21st Century Pillow Book

Dots with Dilly Beans

2013-05-24T09:59:00.000-04:00

Greetings and salutations! Today I have a new Dilly Beans challenge to share with you. This week, our challenge is "Dots." When Megan first told us about the challenge, I immediately knew which image i wanted to work with.

I used one of Megan's adorable bug girls. Isn't she cute? I love all of the Dilly Beans' Big Eye Girls.

I colored her with alcohol markers, and glittered up her wings with Stickles. I also used some black cardstock that I had sprayed with Memory Mists Iridescent spray from Dreamweaver Stencils.

You can really see the sparkle and glimmer here. Love that spray! It changes color depending on the angle. I hope you will play along with this week's challenge. Please be sure to stop by the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the team has come up with. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Till Death...

2013-05-20T10:20:00.003-04:00

Greetings! Happy Monday! I have a Bombshell Stamps card to share with you today. And I made it, just to make it. No challenges, no requirements. Just somethin' I felt like doing. And boy, sometimes that feels so good.

I worked with Till Death, which is a fabulous set. And, it's on sale! The set has some really great elements. I especially love the swallow holding the banner that says "True Love" Hey, did you know that this month's hop theme is Banners? How about you join us? Most of the Bombshell sets come with some type of banner, so making a project for this theme is easy! And even if you don't have any of our sets, you can still play! How? Sign up for the newsletter, and then you will have access to FREE digis! At least one of those sets have a banner, so you have no excuse to not play! Just visit THIS link to sign up.

I colored the image with alcohol markers, after stamping it with Memento ink. I enjoyed coloring the skull a lot. I like to experiment with different colors to make bone look like...well...bone.

I used a Stencil Girl "Web" stencil for my background. Inked up with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. And several fun paper scraps that I had. I am so loving the black glitter paper.

Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Anything Goes with Dilly Beans!

2013-05-17T13:47:00.001-04:00

Greetings! Today I have a new Dilly Beans challenge to share with you. This week, it's Anything Goes, but you MUST use a Dilly Beans image. Here's my project.

I used Megan's Happy Day Framed #542. I colored this pretty flower with alcohol and watercolor markers.

Yeesh...this picture is washed out! I kept the card pretty clean and simple. Sometimes you just don't need a ton of layers and distressing.

As a side note, I am very excited to say that I was one of the lucky winners of a $10 gift certificate for a Sweet Pea Stamps layout that I did. It's called Look Alikes, and you can check it out HERE. I am super stoked that I was one of the chosen winners.
Now, it's time for you to create a fabulous project with Dilly Beans! Have fun with it! And be sure to visit the Dilly Beans blog to see what the rest of the DT has come up with for this week. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

DICC #54: Mad for Markers

2013-05-15T19:08:00.002-04:00

Greetings! I have a short post for you today, as the time has been simply flying by. The latest Desert Islands Crafters Challenge is up and awaiting your entries. This time around, we are sponsored by Mad for Markers by Sammi. Here is the itinerary.

1. The color blue

2. Distressing

3. Doodling

4. Washi Tape

5. Texture

6. Bling

7. Dots

8. A critter or 2

9. Fabric

10. White Accents

Remember, you need to use at least 3 things from the itinerary. I used #'s 1, 2, 3, and 8.

The cute little crab is one of a few digis Sammi created specifically for DICC. I paired the little guy up with a palm tree from the Bombshell Stamps set, Hawaiian Girl. Everything was colored with alcohol markers, and I used Distress Inks, and a brown pen for my doodling.

I hope you will play along with us! Please be sure to visit the DICC blog to check out the rest of the great DT creations. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Ace of Swords and Playing Catch Up

2013-05-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Greetings, and Happy Mother's Day!I have 2 projects to share with you today. The first is an ATC for the latest Wicked Wednesday challenge, and the other is a card for the new Movie Magic Monthly challenge. Yeah...I am a couple of days late with posting that one. Sorry! Life really got in the way this week.

I am making more and more ATC's lately, as I sometimes only have time to make something teeny. And I think I am getting better at them! The Wicked Wednesday challenge this week is Tarot Symbols. I thought this Rick St. Dennis image, called Monument was just perfect for the Ace of Swords.

The Ace of Swords symbolizes the beginning of a conquest that will eventually be successful. Obviously,the bearer of this sword was successful. I thought that this card was a good one for me to make, as i am looking to be more successful in some of my conquests. Hopefully, the energy I put into it will help me. The image is colored with alcohol inks, and I used a Stencil Girl stencil for my background.

The newest Movie Magic Monthly challenge is Star Wars vs. Star Trek. What a fabulous challenge, right? Hopefully, if things go my way...I will have several projects to share with you this month, as I love both Star Wars and Star Trek. I used this image from Mayzy Art. Isn't it great?

I used alcohol markers for this image as well. And look! I managed to find Star Wars paper!

I will be giving this card to my Mom today, as she is a H-U-G-E Star Wars fan. Well, anything Sci-Fi in general....but the Wars and the Trek especially. I have something else to share with you....but it's a creation by my littlest sister, Monica.

Monica has a company called Subtle Nerd. If you love geekery-ware from video games, movies, and TV shows....but you don't want it to scream...then my sister's creations are for you. She makes amazing jewelry, and is starting to create sick dresses. Show off your inner geek....subtly. So this is one of her newest creations, and I freaking love it. Check out the beautiful Blue Goldstone beads she used! Check out her stuff. You'll love it. She does custom work s well. HERE is her main website.
I hope you like the offerings I have shared with you today. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Pirates! In the Nick of Time!

2013-05-06T21:30:00.002-04:00

Talk about working until the last moment! Holy cow....I have been planning on making this project for a while now...but was only able to create it literally 3 hours before the submissions closed. Ok..I guess I need to back up and explain myself. This is what happens when I have a migraine. Sweet Pea Stamps was having a call for layouts using their beautiful images. And I had to participate! So I did.....but once wasn't enough! You were actually allowed to submit up to 3 layouts. But, as time would have it...I only am going to be able to do 2. I'll make the 3rd eventually...I even printed out the photos. But it will have to wait.

My family and I threw my mom a surprise party a few years back. Looking at the age of my kidlings in these photos, it was almost 4 years ago! My mom is just plain nuts about pirates. And we have actually thrown her a couple of pirate parties. So this was one of them.

Look at how teeny my babies are!!! To set off these photos, I used ching-chou kuik's Unregrettable Pirate Life. I colored her with alcohol and watercolor markers.

She's so pretty. I have used this stamp a number of times. She's a favorite of mine.

Check out that treasure chest cake that my sister Pam made! Isn't it amazing?! And it was SO yummy!

Thanks for checking out my page. Sorry this post is all kinds of wacky. I feel awful, but I wanted to get this page made and submitted to the contest. Now that it's done, I feel a bit better. :) Thanks for stopping by!

Bombshell's May Sketch and Muse Monday

2013-05-06T08:47:00.003-04:00

Greetings! I have 2 Bombshell projects to share with you today. The first is the Sketch Challenge for May. I used one of the newest (for me) sets, Growing Hearts.

I had a good time coloring this image. Isn't it fun to get new stamp sets? I colored the woman and my banner with my watercolor markers.

She looks so serene. I also used one of the banners from Banner Sayings and the sentiment if from Rose's Portrait. Did you know that Banner Sayings is on sale right now? It is a wonderful set...for more than just Bombshells!

On to Muse Monday. This month, I chose to have the Design Team work with Ahoy Sailor. Another new to me set. I decided to make a tag.

My mom loves this set, so I think I will give her this tag, and make her a few more things for her.

She is colored with watercolor and alcohol markers, and I inked a bit of blue and Pumice Stone (Distress Ink) on top of the image. For the tag itself, I stamped the small icons from the Ahoy Sailor set with embossing ink, embossed the images with clear powder, and then inked on top of the tag with Distress Ink. Then, I spritzed it with some Stormy Weather Memory Mist.

I added a star button, and some eyelash yarn, and then I was finished. It's a pretty simple tag, but I like it. Be sure to visit the Bombshell Blog to see more interpretations of this month's Sketch Challenge and Muse Monday. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

For Mom: with Dilly Beans

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Hello hello! I have a new Dilly Beans challenge to share with you. This week, the challenge is "For Mom." So I chose to work with one of Megan's Big Eye Girl images.

This is "Girl and Butterfly #336." I used only shades of blue, and of course skin tones for her. And it was fun to do the monochromatic thing.

I used only alcohol markers for this image. I loved coloring her big eye.

I used a simple die-cut font for the "mom" and layered 2 flowers. Pretty simple, but pretty. What would you make for your mom? I know that my mom loves the Big Eye Girls, so she is going to love this card! Would you like to see what the rest of the DT made? Then head over to the Dilly Beans challenge Blog to see! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

An Undead Scottsman with DICC

2013-05-01T12:53:00.003-04:00

Happy May 1st! I have a new Desert Islands Crafters Challenge to share with you. This time, we are sponsored by Rick St. Dennis. Here's the itinerary.

1. Skulls

2. Snakes

3. Roses

4. Gingham/Plaid

5. Emboss it

6. Recycle it

7. Glitter it

8. Black and White + 1 Color

9. Fibers

10. Angels

When I first saw this itinerary, I pictured an undead Sctottsman playing bagpipes, that were turning into snakes. I don't know...I guess I was having residual thoughts of the amazing St. Patty's Day parade we went to. LOTS of Irishman in kilts playin' those amazing pipes. So why did I think of a Scottsman? Probably because our very own Suzi is from Scotland! I know...my mind works in strange ways... Anyway. Since Rick is sponsoring this challenge, I decided to ask him if he would draw my odd character. Well, and hour and a half after I sent the request, I got EXACTLY what I had imagined! Actually, he is even better than I imagined!

Isn't he AMAZING?! I saw him and wondered how Rick got into my brain and pulled out what I envisioned!

I colored him with alcohol markers. And I had a lot of fun doing it! My journaling is simply about the itinerary, and the story behind this creep-tastic fella. I used a couple of stencils on my background. The rose is from Dreamweaver and the web is from Stencil Girl.

Now it's time for you to head off into the sunset. But please be sure to visit the DICC blog to see what the rest of the team came up with. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Look Alikes

2013-04-30T16:04:00.004-04:00

Hello! If you frequent my blog, then you know that I love scrapbooking. I don't often have a lot of time to do it, but it is one of my biggest passions. Well, when I saw that Sweet Pea Stamps was having a contest to incorporate their beautiful stamps into layouts. I quickly went through all of my Sweet Pea images (I have quite a number of them), and thought about which ones would work best in the photos I had. Here's what I came up with.

I LOVE ching-chou kuik's Aloha stamp. It's beautiful. But I wasn't sure if I could get a Mother/Daughter mermaid stamp to work....But, I think I did! I remembered that I had taken these photos of us a couple of month's ago during one of Rhiannon's Special Days at school (she goes to a co-op nursery school, so the parents get to participate on a rotation). I thought it would be fun to match the colors we were wearing. So, I colored the Aloha stamp to coordinate with us.

I colored the image with watercolor markers and alcohol markers. Isn't this image precious? I love it.

I'm really happy with how the page turned out. And I think it really shows how you can incorporate beautiful Sweet Pea images into everyday photos. I hope to have a couple more layouts made for this contest (you can have up to 3 entries). Fingers crossed that I will have time! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Your Smile is my Paradise, and Sit

2013-04-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

Greetings! Today I have two projects to share with you, both featuring digis from A Day for Daisies. I LOVE their digis. I have said it before, and I'll say it again. They are by far, one of my most favorite stamp companies ever. I adore these images. And, since I was the very lucky winner of their last challenge (YAY!!!), I won a few images.
The first project is a card that is for the newest ADFD challenge. The challenge is to "Use Newsprint." I used the new Aloha Blooms image, and paired it with a sentiment from Ginger's House.

Oh, I just love her. I had a fun time coloring her...I experimented with some new combinations of skin tones. I worked with alcohol markers and watercolor markers, plus, the background was done in watercolors.

I also played with a brand new stencil that I got from Stencil Girl. It's called "Web" and I love it. I used 3 colors of ink (applied via stencil brush), ad then embossed it with clear powder.

Sorry that the color is way off in this photo. For my "newsprint" element, I found this page in a parcel I had gotten from a friend a long time ago. I thought the words were pretty great with this image. I am entering this card in the Sweet Stampin' Challenge. Their challenge is "Anything but Birthday." Also, in the Crafty Calendar Challenge "Sunshine and Showers).

This week at Wicked Wednesday, the challenge is "Things with Wings." Well, with my winnings from the ADFD challenge, I got several fairies....fairies are a bit of an obsession of mine. The fairy I used on this ATC is my favorite A Day for Daisies image. It just...speaks to me. I can't tell you how happy just looking at this sweet little fairy makes me. I have big plans for this sweetie, so be prepared to see this Little Nymph (so aptly named) a lot.

I colored the image with my 2 types of markers, and again, I watercolored the background. I used a beautiful woodgrained stamp that I have had in my stash for years. It's a favorite of mine.

The "sit" I added was made with a Just Rite alpha stamp. Seriously, I just love this image. I am also going to enter this ATC in the new Pumpkin Spice challenge, which is "Nature." Well, I am off to create something else! Thank you for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Think Pink! with Dilly Beans

2013-04-26T11:56:00.002-04:00

Hello hello! I have another layout to share with you today! 2 layouts in one week??? You have no idea how happy I am to be scrapping again! This week, the challenge over at Dilly Beans is to "Think Pink." And I immediately thought of some recent photos I had taken of Rhiannon while she was playing dress up.

I used Amalia Princess #394 for my layout. She very much reminded me of what Rhiannon dressed herself in. Lots and lots of pink layers of tulle.

I used watercolor markers and alcohol markers (plus a wee bit of Tiara Stickles) to color Amalia in.

I used my Slice machine (while it felt like working) to cut out the same flower in different patterned papers and sizes. Here are tho photos of Rhiannon so you can see them a little better...and see how adorable she is!

My girl loves to play dress up. And I love helping her get into all of those layers, and shoes, and jewelry! Please be sure to visit the Dilly Beans challenge blog to see what the rest of the team came up with for this Think Pink challenge. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Putting on Socks: Week 4 with Dreamweaver Stencils

2013-04-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hello friends! I am sad to say, that this is my last post as a Guest Designer for Dreamweaver Stencils. I have had such a wonderful time posting with this extremely talented Design Team. It has been a real pleasure, and I want to thank the entire team for being so welcoming. And an extra special thank you to Lynell and Pam. You ladies are so wonderful. Thank you for having me.

So, if you have been following me throughout the month, you will know that the Dreamweaver challenge for the month is Rain/Showers/Drizzles/Mists, etc. My past 3 projects featured rain, but this time I wanted to go more along the line of "mists." I went to town with Memory Mists from Dreamweaver. And I got to make a layout! Yay!!!

Look at how teeny my Phoenix is! This photo was taken in my old scrapbooking store. Phoenix was about a year old here. Gosh, that seems like forever ago! He's 6 now, by the way. So here's what I did. I took the Fleur de Lis and the Damask stencil and put them on a crafting mat and sprayed the heck out of them with Diet Cola Memory Mist. Then I flipped them onto my cardstock and lightly pressed the stencil down. With the Houndstooth stencil, I sprayed directly onto my cardstock- but of course I flipped the stencil over on to another piece of stock so that I didn't waste any mist.

I then sprayed my main piece of cardstock with Stormy Weather Memory Mist and let it dry. Now, take a look at my letters. See how they sparkle? I sprayed Iridescent Memory Mist all over a sheet of black cardstock and then used my Slice machine to cut out my title. I also used some White Embossing Paste with the Celtic Hexagon stencil in random spots on my page. The color is a little washed out in this photo, but I wanted you to be able to see the glimmer.

Again, I had a fantastic time not only making this page, but spending time with the Dreamweaver gals. Thank you again to everyone. It was a pleasure. Below is the full list of ladies that have projects to share with you. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Dream It Up!

Lea Kimmel

Alison Heikkila (that's me!)

April Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop: Color Challenge

2013-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! It's the last Wednesday of the month (and my husband's birthday!), so it's time for the Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop. This month, I gave us a color challenge. I love doing those! Here's the palette, from Design Seeds.

I challenged the participants to use at least 3 of these lovely colors...though more is always better. The only shade that I didn't use is the gray.

I used Bombshell Angel and the Fun 'N Flirty digi clothes. I also used 2 stamps from the Cherry Bomb set, and the zebra print from Bombshell Patterns.

I colored my images using a mix of watercolor markers and alcohol markers. I love this outfit. It's sassy.

It's hard to tell, but the main card is cream. I thought white would have been too stark. But, I think it should have been a smaller card. Though, I do love that dotted paper. It's nice to see so much of it. Now it's time for you to keep hopping. And, if you have some Bombshells of your own to play with (you can get some free digis by signing up for the newsletter!), perhaps you will join us next month! Below is the full hop list. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Bombshell Blog: http://bombshellstamps.blogspot.com/

Alison: http://alisonsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/ (that's me!)

Kim: www.craftypinkanchor.blogspot.com

Kelli: http://www.cajunstampingqueen.blogspot.com

Jodi: http://www.elamdesign33.blogspot.com/

Marnie: http://www.papertivity.blogspot.com

Kapree: http://kc-consultant.blogspot.com/

Monika: http://paperchrome.blogspot.com/

Alaine: http://missalaineousmosaics.blogspot.com/

Glittery Katie: http://ferrishyn-frontier.blogspot.com/

Kathi: http://kathstales.blogspot.com

Susie: http://whiteribboncards.blogspot.co.uk/

Galadriel for Movie Magic Monthly

2013-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Greetings! I have a project that features a new Rick St. Dennis image that was specifically made for this month's Movie Magic Monthly challenge. The challenge is Lord of the Rings vs. Harry Potter. And, as I mentioned in my first post for this challenge, I am definitely a Lord of the Rings girl, so I wanted to do another project to feature that saga.

This is Galadriel. She's a beauty, isn't she? I colored her entirely with Distress Inks...something I haven't done in a while. I enjoy coloring with them. You can really create some nice effects. To color with the inks, I use Ranger's Cut 'N Dry Nibs.

If you take a look at my background, that was also done with Distress Inks. I used the Fleur de Lis stencil from Dreamweaver Stencils. To apply the ink, I used a stencil brush.

My little die cut was done on my Making Memories Slice machine. It's a very simple card, but the image has so much impact, along with the background, that I didn't want to overdo it. I will point out that I used a cream colored card for my base. White would have been too stark and harsh. On the 28th, some of the other gals from the Movie Magic Monthly team will be posting other projects using the 2 new RSD images that Rick created for this challenge. Please be sure to swing over! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Flowers with Dilly Beans

2013-04-19T10:14:00.001-04:00

Hello! Welcome back! It's Friday so I have a new Dilly Beans challenge to share with you. This week, the challenge is "Flowers." Super simple, right? Would you like to see what I've made?

For this card, I used "Poppy Circle Framed #538." I have had her colored for a while..but wasn't sure which project to use her on. When I saw this week was "Flowers," I knew she was perfect for it.

I colored her with watercolor markers and alcohol markers. I was pretty excited about the blue piece of corrugated cardboard. I had originally used it as a texture stamp on my "You Shall Not Pass" sign. When I saw how perfectly it matched the blue of Poppy's shirt, I knew I had to use it actually on the card. I sanded it down a bit, and i think it was just the right embellishment.

It's a cheery card, which is good because it's pretty dreary here in NY today. I hope you like it! How about some more floral fabulousness? Then hop on over to the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog to see what the rest of the DT made. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Week 3 with Dreamweaver Stencils

2013-04-18T05:30:00.000-04:00

Greetings! Today I am sharing my third post as a Guest Designer with Dreamweaver Stencils. I've got to say, I am going to be very sad when my little stint with them is over. I am having so much fun! But at least I will be able to play along with their challenges anytime. So, as a refresher...the challenge for the month is "Rain/Drizzles/Showers/Mists." So I broke out the versatile Rain Stencil again.

I started by applying White Embossing Paste over the entire Rain stencil. While it was still wet, I applied some Sapphire Metallic F/X Powder...but I did it gingerly. I wanted some blue, but not too much...and I didn't want even coverage. I also inked the edges in a dark blue.

I was fortunate to have won a challenge over at The Altered Alice some time ago, and I won a gift certificate to Nature's Blessings. The sweet little girl is one of the stamps I chose...specifically to go along with the Dreamweaver challenge. She kind of reminds me of the Morton Salt girl. I also used Blueberry Memory Mist on the actual card. Would you like to see more creations featuring this fun challenge? Then please check out all of the links below. The Dreamweaver Team is so talented! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Dream It Up!

Laura Drahozal

Lyn Bernatovich

Pam Hornschu

Heidi Erickson

Louise Healy

Jessica Griffin

Cyndi Bundy

A Vampire and a Mermaid

2013-04-17T18:14:00.001-04:00

Hello! Today I have two projects to share with you, and they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. First, I'd like to share an art journal page that I have made with 2 of Rick St. Dennis' newest images. Then, I have a card for the latest A Day for Daisies challenge.

I had gotten the the Crow and Nosferatu images, and immediately thought that the crow needed to be on top of Nosferatu's head. Odd perhaps...but, as you probably know already...I like odd.

I added a bit of color to Nosferatu, but I really didn't need to do much, as he is just so cool on his own. Both of these images, by the way can be purchased directly from Rick's Blog. And the Crow, actually comes in a very versatile set. Now please take a look at the beautiful black, textured swirls on my page. That was done with Dreamweaver Stencils' Art Nouveau Background and their black embossing paste.

In addition, I used 2 colors of acrylic paint, Memento ink, cardboard, Diet Cola Memory Mist, and a sentiment from Ginger's House. But here's a question...who is saying the sentiment? Will the Crow try to destroy Nosferatu...or the other way around? Now...on to A Day for Daisies.

The challenge at A Day for Daisies is "Your Favorite Technique." Well, my favorite technique is the Spotlight technique. I have used it many times on my blog. I think it's a great effect. I worked with Mermaid of Star for my card. She is just lovely.

I colored her with alcohol markers and watercolor markers. I also used a bit of Mermaid Stickles on her tail. I love the way her hair is drawn. I am going to be using this mermaid a lot I am sure.

My background was done with an embossing folder and Core'dinations cardstock that I later sanded. Can you see the bit of gold foiling at the top of the card? That's from a DCWV stack.
So, like I said...totally opposite ends of the spectrum, but still very Alison. I hope you liked my creations! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

DICC: Digi Darla

2013-04-15T12:17:00.000-04:00

Hello Friends! Today is April 15th, so it's time for a brand new Desert Islands Crafter's Challenge. We are sponsored by Digi Darla, and our Itinerary was created by my bestie, Kelli. As always, you need to use at least 3 items from the Itinerary.

1. No Flowers

2. Use Black, Red or Teal, or a Combo of the Three

3. No Markers

4. Use a Sketch

5. Use a Birthday Sentiment

6. Use Glitter/Stickles

7. Bling It Up

8. Go Dimensional

9. Make it Square, not a Rectangle

10. Use Stripes and Dots

I used the lovely Irish Beauty for my card. The sentiment is from Create with TLC. From the Itinerary, I used #'s 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 10. I colored her with colored pencils. And the sketch I used was from Deconstructing Jen, #97.

It was so nice to work with my pencils again! Thankfully, my connective tissue disorder wasn't really acting up, so I was able to use them. That's a whole 'nuther story...but suffice it to say, that when it does act up...ain't a whole lotta coloring goin' on over here. Especially with pencils since you need to use pressure with them.

Now it's time for you to head off and see what the rest of the DICC girls came up with. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Pastel Colors with Dilly Beans

2013-04-12T12:20:00.000-04:00

I am a little worried about my blog...it's...going-uh-soft. Have you seen all the pretty things here lately? I need to break out one of my creep-tastic Smeared Ink sets to break up all the pretty. But...truth be told, I do like doing pretty things. Just don't tell my goth side!

This week at Dilly Beans, the challenge is Pastel Colors. I used one of Meagan's newer images to create this, yes, pretty card. I colored the image with my alcohol and watercolor markers.

Check out the pretty butterflies on my blue background paper! I made them with a Dreamweaver Stencil. Really simply too....I just used a shimmery blue ink and a stencil brush to ad the color. I really like how the wings of the butterflies work with the edge punch I used.

So, will you play along with us this week? I hope so! To see what the rest of the Design Team created, please visit the Dilly Beans Challenge Blog. Thanks for stopping by! Have an inspiring day.

Week 2 with Dreamweaver Stencils

2013-04-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! I am excited to share my second project as a Guest Designer with Dreamweaver Stencils. The challenge for the month is Clouds, Showers, and Mists. I made a card that's very different from the art journal page I made last week. But I used the same Rain stencil. I love showing how different the same stencil can look depending on what you pair it with. To see last week's post, please click HERE.

I colored the rain with my Crayola airbrush, as I did last week. But this time, I used a cream colored cardstock, to keep it cheery and light. Then, I used White Embossing Paste with my Plum Blossom stencil right on top of the rain drops. After the paste dried, I applied some Metallic F/X in Pixie Blush, and a bit of Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

I love that you can see some hints of the rain coming through the flowers. See how sparkly the Pixie Blush is? Love this stuff!

I cut out a few ovals and layered them, added some ribbon, a chipboard sentiment, and some pretty Anna Griffin vellum to my background. I think it's a happy, Springy card, which again...is much different from the goth art journal page from last week. I hope you like it! Would you like to see more? Below is a blog list of the gals on the Dreamweaver DT...please drop by and leave them some love. And if you want even more (who can get enough of Dreamweaver?!), then head on over to Facebook and "Like" their page! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Dream It Up!

Lea Kimmel

Alison Heikkila (that's me!)

Louise Healy

Stacey Rumsby

Terrece Siddoway

Caroline Duncan

Pam Hornschu

Cherylynn Moser

Lord of the Rings vs Harry Potter

2013-04-10T14:17:00.002-04:00

Greetings! It's the 10th, so it's time for a brand new Movie Magic Monthly challenge. This month, the challenge is Lord of the Rings vs. Harry Potter. You can make anything you want as long as it has something to do with at least one of the movies in these 2 series. I decided to make something for LOTR...as that's more my type of magic. Not dissing HP...but I am for sure a LOTR girl.

I decided to go with an iconic moment. When Gandalf has a standoff on a bridge and shouts "You shall not pass!!!!!!!" Loved that scene. So, I made a door hanger using a brand spankin' new Rick St. Dennis image. Isn't he amazing? Here's a closer look.

Click on any of my images to see it bigger. I really think Rick did an amazing job at capturing the emotion and severity of the moment. You can purchase this fantastic image for yourself HERE.

I painted a piece of cardboard with acrylic paints, and used assorted textured cardboard scraps to add details. I also used a sharpie to add dimension to the painted letters, and a Celtic knot Dreamweaver Stencil- you can see it in the lower right corner of this photo. They are a bit more visible in the top picture.

So...will you be playing along with us? Which do you prefer? Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? Remember, you can make anything you want. No stamps required! Want to see more? Then you must visit the Movie Magic Monthly Blog....you will be floored at what the other gals created! I am so proud to be a part of such a creative team. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Rick St. Dennis Freebies!

2013-04-07T05:30:00.000-04:00

Greetings! Have you visited any of the 3 Rick St. Dennis blogs this weekend? If you haven't, then you must go! Each of the 3 blogs has a freebie image for you...and they are all rad. I seriously love them. Today, I am sharing an Art Journal page. It features Artist Denise, who can be found on the Sparkle and Glitter Blog.

I really just played with this page...like the sentiment says. I used a variety of stamps, stencils and inks for my background.

I used my regular assortment of markers...watercolor, and 2 brands of alcohol. Yes, we are still talking about markers.

So be sure to visit Rick's Blog, the Sparkle and Glitter Blog, and the Airless Chambers Blog for the 3 freebies. Get there today, before they go over to Rick's Etsy shop. Plus, you will get to see some really fantastic work from the DT. Thanks for stopping by Have an inspiring day!

April Bombshell Sketch Challenge

2013-04-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hello! I have the latest Bombshell Stamps Sketch Challenge to share with you today. It's a simple, yet cool layout. If you've never done a sketch challenge with us before, this would be a great one to try. Here it is.

And this is what I made from it.

I used Mermaid Anchor and Banner Sayings for my card. I have to say, if you don't have the Banner Sayings set, you really must get it. I use it all the time, even on non-Bombshell projects. And it's fun to color the banners in lots of fun colors!

I am also really enjoying coloring the mermaid's fins. I like experimenting with assorted colors, rather than sticking to a variety of only one color. My images were colored with Spectrum Noirs and Copics.

I loved this ribbon with the anchor. It's really cool because the silver is actually reflective. So it looks rad when the light hits it right. Please check out what some of the other Bombshell girls made for this sketch. Just head over to the Bombshell Blog. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Spring with Dilly Beans

2013-04-05T05:30:00.000-04:00

Hello! It's Friday, so that means it's time for a new Dilly Beans challenge. This week's challenge is Spring. Simple enough, right? Would you like to see my card?

I took one of Megan's newest images (Doodle Flowers Frames #550) and watercolored it. Nothing to specific...just had fun with it. Here's a close up.

I remembered I had a great sentiment from Verve, so I used that. And I just so happened to have striped paper that looked pretty perfect with the colors I used in the image. How do YOU create? Color an image first, or pick your supplies frst? I seem to often be in the minority, where I always color my image first.

It'd be great if you played along with us! Just visit the Dilly Beans challenge blog to not only do that, but to also see what the rest of the fabulous Design Team came up with for this challenge. Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!