Take Time.....

Happy Monday, Friends!
Thanks for stopping by for my Monday, I Brake For Stamps share!  I've been away from the Studio for a bit and have missed creating and sharing.  I'm hoping my schedule will continue to allow for creating!  It feeds my soul in a way little else does.  It's kind of the theme of my card today, I guess--that's just a happy little accident!

While paging through the new Stampin' Up Catalog, I saw a card I thought was so eye catching, I just had to recreate it.  I don't own the stamp set featured in the catalog, but I immediately thought of the beautiful birds and florals found on I Brake For Stamps  Sheet 141A Birds!  Inspiration is every where! I guess one of the nice things about stamp hoarding...er....I mean, collecting is that I always have a multitude of images to chose from.

I did a lot of distressing with inks and water coloring to complete my card.  There are also multiple layers of stamping, paper and even a doily!  It was fun seeing the recreation of a beautiful and earthy card.  My sentiment also comes from I Brake For Stamp's Full Sheet Beach Theme.  It's good advice :)  Don't you think?

I finished things off with some washi tape, twine and black dots--I have no idea what these thingamagics are called, but they are kind of like brads with out the feet.  They are self adhesive and the perfect little something to top things off!

You can "collect" these images and more over at the I Brake For Stamps store--AND, save some money!  Just tell Sweet Ms Della I sent you and use my coupon code SAVE10JANE--Have fun!

TTFN & Don't forget to be awesome!
Jane

He Hath Made......

Everything beautiful in His time......And, what beautiful timing it is!  Today, we are enjoying the last day of school and, for the first time in many years, I am excited for summer vacation!  My kiddos and I are planning some summer fun that I just can't wait to get to!  Hopefully, our plans will work and we will end up with a funky fort in our backyard, lots of art and many adventures!

Today, I have a tutorial to share that I developed and wrote for Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps.  It's both colorful and easy--two of my favorite things!!  And, as an extra happy bonus, you are likely to have all of the necessary supplies right in your home!

 

You will need several complimentary sharpie markers, rubbing alcohol, and eyedropper (pipette) a piece of white card stock and a piece of acetate.  An acrylic block could be used as a substitute for the acetate, if you like.  Mainly, you need a nonporous surface to color your sharpies on to:

Begin by laying color patches with the sharpie markers on the sheet of acetate.  (I use the acetate because it is sized to match the card front card stock I generally use).

Using the pipette, add drops of rubbing alcohol to the entire surface of the colored acetate.  The rubbing alcohol will spread and blend the inks.

Immediately, cover the prepared acetate with the white card stock.  Gently press around the entire card stock piece to transfer the inks.

Depending on the outcome of the dipping, you can use either the front or back side for the next step.  It really is your personal preference.  In the above samples (these are two separate pieces), the back side picture is my preference due to the mingling of colors and intensity on the other side.  Some of the colors on the front side are muddied.  The back side on this particular piece was much prettier.  You will see what I mean when you start to play around yourself!

To complete your project, all you need is your favorite stamp images and some black ink.  The contrast of the black ink and the background colors is awesome, in my opinion :)  You can tell from the opening picture, I had a hard time stopping!  Below, is each card alone with a few more details:

 This card features Sweet 'N Sassy Stamp's New Creature--butterflies and sentiment.

 The second card also features the SNSS set, New Creature and Retirement Sentiments (also from Sweet 'N Sassy).  I rarely use white as a card base, but with this colorful front, the white really works.  I get so stuck in the color box sometimes, I forget about the white.  The butterfly wings are highlighted with a white signo pen, also.

I created the last card by making a collage using all of the images from Sweet 'N Sassy's Parisian Postcard set.  It's a simply gorgeous set!  I especially like the rose image--it's so sweet and romantic.  I colored the roses with the same pink sharpie to accent and added a sentiment from Sweet 'N Sassy's Wait On The Lord.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it. I always love to see what you are making so, please share a link with me in the comments section!  Go on, get inky!

Don't forget to be awesome!

TTFN, Jane

Happy Birthday To......

After a few mixed up Mondays, I'm back Brakin' for Monday with my I Brake For Stamps share!  Thanks for joining me!!

We are in the home stretch now with only today and tomorrow left for school.  The pool beckons and birthday season is upon us!  Today also happens to be the start of MY birthday week, so I just had to kick things off with a birthday card!

My card features this fun little dragon--a new sheet, called You Are The Beast Dragon sheet, that is much different, in style, from the elegant birds and bister I've been working with lately.  I just love this little dragon--it reminds me of the little flying dragon/donkey babies from Shrek!   I stamped him using the chalk board technique and then mounted him on a colorful background created with two of the banner images from the set.

To finish things off, I created a balloon embellishment and added the sentiment--it's a different font from anything I own so it feels fresh and is just the perfect finishing touch.

This little gem and the companion sheet, Let's Party Dragon Sheet, could be yours with a quick little trip to the IBFS store!  Make sure to use my coupon code SAVE10JANE for some savings while you are there!

I always love to see what you are making so, feel free to send me a link in the comment section! 
Don't forget to be awesome!
TTFN, Jane

Let's Hear It For The Boys.....

Happy Friday!!!  Father's Day is just around the corner--today, the Sweet N Sassy team is hoping with inspirational projects celebrating the men in our lives!  The best part, is that YOU are welcome to join in the fun!  Just add your link below and you can be part of our hop, too!!

Decorating my box was the easy part.  Sizing it to fit just three golf balls.....a bit more tricky!  You could, of course, put many other things in this sweet little slider window box:

To decorate, I used my favorite boy focused stamp and die set from Sweet N Sassy, called Super Dad!  You'll find the dies right here.  We all think we can live without the matching dies and just fussy cut everything, right?  Wrong!  LOL!  And, I love love love fussy cutting!  The die seems to give the whole image a polish I just love.  So, go ahead and indulge!!  You deserve polish and a little perfection.  And, really, it's for the guys anyway!!

Enjoy the hop and don't forget to be awesome!  TTFN, Jane

I'll Always Love You......

Forever and a day.......this makes me think of that children's book....you know the one?  The one I completely refuse to read to my kids because I can't get through it without totally breaking down?  Love You Forever by Robert Munsch.  I break down because the book is sooooo spot on.  When our kids are little, and unrolling the entire toilet paper roll, it's good to remember that someday, things reverse!

I'm glad that you've joined me for another Technique Thursday!  I have a romantic grungy resist card featuring several images from Technique Junkie Stamps to share today!  If you missed the June release blog hop, you can still enjoy all of the inspiration and SALE!!  All of the Technique Junkie June Release Stamps are on SALE until Monday!!  Get them while it's hot!!

I created a resist by stamping the beautiful and romantic Cottage Rose stamp with white ink and embossing powder.  I added watercolors to the rose and leaf images.  Later, I stamped the French Script in the open areas and then added to the grungy look by sponging in an earthy colored ink.  A little lace and the heart warming sentiment, Forever and A Day finishes things off.

Give it a whirl and, don't forget to be awesome!  TTFN, Jane

Technique Junkie Designers Are Hopin'

Could someone tell me how we have already made it to June???  Wasn't it Christmas, just last week?  The saying must be true:  Time flies when you are having fun!  Fun is, actually, what the Technique Junkie Designers have been having playing around with the new June release!  If you've just stumbled here, I urge you to head to the beginning of the hop so you don't miss any of the inspiration!

If you've followed the hop from the start, you've just been to the blog of my pal, Beth.  She's been a designer with TJ just about as long as I have, but she never ceases to amaze me with her creations!

My first project features the new High Hopes set as the focal image.  I've also combined the Dylusions Resist technique, featured in last Friday's Inkspirations email, with the Mod Paisley background stamp.  If you are unfamiliar with the weekly Inkspirations email, be sure to let Pat Huntoon know you'd like to receive it too!

To add dimension, I stamped the High Hopes image in black twice and purple once.  I, then, trimmed the purple and second black image and pieced them together.  I could have gotten the same look by using markers direct to the stamp surface in various colors, but I like to piece and the added dimension is worth it for me!

My second piece is a 6 x 6 canvas that features the brand new Old Pier set.  (That sounds weird?)  I love the tranquility conveyed by this image and paired it with the Needed To Be sentiment.

 I don't think I've ever gone where I actually intended to go, but I am sure that I am always right where I am supposed to be.  There's a HUGE lesson in that!

My next project features the kitchy stamp, The Rules.  I literally laughed out loud when I saw this image!  Right way, I was drawn to the sass and wisdom of this stamp!  I decided to feature the image on a tag that I stylized with various Distress Inks and stencils.

I created by background using the It Take Two technique, featured on the Bodacious Backgrounds CD.  For this technique, I combined the an older background stamp, Pretty Medallions, with the newer Lily Love.

My next card, features another technique, also from the Bodacious Backgrounds CD, called Background Whimsy-Die Ink.  I love this background stamp, Sea Waves, and was thrilled to pick the three blue Distress Inks I own to color it--including the brand new Lagoon Blue!  I applied all of the inks with a wet application by using a wet wipe.  In real life, the distinction between the blues is more noticeable.  I added a the Winds of Change and some sequins to finish things off. 

Normally, I use black to mat my images.  For the above card, I used white and it really makes the image pop off the page!  I love this one!! (I love them all, but especially this one!)

The new Wine set, in my opinion, is the MUST have set of the release!  So many great images and all are perfect for gift giving, birthday celebrations, thank you notes....you name it!  There are 10 amazing pieces to this stamp set--great images and wonderful sentiments!

I created this wine bottle tag using three different images, including the wine script--which is subtly in the background of the tag.  Hopefully, you can see it well in the close up below!

That's all from me, my friends!!  Don't forget all of the new release images are 15% off until June 8th!  Get them while it is hot!

Now, it's time to see what Jerri has in store for us!  I love her style and always find her work inspiring--I hope you do too!

TTFN & Don't forget to be awesome!  Jane