Welcome To The World {Shery's Finally Popped Hop}

Hello everyone! I have wonderful news to share. We at STAMPlorations are celebrating a special party. Our sweet lady boss, Shery Russ the owner of STAMPlorations has delivered her beautiful and healthy baby girl today. 

Thus we are having a hop and you are welcome to join the celebration with us here.

The entire team made such gorgeous baby cards to inspire you. I made a shabby chic center step card for baby Catherine. I used happy flowers stencil to bright up the sentiment. 

We've all made baby-themed cards and will be sending them to Shery. Would you consider doing the same? If so, link up your creations at the STAMPlorations blog here! Feel free to use the blog hop graphic in your post.

If you'd like to mail Shery your card (totally optional) you can send it to:

The Russ Family

PO Box 883

Strathmore, CA 93267, USA

I am excited to see your card so off I go now :)

Hugs and smiles,

Art @ STAMPlorations {Stencil Sunday #9}

{My DT work for STAMPlorations}

Hi everyone! I'm back again this time bringing you an art journal creation.

We have lots of ideas and inspirations brought to you by the STAMPlorations girls.

Head on to STAMPlorations for more! 

I played with watercolors mostly to achieve the rusty background. Then I applied Versafine black ink pad on shower of flutters stencil to stamp the butterflies randomly. When dry, I used the stencil again to outline the butterflies with white gel pen.

 I adhered tissue for texture and dimension. Next I coated a layer of gesso before I mixed colors to make the background. 

 I traced the butterflies using the stencil on a cardstock and fussy cut the four pieces. Then I dab modeling paste with my finger on the pieces and let dry for a while before I colored my most favorite elements I love having in many of my creations with mixture of dark red and brown.  Finally I cut black thread to make the antenna and glue down the butterflies.

I hope you like my art journal work this time and please let me know what you think...thanks.

Until I see you again tomorrow. Have good days ahead and thanks for dropping by.

Hugs and smiles,

Art Journal Covers @ ARTplorations Mixed Media Tutorials

{My DT work for ARTplorations}

Hello everyone! 
I'm excited to share with you my new art journal covers plastered with a product you can get from hardware to replace gesso for a change.

 This is my second edition of art journal book ~ upcycled an old book with hard covers to fill in the pages with upcoming artwork. My eldest daughter has booked the first edition, lol.

Three different watercolor paints on the whole and highlighted the roses by using my finger to rub gold paint.

I decorated the front cover with wood flourish, gold gem and little bird sticker

as well as the title for my art journal. To add a little interest, I stamped the corner using artsy border maker. 

I think less is more concept is just perfect for the back cover.

Oh! Have I mentioned the product from hardware that I used?
I think you would be interested to know how I achieved the texture and patterns on the covers?

Click here to take you to ARTplorations tutorial. You will find the answer :-)

I shall bring you another tutorial next month.

I would like to get my creation into these challenges:

1. Anything But Cute : Making Magic
{I just love the sparkling gold...amazing!}

2. Love To Create : Anything Mixed Media/Creative Goes

3. The Mixed Media : Get Texty

4. Altered Eclectics : Mixed Media

Happy creating and thank you for stopping by.

Hugs and smiles,

Happiness in Reality @ Digistamps4Joy {New Sunday Releases}

{My DT work for Digistamps4Joy}

Happy Sunday everyone! Wish you well, blue sky and everything nice. Today we have new digi images at DS4J e-shop. Yes, you heard me right. Take a peek here.

Also visit DS4J blog to see more inspirations from my teammates. Click here.

I have used Victorian Lady (1) for my art journal page. Click here to purchase her.

Supplies: DS4J digi image, Copic Sketch, watercolors, Alpha gesso & modeling paste, Bold Florals ARTplorations Stencil, Kaisercraft stamps, Versafine black ink pad, sequins and my own sentiment is handwritten by me

 I went through many stages of water coloring until I get what I wanted eventually {phew}. My color inspiration comes from this beautiful picture at Pixels and Paper Challenge Blog:

And so I have colored the flowers in rainbow colors and the background in black, white and randomly mix some light rainbow colors in the background. 

 I applied modeling paste using stencil to have some blooms around the lady. I couldn't think of a title at some point until I decided to write in my own word: Happiness in Reality.

 I hope you enjoy looking at my artwork for today. I will have something else coming up tomorrow so stay tuned.

Don't forget to take part in the monthly challenge at DS4J. The theme is Anything Goes with optional twist Wings. Challenge ends 31st August . Yes, you have ample time but better hurry before you miss the chance to win!

I'm also taking my creation into these challenges:
1. Crafting When We Can : Ladies Night
2. Designs by Lisa Sommerville : Backgrounds
3. Polkadoodles Crafting : Use Something New (using new DS4J digi image)

Thank you for dropping by. Truly appreciate.

Hugs and smiles,

Do Something Today {TTCRD Challenge 18-24, 2015}

{My DT work for TTCRD}

Hey there crafty friends! It's that time again for another challenge at Through The Craft Room Door this week. Same theme every week, Anything Goes! Take a peek at my teammates' designs here to keep your creative juices flowing.

This is what I came out with:

 Little Girl with a Balloon is the image I used sponsored by The Stamping Boutique.

I used Copic to color the image and made some paper flowers to adorn my step card.

The sentiment is by Ginger's House.

 Looking forward to see your creations at TTCRD soon.

Hugs and smiles,

Freshly Made Sketches 200th - A Celebration!

{My DT work for STAMPlorations sponsorship}

Hi everyone! This post brings you less is more and not the ordinary from me! Wonder why? Read on...

I'm so excited to join Freshly Made Sketches celebrating her 200th sketch this week. It's a grand party over there. There are several sponsors joining the party and STAMPlorations is one of them. Come see the design team cards!

I'm sharing with you my very minimalist one layer card with very clean and simple concept stated by Freshly Made Sketches. I simply applied modeling paste using tribal weave stencil and stamped the outline with artsy border maker stamps followed by adding flower texture using happy flowers stencil. I finish it off with copic coloring, distress the edges and fixed rhinestones.

I know clean and simple is out of my comfort zone let alone leaving white space all over but sometimes it's so nice to sit back and relax by making something simple for a change {oh yes, it was hard to resist the mixed media temptation, haha}. 

This is the sketch you have to work on: 

How's that for a challenge? Hurry! Don't miss the fun.

Speaking of fun, we at STAMPlorations are having a celebration too. 

Join us to win our products!

 And while you are there, check out the several challenges we have for you!

Happy creating.

Hugs and smiles, 

This Happened Today @ Scrap Africa

{My DT work for Scrap Africa}

Hello everyone! I'm feeling tickled pink every time I do my blog {smile}. Reason being that is I get to share my creations with you. So here's the latest from me, an altered notebook or should I just say that I brightened up a kraft notebook and gave it to my eldest daughter so she can doodle in it as that's what she likes doing while studying.

Supplies used: Notebook, Alpha modeling paste, Kaisercraft watercolors & dies cuts sentiment, Buncho watercolors, Eno Greetings wood flourish, Tim Holtz distressed ink, Versafine black ink pad, Chevron Crazy ARTplorations Stencil, sequins and pearls 

Take a look at Scrap Africa designers' work here who used a mood board to inspire their amazing projects. That's right! This fortnight we present you an interesting mood board for you to keep your creative juices flowing.  

I'm inspired by the colors green, yellow and orange from the mood board and black is a must color in almost my work. I am attracted to the green pots {oh yes, I love topiary} and the pretty door as well as chevron. I combined all those on both covers...

Some up-close photos:

Here's the front cover:

 And the back cover:

And this was before texture took place:

I really enjoyed this project and plan to get started with a few more notebooks and the like.

So what are you waiting for? Challenge ends 31st August so start creating! 

I would like to link up my project in these challenges:

1. CAS-ual Chic : Pretty Patterns

2. Mixed Media World : MMW#6 Gorgeous Textures

3. Mixed Media Mojo : Anything Goes

4. ARTastic Challenge : Background

Thank you for dropping by and please know I really appreciate your crafty comments and support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Hugs and smiles,

Whenever... {Digistamps Mid-Challenge #115 Reminder}

{My DT work for DS4J}

Hi everyone! I'm back to remind you a challenge that is still going on at Digistamps4Joy until the end of this month. This is Anything Goes with an optional theme Wings is brought to you by my dear teammate Ursula Uphof.  

Hop over to DS4J blog to see inspiring creations by my teammates in Team B. 

This center step card made by yours truly used Book Worm image. Click here to purchase this little graduate.

 Supplies used: DS4J digi image, Pop Artz Designer Paper, Copic Sketch, Alpha Markers, Sunlit butterfly punch, Micia brown ink pad, black gel pen, rhinestones and paper scraps 

 I love books and also like to have butterflies in my creations {smile}.

Flying over to these challenges:

1. Brown Sugar : School

2. Kitty Bee Designs : School

3. Simply Create Too : ATG

4. Simply Papercraft : ATG

5. Pattie's Creations : ATG

6. CAS-ual Chic : Pretty Patterns

I'll be back again soon. Till then, happy weekend.

Hugs and smiles,

Zen Art Page @ STAMPlorations {Stencil Sunday}

{My DT work for STAMPlorations}

Hi everyone! I'm back again with a new art project and part of my DT project for STAMPlorations Sunday Stencil. Today Kim and I have come out with two mixed media project. Take a look here for more information. 

This time I made a clean and simple artwork using ARTplorations Chevron Crazy and Flutterby stencils as well as ARTplorations Chevron Crazy and Flutterby stencils as well as Artsy Border Maker stamp set on acrylic paint and I just love it.

 Usually I am a messy girl {when it comes to art, lol}. I always have texture on my designs but since I did a zentangle drawing, I decided to make the background clean and simple.

Supplies used: ARTplorations Chevron Crazy, Flutterby stencils and Artsy Border Maker stamp set, Alpha yellow acrylic paint and modeling paste, Kaisercraft word art die cut, Versafine black ink pad, Tattered Abgel glimmer mist, watercolors, Sharpie pen, black gel pen, sakura punch, drywall tape, sequins and gem 

 The zensensational zenspired me to zentangle my project this time. It took me three days to finish though. Would have been nice to do it in one sitting because it is somewhat therapeutic but there were other priorities to attend but nevertheless I was very pleased to finish it in the end. I wonder what my eldest daughter will say because she's very much into doodling. Well, what do you think?

I wanted the butterfly to flutter by near the zen flowers so I used gesso and stencil before I applied black watercolor to outline the flying creature and painted yellow.

You may wonder why I chose yellow and black? My color inspiration comes from Berry71bleu moodboard challenge. I must admit yellow is not my favorite color but I took up the challenge. I do like the end result. I think it looks bright and may even light up someone's day {smile}.

I'll be glad if could stop by at STAMPlorations for more ideas and inspirations.

Until I see you again. Thank you for dropping by and I truly appreciate your visit and comments.

Have a great weekend.

Hugs and smiles,