Thursday, July 12, 2012

Summer Fun in the Tropics!


 The Dream Team is in week two of the "Summer Fun" challenge for the month of July. Last week, my post was all about fun at the beach. This week I'm going tropical! I used the beautiful new Nouveau Wisteria stencil, done with a modified Faux Cloisonné technique.

Starting with the base of the card, I used this yummy coral cardstock from Bazzill. I applied Versamark ink over the Large Cathedral Window stencil, and ran it through with the card in my Big Shot machine. This transferred the ink in only the negative portion of the design on the card. I covered this inked area with Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel, and heated to melt. I added a layer of regular clear embossing enamel over the top and heated again.

The focal panel was ink stenciled with the Splendor Circus Pad and the smaller stencil brushes. (Tip: I highly recommend having one brush in every size for every color you will use.) To apply color in the smaller areas without runover, using the Picasso stencil is the perfect tool. Lots of spaces, holes, and shapes to use as a mask as you are stenciling.

While this ink was wet, I applied the UTEE over the surface and heated it, then repeated with the regular clear powder as before. At this point, I felt like something was still needed. So I tore a rectangle of cardstock, laid it over the stenciled panel, and sprayed with Teal Memories Mists. Then, I removed the panel, tore the edges some more, replaced it, and misted again. And then repeated one more time. The result was a soft frame that highlights the exquisite detail of the Wisteria design.

I embellished with beautiful soft aqua twill and web trim from May Arts. This prevents the image from appearing to hang in the middle of nowhere.


Now we want YOU to play along with us using the Summer Fun theme. Obviously, this theme has a loose interpretation, which gives you NO excuse not to play with us. Please link your creation to the Dream It Up! blog on the mr. linky, or email pics of your creation(s) to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com for an opportunity to win the complete version of this sneak peek stencil design to be released next week at CHA Summer in Rosemont, IL:

Hmmm. I think you can guess that this design is NOT for Summer Fun. However, our upcoming challenge for August will be "Christmas in August". Get the hint?

For more inspiration, visit the rest of our creative team:




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Hello Hoppers!

If you are here for the Stampendous/Envirotex post, just scroll on down. Thanks for visiting!

Woodware UK: Thinking Outside of the Box


The Woodware UK team was challenged this week to create a card in any shape but a square or rectangle. Fortunately, I had recently done this pocket watch card for the Altered Alice challenge back in March.

This card was created by using circle templates to create the card base, the ring at the top, the hole in the face, and the acetate piece to fit inside. The card base was run through my embossing machine with the Dreamweaver Stencils' Large Damask for texture. Versamark ink was wiped around the edges and embossed with Stampendous' Aged Gold and Aged Black Embossing Enamels.

The other details were all images from the Stampendous Perfectly Clear Wonderland set, plus a few numbers from the Perfectly Clear Altered Typewriter set. All pieces were embossed, distressed, and adhered to create a very vintage Alice creation.

Be sure to see what the rest of the Woodware UK girls have been creating "outside of the box" this week by checking the Woodware UK blog.

For purchasing these products in the UK, visit any of the stores listed on the Woodware UK site HERE.

For purchasing in the USA, you can visit the Stampendous site HERE, and for Dreamweaver's, visit HERE.


Resin with a Vintage Feel


Carmi Cimiata is a fun and funny gal. She runs the vivacious Resin Crafts Blog where she explores the most amazing uses of EnviroTex Craft Resin. Take a walk through her projects, they will astound you. She makes it look so easy we just had to try it.
We saw the potential immediately! With all our terrific images plus all the amazing things you can float or embed in the resin…ooh… Fran•táge, here we come!





My post today features the Perfectly Clear Cherub Wishes set, both stamped on the card, as well as on a piece of tissue and adhered inside the brass bezel. I sprinkled some Crushed Glass Glitter and Color Fragments inside, before pouring in my premixed Envirotex Jewelry Resin. I added a couple of drops of Aspen Leaf Color Solutions Alcohol Inks for a more vintage feel. I turned the bezel into a dangling broach with some May Arts twill, an antique button, twine and a jumpring. This was pinned to satin ribbon wrapped over a paper covered chipboard panel. The kraft card base was tent-style for more stability. This creates a gift card with that extra something special.


Now is your turn to leave me a comment, and check out the rest of the extremely talented ladies posting today. Keep coming back to check out everyone's creations this week, follow the directions below, and your could win one of these amazing prize packages:

We have 3 prize packages for our friends with US mailing addresses.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the weekly comments on our blog.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the comments on Saturday’s Big Blog Hop
  • We’ll draw one winner from Facebook – You need to SHARE one or more of our posts about this project on your Timeline **
Each prize package from us will include a pack of Jewelry Resin, a bottle cap, bezel and button to try, and the Stampendous Charm Collection Perfectly Clear Stamps – perfect jewelry sized stamps for your crafting pleasure!

 


** Why do I need to SHARE the Facebook post ?  Because Facebook has changed the way they show posts from a Page to that Page’s fans. (There are millions of posts a day now!) When you “share” a post it lets Facebook know you want to see posts from us. It also tells your friends what we’re up to and extends our “reach”. Maybe they will come like us, too! That IS why we’re doing this, to meet more people! Plus when you share, it lets us see that you did, that makes it easier to pick a winner for the contest.
How do I SHARE a post? Visit our page on Facebook  – Stampendous – We’ll keep an EnviroTex post pinned at the top this week – just find it and click on SHARE underneath the post, it’s blue. It will pop up a window that says Share On Your Own Timeline. You can write a message in the box if you like then click Share This Link. That’s it…easy!!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Clearly Another Great Collaborative Week!

Carmi Cimiata is a fun and funny gal. She runs the viviacious Resin Crafts Blog where she explores the most amazing uses of EnviroTex Craft Resin. Take a walk through her projects, they will astound you. She makes it look so easy we just had to try it.
We saw the potential immediately! With all our terrific images plus all the amazing things you can float or embed in the resin…ooh… Fran•táge, here we come!


For my first post for the Stampendous/Envirotex collaboration week, I chose to start simple and small. They had sent us a package of the Jewelry Resin, a bezel, and a bottle cap to play with. I went with the bottle cap on this.

It's hard to tell but my bottle cap has a jaguar pattern, so I went with a jungle theme...using the Cling Tropical Garden set, the wings from the Perfectly Clear Corset Ladies, Perfectly Clear Butterfly Beauties, the Perfectly Clear Altered Typewriter Alphabet, and the (sniff) no longer available on the Stampendous site, Perfectly Clear Jungle Borders.

The card was created with stamped portions of most of these, layered, sprayed with Memories Mists inks, colored slightly with Copic markers, and some bright orange flock to match the May Arts natural woven trim, and orange jute.

Now, here is where the fun starts...I did a small bit of math to figure the size of a shrink plastic circle that I would need to fit the bottom of the bottle cap once shrunk. (Most shrink 50%.) I stamped a butterfly, a swirl, and a saying using Brilliance inks on the white shrink piece. I swiped both sides with a bit of talcum to prevent sticking during the shrink process. I used the heat tool to shrink, and placed an acrylic block over it to flatten completely while cooling. This went into the bottom of the cap followed by a sprinkle of Stampendous Crushed Glass Glitter in Fresh Green and Powdered Blue Color Fragments. I then (following directions!) mixed a small amount of resin in a dosing cup, added a couple of drops of Color Solutions Alcohol Inks in Iceberg blue, stirred for the recommended time, and slowly poured over the other "ingredients". If you have any bubbles, they recommend softly blowing over the surface from the side. I really had no problem with bubbles, I think due to the fact that I live up in the High Desert of California where there is pretty much no humidity. Things dry really well here! After a 12 hour curing period, I was able to adhere this cap to my card, over a stamped dictionary page.

That was so much fun! I don't know why I was so nervous about  doing this. I immediately began mixing up more, and thinking up more items to be filled and coated with resin. You'll see what else I've been up to on Wednesday, Friday, and the big hop on Saturday! Meanwhile, leave a comment for me and head over to the rest of today's players:


We have 3 prize packages for our friends with US mailing addresses.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the weekly comments on our blog.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the comments on Saturday’s Big Blog Hop
  • We’ll draw one winner from Facebook – You need to SHARE one or more of our posts about this project on your Timeline **
Each prize package from us will include a pack of Jewelry Resin, a bottle cap, bezel and button to try, and the Stampendous Charm Collection Perfectly Clear Stamps – perfect jewelry sized stamps for your crafting pleasure!



Yep. It's clearly going to be another fun week!



** Why do I need to SHARE the Facebook post ?  Because Facebook has changed the way they show posts from a Page to that Page’s fans. (There are millions of posts a day now!) When you “share” a post it lets Facebook know you want to see posts from us. It also tells your friends what we’re up to and extends our “reach”. Maybe they will come like us, too! That IS why we’re doing this, to meet more people! Plus when you share, it lets us see that you did, that makes it easier to pick a winner for the contest.
How do I SHARE a post? Visit our page on Facebook  – Stampendous – We’ll keep an EnviroTex post pinned at the top this week – just find it and click on SHARE underneath the post, it’s blue. It will pop up a window that says Share On Your Own Timeline. You can write a message in the box if you like then click Share This Link. That’s it…easy!!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Woodware Sketch #14 Tied Up PURRfectly!



Love sketch challenges? Woodware UK has a fun one this week...#14 as seen at left. You have all month to play along with an opportunity to win a great prize! For more info, visit the Woodware UK blog HERE.

My version of the sketch features Jane Gill's wonderful clear designs for Woodware...Forbes & Friends. I'm guessing that she names these fun kitties after one of her own. My "Forbes" is into mischief, and has gotten just a little "tied up" with red and white Baker's string. He was colored with markers, cut out, and popped up with foam adhesive.

The papers are London Design, with the addition of the balls of yarn, paw prints, and the fun sentiment from the clear set as well. On the inside, the wish is for a "Purrfect Birthday"!

The whole team is playing with this sketch throughout the week, if you missed any of the previous posts, just go to the Woodware UK blog.

Summertime...and the Stenciling is Easy!


It's July, and the Dream Team is celebrating SUMMER with our latest challenge. I know my posting may be a bit confusing, as once again I used the Double Glitter technique, but I actually did create this card last month for that challenge, and then changed my mind and saved it for July. I used the Dreamweaver Surfboards with the Art Glitter Carnival Pee Wee kit, as well as Sand and Pearl White. I was loosely inspired by the old movie poster for "Endless Summer", which definitely ages myself by admitting. For the sentiment I pasted a mix of Glossy Blue and Glossy Green paste for the Celebrate on an acetate panel. When dry, I inked Summer with Versamark on the back, and embossed with Stampendous Sand Embossing Powder. Some torn papers mimic the sand, especially when edged with the Sand UF glitter.

Now is your turn to "jump into the swim of things" and play along with the team. Just link your summer-themed creations to the Dream It Up! blog, or email your pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com., for an opportunity to win one of two stencil prizes. Need to dip your toe in more gently? Here's the list of our Dream Team players: