Happy New Year!

Well if 2017 is not just right around the corner! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to Ring in the New Year! I just know 2017 will be amazing!

This is card I created using Gloria from the December Release and Skating Emporium. All the details can be found at Artistic Outpost, should you be interested. Aren't they just the sweetest Angels?

Again I thank you for visiting today and I hope "2017" brings you much joy and good health. Have a most Happy New Year!

Skate Emporium!

Can you believe we are already at the middle of January??? Where does the time go, seriously? Today I am sharing this chilling and fun card at Artistic Outpost using Skate Emporium and Chalk It Up. For all the details, please click right HERE for a visit!

Yes this is just a little tease to tempt you!

Thank you for stopping by and have a most wonderful weekend!

Skating Sweethearts!

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you and I hope regardless of what you do or with who, that your weekend is full of love and beauty! "Love is in the Air" at Inspiration Journal and this literally is just that!

This little wooden heart was altered seriously, just to wish you all a day of love and the belief that friendship never does melt, but I know there are a few of you that want that snow to melt! To begin with I spackled on some gesso , as I see Astrid do with her gorgeous creations, which when dried, I painted with a mix of white acrylic paint and Dylusions London Bus spray. When this was dry, I added some stenciled hearts using white paint. The little cuties from Artist Outpost's "Skating Emporium," were stamped directly on the heart using black Archival and heat set. Next was some watercoloring using Brushed Corduroy, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Tattered Rose. I did give their little faces a little wash with white paint, but noticed some of the blue came through anyway. Oh such is life.

The snow is a mix of white paint, gloss varnish and Rock Candy glitter. Stamped and cut apart the sentiment and all was sealed with a spray and gel medium. Added a little bouquet of roses to finish.

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

Central Park Skate Emporium

Good Friday to you all and thank you for stopping by for my little skate party! The Skate Emporium stamp set from Artistic Outpost, reminds me of my days in Upstate New York. Now that is talking about cold and snow and tons of it. One year my Dad picked me up from work. I was about 16/17 and he had also picked up my half-brother from the train station. On the attempted way home, we got stuck in the worse snow storm and the car was on the side of the road in a snow drift. It was terrible and we had a good 1/2 hour drive to make it home. Well that was not going to happen and we all sat in the car for awhile and then a huge snowplow truck came towards us and honestly we thought that was it. He missed us, but sadly did not see us! So my Dad decides that his cousin was not too far away and we better walk. Oh I kid you not, it got to the point where I could go no further. I was so cold and so weak and my poor Dad thought I was going to die and he carried me the rest of the way through waist high snow and I am not exaggerating. We ended up spending the entire weekend at relatives house and as scary as that night was, it became one of those talked about and fond memories. So now onto my tag!

Using a jumbo tag, as I wanted to get all of these goodies without cramping their style, I stamped the snowflake using VersaMark and clear embossed. My inky colors of choice were Antique Linen, Gathered Twigs, Vintage Photo and then splattered on some white paint. Ironed off the EP and then shaded in Walnut Stain, Black Soot and then distressed the edges.

These two are just so sweet and were stamped in Black Archival and water colored using Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose and then inked over with Antique Linen and of course fussy cut! The background skating ring was stamped in Black Archival and I inked over the skyline portion using Gathered Twigs.

Finally the ticket was cut and stamped as the tag background and then the Advertisement was stamped in Black Archival and clear embossed for a raised effect. Added a few stars and a little bow to finish.

With the start of February, the new "Show Us Your AO Art" challenge is in full swing and remember you can win a store gift card! Hope you enjoyed my rather long story and have a lovely weekend!

Artistic Outpost New Release!

Talk about a great way to start of 2015 with a New Release from Artistic Outpost, which will knock your Hat's Off and a Blog Hop with prizes!! Prize details and blog links to follow, but first let me share a couple of the projects I completed with more to follow! I have to say I loved the entire New Release and had a blast creating and ideas are still flowing! Nothing like the smell and touch of new rubber and then add the incredible design elements!

It was hard to decide what to share today, so I went with the two projects I completed and number #1 uses Hat's Off and Hats Background. The background panel was cut to 5x5 and then inked with Shabby Shutters, Crushed Olive, Pumice Stone and Brushed Corduroy. Peeled Paint was used to shade the brown areas and Walnut Stain on the green areas. Edged lightly with Black Soot and flicked on some good old water and then stamped the Hats Background in Black Archival and then distress the edges. Added a couple more layers of paper for the final card base of 5 1/2 x 5 1/2.

After I stamped and colored this gentleman with Brushed Corduroy, Shabby Shutters and Tattered Rose, I lightly inked over the entire image with Antique Linen. I did cut two hats as I was going to prop him up a little and I wanted more stability on the hat edges.

Next I stamped, inked and cut apart a sentiment from Hat's Off and placed on the film strip, added washi tape, glued down some ball chain and added a few more bits. Love all the stamps in this set!

Pretty cool aren't they??

My second feature today is a single, Winter Walk with the sentiment from Skating Emporium. Right about now I am pretty sentimental where dogs are concerned and this reminds me so much of the bond between humans and their dogs.

The image was stamped in Black Archival and water colored using Tumbled Glass, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick, Tattered Rose and Peeled Paint. I added a little snow texture to the snow covered ground and roof top by thinning some white acrylic paint and added Rock Candy glitter and painted it on with a liner brush and finished with photo corners. For the background I applied paint to the snowflake stamp from Skating Emporium and stamped this on white paper. Once dried I inked over with Tumbled Glass and shaded with Vintage Photo. The sentiment also from Skating Emporium was stamped inked and cut apart and placed along the snowflakes.

Here is a little looky at the rest I will be sharing over the next few weeks and hope you have enjoyed my part of the New Release Blog Hop and thank you for stopping by. Now be sure to visit all of the DT during this blog hop for three random winners will be chosen and awarded a $15 gift certificate to the AO store of rubber goodness. The winner will be announced on the AO Blog January 24, 2015 and you have until January 23, 2015 10:00 PM EST to leave comments on participating designer blogs, so get hopping! Here they are!

Tracy - Shari - Terry - Kate - Gerrie - Lisa

Thank you for visiting today and have a lovely week!