Happy Day!

I wish I had time to create something solely for the my blog....but I haven't.  So, I went looking in my Artistic Outpost file and found this little card.   The stamps are from Artistic Outpost's set called Songbirds.

I stamped the row of little birds with Denim ink and added just a touch of color with Copic markers.  They're popped up across the checked frame cut with Spellbinders Labels Eight and Labels Eighteen out of Graphic 45 paper.  The shape behind is Labels Eleven.  I've stamped the music from Ephemeral Backgrounds to show through the opening with Vintage Photo ink. I've added it to the edges, too.

The banner is a new shape from Spellbinders!  It's one of a set of four called Ribbon Banners.  I stamped just "Happy Day!" from the the stamp that says "Oh, Happy Day!" to fit the banner.   I added Antique Linen ink to the banner before I removed it from the die template.  That leaves the edges the color of my original paper. 

I added a narrow tan ribbon across the bottom of the checked mat.





Until next time, THink SPring!  

Think and Wonder Notebook

Here's a little notebook that I made with Artistic Outpost stamps!

The kids with alphabet background and "think and wonder" are from the set Think and Wonder.  This stamp is my favorite from that set!  I stamped it here with Cranberry ink. 
The faint stamped ledger page in the background is from Ephemeral Backgrounds. That set has some great images to complement all the Artistic Outpost stamps!

I used lightweight kraft paper from a paper bag to cover chipboard for the notebook cover.  After I stamped the images, I added shading around the edges with Distress inks.
"Think and Wonder" was stamped on white card stock with Cranberry ink and clear heat embossed.  I cut them out and glued them to the cover.

I even stamped the pages inside! I used the ledger stamp on the pages, too. I stamped them lightly so notes can easily be written over it.


Once I had all the pages stamped and the covers finished, I used my Bind-It-All to cut holes and add the coil binding.  It's so easy to make coil bound books with it!

Feel free to email me if you'd like more details! 

 Thanks for visiting!!!

a Birthday Telegram

I created this birthday card with the telegram stamp from Ephemeral Backgrounds.  I added "Birthday" from Polaroid Cutie by masking off "Happy" when I inked it.  I dressed it up with a black mat, rounded corners and Distress ink.  I layered it onto a die cut embossed metal shape cut with the new Spellbinders Labels Twenty One!  I embossed it over Spellbinders Floral and Stone Impressabilities and added some ink and sanding.  It's all layered onto a black rectangle with rounded corners, then onto a piece of Graphic 45 paper.  There's a bit of ribbon, colored with Distress ink, tucked under each end with 3 square copper brads touched with StazOn Jet Black ink.  To set it all off, I added Ranger Black Enamel dots and dashes....seemed appropriate for a "telegram"!

As this post goes live, I should be on my way to Mexico to enjoy some warm days on the beach!  We're taking a little vacation for my son's wedding!  For that reason, you may not hear from me for awhile! I'm not sure if I'll have easy access to internet.

Be back soon!

Happy Creating!

-judy

Like a Singing Bird

'morning, everyone!
I'm in LA for CHA! So wonderful to get away from the cold of Minnesota and all the snow!
Yesterday was the first day of the show! The highlight for me was seeing my artwork in the Spellbinders booth! The booth is beautiful! Fabulous artwork!
I can't share any photos as yet. Maybe by the end of the show..... I can share photos of my project for the book Spellbinders Nestabiliies Basics & Beyond when I figure out how to load them on my iPad! Or I'll go to the business center here at the hotel....that will probably be much quicker.

For now, I have a "mini art piece" created with the new Artistic Outpost Songbirds set.

Happy Creating! -judy

A New Artistic Outpost Release!

Artistic Outpost has three new collections just to get your creativity going. Ephemeral Backgrounds, Think and Wonder, and Songbirds are all available unmounted and mounted and pre-trimmed.  These new sets all work so well with any of  the Artistic Outpost sets! 

Ephemeral Backgrounds: Multiple vintage images to accompany all of our images. This set includes postcard snippets, sheet music, and a large 3.75 x 5"antique ledger stamp.  What a great background for so many images!

Think and Wonder: Beautiful collages and adorable children adorn this collection featuring some of our favorite quotes by Dr. Seuss. Lots of fun things to do with this set!  It works great with Ephemeral Backgrounds!

Songbirds: You will find so many beautiful uses for this unique vintage set of stamps. Elegant and musically inspired images featuring vintage bird illustrations.  The stamps in this set are so beautiful. 




To celebrate these releases, Artistic Outpost is offering 15% off your entire purchase.  Now, through February 14th, use coupon code January2011 at checkout, and you will receive 15% off all items.

Be sure to check out the galleries featuring beautiful cards, tags, and mixed media projects by our super talented design team.  You'll find lots of inspiration for these new releases at the blogs of each member of the Design Team!  Just click on a name to take you there......

 Gerrie Johnnic

• Lisa Somerville

• Judy Hayes - you are here!

• Lynn Stevens

• Barbara Washington

• Stephanie Severin

• Suzanne Czosek

I have 2 projects to share today featuring these new stamps!

My tag features the kids with the alphabet background from Think and Wonder.  This is my favorite image of this set!  I inked the stamp with Ranger Cranberry ink around the edges and Espresso on the children.  This technique is not exact!  The colors do run together yet leave a hint of different colors.  

I stamped my image again on white cardstock.  This time I colored each of the coats with Copic markers and cut them out.  I glued them over the coresponding child for a touch of dimenstion as well as adding color.

Do you see the antique ledger from Ephemeral Backgrounds stamped around the children? 
I masked them off when I stamped it.  I rubbed on Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress inks around the edges and up to the alphabet background.  Making the edges darker really focuses the eye on the center area!
I stamped "think and wonder" with Cranberry ink and clear embossed it!  I cut the words apart to mount on my tag with foam tape.  I also added the verse along the side that says " Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"
At the bottom I added "a, b, c" letters from a set of vinyl coated die cut foam letters by American Crafts. 
I stapled on a bit of ruler printed twill tape near the bottom.  I added another pieceo of the twill tape in the tag hole plus some baker's red and white cord.             

              

I used the Song Birds set for this card.

I've been on a roll with this ink color called Chipped Saphire from Ranger. It's one of the newer Distress Inks.......really great color! In fact, it's the only ink color that I used on this card. I added a touch of light orange color to the breasts of the birds with Copic markers.

I created a piece of sheet music with the stamp from Ephemeral Backgrounds stamped on text weight paper. I tore the edges and distressed them a bit. 

The frame and birds are mounted on foam tape.  I created my "DP" on my card by stamping a floral image from the Serenity set.  I stamped over the blue strip, too.  The lacey edge was cut with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Of course, I used Vintage Photo an Antique Linen Distress inks, too, to give it a vintage look!



Aren't these new sets wonderful?  The Ephemeral Backgrounds adds so much as a background for most of the Artistic Outpost sets. 

Be sure to check out the blogs of the other members of the Design Team for more inspiration!  They're listed above with links to each blog!

Thanks for stopping!  I sure hope you've been inspired in some way! 
Happy Creating!
-judy