Happy Birthday Greeting Card

Hello there friends and Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Fans. Ginny here to share that crafty projects  do not always run a smooth course.  Sometimes when things run off the rails you just want to chuck it and start over. That was the situation for this card. I had a thought of how this card would look when I started.  I love how it turned out....but it took a while of adding and taking away things until I got it to a design I liked.  Moral of the story? Maybe don't be so quick to give up on a project when you hit a few speed bumps.

Okay maybe I more than just like it. I kinda love it.  I'm so glad I didn't give up on it.

Instead of my usual vintage image focal point I created a gimongus floral arrangement.

I worked in the Fern Fronds for some serious layering and texture. The sweet little birdhouse is the icing on the cake.

I wiped down the chippies to prepare them for altering.

Base coat of flat green paint on the ferns and allow to dry.

Tap on a darker green for a mottled effect.

This pretty shabby green embossing enamel is added and heat set.

A simple finish of white embossing powder for the birdhouse.

~Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts~ Fern Fronds, For the Birds.

Wishing everyone a happy and productive day : ) G

Door Hanger Tutorial - Part 2 of 2

Hi everyone, and welcome back to part 2 of my mixed media door hanger video tutorial with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  In case you missed part 1, you can click here to see that video.  In part 1, we finished side one, which I will call the IN side.  In keeping with that, in part 2, we will complete  side two, which I will call the OUT side.

I used a variety of different techniques for each side, so I hope you will enjoy the videos and glean some inspiration from both.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL

Supplies Used:

GSL Door Hangers
GSL Birdwatching Shape Set
GSL Bird on Branch Assortment (replaces Bird and Flourishes
  Shapes Set, which has been discontinued)
GSL For the Birds
Liquitex white gesso
DecoArt Media Matte Medium
DecoArt Patent Leather Paint - Black
Americana chalky finish paint
  Rustic
  Treasure
Wendy Vecchi Crackled Texture Paste
ColourArte Vivid Ultra Metallics
  Pink Azalea
  Mandarin Blush
  Mallard Green
  Stargazer
  China Black
ColourArte Radiant Rains Dabber
  Solar Gold
Alphabet Letters
Colored Pencils
Old book pages
Assorted brushes

Calling all Crafters. Want to win a fabulous prize package from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts? GSL is giving away a prize package worth $50 - full of fabulous chippies from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  Show us what you've made featuring Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts and we'll pick a winner for a $50 prize package. And maybe a guest spot on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog!  To enter, go to the GSL Facebook page by clicking this link, then post a comment below with a photo of your project and a link to your blog post showing the project. (Open to USA residents only please. Contest ends Jun 25. Winner announced July 1)  GOOD LUCK!!!


Well, that's about it for this week.  I hope you will consider joining in our contest and sharing your fabulous art with us. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a super crafty week!

Hugs,
Barbara

Spring chics

 Hi Everyone,
I have some sassy birds for you today.

I started by coating my tag with a layer of collage medium and add bits of ripped tissue wrap.  Next I scribbled a light layer of  Distress Crayon in several colors.

In the one you see here I used colors that reminded me of a sunset.  I placed a stencil over the tag and rubbed away some of the crayon using an almost dry baby wipe.

I buy the cheapest baby wipes I can find.  They tend to be rough and pretty dry(not exactly what you'd want to use on a baby's bottom, but awesome for crafting). For the final step on the tag I added speckles of black and gold paint.  I also used some gold paint and just smeared it with my fingers.

Obviously, this is a close up of one of the other tags, but you can see the speckles. 

I took one of the bird nests from the For the Birds set. I inked the top part using brown Distress inks. The bottom piece is embossing using a sand color.

I cut out a vintage lady and plopped her in the nest.  I decided the tag needed a bit more interest so I used a stencil and distress crayon to make the tracks down the side. Once the sentiment was added I randomly scribbled around on the tag.

I decided she needed some friends so I made a couple more tags using the same technique and different bits of the For the Birds set.

I hope you like the girls and try to make some of your own!

Jess

Spring Tag by Sandy Trefger

Hello, Sandy here wishing you all a Happy First Day of March!  Today I'm sharing my Spring tag that I created with several different chipboard pieces from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  It's a mixed media piece and is real easy to put together.  You could easily finish this in just a few hours allowing for some drying time of course. I love creating tags like this as I get to use up a bit of my supplies and left over embellishments in my stash.  I've uploaded a tutorial video on YouTube on how to make this tag.  You can scroll down below the supply list to view it.

Supply List:

• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Chipboard Decorative Tags Large D92B
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Herringbone Small D42E
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts For the Birds D15F(Birdhouse)
• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Bird in Ivy D17C
• Art Basis Heavy White Gesso
• Tim Holtz Distress Crayons
• Shimmerz Texturez Paint, Artie Choked and Patina
• Emboss It Dauber
• White Glitter Embossing Powder
• Button Twine
• Hug Snug Seam Binding Ribbon
• Prima or Petaloo Flowers
• Bo Bunny Metal Oval Piece "Lifetime Moments"
• Glossy Accents
• Tombo Liquid Glue
• Beacon's 3-in-1 Glue

TUTORIAL VIDEO

If you are reading this post in an email subscription, you will need to go to the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog or my YouTube channel to watch the video.

Thank you so much for checking out my blog post and tutorial for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  I hope that Spring will soon find you and that you'll join us again tomorrow here on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog for more crafty inspiration!  I will be back on March 15th with another chipboard project!

Happy Crafting,

Sandy

P.S. Please visit my blog/website at  www.sandytrefger.blogspot.com for more of my crafty creations!

"Inspire" Mixed Media Canvas

Hi all! Amylove here! This is an example of how I plan things out in my head and they turn out nothing like I imagined! It wasn't until I added the Radiant Rain colors that I fell in love with this piece. 

Follow this link to my tutorial for this project:  "Inspire"

Products used

Gypsy Soul Lasercuts

For the Birds

Archway Chipboard Shape

Scribble Frame Butterfly

Word & Phrases 1

ColourArte

Radiant Rain Misters

Barb's Birds and Ivy

Hi Everyone! Barb here with a piece that I worked on while thinking of Earth Day. In celebration thereof, I decided to do a little up-cycling and use a couple of pages from an old lettering handbook that belonged to my Dad (a commercial artist back in the day when signs were painted by hand and not chunked together on a computer).

I began by putting the pages on a canvas panel with Mod Podge. After letting it dry overnight, I distressed it by using a wash of watered down white acrylic paint, sponged on inks, splattered paint and spritzed on sprays.

For the ivy frame I began with a bright green. I often go brighter and bolder on the initial paint because I know I'm going to abuse it into submission with lots of distressing. It's easy to subdue a color, but not as easy to make it brighter. Many have been the times when I've finished something and wish the color had a little more pop. Generally, the reason it doesn't is because I began it with a too subtle color.

Of course, once it was dry, I gave it all sorts of abuse. I sponged, stamped, splattered, wiped, sanded, splattered and sponged some more. I don't have a recipe for this stuff; I just play until it works for me. To bring out the color of the ivy I used StazOn Studio Glaze.

For the birdhouse and larger flying bird, I used Ranger Distress Crackle paints - Vintage Photo brown for the birdhouse and Clear Rock Candy for the bird (which I first primed with a coat of white gesso).

Once the crackle paints were completely dry, scrubbed on ink with a sponge and splattered and spritzed them as well.

Because I wanted the frame to be on top of the birdhouse and the smaller birds on branches, I used left over bits and pieces (the in between stuff) of Gina's Designs chipboard as spacers. See? More up-cycling! Plus, since it was the same material, the spacing was perfect. The frame is set apart and gives a nice shadow box effect to the whole piece.

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

Gina's Designs Used

Birds Shape Set

Birdwatching Shape Set

Collage Frame Birds & Ivy

For the Birds

Other Items Used

Acrylic Paint

Ranger Distress Crackle Paint

irRESISTibles spray

Mod Podge

StazOn inks

StazOn Studio Glaze

Music rubber stamp manufacturer is unknown

9 x 12 canvas panel

3 Story House by Mary

Happy Thursday!!  Today I have a "bird house" to show you using the 2 Story House from Gina's Designs. After the house was assembled, I applied a coat of gesso.  My next step was to extend the roof line. Since Gina designed it as a shadow box, the "back" side is made to be flat against a wall.  I wanted to use it as storage and to be able to turn it around to hide the inside. I took a piece of heavy card stock to make the overhang match the other side.

I have used two of our wooden frames on the front of the house, and backed them with black paper for the "bird holes". The nest at the roof peak is inked and the eggs are embossed.  The two pieces of the  lamppost are embossed and there is a piece of inked vellum paper sandwiched between them.



On one side of the house are three birdhouses from the "For the Birds" set.  I embossed one and stenciled the other two.

On the other side I placed one of our leafy branches that I turned into a tree. I painted the trunk and branches,  and covered the leaves with flower soft.

Inside the house, I covered each "room" with different paper and did a faux painting technique in the "attic". The bird on the birdhouse on the roof peak is from the Spring Shape Set.

I plan on using the house to store my bling from Joann's.  You could also store paint bottles on the bottom and middle shelves and your Lindy's sprays will fit on the middle shelf !

For more details, please visit my personal blog HERE.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. The links to all of the products I used from Gina's Designs are listed below.

Gina's Designs Products

3 Story House

For the Birds

Leafy Braches With Birds

Spring Shape Set

Lamppost 2

Wooden Frames

Other Products Used

Paper: Lyric (Prima) & stash

Paint

Metal Flowers: Craftsupply1

Wide Craft Sticks: Dollar Tree

Embossing Powder

Flower Soft

Ink

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)

Altered Frame by Nancy

Nancy is up today with an altered frame that features a variety chipboard shapes.  This frame began as a particle board unfinished frame. I crackle painted it and added the chippie embellishments.  The frame is being donated to an auction for a dear friend to help with some veterinary costs.  To bid on this frame please visit the facebook page. The frame measures 12 x  12 inches and holds a 5 x 7 photo, or a smaller photo with a mat.

Supplies Used:

Chain Borders

Birdwatching Shape Set

Flourishes 2

Grass & Foliage

Ornamental Birdcages Shape Set

Chicken Wire Large

For The Birds