'Melia Amulet' Bendomino Necklace Published in Altered Arts Magazine...a 3rd Coast Creative Coterie project!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm very pleased to finally be able to share my altered bendomino necklace that was published in Altered Arts Winter 2011-12 issue with you all and also share the news that I'm on Third Coast Rubber Stamps Creative Coterie again this year, woohoo ;0)

Before you dash over to DominoART to check out my tutorial I just want to quickly remind you all that I've got a DominoART design team call going on at the moment!  I've got 2 wonderful DominoARTists signed up already and will be introducing them very soon so stay tuned for that!  All the DT info is here if you're interested in becoming a DominoARTist too! 

Please stop by my DominoART blog for the full tutorial on how to create this eye-catching necklace featuring my signature "Sharpie Domino Queen" technique!

Stamps used are available from Third Coast Rubber Stamps

VB-011-K Melia Mermaid

VB-013-G Seashorse 

Happy Stamping!

 THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents

'Winter Dragon' Domino Pendant - A Third Coast Creative Coterie Project!

Happy Saturday Everyone!

It's been quite chilly here in San Diego this week with lots of foggy mornings so I was inspired to share a wintery Third Coast Creative Coterie design team project with you today!

I designed a DominoART pendant featuring the gorgeous Dragon Orb (CH-696-H) rubber stamp by Third Coast Rubber Stamps.
I'm absolutely crazy for dragons and Third Coast has a large selection of gorgeous dragons to choose from ;0)

Winter Dragon

DominoART Pendant

I used my signature 'Sharpie Domino Queen' Technique to alter the domino so no surface preparation was needed and I stamped the image directly onto the shiny standard sized domino with Coal Black Ancient Page dye ink and heat set with my favourite heat gun called the Heat It.  I coloured the dragon and the background (upper and lower left side of the domino) with a combination of Ocean Blue and Sky Blue Sharpie markers.  I used Purple and Lilac to colour the details on the dragon and the orb in the background.

I painted the large orb on the upper right of the design with purple pearlescent glass paint and used an extra-fine point metallic silver paint pen on the tiny orb the dragon is clutching in its right claw.  I then used Stickles glitter glue to create the magical wintery crystal orb the dragon is holding in its left claw.  I love how the orb glows and sparkles!  I highlighted the dragon's eyes with an extra-fine gold paint pen to give the impression that the dragon's eyes are reflecting the glow from the crystal orb.  I then edged the domino with a broad point metallic silver paint pen.  Once everything was dry I applied a coat of Judikins Diamond Glaze.

I then fashioned a bale from metallic midnight/cobalt blue wire and free-form wrapped the wire around the domino so that it was encased inside the wire 'cage'.  I curled the one end to mirror the curl of the dragon's tail and also mirrored the curve of the orb in the background where the wire wrapped around the domino.

On the back of the domino I looped the wire to form the bale and hooked the other end of the wire beneath the back section.  Once the wire was snug against the domino I applied a small amount of Judikins Diamond Glaze beneath the curled wire end on the front of the domino so that it would adhere to the domino and further secure the wire in place.

I finished off my necklace with a turquoise velvet cord with a silver lobster claw clasp.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents

Goth Girl Gift Ensemble featuring Blockheads Rubber Stamps!

My art usually tends to lean towards fantasy imagery and I do adore magical creatures like fairies and vampires and I confess, I'm also a closet Goth!  I just can't pull off those red plaid pants, chains and I'm not into the skull stuff like Abby on NCIS ;0)  So I've been having a ball getting my inner Goth Girl on by designing a Goth inspired gift set featuring a fancy tri-fold card, a DominoART necklace with a matching gift box for my latest Blockheads Design Team project!

The star of the show is Blockheads Paper Arts' Goth Girl - DC503-1D rubber stamp, which is one of Di's Characters and there's also a matching Goth Boy stamp too, accompanied by the Diamond background stamp from the Backgrounds for All Occassions BG501 sheet.

I used the following supplies for the Card and Gift Box 

Ink pads:  Colorbox Fluid Chalk Maroon, Versafine Onyx Black,

Brilliance Galaxy Gold, Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics:  Cool Gray 3, 5 and 9, R46 Strong Red, R00 Pinkish White,
B000 Pale Porcelain Blue and Black 0.3 Multiliner
Black, Burgundy and White cardstock
Gold metallic paint pen (broad and fine point)
Martha Stewart Score Board
Stamp Positioner
Spellbinders Diamond Nestabilities

Quickutz or Sizzix Matchbox die
Double-sided sticky tape and Permanent Adhesive tape runner
Antique gold embellishments
Antique gold chain
Tiny antique gold round brads (look in the Tim Holtz section)
Mini gold safety pin
Mini hole punch
Paper Trimmer and scissors
Stipple brush and q-tip
Plaid ribbon
Post-it note to make a mask

So let's get started with the card!  Stamp the Goth Girl with black Memento ink onto white cardstock suitable for Copic markers.  To get the burgundy colour of her dress I laid in a base of Copics Cool Gray 3 and 5 and went over it with R46 Strong Red.

Her hair, corset and gloves are a combination of Cool Gray 3, 5 and 9, eyes are B000 Pale Porcelain Blue, skin is R00 Pinkish White and I used a 0.3 black multiliner for touch ups.

Cut out a diamond shaped panel with a Spellbinders Diamond Nestabilities die and create a background by stippling on Maroon Fluid Chalk ink.  I used a post-it note to make a mask just to protect most of the stamped image and a q-tip where I wanted more ink.

I added touches of gold bling to her necklace, corset and ring with a fine point metallic gold paint pen and edged the Goth Girl panel with a broad point metallic gold paint pen and adhered it to black cardstock with permanent adhesive tape runner.  Then trimmed it leaving a narrow black border and did the same with burgundy cardstock.  I then used two larger Diamond Spellbinders dies to cut out black and burgundy panels too.

Once I knew the size of my final diamond panel I was able to determine the size of my asymmetrical tri-fold card which I made from black cardstock.  I scored the folds and stamped the left hand panel (the front of the card) with the Blockheads diamond background design in Brilliance Galaxy Gold pigment ink.

I then stamped up a sheet of burgundy cardstock with the diamond background in Versafine Onyx Black ink with the aide of a stamp positioner.

Cut out two panels for the inside of the card and trim the right hand edge of the larger panel following the diamond pattern and edge both panels in metallic gold.

Punch two tiny holes into the left and right points of the Goth Girl panel and attach one end of a length of antique gold chain to the left point with a tiny antique gold brad.

Loop the chain and attach it to the right point with a brad.  Layer the Goth Girl panel onto the two remaining diamond panels and adhere with double-sided sticky tape. 

  

Adhere only the left hand side of the diamond to the front of the black card with double-sided sticky tape and attach the other end of the chain to the card with a mini gold safety pin.  Adorn the left hand side of the card with antique gold dimensional embellishments.

Adhere a length of plaid ribbon to the right hand edge of the card and the burgundy panels to the black card with permanent adhesive tape.  For variation I cut the burgundy panels so that the diamonds lay horizontal (the gold diamonds on the black card run vertically).  Finish off the card with two more dimensional embellishments on the left panel too.

I really love the way my Goth card turned out and I think the chain rocks ;0)
Now let's get started on the DominoART necklace!

I used the following supplies:
Standard white domino
Ancient Page Coal Black dye ink pad,
Sharpies:  Pomegranate, Slate Gray and Black
Gold metallic paint pens
Jewelry findings and tools
Judikins Diamond Glaze
Plaid ribbon
Heat gun
G-S Hypo Cement adhesive   (look in the 'other glue' section)

Stamp a portion of the Goth Girl onto the domino with Ancient Page Coal Black dye ink and heat set.

Apply colour with Sharpie markers using my 'Sharpie Domino Queen' technique.  For more info on my technique see the links at the end of this tutorial too!  I sketched in a diamond pattern on her dress and then used Pomegranate and Black for her dress and the background and a combination of Black and Slate Gray for her hair, corset and gloves.

I hand drew a diamond design on all four sides of the domino and added gold dots with a fine point metallic gold paint pen.  I also added gold bling to her necklace, corset and ring as well.  I sealed all the surfaces with Judikins Diamond Glaze and attached a gold leaf shaped bail to the back of the domino with G-S Hypo Cement adhesive.  I finished off my DominoART pendant with a necklace made from the same plaid ribbon I used on the card.

Now for the matching Gift Box!

 

I used a Quickutz Matchbox die set (Sizzix also has one) and cut out the two sections from black cardstock. 

I scored the folds on my score board and then stamped a portion of the diamond background on just the ends of the box base in Brilliance Galaxy Gold pigment ink.

  

I used the scored sections of the box lid to determine measurements and cut four panels from the stamped burgundy cardstock I had left over from the card and edged them with a metallic gold paint pen.

 

I used double-sided sticky tape to assemble the box base and lid and then adhered the panels to the lid with permanent tape runner adhesive, slipped the box base inside the lid and wrapped the box with the same plaid ribbon and finished with a bow!

The links to my 'Sharpie Domino Queen' technique are below but first I want to let you know what's happening on my fellow BH Design Teamster's blog!  Karen has two wonderful cards to share with you using one of my favourite Blockheads flower stamp collections!

 Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to hear what you think of my creations and please feel free to ask me questions!  'Here's all the info on my 'Sharpie Domino Queen' technique:
My published article in Somerset Studio July/Aug 2003 issue, which is also up on my website here:
Velvet Paw Creations.com.

I'm completely re-designing my entire website but most of it is still up for browsing though.  

You can also see more of my technique via my blog's
Project and Tutorials Index menu under
 'TECHNIQUES:  The Sharpie Domino Queen Technique'.

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Blockheads Design Team

"The Elegance of Natural Beauty" Part 2 featuring DominoART Pendants and Blockheads Stamps

Hello Stampers!

I'm so excited to share with you Part 2 of my "The Elegance of Natural Beauty" tutorials!  This is now my second project as an official Designer for
Blockheads Paper Arts and I'm having a blast!

If you haven't seen Part 1 yet then check it out here
"The Elegance of Natural Beauty" 
Vintage Domino WallART - Blockheads Design Team Project Part 1. 

Part 1 featured 4 of the 5 gorgeous flower panels available from 

Blockheads "Flowers Full Sheet 1 FL1001"

The fragile beauty of these Flower images inspired me to design something that would capture the elegance of nature and Part 2 continues along this theme with vintage Doublecross DominoART pendants.   I again wanted to focus on bringing out the beauty of the wood of the actual domino which in turn enhanced the elegance of the Tulips stamp.  But I didn't stop there!  I had so many ideas for this particular pendant I decided to include all the variations in this tutorial to show you how different jewelry embellishments can change the appearance of the same altered domino.
Enjoy!

"The Elegance of Natural Beauty"
1 Vintage Domino Pendant = 4 Different Styles

Tutorial Part 2

Supplies
Blockheads "Flowers FL1001" rubber stamps
1 Doublecross Domino
Ancient Page dye ink pads:  Chocolate and Sienna
Archival Jet Black ink pad
Violet Sharpie marker
Heat/embossing gun
E6000 glue
Krylon sprays Workable Fixative and Sealer
Paper towel
Drill or Dremel and a 1/16 bit
Drill vice
2 Brass eyehooks
Brass jump ring
Jewelry pliers
Various vintage jewelry pieces
Brass charms
Vintage (or new) Topaz crystal/rhinestone

So before I go on to show you my DominoART pendants I'll briefly recap how I went about altering the actual domino.   I drilled holes into both ends of the Doublecross Domino with a Dremel and a 1/16 bit.   It is best to use a vice when drilling so please take all necessary precautions when working with power tools!

FYI:  Doublecross dominoes have been out of production for years now so you will be very lucky if you can get your hands on some!  But you don't have to use dominoes to achieve the same look!  You can totally re-create my projects using any kind of wood for your pendants!   Using the 'Direct to Domino' method of applying ink, I dabbed on the Ancient Page dye inks (Sienna and Chocolate) randomly and rubbed the inks into the domino with a piece of paper towel.
I wanted to enhance the wood grain and imperfections of the domino and was really happy with the results.  Next I stained the sides of the domino with Chocolate Ancient Page and heat set the ink with a heat/embossing gun.

  

I used Jet Black Archival ink to stamp the Tulip flower panel onto the domino and heat set again.  Then I sprayed the domino with Krylon Artists Workable Fixative to ensure the inks didn't bleed when I sprayed them with the Krylon matte sealer.
I really love the 'old world' quality of this piece!

Glue the eyehooks into the drilled holes with E6000 glue and put them aside to dry.  TIP:  Note the way each eyehook faces coz you need to remember to glue them in the direction you need each one to be.  The bottom eye hook was the only one I needed to face forward so that I could attach the jewelry pendants or charms with a jump ring.

So that's how I went about altering the domino.  Now I can share all the fantastic ideas I have for the different pendant variations for this beautiful Tulip themed piece!

As I'm sure you've already guessed from my previous tutorials I like to play around with different variations before deciding on the final look for a piece I'm designing.  The following examples also give you a good idea of how you can design a piece that can be interchanged depending on what style you're going for!

Variation #1

'Subtle Elegance'
pendant featuring vintage re-purposed jewelry

 

I embellished the altered domino by adding a vintage drop pendant from my bits and pieces collection of broken jewelry.  The orange stones and topaz rhinestones compliment the colours of the domino perfectly!  To finish the look I hung the DominoART pendant from a brown suede necklace I made.  Which I think added just the perfect touch for subtle elegance.

Variation #2
'Vintage Elegance' 

pendant featuring vintage re-purposed jewelry and extra bling!

 

For this variation I kept the vintage pendant but added more bling!  I included the brass filigree fan which I also embellished with a large topaz rhinestone and strung the pendant onto a 2 tier gold ball chain for a lot more drama.  I would have adhered the charm and rhinestone to the domino with Judikins Diamond Glaze if this had been the final look I had decided on.  But I didn't coz there's more to see ;0)

Variation #3
'Elegance of Nature' 

pendant featuring a Dragonfly charm

 

Now for this variation I wanted to try out focusing more on the Nature theme of the piece.  I kept the gold 2 tier ball chain necklace and added a large brass Dragonfly charm.  I think this piece has a less formal look but still very pretty.

Variation #4
 'Violet Tulips'

pendant featuring vintage re-purposed jewelry

 

Of course I kept my favourite for last!

For this variation I took the design one step further by staining the Tulips purple with a Violet Sharpie marker.  As I applied the Sharpie ink to the flowers the Ancient Page stained domino took on different shades of purple depending on where the dye inks were darker or lighter.  I also added shading to some of the petals by applying more Sharpie ink to those areas which gave more depth to the design.

I re-sealed the pendant with another coat of Krylon fixative and matte sealer.  I then attached the vintage jewelry pendant I liked best (coz of the purple crystals and peach coloured opal stones) with a jump ring and completed the look with a the purple cord necklace I made.  To me this pendant has drama and elegance all rolled into one.  I'm an Amethyst girl so I just love this beautiful necklace ;0)

Thank you for stopping by to check out my 2nd Blockheads Design Team project!  I'd love to hear what you think of it and don't hesitate to ask me any questions. Please feel free to go ahead and share my blog with your friends ;0)

If you want to see more great projects featuring Blockheads Paper Arts rubber stamps then check out what my fellow Design Team members, Karen and Diana, are up to!

Happy Stamping!

Leigh S-B
The Sharpie Domino Queen