Picket Fence Studios and MISTI Collaboration!

Welcome to the Picket Fence Studios and My Sweet Petunia Blog Hop & Giveaway!
There will be two company winners! A $50 gift certificate to MSP, and a $50 gift certificate to PFS from all the comments on the hop will be awarded on June 2. Check both company blogs on Tuesday to see if it's YOU!

Picket Fence Studios 

Judy Rozema

Becky Roberts

Sara Sherlock 

Sandi MacIver 

Lisa Henke 

Angela Bode 

Michelle Lupton

Karen Reategui 

Erica A B 

Susie Moore 

Channin Pelletier

Ilina Crouse 

Ceal Pritchett 

Lydia Fiedler

My Sweet Petunia

Now to my cards for today! I chose one similar color scheme for two very different styles. The first is a mixed media card using the Aeonium African Succulent, and a sentiment from Let's Shake Our Tail Feathers. I started by creating a smooshed ink background on Bristol (water friendly paper) with Distress Oxide Inks. Once that was dry, I used my Original MISTI and VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink to ink up my stamp. Because the paper has a little more texture to it, and the DOX inks add some texture as well, the MISTI helps to achieve a crisp, bold image like the Succulent by repeat stamping. I stamped my image three times, each time in the exact same place to achieve a nice dark image. Prior to owning a MISTI, I would never have been able to get such a crisp image, because of my own inconsistency in pressure across an image.

I stamped my sentiment ("i admire your inner beauty") onto a piece of vellum with VersaMark ink, and heat embossed with Black EP. I use the grid lines on my MISTI to help line up each side to keep everything straight before I adhere. I finished off my card with rose metallic thread.

My second card uses the same color scheme and cardstock, but is a totally different style.  I chose the Polka Dots Stencil (on sale!) for my background, and inked it up with my Life Changing Blender Brushes and Seedless Preserves DOX. Next, I stamped my Sunshine Friend (from You Are My Sunshine) in Black Hybrid Ink using my Mini MISTI and colored her in with Copic Markers. I love the Mini just as much, and actually use them both every day equally.

I stamped the sentiment in the corner, and found the exact placement I wanted using my Mini MISTI. I then fussy cut and popped my little friend up with foam dots. I added a few sequins for fun. The last thing I did was color her dress with Clear Nuvo Glimmer Pen - it adds such a cute sparkle!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to comment for a chance to win one of the awesome gift certificates! Next up is my sweet friend from Idaho, Becky Roberts!

Freshly Made Sketches #437

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Cécile is our hostess for today, and has created a unique sketch for you to try!

When I saw the sketch, I knew I wanted to use my new to me Positive Strokes Two, from Paper Smooches. I stamped three different strokes with Daffodil ink. I then cut a hexagon hive from black cardstock for the next part of the sketch. Finally I chose the adorable bee from Happy Hellos.

I colored my image with Copics and cut it out with the corresponding die. Isn't he cute?

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

A Special Day

Before I share my card today, I want to recognize the special day that it is here today in the USA. Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who had died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Thank you to all of our military families who have sacrificed for our freedom!

It is also my mother-in-law's 90th birthday! What a milestone. And a wonderful lady!
So today I made a thank you card honoring both special days.

I started with several DOX inks and my blending brushes to create a circular rainbow background. I then stamped the tree from TREE OF THANKS with Raven ink. I used a couple of pieces that I had cut from the bottom of the blended ink panel to "ground" the tree. I blended another piece using blues and greens, and stamped one of the Thank Yous. I then cut it out using a Foundation Circle and attached it to the card with foam tape.

What do you think?

Look Forward With Hope!

Today I am sharing some watercolor painting and a card made with three different stamp sets from Visible Image.

I started out by mixing oranges, yellows, and reds from my Kuretake paints. I didn't have an image, or idea in mind for what I would make; I was just mixing colors. When it was dry, it reminded me of the gorgeous image from Beautiful Soul (links below post).

I used my MISTI to line up where the image might look best, and stamped it with VersaFine Clair Nocturne. I added the sun from Look Forward With Hope in the upper right corner, and the net from Mesh-ellaneous along the bottom and upper left corner in yellow and orange inks.

 

I stamped the sentiment sentiment in Nocturne ink. I think it's the perfect sentiment for all that is happening in our world right now. For added sparkle, I used Orange Peel Stickles in three waves of her hair. I love how it turned out!

 Thank you for stopping by today!

Freshly Made Sketches #436

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Jen B. is our hostess for today, and has created a sketch with lots of room to play!

This stamp set from Simon Says Stamp really caught my eye when I first saw it. The sentiments were just so sweet. It's called Stronger Together. I knew if I didn't grab it right away, that I might miss out, and it's the perfect set to use to encourage others right now.

I started by stamping the foliage down the side, and coloring with Copics. There is a matching die for that image, but I decided to keep it one layer. Next I made my ink blended circle with a stencil mask and blender brushes. I don't usually clean my brushes very often, and just use a different brush for each color family, but this one had a little pink left on it, which created a lovely, very subtle highlight for the center with the Shabby Shutters ink I had chosen. I stamped the sentiment using my MISTI and added three little sparkly enamel dots from my stash. 

Finally, I used my clear Wink of Stella pen to add sparkle to the leaves. I love how it turned out.

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Other Challenges:

• Crafty Sentiment Designs - Anything Goes

A Conversation About Rainbows

Rainbows: A Symbol of hope and love, and a bunch of HAPPY color! I have always loved the colors of a rainbow together. I have moved to a brighter palette than the primary colored (ROYGBIV) ones, because I love pink, but I love those too. I have since I was little. I think right now rainbows are making everyone feel like there is hope.

This week on the Brutus Monroe team, we all made projects with a wide rainbow spectrum. It's really fun to see all the different projects and how fabulous they are! Today I am using the CONVERSATION DIE, several different watercolor panels, and a sentiment from SUPER SENTIMENTAL.

I had six different panels that I watercolored, and cut each with the die. I had a ton of fun fitting all the different colors in, and deciding the placement of each watercolored section. Once the pieces were all glued in, I stamped the sentiment in the lower left "speech bubble." I added a colored sequin to match each section, and then adhered them to different sections so they would show up. The entire panel was then mounted on a white cardstock base.

What do you think? It's a fabulous die with so many possiblities! I can see it with some fun shaker mixes too!

Picket Fence Studios May Release!

It's an exciting day for Picket Fence Studios - it's Release Day! I adore this release and I know you will too. There are such amazing products in this release - new stencils, stamps, and coordinating dies!

Today I am sharing two food cards! The first is from the new Father's Day set, DAD'S DAY. This burger was so much fun to color!

I stamped in Black Hybrid ink on Hammermill White cardstock and colored my image with Copics. I felt that red dotted paper would be a wonderful complement, and adhered that from my stash to the side to compliment my sentiment. I love how it turned out. What do you think?

My next card shows off TO A LOVELY COUPLE - a fabulous wedding and/or celebratory set! 

The background is made with Abandoned Coral DOX and my Life Changing Blender Brushes with the Flourish Circle Stencil.

I embossed the cake and sentiment using Gold Embossing Powder.

For a little sparkle, I added some sequins and my favorite metallic gold thread from Krenik. 

It's a simply fabulous release, so head over to Picket Fence Studios to see it all! There is so MUCH MORE to check out! Shop {HERE}.

I will see you back tomorrow for more cardmaking ideas!

Challenges: 

Fab n Funky - #481 - Hand colored Image

Word Art Wednesdays - Anything Goes

Artist Trading Cards with Brutus Monroe!

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing some of those FUN Artist Trading Cards - or ATCs! If you have never made them before, it's just like a miniature canvas for your art. And -- you can add them to a card later if you want! I have a binder or two full or them from stamping friends over the years, and they are so fun to browse.

Today I am using one Mixed Media stencil - GEARS - and making two different styles. I used sentiments from TREE OF THANKS. One style uses APRICOT GLITTER GLAZE in the background, and the other uses blended inks to look like mixed metals. 

 I taped my stencil down on white cardstock and applied the glaze with a palette knife. Once dry, I stamped two sentiments on vellum and embossed using RAVEN embossing powder.

On the second duo, I used a Blending Brush for the blended ink background, and PENNY embossing powder for the sentiments. I added some Penny EP in a few places on the cards, and then used Copper Metallic cardstock for the mat.

Do you like making little mini masterpieces? They are 2.5x3.5 inches and so fun to make!

Freshly Made Sketches #434

It's Wednesday, and that means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Linda is our hostess for today, with a sketch that has lots of room for interpretation.

I decided to make a landscape/horizontal card so I could use these gorgeous die cuts from My Mind's Eye (Splendor Collection). 

I started by stenciling in each corner using a combination of Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick DOX. The panel is a textured white cardstock, so it gave some tooth behind the smooth look of the flowers. I arranged my die cuts in a pattern I liked that fit the sketch, popping up the main floral spray, and then added a sentiment strip/die from Taylored Expressions across the top. Pool Party CS (SU!) is the card base I chose to bring out the color of the rectangles and the bottom rose. I finished the card by adding Nuvo Glimmer Pen to the bee's wings, the blue rose, and the pink rose buds.

I hope you will join us with your take on the sketch this week! Our challenge is open until 3 PM EDT on Monday. Click on the links on the FMS blog by each photo to see what lovely things my teammates have created on their blogs!

Other Challenges:

• Always Fun Challenges - #161 FEMALE OR MOM
• Use Your Stuff  - #397 FLOWERS AND/OR BUTTERFLIES
• Cut It Up - #199 FRIENDS

New Stencils From Picket Fence Studios!

Have you had a chance to look at all of the new release stencils from Picket Fence Studios? I am sharing two today that make into beautiful cards - with the focus on the stencil! I use stencils a lot for background designs, but love when one is beautiful enough to make the main image!

First up is the Geo Pineapple Stencil. This comes with two different pineapples: one slim and one chunky. I am feeling more chunky being inside a lot, but I chose to use the slim one on my card. Wishful thinking for my body! Ha!

I used Scattered Straw and Twisted Citron DOX inks for the pineapple, and my favorite Nocturne ink for the sentiment. I added a few pineapple colored sequins for fun. The strip down the side is from a Doodlebug paper pack. I decided to create a soft look by making the card base a very light pink (Blushing Bride from Stampin' Up!).

The second card is a bold statement with bod color. This stencil is called Flowers. I used Dusty Concord DOX with my Life Changing Blender Brushes on Hammermill White paper. I cut the Congrats Word Die sentiment from black fun foam (Available at Hobby Lobby) so it popped up a little. I added Black Rhinestones down the side. The main panel is backed with Basic Black Cardstock from Stampin' Up! Black cardstock is hard to come by right now! Lots of companies are out of stock. I tied some of my favorite Krenik silver thread around the top, and then added a card base of Fresh Fig (also SU!).

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you will check out the new stencils. Use one of the links below to take you straight there!

Let's Shake It Up Under the Sea!

Today I am going to highlight one of my favorite techniques - a shaker card! That plus a little mixed media makes me super happy when I am creating.

I am using the Fish Bowl 4 x6 stamp set from Brutus Monroe for my images. I started out by doing a light watercolor wash for my background in blues and greens. While that was drying, I applied Key Lime Glitter Glaze to a chipboard Under the Sea panel. I sprinkled some blue glitter from the Tropical Collection Glitter Set into the glaze, and used a palette knife to spread it around.

On my watercolor panel, I traced the inside of the glittered frame, and then arranged my fish inside the frame. I stamped in Raven ink and then colored in my images using alcohol markers. To make my shaker, I cut a piece of acetate (I used to be a teacher, and actually use transparencies for overhead projectors!) to fit my frame and attached it using Tissue Tape. I added foam tape around the edges to hold in my shaker mix.

Now here is where people differ on their shakers. Some put the mix in the top and add the bottom panel, and some put it in the bottom and add the acetate panel. It doesn't really matter; whatever is easiest for you! I had a mixture of sequins, confetti, and teardrops in "sea colors" in my stash, so I used that for my shaker mix.

I decided the front of the panel needed "something," so I found some jewels and sea buttons in my stash. I cut off the back of the button, and hot glued everything to the front. I tried white glue and glue dots, but they didn't stick as well as I wanted them to, so my Glue Gun came out!

The fish and sea creatures in this set have such personalities!

I loved creating this mixed media underwater shaker scene, and I know the recipient will have fun with it - it's going to my granddaughter, who loves the ocean! All the products from Brutus Monroe make creating so easy and fun!

Do you like making shaker cards? Leave me a comment and a link, so I can come visit and see yours!

Challenges:
Colouring in Scrapland - ANYTHING GOES/OPTION SPLASHES  
Get Creative Challenges - #91 MAKE IT SPARKLY