Quotes

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." -Thomas Merton

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Shabby Chic Tag for Blue Fern Studios Design Team

Hello,

Today, I'm sharing a shabby chic tag I created for my Blue Fern Studios design team work this month.  The textured background was created with Blue Fern Garden papers torn, stamped, gesso'd and misted too.  You'll find a little stencil and molding paste work also. I so adored the Blue Fern Studios Apothecary jar collection, there's so many unique looking jar designs thanks to Blue Fern Studios' chipboard designer Michele Singh.

The chipboard jar was created by first applying some white acrylic paint, a little bit of fiber paper to add some texture, script stamp, and some stencil and molding paste. To finish it off, some pretty pink mist was applied with a paint brush sporadically around the jar.  A watercolor pencil was used to add some definition as well.

I got a little carried away and finished the back of the card too after the top hinge of the tag accidently fell backwards and the effect was so pretty I couldn't just leave the back of the tag unadorned.  You can see the pretty Blue Fern Garden Boudoir paper was used as the base of the tag.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have found some inspiration to work on a tag too.




Back of the tag:  I really like how the top of the tag drapes over the back of the tag.  I'll use those eyelets and jump rings again on a future tag.  Just can't stop at one, right?

 
 
Here's what the pretty Blue Fern Garden paper looks like.
 
 

 

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Lace Organization idea featuring Blue Fern Studios Chipboard pieces

Hello everyone,

I can't wait to show you my lace organization box I created for my Blue Fern Studios chipboard design team!  Finally, after rummaging through my disorganized box of lacy bits and trims, I decided to take some time and organize them so that I can  see what I have and enjoy the pretty patterns. The idea of wrapping the lace and trim on an "H" shape card isn't an original idea by me, but I have on occasion used those "H" shape small cards for organizing embroidery floss, and it dawned on me that I should do the same for the lacy bits and trim.

The top box is adorned with the Blue Fern Studios Blooming Foliage chipboard piece. The flowers are homemade using some of the same paper that was used to create the "H" cards.



Don't you just want to use those lacy bits when they're organized?

Here are the two boxes stacked.



A close-up view of the Blue Fern Studios Leafy Page Accent chipboard piece on the bottom box of trims.  Some acrylic paint and crackle was applied to the chipboard piece.

 



Another look at the lacy bits, because I just can't stop looking at how pretty the lace patterns are. :)



I hope I have inspire you to organize your ribbons, trims and lacy bits too. And, use some Blue Fern Studios chipboard to adorn your organization box.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Cardabilities Sketch Challenge!

Hello everyone,

This sketch from Cardabilities inspired me to create this card for my Women of Substance series for the maternal line of my family.  Over the past months, I would share some history of the women in our family with my 20 year old niece, and we'd view old photographs too.  When I saw this sketch for the current sketch challenge at Cardabilities, the muse in me inspired me to create this series.  The cards as they are completed will be mailed to my niece and inside each card, I will provide a biography of each of the women.  I would love to be at her home when she receives and opens her first card.  In today's culture, we rarely post anything anymore, and I hope she finds these cards as gifts.

The background of the card was created with several different papers from the Blue Fern Garden paper collection from Blue Fern Studios.  Lots of strips of paper were torn, stamped, gesso'd, and stamped some more with various patterned stamps.  I weaved in a few pieces of lace as well.

This first card of the series represents my Grandmother Ruth taken around the age of 15.  I used the apothecary jar chipboard from Blue Fern Studios as the "sentiment" element on the sketch and used it as a name plate. 



 
 
 
 
Below are the Blue Fern Garden papers from Blue Fern Studios that I used to create the front of the card.
 



 
 
Thank you Cardabilities for the inspiration!!! I'm already looking forward to more sketch inspiration for my Women of Substance card collection.
 

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Blue Fern Studios March Sketch Challenge


Oh you're going to have fun creating with the March Blue Fern Studios Sketch Challenge!  Look at all the opportunities to use your Blue Fern Studios chipboard pieces.  The papers are from the Blue Fern Garden paper collection, and I'm using the "Timeless" paper page.  Come on over to the blog to find out how you can enter and win some prizes.

 
 
Here's a close up of the Grande Cage: Apply white paint to the base of the chipboard, then apply green paint or use ink,  and finally add some black ink sparingly on one side of the cage, then finish the cage off with some dabs of white paint. 



Use your brick chipboard piece as a stencil and add molding paste, then stamp with your favorite script stamp. Add some ink sparingly under the brick pieces, and then paint the brick chipboard and glue to the stenciled work.


Thanks for stopping by.