Altered Clipboard

As you might know, I've become infatuated with all things Paper Artsy. I joined their #3Up PATWITS challenge and now I've altered a small clipboard using techniques that I gleaned from Alison Bomber's Paper Artsy Blog posts during her first week on Paper Artsy's Design Team.

I didn't make a project composed of three parts, I just decorated my little clipboard. However, I did use some of the techniques that she used in her projects. 
• Stamped and embossed with clear embossing powder.
• Applied Grunge Paste through a stencil.
• Painted and embossed with clear embossing powder.
• Brushed diluted Fresco Finish paint over a stamped image.
• Stamped my images onto tissue paper, cut 'em out, and moved 'em around to get an idea of what I wanted where. 

My first step was to paint the clipboard with gesso, which I had actually done a few months back. Then I set the clipboard aside, put it somewhere safe (aka the black hole of my craft room), and worked on other stuff. I decided to use the clipboard for this challenge and had to find it. Oh no!

When I finally found it, I painted it with a variety of Fresco Finish paints and heat set them.

I painted the metal portions of the clipboard with Fresco Finish paints, heat set it, squished my Frost Dazzle VersaMark inkpad onto the front of the clip, dumped clear detail embossing powder onto it, dumped off the excess, and heat set it. I did that twice.

A sun charm was painted with Fresco Finish paint and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. The dragonfly charm was plastic, so I didn't want to risk heat embossing it, so it was painted with Fresco Finish paint, then pressed onto an inked stamp. The charms were set aside.

I tinted some Grunge Paste with Hyde Park Fresco paint and used a palette knife to apply it through a vine on a very old Pebbles stencil. I immediately cleaned the stencil and the palette knife and had dinner to give the Grunge Paste time to dry, though the first side seemed to be dry as I was finishing the second vine.

I stamped the birds with grass from Paper Artsy's Hot Pick #1005 set using Onyx Black VersaFine ink and heat set it. Sadly, the impression is not perfect because the paint/gesso was slightly uneven.

The quote, from Paper Artsy's Ink and the Dog Mini #48, was stamped and heat set with clear embossing powder.

Fresco Finish paint was sponged over a stencil from Tando and heat set. The two moths, from Paper Artsy's Stamp and Die Set #01, were stamped with Onyx Black VersaFine ink. Stamping them took a bit of juggling as I had to keep the clip open to maneuver the stamp and block under the open clip to stamp the images where I wanted them. After some fiddling, I used a bottle of glue to prop the clip open while I stamped. Ingenuity is the mother. I'm a mother. Yeah.

The Fresco Finish paint colors I wanted to use are opaque, so they were misted with water to dilute them, then painted over the moths. The piece still needed something, so I stamped the two-pence stamp, from Paper Artsy's Hot Pick #1005 set, into the upper left hand corner.

The vine was touched up with a fine paint brush and Hyde Park Fresco Finish paint. The charms were added to the clip board, and it was done! Best of all, the clipboard is both decorative and useful! Gotta love that!

I shall enter this project in the following challenges:
• Paper Artsy Blog: Challenged By Alison Bomber
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Emboss It!
• Simon Says Monday Challenges: Embossed

Happy Fall Fun!

We had a lovely stretch of cooler weather over the weekend, but it's been hot, Hot, HOT! the last few days and very, very humid too! Mother Nature is a tease. However, I know that fall is coming because we're beginning to get some apples with our CSA farm share! I hope we only get one pumpkin though because I detest pumpkins as a food group. IMHO they're only good for two things, taking children to pick a pumpkin and carving it into a Jack O'Lantern. I guess I could always put an extras out for our grey squirrels to eat! (We don't get red squirrels here, though we've had an occasional black one!).

Kraftin' Kimmie's  Pick of the Patch was stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock and colored with Copic markers, which I'll list below. The colors were chosen to match the patterned papers from my hoarded Mellow 6x6 pad by Basic Grey.

The sentiment was created using equally hoarded Doodlebug Rub-Ons, which I love because they're small and in a fun font. Sadly, they're almost gone. Boo-hoo. The leaves were punched from the more solid papers from the pad, then tinted with Copic markers.

I based my card on this great sketch from the folks at Sketch N Stash.

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic Markers used:
Skin: YR000, YR00, R000, BV000, R21
Hair: E44, E47, E49
Outfit: YG03, YG05, YG07, YG17 Y11, Y13, B21, B23
Pumpkins: YR00, YR02, YR12, YR16, YR18, YR27, YR61, YR65
Squirrel: C00, C0, C01, C02, C04
Wagon: E04, E07, E19, N04, N06
Ground: E40, E41, E42, Ed43, C01, C03
Sky: B0000, B000

I shall be entering this card in the following challenges:
• Kraftin' Kimmie Challenges #195: Fall Fun
• Sketch N Stash Challenges #121
• Basic Grey Challenges #102: Anything Goes
• Craft-Room Challenges: Trees and Leaves

Stampotique Designers Challenge #115: Lots of Layers

Since I fell in love with Stampotique stamps earlier this year, I've challenged myself to participate in as many of the challenges on their Designers Challenge blog.

Here's a card for Challenge #115: Lots of Layers.

Stampotique's Birdy Shoes wanted to make some new friends, so I found him some papers from My Mind's Eye's Fine and Dandy: Girl & Boy 6x6 pads that featured birds. I decided that paper-piecing Birdy Shoes and layering papers would be a great way to meet the challenge.

I stamped Birdy Shoes four times. Once onto the graph/bird patterned paper and then onto three different sheets of patterned paper. I fussy cut the head, torso, and wings, added shading with Copic markers, then edged each piece with a black Big Brush marker. When I was done, I adhered each part to its respective body part on the base image. Clear Glaze gel pen was added to his beak and Clear Wink of Stella glitter pen was added to his sneakers.

I decided that Birdy Shoes needed to be grounded, not because he was a bad birdy, but because I didn't want him floating in air. So I added some light YG Copic under his feet and under the feet of the other birds. Can't have ungrounded birds unless they're in flight. That just wouldn't do.

I set about layering four different patterned paper for the card front. That wasn't enough layering for me though, so I die-cut more patterned papers using a banner die from Taylored Expressions. I fussy cut a flag from each sheet and layered them onto a base banner. The banner was edged using the black marker. I punched two tiny flowers and layered them atop glittery black metallic vellum circle punchies, which were used to anchor the banner. Black rhinestones were added between each banner and tiny black rhinestones were used as the center of the anchor flowers.

I still thought I needed some more layers, so I die-cut green patterned paper (hadn't used green paper yet) using a Fishtail Flag die by Die-namics. That needed to be layered too, so I die-cut a size larger from glittery black metallic vellum.

I had thought I'd use a speech bubble die for the sentiment, but decided to use the horizontal fishtail banner instead. The sentiment, from the sadly defunct justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet Stamps, was stamped using Onyx Black VersaFine ink because I think it does the best job with finely detailed or small stamps.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Stampotique Designer's Challenge #115: Lots of Layers
• C is for Challenges #5: Lots of Layers
• The Crafty Bloggers Network: Things with Wings
• Lady Anne's Challenge: Must Have Wings
• Paper Playtime: Must Use Three Different Papers

Bombshell Stamps Muse Monday!

It's Muse Monday over on Bombshell's Blog! This month we're featuring the Rise & Shine Tattoo Rubber Stamp sett, which will be on sale throughout September! I love the cool retro vibe of this stamp set.

Here's the set!

Here's what I've done with the set!

I stamped the girl in the hammock onto Neenah cardstock and colored her with Copic markers, which I'll list  below.

Using the Copic T series markers, I drew in the beams supporting her hammock as well as the cabin paneling that is behind her. When I was done, I added Clear Gelly Glaze pen to add dimension and shine to the glass in the porthole. 

I stamped the sentiment banner a second time, colored it with Copic markers, fussy-cut it, and popped the center up on dimensional adhesive with the edges glued down over the corresponding image on the scene.

The patterned papers are from the Down by the Shore 6x6 pad by Fancy Pants. It seems to be out of stock, but you can find some great 6x6 pads HERE!

Thanks for visiting today!

Copic markers used:

Skin: E000, E00, E11, E93

Hair: B26, B41, C4, C5, C6, C7

Suit: R24 R27, R37

Sunset: BG72, R32, Y11, Y13, B21

Paneling and Beams: T0, T1, T2

Sentiment Banner: R000, R00, R01, E41 

By the way, there's a Guest Design Team Call going on over at Bombshell Stamps. Here's a link to the information that you need for your application! The deadline for applications is midnight, PDT on September 14th! 

I shall enter the following challenges:

• Card Crafter's Circle Challenge #91: Mona Lisa, Portrait of a Woman

• Left of Center Challenges: Something Girly

Makin' a scene with SCACD's Fairy Queen!

The one thing that I really love about digital stamps is that you can resize them and flip 'em. Oops. That's two things. You can also easily create scenes with them, which I guess is a third thing.

Anyway, that's exactly what I've done here. Using PhotoElements, I've resized SCACD's Fairy Queen, Gryphon, and Teeny Tiny Blue Jay digital stamps and placed them into a scene. I also flipped one of the two Blue Jays!

I printed out the scene onto Neenah cardstock using a laser printer, then colored it using Copic markers which I'll list below. When the images were colored, I drew in the stone wall using Copic markers. Some clouds were die-cut from Eclipse paper, placed onto the scene, traced with a C00 Copic marker. This process was repeated until I had a nice cloudy sky. The blue sky was filled in and the clouds were shaded, also using my Copics.

The sentiment was created by using two words from Ideology Chit Chat Word stickers. Lines were drawn in using a Copic Multi-liner.

The patterned paper is from the Natural 6x6 pad by Authentique and was edged with a Gold Spica Glitter pen. The card was finished with two filigree gold metallic corners cut with a SCACD Classic Corners Die and a gold metallic chain cut with Memory Box Delicate Chain die.

Copic Markers used:
Skin: YR0000, YR000, YR00, R000, R20, BV00
Hair: C4, C5, C6
Dress: BG23, BG32, BG34, BG45, BG49
Wings: BG000, BG00, BG11, BG23, BG90, BG93
Gryphon: Y21, Y23, Y26
Blue Jay: B02, B04
Wall: T0, T1, T2, T3, T4
Ground:E43
Sky: Custom less than B21
Clouds: C00, C0, C1

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Southern Girls Challenges: Make Believe
• Flutter By Wednesdays Challenges #251: Anything Goes
• Creative Card Crew Challenges: Things with Wings
• Simon Says: Wednesday Challenge Blog: Animal Antics

Paper Artsy #3Up!

During the last several months, I've become enamored of stamps and paints by Paper Artsy. In my quest to learn more about these great products, I've become quite the stalker of Paper Artsy's blog, You Tube channel, and Facebook page. So when I saw something about a challenge for fans that was being sponsored over at Twitter,  I asked to be included and was delighted to find out that I could play along!

The challenge is that we would be sent three things and we'd have to create a project using them. I love challenges like this because they're the ones that make me think and force me to grow outside my usual comfort zone!

Well, since Paper Artsy just celebrated their tenth birthday, Leandra, Queen Paper Artsy, was feeling festive and sent quite a bit more than three products! I received a color swatch, a stamp set from the Lynne Perella Collection, specifically LPC004, a large triangular Masonite pennant, Teresa Collins Everyday Moments Buttons, a few pieces of Smoothy Stamping Card,  a cute container filled with three tiny tags, eyelets, brads, and safety pins, and a sheet of instructions. I was especially thrilled by the stamp set as I had been ogling all the sets in the Lynne Perella Collection, but couldn't decide which to get first! Now that impasse has been broken and I can start collecting. :D 

Here's the wall hanging that I created with the goodies in my package!

All stamping was done using Onyx Black VersaFine ink, which was heat set. A stamp positioner was used to line up the vertical row of ladies. Most of the images were colored with Copic markers with a bit of chalk-penciled blush and shading. Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen was added in spots, and then the pieces were edged with Black Soot Distress ink. The hats were stamped onto mostly solid patterned papers (including one from the swatch sheet!), fussy cut, and added to the trio of vertically stacked ladies.

I wanted to use as many stamps from the set as I could, so I needed a larger surface for the pennant. I searched my stash and came up with an acrylic page from a mini book kit to be used as the base. This acrylic page was sanded then painted with Vanilla, Tinned Peas, Mermaid, Pumpkin Soup, Hey Pesto, Beach Hut, and South Pacific Fresco Finish Paint. I discovered that the paint took longer to dry completely on acrylic, so it was set aside while the Masonite pennant was painted with the same combination of colors.  When I was finished with the pennant, the acrylic piece was fully dry and ready for some stenciled accents. South Pacific Fresco Paint was used to stencil three rows of heart arrows from the Arrows and Hearts stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and some text from the Art Is stencil, also by The Crafter's Workshop.

***

Digression: I must note that these paints are amazing. They go on smoothly, blend wonderfully, and dry quickly to a chalk-like finish that accepts stamping really well. I also should note that I am still low on the learning curve of using them well, but at least I'm enjoying the process!

***

End of digression: There was a 1.25” gap between the Masonite pennant and the top of the acrylic page, so I cut three pieces of chipboard and adhered them together to fill that space and to be the same height as the Masonite. An embossing folder was used to emboss metal Flashing Tape, which was then adhered to the chipboard brick. I used a stylus to add stripes, dots, and crosshatches to the tape, brushed South Pacific Fresco Paint over the embossed ta detailed tape, let the paint set for a minute, then wiped it off with a paper towel leaving paint in the indentations. 

A flat wooden button from my packet was painted with Vanilla and Pumpkin Soup Fresco Paint and a Masonite heart was painted with Beach Hut and South Pacific Fresco paint. The heart was used to cover up the buttonholes. When the paint was dry, I added Glaze Pen over it to make it shiny.

The tags from the packet were painted using Vanilla, Pumpkin Soup, and South Pacific Fresco paint. Alphabet Rub-ons were added to them. I watered down some Vanilla Fresco paint and brushed it across the stamped colored shell pieces.

I first tied silver metallic ribbon through the holes on the acrylic page. Then the metallic block was adhered over it and the rest of the piece was assembled.

Here's a closer view of the top part of the piece.

Whereas this packet was initially daunting, I had a fabulous time creating it. I'm so very pleased to have been included in Paper Artsy's celebration and wish them years and years of growth and success!

All the projects from #3UP particpants are being featured on Paper Artsy's blog this week, so you should check them out! Just grab a cuppa or a cocktail, get comfortable, and clear some time to do so. There's been some amazing work! Oh! My project is up over there with a shorter version of the above. The instruction sheet asked us to be brief and concise in the verbiage for their blog post. That probably was the most difficult part of the challenge for me as I tend to be a teensy-bit verbose.

Thanks for visiting today!

  

Circles, circles everywhere!

The Stampotique Designers issued a "Three Circles" challenge that made me look at the world differently. Circles! They're everywhere! Snowglobes, clocks, knobs -- oh my!

Here's my take on the challenge:

I did an old-as-the-sun, but new-to-me, technique. For some reason, I never did this before, but I didn't want Moon Girl's little dress to be solid black... So, I colored on the Moon Girl rubber stamp with Distress markers, huffed on it, and stamped the image onto the circle of a Memory Box. It was masked and the process was repeated until I had three little Moon Girls in a snowglobe. I wasn't satisfied with the coverage, so I colored over the Distress marker with Copic markers and added Wink of Stella glitter pen to each pair of wings. Then the "globe" was colored to match the "wall" behind it. Copic Opaque white was added for glare, then clear glossy paint was added over that.

The snowglobe, containing the Moon Girls, needed to sit on something, so I built a cabinet, which I topped with a lacy patterned doily, die-cut from patterned paper. If Moon Girls can live in snowglobes, then doilies can be patterned. Yep.

I needed some more circles, so I die-cut a clock from gold and black cardstock using SCACD's Classic Timepiece die. Then since the snowglobe is transparent, I had to add more color it, which was more or less successful. Planning in advance would have been a good idea. Oh well.  Meanwhile, I still needed circles, so I die-cut two circles and added gold pearls to them for cabinet knobs. Colored rhinestones finished the piece. Tahdah.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in this challenge:
• Stampotique Designers Challenge: Three Circles
• Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes