Love Potion!

Hello and welcome to this week's addition of Artistic Outpost! Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I thought I would share a little love using Apothecary, Birds of a Feather and Paperboy stamps. For all the details if you wish, click HERE.

Hopefully things will return to somewhat normal in a month or soon as then I will be a more active blogger, but keep with me! Thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

A Masculine Birthday!

A big hello to all of you and hope you are doing well! It will shortly be my Grandson's Birthday and so I thought a fun masculine tag was in order!

Steampunk, Paperboy and Secretary Pool all stamps from Artistic Outpost were stamped in Black Archival directly to the tag. Each of the four areas were masked off and then inked over with Tumbled Glass and then I flicked on some water.

Next with the masking still over the stamped areas, I stamped the text from Paperboy using Dove Grey from Stazon, shaded the edges with Vintage Photo and using a toothbrush flicked on some Vintage Photo Stain.  Distressed the edges and stained the tie. No metal as this will be going on an airplane and no need to be screened! Keeping it simple!

Thank you for visiting me today and enjoy the day!

Trick or Treat!

In just a few days all the kids will be going house to house bagging up some candy! So how many of you check your kids stash and sample a little just to be sure? Well I did when my kids went "Trick or Treating" and I remember the sound of, "Mom, I am missing a Butterfinger." Today I decided I would make a Halloween treat on the softer side, no blood or gore, just fun! I will also be sharing this on Friday at Artistic Outpost if you would like to visit and remember there is still a few days to join in the October "Show us you AO Art," so please join in!

As you can see the girls from Paperboy have finished their day at work and are getting ready for a Halloween celebration. I think the taller one is going to dress up as Lois Lane! Well that is what I had in mind when I started this! The image was stamped using Coffee Archival on a piece of leftover paper from ODBD Blooming Garden and I white washed it a little. I did like the subtle background and also have another project started that I will share at a later time doing the washing painty thing. This was shaded with Rusty Hinge and Vintage Photo. Added some alpha letters.

Now the background was great fun to make and that is why I continued on with another piece for another time. I inked up the leaf stamp from Generation Redux using markers. First by covering the entire stamp with Walnut stain and then added bits of Barn Door and Spiced Marmalade right over the WS. I did try Dusty Concord and Mustard Seed, but those did not show up as well. This was then stamped onto my inked tag background. I also stamped some music sheet in Vintage Photo from Ephemera Backgrounds.  I really did love the background and had a hard time covering it up!

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you are having a wonderful week. On a personal note, my hubby is having surgery on Monday and I will be hit and miss for a while, depending on how much he needs me. My mind as been a little distracted lately with getting this all set up and getting things (extra) done around the house, so we won't have to do much. I just want him to relax and get all healed up really quick! So I will pop around whenever I can!

Obey All The Rules!

It has been awhile, but it is a fabulous Artistic Outpost Blog Hop and the theme is designers choice, so be sure to visit all of the AODT for some gorgeous inspiration! Before I list all the talent, Artistic Outpost has a lovely SALE OF THE WEEK at 20% off in the "Flowers and Garden" section as does Our Daily Bread Designs, for "Flowers and Garden" stamps and dies and North Coast Creations.



Tracy  * Terry * Alison * Kate * Linda * Gerrie * Lisa



For my card I decided to use the lovely working girls from the Paperboy collection and teaming them up with stamps from the Secretary Pool and Quote and Quotables. The card size is a standard A2 and all the panels were stamped using Black Archival, heat set and then inked with Distress Inks, Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Rusty Hinge. Again I get so carried away that I forgot to take pictures of the background panels before assembly, but you all get the idea. I also spritzed and flicked water on all panels and then gave a little flick of Rusty Hinge stain using a toothbrush.

The girls image was lightly inked with Tattered Rose and Spun Sugar and I added some corners. Don't they look like after working that 9 to 5 job that they are ready to break a few rules? Well I believe so! I worked as a secretary/office manage for many years and I know what TGIF means!

Well I do thank you for stopping by today on this wonderful blog hop with Artistic Outpost! Have a fabulous day!

Paperboy Seeks Sweetheart!

It is the first Blog Hop of 2014 for Artistic Outpost and it is designers choice, so stop by and visit all the DT members for some wonderful art! There is also a good week left to join in the January Referral Program for a chance to win a gift certificate and be amount the Top Three.

Gerrie, Lisa, Suzanne, Tracy, Linda, Alison, Terry (me), Kate

I decided to go with a little "LOVE" interest with Valentine's Day fast approaching and had lots of fun mixing the Paperboy, Secretary Pool and Apothecary stamps!

An 8x6 inch canvas was covered with burlap fabric and I masked off the edges and applied red paint for a frame. The corrugated cardboard packaging was slightly splattered with some red paint and shaded around the edges.

The "Love" was stamped and individually cut (love that alpha stamp).

Hearts were painted and crackled. Oh yes a sunny day, so a little shinny!

Doesn't the Paperboy look quite at home on the label space for the love potion bottle?

The heart was a leftover piece I had cut to use for a mask which was covered in paint, distressed and then the "sweethearts" were stamped along with a little bit of sweetness!

Thank you for stopping by and joining in the first 2014 AO Blog Hop!  Have a fabulous finish to the week!

 

 



Friends!

Hello to all my blogging friends! The truth is that I do "Get By With A Little Help From My Friends" and I think we all do! When I think about the possibility of moving, my friends come into mind and as we get older, it is not as easy to make those very close bonds. The tag I am sharing today is covered in full detail at Artistic Outpost and a few more photos, if you would like to pop on over there, which would be lovely.

Being in an area for almost 17 years, there are just so many memories. Everyone of my family members have been here and all of my pets in one form or another will remain here. We moved here to be near my aging parents and at the time, other family members also lived here and now it is just us. Friends do become family!  So I can move to an area that I am so unfamiliar with that is totally a different climate than the desert or stay here and visit family?

I think the Paperboy, along with Chalk It Up and Chalkboard Wisdom do a great job spreading the word about "Friends." Hope to see you join in the new Monthly Referral Program at Artistic Outpost for a chance of a prize and being amount the "Top 3."

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy life with Friends and Family!

Paperboy Delivers Birthday Tag!

Over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges we are getting all "Sentimental" and that can be a special time, place, event or sentiment!  Oh you should see what the design team has for you and we have another "Guest Designer," so stop on by FSC and have a visit!  There is always a prize! 

My tag is of a sentimental theme as it will soon be my G-son's birthday.  Hard to believe he is turning 22 and I really wonder where did the time go????  I decided to pull out my AO Paperboy to deliver the special birthday greeting.  Simon Says Stamp and Show is all about using "COLOR" and so we are having a visit there. 

If you would like all the details on how this tag came about, please stop by Artistic Outpost, as it is my turn to share on Wednesday and I decided this would be the project of choice!  

Thank you for stopping by and I can't wait to see your Sentiment project and FSC!

Stamps: Artistic Outpost, Paperboy, Quotes and Quotables
Inks:  Coffee Archival, Distress, Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans
Stains:  Fired Brick, Faded Jeans

Canvas Trio!

The other day while blog visiting, my bloggy friend Sandra "Made By Sannie," had a real eye catcher on her blog!  I just loved the effect.  She was so sweet to send me an e-mail with a video link to watch the altered journal by Drew!  Thank you, Sandra and so here is my take on this fabulous technique!  This were be a little heavy with photos!



I will be linking this up to Simon Says Stamp and Show "Quotable."  Once again I am using those fabulous "Paperboy" stamps from Artistic Outpost, where there is still time to join in the March Referral Program.  ENABLER ALERT - The Funkie Junkie Boutique, has Artistic Outposts stamps at 15% off for their Friday Focus!  This is my first time doing this technique and I can tell you that it won't be the last.  Watch the video and it is long!  I started by adding items for texture using Multi Medium Matt, letting it dry and then covering my items with another coat.  I used paper and metal gears, chain, lace,  paper flower and flower bling, rice seed beads, other findings and a grocery produce bag.  Pretty much whatever you desire!  For my piece as I knew I would be adding some stamped imaged, I stamped the images on my 3" canvases, so I would not have them on an uneven surface!  The "Quote" which I love was stamped on a separate piece of paper and cut to size.  

After all your little texture pieces have dried, then you cover them up with White Gesso, let that dry and then you spray with inks.  At this point I wondered how can this be so ugly, so let ugly dry a little and then blot off some excess!  I had to play with this a few times to achieve what I thought was pretty ugly!  Really at this point, I was scratching my head!  Then I went to have lunch with my Molly, who was letting me know that she did not care about my canvas trio!  She is very vocal!!!  Next step is highlighting with again White Gesso in the raised areas and Holy Cow, it starts to look quite amazing and if you don't think so, please lie to me big time!  After I was pleased with my canvases, I did give a spray of matt sealer.  Sadly, I never got to finish the video, so I can't tell you how it ends!!!  

My images were stamped using Archival Sepia and shaded with Distress Inks.  A little Tattered Rose was applied to the faces.  

The pen nib was giving my rusty effect, which is to apply both Archival Ink and Acrylic paint.  When you heat emboss the paint blisters.  Tim's tissue tape was applied for the "Quote" frame and yes, I did miter the corners!  This was a really fun and cool technique!  I see myself using it often!  

Wishing all of you who celebrate a Happy Easter!  Thank you for taking the time to visit and I will be back on April 1st to announce the winner of my 3rd Year Blogaversary!  Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me!  

Sprays:  Color Wash, Stream, Butterscotch, Espresso, Dylusions Pure Sunshine

Ink:  Sepia, Distress Pumice Stone, Tattered Rose, Rusty Hinge, Brushed Corduroy

Fresco Finish, Chocolate Pudding

Those Were The Days!

I really do adore the new Paperboy release from Artistic Outpost and I really can't wait to see what those of you, who have ordered this collection, will come up with!  Just a reminder that there is still a couple of days left to enter the March Referral Program, using those AO stamps! 

I will be sharing this tag next Wednesday at Artistic Outpost, but if you would like to see what I have this week, click HERE.  The little paperboy and building was stamped and masked.  Next I inked up the background and did Spritz and Flick with water. 

I just love that effect!  Other than cutting out the masks, this all came together quite quickly! 

There are a few days left to enter my 3 Year Blogaversary, so if you would like a chance to win a $30 gift certificate to the Funkie Junkie Boutique, leave a comment on the link above!  I want to thank all of my followers for all the support over the past three years!  For those of you who have also shared my "Blog Candy" on your blogs, that is so sweet and I so appreciate that!

Hope you are having a wonderful week and I thank you for taking the time to visit and comment! 

Stamps:  Artistic Outpost, Paperboy
Inks:  Archival Sepia, Distress Rusty Hinge, Stormy Sky, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo 

You Are The Hero!

Can you tell that I am really loving this new release from Artistic Outpost??  This Paperboy plate really inspires me and I know once you get this lovely rubber set in your hands, you will just have a blast!  Wednesday is my day to share at Artistic Outpost's Blog, so click HERE to see addtional pictures and all the details!  No reason to bore you here! 

This background was so awesome, that even with these gorgeous stamps, I had a hard time covering it up!  I really enjoyed creating it!   My little hero is going to P.O.P. over to visit Inspiration Journal for their monthly challenge.  Pull out your AO stamps and join in the March Referral Program, because someone wins!

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment!  Enjoy the day!

Stamps:  Artistic Outpost, Paperboy
Kraft Tag
TH Stencil Textured Fade, ATC Die, Ticket Die
Inks:  Distress, Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Archival Coffee
Stampin Up Caulks
VersaMark Clear Embossing Ink and Powder
Stampendous, Aged Black, Gold, Silver and Tea Stain Mica Fragments

Extra, Extra, Extra and More!

Today is a very special day in so many ways!  First I want to thank all of my followers, who take the time to visit and comment!  We all know how much time that takes and I am Over the Moon thrilled to have all of you joining me on this amazing adventure!  Your response to my blog touches my heart in so many ways and I am blessed and so thankful each and every day!

Tomorrow is my day to share at Artistic Outpost, but I thought this little "Newsies" could help me share the news today!   He is part of the new "Paperboy" and is he not as cute as can be?  For all the details and more pictures, please visit AO tomorrow and say, "hello."   Would love to see you there! 

Today is my "30th" Anniversary with the love of my life!  How did that happen so fast?  Each year that I celebrate my marriage anniversary, I also celebrate by Blog Anniversary and today we are "3."   Well it is actually May from the first post, but that was just to see how it worked!  Oh did I mention how much I love blogging and all my blogging friends?  Well I do!  I love creating, even if I started this later in life and I love joining in on Design Teams, as you all know is a blast.  So to thank you for all the encouragement and friendship you have so generously given to me, I am offering to one of my fabulous followers this gift.   I do wish I could give you all a gift and if I ever win the lottery, I will! 

The winner will be announced as I always do, on April 1st and will have a week to contact me for the GC code!  If I don't hear from the winner a new winner will be chosen on April 7th.  The Funkie Junkie Boutique is a fabulous store to shop at and I know you will enjoy looking around!  If you would like to add my blog candy to your blogs sidebar that would be just lovely and an extra throw in the hat, but certainly not required! 

Remember the new March Referral Program at Artistic Outpost has started, so pull out those AO stamps and join in for a chance to win!   I am also taking my little guy over for a visit across the pond to join in on a brand new challenge blog "Country View Crafts" for there "Pick and Mix" an anything goes challenge! 

Again I thank you for being a part of my blogging world and have a great week! 

Stamps:  Artistic Outpost, Paperboy
Ink:  Distress, Tumbled Glass,  Salty Ocean, Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Archival Black
Marker: Old Paper
Clear Embossing Ink and Powder
Stampin Up Chalks
Cuttlebug Gears EF

A Story To Tell!

Hot off the presses and I am so thrilled to share with you the newest Artistic Outpost stamp release, "Paperboy."  Is this not out of this world fabulous?  When my "Paperboy" plate arrived, I could not wait to get started and did so the very next day and I just kept on going!  In fact over the next few weeks, I will share with you more "Paperboy" goodness!  You will want to visit all of my DT Sisters for more incredible inspiration:  Gerrie, Lisa, Sue, Tracy, Linda, Alison, Terry (Me), Kate.   

When I look at these young ladies, I certainly see a story or maybe some good office gossip!  The background and girls were stamped with Archival Sepia and heat set.  For the background I randomly stamped the collage print to cover my entire page.  I masked the girls and inked and did the Flick and Spritz technique, which is a favorite of mine!   The Cheery Lynn Doily was cut and inked as the girls and I curled up the edges.   A little lace and a TH "Story" ticket was added to finish.  I will also be taking my girls for a visit at Frilly and Funkie for the "Layer it on and Share a Word" challenge.  And since this is a new stamp, I am going to link this up to Simon Says Stamps and Show challenge "Use that Stamp."

Now I don't do many flowers or lace treatments, but this just called out to me and I listen to those little voices!  I used Tim's Tattered Floral die to cut glassine, white/brown netting and burlap, which was backed with double sided tape and netting. The glassine was embossed and the little center treated with glass beads, glitter and pearls.  I am also linking this "tattered flower" up to Tim's "Tattered Floral Challenge" and you won't want to miss this one!  So generous! 

I could not help but share two cards with you today and decided to stick with the girls!  After all girls go first, right? 

The girls where stamped in Black Archival and heat seat, colored with Stampin Up Chalks and touches of red with an applicator and Fired Brick.  The building was stamped using Stampin Up Going Gray.  These were both masked and then inked over with Distress inks!  Don't forget there is still time to add your projects using AO stamps to the February Monthly Referral Program! 

This gorgeous vintage "Paperboy" collection is available in both unmounted sheets of red rubber for $14 or mounted on EZ Mount cling foam and pre-cut for you for $22.99.  The mounted version comes with a cling card for easy storage. 

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit and I hope you have enjoyed this new Paperboy release and I can't wait to see what you all come up with!  Really, I can't wait!

Card #1
Inks:  Archival Sepia, Distress Old Paper, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Clear Emboss & Powder
Cheery Lynn Die, Spellbinders, TH Tattered Floral
Card#2
Inks:  Archival Black, Distress Fired Brick, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Stampin UP, Going Gray and Chalks