Coming Up Roses - Guest Designer for Alpha Stamps

Good morning everyone!  I had the pleasure of being a guest designer for Alpha Stamps this month.  They carry some of the best products around and I was happy to get a chance to play with a bunch of them.  Their theme this month was Gardens, so I created a shallow shadowbox/shrine garden out of their Album with Arched Door.

The first page of the album has an arch.  I started this project by tracing that arch on all but the last page and then cutting out the area with an Xacto knife.  Once that was done, I sanded the edges and glued everything together.  This gave me a slightly recessed area to work with.  I trimmed a piece of Blush Charmed Scrapbook Paper and Frolic Friendship Scrapbook Paper to cover the inside and outside of my album.  I then added pieces of Trailing Ivy Border to the top and bottom.

I cut out an image from the Bacchus #2 Collage Sheet and then created a frame for it using the Ivy ATC Frame.  I placed this in the middle of the arch.

I ran the Pink Rose Garland all around the edge of the album and then added pieces of Fern Garland that I had trimmed.

I filled in the garland with images fussy cut from Land of the Butterfly Queen #1, Butterflies, Natures Crowns, Winged Things, and Storybook Fairies Collages Sheets.  I then inserted 1" Curly Paper Roses in Ivory and Pale Pink, Mini Rose Buds in Ivory and Pink Cream Variegated, and Small Mulberry Blossoms in White and Pink all around the edges.

To finish this off, I took a pair of Terracotta Wall Planters, filled them with Sheet Moss, then inserted Tiny Paper Roses in Medium Pink and Pink Creme Variegated.

I had a wonderful time doing this.  Hope you enjoyed this album turned shadowbox/shrine.  For more great products and projects, check out Alpha Stamps!

Until later.............................



Marilyn

A Metal ATC, Easter Bonnet Journal Page, Gypsy Fat Book Page and a Free Stamp all for Gecko Galz

Good morning everyone.  I've got several projects to share with you today, all courtesy of Gecko Galz collage sheets.  There is even a free digi stamp for your use at the end of the blog post.

Let's get started:

For my journal page, I started by painting my page with several colors of Paper Artsy paints, staying with light blues and pinks, mixing in white to make the colors even more pastel.  I then layered die cuts from Dees Distinctively Lattice 2 and Sizzix Spring Greenery and topped them with a lovely image from the Gecko Galz In My Easter Bonnet collage sheet.  I finished by spreading on some micro beads I had mixed with gel medium.

I adhered a piece of silver metal tape to an ATC and ran it through my Sizzix using a Cuttlebug embossing script folder, rubbing a little yellow paint over the embossed script.  I then layered greenery cut from Sizzix Spring Greenery with the beautiful image from Gecko Galz's Nouveau Beauties.  Finally I added three flowers from Prima and a word from the Tim Holtz Chit Chat booklet.

I started this 4x4 fat book page by painting the background with Paper Artsy Blood Orange and stenciling gold paste through a Moroccan tile stencil.  I then cut images from Gecko Galz Fortune Has It collage sheet and arranged them on the page.  A few faux coins finishes it off.

I sprayed a 4x2.25 rolodex card with Art Anthology Granny Smith.  Once that was dry, I cut out a couple of images from Gecko Galz Luck O The Irish collage sheet, layering one over a die cut shamrock I found in my stash.  Finally, I added swirly lines using an old rubon sheet I had.

And finally, here's your free Digi Stamp!

I hope you enjoyed all my projects today and please don't forget to grab the free stamp.

Until later..........................


Marilyn

Tulips Card for Technique Junkies

Good morning everyone.  I'm a member of several Yahoo groups and on one, a member was requesting a RAK card for her ill mother.  So, of course, I had to send one.

I spread several colors of Art Anthology Gemstones onto my 5x7 Gel Press plate and then pulled my print.  Next, using my 8x10 Misti, I stamped Tulips from Technique Junkies twice to get a really good, dark impression.  I have to say I love my Misti and don't know how I did without it.

I trimmed up the printed card and then matted it on coordinating paper and then on a darker piece of coordinating card.  I stamped Seeds of Today from Technique Junkies on the paper I used to mat my print and adhered it to the front right corner.

Hopefully, this card has arrived at its destination.  It was really fun to create and I hope you love it as much as I do (it was hard to part with).

Until later...............................


Marilyn

Gecko Galz March Challenge - Shabby Chic Easter

Hello Everyone!  This month's challenge over on the Gecko Galz Blog is Shabby Chic Easter. Well anyone that knows me knows that Shabby Chic just really isn't my thing, so this month's Challenge was truly that!

This is what I knocked out after a couple of hours of tinkering around in my studio:

Here's how I made it:
1)  Paint the tag with a mixture of Paper Artsy Bubblegum and Snowflake
2)  I used a very old swirled frame stencil from Tattered Angels and a mixture Paper Artsy Glass Blue and Snowflake to stencil on a design.
3)  Trim your image from the Gecko Galz Easter Joy Collage Sheet and place it about 1/3 up from the bottom of the tag.
4)  Glue down some lace and then an assortment of flowers.
5)  Emboss Happy Easter onto a sheet of vellum using Lindy's Stamp Gang Hibiscus Rose embossing powder.
6)  Add pink and baby blue fiber tied up in a nice bow.

Happy Easter everyone!  Don't forget to check out the Gecko Galz Etsy store for this and other great images.  Until later........................



Marilyn

March New Releases - Technique Junkies Blog Hop

Good Morning Junkies!!  Hope your March is starting off great.  Have your been getting snow or just some cold weather (it's been rainy, warm, and stormy here).  In anticipation of March being a great month and ushering in Spring , the Technique Junkies team is hosting a blog hop to share all the new exciting  March Releases with you.  So join us today as we hop into March and showcase all the new stamps  Don't forget to to visit each team members blog in order not to miss any of the fun.  If you  haven’t started at the beginning, please visit the Technique Junkie Designer Blog (http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com) so you are sure to catch it all!

You've just seen Sally Lynns' project and I think you have to agree her work is phenomenal!!  Her cards and other projects are wonderful.

Here is the hop participants in order:

Design Team Blog http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com/2016/02/its-release-day-welcome-to-hop_29.html
Lanette Erickson  http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.com/2016/03/technique-junkies-march-release-hop.html

Judy Jackson  http://judysstampart.blogspot.com/2016/03/happy-march-new-stamps-new-cards-fun.html

Karen McAlpine http://dreamingncreating.blogspot.com/2016/03/technique-junkies-march-new-release.html

Sally Lynn MacDonald  http://www.sallylynnmacdonald.com/technique-junkies-march-new-releases-blog-hop

Marilyn Hughes http://DollsEtc.blogspot.com  YOU ARE HERE!

Kathy Stacy https://craftynurse4u.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/technique-junkies-march-blog-hop/ ‎

Jane Bosi http://janebosi.blogspot.com/2016/02/march-madness-its-tj-hop.html

Tonya Davidson http://stampintonya.blogspot.com/2016/03/greetings-inky-friends-tonya-here-on.html
Robin Redd  http://robinredd.typepad.com/reddrobinstudios/2016/03/pretty-hydrangeas.html
Beth Norman http://sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog

Pat Huntoon http://patstamps.blogspot.com/2016/02/last-stop-on-hop.html

I had some really great stamps to work with for the hop, so I created a couple of projects:

Though cards aren't something I normally create, I saw the Bring Your Own Sunshine stamp and knew immediately how I wanted to use it.

1)  Stamp Bring Your Own Sunshine with black Staz-On ink onto a piece of acetate.  Trim to size.
2)  Cut a piece of yellow card slightly larger than your acetate.  Glue together with Glossy Accents
3)  Cut a piece of scrapbook paper (mine was printed with umbrellas) and mat to a piece of red card, cut to your desired card size.
4)  Add your previously mounted image to the matted card.

I veered back to my normal with the following tag.

1)  Spray a tag with Art Anthology Salmon Colorations.
2)  Stamp Vintage Butterfly Collection in black Versifine on your tag.
3)  Stamp Vintage Butterfly Collection several times in different colors.  I used Purple, Rose, and Teal.  Trim out a view butterflies.
4)  Add your colored butterflies over their matching images on your tag.
5)  Stamp Wings of Possibility onto a piece of tissue paper, trim closely, and add to your tag using matte gel medium.
6)  I happened to have a molded butterfly that I added to the bottom right corner.  Any butterfly painted in a complimentary color will work.
7)  Add fiber in matching shades.

Love the new March Releases?  Well, they are currently on sale for 15% off through March 8th!   Go to http://techniquejunkies.com/ click on March 2016 Releases.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts in my comments section.  I truly love hearing what you have to say!  You are now ready for the next stop on our March Releases Hop --- Kathy Stacy!  Why don't you drop by her blog and see what she has in store for you!

Until later,



Marilyn