Please welcome Featured Artist ReNae Allen to the blog today. She has really been inspiring us on the Artsy Addicts Facebook page lately with gorgeous card designs. I know you guys are going to love her post today. Make sure you visit her blog for more inspiration: www.crabtree-creations.blogspot.com and don't forget to leave her some comment love here.....
About five years ago, my daughter Ashley took me into a stamp store and I immediately caught the paper crafting bug! The first card I ever made was a Christmas card. I used some paper from Graphic 45, old buttons, and vintage lace, and my shabby style was born! I still make cards that same way, using lots of interesting elements to add texture and interest.
Just start playing |
When I design I've always used the "rule of three" which is having three different areas on my project where the eye can rest before moving to the next place. This makes the card more pleasing to the viewer as it guides the viewer's eye across the page. The other design element I love to use is texture. I use a variety of textures on my projects from shiny gemstones that sparkle and catch the light, to soft or scratchy fabrics. Layering also adds a lot of texture to a project. Popping a focal image up on pop-dots, and layering the paper are two great ways to add texture and dimension.
Love You Card |
For today's cards, I used Penny Black stamps, and Tombow and Memento markers to ink them up, then sprayed a water mist on the inked stamp, before stamping them on to watercolor paper. (I have a step by step tutorial on my blog, using this technique: http://crabtree-creations.blogspot.com/2014/05/stamping-with-watercolor-markers.html Once I stamped my images, I built the cards around them using all the goodies I could find, -- I even made stick pins!
I hope you like the cards I created today as I had a lot of fun making them! I appreciate Tonya and Peggy's invitation to be a guest designer on Artsy Addicts. It is such a great place to be inspired, and to inspire others, Everyone is so supportive at Artsy Addicts and it's a very positive and creative environment!
I just want to add that the most important thing about designing any project is that you make something that YOU like. Don't worry too much about what anyone else thinks!
Creating what makes YOU happy is perhaps
the most important design element of all.
the most important design element of all.
Supplies Used in Todays Project: ("Embellish" Patterned paper: Darice, Cards and pearls: Recollections, Colored cardstock: Bazzill, Lace: Webster's Pages, Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts.)
You can see more of ReNae's cards, projects and tutorials on her blog at
www.crabtree-creations.blogspot.com .
You can see more of ReNae's cards, projects and tutorials on her blog at
www.crabtree-creations.blogspot.com .