A Vintage Valentine Card with Altered Pages and Deco Art Media

Hello everyone!  I have a special Altered Pages post for you today. The Altered Pages design team continues to enjoy our sponsored DecoArt products this month, and I even found some uses for them on my Valentine's Day card.  So, you card makers out there, don't be afraid to delve into the fabulous world of mixed media, because I am about to show you a fraction of what you can do with DecoArt Media products.  Of course, my card would be nothing without the help of Altered Pages products, too!

I used an aqua 4-/4" x 5-1/2" card for my base, and adhered a print paper slightly smaller to the front. I also distressed the paper with Scattered Straw to help it match the image.

I resized and printed out two of the image from the Always in Love collage sheet.  I adhered the whole image to a piece of thick chipboard and trimmed to size.  I edge the piece with Patina Green antiquing cream.  But wait, there's more.  

I added Interference Gold fluid acrylic along the edges, and it gave this beautiful shimmer effect.  I think it really gave it just the right vintage feel I was going for.

I roughly cut out the heart portion of the second image and added a thinner piece of chipboard beneath it.  I began adhering the German Pennant Point Gold border around it, beginning at the bottom of the heart.  This allowed me to get that perfect point at the bottom of the heart.

I continued around the opposite side, again beginning at the bottom and finishing off at the top of the heart.  I used 3D Crystal Lacquer to adhere the border.  It works really well and sticks fast. 

I wanted to distress the brassy finish of the gold border, so I added Patina Green antiquing cream with a cotton swab.  

I adhered the cut out heart image with foam dots.  Ahhhh, now that's more like it!  I love how the colors are all coming together.  

Finally, I added a piece of Dyeable Seam Binding that I inked with some aqua color,  and attached a bead charm to the bow with a Lightbulb Safety Pin.  

Altered Pages Supplies:

Always in Love collage sheet
Glitz Design print paper from All Dolled Up Muse Kit
German Pennant Point Gold border
Dyeable Seam Binding
Lightbulb Safety Pins
3D Crystal Lacquer
DecoArt Media: matte medium, Patina Green antiquing cream, Interference Gold fluid acrylic
Other supplies:  Aqua card stock, chipboard, charm, Scattered Straw distress ink

Oh, and don't forget that Altered Pages will have a giveaway of DecoArt Products and a very useful Brayer from AlteredPages.   (total value $35.00)  They ask that you share our blog posts on YOUR social media pages/sites to be eligible.    Comment there and let us know where you posted!   Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, google+ !"

I hope you enjoyed my project today, and thanks for stopping by.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Barbara

Mixed Media Book Art with DecoArt - Part 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of my mixed media art book with Altered Pages and DecoArt, our January sponsor.  Today, I am going to show you how to make the book pages, also known a signatures, for inside the book.  I will even begin to decorate them for you, hopefully to inspire and get your creative juices flowing. 

But first, I want to show you how to put the two bookscovers together.  Unfortunately, my computer went down before I could finish my last post, so I had to stop short of really finishing the covers.  If you missed it and would like to see how I altered them, you can click here for the tutorial.

Check out How to Make Mixed Media Book Covers Part 2 by Barbara Rankin on Snapguide.

Here are the fairy quotes I found online, which I computer-generated and fussy cut to use on my pages.

"Where there is Joy, Laughter and Colour, Fairies will be found!"

"A rustle in the wind reminds us a fairy is near."

"Garden fairies come at dawn, bless the flowers, then they're gone."

Altered Pages Supplies:
Color ATC Red, 1724 Collage Backgrounds Green, Mailbox, Fairy Dreams collage sheets
Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells paper pad
Muse Dragonfly stamp set
Faber-Castell Gelatos
Fire Red Glitter
Serviette Papers
Dyeable Seam Binding
5x7 Canvas Art Boards
Tags and Postcards
Glitz Design journaling sticker
Glitz What-Nots Embellishment Collection
Black StazOn ink
UltraFine Mist Sprayer

DecoArt Media acrylic paints, mists, and mediums

Other supplies:  book cloth, paper punches, awl or paper piercing tool, dies, metal embellishments, gem swirls stickers


Be sure to stop by the Altered Pages blog to enter the giveaway of DecoArt Products and a very useful Brayer from AlteredPages.   (total value $35.00)  Just share our blog posts on YOUR social media pages/sites to be eligible.    Comment there and let them know where you posted!   Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, google+ !"


I hope you enjoyed my project today.  It is a work in progress, and I will continue sharing pages as I go along. 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful week!

Barbara

Meet the New Sin City Stamps Design Team

Yep, it's that time again.  A new six month term and a new, well, almost new, design team.  I am thrilled to announce that I am still working with Sin City Stamps as a design team member, along with some fabulous new artists.  I hope you will stop by the blog and check them out.  You are just going to love the creativity from each of them.

And while you are at it, I hope you will visit the shop and check out the new stamps and stencils that await you!  Here are a few to entice you!

Terri Sproul's Number and Symbol Set

Fun Backgrounds by Pam Bray

Words and Labels By Pam Bray

Terri Sproul's Alphabet Set

And don't forget the fabulous selection of stencils that Sin City Stamps carries.  Stencils are big right now, and here is your chance to get some of the latest designs.

Aren't they fabulous?  And there are so many more, too many to show here.  So hop on over to the store and see all the new designs.  And be sure to visit the blog to enjoy what the new team has in store for you.  

Have a wonderful weekend, and stay crafty, my friends!

Barbara

Art Journal with Sin City Stamps

Hey there, fellow stampers!  Today I am going to share my last post with Sin City Stamps for this term. But, the good news is, I am not going anywhere.  I am continuing my tenure with the design team for another term.  I guess they just cannot get rid of me!

I am going to work in my art journal again, and I want to share a few techniques with you that I have learned along the way.  I can only share this teaser with you.  However, for a complete step-by step tutorial, please visit the Sin City Stamps blog.

Here are a few closeups around the pages.

Supplies:

Sin City Stamps:  Wildlife stamp set; Terri Sproul's Leaves stamp set; Sin City Wings stamp set; Chicken Wire Stencil;
Cottonwood Press Canvas Notebook
StazOn ink pads: Black, Blue Hawaii, Gothic Purple, Emerald City, Spiced Chai, Claret, Orange Zest
DecoArt Modeling Paste; Matte Medium; Crackle Paste; Misters:  Yellow Green, Turquoise, Orange, White; Burnt Umber; Titanium White Antiquing Cream
Golden Retarder
Charcoal pencil, blending stump

I hope you enjoyed looking at my project today, and don't forget to check out the Sin City Stamps online store for new stamp sets and stencils.  They have quite a nice variety for your mixed media projects.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful weekend!

Barbara

Southern Belle Vintage Card

Hi everyone!  I have a card I want to share today that I am going to enter into a few challenges this month.  I used the new Prima Cigar Box Secrets paper collection, and this beautiful lady stamp from Postmodern Design that I found in my stamp collection but never used.  I also used my brand new Prima doily die to set off my pretty lady.

I fussy cut the lady, but cut off the tiny stamped image of her string for untying her corset, so I added a tiny piece of thread by poking one end into her corset, and cutting a tiny slit in her hand to hold the other end.

close up of tie string in her hands

I am entering this in the Sweet 'n Sassy Something New challenge.
http://sweetnsassystamps.blogspot.com/2015/01/january-2015-release-day-blog-hop.html

I am also entering this in the Simon Says It's a Guy Thing challenge.
http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week!

Barbara

Mixed Media Book Art with DecoArt - Part 1

Hello everyone, and Happy New Year.  This is my first post of the year with Altered Pages, and we have a fabulous sponsor, DecoArt.  I am so thrilled to get to play with their products this month.

For starters, my project will be a work in progress this month.  I am going to make a book, starting with the cover.  I decided to do the tutorial with snap guide to make it easier for everyone.

Close up of front cover

Check out How to Make Mixed Media Book Covers-Part 1 by Barbara Rankin on Snapguide.I

I just want to say that the DecoArt products I used in this project were of very high quality.  I was pleasantly surprised at the matte medium.  It was very easy to use and quite invisible.  The gesso was very thick and a little went a long way.  The crackle paste, well, what can I say.  It made the most fabulous cracks without any effort on my part, and I have had my share of problems with other crackle paints and pastes.  As for the acrylic paints and antiquing creams, I was amazed at the quality and ease of use. Once again, they were highly pigmented and, again, a very little went a long way.  I honestly believe you will like DecoArt's new Media line as much as I do.

Altered Pages Supplies:

Collage Sheets:  A Little of This and That; Klein Postcards; Fun Ephemera
Vintage Text Pages
Canvas Art Boards
Chipboard Scroll Corners
Faber-Castell Big Brush Pen
Zig 2-Way Glue Pen
DecoArt Media Products

By the way, we will have a giveaway of DecoArt Products and a very useful Brayer from AlteredPages.   (total value $35.00)  We ask that you share our blog posts on YOUR social media pages/sites to be eligible.    Comment here and let us know where you posted!   Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, google+ !"

Stay tuned for the next installment of my book project in two weeks.  In the meantime, however, please be sure to visit the Altered Pages blog for more daily inspiration from the team, and check out the store for your mixed media and crafting needs.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty week!

Barbara

Shabby Style New Year's Card with Sin City Stamps

Happy New Year, everyone!  Are you ready for a fantastic year?  I know I am.

I decided to make a card with elements that I feel represent a year's passing.  The wings represent how time flies, while the clock hands and gears are parts of that fast-moving clock that seems to never slow down.  And of course, the Roman numerals represent the year, 2015.

Cut tan card stock to 6" x 12", fold in half to make a 6"x 6" top folded card.

Adhere 5-3/4" x 5-3/4" print paper to card front, edging with similar colors of ink to match the paper colors.

Stamp Roman numerals, as shown.  You will need two "III", an "X" and a "V".

To change the "III"s to M's to represent each 1,000 years, I used post-it notes to mask areas of the "III" and stamped the bottom of the "V" between each "I I I" to turn it into an "M".

Fussy cut the Roman numerals and adhere to card front.

Stamp wings from the Sin City Wings stamp set twice onto scrap tan card stock and fussy cut each.

Layer wings onto card, lifting the top pair of wings with pop dots.

Stamp small clock hand onto scrap tan card stock, fussy cut and adhere to center of wings with more pop dots.  Add Stickles glitter glue to wings (Antique Linen) and clock hand (Vintage Photo).

I wanted a bit more shabbiness, so I added splotches of Frayed Burlap distress crackle paint.

After it dried, I added some Vintage Photo distress stain to bring out the cracks, and then some metal gears to the bottom splotch and to the bottom of the clock hand.

Supples used:

Sin City Stamps:  Sin City Wings stamp set; Clockworks Inspired by Terri Sproul stamp set;
Other: Tan card stock; Print paper (Prima); Distress Stickles (Vintage Photo, Antique Linen); Distress Ink Pads (Black Soot, Vintage Photo); Distress Stain (Vintage Photo); Metal gears (various); Distress Crackle Paint (Frayed Burlap); foam dots

I hope you enjoyed my shabby style New Year's card today.   If you like it, I hope you will visit the Sin City Stamps online store to see what other stamps and accessories they have.  Be sure to also visit the blog regularly as the team has so much inspiration to offer.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful weekend!

Barbara

House of Cards January Challenge: Let It Snow Center Step Card

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year.  I have some wonderful news to share with you today.  I am now on the House of Cards design team, and I am so excited to share my first inspiration card for this month's challenge. 

And so, here it is!!  This month's challenge is...

JANUARY 2015

Use Glitter and/or Colors

I decided to use a bit of both the colors and a bit of glitter for my card.  And those of you who know me already know I like to use dimension a lot, as well as change up my card styles.  So I decided on this easy center step card.  There are tons of templates online, and HERE is the one I used for this card.

Supplies:

Sin City Stamps Winter Wonderland set; MME Chalk Studio paper pad; Ink pads: Smokey Gray (VersaFine), Black Soot (Ranger), White and Wisteria (ColorBox); Prima Doily die; Martha Stewart Skylands Snowflake punch; Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2 and Snowflakes dies; Snowflakes embossing folder; Stickles Crystal and Turquoise glitter glue; Card stocks: Dark Blue, Turquoise, Light Grey, My Mind's Eye Chalk 6x6 pad

Score, cut and fold dark blue card stock per center step card template and directions.

Add strips of MME print paper to each of the border sections.  Emboss turquoise card stock with snowflakes embossing folder and highlight with Alabaster chalk ink.  Adhere to center of card.

Punch three strips of the light gray card stock with the Skylands Snowflake punch.  Adhere to border areas of card, as shown.

Stamp skating children onto light gray card stock with Smokey gray ink.  Fussy cut, and add white charcoal pencil to ground (ice) area.

I decided I wanted the image to show up better, so I used a stamp positioner to stamp the image once again with Black Soot, offsetting it to add the shadow effect.

Adhere children image to card, as shown.  I added a bit of crystal glitter glue to the ice area.  I know it is hard to see in the photo, but it really looks pretty in person.

Stamp "Let it Snow" on light gray card stock and die cut with Fancy Tags 2 die.  Add shading with Smokey Gray ink.  Adhere to top of card with foam dots.  Add tiny dots of turquoise glitter glue to snowflakes.

Die cut a set of dark blue and turquoise snowflakes.  Add Alabaster and Wisteria chalk ink to the high spots.  

I only used these three snowflakes for this card, but save the others for another wintry project.  The die cuts out the center hole, making it quite easy to layer with a brad.

Add some turquoise glitter to the dark blue snowflakes, and add a light blue gem sticker to cover the silver brad.

Place to the left of the children, as shown.  

I hope I have inspired you to play along with us and to get some great cards made using these beautiful colors, and perhaps, some glitter!  

Come back each Monday this month for more inspiration from the DT.  We hope you will join us and share your beautiful creations.  Click HERE to be taken to the original challenge post to link up!  Please check the House Rules HERE before linking up.  

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful, creative week!

Barbara xoxo