Graduation Sign

Hi everyone, I am participating in the Designer Crafts Connection blog hop this month.  And this month we are working with Mod Podge.

My son just graduated from college so I wanted to create a graduation sign to document his accomplishment.

I received a nice selection of Mod Podge projects to use, including a set of Mod Podge ® Decoupage Tracing Templates.  I selected the letters I wanted, then using them as stencils, I cut them out of Rinea Foils in Glossy Gold/Gold.

I used my Proxxon Delta Sander to sand the wood panel then painted it with FolkArt ® Brushed Metal™ Acrylic Paint in Dark Grey.  

I wanted some dimension on the panel, so I added some molding paste with The Crafter's Workshop Stencil.  Once dry I used Mod Podge ® Brush Set, Decoupage with  Mod Podge ® Ultra Matte Chalk Finish as a sealer over the panel.

Once dry, I brushed on a 2nd layer of  Mod Podge ® Ultra Matte Chalk Finish  and placed the letters on the panel.  Mod Podge ® Ultra Matte Chalk Finish can also be used as glue.  Once dry, I painted on another layer of Mod Podge ® Ultra Matte Chalk Finish to seal the letters.

To finish, I die cut a graduation cap from cardstock and added Whisker Graphics Black Diamond Twine.  I wanted some dimension so I added pop dots to the cap and placed it above the letter A.  Several flourish stickers were scattered about and sealed in place.

Thanks to Plaid Crafts for supplying the products used in this project.

Please stop by the Designer Crafts Connection blog to see some amazing projects created with Mod Podge.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Graduation Gifts

Hi everyone, did you know that you can use the Bowdabra to dress up graduation and/or party gifts? 

As my son is graduating this month, I wanted to give him and some of his friends some candy filled graduation mugs. 

 

I wrapped the mugs with cellophane then used the Bowdabra to create some amazing bows.  How cute are these mugs now?  They make a perfect gift.

Pop on over to the Bowdabra blog for complete details.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Sending a Little Something

Hi everyone, what do you do with scraps?  Do you throw them away?  Do you save them?   Check out how I've used my scraps.

I've been creating with Rinea Foils and love how they work with Spellbinders dies.  It's easy to remove the die cut element using the Spellbinders tool as it releases all the little pieces that were die cut.  So, working with a number of intricate Spellbinders dies, I accumulated a lot of scraps!  Aren't they pretty?

I had this fun mason jar shaped shaker card from Jillibean Soup so I decided to create a shaker card with my scraps of foil.

I placed the card inside the MISTI, then used Hello sentiments and Doodle Flowers from Joy Clair stamps to create a design.  The MISTI allowed me to line the stamps where I wanted them.  I purposely did not color the images because I wanted to foils to stand out.

I placed black cardstock behind the opening then placed the scraps of foil and assorted dew drops in the center.

I placed the mason shaker jar on top to seal in the scraps of foil.

A sentiment was added to the card with foam adhesives and several dew drops added.

What do you do with your scraps?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Listen to the Music

I'm on the Clear Scraps blog today creating with some of the chips included in the May kit.

Using a music embossing folder, I embossed white cardstock.  After lightly inking the embossed portions, I stamped some music notes about the panel.

I first painted the guitars with Gesso.  Once dry, I painted them then lightly inked them.

One of the guitars was used as the focal point for my card.  A Joy Clair stamp was added in the upper corner.

The guitars were mounted to a chipboard frame so I decided to use the frame to create a shadow box.  I placed mounting tape on the frame then backed it with cardstock.  Next I added cardstock and pattern paper inside the frame.

I matted the guitar panel with cardstock and centered it inside the frame.

Finally, I placed one of the painted and inked guitars on an angle across the panel.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Time to FLY Canvas

I have a new project on the Canvas Corp. blog using amazing products from Canvas Corp. and Tattered Angels.

 

The Mixed Origins papers were fun to work with.  I used an assortment of different paints and the paper stayed strong.

 

I fussy cut a set of wings from the Mixed Origins papers and also painted them.  I wanted them to appear in flight so I rolled them over a pen for dimension.

 

Don't they look awesome?

 

Please stop by the Canvas Corp. blog for all the details as well as see al1 the lovely products I used.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

 

Steph

 

Mixed Media Mirror

Hi everyone, I've got a new project on the Makin'sⓇ Clay blog.

I found this mirror and wanted to give it a face lift so I used molding past through a Prima stencil to add depth and white space to the mirror.  Then I got to work with clay, molds, and paints.

 

 

Once the pieces dry, add touches of Gold and Blue acrylic paints.

Use Beacon Tacky Adhesive to adhere the clay elements.  Check out the heart that was formed with the 2 flourishes in the corner. 

 

Adding clay embellishments finishes off a project but adds no additional weight.  

 

Who wouldn't love hanging this mirror in their home?

 

 

Please stop by the Makin'sⓇ Clay blog for complete details.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Steph

 

The Best Things in Life.....

Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today and I've used the Vintage Bathing Suits and The Best Things.

I stamped the bathing suits on white cardstock using a masking technique.  I colored them with a variety of Copic Markers.

I inked the panel with brown cardstock then place it on a slight angle on yellow cardstock.  Then I placed it on a brown card.  The sentiment was stamped on white, matted with yellow and then brown.  I added it to the card with foam adhesives.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Mother's Day Package

Hi everyone, Mother's Day is almost upon us.  Have you decided what to do for the fabulous women in your lives?

Unfortunately, my Mom has passed, but I know she would have loved receiving this package.  It's as much as gift as the gift I would have put inside!

I had this drab paper mache box in my stash so I painted it, then decorated it with lovely papers from Graphic45.  I wanted the paint to show so I cut the papers slightly smaller than the box.

 

To finish, I used my Bowdabra to create an amazing bow to add to the box top.  Then, I placed some small white flowers to center of the bow.

Please stop by the Bowdabra blow for the step by step details.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Clear Scraps Mini Album

I'm on the Clear Scraps blog today with a mini album created from the May kit.

Included with the May kit is a package of chip pennants.  I thought about creating a banner, but I decided to create a mini album instead.

I used the pennants as a template the cut the papers to fit.   Before adhering the papers I inked each with brown ink.

I love how this turned out.

Be sure to stop by the Clear Scraps blog for some amazing projects by the design team.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Fight the Good Fight

My newest card on the Joy Clair blog using the God's Army stamp set.

This stamp set is perfect for the soldier in your life or anyone that needs something to help them fight whatever issues they may be having.  Using my Scor-Pal I created a top folding card from kraft cardstock.  I stamped the boots and dog tags on kraft cardstock.

I love the camo stamps so I used green cardstock and stamped the camo stamps randomly with green ink.  I love the tone on tone look.  I die cut 2 ovals to fit the center of my card, adhering the smaller one with foam adhesives for dimension.  The boots and dog tags were then fussy cut and added atop the oval with foam adhesives.  The phrase was stamped on the same green cardstock in the same green ink to coordinate with the card.  I further matted it with kraft cardstock and added it atop the dog tags.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to stop by the Joy Clair blog to see what the designers have been creating.

Steph

Bon Voyage with Sunsational Stamps

It's my day to post on the Sunsational Stamps blog.  Today I'm working with Ocean Critters.

Pop on over to the blog to see lots of inspiration by the design team.

Thanks for stopping by.

Steph

Flowery Door Hanger

Hi everyone, my newest project for Ann Butler Designs is this fun and flowery door hanger.

 

 

I started with a chipboard shaped door hanger in a dingy color and painted Gesso over the chipboard.  I wanted the final colors to really stand out and Gesso would allow me to do that.
 
I dabbed Berry Crafter’s Ink on the door hanger, then used a baby wipe to blend the ink until the door hanger was covered.

Using the Basket 1 stamp with Canyon Crafter’s Ink, I repeatedly stamped it on the door hanger.

 

 

The flowers were first inked with Berry Crafter’s Ink and then spritzed with water so the ink would spread into the flowers.

 

Using Evergreen and Deep Woods Crafter’s Inks, I randomly swiped the ink pads onto white card stock.  Once dry, I die cut the leaf spray.  I also die cut the scalloped circle that fit the door hanger opening.

 

Using Beacon Adhesives Tacky Glue, I adhered the leaf spray and layered the flowers on top.
I also adhered the flowers around the opening.

 

 

Such a sweet project.  What girl wouldn't want this hanging on her door?

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

 

Steph

 

 

 

Butterfly Door Hanger with Rinea Foils

Spring is finally here but I'm still waiting for the butterflies to come out.  While waiting, I thought I'd create a butterfly door hanger.

I found this chipboard door hanger so I started by painting it with Gesso.  I knew my colors would soak into the chipboard and not stand out if I sprayed directly on the chipboard.  Once the gesso dried, I spritzed Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists in Sky Blue and Sprout.

I used my fingers to gently blend the colors where they met.

I cut a 1" strip of Rinea Foil in Glossy Emerald/Gold and snipped randomly along one edge.  Once adhered to the door hanger, I rolled the edges over to create grass.  Next, I die cut a butterfly from Star Struck Fuscia and matted it with Glossy Gold/Gold foil.  I used Beacon Adhesive to adhere the layers together.  I then just adhered the body of the butterfly to the door hanger, leaving the wings free.

A tail of dew drops flow from the butterfly and several more adorn the left side of the door hanger.  I also added dew drops to the butterfly.

Don't you love how vibrant the foils are and they really hold their shape.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph

Clear Scraps Phone Stand

I've got a new project on the Clear Scraps blog using the new May kit.

I love the acrylic phone stand that was included with this month's kit and knew it would be perfect to use on my desk.  I am always putting down my phone and it gets lost under all my papers (aka clutter), so this phone stand will keep my phone from getting lost!

I inked the edges of the butterfly print before adhering it to the phone stand.  I used Beacon Adhesives because it dries clear and would not show on my finished project.

I used an x-acto knife to trim away the area the stand would slip into.  Now that the phone stand was complete, I selected some of the included stickers and matted them with cardstock.  Since I wanted to use them as elements and not as stickers, the cardstock allowed me to form them and place them where I wanted them on the phone stand.

I grouped the stickers to one side of the stand so they would still be visible when the phone was sitting in place.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Steph