Mississippi McGyver: August 2013

Friday, August 30, 2013

angel mixed media card

This week has been a bad one for migraine headaches. I had several ideas but didn't feel like making cards because of the headaches. So today's card is a combination of some of the ideas.
The Splitcoast Stampers Ways to use it challenge this week. WT442 was to use angels on our card. I have had this little angel sitting in a box for so long. She had only seen ink a time or two.
The Splitcoast Stampers Mixability challenge MIX31 was to drip drip drip on the page. Can't see my drips? Well, look closely. I thought green watercolor drips would look like the stems for my quilled roses.
The background behind the angel took a long time to do. It started as a page from an encyclopedia. I direct ink to paper swiped blue ink on the top and green ink on the bottom. Then I painted cream colored acrylic paint brush strokes. When the acrylic paint was dry I used Mark's Finest Papers set CRACKED HELLO with blue ink for the top and green ink for the bottom. Then I stamped music notes and a treble clef from Mark's Finest Papers set called JUST A NOTE. I added lac, burlap and rickrack. My little angel was water colored with markers and then I added detail with prisma colored pencils. I also added glamour dust to the wings and itty bitty quilled roses to her hair and dress.

See the glamour dust...pretty s-p-a-r-k-l-y.

I made this into an easel card. I added a button with twine as the stopper.
I added Sweet n Sassy scripture. I am going to post this in Word Art Wednesday challenge # 95
It doesn't seem that they should be on #95 already. Didn't it just start a little while ago?

Friday, August 23, 2013

Rand Park Butterfly inspiration card

There is a park about a mile from my home, called Rand Park. Every summer, civic groups in our community adopt a flower garden in the garden area. Last time I was there I think there were 20 gardens. This photo of a butterfly was taken in one of the gardens.

For my card I tried to make a hot pink and yellow flower out of mulberry paper. I used a couple of different flower dies to cut the hot pink. The yellow center was done by quilling a fringe. At first I thought one flower would be enough for my card, but it didn't feel finished so I made two smaller ones with yellow brads in the centers. I used the butterfly from Mark's Finest Papers set called Daffodil Greetings. I wanted it a little bigger than the stamped image, so I stamped it and scanned that into my computer using Microsoft word. I then enlarged the butterfly. I could have used word to make it smaller as well, but I didn't know that I wanted to make smaller butterflies when I printed it, so the butterfly in the right hand corner is the original sized butterfly from Daffodil Greetings and the itty bitty one is from Mark's Finest Papers set called Scenic selections. I made this card for my daughter as she starts her second year of college. I used the sentiment from Mark's Finest Papers set called Be a Showoff. Friday is move in day for her, and I am going with her to help her unpack and get settled in. I think the burlap and lace makes a great background don't you.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Butterflies

Here is my card inspired by the colors of the Unity challenge. I used Unity's Itty Bitty- Here Today Here Tomorrow butterfly. I used the sketch from SCS SC450

Friday, August 16, 2013

MFP Blogg hop - last day. Go fly a kite...

Aug. Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Featured Aug 13th
Pocket Watches

Featured Aug 14th
Joyous Season

Featured Aug 15th
Country Charm

Featured Aug 16th

Wealthy Fish

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on Aug 17, 2013 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 10 PM EST on Friday Aug 16, 2013.

The special stamp set we have for you this month is:

"Lucky You"

The mini stamp set we have for you this month is

"Take Time Mini"

Here's the Design Team:

Patty
Lois
Jane C
Debbie
Pam
Pat G
Thrfity Stamper
Marilynn

Karen K

Bonnie

Kathy
Angela
Cathy C
Toni
Sue W
Janine
An'Jenic
Shirley Q
Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

I knew yesterday that my card would be unique... and I am guessing that will hold true for today's card as well. This set took a long time for me to figure out what to create. I had hit a creative block. So I did what I always do when I hit a block I set it aside. I had this set sitting on my desk for days and I was about to give up when the creativity hit me. When it hit, the ideas just started flowing. I was inspired by the Japanese Koi Kites that are flown on Children's Day on May 5. Here is a blog post about these kites. I decided to make the fish in this set a kite. I stamped him in black and watercolored him rainbow colored and I fussy cut him out. I then glued three strings to the back of the image. I added a paper spring behind the body and I glued the top fins and tail to the swirl embossed background. (I thought the swirls kinda looked like the wind blowing the wind sock.) I wanted the streamers to look like they were blowing too, so I took two pieces of ribbon and hot glued them to the background. In this first photo you can see the dimension of the ribbons.

Then I made a reversible corner bookmark. One side, for when I have to be polite and nice and sweet, has the embossing and rhinestones.

And for days when I am feeling cranky and PMS hormones have taken over it says "GO FLY A KITE."

One of the really fun things about his card was the bottom of the easel. I took black cardstock and I glued little squares of mullberry paper on to it. I have had these scraps for years. I don't even remember the last time I actually used any on a card. Today, I felt like it was the perfect time to use them, because they made me think of tissue paper and the koi kites are made out of tissue paper. I used a glue stick to randomly glue the pieces on top of eachother. I then embossed the panel with the swirl embossing folder. Then I attached it to the base of the easel by sewing a random crazy stitch. This easel has two sets of brads. If you look at my second picture you will see that it is set at the lower setting showing just a little of the mullberry paper.
The last picture shows it on the higher setting ,showing more of the mullberry paper.

Now to share a song. LET'S GO FLY A KITE.
You knew it had to be this song.
It has been going through my head all day so it is only fitting that I share it with you so that you will be singing it too.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

MFP August Blog hop- Day 3 I'M NOT MESSY... yeah right....

Aug. Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Featured Aug 13th
Pocket Watches

Featured Aug 14th
Joyous Season

Featured Aug 15th
Country Charm

Featured Aug 16th

Wealthy Fish

The special stamp set we have for you this month is:

"Lucky You"

The mini stamp set we have for you this month is

"Take Time Mini"

Here's the Design Team:

Patty
Lois
Jane C
Debbie
Pam
Pat G
Thrfity Stamper
Marilynn

Karen K

Bonnie

Kathy
Angela
Cathy C
Toni
Sue W
Janine
An'Jenic
Shirley Q
Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

I am pretty sure that my card isn't going to even remotely look like any of the other designers cards. I was inspired by two different things. I was inspired by this butterfly. Sunday was a beautiful day. Perfect weather outside and my daughter wanted to go to the park to read her book. I had planned an afternoon of crafting, but I wanted to spend time with her. So I packed up my craft supplies and sat on one of the park benches. Had there been anyone besides my daughter and I at the park, I am sure that I would have received a lot of strange looks. I am sure I was more than a little MESSY. Before we left the park, I walked around the gardens and saw this monarch butterfly sitting on the flowers. So that was where my butterfly inspiration came from. I used the butterflies from MFP set called SCENIC SELECTIONS. I stamped the butterflies and colored them with a prisma colored pencil. The other inspiration was last week's mixed media challenge at SCS. The challenge was to move paint or ink around the cardstock. I choose to use markers, water and a straw to move my ink around. It was a lot of fun, but so MESSY. I can still see splatters of marker all over my desk and at one point I had red marker all over my arm and green splatters on my shorts. I think this easel card is going to have to stay on my desk to at least remind me that all this mess is because I am creative.

Close up view of the splattered and straw blown marker ink.

Another close up of the bottom of the easel. I had the butterflies wings stick out of the box, because I think it gives them movement and the appearance of flying.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MFP August Blog Hop Day 2 Joyous Season

Aug. Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Featured Aug 13th
Pocket Watches

Featured Aug 14th
Joyous Season

Featured Aug 15th
Country Charm

Featured Aug 16th

Wealthy Fish

The special stamp set we have for you this month is:

"Lucky You"

The mini stamp set we have for you this month is

"Take Time Mini"

Here's the Design Team:

Patty
Lois
Jane C
Debbie
Pam
Pat G
Thrfity Stamper
Marilynn

Karen K

Bonnie

Kathy
Angela
Cathy C
Toni
Sue W
Janine
An'Jenic
Shirley Q
Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

I am guessing that most of the design team will make a Christmas card with this image because it is after all a Christmas set. However, I thought it would make a great guy birthday card. This was a lot of fun to color. Another easel card. The birthday sentiment is from MFP set called OOPSY DAISY.

Monday, August 12, 2013

TIME for a blog hop- MFP Blog hop day 1 - Pocket Watches

Aug. Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Featured Aug 13th
Pocket Watches

Featured Aug 14th
Joyous Season

Featured Aug 15th
Country Charm

Featured Aug 16th

Wealthy Fish

The special stamp set we have for you this month is:

"Lucky You"

The mini stamp set we have for you this month is

"Take Time Mini"

Here's the Design Team:

Patty
Lois
Jane C
Debbie
Pam
Pat G
Thrfity Stamper
Marilynn

Karen K

Bonnie

Kathy
Angela
Cathy C
Toni
Sue W
Janine
An'Jenic
Shirley Q
Marks Finest Papers, a Heinrich Co.

I think looking at my card samples you will be able to tell that I just love this set. In fact I think it is my favorite of the new releases.I love how it can be used to give a vintage feeling to the card.
I stamped the pocket watches onto floral dp. I then stamped the pocket watch from the TAKE TIME mini set. I embossed the edges with gold ep. The center I used UTEE. I wanted to use the cracked glass technique, because I thought it would make it look old.

Here is a close up of the cracked glass

I have the pocket watch popped up with a giant button underneath. I added quilled roses and a ribbon. I made my card for today, an easel card.

I thought of this scripture as I was making my cards the other day, so I used my computer to print this scripture. I think this easel card will be a great home decoration for my friend.

Here are two cards I made last week.

MOJO 306 and a dozen roses

For today's SCS TLC Challenge to make a frame but have image and sentiment on inside, I used the MOJO306 sketch.
Here is the outside of my card with a dozen quilled roses on the vertical panel.

This shows the inside of the card.

Here is a close up of the dozen roses.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

A great music teacher inspires triple easel card

On Thursday night, when Dina K. showed a sneak peek of her Mixed Media challenge on facebook, I got excited. Because I love how the SCS Mixed Media challenge encourages me to get a little messy. This week's challenge was to blow paint or ink on your page. I choose to do watercolor and blow through a straw. I first took 2 sheets of white cardstock and printed Shabby Cottage distressed digis onto them. Then I dropped watercolor paint onto the paper and used a straw to move the paint around. I like the marbled look that my cards got, but next time I do this technique I am going to be more patient and wait until one color is dry before adding more.Because it got a little muddied because I was a little impatient. you can see the splatter of the paint the best on the oval behind the butterfly. After the paint was dry I stamped the Penny Black Butterfly Symphony onto the paper in random places.I used markers to color the butterfly. Then I cut the panels out. I was really liking how this card was coming together, until I put the last bit of glue on the oval and sat and looked at the card. I put the oval and butterfly on upside down. I meant to have the keyboard and music notes in the top right hand corner not the bottom left. To make it look like I meant to do put it on upside down, I took an ink pen and drew two little treble clefs. This card is a teacher encouragement card. It is for my friend Krystal who teaches middle school band. I know elementary teachers get thank yous, but the older the kids get, the less thanks the teachers get... somehow that just doesn't seem fair, Especially since, in my opinion, Middle School are the hardest grades to teach and those teachers have an extra dose of grace and patience.

I decided to make it an easel card that she can display at home or in her bandroom. I found this awesome quote and printed using my computer. It says:

A mediocre music teacher TELLS
A good music teacher EXPLAINS
A superior music teacher DEMONSTRATES
A GREAT music teacher INSPIRES.

How awesome is that?

I am entering this card in A MIXED MEDIA COLOR CHALLENGE 5

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Back to school triple easel card

I had so much fun with these images. I had to make another card. I made a triple easel card. The top panel is a loose interpretation of this week's SCS Sketch challenge. I used the following Daydream Designs sets:
School Day Background Set
School Day Sentiments Set
School Day Outline Set

Back to school easel card

I made this card for a good friend of mine. She is an elementary school teacher. This summer, because of snow days last winter and having to go back much earlier than usual, was really short. This was hard on students and teachers who have been used to a longer break. I wanted to make this card to remind her what a blessing she is to her students.
I typed this sentiment on my computer for the bottom of my easel card. It says... PRAYING THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL YEAR AND THAT GOD BLESSES YOU AND YOUR CLASSROOM.

I used two different digital sets from Daydream Designs.
I used SCHOOL DAYS OUTLINE SET
and SCHOOL DAYS BACKGROUND SET