STAMPlorations 6th birthday - sanna's stencils

Howdy peeps and welcome back for more STAMPlorations' 6th birthday celebration! We're celebrating with new stamps, dies, stencils and stickers!

Today I have two cards made with Sanna's new stencil - Art Flowers 1.

I've created two cards. The first incorporates an idea I had when I first saw the stencil. Anyone besides me see a ladybug in that design?

For the CAS card I masked off the surrounding area of the stencil and dabbed ink through one of the flowers. Then I added the little green "leaf" and a sentiment from  . Added the black dots with a Sharpie and voila!

Couldn't resist doing some autumnal tones ink blending for my second card. Topped it off with a stacked Grateful Heart die cut sentiment that was also inked.

Celebrate along with us. There's a Birthday Linky Party here. And you can add your Wishlist to this Linky Party. To see how you can win some fun prizes and also to see what the other gals have created check out this post.

journal journey - dylusional

Howdy and happy Monday, peeps! I'm back again with another page of my newly started art journal (check out the link if you want the back story)!!!

As I mentioned in that post, as the creative journey would have it, I opened my prepped "journal" up  at a double orange spread, loving the swirly effect I'd created, and wondering how the heck I'd done it. That sparked an idea for my first page about not remembering how I'd prepped the orange pages!

I was thinking Dylusions cuz I think I'd used the spray ink for the BG. And you might have caught in my social media that I had the honor of shaking Dyan Reaveley's hand last month at Creativeworld in Frankfurt (as in I just walked up to her - she was on her way to grab some lunch - and said "May I shake your hand?" to which she responded "Yes. Why?" to which I responded "Cuz you're my girl crush, I love to watch your videos" at which point we continued to chat about her time at Creativation in Phoenix and her soon-to-be-born grandson...) Still cannot how believe how cool that was!

So... Why not create my second art journal page as an ode to Dyan and a way to remember that encounter?

 Dylusions spray ink

Dylusions Around the Edge stamp

MFT Bold alpha die

The Stamp Market Hexagon Hello stamp

STAMPlorations soon-to-be-released Bloomdala Bliss stamp

STAMPlorations Oh My Stars mini stencil

Studio Calico gold star rub ons

Sharpies

white acrylic paint

white paint pen

Stamped some of Dyan's border stamps. Actually the page had that outline of a heart (with some texture paste waste I suppose?!?) on it already so I made a mask and stamped multiple images from a soon-to-be-released STAMPlorations set into the heart. Used a Sharpie to doodle the "dyan" in the heart and for the journaling and die cuts for the "ode 2". Used gold CS for "ode" to pick up on the texture paste  and then later added some gold star rub ons too.

Though I'd started with the blank orange page, I had to add some Bubblegum Pink down the right side cuz that's my fave Dylusions color. Stamped some white acrylic paint circles. I nearly squealed later when I realized there were 7 and the word "dylusional" which had come into my mind had 7 letters! How perfect!

Upper left I also stenciled some cascading white stars and stamped some black ones.

I chose three sentiments that support my love for Dyan and her free spirit and stamped them in random spots - thank you, welcome the unexpected and the best... good energy is contagious!

I'm gonna say it again, peeps... it is SO MUCH FUN to just go with the flow! Start with an idea, any idea, and then just let it lead you.

Do you have a favorite art journal/mixed media artist? I'd love to hear who.

I'm hooking up at:
More Mixed Media Challenge - AG Feb
STAMPlorations Mixed Media Challenge - Use a Stencil
We Love 2 Create - AG Mixed Media
Creative Artiste - AG Mixed Media
Craft Stamper - Take it Make it February

journal journey - but i don't

Howdy peeps! I'm so excited! I've got something new and different for you today. I've started an art journal!!!

Rewind. Actually, a few years ago I started an art journal. As in, bought a cheap photo album that had heavy paper pages. And created one page (ahem, I guess I was not happy with hubby on that day!) As in, I remember this "you OR me" page but it was so long ago I don't even remember that I'd prepped all the pages in the album or exactly how I'd prepped them. I'm looking at them now and thinking, "how'd I do that? that's cool!"

Fast forward. I recently treated myself to Alisa B.'s Grateful Journal online course. Haven't actually started it yet (yep, that's me - a million ideas but lacking on the follow through), but had this itching to start getting a bit messy and definitely want to focus on what I'm grateful for.

So I remembered this photo album and dug it out. Was going to ease into things by prepping some pages (have you watched Maremi break a blank page?), but lo and behold, they're already prepped! Goodness. That means I have to actually sit down and create something.

Well, as the creative journey would have it, I stared at a double orange spread, loving the swirly effect I'd created, and wondering how the heck I'd done it. And voila! It sparked an idea. I started my first second page!

Dylusions spray ink

Dylusions Around the Edge stamp

Dylusions Love Struck Lucy stamp

Sharpies

STAMPlorations Oh My Stars mini stencil

acrylic paints

gel pen

Yep I'd love to remember how I created that orange background. "BUT I DON'T."

Thinking the bold orange was probably a Dylusions ink spray I started thinking Dylusions. Which made me grab a couple stamp sets I own. Had to use Dyan's signature leaves and that befuddled chica. A fun border stamp along the top and bottom too.

You guys... it is SO MUCH FUN to just go with the flow! Have an idea and run with it.

Then I pulled out some acrylic paint and made some circles with plastic bottle caps and corks. Stencilled some stars. Colored in some elements with Sharpies. Added some fun a-la-Dyan journaling. Even added three glitter tatoos left from DD's younger days up top!

As for just going with the flow... Make a mistake? Fix it. Somehow. Or don't ;) For example, I had a real issue with the "BUT I DON'T" in those stamped circles. I wrote the words first with a black Sharpie. To help them show up more I tried adding white dots to the letters. But had troubles with my white pens.´- seems I always do :( So then I doodled petals around them And attached them to strings the chica is holding like balloons. But they still weren't "popping" and geez, they are supposed to be my page title! What to do? So I found a white paint pen and doodled another ring of petals. And retraced the letters with white (now they kinda look blue?!?) And finally took some of the blue acrylic paint and a skinny paintbrush and added blue to the petals. Na. Good enough!

I would love to hear if you journal. How often? What format? Or are you thinking about trying it but haven't taken that first step yet?

I'm going to try hooking up at:
More Mixed Media Challenge - AG Feb
Simon Says Stamp Monda Challenge - Add some Red (I colored with a red Sharpie)
STAMPlorations Mixed Media Challenge - Use a Stencil
We Love 2 Create - AG Mixed Media
Creative Artiste - AG Mixed Media
Craft Stamper - Take it Make it Feb

rico design neon meets hand lettering

First off, I am not a hand letterer and don't claim to be. It's so much harder than it looks.

But at Creativeworld in Frankfurt last weekend I was totally smitten with the Rico Design booth and their use of neon coral. And I discovered their neon watercolor palette. So I came home and ordered it. And played with it.

In the booth there was a sample - someone had painted some words with the neon coral. So after perusing hand lettering on instagram, I gave it my best and came up with this set of cards. (I used the stamp set to drive my choice of words to hand letter.)

Rico Design Neon Watercolors

Altenew Label Love stamp

waterbrush

black Sharpie

white paint pen

Copic C3 marker

washi

I apologize for the grayness of the photos. It's cloudy here today and I didn't want to brighten the photos too much. I tried to keep the neon as true to life as possible for you, but the coral (oh that coral!) and the orange are 10x better IRL ;)

These watercolors are so cool. Truly neon. And if you don't use too much water, really opaque.

Thanks for coming by again today. Hope you enjoyed my post. I'm joining the Anything Goes fun at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and the Anything Goes Challenge at ATSAM.

spotlight on stretching your stamps

Had fun creating this flower with some non-flower stamps. Recognize which? Check it out over at the STAMPlorations blog...

I'm playing at:
CAS on Friday - One Layer
CASology - Fit (I had to make those "petals" FIT around my die cut aperture!)

STAMPlorations inspiration #159

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team where the team members feature stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today we're using Dee's Artsy Impressions stamps. Her stamps are 15% off this week!!!

Continuing with my "Urban Tribe"inspiration post projects using this image from my Pinterest inspiration board, ready for today's? I used the graphic tribal pattern and its colors as inspiration.

image source

Stamped Best Mom Ever and colored it with Prismacolor pencils and a black Sharpie. Added some washi, and black Nuvo drops to the little bloom centers and voila!

This is a great flower spray ... I had more fun with it here and here ...

Remember, you could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on the January inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. So happy you stopped by :)

I'm joining in at:
Craft Stamper - Take it, Make it January challenge
Addicted to Stamps and More - CAS

more layered snowmen - but no snowmen yet!

Today, I've got another fun project using Layered Snowmen. Again, not that I made anything that has to do with snow...

My planner (cheapie from Aldi) has graphic birdies on it and they inspired me! Need I say more?

OK, I will. Used the second and third largest snowballs for the birdies. Gave some bellies with the smaller ball. Some got kissed with border stamps from Artsy Border Maker before stamping. And some got stamped with borders in a darker tone.The face is perfect for birdies, don't you agree? And a Sharpie came in handy for some feet and wisps of hair. The sentiment is from A Snarky Birthday to You.

I had a blast creating this. Hope you enjoyed my take on snowmen! There's still time to start the STAMPlorations layered sets hop here if you'd like to comment to win. And see ya tomorrow for some layered holly. Really, truly ;)

I'm playing at:
Seize the Birthday - Circles (well, hope organic circles count for the topping!)
Watercooler Wednesday - All about Birthdays
Craft Stamper - Take it Make it November
AAA Cards - Celebrate

spotlight on mirror stamping

Check out my Spotlight post over at STAMPlorations for more on this fun anniversary card...

ETA: Cuz I am, and this popsicle couple is... I'm hooking up at CASology #270.

birthday card with blossom sprays

Made a sympathy card with STAMPlorations Blossom Spray #3 in yesterday's post. The striped leaves in the bunch of lilies were calling to me. To be rainbowed. With Sharpies cuz they fit perfectly in those slim lines.

And the left-white-lilies, Wink of Stella'd for some sparkle...

I even added a very light gray Copic outline around the blooms to try to "pop" them off the paper a bit. Not sure that worked.

Added a KartenKunst birthday sentiment.

And am thinking there's more to be done with this lovely stamp one day ;) Have a good one.