Penny Black Blog Hop

In honor of Penny Black's newest collection, the Penny Black designers are sharing projects and inspiration with the new stamps!

Not only are we hopping, we're giving away stamps, too!  Leave a comment on each blog, including the Penny Black blog, for a chance to win a selection of these brand new stamps.

For my blog hop project, I recycled a tin and gave it a makeover.   

Penny Black's "With Flourish" frame combined with a flower from "Floral Applique" were perfect for showcasing the tin's window.  Both images were colored with Dr. Ph. Martin's HYDRUS watercolors which includes titanium white.  It is superb for adding highlights.  

The base and lid of the tin were painted with Ranger Distress Paints and stamped with Penny Black favorites Letter Background and Fleur De Lys.  The "So Happy For You" banner is part of the new Sentimental set.

Here is a closer look at the new stamps used in this project:

   

               40-238 Floral Applique                                  40-241 With Flourish                                    30-176 Sentimental

To begin the hop from the start and for a complete list of all blogs involved, visit the Penny Black blog HERE.

Penny Black Blog

                 Elizabeth (You are here)  

                               Jill (next hop stop - click "here")

Heather

Cathy

Therese

If you are participating in the blog hop and would like to leave a comment, please feel free to share your note for this stop on my Flickr post "here".

(This event is active until June 2, 11:59 PM PST)

Thank you for "hopping" by.  The next hop stop is at Jill's.

Have fun, 

Elizabeth

Art & Soul (Mixed Media)

No fancy supplies needed to jump into mixing your media.  This piece is created on a wood block! 

Alphabet stamps are wonderful for creating your own expressions in a variety of fonts.   

For the "artful/soulful" message of this piece contained in a hand-drawn frame, I used a combination of Robust Alphabet (lowercase) and Kate Brushstroke (uppercase).  The Robust Alphabet has fabulous chunky letters that can be fussy cut and accented with additional design features.  These pieces were stamped with Paisley Outline.

The wood block was covered with book text.  Here, around the side, you can see the text peeking through the paint and the stamped Brick Wall pattern.

This flower stamp (Sunburst) is amazing for mixed media.  I love the stunning presence of the size and it is large enough to wrap around the edge of the piece without diminishing the impact of the image.

What I find so freeing about mixed media is that anything goes.  The more you mix it up the better.  Here I have gone full tilt with stamping dots (Pointille), flicking paint, adding book text and doodling a border.

Here is a peek at the "not-so-fancy" wood block I started with.  

Just dive in and have fun experimenting with Gesso, Modeling Paste, Acrylics, Matte Gels all kinds of coloring mediums.  

The most unexpected paths often lead to the best places.

Smiles,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Sunburst 4236K, Robust Alphabet (lowercase) 30-002, Kate Brushstroke Alphabet (uppercase) 20-001, Paisley Outline 40-048, Brick Wall 40-137, Pointille 3860J
Image Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Clear Embossing Powder
Other: Wood Block, Book Text, Gesso, Mod Podge, Matte Gel, Acrylics, Variety of coloring mediums

Flower Conversion

"Re-bloom" your favorite flowers to make appearances throughout the year.

Published in Scrap & Stamp Arts, June 2013.
Step-by-step instructions and a complete supply list are located on pages 36 & 37.

These summery flowers from Flowers Sweet were altered to create an autumn wreath.

Image used in the project is circled in red.

Color adaptation and artful arrangement of your favorite florals will "bloom" designs for any season.  

Have a wonderful weekend,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Flowers Sweet 30-096, Damask Pattern 40-110, Gratitude 30-105

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001; Sticks & Stones 02-001, 02-002; Grand Canyon 03-002

Penny Black Vellum: Scroll White Embossed EP501

"You've Been Spotted"

All this week Penny Black is featuring artists who have been spotted using their stamps and they asked the designers to play along.

So I jumped into my cyber car and took a cruise through the internet blog galaxy.  There are so many wonderful artists out there that it was hard to choose.

My first eye-spy artist was Yenni.  She adds all kinds of cute to the Penny Black critters.

To read more about Yenni's card at Scrapcollector click "here".

Then I saw this dimensional piece by Doreen that perfectly frames some of Penny Black's pretty florals.

To read more about Doreen's card at Doreen's Dream click "here".

To commemorate being "spotted", Penny Black has given the designers blinkies to the share with the featured artists.  I can't wait to cruise by and make the delivery.  

Be sure to visit the Penny Black Blog "here" every day this week to see other inspiring eye-spy features.  

You never know, you may have been spotted making Penny Black stamps shine!

Enjoy,
Elizabeth

  

  

Feng Shui

Using the art of Feng Shui (pronounced fong sway) to arrange positive objects to create happy Chi energy.

These elements by themselves are all very simple.  However, by grouping them together and playing with their arrangement, one specific pattern began to emerge that gave a very harmonious and positive feeling.

Extra bits from a mixed media project were woven together with gold thread and pearl beads for an abstract piece of art.  For a contrast to the color, a subtle background was created by stamping Indian Wheel on white cardstock with Cotton White Opaque StazOn.

I combined these Ying and Yang aspects for balance.

Over and Under

Straight and Rounded

Odd and Even

Bold and Muted

Smooth and Textured  

From me to you:  + + + + + + + + + + + 

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Friendship 30-160, Indian Wheel 40-202
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001
Penny Black Les Petites 90-001
3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Cotton White Opaque StazOn
PanPastel (Colorfin): Pthalo Blue Tint (sentiment tag)
Other: Gold Thread, White Seed Beeds

Bubble Girl

A small card created with Penny Black's Les Petites reminds me of younger days and blowing bubbles.  I also remember being asked to "blow them outside" because of the sticky bursts of iridescent fun that would pop on the furniture.

Bubble Girl (illustrated by Mo Manning) is the focal point.  This design also comes in a boy version as seen "here".

Layers of various die cut shapes create elevated framing that was anchored with patterned paper from the Madison Designer Pad.

Be happy and always young at heart....

Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Stamps: Bubble Girl 40-288
Penny Black Les Petites 90-001
Penny Black Madison Designer Paper Pad 80-001
3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Copic Markers
Image Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Sky Blue Memento Ink, Sponge Dauber, Sky Blue Memento Marker, Clear Embossing Powder.
Spellbinders: Classic Ovals

Kiss and Laugh

Working with a rainbow of colors.....

Mixing up this sentiment from Life's Messages with a variety of hues.

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko's Memento dew drop ink pads make it easy to color segments of a phrase.  From top to bottom these were the colors used:  Grape Jelly, Lilac Posies, Bahama Blue, Pear Tart, Tangelo and Lady Bug.

The side panel is a piece of Clear Skies cardstock stamped with Flower Flourish in Aegean Blue VersaMagic.

Can you believe it?  No black ink at all!

Hooray for color....
Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Stamps: Life's Messages 40-237, Flower Flourish 40-136
Penny Black Les Petites 90-001
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, 01-003; Clear Skies 10-002
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Grape Jelly, Lilac Posies, Bahama Blue, Pear Tart, Tangelo and Lady Bug Memento; Aegean Blue VersaMagic
Other: Corner Rounder, Crystal Gems, Dimensional Foam

More Happy...

Time to celebrate with Party King!

This whole celebration takes place in a 3-inch scalloped circle die cut from coral reef cardstock.

A second elevated die cut circle stamped with Dots in Space in Aegean Blue VersaMagic adds a confetti-like background.

A fussy cut Party King and a banner with a sentiment from the Friendship transparent set top off the happy merriment.

Thank you for visiting,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Party King 4323J, Dots in Space 40-144, Friendship 30-160

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Coral Reef 15-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Aegean Blue VersaMagic, Clear Embossing Powder

Spellbinders: Classic Scalloped Circles, Standard Circles

Tuning Up...For A Great Day!

One of my favorite things to do when stamping is to "collide" stamp sets.

I love the happy coincidence of how the sentiment from Tune Up fit with Birthday Joy (illustrated by Mo Manning).  Throw in a row of banners from Let's Go Wild and you are ready for a celebration!

     

This is how I "tuned up" this card.....

• Create a 4 x 4 1/2 top-folded card from Sea Breeze cardstock.  Color a smaller piece of white cardstock with orange PanPastel and adhere to the front of the card base.  Set aside.
• Stamp the banners in Aegean VersaMagic across a 3 1/2 x 4-inch piece of white cardstock.
• Cut a small window beneath the banners using a craft knife.
• Stamp the sentiment below the window in black ink.
• Layer the stamped cardstock on the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.  
• Stamp Birthday Joy on a separate piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color as desired and fussy cut.  Attach to the card as shown with dimensional foam tape.

Have a great weekend,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Birthday Joy 4335K, Tune Up 40-225, Let's Go Wild 40-194

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Sea Breeze 08-001

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Aegean Blue VersaMagic, Clear Embossing Powder

PanPastel (Colorfin): Orange

Relax & Enjoy

Here's a little twist on Penny Black's new stamp called Garden Assistant.....

A white Les Petites was trimmed to 2 3/8 x 3 3/4 for the card base. 

I exchanged the watering can with one of the flowers for an alternate variation.  

Stamping the image a second time in Opera Pink VersaColor made fun paper piecing elements for the hat band, dress and boots.  I love the combination of the pink against the polka dot paper from the Madison Paper Pad which was edged in orange PanPastel.

Enjoy a relaxing day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Garden Assistant 40-236, Indulgence 40-192 (sentiment) 

Penny Black Les Petites 90-001

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001

Madison Paper Pad 80-001

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Opera Pink VersaColor, Clear Embossing Powder

PanPastel (Colorfin): Orange 

You're The Best

Who would have guessed that you could fit a great big hug in an envelope?!

I couldn’t stop “awing” over this adorable image called “To Daddy” (illustrated by Mo Manning) from Penny Black.

Tip/Hint:  Simply omit inking “dad” on the envelope to send a hug to a big brother, uncle and/or grandfather. 

Create this “embrace” in 5 steps:

1. Stamp “To Daddy” on a 3 ¼ x 3 ½ piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color the image as desired.
2. Adhere the colored image to a 3 ½ x 4 ½ side folded card created from Coral Reef cardstock. 
3. Stamp “You’re the Best” on a 5/8 x 3 ½ piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Tip/Hint: Alter existing sentiments to create new phrases.  In this instance, the phrase “You’re simply the best” was tweaked.
4. Adhere the sentiment to a 7/8 x 3 ½ piece of Coral Reef cardstock stamped with “Inspiring” in Love Letter Memento.
5. Attach the sentiment band to the left edge of the finished card with dimensional foam.

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Hugs,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: To Daddy 40-226, Edge to Edge 30-164, Inspiring 40-113

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-001, Coral Reef 15-003

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Image Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Love Letter Memento, Clear Embossing Powder