The Promise - Masculine Valentine's card for Lost Coast Designs/Carmen's Veranda DT!

Howzit Everyone!
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and our February Challenge, #33, over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity is "Lovers"!  Here's my Lost Coast Designs - Carmen's Veranda design team project to inspire you and if you'd like to know more about how I made this card please pop on over to Lost Coaster's Review!

Some find making Valentine's Day cards suitable for the guys a challenge so I've stayed away from the traditional lovey dovey in red and white and have been creating more masculine styled cards.  See my V-Day card I shared on Friday that was the perfect combination of masculine and feminine and today I have another using the same set of masculine decorative papers but this time featuring Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" by Carmen's Veranda.

I used the following supplies on this one:
 Carmen's Veranda Klimt Kiss
Lost Coast Designs Misc. Words set
Mixed media cardstock
Black cardstock for the mats and folded card
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink
Copics
Metallic gold, silver and copper gel pens
Metallic Green Promarker
Black Soot and Walnut Distress Crayons
Spellbinders mega Deckled rectangle dies
Silver rub-on creme
DCWV decorative papers
Self adhesive black diamonds
Pop dots and Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

"Poe" Nuance Watercolour Portraits Poe Appreciation Blog Hop Finale!

Hiya Everyone!
Today is Day 5 and the finale of our 2nd annual Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

If you're just tuning in then it's not too late to join the fun, here's the scoop!
We're hosting a progressive hop that spans over 5 days with new Poe projects accumulating as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE!  Get in on the fun by 5 to midnight PST tonight to be in the running to win our prize!

There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!  You can start your hopping from the beginning at LCPtoC, the Blog Hop Roll is at the bottom of this post!

We also released 5 new stamps just for the hop and we are also giving away TWO FREEBIE rubber stamps with every order placed!

For my finale I created two watercoloured Edgar Allan Poe portraits using Nuance Pigment Powders, Carmen's Veranda Edgar Allan Poe portrait stamp and Lost Coast Designs Raven with Tree Branches plus the License Plate Alphabet set on the card version.

To start I selected the Nuance colours I wanted to work with:  red, royal blue, violet and grey, mixed the powders with water in a palette and applied the paint directly to the Poe stamp with a paint brush.  The pigment paint dries quite fast which I reactivated with a sprtiz or 2 of water and then pressed a panel of Mixed Media cardstock I cut to 1.75" square onto the stamp to transfer the print.  I did the same with the Raven and then added my own brushed on touches to complete the piece.

I punched out the 2 top corners with a decorative Lace punch, applied Black Soot Distress Ink to the edges before matting the print onto black cardstock.  I then punched the 2 bottom corners with the same Lace design before adhering to a panel of red embossed cardstock.  I'd embossed the red panel with a Regency pattern (Craftwell embossing folder) and applied Black Soot Distress Ink to enhance the design.  I stamped out the letters to spell "Poe" and edged them with Black Soot Distress Ink too.  I applied silver rub-on creme to enhance all the cardstock edges, punched corners and the embossed details before adhering everything to a folded card made from a sheet of black cardstock.  I completed the card with self-adhesive black diamonds in 2 sizes.
 

This is one of my favourite watercolour techniques and I particularly loved how glorious the Nuance colours looked so I made a 2nd print and created this art piece that's POEfect for framing.

 

Thank you for participating and hopping with us this year.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the Poe art on show!  Here's another look at my other LCD/CV projects plus my Delicious Doodles journal cover I made for this year's hop, I had so much fun😋

 See you again next year for our 3rd Poe Blog Hop, mark your calendars for January 19 - 23, 2018 and don't forget to keep an eye on Lost Coast Portal to Creativity if you contributed to the hop to see if you are our Poe Blog Hop 2017 Winner😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations!
Enjoy!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

An InLinkz Link-up

"Poe" altered alphabet cube - Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop 2017 at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

Hiya Everyone!
Are you a fan of Edgar Allan Poe?

Then you're in for a real treat coz today is his birthday and Lost Coast Portal to Creativity is celebrating with our 2nd annual Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop!

This is a progressive hop that spans over 5 days which means new Poe projects will join the hop every day as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE and on today's Hop post which will go live at 9am PST!  Last year's hop was a huge success and we hope to see lots of fabulous Poe themed creations shared again this year so lets get on with the Poe show!

There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!

In celebration of our 2nd Poe Hop we have NEW stamps and I've used them on my project today!  Woohoo!  These Zentangle inspired Ravens (available in various sizes) and Skellie are so much fun!

But wait..there's more, we also have a wonderful Poe Hop special for you!
 Place an order, of any value, and receive TWO fabulous FREEBIE rubber stamps!  The special is open to everyone planet wide!  How Poesome is this "Nevermore" text and Raven😉

Now to share my project for Day 1 of the Poe Hop...an altered alphabet resin cube!  I found it on clearance last year and it already had a "P" on it...how could I resist😀

showing each side of the cube

 I used the following rubber stamps:
Lost Coast Designs newest Zentangle inspired Ravens:   Raven Mom small, Raven Right Small, Raven Left Small, Raven 1 and Small Skeleton as well as the Scalloped Flourish.
Carmen's Veranda:  Edgar Allan Poe portait and small Nevermore...which is one of the Poe Hop Freebies!

Here's a closer look at all the details!

In the photos below you can see the metallic gold flourishes.

I stamped the Ravens with Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock cut into 2.5" square pieces and coloured them with Copics.  The images were masked with Pebeo masking fluid and the backgrounds done with Tea Dye, Aged Mahogany and Black Soot Distress inks.  The Nevermore text and Poe were stamped with black Archival ink and the Skeleton in London Fog Memento ink and the flourishes in Galaxy Gold Brilliance ink.  The cardstock panel edges were all distressed and I applied metallic gold rub-on creme to the roughened edges before adhering the panels to the cube which I'd already distressed a bit more with sandpaper.  I also added gold rub-on cream to the "P" and to all the edges of the cube as well.

That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed seeing my fun Poe cube.  I will have more Poe inspired projects to share over the duration of the hop too...I can't help myself, I just love Poe, so see you again soon😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations by my fellow LCDesigners and Poe Fans!  Enjoy!

Happy Hopping

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles * 

An InLinkz Link-up

"AUDities" tag book - Lost Coast Designs New Stamps Release!

Hello Everyone!
We're kicking off our 2017 events over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity's event and challenge blog with a New Stamps Release!

We are super excited to be adding these quirky new designs to our rubber stamp collections:
a set of 9 AUD Creatures joins our Lost Coast Designs Isle of Aud line and a Matador Monkey and two puppets called Kukla and Ollie join Carmen's Veranda!  Pop on over to LCPtoC to see these newbies in action!

  Using 5 of the 9 new AUD Creatures I made an "AUDities" tag book!
The tags are held together in book form with a nut and bolt and I plan to add more tag pages throughout the year!

  

I started off with 3 large white shipping tags I got from A Stamp In The Hand and applied colour using Nuance powders and a Tim Holtz water spritzer.  The AUD Creatures were all stamped with black Archival ink and then masked with Pebeo masking fluid.  I then stamped the Large Perspective Grid stamp in Peeled Paint Distress ink onto each tag.  The large grid stamp was a bit smaller than the largest tag so I drew in the grid lines with a Peeled Paint Distress Marker.  I stamped the text "Isle of AUD" using Old Typewriter Capitals only and the Old Typewriter Alphabet that consists of smaller upper and lowercase letters (plus numbers).  I fussy cut out the letters and adhered them to the cover tag with a glue stick.  I then cut the right hand edge of all 3 tags so create the staggered effect once the tag book is closed.  To make the colours on the AUD Creatures stand out more from the background I applied a thin coat of Triple Thick gloss to them with a paint brush after removing the masking fluid of course!  You can't really tell in the photos but the gloss coat deepens the colours and makes them richer and pop out more from the background.  I then edged each tag with a black marker and assembled the tag book.  This was so much fun to make!

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

"Layered Poinsettia" Hanging Ornament for Lost Coast Designs/Carmen's Veranda DT!

Hello Everyone🎄
Things are getting very festive over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!  We are celebrating the season throughout December and into the new year in style and sharing LCDesigner projects all month long so join us, spread the holiday cheer and enter your rubber stamped Christmas or Winter themed projects in our Xmas Linky Party at the bottom of this POST by January 6, 2017 at 5 to midnight for the chance to win LCD/CV Bucks to spend in our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda stores!  The more entries the better the prizes so round up all your friends and join the most festive party of the year🎉  

 I'm kicking off the celebrations today with two projects, see my first project HERE and now here's my 2nd!

 "Layered Poinsettia"

 This multi-layered and fussy cut hanging wall ornament features the following stamps:

 Carmen's Veranda: Poinsettia Background 

Lost Coast Designs: new Loopy Calligraphy

This one involves lots of die cutting with nesting Lifestyle Crafts Quickutz inverted squares dies, stamping with black Versafine ink and a combination of Memento and Distress Inks.  The panels are edged in metallic gold for a touch of elegance and matted on die cut black cardstock.  The poinsettia is coloured with Copics, consists of fussy cut layers with a touch of clear Wink of Stella for some Christmas magic.  I added gold eyelets and embellished with a pink tassel and a gold swirl hanger.

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

"Kissed by a Rose on a Grave" Coffin Trinket Box for 31 Days of Halloween - Lost Coast Designs/Carmen's Veranda DT

WOOHOO, it's Halloweeeeeeen and today I'm sharing my finale project for Lost Coast Portal to Creativity's particiption in the annual 31 Days of Halloween blog hop!  If you've missed all the excitement then dash on over and start your Monster Binge on the Day 1 post!  Leave a comment on all 31 days and be in the drawing for a TREAT, you've got until Nov 5th to comment and be included in the drawing and one winner will receive $5 LCD/CV Bucks to spend in the LCD/CV online stores!  Plus, our October Challenge ends tonight at 5 to midnight....enter your Halloween projects for the chance at winning TWO PRIZES!  So dash on over to LCPtoC and join the fun!

Now for my finale project inspired by one of my fave Seal songs, "Kiss From a Rose".

"Kissed by a Rose on a Grave" Coffin Trinket Box

Featuring the following stamps:
Lost Coast Designs
large Articulated Skeleton
long stemmed Rose Bud
large Spiderwebs background

Carmen's Veranda
large Heads and Roses background

I found these really cool coffin boxes in the dollar deals section of Target and started out by dismantling the box by removing the hinges and the latch and used the box pieces themselves to create a template.  I traced each section of the box;  the top, sides, base etc onto white cardstock and stamped the large Heads and Roses background on the lid part in Tuxedo Black Memento ink a few times to cover the entire area and the large Spiderwebs background on the back and all the sides.  I coloured the Heads and Roses image with Copics and then cut out all the panels and adhered them to the box with Scotch Quick Dry adhesive, trimmed away any excess overlap and then applied Tea Dye, Aged Mahogany and Black Soot Distress Inks to the entire piece with foam ink applicators.  I then reassembled the box and got to work on the 3D lid decoration.

First, I embellished the lid front and the back with a large self-adhesive design in black jewels by Recollections.  I stamped the large Articulated Skeleton and the Rose Bud in Tuxedo Black Memento ink twice each onto white cardstock and coloured with Copics.  I then fussy cut out all the pieces, curved the skull, hands, rose bud and the leaves to enhance the 3D effect I was going for and assembled the pieces to form a skeleton hugging a rose to its chest and adhered everything to the lid with Quick Dry adhesive and pop dots.  I love how it turned out.

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!

HAPPY HAUNTING!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

"Day of the Dead Marigolds...with a twist" - Day 25 of the 31 Days of Halloween Part 2!

Howzit Everyone!
Are you hopping along in the spooktacular annual 31 Days of Halloween blog hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity?  It's Day 25 already and I've got 3 projects on show today so pop on over and join the fun!

I just shared my bonus project, see the Witch dolly I made in the post below this one and now for my main share for Day 25...two stylized Day of the Dead Marigold projects with a twist!  Take a closer look at the petals!!!

Day of the Dead Marigold #1

I created two 3D paper art Day of the Dead Marigolds using Lost Coast Designs new additions to their Carmen's Veranda line of stamps - 2 teenie tiny .75" versions of our 3" sad kitties, Teenie Tabby Cat and Teenie White Cat, plus Lost Coast Designs Doodles Circles from the ATC Doodles set, tiny Sugar Skulls from the Six Mini Skulls set and the stem and leaves are from the long stemmed Rose bud.

 

Both projects are watercoloured with Nuance pigment powders.

Day of the Dead Marigold #2

I also used black Versafine Ink, Black Soot and Dried Marigold Distress Inks and Dylusions Paint Pens.

I'm sharing these in a fun Cat Lovers blog hop over at

Her Peaceful Garden!

 There's daily sponsors and prizes galore!

I've entered DOTD Marigold #1 via LCPtoC and

DOTD Marigold #2 is entered via LeighSBDesigns

 See you over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity....don't forget our October Challenge "Scary or Weird" is running longer for Halloween with two prizes up for grabs...it closes on Oct 31st so get in your projects for the chance to win LCD/CV spending bucks!

Thanks for stopping by to see my projects today!

Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Maudlynne's Witch Doll - Day 25 of 31 Days of Halloween Part 1!

Howzit Everyone!
Are you hopping along in the spooktacular annual 31 Days of Halloween blog hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity?  It's Day 25 already and I've got 3 projects on show today so pop on over and join the fun!

This one is an extra little project I made, the other 2 main ones will be in my next post.
 

Isn't she adorbs!

 My 15" Tonner doll, Maudlynne Macabre, is dressed up as a witch for Halloween and I made her a little stuffed Witch dolly using our Carmen's Veranda folkart Witch and Lost Coast Designs new ATC sized Doodles Circles from the ATC Doodles set on the back of the dolly.  I stamped the images on white cotton fabric with black Archival Ink and coloured with Sharpie Stains markers.
 

See you over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity....don't forget our October Challenge "Scary or Weird" is running longer for Halloween with two prizes up for grabs...it closes on Oct 31st so get in your projects for the chance to win LCD/CV spending bucks!

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!

Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Leonardo Artist Trading Block - Hip 2 Be Square with Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

Hello Friends!
Today is Day 1 of a fun new event over at
Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

HIP 2 BE SQUARE!

Join us daily through to the end of August for tons of SQUARE inspiration featuring Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda Square rubber stamps as well as projects that incorporate squares and are square shaped!



Check out our large selection of SQUARE stamps:
Carmen's Veranda Squares
Lost Coast Designs Doodling Squares
Lost Coast Designs Zentangle Squares

I kicked off the event today with my Leonardo themed Artist Trading Block (ATB) featuring Carmen's Veranda Cracked Face Square plus Lost Coast Designs Cosmos Collage and Leonardo Accessories Set.

I handmade my own ATB from black cardstock with a template I made myself but you can use wooden blocks and now there's even ATB dies available in different sizes!  Later this month I'll be sharing this project in a more detailed post with a template of my ATB over at Lost Coaster's Review, so make sure to pop on over, follow us and subscribe to our emails too so you don't miss seeing it!

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!

Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

A Carmen's Veranda Christmas finale!

Hello Everyone!

It's Day 3 and the finale of our A Carmen's Veranda Christmas contest over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!  Today is your last chance to submit your Xmas or Winter themed projects :0)

Today I'm sharing the projects I made for Day 3, two ATCs and a center step card as well as a Creepmas altered domino which you can see over at DominoART - Dec 15th post!

"Poinsettia center step card"
features Carmen's Veranda Poinsettia large background stamp

 I did a lot of fussy cutting on the poinsettia and stacked it up with 3 layers.

"PEACE ATC"
features Carmen's Veranda Snowman, Christmas Lights and Lost Coast Designs "Peace" from the Harmony Peace Joy Freedom Dictionary set

  "Twinkle Kitty in Purple" ATC 
 features Carmen's Veranda Christmas Lights and Angel Cat

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Smeared Ink * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * Forever Dark *