LeighSBDesigns New Release and Birthday Card Contest reminder...last day to enter!

Happy Earth Day Creative Friends🌎
I've got 2 new beautiful designs for you today in honour of Earth Day but first a reminder about my Birthday Card Contest...

We're celebrating LeighSBDesigns 1st Birthday Celebrations this month with a Birthday Card Contest using the FREEBIE I drew for the occasion!  TODAY is the last day to get in your entries so pop on over to the Birthday Celebrations post and check out all the details!  Submit your entries before midnight pacific TONIGHT for the chance to win prizes sponsored by LeighSBDesigns, Simply B Stamps and Ike’s Art🎉

Now for today's two fabulous new releases🌎

Introducing KITTY CUDDLES, a realistic art drawing of a mommy cat with her kitten🐱
 A must for cat lovers and PURRfect for celebrating Earth Day, Spring, Mother's Day and whatever else your heart desires.

Introducing DAISY BEE, a realistic art drawing of a bee on a bed of daisies🐝
This beautiful nature themed design is also perfect for Earth Day, Spring, Mother's Day and so much more🌸

Both designs are now available at LeighSBDesigns Etsy Boutique at a special intro price good thru April 28! 

Please note this sale can't be combined with other discounts! 

Have a fabulous day and enjoy this beautiful planet of ours, she's the only home we've got so please help take better care of her🌎❤️

Thanks for visiting and as always, Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

Faux Metal Postage Stamps Card for Blockheads' Magic Metals Technique Challenge!

Howzit Everyone!

It's technique challenge time again at Blockheads Paper Arts and this one is called Magic Metals!  Karen is hosting the challenge this month and she has an awesome tutorial and technique sample for you to check out over at Blockheads Paper Arts.

Faux Metal Postage Stamps

 

I've been having a ball and my studio has been more like a witch's den or whatever you call the place where witches concoct spells and potions.  I've been creating with embossing powder flying everywhere with a lot of "a sprinkle of this and what would happen if I add a sprinkle of that" going on ;0)

Here's my first design team creation for the Magic Metals technique challenge with more to follow so don't go anywhere!  I created these faux embossed metal postage stamp embellishments for my card with embossing powder.  I'm a stamp collector of the other kind too and I was inspired by my gold plated metal commemorative stamps and this is the result and I hope you like them!

All the stamps used are exclusive to Blockheads Paper Arts.  I used sections of the Botanical Silhouettes stamps to create my faux metal postage stamps and cut outs, the French Script from Backgrounds for All Occasions and the Postcard stamp from the Vintage Light and Form set to create my faux vintage ledger paper background.

"Spring Is Coming!" - New Blockheads Blog Hop Challenge - Bleach Rubber Stamping Technique!

Hello Everyone!
Here's my second project example for Blockheads current Blog Hop Bleach Technique Challenge  and this card is called "Spring Is Coming!".  Oh please tell me its coming coz I'm cold here in 'too wintery for my liking' San Diego LOL, but it's supposed to warm up for the weekend and then get cold again, ugghh ;0)

Check out my other design team example "Is Spring Here Yet?" and also pop on over to Blockheads for the technique demo and challenge details too.

I used Blockheads Paper Arts Daisy Collage stamp on this one and I love how well it worked with the Bleach Technique!  This time I decided to work with white embossing powder and alcohol-based permanent markers and the result reminds me of silk paintings.

Daisies Flower Set

Marvy Le Plume Permanent Markers
ColorBox Fluid Chalks ink pad - Warm Green
White Fine Detail Embossing Powder
Spellbinders dies - Squares and Lacey Squares
Household liquid bleach
Something to apply the bleach with like a Tiny Touch Applicator or Tsukineko Fantastix
White folded card blank - square
Dark olive green and a lighter green cardstock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper Stash cardstock 
Double sided tape
Glue Dot
Quickie Glue Pen
Yellow Polka Dot Ribbon
Heat It Embossing Tool

"Is It Spring Yet?" - New Blockheads Blog Hop Challenge - Bleach Rubber Stamping Technique!

Hello Everyone!
It's Challenge time again over at Blockheads Paper Arts!
My team mate, Leslie, is hosting this one and it's all about using bleach with your rubber stamping and you can see her awesome technique demo and the Challenge details on the Blockheads website here.

I had an absolute ball playing with the bleach and seeing how each colour cardstock magically reveals a new colour.  This is another oldie technique like my Chalk Attraction technique which I hosted last month and it was loads of fun getting re-acquainted with it.  I had forgotten how much fun it is to paint and stamp with bleach and I think newbie stampers and seasoned stampers a-like will enjoy this Challenge so I hope you'll come and join the blog hop for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Blockheads Paper Arts!  You can even submit your entry to the Blockheads' Gallery if you don't have a blog and be in the running for a 4" x 5.25" stamp set of your choice...how cool is that!!

I've got two projects to share featuring the Bleach Technique.  It's been really cold here in San Diego, yes it DOES get cold here LOL, and the titles and themes for my cards are Spring inspired and have a floral-time theme going on.  Here's my card called "Is It Spring Yet?"  This one is dark for a spring theme with my choice of colours coz it was a very wintery day when I made it.  I'll put my other card tutorial titled "Spring Is Coming!" in a separate post after this one to help keep this one relatively short ;0)

The floral medallion and blossoms I used are from Blockheads Paper Arts exclusive stamp set called Nature Medallions and a grungy corner stamp from the Grunge It Up set and I also continued with more Crafter's Workshop Template fun and incorporated the Mini Time Collage into my design as well as a Clock Texture Fades embossing folder by Tim Holtz!

Blockheads stamps:
Nature Medallions
Grunge It Up

Crafter's Workshop Mini Time Collage Template
Tim Holtz Texture Fades Embossing Folder - Clock and Steampunk Set
Brilliance Graphite Black Pigment Ink Pad
Ranger Black Embossing Powder
Marvy Le Plume II markers - Victorian Set
Inkssentials Enamel Accents - Black
Tim Holtz Distress Tool
Household liquid bleach
Something to apply the bleach with like a Tiny Touch Applicator or Tsukineko Fantastix
Heat It Embossing Tool
Brown, dark red and dark blue cardstock
Quickie Glue Pen
Double sided Tape
Pop Dots

"Let Love Take Flight" Chalk Attraction Technique Valentine's Card

Hello Everyone!
I meant to get around to sharing my Chalk Attraction Valentine's Day card with you sooner but I've been down with a cold for a few days but I'm getting over it now and ready to share ;0)

So quick recap - I'm hosting the Chalk Attraction Technique Challenge Blog Hop over at
Blockheads Paper Arts!

To take our Challenge...visit Blockheads' Chalk AttractionTechnique page to see my tutorial on how to do this Technique with step-by-step instructions and photos!  Then create your own Chalk Attraction creation, create a blog post that includes the link code, which creates links to other participants in the blog hop, then submit your URL via the inlinkz button.  Links will be removed that don't include the code.  Join the Blog Hop by February 21st for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.  The winner is selected by me and my fellow design team mates.  You can use any stamps for this challenge - you are not limited to Blockheads stamps, but we always appreciate seeing great art using our stamps!

A summary of the Challenge info including the html code you need to use can be found at the end of this post or here!

Now for my Valentine's Day card  
"Let Love Take Flight"

I used the following supplies:
 All stamps are exclusive to Blockheads Paper Arts:

Vintage Bird Illustrations

Verses Full Sheet

Whimsical Faerie Wings

Versamark Watermark ink pad

Memento Ink Pads:  Rich Cocoa and Rhubarb Stalk

Decorative Chalks or Pebbles Chalks

Spellbinders Dies:   Labels 8 and Circle Hearts

Cuttlebug Embossing Folders:  Victoria and Tiny Bubbles

Various Chalk applicators:  Daubers, Fantastix, Eye Shadow Brushes

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Mini Pin

Black ultra fine Sharpie marker

Brown ultra fine Sharpie marker

White Gel Pen

Red Glitter Pen

Ribbon

Stamp Positioner

White, Russet Brown and Red cardstock

Double sided tape

Pop dots and Glue dots

Eraser
 

My Blockheads "Out Of The Box" Technique Blog Hop Challenge Card!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I'm back from my vacation to the UK where I spent a fabulous Christmas with my family!  I'm finally feeling human again after a week or so of walking around in jet lag zombieland, LOL, and now I'm eager to share the card I made for Blockheads Paper Arts' "Out of The Box" Technique Challenge!

There's still a couple of days left to enter the challenge so pop on over to Blockheads to find out exactly how to do this technique and then visit the Blockheads Blog for more details on how to enter the challenge and see the awesome challenge submissions!

Me and my fellow Blockheads Design Team members will be picking one challenge entry to a win a $25 gift certificate to Blockheads Paper Arts!  So grab your Spellbinders, check out the technique, make your card and post it to your blog.  For your entry to qualify you MUST include this html code in your blog post so that it links up with the challenge blog hop!  If for some reason you don't see the code below once I've published my post then you'll find it on the Blockheads Blog here!  Then submit your blog post URL via the inLinkz 'Add Your Link'  button.  I hope you'll join the fun and I can't wait to see your versions of the "Out of The Box" Technique!

Here's my card I made using the "Out of The Box" Die Cutting Technique!

Spellbinders Labels 14

Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad

Double sided tape
Low Tack tape
Glue Dots
Black and white cardstock
White paper ribbon/raffia or read on to find out exactly what I did use for the bow ;0)
Black Sharpie marker:  ultra fine point
Scissors
Pencil
Exclusive Blockheads Stamps: 
Inspired By Nature Full Sheet

Start by stamping the small Dragonfly and the small Flower stamp onto a piece of white cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  Align the Spellbinders Label 14 die over the image so that a portion of the wings are on the 'outside' of the die and trace the interior shape of the die with a pencil.

Closely cut out the wings that are on the 'outside' of the traced die shape ONLY.  Cut right up to the traced line plus about another 1/16th of an inch INSIDE the traced line!  The extra cut allows you to place the wings on the outside of the metal die.  Secure the die in place with low tack tape like Post-It tape or repositionable sticky tape and run it through your die cutting machine.
Viola!  The Dragonfly's wings extend beyond the die cut, how cool is that!  It's a pretty neat technique for using your favourite dies with and you can get quite elaborate with what sections of the stamped images extend beyond the boundaries :0)

I then filled in the rest of the die cut with more flowers and added the small leaf too.

Die cut mats for the main panel from more white cardstock and some black cardstock and I stamped more flowers and leaves onto the 2nd white mat.  I actually cut out the larger of the black shapes with scissors because I wanted the mat border to be smaller.  So I simply used the die as a template and traced it out on the back of the black cardstock and cut it out with scissors.

I made my own folded card from white cardstock and stamped leaves around the outside edge of the front.  I used an ultra fine black Sharpie marker to draw in 'shadows' on one side of each leaf to give them more impact once the card was complete.

Adhere all the mats on top of each other with double sided tape.

You'll never guess what I used to make that really cool paper bow ;0)  My 4 year old nephew got an Ultimate Optimus Prime from Santa...'Ultimate' mind you, not just any Optimus Prime like he LOVES to remind you LOL!  Anyway, the toy was secured in the packaging with these rolled paper strings instead of the usual ties.  I pounced on them immediately and made sure they didn't go out in the trash!  As you can see in the photo above they unravel just like raffia.  I experimented with different bows and settled on the one you can see below which I attached to the card with a glue dot.

And there you have it, what a fun technique to do!  I hope you'll give it a try and share your creations with us at Blockheads Paper Arts!  I'd better dash and add my Design Team sample of the technique to the Blog Hop Challenge ;0)

I've entered my card in CAS-ual Fridays Black and White Penguin Suit Challenge - thanks for the heads up Colleen ;0)


Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents

"Tanglelicious Pumpkins" Thanksgiving inspiration featuring Blockheads New Digi Stamps!

Happy November Everyone!

Thanksgiving is a few short weeks away and I had fun today creating this card featuring Blockheads Paper Arts new digi stamps.  I used their Pumpkin and Happy Thanksgiving images and manipulated them in Photoshop.  I composed a scene of 3 pumpkins and altered their shape and size and changed the size of the sentiment digi stamp and printed both images out on Neenah Solar White cardstock.

TIP:  Don't be intimidated by the digital stamps!  You don't have to have fancy art editing software to be able to create and have fun with them.  You can print out the images in the sizes they come but if you want to alter them then look for free or shareware art software downloads on the web, there's quite a few available that will allow you to manipulate the size of digi stamps!

I decided to go with a black, white and orange colour scheme and used a black Micron pen and an orange Zig pen to draw the Tangle patterns on the pumpkins.  In the center segments of each pumpkin I drew organic 'living' tangles:  Growth, Pendrills and Scrawlz and Hollibaugh in all the other sections and alternated the sections between black and orange.  I used Black N910 and Orange O835 Marvy Le Plume Permanent markers to colour in all the areas and Ash Grey AG873 for shadows.

I used a Spellbinders Label 8 die as a template to make the Pumpkin panel coz the actual die was too big for what I wanted.   So I just shrunk the size down by moving the die around and tracing the shape to the size I needed and cut it out with scissors.  I then die cut another panel from Neenah Solar White cardstock with the largest Labels 8 die and created the striped Tangle border with the same three Le Plume Permanent markers.  Next I used the Pumpkin panel as a stencil and lightly traced the shape onto the larger panel and drew the shadow line with AG873 and AG875.  I edged both panels with a metallic gold paint pen and adhered the Pumpkin panel to the striped panel with permanent adhesive tape.

I adhered the panels to a black folded card blank and drew in the white free-form border with the new Marvy Le Plume Pigmented marker OP920.  I then coloured in the 'Happy Thanksgiving' sentiment with O835, created shadows with AG873 and 875, added highlights with a white gel pen and coloured in 'Happy' with an orange glitter gel pen.  I finished off by cutting out the sentiment and adhering it to the card with pop dots.

It's a simple layout for a highly detailed image that packs a punch and I'm really pleased with how this one turned out!

I've got another Thanksgiving inspired card to come that's just for the guys so stay tuned!

Thanks for visiting with me today and as always....Happy Stamping :0)


THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents

" Calendula Sympathy Card " A Blockheads Design Team Tutorial!

Hello Stampers!

click on the photo to enlarge

Thanks for stopping by my blog to check out my latest Design Team tutorial for Blockheads Paper Arts!  Unfortunately at some point we all need inspiration for Sympathy cards and sadly I needed to design this card when my husband's Aunt passed away earlier this year. 
 

I would like to dedicate this project to Aunty Jean, she will be remembered always! 

The main feature of my card is the gorgeous Calendula flower stamp available from Blockheads Paper Arts.  This large flower image comes on the large Flowers Sheet unmounted or cut on cling cushion.  Some of the flowers from this collection are available individually too!

 Before inking up the Calendula flower stamp mask off the 'calendula' word portion of the stamp with sticky tape or the sticky part of a post-it note.  Ink up the stamp with black Memento dye ink and remove the mask.  TIP:  Memento dye ink is recommended for use with markers and watercolour techniques because the ink doesn't bleed when you colour over the stamped lines!  Stamp the image onto a sheet of white cardstock or paper suitable for use with Copic markers.  I actually like to use Strathmore Bristol 300 Series smooth paper which you can easily pick up at any arts and crafts store!

Colour the Calendula flowers with Y23 Yellowish Beige then add shading with Y17 Golden Yellow to just the petals.   Colour the flower centers and add depth to the petals with Y38 Honey and blend with Y23.  Add more colour to the flower centers with YR09 Chinese Orange and blend with Y38.  

Colour the stems and leaves with a combination of YG11, G82 and G85.  Shade and add depth with the two darker colours and blend everything together with YG11.

 

I played around with various Spellbinders die shapes by placing the actual dies over different areas of the flowers to see what shape and part of the stamped image I wanted to use and decided on a round Spellbinders die to cut out just the 3 main flowers as the main focal point of my card.

Obviously for this particular card I used a 'With Sincere Sympathy' (Studio G) sentiment but this design could be used for any occasion as well just by switching out the sentiment stamp.  I stamped the sentiment onto white cardstock in black Memento ink and cut it out with a Spellbinders die and also prepared a small set of the same mat styles I used for the main flower panel (which you'll see in the next photos).

I decided to use an A2 size white blank folded card and cut out a lemon mat just slightly smaller than the card and rounded the corners with a Marvy corner punch.  I then made a vintage lace-like mat from a large white doily and trimmed away the excess pieces and adhered it to the lemon mat with permanent adhesive.

I used a Spellbinders die to cut a larger mat circle out of lemon cardstock the same size as the center of the doily and adhered it in place with permanent adhesive.

I used Fiskars fancy scissors to cut out a petite scallop mat from bright yellow cardstock just slightly larger than the flower panel and adhered it to the lemon circle.

Then added the flower panel.

I cut a length of yellow satin ribbon and created a crisscross design on the front of the card.

I assembled all the mats for the sentiment panel and adhered them to the card front with glue dots for slight dimension (coz this was going in the mail to the UK) and finished off my card with a yellow bow which I also attached with a glue dot.

Well I hope you never have the need to make a sympathy card but at least I've given you some inspiration just in case!  But don't forget that my card design can be adapted to fit any occasion just by switching out the sentiment stamp you use!  I actually made a birthday card for my niece along the same lines, I'll share that one in the next couple of days!

My next Blockheads Design Team tutorial is SEW much fun so stay tuned for that one too ;0)

Karen, my fellow Blockhead, has some new release stamp eye-candy to share with you so dash on over to her blog and check out her duo of feathery creations! 

Until next time...stamp happy!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN

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

' Steampunk Self Portrait ' Creating Fine Art with Rubber Stamps! A Blockheads Design Team Creation!

Howzit Stampers!

click on the photo to enlarge

I'm back today with another Blockheads Paper Arts design team tutorial!  I've designed a really cool Steampunk-style self portrait creation that demonstrates how you can create Fine Art with rubber stamps for a truly unique piece of Art worthy of being framed or for making personalized art cards.  I also used metal washes and T!m Holtz Idea-ology embellishments to achieve that perfect Steampunk look!

All the stamps I used are from Blockheads Paper Arts exclusive stamp line.  Click on each image sheet for more info.  All are available unmounted or cut on cling cushion.

 MATERIALS

I used the the following stamps:

Poppy and the Calendula flowers from the Flowers Full Sheet 

 Small Blossom and Butterfly from Nature Medallions

 Flourish from Grunge It Up

Paisley Flourish from the Painted Butterflies Set
Two Blossoms from the Victorian Eccentricities Collection

Three Moths from the Grunge Collages Collection

Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad

Various Copic Markers from the Blue Green, Blue and Blue Violet ranges

Prismacolor pencils

White gel pen

White, Blue and Purple cardstock

7 Gypsies 6"x 6"Black Book Board

Spellbinders Square die 

Glitter Glue

Double-sided tape

Crafter's Pick The Ultimate Glue

Steampunk embellishments:  metal washes and T!m Holtz Idea-ology Gears

I started out by drawing my own face in profile on white cardstock suitable for use with Copics and stamped the first of the largest images, the Butterfly, with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

I then stamped the large Calendula and Poppy flowers and proceeded to add smaller images.

I added the flourishes to give the feeling of flowing hair mixed in with all the flowers and insects.  I continued to build up the images until I was happy with the overall design.  I then used a square Spellbinder die to cut out the panel.

Next I stamped the butterfly and moths a few times on scrap pieces of cardstock and cut them out.

I coloured them with Copics and embellished with glitter glue.  I love the one that has the gorgeous iridescent ultra-violet glitter in it.  I then creased and folded up all the wings.

I coloured my self portrait with a combination of Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils.  I added glitter glue to the flower centers and to all the flourishes for extra sparkle.  I also added highlights to all the areas with a white gel pen.  I didn't do any extra shading or multi-colouring to the stamped butterfly and moths though coz later on I glued all the insect cut-outs over those images to give dimension to the piece.

I then embellished my self portrait Fine Art piece with various Steampunk elements.  I used silver metal washes in three sizes that I picked up from Home Depot - those are the smaller pieces I glued to the centers of all the smaller flowers.  I also attached the large silver Idea-ology gear to the center of the Calendula flower with a mini silver brad.

I then layered the art panel onto blue and purple cardstock mats and then finally onto a 7 Gypsies 6"x6" black book board.  I intend to mount my piece in a shadow box or frame suitable for hanging on my studio wall.  The last step was to adhere all the insect cut-outs to my self portrait.

I hope I've inspired you to create some Fine Art portraits of your own.  They would make perfect gifts for your family and friends too - portraits of them of course LOL,  but I'm sure your Moms would appreciate ones of you ;0)

For more Blockheads inspiration check out Karen's blog.  She's got some very 'sharp' tags to share with you using the Sewing sheet ;0)  Don't forget that Karen is also currently hosting a Blockheads Facebook Challenge!  There's an awesome prize up for grabs so go check it out!

Happy Stamping!

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for Blockheads Paper Arts * Third Coast Rubber Stamps * About Art Accents