Monday, December 30, 2013

Happy New Years Eve!! I am baaaaccckkkkk!

Happy New Year's Eve! 


As I wish you a happy New 2014 I am hoping to make some changes here at my blog.  The age old excuse of being busy is certainly true for me but I am happy.  :)  The past year end has brought a few good changes for me....ONE being..
I am teaching art to kids and LOVE it!  I have also decided that I need to do more of what I want..and I want to learn more! 
First I am very sad to say I had to give up my regular dt member posting for Stampotique...  :(  This was such a tough one for me and I am still planning on using their images just not on any set dates.
My love of drawing, journaling and mixed media has taken me to more classes both live and online.
This = MORE time :) 
However....I DIDNT get away from Stampotique all together....and my LOVE of Roc Nicholas images....Roc has created a new design team and yours truly is on it!    I look forward to a relaxed and fun schedule in 2014 and I hope you will join me by sticking around.
YOU can check out Roc's images here since they can be purchased at the Stampotique store..  :)
I plan on visiting my favorite blogs again this year and sharing inspiration with you all....
Thanks for looking here....I wish you all the best for the New Year!  God Bless!
Image here:  Roc's angel

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Getting ready for Christmas?

Don't usually make all my Christmas cards anymore BUT...I feel the need to make some.  New challenge at the Stampotique blog is to make an early Christmas card.  Umm..I don't think it is too early to start lol
I used "bird lady"  and put her on this sponged / stenciled background.  I am crazy about her and I probably use her too much...is that possible?   "Get jolly" is computer generated. 
Thanks for looking- Have a Blessed Thanksgiving! 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

splat! a splotch of paint!

STAMPOTIQUE says....

Today we are challenging you to use a SPLAT! of paint somewhere on your design.  We all love to get messy once in awhile and this week is your perfect opportunity to throw on some grubby clothes and splatter that paint all over your creation.

Can't wait to see the splotches!
Heres' mine!
 I used "kitty monster" from the Stampotique store on some dp.  Stenciled with some acrylics (stencils Ronda P) and did a little doodleing with a uniball pen.  Sentiment is from a sticker sheet.

 Below is for the "creative every day blog"...Loved this pic of my oldest sleeping with his first born daughter about a month or two after she was born and I had to do something with it.  Collaged it on canvas  :)
 Ingredients?  various scraps dp, gesso, acrylics, stencils= Julie Balzer, Ronda P.  Pic printed on white cs and doodled with white uniball pen.  Thanks for looking!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Can you use one layer?


Can you really only USE ONE LAYER for your card??
Pretty tough to do!
Introducing the new challenge by the sweet Sam from the Stampotique dt:

Hi Stampotiquers! I'm so excited to be your host this week and I'm inviting you to make a creation using just one layer. It doesn't necessarily have to be clean and simple, that's the challenge! I love lots and lots of layers but to achieve a sense of depth to a creation using no embellishments etc can really get you scratching your head and rubbing your chin! Most importantly have fun ;)
Well Sam this is definitely a challenge for me but I pulled it out!  lol
I used "old timey frog" from the Stampotique store.  I just stamped him on white cs and colored with copic markers.  Then I punched some leaves with my ms punch on another piece of cs and stenciled thru the paper with distress inks.  The sun was simply "doodled" on top of some dylusions sprayed inks.  TFL and check out the dt challenge blog for the deets to win a gift to the Stampotique store. 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

More then one fold!

So...I feel a little guilty..like I took an easy way out! Whoa!  New challenge at the Stampotique challenge blog is to make a card with more then one fold.  Here is mine:

And....the inside reads....
Quote= computer generated from Pinterest...love it..
Image= Artichoke Monster  = Stampotique
Image= Dandelion duo  (in the background)
Stencil= Julie Balzer clouds
Inks= Dylusions and Acrylics- black and white Signo gel pen doodling
Join us at the Stampotique blog and get in to win that $30.00 gift to the store!  Thanks for looking!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Finally! A post...

Updating my blog these days has been challenging to say the least!  But here is for trying to get back in the swing of things....
This past Weds, the lovely "France " has challenged us to use fabric or lace on our creation...
I thought it fitting to use one of her images "birdy" on my card.  My background is some dylusions ink I spread on with the straw part of the sprayer and on top that is scrap of dp and inky paper.  I found the bit of lace in my scraps drawer to use so I sewed it on.
Below is from my practice journal...
 I just took a really fun class learning how to do a little figure drawing...what fun!  I stenciled up my page with acrylics and sketched my figure with a pencil on top.  Used my Prisma marker in black then to fill in the figure. 
The sentiment is a sticker and I did some writing and doodling with a white uniball signo pen...reminds me a little of Dina Wakley...  LOVE this and hope to be doing more.
Thanks for looking! 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

 Getting our "spook" on at the Stampotique challenge blog!  Check it out= DT member Carol is hosting a new challenge and this is what she has to say...

 "I particularly choose the month of October to host the challenge as I love Halloween. it was the quirky off beat stamps of Daniel Torrent that first drew me to Stampotique all those years ago, as it then seemed to me that I could make Halloween themed items all year with his gothic style stamps and no one would realise that was what I was doing. I think I may have broken the record on my make for the challenge with the most rubber stamps used on one item, but it was hard as there were just so many to choose from. Hope you all enjoy the challenge and get your spook on for the whole month. carol x"

Below is my little addition for the challenge...
I used this cute little image from Daniel Torrente called "cheers" just in time for Halloweeen.  I scrapped a little gesson on my card front and stenciled with some acrylic paints.  Sentiment is computer generated.
ON another note, I have been having some blogging issues..hope they are over now! 
Fall is my favorite season...from August thru the end of the year....I am doing a happy dance!  I am sharing a little video below..hope this works.  My dd brings her puppy over to play in the leaves with my Pug.  My son is the referee  lol  tfl!

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

New challenge and I have a winner of my Halloween giv-a-way :)

Corrie! at "made by chook" blog spot has won my Halloween package giv-a-way that I posted here (via Tee's blog The Crafty paper). 
Send me your address Corrie so I can send you off a little package of goodies!
Next up is the new challenge at the Stampotique dt challenge blog..  and the sweet "Sam Read"  is hosting....

 "I love making ATC's the 2.5 x 3.5 inch size is perfect for any media you wish to use and you can squeeze in lots of details and layers in a small space or keep it quite plain and simple. ATC's can be dramatic or just plain fun so I can't wait to see yours!"

Sam xx
LOVE making ATCS' !  Jump on the challenge...easy and FUN!  Here is mine:
I used "taxi/beep "  and  "two nuages"  (clouds) .  My background is on mixed media paper that has been scribble-inked and sponged with some acrylics.  I also used "design cube" on the side in mustard yellow for some texture.  Sentiment was from a sticker sheet.  Thanks for Looking! 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The lovely "Astrid " is hosting at the Stampotique dt challenge blog today.... and she says...

Hello, hello... it's my time to host and I choose Washi Tape for this challenge. Not really a hard one is it ;-) I adore this stuff and I think a lot of us do. I especially love the black and white ones, it makes the other colors you use really intense. And it's just an easy way to add something extra on your creation.
So use this happy stuff as a background or as an embellishment on your creation. Hope you like Washi Tape just as I do :-)
I used "Hazel heart" and "whole heart text"......Hazel is colored with copics on a piece of white cs..the border is sewn (ofcourse :)  Thanks for looking!




Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Happy Birthday Kim :)

Today, Kim is the lucky hostess of the Stampotique challenge and she was a little selfish when she picked the date and the challenge theme!  Our challenge this week is "BIRTHDAY" and can you guess why she was selfish this week??  It is her birthday...today!  And it's not just any birthday, it's one of the big milestone birthdays and what better way to spend it then hopping around to see all the fabulous birthday creations from the SDC team and yourselves?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR KIM...   :)  Here is a "super hero" to wish you the best since you deserve it!



Hope you will join us and show off your birthday creations for your chance to win one of two random $30 gift certificates for Stampotique stamps.
Card deets:  dp background (several scraps), book page sewn, sentiment computer generated and "super hero" girl is colored in copics and cut out.  Outline in white signo pen.   TFL

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Blog hop and give-a-way!

My sweet friend "Tee" at the Crafty paper is hosting her FIRST blog hop and give-a-way!  I was happy to join her and you should too! 
If you join the hop starting at her blog (see the links) YOU COULD win one of several give-a-ways.  OR..
just comment here on THIS blog post anytime from now till Sept 30th and I will pick ONE person (on Sept 30th)  to send a package of Halloween goodies to!  Yep, just a comment on this post. 

I made a Halloween tag (my style) using a Stampotique stamp "breakfast" .
I could just see using this "breakfast" image in a bowl! lol  Thanks for looking and good luck!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Gettin a little creepy...Halloween is coming you know!

Showing off some more of the new images at the Stampotique store.  ..
First up= "Hamlet of Halloween"  (by artist Jill Penney).  This was easy peasy..I had a piece of scrapbook paper with squares on it (Teresa Collins) I guess for a "life book" type project.  I cut one out and put it on cs.  I stamped Hamlet on and colored with copics  :)
Below I stenciled with some acrylics, sewed and added on a canvas tag.  Then I colored and cut out "sheep monster".  The sentiment is from a sticker sheet . 
Lastly I picked up "tinglyitchiness"  (artist Daniel Torrente) and put him on a sewed and stenciled backdrop.  I used "relax text" for my sentiment. 
Some fun stuff to play with!  If you haven't seen all the new images at the Stampotique store- what are you waiting for?  Thanks for looking!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Layer it up!

Sweet Sue is the hostess for the new challenge and she LOVES layers.  Make a creation with atleast THREE layers for the new challenge at the Stampotique designer's challenge blog.   I used "flying monkey"  from the new release at the Stampotique store (artist Janet Klein) and a little edge of the image " helping hands" (Daniel Torrente).  I really LOVE BOTH these new images A LOT  so I enjoyed putting them together for this card.  :)

My layers consist of...the grungie dp (lcs), acrylic paint thru a stencil (crafters workshop), a piece of red cs and a tag.  Then I stamped "flying monkey" and cut him out.  I popped him up on a white piece of cs that was punched out with a circle punch.   Sentiment is from a sticker sheet.  "Whatever.." is also from the Stampotique store.  Thanks for looking!

Saturday, August 31, 2013

NEW STAMPOTIQUE LINE!!! FALL 2013!!



Some of you may have already heard, but Stampotique Originals has got some fabulous new designs being released today.  Wait until you see these!!!  

We know we say that every time, but each release seems to come with such great new stamps it's hard not to find a favorite with each new release.  We've been bursting at the seams to share these with you.

This month, we also are introducing a brand new artist.  Her name is Linda Peterson and we think a lot of you are going to love her line of stamps, they are darling...
 
So hop along with the design team and some special guests to see the new stamps the team has been working with.  The more blogs you comment on, the better your chances of winning some goodies are.

Let us know what your favorite ones were and we'll pick a few random winners from the blog comments (this includes the design team blogs) to win a grab bag of the new stamps.  You will have until 9/10/13 to comment and our winners will be announced with the new challenge on 9/11/13.

You will want to hop on over to Valerie Wilson's blog from here, if you are just coming across my blog you may want to begin at the Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog:

Jane Wetzel you are here..


Hope you enjoy hopping along with the designers and we can't wait to see what you create using your new stamps.
NEW images used here by me..
"Find your balance" (girl), "Find your balance' (quote), "Find your happy" girl and.. ofcourse ...what new release would be complete with out some new images from Daniel Torrente?? lol
  Here is a book mark/tag I made with "Miquel has a gift".  Did your kids ever have those books that came with a record that beeped to tell them to "turn the page"?  Thus a computer generated quote for this book mark!   (just in time for Halloween!) and I used "beep beep" from "taxi and beep beep".  I made this using the tag off my son's new jeans.  Just sewed the image on top -love it.   Thanks for looking..


__._,_.___
 

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

wedding cards: Stampotique style!

Yes, you heard that right!  New challenge at the Stampotique dt challenge blog is given to us by "Maria" and here is what she has to say..

Summer is the perfect season for weddings and special events. I personally don't like weddings so much. But I do enjoy making wedding cards and other handmade items. My challenge for you this weeks is: WEDDING! Create a card, layout, favor, anything you want.
 

Here's mine..

Now, YOU KNOW the dt has some very unusual creations and they really are FUN!  I myself took a wee bit of a "safe" way with my card..using "home sweet home".  Not as fun as some of the other dt girls.  I also used "Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko Delicata golden glitz" pad of pigment ink.  (This stuff is awesome!  Really sparkly)  I stamped the house (home sweet home) with it and colored with copics shading with C1 and BG000.  The cloud is a stencil and the bird , a MS punch.  Sentiment is computer generated.  I just had to tie around it with some gold sparkly twine to match the ink.  Wish you could see the sparkle here better.  TFL! 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

make it with polka dots!

 I sure had a great time looking in at all the colorful submissions for the last challenge at the Stampotique challenge blog!  Now it's Roc's turn to host and here is what she has to say..

"Hi everyone. I am really happy to be hosting this week's challenge. I'm asking you to create something with polka dots. There is something about polka dots that makes me smile. You can't be sad when you are creating them. So make them big. Make them small. Make them any size at all. See how many polka dots you can work into your art, but most of all, have fun. I can't wait to see what you come up with!"
Sound like Dr Seuss?  ha ha! 
I used "bacon and ham" here.  After I colored them and cut them out, I put them on an acrylic smeared back ground with some stenciled clouds.  The middle of my flower was part of the "blessed skellie" image :) The sentiment is a sticker.  TFL!  Hope you will play with us this week- you dont need to use a Stampotique image..just follow the challenge rules on the blog.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Shades of purples, orange and yellows..Use them together

I am hosting the new challenge at the Stampotique dt blog!  It is Summer and August is one of my favorite months..colors everywhere..and getting closer to Fall!    I LOVE these colors..sooooooo..use any shades of purple, orange AND yellow TOGETHER on your creation and let us see the eye candy!
Here is an envie I started with stamping "bird princess" on a painted up (dylusions and acrylics) piece of cs. I colored her face and hair with copics and white uniball pen.  She was put on top of a dotted/stenciled acrylic back ground and the frame for the address is also a stencil from my lcs.  I used "happy" and "birthday" also from Stampotique.
I hope you will join in !  Thanks for looking :)

Friday, August 2, 2013

Happy Friday decorated envelopes

So glad it is Friday!  When I am not sure what I want to do I break out some envelopes and just start stamping, doodling and coloring.  I just cant seem to mail anything without decorating the envelope!  It is a great way to get the ideas flowing before you begin something else .




Images :"Artiste block', "floating dog" (looks like my pug!), "stacked cups","squiggle arms", "sun design",
and "steampunk border".  All mediums used!  Markers, copics, acrylics, stencils, black and white signo uniball pens.  TFL!
 

Sunday, July 28, 2013

"cousins"

Sharing an 11 x 14 canvas I made using a photo of my two daughters and my sisters' daughters.  A while ago I took this pic when they were being silly knowing I just had to use it one day.  Well that day came..we were giving a little going away party for my one niece who is about to start her first teaching job.  She is moving into her own place and I figured she needed a reminder of her family :
I started with colllaged dp over the canvas... book pages and ephemra.  I painted  (with my fingers) white acrylic wash and did some stenciling and sponging over some sequin waste.  I cut out the pic and placed it on with the sentiment (computer generated).  I added a few card stock stickers and washi tape then did some doodles and lined around the pic in a square.  I absolutely loved the way it came out and plan on doing this A LOT more!

Thanks for looking and have a great week!  Linking to ..."Paint party Friday"

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Tag! you're it!

Astrid from the Stampotique dt is hosting this fun challenge.  She says:

" This week it's my turn to host the challenge and I ask you to make
  something with a tag. For me a tag is just a little playground, it's just
  for myself. So make something for you!  Be you and have fun with this week's
  challenge :-)"

Who doesnt love a tag?  I made a few.   I picked up my "only" Golden brand acrylic paint in gold and I pulled it across these first two tags with a credit card...awesome shine!   I usually use Liquitex which I think is fine and Golden paints are out of my price range (for now anyways :)   Then I stenciled with TCW clouds stencil (blue) , gessoed thru some sequin waste and outlined with a black sharpie.  White pen is a signo uniball.  The image
"flying bird"  was actually stamped on a piece of scrap painty paper and cut out for the tag.
                                                On the right I used "heads" over a same back ground and sponged and sprayed ink.  I just cant get a pic to show the beautiful shine behind the images.                                     
 The tag below is one I made a while back but havent shown.  I did some purple acrylic sponging thru a stencil from Michaels and tore some tiny book page pieces that were painted green.  The black sun is a stencil too.  I colored "whisker monster with sign" with copics, cut him out and popped him up on the tag.  I plan on stamping some brown craft roll similar so I can wrap a gift with the matching tag on top.
Thanks for looking on this Wednesday "hump day"!  Hope you will join in on this easy challenge and get a chance to win some cash to spend at the Stampotique store.