Sunflowers & Dragonflies

The Next Step

I was having difficulty with the title of today’s post, when it occured to me that The Next Step is indeed appropriate; not only because I did The Next Step’s Technique #1 Painting Using Stamps as a Guide, but is the next step towards me painting again.  I talked about it for the past four years, it’s time I start painting for my family again.  All work that I will post here is strictly for practice.  No finished piece will be displayed until January.  Christmas is in December you know (shhhh).

The Next Step tutorial showed us how to use rubber stamps in a way I have never used them before and that is to stamp onto paper, paint the image with acrylics, and then layer them onto the canvas.

Each layer was carefully painted and sponged with permanent medium so there would be no bleeding when I adhered the pink paper flowers with Golden’s Gel Medium.  The permanent red, blue and black inks are Stazon.

Stamps are Odd Bird Planet, Inkadinkado and Magenta.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Reader of the Week post.  Remember, by leaving a comment on a post throughout the week, you have the chance to be in the spotlight.

Well, I’m off to beer and wings and live music after work.  Taa taa for now

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Reader of the Week: Maria Bell

Let me introduce you to the talented Maria Bell.  Maria is such a warm and friendly blogger, interacting with her readers both by personal message and on her blog, Stampin Inspirations by Maria Bell.

Maria is very busy running four blogs:  Stampin Inspirations, The Cafe Corner Book Club, Photo Inspirations, and Christmas Stampin’ All Year Long.  Maria keeps busy with her design team duties with Little C’s, The Greeting Farm, In Style Stamps, Pink Cat Studio and Inky Impressions.  She is also a resident instructor with Scor Pal.

With all her professional and home life duties, I asked Maria what her typical day is like.  Here is her reply:

My typical day starts with my driving my daughter to school.  That’s first and foremost.  When I return from dropping her off to school, I would start on chores and other important “life” obligations.  When I have the time, I will check my emails which usually is a daunting task of filtering through them.  I typically have over 20 emails per day from various sources.  I’m in my studio at least once a day but there are days when I don’t step in it at all.  I have a laptop computer downstairs in the kitchen and a desktop in my studio so many times, to check my email, blogging, etc. I can do it from my laptop.  When I am in my studio, I usually spend an hour there, sometimes more depending on a project I’m creating.

Maria is known for her numerous tutorials, both step-by-step photo and video.  When asked what her favourite tutorial is, she told me that it is the CD Envelope Shaker Card.  Putting together tutorials is a lot of work and it takes her a minimum of two hours to complete a video tutorial.

Maria likes to use Copic markers.   Copics are becoming very popular.  Maria has oodles and oodles of them.  If you are considering getting some Copics, Maria suggested getting the following:

Any flesh colored markers is a good start:  EOO, EOO1, etc  I do recommend that you choose your most favorite colors (pink, red, blue, green, etc.) and purchase 3 shades/tones of the same color group. . .a dark, a medium, and a light shade. This will give you the markers needed to shade and highlight.  I rarely use the colorless blender marker but many stampers do use it.  I prefer to shade and highlight with different shades of the same color group.

Please stop by Maria’s site and let her know you read about her here.

Want a chance to have your day in the spotlight?  Simply leave a comment on any post throughout the week, and your name gets entered into the draw.

For a complete list of my tutorials, please click on the tab at the top of the page.

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The Best is Yet To Be

Good morning folks!  Wow, it’s the middle of the week already, and I have so much to do.  One of the must-do items has been checked off the list today; entering the  BasicGrey Challenge 34 Sketch.

All my layers of  BasicGrey Urban Prairie paper were sewn.  I practically sew on all of my cards these days; the results are so appealing in real life.  Sewn paper lays so nice, especially in a four-layer card like this one.  The paper with the butterfly was cut stratigically so the butterfly would appear nicely on the top layer.

The Inkadinkado tree was coloured with Tombow markers.  Then using the huffing technique I stamped out the image.  Stampin’ Up’s sentiment was stamped directly onto the DP.  What is the huffing technique you ask–it’s deep breathing on the stamp to add moisture to the ink.

There is still time to play along with this challenge.  Simply visit the BasicGrey Challenges blog.

Thank you for stopping by.

Tree Stamp:  Inkadinkado; Sentiment:  Stampin’ Up; Ribbon:  Michael’s; Designer Paper:  BasicGrey Urban Prairie; Cardstock:  SU Tempting Turquoise

For a complete list of my tutorials, see the tab at the top of the page

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Tutorial Tuesday: Kicking it up a Notch with Heat Embossing

It’s Tutorial Tuesday once again.  This week I have a quick, and easy, way to jazz up your unloved designer paper (DP).  By embossing on designer paper, you will be kicking up your DP a  notch.  In my example, I chose two designer papers that fell under the category of “what was I thinking.”  You know that paper–it’s the stuff we collect and store at the bottom of our paper drawer.  The 6″x6″ background DP was unloved because it was way too faint for my style.  The 5 3/4″ x 5 3/4″ DP was a garrish pink and didn’t match my accessories.  For a cohesive look, I used the same colour of embossing powder, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use different colours on your card.  I hope this tutorial jumpstarts your enthusiasm for heat embossing.

Supplies:

Designer Paper

Stamps

Versamark

Embossing powder

Heat Gun

Ink up your stamp with VersaMark.

Sprinkle on embossing powder, tap off the excessive, and heat emboss.

Use a variety of paper and a variety of stamps.

Yummy!

Stamps used for this tutorial

Odd Bird Planet (clickable links below)

Circle Dot Background #98K, Michelle’s Big Scroll #329U, Paisley Border #124N, Strawberry Cupcake #894K

For a complete listing of my tutorials, see the tab on the top of the page called Tutorials

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Snow Showing Off Her Haircut with a Dress

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Snow is such a ham for the camera.  How spoiled is she?  I think this will tell you.  When I hold her and stop petting her, she yells out with a cry to say, “start petting me please.”

Sorry there is no card today–I’m working hard in my studio.  I’m even getting Tuesday’s tutorial done.  I just can’t handle the stress of completing a tutorial five hours before it is posted any more!  I was so stressed with getting my tutorial done last Monday at 11:00 p.m., that I went to bed zonked, only to wake up again with my day stressed and totally thrown off.   I’m turning over a new leaf and am getting my life organized.

What stresses you?  Any tips for destressing?

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Designer Handbag

Double the Fun designer tote is a little jazzed up with the Designer Tile technique from the August 2008 issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter.  The tutorial for Double the Fun was presented this past Tuesday.

Stamps:  Stampin Up, Paper:  My Minds Eye

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Go Confidentally in the Direction of Your Dreams

The instructions for the design of this card can be found in the February 2009 issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter.  The flap under the sentiment opens to allow for a personal greeting.

The field of wildflowers was created with watercolour crayons.  Free watercolour crayon tutorials can be found on the home page of the Technique Junkie Newsletter website.  When you click on the tutorial, you will see an example of what it looks like behind the scenes for subscribers.

I am a writer for the Newsletter and love being part of Pat’s Turbo Team.  If you sign up, tell Pat that Beth sent you, will you?

Sentiment:  Inkadinkao–stamped with Adirondack’s Watermelon; Wildflowers:  Hero Arts; Watercolour crayons, Ribbon

For a full list of my tutorials, please click the Tutorial tab at the top of the page.

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Reader of the Week: Danni of Danni’s Dreams

This week I welcome Danni, from Danni’s Dreams, as my reader of the week.

A design team member of Susana’s Custom Art and Card Design, and Jessica Lynn Original Clear Stamps, one can see how much she enjoys cutsey card-making.  The card above shows off her talent with Copic markers.  I see she likes Basic Grey, as do I.

Danni has a nice blogroll list for challenge and sketch sites which you may find entertaining.  Please visit Danni and let her know you read about her right here.

Remember, by simply leaving a comment on one post throughout the week, your name goes into a pool to have your chance to be reader of the week.

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Tutorial Tuesday: Double The Fun

Wow, it’s Tuesday already.  Where does the time go?!  Are you having a good week so far?  This week’s tutorial is the double pocket fold that has space for a card and a space for a gift card.  Thus, double the fun.  Before we head towards the tutorial, let me explain something.  I never practice before I shoot my tutorials.  What you see is what you get.  Today it back-fired.  Half way through, I learned I made a mistake and had to start all over again.  Problem was, I didn’t have the same paper, so I reshot the tutorial, only to discover in uploading that I kept mixing up the papers, as I was making three of these card holders at a time.  Rarely do I create anything singularly–I always make multiples.  Please note, the tutorial is in tact, it’s the paper that was a little messed up–LOL.  Anywho, it’s a quick and simple card holder that you can have a lot of fun with (I’m pulling out my sewing machine for my next one).

Double the Fun

Supplies:  Scor Pal or score blade

bone folder

Mono adhesive or double sided tape

Crop-o-dile or tool to punch and set eyelits

One sheet 12 x 12 double sided designer paper

Embellishments

Score 1″ from the edge along one side of the paper.  Repeat the 1″ score on the opposite side (across from the first score line).  Using Mono adhesive or double-sided tape, glue the inseam in and press edges with a bone folder.  This gives a nice press line.

Turn the paper so the inseam sits on the top and bottom of the paper.  Two more score lines will be made.  Score one side at 3″ and score the opposite side at 3 1/2″.

There will be a 1″ overhang which will act as a seam.   Place mono adhesive on the underside of the flap that overlaps.  In this photo, it is the flap on the right.

The seam is now glued down.

Score at 4 1/4″, 5″ and 5 3/4″.  Bend as shown in the photo.

Now sandwhich upwards and close.  Using mono adhesive glue the two inside edges together along the top half of the card.

Place eyelits where you feel comfortable.  My eyelits are placed 1/2″ from the top and 3/4″ from the outside edges.  Add ribbon and you’re ready to decorate up your double pocket card.

Designer Paper:  Stampin Up; Cardstock:  River Rock, Tempting Turquoise, Stampin Up; Cupcake stamps:  Hero Arts; Sentiment:  Stampin Up; Ribbon, Costco

For a complete list of  my tutorials, please see the Tutorial tab at the top of the page.

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The Next Step

There’s a new kid on the block

For those of you who love mixed media and want to take your work to the next level, this site is for you.   This is a technique challenge blog for scrapbookers and mixed media artists.  I believe that the techniques taught can be carried over into our cards as well.

On the first Monday of the month, a new project will be posted where the three owners will post their interpretation of the technique for the month, complete with a tutorial.  The fourth Monday will be dedicated to mini tutorials, book reviews and mini spotlights.

Two RAK’s will be given away each month.  One will go to the most creative winner, and the other will be drawn at random.

I consider myself so lucky to have stumbled upon this site over the weekend.  I have painted in acrylic for 20 years and dabbled in mixed media for 10.  This is my opportunity to get inspired to get back into painting because I do love it so much.   I look forward to being inspired by these ladies.  My daughter has been after me for years to create a painting for her, so I think this is the year to do it.

You will find the link to The Next Step on my side bar.  I hope to see you there!

New to my blog?  My weekly tutorial will be posted tomorrow.  Don’t miss out–subscribe today.

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