Wednesday, January 24, 2018

2018 Year of Courage

Welcome to 2018! I am hosting the challenge at Frilly and Funkie this time around and I had challenged everyone to thing about their word for 2018!  I am calling the Challenge 2018 The Year of.

Here is how I described it on the challenge:
"I am not very good at New Year Resolutions but I do like to think about what I want to focus on in the New Year. To help me do this, I pick a word that is my word for the year and try to use that word to keep me focused on what is important. The challenge to you is to pick a word that will be your inspiration for 2018. Create a vintage or shabby chic project that includes your word of 2018. The word can be part of a sentiment, phrase or stand alone on your project as long as it is featured somewhere in your art."
 


I had a hard time picking one word but I decided to focus on Courage.  For me it is focusing on what I can achieve if I don't let my fear prevent me from trying something or doing something.  As my daughter said to me "Don't let your fear be greater than your faith".

I created a series of pages based on this idea:
I started with a few sheets of mixed media paper that I completely soaked with spritzing water over the surface.

I then pulled out the distress ink sprays and sprayed areas of colors.  I then tilted and twisted the paper to mix and blend. I also used more water to make it blend with out any splattering from the sprays.

While the ink was wet I flicked white paint into the inky wetness which allowed the soft white highlight.

 I then dried/waited for my backgrounds to dry. I actually dabbed the excess ink up on one of my backgrounds and on the other I used a heat gun to help dry up quicker.

After that I added lines, circles, stars, rectangles in various places as well as cutting my pieces into different shapes and sizes.

I use this as a trick as if you aren't satisfied with something you can always cut the section that you do like out and keep it and use it on another part of a project.
 I pulled so many different quotes and stamps to make my collages which in itself was a good way to focus on my word.
 And finally I just pulled out some of my favorite stamps to use on the pages because I love them and they speak to me.


You still have time to join us in the challenge!

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us as a Guest Designer here at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.


Thanks for stopping by!

Suzz

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Happiness and Butterflies

Hello!  I am popping in to share a quick card created yesterday as I needed to get it sent out to a friend. 

I started from the beautiful wildflowers form Darkroom Door: 
I inked up the wildflower with Ranger Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick and then colored the stem with a watercolor marker.  Gave it a spritz of water and then stamped.  I did the same process on my die cut butterfly along with the lovely sentiment from Impression Obsession.

I hope you are having a blessed Sunday!

Suzz

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Dance

Happy New Year!  I can't believe it is already the 9th and this is my first post for the new year!  I have been creating but not sharing. :)  Today I am sharing a card created for the Frilly and Funkie Challenge hosted by the talented Cec.  The challenge is called Three is Not a Crowd.  Cec describes the challenge as:

"Create a vintage or shabby chic project that includes three of something. Examples of three of something could be three different patterned papers, three colours, three layers, three flowers, three bows - the list goes on. This would be a perfect time to use some of the new supplies you received for Christmas or to make space in your stash by using up old supplies. Just remember to think in multiples of three."

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us as a Guest Designer here at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

I love using multiples of three.  I think it was one of the first lessons I learned in designing my cards was to use three to give it more balance.
The hard part was to decide what three items to showcase on my card?  I  pulled out the Paper Dolls and sorted through the images grouping them by the images.

I was looking for something fun and whimsical because I already had this lovely grungy background I wanted to highlight.  I found these adorable ballerina's in varying size and knew they would be perfect with my background.
I started with a large sheet of mixed media paper for this project.  I pulled out a variety of products I wanted to play with that haven't gotten any use or love for awhile.  And I created these pieces with a few different times of playing with the inks, pastes, and sprays.

I am going to save this tutorial for another time. Creating this background was a lot of fun and I loved pulling out all the various inky supplies and splattering, pasting and splashing the gold and browns!

Come play along with us in this challenge!  There is another week left and all you have to do is show us three of anything on your art!

Suzz