Asi Es La Vida! - New Cards and Waterbrush Technique!

On these cards and ATCs, I used a technique that is based on last month's Technique Junkies Ink Wash Technique! (Definitely check out the newsletters they offer that are chock full of great techniques and ideas!) I changed things a little bit to suit the colors and intensity that I wanted and to work best with my stamps!



Club Scrap Salsa 11/03 Stamps and Papers from Refresh 2/07. Wheel & Sprocket 8/06, Collections 6/06, and Culinary 3/04; Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink Pad and Adirondack Ink Pads in Butterscotch, Lettuce, Meadow, Red Pepper, & Terra Cotta; Niji Waterbrush; Xyron Sticker Maker; Adapted Technique Junkies Ink Wash Technique;



In order to color the chilis and tomatoes, I wanted to use the Technique Junkies Ink Wash Technique, but wanted my colors a little but more vivid and wanted to still use my Adirondack Inks! So I revamped it to make it my own! First, I stamped the images (as seen on the left and on the right) and then used my Niji Waterbrush with the matching ink to go over the stamped lines (first images from the left). I allowed this time to dry and then did a lighter wash of ink, water, and ink from the stamped image to color in the area. This really made the images pop while making them look as if they may have been handpainted!

Woman's Born to Weep and Fret

Lately, I keep replaying a few versions of this song... Black Coffee, the Ella Fitzgerald version, but with modern female singers. And with the recent Mocha Java Remix stamps from Club Scrap, I just had to make some cards!



Supplies/Techniques Used:

• Club Scrap Mocha Java Remix 2007 Unmounted Stamps;
• Club Scrap Interior Designs 11/06 Brown Cardstock;
• Club Scrap Collections 6/06 Brown Cardstock;
• Club Scrap The Written Word 11/05 Cream Cardstock;
  
• Club Scrap Down to Earth 4/05 Light Yellow Cardstock;
• Club Scrap Heritage: Extra! Extra! 6/04 Club Stamp Unmounted Stamps;
• Club Scrap Mocha Java 11/02 Wood Mounted Sr Stain Stamp;
  
• Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Caramel, Espresso, Ginger, and Terra Cotta;
• Ranger Archival Ink Pad in Sepia;
• Ranger Sea Brights Ink Pad in Mussel Black;
• Collage Stamping;
• Direct to Paper Inked Distressing;
• Ella Fitzgerald Lyrics;
  

You Bring Me Joy (new cards and ATCs)

Here is a series of cards and ATCs that I just finished!

On each piece, I used the same Club Scrap products! The Written Word 11/05 Cream, Dark Blackberry, Light Blackberry, and Medium Blackberry papers plus the Stewart Superior Dark Blackberry Ink Pad which came with the kit. The stamps are from Mother's Day 2006 UM Stamps plus the woman from Extra! Extra! 6/04 CSt UM. I also used Ranger's Adirondack Ink Pad in Eggplant and Sea Bright Ink Pad in Mussel Black and their Posh Silver Accent Pen.

I used some simple collage stamping with both dark purple ink pads for the background, a little distressed inked edges, a silver edge, and paper tearing. All to create a simple, yet pretty finished set in time for Mother's Day!

Happy Earth Day! Mini Squash Book and Layout

It is so hard to capture the beauty and thrill of Squash Books in flat photographs! But, I'll give it a try!



This little Earth Day 2006 Squash Book is one that I made during last month's Mini Book Banquet! We spent Earth Day at The Garden in the Woods, in Framingham, Massachusetts! Not only did we have wonderful guided tours, "fossil" rubbings, sapling planting, watching Mother Nature juggle the Earth and her creations, face painting, and a scavenger hunt, but we also were able to explore and make new friends! And all for FREE (a regular Earth Day special at the garden)!



These are a few of the rare Early Spring blooms that we learned about! In the book, I list all of their scientific names, common names, as well as some medicinal and Native American uses for each plant. Included are Shortia Uniflora (Nippon Bells), Dicentra Cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches), Sanguinaria Canadensis (Blood Root), Dirca Palustris (Eastern Leatherwood), Trillium Cuneatum (Whippoorwill), and Mertensia Virginica (Virginia Bluebells).



I used the following supplies:

• Club Scrap Refresh 2/07 Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps & Club Stamp UM Stamps for the ferns all over the covers and triangles;
• Club Scrap Wild Wild West 11/05 Brick & Green Papers;
• Club Scrap Down To Earth 4/05 Brown Paper;
• Club Scrap Matte Board;
• Club Scrap Bookbinding, Padding, and Laminating Adhesive;
• Niji Waterbrush;
  
• Ranger Distress Inks in Aged Mahogany, Peeled Paint, and Vintage Photo;
• Krylon Red Leafing Pen;
• Sizzix Paper Sculpting Pansy Die #654665;
• Offray Ribbon;

One other memorable event that day was that we started our sketch books! Everyone sat down together to design our very first drawings in our brand new sketch books! We each created our own version of this flower, Mertensia Virginica, or Virginia Bluebell. What a wonderful family activity to do on Earth Day!



I printed the large main photograph on plain vellum (it's really black & white, not green, but the colors under it flavor it with green... I don't know why, but it was important to me to print it on vellum? also the brown and white background pattern is a 12x12 translucent print!). There are scans and shrunken repeats of both of my daughters' drawings and mine. The flower that we were all sketching is in the photograph that the journaling is embedded into.

Supplies Used:

• Club Scrap Down To Earth 4/05 Translucent 12x12 Print & Dark Green 8.5x11 Print;
• White Cardstock;
• Vellum;
• Garden in the Woods Map;
  

Five Artists' Trading Cards (ATCs)

Well, right before I left for Canada (school vacation week!) I had to churn out about 80 Artists' Trading Cards (ATCs or 2.5"x3.5" creations) spread between about 9 designs! Only two were designs I had made before! Yes, I was up a little late, but these were all relatively simple and not too time/mind consuming!

Club Scrap - Stratosphere 4/07 Fuchsia, Green, & Light Blue Papers; Retro 9/06 B&B UM Stamps & CSt Right On UM Stamps; Ranger Adirondack Ink Pad in Pool; Stewart Superior Palette Ink Pad in Noir Black;


Club Scrap - 2007 Mocha Java Remix UM Stamps; Ivory Elegance 12/06 Cream & Dark Brown Papers; County Fair 7/04 Tan Paper; Ranger Archival Ink Pads in Coffee & Sepia; Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Butterscotch, Caramel, & Ginger;
Brushless Watercoloring and Torn Paper;


Club Scrap - Stratosphere 4/07 Fuchsia Paper; Club Scrap Fizz 1/07 White Translucent Paper, Club Stamp WM Stamp, & CSt Crazy About Fizz UM Stamps; Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Pebble, Raspberry, and Watermelon; Stewart Superior Palette Ink Pad in Noir Black;
Zig Memory Pen in Black;
Technique Junkies - Modern Grid Technique;


Club Scrap - Imagination 2006 Host Reward UM Stamps; Stratosphere 4/07 Dark Blue & Light Blue Papers; Ranger Archival Ink Pad in Cobalt;
Ranger Nick Bantock Ink Pad in Cerulean Azure;


Club Scrap - Nature's Wonders 5/06 Borders & Backgrounds UM; Wings 7/05 Dark Blue & Mustard Papers; Niji Waterbrush; Ranger Archival Ink Pad in Sepia; Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Butterscotch, Caramel, Lemonade, Oregano, Pesto, Stonewashed, & Sunshine Yellow;
Watercoloring with water-based dye ink pads;

Mini Badge Book

I love the idea of creating Mini Badge Books! These books are the perfect size for carrying in your purse and have ID badge holders acting as page protectors! This quick little book is just one way to fill a Mini Brag Book!






Supplies Used, all from Club Scrap:

• Stratosphere 4/07 - Dark Blue, Fucshia, Green, & Light Blue papers;
• Refresh 2/07 - Sr Light Green 12x12 Print, Dark Blue, Dark Green, & Light Blue papers; CSt UM Stamps; Club Scrap DigiDeluxe Kit;
• Fizz 1/07 - Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps; CSt Crazy About Fizz UM Stamps;
• Ivory Elegance 12/06 - Dark Brown paper;
• Farmer's Market 10/06 - Club Scrap DigiGoodies Kit;
• Wheel & Sprocket 8/06 - Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps;
• Surf's Up! 7/06 - Salmon Hibiscus Print;
• Collections 6/06 - Saddle Brown paper;
• Nature's Wonders 5/06 - Mango paper;
• Musical Interlude 12/05 - Maroon paper;
• The Written Word 11/05 - Medium Blackberry paper;
• Down to Earth 4/05 - Brown paper;
• Textiles & Notions 9/04 - Sr Rule Stamp; CSt Ironing Board Grid Stamp; Stewart Superior Palette Ink Pad in Noir Black;
• Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Bottle, Ginger, Lettuce, Purple Twilight, Red Pepper, & Watermelon;
• Ranger Archival Ink Pad in Cobalt;

Castaway Ink Pad Creations

Here are a few fast page kit elements that I made while playing with my new Castaway Ink Pad! It's very similar to stamping with bleach, although you don't need to hassle with a large open container of bleach and all the strong fumes! Plus it usually comes out with a stronger image in just one quick stamping! You do need to let the ink soak into the paper for about 6 minutes and then press the image with your craft iron to make the lightening happen... but it's pretty cool!

I loved how subtly the images appear on the Refresh 2/07 Light Green Paper and the somewhat more vivid, but still delicate, look on the Farmer's Market 11/06 Leaf Paper matting. I added a little Ranger Chartreuse Leaf Nick Bantock Ink to the edges of the papers and stamped over the light images with the Ranger Nick Bantock Sapmoss Green using the Refresh Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps and the Refresh Club Stamp UM Stamps. I scanned the pieces on top of the Refresh Sr Light Green Print.

On these items I also used the Farmer's Market 11/06 Papers to stamp onto with my wonderfully aged-looking Fossils 8/04 Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps & Club Stamp UM Stamps. I overstamped the smaller nautilus shells with my Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads and added text and distressed edges with the same ink pads! The papers are Farmer's Market 11/06 Blue, Brown, and Pumpkin, scanned on top of Rhapsody 3/07 Jr Cream Print. The inks are the Castaway Ink Pad along with Ranger Adirondack Ink Pads in Denim, Espresso, and Rust.

Play around with the Castaway Pads for some fun of your own! Or pour a little plain liquid bleach onto a folded up paper towel (use those wonderful disposable plastic plates to contain the paper towel "ink pad") then ink up your stamps on it and stamp away! Be sure to use a good ink cleaner (like Ranger's CleansIt) on the stamps immediately and then also clean them with water. You may also wish to ink the stamps with or Versamark in order to recondition and moisturize them overnight after putting bleach on your rubber.

Thank You Card (Rhapsody & The Written Word)

Here is a fast little card that I just put together! I used the Monoprinting Technique to tint the glossy paper before I stamped the flower images onto it and cut them out to layer! I also used Direct-To-Paper to ink the cream paper with the various shades of purple.



Supplies used from Club Scrap: Rhapsody 3/07 Kit's Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps and Club Stamp The Beatitude UM Stamps; The Written Word 11/05 Kit's Medium Blackberry, Light Blackberry, and Cream Plain Cardstock; Glossy Paper; Ranger's Adirondack Ink Pads in Eggplant, Slate, Cool Peri, and Purple Surf; Ranger's Archival Ink Pads in Jet Black and Grape;

Mini Book: What We Remember From Childhood...

My seven and a half year old daughters are always very excited to get to make their own books! They've actually made 12 of the Pocket-Page Books in the past year and a half! And I've taught a number of their classmates to make the Squash Books... so there's nothing stopping you!



I do really love the quote on this book's cover! It seemed perfect for a little book of photos from last year's Easter Egg Hunt! It was a special memory because my cousin's sons really came out of their shells to play with my children and interact with the grownups! The older brother's always been quite shy, so you can imagine how special it made things!



I used a single sheet of Club Scrap Surf's Up! 7/06 Plain Blue 12x12 Paper to fold and cut into there twelve 4"x3" pages, using a Maze Book design. I also used the Refresh 2/07 Dark Blue and Fizz 1/07 White Translucent Papers, Ivory Elegance 12/06 Borders & Backgrounds UM Stamps, Farmer's Market 10/06Painted Desert 5/05 Stencil, CS Bookbinding, Padding, & Laminating Adhesive, Ranger Adirondack Ink Pad in Denim, Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Aqua, Ranger Stickles in Waterfall, Clearsnap Ice Blue Fluid Chalk Ink, Fiskar's Victorian Edge Rotary Trimmer, and Michael's Ribbon.

Below are two other book designs! A Mini Squash/Explosion Book and a Pocket-Page Book!

One Busy Week! Handmade Auction Items & Newspaper Photo!

Wow! This month has been so busy for me! Especially the past week! I cannot believe how long it has been since I posted a new entry! I'm so sorry for the delay! The school auction and the Girl Scout Craft Expo have finally come and gone, so my life may be my own again! And, I'd love to share a little bit of what I've been working on!



I used the design from Club Scrap's wonderful Handmade Stitched Journal Project along with papers and a stamp from the Pets Special Release Kit with Ranger Archival Coffee Ink Pad to make this book! Inside of the book are printed copies of Animal Stories, each one was written and illustrated by one of my daughters' first grade classmates!



The card, in the above photo, represents the donation of one quart of paint or stain from our local Rocky's Ace Hardware Store! Along with the book and paint, the class auction item included a small unfinished bookcase, 45 story/activity books, a Barnes & Noble gift card, 2 beautiful handmade beaded bookmarks from another mother, some story-character items, 2 small pocket albums made by my daughters, and two more projects that I did with the students! I was able to visit the classroom a few times and teach each child how to make a simple Japanese Stab Bound Book as well as a Distressed Monoprinted Bookmark!



This card was made with the Rhapsody March 2007: Papers, Rhapsody Brown Ink Pad, Stewart Superior Midnight Blue Ink Cube & Fibers plus the Interior Designs November 2006: Unmounted Stamps and Ranger Adirondack Caramel Ink Pad.



Also... my daughter was one of four Girl Scouts in town to make it into the newspaper at the Millis Girl Scout Craft Expo last weekend! She did roll her eyes that it's only a shot of her buying lipstick as opposed to creating anything! But, look, the other photo is one of her troopmates making another of the bookmark projects that I taught! Each girl had already made one with me, for free, in a meeting, but most paid for additional bookmarks and dragged their family and friends to wait in the lines for our project! It was definitely a hit! Check out my blog entry about the Distressed Monoprinted Bookmarks!