Putting on the Grunge for Halloween

We all have our firsts...but it seems that I am the last on the block to give an arch a try. I decided it was about time to try it out for the current challenges at Stamp Shack and Saturday Stampers. I used a sample card at hero arts as a sketch for the background and was please to find sufficient scraps in my box. Hope you like the raven watching over things on this ghoulish night.

Time flies!

Too many things to make, not enough time to post! So now it is time to play some catch-up.

The month kicked of with World Card Making Day. I was busy throughout the weekend itself with thee Stamp Shack celebration of it's the 1st birthday and coordinating some challenges there.

And once the weekend was over those fun folks at 2 peas just don't ever want to stop so the challenges went on for a full week...and now weekly challenges continue too! I worked on about 15 projects during the first week but during that instensive pace one just stops counting. Here's a few photos of my favorites from the week.


One of my first challenges was to make an item that was for the Thanksgiving table. The template for the cup above is from Sherry at the Stamp Shack. I used a watercolor resist on the cup which was lots of fun!

Tami offer a challenge that including using a sheet of music on a card. I had fun working this raven!





Of course I had to try my hand at the new technique challenges offered.

This one features a process of using Perfect Pearls and then combinding it with distress inks. Of course the results are all shimmery which can not be captured in a photo.

The other technique I enjoyed was creating an embossed background and then rubbing over it in a resist manner with metallic rub-ons. They come in a little tray like a paint palette. Mine had been sitting in my drawer for a few years because I had never found instructions. I was very excited to finally put them to use!

This month I enjoyed a 1:1 swap with my friend Jennifer. We each used the same stamp and then shared our 1st creations virtually. She is really good with color and stitching...after she posted first I wonder how I let myself get into such a challenges! But we had some fun laughs along the way. Here a link to Jennifer's beautiful work.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hope for a cure

Saturday Stamper's Challenge this week is to add a pink ribbon to our art to bring attention to breast cancer awareness month. After considerable thought I decided to design a message of hope...that a cure will soon be found and that the spirits entrapped now and in the future will be set free from this terrible disease.

Tami/Teabear hosted a swap at the Stamp Shack last month again our theme was breast cancer awareness. This is the ATC I made for her swap.

Thanks for all your doing to support the efforts to intensify research to find a cure!

Stamptoberfest Oct 6-13th

Lumiere Resist Challenge

I am hosting the following stamping challenge on the 2 peas website. Recently they had a technical remodel on their site and are still experiencing some glitches. Therefore I am posting my challenge also here as part of our backup plan. Any stamper is welcome to play. If at all possible we would like you to post in the 2 peas gallery. The message board will have details on all the challenges that will run to Saturday October 13th. Look for the post on the message board that says SOF MASTER THREAD--it gives a snapshot of all the challenges and will have links to all the full descriptions. Bless sweet Sandy's heart for all the work she does to keep that page current!

Make one item that includes a Lumiere resist background.
Supplies needed: Lumiere (perhaps a gold, pearl white, or silver if you are only buying one color). Dye ink, glossy white paper, popsicle stick or something to stir paint, a pallete something like a coated paper plate/ recycled CD etc; about a foot of cheap plastic wrap or a piece of plastic grocery bag; sponge or brayer; tissue.
To create a resist background:
Use something like a wooden popsicle stick to stir the Lumiere paint and then place a doable about the size of nickel on a coated paper plate, a CD disk or the like.
Wad up a small amount of plastic wrap (stiffer is better).The wrinkles in the plastic will add interest to your background. So hold it in your hand like a stamp bounce it back and forth between the paint and add your glossy white card stock.. To regulate the coat of paint I generally lightly tap off some next to the paint doable after each coating. The background will have a significant amount of white space when completed. I use a heat gun to set the paint and insure any thick areas are completely dry.
You may choose to use a sponge or a rubber brayer to cover your background with dye ink. Immediately after covering with ink take a tissue and gently shine paper in a circular motion, removing ink from the Lumiere. Your background is then ready for use.

This technique is sometime called Faux Mother of Pearl when pearl white Lumiere is used…but all the metallic colors make great backgrounds so don’t limit yourself when working with this fun resist technique. The finished product will definitely produce a classy look..

If you have trouble finding Lumiere-you might check the local JoAnn’s. In there fabric painting aisle they carry prepackaged sets of 6 bottles of paint for about $12…but I am sure you can find a coupon.

This challenge is Open Until Saturday, October 13, 2007 Noon-EST. Shortly thereafter I will randomly select one participant to win the Santa Claus UM stamp. All entries should be posted and include SOF-Lumiere Resist in the title. If you can't post on 2 peas you are welcome to leave a note here or I will be happy to post if you don't have a blog.
If I can answer any questions please leave a note here.
Thanks for playing!…Far North (Jan)