Thursday, August 31, 2017

Sharing in your Sorrow

Today I'm sharing a sympathy card I created using some of the Layering Stamps from Hampton Art.
I masked off the bottom of my front panel with a torn piece of cardstock before stamping my script background stamp. Not sure if you've noticed, but seems I can't stop distressing my edges of late. It gives the panel a softer look and adds a bit more texture and interest to the card front.
Supplies and Tools:
Layer Flower Happy Stamp Set (Hampton Art), Thoughts and Prayers (Stampin' Up), Walnut Stain/Mowed Lawn/Salty Ocean/Gr. Espresso Distress Ink, Ribbon, Square Punch, Ribbon, Script Background Stamp (Stampin' Up)

This post linked to:
Tuesday Throwdown - Masking
4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Autumn Friends

For today's card I created a fall scene using dollar digis and the tree embossing folder from Darice. To color my tree I rubbed distress crayons over it and smeared them in with my finger (dampened with water). For the sky and grass I diluted a small portion of crayon with water and painted it on with a small paintbrush.
Supplies and Tools:
Little Darlins - Best Friends Digi (Dollar Graphics), Autumn Blessings Digi (Digi Web Studio), Tree Embossing Folder (Darice), Distress Crayons (Vintage Photo, Forest Moss, Barn Door, Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber, Faded Jeans, Twisted Citron), Bible Journaling Stamps, Ground Espresso/Gathered Twigs Distress Ink, sponge daubers,

This post linked to:
Shopping Our Stash - Favorite Season
{PIN}spirational  - Inspiration Photo (below)
Mod Squad Challenge - For a Friend
Little Red Wagon - Go Hybrid - digis and regular stamps
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes



Monday, August 28, 2017

Mini Chalkboard

Today (on the Cropstop blog) I’m sharing another variation of the Mix The Media Mini Chalkboards. 
Here’s the list of supplies I used to create this mini piece of home decor:

This post linked to:
Ooh-la-la Challenge - Lace
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Anything Goes with Ribbon Theme
Word Art Wednesday - Always Anything Goes

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Whooooo's thinking of you?

 Today's card was created using the themes from several of my favorite challenges. 
To create my polka-dot background, I used sponge daubers and distress oxide inks. My owls are a free coloring page from Coloring Yard. The metal tag I picked up at a thrift store a couple weeks back. I created both the outside and inside sentiments on my computer.
 Supplies and Tools:
Peeled Paint/Broken China Distress Oxide, Sponge Daubers, Hello Doily Dies (Sizzix), Metal Tag, Free coloring page, Glitter (Art Acentz), Sequins, Baker's Twine, Aqua Wood Grain dp, Square punch, Circle/ Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Owl Garden Stamp Set (Hampton Art), Prismacolor Pencils

This post linked to:
Tuesday Throwdown - Use Metal (I used a metal tag)
Allsorts Challenge - Forest Friends (owls)
Dies R Us - Anything Goes with metal dies
Shopping Our Stash - Wood Is Good (woodgrain doily)
Repeat Impressions - Anything Goes

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

You Color My World

I wanted to make a "back to school" themed card with a "generic" sentiment so it could be used for friendship and not just school related occasions.
I found a Back To School digital stamp set from Gray Bee Graphics (on Etsy), and used the crayons and crayon box from that. I created the sentiment in my photo editing program and used colored pencils to fill in the word "color." I fussy cut two sets of crayons and popped one up (with dimensional tape) over the over on the front. I also printed and fussy cut a bigger set to include in the crayon box inside.
Supplies and Tools:
Back To School digis, Typewriter Alphabet embossing folder (The Paper Studio), Baker's Twine, Washi Tape, Printable

For a FREE printable of the chalkboard sentiment CLICK HERE or visit my FREEBIES page.

This post linked to:
City Crafter Challenge - Back to School
Fusion Card Challenge - Inspiration Photo (I went with school themed)
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes


Monday, August 21, 2017

Heidi Swapp Stencils

Do you enjoy using stencils on your projects? Have you ever tried the mini Heidi Swapp sets? I especially like the Frames Set that look like little Polaroid photos. Unfortunately, I'm not always very creative with turning them into cards.
I recently challenged myself to create a card using one of the Frames stencils and some DIY spray ink.
For step by step instructions on how I put this card together, visit the Cropstop blog today!
Supplies and Tools:
Frames Stencils (Heidi Swapp), Distress Oxides (Cracked Pistachio/Worn Lipstick), Mini Mister, Posy Patch Stamp Set (Heartfelt Creations), Pearls, Plaid Background Stamp (Impression Obsession), Watercolor Paper, Square Punch, Pink Burlap String, Sharpie Marker, Girls are Weird Alphabet Dies (Sizzix), Nature's Sketchbook (Stampin' Up), Black Soot Distress Ink, Fiskars Paper Crimper

This post linked to:
Ooh-la-la - Flowers
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes

Friday, August 18, 2017

"Ruff" Day Card

I send a lot of cards for the Shelter: Postmarked card ministry, and good percentage of those go to people experiencing some of life's hard knocks.
I created this somewhat fun card to send some of the "not-so-serious" requests on the list.  You can find the free vintage printables I used linked below as well as a freebie I created for you to use.

Supplies and Tools:
Vintage Dog Clipart (The Old Design Shop), Vintage Page Clip Art (The Old Design Shop), Pattern Trio Stamp (Stampendous), Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink, Baker's Twine, Sequins, Doily Tag, Biblical Impression Scripture Stamp, Washi Tape


For a FREE PRINTABLE of the above sentiment CLICK HERE or visit my FREEBIES page.

This post linked to:
{PIN}spirations Challenges - Inspiration Photo
4 Crafty Chicks - Sequins
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Watercolor Sympathy

I needed a sympathy card for a friend of ours who recently lost his mother to cancer. When I saw THIS beautiful sympathy card  on The Paper Players blog last week I decided to give it a whirl. So here's my CASE of Nancy Leedy of Canopy Crafts. (Incidentally, she CASED a card from Pinterest!)
I used Distress Inks to create my watercolor background by stamping them on my desk, adding water, and smearing them around watercolor paper with a small brush.
 I made a second card using the tree from Thoughts and Prayers (Stampin' Up). This one is turned sideways and has a few more embellishments than the first.

Supplies and Tools:
Thoughts and Prayers Stamp Set (Stampin' Up), Utopiary Stamp Set (Inkadinkado), Watercolor Paper, Gel Pen, Washi Tape, Distress Inks (Mowed Lawn/Evergreen Bough/ Walnut Stain/Gathered Twigs/Ground Espresso/Rusty Hinge/Salty Ocean/Blueprint Sketch/Black Soot), Baker's Twine

This post linked to:
City Crafter Challenge - Don't bring me flowers
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
Creative With Stamps - Boys to Men

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

It's All White

Today I'm sharing an all white card I created to be used as a wedding card. I was going for a simple, but elegant look so I kept the embellishments to a minimum.
Since the inside sentiment simply says "love," it could also be an congratulations card for a baby girl or a birthday card for a special lady in your life!
Supplies and Tools:
Circular Grid Embossing Folder (Anna Griffin), White Seam Binding, Deep Edge Punch (Martha Stewart), Pearls, Love Stamp (Stampin' Up), Black Soot Distress Ink, Watercolor Paper

This post linked to:
Double D Challenge - It's All White
Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Anything Goes with ribbon/lace/trim

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Messy Watercolor

I've been wanting to create a messy watercolor look and decided to use one of my new Power Poppy digital stamps to try it out. Obviously you can't watercolor over the top of printer ink because it would smear, so here's how I accomplished watercoloring with digis:

  • I printed a draft of my image and laid it over my watercolor paper
  • I stamped my distress inks on my acrylic block, added some water to make watercolors
  • I gently lifted a corner of my draft sheet and applied the colors underneath (with a small paintbrush) to the general area of the leaves and flowers
  • After I laid down the initial colors, I removed the top sheet completely and added accents in darker shades
  • I dried the colors with my heat gun and then printed my digital images over top the messy colors 
  • Next, I added a few spatters in blue
  • I inked up my crackle background stamp and lightly spritzed it with water before stamping it over the image
  • The last step was to die cut the largest camellia, layer it on black cardstock and pop it up from the main image with dimensional tape
  • (The inside sentiment was created the same as the front)
Supplies and Tools
Camellias Digital Stamp Set (Power Poppy), Peonies Digital Stamp Set (Power Poppy), Distress Ink (Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Hickory Smoke), Watercolor paper, Small Paintbrush, Crackle Background Stamp (Stampin' Up), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Baker's Twine


This post linked to:
Power Poppy - Mix and Match
The Paper Players - Color Challenge
Shopping Our Stash - Chillaxin' and Relaxin' (working in my flower beds relaxes me)
Dies R Us Challenge - Anything Goes with at least one metal die







Monday, August 14, 2017

Mixed Media Masculine Tag

Today's creation is something totally out of the ordinary for me --- mixed media, a tag, and masculine! Both mixed media and masculine are areas I "struggle" in, but lately I've been branching out and trying my hand at both.
 (For a step by step tutorial on creating both the background and the tag, visit the Cropstop blog today!)
 Supplies and Tools:
Manila Paper, Distress Stains (Picket Fence/Peeled Paint), Distress Crayons (Peeled Paint/ Vintage Photo), Distress Inks (Black Soot/Ground Espresso), TCW Mini Life Numbers Stencil, Burlap Stencil (Tim Holtz), Bitty Grunge Stamp Set (Tim Holtz), Curious Possibility Stamp Set (Tim Holtz), That's the ticket die set (Spellbinders), Burlap String, Corrugated Cardboard, Cheese Cloth, Gears, Twine, Circle Punch, Crop-a-dile 

This post linked to:
Allsorts Challenge - Name and/or Number
Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes with stamped image
Creative With Stamps - Boys to Men
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Bee Kind


I've been wanting to do a bee card for some time now, and thought I'd try out the bee from the Graciellie set: Bee Kind.
I printed my bee's wings twice and added the second set above the first for a little more dimension. I also inverted the color on the sentiment to create a chalkboard look (again!).
Supplies and Tools:
Graciellie Bee Kind Digital Stamp Set, Prismacolor Pencils, Postcard Stamp (Hampton Art), Black Soot Distress Ink (Tim Holtz), Honeycomb Embossing Folder (Darice), White Pigment Ink (rubbed over embossing), Baker's Twine, Washi Tape, Bee Stamp (Stampin' Up)

 This post linked to:
Mod Squad Challenge - Black and White with One other color
Little Red Wagon - Bugs and Slugs
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Anything Goes with ribbon/lace/trim
The Paper Players - The Great Outdoors

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Brick Wall

Today's card features a brick wall background that I made from gesso and several layers of ink! For a run-down on how I created it, visit the Cropstop blog today.
To accent my wall, I die cut a window using a Memory box die, and added a lovely flower box full of tiny tattered florals!
Supplies and Tools:
Watercolor paper, Gesso, Inspirational Stencil (Tim Holtz), Fired Brick Distress Oxide Re-inker, Vintage Photo Distress Oxide Re-inker, Fired Brick Distress Oxide, Fired Brick Distress Paint, Small Paintbrush, 
Window/Flower Box Die (Memory Box), Tiny Tattered Florals Die (Tim Holtz), Branch Punch (Martha Stewart), Distress Inks (Ground Espresso/Walnut Stain), Frayed Burlap Distress Paint, Burlap String, Lace,
Coffee Stained Paper, Old Book Sizzix Tag Die, Bible Journal Sentiment (American Crafts), Heart Punch

This post linked to:
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
Craft-Dee Bowz - Handmade Bow

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Hello There

 Today's card features an oversized sentiment as the focal point and some pretty little blossoms accenting the corners.
To create this card I used digital stamps from three Power Poppy sets: Countryside Bouquet (I cropped in two of the flowers and printed them in three different sizes), Everything's Rosy (the oversized sentiment), and Strawberries (the leaves).
After coloring my florals with Prismacolor pencils, I added some tiny seed beads to their centers for added dimension. I also used dimensional tape to pop the flowers up off the card front and tucked my tiny green leaves underneath.
 Supplies and Tools:
Power Poppy Digital Stamps (Countryside Bouquet, Everything's Rosy, Strawberries), Scholar Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil (for blending), Watercolor paper, Seed Beads, Diamonds Embossing Folder (Sizzix), White Pigment ink, Labels 10 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Kraft/Purple Cardstock, Hampton Art Layered Flowers Stamps Sets (Amaze/Happy), Distress Ink (Shaded Lilac, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Pine Needles, Black Soot)

This post linked to:
Power Poppy - Mix and Match
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
The Paper Players - The Great Outdoors