Berry71Bleu 2014 "Word" Challenge

I'm honored to be a guest designer for the Berry71Bleu "Word" Challenge this month.  This challenge inspired me to work in my art journal again.  My word is "Embrace" and I'm personally challenged to shake old ideas, attitudes, and things and embrace the new ones set before me in 2014.  I'm looking forward to the change and the personal transformation.  What's your inspirational "Word?"  Hope to see you post your project at Berry71Bleu too.

The art journal pages contains some Blue Fern Studios chipboard and the predominate chipboard on this page is the quatrefoil panel on the background paper.

Canvas Art designed for Blue Fern Studios

Here's a 4 x 4 canvas featuring one of the leafy page accent chipboard pieces from Blue Fern Studios.  As was done on the sea shell frame I posted earlier, I used the art fiber tissue paper technique on the leafy page accent. You can find a short tutorial on the technique here at Blue Fern Studios.  During my Design Team term, I will be sharing a picture tutorial on how to create this effect. I normally post on the 17th of each month at Blue Fern Studios, so check out the posts for the future tutorial.

The canvas background was treated first with taupe colored acrylic paint, crackle, various colored mists, and some stamping.  It's an easy technique that brings life to the canvas and so much interest.  Quick and simple too!

Close up of the leafy page accent chipboard piece:

Thank you for stopping by.

Sea Glass Inspired Project using Blue Fern Studios Chipboard

 

I knew when I saw those pretty delicate chipboard sea shells at Blue Fern Studios I was going to do bling them up and do something different with them. You know that feeling you get when you're working on something and you're enjoying the process and you don't want it to end? Well, that's how it was for me while creating with these sea shells.  Oh, there's so much to tell you about them and not enough time or space to provide all the details.   I'm offering you some close-ups so that you can see what went into them, but mostly what gives them life, is the art fiber tissue paper found at art supply stores.  It's very similar to mulberry paper, but softer and easier to use. The paper provides peaks, valleys, structure and dimension.  I've added some more instructional details on the Blue Fern Studios Blog found here.  Check it out when you can, it's really quite simple, and I think you'll enjoy the process and results as much as I did. Later on during my Design Team term, I'll provide a written tutorial on how to achieve these results with the art fiber tissue paper to share with you.

A few shells above were treated with a taupe colored acrylic paint, clear gesso, crackle and various colored mists.

The bargain bin picture frame was painted in Titan Buff, treated with Helmar's Crackle product, and various colors of mist were applied to the frame.

Thanks for looking.  If you like these colors, come back in a few days, and I'll share a small canvas piece I made using the same art fiber paper technique on a different Blue Fern Studios chipboard piece.  :)

Blue Fern Studio's January 2014 Sketch Challenge

Here it is! Blue Fern Studio's January 2014 Sketch.

I knew the moment I saw this sketch that I wanted to create with it.  The "Winter Page Dangle" chipboard elements are darling. Hop on over to Blue Fern Studios and see how you can enter into the challenge and win a prize.

Here's my take on the sketch:

Close up of some of the Dangles:

 

The snowflake dangle was treated with some Shimmerz Texturez, a little water color pencil to device some elements on the chipboard and adorned with a bead element in the center; and the star dangle was treated with the mica flake technique where you apply glue all over the chipboard, sprinkle on some mica flakes until the chipboard is covered entirely, let dry, apply more glue on top and add more mica flakes and set to dry thoroughly.  Finally, lightly sand the mica flakes with a piece of sandpaper until the flakes are flat and you get this shimmery iridescence effect.  

 

Winter Page Dangles

 

 

 

We hope to see your take on the sketch at Blue Fern Studios. :)

 

I'm looking forward to sharing with you more chipboard techniques at Blue Fern Studios and on my blog on January 17th.

 

Thanks for stopping by....

 

Joy Canvas for the Berry71Bleu Joy December Challenge

While searching for some inspiration and a challenge to entice me to get back to creating, I found the "Joy" challenge hosted by Berry71Bleu.  The challenge is to write at least three sentences expressing what joyful thing you appreciate. Here's my take on the "Joy" challenge and it was such a delight to create with a 5 x 7 piece of canvas.

Here's a close up of some of my hand-made dimensional paint spread on top of a stencil.

The shabby chic chipboard snowflakes are from Blue Fern Studios.

Here are the "Joy" Challenge Rules:

Joy. What brings you Joy? What always puts a smile on your face? Joy can be interpreted in many ways. Think about what person, place, activity, pet, hobby or simple pleasure gives you joy. This can be anything--that first warm cup of morning coffee, reading your favorite book, your family, your dog cuddling up next to you! Think outside of the box.

 

The second part of this challenge is that you must include journaling. Your journaling must be at least 3 sentences or more. Jotting down places and dates do not count. Document your thoughts and explain why the subject you chose to scrap brings you joy.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by Berry71 Bleu to see what other's have created to inspire us and maybe you'll be inspired to get back into creating too.

Shabby Chic Snowflake Chipboard

A lovely cold wintery day inspired me to create with Blue Fern Studios' shabby chic snowflakes.
Lot's of beads, gel molding paste, glitter and mists help create this little collection of ATC's.  Each one of the cards lists some of the wonderful things I love about winter.  There's some home made shimmery dimensional media there in the background too.

Some close ups:

Here's the Blue Fern Studio chipboard "Let It Snow" collection:

 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Winter Soltice.

Blue Fern Studios has announced their 2014 Design Team, and I made the team!!! Yea!

Blue Fern Studios ("BFS") has announced their 2014 Design Team, and I'll be back in January 2014 designing with an awesome new and talented team.  I am in receipt of some new chipboard designs from Blue Fern Studios and have already set to work in creating with the chipboard.  I'm working on some new techniques to apply to chipboard and am looking forward to sharing them with you too.  See you in January at BFS.

 

 

Meet the 2014 Design Team at Blue Fern Studios:

 

Evgenia Pelzer - South Africa
Jackie Clark - Canada
Jelissa Mei - Singapore
Joyce Lawrence - United States
Keren Tamir - Canada
Leila Cardoso - Brasil
Lisa Griffith - United States
Marie Josee Hamel - Canada
Maja Stokk - Sweden
Olga Heldwein - Poland
Rae Moses - United States
Yuko Tanaka – Japan

Camilla Ekman - Sweden
Erin Blegen -  United States
Kelly Foster - United States
Lisa Gregory - United States
Patter Cross --United States
Valerie Serfozo -  United States