{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Sheena Stamp

 Hey there, made my 3rd card on the fly for the Linky party!

I pulled out an already die cut sentiment and went from there to build a card around it … go figure! First, I grabbed a watercolor paper and used a magical powder on it, by spritzing the paper with water and sprinkling the powder on it. After drying it, I grabbed a Sheena stamp set I picked up in a craft magazine. I used Versafine inks in green and black on the house stamp set. Because the powder ended up green I decided I needed to paper piece the house part on the paper. 

To create the house part, I again used the stamp on Kraft paper and used pencils, pens and a white Posca pen to roughly add details and the impression of snow. I fussy cut the house parts out. I used pencils and the Posca pen to add more detail and color to the trees and shrubs. I found a chipboard piece I thought would go. I lightly used watercolors to darken the sky and ground areas, and added a few background trees. After adding twine, I used glue and glitter to add sparkle to the trees, snowy bits, sentiment and chipboard. I mounted the completed paper onto Kraft cardstock, and added coordinating sequins. For how quickly I pulled this together, I think it turned out fine.

Was interesting to see how green the background became. Thanks for stopping by - till next time, happy crafting!

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Unity Happy Jolly Holiday

 Created another card for this fun holiday Linky Party using Unity’s Happy Jolly Holiday kit. 

I stamped the image onto Stampin Up brown paper using Antique Linen. I had decided to use Prismacolor colored pencils to add detail to the image. I die cut the image in a size to match the paper circle I fussy cut out of the Ciao Bella Northern Lights paper collection. I adhered that to another paper from the Ciao Bella collection. I added crystals around the image and fussy cut more stars from the leftover paper scraps for embellishment. I then stamped the sentiment from the kit in brown ink.

I just love trying to match images with papers. Pretty simple vintage card to put together! Thanks for stopping by!

{BYSCH} Christmas in July 2023 Linky Party

So happy to be sharing my first card in the Christmas in July 2023 Linky Party. Check out this blog for more information!

I stamped the images, using a masking technique, from SSS’s The Magic of Christmas kit using Antique Linen Oxide ink onto Canson Watercolor paper. I painted the image using Schminke watercolors. I paired the image with Moda Scrap Christmas Italian Style papers, a corrugated cardboard scrap, and a sentiment from SSS’s Joy to You and Yours Kit. To complete the card, I added crystals.

Join in on the fun and add your cards for a chance at winning a prize! Check the blog for inspiration and remember to add the graphic above to your social media posts!

Thanks for stopping by and happy holiday crafting!

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge #35 - Couple of Simple Cards!

 Made a couple of simple cards for this sketch challenge:

For the first card I used a Bo Bunny sentiment chipboard I had collected along with Unity paper, a ribbon, buttons, and some crystals! Just cut the paper down and pull everything together - easy peasy!

For the second card, I combined foiled DCWV holiday paper, a random scrap paper, crystals, with scene diecuts from a craft magazine. I added metallic string and cornered the card edges to mirror the insert. I layered the die cut sentiment with gold paper.

Very easy cards to make and perfect for last minute cards needed in a pinch!

Reminder, our Christmas in July 2023 {BYSHC} Linky party starts Friday! Join in the fun and link up your holiday cards for a chance at winning some sponsor goodies! Check out the graphic for more info!

Thanks for stopping by!

Trying out a New Technique

So, recently, I’ve discovered a few YouTube artists whose focus is on abstract painting. Their joy of putting paint and many other mediums on paper with varied techniques, such as scribbling, drawing, mark making, use of stencils, has been so inspiring and freeing of perfection expectations, I decided to try it! (My perfectionist traits can paralyze me sometimes… i.e., not “good enough” work.) I loved what they produced and could see using their techniques as fun backgrounds for cards!

My close friend sent me a quote recently about crafting and or being an artist is more about the joy of the process than the outcome. And I must admit, I can lose hours and be totally happy and at peace with life just in the doing part. So, this new form of art is so appealing for that reason alone… play, experiment and enjoy the outcome, whatever the result. Here’s the first video, by Denise Love that really snagged me in… https://youtu.be/SIywgiXCyTA. 

Now, I already had some of the supplies from subscribing to the Sketchbox monthly art subscription a few years ago … graphite pencils, crayons, inks and gold mediums. Using just acrylic paints, I created these first… as backgrounds for ATC’s. Used Unity’s stamp kit, Open Sky, Deep Ocean, from 5/18, for this one.

Since I wanted finer lines and more blurring of colors, I tried some watercolor inks I also had in my stash. This was my second attempt. I found the watercolor inks too loose and didn’t leave enough white space. The colors were pleasing though.

I ended up using a Dina Wakely cutout chipboard, I picked up from who knows where and a sentiment strip from a booklet. I used a paper pack I picked up from Tuesday AM a long time ago and stamped all over it. I also used a stencil to add a blue glaze and on top of it white embossing paste.

I ended up with this funky card! I added the gold butterfly from an ephemera pack.

And yes… it’s over the top… but I’m playing.

Here’s my latest attempt after picking up a couple Daler Rowney acrylic inks. I made this first…

I then added some stenciling with embossing paste and circles using a stencil. Note I pulled out an old mettalic gelato! Worked great and gave it shine. I ended up using another Unity Kit to create this card.

So, while none of these turned out “great”, they all fulfilled a few goals of mine… use up supplies on hand that I’ve never used before, have a ton of fun in the creation process, try something new, get out of the current slump I’ve been in, build new skills… 

A happy surprise outcome… I love those Dina Wakely cutouts and the use of paper on top. I need to do more of that. Next step…simplify backgrounds… make them less busy, more white space. 

Well… hope this inspires you to take a look at some new techniques. Feedback and suggestions are always welcome. Take care, and until next time, happy crafting!