Be Joyful

Hi friends! Popping in with a quick post this week, sharing a card I made a few months ago for a friend at the CT church we've been attending. Since my posting has been sporadic, and will probably continue to be so for the next few weeks, I figured I'd share an older project that had not yet been posted. Stay tuned for newer works..

This week we're heading back to NH, for the final move in to our new home. I can hardly believe the changes that have taken place over the past year...what a crazy experience it's been! Even though this has been a hard transition, filled with many unknowns and sometimes even troubling circumstances, we are so grateful for this time. God has placed us where we needed to be, when we needed to be there, and abundantly blessed us along our journey. We have made some wonderful friends here in CT, ones we hope to stay in touch with throughout our lifetime, we've had extraordinary school experiences that will follow us into NH, and we have really enjoyed life in CT, which is filled with stunning scenery, quaint shops, and friendly people. While I am thrilled to be returning to our home, there's no doubt that a part of my heart will be left behind. So...the theme of this card, be joyful, is definitely appropriate!

This card was created with lots of new Wendy Vecchi products...new stamps, new mat minis, and new stencils. You can find a list to the full list of supplies that I used on my card at the end of the post.

The base of my card features easy stenciling, using the Lots of Dots and Classic Words stencils along with Wendy's Archival Inks (Potting Soil and Watering Can). My oval frame was created using two coordinating Spellbinders dies. The flower pot and flowers were stamped on scrap paper and fussy cut (both from the Blooming Art II set). The bird and heart are both new mat minis. Notice the bird's details? Love that the bird mat mini coordinates with the Put a Bird On It Stamp It/Stencil It set...that is some serious fun! The sentiment is from the new Say It Background Stamp. I finished up the card with some faux stitching and black rhinestones.

That's it for me today! Be sure to check out the links below, where you can find all things Wendy Vecchi! I'll be back ASAP with more projects...just need to unpack my crafting goodies!

Happy Crafting!

Supplies:

-Stencils (Lots of Dots, Classic Words)

-Stamps (Blooming Art II, Put a Bird On It, Say It)

-Bird Mat Minis

-Heart Mat Minis

-Distress Inks

-Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks

The Adventure Begins

For those who haven't heard...I was asked to join The Crafters Workshop design team last month! Woot! Woot! I'm so excited! TCW is one of my all time favorite companies, not just because I am obsessed with stencils, and they produce the best stencils ever, but because I love the owners...a wonderful group of crafters and friends!

Today I'm happy to share my first TCW project...I'm sharing just a sneak peek on my blog, hop on over to The Crafters Workshop blog to see a step-by-step tutorial.

Enjoy and happy crafting!

Make Art

Greetings friends! Today I'm sharing a Wendy Vecchi inspired card, featuring oddles of Wendy's stamps, stencils, and inks. No step-by-step today...this was a card I create just for fun to celebrate the release of lots of new Wendy Vecchi products! (You can visit The Funkie Junkie Boutique to pre-order all of the CHA goodies!)

I started this card by creating a background using Wendy's Archival Re-Inkers and Specialty Stamping Paper. See this post on Wendy's blog to see her technique for creating these fun and super easy backgrounds.

Next I created lots of layers by utilizing my stash of stencils. (Full supply list at the end of this post). I use the same ink colors with my stencils that I used in the background. This keeps the background from competing with my main images. My last stencil choice always gets matched with Jet Black Archival Ink for that little bit of pop. (Every creation needs black ink!)

I created the oval window on my card by tracing around a mask from one of Wendy's stencil/mask sets. I use this set constantly!

I confess that the images I used for this card are from an older Wendy set, I'll try to find a link for you. All of my images were stamped in archival ink and then colored with Tim Holtz Distress Markers. The flower image was watercolored with Peerless watercolors. Once all of my pieces were completed, I fussy cut them and added some Glossy Accents to every piece. You can just see the shine in the photo above.

The "shelf" was created by using an Arts Parts piece that was covered with vintage text paper. I stamped over the paper and added some twine and a random metal piece.

Before I assembled my card, I added some stamped leafs in the background, just to add more fullness to the entire layout.

Once my individual pieces were completed, I attached everything with a combination of liquid glue and foam tape. This combo creates great dimension on any craft project. The sentiment was stamped on cardstock and then each word was cut out and attached to the card. Cutting the words apart allows me to put a sentiment in any type of layout I want vs. being tied to the exact layout of the stamp. Some faux stitching, from one of my very favorite Wendy stamps ever, was my finishing touch.

I hope you enjoyed today's card! I'll be back in a few days with this week's Inspiration Wednesday project! Can't wait to share...it's dreamy... Check out the links below to purchase products used on my card.

Supplies:

-Specialty Stamping Paper

-Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks (Jet Black, Cornflower Blue, Watering Can)

-Wendy Vecchi Stencils - Polka Dotty, Artful Words, Add a Stencil, Four Spotlight Frames & Masks)

-Wendy Vecchi Stamps - (You can find all of the newest Wendy stamps here) - A list of the sets I used to follow - It's Face Art, Just So Artsy, License Plate Art, Art School, My Kind of Art

-Glossy Accents

-Tim Holtz Jute String

Mix-Ability Challenge - Artist Inspired

 

This week I'm playing along with the Mix-Ability challenge, posted on SplitcoastStampers.  This week's challenge was...anything goes!  Now that's a fun challenge!  The goal was to look back on past challenges and pick one to follow.  I opted for the Artist Inspired challenge and was blown away by the art of France Papillion.   Oh my...France is so wildly creative.  I was drooling over every single piece of art posted on your blog...stunning!  You won't have to look far to see which one of her art journal pages inspired my canvas. *wink*

When creating my canvas I stuck pretty close to her design, which I don't normally do, but I seriously loved every single bit of her layout....I couldn't even help myself! LOL!  So let's get started with how I created my piece...

 

I started by simply inking the edges of a 8x10 canvas panel with Wendy's Potting Soil Archival Ink.  (I'm in love with those little round blending tools!!)

 

I next used a Tim Holtz stamp and Jet Black Archival Ink to add some text over the bottom portion of the canvas...and just a wee bit on the top.

 

Then I grabbed some Ferro (I love this stuff!  You can see a video I created using this product here) and a stencil to add some great sparkly dimension to the bottom part of the canvas.

 

Check out how fabulous the ferro looks when it's dry...dreamy!  And then...the favorite part of this piece?  Those tiny drops of turquoise paint!  WooHoo!

 

For my main image, I stamped a dragonfly image (from Tim Holz) on to a piece of cardstock (edges inked).  The frame is a Tim Holtz die cut, which I cut from chipboard and added some faux rust.  The faux rust technique is done by embossing a piece with Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder.  Once the powder has cooled, rub off some of the crystals, and then ink over the entire piece with black Archival Ink. (You have to use a light hand when applying the Archival Ink or your entire piece will become too dark.  I found that Black Soot Distress Ink wasn't quite dark enough to get the rusty look)

 

I used a bunch of metal pieces on my canvas.  I laid them all out first, to find the right placement, and then, in order for them to all be the same color, I used Teakwood Alcohol Ink and a felt blending tool to cover each metal embellishment.

 

I used a hot glue gun to add the metal embellishments.  I also added a sentiment, from the Tim Holtz Chit Chat Stickers.

 

And then I added my very favorite piece...This tiny file tab with just a hint of turquoise and cream twill!  Now if someone could please tell me what I did with my tiny attacher...because I really wanted that file tab to be attached to the ribbon with staples!  Arrrghhh...

Check out some other up close photos below:

  Here's a better view of the faux rust look...divine!

 Be sure to check out France's web page (you'll be drooling!) and the SplitcoastStampers Mix-Ability challenge!!

 

 

 

Believe

 

Hi all!  I had an opportunity to do some crafting this weekend (woohoo!!) and I created this card using a whole bunch of Wendy Vecchi products (links below).  I also created a video to show you how you can recreate this same look on your own.  The video also includes instruction on how to color Wendy's embossing paste once it's dry.  Fun stuff!  Enjoy!!

Supplies:

Specialty Stamping Paper

Add a Stencil

Wendy Vecchi Archival Inks 

Alcohol Blending Solution

White Embossing Paste

Palette Knife

Distress Inks

Vintage Floral Stencil

Little Bits Stencil

License Plate Art

Approved Art

Vintage Mesh Background Stamp

Fude Ball Marker

Black Cardstock

Non-Stick Craft Sheet

Mini Ink Blending Tool

Fantastix