Lens

12 Tags of 2016: February

This is what I was inspired to make, based on Tim Holtz's inspiration. This year he is revisiting techniques from prior years and combining them. One technique was inking up a stencil with distress ink, misting with water, and then using the stencil to create a "print" on a tag. I used a stencil with squares and lines, which shows up best on the middle of the tag. The other technique was using molding paste (a/k/a texture paste) through a stencil, adding embossing powder atop the paste, and using the heat tool to melt the embossing powder once the paste is dry. Tim mentioned that if you heat it too soon, the paste will bubble. You can tell that I was too impatient -- my paste did, indeed, bubble. I added my tag to the front of a card and will use it as a birthday card for a friend. 

WOYWW 348: Time to make some Valentines

This was my desk last night (Tuesday) when I decided to quit for the night. I've got small cards covered in patterned paper to the left, hedgehogs stamped on card stock just above -- that's the project in progress.

 

I made this over the weekend. I "painted" the circle with Blush Color Shine and don't adore the outcome, but it's ok.

I'm trying to make some Christmas cards throughout the year this year -- so far so good. I like the all silver better than the gold + silver, but both came out nicely with the doily stamp.

This may be the last time I put ink to this stamp. It's wood-mounted and for whatever reason I can never get it completely inked and/or completely stamped. Ah, well.

Thanks for visiting!

~ Laura

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Love is in the Air

I used this adorable Lawn Fawn stamp set, which is more of a winter/holiday set, to make a Valentine. Since my penguin is carving a heart into the ice with his skates, this wasn't too much of a cognitive leap! I used Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Blush for the background -- I painted it on, rather than spraying, since I wanted more opaque coverage. Prior to that I mixed some color from a Guava gelato stick with texture paste and added textured hearts through a Heidi Swapp stencil. The red hearts and the penguin are colored with Derwent Inktense pencils; I like taking color off the pencils with my water brush. I added a few enamel hearts, in case the love theme wasn't completely apparent already. :) The background paper is from My Minds Eye, as is the velvety scalloped ribbon.  [The links are to the products I own, available at Simon Says Stamp, just as a thanks for their challenges! I'm entering this in the Monday challenge.]

Thanks for visiting!

~ Laura

 

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016: January | Simon Says Stamp: Love is in the Air

Our creative muse Tim Holtz is putting a spin on his 12 Tags inspiration project this year -- he's mixing techniques from the past. This month he used the chalkboard technique and the industrious metal technique.

I have to say that I almost didn't participate, not because I don't enjoy Tim's techniques, but because just coming off all the color of Christmas, I couldn't handle all the black! So, I decided that if there can be green chalkboards, maybe there can also be red ones and went with an entirely different color for my monochromatic tag below.

I substituted red alcohol ink for the distress paint Tim used in his metal technique -- I only have three colors of distress paint at the moment and red isn't one of them. I did have the foil tape and used a heart embossing folder. I only have the mini blueprint stamps, so chose the globe. I used regular white embossing powder (don't have the frosted kind) and used a piece of chalk and my fingers to add a bit of chalky background. 

To join in or check out all the creations, just click the image at the top of this post!

Additionally, the Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge this week is "Love is in the Air," and we are asked to include the color red. So, I'm submitting this tag for that challenge!

Thanks for visiting.

~ Laura 

WOYWW 347: A desk, a layout, and a card

Welcome, WOYWWers! (Click here to join in and/or for a definition!) This is my table on Tuesday night. (If you click the picture, you can see it this photo larger.) I took a wide shot so I could show off my beautiful newish Raskog cart. :-)  On the table, clockwise from the lower left, we have my trusty paper trimmer, and next a very handy organizer to hold tags and smaller bits I want to use soon. Next, my most used inks: Ranger archivals & Versamark. Next a bowl with small punches and date stamp. Next, my stamping blocks, super sticky tape, glue dots, and dimensional adhesive. Up on the windowsill, a tin pail of writing implements and one with scissors and rulers. Next to the lamp is a bowl with some other adhesives cozied up to my embellishment basket. My Dylusions art journal, my page a day crossword calendar, a small stack of papers to put away, and a stamp to make a card with complete the circle. It can't be seen in this picture, but it's a cute owl on a branch with flowers. 

This is a mushy layout about my daughter. 

And a birthday card for my husband! I adore this birch bark paper from Basic Grey -- wish I had about ten sheets of it! 

Thanks for visiting!

~ Laura 

Plaid Christmas cards

Inspired by Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #187, I made two cards with plaid backgrounds. I don't use plaid often, so it was nice to use this Pink Paislee paper from my stash. The next layer is a shimmery cream cardstock on which I stamped and gold-embossed the focal point image and sentiment (both Hero Arts stamps.) Clean and simple all the way! [Well, apparently the link up closed, so I can't participate on their blog this week, but I'm still glad I made the cards. :-) ]

Simon Says Stamp Challenges

The Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge this week is "Stencil It" and I used my Faber Castell gelatos through a stencil to create this card. Oddly enough,  the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge this week is . . . wait for it: "Ombre!" 

So, I'm posting this to both challenges. 

I used a Hero Arts stamp set (CL567) for the sentiment, some American Crafts sheer ribbon, enamel hearts from MME, and Derwent Inktense pencils to color the tag. 

[Note: These are not affiliate links, it's just my way of saying thanks to SSS for hosting the challenges each week.]

December Daily 2015

This year I decided to make a 4 x 4 album. I also decided not to try to make it day by day during December -- the very thought stressed me out (although I've done it that way other years.) But I gathered supplies and took pictures, obviously. On Monday this week I edited pictures like a fiend, ordered the prints locally, and picked them up in the evening. Tuesday I spent a good chunk of the day putting it all together, writing the journaling, embellishing, etc. 

Here are a few pictures that show what it looks like: 

SSS Monday Challenge: Winter Wonderland

I haven't had a chance to participate in a challenge in quite a while, but am on vacation this week -- hurray! The Simon Says Stamp Monday blog challenge for the last two weeks of the year is "Winter Wonderland," which I thought dovetailed nicely with an adorable little Lawn Fawn stamp set I recently purchased. 

The penguin and its heart skating pattern, as well as the snowflakes, are from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink. I did not intend to add in the purple color, but had used a scrap piece of cardstock to mask the snowy hill shape and there was purple on the back side which activated when I used water. Oops! So, I went with it and added a bit more. And now I've got a birthday card for my sister-in-law. :)

My One Little Word for 2016: IMMERSION

IMMERSION

I see this as a way of capturing the ideas of (a) being present in the moment (less multitasking) (b) focusing for longer periods of time, whether it's finishing work that needs to be done, or reading for hours, or losing myself in creative pursuits (c) a reminder to appreciate the people in my life and to soak in the things will not always remain exactly as they are right now.