Saturday, August 23, 2014

Bokeh Mashup!

Yay - I learned a new technique!  This week's Friday Mashup was to use a die cut of some sort and the Bokeh Technique.  It was supper easy and I've even created a background in one of my arting journals - all ready for a mandala.

I created two cards for this challenge only because when I finished the first one I realized I'd forgotten to use a die cut - and I always try to do both of the mashups!  It was just as well, anyway, because I didn't let my greeting dry and ended up creating some "shadows" when I was adding the circles.  That's why my greeting is on a label rather than the technique piece.  I like how both cards turned out, and will be using  bokeh for one of my techniques this fall.


In the process of creating the cards, I ended up creating my own circle stencil using the circle thinlit dies….



The "base" of the bokeh technique is a watercolour background.  Cut a piece of watercolour slightly bigger than you want for your card, coat it completely with water and, using an aqua painter and re-inkers, drop your desired colours onto the watered paper.  Gently brush the colours around until you get the effect you want, and let it dry.




Here is the background I created in my art journal - you can see the different layers of circles a bit better - and the smallest, darkest circles are just the sponge dauber - daubed!


I hope this all makes sense - the video that Friday Mashup has provided - and I linked to above - is very helpful.

Have fun! - That's the important thing!
Joan




Thursday, August 21, 2014

Kick up you Heals

I joined two challenges today and used the new Hearts and Stars decorative mask!  I love the scattered effect it has.  I sponged Calypso Coral on the left side and gradually worked to Crisp Cantaloupe.  The boot is coloured with Lost Lagoon ink and a blender pen - that way I was able to get a lighter shade on the bottom of the boot.  
The colour selection is from the Colour Me! challenge and the Paper Players are looking for children's Birthday cards this week.

Be sure to read to information about the SHORT & SWEET deal Stampin'Up! is offering right now.
see THIS post.

Have a fantastic day!
Joan



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Hey!

I love the simple little "hello" greetings from the new "Hi There" stamp set.  Quick, short, sweet little words for cards that could be used for anything.  I've used the Freshly Made Sketches sketch today.  I often have trouble keeping my cards  clean and simple - so it's a good challenge to participate in - even though this is a bit geometrically busy!  LOL.

Here's their sketch - lots of opportunity for wonderful interpretation!


Hope your day is going well.  We're starting to paint the ceilings - the home renos have begun!  Hope we're able to get settled back in before school starts!

Have a good one!
Joan

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

What's Up?!?

Well - a post in the middle of the week - woohoo!  I've been in my stamping room most of the morning tidying, updating blogs and decided to do a challenge since I took all my examples off my board in my workshop room.  I need new examples with some of the new products from the new catalogue.  So - I participated in the Sunday Stamps sketch challenge.  I'm going to miss being a part of this design team and I thank Holly for the shout out on the blog.

For my creation I used the "What's Up" stamp set and it's co-ordinating punch.  I also cut some extra arrows using the Thinlits Label card dies.  I coloured the rhinestones with the Cherry Cobbler Blendabilites marker!  Love, love, love being able to do this!

Here is the sketch!  As you can see, I chose to use arrows instead of flowers - but the sky is the limit on the shapes you can put on your card!

I haven't been doing a lot of posting, but I have not been inactive!  I spent a week creating 160 Thank You cards for a friends of Allison's who got married this past weekend.  I'm still not showing the card - since Kelsey is away right now.  As soon as I know they've opened their wedding gifts I will share a picture of the Thank You card and the card I  created for Allison to give to Kelsey.

Stay posted - I will be adding information about classes and such that I'll have planned for the fall.
Hope you have a great day!
Thanks for stopping by.
Joan

Monday, August 11, 2014

Volley, Soccer, Basket…..BALL

It's my turn to host at MDS Monday this week, and I thought I'd go for lots of layers - overlapping images, overlapping DSP and overlapping photos.  You could also include layered embellishments in a little grouping. And don't forget to use the drop shadow to help make everything pop off the page.  I was pleasantly surprised that the soccer net image gained a bit of dimension with the shadow behind it.  Most of all - have fun with all the layers!

Here is the sketch and when you are finished be sure to link your project back to the MDS Monday blog. 

I'm sorry to say that this is my last posting as a member of the MDS Monday Design Team.  I have thoroughly enjoyed creating with these amazingly talented women!  You can be sure I will continue participating  in the challenges and learning fun ways to get more out MDS!

Have a great day and thanks for visiting.
Joan

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Making Music

This week at MDS Monday Cindy has us using one of the photo templates from MDS.  It's a great way to use larger photos or to focus in on portions of a photo to highlight them.  When Elliot was introduced to Auntie Allison's guitar he had fun strumming and "singing" along with his Dad playing.  There is so much music in our family - the little guy doesn't stand a chance not to pick up some sort of instrument as time goes on.

Here is the sketch Cindy has for us
My apologies for being a couple days late in posting this - we were preparing for company to arrive and time got away from me.  Be sure to link up your creation to the MDS challenge blog.  We're still doing our DT Call.. This will be the last challenge to enter. Just add (DT) next to your name on your entry in the Linky Tool. 

Thanks for stopping by,
Joan

Monday, July 28, 2014

Chalk Fun

Happy MDS Monday - Tara has a fun sketch for us this week - featuring a little camera.  I turned this into a two page spread for Elliot's 2014 book - He had such good facial expressions when he got too much chalk on his hands.  I can totally understand - chalky hands are uncomfortable.


Here is Tara's sketch...

Hope you join in the challenge - remember to post your creation back to the MDS Monday blog so we can take a peak.  Have fun!

Joan

Sunday, July 27, 2014

It's Your Celebration

Welcome to Sunday Stamps - we have pink colours this week - I'm sorry that the Strawberry Slush doesn't photograph very well!

The design team has a lot of wonderful variation with this colour combo - it's always fun to see how people use colours.  Pink is a hard one for me - but I thought a whack of pink icing would be perfect for someones'  birthday.


I'm sorry to say that this is my last Sunday Stamps post as a member of the Design Team.  I have decided, after long long long deliberation, to step down.  It was a very hard decision, and not easily made.  I've enjoyed working with the creative women on the design team and hope to stay in contact in the "posting world".  I will continue to participate in the challenges because I love sketch and colour challenges….!

Hope you have a wonderful Sunday
Joan

Monday, July 7, 2014

Happy Canada Day….

Welcome to MDS Monday - this week, Heidi has a family themed page for us.  Rather than doing a family tree - I turned one of our MDS trees into a Maple tree as a focal point for a couple of Canada Day pages.  Once I had all of the leaves placed on the tree I grouped them together and then copied them over to the second page.  I will also be saving this tree as a grouped object that I can use in the future.  Love that feature about MDS.


Here is Heidi's sketch - have fun with it and remember to link your creation back to the Challenge blog.

I'm still on vacation at this time - so I'm keeping this short. 
Have a great day!
Joan

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Free…. and Unleashed…...

Do you love DSP? Here's your chance to stock up!  During the entire month of July, when you purchase three Designer Series Paper packs, you'll get one free. That's like getting $13.50 off your purchase AND receiving an extra--did we mention FREE?-- DSP!  
This is for the Designer paper packs ONLY listed on pages 186-187 these are also listed  below 
Item #
Description
Price
133698
Flowerpot Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133699
Flashback Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133693
Sweet Taffy Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133692
Confetti Celebration Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133694
Park Lane Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133696
Maritime Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133695
Lullaby Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA
133700
Back to Black Designer Series Paper
$13.50 CA

also…..

The first six colour groups in our new Blendabilities markers are available for you to purchase.  Each of the colour groups has three colours - Light/Medium/Dark and the Skin Tone colour group has 6 colours.  Here is an introduction from Stampin'Up!



We'll be heading on a short holiday soon, so I may be absent for a while, but I'll try to do some creating digitally while I'm away.

Have a great day!
Joan

Monday, June 30, 2014

Going for a Spin

Welcome to MDS Monday with a sketch this week from Holly.  I tweaked it a wee bit so that the vertical photos worked better; and I went for flowers in the background rather than grundge.

I love sitting on my deck, and we've had good enough weather lately that our family Sundays can be spent outside.  Elliot discovered the spinning chair and had a great time spinning his Auntie Allison around.

Here's the sketch - hope you have fun with it and post your creation so we can take a look!


Have a great day,
Joan

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Watercolour letters

Hey, hey, hey….it's the first Sunday of Summer and we've got a new colour challenge for you over at Sunday Stamps.

I created this card for this post a couple of weeks ago when I was experimenting with the embossing folder technique I did for my June technique class.  It works well with this alphabet folder - ya just gotta remember to ink up the negative side or else the letters end up begin backwards….gee - wonder why I need to mention that!?
Anyway - there is a wonderful variety of inspiration from the design team this week - so be sure to check out the Sunday Stamps blog.  We look forward to seeing your creation.


Have a great day.
Joan

Monday, June 23, 2014

Auntie's New Guitar

It's the last Monday in June, the last Monday of the school year….and MDS Monday - WooHoo!  Tami has the sketch for us this week and is throwing in an extra challenge of creating an ombre effect somewhere on your page.  

This is so easy with MDS - using the colour picker and changing the opacity.  I selected a blue out of Allison's jean jacket for the background and then reversed the effect in the title.

Here is Tami's sketch….have fun with it.  We look forward to seeing what you create!


Have a good day!
Joan

Monday, June 16, 2014

Goin' Round in Circles...

Hi everyone, it's Joan here with this round of MDS Monday….and yes, the pun is intended.  I've got lots of circles happening on my sketch, but you could substitute any shape that works for you…..just layering a variety of sizes and putting an image in the largest ones.  The wonderful thing about MDS pages is you can have as many layers as you like and not have to worry about bulkiness….if that's a word.  Have fun with it - we're looking forward to seeing what you create!




Here is the sketch - have fun and link your creation back to the MDS Monday Challenge blog.  

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Embossing Folder Technique

Welcome to Sunday Stamps  - Sunday.  We have a fabulous sketch for you today - one which I really appreciated when planning my technique class for tomorrow.  I knew I wanted to do this cool embossing folder technique I found on Splitcoaststampers for my class tomorrow - and the large background space on our sketch was a perfect match.

HERE is a link to the tutorial on how to do the technique - it's one of those which will never turn out the same way twice.  I've used Hello Honey and Coastal Cabana together using sponge daubers to apply the ink to the embossing folder.

Here is the sketch - there are so many creative options for completing this  challenge.  We'd love to see what you come up with, so be sure to link your creation over to the Sunday Stamps Challenge Blog.  Have fun!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Yum, Yum, Yum

This week's sketch challenge comes from Cindy and she's asking us to use two or more of the overlays for the background of your project, some splatters and some sequins.  I opted out of the sequins and used brads instead.

I guess I sort of worked on this spread backwards, since the page above is the end result of a great time making Rice Krispie squares.  Elliot and Auntie had a great time counting, mixing and spreading to the goo…..and of course eating them!

Here is the "first" page of the spread for in the book.

Here is Cindy's sketch…..
We look forward to seeing what you create!

Hope you have a great beginning to your week.  Thanks for stopping by.
Joan



Saturday, June 7, 2014

Diva Breakfast and DSP

I attended Tamye Dunbar's Diva Breakfast this morning and this is one of the cards we did - I love it and will be doing it as a technique soon!

When I got home I decided it was time to do a challenge - so I turned to the Friday Mashup!   Their challenge was to use their sketch and an assortment of DSP - so I'm using up some scraps of retired paper.  I've left it sort of plain - but this sketch could be kicked up in a number of ways.  I'll be keeping it on hand for sure - especially since it's nice to have options for using up those scraps.

Hope your weekend is going well - thanks for stopping by.
Joan


Monday, June 2, 2014

Introducing….

It's here, it's here!!!! Chalk full of wonderful new images and products.

All orders placed in the month of June will be entered into a draw for $35 of free product!  If combined sales reach $425 this month, I will draw two names.

Hostess Code for the Month when ordering on-line is XKC3FZZD

 My Open House takes place this Friday from 5:00-8:00pm and here is the Make-and-Take you'll be doing.
It introduces three new stamp sets and one of the new In-Colours.
I will be having...
*Retired Stamp Sets for sale
*Various Retired Products for sale
*My hand stamped cards for sale (4 for $10)
*Display of some new products
*Light snacks
*A new catalogue for you to take home

Register HERE if you would like to attend.

Have a great day.


Tickling the Ivories


Welcome to MDS Monday.  Tara has a great sketch for us this week and has offered the option of using it as a card or a scrapbook page.  I'm still plugging away at my 2013 book for Elliot - so I took the scrapbook option.

Now - for my sentiment……I knew I wanted to attach some text to a Freeform Wave because of the wonderful large sentiment section. Then I wondered how the wave would look as a musical staff.  I copied and pasted and, since the image moves over slightly, I didn't bother adjusting anything as I copied and pasted each additional line.  I love the effect.  I do dearly wish we had some actual musical images in addition to the DSP.Here's wishing

……and hoping you have a great Monday - remember to check out what the rest of the design team has come up with this week.

Thanks for dropping by.
Joan


Sunday, June 1, 2014

A Beachy sort of day….

Howdy, howdy….welcome to a Sunday Stamps day.  This week we have a very blue colour combo for you:  Pacific Point, Bermuda Bay and Sahara Sand…..sorta beachy.  To be honest - I never realized there was a  beachy sort of theme until now - so my zig zaggy waves work pretty well.

Be sure to check over at the challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team has come up with and link your creation to us so we can take a peak.

Have fun with the sketch!
I sure had fun creating these new words that my spell check kept trying to correct!….
beachy and zaggy
Joan