Showcase Monday featuring Prima's "Betty" Doll Stamp

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!

Today's my day to host Showcase Monday at Scrapbooker's Paradise, and I would love for you to stop by and see how I made this large, decorative tag!  

It was so fun making this tag... I foresee a lot more playing with "dolls" in my future!!

I'll leave you to enjoy the rest of St. Patrick's Day with this little Irish blessing:

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

Linda

Swirlydoos Round Robin

Good morning!  

Today I've been working on a layout for a Swirlydoos Round Robin that I'm in.  The team member I am following, created her layout in a beautiful, soft purple and featured a photo of her cat on it.  

That was the jumping point for me - as soon as I saw "purple" and a "pet", I knew I had to do a layout for my daughter.  Purple is her favorite colour and the photo is of our Silky Terrier, Tika.  

Tika was Melanie's dearest friend from the time she was 3 until 21.  We were very fortunate to have our little dog for 18 years, and we all have very fond memories of her.  She was small, but she was FIERCE!!

Kimberly's layout that I am following, has a soft, very pretty look to it, and that's what I tried to do here.

Now we didn't get to just "follow" our team mate...  for extra points our host, Peggy, encouraged us to use one of the tutorials that can be found on Swirlydoos and also add die cuts to the layout.

The tutorial I followed was one done by Georgia Heald, which can be found here.  She is such an awesome artist.  I'm very grateful she did a tutorial showing us how she creates!

I've cropped this close up for you to see one of the things Georgia adds to her layouts.  (You might need to double click on the photo to get a good look.)  I love the soft, wispy feeling I got by tucking these into the mats framing Tika. 

They are so easy to make - just gather a clump of thread together and tuck it where you want.

For the die cuts, I used a Martha Stewart punch for the border, Spellbinders "Captivating Squares" to frame Tika's photo, and a new die that I absolutely love, "Chantilly Bow" by Tattered Lace.

Here is the forum thread at Swirlydoos for the Round Robin if you would like to see what everyone else is creating.  During the last week of March we will be taking sign ups for the next Round Robin in April, and I encourage you to give it a try.  It is a lot of fun, and you learn a lot.  It encourages you to go in some new directions that you might not otherwise try.

That's it for today!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Linda

Tulip Card for Swirlydoos

Hello!

Today I'm sharing a card I've made for the Card Round Robin at Swirlydoos.  Paulien is hosting and she had us choose 3 out of 5 things to put on our cards:

* Use a stamped or hand written sentiment.

* Use a resist technique

* Use a handmade flower

* Use staples

* Use a bottle-cap

I managed to use a resist technique, handmade flowers, and a stamped sentiment.

I embossed the background using Penny Black "Allover Pattern" stamp and Ranger "Frosted Crystal" embossing powder.  Then I went for an ombre effect using Aqua, Cotton Candy, and Metallic Blueberry Gelatos - scribbled them on and then blended them with water and a paintbrush.

This is what you end up with if you use watercolour paper.

For experimentation purposes, I did the same thing on Inkssentials Specialty Stamping Paper and ended up with a hot mess!  The gelatos just smear on this paper.

I cut my card piece out of the watercolour paper, added a doily and some Diamond Stickles in the center.

Made some tulips with a Sizzix die called "Flowers, Tulip #2"  I used a large embossing tool to puff them up, and then went around the outside edges with a smaller one to create a "lip" that I could apply glue to.

A stamped sentiment, some bling, and a ribbon finished everything off.

Hope you've enjoyed a little taste of Spring today!

Linda

New Challenge at Playing in Paradise!

Hi everyone,

We have a new challenge up at Playing in Paradise that I hope you'll take a look at and maybe give a try!

Pam is hosting this month and would like us to use a black and white photo, a sepia photo, or a stamped image, and a POP of colour!

I created my POP of colour by laying down a base of crackle paint and then putting layers of different blue gelatos over top.  I blended the blues with water and then went over top of them with a white gelato which I left unblended for texture.

I also used a sketch by Tammy at Flying Unicorn to get the mojo flowing!

The mermaid was made using one of Julie Nutting's new stamps.  I stamped on scraps of paper for her hair and skin.

To make her tail, I stenciled some glitter snow molding paste over a stamped piece of watercolour paper, and then added layers of the same blue gelatos I used in the background.  I started with my lightest one first and worked up to the darkest.  After painting the blues, I went over the stenciling with a white gelato (rubbing it in with my finger) and finished off with Diamond Stickles.

In order to make her tail stand out from the background, I then went around the edges with my darkest blue and rubbed it in with my finger.

The chipboard title piece was painted with Old Silver Inka-gold, and dabbed here and there with Black Soot Distress Ink and ColorBox Bubble Blue ink.  Silver micro beads were glued to the bottom of the words.

I invite you to head over here to see the pieces that were created by the other design team members.  Click on their names and you will be taken to their blogs for further pictures and details of their project.

I hope you will give the challenge a try!

Wishing you lots of scrappy fun!

Linda

Supplies used:

Kaisercraft "Art of Life" patterned paper

Petaloo flowers

Prima crystal flourish

FabScraps chipboard title

Prima Stamp by Julie Nutting "Sea Sally"

Prima Shell Stencil

Gelatos:  Aqua, Metallic Mint, Metallic Blueberry, Cotton Candy, Blueberry, and White

Molding Paste

Crackle Paint

Diamond Stickles

Old Silver Inka-gold

Black Soot Distress Ink

ColorBox Bubble Blue ink

Technique Tues at Scrapbooker's Paradise

Hi everyone!

Today I'm doing a technique over at Scrapbooker's Paradise and boy was it fun!  I'd love to have you join me and learn how to create this:

from this:

Here's a close-up of the squares (or whatever shape you prefer) that we will be making.

I learned this technique at Splitcoaststampers and I thank them very much!  

So do come on over here and see my interpretation of the Serendipity Squares!

Linda