I 'm on the Flying Unicorn Creative Team

Woo Hoo!  I'm so thrilled to announce that I'm now a  Product Creative Artist for the flying unicorn. 

the flying unicorn online store

Here is a link to the announcement on founder Alda Stevens' blog.



I will be hosting a monthly challenge on the flying unicorn forum.  It will be there on the first of the month. I'll do my best to coordinate the challenge post there with a post here.  This time around, you'll see it here on my personal blog on Tuesday, August 2nd.


Let's get this party started.....

The entire Creative Team is listed in the flying unicorn tab at the top of my blog.  Once you click on the tab, you'll find links to their personal blogs. You will note that some are listed under the Kit of the Month and some are listed under Product.  I'm very excited to be creating a wide variety of projects and already have several things in the works for you to see how different products inspired me.

Gingersnap Recipe

No, not the cookies--it's a crafting recipe, of course! 

Today on the Gingersnap Creations blog, Shar is featuring the month of June's Blue Moon recipe challenge:  3 papers, 3 buttons, 3 words.  I " threw in " with the entrants when I made some ATCs for a swap (meaning I had not signed up to do this as part of my Ginger art examples).  I purposely made one to fit the Ginger challenge.  So here it is again because last time I posted it for the swap info. I hope you click on this Gingersnap link: GCSP08 to see all the wonderful recipe entries.  Not a cookie, but still a treat! 


This ATC uses the Crafty Secrets paper that I won from the flying uicorn store.  I used two patterns from the Classic paper pad.  I created a third patterned paper by stamping music with a Red Lead Paperworks stamp, Red Lead  also made the "handle with care" stamp and the female image is from one of their collage sheets.  Links to these places are on my sidebar.  


You may have noticed my new blog look for August.  I'm still posting fairies and ballerinas but they were competing with the ballerina blog background.  Just too much visual bombardment.  So I'm picturing this breezy room sitting on the ocean somewhere on the east coast--a lovely summer retreat for my August projects--coming soon.  In the meantime, I'm envisioning this lovely woman, retreating to a friend's summer place to contemplate the scars of love. 

Ballet Memory Tag

There are 5 days left to create a tag with this beautiful ballerina image from the Gecko Galz Tiny Dancer ephemera set and enter it in the Oh La La group July challenge at Bella Creations.  We have some amazing entries so far.


Even though I moderate the Oh La La group and am ineligible for the prize from our sponsor (a Gecko Galz ephemera set of choice to one lucky winner chosen at random), I wanted to play along.  Here is my tag.  As soon as I saw this beautiful image, I knew I had to choose it as this month's image for the challenge.  I immediately thought of the ballet, Swan Lake.  I hope you like my interpretation.

The muted colors and style are inspired by my personal muse, Lynne Moncrieff.  Like Lynne, I'm telling a story:  The lovely Odette was asked by her favorite gentleman caller to accompany him to the ballet, Swan Lake.  How could she refuse?  She anxiously awaited what she hoped would be the perfect evening.  Finally, the time arrived, cloaked in chivalry.  The morning after the ballet, she gathered souvenirs of their time together to place in her memory envelope:  ticket to the ballet, a bit of Tchaikovsky's musical score from the program,  photo of the prima ballerina assoluta from a handbill, the hatpin she wore, a dried rose from the bouquet he presented her with, and, most importantly, his calling card upon which he wrote, This card entitles the recipient to one sweet kiss. As she slipped the card inside the envelope, a discreet smile crossed her lips.  Yes, it was a most memorable evening indeed.


ok, creative writing isn't my strong suit but I had to give it a try.....




I used the Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Classic Paper Pack which I won from the flying unicorn.  One patterned piece I fussy cut and then glued back together to form a "souvenir" pocket tag.  I took another piece, the sheet music, and wet distressed it, then inked it up before putting it inside the tag. The paper pack also includes some frames and letters.  I cut out the four letters to spell swan, put them on cardboard inchies, distressed them with Colorbox Liquid Chalk ink, and glued them down across the bottom of the tag.  I won from Crafty Secrets the  Heartwarming Vintage Creative Scraps Altered Fairies 09 from which I cut and distressed the Admit One Fairy Dance ticket.


I searched the Graphics Fairy for some ephemera and settled on the swan image as well as a calling card.  The pink rose also is from the flying unicorn store.  The stick pin is from Melissa Bove.  The rest of the items are from my stash.


Several of you who follow my blog have already entered your tags. (You know who you are, and thanks so much for playing!)  I hope more of you will be inspired to do so as well.  Come join us in the Oh La La group at Bella Creations.  You have until midnight central USA time on the last day of the month (July 31) to post your tag in the Oh La La group.  We'd love to see you there!

Fairy Tee Pee Card

At Bella Creations, my design team-mate, Micupoftea (Shawn) had a July challenge in her Voila Ink! group to make a teepee card.   I say "had" because today is the last day to enter (depending when you read this, you may still have time to enter your card).  Of course, being an ink group, I had to used some ink, so I edged all the sides with Wild Honey Ranger Distress Ink.  It's not very noticeable because the Prima fairy flora papers I chose to use are heavily patterned.

I used the decoupage fairies, some rub-ons, stickers, flowers, and purple gems from the Fairyopolis card making kit.  This cardmaking kit is the big prize for the Bella Creations Tres Chic challenge this month.  You still have time to enter that challenge--it runs until August 5th.  So if  you like the looks of the materials I used, be sure to enter the challenge.  You can find it in the Forum section of the Bella Creations ning site.  You just may be the random winner to get the Crafter's Companion Fairyopolis kit.  Did you notice the little fairy on the paper under the card?  That's from the stamp set that comes in the card kit.  I multi-stamped the image and layered it just like the decoupage fairies that come in the kit.  But I'm saving it for a layout or card.
 

I've never made a teepee card before, but Shawn gave us two links to learn how:
Here is the You Tube tutorial that Shawn found: teepee cardhttp://youtu.be/W-UdMmYUMVI
If you cannot see the video, check out Shawn's blog and directions~
*You will need three 6"x6" squares, folded diagonally. Crease. Open.
*you need two 5 and 3/4 " squares, CUT diagonally. This gives you 4 triangles, but you only will use 3 of them. Glue 6" creased squares to each other to form cone. Adhere 5.75" triangles to the sides, decorate as desired.
http://poetryinapotoftea.blogspot.com/2011/06/hats-off-to-you.html#...

This third side is the fold-over part which can open to make the card flat for mailing.  It's on the side with the 3 purple gems from the kit.

Fairyopolis Flower Fairies
Prima Fairy Flora Collection:  Sunlight Daisies and Fairy Flora
Ranger Wild Honey Distress Ink

Alpha Stamps Halloween Giveaway Challenge

I received this fantastic newsletter alert this morning.  Alpha Stamps is hosting a Halloween challenge.  Details are on their blog. Winner gets this amazing Hocus Pocus kit jam packed with Halloween goodies. 

And by blogging about it, you get a free Halloween Romance collage sheet to work with.  YAY!


As if that wasn't enough, my friend Lynn Stevens has a set of 3 ATCs posted on the Alpha Stamps Facebook page to get us in the Halloween spirit.


I'm thinking about what I want to make for my challenge entry.... .......because I sure would like to win this kit!

Fashion Statement Tag

Image from the library at the flying unicorn as well as Alda's technique to make the sentiment strip 3-D, as seen in the August 2011on-line issue of Enchanting Creations magazine.

Ranger Products:
Distress Inks:  Black Soot and Worn Lipstick with Walnut Stain
Embossing Powder: Clear
red flower made by someone whose blog candy I won eons ago, finally used with an added rhinestone
misc. trims and gems from my stash 
birds from a Hero Arts stamp stamped onto red paper, heat embossed, fussy cut and adhered with pop dots

Challenges I entered:
Twinkle, Twinkle:  The Summer of Color: RED
Simon Says Stamp and Show:  Some Embossing  (tag using this Tim Holtz technique, birds and sentiment all heat embossed)
Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group MAC#19 a bird and at least one Studio 490 stamp (sentiment from Art Fit for a Queen set)

Steampunk Train

Gingersnap Creations Random Redhead Challenge #111 Trains and Planes  
My Ginger design team card:

This started out as an ATC. I used Core-dinations cardstock with the Tim Holtz Alternations Sizzex mini  folder and sanded the gears.  I fussy cut and added one of the male images from the set of steampunk tags from this month's sponsor, Dezinaworld. Next I created an "inchie" with matboard and the engine from Graphic 45  Playtimes Past collection.  Then I had fun finding bits and bobs to attach for a steampunk look.


Could have been done with the project-- but I decided to make a card with the ATC as the focal point.  So I matted the ATC on black cardstock to match the card base.  I added the train schedule which is a card base from Crafter's Companion, matted on the same green Core'dinations paper.  At this point, I decided to anchor everything with some G-45 patterned paper cut with those old fashion wavy scissors.    


Be sure to visit Gingersnap Creations today to see the other Ginger art created for this challenge.  I hope you're on board with this challenge.  You have until August 14 to link up your creation to GC#111.


One randomly drawn winner from the qualifying participants for this challenge will become our new Home Page Artist for a week as well as winning a voucher for use in the Dezinaworld store worth $20.00 US. 

http://dezinaworld.blogspot.com/

And 10 Ginger Gems will be selected for their fabulous creations that we feel really exemplify this challenge's objective. 

I'm adding this to the Try It On Tuesday (Taggers) Anything Goes Steampunk Challenge that also is going on this week.

Another Fairy Card

Keeping with this month's theme at Bella Creations, here's a gate fold card I made with the Crafter's Companion supplies.  An entire card making kit from them is the Bella Creations Tres Chic challenge prize for July.

I converted one of the larger printed cards into a gate fold card.  I layered on top one of their images. One of the layers is created with a Cuttlelbug swirls embossing folder. I added some Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pendants Renaissance Hearts and some orange bling from the Bella Creations main kit.

More layering on the inside, along with some of their rub-ons. 

You have until August 5th to enter the Tres Chic challenge at the Bella Creations ning site.  One winner, chosen by random draw, will win the Crafter's Companion card kit. 

Vintage ATCs

Red Lead Vintage Artistry ATC Art Swap
We all love Vintage and we all love Artsy so this ATC Swap is  a great mix of both. We were to stamp, paint, draw, sew, tear, collage, and mix and mingle Red Lead stamp images and collage sheets!  Here are the three ATCs I made for the swap.  I will be getting back three ATCs from the Red Lead Swap Sisters plus a Red Lead goody bag.

Gingersnap Creations Once in a Blue Moon Challenge - 3 Words. 3 Papers and 3 Buttons! Closes July 26, 2011.

At Gingersnap Creations, we have a recipe challenge underway to triple your inspiration. Show us what creative ways you can mix up these ingredients: 3 papers, 3 buttons, three words.  For more challenge details and to link up your creation, click here for GCSOP8RECIPE.  You have until July 26th to link your creation.  Our June sponsor, Altered Pages, is providing a prize.

This is the ATC I made for the Red Lead swap that also incorporates the Gingersnap ingredients.

Here are close-ups of the other two ATCS I made for the Red Lead swap:

Materials:
images from Red Lead collage sheets:  Vintage Elements 23, Bits & Pieces 3
pink card stock from Red Lead Valentine swap goody bag
music background ATC stamp from Red Lead Little Bird Told Me Set
Handle With Care stamp from Red Lead postage stamp set
pink ribbon from Red Lead (it comes on a wooden spool--a great bonus art part)
gold foil scrap from Red Lead
Ranger Distress Inks:  tattered rose, tea dye, antique linen
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type
Crafty Secrets Classic Heartwarming Vintage paper pack
Pink Paislee Butterfly garden paper (for the angel ATC)

Thomas the Time Traveler

This month at Gingersnap Creations we are focusing on the Steampunk style. A huge component of steampunk is fantastic bits and pieces of machinery in juxtaposition with great Victorian elements.


As promised in my July 4th post, here is my second Studio 490 pocket watch -- this time in steampunk style.  I made it for GC Spicy Supply Challenge #110: Gears, Cogs, and Watch Bits.

While I was at my favorite art store (Prairie Art Stamps) Saturday, I geared up for this project by looking at all the bits and pieces behind the counter. I settled on this very cool brass chain for the pocket watch. I already had the Tim Holtz gears and well as a packet of gears from a monorail adapter that dh donated to my ephemera collection. I added a long shank gold snap and a brass "T" for Thomas the Time Traveler. 


Our Gingersnapper sponsor this month is Dezinaworld.  I used her lovely image of the man holding his stop watch.

http://dezinaworld.blogspot.com/

I layered it on top of a clock face that I found at the Graphics Fairy. (YAY me for learning how to layer a ping file on top of a jpeg file!)
I must remember to link this to Brag Monday.


I painted the watch with Metallic Gold Adirondack Paint Dabber.  I stamped a small scroll on top with Versa Mark and heat embossed with gold powder.


I hope you're mechanically minded and will link your creations to GC110 by August 7th.  Challenge details and inspiring art from the Gingers and Guests are found at Gingersnap Creations. There will be 10 Ginger Gems announced on August 9th.  One randomly drawn winner from the qualifying participants for this challenge will become our new Home Page Artist for a week as well as winning a voucher for use in the Dezinaworld store worth $20.00 US. So get in gear!

(This leaves me just the third pocket watch to complete in an Alice in Wonderland theme.)

One Christmas Card: Eleven Challenges

 I'm envisioning a shabby chic Christmas in England where I'd be sharing a lovely pot of tea with friends. 


Challenges on open blogs:
The Cheerful Stamp Pad: Challenge #21  My Favorite Background
Studio L3 Grungy Monday #15 using these Tim Holtz techniques
The Stampsmith TSC#17 Christmas using stamps from any company
The Shabby Tea Room: Week 70 Flower Power using flowers and the colors red, pink, and neutrals
Crafty Individuals: July Challenge:  a Crafty Individuals stamp and the colors pink, creme and brown
Simon Says Show Me Some Stitching, Faux or Otherwise 
Challenges on "sign-in" sites:
Bella Creations: Jingle Bellas Christmas card challenge to make 4 cards in July (this is #3)
the flying unicorn: 3 challenges: Christmas in July,  polka dot, sewing mends the soul
Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo! group: MAC#18 a frame and striped paper


Materials used:
Crafty Individuals Cl-257
Studio 490 Art of Making It Merry
Archival Ink: sepia, coffee
Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Collection: Classic paper designs (double sided- floral and stripe)
vintage button from family collection
Kaiser Craft copper pearls
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
Tim Holtz Alterations for Sissex Pattern and Stitches Set--stitch texture fade
Technique Tuesday chipboard frame
Stampin' Up Stampin' Write chocolate chip
Color Box classic pigment white cat eye ink
O'Leary Paint Pro Art Gesso
USArt Quest Crystal Effectz
Ranger Products:
Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber: Snow Cap
Distress Stain--walnut stain
Distress Stickles: diamond
Distress Inks: tattered rose, antique linen, walnut stain, spun sugar, tea dye, vintage photo
Clear Embossing Powder

Summer at the Beach

It all started with this adorable image from the Digi Doodle Shop and my brand new--to me--Martha Stewart butterfly punch.  I colored the image with a mix of Copics, Primas and my brand new--and now favorite markers--Kurecolor. 


Summer color of brown--sand in 4 colors and Distress Stickles in Scattered Straw and Gold.


Blue: 4 colors of blue, 2 shades of grey for the sky and water.  Put some clouds in the sky with a cotton ball and Brilliance Moonlight White.  Covered the water with Rock Candy Stickles.  Bathing suits and bucket in Kurecolor 340 Haze Blue and Copic BG72 Ice Ocean.  DCWV papers.  Ranger distress ink in Tumbled Glass to edge the papers.


Martha came through for me --used the punch to make the butterflies.

I printed and fussy cut the little cutie sitting in the sand.  After coloring, I glued the feet flat and pop dotted the head for a 3-D effect.


Entering this card in these challenges:
Digi Doodle Shop Challenge #66 Butterflies
Twinkle, Twinkle The Summer of Color: Brown
Bella Creations: dt Starr's Cartes Classiques group:  use a punch
the flying unicorn: July Summer Fun Splash Challenge: the color blue and water

Christmas in July

I spent a wonderful Saturday with my stamper club friends at Prairie Art Stamps in Springfield, IL.  Their Christmas in July open house included some make it / take its.


Judy came up with this fabulous card that incorporated several techniques. I spent a lot of time at this table creating the outside, inside, and an envelope.

Another project that Terry designed was this layered cloth ornament.  Gail made me dust off my 9th grade sewing machine skills to stitch the layers together.  I was surprised I remembered how to turn at the corners. Now if I owned a machine, I probably could whip up a few more of these.

Since my blog theme is ballerinas/fairies, you know it--my matching music today has to be the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies!


If you're in the mood to make some Christmas cards in July, hop on over to Bella Creations.  The Jingle Bella group is asking you to post 4 cards in exchange for a chance at a prize by random draw.

Dance with the Fairies

Back in 2009, I picked up the July issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft, a magazine printed in England.  I found inside a 3 page article Fluttering Fairies which showed off some adorable decoupage fairy designs created by Crafter's Companion.  Little did I know that 2 years later, I'd be creating my vary own cards with their Fairyopolis collection.

The fairies come in several pieces which you layer for a decoupage effect.  I layered mine with pop dots.  I used my Spellbinders nestabilities ovals, a purple gel pen, and ribbon from Gecko Galz. The little flower is from my stash.

Please note the stick pin.  I made it myself!  This is the very first time I made one, using the tutorial provided for our July Bella Unique technique challenge at Bella Creations. Here's a link to the technique tutorial:
http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/show-me-sunday-tutorial-by-debbie-b.html

I used the pearls from the Bella Creations July Southern Charm main kit.  The hardware is Vintaj Natural Brass bead cap, melon spacers and head pin.

The Flying Unicorn is providing the July prize for this Bella Unique challenge.  I was surprised at how easy it is to make my own stick pins.  So I hope you'll give it a try and enter the challenge.  Here's the prize to be won by random draw:

Crafter's Companion is providing the Fairyopolis card making kit as the prize for our Tres Chic challenge this month at Bella Creations. In addition to the prize, all Bella Creations members can take 20% their entire July order.  You'll find the coupon code at the Bella Creations site.  I put the coupon in the July Bella Creates newsletter which is located in the Forum section on the Main Page.

You'll be seeing more fairy cards and stick pins from me this month. 

Tres Chic!

The Bella Creations Tres Chic style challenge for July is romantic. And the July Bella Creations main kit, Southern Charm, is full of romance--soft colors, pretty flowers, lovely ballerinas, fabric and die cuts evoking a gentle time period.  I chose to make a layout.

Tres Chic also is a recipe challenge.  We're to use the colors blue, pink, cream and brown--certainly prominent in these beautiful Melissa Frances 5th Avenue papers from the July kit.   The elements to include are pearls, sequins, fabric, and a tag.

And our DT Bella, Heather, provided us with this sketch:

I loved working with DT Bella Heather's ballerina die cut and Carla's brown fabric flower, items found only in this kit.

Note to inkers:  The Ranger Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar match these papers perfectly!  I used them on the white doily and to edge the blue tag. Both the tag and the ticket that dd1 is sitting on are from the add-on kit.

To see the Southern Charm kit and learn how to buy one for yourself, go HERE (my previous blog post) or HERE (the Bella Creations blog).

This month's sponsor for the Tres Chic challenge is the Crafter's Companion.  Here is the prize (winner selected by random draw) --this wonderful Fairyopolis card making kit.  Please return tomorrow to see what I made with this kit.

Look for the Bella Creations blinkie on my sidebar. Click on it to be magically transported to our Bella Creations ning site.  See you there!

Believe in Your Dreams: A Bella Muse Creation

I'm lovin' working with the Bella Creations July main kit, Southern Charm.  You can get all the details about the July kit from my previous post HERE.  

The Bella Muse challenge is to use this image in any art form you choose. And there is an awesome prize to be won by random draw!  I altered a frame to create a "stage" for the muse image provided by Gecko Galz, one of Bella Creations' sponsors.

I've seen many beautiful "stages" in cyberland, and couldn't wait to try my hand at it.  So thank you to all who have inspired me.

This altered frame also qualifies for:
Bella Creations l'art a transformé group challenge, to use some cloth, hosted by DT Starr Timmons
Joan's Garden Challenge  to alter a frame

From the Kit:
Melissa Frances pp: Hattie (on frame), Flora (scallop across top of frame)
tiny pink iridescent plastic flowers and pearl gems across top
fabric for curtain
white shimmer leaf
tiny pink IAMROSES

From the Add-on Kit:
small tag behind flower
word tag "Believe"

Additional Materials:
image from Gecko Galz Tiny Dancers ephemera set -- our Bella Muse for the month of July
Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber: Lake Mist
inexpensive craft wood frame from Ikea
Prima Floral Pink
Jacquard InkJetPrinting Cotton Sheets
Websters Pages designer trim
butterfly from Melissa Bove
Weathered Wood and Shabby Shutters Ranger Distress Inks

Here is the prize for the random draw Bella Muse challenge, this month sponsored by our own DT Cathy:

Please come back tomorrow to see my layout created for the Bella Creations Tres Chic challenge.
And how about that blog background from Itkupilli! Perfect!

Happy 4th of July!

I belong to the Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo! group.  This week's Making Art Challenge #17 is "Red, White, and Blue".  Tomorrow is the last day to enter this challenge.

This was a perfect opportunity for me to use my newly acquired pocket watch shadow box.

I've been away from the craft table and blog world for a while and don't even know how this watch is being used to make art.  But my plans for the three in the set are to make another one steampunk and the last one Alice in Wonderland.  For this one, I went with a vintage Fourth of July theme and decided to sandwich some lace between the two watch pieces.

I'm also entering this in:
The Shabby Tea Room Challenge #69 Happy Fourth of July.  This is the first day to enter this challenge.
the flying unicorn forum : Shimmer, Stripes and Shine post-blog hop entry
This also will work for DT Cathy's Nuances de Couleur  group challenge over at Bella Creations.  The July colors are red, white and blue.

Materials:
Wendy's Studio 490 Art Parts Pocket Watch
Ranger Faded Jeans and Fired Brick distress inks on the chipboard.
Gecko Galz image
Jenni Bowlin BINGO card
Wendy's Studio 490 stamp set for the flower which I turned into a "star", stamping on
Tim Holtz grungepaper and
covered with Ranger Aged Mahogany diistress ink Tim Holtz Idea-ology hardware
Misc. items from stash

Backyard Barbeque

A couple of new layouts to celebrate the Fourth of July. 
I've been working on design team projects which are detail oriented.  For a change of pace, I made two quick, simple layouts.

Three years ago we had the most fantastic family reunion here.  We spent five glorious days running between the houses in town and then grilling, boating, and swimming at SIL's lake property. Over 1,000 photos were taken.  The little ones were pretty fed up with a camera always in their faces.  But the result is a scrapbook commemorating the occasion---with pages still left to do.  So this is one of those undone pages--finished.

My ds is King of the Grill.  Here he is grilling his specialty--chicken wings--for our July 4th cookout.  You can see a mix of old and new products--things bought 3 years ago to make the album.  The Rusty Pickle paper--a little wrinkled at the top but will be ok once inside its plastic sleeve in the album.  Some Little Yellow Bicycle alphas.  A Maya Road bow.  A Technique Tuesday chipboard frame.  Then I updated with some new embellishments and product.  I used Ranger Faded Jeans in both  ink and crackle paint on the star.  I added
two stickers from Tim Holtz' Idea-ology Seasonal Salvage Stickers (I finally put them to use, Lori!).  One of the stickers is inside a bottlecap which I covered with Glossy Accents.  This technique has been around for a while but this is the very first time I tried it!  I covered the frame with Weathered Wood and then topped it with Faded Jeans.  I edged the outside and inside of the frame with mix of Fired Brick and my brand new Rusty Hinge distress inks.

On this one, I let the Scarlet Lime paper take the lead. I got it along with the ticket strip from Laura at A Kiss on the Chic. The photo colors matched the paper perfectly and seemed appropriate for a guy page.  The cousins title is from My Mind's Eye. 

I may enter this in Alda Steven's weekend challenge over at the flying unicorn social site.  Link is on my sidebar.

Back to the craft table.  Have a great weekend!