Mixed Media Distress Spray Stain Card

If there ever comes a time when I can't spend my Friday nights in my studio with my one true love (aka Distress products), I don't want to live on this earth anymore. 

 
This week, I had a chance to play with some of the latest stamps released by Visible Image.

When I saw the new Organics set, I knew I had to have it for my very own. When it comes to the perfect artsy stamps for mixed media backgrounds, this is it folks!

I stamped it on a white sheet of heavyweight cardstock and then I spritzed it with some Blueprint Sketch Distress Spray Stain. 

To messy things up just a little bit further, I used some picket fence Distress Spray stain and flicked it onto the card using the end of the open cap.

(Pro tip. You may want to tighten your cap all the way instead of just setting it gently back in the bottle and then tapping the whole thing with your elbow and then spending the next 10 minutes cleaning up stain from your table. Don't ask me how I know.) 

I used one of the eye handprints from the In Your Hands set, embossing it in black and fussy cutting and then added two circle cutouts, with a stamped sentiment from the same set to complete my look. 

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Love how this turned out, and it definitely wasn't too time intensive to make. I can see me using this design for graduation cards or when one of my friends might be going through a tough time. 

Thanks for joining me today! Pop up to the Visible Image Blog to check out some more inspiration.

Dance Yourself Clean Handmade Card

Happy Saturday, friends! I'm popping in to share a card I just created for Visible Image. I was really really excited to get the Born to Perform set because I don't have any stamps for dancing or performing arts and this set is super unique and artsy. 

One of the techniques I like to use from time-to-time is to use my ink pad directly to press ink on to my paper. In this case, I used Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide.

Next, I spritzed the ink with water to let it bleed and soften the hard edges. 

I stamped a series of words to create a graffiti-like effect in the background. 

On the bottom layer of my card base, I added a little bit of stamped grunge with the Universal stamp set. 

I added some hand-drawn stitching, washi tap and black gemstones, along with a stamped ballet dancer to finish off the design. 

I hope you all like it!

Elegant Poinsettia Stamped Christmas Card

Hello Ladies and Gents,
It's getting sooooo close to Christmas! Anyone else still working on cards? Anyone else trying to decide if they are actually going to address all those envelopes to people this year even though you've made a bunch of cards?

Sigh* sigh*

Alas, my mantle is getting full of Christmas cards and I would feel mighty guilty not returning some joy. I have weekend plans, yo! 

Anyhow, I'm popping in to share a reminder that STAMPlorations is smack dab in the middle of the December Theme & Sketch challenge, which has lots of prizes up for grabs.

For my card, I decided to use the theme, along with a very loose version of the sketch. 

I cut a background using the Stitched Snow Hills CUTplorations dies and then spritzed it with water, then Barn Door Distress Spray Stain.

Next, I used some InkaGold and liberally wet my paintbrush to create some gold splatters in the background. 

I used some decoupage to add lots of chunky gold glitter. I embossed a very merry sentiment (Merry and Bright Typografia) and then added in some elegant poinsettias to complete the look. 

Taaaadaaaa! Now to go address some cards. 

PS! If you want anything in the STAMPloraitons store, definitely give yourself a little giftie because you can use code STAMPGIRLBECCA to get 20% off anything in the STAMPstore.

Distress Oxides + InkaGold + Autumn Leaves - Oh My!

Inky goodness happened in my studio earlier this week thanks to a super fantastic inspiration image from the Fusion Card Challenge. I almost couldn't wait to share it with you all because I squealed all over the place when I finished it.

The gorgeous inspiration image I referenced is this one from Fusion:

 

I just loved that blue bokeh background. If you have never played along at Fusion, you can choose either the inspiration image OR the sketch OR mash 'em together and create "Fusion" in your design.

For my card I chose to use both the sketch and inspiration image, because I'm an overachiever like that. 

I made my leaves by using the STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves stamp set. I love these artsy leaves, and I double stamped them, once with the solid base and then again in a different color with the text overlays. 

 I used a variety of red, yellow, and orange Distress Ink and Distress Oxides. 

 

 Then I splattered them with a coppery InkaGold and water slush.

I used a combo of blue Distress Inks and Distress Oxides along with the Distress Ink Double Dipping Technique to create a background filled with depth and vibrant color. 

As you can see, I also sprinkled the background with InkaGold. Oooo

I put it all together, along with some gemstone embellishments and funky bits and bobs. Charming, nontraditional Fall! All in one little card. 

I'm also going to join the fun of playing along in some bloggy challenges. 

Shopping Our Stash has a theme called "That's Sketchy" this week and wants you to choose a sketch challenge to play along with (I'm obviously using Fusion). 

Country View Crafts has a challenge all about Mixed Media with Autumnal Hues. 

I hope you all consider joining us for Fusion this fortnight!

Card Concept - White Pumpkin

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! 

At least over at The Card Concept it is, anyways. We've unrolled a new challenge with a nontraditional, but still very cozy take on Fall! 

When I first saw this image, I new right away that I wanted to pull out my Wendy Vecchi Sunburst Stencil to mimic that rusty little pinwheel wall hanging thing-a-ma-bob (I'm pretty sure that's the technical decorator's name for it). 

Speaking of non-traditional, I was really wishing that I had some metallic silver embossing paste and then I remembered I had some Nuvo enamel drop stuff. I squeezed a bunch of it into my stencil opening and then sccchmeeeared it all around with a palette knife. 

Over the top of that, I added some Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain and then I dried it with a heat tool. Because I heat dried it, it began to crackle and crinkle and bubble and create all sorts of yummy textures. 

I stamped a pumpkin from the STAMPlorations Holiday Expressions: Thankful for Autumn stamp set and colored it in using a white gel pen. For my leaves, I used some Forest Moss Distress Oxide Inks and a damp paintbrush. 

Put it all together and what do you get?
A graphic, funky nontraditional Fall card. 

This card is going to play along in the following challenges: 

Addicted to Stamps and More: Make Your Mark

The Card Concept is such a great challenge because our designers all work in different styles. While I used a Mixed Media style f, there's a whole gallery of inspiration ranging from Clean and Simple to Shabby Chic. Go check it out and play along with us! 

Coffee Lover's Blog Hop - Day 1!

>insert music notes here<

It's the most wonderful tiiiiiime of the year!

>end music notes< 

I know you all didn't come here to get some Christmas songs stuck in your head, but that's just a little bit of a side bonus of knowing me (you're welcome).

 

If you're in the cardmaking blogosphere at all today, you're going to quickly realize that it's been taken over by caffeine-crazed dynamos who love to bust out those stamping blocks and make some cards. The brainchild of the ever fabulous Amy Tsurata and Chaitali Narla -  it's the Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop! 

 

To celebrate fall, my card features all the warm, rich reds, oranges and yellows of the season. I created my background using the Distress Ink Double Dipping technique. 

I stamped some leaves from the STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves stamp set in the background. 

And you can see I also brought them into the foreground too! My big ol' coffee mug is from the STAMPlorations Sketchy Coffee Cups.

PSSTTTT - if you are looking for some new coffee stamps, you can get 20% off in the STAMPlorations store by using code STAMPGIRLBECCA at checkout. 

Now don't let me keep you! Go check out the rest of the hop and make sure to stop by all of our AMAZING sponsors for the Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop. 

If you want to win one of a ka-bajillion prizes (I may be exaggerating a little, but it's close) go link up a Fall-themed coffee/tea/cocoa card. Do it! Right now! Why are are still reading this? You should be linking up a coffee card! 

Growing in Unity Gal - Guest Designer

The first time I ever laid eyes on a Unity stamp, I fell in love with the sketchy, pretty designs. My aunt is a Unityaholic and she let me use some of her stamps while I was slowly growing my own collection. 

It seems like Unity is always having one sale or another and my wallet complains to me every time I go check out their deals (but my heart rejoices... so suck it, wallet!) 

This week, I get the opportunity to be a guest designer for Unity *happy dances* and I'll be sharing a new design every day this week! 

I haven't played much with my Distress Inks lately - gasp! - so I remedied that but doing some Distress Ink watercoloring. 

I stamped a floral arrangement from the First Friend, Best Friend, Forever set. Next, I smooshed three different colors of pinks onto my craft mat, then used a wet paintbrush to pick up the ink.

This is why I love Distress Inks - you can stamp with them, but you can also do so many different techniques like watercoloring. 

I also used some Distress blues and greens to color in the leaves and water. 

 

Since I had a lot of color left over on my craft mat after I was done watercoloring my image, I used the Distress Ink double dipping technique to marble a piece of paper. 

 I layered my focal image with black, white, and bits of gold, adding in a strip of my marbled panel. I finished it off by stamping a sentiment from the For the Guys stamp set. 

This whole design was inspired by the latest challenge at If you Give a Crafter a Cookie. 

I loved the combo of patterns and colors going on and HAD to try to replicate that on a card

I'm also going to enter my card over at Seize the Birthday. I'm not using the Aqua/Green optional toppings, but I wanted to play along anyhow. 

Also, if you're feeling like leaving some extra bloggy love today go check out my fellow GIU gal for the week - Rebecca Wong Pui Yee. Who doesn't love a Rebecca?! 

And make sure you leave a comment on my blog!! Unity is giving away two stamp sets to those of you who are kind enough to drop some lines below! 

Happy Birthday Monica - Blog Linky Party + Prizes

Ya'll! (I know I'm not even close to being Southern, but it really makes for a perfect interjection)

Ya'll! 

Monica Taylor of TaylorMade4U Cards is celebrating her 50th year on this earth and she's invited some bloggy friends to celebrate with her. Not only that - Monica is giving away some seriously awesome prizes - like lots of them! 

How do you win said prizes? Check out that uber lovely mood board, put together by Monica to inspire you! She wants you to create a card inspired by the mood board and the word "Journey" and link it up. 

I loved the old timey car and was drawn to the browns and the blues I saw in the picture, so here's what I made:

I used some BoBunny papers and Tim Holtz stamp sets and added in some metal gears to complete the look. 

I'm also going to play along at:
Southern Girls Challenge - About a Boy
Aud Sentiments - Stamp your Sentiment
The Corrosive Challenge - Anything Goes
Come and Get it - Make it Square

So we don't have any party fouls, here are Monica's party rules:

1.  Look at the mood board and find something that reminds you of a JOURNEY.

2. Create a project and link it up. This can be a card, canvas or anything that inspires you and in any style.

3.  Follow Monica's blog & like her Facebook page

4. Leave me a comment 

There are also some fun discount codes to use throughout her party!

1. I BRAKE FOR STAMPS - 10% off using coupon code SAVE10MONICA
2. STAMPLORATIONS - 20% off  in stamp store using coupon code STAMPGIRLBECCA
3. TAYLORMADECARDS4U - 10% off using coupon code BIRTHDAYBASH

Now for the prizes:

Prize - Memory Box Sponsored by Taylormadecards4u

Prize - $15 gift certificate to I Brake for Stamps (2 people)

Prize - T.H.E. Bag - Sponsored by Simply Charming Bags

Prize - Perfectly Posh gift set - Sponsored by Aimees Posh

Prize - Stamp Set by creator of Big Grins - Becca Cruger from Big Grins (2 people)

Prize - $15 Gift Certificate to Canvas Corp Brands

Prize - Umbrella Crafts Papercrafting Favorites Kit-  Sponsored by Scrapbook.com

Prize - The Ton - Stamp set of your choice

Prize - Celebrate Mini Digital Sentiment kit- Sponsored by Decosses Dynamite Doodles (3 people)

Prize - Set of Vintage Printables - Sponsored by VectoriaDesigns (3 people)

Prize - 7Gypsies Stash - Sponsored by Taylormadecards4u

Prize - One Paper Pack and one digital set of your choosing - Sponsored by MHKDesigns
 

What are you waiting for? Go play along already!