Double Take Friday

TGIF. To help kick off the weekend, Kim P and I have a double-take for you. My challenge to Kim was to create using Cosmo Cricket paper.

Image was coloured with Prismacolour pencil crayons and odorless mineral spirits, and painted with H2O's. Unfortunately, the image doesn't pop because I added brown ink around the image, smudged it, and ruined it. So disappointing. Guess I'll have to do another one to show you.

Kim is posting right now and I'm anxious to see what she has in store for us. You can see her card here. Thanks for playing Kim.

Stamp: Stamps Happen; Paper: Taken With Teal, Cosmo Cricket; Prismacolour pencil crayons, odorless mineral spirits, H2O's; eyelits, hemp, brad.

Stamping Hugs,
Beth

Willowgrove Meets Tombow

Good afternoon. I did something this week I have never done before. What you ask? I played with Julee's Mojo Monday sketch. Every week I say, "I'm definately going to play along," but just never seem to get around to it. Well, with my Friday being as bad as it was, I decided to start my week off with a bang in getting my many goals completed day-by-day. The minute I saw Julee's sketch I knew I had to play along because this is one darn cute layout--wouldn't you agree? This was a very fun way to start my week for sure!

I pulled out my new rubbah from Willowgrove Stamps. This CD set has 19 individual pieces, which I combined for today's card.

Next, I pulled out my Tombow markers and watercoloured with them onto watercolour paper. I even played around with the background to make it have a tie-die effect. It is so much prettier in real life.

For my readers in the Sarnia area, you will be interested to know that my upcoming class, at Lasting Impressions, is based on this card. In April, participants will complete four cards, but just for you I'll do something special--I'll create your kit so you can complete this card instead of the four if you wish, but don't tell anyone--it's a special offer just for you :)

Stamping Hugs,

Beth

Tutorial Tuesday - Bargello Style

Good morning, and welcome to Sunflower and Dragonflies' Tutorial Tuesday. Today I have bargello style for you. You may recall that I posted a bargello tutorial a while back. This one is a little different, and just as lovely, which is why I am compelled to post another bargello style tutorial for you. Enjoy!

Supplies:
One very large stamp, or two medium size stamps
White embossing powder
VersaMark
Heat gun (not shown)
Sponge
Glossy cardstock
Variety of ink pads (not shown)
Gold Leaf pen (not shown)

Stamp image with VersaMark on the left side of your cardstock.

Stamp image, once again, with VersaMark on the right side, leaving little, or no, seam in between.

Heat emboss.

Sponge colour on cardstock, over top of embossed areas.

Continue sponging colour until your whole area is covered. Now let's pretend I have a photo showing you that I cut my image into thin strips, as seen below. Writing this tutorial I discovered I neglected to take a photo of that step. I probably got side-tracked grabbing another cup of coffee.

The cardstock on the left is the cardfront of my card. I chose to have my bargello strips placed across in the direction shown here. The card on the right represents the width of my card. The card on the right should be cut to the width of your card, and a height slightly smaller than the area that will be taken up by the strips of paper. Place three strips of double-sided tape as shown in this photo.

Stagger your strips and place on cardstock that has the double sided tape.

Turn bargello piece over and generously cover with white glue.

Place bargello strip onto your cardstock and roll brayer over top to ensure a good bond.

Edge card with gold leaf pen.

Your card is now complete.

Other uses for Bargello:

- Use on 3 x 3 gift cards
- Cheque book cover
- Frame your bargello card
- Use to decorate a trinket box
- Journal cover

86 Words Per minute

I type 86 words per minute. 86 correct words typed. 1 wrong. The timing of finding this typing test on Corie's blog today is too perfect. My family will understand the irony of this.

86 words

Check These Out

Are you having a great weekend? Let's make it a little more enjoyable with these new-to-me blogs.

Hurray, Zindorf finally started a blog. Many of you will recognize Zindorf's art from SCS. This gal is the queen of the brayer! I'm still waiting for my other fav SCS's to start up a blog.

Moonlight Inker has fabulous cards. Check them out.

Have a great day!

Kick It Up A Notch Mini Tutorial

Howdy folks. In my recent survey so many of you told me that you would like to see mini tutorials, aside from my regular Tutorial Tuesdays. Today, I am happy to provide you with the first mini tutorial. I bet you all thought my postings were going to slide with me going back to work full-time, but I fooled you!

This is a basic matchbook card and I'm going to demonstrate how to "kick it up a notch" as Emeril would say. Speaking of Emeril, I have two autographed books from Emeril. My name is in them too. My brother-in-law, Steve, was Emeril's business lawyer when Steve worked out of New Orleans. Wasn't that sweet of him? Anyhoo, back to business. For instructions on how to make a matchbook card take a peak here.

Inking around the edges of one, or more, layers adds interest and depth. Dab sponge into colour and swipe it around the edges. The flash of the camera washed out the colour, but believe me, it's really there.

Glue the ever-so-popular gems onto your image.

Remember those ever-so-popular scissors were have stored far back in our drawers or basements? Pull them out and reintroduce them to your studio by cutting fancy corners on your papers. I use mine all the time now.

Pop dots, pop dots, pop dots. There is a reason for this craze--it adds so, so much to your card.

Notice all the layers? Even the sentiment works as an embellishment. Don't forget about all those unused sentiments you might have kicking around. Notice how the brads and gems match the cardsock and designer paper? Again, it is another little touch that goes a long way.

Have fun kicking your cards up a notch.

Dragonfly

Hello. Are you having a great week? Thought it was time to get back into using the vibrant colours I so love to use--and neglected.

The first step to making this background involved heat embossing with white embossing powder on glossy cardstock. Next, I brayered colour over top of the entire glossy cardstock. The dragonfly image was restamped on brown cardstock and cut out. Two pop dots are tucked underneath the dragonfly and two gems were glued onto the head to resemble large eyes.

Background blue is Taken With Teal. Dragonfly stamp: Stamper's Anonymous. Diamonds: unknown source. Stamp is acrylic and the brand name was not affixed to set in a permanent manner.

Enjoy your evening.

Tutorial Tuesday - Acetate

Welcome to Sunflower and Dragonfly's Tutorial Tuesday. I have an admission to make. This tutorial started out in one direction, and quickly became an acetate tutorial. Why? Because my silent partner wasn't too silent yesterday. When I showed Donnie my card, he actually said, "don't you have acetate...." and proceeded to give me instructions. After his comment, I thought about asking him to create a card for you. Think I should? That said, welcome to Beth and Donnie's tutorial. I am so lucky to have such a great partner in life. Do you have a silent partner when you create a card or project? If you do, please leave me a comment letting me know who it is and why you look to them for help. If you do not, then just tell me you'd like your name to go in the draw. If you play along, you will have a chance to win a couple of lovely cards made by me.


Supplies:
VersaMark
Glossy cardstock
White embossing powder
Heat Gun
Brayer
Multi colour ink pad

Stamp image with VersaMark and emboss with white embossing powder.

Brayer colour over top of the embossed images. When dry, stamp the very same images on top with black Stazon. Do not overcrowd your images. Eyes need a place to rest.

With white embossing powder, emboss small images over top of the small black ones that you stamped in black. Place the acetate over top of the brayered card front so you know where you should place the white embossed images. The black shadow underneath adds depth.

Attach the acetate to the card front with colour coordinated brads.

Your card is now ready to embellish. In real life, this card is so much prettier. As I didn't want to distract from the art of the stamped images, I kept the top layer simple.

I apologize for not knowing the name of the set that the sentiment came from; it got mixed up within the SU sets I have, but I do know it is from SU. It could be from the Victorian lady that was retired a little bit ago.

Large clock face: Hampton Arts
Small pocket watch: B Line Designs

Double Take Thursday - Valentine Bling

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, or should I say, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY. Either way, it's double take Thursday. Kim P. challenged me to making an extra special Valentine, with extra bling. Does my dragon count as extra bling? LOL, ROFWL. Are you creeped out by the picture yet, Mom? I can just see her quietly peaking on her computer at work--well, not quietly today. This dragon is going to freak her out. This cute dragon is an excerpt from one of the books I bought Donnie for Valentine's Day. Snuggled next to the dragon is his card.

Okay, enough of the wise comments. Here is the real extra bling. Let's peak at what Kim made here. I'm sure Kim's card is going to be extra elegant, because that is her style.

This card was designed using a sketch that is posted on the Technique Junkie Yahoo group. The technique that is used on this card is the pink crackle paint, from Ranger, I painted all over the big triangle. It sort of resembles dragon skin. Are female dragons pink? (note to self: go research female dragons on Wikepedia).

This is one of the gift's I'm giving Donnie tonight. Kim H. recently made a post-it note holder which was the inspiration behind my project.

Here is a close up of the dragon. It was my first attempt at Prismacolour pencil crayons with Gamsol, and is now one of my favourite techniques. The Gamsol moves the pencil crayon like knife in butter--truly amazing!

Well, I'm off for a romantic evening of beer and wings with our friends. Enjoy your evening with your special valentine.

Hugs,
Beth

I've Been Awarded the Excellent Blogger Award

Whoo, Etha tapped me on the shoulder and presented me the Excellent Blogger Award. Etha, I am so greatful to you in your thoughtfullness. Etha presented me this award because she enjoys my weekly tutorials. Thank you.

Now for my blogroll of cyber friends that I think is deserving of this award. There are so many bloggers who deserve this award. Unfortunately, I have to short list so today I present this award to five artists:

Kim H, who is passionate about mixed media. Her work has also been highlighted on Mixed Media Monday. You should see the darling things she is creating with Polymar clay these days.

Pat is the proud owner of the Technique Junkie newsletter. Every one of her cards uses a new technique, or something new to me (check out her bradilicious card--don't you love Pat's word?)

If you want to see how prismacolour pencil crayons and H2O's are used, Ila is clearly the lady for you. I can't tell you how long, and how often, I just sit staring trying to figure out how she does it.

Classy, elegant, and soft blending colours is what I think of when I visit Penny's blog.

Laurence has a very unique blog. I love the "business" of it, and her projects are so cool. Laurence is from France. She goes just a step further in her card-making process and creates lovely envelopes for those cards.

Tutorial Tuesday - Matchbook Card

Supplies:

4 5/8” x 9 ½” base card
4 4/8” x 3 7/8” patterned paper
1 ½” x 4 4/8” patterned paper

Sewing machine
Stamps
Ink

Using your base card, score at 4 1/4", 4 5/8" and 8 7/8"

Fold 1 ½” x 4 4/8” paper in half

Bend the bottom score line upwards and adhere paper with a little glue and then sew down the centre.

Place card front behind sewed flap and trim as necessary.

For lots of colour on one stamp, colour the back of the image with a Tombow marker and huff on it before you stamp.

Mixing up the colours up each time you stamp, makes it look like you used more than one stamp.

Adhere patterned paper to the card front. Matt your image and adhere. Embellish as desired.

My Heart Flutters For You

The count down is on for Valentines Day, and I still have to get my cards into the mail. Are you a procrastinator like me?

This card is a favourite of mine. It is set on Taken With Teal, Pixie Pink and Purely Promigranate. Birds are Inkadinkadoo. Flower is Fabulous Flowers.

Don't forget to come back for tomorrow's tutorial. Do you want a hint? I pulled out my sewing machine.

Have a great day!

Happy New Year. I'll bet you are saying, "what a strange thing to say at this time of year." This is Chineese New Year and to celebrate (I'll take any excuse thank you) I invited 10 friends out for dinner at a local chineese restaurant. Each person is going to receive a hand made Chineese New Year card from me, and Donnie has something special for the couples as well. I have no idea what it is -- he smiled and told me it's none of my business when he went to go out and purchase an extra goodie. Last year he gave each lady a rose. Maybe it will be the same this year--I'll let you know.

Love stamp: The Artful Stamper
Cardstock: White, Pixie Pink and Purely Pomegranate
Ribbon, dollar store
Gems, unknown source

Valentine

Happy Friday!

Stamps: Bird and Owl, Inkadinkadoo

Alphabet: C D's

Have a great weekend!

Double Take Thursday

This week's theme is buttons. Kim and I both struggled with this, but in the end I am happy with my card. Kim is at work until late into the evening, so her card isn't posted. Oh, Kim, I'm so anxious to see what you came up with. I'm sure it's adorable. So, if you want to check out Kim's card, hop over to her blog.

I apologize for the quality of this photo. I was experimenting with a new light and by the looks of this photo, I just don't have things right yet.

Thanks for stopping by!

RAK from Corie

Good evening! Are you staying warm? We are getting the predicted storm (Sarnia misses most storms), and I see the rest of North America is under bad weather too. Stay safe and warm.

What a coincidence that I posted a criss cross tutorial on my blog. Corie was busy creating a lot of criss cross cards and recently posted her numerous creations, and I was one of the lucky recipients. Isn't this card delightful? Corie must have known orange is one of my favourite colours (my upstairs hall is painted this shade).

Corie has a wonderful blog. She has been blowing us away with her "ways to use it" lists. You should hop on over to Creations by Corie--you won't be disappointed.

Thank you for thinking of me Corie.

Hugs,

Beth

Tutorial Tuesday - Watercolouring with Tombow Markers

Welcome to Sunflowers and Dragonflies weekly tutorial. Today I will show you how to use Tombow markers in a manner that will add beauty to your piece. This is one of my favourite techniques. This tutorial may look complicated, but it isn't. My instructions are very detailed, as it is difficult to write this tutorial without actually being with you to show you how it is done. Don't be scared off by my long descriptions. My image is from Sunshine Designs. Krista, the designer, taught me how to properly use Tombow markers, and ever since then, I have been using her images with Tombows over and over again. Krista developed a colour guide . Readers outside of Canada are now able to purchase Sunshine Design stamps through the Stamp Barn. How much do I love this technique? I coloured approximately 50 images this past Christmas season.

Supplies:
Variety of Tombow markers
Paint brush
Water colour paper
Stazon ink pad


The image that I will be working on is sitting on top of the Tombow markers so you can see the size of image that I am working on. This technique works well for larger images as well. I just love to wear my funky orange magnifying glasses (I'm getting old) to work with these fun stamps by Sunshine Designs. Believe it or not, this image used every one of the markers shown here. Use two water containers. One will be used to clean off your brush. Use the clean water each time you clean off your brush and start moving the Tombow marker around.



With Stazon, stamp your image onto watercolour paper. With the fat end of the Tombow marker, draw a light blue line around your image. To blend you will use a small brush dipped in water. Tap the brush onto a paper towel to take most of the water out. I dab the brush on the back of my hand rather than a paper towel, and that is another option for you. Next, place the brush on the line of the image, and in a small circular motion, draw your brush away from the image, and carry the brush/colour right out to the end of your cardstock. This will prevent a solid line from showing where you stopped the colour. The left photo shows you how the colour was drawn, and the right photo shows you the results after blending with water. By colouring around your image you are "grounding" your figure so it doesn't look like it is floating.


To prevent unwanted bleeding of colours, start with the lighter colours, working your way up to the darker colours. In large areas, use the wider tip, and in small areas use the smaller tip. Add your colour in tiny circular motion to prevent lines in your work.

In the photo on the left you will notice I added a tiny bit of dark brown to the gold. As you can see, the photo on the right shows how lovely the blended colour turns out. For each colour you use, you will use a deeper shade of the same colour, or a different colour all together, to add dimension to your piece. The step of colouring and blending cannot be rushed. If you are comfortable with adding a second colour, add a colour that is midway between the light and the dark colours. Look closely and you will see that a third colour was used in each yellow gold area.

Next we want to make green shoes and hat. One cannot add light marker on top of dark, but one can add darker on to light, and that is why we add a thin line of green on top of the beige. You can see the results of blending in the right hand photo. To prevent your brush from contaminating the entire surface of the hat and shoes, repeatedly wash your brush out and dab it onto a paper towel as you blend your colors. This keeps the highlighted areas bright. Can you see that the shoes and hat are really green now?

Continue adding colours, and continue blending with a damp brush. The face is done in flesh tone with a hint of pink on the cheeks. If you go outside the line, use a clean, wet brush and rub out the colour in a circular motion, then dab a kleenex or paper towel on top of that area. Red will not come out very well, and loves to contaminate the area around it, so be sure to add red very last.

After all of your colouring is finished, feel free to embellish. Unfortunately, the Stickles I added does not show up.

A close up view of a finished card.

My image is all painted and was turned into a card.