Hey! It's May! And Lizzie Anne Designs Singles Day!

 Wow. May 1st. How did that get here already? It really is not fair that the older you get, the faster time seems to fly by. But, along with growing older also comes the joy of having good, true, friends. The kind that stand by you through thick and thin (and I'm not just referring to weight fluctuations!), the kind that just...get you. Know what I mean? Lizzie Anne Designs has two new Singles releases today, which both refer to the comfort of a good friend. "Favorite Jeans" and "A Good Friend" are perfect together. The jeans image is really fun to play with. For this card, I
used the Copic "denim technique". Super easy. Just color the image with the various shades of blue you select to create the color and shading of jeans. Let dry for a few minutes. Place some Copic Blender solution in a spray bottle and spritz on a scrap of denim fabric. Press this on the colored image for a few seconds. When dry, the solution will have "nudged" the color to create the look of the denim texture. This same process can be used with various textured fabrics...terrycloth, burlap, tulle, etc. The patches on the jeans were paper-pieced with the plaid Pinecone Press paper which was distressed around the edges. To create the look of jeans cuffed at the bottom, I stamped the bottom of the image on a scrap, colored, cut, and adhered to the hem of the jeans upside-down. The extra "patches" on the card were created from stamping the herringbone texture from the "Timeless Textures" set. I snipped around the edges and distressed them slightly as well. As I was playing with "Favorite Jeans", I started to think of all the fun ways to create with this image...so be sure to check back for more ideas. Meanwhile, check out what the rest of the Lizzie Anne Designs' team has come up with using these new releases. Pick up your own set, and create something fabulous for your closest pals as well.

Plus:
Tsukineko Paris Dusk Memento ink
Copic Sketch Markers: B21, B24, B37, B45
Copic Blender Solution
Pinecone Press "Scout"
kraft cardstock
Corrugator, Nestabilities Circle
twine, rivets, clothespin, denim scrap
sanding block

Dreamweaver Stencils' New Releases and a Free Week!

This week is a free week again for the Dreamweaver Stencils' Dream Team challenge, PLUS...this is the week that the brand NEW designs are released as well. I sooooo love this new "Apron" stencil (which could also be used as a sundress), and have created several super fun designs with this. This version would work well for Mother's Day coming up, or just for the fun of it. The Apron was paste embossed with white. The process goes like this:

1. Place stencil on brown cardstock. Place removable tape around all four edges.
2. Using palette knife or Paste Spreader, spread paste across stencil at slight angle. Holding knife at 90 degree angle (straight up and down on edge), scrape off excess paste.
3. Carefully peel away tape from last three edges. Use first as a "hinge" to lift stencil and remove pasted panel. Set aside to dry.
4. Place stencil in water and use soft scrub brush to clean and let dry.
5. When paste is dry (approx. 30 minutes), place stencil back over image, and apply Palette Glue with jumbo Dauber over pasted surface.
6. Apply heat tool slightly until tacky.
7. Pour glitter over tacky surface. Pour off excess.

The rest of the card was just a matter of layering papers, a little distressing with ink. Of course, the seamstress in me had to add brad "buttons" and a rick rack border to the apron, as well as a little stitching and buttons on the card.  Now be sure to take the tech trek around to the rest of the team's blogs (links at right), leave some love as you go (including some for me!), create your own free theme design, and link it to the Mr. Linky on the Dream It Up! blog.

Dreamweaver Stencils:
LG736 Apron
LM2010 Paste Spreader
DEP Embossing Paste
RMT Removable Tape
GSP Palette Glue Pad
DPK Palette Knife

Stampendous Pastel Pink Glitter
Tsukineko Rich Cocoa Memento ink
Bazzill cardstock
MME patterned paper
ribbon, rick rack, buttons, twine, pom pom trim
brad fasteners
sewing machine

I Love Stampendous Dragonflies!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE dragonflies. So, when Stampendous introduced this "Dragonfly Vine" Cling stamp in January, I could hardly wait to play with it. This is only one of the creations I've come up with so far using this gorgeous image. Trust me...you'll be seeing more! Stamped simply on patterned paper, matted, popped up on a darker panel with a elegant border and ribbon should have been enough...but you know me! I distressed some flowers and added the subtle bling of swirls of black Dot Sparkler Class A' Peels (see close-up at left). Even more subtle was the addition of the "grateful" sticker sentiment at the bottom. For more inspiration using this wonderful image, check out the projects on the Stampendous web site and blog.

Stampendous:
(CRP119) Dragonfly Vine Cling
(AC672HSK) Class A' Peel Dot Sparklers

Tsukineko Onyx Versafine ink
My Mind's Eye patterned paper
Bazzill cardstock
Prima flowers
bling brad, ribbon
corner rounder, EK Edger

New Releases from Dreamweaver Stencils!

 As we're going through a bit of a heat spell in California this week, I thought I'd post this refreshing card featuring new designs from Dreamweaver Stencils. The Damask background is the same as I've created before by running the Memories Mists covered stencil through the Big Shot with a white cardstock panel to transfer all that gorgeous ink to the negative areas that are beautifully embossed. The bottom panel is coral cardstock run through the Big shot with the Stripes stencil. The newly released Umbrella stencil was "sludge-pasted" with a mix of Matte Orange, Matte Yellow, and Glossy Red pastes. Once dry, I cut around it, matted it with white and popped it up on the card. The ribbon and flowers add to the springy feel of this card. The sentiment was paste-embossed with Glossy White and matted as well. I think this card would be perfect for a bridal or baby shower, or a just-because-I'm-thinking-of-you card! I'm looking forward to posting more fun projects using Dreamweaver Stencils' new releases. Be sure to come back to see!

Celebrate with a Jumbo Cupcake!

Quickie post today. Been sooo wrapped up in fall and winter catalog samples, that I thought I'd take a moment to post something in bright spring/summer/party colors. This card features the Stampendous Cling Cupcake XL image...and I do mean XL. Pretty much a life size cupcake. No calories in this one...maybe extra fiber, but 100% cute! The fun "liner" was run through my Corrugator. The "icing" was layered for dimension. I created a cute pick/flag for the sentiment, added drops of Sakura Souffle Pens on Class A' Peel Dot Sparklers for "sprinkles". Borders of Class A' Peel Ric Rac in the background
add to the fun. This card would obviously be perfect for a birthday card, but would be fab for any celebration, or even for an invitation for a party. I have a good friend who's birthday is this weekend...so guess what she's getting in the mail? Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Don't eat too many chocolate bunnies and jelly beans! Lol.

Stampendous:
CRW061 Cling Cupcake XL
SSC1115 Birthday Assortment
AC672HSS Class A' Peel Dot Sparklers
AC653VW Class A' Peel Ric Rac Border

Tsukineko Onyx Versafine ink
Bazzill Limeade
white, bright pink cardstock
MME and Tinkering Ink patterned paper
Sakura Souffle Pens
toothpick, pompom
Marvy-Uchida Corrugator
double-sided foam adhesive

Getting ZENtangled with Dream Schemes Sketch #5

Last week I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, for the NAMTA (National Art Materials Trade Association) show, and had soooo much fun. Lynell Harlow (owner of Dreamweaver's Stencils) and Lee Kellogg and I took turns demo-ing with the stencils and all the fabulous products and techniques to go with. Whenever we had opportunities to walk the show, we were inspired by so many wonderful products, artists, and...art! What many of you may be unaware of, is at these trade shows, we frequently have the opportunity to collaborate with other companies and artists...a kind of "We have this, what can you do with it?", and "I'd love to see what I can do with your product!" This show was even more so. Suzanne McNeill of Design Originals and Lynell put their heads together to see how the Dreamweaver Stencils would work with Suzanne's latest fixation, "Zentangle", an art using fine pens to create patterns within patterns. Along the line of doodling, but with a little more brain activity required. We loved her end result, which you can see on the Dream It Up! blog, and had so much fun playing with this new idea.

The butterfly that I created was done in our booth, which shows how quickly you can catch on to this. I love the graphic look of it! Since I wanted to blog this fun process, I chose to incorporate it into this weeks' sketch challenge designed by my booth partner and co-team member, Lee, as seen above at left. I did flip the sketch on it's side to fit the size of the butterfly panel. My three strips were not torn as I

wanted to keep the clean graphic lines, so I paste-embossed the "Zebra Skin" in Glossy White on black cardstock and divided it in three strips. A few dots of Copic White ink at the corner and a sticker sentiment finished it off.

Then, I decided I wanted to play some more, and yet follow Lee's sketch a little more exactly. This time I "Zentangled" the vase on black cardstock with a white gel pen. I created three torn-edged strips of paste-embossed "Damask" and "Flourishes" in Glossy Black and Glossy White. A torn edge black panel behind the vase to frame it nicely. For more texture, I embossed the base card with the Big Shot machine and the "Stripes" stencil. The final card is still graphic, with a softer, more elegant appearance. Now is your time to play along with us. Follow Lee's sketch and link your creation to the Mr. Linky on the Dream It Up! blog. Need more inspiration? Check out what the rest of our fantabulous Dream Team has been up to this week. Interested in learning the art of Zentangle? Check out the Design Originals books on this fun new technique HERE. Interested in knowing how this art form began? Click HERE. Interested in the Sakura pens used to create this? Click HERE.
 

Dreamweaver Stencils:
LJ815 Zebra Skin
LG620 Oriental Butterfly
LM194 Small Ginger Jar
LJ890 Flourishes
LX7002 Stripes
LX7001 Damask
LM2010 Embossing Paste Spreader
DGWP Glossy White Embossing Paste
DGKP Glossy Black Embossing Paste
ET Stylus tool (for perfect white dots)

Sakura Micron Pen Black .03
Sakura White Gel Pen
Copic White Ink
black and white cardstock
ribbon, charm
Big Shot
double-sided foam adhesive

Lizzie Anne Designs Sketch #161

 Amazingly enough, I actually had some time to play along with the Lizzie Anne Designs sketch challenge for this week. Tricia (Lizzie) suggested that we die cut an overpanel to expose a peek of print behind. My overpanel was Core'dinations' cardstock run through the Big Shot with an embossing folder and sanded to expose the swirls. I chose a simple rectangle for the die cut shape. My print was created from stamping the argyle and dragonfly from the "It's Good to Be Queen" Mix set in various shades of chalk inks, with the addition of several dragonflies embossed in white. The sentiment and frame are from the same great set. A little bling was added to the additional dragonfly. This challenge can be as simple or as intricate as you desire. Come play along with us this week and post your own creation to the Lizzie Anne Designs Facebook page HERE.