All Glazed Up! New Paper Glaze from PFS!

Happy last day of January! I always feel like once we get into February (even though there are many winter days, and some the worst) that Spring is on the horizon. At least that is what gets me there! This being said while we have a foot of snow and sub zero temps this week. Ha!

Well, today I am sharing a sunny outlook with you, showing off the new Yellow Primrose Paper Glaze from Picket Fence Studios! There are three new pastel colors this month, and I adore them so much, they have become my new favorite colors! Very shimmery and subtle!

I started with the new Slimline Rising Sun Stencil, and added the Paper Glaze with my palette knife. I gave it a pretty good thickness,and let it dry for several minutes. When almost dry, I added a thin layer of SPRK037 Gold Dust Essential Sparkle from WOW! Embossing on top of the glaze at the bottom. It sticks beautifully if the glaze is not totally dry. I then set aside to dry overnight. It doesn't actually take that long, but I wanted it to be ready for my heat gun. 

The next day I tapped my card to loosen the Sparkles that did not stick, and stamped the sentiment from Life Happens, Lashes Help with my WOW! Embossing Pad. This pad stays wet longer than most others, and gives you a chance to get a great impression. The WC01 Metallic Gold Rich Pale Embossing Powder was a perfect complement to my glaze and glitter. 

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you will try some of the glaze. There are many colors to choose from. Just a couple of tips: Be sure to clean your stencils right away, as once dry, it's pretty much glazed always. And try mixing your own colors by combining glazes!

Freshly Made Sketches #470

Hello everyone! We have a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, and my sweet friend to the north, Jen B, is our hostess this week!

For this week's sketch, I started with a background that I made using Nuvo Shimmer powders (Atlantis Burst and Green Parade). I adore these powders because of the shine and sparkle. Out of my box of leftovers and unfinished elements, I pulled this Hello Word Die from Simon Says Stamp that didn't cut all the way through (for a previous project), and decided to use it just as it was. I stacked two together for more dimension. I added a sentiment strip from Taylored Expressions on top. I had some stars cut from Ice Silver cardstock (CutCardStock) that I used for the corner elements of the sketch. I did some old school piercing along the top edge.

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, February 1st. On Tuesday, we will announce the winner of this week's challenge who will be known as the "Queen or King of Clean". The team will choose other gallery favorites to be known as a "Perfect Princess or Prince". 

Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see the beautiful cards they have created this week! 

New Release at WOW! Embossing!

Hello everyone!

It's a cold and snowy day here on the Plains. I think we got somewhere between 8 and 10 inches yesterday, but who knows. It's just a LOT. Schools and business are closed for another day, so it's time to tell you about some fabulous new products at WOW! Embossing!

Today I am sharing cards with two of the new products from the Tracy Scott Fiesta Trio. I used two of the three new Embossing Glitters. 

On my first card above, I started with the new Picket Fence Studios Pink Carnation Paper Glaze and a heart stencil from Taylored Expressions. I spread the glaze using a palette knife. It's a gorgeous soft pink! When that was almost dry, I sprinkled Sparkles on part of the glaze. You can see that some hearts have sparkle and some just have shine. That's why! I purposely wanted the glaze to shine on its own in some places. Next I cut my die (SSS) out of white CS and vellum, and then took the gorgeous Strawberry Daiquiri Embossing Glitter and covered the word die completely. I adhered all panels and the die using foam tape and Gina K Connect Glue.

On my next card, I used the same layout, but with different products for a totally different look. This time, I used Distress Oxide inks for the background, and white cardstock and vellum (again) for the sentiment. The "heart" word is dipped in the new Mai Tai Embossing Glitter from the Tracy Scott Fiesta Trio.

 
I love how each card looks with it's different vibe! You can find this new Trio and MUCH MORE at WOW! Embossing Powders HERE. Use the code WOWDTJR for 10% off your purchase! Be sure to check out the hop going on through the end of the month. You have the opportunity to win the entire release (so many new items!) TWICE! Check out the details here @joy_in_a_jar.

Find the beautiful new Paper Glazes at Picket Fence Studios HERE.

Join Me For Coffee! Festive Friday #0076

Happy Friday! I hope you have had a good week!

Today there is a new challenge up at Festive Friday! The Year of the Ox begins the upcoming Chinese New Year, and we're celebrating by choosing things from the #FF 0076 Inspo List! If you are new to the FF Challenges, you can choose any three items (or more!) from our list to inspire your creativity. Your card does not have to be about the Chinese New Year, as you can see from my submission this week!

For my card today, I am using one of my favorite coffee sets, Coffee With A Splash, by Altenew. I started by stamping two of the images with WOW! Clear Ultra Slow Drying Embossing Pad, and then embossing with WOW! Metallic Gold Rich Pale Powder. This is a beautiful opaque powder, that has a subtle brassy look.

I then began watercoloring, using Karin Markers in three shades of red for the cup, and three shades of brown for the ring mark. Once that was dry, I began adding three different DOX inks, different layers at a time, for the background. I love how it turned out! I added a sentiment from the stamp set using VersaFine Onyx Black ink.

But - that was only two things from the list: red and gold. For my third, I chose a gorgeous foil paper from Recollections. It's actually a tree ring design, but it added so much interest to the card as a back panel:

I hope you will join us for this challenge. Remember, you can choose any three from the list, for any occasion or theme! The challenge is open until Monday, February 1. 

For more inspiration, visit the rest of the FF Team:

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

 

Welcome Baby! Freshly Made Sketches #469

Hello everyone! We have a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, and the very talented Kim is our hostess this week!

Yesterday I spent a bit of time die cutting layouts for a team project, and it inspired me to use just dies on my sketch card this week. I have loved these safari animals dies from MFT (Jungle Friends Dienamics - now retired!) and have not had a chance to use them yet. So I pulled them out today (with a sentiment die set I got for free with a purchase) to make a "no stamping" card!

 
Although it's hard to tell in the photo, the #HELLO is a different shade of pink than my sketch strips. I cut the two little ellies from some patterned paper in my stash, and a big fluffy cloud to watch over them. I thought it was a cute and quick new baby card - or a card to send to anyone!

As ou can see, I flipped the sketch so my elephants would be facing each other. I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! 

This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, January 25th. On Tuesday, we will announce the winner of this week's challenge who will be known as the "Queen or King of Clean". The team will choose other gallery favorites to be known as a "Perfect Princess or Prince". Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see the beautiful cards they have created this week!

You Are Loved

One of the most important things we can do right now is let our family and friends know they are loved. My card today uses FOLLOW YOUR HEART and sentiment from ONE KIND WORD from Visible Image Stamps.

 I started with an acrylic paint background using my Gel Press 6x6. I stamped the heart collage in VersaFine Onyx Black Pigment, and embossed with WOW! Primary Ebony Embossing Powder.  I did the same for the little hearts and sentiment.

To finish the card, I added several little clear rhinestones around the heart and by the sentiment. Encourage someone today with a love note!

 

Challenges:

• Crafty Calendar - Make It Cute
• 2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a Critter
• Crafty Animals - Always Anything Goes

January Release Day for Picket Fence Studios

It's the 14th of the month, and that means Release Day for Picket Fence Studios! 
There are over 45 NEW products being released today!

Today I am sharing two cards using several of the new products. First up is Vintage Apple and the Vintage Apple Coordinating Die.

The background is the new Basket Petals Stencil. I used my Life Changing Blender Brushes and Tea Dye Distress Oxide Ink. I colored in my images with Karin Markers and watercolored the leaves and apple. I added some of my favorite metallic gold thread from Kreinik and some of the new Fire Gems for sparkle.

My second card uses the Slim Line Die Cutting System and a sentiment from Wild Peonies. I embossed the sentiment with WOW! Clear EP after stamping in VersaFine Onyx Black ink. The background is a print from my 6x6 Gel Press plate. I cut my flowers from other Gel Press prints using the Lavender Frame Cover Die and adhered them to the slim line card front. I tied silver metallic thread across the bottom to ground my flowers and added Moonshine Sequins for sparkle.

I hope you will check out the entire release, and find LOTS to play with! Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out Picket Fence Studios for the entire release! 

 

Da Plane! Da Plane! Freshly Made Sketches #468

Hello everyone! We have a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches, and the very talented Linda is our hostess!

I decided to make a card using this adorable plane die from CottageCutz. I have had it forever (I think it's retired by now!), and finally got it out to make a birthday card for my grandson. He turns 3 in March, but I wanted to make sure I had it made before the last minute, as is typical!

The dies are all on one block of steel, so I cut it out four times using pink, green, blue, and yellow. Now I have parts for others already cut! I pieced it together and glued with Gina K Connect Glue. I stamped Happy Birthday (Penny Black) on the banner, and added gems for the windows. A couple of fun purple clouds from Lil Inkers, and a few more gems completed the card. My patterned paper is from Echo Park.

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! 

This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, January 18th. On Tuesday, we will announce the winner of this week's challenge who will be known as the "Queen or King of Clean". The team will choose other gallery favorites to be known as a "Perfect Princess or Prince". Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see the beautiful cards they have created this week!

Birthday Bash Celebration with The Rabbit Hole Designs and My Sweet Petunia!

It's a birthday bash celebration today with The Rabbit Hole Designs and My Sweet Petunia! I am joining in the celebration with two cards today. Both companies are giving away a $50 gift certificate - and that's some fun shopping! Winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on the INSTAGRAM posts that use the hashtag #TRHDMISTI. All the rest of the details on how to win are over on the My Sweet Petunia blog.

First up is a fun birthday card using the brand new Just Cake stamps and dies and my New Original MISTI. 

I used a Cotton Tail Blending Brush and Twisted Citron DOX for the background. I colored my cake with markers and cut it, and the candles, out with the coordinating die. I made my TWO, to celebrate their birthday, from the Spell It Stencil, and blended in Peacock Feathers Distress Oxide Ink. A few Moonshine sequins and some of my favorite ice blue metallic thread finished it off.

Next up - well, I had to use the Caffeinated Giraffe, right?? What a fun stamp set! The sentiments are adorable. 

 
My Back Alley Stencil has a blended combination of Rusty Hinge and Frayed Burlap DOX. I fussy cut the giraffe (he also has a fussy face!) and popped him up with foam tape.

Happy Birthday, TRH! Please support these two businesses. They are run by the nicest people, and both have great customer service. Two of my favorites! And be sure to join in the fun on Instagram to win!

Ice Cream in January?? Yes, Please!

Happy Friday!

Today there is a new challenge up at Festive Friday! We're celebrating Ice Cream, and using our fabulous Inspo List #FF0075 to inspire us (below). If you are new to the FF Challenges, you can choose any three items (or more!) from our list to inspire your creativity. Your card does not have to be about eating ice cream for breakfast!

For my card today, I am using products from Reverse Confetti and Picket Fence Studios.  I started by choosing my items: Ice Cream, Pink, Brown, and Triangles. I love the Triangle Cover Plate (RC) and finally had a chance to use it! The stitching on it really stands out for great design and texture. Next, I colored my ice cream and cone (PFS) with Copics and added some sparkle with Crystal Stickles. The tag (RC) has a wonderful topper piece that also added texture to the design. Finally, the SSS Sentiment finishes the greeting, and a few clear sequins were the final embellishments.

I hope you will join us for this challenge. Remember, you can choose any three from the list, for any occasion or theme! The challenge is open until Monday, January 17. For more inspiration, visit the rest of the FF Team:

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

 

Our First Sketch of 2021 - Freshly Made Sketches #467

Hello everyone! It's our first sketch for 2021 at Freshly Made Sketches! Jen M is our hostess today and she has invited us to make slimline cards (to meet our resolution of slimming down in the new year haha!). I have chosen to make a Mini Slim. As with the larger sizes, the measurements vary, but my card is 6 x 3.5. I also like 6 x 3 minis, but for my design today wanted the wider measurement.

I am playing with Wishing You Happiness from Colorado Craft Company. My images are stamped on Bristol paper and loosely watercolored using Zig Clean Color markers. One of my real resolutions is to stop stressing out over making art and letting it just happen how it does and enjoy it.

I thought the plaid was cute with the printed clouds. This is going to my grandkids. I just got back from spending ten days with them at their home in North Carolina, where we also had fun at Kure Beach! I also met my four month old grandson for the first time!

I hope you will join our sketch challenge this week, and add your creations to our gallery! 

This challenge will end at 3:00 EST time on Monday, January 11th. On Tuesday, we will announce the winner of this week's challenge who will be known as the "Queen or King of Clean". The team will choose other gallery favorites to be known as a "Perfect Princess or Prince". Be sure to stop at the Freshly Made Sketches blog, and click on the names of my teammates to see the beautiful cards they have created this week!

WOW! All The Things!

Happy New Year! This is surely the year for new beginnings, right? If you are like me, I truly look forward to a different year, and some new beginnings in 2021 in many areas of my life.

So to start the blogging year off with something new, I am excited to begin the year with WOW! as a Challenge Design Team Member! My goal for 2021 is to inspire you and show you my favorite techniques using WOW! products. AND -- maybe help you win one of the 12 challenge prizes this year. January's challenge is "WOW all the things!" You can join in on Instagram (use #wowembossingchallenge) or on our group Facebook page: WOW Embossing Powder Fans.

As for everyone, mail is slow, and I haven't yet received my DT package to show you the AMAZING new stuff -- BUT, I am showing you two of my favorite go -to powders for sparkle and shine: Wanderlust and Opaque Bright White.

I started by loosely painting a background with Kuretake watercolors on Canson Cold Press paper. I die cut the Snowflake Alice Die and one of the Winter Snowflake Dies from Picket Fence Studios, and a sentiment from Stampin' Up! in the same paper. Using my WOW! Clear Ultra Slow Drying Embossing Pad, I embossed the sentiment first in Bright White, and then in Wanderlust. I tapped the edges of my large snowflake in the ink as well, and embossed the tips of the snowflake with the Wanderlust for extra shimmer. I finished off the card with some of my favorite silver metallic thread (Kreinik) and clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), and adhered it to a dark lavender base to match the watercolor background.

After being at the beach in North Carolina for Christmas (and in the water!), we came home to about four inches of snow, so the homecoming inspired me to make a snowflake card! I know there is plenty more to come in the next few months of this year. Might as well be jolly about it! Ha!

I would love you to follow me here, on my Facebook page, or on Instagram this year (see the sidebar for links). Thank you to all of you who already do! I hope your new year brings lots of crafty fun. Take a look at the amazing half off price on open stock MISTIs below!