Challenging Canvas

In July the Canvas Corp Brands crew was challenged to do something with a blank sheet of canvas and we could use a pouch too. I created this:

 I glimmer misted a piece of raw canvas in blues and greens and then cut them into strips. I tied a knot in the bottom of each strip and adhered it to a circle that I had cut from double sided adhesive. I twisted the canvas strip and placed it on the circle. I also did this same technique with some pretty twine.

 For the leaves I hand cut them out of the green portion of the canvas, added some veins with a black water color brush pen and spritzed it  with a little water to soften the lines.

 I adhered it all to the pouch and added a few gems to fill it out.

When I was first presented with this challenge I was totally clueless on what to do. I just started painting and then got to this. What have you created that was unexpected?

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting! 

Heart Chain!

 I am over on the Rinea blog with an amped up Valentine's Day inspired Chain! This is a great way to add a little festive love to your home. You can make a few strips of it and hang it off plantation shutters or your can connect the ends to create a beautiful wreath. Please stop by to see the picture tutorial and say hello!

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Whoops I Almost Forgot!

You know you have done it.....that last minute gift that you forgot to purchase. That happened to me today. In my defense two of my three kiddos are in high school and we don't do gifts for teachers. I do have a 6th grader and his teacher has a heart of gold. I can't believe that I forgot about a gift for her. Luckily, it dawned on me that I needed to do something special for her. Check out what I did here:

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Globe Shaker Card!

One of my favorite things are the globes and all the places in them! I love to make shaker cards to mail my friends and family when I am visiting a new place. I like to make about a dozen cards up before I leave and mail them from my destination. To make the card I first stamp the image on white cardstock:

Using the Globe die that fits all of the stamps I cut 12 3 by 4 black pieces of cardstock making sure to set the globe aside:

Adhere the stamped image to a base. I used a sparkly silver piece of cardwtock cut 1/4 inch larger than my image piece:

Using Brutus Monroe craft glue, carefully line up the globe frame to the image and adhere. Repeat the process until you have one black frame left:

Carefully place sequins and glitter in the shaker. Glue a sheet of acetate over the shaker and top it off with the last black frame:

Adhere to the card and shake away!

Check out the Brutus Monroe shop for the globes!

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Christmas Cards for a Swap

I signed up to partcipate in a Christmas Card Swap! I created a total of 20 cards to exchange with other artist around the country. I showed the first set at the end of October and wanted to feature the last 8! This set coordinates with one another because it is from the November 2016 Spellbinder Card Kit! I found their booth at the Pinner's Conference in October. They had a special in which you could buy two past kits for $30 -- that is only $15 a kit! When I saw how fun and whimsical this kit was I knew I wanted to play with it. There was so much packed into this kit that I had a ton left over. Here are the nine cards I created:

Not only did the cards turn out darling they came together super fast! 

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Christmas Mug Cards

As I was helping at the Brutus Monroe booth at the Mixed Media Convention in Utah I met the sweetest lady who owns a great stamp company -- Pink and Main ! I fell in love with her stamps and beautiful pink dies. There was one set I just could not get over. I thought about it for months. I stalked her Instagram and website waiting for it to be released. Finally, in October, is was available! I bought the set, matching dies and the most adorable paper pack to match!

Christmas Mugs Stamps , the matching dies,  and Jolly Paper Pack is what I used to create these 8 cards. I also used Stylefile Markers and ink from Brutus Monroe to color the sweet little mugs in, a punch and glitter glue to make them shine!

I am still not over this stamp set. I need to create some more with it because it just is not leaving my system. Make sure you check out my layout round up at the end of the month to see the page I created with this set for the family album!

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Making Color Burst Cards

I had the privilege of meeting Ken Oliver at the Mixed Media Convention in July of 2017. I got a one on one demo and lesson on how to use Color Burst and have been addicted ever sense! I made these two cards using the new Color Burst for Brutus Monroe !

For this card I used a background stamp and applied the color burst on top of it after I embossed it.I stamped the bow pieces and sentiment. I adhered it all the a glitter card base and topped it off with a few bottle cap sequins.

 The next card I used a stencil to lay the Color Burst on making sure I stuck with colors that would not create a muddy look. I stamped the cute fist and used my Scan and Cut to cut them out. I stamped the sentiment on a circle I had die cut out. I adhered a few acrylic bubbles to finish it off.

This last background I created with this particular image in mind. I used a piece of watercolor paper to lay the Color Burst out on. I wanted the background to resemble a jungle so I used Cabbage and Zest. I sprinkled the color and misted it. At first it was to bright (yes, believe it or not it was brighter than this!), so I immediately dabbed it with a paper towel which picked up the excess color. I slowly sprayed droplets over it and was happy with it. 

Here is a video showcasing different techniques and basic color theory to keep in mind when using Color Burst: 

If you are interested in any of the products I used you can find them all here: Brutus Monroe Shop

Purple and Silver Christmas Cards and Purse

I ran across the beautiful Christmas line by Kaiser Craft in July at the Mixed Media Convention in Utah. They gave me a few pieces (stamps, dies, wood pieces and die cuts) to play with at the end of the show and once the paper became available in stores I had to have a few sheets. I created these five cards and purse (that will house a gift card perfectly!) with two sheets of the pattern paper. The Festive Deer Stamp and Sterling Embossing powder by Brutus Monroe had to take center stage!

I tend to get bored and uninspired when I made all the cards the same. I like to mix it up! I could easily give the cards as a set to a family member with a big silver bow or mail them out. This project took me about three hours and I love the elegant nontraditional vibe!

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting! 

Traditional Fall Card

 I discovered layering stamps through Hero Arts at the Mixed Media Convention in Utah this past summer and fell in love with them. I  appreciate that I can create beautiful images with little time because the stamps do all the work for me. I then learned in September that Hero Arts has an extensive monthly subscription option and I signed up!

I made this card using everything from the September box. I have to confess, I'm not a sunflower fan and I don't really care for this type of style. It reminds me of the first time I saw stamps for card making in 1999 through Stampin' Up. Hero Arts seemed to be a modern in style and that is why I opted for the sub. Though the kit is beautiful and perfectly coordinated it just is not my taste.

With all of that being said I did create a few cards with it and was pleased with the outcome. I have a few people who don't celebrate Halloween, yet love Fall. I did not have much in my stash that could cater to their taste and belief, so I do appreciate this set for giving me something to create that is traditional. I really like that each image came with a matching die too! This card took me about 15 minutes to make.

I am excited about the October kit! It is a really fun Christmas theme that has tons of options. I also ordered the penguin bundle which is the set I played with at the convention. Penguins are my favorite animal and the set they created is top notch. I can't wait to play with it and share!

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!