Four Ways Friday #53 - Elements Of Style

This week's Four Ways Friday focuses on the gorgeous Elements Of Style stamp set!

Line images lend themselves really well to watercolor painting.  Here I stamped the floral image onto watercolor paper using Jet Black Staz-On ink.  I then used my aqua painter and made a palette using the lids of my Rose Red, Pretty In Pink, Certainly Celery, and Wild Wasabi classic ink pads.  I watercolored the flowers and then added a dash of dazzling diamonds with my 2-way glue pen.  I stamped the greeting from Sincere Salutations using Staz-On as well and then mounted the panel onto a Wild Wasabi card base using glue.

 

Designer paper makes an excellent base for stamping too!  Here I took a piece from the Brights Pattern Stack and stamped the floral image using Chocolate Chip ink.  I then stamped the greeting using the same ink.  Next I stamped the bird onto a small piece of the same designer paper and then cut it out and popped it up on the card front using dimensionals.  The entire panel was then adhered to a Rose Red card base.

I love to create background papers using stamps and ink and this set is great for doing that!  I began with a piece of Sahara Sand card stock and then stamped the curvy line stamp (I'm not sure what to call it!) using Crumb Cake ink.  Then I stamped parts of it again using Chocolate Chip ink.  I added a few adhesive pearls and then sprayed the panel with a mixture of water and Chocolate Chip ink that I keep in a mini spray bottle.  I then distressed the edges of the panel using my fingernail (you can use a distressing tool too).  A piece of Very Vanilla seam binding was tied around the panel and knotted.  I stamped the greeting onto a piece of Naturals Ivory card stock using Chocolate Chip ink and then punched it out with a 1" circle punch.  I distressed the edges with my fingernail and then sponged the edges with Chocolate Chip ink.  I popped the circle up on the panel using dimensionals.  The bird was stamped using Marina Mist onto Very Vanilla card stock, cut out, and then adhered to the panel with dimensionals.  I ran the Sahara Sand card base through the Big Shot with the Framed Tulips embossing folder.  The panel was then adhered to the card base using dimensionals.

This final card is quick and simple!  I began with a Very Vanilla card base and stamped the curvy line image using Sahara Sand and the stamp-a-ma-jig to make a diagonal pattern across the card.  I then added a bit of dazzling diamonds for some sparkle!  The greeting was stamped using Sahara Sand ink on Very Vanilla card stock and punched out with a 1" circle punch.  I added a few adhesive pearls and then popped the circle up on the card with dimensionals.
I hope you've enjoyed this week's Four Ways Friday!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a weekend filled with love, laughter, and creativity!!!!!!

One Stamp Wonder Thank You Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Just Try It - You May Surprise Yourself!

I remember when my dad got his first computer and I decided I needed to give it a try.  I had no idea what I was doing, but somewhere I saw the command "init" in the book that came with the computer and I decided that would be a fun one to try.  As I just said, I had no idea what I was doing so I entered that command and hit "enter."  Well, what I did without intending to was initialize the disk that was in the drive - ie I wiped out everything that was on it.  Oops!  I didn't make anyone happy that day, but what I did do was get over my fear of computers.  I figured that as long as I didn't enter "init" there really wasn't anything I could do that could get me into big trouble!  It can be very rewarding to approach life in the craft room this same way - to realize that there really isn't a ton of damage you can cause and that if you just give things a try you may just surprise yourself!  Today, without any prior experience with free-motion embroidery, I decided to give it a shot.  No, I didn't create a masterpiece, but I did surprise myself!  I actually started to see what it was like to treat your needle like a writing instrument and began to enjoy the process (even if the product needs a lot more practice!).  So go ahead, whatever it is you've been longing to do in the craft room, just try it!   You may surprise yourself!
I decided to share a One Stamp Wonder card with you today.  The only true stamp I used was from the Thank You Kindly stamp set.  The other areas were created by masking and sponging; inking the edge of an expired gift card and running it across the card stock; and inking up a pencil eraser and using it as a circle stamp.  I did add a touch of sewing on the machine to add some texture, but it really isn't necessary when making this card.  Just the simple designs are enough.  I hope you like it!

Spanish Happy Birthday Card

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Watch A G-Rated Movie!

Call me silly, but I love a G-rated movie every once in awhile :)  We can get so inundated by sex, violence and horror that it can feel good to kick back and watch something easy.  Okay, I admit it - I watched Ramona and Beezus and I enjoyed it :)  Actually, I loved the message of Beverly Cleary's wonderful character Ramona.  She is a girl with an amazing imagination and she knows who she is, quirks and all.  Oh to be as wise as this 9-year old artist of life!
Today's card was a quick birthday card for a Spanish-speaking friend.  I spelled out the happy birthday sentiment using the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set plus a marker to add the punctuation.  I used the eyelet border punch to create some interest on the bottom and backed it with Old Olive card stock.  I added a flower I made with my scallop circle punch flower technique.  The leaves are retired Sweet Pea felt embellishments.  I hope you like it! :)

Die Cut Fabric Flowers Collage

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Get A Haircut :)

I am not big on getting haircuts.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe a part of it is feeling like I don't really have a hair "style" and that my hair can just grow and still work for me.  My hair is actually naturally curly and when I am at home I have a tendency to just throw it up in a bun and not worry about it (I am definitely not a walking fashion statement when I am at home and spending time in the craft room!).  When I travel for work my routine is to straighten my hair.  It's almost a part of the "costume" that I put on for my work.  When I'm home I'm in the most comfy clothes I can find (and clothes that I can get paint or ink on and not worry about it).  When I am away and working I put on the "professional" costume - and it feels like my hair needs to change to go with the "mask" of "professional me."  It is also a lot easier to deal with straight hair when I'm on the road since I can straighten it once and then go a few days without washing it and still have it look just fine.  Anyway, I finally reached the point of feeling like I had too many split ends and was just "over" my hair so I finally made my yearly haircut appointment...although I hazard to say it had been quite a bit over a year since my last one...you can imagine the split ends!  Today I am sitting here with shoulder-length curly hair and it feels sooooo good!  The spring is back in my hair and my step :)  Sometimes all it takes is a little haircut to feel refreshed and energized!  Hopefully I won't have to put my costume back on too soon :)
Today's collage is another fabric flower play piece :)  I took fabric, die cut it with the Big Shot, and then "dyed" it using all different colors of ink mixed with water and applied with small spray bottles.  I then combined the fabric flowers with paper flowers, some real twigs and some hand-cut and sewn designer paper leaves.  This collage makes me smile when I look at it :)  I hope you like it! :)

More Of My Collage Journey

Today's Lesson From The Craft Room:  Sometimes I Need To Take A Break From Technology

When I find myself obsessively checking email or cnn.com, the local news or facebook, I KNOW that it is time to take a break from technology.  I get caught in these cycles of mindlessly going through a routine of checking a certain number of sites and I am literally numb while doing it.  It's just habitual and I don't walk away feeling like I've grown or used my time wisely.  So today (Monday), I am taking a technology break.  I am writing this post and the post for Tuesday on Sunday evening as I listen to the far off popping sounds from the 4th of July fireworks in the neighborhood.  Sometimes I just need to take a break from technology and try to find my center again.
Today's collage is a part of my continued journey with creating art that is not in the form of cards.  Here I combined old dictionary pages, paint, gesso, stencils, ribbon, die cut fabric, glitter, found objects.  If you look closely, you can probably identify the Stampin' Up! products (I am still in love with those adorable Sweet Pea felt embellishments :)  I hope my time off from cards is not disturbing for you if you tend to stop by here for card samples.  My hope is that these collages will provide you inspiration - whether that inspiration is how to translate an idea to a card or whether the collage makes you take out a canvas or a wooden board and give collage a try! :)  I hope you are inspired in some way and remember, the beauty is in the process :)