Hearts and Home and Spring...

I have been thinking a lot about my home these days and how much I LOVE where I live.  I have come to realize that this house has become my haven from both the physical and emotional storms that seem to be hitting my world lately.  Now, it could be the sunlight that is streaming through all those winter-dirty windows but at this time of the year I just NEED to clean out the dusty corners and rearrange the furniture and go buy paint.  Plus, there is something about Spring that makes me start "nesting"... you know, throwing out the old, making old things new and just changing stuff!   And since I am in full Spring Cleaning Mode right now I felt the need to share my joy in my home with all of you through this little card which perfectly expresses how I am feeling!  So go and look at your home Right NOW with "new Spring eyes" and remember again how much you too Love where You Live!

To make this card I used a myStamp Box stamp set called Lovely Houses which I painted with watercolors; I used copic markers on the backgound and popped everything off the page for interest... after which I OF COURSE "stickled it" to death ... grin

PAINT... it's Good for the SOUL!

4x6 board canvas using Unity stamps by Phyllis Harris

This week I have been allowing myself to "Just Paint".... sounds easy doesn't it... but I have an irrational fear of paint... my heart starts to pound and I break out into a sweat as soon as I open the bottle!  But if I LET myself Just Paint I end up in my Happy Place!  Sometimes it takes a glass of wine to turn off "THAT VOICE" and just do it... but it's totally worth it if I do...

8x8 stretched canvas using Unity Stamps by Susan K. Weckesser

Here is some of what I allowed myself to create this week using a combination of canvases, acrylic & watercolor paints and some of my favorite Unity Stamps...

6x6 board canvas & Phyllis Harris' Unity Stamp set

I stamped my images using Archival brand waterproof ink and painted them using my watercolors... 

8x8 stretched canvas & Susan K. Weckesser's Unity Stamps

 I painted my backgrounds using acrylic craft paint and/or gelatos and just let myself be FREEE...

My FAVORITE, a 6x8 stretched canvas and Susan K. Weckesser's Unity stamp set

I then cut out my stamped images and used modpodge and pop foam pop dots to adhere them to my canvases..... REALLY! I just love the effect and I hope you do too!! 

NOTE:  All these canvases are for sale at our new little Artists' Co-op shop in Water Valley, Alberta.. contact me by e-mail or facebook if you are interested! (grin)

  

Some Birthday Love...

Here is a Birthday card I created using my new Dyan Reaveley stamps.  I stamped and painted all the images with watercolors and created the background with my gelato's.  Isn't she just too Cute!  I am sending her out to all my friends who have birthdays this month and there seem to be quite a few (Could it be that long weekend in May? Grin) 

I think there is something about turning 50 (plus) that allows us to finally free our inner child... you know the one who has been chained up since kindergarten?!  I am having a blast learning how to use my new itty bitty watercolor paint set given to me by my good friend Erin.  I have been AFRAID of paint all my life (not sure why?)  But thanks to Erin's gift of this tiny paint palette I am discovering a whole new world!  This month I encourage you to go and try something new or scary just to see if maybe YOUR inner child is ready to be unchained!

I am entering this card into the Ecletic Ellapu birthday card challenge this week... Wish me LUCK!

 

 
 

Sock Monkeys Anyone? (Grin)

Birthday Card

For this month's myStamp Box blog post I want to introduce you to Mr. Sock Money... the My Stamp Box Holiday Monkey stamp set  of this cute sock monkey that you can dress up for all occasions.   

Merry Christmas Card

I think that he is just so perfect for any occasion that I just went to town and made six cards with HIM as the STAR!  

And by using acrylic craft paint, some stencils and my brayer I easily created these pretty funky backgrounds in record time!  

To make these backgrounds just squirt a little paint onto a plastic placemat and load up your brayer, you will be able to see pretty quickly how the paint lays and you can keep adding paint or even a second color until you achieve the effect you want. 

Then use a makeup sponge and a second color of craft paint with a stencil to add the background images.  I just LOVED this technique because I could so easily control the amount of the paint I was using plus I could get a really crisp image, (unlike when I use the sprays which I find a little messy).  

Birthday or "Gift" Card

For this background (above) I rolled on blue paint first, let it dry and then rolled green paint over top.  Then I used a plastic fork to make lines in the wet paint. I love both the texture and the subtle color change.

 

Birthday or Congratulations Card

For added detail, just pull out your black pen and outline some of your stenciled images.   You wouldn't know it by looking at them but these cards came together in a very short time indeed!

  

Valentines or Anniversary Card

 For this valentines day card I made my own stencil by punching out a heart shape in thick cardstock.

Birthday or Get Well Card

So if you LOVE Mr. Sock Monkey as much as I do... hop on over to the myStamp Box site and check out the Holiday Monkey stamp set!

Come ON Over and JOIN the Party!!!

 

Yup, it's that time again.... Please come on over to the Drunken  Stamper's "LOUNGE" and join us for Happy CARDMAKING Hour!  This week's challenge is the movie Sixteen Candles or Birthdays... create a card using anything that inspires you from the movie or use the Birthday theme; take a picture and use our linky tool on the blog site to link to that specific card on your blog post.  You will be competing to win bragging rights AND the coveted "Life of the Party" Blinkie for your Blog!  Come on over and check out Our Blog to see what my team the Bahama Mama's created this week. Here's my contribution...

 

 it's a simple little card I created from some leftover scraps sitting on my counter after completing a truly cute grandson scrapbook page.  I didn't have one piece large enough for an entire card or even half a card but since the scraps already matched just look at what I could do with those little pieces.  To give the background interest I cut some of the strips on an angle laying the strips both horizontal and vertical.  I used a fine-tipped marker to add a little "faux" stitching to my paper strips and I used my copic markers to color this digital image I had on hand from Copic Marker Scrapbooking, which I then cut out and popped off the card to give it that little bit of something extra!   The stamped sentiment is from my favorite "go to" birthday collection by Close to my Heart as is the Liquid Glass.  For me the card is not completely finished until I have added a little Liquid Glass and Stickles for sparkle (even for a boy card!) And Taa Daa.. Here it is A quickly simple but cute birthday card for a little boy!

GET YOUR GAME ON! Its a Design Team THROWDOWN!!!

We the Drunken Stampers Design Team have put our reputation on the line and have entered the Smeared and Smudged 2013 Design Team Throwdown!  Each design team can submit up to three projects for each challenge and teams are advanced to the next round by the number of votes their projects receive.  Challenge #1 is Paint and Splatter and here is my take on it.  I was in Yuma, Arizona when I our Group accepted the challenge but I just happened to have some of my new Dyan Reavley stamps with me and a little tiny travel palette of water colors gifted to me by a Dear Friend (THANKS ERIN!)... so I stamped and PAINTED All of these images (as well as the background), cut them out, re-assembled them and made this truly lovely card! The Splatter comes from watered down Gesso - Who KNEW? Grin....

So PLEASE come check out this amazing stamping and inking forum (Smeared and Smudged) and then have a peek at the 2013 Design Team Throwdown projects.  You need to become a member to vote but after you see what an AMAZING site this is I know you will WANT to join! And of course you will obviously vote for us the Drunken Stampers because our stuff ROCKS!!  But you must follow your heart (grin)!

A Masculine Kinda Birthday Card

I just had to share this wonderful little card I made for my son-in-law's recent birthday with Susan K. Weckesser's new Unity stamps "In Circle Me" as a background and "Sail Away" as the focus.  Since My son-in-law was born in one of the coldest months of the year were we live I wanted to send him a little sea & sun and I just LOVE how this card turned out! 

I used water color paints instead of my usual Copic markers to color this stamped image and I actually stamped and painted it once on the card and a second time on a piece of watercolor paper and cut out various bits to pop off the original to give it some dimension.  As always, a layer of stickles and liquid glass for sparkle just finished it off!

I loved this card so much that I am entering it into the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #86

Challenge 86 Masculine Birthday Featuring Technology or a Gadget

So Wish Me LUCK!!!