Layers of Color Stenciled gift bag

Hello everyone! Happy Tuesday! Today I want to show you a gift bag I made with the Layers of Color Art Stencils "Natural Flourish" and "Vintage Medallion". I also used the LOC Art Stamp set "Touch of Elegance". This was a super fun project that I really love! I started with some light blue designer paper that didn't have much pattern to it and very lightly sponged my vintage medallion stencil. You have to look close to see it in the photo but if you look in the lower left corner you can see it. Next I sponged my Natural Flourish stencil with T Holtz walnut stain using a much heavier touch. Using the general idea from this post by Kerin Sylvester, I made my bag, making a few adjustments. I added a chocolate border at the top that is punched with a Martha Stewart edge punch and folded inside for rigidity. There is a bottom liner as well so this bag is super sturdy! The handles are Papertrey twill. The little medallions are stamped first with T Holtz weathered wood and then turning the stamp slightly, I over-stamped with walnut stain for a shadowed effect. I used the same techniques on my tag, adding a big eyelet and some fibers. I added some bling to the centers of my medallions and done. An easy and fun project for your stencils!!!

I am linking this to the following challenges:
Did It Creations #10 - dimension/3-D
Sew Many Challenges- anything goes
Pile It On: Do something with paper
Digi Doodle Shop Best: Anything Goes.
Meljen's Designs- bookmark or tags
Sentimental Sundays- encouragement and support
Speedy the Cat's Friend- 3+ flowers
Thank you so much for looking! I hope you have a blessed week!

The

Thank You: a Sneak Peek and a Challenge!

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday! It's time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge! This week our hostess is the sweet Randi Barrett, and she has chosen this wonderful verse:

Isaiah 53:5 'But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities:
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."

Randi is challenging us to in some way use stripes on our card or layout.

I committed this verse to memory a number of years ago, and I'm so glad I did! What a beautiful picture of pure love this is! It brings tears to my eyes to think of how He suffered and died for me.... for my sin... He loves me that much! I urge you to read the entire 53rd chapter of Isaiah and really ponder what He did for you! With His stripes, we are healed! There was a tremendous price paid for our salvation... it was the precious blood of Jesus. Thank you Lord!

My take on the challenge took me out of my normal colors and into the richer tones I found in the inspiration photo at the Shabby Tea Room this week. I used BasicGrey Sugared designer paper and layered up several different pieces of it, with the stripes being a predominant part. The base is Bazzill. The sentiment is a sneak peek at a set to be released by Our Daily Bread designs on July 1. It's called "The Living Bread". It's a great set with lots of versatility! I stamped it with Adirondack Pesto and cut with a Spellbinder's Fancy Tag, then sponged it. I used my new CB folder to emboss several panels, and sponged with Adirondack Inks. The punched edges are MS, as is the greenery. The flowers are Primas. A little sewing and done. I almost hated making this card pretty... because what we're focusing on today was not pretty. It was ugly... the sin of the world born by the sinless Savior, God Himself, in the flesh for the express purpose of reconciling us to Him! I hope you are able to bask in the knowledge that He's YOUR Savior because of what He did, and because you have placed your faith and trust in His work for your salvation.

Our sponsor this week is Toucan Scraps. They are donating one kit of winner's choice!

We'd love to have you play along... if you do, please place a link to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog in your post, and place a direct link to your project on the SSCC thread.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration for this week's challenge!

Here's links to the rest of the team to make it easier for you! We're sorry to say this is Kathy's last week on the team, so be sure to wish her well! We'll miss her very much!

Chris
Linda
Kathy
Randi
Peggysue

Lisa

Miesje
Rebekkah

I am entering this in the following challenges:
ABC challenge - extra dimension
Scrap Creations - anything goes with BasicGrey
S2G Challenges - something new (the punch that I used the negative parts for and the dogwoods)
Practical Scrappers - flowers
Crafty Ann's - embossing
Cardvarks- embossing
Stamp Something - vintage with flowers

Have a blessed week!

MMSC59 and a Sneak Peek!

Hello everyone! Hope your week is going well! Mine seems to be flying! I'm getting ready for company this weekend and trying to get things made ahead a bit with vacation coming up... so I feel like I'm running as fast as I can but can't catch up!

Anyhoo.... today I have a sneak peek for you! This is a sneak peek of two new sets being released by Our Daily Bread designs on July 1! The verse is from the set "Our Daily Bread" and the cross of wheat stamped in So Safron is from the set "The Living Bread".

I used this week's Midnight Madness Sketch #59 for my layout. I used a base of Bazzill and the DP is BasicGrey Origins. I matted with basic black. I sewed up the panels and cut the sentiment panel with a Spellbinder's label 6, then matted on a label 10. I used a CB embossing folder, ZVA Creative Pearls, Prima and K&Co flowers, and an EK Success leafy vine border, from which I took only the negative parts and glued them around my oval frame.

I hope you like my card and these new sets! The best is yet to come... you don't want to miss this release! Be sure to be back on July 1 for the hop and your chance to win win win this month!!!

I am adding this to the following challenges:
Our Daily Bread designs - FLOWER- I had several- flower, embossing, stitching and swirls
ABC Challenge - extra dimension
Scrap Creations - anything goes with BasicGrey
Twisted Thursday - something new - brand new rubber from ODBD
Caardvarks - embossing -black matting is dry embossed
Cowgirl Sunday - anything goes
Mark's Finest Papers - embossing
Crafty Ann's - embossing
Ally's Sunday Challenge- flower power
Practical Scrappers - flowers
Fun with Shapes - flowers

LOC Stencil Gift Card Holder Tutorial

This is a little gift card holder I made using the new Art Stencil release from Layers of Color, "Natural Flourishes" Art Stencil. For the flower, I used the LOC Art Stamps set "Nature Walk".

Don't be intimidated by all the pictures... it is very easy!

To begin, cut your card stock to 10 1/2" x 4 1/2". Score along the short side at 4 3/8" and 8 3/4".

Now cut two sections off at 2 7/8" high and score the rest of this line. (You will cut the short section and the adjacent long section, leaving the last long one.) This will form your pocket.

Fold up your score lines and mark an end tab. I drew a circle using a Ink Refill bottle centered on the end of the smallest section, then drew my edges a little tapered. You could just leave the sides square if desired.

Now close the end flap over the back and place light pencil marks where the tab will need to fit into the back.

Mark a semi-circle between these dots that extends a about 1/4" beyond them (better to be a little big than not big enough) I used a small Shimmerz bottle for my pattern on this.

Unfold, and using a Craft blade, cut this slit.

Erase any pencil marks that are visible.
Now open all folds and lay your stencil on the paper, moving around until you find a pleasing pattern. Tip: I began by doing the pocket that will hold the card first, as that swirl line is what I used to cut along to give a little extra character to my pocket.

Once the pocket design is determined, stencil the rest. I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Scattered Straw and Bundled Sage. Don't be afraid to overlap colors...

Now using a good pair of paper snips, cut off the top part of the "pocket" loosely following the design you created with your stencil. I think this gives it a lot more character than just leaving it a straight cut.

Using high tack tape, apply to each short end of your pocket.

Pull off the pink protective paper and adhere to the inside of the card, forming the pocket.

Now simply decorate however you wish. For the sample above, I cut one large and one small flower from the Layers of Color Nature Walk Art Stamp set and colored with Copics, and I sponged three leaves from the set with the same green I used on the stenciling, and cut them out. I popped the flowers up and glued leaves in behind them. I hand wrote my message and punched out the tag with a McGill Tag punch, added some twine, sponged and adhered to card front. One gemstone in the center of the flower finished it off.

Below is another option for finishing it off. I used Back Yard Birds Art Stamps to stamp my bird, colored with chalks, cut out and adhered. I added the little green ribbon and used SU! punches to punch out the SU! sentiment. The flowers are Prima.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you will give it a try, adding your own touches! If you do I'd love a link so I can see it! Have a blessed week!

Great Is Your Faithfulness!

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday! It's time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge! This week our hostess is the lovely Candace, and she has chosen this wonderful verse:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

The challenge is to use no stamped image but only words, sentiments, verses. So no picture images.

I love the verse Candace chose because it reminds us that God has given us all we need to know about Him and about how He wants us to live... and it's in His Word. Our job is to read it, study it, apply it, love it, obey it. How well would we know our family members and other people in our lives if we never spent time with them? We have to spend time talking with our loved ones, listening to them, hearing what's important to them. As we do this, we grow closer to them and begin to change our own ways to please them more, and it's the same with God! When we take time in His Word... it becomes a light in the darkness that's all around us. It leads us in the way we should go. It tells us who God is and what He wants from us! It tells us the real meaning to life, our purpose, our value to God, and that He dearly loves us. It tells us about sin, and how it separates us from a totally Holy and righteous God. It tells us that He so loved us that He sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sin, so that through faith in His shed blood, we can come into right relationship with God. It tells us the answers to all life's questions. Granted, sometimes those answers don't come easily. But He promises that those who diligently seek Him will find Him. He has given us the light we need to guide our steps... let's be sure we are availing ourselves of all He's given us!

So for my take on today's challenge, I used an Our Daily Bread designs set, Scripture Collection 1. I chose this wonderful verse from Lamentations, because in thinking about God's Word... I think of His love, mercy and faithfulness to us. Doesn't this verse make you want to break into song... Great is thy faithfulness... Lord unto me!

The sketch I used today is from Midnight Madness58 and I used a base by Coredinations which I lightly sanded to expose the core color. The papers are from PinkPaisley Queen B pack. I have torn the lower edge and used the faux burned technique. I used spellbinders labels 12, 5 and curvy rectangles and a CB embossing folder. I have added two Sizzix corner pieces and pearls to qualify for the OCCC challenge this week "got you cornered". I did some sewing and added this beautiful lace that was a gift from my sweet friend Pat. I'm almost out of it and am sad to see it go, as I can't find anything like this around here! Thank you Pat!!!

Our sponsor this week is Paper Jewels. They are donating a $15.00 gift certificate!

We'd love to have you play along... if you do, please place a link to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog in your post, and place a direct link to your project on the SSCC thread.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration for this week's challenge!

Here's links to the rest of the team to make it easier for you!

Chris
Candace
Linda
Kathy
Randi
Peggysue
Lisa
Miesje
Rebekkah

I am entering this in the following challenges:
There She Goes - Worn, torn distressing
Secret Crafters - Quote (the Bible)
Charisma Cards - Bling- pearls
Dutch Dare Challenges - Bees (my dp is QUEEN BEES... doesn't that count?)
Paper Play Challenge - Something Old (Sizzix Corner die cuts and pearls)

Humming Along

Hello everyone!
I had the chance to play this morning just for the fun of it. I had fallen in love with this newest release at Flourishes, and had gone to the release party on SCS. I won one of the trivia games! Yay! So I chose this set and while I was there I bought a couple more! :) So today I chose a sketch from Sketch & Stash 37 and went to work. I stamped with Memento, colored with copics, (still don't have all the right colors) and cut it with SB Deckled Rectangles.I used Bazzill for the base, BasicGrey Sugar Rush & Porcelain for the layers, Neenah for the image. I cut out the hummer and popped him up. I used 1 OLD CB folder (textile but still one of my favorites) and 1 NEW folder - Cassie's Brocade. I kept the layout true to the sketch and didn't add anything because I am enjoying just looking at this pretty image! Didn't want to detract from it!

Have a blessed weekend and see you on Sunday when we bring you another Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

The Cuttlebug Spot - Embossing(textile and cassie's brocade)
Lexi's Creations - something old... the textile EF was one of my first
Shabby Tea Room - summer fun (flowers and humming bird)
Timeless Tuesday - embossing (textile and cassies brocade efs)

ODBD Stampin in Time Inspiration Challenge

Hello everyone!

It is time for ODBD Stamping In Time on assignment challenge(SNTODBD12)! The challenge hostess for this three week challenge period (due to the July 4th holiday) is LeAnne Pugliese. LeAnne is challenging us with an inspiration picture! Be inspired by the colors, shapes, patterns, or design in the picture! Enjoy and have fun! We would love to see what you create using Our Daily Bread Design stamps! You have until July 7th to link your card to the ODBD Stamping in Time post. When uploading to on line galleries, please use keyword SNTODBD12.

Here is the inspiration photo: For my card I used Our Daily Bread designs set "From Me to You" and stamped in Chocolate Chip Ink. The dp is BasicGrey Sultry and the cs is Kiwi Kiss, Papertrey Pink and GPW. I used Card Patterns Sketch #68 for my layout.
Card Details: Spellbinder's Mega Ovals and Scalloped Ovals, CB "Ornamental" die cuts and swiss dot ef, MS Scalloped hearts edge punch, May Arts Soft & Silky ribbon, SU! Corner Rounder and pearls by Mark Richards. I wove the different elements of the die cut together to replicate the feel of the side strips on the bag, then fussy cut some of the flowers out and adhered and added the pearls. Hope you like it~ thanks for looking!

Be sure to check out Leanne's and the other design team samples this week:

ANGIE

CHRISSY

SABRINA

BETTY

LEANNE

This also qualifies for the following challenges:
Stampin Royalty - another picture inspiration of flowers and summer colors... perfect!
Sentimental Sunday - summer and a sentiment
The Cuttlebug Spot - Embossing(white panel is swiss dot ef)
Kitchen Sink - ribbon
Lexi's Creations - something old... the pink pearls are very old, kiwi kiss cs is retired
Shabby Tea Room - summer fun (flowers are the best part of summer)
Timeless Tuesday - embossing (swiss dot white panel)

Layers of Color Stenciled Wall Hanging & Blog Candy Winners!

Hello everyone! Happy Tuesday! Today I have what I think is a really cool project to share with you! First I want to announce the winners of my blog candy yesterday... Two randomly chosen commenters will win their choice of one new LOC Art Stencil each! Just email me with your choice of stencil from the Layers of Color Store and your mailing address within 24 hours please!

Drum roll please.... the winners are:
Marilynn
Sabrina
Congratulations ladies!!! Please email me your choice of LOC Art Stencil and your mailing address within 24 hours and Laura will get them right out to you! (You can use the email address in my side bar link)

Now... on to my project!

I made this wall hanging using the newly released Layers of Color Art Stencil, "Elegant Touch". I started with a heavy piece of cardboard, used my Zutter corner rounder to round the corners, and then I centered my stencil on it. I spread on Dry Wall Spackling with a putty knife to a depth of about 1/8-1/4". I picked up the stencil and this gorgeous pattern was left on the cardboard! I left it to dry and it did take some time. When it was completely dry, I sealed it all with Gesso and let that dry.

Meantime, I sanded a 6" square piece of wood from the local craft store, and painted it with an acrylic brown paint. I then glued the cardboard with the pattern on it onto the wood base and applied weight until dry. Once dry I painted the whole thing with another coat of paint. I used T Holtz Distress Walnut Stain heavily on top so it would settle into the cracks and wiped off the excess. I then took some antique bronze wax metallic cream rub on from the craft store and just rubbed it on with my finger, hitting the high spots until I got enough of the copper for the look I wanted. I bought this white porcelain door knob at Hobby Lobby and my hubby drilled a hole in the center of the piece the correct size for the screw that came with it. I added the door knob and done. I did have him drill a hole in the back of the wood as a recessed hanger.I've shown a couple ideas on how you might use this. I think one painted in pink would look cute in a little girl's room where she could hang her little treasures!


I hope you enjoyed this idea for using these wonderful Art Stencils! They are available NOW... and they are on sale until the 18th for 15% off... so don't wait! For just over $5.oo you can be creating all sorts of fun things! These stencils are washable and reusable! I have used them and used them these past few weeks!!!

Laura has posted a wonderful project using this technique on the Layers of Color Blog, showing how she made a wooden tissue box cover using dry wall paste. Visit her blog for the complete tutorial! Her project is over the top gorgeous! You WILL want to try this!!!

Have a blessed day and continue to visit the LOC DT blogs this week as we will continue to share some more project ideas for these stencils!

Linda

Kristine

Laura

Nina

Layers of Color Summer Release Blog Hop and Tutorial

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Layers of Color Release Party and Blog Hop for their brand new product ~Art Stencils! All of us on the design team have been having so much fun playing with these stencils! We have all shown several sneak peeks which you can view by clicking on our titles to bring up the whole blog, not just this post, and then scrolling down through the last week's worth of posts. There's lots of inspiration on each blog!!! I am the first stop on the hop after the Layers of Color Blog. If you didn't start there you might want to go there first to get the full list and all the info about the goodies!!!

Today I am showing you a picture frame I altered using the Vintage Medallion Art Stencil.

It wouldn't be a party without prizes... so today I am offering TWO blessed winners their choice of one art stencil! The two winners will be randomly chosen from all my commenters today! I will draw the winners tonight and announce them tomorrow (Tues. the 15th) on my blog!

Also, as part of the celebration, Layers of Color is offering a STOREWIDE SALE! Today through Friday (14th through the 18th) you can save 15% off everything, even the new stencils!!!

There will also be an hour of fun tonight at the Layers of Color Group on SNR from 7-8pm Eastern time. Fun and games plus prizes! Hope you'll join us there!!!

I also want to let you know that I have a new Gallery at Layers of Color... it's an Altered Art Gallery! So I'd love to have you stop by and take a peek while you are there!

Click Here for a little TUTORIAL on the basic steps I took to alter this frame.

From here, you should hop to see Kristine!

Oh, and for those of you who want to know.... yes, this photo is us at one of those places where you dress up and take an old fashioned picture. I scanned the photo and printed it out. I can't seem to get it and the frame both in focus at the same time. I laugh every time I look at our serious faces though... that's the way they always did back then... serious...no smiles!

I hope you've enjoyed the ideas I shared with you and I know you will love these stencils! Be sure to keep visiting Laura at the Layers of Color Blog and other DT members this week as more samples will be shown, as well as more tutorials! Have a blessed week!

Tutorial for Altered Picture Frame with LOC Vintage Meddalion Art Stencil

Supplies Needed:
Wood picture frame
Fine grit sand paper or sanding block
Gesso to seal wood (optional)
Designer Paper to cover frame, paint for the edges of frame if desired
Adhesive that will glue paper to wood: good glue stick, Xyron, TomBow, etc.
Craft Blade (I used Fiskars Finger Blade)
Layers of Color Art Stencil
Ink and sponges (I used Craft, Distress Inks work well too)
Embellishments as desired

I started with this unfinished wood frame from Mikael's that I got for $1.00, and a piece of marbled card stock that I have had for ages so I have no name for it, but I chose it because it had some marbling for interest, but not a lot of pattern to compete with my stencil.

Next I lightly sanded the frame with a fine grit sand paper, and sealed it with a coat of Gesso, and then sanded it again when that was dry. ( I was going to add dp to my frame edges but you could paint them at this point.)

I removed the "center" materials, laid the frame face down on my designer paper. With a pencil I traced the lines of the outside of the frame, and the inside opening. Then I cut along those lines with a craft blade. I used a glue stick to adhere my dp to the front of the frame. If you have a Zyron, you could use that or even a good quality spray adhesive. After adhering it, I used my Fiskar's finger blade to trim right up against the edges. I love the finger blade because it allows you to get so close with great control. I then measured the depth of my frame and cut strips of dp to exactly fit the edges, and adhered with Tombo Metal Glue... it holds great! Again, you could just as easily have painted the edges of your frame and only added dp to the front if you wanted.

Next I laid my stencil on a corner of my frame, lining up the center of the medallion with the corner of the frame. Using Craft White Ink and a make up sponge, I began sponging on white ink. I worked from the corner out to the outer edges of the stencil. I added more in places to give almost a shadow effect, but that's all just a matter of taste. There is no right or wrong. You can always add more, so start with a light touch and go from there. When I reached the outside of the pattern, I lifted the stencil and continued sponging on more white ink farther out from the medallion, filling in the middle part of the frame lightly. It is just enough to give a "dreamy" feel to the frame, rather than harsh lines between stenciled pattern and dp.

Here is a close up view of the stenciled pattern over the dp. I continued this process on all four corners, sponging lightly some white in the space between the corners as well.

Next I just started to embellish it. I used snippets of 3 different laces, some Prima Flowers, ZVA Creative Pearls, a Leaf Die Cut from Sizzix, taupe silky ribbon from Martha Stewart, and I made one lace collar for a paper flower by cutting a 9" length of lace, sewing a loose running stitch so I could gather it up into a circle, and then stitched the seam together. Through that I slipped two shimmery paper flowers and a little silk Prima.The key is from K&Co. The butterfly is a bronze piece from the jewelry dept. at Hobby Lobby.

Have fun with it and if you make one I'd love a link so I can see it too!