Mixing It Up II

Continuing to play with the Mix-Ability challenge on Splitcoaststampers, in an effort to leave my stamp funk behind. 

 

MIX56 - Through the Mist

While Miss Lydia was busy enjoying Convention, I got to be inspired by her challenge. Here we use a scrap piece of cardstock to clean a brayer of acrylic paint. Very cool backgrounds can result.

I made quite a few of the backgrounds and picked a couple to finish into notecards.  For this card, I used the reflection technique.

And the second card, I painted in some sticks and stumps with acrylic paint.  I stamped the trees and softened the look with a wet watercolor brush.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Branch Out, Le Jardin Botanique; Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White; Ink: Memento Jet Black; Accessories: White gel pen, Black acrylic paint, Brayer, Paint brush.

And while I was making these backgrounds, I discovered the three C's of stamping...

Mixing It Up!

I am still in a stamping funk.  I was bound and determined I was going to finish a card (or two) just because.  Playing along with a challenge is the best way to get the creativity juices flowing again.

 

MIX55 - Clear Love

I've been stuck on this Mix-Ability challenge for a while. So much so, the challenge at which I had left off had drifted to the second page on Splitcoaststampers.  Yikes, better get moving!  This challenge calls for incorporating a clear element, plus two or more different media.  Here I have translucent embossing paste and vellum.  My media are embossing paste, dye-based ink, and Encore ink with clear embossing powder.  Guess that last one also qualifies as a clear element.

Here's a good angle of the texture from the embossing paste.

Stamps: Perfect Pennants; Paper: Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Gold Designer Vellum; Ink: Blackberry Bliss, Encore Gold; Accessories: Gold sequin trim, Clear embossing powder, Translucent embossing paste, Hearts & Stars decorative masks, Banners framelits, Big Shot.

And here are this week's Weekly Deals -

Bitty Banners Big Shot Die Framelits Price: $14.95 $11.21	Calypso Coral Celebration Add-On Kit Price: $9.95 $7.46	Celebration Basics Kit Price: $14.95 $11.21	Crushed Curry 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Price: $8.95 $6.71
Curly Label Punch Price: $16.95 $12.71	Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch Price: $15.95 $11.96	Pumpkin Pie 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Price: $8.95 $6.71	Summer Happiness Kit - Digital Download Price: $9.95 $5.97

Wonderland Tea Party Cont'd

I'm back again with the two additional pages from the Wonderland Party kit that I started last week.

Here's the second page -

and the full spread.

Don't forget you still have time to join us at MDS Monday for our current challenge (left page layout).  The challenge is open until Saturday.

There's a third page, which doesn't have a matching facing page.  No matter, right?  :)

MDS Elements: Wonderland Party kit, Natural Composition Overlays, Simple Stitches Vanilla, Stitching Straight Vanilla, Basic Pearls; Fonts: Bernard MT Condensed, Digs My Heart, Bodini MT Poster Condensed.

The Stamp Review Crew: Lovely as a Tree

Welcome to another Stamp Crew Review Blog Hop!  We share our take on a selected stamp set every first and third Monday.  This time we are hopping along with a classic stamp set, Lovely as a Tree.  If you are hopping around in a circle, you have just come from Cindy's blog.  There is no end to Cindy's creativity!

As part of the Friday Mashup Challenge #168 about a week back, I created this birthday card for my dad using Lovely as a Tree.  Lisa's challenge called for the color combo mashed with a summer-themed card.

Most summers growing up, we would go to my grandparents' cabin in Canada.  I created a shoreline watercolor card for him.  Visiting the lake definitely says summer to me.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, And Many More; Paper: Mossy Meadow, Watercolor Paper; Ink: Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Early Espresso; Accessories: Aquapainter, Painter's tape.

And this past Friday I hosted a small shoebox swap at my house with the sympathy/get well theme.  These are the type of cards you need on hand for a quick note to a friend or family member.  Often I find myself looking for a sympathy card for a guy, so I went with a masculine flavor.

Our shoebox projects had to be created in 10 minutes or less, to keep us on schedule.  Here I used Stampin' Write markers to ink up my stamp.  Once I stamped the image, I went back with an almost dry aquapainter to fill in the tree color.  HINT: The thick baker's twine is, well, thick.  You can't just layer on top of it.  I used one layer of Dimensionals under the left panel, and then one layer of Dimensionals on the left side of the banner and doubled-up (stacked) two layers on the right.  I used a recent sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, #144.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, A Dozen Thoughts; Paper: Mossy Meadow, Baked Brown Sugar, Whisper White, Lullaby DSP; Ink: Mossy Meadow, Baked Brown Sugar; Accessories: Baked Brown Sugar thick baker's twine, Aquapainter, Arrows EF, Banners framelits, Big Shot, Dimensionals.

Now make sure you check out the next stop to see what lovelies the fabulous Wendy Weixler has put together with Lovely as a Tree. 

 

Wish Big Paper Pumpkin Kit

Who is in need of a quick birthday card?  Me, me!  Let's face it, despite our best intentions to design a fabulous birthday card, sometimes it just doesn't happen.  Paper Pumpkin to the rescue!

So I sit down with the latest July kit, Wish Big, and I have a card within 15 minutes.  It takes longer to photograph and blog about it.

So, my dear stampers, if you too want to have these quick kit options on hand, make sure to sign up for Paper Pumpkin.

New Paper Pumpkin subscribers can get 50% off the first two months of their subscription by using promo code HALFOFF2.

FM169 Confetti Party

Time for another edition of the Friday Mashup challenge. This week Sara has asked us to combine a background stamp with a 3-dimensional factor to our project.

Image Source

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

• Create a project using a "Background Stamp".
• Create a project with "something 3-D on it".
• or Mash it Up! and create a "project with a 3-D element and a Background Stamp".

I created this card for our recent downline meeting shoebox project.  I really love this background from Dotty Angles, so I actually made it the focus of the card.  Some balloons with streamers for a 3-D factor.

Stamps: Dotty Angles, Bravo; Paper: Bermuda Bay, Tangelo Twist, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Confetti Celebration DSP; Ink: Bermuda Bay, Tangelo Twist, Melon Mambo; Accessories: Gold Sequin trim, 3/4" Circle punch, Sponges.

The Tales of Sales...

In an effort to keep you up-to-date with what's going on with Stampin' Up...

• The following Project Life items in the main catalog are now available -
• Love Story Project Life Card Collection (item 135308; p. 189) 
• Love Story Project Life Accessory Pack (item 135310; p. 189)
• Black Faux Leather 12" x 12" Project Life Album (item 135292; p. 188)
• As mentioned last week, the upcoming holiday set Beauty of the Season is available for preorder.
• During the month of July, Buy 3 packs of Designer Series Paper, Get 1 FREE ($10.95 value)!
• My Digital Studio print services will be available again on Wednesday, July 16 at noon (MT).  To celebrate, receive 20% off your print products through July.
• We want you!  Starting tomorrow, new Paper Pumpkin subscribers can get 50% off the first two months of their subscription.  Sign up by September 10, using promo code HALFOFF2.
• Weekly Deals -  

1" Square Punch Price: $15.95 $11.96	Gold Baker's Twine Price: $3.50 $2.63	Large Triangle Punch Price: $15.95 $11.96	Little Labels Punch Pack Price: $16.95 $12.71
Melon Mambo 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon Price: $5.95 $4.46	Mini Metallic Clothespins Price: $3.95 $2.96	Scallop Edge Border Punch Price: $15.95 $11.96	Summer Smooches Kit - Digital Download Price: $9.95 $5.97