Quarantine Schmorantine

Hellooooooo my bloggy friends. Ope. Hold on one sec. 
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Ok I'm back. Sorry. I had to shake the rust off my blog. 

As you may have realized, I definitely have taken a hiatus from the bloggy world of cardmaking to focus on my mixed media canvas art business (you can see what I've been up to on my Instagram @damselofdistressed). 

But the thing is - the world is changing. And right now this Extrovert with a capital "E" is holed up practicing some social distancing and canceling all my plans and meetings. My two little nieces, who live in my house with me and their mama, just came back from a trip to Florida so they are quarantining for 14 days and I packed one rolly suitcase of crafty supplies and headed to stay at my boyfriend's apartment until they're cleared. 

So what's a girl to do with all her unexpected free time besides turn back to her first love of cardmaking and blogging. Can't wait to check in on some of you and see what you've been up to. 

For my card today, I decided to break out my STAMPloration stamps and do some watercoloring. I have limited supplies, so CAS is what's in in my world right now. Luckily STAMPlorations has an Anything Goes Clean and Simple card challenge every month with an optional theme of using light blue. 

I didn't choose the optional color twist, but I DID choose some fresh Springy colors that made me feel especially happy. The flowers are all one stamp from STAMPlorations - the In Bloom: Floral Bliss Trio - so no tedious masking required. I embossed them in gold. 

Once I had watercolored everything (which honestly took soooooooo much longer than I remember. God bless the watercolor cardmakers of the world.) I sprinkled it with a little white Distress Spray Stain and then embossed an uplifting sentiment from the Buttercups and Butterflies set. 

Honestly, it felt so good to make a pretty card and get lost in a design for a couple of hours. Thanks for stopping by!

How are you all surviving this current global nightmare? 

Layered Mixed Media Card Ken Oliver Color Burst Tutorial

If you've been following along on my blog, you know I've been stuck in CAS (or the Becca version of CAS anyway) for quite a little jaunt. 

I was bound and determined to break myself out of that zone and this weekend I set out to get messy. REAL messy. 

 

I also realized that it's been awhile since I've made an official tutorial for you, my bloggy followers (although I do post regular tutorials on both the STAMPlorations and Coffee Loving Papercrafters blogs). 

Here is my remedy for that! PS If you like the tutorial, please consider Pinning it!

To be completely truthful, this card was alllllllmost a CAS design. I stamped a lovely tree from the Wendy Vecchi Card Art Sentiments stamp set.I thought I'd create a scene with the tree using some Ken Oliver Color Burst Crystals.... SO I spritzed my paper with water, plopped some crystals on, AND - hated  the result. It's not at all the lovely scene I was picturing. 

So what did I do? Rather than putting the project into the trash bin, I cut it into different sized rectangles and started layering. 

I used a dry brush and some gesso on a sheet of black paper for my base. I love the look of the brush strokes still in plain view. 

Once I was happy with the position of my rectangles (and don't ask, please HOW many times I rearranged the pieces) I started gluing them down and defining the edges using a Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen.<----psssttt these pens are divine for writing over pretty much any mixed media surfaces!

OOOOOOooo - I think defining the edges really helps to make the individual pieces POP. I also added a layer of white scribbles to the edge of my black cardstock, using a white gel pen. 

I didn't want to cover up too much of my colorful panels, so I added a bold black butterfly die cut (PSSTTT... you can get it for 20% off in the STAMPlorations shop by using code STAMPGIRLBECCA) and a vellum overlay with a simple sentiment. 

I'm going to link up my creation to the following challenges:
More Mixed Media Challenge - ATG + Brights
Creative Craft Cottage - Add a Butterfly
Mix It Up - Anything Goes + Optional Paper Piecing

Taaaadaaaa! Messy beauty achieved. I'll have you know that creating this little number broke me out of my CAS shell and I'm back to my mixed media love.

Simple Sympathy Card

Hello Friends,
I'm up on the STAMPlorations blog with a tutorial on how to create this super chic, simple sympathy card. 

You should totally go check it out and learn all about inlaid die cutting and creating artful splatters. 

I'm linking this card up to the following challenges:
Paperminutes - Birds
Make My Monday - Monochromatic
613 Avenue Create - Monochrome
Sweet Stampin' - Sympathy or Thinking of You 

Thanks for popping by!

First DT post for FUSION! Wooo!!!

That's right! If you missed the news in my earlier post, I'm an official design team member for Fusion! Woooooohooo! I always loved playing in their challenges and now I get to BE a part of their challenges. *insert happy dance here*

And just check out this beeeeauuuuuuutiful inspiration image and sketch.
Fusion is one of those awesome challenges that lets YOU be your own boss. We don't trap you into a corner here - Pick either the sketch or the image or both. We don't care! 

I loved all those leaves smattered all over that cake, so that's where my mind went right away. 
I used a Spellbinders die to cut a ton (and I really do mean 2,000 pounds or at least that's what it felt like as I was making all of them) of paper leaves.

After I cut them, I added color by spraying some Peeled Paint Distress Spray Stain onto my mat and dipping the flowers. (This is why I can't have nice fingernails.)

After that, I added some shimmer to the leaves by sccchhhmearing some Inka-Gold onto them. Isn't that sparkle fantastic?!

I stamped a sympathy sentiment, used some patterned paper and some Prima flowers and put it all together. Love how this turned out, even if it is for a sad occasion. 

I hope you'll come join us at Fusion for my very first challenge! Make sure to pop over and see what the rest of the design team made! 

I'm also going to link this up to:
Everybody Art Challenge - Leaves

Gorgeous Stamped Sympathy Cards

I FINALLY have a weekend all to myself - no obligations, no projects, just me and my craft room. Unfortunately, my craft table was littered with the remnants of past cards. So on Saturday I slogged through some heavy-duty cleaning and organizing and today I was able to have a nice clean crafty space to mess up all over again. 

Which ALSO meant that I actually have time do work on something other that design team commitments. BRING ON THE CHALLENGES! :) 

The oh-so-fantastic Darnell is hosting her NBUS challenge again and I went rummaging around to see what stamp sets I had in my stash that hadn't been inked up.

Whoa... looks like I have my work cut out for me! 

I decided to start with a brand new Verve stamp set, Forever in Our Hearts. 

I ordered this set because I was blown away by the beeeeeautiful sentiments, especially the one on this card. 

  

I've seen many a sympathy stamp set, but I haven't found one that takes on the anniversary of a sad thing. I never know quite what to say on these occasions, but this sentiment encapsulates it perfectly.

I'm going to link this design up to Sisterhood of Crafters "Ribbons" challenge.  

Both of my cards were inspired by the Viva La Verve sketch:

I was so engrossed in the lovely sentiments (and so short on sympathy cards in my stash) that I decided to make another design, too!

This one is more pastelly in tone and I love how the palette takes over the somber sentiment. 

I'm going to link this card up to Allsorts - Use at least 2 dies

I am feeling SO much better now that I got a little crafty time under my belt... but I also just realized I only knocked out one of my NBUS sets. Whew! 

A Flowery Set of Cards - +Prizes+

I want to say a BIG woohooo to all of the fine folks who've been playing along in my birthday bash linkup and who wished me a happy birthday here or on facebook! I can't seem to wipe the smile off my face! You all ROCK! And a >>GIANT<< shoutout to my latest bloggy followers - you've made my day!

If you haven't played along - don't worry! There's still 10 days to link up for your chance to win one of 7 - Yes SEVEN! - prizes that I'm giving away.

Today I'm going to be sharing with you a set of cards that I made using my Birthday Bash Linkup Moodboard. Haven't heard of it? Well here it is:

In order to win one of the prizes, I'm asking you artists to link up a card that's inspired by one of my favorite things.

Let me break it on down for you. Here are a few 
of my favorite things:

>Purple and teal color combos

>Watercolor washes

>Fun, bright, eclectic clean and simple cards 
>Polka Dots

>PUNS!! :)

>Typography

>Distressed, vintage cards full of texture

...You can use one, two, all of these things... 

Whatever inspires you!

Today, my cards are inspired by the purple and teal color scheme with a little bit of watercoloring thrown in.

Last month, I got a new stamp set to play with - Blooming Buds by Dee's Artsy Impressions for STAMPlorations. I LOVE this set and I sort of got carried away when I busted it out because I couldn't stop making cards!

I started by stamping a big flower. Did you know that you can achieve a watercolor effect with gelatos? It's easy! Start by scribbling some gelatos onto your image:

Then - just add water! I used a water pen and blended. Since I was goign for an artsy feel, I let it bleed all over. You can also wet your finger with a baby wipe or water, too. Oooooo pretty!

Sticking with my mood board, I made a purple card and then I made a teal card.

And then I just couldn't help myself - there were THREE different sentiments included with the set, and I didn't want to make the third one feel lonely, so I made a pink card, too!

I just love the set and how pretty they all look together! :) I'm going to enter my trifecta into the following awesome challenges:
 Hiding in My Craft Room - Lots of Layers 
The Corrosive Challenge Blog - To "Die" for (use a die)
 Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes

So. I mentioned prizes earlier. Let me tell you what they are - 
I'm giving away ALL of these sets PLUS Shery from STAMPlorations is throwing in a $10 gift card, too! (Isn't she the very best!?!)

PRIZES!!!

 


If you click on the image, it will take you to the STAMP shop to view these and other birthday-related sets. I want to spread the wealth around, so I will be doing a drawing for >>7<< different winners! Woohoo!

Oh - before I leave - a couple of people had asked me to share some birthday pictures, so I'll be brief (because I know this post is already long!)

Highlights included:

1 - Lunch with my cousin and her little girls (I'm pretty much their auntie - it's just a technicality) and a surprise visit from my aunt. In this picture we were supposed to be doing silly faces but Phae didn't get the memo. :) 

2 - My amazing boyfriend got me a KITCHENAID!!! I asked him why he spent that much money on a birthday gift and he said "Babe, I don't think of it as JUST a birthday gift; I think of it as an investment in my cookie future." :)

3 & 4 - My coworkers "trashed" my office with balloons and streamers and left me a sweet pair of flamingo sunglasses. Ummm yes please!

5 - We went to the late night comedy improv show. I was up on stage for awhile, but I cannot talk about details. ;) This was my favorite scene - a man in a blindfold and a floor full of loaded mousetraps - use your imagination :)

6 - We went to the new wine bar in town - they have wine DISPENSERS on the wall. In the process of taking a photo, the neighbors on the table over totally photobombed us! haha! :)

Lots of smiles! Ok. I'm done now!  

RULES:
>You MUST use an image from my mood board to inspire you
>You MUST display the mood board graphic in your post
>Although being a follower of my blog is not required, it would be a really AWESOME birthday present to me. :D
>You may enter as many projects as you like (cards, scrapbook, ATCs, Mixed Media projects)
>You MUST link back to this blog post
>Deadline to submit cards is July 31, 2015 at midnight CST

Link up your mood-board inspired cards here:

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you for stopping by! 

Clean and Simple and Oh-so-Retro

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'd been commissioned to do some cards and I have the other two cards to share with you today. 

By the way, a BIG thank you to those who took the time to leave advice or encouragement for my card-selling venture. It was very helpful!

The first card I'm going to share sprang from this request: "I want a birthday card for my boss and she's got a BIG sense of humor". When it comes to humor, my favorite way to create is with snarky retro girls. Horrible puns are a close second. 

Luckily, I just bought some new retro girl stamps from Viva Las Vegas stamps. 

I created a sweet banner with my favorite retro color combo - teal and red - and then paired the retro girl with a semi-snarky sentiment. Mission accomplished!

I'm sending this card over to:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Use your Favorites
Seize the Birthday - ATG with option to use neutrals
Paper Players - Color challenge (just eeeking in!) 



Card number 2 was a little more challenging. She asked for a card for her friend who recently just lost her dog (heartstrings, you have been pulled!). She also didn't want the card to be too sad. 

For some reason, my sympathy cards are always clean and simple. I immediately got an idea for this card and ran to my craft room before I lost it. 

I used some very old (and I seriously couldn't tell you the manufacturer) paw print stamp set that I inherited from my Grandma and made it look like they were fading off into the distance by using an ombre effect. Then I tied on a big ol' chevron bow with ribbon from Pretty Pink Posh. 

Lastly - the sentiment. How to not go too sad? I thought about the Noteworthy stamp set from STAMPlorations and this sentiment seemed to fit perfectly. 

This card is going over to:
Addicted to Stamps and More - Clean and Simple (PS! Happy 3rd Birthday!)
Friday Mashup - Use stenciling OR create a monochromatic card

 

So these cards are a little different from my normal aesthetic, but I think they turned out perfectly for what the customer was asking for.

Thanks for popping by! I'm only >>25<< people away from reaching 200 followers and I would LOVE to hit that mark. A big thank you to all my newest followers! You make me so happy!

Stamps and Stencils - STAMPlorations March Challenge

Well, my faithful friends, the world and happiness have colluded  this week, because I got some card assignments that I was beyond stoked to take on.

I get to work with stencils!!!

**Insert Happy Dance Here**

STAMPlorations challenge is Stamps and Stencils so break out those flimsy plastic sheets of awesomeness and put them to use! Don't have stencils to try? Make your own by using the negative from a die cut image. Or better yet - check out the stencils in the STAMPlorations shop! They've got some awesome ones that have just been released! 

All this week (or for the next five days) I will be showing you one new medium to try with your stencils. Today's session will focus on.... drumroll please........

Embossing Paste!

Now, if you haven't worked with embossing paste before, I encourage you to head to your nearest craft store and buy yourself a jar. This stuff is FANTASTIC for creating awesome textural designs. There are different colors and textures of embossing paste, but I really like the Wendy Vecchi line. Embossing paste has the texture of shaving cream. It's light and airy and can dry naturally or be heat set. 

But first things first. 

I took a chalkboard sign die cut and stamped an awesome sentiment from the Blossom Overture STAMPlorations set. I layered that over some newsprint designer paper and put my stencil (Botanical Lush from STAMPlorations) over the lower left corner. 

I use a palette knife with my paste. You want to tape down your stencil (as pictured above) and swipe a very thin layer of embossing paste over the top. Scrape off the excess paste and put it back in the jar. Then - and this next bit is important - run to the nearest sink and clean your stencil because your paste will dry very quickly (about 15 minutes). 

You can use a heat gun to dry your paste (which I did because I'm an impatient lady). I then started painting over the top of it with Distress Paints (Broken China and Salty Ocean).  I also painted the corners, as well.



To say that I am sorta in love with this card is to say that Kim Kardashian's butt is sorta big. 

As for YOU - well you should go check out the STAMPlorations Stamps and Stencils challenge. We've got some awesome prizes, including a STAMPlorations gift card for the winner! You should also stay tuned because on March 8, 9, and 10 there will be a big stencil blog hop at the STAMP blog with even more prizes. And we've got a fabulous guest designer, Milla! Leave her some bloggy love! 

I will be showcasing the following techniques:
Stencils and Distress Paints
Stencils and Embossing Powders
Stencils and Sponging 
Stencils and Distress Spray Stains 

Whew!! So if you didn't know how to use stencils before now, you sure will after I get done with you! 

As for me, I'm going to link my card up to support some other amazing challenges:
Craft Stamper Magazine - Take It Make It - Anything Goes
Virginia's View - Embossing 
Make Art Challenge - Stencils
2015 World Wide Open Design Team Competition
ColorQ - thanks for the amazing color palette - I never would have put these together!

A big crafty welcome to my new followers! Thank you for making my day. 

Also - on a personal note, I will be gone for most of the next 5 days on vacation with limited access to the computer. So if I don't return your comments now, please don't feel bad! I'll do my best to play catch up when I get home! 

Using Distress Inks with a Rubber Brayer

The leaves are blowing off the trees here in North Dakota. Bare branches reach for the ever colder air and a brisk wind scatters the leaves from one pile to another. Winter draws closer every day and the magic of the first snowfall will soon make its entry. 

That's the feeling the card I created tonight gives me. My boss's father passed away this week and I set out to make a sympathy card for her. Sympathy cards are always the toughest for me to create because I never know what to say, what not to say. Everything seems trite. 

It seems fitting then, that my card ultimately turned out rather clean, without my usual layers or embellishments. 

To create this look, I used one of my favorite Distress Ink Techniques. Many people have heard of dipping the colors, but not everyone has learned about using a rubber brayer to create a smoother transition of colors. 

To get the colors to pop, I used a glossy photo paper. Squish your chosen colors (here is Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, and Spiced Marmalade) into a craft mat and spritz with water until the colors begin to run together. Take a brayer, and roll it through the colors, until it is inked up. Then roll the brayer onto your chosen paper. When my aunt showed me this technique, I fell in love with its effect right away!

I freehanded the hills using a gray-black Spectrum Noir Marker. Next, I used an older (2008) Stampendous stamp set called "Winter Trees" to create my deer scene and mounted the image on black cardstock. Lastly, I embossed the sentiment using a gold powder. 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

STAMPlorations October Challenge - Stamps and Embossing

Try it on Tuesday's Challenge -Animals

Addicted to Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes

SSS Monday Challenge - Falling in Love With... (show a technique you fell in love with)

Pile it On Challenge - Autumn 

In case you want to see a clear difference between a dipped background (I wrote a brief tutorial on dipping here) and a brayer background, I created two backgrounds. The left is dipped (and I added Fired Brick Distress Ink) and the right is a brayer background. 

Thank you for stopping by! I REALLY enjoy reading your comments so thank you to all those who leave encouragement!