Layers of Color Bookmarks

Good Morning.  Today I have 2 bookmarks to share with you designed using Layers of Color stamps (Artful Endearments, Encouragement and Merci Bouquet).  I was so tempted to add glitter and embellishments, but I wanted them to be as flat as possible since they are bookmarks.  Today is Faith Art Friday over on the Layers of Color blog and I know they will have something special to share and encourage you!

What are you working on this week??  I had a lot of fun designing a watercolor class this week.  I will be sharing one of the cards with you on Sunday, with a step by step photo tutorial.  Each card has soooo many photo's I figured it would be better to share them one at a time.  Have you ever worked with watercolors?

I am looking forward to this saturday, because I'm spending the day with one of my SASSSC (Sassy) Sisters, Deb!  We are going on a trip to 2 of our local scrapbook stores, and then coming back to my house to get crafty.  I hope you are able to find time for some crafty fun this weekend!

And .....  I will be making a big announcement on Saturday!

If you have not done so .... please "like" the Layers of Color Company FB page.  When it hits the 300 mark, Laura is giving away a free stamp set!

Happy Friday!

Melisa

Altered Bird Cage Home Decor

Good Morning Papercrafters.  Today I am thrilled to have participated in the Stampin' Sisters for Christ Challenge.  I just love this challenge blog and wish I had time to play along more often.  These ladies are so very special in what they do on their challenge blog.  Each Sunday they provide a bible verse to inspire us!  In addition they have wonderful sponsors each week and this week the sponsor is Layers of Color!

Today's verse is ...

Matthew 6: 9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

And the challenge is ...

Make a card/project that features prayer; either someone praying, or a verse about prayer, or a greeting that lets someone know you are praying for them.

I had so much fun with this project.  My guest bedroom (when we get our new house in the spring, is going to be shabby chic).  I have already bought the bed linens and I want to fill the room with shabby pieces of art.  So here is another project for that room ...

I had so much fun creating this one.

1. Spray metal birdcage with white spray paint.  After this is dry, apply crackle paint.

2. Embellish with pearl trim (Hobby Lobby).

3. Add a branch (purchased in the floral department at Hobby Lobby) to the inside of the cage.  To make it look more realistic paint it brown and add brown crackle paint.

4. Add floral embellishment to outside of cage (Prima).

5. Stamp butterfly images, color, and trim. Apply black glitter with a glue pen.

6. Adhere to outside of cage.

7. Type bible verse and print.  Trim to a banner.

Aren't these butterfly images gorgeous??  They are from a Layers of Color set called "Flutterescent"!

You can view all of my Altered Projects HERE

Don't forget to hop over and play along with Stampin' Sisters for Christ this week!!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Artist Trading Cards

Artist Trading Cards, like inchies are little miniture pieces of art.  But you can pack a lot of on these 2.5" x 3.5" cards.  I love that they are a quick easy creative fix.  Like inchies, sometimes they are created to swap with other artist.   Last year I purchased a couple of the 7 Gypsies Revolving ATC Holders to store them on.

Aren't these cool!

This week I created 3 ATC's.  I was totally inspired by a book I purchased a while back.  "Artist Trading Card Workshop". 

Not only was I inspired by the artistry / design of so many of the cards, but the book shares lots of background techniques as well. 

I spend alot of time listening to and singing along with Contemporary Christian / Praise and Worship music in my car and while I"m creating.  My heart fills with joy as I sing songs of praise to my Saviour.  I love finding music and lyrics that express exactly what my heart wants to say.  So what better inspiration for a new series of ATC's than my love for God!  So here is what I created.

I created this one using Layers of Color stamp sets "Royal Birds" and "Regal Wings" (crown in background).  The background is created using paper towels.  I dampened the paper towel and layed it out on wax paper.  Then I applied watered down acrylic paints.  After it was dry I lightened some of the area's by rubbing on some white pigment ink.  Then I stamped the crowns with black pigment ink.  The paper towel gives you this cool textured background.

I designed this one using "Gothic Crosses" and " "Acanthus Leaves".  I started with thick watercolor paper.  I brushed on watered down acrylic paint in two colors, purple and green.  After it's dry I stamped the swirlies with VersaMagic Ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder and heat embossed.  Next I brushed on brown ink here and there.  Don't worry about covering the embossed area's.  After it is dry, place it on an ironing board, cover it with 1 piece of printer paper.  Iron over it with a very hot iron (no steam).  Mine was so hot, I only had to move it over the piece for about 3 seconds.  I could see the paint bleeding onto the the paper.  As you peel it off, and it removes some of the paint creating a distressed look.  Then I sanded some more of the brown off as well, exposing the paint below, until I got the distressed look I wanted.  I LOVE this technique!! 

This is another version of the paper towel technique above.  I actually colored several paper towels with different color variations, so I have lots more left over to use in the future.  For this one, I used "Joyful Noise".

What do you think??  Are you ready to create and maybe even swap some ATC's??

There are alot of options for displaying your ATC's on the revolving holder.  The plain paper ones can sag a little.  I actually glue together when using them.  7 Gypsies sells alot of accessories which can be found at Your ATC Store.  I like the thicker chipboard refills best.  I don't have one of these yet, but may check them out - 7 Gypsies 2-ringed Chipboard Album.  Here is my idea for this cute little album:  Use it as a circle album.  Years ago "circle journals"  were the fad.  You joined a group of willing participates, purchased a small album, like a 6 x 6" and then mailed it around to one another.  You decided the theme of your album, and each participated created a page to go along with your theme.  Your album progressed through the group and eventually made it back to you (thus the circle).  It was so much fun to see all the wonderful art of the ladies in front of you as they mailed the albums to you one at a time.  It's one thing to see art online, but really wonderful to veiw it in person.  But it was even more fun when yours arrived back to you.   So contact some girlfriends and start your own Circle ATC Album Group today! 

I hope you were inspired to pull out those old acrylic paints and get messy with some background techniques.  If you have any questions, just email me!

May God bless you with a joy and peace that only He can give!

hugs,

Melisa

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You can view my other Artist Trading Cards  HERE.

You can view my other Faith Art projects HERE.

You can view more of my Collage / Mixed Media projects HERE.

Another Layout with Layers of Color

Good Morning.  This is week #4 of my Layers of Color Guest DT gig.  I have had sooooo much fun using their images.  And I want to say thank you so very much to Laura, the owner and her wonderful DT.  These ladies are so gracious, kind, supportive and it has been wonderful to be a part of their team this month.

Today I want to share with you another layout and the story behind it.  This is my daughter many years ago being baptized.  I was blessed to lead both of my children to salvation.  And I remember the joy that I felt as a parent watching my little one being baptized and giving her heart to our Lord and Saviour.  So many people think that young children don't really know what they are doing when they make professions of faith.  But I'm here to tell you that this little one did, and she has never waivered. 

I designed this layout using "Gothic Crosses" and "Royal Birds".  I created the paper flowers using punches.  That really cool molding in the corner at at the top is by Pink Paislee.  This stuff is soooo cool.  It comes white and you can ink it or paint it to match you project.  I used the tissue paper and a Spellbinders die to create the dollie.

Once I looked at this close-up, I realized that it needed something more.  So I added a stick pin.  But I was toooo tired to go back and shoot more photo's.  So you will just have to use your imagination, teehee.

Challenges :

The Studio Challenges   is a scrapbook challenge blog that I found recently.  I really want to get more scrapbooking in this year and I think Scrapbook Challenge Blogs can inspire me to do just that.  This challenge was to use "old and new stash".  This paper is probably greater than 5yrs old.  The corner punch is pretty old too, probably about the same amount of time.  Something new ...  Pink Paislee created these really cool 3-D rubbery feeling embellishments that you can paint or ink.  You can see them in the bottom left corner of my layout and behind the cross.  I just love them.  And my Layers of Color Royal Bird Stamp set is still pretty new as well.

Here is another card using "Vintage Roses".  I created this one for a couple of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges.  One of the challenges over there was posted by my buddy Joan Ervin.  She wanted us to create a project that was mostly orange.  I would have NEVER came up with this without that challenge.  Thanks Joan for making me stretch my creative muscles!

I started with a peice of DP that was mostly orange (background) and the backside was orange, so that was great.  I created a second pattern on the solid orange using a "tone on tone" technique.  I used Apricot Appeal (SU) ink and stamped some of the smaller images in the set.  And then to tie it in better, I used the DP again for the vase.  The white Spellbinders and background circle were too stark when I layered them.  So to soften it up, I added white VersaMagic ink around the edges of the orange circle and orange chalk (Pebbles, Inc) aroung the edges of the Spellbinder's die.  If you decide to give this a try, get the pearlescent chalks, they blend on better and go on smoother.  Doing this brought it all together.

I'm just wondering if anyone else who is playing along is as creatively tired as I am.  I don't think I have ever created this many projects in one week.  33 challenges total and I have 5 to go by friday.  I saved the 2 hardest / altered pieces for last, but I will probably enjoy those the most. I know exactly what I'm going to do and what stamps sets I'm working with.  So I'm actually excited about getting a few of the others knocked out and moving on to these.

Thanks to all of you who have been so kind in leaving me comments.  I truely appreciate them and feel so very bad that I haven't made it to your blogs.  With all this creating the last 6 weeks, it's been difficult to keep up with everything.  But I'm hoping things will be calming down after I complete my 2 Guest DT's at the end of the month, and these 33 challenges. 

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You can view more of my Scrapbook Layouts HERE.

You can view more of my Faith Art HERE.