Friday, January 6, 2012

Collage Style

Hi Friends,

I've found myself admiring the doodling and collage style of many of the artists I've been stalking over on Pinterest.  So I am testing the waters here... bare with me on this one!!

I'm guest hosting over on Splitcoast this weekend and the website I chose is called "Close 2 My Art".  "Michele" the artist of the pieces found on this website, is incredibly talented, with a very playful flare.  "Often, if something seems too perfect, I will skew it towards the unrealistic to capture the essence of a whim. Although the pieces I design are practical, my hope is that my art will never become so serious that I betray the uniqueness that inspires me."


I love her work!   I chose this fun "Bike Art Print" from her shop as my inspiration.









I started with a card base of Crumb Cake CS and partially covered it with a torn dictionary page from this old dictionary book I got from an antique store - $5.00.





I then stamped the bike (by PSX) onto another sheet from the dictionary, and dry-brush stippled over it with TH Worn Lipstick distress ink.  I then outlined the bike in a teal Copic shade.  Had to add Flower Soft to the basket!  I trimmed it down and then layered that onto dark brown cardstock.


The next part was very simple, I just mounted a sheet of patterned paper from the "Colorful Life" stack by DCWV (perfect for this project) onto dark blue cardstock, layered that onto the card base at an angle, then the bike layer over that.  I then added stitch marks all around my layers.  




Next I turned to some more Tim Holtz goodies for the fun part... I used an Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in "Snow Cap" to smear some white paint over the layers to make a space for my sentiment.  I let it dry then stamped the sentiment from SUs "Happiness is a Journey" set on the white paint.  I layered a strip of acetate Film Strip Ribbon by TH over the top of all the pieces, and finished with some hearts that I doodled and cut out from the same DCWV paper.  Added a little more distressing to the edges of the card and it was done!

I know it's a little "amature-ish", but I really enjoyed dabbling in the collage realm!  Thanks for sticking with me on this one!  LOL!

TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!

Birthday Card for Rick and Leslie

Hi Friends,

I have been painfully neglectful of my blog, of posting anything - anywhere, throughout the holiday season... I'm sorry!!!  But I've been having such a wonderful time with family, my husband, dog, home, new stuff, it's just been so nice... the holidays were a real blessing this year.  I enjoyed them more than ever -- family came here to visit (shock!), and I took an entire week and half off from work -- never in the history of my working career have I been away from the office that long.  It was euphoric!

But alas, reality sets in, and I am returning to the "rut" that I so adore!!  I now happily resume my card making and blogging, web shopping and surfing (i.e., Pinterest!), and all the things that I do in my down-time after my "work" life!!

December in our family is a big (and busy!) deal!  Not only do we celebrate Christmas and New Years, but it is my husband's closest brother's birthday, our daughter's birthday, and our anniversary during the same week!!  So there is much celebrating going on here in the Harada household during the holidays in addition to those Holidays!!

 As a result, I have a few cards to share with you!  :)

The first is this gift card holder that I gave to my nephews for Christmas. Not really so unique except that I needed them to have 3 pockets since I gave them 3 different Fast-Food gift cards (Chipotle, Whataburger, and Chick Filet).





The holders are basically 3 small envelopes (3-3/4"x2-5/8") encased in a sleeve and secured with brads and twine.  Nothing too complicated!






Next is the card I made for my husband's brother, Rick.  Which, is still sitting here at my craft table, "returned" by the USP for having the wrong address on it!!  EEEEK!!  Re-sending tomorrow!!  LOL!










The mug and sentiment are "Viva Las Vegas" stamps.  The mug is colored with Copics, covered with Glossy Accents, and the "foam" was created with white Liquid Applique.












Finally, I created a Vintage style card for my daughter, Leslie's, birthday (see lead photo).

This one took awhile to complete because I kept looking at it, changing it, adding to it, distressing it, just everything I could think of to make it look "authentic." and shabby!  I used Webster's Pages lacy ribbon, Tim Holtz Rosettes die, AC roses, Prima swirly rhinestones and pearls, and "Life Stories" CS.




TIP!!  A cool thing that I discovered when making this card was how to make teeny little rosettes!  I made the ones on this card by layering three of the small, single-layer Prima flowers from the "Got Flowers" milk bottle jar.  I just bent the petals up, and tighter, in the center.  The swirly bling Rhinestones on the card are from Prima's "Say it in Crystals" collection.  




TFL, I'm so glad you stopped by!