Featured Artist ReNae Allen

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.....

 

 

My name is ReNae Allen and I LOVE to create! As a child, I would beg my mother to buy me crayons, watercolor paints, and Play-Doh. I was always happiest if I was making something! I'm a lot older now, but that love has only grown!

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.


 



My First Card

Whether I'm stamping the focal image myself or using a pre-made image, I always begin making the card with the image first. The next thing I do is find coordinating papers that play well with it. I'll take papers that look good together, and I'll set them on the table along with all the other embellishments and I start playing around, throwing things together to see what looks best. It's not an exact science, and I never know what I'll end up with. I let the paper, buttons and lace do the work.

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!



Happy Birthday

close up

Orange Tulips

 

Close Up

 

Happy Everything

   

Close up

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.

 

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 .

March Challenge Showcase

Hi everyone, in March I challenged members of the Artsy Addicts Facebook group to use purple to create a project.  I gave them this mood board as a reference.

 

 

 

I'm excited to Showcase the work of these amazing artists who graciously accepted my challenge, and inspire us daily with their talent! 

 

  Arantzazu Sangrador

 

 

Ava Gavloski

 

 

Joanna Grant

 

 

Kimberly Kay Pfeiffer

 

 

Lynne Erskine Forsythe

 

 

Maggie Fernandez

 

 

Neetu Art Works

 

 

Peggy Lee Baker

 

 

Sarah Lynch

 

 

 

Song Li

 

 

 

Tara Ashley Peterson Age

 

 

 

Tonya A. Gibbs

 

 

 

 

Tracy Scott

 

 

Walkiria Celada Cajal

 

 

Thank you to everyone for embracing the challenge, and to some of you for stepping outside your comfort zone.  We have all  enjoyed seeing your shares through out the month. I hope that each of you have been equally inspired.

 

 

Don't forget to subscribe while you are here!

Thanks for stopping in today!

 

Tonya Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com 

These pieces were published with permission by their respective artists.  All rights are reserved.

Sun Kiss Cards by Tonya Gibbs

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you are set for a super fab crafty weekend.  I am still on a card making mission.  Today I wanted to share with you another card sketch, and two versions of the same sketch.  

 

 

Confessions of a Paper Addict -  Prima's Sun Kiss collection was one of my all time favorites, and I bought several 6x6 pads.  I was planning to fussy cut and die cut one pad, and then create with the second.  Truth is, I ended up hoarding them both!   So I reached into my sketch arsenal and went to work.

  

 

 

Here is the first version of my card.  

 

Tip: The doily behind the butterfly was cut from the paper, I flipped it upside down and used the white side on my card!)  This is a great way to use up unwanted patterns.

 

I decided to recreate the same card, but rotate the orientation for the second version.  I didn't want to cover up the smaller butterflies on the right, so  I also changed up the location of the sentiment.    

 

 

 

 

I hope I've given you a few things to think about when using up those extra 6x6 pads.  If you decided to use my sketch, please share it with me on the Artsy Addicts Facebook Page.

 

Thanks for stopping in today,

 

Tonya Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com

 

Last Minute Christmas Cards

Happy Monday everyone!

With Christmas just around the corner, do you ever find yourself needing a card at the last minute? I do so here are a couple of last minute cards I whipped up using my scraps and washi tape...

These cards are going to be hand delivery so the size is much bigger and bulky embellishments.

Who doesn't love a tree card...this homespun feel is my favorite.

Tree Card:

Measures 4 x 9 1/4 tall

Randomly stamped the music note for background.

Stamped tree image in green ink cut out.

Glittered up the star along with brushed white paint on in places.

Added a glitter trunk 

and 

Stamped a little tag of 25 Merry Christmas!

Another quick card I created using card stock and washi tape!

That simple!!

Washi Tape Card:

Measures 4 1/4 x 5 1/2

I just layered red and white card stock for the base of the card.

Ripped strips of different washi tape

to create banners.

Stamped Merry Christmas and added a little metal flower!

Easy as that...simply but so pretty!

Hope this little inspiration of last minute Christmas Cards peeks your creative

side to give an handmade card, they really do put a smile on someones face.

Light up someones world with a handmade card done by you!!

Happy Holidays

and

Merry Christmas

hugs, Peggy Lee

http://pegbaker.blogspot.com

Supplies: all CTMH

Persimmon Cards by Tonya Gibbs

Well, last week I told you that my objective was to finish off the Persimmon line from Basic Grey that I have in my stash.  Well this post will be the end of the line.

I decided to work on some simple card designs. 

This card is one of the crisscross cards where the tag pulls out of the top to add your sentiment.  The card is about 5.5 x 5.5 so it will fit into an envelope nicely.  The burlap was a piece of scrap left over from my ustream, and I just added a few buttons and clothespin from Canvas Corp.  Then a few strips of glitter paper from Cosmo Cricket to make it sparkle.

 

On this one, I punched the leaves from a Fiskar's punch and added some peeled paint distress ink to the leaves.  The flowers are from Prima, and I colored rhinestones with my Copics for the centers.  The birds are wood veneers from Studio Calico and the sentiment is from a Fiskar's stamp set.

 

 

I thought this little bird saying from the collection would make a great baby boy birth announcement or baby shower card.  love the simple elegance of this.

 

 

Thanks for stopping in today. I have officially finished this collection up. It feels so good to have the products and the scraps completely gone.   I hope I've inspired you these past few weeks to use your supplies.   I have completed a mini album, two layouts, and three cards with these papers.

 

Thanks for stopping in today. 

 

Tonya Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com

 

 

Two Cards - Same Design by Tonya Gibbs

I've shared many times that I love to make cards from my scraps.  To make this process move quicker, I find it best to design the first card so that it is easily duplicated.  As you work through your scraps, you will find the cards take on a unique look by using different patterns, and sentiments. Many times I wait until I need the card to add the sentiment.

These two cards are great examples.  The hard part was coming up with the design, after that the workflow becomes easier.

 

 

 

 



I've prepared video for making the second card.

 

 

I hope I have inspired you to use up those scraps.  As I stated in the video, I find it helpful to use them immediately.  You can never have too many cards laying around.

 

Thanks for stopping in today,

 

Tonya A. Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com

 



Birthday Card

Hi everyone, I know this month is turning into quite a busy month for lots of you with school winding up, Mother's Day this weekend and travel plans for summer.  My house is NO different.  I can't seem to figure out if I'm coming or going.

Today I wanted to share with you a simple card that I made a while back as a birthday card.  I used some scrap paper cut into banners and hexagons to create an interesting background.  This card design is a perfect way to eleminate scraps in your stash. I also took advantage of a Girl's Paperie ephemera frame that has been around for a while. 

 

 

While writing this post, I realized that this design could be re-purposed as a many different themes by just changing the sentiment and the paper collection. 

 

I hope all the Mothers out there have a great Mother's Day. 

 

Thanks for stopping in today,

Tonya Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com

 

 



Washi Cards

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just can't think creatively no matter what you do?  This week has been that way for me.  I've been really sick and NOT motivated to do anything.  My studio is A MESS.  So instead of creating I decided to clean.  I was putting away some new Washi tapes and the inspiration hit me square in the face.  Make some cards and use washi tapes as your backgrounds.  Why not?  I own lots of tapes, they are so beautiful, colorful, cheery and fun. It makes me happy to collect them, so perhaps it will make me happy to use them.

 



 

So my mission was to make five cards using only washi tape, scraps, or ephemera pieces (as I have tons of these too).  I'm a total scrap collector - I buy ephemera packs even when I don't buy the entire collection, then I never use them!  Those days are over!

 

I pulled out my punches, Spellbinder's dies, MFT dies, scraps, tapes, and card stamps  and started trimming, sorting, and stamping.

 

 

 

My first card was inspired by a school days theme.  I have several nieces and nephews who are elementary aged children and I thought this collection of scraps would make a cute birthday card.  I used the ruler washi tape on this card as a border, and the dictionary tissue tape as tape on the notebook page. 

 



 

Keeping with the monochromatic theme, gave a degree of sophistication to this card. I cut the washi into arrows for a soft simple background. The hints of silver and pearls gave it life.  I just love this the simple elegance of this card.

 



 

I loved the look of the grey card so much, I decided to use it with teal and blue washi tape. This time I kept the edges of the tape torn to give a more masculine feel to the card.  I love how simple, yet whimsical this card is designed. 

 

 

 

 

A few of my nephews will be graduating to middle school this year, and I thought this card was a fun end of year graduation card.  The Tissue tape was used as a background here, and pieces of ephemera and wooden clocks border a metallic embossed tag.  I also embossed the card with  gears to give it a little texture.  

 

 

For my final card today.  I covered a piece of scrap paper with green and blue washi tapes and cut it into a giant banner.  I continued my banner theme, my sewing together scallop ovals that I cut in half and a MFT tiny banner die with some scraps of coordinating card stock.  I sprinkled the giant cupcake with Rock Candy Stickles and used it for my birthday focal point.  This card screams birthday party, and I love all the celebration layers.  

 

I encourage you to spend an afternoon thinking about your scrap pile and "overstock" and make some cards.  This is a great way to breathe new life into your scrap, and eliminate them from your room.  Most of the time, I lose my inspiration because my room becomes messy and over crowded.  Simply spend the day die cutting your scraps into small pieces and you will be amazed at how fast you find your inspiration again.

 

Thanks for stopping in today,

 

Tonya Gibbs

http://www.psychomomscrapbooks.blogspot.com

 



You are Awesome :: Vintage Telegram Card + Tech Update

Inspiration can come from many places. Whether it be a walk in the park with your little one, a beautiful invitation you receive in the mail, or an inspired pin on your mood board....(Hello Pinterest). 

And then there are those times when you come across a beautifully designed piece of patterned paper and it's like......Wow. Hello gorgeous!!!

That is what I thought when I saw the background paper I used for this card. I just knew it was calling me to craft.

Both the background paper and the frame are from Marion Smith's new printable Vintage Telegram. I went with lots of die cuts this time...My description in the sidebar does say "Die Cuts Diva" so I should live up to that name right?!

The Deets

1. Download and print out your gorgeous vintage telegram printables
2. Trim white card stock down to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 standard A2 sized card base.
3. Trim the Suite printable patterned paper to A2 size. 
4. Punch photo corners from black card stock and adhere to Suite patterned paper.
5. Die cut Hawaiian shores card stock using the "Turning a New Leaf" die and adhere to background
6. Die cut the Dreamy printable patterned paper using the "Simply Jane" frame die. 
7. Cover a piece of scrap paper with washi tape and adhere to frame
8. Punch the a leftover scrap of the Dreamy printable patterned paper and adhere to background. 
9. Die cut American Crafts POW glitter paper using the "Signature Series: Dress Form" die and adhere to washi tape using super sticky adhesive. 
10. Adhere frame to background
11. Punch butterflies from AC Pow glitter paper and adhere to background. 
12. Embellish with enamel dots and a Martha Stewart label stamped with your sentiment

And there you have it. The die cutting took a little planning but once your rolling in inspiration it just flows. Make sure you hop on over to MarionSmithDesigns.com to pick up this kit and all the goodies that come along with it and get crafting. Make sure you show is your crafts in our Artsy Addicts Facebook group. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Always, 

Angela Butler-Carter

www.alwaysangella.com

The Supplies

The photo corners, labels, and small butterflies are punched shapes from Martha Stewart. The dress form, the frame, and leaf die cuts are from Papertrey Ink. The sentiment stamp is from Ali Edwards. The background of the frame silhouette is washi tape from K&Company Smash line. A few enamel dots finishes off this card. 

Tech Update

Speaking of Pinterest have you notice the newest feature installed on the blog??? You can now easily pin our crafty photos. 

Hover over the photo with your mouse and you will see a red Pinterest button appear in the upper right hand corner.




Click on the red button. The title of the blog post will appear in the description box and the picture will automatically hyperlink right back to the Artsy Addicts blog.





Select your board and press "Pin It"

Cool right. Now I don't proclaim to be a super efficient high tech person but I did manage to install this on the blog. If you run into any issues with this feature please contact me on Facebook. 

Have a great weekend.