Maura's Musings

Thursday, November 15

DecoArt Project: Square Peg

Hello friends! I am over on the DecoArt Mixed Media blog today with this art journal project and sharing all the steps to create it HERE.

I'd love for you to stop over and let me know what you think!

Maura

Monday, November 12

Happy Monday my friends! We have a new challenge for you this week at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving. I took advantage of this week's theme to make some place cards for the dinner table at Thanksgiving.

I started with a layer of Rusty Hinge. I swiped the pad onto the craft sheet and spritzed it, then lay the card into it.

Repeat with Wild Honey...

...and Ground Espresso.

I also stamped the inside of each card with this lovely saying from Simon's Thanks & Leaves set (November card kit) with Coffee ink.

I added more to the background with Simon's Ornate Leaves set too.

I decided I wanted a bit of texture and dabbed on some Rock Crystal crackle with my finger.

I chose these images from Photo Play's Fall Breeze paper pad and fussy cut them, popped them out after I added a strip of paper to my background.

I hope you are inspired to create something for Thanksgiving or Thanks and will share it with us on the challenge blog!

I am thankful for all of you who stop by to visit!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Maura

Our fabulous friends at Simon Says Stamp generously offer a $50 shopping voucher to one lucky participant drawn at random each week! We also choose our favorites to highlight, so come share in the fun!

SUPPLIES:

Simon Says Stamp November 2018 Card Kit

Photo Play FALL BREEZE 6x6 paper pad

Simon Says Stamp Ornate Leaves

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ground Espresso

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad WILD HONEY

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink RUSTY HINGE Ranger

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad GROUND ESPRESSO Ranger TIM43270

Ranger Archival Ink in Coffee

Tim Holtz 4 Oz Crackle Paint ROCK CANDY Distress Clear Ranger

ranger mister bottle

Ranger HEAT IT CRAFT TOOL

Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT SHEET 15 X 18 Reusable NSC20677

Fiskars SURECUT CARD MAKING Paper Trimmer

Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Stamp Platform

3M Scotch PINK ATG ADVANCED TAPE GLIDER

3M Scotch DOUBLE-SIDED FOAM TAPE Permanent

Craft Scissors - Tim Holtz

A GREAT place to shop!!

Simon is on Instagram - use #sssmchallenge

I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity I have to work with this amazing design team! Be sure to head on over to get some wonderful inspiration from them.

Monday, November 5

Make Your Own Background with Carabelle Studio!

Hello Monday, my friends! Hope you had a great week, and enjoyed Halloween if you celebrated.
This week at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, we are making our own backgrounds using Carabelle Studio products. I love to do this technique, and if you haven't yet discovered Carabelle Studio, you are in for a treat!

I also have the privilege of introducing you to our guest designer for the month of November - Jo of Let's Art Journal! Jo shares her art journaling and photos from her life, and if you haven't run into her on the web yet, you are in for another treat!

Inspire, Dream, Hope

I'm using a small 6x6 gel plate to start my background with a stencil. I laid a piece of paper over the stencil to remove the paint, then lifted the stencil to make a second print.

Here's what the second print looks like.

Next up on the gel plate, this leafy stencil and some blue and green, which I printed right over the purples.

I added another layer with the Gypsy Caravan texture plate and some pinks, then stamped the flowers on top of that with white.

I decided the white didn't stand out enough, so went back in...but look at all those lovely colors!

I decided to try it again with a metallic Penny paint, and like this better.

I added a bit of blue-green Aqua Pigment around the edges with a water brush.

While that was drying, I also worked on making my own "washi" tape. I laid several strips of masking tape down on a plastic sheet, and printed onto them with the texture plates.

I was looking for more color, so went in with a stencil and dabbed in more color.

...and why not add a bit of the blue-green too?

I stamped the design on top, added a bit of color and my washi tape. I also doodled around the flowers a bit with pens.

Now, when you look at this, can you see all of the layers I added? It's a lot of fun to make your own background!

Are you ready to make your own background now? Come join us in this week's challenge, and one person will be drawn at random to win a $50 voucher from our generous friends at Simon Says Stamp. We also choose our favorites to highlight!