Thursday, April 30, 2015

Unity Birthday Hop!

Wow, I have been absent lately! I have spent the past two weeks all over Arizona and New England... it's been busy! Happy to be back home and into my routine... which includes Unity Thursdays!


Unity Stamp Co is celebrating its 7th birthday! Obviously Angela has to celebrate with a SALE so the entire site is 57% off with code "UNITY7"... don't blame me when your wallet runs dry ;)


Angie Blom has created some more new whimsy girls, and she is so so cute. I love the image and I got lost coloring it with Prismacolor Pencils.


I also bordered the girl with some brand new journal stamps by Suzi Blu. They are such a great accent for planners, but also for cards and scrapbook pages.


I used some more of the Suzi Blu journal stamps to make my own little bookmark...


All of the stamps are separate, so you can really build your own pattern to your heart's content! The bookmark was also colored with Prismacolor Pencils.


We have TWO amazing Unity filled prize packages to giveaway.  Leave a comment on EACH blog in the hop (including the Unity blog) for your chance to win.  The winners will be announced Monday night on the Unity blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Rachel


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Sunday, April 12, 2015

April Showers

I know I posted an April Showers project on April 1, but this one is different, I promise!

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge has issued an APRIL SHOWERS challenge going from April 1 through April 30th. There is still time to play and there are AMAZING artistic prizes to be won! For a refresher on that project, you can click here to go straight to my post.


This card was created for two reasons

1) There is a new DCWV Stack-a-Holic Sketch Challenge! I followed the card sketch
2) I had already cut out all these cute images to create the MMMC April Badge


This fun sketch is from pagemaps.com and is the April DCWV Challenge! Make sure you visit the DCWV Blog for details and a chance to win some amazing free paper products!

The papers I used to create the card are from DCWV "Sky's the Limit" paper stack. Here is a peek at the MMMC Badge I created, too...



I created this card for DCWV and used the theme for the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge "April Showers". And don't forget to check out the MMMC April Showers challenge as well!

Now it's time for me to pack for my trip home to Phoenix tomorrow! Yippee!

Love,
Rachel


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Sunday, April 5, 2015

3 Layouts with 1 Free Cut File

Happy Easter! This is a very non-Easter related post. I have created THREE layouts from ONE fabulous cut file (that I only cut one time woohoo). Paper Issues has released a new Sketchy Saturday which always makes me giddy! I have also combined the sketch with my use of last week's free cut file. Double whammy!

LAYOUT NUMBER 1


Here is the fabulous sketch my layout was based from...


And here's the cut file that I only had to cut one time to get three very different layouts...


I had already cut the free cut file, which I of course used as a stencil! I misted through my 'stencil' using a variety of pink and gold Color Shines onto white cardstock. I cut a large circle from the white cardstock and used the negative for this layout.


You can see the misted stars throughout the white cardstock. I also had countless stars that came from the cut file, so I added a variety of sizes diagonally across the page.

The layout has photos of me, Lynn Kopas, and Jenn Shurkus at the Crop on the Cape! I had so much fun that weekend and have enjoyed scrapping our fun photos.


Supplies for Layout 1:
Gossamer Glue - On my Desk
Heidi Swapp Color Shine - Gold, Coral, Blush, Mint, Mustard.
DCWV - Chick Chat stack (Michael's Stores exclusive)

LAYOUT NUMBER 2

For the second layout I also use both the Paper Issues sketch and the free cut file. I used the circle that was cut from layout number 1. 


I used a lot of distress ink on the circle to make the paper pink/purple to match the fun polka dot background. I also used more of the purple stars from my original cut file.


Yes, I scrapped another photo from Crop on the Cape! This time with Kathy Skou, myself, and Lynn Kopas (my roomies!). 


My favorite technique with my Dear Lizzy watercolor words... I painted the die cut 'smile' with my Peerless Watercolors in yellows and oranges. Once it is completely dry I added clear Wink of Stella. Once that's dry I apply a pretty thick coat of Glossy Accents. Annnnd once THAT completely dries... it looks awesome! Happy dance


Supplies for layout number 2:
Heidi Swapp Color Shine - GoldCoralBlushMintMustard.
DCWV - Chick Chat stack (Michael's Stores exclusive)

LAYOUT NUMBER 3

I didn't think this layout would happen... I was planning on throwing away my original cut/stencil, since it was covered in failures of modeling paste and crackle paste, and a variety of ink sprays. But after a day of it drying and sitting... it kinda looked fantastic...


By the way, this is the patterned side of the page... I now have endless purple stars!


I turned my dirty stenciled page into this shiny gold gold and GOLD layout. Oh, and some gold stitching :)



You can kinda see some of the crackle paste on the stencil. And a variety of Color Shine mists.


If we're pals on Facebook this photo might look very familiar! This picture is of my dad, mom, hubby, myself, and the puppies in Maine.

Supplies for layout number 3:
Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine
DCWV Premium Paper Pack (foiled vellum) - Sold at Joann's Craft Stores
Heidi Swapp Color Shine - GoldCoralBlushMintMustard.

Hope you all have a very Happy Easter! Please come visit back tomorrow for a super exciting announcement!!!! :)

Love,
Rachel
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Thursday, April 2, 2015

Unity Easter Hop

Thursday Thursday Thursday! I swear Thursday is becoming the new Friday ;) Especially when the Unity Easter Sale hits! There are some beautiful new releases and crazy sales ahead


I'm MOST excited about the brand new Whimsy Girls by Angie Blom! They are so adorable and I really loved coloring them :)


Isn't she darling?! Her little hat reminded me of a strawberry, so naturally I turned into a little Strawberry Shortcake :) I colored her with Copic markers and used Tumbled Glass Distress Ink to shade the sky. I even did some sewing!!! I sewed the sentiment in the corner using my new best friend, Janome Sew Mini.



I'm so excited that Angela used my little strawberry girl on a sale graphic this week!!! It's the little things that make some weeks a bit happier.


I had so much fun with that first Whimsy Girl that I had to color up the second one...



I also colored this darling fairy with Copic markers and used Distress Ink around the edges. A fairy needs SPARKLES so I went totally overboard adding Faber Castell Design Memory Craft Glass Bead Glitter Gel to her skirt and wings. It. Is. SO. SPARKLY! I adore that stuff.




We have TWO amazing Unity filled prize packages to giveaway.  Leave a comment on EACH blog in the hop (including the Unity blog) for your chance to win.  The winners will be announced Monday night on the Unity blog. 

Now keep on hopping for more inspiration! And happy shopping!

Love
Rachel
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April Showers MMMC

Hello April, hello new month, and HELLO NEW CHALLENGE! The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge is up with a new challenge theme... APRIL SHOWERS


We want to see your mixed media projects that are all about rain... think rain boots, umbrellas, clouds, dew drops, lightning, rainbows... just use your imagination and be creative! You have until April 30th to add your project to our gallery!

MMMC has a fantastic sponsor and THREE PRIZE PACKS up for grabs this month! Thank you to DECO ART for all the amazing products!



The prize includes tons of products from the new DecoArt Media line... gorgeous acrylic paints, permanent mists and sprays, crackle paste, gesso, metallics... it's a fabulous prize!! Good Luck!

Now onto my project. I finally put a Boot Girl (class from Christy Tomlinson) to a canvas. woohoo!


I actually took photos of each of my steps, so I can walk ya through...


- I started with a sketch I did several months ago in my journal. - Then I grabbed some super appropriate patterned papers from the DCWV "Sky's the Limit" stack to collage my canvas board. I used DecoArt Matte Medium to collage everything. - Once it was completely dry I added some of the Turquoise DecoArt Spray. I rubbed the paint with a baby wipe, giving the canvas more of a 'blue wash' look. - Then I sketched on my canvas with a Stabilo black pencil.


When I started painting, I first painted a layer of Titanium White acrylic paint to give a base for any color I added. The acrylic paints come in Primary colors, which makes mixing custom colors so much easier! - Once my girl was painted, I did a white wash over the background. I did this by mixing the Titanium White paint with some glazing medium, then wiped it off with a baby wipe.


Now the fun part... adding the details!! I started by outlining everything with my Faber Castell Fine Tip Black Pitt Pen. - I painted some grass and puddles. In the water, I added DecoArt Intrferance medium. This is such a cool product... once it dries it leaves a pearlescent sheen (like a mother of pearl). - I added stamping and rub ons to the background. Stamps are from Unity and I used Stamper's Big Brush Pens from Design Memory Craft as the ink. - I finished the puddles by applying a coat of Liquid Glass and sprinkling some glitter on top. Once the Liquid Glass dries it is completely clear, and now it has glitter dried into it for added fun :)


Lastly, I used some DecoArt Crackle Paste through my new favorite stencil (The Crafter's Workshop "Mini Believe Script") and drew in the sentiment.


I'm especially proud of the claw hand I made for her :)



Thank you for joining me! These MMMC posts are always fun ones for me to share! Make sure to see what the rest of the designers created at the MMMC blog! And a huge huge THANK YOU to DecoArt for the fabulous products... I will certainly continue to use them! 

Now link up your mixed media April Showers project to our gallery! Have fun!

Love,
Rachel

DECOART SUPPLIES:

Primary Yellow Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/1kt1mW
Carbon Black Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/Taj7w7
Titanium White Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/U0nlTm
Primary Magenta Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/xSm6RF
Cerulean Blue Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/jsgLmj
Burnt Umber Acrylic Paint: http://goo.gl/FLVQo2
Acrylic Shimmer Mister Turquoise: http://goo.gl/Iz7PDp
Liquid Glass: http://goo.gl/dMnBSo
Matte Medium: http://goo.gl/9816IO

OTHER SUPPLIES:

Detail Black Artist PITT Pens: http://goo.gl/KKM6MB
Stamper's Big Brush Pens Yellows: http://goo.gl/KjIvab
Black Stabilo Pencil: http://goo.gl/ZjRXWv
Unity Stamps SheArt Doodles: http://goo.gl/2zOySR




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