Shabby Chic Butterfly with Blockheads Stamps

Hi Dreamers!
Spent a lot of the weekend working on the yard and garden.  I had three flats of annuals and potted them in pots.  We are having unseasonably hot weather --90 degrees F!!!  So, it was too hot to work outside yesterday.  Instead, I made this Shabby Chic Butterfly card with stamps from Blockheads.
----My studio re-do is completed!  I will share photos of that later.  I still have to fine tune things after working in there yesterday.  I really need to move my inks. Have to come up with a way to have my inks on the desk.----
Here is the butterfly.

Materials List:
Stamps: Painted Butterflies and Feeling Regal both from Blockheads Stamps
Ink: Toffee Crunch Memento
Cardstock: cream, kraft, and med brown
Metal Stickers-Nail Heads/Silver
Cream Twill and lace

Instructions:

• On the cream CS, stamp the Large Damask (from Feeling Regal set) with Toffee Crunch ink--stamping off once first.
• Stamp the Butterfly with Toffee Crunch.  
• Rough up the edges of the CS and distress with Toffee Crunch

• Add lace, twill, and Nail Head stickers

Inside

• Stamp the Large Damask image again and repeat roughing up and ink distressing for the inside

I will add a sentiment later when I send the card.  I could add any sentiment to this multi purpose card: birthday, thinking of you, hello, etc.....  I love the monochromatic softness of this color scheme.  The Blockhead's Design Team is really working the Shabby Chic Theme this month on the Design Blog here.  Check out all the good stuff!   

I will be back later today or tomorrow with the photos of my room.  Stay creative!  LOL  See you then.  Love ya.

Karen

All That Glitters is Gold Leaf

Hi Dreamers!
It's technique time!!!  Are you ready for the Blockheads Technique Challenge ?!!  This month the lovely Leigh has challenged us to create a project using

Gold Leafing. 

I have to say this is something I have not tried.    Once you get going it is easier than it looks.   Leigh outlines several ways to use gold leafing.

I choose three of the techniques to complete my projects---

1. Faux patina using a glue pad,
2. Solid stamping,
3. Using a glue pen.  

I made three projects and will do a separate post for each here on my blog through out the week.  Here is how the challenge works.  Check out the tutorial and make your project.  Link it up on the Blockheads Blog here.  The challenge will run until October 21.  For my first project, I created a faux patina using a glue pad.

 Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/4"

Materials list:

 Feeling Regal Stamp Set from Blockheads Paper Arts

La D'ore Gold Leaf

Tuxedo Black dye ink-Memento

The Essential Glue Pad- Tsukineko

Cardstock: Cream, black, light blue

Crafters Workshop Template - Mini Damask

Spray inks.

Instructions:

1. I started with a piece of background created with the Mini Damask template and spray inks.  
2. Trim the CS to size.  
3. Stamp the large Damask image with Tuxedo Black ink.
4. Pat the glue pad around the edges of the CS.
5. Press the gold leafing into the glue.

Karen's Tip: trying to pick up a sheet of gold leafing is difficult (understatement).  I left the sheet in it's folder and slipped the CS under the sheet of gold leafing and gently pressed it into the glue.

You can really see the gold in this photo.  Isn't that just lovely?  The leafing really adds a great shimmer and lots of texture.

To finish the card, layer onto a piece of black CS and a light blue card base.  Really great tech.  Imagine the gold or silver leaf on a Christmas card!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!!  Oh, and did I mention, you could take home a $25 gift Certificate to Blockheads Paper Arts!!!  Yes, you can.  I hope you are having a great day!!  Love ya.
Karen

Felling Regal Tags with Metallic Stains

Hi Dreamers!
Happy Friday!  Let the weekend begin.  I think I will take a few hours this weekend and finish up some Halloween cards.  But, today, I have two tags that I made while experimenting with my new Metallic Distress Stains.  Very fun!  The stains are very shimmery and lustrous.  I paired them with metallic ribbons, glitter glue, and stamping.

Tag # one - Royal Damask :

Materials List:

Stamps

Feeling Regal from Blockheads Stamps

Flowers-Daisy (For You sentiment)

Inks 

Black Pigment Colorbox

Tuxedo Black Dye Memento

Metallic Distress Stains

Tarnished Brass

Antiqued Bronze

Black Embossing Powder

Cream and Wine  CS

Glitter glue

Ribbons

Apply the Metallic stain to a tag cut from cream CS. Dry the stain.  Stamp the large Damask stamp with Black Pigment ink and heat emboss with black powder.

Add ribbons to the side and through the hole of the tag.  Add some gold pearls.  Stamp the sentiment on wine cs.  Cut out and tie to ribbon.

Tag # Two - Crown Border

Make tag in same manner as above.  Stamp with Tuxedo dye ink.  

 Add metallic ribbons and glitter glue.

Of course I went crazy stamping with my new "Feeling Regal" stamp set and have several more projects to share with you.  I will post more over the next few days.  I also have lots of Halloween fun that I will post on Sundays through out October.  So, stayed tuned for all that fun stuff!

A Few fun Challenges for my Regal Tags:
365 Cards: some kind of container---a crown contains a head.
Charisma Cards: bling
Crafty Ribbons: anything but square
Through the Craft room door: anything goes #38
Simon Says stamp: glimmer and sparkle

Hope you have a great weekend!   Love ya.
Karen