Artsy Amethyst Anna card

Hi everyone,

It's time for a new Simon Says Monday Challenge and this week the letter A is the letter to play with. A is for ... art journal, April, apples, America, etc. We are very curious to see how the letter A inspires you this week!



When I saw the new stamps Anna Dabrowska aka Finnabair designed for Prima Marketing I knew it wanted to make an artsy amethyst Anna card. Well, I knew I wanted to use the Anna stamp, and as the card progressed it got arsty and got the beautiful sort of amethyst color.



Actually, I was experimenting with the Anna stamp and when I was playing with the sprays (Bubblegum Pink, Vibrant Turquiose and Crushed Grape), I didn't masked off the stamp. Oops, that was very dark and not what I wanted .... What now? Throw it away or continue anyway? I think it's always a challenge when you are just starting with a project and it isn't as pretty and nothing like you expected, to go on until it becomes something beautiful. And when that happens, I'm even more happy and pleased with the result.



Since I had nothing masked the stamp, I had to bring some dimension to Anna. Lifting the color using water didn't do alot and I had to think of something else. That gave me the idea to use White Linen Dylusion using a water brush. With it I made some parts brighter to get more depth. Love the effect!




To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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Tea Time Boxes

Hi everyone,

It's time for a new Simon Says Monday Challenge! This time it's about using pastel colors. With Easter just around the corner let yourself be inspired by the soft color palette of this holiday, but PanPastels are also an option if you want to use some brighter colors.



I think Cracked Pistachio is a slightly darker looking pastel green. In hindsight Shabby Shutters was pastel green color to go with... But I don't have it (yet) and Cracked Pistachio is a new favorite of mine! At work I always drink tea, and not so much at home, only when I have s sore troat. And it's also a decorative touch to have a homemade tea box on the table. I made these tea boxes of foam board. The large version is for home and the small one is for on my desk at work.



It's not difficult to make something out of foamboard. It's just a matter of measuring what the size of the content should be, and then take into account the thickness of the material. In this case, 5mm. First I draw everything and cut it out. Then I paint the front and back of the panels in the color I want and that's Cracked Pistachio. I gave it two coats to cover it completely. After everything was dry it was time to assemble it together. I use Tacky Glue to do that and for the reinforcement I use short pins. In my stash I found some hinges and a lock.



The doily on the cover is made with the Ring Doily stencil and Cracked Pistachio colored Embossing Paste on a piece of water coloring paper. I love this technique. With washi tape I made the transition from the water coloring paper to the cover. I added some fine splatters with the Black Soot marker and the Distress Spritzer. The bow I glued it with Tacky Glue.





The small tea box is made the same way. I actually made this a little later on, when I found myself messing with paper cups for my tea supplies. I knew the perfect way to store them.






To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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12 tags of 2015 - March

Hi everyone,

It's time for another Tim tag, and this time for the month of March. Tim has made a super pretty tag and I wish I had the butterfly stamp in my hands already, but it's on its way from America to my sweet little home in just a few days.

Despite I haven't got my butterfly stamp yet, I'm happy playing with my hot air balloon stamp. I used it for so many projects! Truly one of my favorites!

 

What a fun technique to use embossing powder on top of embossing paste. Tim told us to wait with melting the embossing powder until the paste has dried, but I wanted to the bubbling look. I think that just gives it a very cool and distressed effect.





Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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Welcome Leo!

Hi everyone,

A new Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is here. This week we want to see stamps in different ways,  colors or different stamping techniques.



Anna-Karin, my very talented teammember, had a baby boy and I wanted to make her a card to congratulate her and her family with this delightful event. I wanted to do some mixed media techniques that I use in my art journal. I started with the Mini Arrows stencil and Broken China Distress Paint. To get it more into the background I applied a thin layer Gesso over it. With some blue Gelatos I made a border around the card, but it wasn't really what I wanted. And I took the Arrow stencil again with a baby wipe removed the gelato by making white arrows. Love the effect of positive and negative arrows.



It's useful to know which ink you can stamp on what surfaces, as the properties of the inks. Personally, I learned a lot from Tim Holtz in his Creative Chemistry 101 and 102 online courses, but you can also find information on the Internet and in books about it. And of course, trying to see what works, experimenting, is also a good way to go! In my project I have stamped on a regular transparent sheet and as far as I know there is only one ink capable to stamp on this kind of slick surfaces and that Staz-On Jet Black. Don't know if every Staz-On ink is suitable, I only have Jet Black. This ink ensures a good print and the ink dries almost instantly. Other waterproof inks don't really dry and will smear, usually the print isn't really crisp either.



For this card I stamped only on two different surfaces. Gesso and on a transparent sheet. I use Staz-On only for transparent sheets and Archival for all the other surfaces in case it must be waterproof.



Anna-Karin now has two sons and I liked not only Leo, but also Anton incorperated on the card with the Silhouette stencil from Jenny Bowlin. I've also applied some glitter with the Wink of Stella Glitter Clear Brush to let them shine.



I love the Shaker Kite die from the Simon Says Stamp Hop to it collection! And for some reason in my mind flying things brings joy and happiness. Perhaps because by the tradition of releasing balloons at celebrations. That's why I found this kite perfect for Leo's birthday card.



To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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Happy Easter

Hi everyone,

It's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge time! The challenge is "Lions and lambs. In other words it's all about the animals, the little ones that are about to arrive into this world, or waking up after a long sleep, of maybe other critters. With Spring around the corner there is so much new life coming!




I was inspired by the new Easter die from the  Simon Says Stamp Hop to it collection. The font is so cool and perfect for an art journal spread. I started with Tissue Wrap and applied a thin layer of Gesso to tone down the text.





With some Gelatos I played around creating sort of a landscape and to ensure that the color remained where I applied it, I covered it with a layer of Multi Medium. Normally I use the same washi tape on both sides but now chosen to use washi tape colors that matches the background. In order to give in a little more dimension but also a bit of contrast with the black and white washi tape. To blend the tape a little more into the background, I went along it with Big Brush Pens for some shade.



For even more depth and interest I made some kind of clouds with the Bubble stencil and Broken China, and with the Mini Arrows stencil and Peeled Paint I created some grass. Love the old rub-ons I found in my stash, those butterflies with the white background are looking amazing on these pages.








To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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B for ... Bookmark

Hi everyone,

It's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge time! The challenge is: B is for ... Let your creativity run wild. Birthdays, balloons, blue, bo bunny etc. We are very curious what you're going to create. Join in and share it with us!





Recently I started with reading in bed just before going to sleep. I've heard that it's better for your eyes and your mind, and makes you sleep better. But not on something that gives any light like, tv, laptop, tablet or phone. So I started reading books again. But I've actually never had a bookmark. I always used receipts from the book that I had bought. Why not make one?



I started to determine the measurements of the bookmark. I read paperbacks, so it should not be too small. After the measurements were set, I've cut it out of Manila Cardstock. With the Morrocan stencil, Cracked Pistachio and Iced Spruce I started the background. It didn't turn out as I had hoped and applied a layer of Gesso. Then I started working with the Spray Stain to give it more color.



The Scibble Flowers are so cool and you can make really funky creations with them. I did also a bit of doodleling. It was still a bit too monotone for me and with Peacock Feathers Spray Stain and a water brush I colored the flowers.





To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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Happy St. Patrick's day

Hi everyone,

This week it's all about good luck for upcoming St. Patrick's Day over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! It's still two weeks away, but maybe you're already inspired by this holiday.



I'm not really familiar with this Irish holiday. For me it's the color green, clovers, leprechauns and a rainbow with a pot full of gold at the end. I'm inspired by the Lucky 6x6 paper pad of Authentique. The background is made out of strips of pattern paper of the paper pad.



This shade of green is not my favorite color, and the pattern was also very busy. Time for a coat of Gesso to make everything a little less intense. It was important that the background with show through, so I only have applied a thin layer. A little color is needed again, and now with my favorite shades of green, Cracked Pistachio and Crushed Olive. I applied it with my fingers, especially along the edges.
The layers I gave more dimension and interest, by are using stencils and stamps.






To join in all you need to do is make a project that fits this weeks challenge and you can be the winner of the $50 gift voucher that our amazing sponsor Simon Says Stamp offers. This prize will go to a random entry. So go over to the Stamp and Show Monday Challenge blog, let the DT members inspire you and join in the fun!

Thank you for stopping by! Love to see you next time!

Hugs,
Sandra

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