"Beauties By the Sea" Tag

This tag features more artwork using my new favorite stamps:  Bathing Beauties from TJ Designs.  This tag base was actually a reject from my niece's graduation tag card (never throw anything out!).  The colors were perfect to use for seaside art.  I stamped the gals in Jet Black Archival Ink and went to town with the Distress Markers.  The "waves" below them are a blue "rick rack" paper border I had in my stash.  I distressed them, added Picket Fence Distress Marker lines and topped with Rock Candy Stickles.    The seam binding ribbon was colored using Distress Ink.  A jute tie at the top is accented with a beaded pin.

Creative Stamp Friends--#56 Summer Sun Beach & Sea

Cupcake Craft--#202 The Ocean

Simon Says Stamp and Show--Hey Girl

Let's Ink It Up--#25 All Girls

Pile It On--#30 Tag You're It
Crafting For All Seasons--#32 Splash Me
Simon Says Stamp--Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons--#24 The Sea

Bon Voyage Card

 

I'm today's featured designer over at CARD A DAY BLOG and the theme this week is "Travel".  I designed this card with my parents in mind.  They are in their 70's and are blessed with the health and means to travel.  In September they are taking a river cruise through Russia so this vintage style card will be a perfect send off for them.

Details:

• I used the bold black, red and white travel paper for the background.  This was a scrap so I'm sorry that I don't have the paper name for you.  To tone it down, I used Black Soot Distress Ink, darker around the edges and fading in intensity as I went to the center.

• The images are from Crafty Secret Creative Scraps "Travel".  I layered the ship with black, red and black scrap paper.  I hand cut the "Traveler" label and then layered it over an oval (cut with the Coluzzle) black mat.  To give it a "plaque" look, I added dots of Silver Liquid Pearls. 

• I used my new Spellbinders "Ribbon Banners" die to create the label.  I shaded it with Black Soot and Barn Door Distress  Markers then softened with the water pen.  I hand cut the black mat behind it. 
• The sentiment is from TJ Designs "Bathing Beauties".

This card has been entered into the following Challenges:

Craft Your Passion--#120 Black and White Plus One

(and that's--RED!)
City Crafter--#119 Bon Voyage
Shopping OUr Stash--#61 Something New

Cool Stuff #4-- Sizzix Snowflake Die

Some VERY cool things have come out of the recent CHA expo.  One of my favorites, and the reason I just got a Big Kick die cutter, is Tim Holtz's Sizzix Snowflake Dies.  I ADORE these and can't wait to get them.  If you've not seen these or want to see a great tip for putting Rosettes together, please check out this video from Scrap Time:


CHA Summer 2012 – Tim Holtz demos Sizzix Snowflake Die

Cool Stuff #3

I admit it, I have a LOT of paint.  Here's the rack I have and it is entirely full of acrylic paint....yes 300 bottles fit on this rack!!.  And believe it or not, I have two huge boxes full of duplicates stored in a cabinet.  And that's not counting my fabric, glass, oil, and watercolor paints.  That's what happens when you are a painter for over 25 years and attended numerous conventions back in the day when you got to bring all your class paint home!

So while I was intrigued by Ranger's mess free Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber line of paints, I couldn't justify buying more paint.  I did break down and by a bottle of the pearlized white as I didn't have anything similar.  I liked how the dauber top made it easy to apply paint to stamps with no brush to clean.  Sooooo....when I heard that Ranger sells replacement dauber tops, I had to see if it would work on the paint bottles I already had.

I am happy to report that they DO INDEED fit my acrylic paint bottles:  Delta, Americana and Folk Art.  I plan on using the three I bought with my gold, silver and bronze paints and may even buy more tops to use to basecoat a large painting project.

Bathing Beauty Birthday Card & New SVG Set

I used two of the shells from my new SVG set (available HERE) when I created a birthday card for my BFF Sue.  So Sue, if you are reading this STOP now!  Everyone else, keep reading to see the card I made using the wonderfully vintage "Bathing Beauties" stamp set from TJ Designs that I blogged about HERE  (and yup, I did get that "By the Sea" set!).

Lots of layers and details on this card.  Here are the highlights:

• The base papers are from Graphic 45's "On the Boardwalk".  LOVE this paper set and it went perfect with the TJ Designs stamps. 

•  I stamped the bathing beauty image on LeBlanche Specialty Stamping Paper using Jet Black Archival Ink.  I then used my new Tim Holtz Distress Markers to color the image.  The water pen allowed me to softly add in the sky and sand.  Over the dress and hats of the ladies I added touches of Stickles.  The image was then matted with black cardstock.

•  I cut two shells from colored cardstock using SCAL, my Cricut and the new SVG file shown above.  I glued the layers together and used Distress Inks and the water pen to shade.  Then I added Stickles here and there to make them glisten.
• The rosette was created from the same paper as the base and distressed.  I stamped the label on the Specialty Stamping paper, punched it out using a scalloped punch and colored the "roping" with Distress Markers. Stickles were then added to that "rope" and the scalloped edges.
• Film Strip Ribbon and black fabric ribbon were added.  The sentiments were stamped on file folder scraps. The "Cheers" tag had some Distress Ink added to it and I used a little bit of glue to hold the black cord to the film strip.

This card is entered into the following Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp--Layered
Lexi's Creations--#68 For a Friend

Let's Ink It Up--#25 All Girl

Crafty Calendar--July Fun In the Sun

It's All About the Vintage--#23 Anything Goes

Paper Minutes--#225 Shabby Chic/Vintage

Quick & Easy Gift Bag

Want a custom gift bag that's quick and easy and best of all CHEAP but looks like it isn't?  Make a gift bag similar to the one I made my own Dad, shown above, using any SVG file and your Cricut.

You'll find plain colored bags at the dollar or discount store. Pick up a couple of packs so you always have some on hand for last minute gifts.  To get really thrifty, reuse store bags and cover up any logo with the diecut.  Choose an appropriate SVG file, cut, decorate and adhere to the bag.  Add coordinating tissue paper and it looks like a million bucks! 

For the bag above, I used the TROPHY CARD  file and just cut the front portion.  I stamped on "DAD" and it was done.  SVG files are versatile because you can make them any size to fit whatever bag you wish to use.  Make a smaller version as a matching gift tag.

Quick & Easy Gift Idea

 I recently saw something similar online and recreated it to use as a gift for my Dad.  I've been hoarding....I mean SAVING Marzetti dressing bottles for a while as "I think I can make something out of these".  The jar worked perfectly as it held a bag of M & Ms (with just a few left over for me).  I took a strip of double sided scrapbook paper and created the "sleeve" over the jar.  Double sided tape kept the sleeve from falling down.  I used PhotoShop to create the sentiment and then printed it on and matted it with the same paper as the sleeve.  This was then glued to a craft tag.  I tied twine around the jar and knotted.   The tag is attached to the twine with an artist pin.

For the top, I stamped "Dad" (from 7 Gypsies) and punched it out.  Then punched the coordinating mat.  The larger punch fit perfectly on top of the lid. Double sided tape held it to the top of the lid.

A quick and easy gift that you could create for anyone!
This project is entered into the following Challenges:
That Craft Place--Anything Goes

Golfer Birthday Card

Here's a peek at the birthday card I made for my Dad's birthday last week.

I used paper and the golfer element from Graphic 45's "A Proper Gentleman" pad.

I love this pad and have used it for a few "guy" cards.  It's so nice having coordinating masculine papers.

In fact I used to not buy too many pads of paper.  I liked picking out a variety of designs so I would buy individual sheets.  About a year ago realized how much easier it is to create when you have a bunch of papers that all go together. Took me a while, huh?!  lol
This card is entered into the following Challenges:
Top Tip Tuesday--#80 One for the Men
Cards for Men--#14 Happy Birthday
Pile It On--#27 For Guy With Sports Theme
That Craft Place--It's All Green
Paper Play--#27 Happy Birthday

Graduation Tag Card

My niece and god-daughter recently graduated from High School.  Jamie is a great student and a fabulous artist.  So I wanted to create a card for her that would be more "artsy" than the average.  My idea was to take three tags and using tissue tape, make an accordian card.  Well I forgot my intent while I was inking and stamping and after I did the tags, discovered that if I added the tissue tape, I would cover up a lot of the details I liked.  What to do?  I thought  "Why not make a teepee style card from the tags".  So that's what I did!

I used Distress Inks, pearlized water spray and Tim Holtz's Mixed Media stamps over all the tags.  To keep the back of the tags neat and give them more stability, I glued two tags together (4 tags used total).  On the front I added a diecut Graduation Hat and added a tassel I created out of gold cording.  The sentiment stamp is from Inkadinkado.

On the lower back corner, I used an ATC card stamp and filled in the info for her Graduation party. To hold the two halves together, I used a Tim Holtz Swivel Clasp.  On the end of the chain I added a brass paint palette charm that I distressed with alcohol inks

Here's the inside of the "card"  I stamped the "Class of 2012" and other sentiments with Distress Inks.  I forgot to get a picture of it actually standing but it worked perfectly and Jamie seemed to really like it.  I guess I'm the "cool" Aunt after all!

This tag card is entered into the following Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp--Tags or ATCs

Papertake Weekly--Anything Goes
Crazy 4 Challenges--#143 Tags
HIMCR--#53 Freestyle/Anything Goes
Hot Shot Craft--#9 Distress Inks
Art Impressions--#70 Metal Accent

Happy 4th of July!

June Blog Candy Winner

The winner of the flower stamp shown above is

Mary Blake

Mary, please email me (creative@avci.net) before July 10, 2012 to claim your prize.

July's Blog Candy is a pack of Artist Trading Cards

 

Ten woven cotton canvas sheets ready to adorn into ATCs.

How do you win?  Just be a follower!

4th of July SVG Freebie

I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer so far!  I sure am...the weather has been beautiful, the lake water temperature is perfection and my friends & family are enjoying the frozen concoctions I've been making with my new margarita maker!  I have some new projects to show and hope to take time away from the outdoors to post them soon.  In the meantime, I have a new 4th of July SVG freebie for you...Uncle Sam's hat.  How cute would this look as cupcake toppers?

You can grab it  HERE.

If you're looking for more patriotic SVGs, check out this set:

You can purchase it HERE.

Hope all my American friends have a fun and safe Independence Day!