Splitcoast tutorial: Fold Back Pop-Up Card

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is a Fold Back Pop-Up Card - it's an easy fold with some well-placed panels - super cute.

I hope you've gone over and looked through the amazing sale at Elizabeth Craft Designs - there are still lots of stamp sets and dies that are less than $2. This animal set (Dreamers) came from the sale bin (there is also an adorable fox in the set - you have to seeeeee!)... there are also a bunch of gorgeous calligraphy dies in really nice sizes! Worth a look! 

This sentiment was a perfect fit inside - don't you think? 😆 That's one of my sentiments, found HERE. Totally feeling that one this week!

So sweet! 

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Impression Obsession January Team Favorites

The IO Team is back today with a little hop to share our favorite cards from this month's release, so here's mine! If you're already hopping and you came from Anna's blog you are in the correct place. If not, head over to the Impression Obsession Blog for the start of the hop so you don't miss anything!

For this mixed media card I did a little watercoloring, a little paper piecing, a little Copic coloring, and a little die cutting! This is a new image from Alesa Baker, paired with an older Valentine die set and my new clear sentiment set.

IO Products:

J20949 Have a Big Heart

DIE929-Z Love Words

WP1102 Typewriter Slimline Shorts

IO will be giving away THREE Impression Obsession Grab Bags this week! Each comment you leave along the hop will give you a chance to win. Comments will be open until Monday Jan. 24 at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on Tuesday Jan. 25 on the Impression Obsession Blog.

Hop along! Here's the list:

IO Stamps Blog
Angela Bode
Anna Wight
Dina Kowal
Giovana Smith
Jeanne Streiff
Laura Fulcher
Laura Williams
Susan Wymer

Have a great week!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Spellbinders new release - Create a Scene

Spellbinders has some new product releases this month - it's always fun to bring my spin to things! There's a new collection called Into the Wilderness that is full of beautiful sketched and silhouette images. I chose this Create a Scene set which has an almost wood-carved look. 
A scenic silhouette gives a strong image over an inked background, quick and simple. I thought a faux watercolor look would be an interesting change, so I lined up the image in my MISTI and used Karin markers to ink up each section individually. A light misting of water on the inked stamp allows the ink to flow just slightly, keeping the image but giving it some softness. I gave each section a couple of impressions and layers of ink for depth - I especially love how the trees turned out on the right! In the image they blend together but with the layering of 2 different greens I was able to make them look a little more dimensional.

The building is meant to be a house, but with its wood-carved look I wanted it  to look more like a rustic barn. I added a little light shading with a colored pencil, and pulled some shadows out with a Zig marker next to the fence and in the foreground.

This quote stamp is from my line at Impression Obsession - it was a perfect fit in my empty space... there is an old barn on our road that is literally falling apart, so I thought the quote fit the theme well too. 

The label die I used is here - looks like those are on sale right now! Here is the complete stamp set - there are some other elements that can be used to fill in the sky, and the floral sets in the collection would add some beautiful depth to the foreground!

Check out the rest of this month's releases here!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Impression Obsession DT Theme: Flowers

The Impression Obsession team has some projects to share today featuring a floral theme. Easy enough - IO has so many floral stamps!

Here is the latest addition to the "Pixel" stamps - this is Pixel Tulip! You may have seen some other samples using this large stamp - it is great as a monotone  background, or you can use the density of the dots to show you where to concentrate your coloring with markers or another medium. I used Copics and watercolors here. 

IO Products:

P22057 Pixel Tulip

WP1102 Typewriter Slimline Shorts

DIE1091-T Slimline Sentiments Flag

Be sure to check out the other designers' blogs for inspiration - see the I.O. blog for all the details!

If you're looking for a sale, be sure to check out the featured stamps page where a curated collection of themed stamps are 25% off! Take a tiptoe through the clearance pages while you're there too!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Splitcoast Tutorial - Grand Piano Card

It's my turn to share a tutorial over on Splitcoaststampers, and I've got a free template to share as well! Here's my Grand Piano Card - I have a few versions in the gallery and I love how they turned out! The template can be used to make an easel card that props up like an actual grand, or you can make a shaped card like the one on the left. I've got one other card in the gallery where I just cut the front of the card with the template shape. Lots of options.
Carrying on with the new release from IO this week, those floral dies are new from Anna Wight - all the pieces cut at once and they're so easy to color and piece. The sentiment set is my new favorite thing! I  actually designed this set to be used with slimline cards but it's just a fun mix of typewriter sentiments that work on all kinds of cards and tags. It's a 'must have'! 

That's all I know today! Easing back into a work schedule but not quite ready for it yet. Too many ideas, too many messes to clean first!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Impression Obsession January Release Day 2

Welcome back for another day of projects using brand new Impression Obsession stamps! All new stamps are available HERE! We are kicking off the month with a 2-day hop, showing off the new releases - today is day 2! Head over to the Impression Obsession Blog for the start of the hop so you don't miss anything!

I added a few stamps in a mini slimline size - these cards are typically 3.5" x 6.5" so the stamps are just slightly smaller to allow for layering. These 4 stamps are designed to play nicely together, and layer or 'kiss' for different effects. Here are some ideas for you!

Inked/misted Distress Oxides make a quick and vibrant background. (This sentiment set is my new favorite clear set - there is a stamp for every occasion and they fit nicely with the slimline sentiment dies, too!)

This cross background is the negative outline, so you can use different effects to fill the sky. I inked the background with Oxide inks again, then misted the rays stamp and used it to lift ink away.

The sky stamp can back the crosses or any other scene - I thought these colors worked well for a desert scene, so I stamped multiple times with different inks then layered a die cut over the panel.

This stamp is the opposite of the other one - here's another inked background with a simple stenciled horizon line.

Here are the 4 stamps together - you can see how they work together. In addition to mini slimline cards, they are perfect for A2 cards!

IO Products:

N22055 Mini Slimline Rays

DIE1091-T Slimline Sentiments Flag

WP1102 Typewriter Slimline Shorts

M22054 Mini Slim Crosses

DIE826-Z Grass Border Set

N22052 Mini Slim Clouds

DIE782-YY Desert Scene

M22053 Mini Slim Cross Silhouette

Keep hopping for more inspiration!  We will be giving away THREE Impression Obsession $25 gift certificates for the event - so the more you comment through our Release Celebration the more chances to win! All comments for each of the event days will be open until Monday Jan. 10 at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on Tuesday Jan. 11 on the Impression Obsession Blog.

Thank you for visiting me today! Here's the full lineup in case you might have missed any!

IO Stamps Blog
Angela Bode
Anna Wight
Dina Kowal <<<<< you're here!
Giovana Smith
Jeanne Streiff
Laura Fulcher
Laura Williams
Susan Wymer

Cheers!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

Impression Obsession January Release Day 1

It's time for a new release from Impression Obsession! All the new stamps are on the site now and you can check them out HERE - I'll wait! 

We are kicking off the month with a 2-day hop, showing off the new releases. If you're already hopping and you came from Anna's blog, you are in the correct place. If not, head over to the Impression Obsession Blog for the start of the hop so you don't miss anything!

This is one of MY release months, so that's always fun! My stamps in this release are Easter themed, but this floral will be great all year round.

IO Products:

L22051 Lily Bouquet

C22050 Every Moment

DIE291-WW All-in-One Frames - Rectangles 2

Keep hopping for more inspiration - I hope you'll see more samples from my collections on the other blogs! Today and tomorrow (Jan. 3-4) you can find a list of participants on the Impression Obsession Blog. We will be giving away THREE Impression Obsession $25 gift certificates for the event - so the more you comment through our Release Celebration the more chances to win!

All comments for each of the event days will be open until Monday Jan. 10 at midnight CT. All winners will be announced on Tuesday Jan. 11 on the Impression Obsession Blog.

Thank you for visiting me today! Here's the hop list for more inspiration!

IO Stamps Blog

Angela Bode

Anna Wight

Dina Kowal <<<<<< that's me!

Giovana Smith

Jeanne Streiff

Laura Fulcher

Laura Williams

Susan Wymer

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!

2021 in Review

It's a tradition on my blog to look back at the end of the year and pick out a few creative highlights! Hope you enjoy... this year was a massive, endless blur, and some things seem like they happened wayyyyyy longer than months ago! It's good to know that despite all that happened, there are some highlights to remember too!

JANUARY

I was offered the opportunity to display my artwork  at City Hall in Sedalia, MO, which is a larger town in the next county - here's my son helping me hang it all - 15 pieces plus a few smaller painted plaques.

FEBRUARY

Impression Obsession moved to a monthly release model this year, so February was my first release month, featuring some of my favorite artwork ever in a painting and stamping collection! You can find all of my stamps HERE!

I had also been working to develop a bird shaped bead using polymer clay, and introduced my Freckle Bird Beads to my Etsy store! They're so fun to make - each one is unique in design and has its own little personality.

MARCH

One of my jobs at Splitcoaststampers is sourcing tutorials for the weekly newsletter - here's a favorite project from this year's tutorial calendar!

APRIL

After several schedule changes in 2020, we were finally able to hold the first annual Benton County Art Show in April. I worked on the committee and it was exciting to see local artists come together for a well-rounded and successful show!

I worked on this show piece many hours in April as well! 

MAY

It's always a challenge for me to balance life and work - my daughter graduated in May so one of my creative highlights was taking her senior pictures... this one is my favorite!

I added another design to my paper bead cutting files on Etsy - these have remained a best seller for me this year and I'm so grateful!

JUNE

Since my focus is more on my art, I don't get many guest designer invitations these days but I got 2 this month - here is a card I made for a blog hop with Topflight Stamps:

I also was the guest designer at Sugar Pea Designs during June - here's a favorite project:

If you represent a stamp company and you're looking for a guest designer, let me know - I enjoy the creative switch-up once in a while!

JULY

I had a great idea to market my stamp-themed accessories to brick and mortar stamp stores in July. It hasn't taken off like I had hoped, though there are a few stores that are carrying my items! If you have a store near you that might like to carry stamp or scrapbook themed bracelets, necklaces, keychains, or charm sets, please send them my way! 

AUGUST

In August I was honored to have a drawing included in the juried Top50 gallery at the Missouri State Fair! After the fair ended, I went to pick up the drawing from the fine art building at the fairgrounds and it was not there. It's never been found. Certainly not a complement or the distinction I wanted as an artist, but it did get my name and artwork 'out there'...! *sigh* Onward and upward.

SEPTEMBER

With everyone back in school I put my full art focus on finishing up a drawing for publication! In March I had been approached about creating a colored pencil feature for an upcoming book by Ann Kullberg publishing. As my first book publication, I wanted to get it right, so many hours went into this piece! I should have the book in my hands soon.

I finished the piece in time to enter it in an art show locally and was quite pleased with the results! The tiger drawing also won the People's Choice award, which is my favorite prize to receive. (I entered the reference photo of the Bel Air in the photography category, so that ribbon was a nice recompense, and got me a bit emotional.)

OCTOBER

We joke about the blur that is Septoctember... this year was no different! Working on commissioned portraits, preparing for Falliday Fest and a November craft show - I was just really busy! Here's a commission I completed in October, a cat named Wampus! 

NOVEMBER

Our annual Falliday Fest event over at Splitcoaststampers was a hit, a much needed community event and a good time to prepare for the holidays. I coordinated the tutorial entries and provided a challenge and tutorial for the event. Here's one of my challenge samples!

DECEMBER

Here we are, December! The Draw: Seasons book released at the beginning of December and should be available soon - you can purchase it on Amazon HERE! The book features tutorials and drawings inspired by the 4 seasons and it's a wonderful resource - can't wait to curl up with it and learn from these other artists.

I've just wrapped up commissions for the year as well - the last one shipped out today! This is Gracie, and she's my 124th commission. I'm taking orders for next year - there are just 6 in my queue right now, so now is a great time to get in line!

Changes and upcoming things:

--I've stepped down from the A Colorful Life Designs team - I will still remain an affiliate but I don't have a coupon code to offer any more. Just wasn't keeping up. 

--I'll probably look into a few more weekend shows for 2022 - we'll see! That is a continual learning process. Looking forward to doing a little purging and organizing in my craft areas - there are some ideas I have for my jewelry designs that would incorporate my artwork and streamline things a little more but I need inspiration and space!

--Plans for a local 2022 art show will begin soon. The eventual plan is to create a nonprofit arts council and I have been dragging my feet because I'm not good at adulting but that needs to happen this year!

I hope my creative efforts have brought a little comfort and inspiration into your world - I know that I have appreciated your visits and kind words here in this little space of mine! All the best to you in 2022. Thank you for looking back with me!

When you shop through the affiliate links used here, the company sends a small commission my way at no cost to you as thanks for the referral.
It's a lovely way to partner with these companies that mean so much to our creative community. Everybody wins!