AJ Monday

Emily has not posted her AJ Monday yet, that must mean she had a good time with Paula on the weekend and is recouperating from all the fun! Speaking of Emily (Stamping Bella, in particular) I've been doing a little shopping for new mixed media products and created the page below primarily with the following:

• SEI Tumble Dyes
• Golden transparent air brush set
• Ranger Adirondack color wash
• gesso
• molding paste
• crafter's workshop stencils

Oh did I have fun creating this one and it put me in a happy place, hence the quote which I got out of one of the MANY quote books I own. I'm a gal of few words but do enjoy finding a good quote to express how I feel at the time. I think that is what my journal is going to be all about. Create a page, and find a quote to define the moment. The thought of doing that excites me! I have 5 blank pages left in this journal and then I can bind it all up and starting January my new book is just going to be full of quotes, and techniques, and happiness.

I actually started this one Friday night and then didn't like the page so I cut it up in squares to use on my 'new' page. There are layers here gals.....MANY MANY layers. I think even at one point I gesso'd over 75% of it and started again. Did it bother me to do that , no way...I know what is under it, and I enjoyed the journey.

Not sure yet what our theme will be next week so be sure to stalk Emily's blog and she will announce it when she posts.

'till next time, Linda

Embossing and pretty paper!

When I started stamping....oh...close to 10 years ago now...I was determined to have a minimal supply of 'tools'. I liked to paint and color so I was DETERMINED to own ONLY a good supply of pencil crayons, tombow markers, a good paint brush, ONE black ink pad, and clear embossing powder.


WELL! 10 years later and DRAWERS full of ink pads, countless embossing powders, overflowing glitter, crimpers, melting pots, punches, dies, a variety of die cutting tools, dozens of paint brushes, embellishments toooooo numerous to mention, prima flowers, brads and eyelets in all shapes and sizes, COPICS!, and let's not forget the storage alternatives! i've been thru them all!

Then of course there was paper! 10 years ago patterned paper or 'DP' was primarily used for scrapbooking. The paper I used on my cards was 'special'...and sometimes expensive! I have a folder dedicated to what I call 'specialty paper'. It isn't your run of the mill basic grey, or cosmo cricket. These are textured, or metallic, some are hand made, oh and then there are the Japanese papers! I regularily 'purge' my papers, but not this batch..it is special.

So for this card I thought I would go back to my 'roots' and create something with those lush papers and use some of those embossing powders. I started by stamping this Penny Black Queen Anne's Lace in Versamagic Sage Ink. After it was dry I stamped it again with versamark, off setting it a bit. (use a stamp positioner for this....another tool in my arsenal!) Then I started applying the embossing powders, picking them up with a tiny straw cut on an angle and strategically applying them to the versamark image. First with dark green, then some japanese laquer (which is a mix of deep red and black), then some VERY OLD PSX terra cotta and ochre tapestry. (PSX is soooo old they aren't even in business anymore...but their embossing powders were my absolute FAVE's). Once my powders were applied to the image I held it up and tapped it underneath to make the powders 'dance around'. This is a technique I learned when taking a class with the UBER talented Fred B Mullet. You won't use a lot of embossing powder this way so just trash whatever doesn't stick. Or, if you are Fred, save it in a mixed barrel!

Finally, for something we did not do in Fred's class. I went over the entire thing with inks applied to a sponge. YES, I started this project on a piece of white paper! Dab that sponge dauber (available at Pickle, or Stamping Bella) into chalk or pigment ink starting with a lighter color and apply it all over your image. Then keep adding to it darkening your colors on the outer edges as you go. NOTE....dye inks WILL NOT WORK HERE CAUSE THEY DON'T BLEND AS WELL!

Once you have finished adding your inks buff the entire thing with a soft cloth. This will remove any ink from the embossing and you will be left with a TOTAL WORK OF ART that will leave the recipient thinking....HOW'D SHE DO THAT???? Well, now you know! Seriously, my hand coloured cards get a lot of love, but these are always the ones that leave them guessing!

FYI....I have NO idea where the brad on this card came from! I just pulled it from my vast supply of various embellisments that I love and will never trash!

:) Linda!

And the winner is.....

*** Lana ***

I want to thank you all  for your wonderful challenge ideas and I will say that some were a REAL challenge but I'm up for it! Send me an email Lana (under my picture there is a like to contact me) and I'll email your bella bucks gift certificate! Since we had so many great ideas, I DO expect a lot of participation...so keep checking the babe's and Emily's blog because you NEVER know when you may see your challenge idea crop up. I'll give you a hint though....the sisters seem to be lovin' a sketch so I am pretty sure you will be seeing a lot more of those in 2012 so stay with us!

Movin' on to Bellarific Friday....I'm sticking with my 'no colouring required' theme and again paired up Stamping Bella stamps with Tim Holtz dies....a match made in 'Heavens'. LOL...pun intended! This time I used Tim's pine tree and Prancing Deer pairing it up with Isabelle's Eclectic music notes, and Isabella's script. Since there were two deer on the die, I made two cards! YAY, more for my xmas stash!

Both cards are pretty much identical except for the deer. I used a piece of Basic Grey paper, (fruitcake I think) from a few years ago and just like I did on my snowman I created the focal background by pressing some distress inks (broken china and faded jeans) onto my teflon pad and this time spritzing it with gold glimmer mist. That gave the background a nice overall glimmer of gold, plus some heavier areas where the glimmer mist pooled. Then I sponged the edges with some brushed corduroy and adding more of the blues. I pretty much 'worked it ' with those colours until it matched nicely with my patterned paper. Once it was dry, I stamped the script with faded jeans.

The music notes on the deer was stamped with walnut stain and then the deer was sponged with antique linen and brushed corduroy...I think a bit of vintage photo too.

The tree was cut once on dark brown, then again on green. I sponged the green piece with some peeled paint, forest moss and vintage photo. I cut the stem off the green piece and glued it to the top of the brown piece. Then I applied some distress rock candy crackle paint to just the green area. Thin in some areas and thicker in others to give a variety of 'crackle' ....NOTE...the thicker you apply it, the deeper and more pronounced your crackles will be. This card actually came together quite easily for me.

Hope you liked my no colouring week because I may be throwing in a few more of these here and there over the next weeks before the xmas mailing deadline. Next week our challenge is A SKETCH!!! YAY! Many shout outs for Ebruabella for coming up with this one because it is FAB....and so not me who always has everything all squared up and equal on every side. I LOVE when these come along. And considering the number of comments I had on the sisters who love them a sketch....I'm expecting great things from you!

Till next time, Linda.

Hanging Ornaments

Keeping with my "no colouring - no problem" theme I have another quick and easy card that requires NO colouring, but still has that WOW factor. I pulled out three different stamps for this card and used an easy technique I'll describe below.

• cutesy ornaments (even though there is nothing cutesy about this card)
• ornament with holly on top
• patterned holly

Now, how'd she do that? I started with a piece of bella's BESTEST cream paper and stamped the holly leaves with versamark, embossing with a gold pearl embossing powder. After the embossing was good and dry I sponged on some Distress ink in antique linen, tea dye, then vintage photo keeping it darker on the left side.

Then I stamped the ornaments, again in versafine and embossing in the gold pearl. I cut them out and for the green one I sponged on shabby shutters, peeled paint and forest moss. The red one has fired brick followed by aged mahogany and finally for the bronze one I went back to antique linen, tea dye and vintage photo.

I played around with a lot of different ornaments and a lot of different colours before settling on this layout...I'm sure I spent a couple hours, but now that I've done it...it will be pretty easy to crank out a few more in limited time. This is also a small card, A2 size, which I rarely do but I like the coziness of this one....and heck....it will probably get a front row on someones mantle so it doesn't get hidden behind the tall cards.

There is still time to leave your comment with challenge ideas on THIS POST for your chance to win $25 bella bucks. I'll be posting the winner tomorrow at 12pm EST.

Now I'd better get to cooking myself some grub here and clean up the kitchen/studio...hubs has been gone all week and I'll spill a little secret....my kitchen table is ENTIRELY COVERED IN STAMPING SUPPLIES and has been all week since he left...heheheeee!!!! I'm pretty darn sure even if he read this it would come as no surprise to him, but it sure was nice to 'pretend' I had my own space and could leave my works in progress on the table for a day or two until I got to finishing it.

see ya tomorrow!!!!!

No time to colour? No problem!

I've got ya covered! This week I am going to show you THREE NO COLOURING REQUIRED holiday cards that hopefully will get your wheels going.

What do you get when you put two brilliant minds together! Pure GENIOUS! And that is what happened when I paired up Tim Holtz dies with Isabelle's Eclectic Stamps from Stamping Bella.

Not only was NO colouring involved, NO PATTERNED PAPER was used either! NOPE! NO WAY! I started with some inexpensive smooth white coated cardstock. I don't think an uncoated paper, like Papertrey white would work as well here. I pressed two Distress ink pads onto my teflon sheet, a piece of acetate would also work, I think I used Tumbled Glass and Broken China. Making sure I had  enough to account for the size of my paper I spritzed the ink with water, then layed down my paper pressing it into the wet inky watery mix. I did this for both the main background piece, and focal background piece. You CAN do two sheets one after the other, but keep in mind, your second layering of paper will be lighter than the first.

Once dry (hint: use a heatgun!) I stamped Eclectic #8 ticket with Pumice Stone on the larger background piece and Mini Checker with one of the blues (can't remember but I think it was the lighter one!) on the smaller background. Then I sponged with the same blue inks to give more depth of colour and finally sponged some Distress Pumice Stone around the edges.

The snowman is a pure rip off (or should I say CASE) from one of Tim Holtz's 2010 12 Tags of Christmas. Okay, not a total ripoff,  I did cut out WISH in snowman's belly and added an eye and some buttons which Tim didn't do. So I guess it is a legitimate case. The snowman was cut out of grungeboard, painted with white Claudine Helmuth Blank Canvas and when dry I sanded it and sponged on some Pumice Stone. Ya, Tim did that. The hat, arms and nose were also cut out of grunge board scraps and rubbed with some distress ink for colour. They were also sanded and glued on to the main snowman with glossy accents....again, that is what Tim used for glue! So in the end, I took some of his ideas, blended them with mine and came up with something that I really love in the end! That is what inspiration is all about and I hope I have inspired you!

Now for my little give away! OMG...you ladies have come up with some FANTASTIC challenge ideas! Sketches seem to be a common theme so I promise we will have more of those next year but we will also include some new ideas based on what you have said! This is so exciting and I'm looking forward to a new, challenging and inspirational year of challenges in the year 2012! Keep those comments coming, because it ain't over yet! You have until Friday!

Does this mean Winter is coming? AND a GIVEAWAY!

Our challenge this week has to do with snow...and we wanna know if there is snow at your house, or at the very least...incorporate some snow on your card. Personally the ONLY snow I hope to see this winter is on my cards. I'm getting older, and the older I get, the more I hate snow. I hate shovelling it and/or tromping thru salt melted mush that ruins my collection of designer boots! I don't care what they say about UGGS, I NEVER want mine to trudge thru salt melted slush because I prefer to keep them in a pristine state and wear them as a fashion statement.

BUT....uptown gal Quinn wears her UGGS is not only fashionable but does not appear to be afraid to stand in snow with them. She is braver than I am that's for sure!

I think this is my FAV uptown girl. Now I love them ALL, but this one really speaks to me and I think it is because of what she is wearing....I would dress like that. heck I do dress like that! Since my UGGS are dark brown, I had to colour hers dark brown too, and her coat had to match...because Quinn would not have it any other way. Now for the other colours....hmmmm.....what to wear with brown? In my opinion anything goes....for me, brown is like black, anything goes. So that is when I went to my paper stash and decided on green to go with this basic grey ambrosia paper. Good choice I thought...after all, I would wear that. In the end she turned out exactly as I had envisioned her. Classy, sassy, and sophisticated! I LOVE those uptown girls!

Next week our challenge is HOLIDAY WISHES. With the holiday season just around the corner THIS is the time to get those juices going and get busy on those holiday cards. I know you need them! I need them! You've GOT to do them, so pull out some of those bella stamps and knock one card off the list, plus play in the challenge for a chance to earn some xmas bucks.

FINALLY ...THE GIVEAWAY!  .....we are calling all creative minds! We know you are out there and we want you to join us! Do you have a great challenge idea? Do you like sketch challenges or do you have something in your head that you would like to see in a challenge next year. Leave me a comment with your idea and I will pick a random comment to be announced on my blog post next FRIDAY. The lucky person will win $25 in BELLA BUCKS!!!!!!!!!!! As Reganabella would say...SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! We wanna hear from you!

I'm late! but I have a bonus

Yes, I had full intentions of posting this last night but I taught a class at our local Paper Pickle and when I got home at 9pm I HAD to devote my full attention to Criminal Minds because it is right up there with Dexter as one of my fav shows. Yup, no reality shows for this babe, I'm all about sick criminal offenders. So as an added bonus I'm gonna show you the canvas I taught at class last night. But NOT before show you Irma and Vieno. This is a Mo Manning image available in rubber at Stamping Bella. Do you know there are a LOT of Mo's images available in rubber over there, check them out here.

I poured my heart into colouring this image and I am not kidding when I say I spent much longer than normal on it. This is another one where pencils overtook the copics. I started with my typical E000, 00, 11 on the face, then used some BG's on the blue coat and YG's on the green coat. Again I shaded the reds with some E7 and 9 and a combo of warm and cool grey's for the fur on the hat's. I couldn't even bring myself to cover anything with glitter because this turned out so pretty IRL. The camera never does this stuff justice!

Now for my Paper Pickle canvas class. Over the last several months I have taken a variety of mixed media online classes and this class does not define any one style. It is an eclectic mix of some of my personal fav techniques that I have learned along the way. I do want to say that I was SO PROUD of everyone and they should feel personally satisfied that they went home with something that they should feel proud to hang on their wall somewhere. I love when I come out of a class feeling that way! I think the lesson here is to NOT let the term MIXED MEDIA scare you! The beauty of it is that there is no right, no wrong...just DO IT! You will be happy you did! And did you notice Lulu's hearts on there! I stamped the cluster on some red paper and let them choose which hearts to cut out for the chimney smoke. Then Jenn got creative and cut out a tiny heart for the door knob and the gals went crazy! I think most everyone left with a heart door knob! I LOVE my pickle gals!

Well, although it's not late, I'm tired because I had to drive my hubby to London to pick up his car from service after work today so that was almost 3 hours of driving to and from the dealer after a LONG day at work. I'm tired, and deserve to go to bed early....but hey, that means maybe I can stay up late tomorrow and get in some quality mixed media time!!!!! There is a bright side to everything!

I got to thinking the other day....

...that I only have about 5-6 weeks to get my Christmas cards done and mailed! YIKES! So you know what that means? The Christmas card blitz IS ON and you may not see anything other than Christmas cards for the next several weeks. Are you ready for that?

I spend Sunday colouring like a mad woman...well, maybe not a mad woman...but I did colour three images pouring my heart and soul into every one of them and I hope you enjoy them this week.

How 'bout we start with a Mo to get things rolling. This is a Mo Manning image named Noelle bearing gifts available in rubber at Stamping Bella. You may already know that I love my Mo's, but the Christmas Mo's are by far my fav's of hers. I will also say that if I had a little girl she would SO have had a melton wool coat hand made by yours truly with felt appliqued trees and a snowman! Just like this one.

After stamping the image on bella's BESTEST paper, I started colouring the image with copics, but then used so much pencil that the copic colours kind of became irrelevant. I will say that main body of the coat was started with warm greys, and the trim and appliqued snow hills was done with cool greys. That gave just a bit of contrast, although it is not obvious in the picture....but believe me, it is there! And of course she has her red velvet dress on underneath which was done with R22, shaded with E07 and E09. Love those shade's of E's to give a nice rich red.

Because this card will be mailed, I held back on adding anything bulky but couldn't resist creating some falling snow with glitter.

Well, that's it for today! I'll be back tomorrow with another Mo!