Showing posts with label Susan Brown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Brown. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

VLVS! + Clearsnap Day THREE!




It's the middle of our inspiration week and I've got some good ones to share today!!


All week we're hopping back and forth between the VLVS! Blog and the Clearnsap Blog to bring you inspiration using their beautiful inks and our beautiful stamps.

Clearsnap has a rafflecopter giveaway going for some of their best goods! And if you leave a comment on our blog this week you'll be enter to win the Plate o' rubber of your choice! (leave a comment each day for multiple entries!)

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You won't believe this project from yesterday by Suzanne! She uses a whole plate of stamps and no patterned paper to create her layout.

Today I'm sharing a total of four projects! the first two come from Judy -- she was having so much fun with her new inks and stamps that she kept going after the first!


Judy used Clearsnap Archival Dye Glacier Lake and Wicked Black ink. Smooch Pearlized Accent Inks in Pumpkin, Sassy Pink and Gold Lame. She also used VLVS! images Explore, Men in Balloon Basket, Girl in Polka Dot Dress, Writing background , Diamond Harlequin BG and Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder.




 2nd up we have Susan M. Brown:



Tags are popular among our stamping crew, and scene stamping on them is a favorite! Susan used ColorBox Archival Dye Inks - Wicked Black and & Khaki Green; ColorBox Cats Eye Chalk Inks - Citrus Yellow, Lime Pastel, Wisteria, Creamy Brown, Orchid Pastel, and Prussian Blue; Smooch Spritz - Gingersnap; Smooch - Banana Custard, Sweet Melon, Lettuce, and Plum Berry from "JUICY" smooch mini kit. (Right?! Go girl!) As well as VLVS! Images Bunny looking Right Large, GrassLeprechaun on Mushroom,  and Mushroom. She finished off the tag with the letters for HOPPY from our December Daily Plate and the Easter stamp.

And last but certainly not least today we have Lea:



 She's brought us this springy colored stunner by starting with Bo Bunny Press papers and enhancing them with VLVS! Stamps Orange and a Half and Feed Your Soul, as well as Clearnsap Sundance Yellow Smooch, Greenapple Smooch, Carrot Orange smooch
 
Now head over to the Clearsnap blog to see what they've cooked up :)
(P.S. don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win the plate o' rubber of your choice!)

Monday, December 10, 2012

Time FLIES When It Comes to Greencrafting...


Happy Monday and Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! It's only 15 days until Christmas and I'm going to give you a break from the HOLIDAY extravaganza. Today I am sharing a greencrafted creation that I created for the Anything But A Card Challenges a few weeks back.

I needed to create a "TIME" themed project for the challenge. I knew I wanted to use the new flying watch stamp, but I didn't know what I was going to create. As I muddled about, my "ONE TOUCH RULE" began to take effect. You ask, what is a "ONE TOUCH RULE"??? I set this up for myself because I am really bad about putting my craft stuff away and it's pretty simple: if I pick up something in order to get something else needed for a project - IT'S getting used in TODAY'S PROJECT. This collage utilized many leftover items taking up residence on my craft table - resulting in a gorgeous green-crafted transformation of an empty holiday card carton.

       



This project began as an empty carton that a set of holiday cards come in - REALLY!!! I've transformed this gem into a shadow box with some clear gesso, leftover painted paper and textured paper scraps, silver cellophane tissue, an empty perfume mini, a broken skeleton key, loads of miracle tape, some May Arts stitched grosgrain trim, and a trio of stamps from Plate #893 from Viva Las VegaStamps!. Using Helmar 450 adhesive, I finished off edges with ribbon edging, and some swirly metal photo corners.


After priming the box base with clear gesso, I covered all sides and edges with Miracle Tape and adhered crumpled silver cellophane for a textural base. Then I applied more miracle tape to line the walls of box with textural paper scraps rubbed with black and silver inks. I mounted a section of collaged paper into the background to complete the box. Miracle tape made assembly quick and easy...and best part - it's INSTANTLY DRY!

The secret of this project is that I stamped using Black Staz-on ink onto acetate. This reason was two-fold: first my collaged background is quite textured with paint and handmade paper so this is difficult to get a clear stamped image onto; and second, this is how I was able to get my Girl standing perfectly atop the bottle. I placed the bottle in position on top of the acetate, placed down a post-it note to mark the placement of bottle top, then aligned my stamp accordingly. **A TIP** I also made my acetate slightly larger than the inside of my box and trimmed it to fit when ready to assemble.

Presenting my Altered Collage Card Box!


Don't forget about the Viva Las VegaStamps! new release plates that are on pre-order for 20% off for only a few more days. The two plates below have one image on each {highlighted in purple} that were illustrated by yours truly. On the left is plate #909 ; and on the right is plate #918. CLICK HERE to see  all of the new plates for you to "ink, drink and be merry"!


Thanks so much for dropping by today! Hang around a little while and check out what the rest of the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team has been up to. Don't forget to visit the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - for all your stamping needs and for every occasion...and MIRACLE TAPE, too!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back with another stamping adventure real soon! Hope you have an inky day! Sb

Friday, November 23, 2012

DD Inspiration Day #5

Hello!! Welcome to our week full of inspiration using Plate1430! Stay tuned all week for some amazing works in which the Viva Las VegaStamps! Design Team has utilized our "December Daily" plate.

 First up in line today is JUDY and she's got a super cool altered canvas!



Wrinkle several pages of pale yellow tissue paper and smooth out a little bit. Adhere the pale yellow tissue paper with gel medium as an adhesive to cover front and sides of 8" square canvas. Set aside to dry.
Several Christmas trees from #1431 were inked with Memento bamboo leaves and Archival olive ink on the pale yellow tissue paper, cutout and applied to canvas. Tree tops were used as small tress in foreground.
The left and right ornate images from #1431 were inked with archival olive on the pale yellow tissue paper, cutout and applied to top corners of canvas.
Santa was inked and stamped on white paper and cutout. Small bits of collage was trimmed away from Santa collage. Distress markers and white paint on beard were used to color Santa before applying to canvas. Sharpie pen (gold) was used to color Santa's buckle.
December daily images from #1430 were inked on the pale yellow tissue using archival black ink and cut close before adhering to canvas with gel medium.
Several distress inks were applied to canvas to give a vintage look.
Joy stamped image was inked on Kromecote cardstock, while still wet Ultra High Gloss embossing powder was poured on and off and then heat set. The letters were cutout, stained with distress and applied to canvas.
White glue was added to bottom of canvas, flocking powder was added to resemble snow. White paint was applied to some of the lower branches on Christmas trees.
Use dremel tool with small drill bit to make two sets of holes on top of canvas. Flatten a dinner fork with a hammer. Thread and twist each set of wire all the way through the canvas and into the wood frame to hold the fork on top of canvas.
Several round tags were made with a die. Each tag was stamped with an image from December Daily #1430. Distress inks were used to apply color to tags. Black threads were strung to each numbered tag and laced in and out of the fork tines as a holder. Each tag will represent a December Daily number leading up to Christmas Day.
A coin envelope was attached to back of canvas to house the extra daily numbers.
 
Supplies
#1431:
Memento bamboo leaves ink, Archival Olive and black ink, Distress markers, Distress inks, Golden gel medium, White glue, Flocking powder, Sizzix tag die, Pale yellow tissue paper, White cardstock, 8" canvas, Scissors, Black crochet thread, White acrylic paint, Sharpie pen, Paint brush, Dremel tool with very small drill bit, Thin wire, Dinner fork ($ shop find), Coin envelope
Then up we have SUSAN who's put together this astounding 7gypsies holder!!!

She started with a 7 Gypsies Revolving Clear Stamp Holder that has been saved for this kind of memory project - an Altered Christmas Card spindle. She began by gathering all the saved Christmas cards from over the years {and this project needs a LOT of them}, the December Daily stamp plate, recycled 6x9 envelopes for making pocket pages, tag/label and various paper punches, black and brown dye inks, miracle tape, and misc holiday patterned paper, ribbons, stickers and ephemera....safe to say anything and everything saved for that holiday scrapbook! 

This has been a project Susan has been dreaming about for years and now has brought it to life. She has several of these spindles, with ATCs and technique pages and shares, "this project would not have been possible without the coordinating hand slot punch made for the 7 gypsies spindles." Now for the fun. She punched tons of cards, envelopes and patterned paper pages {over a hundred to fill this all the way around with room to grow} and mounted to the spindle along with the unused vinyl sleeves that came with the spindle. She reserved these for special cards and photos. 

Then she began creating an assortment of embellishments using the VLVS! December Daily stamps by stamping on assorted patterned and misted papers and tags. Punches are so much fun to make quick and easy layered embellishments by punching around the stamped image. **A TIP** turn your punch upside down so that you can see the item you are punching around for a precision placed cut. In no time at all she had a table full of holiday goodness to add to the endless pages of cards and holiday photos to be cherished for years to come. She will be sharing more of this project throughout the month of December on her blog HERE.



The design team is doing SUCH an AMAZING Job! I hope you're getting lots of inspiration from them each day, don't forget to leave them some love and be entered for a chance to win your OWN December Daily Plate!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Collaged Season's Greetings with a View of the London Skyline


Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! I hope you are having a terrific Tuesday. Susan here sharing a stamped Holiday Card with a collage background using some homemade tissue tape.


A Reminder - this month we are having a special "December Daily" week-long event in which the whole design team has been challenged to create with the VLVS! December Daily plate #1430.


For today's project I made homemade stamped tissue tape... YES - I made it myself! It's pretty easy, too. All you need is some tissue, a stamp, ink and your trusty Miracle Tape in whatever width you desire your tissue tape to be.


Using a warm grey ink, I stamped Jingle Bells #10686 repeatedly across a section of recycled tissue {that has already been gently crinkled here and there}. I tore stamped tissue into strips - I might add this really looks like the ready-made store bought stuff, too!


Then I grabbed my Miracle Tape and adhered it to the back of the tissue strips. I varied the thickness of Miracle Tape to the width of my torn musical tissue strips.


I stamped Fancy Border #18951 with Versafine Black Ink onto lower section of my kraft card base. I peeled off the backing and collaged my tissue tape to my card base. Easy peasy! Then I rubbed with a gesso acrylic mixture to mute the color and aged with Old Paper Distress Ink.






I masked off the border with post-it notes and began stamping in the scene. Using black Versafine ink, I stamped the Christmas Trees, then overlapped London skyline, and finished off with "Season's Greetings" sentiment. I gently heat set ink to dry and rubbed antique gold dew drop ink around card edges. The card is finished off with May Arts paper raffia and by adding some black gems along the fancy border.

Presenting my collaged "Season's Greetings" card!


Thanks so much for dropping by today! Hang around a little while and check out what the rest of the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team has been up to. Don't forget to visit the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - for all your stamping needs and for every occasion...and MIRACLE TAPE, too!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back with another stamping adventure real soon! Hope you have an inky day! Sb

Monday, October 29, 2012

Bye...Bye...Bye... Hurricane Season! Well, Almost!

Happy Monday - Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! Susan here with my bottom of the month post and Halloween is just TWO DAYS AWAY!!! EEEK! Guess what - today's how-to has nothing to do with Halloween. Living in South Florida, I am in Hurricane alley and over the past week, we have been dealing with the mess of Hurricane Sandy - which is now moving up the eastern seaboard. I hope everyone in the path of this rainy mess stays safe. There is a silver lining - storms are a perfect time to get crafty!


For today's project I am sharing a shaving cream technique to make a swirly background to go with my Hurricane Blowing Trees #18145 stamp. This is so much FUN! I can't believe I've never tried it before.


I sprayed some shaving cream into a paper plate, spread around with a plastic knife, then dripped in three colors of Distress Ink re-inkers {peeled paint, old paper, and iced spruce}.

I dragged the knife through the shaving cream to swirl colors around in patterns. If you do this too much, you will complete blend ink into shaving cream.


Then you place your piece of cardstock into the shaving cream mixture and press flat to make sure entire paper has made contact. **A NOTE** I used a smooth natural ivory colored cardstock as my base.


I gently removed the paper from the shaving cream and then scraped off shaving cream with the plastic knife. I placed paper onto a paper towel and wiped the remaining shaving cream off using a soft towel. I gave papers a zap with the heat gun to dry and to set color.

This technique is really easy and this project would be great for kids, too. I colored several pieces of paper using the shaving cream mixture. When the color became too solid, I added a spray of fresh shaving cream and swirled it in. The white areas of shaving cream result in a color resist.


I inked up my Hurricane Blowing Trees #18145 stamp with Versafine Black Ink and stamped onto the background. **PLEASE NOTE** The shaving cream leaves a film on the paper that makes the stamped image slightly distressed. I also stamped with dye ink on another paper and the image was blurred and resisted in areas. The Versafine ink came out the best and I heat set to dry.

Now for assembly! I tore the edges away on each side of my stamped image. A SECRET... I layered this onto the unusable stamped image torn in the same fashion, leaving a larger border. Card base is section of distressed corrugated mounted onto a Kraft card base using Miracle Tape. I adhered the base painted paper, then mounted a strip of burlap, and overlayed the stamped image on top all using Miracle Tape. I finished off with two sea glass nuggets for a little bling.

Presenting my windblown Hurricane Card!!!


Thanks so much for dropping by today! Hang around a little while and check out what the rest of the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team has been up to. Don't forget to visit the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - for all your stamping needs and for every occasion...even a hurricane!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back with another stamping adventure real soon! Hope you have an inky day! Sb

Friday, September 21, 2012

Sunflowers Bring Two Times the Watercolor Fun!

It's FINALLY Friday!!! Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! Susan here with my bottom of the month post. Today I am sharing another quick and easy technique - watercoloring with your Ranger Distress Markers. Both are using supplies you already have on hand AND depending on your color palette, can give you the look and feel of any season.


I'm going to show you two variations on Kromecote glossy cardstock and also on a textured cardstock {similar to a watercolor paper}. The process is like this: color, mist with water, stamp...REPEAT.


SUPPLIES: You will need your Ranger Distress Markers, assorted VLVS rubber stamps, mister bottle with water, textured and  Kromecote cardstock, dye ink and an acrylic block.


Begin by selecting some colors and color directly to your stamp. I'm using "Tree Writing Collage" #18914 for my first background. I used four markers ranging from yellow to light brown. I colored entire stamp with markers starting with lightest color to darkest. This doesn't have to be perfect. After coloring, spritz stamp with water.


I know I've shared a watercolor technique before, but with different colors and stamps, you get a totally different look and feel. In the above photo, I have done the step above and stamped first on Kromecote {on left}, then remisted and applied to the textured cardstock {on right}. I did not reink - I just misted again with water before applying to second paper. **A TIP** keep remisting and stamping until all ink is used up - this saves you a step in cleaning off the unused ink...and you get a bunch of pretty backgrounds as a result. I heatset each and this is the result - two subtle watercolor effect backgrounds. On the Kromecote, it is much more muted and flowing, the textured cardstock more distressed from the texture of the paper.

Now for a VARIATION...


Now you want repeat the process - EXCEPT - this time, color directly onto your acrylic block. YES! On the acrylic block. I colored horizontally across the block in stripes using the same four colors, gradating from lightest on top to darkest on the bottom. This also doesn't have to be perfect. If there are areas exposed and/or not colored, this is GREAT, too. Have fun with it!


Before you stamp your paper, spritz with water and then use as a stamp and apply to paper. Above is the results of coloring on the acrylic block directly first to the Kromecote, then remisting with water and then applying to the textured cardstock. I reapplied ink and repeated process to try also on a section of vintage book paper.


I stamped the "Sunflowers" #9918 onto my papers with black dye ink and heatset. I gathered some paper scraps in the same color palette and a parchment card base. I layered everything and adhered with Miracle tape to my card base, popped up my torn textured sunflowers with 3D foam dots and added a Burlap Twine May Arts bow.


To finish off I stamped  "Thanks a Lot" #587 in the bottom corner with black dye ink. I added some subtle color detail to the flowers and leaves with my Ranger Distress Markers applied with a water brush. Quick and easy...and beautiful!

Presenting my Lovely Sunflower Card!!!


Thanks so much for dropping by today! I invite you to hang around and peruse the projects by the fabulous Viva Las Vegastamps! Desgin Team or pop on over to the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - loads of new stamps - SEVEN NEW plates to be EXACT - are on pre-order for 20% off!!! YIPPEE!!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back with another stamping adventure real soon! Hope you have an inky day! Sb

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

My Girl's Dreaming of Painter's Tape...

It's Tuesday!!! Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! Susan here with my top of the month post. Today I am sharing another quick and easy technique using a household item...BLUE PAINTERS TAPE!!! You know you have some...go run and find it. I'm going to show you how to make a beautiful and dramatic background.

First a little reminder...



LAST CALL! Sept. 15th is the DEADLINE to apply to the Viva Las VegaStamps! Design Team Call!! We’re looking for all types of artists and welcome anyone who has a passion for rubber stamping to apply! Bring on the Mixed Media Artists, the Card Makers, the Scrapbookers, the Altered Artists, the Scene Stampers… this MEAN YOU!! International welcome to apply, too! CLICK HERE for DETAILS. I hope you will apply...you know you want to...just DO IT - that's what I did!

With my roll of blue painters tape in hand...I gathered my plate of Viva Las Vegastamps! #1268, plate #1273 VLVS Steampunk Stamps, "Vintage Fan Lady On Balloon" #17461, a sheet of A2 size Kromecote, assortment of distress and dye inks and stipple brush, a creme and plum cardstock, black Versafine ink, 1/4" & 1/2" Miracle Tape, and a section of german scrap floral.


Tear sections of painters tape and remove some of the stickiness by applying it to cloth first. Then apply as desired onto Kromecote.


Then I stamped several images with warm grey dye ink - then gently heat set ink, careful not to melt the tape to the paper. Using a stipple brush, I blended in several colors of distress inks. Then gently heat set ink again. I blotted excess ink off the tape with paper towel before peeling off.


Then gently remove painters tape. Set aside painter's tape for reuse.


Now you want to mask off areas you stamped with torn tape. This doesn't have to be perfect. If there are areas exposed and/or covered, this is GREAT!


Now repeat the process again. I stamped several other images using warm grey dye ink and heat set. Then blended in color with stipple brush and heat set again. I gently remove the tape to reveal this FABULOUS background...
     

Now final assembly. I trimmed the edges, stippled some color to the white areas, inked edges with a plum dye ink and heat set. I mounted this background to a plum cardstock card base using 1/2" Miracle Tape. I stamped the "Pensive Girl" #16033 onto cream cardstock using black Versafine ink and heat set. **A TIP** I tried several stamping her with several different inks...I found the versafine gave the absolute best detail out of ALL of the inks tried. I added some subtle color detail with my Ranger Distress Markers applied with a water brush. I set her leaning on a ledge of two torn strips of cardstock accented with the floral german scrap border. 

This Little Girl's a Steampunk Dream!!!


Thanks so much for dropping by today! Linger around to see the projects by the fabulous Viva Las Vegastamps! Desgin Team or pop on over to the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - loads of new stamps have just been added - Halloween, Christmas and many more!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back with another stamping adventure real soon! Hope you have an inky day! Sb