Making a Mess

Over at Shopping Our Stash they have a challenge going entitled “Make a Mess”. Basically I feel like that’s every single card I ever make. All I have to do is look sideways at a white space on a card and boom! an only smudge appears. It’s like being King Midas, but sadly nothing turns to gold- only to smudge. 

But this card upped the mess ante even for me! In my last blog post I shared a card using the dregs of a cleanup from a pretty horrendous spill of a brand spanking new bottle of Crackling Campfire Distress Oxide Spray Stain. I was going a splatter effect on a card so unscrewed the cap. Enter elbow and a giant spill. *facepalm*

What is a girl to do besides frantically mop up the mess? However, even if my card doesn’t win the competition, I’ve already won by creating some gorgeous backgrounds and a well-earned red stain on my craft table. 

But I didn’t want to rest on my accidental mess laurels for this challenge. Au contraire! I decided to pull out my messiest products and up the ante. 

For my  next act, I pulled out some Dreamweaver metallic gold embossing paste and slopped that through the STAMPlorations Dots All Over stencil. 

The texture! In case you’re wondering about the added colors, they are Mermaid Lagoon Distress Oxide and a gold shimmer by Heidi Swapp. 

Next up on the messy agenda, I scribbled some brown gelatos along the edges of the pieces I was going to use and smudged them to soften the lines with my fingers. 

Also, you can see I stamped an image over the background and used Distress Glaze. 

So let me talk about my focal bird. I’m ashamed to say I’ve probably had this Tim Holtz stamp set for close to 10 years and never used it. >insert head hanging here<  I knew I had to get messy with the bird, too, so he wouldn’t take a backseat to my background. We had a little messy experimental play together. 

I sprayed some Oxides and stains and dried them on a paper. Then I stamped a blue layer and brown layer of Distress Inks, and while the ink was still wet from stamping, I applied Distress Glaze over it. It gave it an antique glassy feel. 

I adore the way this card turned out and I think I’ve sufficiently risen to the Make a Mess challenge. To finish off my card, I mounted it to some Hambly patterned acetate. 

I’m also going link this up to the NBUS challenge, as I finally gave this 10-year-old bird some wings AND tried out Distress Glaze for the first time. 

This one is also going over to Creative Artiste’s Anything Mixed Media goes. 

Stenciling Techniques - Sanna Lippert New Release

It's a paaaaaarty! A new release party that is! Sanna Lipper, one of the fab-o designers at STAMPlorations has released a whole new line of stencils. And we got to have a crafty play. They are all so gorgeous and perfect for mixed media play.

Today I'm going to be showing you a cool stenciling technique using Distress Oxides. 

This technique is actually the reverse of stenciling because you're taking OFF the color with a stencil, instead of applying it. 

Step 1: Sponge on a healthy layer of Distress Oxide onto a dark piece of cardstock. Because oxides are highly pigmented, they are designed to sit on top of the dark color. I used Broken China Oxides over a navy blue paper. 

Step 2: Bust out your stencil and tape it down so it won't move. Dampen a piece of paper towel, using a small amount of water (you don't want it too wet or your cardstock will pill). Wipe wipe wipe wipe wipe. The color will start to lift right off.

Step 3: Remove stencil and oooh and aaaah... I love the pattern of this Cornflower stencil.

I also splattered it all over with Picket Fence Distress Spray Stains.

Next, I made a correlating embellishment - also with my stencil.

Check out all that texture! Basically I swiped a layer of texture paste through my stencil, then added a layer of blue embossing powder before heat setting.

I fussy cut it and BEHOLD!

Isn't it pretty? 

I also played around with Sanna's new Lupinus stencil, too.

This one is so pretty and would be perfect for either mixed media OR clean and simple cards. 

Pssst in honor of this new release, all ARTplorations stencils are 15% off. and you get a FREE stencil with every order. Plus you can use my code STAMPGIRLBECCA for an extra 20% off your order. :)

Now go get hopping and then get shopping. 

Magical Unicorn Card

You. Guys. 
I can now die happy. Why? Because I created my very first ever unicorn card! 

I never knew how much I needed a unicorn stamp in my life until I got the Visible Image Believe in Unicorns set. The second I got this in the mail, I immediately went off to my craft room to ink it up. It's just so beautiful. 

I inked up a sheet of heavy weight white card stock using the Distress Ink double dipping technique. Colors here are Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, and Cracked Pistachio. 

Next, I used swathed some metallic shimmer white embossing paste through the Fibres stencil to create some shine and texture. 

Just look at all that shimmer! Oooooohhhh

I embossed and fussy cut my prancing unicorn. 

I put it all together and what did I got? An amazing magical unicorn who's taking center stage in a shimmery, color-filled design. I completed my look with a scrawly sentiment from the Go To Words set. 

So majestic. I hope you all enjoyed this design! :) 

Shine Bright

Hello Friendly Friends!
Let's talk about glitter. Basically, it's my favorite thing in the world, and my least favorite thing all in one. There is nothing that makes a card sing more than some open sprinkles of shimmer... but it gets EVERYWHERE.

I am fairly certain my vacuum cleaner is the sparkliest and fanciest sucking machine around.

I started my design with some black cardstock and nice layer of Fossilized Amber Distress Oxides. I spritzed it with a little bit o' water to create some dimension.

Next, I used some gold texture paste through the Strobes stencil and then pressed some loose glitter into it.

I used my heat tool gun to make the texture paste dry. I also love the way it makes the paste crack and bubble.

I stamped and embossed a lightbulb from the Shining Bright stamp set on a piece of heavyweight vellum.

 

I love how inspirational this set is! 

I cut out the lightbulb and applied a thin layer of glue to the back, then busted out the glitter for real, pressing it into the glue. 

I put all the pieces together, along with a sentiment from the same Shining Bright stamp set.

This card really shines in the sunlight! I can't wait to give it to someone! 

Thanks for popping by!

Growing in Unity Hop + Prizes

Boy (or in this case girl) - do I ever have an exciting couple of minutes planned for you. I'm so jealous because you guys (or girls in this case) get to hop through some AMAZING talented cardmakers AND you get the chance to win some awesome prizes from Unity Stamp Company.

If you're here from the hop, you're on the caboose of the talent train. 

Here's the official order:

Terri Burson from Waving My Wand

Sarah Vait from Sarah's Stamping and Stuff

Deborah Adams from A Creative Life 

Becca Cruger from Damsel of Distressed <-- YOU ARE HERE

Here in North Dakota, we saw the first snow of the season this week! Naturally that put me in a Christmasy mood (aka the pre-Christmas panic of realizing I haven't made any Christmas cards this season and I now have exactly ONE MONTH to get crack-a-lackin'). 

I bought the Unity Itty Bitty stamp set All is Calm All is Bright stamp set last Christmas season and never opened the package. So now I'm killing two guilt birds with one stone! I get to use a never-before-used-schtuff (in the words of Darnell Knauss) AND start my Christmas card spree. 

I stamped my image and then sponged over it with some Broken China Distress Oxides. Then I spritzed it with a little bit of water. 

To add a little texture and shimmer to my background, I schmeeeared some Heidi Swapp metallic white embossing paste through a stencil. 

Instead of letting it air dry, which would have produces flat circles, I used my heat tool to dry it. You can see that this causes the paste to bubble and crack, producing a yummy texture (and helping impatient crafters like me get on with their business). 

I put it all together, and got this little lovely! I even think I can get away with mailing it with no extra postage. Woot! 

Thanks for popping by! If you're new to my blog, I'd love for you to give me a follow. I love teaching new mixed media techniques and sharing my processes with you all - so you won't be bored! 

Now get to hopping and win some prizes!

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 1

Today, I had a coat of almost frost on my windshield!! Autumn is in full gear here in North Dakota, and with it comes the sweet, sweet panic of not having started on Christmas cards. haha! Every year I get to the last vestiges of November and bemoan the fact that I didn't have the foresight to be making Christmas cards all year long.

But not this year, my friends! Not this year.

Why? Because I've gotten a good look at the STAMPlorations official Christmas releases, which come out TODAY! woop woop! I've created some spectacular holiday cards, and will be sharing them with you all week long to inspire you to create!

The first set we're focusing on is designed by yours truly! It's called Christmas Cookies & Cheer, and carries my signature snark along with a healthy dose of sweetness.

 

This set is the perfect thing for making adorable Christmas cards OR for making sweet little tags to go along with those cookies you give away during the holiday season. 

I decided to design a card with lots of texture and shimmer. 

Look at all that cuteness!! 

This card is going to play along in the following challenges:

Winter Wonderland - Use Ribbon, Twine or Lace
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Make sure you head on over the STAMPlorations blog because you're not going to want to miss this week-long party. Just look at all these prizes!!

Prizes:

**Winners will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers blogs

- THREE (3) winners of a $10 gift certificate to the store

- ONE (1) winner of her choice of 1 stamp set and 1 CUTplorations die from the new release

- ONE (1) winner of a $25 gift certificate to the store

**Extra prizes:

- TWO (2) winners of their choice of 1 CUTplorations die from the new release -- drawn from our Facebook page (for commenting, sharing, and tagging a friend)

- ONE (1) winner of her choice of 1 stamp set from the new release -- drawn from our Instagram post (commenting, liking, tagging a friend)

So what are you waiting for? Get to hopping already!  

Oh and double PPPSSSSTTT: You can get 20% off any stamp set in the STAMP shop by using code STAMPGIRLBECCA at checkout. Happy shopping! 

Glitter, Gelatos & Butterflies - Oh My!

Friday! I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited for the weekend. I'm volunteering at our first Art & Wine walk of the season (a downtown crawl with 20 locations where you get to visit with artists and drink wine at every location!) And next month, I'm going to be one of the featured artists in the walk!!! EEee!! We also have a live music festival going on this weekend, too. So yep - pretty hoppin'.

But you didn't come here to hear me blather, you came here to see some card-making action! I'm happy to acquiesce because today is the day I also remind you to go play along at STAMPlorations theme & sketch challenge. 

I went for the theme this time around (because you can choose either theme OR sketch OR combine them - and also win fun prizes - and you can you ANY kind/brand of stamp you want). 

I began my card by scribbling some Faber Castell Gelatos in concentric circles on a piece of white cardstock. 

I smeared the colors together using my fingers, to blend. 

Next, I wanted to add a little bit of texture, so I broke out the Faber Castell Glass Bead Glitter Gel and applied it through the Tribal Swirls ARTplorations stencil. 

I also wanted to incorporate all the colors from the Color Throwdown's latest scheme, so I stamped a big ol' purple butterfly from the STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2 stamp set and cut it out using the coordinating dies. 

I decided I wanted to tie in my purple butterfly more, so I stamped a border using the Artsy Border Maker stamp set, and completed my look by stamping a sentiment (also from the Trendy Butterflies 2 set). 

Taaadaaa - glittery, grungy, artsy and oh-so-vibrant!

I'm also going to play along in the 4 Crafty Chicks - Butterflies challenge. 


Pssstt - if you want any of the products used in my card, you can use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLBECCA in the STAMPlorations shop to get 20% off your ENTIRE order. :o 


Thanks for popping by! I hope you'll come play along in the STAMPlorations Theme & Sketch challenge!