Steps Journal Page

"Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5
This girl is climbing the steps of life with doubt about her future.  I think we've all been there.

I used two Gelli printed pages - the blue wavy background with copper arrows, and the creamy paper with "bricks" and other stenciled layers.  On the blue background, I stenciled brown and aqua hexagons using Caran d'ache watercolor crayons. The gate and sentiment are stamped and embossed in black.  You can't see it too well, but I used a glitter pen to decorate the doll's headband. Proverbs 3:5 is written between the bricks of the steps.

On another note, I took the picture above on my deck, with the iron railing and trees in the background.  On the table on the deck was a smashed bird egg, directly below the ceiling fan - is there a nest up on the fan?  I couldn't see one, but the egg was pretty fresh. This last fall, a black bird flew over the table on the deck and hit a dining room window, killing itself.  However, the bird's beak was stuck in the window screen.  It scared me when I first saw it - a bird hanging from the window screen about 5' from the floor.  Was it a precursor to Hitchcock's "The Birds?"  You be the judge.

Cowgirl Journal Page

This cute cowgirl looks great out in the desert with the saguaro cactus.  Did you know that it's illegal to cut down a saguaro?  Did you also know that birds build nests in the saguaro?

I used a Gelli printed background and painted the brown desert sand at the base with an acrylic paint marker.  Then I added a thick layer of Glass Beads over the brown, and let it dry overnight.  Since the sentiment refers to stars, I stenciled some in the sky, using two different stencils and two different colors of Distress Ink.  The saguaro is painted with a green acrylic paint marker.  I cut slits by the cowgirl's left arm to insert her lasso.

Prima Doll Art Journal - page 1

I started this journal last week by creating Gelli printed backgrounds for each page, then stamping, embossing and cutting out one of each of my doll stamps.  Now, slowly, but surely, I'm creating an art journal with each doll and quotes from my stamp collection.  Here's the first one - and I just figured out how to add a watermark to my images - looks pretty professional, doesn't it?

The only unprofessional thins is the curved pages - guess I could iron them flat - maybe I'll try that.

How did I do it?

1.  I brayered blue acrylic paint on the gelli plate and pulled the paint off with a "LIVE" stamp I made from foam letters , then pulled a print.  Then I masked off the word with a torn piece of paper (on the print) and brayered on the Gelli plate a lighter shade of blue.  Using a texture plate, I pulled off some of the paint from the plate and pulled a print.
2.  Using a green Montana acrylic paint marker, I painted in the hill, avoiding the word "LIVE"
3.  Using a gray Montana acrylic paint marker, I painted in the path.
4.  Using some white acrylic ink, I stenciled in the clouds.
5.  I stamped "live the life you've imagined" with black ink
6.  For the doll, I used Pitt pens to color in her hair, headband, dress bodice, skirt ruffle and shoes.  I added some sparkle, with a clear Wink of Stella pen, to her shoes and headband.
7.  I stamped with black Versamark on some scrap pattern paper for her skirt and jacket, then embossed with clear embossing powder. After cutting out the clothes, I outlined the edges with a regular black Sharpie, holding the pen on the backside of the paper, using the side of the pen nib.  I also outlined the doll body, using the same method, then glued the clothes on the doll.
8.  I drew a basket, freehand, on brown paper, then added cross-hatching to make the basket look woven.  I snipped the handle and slipped the basket behind the doll's arm.  Then I glued the doll and basket to the background.
9.  I added some tiny Prima flowers to the basket and made a bouquet using the same flowers near the bottom of the page.  I freehand drew in the stems and leaves to the bouquet using a black Pitt pen.

I'm pleased with the way she turned out and hope you like her, too.

As promised, this quilted table runner is a recent addition to my collection.  My mother gave me the pattern for Christmas - it was one I had admired when we visited the Amana Colonies in Iowa last fall.  I used some fabric from my stash - who knows how long I've had it.

I did most of the quilting while riding the train to and from Austin last month, when I visited my son, and finished it at home while watching TV.

I used cross-hatch quilting for the background, quilted close to the appliques and used a scroll pattern for the borders on the ends.

I had long strips of the stripe in my stash which was perfect for the binding.

More cards...

Thought I'd share some more cards I've made for upcoming Stamp Club sessions:

Another sympathy card, this time using Stampin' Up's Thoughts and Prayers stamp set, archival ink and clear embossing powder to give the sentiment and tree a little gleam.  I punched a 3" circle to use as a mask to make the background, using Ranger's Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass for the sky, Peeled Paint for the grass and Crushed Olive for the horizon.  I tore a piece of scrap paper and used it as the mask for the horizon line.  

Graduations are fast approaching and I combined that theme with the "make your own background" theme required for an upcoming Stamp Club meeting.  First I stamped the script using an old Hero Arts stamp and red StazOn ink.  Then I brayered Ranger's Black Soot Distress ink onto the indented side of the Congratulations embossing folder,  inserted the printed cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot. I then layered this piece onto some black cardstock.  Then I wrapped some red and black ribbon around the layered card stock pieces before attaching it to the red card base.   I used Stampin' Up's Blue Ribbon stamp set with red StazOn and Black Soot Distress inks to make the ribbon embellishment.  

These two sweet baby cards used Stampin' Up's Baby Bumblebee and Little Sunshine stamp sets.  I applied a piece of tape to the words included with the Baby Bumblebee stamp while applying archival ink, then removed the tape before stamping the bee onto white cardstock.  The bee is colored with the yellow Chameleon pen, before layering onto blue or pink card stock.  That piece is then layered onto another piece of white card stock with decorative punched borders.  Tan lace was adhered under the decorative borders before the whole assemble was attached to the tan card base.  The "hello, baby" sentiment was stamped onto white cardstock using matching inks, then punched with the coordinating stamp from Stampin' Up.  The word bubble probably should have been attached with dimensional tape, but I forgot to do that.

I originally made this card for the "make your own background" assignment for Stamp Club, however, I'm going to use it for the "birthday" assignment.  To make the background, I embossed the chevrons using Stampin' Up's Positively Chevron background stamp, using clear embossing powder and Versamark ink on a white card stock panel.  Then I sprayed it with Dylusions sprays - Fresh Lime and Campso Teal.  Using a baby wipe, I wiped the spray from the embossed chevrons and blended the inks together in the background.  I stamped the sentiment using Stampin' Up's Remembering Your Birthday stamp set, using black archival ink on gray card stock.  I attached the gray card stock to the card, leaving the lower edge loose enough to slip in the green, yellow and teal card stock banners which I cut from scraps.  I then tied some bakers twine around the gray card stock and attached the panel to a white cardstock base. I continued the sentiment inside the card.

That's about it for the card creations - I'll report on a quilted table runner that I completed last week in my next post.

Yesterday, I finished the sample for a class at Paper Arts on Wednesday, May 20 at 10:30.  I call it a "Party Book" using the "Pop" paper line from Kaisercraft.  Magnets hold the cover closed.  Call the store to reserve your spot - 405-330-2055.  There's only 4 spots left!

 This mini-album has a soft spine and each page opens to reveal spaces for 40 photos.

When you open the front cover, this is what you will see.  The left side features a flap with a belly band. The section labeled "Hip Hip Hooray" slides out to the top - it has two photo mats.

When you open up the left flap, you find two folders inserted into vertical belly bands - each has 3 photo mats.  The yellow section with "Life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated" pulls out to reveal a folded card with 5 photo mats and a designated section for journaling.

When you open the center section labeled "FUN" (see the 2nd photo) the left side has corner pockets to hold an insert that has two photo mats and a designated journaling space.  The right side has a green flip-out pocket on the bottom (matted in red) with a small pocket on the front and a photo mat on the back.  It holds a white insert with 2 photo mats on one side and a large section on the back for your own creativity.  The base page has the label "Hooray" with the rest open for a large photo.

With the right side opened, you can see the waterfall section overlapping a pocket.  The pocket contains an insert with 2 photo mats, while the waterfall section has places for 7 photos.  The corner pockets on the right holds a card with a photo mat on the front and an area on the back for a large photo.

I hope you don't mind a little advertisement for an upcoming class at Paper Arts.

 I call this the "Seed Packet" album because the paper used for the photo mat card inserts looks like seed packets for beautiful flowers.  The pages are made from paper sacks using Kathy Orta's hidden hinge system.  Each page has a top loading pocket with a large insert for adding more photos.  Come join me on Saturday, May 16 at 10 AM at Paper Arts in Edmond, OK to make this beautiful mini album. Call the store to reserve your spot, 405-330-2055.

Lately I've been on a card making binge.  I guess they are quick to make and give pretty instant gratification.  Also, I'm in a Stamp Club with designated themes for each meeting.  So, I've been working ahead to have my cards ready early.

Above, a sympathy card using the second set of scripture stamps from Our Daily Bread.  First, I stamped the sentiment and flourish (a really old stamp) in purple StazOn.  Then a used a Hero Arts doily stamp, Versamark ink and clear embossing powder to make the embossed doily.  Then I used a Tim Holtz applicator tool and purple distress ink to add the light purple background.  To further define the doily, I used a baby wipe to gently rub the purple ink from the embossed parts and blend the background.  Lastly I mounted the white panel on a purple card base.

 These are "Send It Forward" cards from Kathy Orta.  Below, you see the inner cards pulled out.  The recipient can use a new card (included behind the original) to write out a new sentiment and send the card to another person.  Visit Paper Phenomenon to get the tutorial for these cards.