All Your Heart and My Creator Stamp Sets - New Releases from Sweet 'n Sassy

Hi all, and welcome to the final Sweet 'n Sassy release for July! These two sets might just be my favorites this month as both can be used in so many ways and are also perfect for Bible journaling.

For my two cards, I confess that I have been dieting on lots of craft videos in the morning while I consume large quantities of coffee. I've been really enjoying Kristina Werner's videos, especially her water coloring ones, and both of my cards reflect some of my new found skills (thanks to Kristina!)

My first card, shown above, was created with the new My Creator stamp set. This new stamp set includes 20 images and sentiments and retails for $15.95.

I started my card by creating this night sky background, using Distress Paints. You can see Kristina's video tutorial on this technique here. Once the background was completed, I cut it down to the size I wanted and embossed the words in white. I used a few of the star stamps from the stamp set to add a short tone-on-tone design to the teal cardstock. The earth image is also part of the stamp set, but is included with a larger image. Since I wanted the earth to sit right under the word Creator I just left a spot for it when I embossed. I then stamped the earth image on a separate piece of water color paper, colored it with Distress Markers, and cut it out; attaching to the card base with foam tape. I also stamped the clouds twice, and popped them up as well. Lastly, I used a Wink of Steller pen to add a tiny bit of shimmer to each cloud. Here's a close up shot of my card...

My second card features the All Your Heart stamp set, along with some quick and easy water coloring. The stamp set is a word set and includes 11 stamps, two which are decorative images.

I started this card by water coloring a panel. I used Distress Inks for my water coloring; just use the ink pad to apply a little ink to a non-stick craft sheet, and pick up the ink with a wet brush. I also applied water to the water color paper panel before adding color. This allows the color to move more freely and blend. I applied two layers of color for this card, dying in between layers. This gives the background a little more visual interest and texture.

Once the water color panel was dry I embossed the words in white, and then used more ink to color in the open letters. Adding a bit more color to the letters helped them to pop off the background panel. I used a drier brush when adding color to the letters to keep the underneath color from running and to get a more concentrated color. Next, I added a few black and white paint splatters, and a tiny heart (from Wendy Vecchi), which I covered in glitter (using that Wink of Stella pen again), and glossy accents. The water color panel was adhered to black cardstock and attached to a white card base. A close up shot of the card is below...

I hope you enjoyed today's cards! Be sure to visit the links, listed below, to place your order for one or both of these sets!

Happy Crafting!

Direct Link to Stamp Sets:

All Your Heart

My Creator

Art Journal Page Featuring The Crafters Workshop Stencils

Hey strangers! I know, I know...it's been a long time yet again. This whole moving to one state and back again thing has a way of killing one's ability to be very productive every day, especially when it comes to crafting!

We're getting fairly well settled into our new home, but are continuing to work through boxes that have been packed for months. We had the downstairs painted last week and I'm finally able to start hanging things on the walls. However, we are planning a kitchen redesign so I still have lots of stuff that needs to remain packed until that process is complete. Not that I know when I'm going to find time for that kitchen update...LOL!

And...it's summertime! School is finished and we have been enjoying spending lots of time outdoors, visiting parks and the lake. Who has time for decorating anyway! Maybe by me saying out loud that we're doing re-doing our kitchen will inspire me to get planning in a way other than visions in my head and on Pinterest...humm...

Well, until that happens...let's check out some recent artwork I created for The Crafters Workshop. This project was posted on their blog Saturday, but I thought I'd share the process photos on my blog today. Let's go!

The jumping off point for this spread was an Inspiration Wednesday video. During this video, Donna used watercolors, which was where I started. I was thrilled with the soft, summery colors that were produced using the watercolors, and the rest of the spread transpired from that point.

I started by adding some masking tape to both pages of my journal, and covered everything with gesso. I used Peerless watercolors for my painting. If you don't owe these watercolors, get them! They are papers infused with pigment, the activate when you touch them with a wet brush.

I used a very wet brush and variety of colors to create the background. The gesso keeps the watercolor from soaking into the paper, which keeps the colors light and bright. I loved the look of the background so much I didn't want to add anything else to the page!

Since I liked these pale colors so much I didn’t want to add anything with a drastic contrast so I used sections of the 12×12 Screen Print stencil (TCW525) and Tea Dye Distress Ink to add some subtle shading.

Next, I used a gold paint pen to trace around a few of the images. This added just the tiniest bit of shine and highlighted the designs. I also used Wendy Vecchi’s embossing paste, in white, to add the dragonfly image (also from the Screen Print stencil).

Once the embossing paste was dry, I put the stencil back over the embossed area (basically using the stencil as a mask now), and painted the dragonfly with various shades of Distress Paint. I added two dragonflies to this spread, one on each page.

I added more stenciling in the background, using the Believe Script stencil (TCW541) and Wendy Vecchi’s Watering Can Archival Ink. I also added some stamping, from some random Tim Holtz stamps, and gold paint flecks. Lastly, I added some shading to the dragonfly using some Faber Castell Big Brush Markers. I added a quote using alphabet stamps from Tim Holtz and black Archival Ink. See the rest of my photos below!

I hope you enjoyed today's art journal project! Happy crafting!

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!

Playing with Tim Holtz Woodgrain Cardstock

Hi folks! I'm back with another new product review...Tim Holtz Woodgrain Cardstock. The new cardstock comes in a pack of 12 pre-cut sheets (5.5" x 4.25") of heavy cardstock embossed with a woodgrain texture. Very convenient! The pages are white right out of the package. Here's what I created with my first sheet...

This piece of cardstock involved lots of layers, which started with Distress Paint in Tea Dye and Bundled Sage. I added the paint and then spritzed the paper with water to blend the colors. It already looked pretty good here!

Next I added a few Distress Stain colors to get more of that patina look. I used Peacock Feathers and Peeled Paint for this second layer.

And just because I was curious about the new Mica Sprays (this one is from the Dylusions line), I spritzed a fine mist of mica spray over the cardstock. It's not screaming bling, but adds just the finest mist of shimmer. Love it!

As I was digging through my bin of paint I stumbled across the Tarnished Brass Distress Paint and was compelled to add a tiny bit of brass paint to the edges...dreamy.

I finished by adding Gathered Twigs and Black Soot Distress Inks. Conclusion? The woodgrain cardstock is a blast, and it take stand up to just about anything you throw at it!

Next I stamped a butterfly, from a Dina Wakley stamp set (see supply list below), onto a piece of a gelli print I had in my stash. (I did glue the deli paper to a piece of cardstock for more stability) Then I grabbed my new Dylusions White Paint Pen and added some highlights...The new paint pen is dreamy! You need it! It took a while for the paint to work its way down to the tip of the pen, but after that it worked amazingly well, better than the Sharpies I have in my stash. This white pen is going into my stash of favorite pens!

I finished my card by using the new cabinet cards from Tim Holtz, along with a sentiment and a few Idea-ology stickers (upper right hand corner). And, of course, I needed a tiny bit of bling...'cause butterflies must have a sparkly trail, right? 

And in other, very exciting news, I was asked to join the 2016 The Crafters Workshop design team! I can't wait!! The term doesn't begin until the May time frame, but be sure to stay tuned for lots of great stencil projects!!

Supplies:
-Tim Holtz Woodgrain Cardstock

-Distress Paint

-Distress Ink

-Distess Stain

-Scribbly Insects Stamp Set

-Cabinet Cards in Black

-Idea-ology Labels

-Dylusions Paint Pens

-Dylusions Mica Spray