BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: I'VE MOVED

I am so excited to share that I have moved to a new studio.  

My good friend and talented artist Jill Foster and I have created a new blog called STUDIO SESSIONS. 

After collaborating with Jill on many creative endeavors and having countless fits of happy laughter, what started out as a small idea has turned into an artful reality.

Please stop by and take a peek at the new STUDIO:  www.studiosessionsart.blogspot.com

Studio Sessions: Save The Date

Save the date for an all new week of Studio Sessions!  

Join me and Jill on Monday, February 24, when we reveal ??? as the feature for the week.

Penny Black Designer Favorites

Today I am designing for a special event on the Penny Black blog. All week the Penny Black designers will be sharing some of their favorite stamps from Happy Everything.

Here is a little peek of what I made with their new large-scale stamps, coordinating stencils and modeling paste.

Click "here" to see the full reveal and step-by-step instructions.

Enjoy,

Elizabeth

Time to Celebrate

No need to turn on the oven to whip up these sweet wishes.  Plus, only two ingredients are needed:  Penny Black's transparent Birthday Party set and Celebrations Creative Dies. 

To begin, die cut "celebrate" from a white cardstock panel and remove the positive image.  Die cut light green cardstock with the same sentiment and puzzle piece the positive portion into the negative space created on the white panel.  Secure in place with tape on the back.  Mat the panel with blue cardstock.

Next, stamp the mouse/cake on a separate piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color as desired and trim.

Add a candle glow with yellow PanPastel and then attach the trimmed element from the previous step on top with dimensional foam tape.

To finish, attach the completed panel to a card base with dimensional foam tape.

Have a great day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Birthday Party 30-232

Penny Black Creative Dies: Celebrations 51-028

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Olive Grove 04-001, Blue Lagoon 09-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Colorfin: Diarylide Yellow PanPastel

Copic Markers

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

Lovely Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you a day filled with love, hugs and kisses.

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: For Mimi 4368J, From the Heart 30-207

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Spring Meadow 06-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Colorfin: Blue Phthalo PanPastel

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine

Sakura: White Gel Pen

Spellbinders: Classic Circles, Scalloped Circles

Hi There

Have a great day!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Cool Chicks 30-231, Kind Words 30-226 (New Releases from Happy Everything)
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Blue Lagoon 09-001, Fuchsia Fantasies 13-002
3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Copic Markers
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Teal Zeal Memento Luxe
Other: White Gel Pen

Garden Letter

Lots of elegant flowers and collages in Penny Black's new Happy Everything catalog.  This one is called "Garden Letter".

The image was stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento and colored with PITT Pastel pencils.  Edging with a die cut scroll (Penny Black) adds a decorative embellishment to the card base.

A little something to remind us that spring is on its way.

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Garden Letter 40-277, Letter Background 1999L

Penny Black Creative Dies: Scrolls 51-013

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Faber-Castell: PITT Pastel Pencils

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Tuxedo Black Memento, Espresso Truffle Memento

Happy Everything: A Mash Up

What happens when I have two stamps and can't decide which one to work with?  I use them both and mash them up!

This card uses a combination of two new Penny Black releases: Kind Words and Chalkboard Grateful.  Plus, a new Creative Die Perched.  

               

They are all from their Happy Everything catalog.

Here's how the stamps were "mashed" together:

Step 1: Cut a piece of white cardstock slightly smaller than the card base and attached a small strip of Fall Festival to the top.

Step 2: Die cut Perched from Clear Skies cardstock and adhere to the top portion of the cardstock.

Step 3: Stamp the sentiment from Kind Words below the die cut in Onyx Black VersaFine.

Step 4: On a separate piece of white cardstock stamp a portion of Chalkboard Grateful in Morocco Memento Luxe.  Trim the piece and adhere across the middle of the previously stamped sentiment.  This will cover the words "Thank You".

Step 5: Attached the finished artwork to the front of the card base with 3-D Foam Tabs.

A great way to give your favorite images another fun look.

Enjoy,
Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Stamps: Kind Words 30-226, Chalkboard Grateful 40-315
Penny Black Creative Dies: Perched 51-031
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Clear Skies 10-001, Fall Festival 16-002
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Morocco Memento Luxe
Tombow: Xtreme Adhesive, 3-D Foam Tabs

HAPPY EVERYTHING

Today kicks off a big week at Penny Black!

They are revealing their newest release and catalog "Happy Everything".  All during the week they will be sharing peeks of the fabulous stamp designs as well as designer inspiration.  Follow along each day "here" to be the first to see all the colorful happiness ----- and new surprises!

I am joining in the fun and sharing one of the cards I designed and taught as a make-n-take at CHA. It showcases three of their newest products: Fronds (Large Slapstick Background), After Glow (Creative Dies), and Kind Words (Transparent Sentiment Set).

Here are the instructions so you can join in too.....

1)  Stamp Fronds (40-314) in Wedding Dress Memento Luxe on a piece of white cardstock slightly smaller than the card base and then set aside to dry.

2)  Die cut lanterns (After Glow 51-034) from Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstocks (Grand Canyon, Blue Lagoon, Rose Garden).  Highlight each lantern with a coordinating ink (Tangelo Memento, Teal Zeal Memento, Lilac Posies Memento) and then pounce each piece with Frost VersaMark Watermark ink.

3)  Thread the lanterns onto black string and drape across the top of the stamped cardstock. Secure the ends of the string to the back of the cardstock. Tuck a small piece of dimensional foam under each lantern.

4)  Stamp the sentiment (Kind Words 30-226) in Onyx Black VersaFine below the lanterns.

5)  Attached the finished artwork to a white card base with dimensional foam tape.

Enjoy all the colorful happiness....

Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Stamps: Fronds 40-314, Kind Words 30-226
Penny Black Creative Dies: After Glow 51-034
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Grand Canyon 03-001, Blue Lagoon 09-001, Rose Garden 14-001
3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Wedding Dress Memento Luxe, Tangelo Memento, Teal Zeal Memento, Lilac Posies Memento, Frost VersaMark Watermark Ink, Sponge Daubers

Love Is In The Air - Week 4: Flowers, Flutters & More (Card 3 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on flowers, flutters and more.

For the finale of the four-week long Love Is In The Air extravaganza, just one "more" thing....a cutie pie tag.

To create a small canopied cafe to enjoy a cup of love, a die cut tag (Tagged - Penny Black) was accented with another tag trimmed shorter, embossed with dots, and edged with scallop scissors.

Memento Luxe inks (Lilac Posies and Rose Bud) were blended with separate daubers to create the faded background.

The new transparent Valentine set (Ooh La La) by Penny Black holds all the fashionable designs to make this scene come alive. Each image was stamped on a separate piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder. After coloring with Copics, they were attached to the front of the prepared tag.

Thank you for celebrating a month of hearts, hugs and kisses with me!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Ooh La La 30-210
Penny Black Creative Dies: Tagged 51-007

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
American Crafts Ribbon

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Lilac Posies & Rose Bud Memento Luxe, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder 

Love Is In The Air - Week 4: Flowers, Flutters & More (Card 2 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on flowers, flutters and more. 

In the previous post, flowers were featured.  Today the focus is "flutters".  These butterflies are beautifully illustrated with a loose and flowing design.  Just a bit of color is all that is needed for them to come to life.

This card is another example of how quickly a white card blank can be transformed.  Two strips of soft teal cardstock  were stamped with a border from Rose Edging (Penny Black) in Wedding Dress Memento Luxe and placed on the top and bottom of the card base.

The butterflies and sentiment (Valentine Dance - Penny Black) were stamped on a smaller piece of white cardstock in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder.  The butterflies were colored with Copics.  The finished panel was attached to the front of the prepared card with dimensional foam.  A pearl in each corner adds a finishing accent.

Have a wonderful day,
Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Valentine Dance 40-275, Rose Edging 30-206

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Sea Breeze 08-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Wedding Dress Luxe Memento, Clear Embossing Powder

Other- Pearl Stickers

Love Is In The Air - Week 4: Flowers, Flutters & More (Card 1 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on flowers, flutters and more.

White card blanks are easy to accent and give dramatic flair to water colored images  In this sample, Rose Edging (Penny Black) was stamped on watercolor paper with VersaMark Watermark ink and heat embossed with white powder.  Tombow markers were scribbled on a plastic palette and transferred to the image with a paintbrush.  

The edging was trimmed and attached to a small strip of gray cardstock which was then positioned on the top of the card blank with dimensional foam tape.

The sentiment (From the Heart - Penny Black) was stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder on a die cut circle.  This element was then tucked under the floral banner.

A strip of red hearts (From the Heart) stamped across the bottom of the card in Satin Red VersaFine ground the design and pull in one of the watercolors from the banner above.

Stay tuned.  Up next....."flutters".

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Rose Edging 30-206, From the Heart 30-207

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Storm 01-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Canson: Watercolor Paper

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Satin Red VersaFine, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder

Tombow Markers

Spellbinders: Classic Circles

Love Is In The Air - Week 3: Tiny Tots (Card 3 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on tiny tots.

This tiny tot is one of my favorites which is called Love Sign (Penny Black / Illustrated by Mo Manning).  Did you spot the girl signing "I Love You"?  Her dress is so adorable and the balloon is the perfect size for adding a small sentiment (Ooh La La - Penny Black).

The card base and second layer were created from white cardstock. To "pop" the orange of the girl's dress, I used a complementary color for the accent strip.  A small piece of teal cardstock was stamped twice with a border from Rose Edging (Penny Black). First in Teal Zeal Memento and then again with Wedding Dress Luxe Memento.  While it can be difficult to see the darker, first impression it gives the piece a great deal of depth.

Thank you for joining me this week.  I will see you on Monday to kick off Week 4!

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Love Sign 40-273, Ooh La La 30-210, Rose Edging 30-206

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Blue Lagoon 09-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Teal Zeal Memento, Wedding Dress Luxe Memento, Clear Embossing Powder

Love Is In The Air - Week 3: Tiny Tots (Card 2 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on tiny tots.

Today you can catch another tiny tot in a Garden of Love (Penny Black / Illustrated by Mo Manning).

A blended background of Cantaloupe and Tangelo Memento provides a warm glow and a complementary color offset for the girl's lavender dress.

The girl and basket were stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder.  All images were colored with Copics except for the grass areas which were highlighted with Green PanPastel.

A small banner across the bottom of the card displays the sentiment (From the Heart - Penny Black) inked in Satin Red VersaFine.

May your garden bloom with love,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Garden of Love 40-271, From the Heart 30-207

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Colorfin: Green PanPastel

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Satin Red VersaFine, Cantaloupe Memento, Tangelo Memento, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Daubers

Other: Pearl Stickers

Love Is In The Air - Week 3: Tiny Tots (Card 1 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on tiny tots.

S.W.A.K. --- Sealed with a kiss or, in this case, a bubble.  This sweet image called "Bubble Heart" (Penny Black / illustrated by Mo Manning) is sure to tickle your heart.

To create the masked edge on the card base, the metal die was left in place after being sent through the die cutting machine.  Wheat VersaMagic was sponged in the center with Dots in Space (Penny Black) stamped in the same color.

The die was removed and second die cut of the same shape was trimmed shorter to create a small canopy.   Scalloped edging was attached and the sentiment (From the Heart - Penny Black) was stamped with VersaMark Watermark Ink and heat embossed in white.

The "tiny tots" were stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder.  The images were colored with Copics and then fussy cut for dimensional elements.

Have a great day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps:  Bubble Heart 40-272, From the Heart 30-207, Dots in Space 40-144

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Coral Reef 15-003

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Wheat VersaMagic, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder, Sponge Dauber

Spellbinders: Labels 8

Love Is In The Air - Week 2: Cute Critters (Card 3 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on cute critters. 

Near or far, hugs and kisses are a great Valentine gift to give or send to someone.  And they are easy to package with this "Special Delivery" (Penny Black).

This miniature tent card is matted with green and purple cardstocks.  A subtle hatch pattern (Warm Wishes) was stamped in Bamboo Leaves Memento on the top portion, while the sentiment (From the Heart) was stamp in VersaMark Watermark ink and heat embossed with white powder on the lower portion.

An elevated die cut serves as the base for the Special Delivery. Multiple impressions were made on a separate piece of white cardstock so individual elements could be fussy cut and used for dimensional layering. 

Tip/Hint:  This card is easily converted into a gift tag by simply punching a whole through the top and adding a string.  

I will be back on Monday to kick off Week 3 of Love Is In The Air with a new feature focus.

Have a great weekend,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Special Delivery 4370J, From the Heart 30-207, Warm Wishes 40-074

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Fern Green 05-001, Fuchsia Fantasies 13-003 

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Bamboo Leaves Memento, Clear Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder

Spellbinders: Labels 8

Love Is In The Air - Week 2: Cute Critters (Card 2 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on cute critters. 

This stamp image titled "From Me to You" (Penny Black) could not be more appropriately named.  Perfect for sending love anytime during the year. 

The focal panel of the card was stamped with the image in Onyx Black Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder. Highlighting with Phthalo Blue Tint PanPastel and the coloring of images that would not be covered with elevated images were completed first.

Another impression of the image was made on a separate piece of cardstock.  The hedgie on the flower and the mouse were colored and fussy cut to create dimensional elements.

After the artwork was completed, the piece was matted with red cardstock and attached to a white card base with dimensional foam.

For the cute "xo" banner, a thin strip of red cardstock was stamped with the letters (Ooh La La - Penny Black) in VersaMark Watermark ink and heat embossed with white powder.

Lots of happy from ME to YOU....

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: From Me to You 40-274, Ooh La La 30-210

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Coral Reef 15-003

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Colorfin: PanPastel Phthalo Blue Tint

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, VersaMark Watermark Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder

Love Is In The Air - Week 2: Cute Critters (Card 1 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on cute critters. 

This little hedgie (Banner of Love - Penny Black) is so cute and can be colored quite quickly.  In this sample, the image was stamped once on the main panel of the card and a second impression on a separate piece cardstock. The hedgie standing on the pot was colored, fussy cut and added on top of the first impression with dimensional foam.  A bit of shading with Phthalo Blue Tint Pan Pastel adds an airy sky.

The sentiment (From the Heart - Penny Black) was nestled under the banner and close to the hedgie.

Artist Note:  Before coloring with Copics, I stamp my images in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.

Have a colorful day,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Stamps: Banner of Love 4371J00, From the Heart 30-207

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Fall Festival 16-003

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Colorfin: PanPastel Phthalo Blue Tint

Copic Markers

Image Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Clear Embossing Powder
Other: Corner Rounder

Love Is In The Air - Week 1: Die Cutting (Card 3 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on die cuts. 

For this card, I wanted to use Penny Black's new "Love Buds" die cut in a different orientation.  Instead of positioning the stem vertically, I rotated it horizontally.  They were also sent through the die cutting machine a second time with a rubber mat to give them an embossed design.  I colored them with the same approach as the card posted on Monday, which first added a soft hue of Copic color to the white cardstock and then were highlighted with Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils.

To create the flower head, the heart (From the Heart - Penny Black) was stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine and heat embossed with clear powder. After trimming the element, Love Letter Memento was sponged around the outer edges leaving a bit of white in the center for a soft glow.

The shading in Peanut Brittle Memento was done first before the sentiment (From the Heart - Penny Black) was stamped in black.  I like to stamp the sentiments last so they are nice and crisp and to eliminate the possibility of smearing when I am adding highlighting.

I will be back on Monday with the start of Week 2 of Love Is In The Air.

Have a great weekend,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Creative Dies: Love Buds 51-024

Penny Black Stamps: From the Heart 30-207
Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Blue Lagoon 09-001
3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape
Copics
Faber-Castell: Pitt Pastel Pencils
Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Love Letter Memento, Peanut Brittle Memento, Jumbo Sponge Dauber, Clear Embossing Powder
Other: Pearl Beads

Love Is In The Air - Week 1: Die Cutting (Card 2 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on die cuts. 

One thing that I enjoy about working with sentiment die cuts is that they can be "puzzle pieced" into a design.

After this circular die cut had "hugs" (Penny Black) die cut from the center, it was "puzzle pieced" with another die cut of "hugs" from a different color of cardstock.

The balance of this card occurs from the top down. To add more design weight as the eye travels down the vertical elements, a small set of xo's (Ooh La La - Penny Black) were stamped in black under the die cut and then a larger section of stamping (Heart Swatches - Penny Black) in Rhubarb Stalk Memento was added to the base of the red cardstock.  Small white gel pen accents help the eye transition from sections of red and white cardstock that occur throughout the design.

Thank you for stopping by,

Elizabeth

Supplies:

Penny Black Creative Dies: Love Expressions 51-025

Penny Black Stamps: Ooh la la 30-210 (xoxo), Heart Swatches 30-204 (pattern design)

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Purple Mountain 12-002, Fuchsia Fantasies 13-001, Fall Festival 16-003

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onxy Black VersaFine, Rhubarb Stalk Memento, Lilac Posies, Sponge Dauber

Sakura: White Gel Pen

Spellbinders: Standard Circles, Scalloped Circles

Love Is In The Air - Week 1: Die Cutting (Card 1 of 3)

A whole month to share all the love that is in the air!  

During January, I will be featuring posts celebrating hugs, kisses, and Valentine wishes.

This week's focus is on die cuts. 

This rose die cut (Penny Black) was colored with two different mediums: Copic Markers and Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils. Soft hues of Copic color were added to the white die cut first to infuse the cardstock with color and then the pastel pencils were used for the shading and highlights.  

A bit of chalking behind the elevated rose adds to the shadowing. The accent strip of green cardstock was stamped with Decadence (Penny Black) in Bamboo Leaves Memento.

The sentiment "A Valentine Wish" (Penny Black) was stamped in Onyx Black VersaFine.  What I liked about this particular design is that by simply changing the greeting I could use it for a variety of other occasions.  

Have a great day,
Elizabeth

Supplies:
Penny Black Creative Dies: Rose 51-023

Penny Black Stamps: Decadence 40-254, From the Heart 30-207

Penny Black Mix & Match Cardstock: Fern Green 05-002

3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape

Copic Markers

Faber-Castell: Pitt-Pastel Pencils

Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Onyx Black VersaFine, Bamboo Leaves Memento