watercolor panel mounted on a yellow scrap of paper from a thrift-store stationary set
• Striped paper is from a DCWV pad, pre-cut from a different project
• Pink paper by Core'dinations-- in the stash for a couple years at least
• Flowers added by using my most recent punch purchase: Fiskars.  This was probably a year ago.  Black Diamond Stickles added to the flowers.

Join us!  This is the perfect opportunity to use stash items to make a card to send a summer greeting to a buddy! 

CAS Hello

I am all over the place lately, like The Beatles' White Album!

Here is a CAS greeting:

Supplies:

• Shoe stamp from Graphic 45, bought last summer, inked in DOx in Cracked Pistachio
• "Oh Happy Day" washi added as a divider
• "Hello" written with Uniball Signo 

I used the sketch provided by Retro Rubber:

Inspired by Inkspirational

How about a postcard?

This project was thoroughly inspired by the current photo challenge at Inkspirational:

Supplies:

• Ranger Yupo cut down to 4x6"
• Ranger alcohol ink in Purple Twilight added along with Snow Cap mixative and some blending solution pounced to create the inky background
• Flower from STAMPlorations inked with Ranger Archival in Jet Black
• "Word" stamp by Recollections

This will go to my daughter's friend, who will be at camp with my girls next week.  Very "teen girl"-esque, don't you agree?

I'd like to share this (obviously) with Inkspirational, and also with STAMPlorations for their never-ending AG linky:
 

She liked to wear high heels...

This was made in honor of my niece:

Since I got Tim's paper dolls, this paper-doll girl always looked like my niece, Viv, to me:

This was us last weekend in G & G's pool... I chose this picture because she looks serious like the paper doll.

This was also last weekend... Viv normally looks all smiley like this!  Aren't they cute?

When I went to make this tag, I found this quote in my clippings tin and it was like,  "Oh yeah..."-- we had just visited, and Viv is very into wearing Grandma's old high heels!

Supplies:

• Took advantage of the current SS Wednesday challenge and used a bunch of patterned paper scraps to punch hexagons from with a Fiskars punch.
• Hexagons adhered to a library card base using Distress Collage Medium in Matte.  Some spots were empty so that the library card could show through.  
• Once covered, the card was coated with Distress Collage Medium in Crazing, however, it was very hot out and it's likely that the medium dried too quickly for many cracks to form.  Distress Crayon drawn around the edges in Chipped Sapphire and rubbed it in to accentuate the few cracks that showed up.
• "Viv" was coated with a layer of Distress Collage Medium in Vintage and adhered to the card using 3M dimensional tape.
• The quote from an old book was adhered using Distress Collage Medium in Vintage.
• Liquid Pearls in Rose Gold were added for additional flare.
• Vintage seam binding from my stash.

As I mentioned, I'm taking advantage of the current Simon Says Stamp on Wednesday challenge: use patterned paper.

More masking plus blending...

I just can't get enough of this technique right now... just masking and blending...

Supplies:

• DIs in Festive Berries, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Crushed Olive, Frayed Burlap, Pine Needles
• Canson Mix Media paper
• Stamps as follows: bow is from a Downton Abbey set; I carved the deer; heart by Dina Wakley, all inked in Ranger Archival: Jet Black

I'll share all of these at Sunday Stamps, where I got the color inspiration:

I'll share the heart card at Country View where their current challenge is... hearts!

I'll share the deer card with Crafting By Designs: Animals

Fun with Stampabilities

...got a little crazy with a new Stampabilities stamp set I got for 50% off on Friday:

Supplies:

• White cardstock masked with Frogtape 
• Inked with the following DIs: Milled Lavender, Peacock Feathers, Picked Raspberry, and Shabby Shutters
• Stampabilities stamps inked with Ranger Archival: Jet Black

That's it!

I'd like to share  these with the following challenges:

• Color Throwdown #448:

  

  This is actually my color inspiration, though my colors didn't translate as well as I expected... oh well... definitely a combo I would not have pit together on my own, but I LOVE the results!

• Addicted To Stamps:
  
• Creative With Stamps:

  

  The second card has a pineapple on it!

Oh, happy day!

Husband was watching the races at Ascot on TV today,  and a female quintet sang "Happy Day"-- so when I saw this stamp on my desk this afternoon, it kind of sang to me!

Supplies:

• Frog Tape to mask edges
• DI in Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Broken China, and Seedless Preserves
• Stamps by Stampabilities inked with Ranger Archival in Jet Black

That's it!  I loved this so much I made a few more panels that I need to finish up tomorrow.  

I will share this at Mod Squad for their "Use lotsa colors" challenge.

I'd like to also share this at Just Us Girls for their photo challenge:

HLS ATCs

... I feel like some big-shot using all these acronyms... HLS (Happy Little Stampers) has a new ATC (Artist Trading Card) challenge... yay!

Here are my entries:

These will both go to local friends, though I don't expect a trade-- I don't know anyone locally who trades.

Supplies:

• Ranger Yupo inked with various Adirondack Alcohol Inks
• Writing and doodling accomplished with Faber-Castell Pitts of varying sizes
• Corners punched with a Fiskars punch

That's all!

SOS: GAH...PINK!

Hello, my crafty friends, and welcome to another week with Shopping Our Stash!  (My crafting "Monday" is Tuesday, and my favorite place to be is right here, sharing the stuff I made from items in my stash with you guys!)

This week, the gals at SOS are requesting that you use PINK in your creation, as June 23rd is National Pink Day.  This challenge is also kind of a fun-loving nod to former SOS DT goddess Leslie, RIP, who fun-lovingly detested pink.

Supplies:

• Main panel is Strathmore watercolor paper inked with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Poppin' Pink and Cotton Candy Pink through a STAMPlorations stencil (that I don't use nearly enough...)
• The balloons were cut from more watercolor paper inked with LSG Magicals in Cotton Candy, then dabbed on the edge with Picked Raspeberry and popped up with 3M dimensional tape
• Andrea's stamps from Snapping Monsters (the gal, the "lovely girl" and the the circles in black).  All of these awesome stamps (from two sets... you gotta go to her Etsy store) were inked with Ranger Archival in Jet Black.  Everything except the gal was also embossed with Recollections clear EP
• The gal has Antique Linen Distress Paint hair and Pebbles chalky cheeks, plus some Liquid Pearls lips.  (I made her look like my aunt, Bev, who this will go to for her birthday, commisioned by my mom...)
• Black mat is Core-dinations cardstock
• The word clippings are from my stash-- this came from some DP years ago

Join us... why not?  I know you all have pink items stashed why not use them and feel good about using hoarded-- err, lovingly stored-- items?!

Shopping Our Stash is such an awesome group to be a part of, and I feel the same passion as I did when I was just a participant: I LOVE using my stashed items.  Like, LOVE IT. Thanks to my awesome teammies... you guys are inspiring people.  It reminds me that we are not little crafting islands... we are a community of crafters, and our diverse backgrounds feed a pool of creativity plus the desire to use what you already have... it's crafting efficiency!

Cecropia moth

Oooh... ahh...

Supplies:

• Ranger tag inked with Scattered Straw DI first  using the wrinkle-free distress technique
• Next inked using the same technique with Fired Brick and Spiced Marmalade DOx, using a water mister with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls mixed in
• Any spots that still looked manila got a little extra Scattered Straw
• The Tim Holtz Roses stencil was used with Teresa Collins modeling paste mixed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Dark Chocolate Truffle
• The moth was cut from my grandparents' field guide-- it is no longer a book... it's loose pages.  The moth was coated with Distress Collage Medium in Matte and the description was coated with Vintage
• Sequins from  Creative Essentials affixed with Glossy Accents
• The "nest" of yarn is from my fave spool. This feature is definitely inspired by Autumn 
• Mercury Glass Stickles run loosely around the edge of the tag 

This has a sister card, made the same day... you can check it out HERE.  

So... speaking of sisters... 

...my craft soul-sister is Autumn, hands-down.  I was channeling her for both this project and that sister card (LOL, which she liked!)  I'll cite her as my inspiration for this and share at Frilly & Funkie's challenge: You're my inspiration.  Thanks, Autumn, for everything.  I admire your endless well of creativity as evidenced by your blog, and on top of all of that, you are positive and up-beat... all while raising a gang of kids and holding down a J-O-B.  On behalf of the crafting blogosphere, thank you for the inspiration.

...and, because I like this stenciling so much, I will also share at STAMPlorations' Stencil Sunday/ June Mixed Media challenge.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Isn't this a beautiful butterfly?

Click for close-up of the crackle-effect

I seldom leave a tag string-less, but this one has a more scientific look... so I left it simple... you know,  like a scientist would!

Supplies:

• DI in Peacock Feathers
• DOx in Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo
• Inks added using wrinkle-free distress with my own light mixture of Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls... this ous so light I've been using it in place of regular water lately.  Fun!
• Edges dabbed with matte Mod Podge then coated with Stampendous frantage in Aged Gold, then heated.
• Butterfly fussy-cut from my grandparents' field guide-- it is so old it is just loose pages.  I like to use it, makes me feel close to them. 
• Butterfly coated with Distress Collage Medium in matte then Crackle in some parts.  When dry, Prima Artisan Powder rubbed over the cracks. 
• Butterfly's description coated with Distress Collage Medium in Vintage then pinned with a 7 Gypsies pin
• Vintage trim lace affixed with a Recollections brad

I'll share this at Crafting By Designs for their "things with wings" challenge.

Song Sparrow

Very pleased wth the outcome of this fairly-simple mixed-media index card:

Supplies and notes:

• Index card divider coated with Teresa Collins modeling paste mixed with Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in Dark Chocolate Truffle through Tim's Roses stencil*
• Card inked with Mustard Seed DI
• A spot was highlighted with white Liquitex gesso
• Bird fussy-cut from a field guide sent by the wonderful AOP and adhered with Distress Collage Medium in matte
• Book clippings from three separate books adhered with more Distress Collage Medium in matte
• Tumbled Glass Distress Crayon added last to the book clippings and to outer parts of the gesso-highlighted area
• Oh... I wrote "song sparrow" with a Micron...

*You'll be seeing this background again... I was overzealous when scooping the modeling paste and made a bunch of backgrounds...

... the stencil didn't even get all icky... I was in the Goldilocks Zone of stenciling!  I felt like Ice Cube singing "Today was a good day..."

I'll share this at the following challenges:

• STAMPlorations: June 
  
• Crafting By Designs: Things With Wings

Pretty thank you

I just could look at this all day:

 I tried to show the window in this image... just reminding you in case you got hypnotized by the colors...)

Supplies:

• Stamp by Inkadinkado, found at the thrift store, inked with Distress Embossing Ink and embossed with Recollections white EP
• Colored with Color Bursts.  Fussy-cut when dry.
• David Tuttero laser cut frame in background; sprayed the negative piece with a blue plus gold Glimmer Mist
• The "Thank you" is from a stamp set that *I believe* comes from Somerset Magazine

I had "assembled" this in my mind last night,  then when I actually put it together,  the window is mostly covered... boo-hoo. 

Oh well, you get the idea...

I'd like to share this with the following:

• Inspirational:
  
• Just Us Girls:

  

  (This is my third entry with JUGs this week... I love any excuse to use powder colors!)