Winner of Blog Give Away House # 27

This will be going off to Autumn Labbe-Renault. I had my husband pick out a winner at random. I know your address, so you don't have to contact me to receive this prize. Thanks for playing!!1

Trish's Deco

What joy to get Trish's deco in the mail today. I had just finished my other project and hadn't cleaned up my supplies, so I was ready to play. Trish has inspired me with Background Challenges and other fun projects, so I wanted to use lots of assorted backgrounds in making her page. Because this deco is part of the Art-Venturer's group, the word "art" has to appear on each page.
For the front, I glued on a piece of Distressed Scraps Background on the left side and a piece of Textured Gesso Background on the right, and re-punched the holes on the top of the page. I ran this through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and rubbed a Distress ink pad over the surface to help the embossed image show over the lovely textures of the background papers. Love how the blue ink appears green on the gold side.
This page is so striking, it doesn't need much more added to it. I cut out the letters from a Glue Resist Background. The letters and the image were both edged with Lightning Gold Distress ink.
I decided to use the reverse image from the embossing that was now showing on the back side of the page. I wanted a tone on tone look to set off the rest of the page. I highlighted the raised areas with the same blue Distress ink I used on the front side, and then sprayed the whole side with a homemade ink spray (blue reinker, perfect pearls and water). I think if you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll see the shimmery effect.
And as a homage to the recent row houses inspiration, I added a house as the main focus. (For fabulous eye candy check out Trish's row houses here.) The roof is make from the paint on paper towels technique, I ran it through a Cuttlebug embossing folder with words on it, highlighted the raised areas and edges with starlite silver Brilliance ink. The base of the house is from shaving cream background I made several years ago. You can see a similar technique here. I stamped a saying in black ink and ran this background through a different Cuttlebug embossing folder also edged this as well as the whole sheet in the silver Brilliance ink. Added the dragonfly charms, key with beads to spell out a-r-t. I think Trish will like it.

Angel Skinny Book pages

I used the acrylic layers background papers I made on Thursday to complete one side of the Angel themed skinny pages I am doing for a swap. I found some paper lace in my stash and cut them to become the wings to the girl image. I used gold metallic acrylic paint to color the thin sides and edges of both the front and back pages. Glued on some paper flowers with beads and a saying to finish this page.





For the other side I made copies of an old music sheet and cut them slightly larger than the 3-1/2" x 8" size I would need for the pages, because the paper shrinks a bit when run through the Cuttlebug embossing Folders. I ran the cut sheet through the Cuttlebug diamond embossing folder and ran a light Distress ink pad over it. Then I ran the same sheet through the swirl Cuttlebug embossing folder and ran the gold Brilliance ink over it. Then I trimmed these down and adhered them to the back of the other skinny page.



To complete this page I cut out the angel image. Colored with wings with gold acrylic paint, using my finger, and then diluted the gold acrylic paint with glazing gel to use over dresses. Trying for an ethereal look. I used galaxy gold Brilliance ink on a music score stamp and lightly stamped over most of the image. I used this same gold ink, to ink up the edges of the image. Added a couple of gold stars and a saying and I was done.

I am excited to send these off and to get the other pages sent to me.

Acrylic Layers Background

Had lots of fun creating this background paper you see to the left.

I'm going to be participating in my first "skinny" book (pages are 3-1/2" x 8"). This is the same group that I did the pages for a "Me & My World" chunky. One of the pages in the chunky that I love (I love them all) was done by Margaret using lots of acrylic paints. You can see the page I'm talking about on Margaret's blog, make sure you double click the photo to get a good look at the lovely texture, etc. I'd had my hands on one Margaret's creations before, when I received a gift from her in the 12 Days of Christmas Swap. This beautiful pages gave me the desire to play with layering acrylic paints.

I started with 3 sheets of 12" x 12" light blue Brazzil paper. I like the side with the cross grain look & texture. Because I needed time to make patterns and wanting to let the blue paper underneath show through, I mixed Acrylic Glaze with metallic silver (and a little metallic pearl white to lighten the silver) and spread it over the surface of the paper. I let it sit for just a few minutes, then painted a mixture of Acrylic Glaze with gold metallic acrylic paint over the entire surface. I used a special "comb" to create the swirl pattern you see below and let it dry (overnight as it was getting late).

This morning I cut the paper into the 12 pieces of 3-1/2" x 8" for my upcoming swap. I picked out some different patterned objects to work as stencils and used a makeup sponge to add some color the background. These dried quickly.

Decided the silver got lost with everything else and need MORE color & texture on this layered background. I sponged some metallic silver acrylic paint onto a flourish stamp and stamped all along the edges to get more color & texture on my background. (Remember if you use acrylic paint on stamps, clean them immediately) I like how the metallic acrylic paints change in intensity as you move the paper in the light. This photo below is the same piece I've shown in the top of this post.

Now to start cutting out images and to come up with a design for the back pf the pages. More to follow......

Adrienne's deco

I received Adrienne's deco to work on today. She is one of the Art-Venturers. Her deco came with pages cut out of watercolor paper. I sprayed one side with Guatemalan Green (yes, it looks blue to me also) and gold sprays. I used lots of spray as this paper absorbed lots on ink, then used a heat tool to spread around the rest.
I stamped a flourish design over the page in both blue Distress and gold Brilliance inks. And edged the paper in gold.
I used scraps from my colored dictionary pages to make the wings and added glitter.
I cut out the wings when they were dry. Glued on the images and stamped a saying on the page to complete it:

On the back I used the Guatemalan Green and Silver sprays.
I stamped a large musical score in broken china Distress ink and very lightly stamped the same flourish stamp in Brilliance starlite silver ink, which I also used to ink the edges. I ran the image through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and dabbed some of the same Brilliance ink over the top and along the edges. I like how the gypsy girl seems to be peeking out of the music.

Embossing Mania!

I've signed up for a swap on ccswaps where we are to make something using embossing. A great reason to try out the Textured Cuttlebug Cards technique on saw on Adrienne's and Annette's blogs. Annette has a fantastic tutorial, check it out, because I ended up doing my own twist, and you don't want to miss what she did.
I didn't want to do a stamped image in the central, so I embossed 5 papers, using a different Cuttlebug embossing folder with each one.

I stacked the five papers, and tore them together into 5 section.
Then mix up the sections to get 5 pieces with parts of each of the different designs on each one.
I adhered the pieces to another sheet of paper, trying to overlap the edges a bit. Then covered the whole surface with gesso and let it dry.
I colored a couple of papers with 3 colors of metallic Lumiere paints with my fingers.

Then I covered the whole sheet with a light layer of copper.
While it was still wet, I rubbed off some of this top layer. I added more gold, etc as it was need to cover areas I rubbed too much paint off with my finger.
I added powdered embossing powder to the raised areas and heat set. I thought it would be fun to use both the embossing folders and the powders for the embossing swap.
Because the Lumiere paint tends to chip when folded, I sanded it off the edges and covered the exposed areas with coffee bean Brilliance ink.
I used these two sheets to make an ATC holder book for the swap. Here is the finished front cover:

I liked this sheet of Lovely Layers paper I made, for the inside covers of this book because of the fun embossing powders I used in the class I took.

Back cover:
I colored the third sheet with Luminere paints like the other sheets, except this time I covered the whole sheet with VersaMark ink and embossed with Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder and heat set.
I trimmed the edges, colored the edges with coffee bean Brilliance ink and made this card.

I decided to try something different with the last two pieces. I sprayed some yellow (with gold perfect pearls) & red homemade color mists over the paper and used a brush with some orange homemade mist to blend the colors.
After they dried I pressed a VersaMark pad over the tops and heat embossed a couple of different glittery blue embossing powders.
I trimmed the pieces and made these two cards. I wish the image in the first card (done on acetate) was a bolder design. Might revisit if before sending out.

Row Houses & Blog Give Away

I've signed up to do a row house swap on ccswaps. The general directions are to "create on handmade backgrounds; be complete works of art; MUST feature stamping somehow; OPEN THEMED & NONE CUTE; any shape or style so long as they resemble a basic house shape; make no more than 5 identical Row Houses, variety is good; send your very best work! Row House size requirements: width: Row houses must be no smaller .than 1.5" wide and no wider than 2.5" wide; length: no smaller than 2.5" long - and no longer than 6" long. This means you can make all your row houses different shapes, sizes, widths & lengths if you want to." Hmm, a great opportunity to use scraps of previously made background papers, and some of the "instant art" and "Little Beauties" I had received in swaps. I thought these would go by fast, silly me. LOL

Row Houses 1 - 4

All of the images above were sent to me by Maggi G, and the last one was a "little beauty" she created. The back ground paper in #1 and #2 were created by stamping bamboo with pearl olive Brilliance ink on Asian newsprint and coloring the "roof" area with cosmic copper Brilliance ink. In #2, I colored the coin with copper alcohol ink. #3 the same newsprint was colored with Twinkling H2Os, run through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and raised areas highlighted with pearlescent ivy Brilliance ink. I stamped oriental print over the "stamp" images with pearl olive Brilliance ink. #4. Stamped oriental print over decorative Japanese paper with galaxy gold Brilliance ink.

Row Houses 5 - 8

I received all of the above slide mounts in the "Instant Art" swap last year from Kacy Clarke and Maggi G. The background paper in #5 is the Faux Silk technique. #6 is oriental text stamped with pearl olive Brilliance ink on Japanese paper. I used the same stamp with black Archival ink on the slide mount. #7 was made with Textured Gesso Paper and embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I added the words to the slide mount by stamping with black Archival ink and glued on the red hearts. #8 was green paper stamped with a floral background. The butterfly was punched out of some paste paper I made several years ago.

Row Houses 9 -12

Each of the houses above hold "Little Beauties" sent to me in the "instant art swap" by either Kacy Clarke or Maggi G. The background for #9 was gold card stock run through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and the raised areas colored with black archival ink. I stamped the words on the red frame of the little beauty and attached the heart charm I'd altered the color using alcohol ink. The paper in #10 above (and #17 below) came as the outside of a note sent to me by Maggie Hodgkiss, I couldn't resist using this gorgeous paper by cutting it into house shapes. In #10 I added the heart brad and a bit of lace. For #11, I ran a copper colored piece of card stock through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and colored the raised areas with galaxy gold Brilliance ink. The "hinges" are gold paper clips. #12 uses a painted paper towel I did in May. After adhering it to card stock, I ran it through a Cuttlebug embossing folder. Double stamped the word "pals" in copper and black and added the decorative scroll.

Row Houses 13 -16

All the images in this group came from Debra Jones in the "Vintage Little Beauties swap". #13 the image was already colored & mounted by Debra, I added the bright purple flowers in her hair and the glitter to the flowers she is holding. The paper is purple card stock stamped with silver ink. #14 was one of Debra's Little Beauties that I trimmed to a house shape and edged with cosmic copper Brilliance ink, added the "fence" and moon charm. The background paper in #15 is the Black Pearl Paper I made in May. I edged the house with galaxy gold Brilliance ink. A Cuttlebug die was used to cut the "porch awning" & decorative scroll out of the dictionary pages I colored for some ATCs earlier in the year. The background paper in #16 was some tissue paper I colored many years ago. I crinkled it up, lightly smoothed it out and adhered to card stock then stamped a flourish over it with galaxy gold Brilliance ink. I used moonlight white Brilliance ink to edge the house. For the image, I colored the flowers with a Cut 'n Dry brush and tattered rose Distress ink. Used weathered wood Distress ink to stamp the words 'passionate', 'romantic' & 'gentleman" on to the image itself.

Row Houses 17 -20

The background paper in #17 is the same as in #10. Black Archival ink was used to stamp the words and to edge the house. The background paper in #18 is the back side of a note sent to me by Autumn, I told her I would have to use such gorgeous paper in a project. I stamped a flourish stamp on it with rocket red gold Brilliance ink and also to edge the house. I colored the scroll with sunflower yellow Brilliance ink. The background for #19 is a piece of tan embossed paper (someone sent it to me a couple of years ago). I painted over it with navy and then turquoise acrylic paint. Wish I had a bigger piece of that paper, it was so fun to color. I used some Luminous Paste paper I made in Feb for the background in #20. The words were stamped with graphite black Brilliance, which was also used to edge the image, starfish and house.

Row Houses 21 -24

I used the shimmering mist paper I made last year for #21. Ran it through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and highlighted the edges with galaxy gold Brilliance ink. I used black Archival ink to stamp the words on top of the acetate. For #22, I ran a piece of Embossing Scraps paper I made last month through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and ran lightning black Brilliance ink over the raised areas and the edges. Again, Black Archival ink was used to stamp the words on the acetate (hard to see in the photo). Used the leftover scraps from one of the papers made for the printed page ATC swap in April for the #23. Black Archival ink was used to stamp the words and to edge the house. #24 uses paper I made by laying a glossy sheet over some paper that had too much ink on it for some mica play I was doing last year. I stamped the music score in gold ink on top of the paper. The lower section was run through a mini Cuttlebug embossing folder and the raised areas and edges inked with galaxy gold Brilliance ink.

Row Houses 25 -28

Used some left over background for #24, (stars stamped in black over rainbow ink on glossy card stock). I added some glitter glue to make it sparkle (along with the stars on the dress and the star brad). The house was edged with moonlight white Brilliance ink. #25 was an old piece of glossy with mixed blue inks & images. I over stamped it with a flourish stamp in starlite silver Brilliance ink (also used to edge the image and the house). #27 used tissue paper colored with reinkers like #16. I over stamped it with a floral stamp in sunflower yellow and then starlite silver Brilliance inks. That same silver was used to edge the house & images, and then a small dab on my finger was used to "color" the flowers in the images. For #28, I took a piece of card stock that had been at the bottom of my 'spray box' to cut out the house shape. Ran it through a Cuttlebug embossing folder and colored the raised parts and the house edges with pearl poppy Brilliance ink (same ink to stamp words on sign). Added glitter to images.

Row Houses 29 -32

#29 was done similar to the foil flashing fun I did earlier this year, only did a double emboss with the Cuttlebug. The first layer was colored with pearl alcohol ink and the second layer was colored with pitch black alcohol ink (also used to edge the house). Black Archival ink was used to stamp the words and edge the image. #30 is another old scrap, I used clear embossing powder over black ink on this "crowd' stamp on pink card stock. This image was sent to me by Maggi G with others in the "instant art" swap. The partial word and edges were done with black Archival ink. Both #31 & #32 use the same background. A photo image of typeset was cut into house shapes, and then run through a Cuttlebug embossing folder. #31's raised areas were colored with lightning black Brilliance ink (along with the edges). Where pearlescent rust Brilliance ink was used in #32. Black Archival ink was used for the words on the acetate in both of these.

Row Houses 33 -34I had an extra fabric project that I cut up to make these quilted houses. I used the black Archival ink for the words on both of them.

I made some extra houses in case some of these don't meet the swap requirements of our hostess, Trish Bee (see her link on side column). Here's the deal for the Blog Give Away: Make a post and say which house is your favorite one. On June 30th, I will randomly pick a winner who will be sent their favorite row house of all those above. Check back before July 4th to see if you're the winner and contact me with your email so I can get your address to send on to you. Who knows, I might feel especially generous and send extra bits as well!!!
Trying to find out if people are reading all this stuff I write LOL!!!

Sorry for the extremely long post, if you have any questions, just put it in a post and I'll post a response after it in the postings (I may or may not remember just what I did, this took me most of a week to do).

Beautiful Day

Summer has come to Western Washington. Well it isn't raining and cold, that's summer here. Took a break from crafting & gardening and enjoyed our back yard at low tide. It's only a - 1 foot tide. Wish I'd thought to pull out the camera two weeks ago when we had a record - 4 foot tide.

Oriental Deco

Another deco for "someone" in the NGS group. This book came with the instructions to use an Asian Theme. Here is the page base, I was given to use:
I stamped the Haiku Bunny stamp and tried to emboss it, but found most of the ink had absorbed into the newsprint. The image was nice and sharp, so it was great to work with. I wanted the bunny to have an "enamel" look, so after coloring parts of it, I covered it with Clear Glass Finish and let it dry.
I colored the rest of the paper with Twinkling H2Os and added an oriental coin. I like how both the Clear Glass Finish and the Twinkling H2Os allow the print underneath to show through.

More Deco fun

This deco is for one of the participants in the NGS group. I'm still using the Lovely Layers papers from the class I took last month. I thought the piece I cut out for the front of deco didn't need too much done to it (a nice bit of collage). So I added a quote on vellum, edged the top and bottom with lace floral ribbon and added an extra flower and a heart embellishment:

For the back, I used a different piece of Lovely Layers paper and edged it with gold Brilliance ink, added an image and some embellishments along with a quote:

Details: This fabulous image is from a sheet of photos taken by Adrienne and offered for our use on her blog. Wanting to give the image an old world influence, I generously ran the gold Brilliance pad along the edges of the image and used my finger to rub the ink in towards the center of the photo.

These Celtic style embellishments, came in a pewter finish, and I wanted gold to go with the metal letters I had. So I dropped gold alcohol ink on the top, heat set it, ran black Archival ink over the top and wiped most of it off. This gave me a fairly close matching finish.