Penny Black Mixed Media Penguin Card

 I'm back with a mid-month reminder to get your cards entered into the Penny Black Stamps & More challenge HERE.  I created this mixed media style PB card to show how versatile these stamps can be.  The Distress Ink colors I used for this background are Frayed Burlap and Evergreen Bough.

 I embossed the "Music Background" 2025M in white after the ink was dried.  TIP: Use your embossing buddy on inky backgrounds before embossing.  Sometimes the moisture traps the powders, even when you think it has dried.  An EB is a fabric sash of talc or cornstarch.

 I used a little $ set of alphas to stamp these words, and cut the pennant free handed.

 I stamped the "Cheerful Giving" penguins 3514H and quickly embossed with clear powder.  I sponged the edges and layered over a glittery paper doily (MFT).

 This card has a lot of depth, each layer popped out and distressed.

 I've had so much fun sharing my Penny Black creations with you this month!  TIP: When making mixed media projects like this, make two of each piece and if you mess up one, you're can use the other, but if you don't - then you get two amazing projects!  ;0

Thanks so much for your support and comments on this my first ever GD opportunity.  I appreciate you!

Angelic Mixed Media Christmas Tag

My week seven version of Linda's Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas tag, version 2.0.  I was enamored by Linda's gorgeous snowflake background and decided to give it another go.  I have one more idea and would like to do a third, but we'll see.  :)  I need to order some foil from her shop, The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

 For my background I used Frayed Burlap, Pumice Stone, and Vintage Photo Distress ink puddles.  Next, I embossed a variety of snowflake stamps in metallic aqua to try to get my colors similar to Linda's tag.  I thought the background was too dark, so I gave it a brushing of white Distress paint to tone it down.

 I really loved the Wendi Vecchi stamp Linda used, but this old as the hills Stampers Anonymous stamp was the closest I could get.  I stamped it in Frayed Burlap.  It is the definition of art, but I wish it were a little more regal, but oh well.

My friend had loaned me her snowflake rosette die and I decided to use it to duplicate the dimensional snowflakes on Linda's tag.  I love it!!!  I added a Martha Stewart snowflake punch from heavy vellum and a pearl.

For my focal point I stamped this Stampington angel Walnut Stain DI and embossed in clear powder.  I went over it with white Distress paint to soften it.  I layered her over a doily die (MFT) cut from a used coffee filter and then over some burlap paper.  For my topper I attached a brad to some metallic twill ribbon.

If you'd like to see all of my 12 Tags of Christmas click HERE.

I'm linking up with The Funkie Junkie for her 12 Tags of Christmas challenge HERE, with Stamping with Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas linkup HERE, and with HLS for their November Mixed Media Tag challenge HERE.  Thanks so much for visiting today!

Future Stampers of America Cardmaking

 I have a very special card to share with you today, made by my very own future stamper of America!  My teenage daughter, Ainsley, spent some time crafting with me the other night.  A rare treat!  We used to stamp together all the time when she was little, but it's been at least a couple of years.

 Ainsley turned this sketch sideways and followed in her mommy's steps by creating a rustic elegant card.  The snowflake garland was her own very clever idea, as was adding ornaments to the deer's antlers.  Adorable, don't you think?!  Ainsley wants to win the prize at VLV and donate her proceeds to a worth cause...  hmmm... my birthday present!  ;0

Now for my take...

 I went with a traditional design and stamped this Merry stamp by Verve in Vivid Cobblestone ink onto a foiled panel.  I used a BG floral embossing folder to give some texture, mixed with this paper it resembles a poinsettia, though I had never thought that before.

I'm linking us up to VLV for their November Week 1 Sketch challenge HERE.  Won't you play along?  Julee offers such a fabulous prize of $100 to the winner each  month.

Winter Watercolor Mixed Media Snowflake Card and Tag

I've got a 2 for 1 post today, sharing a mixed media card and tag made with snowflake stamps.  For my card I embossed this awesome snowflake stamp by Unity onto a watercolor panel with shimmery white embossing powder repeatedly.  To see my other Unity stamped background cards click HERE.

 I dipped the panel repeatedly in Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire, and Frayed Burlap Distress inks.  The edges were distressed and the sentiment, also Unity, stamped in CS onto a panel dipped in a very diluted Vintage Photo, with some CS splashed on it.

I won these cute stamps from a Unity blog hop and am linking up this card I made with them to tonight's hop HERE.  Thanks Unity!

 Now for my 7th tag with The Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas...  To see my all of my 12 Tags of Christmas click HERE.  I made my card while waiting for the inky tag to flatten in a stack of books.  I usually skip this step and regret it, but found that if I dry my tag and put it in the book that it will flatten in five to ten minutes.  I used the inks as listed above.  I couldn't name the snowflakes, they are various older companies.  They didn't emboss perfectly and I loved the imperfect effect.  I was inspired by Linda's beautiful blue and tan color scheme, but reversed it.  I will need to order the amazing foil she used on her tag from her shop, The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and try again.

 I layered a mini tag over the bottom.  The stamp is a vintage Close to My Heart sentiment.

 The doily (MFT) is cut from a used coffee filter, layered with a wooden snowflake and an embossed Inkadinkado reindeer.  I used Walnut Stain DI and clear powder.  I added some DIY tattered and dyed ribbon, a twine bow, and a snowflake charm.  I love how Linda adds charms to her tags!

I'm linking my tag up to the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge HERE, to Stamping with Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge HERE, and to HLS for their Mixed Media Tag challenge HERE.  It's not too late to join in any of these awesome challenges.  Thanks for visiting.  :)

Nostalgic Christmas Tree Mixed Media Tag

Hello friends, today I am sharing my 6th 12 Tags of Christmas with The Funkie Junkie.  I was inspired by Linda's beautiful tree and the corrugated cardboard in her tag.  I embossed a Paperbag Studios tree stamp for my focal image, but so wish I had the stamps Linda used, which you can find in her shop, The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  She has everything you'll need for your mixed media projects!

I layered my tree onto a second die cut panel to make it sturdier and add a little shadow.  I've noticed this is how they do the Jolee's dimensional stickers.  I cut two Tim Holtz holly boughs to create the symmetry I loved in Linda's design and mounted it all over a burlap doily, my sweet friend Carol gave to me.   I decided I would make my entire tag from cardboard.  I peeled and peeled away the top layer, then inked it with ochre chalk ink and a little brown Memories ink.  Next I colored it with a white Distress Paint dauber.  I wanted to try the snow technique that Pamellia Johnson of My Little Craft Things uses - so beautiful!  Pamellia uses molding paste, but I wanted to use this huge jar of puff paint that I bought for another technique that didn't quite work out for me.  I applied it and then sprinkled Distress Rock Candy glitter over the wet paint.  So beautiful!  The great thing about using the puff paint is that it dries super fast with a heat tool and the fine tip applicator allowed me to easily create the "icicles" with perfect precision.  YAY!  Getting my $3 worth!  I think this bottle will last a lifetime.  The only caution I'd advise is that it absorbs any Distress Ink underneath - green snow on the holly...

I loved the gingham bow Linda added to her tag and had one little strip of this gorgeous zig zag ribbon.  I made a double bow, adding the perfect bit of nostalgia for my country Christmas tag.

For the bottom I stamped this awesome sentiment by Stampa Rosa and cut it by hand in this shape.  See the icicles!  I added some jute braid to the bottom and it made the tag have a scalloped like edge.  The Tattered Poinsettia is layered over a Tattered Floral die cut lace flower with some berries glued in behind.

If you'd like to see all of my 12 Tags of Christmas, click HERE. 

I'm linking up to the Funkie Junkie's 12 Tags of Christmas HERE, to Stamping with Loll for her 12 Tags of Christmas HERE, to Happy Little Stampers for their November Mixed Media challenge HERE, and to SSS HERE for their Letter "N" challenge, for which I made this Nostalgic Christmas tag. 

Penny Black Mixed Media Winter Penguins Tag

Hello and welcome back to my week-long Penny Black stamps special, where I'm celebrating my first ever GD spot with Penny Black & More.  Thank you all for your support and lovely comments this week - it means so much to me!

For  my background I started with a puddle of Frayed Burlap, then a light dip of Evergreen Bough Distress inks.  Then I stamped Music Background in Frayed Burlap DI and splattered some white diluted gesso.  I love this combination of inks!!!

I stamped Cheerful Giving Penguins and layered onto some torn aqua vellum and torn inky paper, with a little Stickles glitter and some cheese cloth.

I wanted to do something a little unusual for the topper here.  I accordion folded a piece of mesh ribbon and hot glued it to a glittered die cut snowflake.  Then I layered a punched inky paper snowflake and a beaded snowflake.  It is so much fun in person!  A couple more acrylic snowflakes and some lace finished it off.  I hope you can see how I took these cute penguins from my last card and turned them into a great focal point for a mixed media project.

I'm linking up Stamping with Loll's 12 Tags of Christmas challenge HERE, to Craft Stamper for their Take a Stamp challenge HERE, and to Happy Little Stampers Tag challenge HERE.

Penny Black Christmas Poinsettia Mixed Media Tag

 Welcome again to my week long Penny Black celebration!  I'm thrilled to have my first GD position at Penny Black Stamps & More Challenge Blog and hope you'll head on over and let them know if you like my projects.  :)  Today I am sharing a mixed media tag with you featuring all Penny Black stamps.

 I made this gorgeous watercolor background by dipping my tag into a very watery pool of Evergreen Bough and Frayed Burlap Distress Inks.  I heat set the puddles between each layer.  Next I stamped Winter Scroll using the remaining puddle of ink onto my tag randomly.  I heat set completely, then used my embossing buddy to prepare for embossing Winter Bough in white.

 I embossed Winter Glow (the poinsettia) in white and cut it out.  I layered it over some die cut holly leaves from scrap (TH die) and stamped the poinsettia center in Evergreen Bough and cut it out to layer over the flower.  I added some DIY tattered and dyed ribbon from THIS tutorial as a topper, and hot glued a snowflake embellishment to the loop.  If you're interested in trying some mixed media/altered techniques, take a closer look at some of your stamps and see if they can be used in a less traditional way.  This is so much fun!

 I'm linking up to Christmas Card Challenges for their color challenge HERE, to SSS for their So Glossy challenge HERE, to Stamping Sensations for their Festive Flowers challenge HERE, to Country View Challenges for their Colour Blue challenge HERE, to Stamping with Loll for her 12 Tags of Christmas Linkup HERE, and to Happy Little Stampers for their Christmas Tags challenge HERE.

Penny Black Festive Penguin Christmas Card

Today I am sharing a "cute" Penny Black card with you.  I embossed these festive penguins in black to add something "glossy" to my card.  I layered them with a mix of Authentique Christmas papers.  My other glossy elements are the stickers by MME.

I used the Sizzix on the edge doily die - love it!  I added some beautiful twill ribbon embellishments.  Thank you so much for joining me in my week-long Penny Black celebration.

I'm linking my card to Penny Black Saturday Embossing challenge HERE, to Craft-Dee BowZ for their November Anything Goes challenge HERE, to ABC Christmas Challenge for their "V" for Very Cute challenge HERE, and to SSS for their So Glossy challenge HERE.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Penny Black Christmas Ornament Altered Tag

Welcome to my Penny Black week-long celebration!  I was tickled to be the guest designer for November over at Penny Black Stamps & More Challenge blog.  I'd love for you go pay a visit and let them know if you enjoy my creations this week.  Thanks!  Today I am sharing a mixed media, altered style tag created purely with Penny Black stamps.

For my background I created a Distress ink puddle of Vintage Photo and dipped my tag into it, drying between layers.  Next I stamped the Winter Berries at the top in Peeled Paint and Crushed Olive.

Along the bottom I stamped Winter Bough in Bundled Sage.  Lastly, I stamped Music Background in Frayed Burlap.  I spritzed my stamps with water after inking on each of stamps.  Next, I stamped Holly Christmas in Aged Mahogany and then used my inks to watercolor around it.

I embossed Ornament and Scroll Ornament in gold, then dipped them into Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage, and Aged Mahogany ink puddles.  I went back and sponged some ink to make the color more variegated.

Finally I mounted my ornaments to the tag and pierced holes to string the jute, an old Tim Holtz idea from one of his original Christmas tags.  I embellished with a loopy organza bow and a gold filigree border sticker.  Penny Black's watercolor stamping techniques blew me away years ago and caused me to fall in love with the company.  I am so excited to be showcasing their stamps this week.  I'm linking up to Penny Black Stamps & More for their Anything Christmas challenge HERE, to Penny Black Saturday Embossing challenge HERE, to 4 Crafty Chicks for their Anything Goes challenge HERE, and to Sparkles Christmas Challenge for their Christmas Decorations Challenge HERE.

Inspirational Cards from Printable Sentiments

 This inspirational card was made with Kaiser Kraft papers.  I love the two birds, so cut them out carefully to become the focal point, then built the layers around them.  The flowers at the bottom were fussy cut to pop out.

 The Word Art Wednesday printable sentiment was perfect to compliment these papers.  I cut it in a circle, then dipped it into a watery puddle of Frayed Burlap DI, they layered onto a brown doily.

 I'm submitting this card for the GDT post for Word Art Wednesday HERE.

For my second inspirational card I stamped the leaves from this Verve Stamps set in moss green chalk ink onto the middle panel.  It was hard to photograph, but worked well with the leaf die (TH).  I don't know why I keep doing monochromatic cards, but that's what happens.  :)  This sketch would also work well with the WAW sentiment this week, but I'm anxious to use my Verve stamps.  I'm linking this one to the VLV October Week 5 challenge HERE.  Thanks for looking!