More Chickens

.....created with Artistic Outpost Country Life stamps.

I promised to show you 2 more chickens cards...........
Both scenes are watercolored. Both have the chickens stamped, masked and then the background farm scene stamped. 

This card done with red is basically the same stamped scene as the card that I posted a few days ago.  You can see it here.  I distressed the edges and placed it on a dark red mat.  There's a narrow dark brown mat and then the textured piece for the card front.  That paper is Core'dinations paper embossed with the Wizard over a piece of burlap.....yes, I like that technique!   I sanded it to reveal the under color and added Distress Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain.  I knotted each piece of twine for a touch of interest.

This 2nd card has more stamping......a little more difficult.  I again stamped and masked the chickens.  I stamped the farm scene the same as the other cards.  Then I cleaned the stamp and inked just the fence.  I didn't mount it on a block so I could curl the stamp to line it up with the already stamped fence.  I kept the stamp curled and rolled it to stamp just the fence.  I repeated that again to extend it even further.  I used a touch of watercolor to fill in any blank spaces.  It helped to have the chickens break the fence line.  Looks pretty good, huh?  I was really pleased with how well it turned out! 

I chose a horizontal layout for my card with the bigger farm scene.  The dark edge was stamped with the seed packet stamp from Bloom and Grow. I inked just the very edges to frame my scene.

That's all the chickens for awhile!

I'm really busy........overwhelmed more like it!.......with working on my June projects for Spellbinders plus CHA projects.  Remember the Spellbinders Blog Frenzy is coming up in July!  I always look forward to that!!!  Makes me  nervous thinking about it......only because I have a deadline soon approaching.

Thanks for visiting! 

Happy Creating!

-judy

Seeds of Friendship

Here's a friendship card featuring stamps from Artistic Outpost's Bloom and Grow set. 
I had no idea where I was going with this card when I stamped the marigold seed packet.  I colored it with watercolors. Okay.....now what?  I chose a gold Bazzill mat and a cream mat.

Then I searched for another color to use.  I found this dark green card stock with white back that coordinated with the stems. (I'm working on using up my old card stock!)  I embossed it with Spellbinders Flowers Impressabilities 12-1004 and sanded it.  My sanding block was pretty worn so it didn't take much color off, leaving a lighter shade of green........just enough to show off the pattern.  I added just a touch of Vintage Photo Distress ink, too.

I had just experimented with cutting the piece of paper "lace" that you see behind the seed packet.  I first used the smaller Ric Rac Diamond Border Petites S4-243 for the ric rac edge (hidden a bit under the ribbon).  Next, I matched the smaller Classic Scalloped Borderabilities Petite S4-239 die with the ric rac edge.  The spacing is perfect!  I cut and embossed that edge.   Once I decided to use it on this card, I added Distress Antique Linen and Vintage photo. 

To finish off this card,  I stamped "seeds" and "of friendship" separately, masking off each unused word.  I simply cut out each word leaving space for a hole to create a little tag.  I diagonally cut each corner which gives the appearance that the ends are rounded.  Little strings tucked behind the ribbon knot fasten them to the card.  I added a tiny piece of foam tape to each to keep them in place.

Although the colors in this card are a bit out of my usual range, I like how it turned out.  It's good to step outside one's comfort zone on occasion!

Supplies:

Artistic Outpost Bloom and Grow

Versafine Black Onyx

Watercolor paper

Watercolors

Spellbinders Flowers Impressabilities 12-1004

Gold Bazzill

Cream card stock

Ribbon

String

Have a great day!

-judy

Blue Flowers

I love blue........so I colored these flowers blue.  Probably not a true color for these flowers in the gardening world.  That's an advantageof stamping, we can make our flowers any color we like.

This bouquet is from the set Bloom and Grow by Artistic Outpost.  I stamped them with Versafine Black Onyx and then watercolored them.  I washed  a pale yellow over the background.
I used Spellbinders Labels Thirteen S4-248 to cut the shape.  For the navy mat, I used the die as a template to cut around with my craft knife.  It's a little putsy but sure makes a nice even edge.  There's also a very tiny white mat that I freehand cut.
For the decorative strip behind the flowers, I cut 2 of Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Borderabilities S4-213.   They are glued over a piece of satin ribbon on the card front (Bazzill paper).  I used a corner rounder on 2 corners.  A little satin edged bow and some pearls finish the card.

Happy Creating! 
-judy

Seeds of Love

This cute little girl with her wheelbarrow full of flowers is from Artistic Outpost's Bloom and Grow.  Isn't she cute peering out from that big hat?  I used the seed packet frame, also from Bloom and Grow, as a frame around her.   I used Ranger Espresso ink for both.  All the coloring was done with watercolors. The dotted mat and card front paper is from My Mind's Eye Quite Contrary line.  I really like that collection of papers!   There are 3 bands of ribbon tucked under the image.  I stamped the verse, cut it apart, and mounted it with foam squares.   This was a quick card to put together.  I didn't even spend much time on watercoloring, just a wash of color over most of the image except for the flowers. 
I hope to spend some time with my wheelbarrow and flowers tomorrow!  I bought some flowers today to fill a few baskets and planters to set outside.  I also plan to weed some of my perrenial gardens.  Lots o' work but I sure enjoy their beauty!
Enjoy your day!
-judy

Three New Artistic Outpost Stamp Sets!

Today, Artistic Outpost is releasing three new stamp sets!  All wonderful collections!

Beyond the Sea was inspired by the Bobby Darin song, “Beyond the Sea”. It features interchangeable main images including the perfect lighthouse, alluring couple, and longing clam digger. Perfect for cards, shadow boxes, and scrapbooking your seashore visits.

Bloom and Grow and Country Life represent two halves of one whole.
Bloom and Grow features more feminine elements including a perfect seed frame that you can use with so many of our stamps.

Country Life includes a little more fun “boy” imagery including the cutest little pig, chickens, and little boy. Mix and match both of these collections together or with our other collections such as Lovely Day and Home.



Enjoy all three collections together for a special price. From now until June 4th, purchase all three sets together for $36, that’s a savings of 15%. Simply use coupon code: SUMMER2010 at the Artistic Outpost website when you check-out.

Now for some inspiration!

This is a card I created with Country Life.  The little pig is just so cute, so realistic.  My Dad raised pigs when I was growing up.  I often helped with chores.  This AO pig has that inquisitive look that is so like pigs!
I stamped the barn and pig separately, of course.  I watercolored each of them. I trimmed the barn along the left edge of the stamped image.  On the right side, I left some extra space and extended the color beyond the image.  The pig hides the edge of image.  The pig is mounted on foam squares to bring it forward.   I stamped the verse, added a touch of brown watercolor and free hand cut it out.  I wanted it to look a little irregular, rough hewn.  It's also mounted with foam squares. 
The red and dark brown paper is from Core'dinations.  I embossed the texture into it by laying a piece of burlap on my Wizard cutting mat.  I misted the paper and placed it over the burlap.  Over that I placed the Spellbinders embossing sheet and 2nd cutting mat.  I ran it through my Wizard just like an Impressabilities.  The texture of the burlap was pressed into the paper.  I sanded it to show the texture and red color.  What a great texture plate!  Or should I call it a texture fabric!
The red mat around the farm is the back side of the Core'dinations paper.  There's also a narrow green mat. The card front is dark brown paper from Bazzill.....I'm not sure of the name. 
I'll post another project using a different new release set later today.  Stop back for more inspiration!
Be sure to visit the other Designers to see what they've created!  I know you won't be dissappointed!   Just click on a name to go to their blog.

Lisa  -  Gerrie  -  Cathy  -  Lynn  -  Shelly  -  Toni

Remember to stop back!

-judy