Stencils, Masks, Spritzing, Daubing and More ... It's All Fun!

I have a card to share with you today where I used my Brusho Crystal Colour and a stencil for some creative fun.  There are many ways you can use stencils/masks in your projects.  Gee, if you'd like to learn more about some of these fun techniques, I just happen to be having a class on Saturday, March 18 and I'd love to have you come and join us.  We'll be using stencils creatively.

For this card, I covered my watercolor paper with an old Stampin' Up! (retired) stencil.  Then I sprinkled 3 of my Brusho Crystal Colour powders over the areas where I wanted to add the design.  (You only need a teeny tiny bit of the powders.)  Then I lightly misted over it with a fine misting bottle.

After removing the stencil, I let it air dry.  I then took another piece of watercolor paper and just added powders and water mist, until I got a nice effect.  I let this one air dry, too.  When it was completely dry, I punched out the butterflies, using 2 sizes of punches.  I punched 2 extra of the larger butterflies --- one for the inside of the card and one for the envelope. 

Adding the black layers behind the stenciled piece and behind the butterflies really makes the colors pop.  Please note --- This is not really intended to be a perfect design.  It's just to give a fun, random effect of adding colors to your project... more of an abstract art style.  It is super fun, too!  Once the butterflies were punched out, I added shimmer mist to them to give them a beautiful shimmer.  Love it!!! 

In my next post, I'll be sharing some hexagons in bright blues and greens.  See you then!

My next classes and events:
Monday, March 13 --- 
Scraps and Prayers / 5:30-7:30 / Beautiful Spring cards / $15.00 / Pay to register at least 2 days prior to the class.  See sneak peeks on left side here.
Saturday, March 18 -- 
Saturday Stampers / 1:00-4:00 / Using stencils creatively (on cards) / $20. / Pay to register at least 2 days prior to the class. 
See sneak peeks on left side here.
Sunday, March 26 -- 
Spring Open House Party / 2:00-5:00 / a 'no fee' event / RSVP by March 24 and I'll have a special gift just waiting for you.  Come and join us for an afternoon of creative fun! 

Special Reminders:
As always, you must pay to register at least 2 days prior to each class.  If you are using a coupon, you still need to register at least 2 days prior to the class and present the coupon at that time.  I need it for tax records, please.
See the left side of my blog for sneak peeks on upcoming classes and events.  Class schedules and descriptions can be found by clicking on 'my classes' at the top of my blog.

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

It's a Butterfly Kind of Day

I have more butterflies for you today.  I love this card.  It is even prettier in real life.

I played around with several ways to add color to the butterflies and ended up liking the one best where I sponged the color onto the embossed piece of CS and then spritzed it with my shimmer mist.

The card is coordinated inside and out, including a matching envelope.

The color story is Island Indigo, a tiny touch of Old Olive, and Crushed Curry, even though I used a Mint Macaron ribbon.  Be sure to check all the possibilities for using your ribbons.  They can match more colors than you realize.  The tiny. layered butterflies add the perfect finishing touch.

Don't forget these upcoming events:

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

Black and Gold and A Little Tutorial

I have some great creative inspiration for you today, so let's start off our week by bumping up our creativity level ... not to mention the FUN.  I have 2 cards in black and gold and a little tutorial to help you get started.

A Little Tutorial:
- Cut heart from Bloomin' Heart Thinlits.
- Use Big Shot Die Brush to clean out the little pieces.
- Using large butterfly die from the Bold Butterfly Framelits, carefully lay it over the heart.
- Cut out the butterfly.
- Cut one plain butterfly to place behind the cut-work butterfly, to stabilize it.
- Attach it to your project and enjoy!
Tips:
- Be creative with your use of materials for your heart butterfly.
- I'll have some future posts giving you more ideas on using the heart and the butterfly.

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

Time Out for Timeless Elegance, Card 1

How about a little series of Timeless Elegance cards?  Alright!  Let's get started.

Card recipe:
Timeless Elegance DSP
Sahara Sand card base
Basic Black (layer beneath DSP)
Double layer of black butterflies
Metal Rimmed Pearls (1 each of the 3 sizes)
Venetian Crochet Trim
Result:
Fun
Easy
Beautiful!!!

Don't you love this paper?!!! 

This card would work for almost any occasion you'd have.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

A Journaling Card for A Card

Today, I'm sharing a card I made using a Project Life Journaling Card.  I love these little cards and they seem to come in handy for lots of things.  Today's card is in pretty Coastal Cabana.  I don't think I need any explanations here.  The photos kind of tell it all.  Enjoy!  

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world.

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Beautiful Crisp Cantaloupe Spring Card

I know I promised a cool watercolor technique today, but I forgot to share this pretty card with you.  We're making it at Jessica's catalog party this Sunday afternoon and I wanted to share it with you now.  We'll get back to the watercolor technique very soon.

It's pretty and 'Springy' and easy to make.  The strip in the middle is sponged with Crisp Cantaloupe ink.  It's one of our SAB choices... for free.

I think you'll agree that the touches of black accents really take this card up ... several notches.

Would you like to see the other projects we'll be making at Jessica's party?  Well... if you do, you'll just have to contact me about joining us at the party.  I can't wait!

I'll be back soon with the promised watercolor technique.  You just need to check here every day, anyway, so you don't miss a thing.

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world.

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Another Take on My Vintage Layout

Remember when I shared the layout I made as a tribute to my Aunt Vivian?  We made it at my Scrapbooking Your Heritage class at our library and it will be our February Scraps and Prayers project as well.  Today, I want to share another version that I made with it.  This layout is a tribute to my grandfather... my daddy's father.  He died when my father was only 12, so I only have a couple of photos of him.  Thus, I've used one of the photo mats to add my journaling.  It helps tell more of my story... my family history.

Tip:
My journaling is typed on vellum.  You cannot add adhesive behind vellum or it will show and it is NOT pretty.  Think of ways to attach it by layering objects over it, such as I did on the corners of my vellum piece.

Click here to see my Aunt Vivian's layout and compare the two.  It helps give you more ideas for planning your layouts.

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world.

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Work of Art Gift Card Enclosures

I'm still playing with our wonderful new In Colors.  This time, I used our fabulous Work of Art stamp set and made a set of gift card enclosures.  Since you cannot mail these on their own, I decided to add a bit of 3-D elements to the little envelopes, as well.  This was so much fun!

I actually embossed the little stamped circles before punching them out.  I used VersaMark ink and Iridescent Ice EP.  By leaving them clean and simple, I can always go back and add a stamped text or just leave 'as is' and write a nice note on the inside.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.

Meet the New 2014-2016 In Colors

It is my pleasure to introduce you to our brand new In Colors.  I've been playing with them and, the more I work with them, the more I love them.

Our new In Colors are:

Hello Honey

Blackberry Bliss

Lost Lagoon

Mossy Meadow

Tangelo Twist

Would you like to see what I've made so far?  Take a look.

The framed butterflies show ALL our In Colors... carry-over colors on the left and brand new colors on the right.  I've also made tags (Scalloped Tag Topper punch) from watercolor paper and spritzed each one with one of our new In Colors.  I spritzed them with a mixture of reinker and alcohol.  The filter paper flowers were also spritzed in the same way and then I added additional accents of deeper colors by gently brushing the ink pads directly over the tips of each of the petals.  Super fun and super pretty!  In real life, you can see they have a shimmer to them because, after they dried, I spritzed them again with a mixture of Vanilla Shimmer and alcohol. 

Aren't the ribbons gorgeous.  In one of my upcoming Monday Night Stampers classes, I'll be sharing with you how I made the sparkle on the mini clothespin.  The little gift box has another flower on it made in the same way as the other flowers.  In my next posts, I'll share some brand new card projects I've been making, using our new In Colors.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.