Dragonfly in Blue AnyHero Card

Welcome to my card for the Operation Write Home Finishing Strong Blog Hop. Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with hand made cards since 2007, will be closing later his year.  All cards need to be sent in by August 1st, so I'm helping to get the word out! The theme is Red, White and Blue and I've use OWH Sketch B-26 to make my AnyHero Card.  

The supplies used are listed below:

• Club Scrap 'Bugs' Stamp and 'London Calling' Stamps
• Club Scrap Hybrid Ink - Red and Sapphire
• Club Scrap solid papers 
• Distressing Ink - Brick Red
• Distress Paint - Picket Fence
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Dragonfly Die and embossing folder
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Cameo Frame Die
• Stampin' Up punch
• Glossy Accents
• Gesso
• Lindy's Stamp Gang Two Tone embossing powders - Hydrangea Blue Mauve, Midnight Sapphire, Hyacinth Blue Jade 

Thank you for stopping by to see my card and check out all the cards at the OWH site today. 

Happy Creating,

Debby

The Blues Mixed Card

Every month Club Scrap has several challenges on their forum.  This month's technique challenge is to use a mixed media technique for a project.  The Club Scrap blog post has several techniques to choose from listed.  Above is my entry where I used a gesso over the embossed sentiment as described here and another gesso technique to create texture. 

Next, I used the gesso technique here to make the textured panel and the bird.  Instead of inking the gesso texture as listed in that post, I sprinkled an assortment of embossing powered on the wet gesso and heat set.  Then any empty spots on my paper were colored with a spray. My finished panels are shown bellow along with a close up of the texture created shown above.  

The supplies used are listed below:

• Club Scrap 'The Blues' paper solids and prints (for flowers)
• Club Scrap 'The Blues' sentiment stamp
• Flower punch
• Mini Pearls
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Bird Branch Die
• Distress Ink - Iced Spruce
• Gesso
• Lindy Stamp Gang Starburst Spray - Time Travel Teal
• Lindy Stamp Gang Two Tone embossing powders - Panel
• Sliver Moon Turquoise
• Sliver Moon Sapphire
• Angel Wings Peacock
• Golden Angel Wings
• Lindy Stamp Gang Two Tone embossing powders - Bird 
• Hydrangea Blue Mauve
• Midnight Sapphire
• Hyacinth Blue Jade

Thank you for stopping by to see my card and check out all examples and entries at the challenge blog post.

Happy Creating,

Debby

Botanicals Mixed Media Panel

Welcome to the Botanicals Blog Hop! To return to the start of the hop here.  This month I was inspired by the Club Scrap Artist Team Challenge to make a mixed media panel.  

Botanicals Mixed Media Panel

It took a while to decide what to make after looking at all the great ideas from the Artist Team and Pinterest.  In the end I kept in small scale starting with a 6 inch x 6 inch mixed media album page.

Stamped Panel

I started by stamping flowers from the Botanicals UMs using Club Scrap Hybrid ink in amethyst, moss, leaf, carnation, and ruby.  Then I heat set the images to keep them from running in later steps.

Masking Panel to Spray Sky

Next, I added sprays to make the sky and ground.  A torn scrap paper was used for a mask before spraying the sky in Distress Spray Stain in Broken China and Lindy's Stamp Gang Spray in Azure Sea Asters. 

Added Sky and Ground with Sprays

Then using the other half of the mask I sprayed the ground in Lindy's Stamp Gang Sprays Ponderosa Pines Olive and My Mojito Green. Afterwards I added leaves from the Botanicals UMs. 

Added Swirl in Sky

To add some interest to the sky I added swirls with Club Scrap stencil (Serenity Collection) using with Distress Spray Stain in Brushed Pewter.  The swirls seemed to fade so I added highlights in white with a Signo Gel Pen, low lights in Faded Jeans Distress Marker, and mini pearls. To frame the whole panel I added distress ink in Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain to the outer edge. 

Vellum coated with clear gesso and sprays

I wanted to capture the translucent look of the delicate pink poppys that grow wild where I live. So I wanted to use vellum, but vellum is notorious for inks and sprays not sticking. To solve that problem I painted a sheet of vellum with clear gesso. Once dry I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Sprays in Cape Cod Coral, Poinsettia Red Gold, My Mojito Green, and Lucky Shamrock Green, One color I did not have was a coral. So I used my new Marion Smith Color Lab to make the color spray I needed.

Outlining Technique for Diecuts

I cut several different types of flowers and leaves out of the colored vellum using thin dies. As I mounted the leaves I noticed they seemed to fade into the background like on the far left above. I outline the leaves with the fine tipped Distress Marker in Forest Moss as shown in the center.  After outlining I used a water brush to blend the marker lines as shown in the far right. I did the same with the flowers using a Distress Marker in Fired Brick. 

Panel with flowers finished

I added the colored vellum flowers with adhesive. Some are attached with the Botanical colored brads. Others are covered with glossy accents to help them stand out. Botanical's Brown Ribbon was used with the three holes to create at hanging strap. The sentiment was stamped in Club Scrap Hybrid ink in amethyst and antiqued in distress ink in Vintage Photo and black soot. 

Finished Panel

Thank you for reading. Your next stop is with the very creative Kay at Kay's Keepsakes and the beginning of the hop is at Club Scrap Blog here.


Happy Crafting,
 Debby H

50s Kitchen Birthday Card Set

Welcome to the 50s Kitchen Blog Hop! To return to the start of the hop here.

The retro feel and friendly colors made me nostalgic for birthday parties from when I was a kid. Unfortunately, it was not retro then.  Regardless I used this kit to restock my collection of birthday cards for my children to take to friend's birthday parties.

Five Bottle Cap Cards

Six A2 Cards

I used the Club Scrap Deluxe kit and a sheet of vellum for greetings and a few gems from my stash. And something unique for me, no stamping was used to make the cards shown.  I simply used fonts from my word processor to make the greetings and printed onto vellum in my home computer.  I made sure to leave plenty of drying time after printing onto the vellum.  Bellow are the  12 x 12 and 81/2 x 11 papers and used.

Collection Papers and Vellum Print out

Each of the five 12 inch by 12 inch papers was cut into a 5" x 10" to make a 5" x 5" folded card. Remains of those papers were used for the design.  My favorite embellishment was the soda bottle caps that came with the kit. Such a unique embellishment.  Tools and embellishments for bottle cap cards:

• Club Scrap 50s Kitchen flattened soda caps
• Club Scrap 50s Kitchen ribbons
• Club Scrap 50s Kitchen Washi tape
• Martha Stewart Punch: Scallop 3 Dot
• Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
• Miscellaneous gems from my stash

Bottle Cap Card 1

Bottle Cap Card 2

Bottle Cap Card 3

Bottle Cap Card 4

Bottle Cap Card 5

Then each of the three 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch papers were cut in half to make six  4 1/4" by 5 1/2" (A2) folded cards. For these I featured fun retro printed papers.  Tools and embellishments for A2 cards are listed below:

• Club Scrap 50s Kitchen ribbons
• Club Scrap 50s Kitchen Washi tape
• Martha Stewart Punches: Optic Dot, Trellis Chain, and Crochet Loop
• Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher
• Sliver Eyelets
• Miscellaneous gems from my stash

A2 Cards 1 & 2

A2 Cards 3 & 4

A2 Cards 5 & 6

Thank you for reading. Your next stop is with the talented Tiare from Tiare Smith Designs and the beginning of the hop is at Club Scrap Blog here.


Happy Crafting,
Debby H

London Calling Brag Book

Welcome to the Club Scrap London Calling Collection Blog Hop! To return to the start of the hop here.  Look to the bottom of this post for information on a give away. 

Back when Closed

I really loved the prints in this collection.  Since I get both the paper and digital kits, I made something with each.

First, I have a brag book made using London Calling Deluxe Kit and the video pattern: What's Up Wednesday - Foliope by Laura Denison.  A Foliope is a folding brag book made from envelopes, hence Laura's name for the Folio and Envelope combination.

Front when Closed

Opened 

Tab Flipped Down

Back of center Envelopes with band to hold photo

I used five - 6.5 inch x  4.75 inch envelopes to make the base pages and all other papers were from the London calling collection.  The envelopes include a photo mat. I did make one small modification from Laura Denison's pattern by accident.  Can you spot it? I still love the way it turned out.

 Additional Supplies:

Distress ink - Black Soot and Walnut Stain

Club Scrap Black Indian Ink 

London Calling Stamps

Various Punches

Black waxed linen thread

Distress markers

London Calling Mini Stamps

Brads

Envelopes 1 and 2

Envelopes 3, 4, and 5

Washi Tape decorated Photo Mat

Second, I used the London Calling digital kit to make a note pad.  I have a friend at work who likes the "Keep Calm" sayings, so I made him a pad stamp images, digital papers, and digital overlays. The fun part is to add your own words to the "Keep Calm ____ On" image.  I printed six of the 2.25 x 5.25 inch notes in three designs onto an 8.5 inch x 11 inch paper. Then cut them out and made a pad using Club Scrap bookbinding glue.

Two note pads made from a dozen printed pages

Connecting Short Edge using Club Scrap Bookbinding Glue

Close up of thick layer of glue used. 

Final note pads ready for use.

I hope you are enjoying the London Calling Blog Hop and thank you for stopping at my blog.  Your next stop is with the ever talented Tiare at Tiare Smith Designs.  To return to the Blog Hop beginning with links to all the Hoppers go to Club Scrap's Blog.  

Happy Crafting,
Debby H

CLOSED Give Away CLOSED

Did you like the brag book?  Would you like to have it?

Brag Book Give Away

The Winner is Jill P  

Thank you for all the wonderful comments,  I cherish each one.
I'm so happy to have a good home for this brag book.








I will give away the brag book shown here to a random comment-er from qualifying comments.

To qualify leave a comment including what Continental USA state you live in and your contact information.
 - Continental USA shipping addresses only
 - No anonymous or apparent spam will be considered
 - Only comments left between now and Monday night, March 2nd at midnight EST will be considered

I will number comments that qualify and select a comment at random (using random.org).
I will post the winner on March 3rd, by 10pm EST and contact you using your email or provided contact information.

You will have until March 10th to email me with your Continental USA address for shipping.  If the prize is not claimed in that time I will select another recipient from the remaining comments with contact information.

Thank you,
Debby

Pop Up to the Moon

Welcome to the Club Scrap Constellation Blog Hop

To return to the start of the blog hop link here.

I was very excited when this kit was announced since me and my hubby are actually rocket scientists (Actually we are NASA engineers that enable space science and exploration).  Eventually, I'll do a career related album with this kit, but in the mean time I made a box to set on my desk. I used my RIAB Pop-Up Box project kit to make a Constellation version of the box complete with ATCs.  I used an assortment of papers and embellishments from my Club Scrap Deluxe and Lite Kits unless otherwise noted. I found this a fun to make project with wonderfully detailed video instructions. 

The outside wrap features a cut-apart saying brushed over with Izink pigment ink in Silver and Pearl. You cannot see it in the photo, but the ink has a beautiful shimmer. Also, I have to say how much I love all the cut aparts that come with the kits, i.e. no need for stamping.

Once the wrap is off the top features a circular image cut from the printed paper and accented hinge with star brads. The printed paper is so beautiful I let it stand alone for most the box accents.

The first inside flap includes a pocket with another cut-apart.  To emphasize the bear image I colored it with metallic bronze Pan Pastels.  The twin mat is on the opposite lid.

The last inside flap opens to reveal the pop up mechanism and location for ATCs.  The matting includes more, you guessed it, cut-aparts.

Finally here are the ATCs I made to put in the box.  Each features an embossed image stamped on one a black tag colored over with Izink in either silver or opaline.  The embossing powers were Lindy's Stamp Gang Two Tone powders in Midnight Sapphire, Hyacinth Blue Jade, or Midnight Ruby.

I hope you are enjoying the Constellation Blog Hop and thank you for stopping at my blog.  Your next stop is with the ever talented Tiare at Tiare Smith Designs.  To return to the Blog Hop beginning with links to all the Hoppers go to Club Scrap's Blog.  

Happy Crafting,
Debby H