Thursday, January 1, 2015

Mixed Media Mojo Guest Design and NBUS!

I am SOOO honored to have been asked to guest design this month over at the Mixed Media Mojo challenge. I love mixed media cards the most. As we all know, the more ink I can slather on a card and the more bits and bobs that get cut and glued, the happier I am with my finished card. What can I say, I like chaos (as long as it's beautiful in the end). 



The theme over at Mixed Media Mojo this month is "New" with the optional twist to use 15. 

For the new part, I busted out some of new products that I hadn't opened yet. 



This is actually the first card that I ever made using the STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves set and the Amy Tangerine wood veneers. I know I posted some cards this week that also used these, but this was the very first card I made with them - I just had to wait for Mixed Media Mojo to post before I could!

I actually have had these stamps in my arsenal for over a month without using them because I have been so obsessed with Christmas cards. Which really makes them perfect because I am showing off my NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff)! If you haven't been introduced to the one-woman-wonder that is Darnell Knauss, you need to go immediately to her blog and binge read. I promise you'll be laughing and inspired! She runs the self-coined NBUS challenge whenever she reaches a landmark in bloggy followers - and the third challenge is OPEN!!



So I have the "New" part covered, but I also wanted to play around with the "15" twist. 15 can mean anything you want it to - 2015, 15 items, 15 techniques... for me I went looking for a photo of myself when I was 15. I couldn't find the one I was looking for, but while digging around I found this gem! It's my yearbook from 15 years ago. It's completely made out of paper and has survived a flood. so it got this wicked cool tie-dye marbling technique going on on the front cover. 



It served as the PERFECT inspiration for my "15". It even had some very apropos signatures inside, my favorite of which was this one:



That's right folks - I was cooky even back then! Ha!

But back to the card. I started by smooshing Distress Inks (Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed) onto a craft sheet and spritzing with water. 


Then I used the dipping technique and dropped my paper into the ink. I dried with a heat tool between each time I dipped. 


The sheet on the left was dipped three times, and the sheet on the right was dipped twice. You can see that you get more and more depth which each layer you dip. 


For an extra "15" element, I used page 15 of an old Shakespeare tome and stamped some of my  leaves onto it before fussy cutting them and layering them. I also stamped some leaves directly onto the background, to create depth and texture. 


After I had my leaves in place, I used a concentric stencil from Spellbinders to paint on some random coppery circles (drawing from my inspiration image). 


I added the wooden veneer and then embossed the word "Fabulous" from the CityGirl set over at STAMPlorations. And then I glued!


I'm also going to support the following challenges:
Mixed Media Monthly challenge - Something New for the New Year
STAMPlorations - Anything Goes
Mixed Media Card challenge - NEW

So go check out Mixed Media Mojo and play along this month! And also check out Darnell's NBUS challenge! 

Thanks for stopping by! Leave me a comment and follow my blog and I'll be sure to return the favor! A big thank you to the five of you who just started following. It made my day!! 

44 comments:

  1. Awesome card, love all the different elements you used. Happy New Year to you too!

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  2. congrats on the gust spot...this is awesome..luv'en the mix of color...very cool!

    sparkle & shine *~*

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  3. How fun. Congrats! Your card turned out gorgeous

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  4. Absolutely Gorgeous Work of Art. TFS your card and each step of your beautiful creation. Happy New Year 2015!

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  5. very cool card, Becca - love the colors you used and p.15 text is so clever!

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  6. Congrats on your guest DT spots my friend!! I love your take on the mixed media! Your background and your colors look amazing!! Thanks for sharing your details!! ;) Hugs & Smiles - *Vicki*
    My Blog: Stamp Smiles

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  7. What a great card! I have to learn some of these techniques like the dipping. This is excellent and great way to start the New Year!

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  8. Fab card Becca, I do love those trendy leaves from Shery!

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  9. Fabulous! Thanks for being a guest with us at Mixed a Media Mojo! You totally rocked this art piece! ~Niki DT

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  10. Beautiful art Becca, I love your interpretations of 15, so cool you found that old year book. Big congrats on being asked to guest but am not surprised as you work is so full of yummy texture and colour x

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  11. Oh YES! This sooooo sooooo floats my boat. I am a really crap user of newsprint & adore it whenever I see it used beautifully - like with those leaves. And I'm heading into the Room today to DEFFO break into Distress inking up thereof....what a wonderful makeover, to boot...LOOOVE!! And BIG congrats on another GDT!!!!

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  12. Fabulous creation, Becca! Love the inspiration and all of the media you used here. Congrats on your guest spot, too!

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  13. Another lovely bright funky card. That stencil is way too cool, I need that in my life! I have a feeling your blog is going to be dangerous for my craft wish list, you have a lot of awesome stuff that you do amazing things with!!! xx

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    1. Haha - somebody told me this is actually a die cut. :D I've only ever used it as a stencil, though, because it's so cool. I just got a Cuttlebug, so I'll have to try it in the form in which it was intended to be used. LOL!

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  14. WOW! Love this! Those colors just jump off the page. So beautiful and big congrats on the guest designer spot!
    Lynn

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  15. Oh I LOVE this card!! The colors POP and I like how you used that impression plate with the paints. FABULOUS design!!!

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  16. Love the background and the layered leaves - and the 'fabulous' ;)
    Congrats on the DT gig!

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  17. Super super fun card, Becca!!! Totally LOVE your card!

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  18. I love how you gave such fantastic directions for your beautiful card creation, Becca! I'm overwhelmed by them, lol, but I love how you are so dedicated and careful to let other mixed media artists know how to follow your example! It's an outstanding card. I especially love your thought process for using the number 15 and the use of the book text!

    Congratulations on the honor of guest designing at the Mixed Media Mojo Challenge and a huge thank you for playing in and promoting my NBUS Challenge #3!! I appreciate you and your kind words!! Hugs, Darnell

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  19. LOVE IT! How fun you used page 15 and I love the leaf at the top. Thanks for the dipping technique...got it ...will try it. One question...how can you let your STAMPlorations stamps sit for a month with out being used!! Ps. I think you should send Darnell this card!!

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  20. Congratulations on your GD position Becca, it's well deserved. I love your card and must try out the dipping technique as your background looks amazing. Carol x

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  21. Fun card! Thanks for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

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  22. Bright, vibrant, exciting . . . are all words that come to mind when looking at this project! Hazel x

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  23. Fabulous! So creative to the theme!

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  24. Great techniques on your background and leaves! thanks for joining us in the Mixed Media Card Challenge!

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  25. Gorgeous! I love the way your leaves came together.

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  26. What a perfect mixed media creation! (Have to admit, the thought of _15_ techniques on a card gave me pause...) :D

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  27. Your inky skills are awesome Becca! Love this mixed media creation. I can only dream of being so clever with ink. Maybe that should be a 'New Year Resolution' to try more inky adventures. Big hugs, Wends xxxx

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  28. sooo cooool Becca you always great using mixed media at your card and me not
    I am more CAS style
    and you seems like pink much right
    lovely combo on the colors and using that stencil is clever way
    FAB CARD BECCA!!!
    hugs, Monika

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  29. ermagerd this is absolutely amazing!!! I love the dip dying technique and the stenciling and book page....just WOW!

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  30. oh sweeeeeeeeeet mother of pearl!!! (or SMOP as amy tsuruta would say!) i think i haz ink lust right here. holy guacamole. how much do i ♥LOVE♥ this?! love the sound of mixed media mojo too. (as a blog i mean, tho actually it's fun to say, also!) ok yeah, gotta check it out. i think you're giving me too many cool things to do here!

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  31. gorgeous technique and love the step by step!!! this turned out sooo pretty!!!

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  32. Your mixed media project is wonderful! You are so creative! This is something I haven't tackled yet. I like the story behind this and your beautiful colour combo! The leaves are fabulous!

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  33. What a cool mixed media creation! You make this look easy! I always shy away from it... Thanks for linking up with us at STAMPlorations!

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  34. Such a lovely card Becca! I am sooo in love with all the great colors and depth. The layers are awesome. Love the way you pull it altogether, awesome! So happy you are our Guest DT at Mixed Media Mojo this month! ~kim

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  35. Gorgeous mixed media effect :) Love it

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  36. Beautiful card!! I just adore the inky dipping - I am always amazed at how it looks SO different each time! Love it!

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  37. lovely project! those are my favorite go-to colors with mixed media! Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!
    -Rachel
    rwkrafts.com

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  38. Here's to bits and bobs and cooky AND STAMPlorations leaves in bright pink. Love this, Becca! Thanks for joining us at the MMCC this month.

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  39. Totally awesome card, Becca! No 1 for me! ;) xxx

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  40. Awesome card - love the colors!!! Thanks for joining us in this month's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!

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  41. what a beautiful card - love the depth of colors you've achieved!

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  42. Fabulous card!! Thank You for playing this week at MMCC!

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