Essentials by Ellen April Release

Yay! This month's Essentials By Ellen release is now available! These two new Leading Ladies by Brandi Kincaid are fun and fabulous!

I did some quick Copic colouring of this Everyday Hero lady, and paper-pieced her top with some LawnFawn patterned paper.

Here's a quick video of how I coloured her hair and cape (these two areas are the most interesting, I think.)

I made another card with Everyday Hero Lady, but this time put the colour in the background, which I made with the new Strong stamp set.

I created my panel by stamping the words with Catherine Pooler Party Dress ink. I cut a strip of Neenah and rubbed the inkpad directly onto it to create the solid portion. I then taped them together and cut them down to 4 x 5.25. This method ensures that both portions of the panel match.

I added some shading  with Toner Gray Copics on the lady to give her some dimension, but really left the encouraging words to be the main message.

I used:

FS583 - Bright Days

Congratulations to this week's Splitcoaststampers' Featured Stamper, Beth (lizzier). I chose this card as my inspiration:

I focused on Beth's:
-rainbow theme
-encouragement

I changed:
-technique
-no sun
-layout and size

I started by creating my grey sky, using Catherine Pooler inks, water and cling wrap.  I used second-generation stamping to make the raindrops. I die cut the rainbow in white, and blended inks before splattering with water.

Here's a quick video:

I used:

CC90 - The Perfect Reason....for a Giveaway!

Today, I have a GIVEAWAY! And "I don't need a reason", but if you comment here, you can win The Perfect Reason stamp set and matching dies from Catherine Pooler Designs! Comment below before 8 am Monday, April 9  **EXTENDED to 8 am Thursday, April 12! ** and one commenter will be picked randomly (US only).

This floral-builder set has fun sentiments and endless possibilities! I used my MISTI-only wreath-building technique to create this pretty spring card.

I started with the branch stamp and built a basic wreath in Garden Party and Lime Rickey. Then I added some tiny flowers using It's a Girl, Sweet Sixteen, Bellini and Tiara. The flowers were added randomly, and once they were done, I used an acrylic block to add more branches, then more flowers.

My sentiment uses the die for the large flower. I stamped one in Lime Rickey, one with Garden Party and then layered them, with their petals offset, so that you can see both shades of green. It's a fun and easy way to get a different look with this die!

My team-mate Ashlea is also giving away The Perfect Reason bundle, so click here and comment for another chance to win!

I'm also linking up to the current Card Concept challenge:

I was inspired by the pastel colours in a circle.

Here's a video:

I used:

Muse 260 - Best Mom

Here's my card for the current Muse challenge, where Anita gave us this pretty, monochrome inspiration:

I focused on Anita's:
-monochrome colour
-mother's day theme
-floral theme

I started by arranging the floral stamps on my MISTI and stamping them with Catherine Pooler's Pixie Dust ink.

I stamped my sentiment with Black Jack. And then I had a pretty, but flat panel.

To add interest, I used the matching dies and cut out each floral arrangement and popped them up.

Then I took a couple of Copics and added some shading for dimension.

I used:

AJVD - Rainbow Love

I'm on the A Jillian Vance Design blog today with this rainbow love card and a video.

Eat, Sleep, Create

There's a fun new class at StampNation (click here for membership information) called Eat, Sleep, Create.

It's got lots of Art Journaling techniques using Mixed Media. The tutorial videos are fun to watch and full of great tips, tricks and beautiful projects, but you know me. I'm really a clean and simple girl at heart. My first love (design-wise) is white space and clean, graphic lines. Still, I wanted to give it a try.

I don't have a lot of the supplies - I don't have an Art Journal. Or Gesso. Or acrylic paints. But I broke down what I heard Josefine saying and looked around to see what I could use to get a similar look.

Seems like the main idea is to create a lot of interest by adding layers of different media onto your panel. I can do that!

I started by smooshing Distress Oxide inks onto a watercolour panel. Then I laid the Mod Flowers stencil over top and spritzed with water to create a ghosting effect. I added some tone-on-tone stamping with Catherine Pooler Inks and then some black stamping for drama.

I stopped there (baby steps!) but there are so many other things that could still be layered on - splatters, washi tape, patterned paper, embellishments...

I stayed in my comfort-zone with a rainbow of bright happy colours and in the end, I feel like this still feels like me, even if the techniques are quite new for me.



Here's a video:

I used:

FS582 - Many Thanks

Congratulations to this week's Splitcoastampers' Featured Stamper Jayne (Ozpom).

I chose this card as my inspiration:

I focused on Jayne's:
-white images with pops of colour
-diagonal layout
-lots of white space

I changed:
-animals to flowers
-position of sentiment
-masked background stamp instead of repetition

You'll notice that I didn't use Catherine's Midnight ink for my stamping. Midnight IS compatible with Copics on Catherine's White cardstock, but not on Neenah - it bleeds. And Neenah is all I have right now. Test  your cardstock before using Midnight with Copics and let me know if you find other cardstock that it works on.

Here's a quick video:

I used: