Peaceful Snowfall

As I'm writing this, we've reached that point of a western Idaho summer, where I start day dreaming of shoveling snow.  It's so hot that winter is starting to look appealing!  I'm going to lock myself in the craft room with the AC cranked up and a few fans going, but meanwhile, I'm going to share this pretty little winter-y card.  

I started this card out by embossing my Tin Pail card front, and then sprinkling some Sparkle silk across the background, concentrating it on the right side.  I die cut my other pieces, and then rubbed the snowflake with some Silver Pan Pastel.  In person, there is almost a pearlized effect on the snowflake.  I layered the vellum border with strips of Mirror Silver and Pool Play, before adding my Scallop Circle on some foam squares - trimming the excess off - and then adding the snowflake.  A heat embossed (and die cut) sentiment, and a few fashion silver pieces finished off the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,                                                                             

                                              

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies Used:

Stamps:
Holiday Script Bundle (Stamps & Dies) BD-0160

Inks: Clear Pigment Ink Pad IP-0102, Journey Silver Embossing Powder IP-0100, Sparkle Silk IP-0126, Journey Brush Silver PanPastel JM-0097

Papers: River Stone 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0094. Tin Pail 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0147, Pool Play 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0092, Pretty Amethyst 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0028, Journey Vellum PP-0044, Mirror Silver CS-0137 Embellishments: Fashion Silver AC-0293

Tools:
Barn Wall Embossing Folder EF-0033, Snow Blooms Die Set DI-0253, Journey Scallops Die Set DI-0460, Border Essentials Die Set DI-0495, Journey Platinum Machine TO-0090,  Journey Blooms Paper Trimmer TO-0039, Crease Tool TO-0040, Detail Pro Shears (4.5") TO-0063, Heat Gun TO-0083
Adhesives:
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner AD-0081, Journey Craft Glue AD-0111, Journey Foam Squares - Medium AD-0085

Life in Color Mixed Media Paintbrush

The mixed media options from Fun Stampers Journey, were one of the first things that drew me towards the company.  I loved creating canvases, and other pieces using a wide variety of products, and seeing all of my favorite things in one place made me happy!  

And then, I really didn't get around to using them much.  Mixed media projects, for all their fun, are a bit more time consuming than cards - just allowing for drying time and clean up, they take a while.  But, I've been itching to work on something, so I pulled out a bunch of supplies and got to work.

I started out with a paintbrush I had purchased from the dollar store.  Because this had a bit of a glossy finish, I gave the handle a quick sanding, before adding multiple coats of gesso to the handle and finial.  I used my heat gun to dry the gesso a bit quicker in between layers.  After the final layer was dry, I added some modeling paste through a stencil.  I sat that aside for a couple of hours to dry thoroughly, before coming back to use reinkers to dye the bristles of the brush.

I used gloves to keep my hands clean, and started with the yellow ink.  I put a few drops of reinker up where the bristles attach to the brush, and then worked them down the length, adding more reinker as necessary.  Then I moved on to other colors, repeating the process.  When that was done, I set the brush aside, again for a couple of hours, to allow the ink to dry.  I did wind up coming back to that and adding a thin layer of gesso over the top - this both muted the color somewhat, as well as giving the bristles a little more texture for the reinker to dry to.

I covered the bristles with a paper towel to spray the handle.  I layered the Color Splashes, drying with my heat gun between layers, until I was satisfied with the color result.  I then generously sprinkled the whole project - handle and bristles - with sparkle silk.

I heat embossed my sentiment onto vellum and fussy cut it out, and die cut two border strips, as well as a strip of Black Licorice.  I used White Liner tape to adhere the two border pieces together, and then adhere the border around the bottom of the finial.  I added the Black Licorice strip with the white liner as well.  Then I attached my sentiment using liquid glue.

Before moving on to further embellishment, I spread a thick line of craft glue on my work surface, and then ran the bottom portion of the bristles back and forth through the glue a few times.  Then I carefully sprinkled the sparkle dust over the glue, and knocked off the excess.  I laid the brush down to dry, and attached the Fashion Gold pieces, along with the ribbon to the handle and flowers.  After the glue had dried, I came back with my blending brush and some silks, to add a bit of messy color to the flowers.  Once the whole piece had dried overnight, I again knocked off the excess sparkle dust, in order to help keep the glitter fallout to a minimum.

This was a super fun project.  One thing I love with mixed media is how your project changes with each added layer.  And each project is unique.  Even using the exact same products, each person creating will have a slightly different result.

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,                    

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies Used:

Stamps: 

Color Pop Stamp Set SS-0613

Inks:
Candy Apple True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0001, Huckleberry Fusion True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0012, Lemon Drop True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0026, Limeade Splash True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0025, Grape Fusion True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0033, Citrus Cooler True Color Fusion Re-Inker RI-0047, Clear Pigment Ink Pad IP-0102, Gold Embossing Powder IP-0101, Sparkle Silk IP-0126, Cool Pool Color Splash IP-0076, Lemongrass Color Splash IP-0078, Shimmer Gold Color Splash IP-0081, Blue Lagoon Color Splash IP-0084, Cranberry Bliss Silk IP-0094, Gold Silk IP-0096, Turbo Teal Silk IP-0119

Papers:

Lemongrass 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0019, Black Licorice 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0003, Journey Vellum PP-0044

Media: Journey Gesso JM-0072, Journey Modeling Paste JM-0073, Vintage Screen Stencil JM-0002, Spatula TO-0089
Embellishments:
Journey Sparkle Dust AC-0013, Sweet Blooms AC-0329, Gingham Ribbon Black Licorice AC-0096, Fashion Gold AC-0292

Tools:
Border Basics Die Set DI-0144, Journey Platinum Machine TO-0090,  Journey Blooms Paper Trimmer TO-0039, Crease Tool TO-0040, Detail Pro Shears (4.5") TO-0063, Heat Gun TO-0083, Journey Blending Brush - Large TO-0099
Adhesives:
White Liner Tape AD-0001, Journey Craft Glue AD-0111

From the Bottom of my Heart

Pretty and simple cards are kind of my jam.  I love making cards that come together quickly, and have a pretty color palette, or one eye catching element as part of the design.  Today's thank you card uses a little of both - soft and sweet colors, with a heart element in the strongest color that draws your eye.  As always, all of the supplies I used are listed at the bottom of the post, to make shopping easier!

I began by die cutting all of my pieces.  I stamped the "from the bottom of my heart" portion of the sentiment in the corner of the Tin Pail rectangle first, then lined up the treat label with the heart cut out, over the top of a piece of Rustic Rose, and used Foam Squares to adhere the two pieces.  I added that to the Tin Pail piece, and trimmed the excess off the edge. I sprinkled the card front with Sparkle Silk.

I heat embossed the "Thank you" onto vellum, and then fussy cut it out. Then I added it to the bottom corner of the treat label, with a little craft glue.  The whole card front was added to a Whip Cream card base with some Easy Glide adhesive.

Thanks for stopping by!

Much love,                                                                             

                                              

Fun Stampers Journey Supplies Used:

Stamps:
Many Thanks ATS AT-0280

Inks:
Clear Pigment Ink Pad IP-0102, Silver Embossing Powder IP-0100, River Stone True Color Fusion Ink IP-0053, Sparkle Silk IP-0126

Papers:
Whip Cream 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0040, Tin Pail 8.5"x 11" Card Stock CS-0147, Rustic Rose 8.5" x 11" Card Stock CS-0142, Journey Vellum PP-0044

Tools:
Treat Label Die Set DI-0037, Heart-Felt Die Set DI-0033, Journey Rectangles Die Set DI-0041, Journey Platinum Machine TO-0090,  Journey Blooms Paper Trimmer TO-0039, Crease Tool TO-0040, Detail Pro Shears (4.5") TO-0063, Heat Gun TO-0083

Adhesives:
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner AD-0081,  Journey Craft Glue AD-0111, Journey Foam Squares - Medium AD-0085