Traditional Holiday Greeting with an Inky Twist using Unscripted Sketches #159

Welcome to Sketch-It Saturday with Unscripted Sketches!!! My apologies - the Grinch had a wedding to crash this weekend so he's taking a little hiatus...LOL!!! This week I've made this lovely card using Unscripted Sketches #159 and the additional Piggyback Challenge they have this week to "USE INK". And YES - I'm still doing Christmas All year - this makes week #20! To date I have 18 cards, one gift box, and a scrapbook page - and it's only Mid-May...WOWEE!!!


This is put together with scraps leftover from this and that - but I will tell you about the embossed flourish background. This was my "INKY" part. I took a piece of off-white cardstock and tried out the faux letterpress technique with one of my Cuttlebug folders. This was the second one I made. The first I applied Ranger "Pine Needles" Distress Ink directly to the folder and placed the paper in and ran it through. The ink came out all spotted - the same way it was beaded up before placing the paper in. That's in the recycle bin. This is the second attempt and I spritzed the ink with an evenly distributed mist of water prior to putting the paper in and it came out lovely and muted. Then I heat set and rubbed with some chalk inks and my favorite DewDrop Antique Gold Pearlescent ink.


The sentiment is a double layered chipboard sticker {I think K&Co.} layered on top of a Martha Stewart Snowflake border punch and flanked on each side with a pearly blue brad. So full of festive colors and textures!

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

Thanks for dropping by...I hope you have some fun crafty stuff planned for your weekend : ) Sb 

Thankful Thursday...and some Stamped Daisy Springtime Goodness!

OK - I mentioned last week that I had some news to share. Please bear with me because I have some catching up to do because a few things happened that I want to share what I am so GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL for!! 

First off - when logging in today, I have discovered that I now have 100 loyal followers. Hello all and I'm sending {{{ big crafty hugs }}} to each and every one of you!!! 

Secondly - a few weeks ago one of my crafty counterparts sent me an email stating that they have presented me with the "Liebster Blog" Award. My little crafty ramblings have been blogfully acknowleged by one of my crafty peers - totally OUTSTANDING! I will blog about this in further detail tomorrow. Thanks Cherylann!!!

Third - I received a package of crafty goodness containing a Gift Card prize from a game I played at Theresa Cifali's blog. I just wanted to say thanks again to her because I wasn't actually the winner, but she gave me and one other player a prize for also getting the correct answer in her super fun game. This was super generous of her. AND if you don't follow this Crafty Diva  - you should!!!

And finally - I've saved the best for Last!!! Today I have a special guest feature today over with my friends at Viva Las Vegastamps! - AND - beginning next month I will be returning to the VLVS Design Team. YES - I am doing a Happy Dance!!! CLICK HERE to see the post. 

Now on to the crafty goodness portion of today's program....

My stamps may have been on a short-lived vacation, but my heart is never far away from stamping. I'm playing along with the Viva Las Vegastamps! May Flowers Challenge today. I have used the following for this beauty that has sprung up from all our April showers: the Stylized Bee #3713 and Daisies #4994 stamps from VLVS. I stamped the images using a rainbow ink pad with orange to brown colors onto a piece of handpainted yellow paper. I painted the a bunch of paper awhile back using some of Traci Bautista's techniques {very fun and messy}. I stamped the Daisies on the right side first. I also made a couple of quick masks with stickie notes and then repeated the daisies across the bottom of the sheet - moving the masks to protect the flowers as I stamped. Then I stamped the bee. After heat setting {since this was stamped over acrylic paint}, I cut the paper apart in asymmetrical sections then chalk inked the edges of each. I adhered all the pieces in a mosaic pattern using my MIRACLE TAPE onto a plum cardstock base. I added some touches of color with Ranger Distress Markers and finished off with some blingy gem rhinestones. Voila!!!

Some Flowery Goodness for May!!!

I'm entering this in the VLVS Theme Challenge for May! May is all about Flowers. CLICK HERE for info on submissions. You inLinkz your "MAY FLOWERS" creations using Viva Las Vegastamps! for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate at the VLVS online store. Don't forget to check out the Viva Las Vegastamps! store and set up your WISH LIST. I'm crossing my fingers to see if I win!!!

I am so overjoyed to be returning to the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team next month. I will be participating in the VLVS Mary Vogel Lozinak Bloghop on May 26th and 27th, too - ARE YOU??? 

Thanks so much for dropping by for a visit! Have a great evening! Sb

Adding Accents and Dimension to Vintage Images - Featured Project at Sakura Hobby Crafts

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a featured project over at the Sakura Hobby Craft Blog. I am adding accents and dimension to a vintage Holiday image using Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer and Terri Sproul Mixers via a VIDEO how-to.

I purchased a digital vintage Christmas image {AP single 601} of a holiday storefront window from AlteredPages.com. I printed out four copies onto a matte finish white cardstock - enough so that I can accent the and dimensionalize the base layer, and accent other sections and figures that I will cut out and raise on multiple layers with pop dots for a faux 3-D effect.

With this image, I show how-to accent the details using different colors of Terri Sproul Mixers. I also make the window dimensional using Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer and streaks of blue colored Crystal Lacquer to simulate glass.

This project has gone from subtle and flat to luxurious and dimensional. I originally planned to use this as a feature element for a holiday card - but now I think it will have to become a shadow box to be put out with the Christmas decorations for years to come.

Please watch the following video to see my process {you may want to grab a snack and a drink now}. CLICK HERE to go to see the video! Have a wonderful Wednesday : )

Save the Date!!! Please Join us on May 26th for the OWH Memorial Day Bloghop!

It's that time of year again for the

HOP of all BLOGHOP's!

The Operation Write Home Memorial Day Bloghop. 

There's still time to get in on the fun. If you would like to be one of the participating blogs and feature one of your own creations CLICK HERE for all the info to get involved! See you there!!!

Hooray It's Sketch-It Saturday!!! Max's Debut with Unscripted Sketches # 158

Here's my creation using Unscripted Sketches #158! If you are keeping tabs on me I have taken a Challenge to do Christmas all Year with Unscripted Sketches. This is week #19 and to date I have 17 cards, one gift box, and a scrapbook page. Fa-la-la-la...la-la-la-la!!!

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

Thanks for dropping by...I have some exciting things coming up next week so stay tuned!!! Hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend : ) Sb