Cuttin and Stampin Design Team Blog Hop

I am so excited to be sharing some news with you today … I am a new member of the Cuttin and Stampin Design Team!!!!!

Cuttin and Stampin’s challenge blog is one year old!!  With that they decided to make a few changes including bringing you different types of projects, to do that they needed increase the number of members on the team. With all the new members they  also decided to split the team in to two, a Green Team and an Orange Team.  I am a member of the Green Team which is being introduced today!!  My role on the green team is MIXED MEDIA!!  You will find my projects on ‘Mixed Media Monday’ every other Monday.
Before I get to my project today, here is the line up for the Green Team hop:  (you are going to see some AMAZING work!)

Cuttin and Stampin (this is where you should have started)

Michele (that’s me)

Jenni

Teresa

Lisa

Jamie

Debbie

Janet

Vickie

Doris

Be sure to stop by each of their blogs and welcome them to the 2014 Design Team. There will be a drawing for each day of the hop. Just leave a comment at each stop along the way.  Winners will be announced on Friday at Cuttin and Stampin along with the regular weekly challenge winners.
OK, now for my project, we were asked to create a project that demonstrated our style…I am not exactly sure how I would describe my style but I created this tag to show you.

I used Teresa Collins Sweet Afternoon for my tag base.  The awesome Um Wow Studios chipboard sunflower is painted with distress paint, gesso, distress stain, stickles and even has some seed beads for texture.  I used an UWS stencil with modeling paste to create some texture on the tag and stamped my FAVORITE VLVS! butterfly.  The fence it also UWS.

All kinds of other little details…washi tape, thread, distressed edges, tiny attacher, splatters with mists and some Cosmo Cricket words.  The ribbon is seam binding stained with distress stain.
Your next stop is Jenni but before you leave make sure you leave a comment below (and along the way) because besides the awesome prizes from Cuttin and Stampin I am going to be drawing one winner from my comments to win a grab bag of scrappy goodness from me!  Just a little token of appreciation because I really do appreciate each and every comment you leave!!
Oh, and make sure you stop by Cuttin and Stampin  tomorrow too for the Orange Team introductory blog hop with more awesome projects and prizes!!
You can also shop for fun scrappy supplies at the Cuttin and Stampin facebook store!  You will find some super deals on great products!!

ATC Swap

I love to join swaps and this ATC swap is one of my favorites.  The latest theme was winter.  I decided to upcycle some cardboard for mine.



I cut 2-1/2x3-1/2 inch piece from a box and got to work.  I ran them through my Big Shot with a Tim Holtz embossing folder and smeared gesso over the snowflakes then I tore bits off the corners to expose the corrugated middle.  The reindeer is a Tim Holtz Mover and Shaper die with Jillibean Soup twine tied in a bow around the neck of the reindeer.  In the corner is Tim Holtz tissue tape, a holiday word stapled with the tiny attacher.  Then I covered an UmWow Studio snowflake (from the confetti) with gesso and layered it on the embossed snowflakes.



We had to do 12 this time around…I just adore the cardboard base!!
Here are some of others I have done, summer and fall.


 

Now I just have to find a library drawer I can store all the ones I get back…after I have displayed them in my craft room for a time first of course!

Frosty challenge-Scrapki

Over at Scrapki Wyzwaniowo the challenge that is up right now if frosty.
I decided to do a tag with a watercolor stamping technique.  I have been practicing this for some time and I think I finally got it!!



Using VLVS! images and watercolor crayons I stamped on some MessyHead paper.  The edges of both tag layers are distressed, inked and smeared with silver glaze then I splatter mist.  I also glazed some of my snowflake confetti from UmWow Studio, added some sequins and floral beads too.  That is May Arts burlap twine and chevron ribbon along with a vintage button.



I actually stamped this image twice (practice makes perfect!) and decided to make another tag with my second image.  They turned out totally different but I can’t decide which one I like the best…



So I decided I like them both equally.  It is funny how just changing a couple of the details you can make such different thing with the same stamped image!!  Which one do you like best??

Gift Card Box

Our January kits for Scrappy Chic were packed full of Kaisercraft new collections.  One of mine was Art of Life…nice neutral colors with fantastic patterns.
I made a gift card box.  Always good to have around for any gift giving occasion!



A little paint, some Tim Holtz dies (including the new frameworks honeycomb die just released at CHA), Um Wow Studio layered leaves and butterfly confetti, button, burlap ribbon and twine complete my box.



And a close up…



I just love altering these boxes for all sorts of uses!!  Try it, you might become addicted!

3 Girl Jam Guest Designer!

I am SUPER honored and excited to be a guest designer over at 3 Girl Jam today!!   Make sure you check out all the pretty ribbons over there and right now there is an anything goes challenge happening!!
I created a mixed canvas using 2 ribbons from the 3 Girl Jam store, pink crinkle ribbon and jute ribbon.



Gesso and gold crackle modeling paste are smeared over an UmWow Studio chipboard piece, hexagon background.  My cicada, also from UmWow, is painted with distress paint, gesso and crackle modeling paste and then pinned to the canvas.  I used some Studio Calico wood alphas and a banner which is also pinned to the canvas.



I hope you are inspired to join the challenge, I am sure there are fabulous prizes up for grabs!!!
Thanks so much to Karen over at 3 Girl Jam for asking me to be a guest, I had so much fun creating with this beautiful ribbon!!

Paradise

Lots of KaiserCraft in my Januray kit from Scrappy Chic this month and I am OK with that!!!   This is the Paradiso collection and it was PERFECT for this picture!



I also used all kinds of other stuff on this one…cork, Prima flowers, Studio Calico pins, Tim Holtz ribbon, May Arts ribbon and twine, Bo Bunny doily and UmWow Studio chipboard….



What else do you see??

Distress Markers!!

While I was at CHA last week I was lucky enough to take the Tim Holtz Diversity of Distress class.  I will be blogging more about the cards we made in the class AND you will be able to see them and all the product we used at Scrappy Chic…but today I am going to show you a couple of birthday projects I made using some of the techniques and the Birthday Blueprint stamps I picked up at Scrappy Chic yesterday.
I stamped the images with archival ink on watercolor paper and used my Distress markers to watercolor them (with a watercolor pen).  I love this technique, so much fun!!!  I also used the BRAND NEW Distress Marker Spritzer.



Now this is a fun new tool!!  And you can use it with almost ANY marker!!
OK, here is a birthday card I did with the party hat stamp.



AND the new hash tag sentiment stamps!!!



You can see the spritzer at work on this close up.



Fun right?!!
And this is a tag with the cupcake stamp…



I love the spritzer!!



Make sure you check Scrappy Chic often for all the new introductions!!  You will want them as soon as you can get your hands on them!!!

Button, button…whose got the button?

Drill 24 at S.W.A.T. is a sketch challenge, a Page Maps sketch, with a twist…use a button.  There is always a spot for a button right??
 

I had some pictures from Halloween that I have been wanting to scrap so I pulled out some Fancy Pants Dancing Girl and got busy.



I also used a bit of MME On the Bright Side, random ribbon and alphas from my stash, UmWow Studio chipboard and some sequins.  I really wanted to keep this one simple (which is super hard for me!) because the pictures are so cute!!



You have until the end of the month to link your project up for a chance to win a great prize!  I look forward to seeing what you create!!

VLVS! January Inspiration

This months inspiration challenge over at VLVS! is a GOOD one!!



I just love that moon face as you may guess when you see the tag I made for the challenge.



I used a scrap of Authentique paper for my tag base and water colored the background with Distress stain.  Moon face and stars are the VLVS! images I used along with UmWow Studio chip: spooky branch and star confetti.  I also used MME washi tape, Distress ink and paint and May Arts chevron ribbon.



Plenty of time to get your project linked up!!  I look forward to seeing it! ;)

3 Scrappy Boys is looking for…

a guest designer for February and I thought I would throw my hat in the ring.  For more info about the call click here.
This fun sketch by Lanette is for this call.  I love all the possibilities this sketch offers for projects. 



I decided to do a layout with Fancy Pants Merry Little Christmas, which by the way, was one of my two favorite Christmas lines this year!!
 

I also used Um Wow Studio chipboard, punchinella and washi tape from Gauche Alchemy, Heidi Swapp believe sentiment, Prima gems, Tim Holtz alphas and tiny attacher and some Tattered Angels glimmer mists.



I love this sketch and had so much fun creating with it!
Wish me luck!!

January UmWow Studio Challenge

DeeDee always has to best sketches!  This one does not disappoint!!  I knew right away what pictures I wanted to use and I grabbed a piece of 7 Dot Studio Domestic Goddess that I have been saving for just the right project.
Here is the sketch:



Click here to join in the fun!!
Now this is my take on the sketch…



I used UmWow layered triangles and banners, checkerboard mask, square confetti and flair from the love notes set.  VLVS! banners, Prima flowers, May Arts ribbons and twine, Gauche Alchemy washi, cheese cloth, gold crackle paste and archival ink were also used.



I had a lot of fun with this one!  Make sure you link up to win a fabulous UmWow prize!!

2014 Word of the Year

You may have heard some buzz about OLW (One Little Word) or Word of Year already.  Instead of making resolutions that I know I won’t keep I decided to try OLW this year.  Over at S.W.A.T. our first challenge for 2014 is about resolutions or your word of the year…my word is CHOICES.  I decided to do a page in my art journal about what my word means to me.

The letters are Pink Paislee wood alphas stamped with the VLVS! writing background stamp embossed with high gloss embossing powder and painted with Distress paint.  I also used the background stamp directly on the page.  Other VLVS! used:  line of chevrons, pointed pen tip and mason jar.  From UmWow Studio I used the checkerboard mask,  flair from the sidewalk chalk set, leaf confetti and speech bubble from everyday speech bubbles.  Other items:  Prima flowers and junkyard findings, May Arts ribbons and twine, American Crafts brad, Tim Holtz alphas, washi from Gauche Alchemy ( a gift from a super crafty friend!), Tattered Angels mists, vintage button, cheese cloth and floral bead.

I love the flair for the ‘o’ in my word!!  The BIG choice to ‘be happy’!!

Now all that is left is to decide it I will actually journal on my art journal page…you never know with me!  If I happened to have an amazing thought I might just write it down!
You have until the end of the month to link up your project here for a chance to win a great prize.  Oh, and maybe get a feature on our Facebook page…fun right?!!

My Best of 2013

2013 has come and gone, as we charge into 2014 it is fun to look back and review…

Today I will be sharing my best (in my opinion) and favorite projects of 2013.  These are in no particular order and I will link the blog post, if there is one, that give more details if you are so inclined.
In 2013 I started my art journal.  These 2 pages are near and dear to my heart.

I am having a lot of fun with this journal…look for more in 2014.
I wasn’t always big on layouts but in 2013 I challenged myself to do more.  It is funny to me that most of 2013’s favorites are layouts.

These 2 layouts were put in display trays and I gave them to my sister-in-law for Christmas.

For those of you who know a little bit about me I am petrified of birds but you will very often see them on my projects!
I love sunsets and have opportunity to photograph some AMAZING ones.  I think I will have a scrapbook of just sunsets and scenes…
I have an obsession with photo strips…
I have always been a card maker and try to give handmade cards to my friends and family for all sorts of different occasions.
   While the sentiment is a sad one I just love all the details of this one.
2013 was also a year for tags.  I found myself making them a lot.

Fun, right?!!  I also made tags for holidays and sent them instead of cards.

 
I made the for challenges…
and for prizes too.
Then there are the projects that are not ‘flat’…home decor and in this case holiday decorations.
  
Finally an ATC (Artist Trading Card)…I love doing ATC swaps and this one is from a summer swap.
Well, there you have it!  I hope you enjoyed this year in review…I know I did and I certainly enjoyed creating all of these things.  Happy New Year!  Looking forward to creating in  2014!