Blue Fern Studios April Sketch Challenge

 

Hello everyone, today I’m sharing the second card I created for my “Women of Substance” card series using the Blue Fern Studios (“BFS”) April Sketch found here (see copy of sketch below).  As explained on a previous blog entry, I’m creating cards of the women on my maternal line of the family to introduce those women to my 20 year old niece and future generations.  The cards are 6x6 in size, and each one will have a picture of the woman, and inside the card I will write a biography for those I knew. For those that I didn’t know, I’ll incorporate some historical events of what it must have been like living during those times so that my niece will know what it was like living before the Smartphone and her Twitter account.  Each card will be mailed to my niece, and I hope she thinks of them as gifts when she receives them.

Here’s Ginger from the 1950’s, I’m certain her hairstyle gave that a way.  All the papers on this card are from the Blue Fern Garden paper collection, including the fussy cutting papers.  Some of the papers were stamped, gesso’d, torn, and stamped some more to add texture and interest to the front of the card.  I have used the “Ever After” frame, and Turkish bit chipboard pieces from BFS. The size of the chipboard frame is just perfect for the 6 x 6 card.  The card was pasted on another piece of Blue Fern Garden paper and a biography written on vellum is attached to the photo corners inside the card.  

Close up of the Ever After frame chippie:

Close up of the Turkish Bits chippie:

Stop by Blue Fern Studios to check out the rules for the April Sketch Challenge and view the prizes too.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope I have inspired you to use your BFS chipboard and do something similar for those women who came before you and to share some of your family history with your future family.

Blue Fern Garden Papers I used to create the card.

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.

 

 



 

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.

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.

 

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.

Vintage Chic featuring Blue Fern Studios Paper Line and Chipboard

Oh these Blue Fern Garden papers are truly lovely with those pretty images on each paper.  The soft pinks and browns inspired me to create something vintage with the Blue Fern Studios ("BFS")Romantic Page Dangles and Royal Page Bauble chipboard pieces.  These dangles are my new favorites from BFS, they’re so original, versatile, and there is nothing else like them on the chipboard market. Both the dangle and the bauble were treated with some white paint, clear gesso, various colors of brown/copper mist, black and white marker pens, and some very small and thin metal charms to add some vintage flair. The strand of pearls on the bauble were coated with a heavy gel medium, a brown, dark brown, and copper colored mist, and a dab of white paint.

Here's another layout using a Tinci Design sketch.  Lots of layers and goodies on this page which include various Blue Fern Studio chipboard pieces, and fussy cutting from the Blue Fern Garden paper collection. Visit the Blue Fern Studios Blog here to find out the various chipboard pieces used and some techniques also.

Thank you for stopping by.

February Design Team Work for Blue Fern Studios

 

I'd like to share one of my February Blue Fern Studios projects with you today. 

 

This mixed media canvas was treated with crackle, stamping and mists.  The featured heart was cut out of corrugated cardboard, treated with gesso and mists.  After the media dried, the heart was covered with some lace, and outlined with beads.

 



 

Here's a close up of that sweet Blue Fern Studio Little Bird chipboard.  Some white paint, mists, watercolor pencil and white gel pen brought the bird to life.

The porcelain looking flowers were achieved by adding clear gesso to the flowers and then misting very closely to the centers of the flowers. Close up of the porcelain looking flowers, Blue Fern Studios leafy page accent treated with fiber paper and glue then painted and misted.  The flower chipboard is from the Bohemian flower collection from Blue Fern Studios.

 

 

I would like to respond to those of you who have inquired as to how I create the crackle effect on some of my small mixed media canvases. I first coat the canvas with some Golden’s Titan Buff acrylic paint, then I apply Helmar’s Crackle  Medium (follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Because the Helmar’s product is a little tacky then most crackle products, I leave the crackle Step 2 to set overnight, and I find I get the best results when I let the product sit that long.  You can speed it up with a heat gun, but the crackle effect doesn’t come out as well.  I apply the Step 2 Crackle on the largest part of the canvas with a large brush and very few strokes to get the large crackle effect.  On the corners of the canvas, I apply the Step 2 Crackle with a smaller brush and many strokes.  The more strokes of the product will render a smaller crackle effect, and the fewer strokes of the product will render a larger crackle effect.  Once the product has completely dried, use your favorite colored mists and stamps.  In this case, I have used the pewter metallic mist from Glimmer Mist, to add some depth, in some of the crackle crevices.  You can view some of that metallic mist on the photo above.  Have fun!

Thank you for visiting, I'll be posting more February project this week on my blog.