Back From Vacation!

It's been quite a while since my last post, so I'm just going to jump right in! :)

I would like to share with you some of the projects that I've been working on lately and hope that you enjoy them! Thank you for stopping by!

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Flora & Fauna

Lately, I have been pre-occupied with my Mixed Media projects and it's been a while since I've created a card. The inspiration for the card took me a bit longer than I had expected because I was still in the gesso, wire, fiber paste, canvas, etc., phase but I am very happy with the result!

This card was created for the Fashionable Stamping Challenges #52, Flora & Fauna. It is a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" card, the first layer was embossed then highlighted with Tim Holtz's Distress Ink, the background was created using a Spellbinders die, the flower image was stamped then painted with the Smooch Pearlized Inks and the Stickles were added in the middle for a little bit of sparkle! The saying was stamped on a piece of heavy card stock that was spritzed with Tattered Angels Glitter Mist and mounted on corrugated stock for dimension. The ribbon was colored with a bit of the Smooch Ink and the clay embellishment on the lower right corner was also painted with the Smooch inks.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you like my latest project!!! :)

Nicie

Michael Strong Group - Card Captain

This is an overdue post. During the week of March 19th, I was Card Captain for the Michael Strong Yahoo Group. It was A LOT of fun but I have to admit that when I first volunteered, I was a little intimidated. It is not as stressful as I had imagined. If you get a chance, visit the group. They're all so nice and very talented!!!

Here are three of my projects. Hope you like them and thanks for stopping by!!! :)

     

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #39 and Simon Says Stamp and Show

I created this 6"x6" card for the Fashionable Stamping Challenges #39 - Trains, Planes & Automobiles. I always have trouble with masculine type of ideas but the Fashionable Stamping Designers had beautiful projects that served as great inspiration for me.

The background was created using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and a Tim Holtz's stamp. I really liked the way it turned out, but unfortunately as it goes, backgrounds are covered by the main image - that's why I also included a picture of the background. :)   I stamped the car, tore the edges and inked them, added Glossy Accents on the windows & headlights and added Stickles on parts of the image to give it a little "pop". The "tickets" and the quote are also Tim Holtz's stamps.

This week at the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge, they're asking us to show them what we are known for. Well, I really don't know if I'm known for a specific detail, but most of the time I like to create my own backgrounds and also like to use meaningful quotes on most of my projects. I try to create a 'Happy Birthday, Hello, Get Well', etc., and have created them, but somehow I always lean towards quotes with a deep, emotional meaning.

I hope that you enjoyed my project this week and thank you for stopping by!!! :)

Frilly and Funkie - The Great Outdoors

I enjoy working with nature's lovely "embellishments"! I created this card for the Frilly and Funkie - The Great Outdoors Challenge. We were asked to make something with an outdoors theme, but it also had to have a quote relating to fall or the outdoors. I wanted to use natural leaves with this card so I started searching for a stamp that would work with the theme. When I saw the quote, I remembered that I have pressed leaves ready to be used. The quote was perfect for the card!

I'm very lucky to live in an area where there are tons of trees. There have been many, many times when I've been out collecting leaves, branches, etc., and I have gotten the strangest looks! LOL! :) I don't mind because I know that I'm collecting one-of-a-kind embellishments!

This is a 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" card, the main image is stamped on acetate, the three Maple leaves were added by using a gel medium, the flower embellishment is decorated with natural jute. There is a strip of cream woven jute ribbon on both sides of the card. I purchased the ribbon at the The Funkie Junkie Boutique so I am also going to add it to their Sunday Share page.

Hope you like my card and thank you for stopping by!!! :)

Studio L3 - CC 2 #20

Linda at Studio L3, has chosen this week's Challenge #20, from Tim Holtz's book A Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2, page 44. The technique Tim uses is Enameled Stamping. Out of respect for Tim, Linda has asked us not to post details of his techniques. If you would like to find out how to create all of his fabulous techniques, I recommend that you purchase his book. It is full of great ideas & inspiration!!! I made this card which measures 8 1/2" from tip to tip and 5 1/4" wide, and added some of Tim's embellishments. The tag sits on corrugated cardboard for dimension.

I hope you like it & thanks for stopping by!!! :)

Compendium of Curiosities 2 - Challenge 18

The challenge that Linda, from Studio L3, asked us to create this week from Tim's A Compendium of Curiosities Volume 2, page 47, is Whitewash Stamping. When I first saw the challenge I didn't see how Tim got his result. But, if you follow his instructions carefully, you will see the results! I would have never thought of using that technique, until today! This week's sponsor is the wonderful The Funkie Junkie. If you still have not stopped by their shop, you are missing out on some great deals and really cool stuff!!! 

This week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show is: No Rules! So I am also adding this project to that challenge. I like when I'm able to use 1 project on several challenges! :)

Thanks for stopping by and hope you like my project!!! :)

Frilly and Funkie - Sunday Share - August 12, 2012

This is the first submission that I make to the Frilly and Funkie - Sunday Share. Frilly and Funkie is a wonderful blog that is sponsored by the The Funkie Junkie Shop. They offer their customers a place to share their work using at least one item purchased from their shop. This challenge happens every two weeks and if you're a lucky winner you receive 25% off your next purchase! How great is that!

If you haven't visited the shop, you have got to stop by!!!! The prices are very competitive and the customer service is OUTSTANDING!!!! I can't rave enough about how fast they ship the orders and you also get a free gift with every order! And let's face it, we all love free gifts!!! :) 

This card is 6" x 6", the background was created by spraying Dylusion Ink Sprays in Fresh Lime and Pure Sunshine, then spritzed with water and dried with a heat gun. I stamped the art image in white ink randomly, then sprayed some Tattered Angels in Marigold. The blue card stock has a decorative edge and the art stamp is heat embossed. The two squares on the left have been sprayed with Dylusion Ink Sprays in Fresh Lime and a bit of London Blue. The main image is "Head of Leda" by Leonardo da Vinci. The back has been sprayed with Dylusion Ink Sprays in Fresh Lime and Pure Sunshine and the front has been distressed. It sits on corrugated cardboard for dimension. There are acrylic pearls and gems on both sides. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!!! :)

The Journey...

I really like the way this card turned out! I'm submitting it at Simon Says Stamp and Show where the theme this week is Paint It Up! The background consist of several techniques. First, I inked the whole surface with Antique Linen Distress Ink, then I used the Gears template from the Crafter's Workshop using Frayed Burlap Distress Ink. The birds and French text were stamped with black ink, once dried, I spritzed Smooch Spritz in Olive Green. The edges were highlighted with black ink.

The clock is Sizzix Weathered Clock that has been painted with gesso, then with Adirondack Paint Dabber in Lettuce. Once that was dry, I also spritzed it with the Smooch Spritz, when that dried, I painted a few areas here & there with more Lettuce paint. The card stock with Tim's "the journey..." stamp has been painted with watered down Lettuce paint, then also spritzed with Smooch Olive Green. I stamped the birds stamp on shrink plastic, added jump rings and hangs from a swivel clasp.

I am also adding this project to the Fashionable Stamping - Challenge #27, Anything Goes and to the
Sweet Stamps Blog - Challenge 77, Stamped Background. Well, I hope you like the short tutorial and thank you for stopping by!!! :)

Compendium of Curiosities 2 - Challenge 7

Lately, it's been one thing or another and I haven't had a chance to follow along with the CC2 challenges. Hopefully, things are slowing down for me and I'll be able to play along from now on. I sure have missed them!!!

Linda, at Studio L3 is following Tim Holtz's techniques from his latest book A Compendium of Curiosities, Vol II. This week's technique is Brushless Watercolor from page 49 and the wonderful sponsor is eclectic Paperie. Be sure to stop by and visit them!

I created a 6" x 6" card with a stamp from Stampers Anonymous. The second layer has Tattered Angels spritz but unfortunately I couldn't capture the beautiful sheen. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!!! :)

Buddha Card

This is the latest card in my collection. The back of the acetate has been painted with 2 different colors of metallic greens, but the pictures do not do it justice. Very hard to capture images that have been stamped on acetate but the results are gorgeous!

Some Retired Cards

I was organizing some files on my laptop and found some retired cards I created a while back. I would like to share and hope you enjoy! Thanks!

This is very special to me because it was taken on a Daughter-Mother outing I had with my daughter last year. The image of the Buddha was taken right outside of a Chicago Chinatown Buddhist Temple, with their permission. It is a hand drawn watercolor image that you have to see the picture in person to appreciate all the details it has. The actual image was about 8' x 5'.