Four bags of Hugs and Kisses for my grand-boys...

...using Just Johanna stamped toppers and Hershey's chocolate!

Black and White

The challenge this week at Created by Hand is to use black and white in your art. This was great, since I've been working on a set for submission for the past couple of days.

So, here are my entries.

This first card uses paste embossing with an Anna Griffin brass stencil, paired with a little paper piercing in the corners. The elegant flourish stamp is one of a full sheet of beauties from Quiet Fire Design, which is where you can also find the florentine paper underneath the paste embossed design, the gold glossy embossing paste and variegated gold leafing.











I used paper piercing for this one, with a pattern from a lovely Ornare book by Diny van de Lustgraaf (Forte Publishers), and a Quiet Fire Design calligraphy stamp.















Here's one of my favourite stamps from Quiet Fire Design, stamped with Versafine black and clear-embossed. I used an Anna Griffin brass template, paste embossed with white embossing paste,Krylon gold and silver leafing pens for some of the design, and a Sakura Glaze pen for the heart.

When I look at this again, I wish I hadn't used the silver leafing pen at all, should have just left those bits white. Live 'n' learn. ;)











This card uses another Anna Griffin brass template with white and gold embossing pastes. I cut and pop-dotted the centre design for more dimension, and added a little gold leafing to some sections of that.

Thank you for visiting!

Vintage Images

I did these with some of the wonderful vintage images available for sale by direct download at Quiet Fire Design.

This one is done with an Inque Boutique flourish stamp, embossed with Top Boss Gold EP.














This one is hand beaded with a simple oval pattern of my own.















This is a simpe one with a Cuttlebug background.



Thanks so much for visiting again.

More inchies

The Created by Hand challenge this week is...create inchies!

Here are a couple more, backgrounds are Gentle Thoughts stamps.

The first one is stamped with Versafine Deep Lagoon ink, and clear-embossed.

The second was stamped with Versafine Black and also clear embossed then coloured with Talens Ecoline Watercolour Inks (all available at Quiet Fire Design ), and images are from my vintage stash.

Thanks for stopping by again!

Just Johanna Whimsy

All stamps are Just Johanna. I've used Twinkling H2)'s0's, Prismacolour Premier Art Markers, Walnut Ink crystals, Black Versafine ink, Art Accent Beadz, acetate, Tulip Tulip® 3-D Fashion Paint™ (Glitters), Sakura Glaze pens, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Tulip Glam it Up Iron On Crystals, hand beading, and various ribbons and laces from my stash.

Created by Hand Challenge

The Created by Hand challenge this week is...inchie art!

It's easy to create inchie art with these neat inchie stamps.

For these three, I used Quiet Fire Design stamps. The top and bottom stamps were stamped with Versafine black ink and clear embossed, then painted with Talens Ecoline watercolour inks (#'s 507 & 601).

The middle one was stamped with Versafine Deep Lagoon ink, then clear embossed as well.

Here's a card created with my inchies

The background is done on Arches watercolour paper with a colour wash of the two Ecoline inks I used.

All supplies came from Quiet Fire Design, including that pretty Florentine paper backing the stamped sentiment.

Arty Girlz Challenge

This week, the Arty Girlz (aka Julie and Crissi) are inviting us to play with animals. This is my contribution. All stamps are Just Johanna. I colour-washed the background paper with Twinkling H2O's, then mounted on red Bazzill. The cat was and cupcakes were stamped on whiote cardstock with Ancient Page Coal Black Ink; cupcake papers were painted with diluted Tombow marker; frosting was painted with yellow Prismacolour Art Marker and glittered with Tulip® 3-D Fashion Paint™ (Diamond Glitter), and it was all put together with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®.

This one will go to a grandson who loves "fuffins" (muffins to the rest of us, lol).

Hand beading and stamping

I really like the look of my Quiet Fire calligraphy stamps used with beading.

For this one, I designed my own simple beading pattern, sewn on Bazzill scalloped card base, stamped the sentiment with Ancient Page Coal Black ink, cut it , glued it into the centre of the beaded frame with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, and added an organza ribbon with a beaded hat pin.

This is not a colour I use much at all, but I think I like it. ;)

I appreciate you stopping by, thank you!

Valentine's Day candy boxes

...for my grandchildren for Valentine's Day, filled with Hershey Kisses and Hugs. Just Johanna's whimsical images are so perfect for kiddie things!





I used Ancient Page Coal Black Ink, Top Boss Tinted Embossing Pad, Top Boss Embossing Powder, Sakura Glaze Pens, Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, dollar store foam pop dots, Prismacolour Premier Art Markers, and Aleene's® Paper Glaze™.

Just Johanna Whimsies

Let's see, for these cards, I used a wide variety of supplies: Just Johanna stamps, Prismacolour Premier Art Markers, Bazzill and Domtar cardstocks, Ancient Page Archival Dye Ink (Coal Black), Aleene's® Paper Glaze™, Krylon Silver Leafing Pen, Martha Stewart border punch, Tulip® 3-D Fashion Paint™ (glitters), miscellaneous ribbons from May Arts and Michael's, a LOT of double sided tape, foam pop dots, and Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®.

Some new challenges

FUN challenges this week again! Over at the Created by Hand site, the challenge is to use distress inks, and at Arty Girlz, the gals want to see some RED.

This giant tag base is an old K & Co piece I just didn't have the heart to discard. I brayered Tim Holtz Tea Dye distress ink over the whole thing to reduce the vivid colour. Then I edged and accented with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distress ink.

The Eiffel Tower stamp is Just Johanna; the flourishes and sentiment came from Quiet Fire Design.

I embossed the top sentiment with Top Boss Copper embossing powder, and the other flourishes with Tim Holtz distress ink, Vintage Photo.

The gal at the bottom is printed on a transparency and affixed with Aleene's® Paper Glaze™.

The music at the bottom is paste-embossed with one of Lynell Harlow's wonderful designs, a Dreamweaver brass stencil and Dreamweaver Copper embossing paste. Some great new Dreamweaver stencils are now available over at Quiet Fire Design, and some at Scrappers Haven.

Finally, those neat fabric puffy hearts are from Quiet Fire too. I really like that little splash of colour on the finished tag.

I'm happy you're visiting, sure hope you leave a word or two. :)

Necklace and a story

So most visitors to my blog know that I am blessed with four of the greatest little grandsons in the world! Some of their pictures are actually in my blog header. My three year old grandson Avery loves "baking with Grammie," and his favourite things to bake are "fuffins." (muffins to the rest of the world)

So, during Christmas, when we were baking together, he asked me if he could wear my necklace. It was a sparkly Christmas thing, he likes bling! He wore it all day long, and at bedtime, asked me why little boys can't wear necklaces. I replied that of course, they COULD, and he asked me if he could have one.

So now Avery will have his very own necklace. The stamp is Just Johanna, inked with Ancient Page Archival Dye Ink. The glittered frosting was painted with Tulip® 3-D Fashion Paint™, then coated with Aleene's® Paper Glaze™, tucked into a cheapie dollar store round frame, backed and assembled with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, and beribboned. The reverse of the piece reads "For Grammie's favourite Fuffin."

Grandparenting is, indeed, GRAND!

Thanks for visiting!

Blog Candy Winners!

Thanks everyone, for joining this giveaway!

The winners are:

Blog Candy # 1 Grand Prize to share with a friend
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUNNYMOMMIE
Thanks for letting me know the information I need to get your goodies in the post to you and the friend you've chosen to share this with.

Blog Candy # 2: One Quiet Fire Design calligraphy stamp to each winner
CONGRATULATIONS TO ART CRICKET
CONGRATULATIONS TO GAIL (ABI)
CONGRATULATIONS TO JACQUELINE'S CRAFT NEST
Please e-mail me with your names and mailing addresses.

Blog Candy # 3: One wood mounted stamp from Scrappers Haven
CONGRATULATIONS TO PAULETTE
Please e-mail me with your name and mailing address.

Blog Candy # 4: Pink Leather USA Passport Case
CONGRATULATIONS TO LINDA SS who'll PIF to her sister, who's planning a trip to Italy to visit her son.
Please e-mail me with your name and mailing address, and your sister's name and mailing address.

PLEASE REMEMBER: winners have twenty-four hours to contact me with the required information. If I don't hear from the winners, I'll randomly select an alternate winner for your candy.

Please leave a comment in this thread, then please e-mail me with the required information.

Have a great week everybody!

Deborah.

UPDATE: I've heard from Gail and Jacqueline and Paulette and Beth and Linda; action's been taken to get your winnings to you. :)

One more for two challenges...

The Arty Girlz challenge theme is buttons, while the Created by Hand challenge theme this week is frames.

Here, I used a lace panel as the "frame," onto which I glued a hand sewn/beaded piece, using two Just Johanna bird stamps (painted with Twinkling H2O's), a Making Memories rub-on, and a K & Company fabric brad, using double sided sticky tape, Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, and foam pop dots.

Challenges again!

I LOVE challenges, and there are two great ones to get my creative juices flowing this week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Over at Arty Girlz, the theme is buttons, while at Created by Hand, the theme is frames.

I'm challenging myself to create one joint project for every two challenges I join, so this is my offering for this week. I've been playing...a LOT...with dry and paste embossing for one of my design team projects due tomorrow, so this card sprang out of the ingredients for that project.

Background paper is Rusty Pickle...my favourite music paper! The sentiment stamp and the faint flourishes overstamped on the patterned paper are from the new calligraphy flourish set Suzanne recently completed, over at Quiet Fire Design.

That frame is one from the new pad of K & Co cardstock frames...what a great idea! The frame is pop-dotted onto the card for added dimension. The image was shared with me by another generous blogger, but I can't remember who it was, sorry. (If you're reading this post, THANKS!)

I used Dreamweaver Embossing Paste and an old, loved, favourite Dreamweaver brass stencil. I mixed Folk Art red acrylic paint with glossy white embossing paste, spread it over part of the stencil, then sprinkled Barbara Trombley's Art Institute Glitter (True Red Opaque Ultrafine) over the paste-embossed hearts, then glues on the buttons and the hearts with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®.

Finally, I outlined layers with Krylon 18Kt gold metallic ink, and added three buttons at the bottom of the card.

The more I look at this card, the more I'm thinking I might have made it too "busy." Would love to read your opinions. :)

January Blog Candy Bonanza # 1!

I'm celebrating ten thousand visitors this week, with THANK YOU gifts for readers who come by. Thanks for coming back!

This first GRAND PRIZE set of brand new blog candy includes gifts for YOU and for a FRIEND. The package will be divided into two even sets, with half to be mailed to you, and the other half to your friend.

Here's what's included in the Grand Prize package:

One set of twelve Reeves Oil Pastels
One set of five dark metallic gel pens from Sakura
One set of unmounted Paper Artsy stamps (travel theme)
Two Embellishment Frames from Bound and Determined
Two packages of fabric covered brads, one fromSpare Parts and one from Making Memories
Six packages of metal embellishments from different manufacturers (K & Co, Making Memories, Multi Crafts, Make-it-Special)
One package of Magnetic Tie-Backs from Basic Grey
One package of sea themed brads from Making Memories
One package of vintage square brads from American Traditional
One set of Karen Foster Wood Signs, all about wine
Assorted sets of vintage cardstock stickers

There are four separate blog candy posts this week, so make sure you see them all.

To win the grand bloggin' prize, just post on this thread, telling us a little about your friendship with the person with whom you'd like to share the package.

The draw will be done Sunday January 13th. The winning draw will be posted Sunday, the winner will have 24 hours to contact me, so please do check back Sunday evening.

If I don't hear back from the winners within 24 hours, alternate draws will be made.

Good luck!

January Blog Candy Bonanza # 2!

I'm celebrating ten thousand visitors this week, with THANK YOU gifts. I'm so glad you keep coming back!

This second set of blog candy lets you CHOOSE what you want!

There are four separate blog candy posts this week, so make sure you see them all.

Two of my design team bosses have generously donated goodies for my celebration!

On offer for Blog Candy # 2 are three unmounted Quiet Fire Design rubber stamps, based on the beautiful hand calligraphy of Susanne Cannon, who creates in the beautiful western Canadian province of British Columbia. THANK YOU Suzanne! I ordered my first Quiet Fire stamps nearly one year ago, and liked them SO MUCH that I begged and grovelled till Suzanne let me on her design team. Now I use them all the time, and have had several cards published with them, with more to come this spring.

So, to win ONE of the three calligraphy stamps, please leave a comment on this post after you visit Suzanne's Quiet Fire Design site, where you'll see all the wonderful goodies she carries...especially interesting to mixed media design artlets. You can get to the stamps section by simply clicking on "Rubber Stamps and Accessories" at the menu on the left hand side of her home page.

Each of three winners will get to choose one unmounted calligraphy stamp up to a value of $8.00, which Suzanne will ship to you at her cost. If you decide to order anything else from the site, you'll receive a $3 credit towards postage of your order.

Oh! And if you haven't signed up for her newsletter yet, you should...LOTS of wonderful things in there! Just sign up on the right hand side, and request to be added to the list. There's also a newsletter archive for your reading pleasure.

WHEW! Okay, this random draw of three winners will be done Sunday January 13th. The winning draws will be posted Sunday, the winner will have 24 hours to contact me, so please do check back Sunday evening.

If I don't hear back from the winners within 24 hours, alternate draws will be made.

Good luck!

January Blog Candy Bonanza # 3

Thank you for visiting my blog again! I'm celebrating this week, with THANK YOU gifts for readers who visit so often that I've had ten thousand visits here since July, when I started my blog.

This third set of blog candy lets you CHOOSE what you want!

There are four separate blog candy posts this week, so make sure you see them all.

Two of my design team bosses have generously donated goodies for my celebration!

On offer for Blog Candy # 3 is one mounted rubber stamp up to a value of $17.00 from Donna Feledichuk, the owner of Scrapper's Haven, in cool Lac La Biche, in the western Canadian province of Alberta.

THANKS Donna!

So, to win this stamp, please leave a comment on this post after you visit Donna's website and browse through her stamps. Then let us know which mounted wooden stamp most interests you, and how you'd envision using it.

Donna has generously offered to pay for shipping of the winner's stamp. If you decide you need more from the site, she'll provide a generous shipping discount towards your order.

Scrappers Haven frequently hosts delightful contests, so visit often! Donna has a great newsletter too, so make sure you sign up for that...isn't it FUN to get something for free!?

WHEW! Okay, this random draw for one winner will be done Sunday January 13th. The winning draw will be posted Sunday, the winner will have 24 hours to contact me, so please do check back Sunday evening.

If I don't hear back from the winners within 24 hours, an alternate draw will be made.

Good luck!

January Blog Candy Bonanza # 4...PIF

Thank you for visiting my blog again! I'm celebrating this week, with THANK YOU gifts for readers who visit so often that I've had ten thousand visits here since July, when I started my blog.

Do you know anybody lucky enough to be going on a cruise, or somewhere nice and warm for a winter vacation?

The last of the four sets of blog candy is this brand new pink leather United States passport holder.

This is a Pay-it-Forward gift.

To win it for a friend, please leave a comment at this post telling us why you'd like your friend to have this.

There are four separate blog candy posts this week, so make sure you see them all.

The draw will be done Sunday January 13th. The winning draw will be posted Sunday, the winner will have 24 hours to contact me, so please do check back Sunday evening.

If I don't hear back from the winner within 24 hours, a second draw will be made.

The holder will be mailed to your friend the following week, with a card, on your behalf.

Good luck!

Another couple of Arty Girlz challenges...

The current Arty Girlz challenge is to use embossing, and since I'm enjoying it so MUCH, I've created a couple more cards for it. It's a FREEZING COLD day here in Nova Scotia, such a perfect time to play in my happy space, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, looking out at the snow.

This card uses two Dreamweaver brass stencils. The sentiment was paste embossed, and the flourish heart was dry embossed. I also used the Dreamweaver black paste to spread over the pewter/foil heart from Magenta, to age it a little. I glued the heart and tiny flower waste from the punch on the dry embossed area with Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®. This card actually opens at the scallop-punched area.





For this one, I used a sentiment stamp from Quiet Fire Design, and a Dreamweaver brass stencil with gold embossing paste and Krylon 18 Kt Gold Leafing Ink from the shop at Scrapper's Haven, then applied Black Variegated Leafing to the paste embossed design.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Created by Hand and Arty Girlz Challenges

Now that the holidays are memories, I am SO enjoying being back in my happy room!

This week's Created by Hand challenge is to create art using sprays and mists, and the Arty Girlz challenge is to use embossing. Love it when I can combine challenges in one card! ;)

For this card, I used a pipette to drop some Ecoline Watercolour Ink (337 Magenta) into a Ranger Mini Mister, and sprayed it onto cold pressed dry watercolour paper (all from Quiet Fire Design).

Then I embossed Dreamweaver Black embossing paste with the Dreamweaver brass stencil, let it dry for an hour, then added glitter over one of the hearts (all from Scrappers Haven).

I stamped the sentiment (Quiet Fire Design) with Versafine black ink, then outlined the watercoloured paper with Krylon gold metallic ink. I used Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue® to adhere the little crystals on the bottom of the card.

4 X 4 Friday Challenge

The challenge this week for 4 X 4 Friday is to use sequin waste.

This one's 4 X 4 1/2..."measure twice, cut once..." I often forget to do that. Ecoline watercolour inks on cold-pressed watercolour paper as a base.

The flourish stamp is Inque Boutique, and the sentiment stamp is Quiet Fire Design.

This is a re-do of a Dec 6th challenge here:

http://cardsandthings.blogspot.com/2007/12/created-by-hand-challenge.html

I'd be interested to know what you think. ;)