Spring has Sprung - Fusion Challenge Card

I don't know about you all, but Spring has officially come to North Dakota. It's a whopping 45 degrees out this morning, so I shrugged off my jacket and enjoyed the crisp morning air. I LOVE this time of year - no mosquitoes, no hornets... only a teeny bit of mud to deal with. 

So when I saw the inspiration image for the new Fusion challenge, my spring-filled heart sprung a spring-filled beat. 

ALL THE AWESOME PEOPLE WHO TOOK MY LATEST CARD CLASS!

I haven't had much time to play in my craft room in the last two weeks. Between meetings, prepping for and teaching a cardmaking class, a new workout regimen, and some volunteering I have been running around and crashing as soon as my little legs carried me home. Last night, I finally ducked into my craft room for a play session at around 9 p.m. and I didn't come out until the clock chimed midnight. :o 

I was too busy playing around with the beautiful inspiration image and sketch over at Fusion Card Challenge. 

It's so springy and fabulous! If you haven't played along at Fusion, you can use either the sketch OR the inspiration image OR both! 

I loved the woodgrain, mixed with the bright fun florals so that's how I was inspired by the image And I used the sketch, too. Bah-blam! Fusion!

That big ol' sentiment is from the Winnie and Walter The Big, The Bold, and The Happy sentiment stamp set. 

I hope you'll all go check out what the rest of my teamies have made and play along yourselves. The gallery holds some FANTASTIC inspiration!

I'm going to play along in these fun challenges, too!:
Try it on Tuesday - Botanical
Simon Says Monday - Things with Wings
Deep Ocean Challenge - Flowers Everywhere


Thanks for popping by!

Card Concept - Purple Fusion

It's Wednesday! Hump day! Anybody looking forward to this weekend?

*Raises own hand. Waves it violently*

But here's something to put you all in a better mood. Who doesn't love PURPLE? And lots of it.  

Over at The Card Concept, we've got a brand new challenge and I was instantly drawn to the variations of all the purple bottles. 

I loved the glassy and chalky finish to it, so I busted out my Ken Oliver Color Burst Crystals and a paintbrush and went to town on the big ol' hydrangea stamp from Winnie and Walter's  In Bloom: Addie's Garden stamp set.

I painted a matching row of stripes on my side panel and gave my other panel a little funky curvature using the STAMPlorations Sttched Snow Hills die cuts. Who says they have to be snow hills? I finished off the look by adding some opalescent sequins. 

I was inspired by the challenge going on at City Crafter. They want to see flowers on your projects.  Happy to oblige!

I hope you'll go check out The Card Concept and play along! 

By the by - I'm up on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog today sharing a hippity hoppity Eastery design. 

 

Pop over and check it out!

Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hop Day 1

It's the most fantastic day of the season!!! No, I'm not talking about the  first day of Spring... I'm talking about the first day of the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!!!

Since the theme is Spring, I decided to go with something bright and cheery and sparkly and new < if those things don't epitomize Spring, I don't know what does.

Super Sponsor STAMPlorations has a TON of new coffee sets released just in time for the Hop. You can see them all in the entire section they have dedicated to coffee/tea in their shop. AND anyone who reads my blog can use STAMPGIRLBECCA as a discount code to receive an additional 20% off! Woop! 

I used Tag O'Coffee CUTplorations dies to create my cute little frozen mocha latte. I watercolored it in and added some gel pen over the top to give it additional accents. 

Then I tried something new! I've been hoarding this coordinating stash of paper for a long time, and I decided to try to make a DOUBLE shaker! Ummmmm definitely will be trying this again because it turned out so adorably!

With all the stars surrounding that coffee cup, I immediately thought of super powers, so I used a sentiment from the Coffee Happy stamp set to complete my look. 

Taaadaaaaa! Now get hopping you caffeinated peeps! Head on over to the Coffee Loving Cardmaker's blog for all the fun and tons of prizes from AMAZING super sponsors!

Check out all these generous prizes you could win by participating in the hop!

WHOA!

a2z Scrapbooking :: $25 a2z Scrapbooking Gift code to the store + Digital Kit of Winner’s Choice★
A Creative Journey with Melissa ::  (Four) $20.00 store credit/gift card ★
A Jillian Vance Design ::  $20 Store Credit 
Altenew  ::  $25 Gift Card
Art Impressions ::  Talk Much stamp set
Avery Elle :: $20 Avery Elle Gift Certificate
Butterfly Reflections Ink ::  $25 Store Credit
Caffeinated Papercuts ::  $10 Gift Card★
CAS-ual Fridays Stamps ::  $25 Store Gift Certificate + Stamp Set of Winner’s Choice★
Clear and Simple Stamps :: (Three) Ten Dollar Clear and Simple Stamps store Gift Certificates★
Close to My Heart – Chris Franco :: Tea-rrific Stamp Set
Concord & 9th :: $25 Concord & 9th Gift Certificate
Craftin Desert Divas  ::  $25 Craftin Desert Divas Gift Certificate + (Two) – 2×3 stamp sets★
Create a Smile ::  25€ discount code
Dare 2b Artzy ::  $20 Gift Certificate + 1 Stamp Set and 1 Ink of Winner’s Choice★
DeNami Design :: $20 Online Gift Certificate
Dina Kowal Creative ::   (Three) Coffee Themed Art Pendants★
DL Art  :: Prize 1- Coffee house bundle #1 Prize 2. Coffee bundle #2 , Prize 3. Coffee house bundle #3 and FLASH PRIZE pumpkin spice/latte bundle  ★
Doodlebugs ::  Coffee/Spring Themed Prize Package + Neat & Tangled Big Bold Brew Stamp Set★
Drive by Crafts  ::  $20 Store Gift Card
Flora and Fauna  ::  Clear Stamp Set of the Winner’s Choice – value $15.00
Fun Stampers Journey – Kerry Urbatch – Founding Coach #401 ::  $25 Gift Certificate-USA only-or-RG product for International Winner
Gerda Steiner Designs  ::  $20 Gift Certificate
Gina K Designs ::  $50 Super Sponsor + (Five) –  $10 Gift Certificates for flash prizes★
Gina Marie Designs ::  $20 Gift Certificate
Hero Arts  ::  $25 Hero Arts Gift Code
Impress Rubber Stamps ::  Winner’s choice of 10 Fresh Ink ink pads, value 60.00
Jaded Blossom  ::  $25 Gift Certificate + Winner’s Choice of Stamp Set★
Jane’s Doodles ::  $50 Gift Certificate
Jess Crafts Digitals ::  (two) – $10 Gift Certificates★
JessicaLynnOriginal.com   :: $20 Jessica Lynn Original Gift Certificate + Free Digi
Joy Clair Stamps  ::  $25 Gift Certificate
KaDoodle Bug Designs  ::  (two) $10 Gift Certificates★
Kat Scrappiness  ::  $25 Gift Card + Five packs of Kat Scrappiness Sequins to first winner, 1 Free Kat Scrappiness die (of their choice) to second winner★
Krumspring Stamps  ::  $25 Gift Certificate + $15 Gift Certificate★
Latina Crafter ::  (Two) – $25 Latina Crafter Store Gift Card★
Lawn Fawn  ::  $20 Gift Card
Lil’ Inker Designs ::  $35 Gift Certificate + Latte Love Stamps & Dies★
Limited Runs Stamps  ::  (Two) – $10 Gift Certificates + Free digi for all★
Neat & Tangled :: $25 Gift Code
Newton’s Nook :: $25 Newton’s Nook Store Gift Card
Not 2 Shabby  ::  (Two) $25 Gift Certificate★
Our Daily Bread Designs  ::  $25 Website Gift Certificate
Paper Sweeties ::  $25 gift certificate + (One) Stamp and Die Set of Winner’s Choice★
Pink & Main :: $25 Pink & Main Store Gift Card
Poppy Stamps  ::  (Two) $25 Gift Certificate for dies★
Pretty Pink Posh ::  $25 Gift Certificate + Pretty Pink Posh Prize Package★
Reverse Confetti ::  (Two) $25 Gift Certificate★
Right at Home ::  $20 Gift Certificate
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L® :: Two Prizes worth $25 ★
Simply Charming Everyday  ::  The Matching Bunkie Bag + Winners choice of Misti Zip Bag or Mini Misti Zip Pouch in the Spring Coffee Print★
Stamp’ Up – Kathy Schweinfurth ::  Stampin Up Basket of Wishes Photopolymer set
STAMPlorations ::$20 Gift Certificate + (1) Tag O’Coffee CUTplorations die set; (1) 4×4 stamp set (winner’s choice – Rise & Grind, Brew-tiful Day, or Bloomin’ Spring Coffee Basket)★
SugarPea Designs ::  $25 SugarPea Designs Store Gift Card
Sweet Stamp Shop  ::  Coffee Delight Washi Set
The Cat’s Pajamas  ::  $25 Gift Certificate + (Two) $15 Store Vouchers★
The Cutting Cafe  ::  Sunny Yellow Color Kit
The Heart Desires :: $20 Gift Certificate + $10 Gift Certificate★
The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store  ::  $25 Gift Certificate
The Ton :: (Three) $10 The Ton Store Gift Cards★
Uniko Studios ::  £15 eGift Certificate + (Two) in stock Clear Stamp Sets of Winners Choice★
Unity Stamps  ::  Coffee/Tea Themed Prize Package that includes 10 Unity stamps
Verve ::  $25 Gift Certificate
Waffle Flower   ::  $25 Gift Certificate
Whimsy Stamps  ::  $25 Gift Code
Winnie & Walter :: Two – $25 Winnie & Walter Store Gift Cards (coupon code) ★
Your Next Stamp ::  $25 Gift Code + Special Product Release Giveaway★

Mixed Media Funny Birthday Card

The theme and sketch challenge at STAMPlorations is still going strong, and for our mid-month reminder I decided to tackle the sketch. 

I love working with lots of layers, so I was excited to take on this particular sketch. 

To play along in the STAMPlorations challenge, you can use either the theme or the sketch OR both. Options! You could also win lots of prizes! 

I had this piece of cardstock that I'd mopped up some extra Distress Spray Stains with, and I slathered some texture paste through the Dots All Over ARTplorations stencil. 

After the texture paste dried, I spritzed it with Distress Spray Stain in Mermaid Lagoon. I love how splashy the backgrounds turn out when you spritz the stains directly to page. 

As you can see, I used some patterned paper for the center panel, and then stamped a funny sentiment from my A Snarky Birthday to You stamp set, as well as a star from the same set. 

So there you go, a fab-o funny mixed media card, which could be used for a boy OR a girl! Blam! 

I'm going to play along at the following challenges:
Crafting by Designs - For A Man
Dream Valley Challenges - Lots of Layers
The Crazy Challenge - Masculine
Pile It On - Humor/Puns

I hope you'll come play along in our Theme & Sketch Challenge. 

By the way, if you like any of the STAMPlorations products here,  my bloggy subscribers can take 20% regular & sale priced items in the STAMPshop using the discount code STAMPGIRLBECCA! 

Day 4 - International Mixed Media Week + FUSION!

I am continuing the International Mixed Media Week festivities (you can read more about this farce in my blog post from Monday)!!

It's also another day of celebration because the latest FUSION challenge has arrived!

 

If you haven't played at FUSION before, you can choose either the sketch OR the image, or you can mash them both together and create a fusion! I hope you'll come play along with me! 

Just look at that dreamy inspiration image!! I was totally and completely inspired to create a watercolor piece using the bright colors. 

If you were here earlier in the week, you would have seen the two Ken Oliver Color Burst backgrounds I created, along with my promise to tell you what I did with the second one later. Welp, it's later.

For this card, I wanted to let the Color Burst crystals do the shining. So I decided to add some mixed media bits and bobs, but made sure to keep a lot of color as the focal point. 

Like my first card, I used some glossy black embossing paste, but this time I used it through a delicate Winnie & Walter stencil and only in selected areas. 

I grabbed a bunch of different buttons and metal gears and started painting them black. 

If you want to paint metal successfully, add a layer of gesso to it first. Then let it dry and paint over it with black. My buttons all started out with these pastelly colors that wouldn't have matched my design at all! 

I adhered my bits and bobs to my background, and then selectively highlighted some pieces with InkaGold to give it a little more visual appeal. 

I added Distress Crayon around the edges and smudged, along with a white gel pen border. I finished off the look with some sentiment stickers by Tim Holtz. 

Taaaaadaaaaaa!

I should also mention that part of the reason I chose to use the bits and bobs was because I also wanted to play along in the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge: Buttons. 

I'm also going to link my card up to Crafty Gals Corner - Buttons, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Bit o Green.

Thank you all for popping by! I hope you'll go see what the rest of my teamies have made because you DON'T want to miss out on this inspiration!

Coffee!! A Watercolor Card

Hullo Ladies and Gents!
I know this is post two for today (don't forget to check out my mixed media tutorial), but I'm up over on the Coffee Loving Papercrafters blog today with a watercolored beauty and would LOVE for you to stop by! 

You can find all the details on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog! See you there! 

Mixed Media Mother's Day Card with SO MUCH Texture!

You guys, you guys, you guys, I'm doing so many happy dances over this card I'm about to show you. I. Absolutely. LOVE IT! 

Look at all that texture - isn't it so dreeeeammmy? Ok, I'm a little bit of a freak for texture and I found a really awesome combo that I WILL be using again (and again and again). 

How did this happy circumstance come about, you ask? I'm glad you asked. 

Take a look at this STUNNING inspiration image from the new The Card Concept challenge. 

There are so many ways to be inspired here. If you haven't played at The Card Concept yet, it is fab. The design team is made up of card artists who span from clean and simple to mixed media and everything in between! So no matter what style of cards YOU make, your designs will be ogled and admired!

Now let me show you how I made my card! 

I rubbed some Dina Wakely gesso onto a piece of kraft cardstock with my fingers and then stamped some grunge.

Next, I added a layer of Ranger texture paste through the STAMPlorations Dots All Over stencil. 

And over the top of that, I drizzled some Dusty Concord and Tattered Rose Distress Spray stains. 

I used a concentrated spritz of water over the top of my drizzle lines, and let it drip down the page. 

Over the top of that I added some FaberCastell Glass Bead Glitter Gel. And ohmygoodness guys! This is the first time I've used this glass bead glitter gel and I'm in <3 <3 <3! It's so sparkly and adds a GREAT texture. 

Over the top of my mess, I added some gauze ribbon that I pulled apart and then I added a vellum sentiment overlay (this sentiment is from the Verve Button Best stamp set. 

Definitely gaga over this one, so I'm not even sorry for the picture heavy post! 

I'm going to link up my design to these awesome challenges:
Craft Stamper Take It Make It - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Flowers (stamps or as embellishments)
Crafty Calendar - Mum's Day or Special Female
Creative Artiste - Anything Mixed Media

If you like it then make sure to put a PIN on it! 

Also, definitely go check out the magnificently pretty inspiration my fellow Card Concept teamies made! 

Day 1: International Mixed Media Week

Helloooooooooo bloggy friends. Today is the very first day of International Mixed Media Week. 


What's that? You haven't heard of International Mixed Media week? Neither have I. I totally just made it up but I really think there SHOULD be an International Mixed Media week (and if there already is, give me a holler).

Really I just wanted a reason to show you an entire week's worth of mixed media projects because... well that's what happened in my craft studio this week. :) I have a bunch of dreamy tutorials all lined up for you, so I hope you like pictures! 

I made a couple of card backgrounds using some Ken Oliver Color Burst watercolor crystals. These things are GENIUS for creating drama. I only used one of my backgrounds for this card, so stay tuned to my blog later in the week to see what I did with the other one!

I wanted to play along at Just Us Girls challenge this week

  

So I broke out my stencils! 

The background was too pretty and since I had to be the ONLY pretty thing in the room, I decided to cover it all up >insert evil stepmother voice here<. Just kidding. Really, I wanted to see what would happen, so I tried it! I used Dreamweaver Stencils Glossy Black Embossing Paste through the STAMPlorations Broken Glass stencil.

My background seemed a little too pristine, so I dirtied it up a little bit by dropping Perfect Pearls all over it, and tapping some Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain over it, then I spritzed it with a teeny bit of water. 

I used an embossing gun to heat set the paste, which makes it crack and bubble up and gives it such a yummy texture! Just look at that - don't you want to run your fingers over it?

I added a big ol' star that matched my background courtesy of the True Multifaceted Star Cutaway by Winnie & Walter. I also added on some gessoed and painted star chippies, and sentiment stickers by Tim Holtz Ideology. 

Taaadaaaaa! I hope you enjoyed day one of International Mixed Media week! :) hahaha 

I'm also going to link my card up to:
Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge - Anything Goes
Love to Create - Anything Mixed Media

Thanks for popping by, my friends!

Strong Women Card

Yesterday was International Women's Day and I had a custom order for some cards in appreciation of strong, confident and awesome lady friends. 

I fell in love with this new Unity stamp set called, very appropriately, Unity Girls and just HAD to buy it. It reminded me so much of my sis and I. 

I wanted to keep the focus on the women in the cards, considering the holiday the cards were celebrating. 

I colored my image using Spectrum Noir Markers (TB1, TB2, GB4, GB5, GB6, PL1, PL3, PL4, FS1, FS3, EB4, EB6, TN3, TN4, TN9, GG1) and it was soooo relaxing. I forget, sometimes, how much fun it can be to sit and color. 

My colors were taken from:
CAS Colours and Sketches

Since we are celebrating strong women, I want to take the time to celebrate all of  YOU! My bloggy friends are all so uplifting and provide me with so much happiness with their sweet comments. THANK YOU for keeping my crafty mojo going!

I'm also going to link up this card to:
Addicted to Stamps and More - Make Your Mark
Simon Says Wednesday - For a Special Lady/Girl

Thanks for popping by!

Distress Oxides - Take 2! Sponging on Kraft

As you may have known (by the large earthquakes stemming from North Dakota) I have been jumping up and down in my excitement to finally have time to break out my brand new Distress Oxides and play. 

I'm planning on having tons of time this weekend to explore some of the other things, but I really wanted to give these babies a whirl on kraft paper.

Guys. Guys. Mind = Blown.

I cannot believe how pretty they look when sponged over kraft paper.
If you're new to the Distress Oxides, what rock have you been under? Haha - just kidding. If you're new to Distress Oxides, they are a pigment + dye based ink fusion. What that means is that the pigment portion of the ink sits on top of the paper. Which means that you can use it on kraft & black cardstock. 

But before I get tooooooo far, I also want to say that this card was made for the brand new challenge at STAMPlorations. 

 

The theme & sketch challenge is exactly what it sounds like. Choose the theme or the sketch OR use both! There's prizes for the winners and you can use ANY brand of stamp you want! So, what I'm saying is... YOU should go play! 

I chose to use the theme: Spring and picked out these pretty little daisies from the Pocket Blooms stamp set. I embossed them in white and then began sponging. 

See how well that color shows up? You'd never be able to get that with a dye based ink, and pigment based inks leave an oily little residue that doesn't dry for...like... ever. Distress Inks dry within a minute! 

Like all Distress products, Oxides react uniquely with water, too! I sprinkled some water over the ink and dabbed it up. That's when the magic "oxidization" happens. 

Yeah.... I love this technique with Distress Oxides. Definitely going to be using this one again. 

I added the Thanks Word Die cut to the center panel.

I used Worn Lipstick and Fossilized Amber Distress Oxides for these two cards. 

Blam! Two super pretty and relatively easy cards to make! 

If you are thinking about buying any of the stamps/dies used here, just know that my bloggy subscribers get 20% off ALL the things in the STAMPlorations store by using the code STAMPGIRLBECCA. 

I'm also going to link up to:
Addicted to Stamps and More: Anything Goes
Paperminutes: Spring

Thanks for popping by!