`Friends`mixed media canvas by Lynne

Hello crafty folks! We all have special people in our lives, but here are some friends who are so much more than just special-they are extraordinary treasures, and this canvas I created with some beautiful GSL products celebrates them and the amazing bond we have with them.

After I chose the quote, I found a frame that looked beautiful with it (Flourished Frame Valerie Rectangle) then arranged other items on the canvas until I liked the placement.

I then primed the canvas and items with gesso; for flowers it is often best to prime them separately and then attach them to the canvas, as it can be difficult to get full coverage if you can't hold them at different angles while painting.I stenciled with texture paste before priming the canvas as well; even though the homemade texture paste is white, it is more porous than the primed surfaces so would absorb more mist and be darker than the rest. Items with deeper colours might need an extra coat of gesso (like that yellow metal flower!); you want the surface to be pretty much all the same colour before you add mists.

Often a quote, photo or other image/focal item is added after misting, but if the framing makes it necessary to add it before hand, be sure to mask the item before you mist! Believe me, no matter how careful a person is, there will be overspray if you don't!! (YES, I learned that the hard way!!) I just cut a piece of scrap cardstock to fit the opening.

Misting is fun! I used a couple different shades each of pink and peach, then added some opaque white to tone the colours down a tad. You can dab with a paper towel if the mist pools look darker than you'd like also.

I added a few glass bubbles and some pink microbeads. The microbeads don't show up a lot but they do add a little bit of different texture.

I enjoyed putting this project together and hope it gives you some ideas. I love using the lasercut doilies on my mixed media projects to add subtle texture, and there are so many great pieces available  that I'm sure you could create a canvas like this with any theme you wanted. Have a wonderfully creative week!

GYPSY SOUL ITEMS USED

Flourished Frame Valerie Rectangle
Butterflies and Dragonflies
Border Sticks-hearts
Cardstock Doilies (contact store)

OTHER ITEMS USED

Prima stencils
homemade texture paste
glass bubbles
Mister Huey's, Tattered angels and Recollections mists
Misc flowers, buttons, etc
cheesecloth
gesso

Vintage Valentine's Day Cards

Hi everyone, and although a bit early, Happy Valentine's Day!  I want to share a couple of vintage Valentine's Day cards with you today.  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts has a wonderful selection of romantic style chipboard that is just perfect for all of your card making projects, or try them in your scrapbooking too.

My first card has a lot of brown in it.  I was hoping to keep it somewhat feminine but also be appropriate for that special man in my (your) life.

I cut tan card stock to 10" x 7", folded in half to make my 5"x7" card base.  Then I cut layers of print paper from the Rossibelle paper collection, sizes shown in the photo below.

I distressed the edges of the layers with a distressing tool, then edged with brown distress ink.

The floral strip was punched with the bracket punch.

The paper pieces were all layered to the card base, as shown below.  Pieces of thin fun foam were added beneath a couple layers just to add dimension and interest.  

All chipboard pieces were first painted with white gesso.  This seals the chipboard and prepares the surface for your inks.  It will also keep the chipboard from sucking up large amounts of your ink or paint.  Use whatever inks or paints you have that match colors in your chosen paper.  The solid heart was covered with a piece of the pink print paper and the edges were sanded with an emery board.

The remaining chipboard pieces were colored with Prima ink pads, as follows:

Filigree heart frame - inked with Old Rose ink
Solid heart - covered with pink print paper, stamped with Prima 961961 and Tin Can ink, edged with Shabby Tote ink
Be Mine - inked with Vintage Pink and Turquoise Stone inks, edged with Black Coal inks
XOXO - inked with Garden Green, Olive Vine and White inks
Border lattice heart - inked with Tin Can ink

On the back of the filigree heart, I added small strips of chipboard to one side so that it would be level when I place the solid heart beneath it.  Refer to photo of finished card.

Glue the Be Mine piece to the solid heart, as shown.

Adhere the filigree heart frame, tilting it slightly over the solid heart, as shown.

Adhere the pieces to the card front, as shown.   I was not sure where I was going to place the small lattice heart until I noticed that Mine from the Be Mine piece was "floating".

 This is where it came in handy.  I slipped it under the word so it would support it.  However, I also determined that the Tin Can color was not right, so I gessoed it again and colored it the same as I did on the XOXO piece.

Here it is with a pretty bow attached.

The second card is super easy and quick.  

I cut a piece of pink 12"x12" card stock in half at 6", so when folded in half, it would make a 6"x6" square card.  The print paper was from Making Memories that I had in my stash, but any similar paper you have on hand would work.  

I adhered some really pretty white lace along the folded edge of the card.

Each piece of chipboard was first gessoed, as usual, and then colored with the Prima ink pads.

Border hearts - inked with Sweet Pea and Blossom Tree
A Little Romance - inked with Blossom Tree
Lips - inked with Hydrangea and Blossom Tree
Delicata Golden Glitz was used on all chipboard pieces to bring out the gold in the paper.

To bring out the gold in the paper, I decided to hit the chipboard lightly with a Gold Delicate ink pad.

Adhere chipboard pieces, as shown below.  A few flowers and die cut leaves were added below the word art.  I also added the pink ink to color the two white flowers.  

Supplies used:

GSL Border Sticks Lattice Hearts

GSL Word Art Romance

GSL Filigree Frames Shape Set

Printed scrapbook papers (Prima Rossibelle, Making Memories)

Fiskars bracket edge punch

Fern leaf die (Cheery Lynn)

Prima ink pads (Sweet Pea, Hydrangea, Blossom Tree, Old Rose, Vintage Pink, Tin Can, Turquoise Stone, Black Coal, White, Garden Green, Olive Green)

Prima 961961 Peeled Paint clear stamp 

Delicate Golden Glitz ink pad

Floral Embellishments (Recollections)

Lace strip

Blue organza ribbon

White gesso

Distress edger tool

Brown distress ink

I hope you have been inspired to use some beautiful chipboard pieces in your next card making project.  It not only adds dimension to your background, but not so much that it cannot be mailed.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty day!

Barbara

Celebrate!!! 90th Birthday Card and Gift Bag by Lynne

Well hi there folks! A dear friend of mine is having her 90th birthday the end of September (and a surprise party...SHHHH!) so I  decided to create a card and a little gift bag especially for her.

I used Blue Fern Studios "Frolic" papers to cover the card and bag and added a little edge punching with a Martha Stewart punch. I inked the edges in a soft pink and did a bunch of fussy cutting which I popped up in spots with foam tape for dimension.

   

The cake piece was fun to decorate; to simulate the look of cake I mixed a little salt in with  the yellow acrylic paint. he icing is texture paste sprinkled with micro-beads and the candle is patterned paper run through an embossing folder then heat-embossed with clear embossing powder. The flame of the candle was heat-embossed in antique gold then rubbed with a little orangey-red ink.

The heart border strip single heart and gifts outline were primed with white gesso then heat-embossed with Bridal Tinsel glitter embossing powder. I then used a glue pen on them

before covering them with white glitter. (My friend likes sparkly things!!)

The gifts were covered in patterned papers;  I used a different paper for each package to give more contrast then I added the outline piece that was all glittered up. I love all the pieces in the Birthday Shape set but I  think these gifts are my very favourite!

Thanks so much for stopping by; wishing you a wonderful and creative week!

GYPSY SOUL ITEMS USED

Birthday Shape Set 

 Border Sticks-hearts

OTHER ITEMS USED

Blue Fern Studios 12x12 papers-Frolic

Ranger embossing powder-bridal tinsel

Dew Drop ink-angel pink

So In Love Cards for Valentine's Day

Hey chipper gang!  Barbara here, and it's my turn to share a project with you today.  I love February because I love making vintage, shabby chic cards for Valentine's Day.  Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts has the most beautiful collection of filigree and fancy cut shapes that work well for card makers.  Combine that with Graphic 45 papers, and you cannot go wrong.

Painting the chipboard pieces with a variety of distress paints allowed me to achieve a close match to the colors in the paper.  I painted the clock hands, Lost in You, and the lattice hearts with Malted Milk, then Bundled Sage and Salty Ocean distress paint.  The filigree frame, Love, solid heart, and one lattice heart were painted with Malted Milk, White, Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Rusty Hinge, and Wild Honey.  The key was painted with Tarnished Brass.

Here is an example of how I did not actually blend the colors but dabbed the colors, leaving a mottled, variegated effect, mimicking the colors in the papers.  

Love Card and close ups

Lost in You Card and close ups

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Used:

Filigree Frames Shapes Set
Words & Phrases 1
Border Sticks Hearts
Keys & Plates Shape Set
Clock Hands Shape Set

Other Supplies Used:

5x7 Blank Kraft Cards
Graphic 45 A Ladies' Diary Paper Collection
Distress Paints:  White, Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Bundled Sage, Salty Ocean, Tarnished Brass
Ranger Malted Milk paint dabber (Jenni Bowlin)

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts has more chipboard shapes and designs coming out regularly, so be sure to visit the online store.   For more inspiration from the fabulous design team, be sure to visit the GSL Blog regularly.  Please check out Ginny's blog post that is up on the blog today as well!

Thanks for stopping by, and stay crafty, my friends!

Barbara

Birds of a Feather Layout by Nancy

It's Wednesday and it's Nancy blogging with you today!  This layout features my cat "Timothy" who loves bird-watching from the wire enclosure outside his window.  This is one of the many outdoor enclosures we had built for the enjoyment of our multi-cat family and to keep them safe from harms way.  I used tons of chipboard embellishments from Gina's Designs on this one, including many of our newer items in the store.

My inspiration for this layout in both design and color comes from the very talented Charlotte aka Suepup sketch 0513.

Supplies Used:

Items from the Birdwatching Shape Set

Doily Set 8 Inch ( in Ivory)

Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set

Border sticks (this one in heart shape, other styles are available)

Flourishes 2

For The Birds(I used the nest and eggs from this set)