Dec 9, 2016

Grunge and Rust Mixed Media Reverse Canvas


My amazing challenge buds at Anything But Cute went for a Secret Santa this Christmas and I had the great honor of creating a project for my crafty friend Sara Emily.  In so many ways Sara Emily's and my style line up, well maybe I can be more shabby/feminine sometimes, but we are so much alike!  Now, everybody else made Christmas art for one another.  But I went for a grungy rusty project that I knew would push Sara Emily's buttons.  Would you like to see what Niki made for me?!  Yes, you would!  Here's a sneak peek!


Hop on over to Pawsitively Creative to see the AMAZING card/ornament I received.  Niki, thank you so much for sharing your creativity with me!  You are an inspiration always!  I'm so thrilled to have a piece of your art to grace my home this Christmas!  While you're at it, do visit the rest of the team:



To start, I reversed an 8x8" wooden canvas to create a frame.  I used the new Star Border Stamp by Darkroom Door to emboss the design around the perimeter of my canvas.  I used Burnt Copper Leaves.  Next, I began to spray with Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays over the panel.  I did not gesso the panel because I wanted to see the wood absorb the spray for a different effect.


I tried to create a lot of color variation.  I added some DIY rust paste randomly because Sara Emily is the queen of grunge and loves rust, thus the project inspiration.


I stamped partially with several designs to give the background more interest.


I used Prima background stamps in script and dots.


My friend Mimi sent me this awesome thick adhesive corkboard so I used it for the base, which gave amazing visual interest and also bumped up my focal point.  I layered several sheets of my own nky papers with chipboard between.


I added torn crocheted lace, metal filigree, bundled string, and my favorite new Tutti Designs die, Flower Orchestra Corner.


I painted and randomly embossed Tim's ornate frame die and then layered over more corkboard, which I cut by hand using the castoff of the center of the oval.  The floral die and IndigoBlu's Flutterby Butterfly stamp are both a nod to Sara Emily's love for plants and nature.  The butterfly was stamped on Prima patterned paper.


Look at that gorgeous die!!!  I hope you can see the dimension in the pic below.  I embossed the Darkroom Door border stamp along the edges of the panel to keep the flow.  A little time consuming, but oh so worth it.


So her she is, my grungy rusty mixed media panel, made with much love for my dear friend.  I hope she will like it.  I thought, "What would Sara Emily do?" all along the way.  :)


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Dec 7, 2016

Swirly Love Sentiment Die Valentine Card


Today I'm sharing a super simple, but effective die cut layering trick on the Tutti Designs blog.  I've featured one of our amazing new sentiment dies, Swirly Love.  This die reminds me of an awesome sticker or embellishment I would purchase and hoard because it's too pretty to use, yet as a die it can be used again and again in new ways.  Here, I've featured some oldie but sooooo goodie Basic Grey designer paper.

Purchase your Swirly Love die today HERE!


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Dec 5, 2016

Pearfect Pearls Stamped Pine Background


Truly, the 12 Tags of Christmas challenge is my favorite of the year because I have so many opportunities to stretch my creativity when I don't have the products Linda uses.  This tag was no exception.  I was most thrilled about Linda's gorgeous pine needle background on her invitation.  I made my inky background with Distress Inks, then stamped over with the new pine needle stamp from the Woodland Scribbles set.


Rather than spray Perfect Pearls mist onto my card, I sprayed my craft mat and dipped my inky panel.  What a gorgeous marbled result this yields!  Love it!


Since I don't have the chalkboard sentiment set, I decided to use this Crafter's Companion die and layer over the ornament die.  A perfect fit.  I dipped the black ornament into Perfect Pearls mist too to help it tie in.  I layered over an embossed shape die and tucked my pine needle dies behind a green/gold organza bow.   It is what it is, but much prettier in person.  Make sure to check out the Funkie Junkie Boutique for all of the new products Linda used, which are in her store at a great daily discount.

To see all of my 12 Tags of Christmas click HERE.





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Dec 3, 2016

Vintage Christmas with Poinsettia Die Cut


'Tis the season and I'm full steam Christmas card making, did you notice?!  LOL!  Linda of The Funkie Junkie's week 8 tag threw me for a loop.  Hmmm... poinsettias and vintage images and die cuts.  Well I can do that!  Just not at all close to the way she did...  My buddy Sara Emily so kindly sent me this poinsettia die from the new set after reading of my sob story of not getting it yet, so I knew it was going to make the grade!  Only, how to combine with a vintage image?


I sponged it with Fired Brick Distress Ink and fussy cut around the flowers.  I thought it would be cool to create sort of a pocket.  It needed something in the background, so I stamped one of Tim's old stamp sets called Floral Tattoo and embossed in white.  This stamp is amazing and is the coolest background!


I had seen Tim use his word dies in this way on his recent Sizzix Facebook live takeover and thought it would be perfect to balance the red from the poinsettias.


I had one lone poinsettia cut and sponged it to coordinate and layered with the new snowflake thinlets to make a funky flower.  I love this and will do it again for sure.  Puff paint snowfall and gesso splatters...  And then I had to tuck in a bow.  Added more dark accents with the snowflake stamp and small talk stickers and a mat.


To see all of my 12 Tags of Christmas click HERE.


Find these amazing products at The Funkie Junk Boutique and enter the challenge for the chance to win a giftcard!




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Dec 1, 2016

7Dots Studio Christmas Mini Album


Our latest challenge at Stamps and Stencils, Christmas Wishes has come upon us!  Our hostess Toni says, "Ahhhh! Christmas, like it or lump it, it rolls around every year and seems to arrive faster than ever. If you celebrate Christmas, it's likely that you'll be making cards, gift tags, decorations or even creating your own wrapping paper. My Christmas Wish is to see some of the creative things you make, in order to spread a little seasonal love to your families and friends. My only request is that you include some stamping or stenciling or even both!"


Wheee, the holidays are here indeed.  I decided to create a mini album of my beloved family Christmas photos with the 7Dots Studio Yuletide collection.  I recently picked up a couple of these chipboard albums on clearance.  Each came with a thick acrylic cover.  I created a snowy shaker that allows my first photo to peek through, well poor Logan gets buried in the snow - but you get the idea.  ;0  PS. I picked up this faux snow at the Dollar Tree.


Each of these photos are my favorites, especially this one of my late Grandmother and all of our kids when they were itty bitties.


I incorporated lots of dies and paper flowers, sequins and a mix of silver mesh, cheese cloth or torn lace on the pages.  I used stamps to add background texture to the plainer pages.


My DIY dotty stencil in the background here.


I added a simple bow to the cover to give it some umph.


And the back, don't you love this paper!


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