Magenta ATC Swap Reveal

Mariëtte, my wonderful fellow DT Member over at Magenta, was the impetus and organizer of the Second Magenta ATC Swap.  What a wonderful event and I was so excited to be a part of it. She posted the ATC Reveal on the Magenta Blog here and my goodness, there was such beautiful art work with a variety of styles and a vast array of Magenta stamps.

Here were the four that I traded in the swap:

This one was made stamping the Hola, Hello, and Bonjour speech bubble stamps with StazOn ink and then shading in the background with Distress ink on photo paper. Doodling, paint splatters and glitter finish it off.

For this one, again on satin photo paper and using a variety StazOn ink colours, I first stamped the Life is Art sentiment stamp in the centre.  Then, I masked off a section of the If Nothing Ever Changed stamp using Post-its so as to ink just the butterfly.  I coloured in the letters with the ink using a shaped cotton swab stick and created the speckled dots using the end of a toothpick as a stamping tool to transfer the ink colour.

This is the third one done on satin photo paper too. Love the bold, vivid colour that is created on the photo paper. Aren't those colours fabulous? and that feather stamp.... LOVE IT!  I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink colour Peacock Feather's and StazOn Ink in Lilac.  For the sentiment, I heat emboss stamped the Give Wings to Your Passion with white on black cardstock and then fussy cut around the words.

This one is very different from the others.  I stamped with Archival ink on to 140 lb cardstock and then coloured it in using Derwent watercolour pencil crayons and a water brush.  The bird is part of the To:/From: Bird stamp which I masked off again with post-its in loading it up with ink.

I actually started by stamping the bird and then used a masking gum product to paint over the stamped image. Then, I stamped the Dogwood Branch stamp.  Once dry, I simply used a gum eraser and removed the masking fluid.  It works amazingly.  Finishing it off was the stamped Think Happy Thoughts sentiment.

Next up, here are the watercolour beauties that Marianne, my swap partner from the Netherlands,  created:

Love the delicate nature of these.

Hoping that the ATC event happens again in the fall with even more artists joining in.:)

TTFN,

Beach Diggin'

Yeah! A second just scrap it layout complete. I did this one a while ago but hadn't had a chance to share it.

Supplies: patterned papers, cardstock stickers, chipboard, flair badge (Simple Stories), umbrella chipboard (Magenta), gelatos (Faber-Castell), liquid glass, ink, and pen (CTMH), watercolour paint (Daler Rowney), Silhouette cut file font (Shoshoni brush)

I think this is one of my all time favourite summer pages for several reasons. I love that big ol' Magenta chipboard umbrella that I coloured with gelatos to match the paper...

... the layering...

... and clustering.

Also, while I have several summer collections from Simple Stories, this "I heart Summer" collection is my fave. Lucky or unlucky for me (depending how you look at it), I have lots of it to play with. LOL!

TTFN,

Curiosity - Art Journal Page

Where would we be without a sense of curiosity? Since childhood, I have been a naturally curious person and persistently want to know the "why" and "how" of things.  Thankfully the internet makes feeding my need to know so easy to quench.

When I saw "curiosity" as an art journal emotions prompt idea on the Mixed Media Place blog a while back, it struck a chord with me and I sketched out a page idea for later use. I had an opportunity to play last evening and combined my sketched out page idea with the June Moodboard colours over at Scrap Around the World.

I went with a questioning science based take on curiosity and used a bunch of clip art images that fit the subject focus and reflect some of my interests.

Supplies: 400 Series Watercolor Hardbound 11" Art Journal (Strathmore),gesso (Golden), Tim Holtz tissue paper and distress paints, Dylusions numbers stencil, gel medium, Archival Ink (Ranger), whipped spackle and Pitt Artist Stamper's Big Brush pens (Faber-Castell), Specimen stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), question mark stamps (Kelly Panacci, CTMH, Making Memories), chipboard and fabric letters (Prima), sticker letters (BasicGrey), gelly roll pen (Sakura), clip art (misc.)

From the supplies list, you can see that I had a fun playtime using lots of techniques and media.  A few detailed close ups shots:

I would have to say that I went with a more masculine take on this beautiful SATW June Moodboard.

TTFN,

Celebrating Father's Day

Yeah! I am finished my course this weekend and back to having some time to create.  First order of business, create a Father's Day card to celebrate the day.

I made this Father's Day card last night using some Magenta products that totally fit my design idea. I wanted a metallic mosaic look for the base with the embossed aluminum ties sticker as the focal point. I was going for a masculine retro metallic feel for this card.

Supplies: stencil, embossed metal, chipboard letters (Magenta), whipped spackle and gelatos (Faber-Castell), Tim Holtz distress paint and watercolour cardstock (Ranger), pen (CTMH)

I stencilled with a geometric design stencil using whipped spackle. Then once dry, I coloured the rectangles with colour combinations of gelatos (Chocolate and Brown) and metallic gelatos (Silver and Gold)using a waterbrush. It is hard to see in the photo but there is a frosted tile-like finish to the rectangles.  I outlined each one using a ultrafine 0.2 marker to make them pop.

I applied black Tim Holtz distress paint to the embossed metal ties sticker, let the paint set up a bit, and then buffed some way to highlight the ties detailing and give it a distressed metal look. Using the paint, it was super easy to colour the chipboard letters too due to the dabber design. I elected to leave the letter centres in, giving them a bolder look, so that they wouldn't get lost in the busy background.

Decided to play along with Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge with this card for the challenge is paint.


TTFN,

School Year Coming to a Close - Magenta June Challenge

Less than a month and school is out and that is precisely the theme of Magenta's June Challenge.  My first thought with this challenge goes to all the thank yous that are in order whether it be teachers, office staff, custodial staff or the crossing guard. That calls for a lot of cards and I like to make them, so naturally I made a card for the challenge.

Supplies: patterned papers, stamps, fabric (Magenta), ink (Ranger), watercolour paint (Artist Loft), Baker's Twine (MME), white pen (Sakura), brown pen (Staedtler), Silhouette cut - font: Chunky Five

I went for a very scholarly theme here with the "abc" school tag stamp and the large fabric A+. I combined two stamps and masked out a part of the tag one to allow the "Thanks" stamp to flow through it. I coloured in the pencil and letters using watercolour paints matching colours in the patterned papers. For the A+, I cut the shape from a Magenta Canvas Sheet that colour coordinates with the colours in the alphabet paper.  I used the font "Chunky Five" and then inlined it with a white pen to give a collegiate look to the letter.  A perfect teacher card!

So whether it's a card, a gift, or gift packaging, make it with the School's Out theme using any one Magenta product and link up here for a chance to win.

TTFN,

Magenta May Challenge

Anything goes is the theme for this month's Magenta Challenge. After receiving new items from the Magenta Spring 2014 Supplement Catalogue, I was organizing my DT supplies when I rediscover a bunch of Magenta items in my stash that sparked this layout idea.

I cut the title from a Magenta Canvas Fabric sheet using my Silhouette and a Silhouette cut file. Because the fabric is paper backed it cuts beautifully clean and then lifts off the cutting mat with ease. Going to have to do more fabric cuts in the future. It was just too easy.

These heart stickers were some of the first Magenta products that I ever owned.  I decided to go with them on this layout because I liked the watercolour look to them.

The finishing touch was a liberal sprinkling of sequins.  I originally had less on the page, when my daughter came into my scrap room to see what I was working on.  She requested that I try it with more sequins. Once I added them, she said she liked it better that way. Who was I to argue.  The girl is going to end up with these when I am gone anyways! LOL!

You can find details and enter the Magenta May Challenge here.

TTFN,

Watercolouring Bonus Day

Yeah, an extra day of fun at the Online Card Classes Watercolor for Card Makers!

The technique that I wanted to try was the textured background taught by Laura Sterckx.  I used an emboss folder, then the watercolouring technique using distress inks and lastly a misting of glimmer.

The bird and branches were punched from watercolour paper and then watercoloured with a wet brush and distress inks.  They too received a touch of shine with colour corresponding Glimmer Mists. To finish off the card, a fav sentiment stamp from Magenta.

Now to go back into the earlier lessons and to try out a few more techniques.

TTFN,

Watercolouring Play Day!

Watercolor for Card Makers had a day 11 which the called Play Day and boy was it ever.  Tim Holtz brought on the fun with a stencil Distress Ink  technique which was a must try.

I have to say that I love, love, love this fun technique! Bright, cheery, and fun, I had the perfect Magenta sentiment stamp (from the new Spring 2014 Supplement ) to go with the Silhouette cut heart background stencil that I had previously created.

On my first attempt, I did not like the pattern I had created as a full card but saw the potential in cutting it into two smaller pieces.  They really worked out well that way.

The marble background was made from the left over ink left on the craft mat after I made the darker striped background.  I like the softness that it brought to that card.

Love the intensity of colour on this one. Just what I had in my mind.  Love when that happens.

I created a softer version and blinged it up with glitter glue filled hearts and touches of chunky gold glitter.

Love the variety that can be created with variations in pattern and colour intensity along with changing up the embellis.

Lots more card ideas percolating from these technique packed classes. Looking forward to sharing more soon.


TTFN,

Kreative Koncepts Colour Challenge #25 Guest Designer

I am loving the colour challenges over at Kreative Koncepts (formerly Scrap Friends).  I was lucky enough to be a random winner in March/April Challenge #23 with my "The Girls" layout and received an opportunity to Guest Design for the May/June Colour Challenge #25.

Again, it is a colour board that speaks to me and my stash of pretty papers. Such beautiful bright cheery colours and I knew just what collection I wanted to use.

Supplies: patterned papers (Bazzill), stencil (Magenta), Whipped Spackle and gelato (Faber-Castell), wood veneer title (Studio Calico), wood veneer leaves (Recollections), tissue paper and floral pieces (Dollarama), gesso (Golden), pen (Staedtler)

I have had this Margie Romney-Aslett's Bazzill Basics Vintage Marketplace patterned paper since it was first released.  It is so pretty and perfect for this colour challenge.  The roses tied into the inspiration photo too.

I used some pre-prepped tissue that I had made while experimenting with gelatos and tissue paper when I made my "Sister's layout".  I coloured the white tissue paper with Metalic Melon gelato and then saturated it with water to activate the gelato. It had a very shimmery satin/silk feel which totally worked with the colour board inspiration photo of the silk pillow.

I used my favourite Magenta butterfly stencil with Faber-Castell's Whipped Spackle.  Love the consistency of this product which varies from molding paste as it is a whipped gesso. You only need a little as it goes a long way.  It is easy to use and dries quickly.

The florals are from Dollarama but they all were actually parts of two separate candle rings.  I bought them with the intent of taking them apart and using them on a project.  Again, an item that is ideally suited for this challenge as it goes with the branched and floral design in the inspiration photo fabric on the chair.

Check out the other beautiful takes on the challenge and come join in here.

TTFN,

Watercolouring... who knew?

I have been a bit quiet of late.  I have been taking a university course on top of working and it is eating any of the few extra minutes that I had previously to craft. Sometimes when I go for chunks not creating, I just get an overwhelming urge to just pause on everything else and just do it.  Last night was one of those nights where I was sinking in other work items and just had to stop and do something different.  I do have some crafty things to share and will catch up on that in future posts but today I am sharing an unexpected card that I made as a result of my break time last night.  

When I saw the Watercolour for Card Makers Online Class advertised a while back, I was interested but knew it would not fit with my other course.  Then I saw something in regards to it again yesterday and decided what the heck, the classes are available for me to look at in the future so why not.  I signed up on Day 9 of 10. LOL! Watched that day's first video on Simple Freehand Painting using a splatter painting technique and just went for it.

Supplies: Watercolour paper (Carsons), watercolour paint pucks (Artist Loft), sentiment stamp (Winnie and Walter), ink (Archival-Ranger), cardstock (Bazzill)

My card is a slightly different take on the tree technique as shown in the video for I went for a spring cherry/apple blossom look.  I think it is not bad for a first try especially because I have not had the benefit of having taken the other days' classes.  LOL! Nothing like jumpin' in feet first!

I paired my tree with a Winnie & Walter sentiment stamp.  I shortened the tail end of the font script to make it fit my card space by using a post-it. 

Looking forward to going through the other lessons with a school break coming up and sharing my learning creations in the future.

TTFN,