Welcome to Our....Buckle Boutique

Hi everyone!  Hope you have great plans for the weekend.  We are back to the normal swim meet grind around here.  But, with swim team comes backyard get togethers and I just happen to have made another sign.

Once again I chose to use my Cricut, this time to cut a stencil which I used to paint the phrase onto some old wood.  After painting I went back over a few of the words with an alcohol pen.

 To create the flames I couldn't resist using a bit of my Rhinestone Sticker Sheets from The Buckle Boutique.  I used bits of a Red Classic Sticker Sheet and a bit of a Cheetah Sticker Sheet from the Modern Surrealist Collection.

I simply drew a flame shape on the paper side of the sticker sheet and cut with scissors.  The gel rhinestones cut so easily.

Don't you love the way the red and the cheetah blend together to make a sparkly flame.

Well, hope you have a great weekend.

Hugs.

Pion Designs and Clear Scraps

Hi everyone!  Hope your day is off to a great start!  Can you believe the weekend is here !  woo hoo!!!

Today I wanted to share with you a mini album I  made using the Mixable Tabby from Clear Scraps and some beautiful papers from Pion Designs, Vintage Wedding.

I used a few dies, from both Prima and Sizzix to create the lacey shapes.  How much do I love that new huge butterfly?  swoon...... And that beautiful resin frame?  I painted it with some Ann Butler Earth Safe finishes that she gave me back at CHA.  They are so beautiful with a sheer irridescent finish.

 I love these Pion papers.  The double sided pages are perfect for the clear, acrylic peek a boos.

And the mix of patterns, solids, and images are so fun to layer.

 Of course, I couldn't resist adding lots of flowers (many from I am Roses), bit of bling....and of course more resins...well, not really resins; some I created with the new Mod Melts and then of course painted with the Earth Safe Finishes.

This mini album was so much fun to create, and simply stuffed with so many things I love.  I hope you love it to.

Hugs.

Stenciled Brag Book

Hello everyone!  I hope your day is off to a great start.  I know mine is. 

A bit back, I made this tutorial for Darice and wanted to share it here as well.   I know many people  have trouble with stenciling so I have included lots of tips to help you with the process.

Stenciled Rose Covered Brag Book Supplies:

• Memory scrapbook album 5 x 7 inch
• Martha Stewart Four Seasons Stencil
• Martha Stewart Satin Paint in:
  • Green Curry
  • Scallion
  • Raspberry
  • Pink Flamingo
  • Cantaloupe
• Martha Stewart Stencil Brush Set 

Tip 1.  To begin a project like this, I find it easier if I make a sample of my design on a piece of scrap paper.  This way, if I don't like the design, I don't have to try and get the paint off to start over.  You don't need to be neat, or clean...you are just trying to decide on the design.

Tip 2.  Start with the lightest color in your design and work toward the darker colors.  You can always make a color darker, but you can't make it lighter.  The center of my rose was the cantaloupe, followed by the pink flamingo, and finally the outside in raspberry.  You may find it helpful to wipe your stencil as you move it around the brag book.

Tip 3.  When you are stenciling an image that is on the edge of the stencil material, it can be helpful to add a border of tape to prevent any paint over flow.  Both the flower and the leaf I chose were very close to the edge of the stencil.  Adding a bit of tape to the edges helped ensure a clean image with no paint being pounced over the edge.

Tip 4.  Allow the paint to dry before beginning the next layer.  I waited a good half hour before coming back and laying the leaf stencil over the top of my flowers.

Stenciling can be a lot of fun, and with just a few helpful tips, can come out lovely every time.

I hope you give stenciling and this brag book a try!

Photo Frame - Your Memories here

Hello everyone!  Happy Monday.  Goodness, I think I need another day between Sunday and Monday.  I just feel like I still have so many things left to do from the weekend.  But isn't that the way it always goes.  Sigh.....

Today I wanted to share with you a quick little project I made using some left over packaging from Prima Marketing.  Lately, Prima has been packaging many of its woods and resins in little balsa wood boxes.  (love that)  One of these boxes had cut outs perfectly sized for wallet sized photos...you know I couldn't resist creating a fun frame.

 I began by painting the box wish some Silks Acrylic Glaze.  Varoom Red and Emperors Gold are two of my favorite Silks colors.  This combination gave me a vintage-y look without being too formal.  If you have never used Silks before, you must try some.  They are a beautifully pigmented Acrylic glaze with a bit of shimmer.

 And then came the fun stuff.....A few gorgeous Prima Flowers from my Your Memories Here Grab Bag and a resin bird, also from Prima.

This was such a quick and easy project, and a perfect way to use some of those fun boxes that have been accumulating around here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs.

Washi Up

Hi everyone!  Hope all is going well for you.  For me?  Things are just a bit crazy right now.  That said, I thought I would pop in and share with you some goings on.

First off, if I am a bit flakey and things don't seem to be happening, it is probably because swim season is gearing up, and once again I am president.  Add to that Brighton's graduation and party, in laws coming to town, school wrapping up for the summer.  I truly feel like I am spending my days running in circles.

I have a huge list of projects I have made that I have been wanting to share with you and I am going to try really hard to do that.

So, how about this little project I made to store my washi tape.

This was pretty easy to make.  A wooden frame I purchased at Michaels painted with some black chalkboard paint, a few cup hooks screwed into the frame with dowels to hold the tapes on.  I think it probably took longer for the paint to dry than it did to put the whole thing together.

I had seen this project on The Twinery blog a few months ago and since I usually buy my twine in skeins, not on spools, I adapted it for washi.  I really need to find more ways to use all this washi I have been hoarding.  But until then, at least I have a pretty display to hang on the wall.  lol

One more thing before I go.....Sharon Fritchman, you are the winner of the Lyric Collection Kit.  I will get it out in the mail as soon as possible.

Happy Mother's Day and Hugs.

Nancy

Mixed Media

Hi everyone!  Trying to get back into the swing of things around here.  Life has been a bit hectic with back to school.  I spent what seemed like hours yesterday going through books trying to find all the materials I would need for Ainsley this year.  This is the third time I have taught 6th grade and over the years the books have scattered throughout the house.  I guess that is what happens.  Hard to believe this is our 11th year.  Brighton is a senior, Mackenzie a freshman...and Ainsley....my baby.....6th grade.  **cry**

Anyway.....

A few weeks ago I took a class at my LSS from Anna Dabrowska, a mixed media class....a grungy class.....and this is what I made using a Prima album and lots of Luminarte products.

A mixed media Art Journal.  A bit more grungy that I probably would have done on my own...but Anna came by and was like, and I quote, "Why so delicate?"  And then she encouraged me to go grungeier  (is that even a word?) by adding more paint.

 Anyway...it was tons of fun, and definitely not something I would have done on my own.  But.....

 The inside pages I was a little more comfortable with.  Not quite a grungy and still lots of fun techniques.

And of course lots of mists and stamps.  hee hee

Did you know you can pick up an Art Journal (blank of course) just like this from the Your Memories Here store?  I think I may grab another for later...or Ainsley....Did I tell you she is doing mixed media now as well?  Lord help us.  hee hee

OK, back to it.

Hugs.

Nancy

Mixed Media and Miracles Momma

Hi everyone!  I hope you are having a great day.  It is supposed to be super hot here today so we are planning on lots of water play.  But, before we do, I wanted to sneak in and share with you a mixed media piece I made using my good friend Heather's sketch for inspiration.

Here is her sketch.

And here is my piece.

I used my April kit from the Sampler.  And of course lots of paints, inks, gesso, and stamps.  I even used the letter template from the kit for the background and bits of the flocking.

Be sure and hop over to Heather's blog to see what some of the other designers did with the sketch.

Hugs.

Nancy

Ugggh

Let's just say that this day has not started well. sigh  But, we are going to try and turn it around and share a two page layout I did for just myself!  What a change...huh!  lol

Ainsley on Easter...hunting and playing with eggs.  Using some of my older Prima goodies and a sketch from Pagemaps as well as some fabulous Pink Paislee wood alphas.

 I tore apart a single vine and added a few additional flowers.

And you know I can't resist a bit of paint splatter on my craft background.  hee hee

The trims came from the Hydrangea Hippo etsy shop.

Ok, well...would love to stay and chat, but....

Don't forget about the Sampler Blog Hop tomorrow!  Lots of great prizes to be won.

Hugs.

Nancy