A Cut Above - day 4

It's Day 4 for A Cut Above and the lesson was about partial die cutting.  I really loved the samples they provided, but had some trouble coming up with what I wanted to create using the dies I had. I came up with an idea to use my circle dies on the end of rectangles to give them a different look.  This is a similar effect to maybe a rectangle with a rounded corner, but a little different. I decided on the size of the circles, measured their diameters, and used that measurement to cut the widths of the patterned papers.

I used two different stamp sets from Paper Wings - the telephone and hello sentiment are from Vintage Technology - another set designed by Lissie Girl, and the zig zag border stamp from the Day Framer set designed by Post Script Press aka Shay!  I love the way it looks here behind the phone, almost symbolizing the phone ringing. :)

I stamped it directly on the patterned paper, and stamped it again on another paper so I didn't have to cut out the cord. I colored the phone using distress markers and outlined it with a copic marker for a shadow. I used the white distress marker for the highlights and the numbers on the dial.  In hindsight I think I would have also added some glossy accents to this phone.  Think I still will before sending it.  I used a pen to write the numbers again because they were just a little too faded from the opaque marker.  This marker goes on fairly light, but gets more white as it dries.  Nice effect.

I think I'll try this die cut technique again - it was easy, and I like this new look.

Happy creating!

Julie



A Cut Above - day 3

Hi everyone!

I'm really glad I decided to take this A Cut Above class.  I haven't used my cuttle bug that much over time, and these assignments are really getting me to try some new things. The Day 3 lesson was about creating shaped cards.  I had several large dies that I thought about using, but opted for my large scalloped square die from Stampin' Up!.  Can you believe this was only the 2nd time I had used it?  I really need to use my tools more.

I used a Spellbinders square die to cut the hole in the center, making a frame for my scene.  This card uses the Frida por Vida stamp set from Paper Wings Productions, designed by Handmade by Lissie Girl. The curtains are paper pieced from a Basic Grey red distressed paper (the frame is from BG "Out of Print").  I needed a background to stamp Frida, but white or ivory seemed to stark, so I looked in my stash and found this book paper that I had painted with some gesso.  I stamped her using Archival ink and colored her in using my new Distress Markers.  Isn't she cute??





I took the Tim Holtz Online Card Class too, but didn't have the distress markers when we were practicing marker techniques.  I couldn't wait to get them.  I really love how they look on top of gesso.  They have a beautiful translucent quality, and the blend very nicely.  I will definitely use them on gesso again, and I can't wait to try them on watercolor paper too.

Inspired yet?  As my husband says - go make something pretty!

Keep checking back for more A Cut Above / Paper Wings samples!

Julie



A Cut Above - day 2

Hello again!

Just sharing another card made for the Online Card Classes - A Cut Above series.  Day 2 assignment was to create a window using dies.  I used the nestabilities dies to cut a circle window and a scalloped frame.  The patterned papers are from Basic Grey and the stamps are from Paper Wings - Lissie Girl designs - Hey Cupcake and Banner stamp sets. Strawberry cupcake with chocolate icing - YUM!!!!



I love how the cupcake wrapper came out too with the diagonal stripes.  This card makes me happy :)
Too bad that cupcake is only paper...

Happy Stamping!
Julie

A Cut Above - day 1

It's been too long - I've been a little busy, and the end of the school year always seems to drain me.  But, I've found some energy these last few days, and I've been participating in the Online Card Class - A Cut Above.  It's all about die cutting.  The first week is using traditional die cutting systems.  I'm using a Cuttle Bug and various dies. 


Day 1 assignment - I decided to comine two assignments into one. In the class our assignment was to "step up your die cutting" and on  the Aviary blog we wanted to create a sample for Fiesta! - if you aren't from San Antonio, here is a little info about it. {Bonus: I'm a Houston girl, so I still can't believe we get this day off every year - yea :) }

Fiesta^® San Antonio started in 1891 as a one-parade event. It evolved into one of this nation’s premier festivals, with an economic impact of more than $284 million for the Alamo City. The funds raised by official Fiesta events provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year. So you could say that Fiesta never ends! Fiesta really is one of America’s truly great festivals. It began as a way to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That commemoration still takes place. But over the past century and more, Fiesta has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures. 2012 marks Fiesta’s 121st anniversary. [http://www.fiesta-sa.org/about-2/ ]

I looked through my Paper Wings stamps and found several things that worked out perfectly. First, I used the Happy Day set to create flags/banners and it turns out that these stamps fit with my Papertrey Ink Banner Builder Dies that Shay bought for me. I also used the streamers from that set which worked out well for the theme. Then I used the Deep in the Heart of Texas set for the Alamo, Sombrero and the Fiesta sentiment.



The background is 3 kinds of spray ink to give the look of sky and land.  I used my new distress markers and some distress inks and archival ink for the images.  Of course I had to add some STICKLES - yellow, fruit punch and mermaid - the fiesta sentiment looks awesome with mermaid on it.  Since Davis is a native to San Antonio, I asked him what it needed.  He said it needed confetti too, so I cut up some various papers really small and I think it makes it look so fun!

Hope you enjoyed looking and hope it inspires you to create something too!

Julie



Paper Wings Flight Plan Challenge

Hi there!

Just wanted to share some exciting news from Paper Wings Productions.  They have just issued a new challenge post called Flight Plan.  It is a guideline for creating a project using PWP stamps.  Here is a peak at the sketch, but check out this post at the Aviary blog for all of the details.  And, check out the amazing canvas created by Shay!  It is so great!

I like the idea of a Flight Plan because it can be translated into so many different types of projects.  I decided to make a scrapbook page.  It has been so long since I've done a scrapbook page - it took me a while to work on this, not because it was difficult, but because there were just too many supplies in my stash that I wanted to use!  hee hee

I used glimmer mists on the background paper to give it just a little color (shows up more in other images).  Behind the photo, I used some papers with pink and turquoise acrylic paint. The painted paper has some variation in color which I think makes it fit in well with the polka dot patterened paper.

 On the tag I used a flourish and the heart from the Flourish Fun 2 stamp set stamped with chalk ink.  The heart is colored in with prisma color pencils and the dots are accented with Signo white gel pen.

 

I also used two sentiments from the Framers sets: smile is from the Life Framer set and every day is from the Day Framer set.  I actually put both of these stamps on my block at the same time, lining them up together on the tag, and then pressing the block to keep them straight.  I think they look great together here!

 

 This fiskars punch is one of my favorites.  I thought it needed a little something extra, and I like the look of sewing, so I used this border stamp from the Details Framer.  I stamped it in versamark and embossed it with SU! whisper white embossing powder.  The sentiment is from a sticker sheet that I cut apart for this layout.  I love how the black stands out against the background. 

 

 

Other details: 2012 date stamp is from the Life Framers set, which also has 2013, 2014, and 2015.  Great for projects for years to come.This cute little flower is from the Frida  por Vida set, accented with the same heart from Flourish Fun 2 to create my own border, also colored with prisma pencils.  

 

The happiness sentiment was created with American Crafts Thickers - I never get tired of these letter stickers.  They are so fun and make me happy.  This green glitter set is one of my favorites.

I hope this scrapbook page inspires you to get crafty.  And, I hope you will join in on the Flight Plan challenge.  I'll be looking for your artwork on the Flickr page.

Happy Stamping!

Julie