TAWS post #70 - Picture Perfect

Hi Friends!!  I'm here with a creation using a combination of a few different (and favorite) Alley Way sets.  I've used Tri-Me and Framed for the exterior and Big Chatter for the interior.  I've created this card for friends who are celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary!  I started by creating the background using different shades of blue Hero Arts dye ink.  I then used Delicata gold ink and the triangle outline stamp that comes with the set to add some sparkle and really make the blue tones pop a bit.  I started by stamping the Polaroid frame with Colorbox pigment ink in Harbor onto Canson brand vellum and heat setting this with clear embossing powder.  I then stamped my camera image and did some quick coloring with my Copic markers.  I added a stamped heart, also in the Framed set, in red to the lower right corner.  I slipped a bit during this process but did not want to scrap the entire piece so, using a Micron pen, I loosely drew a heart around the area and made it look more intentional than I meant it to.  I added some red stitching and some die cut tiny hearts to add more texture and shine.

It's been a long time since I've taken the time to create a bit of fun for the interior of a card but this was a very special occasion so I deemed it worthy!  I used my Hero Arts Tide Pool to stamp the Congrats and while it was still a little damp I sprinkled gold embossing powder just on the top of the sentiment.  I then added the words "heart felt" from the same set.  I stamped this using Delicata gold ink.  I added some red stitching to the interior to match what I'd done on the outside.

Thanks so much for coming by today!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

TAWS post #51 - A Tall Hello

Hello!!  Thanks for stopping by today!  I know I've been on a Distress Ink Smooshing "theme" these last few posts but I've been having so much fun I simply couldn't stop myself!  I ADORE The Alley Way set called Big Chatter.  It's simple, classic, yet it has lots of little extra stamps in addition to the sentiments that you can add to your project.

TAWS post #50 - Splattery Hello!

Hi Alley Way Friends!!  I'm here today using my FAVORITE Alley Way set called Big Chatter.  I've , once again used the awesome ink smooshing technique with my distress inks to create this bright and happy background into watercolor paper.

My sentiment is inked in Versamark Ink and heat set with white embossing powder.  I added some fun hearts with a stamp from the same set using black Hero Arts ink.

Thanks for coming by today!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

TAWS post #48 - Congrats

Greetings TAWS friends!!  Today I bring you a special card that is near and dear to my heart.  This was the card that I made for my brother and his wife for their wedding last weekend!  It was their perfect day and I was so honored to be able to celebrate with them.  I used two of my very favorite Alley Way sets called Big Chatter (sentiment) and Flower Doodles (background).  I started by stamping the flowers using Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink and heat setting them with clear embossing powder.  White powder can sometimes be messy on a big piece like this which is why I went with the clear powder.  

Once my background panel was complete, I stamped my sentiment onto really good quality vellum.  I stamped it using SU! black pigment ink and heat set, once again, using clear embossing powder.  I didn't want to have any stray embossing powder on the vellum and the clear powder with the black ink really helps control that issue.  

I stitched the vellum to my background panel and mounted it all onto a piece of orangy/red cardstock (my sister-in-law's favorite color) and added it all to a white card base.  I added one sparkly heart and voila!  The day was as amazing and wonderful as they are!  

I know they will have a lifetime of happiness - what a match made in heaven!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

TAWS post #23 - Love You Lots

Greetings TAWS friends!  I'm here today with a water colored creation using Wigwam, Big Chatter and Flower Doodles.

Some of you know that I am a homeschooling Mom with three children.  I have two school aged children and a two year old.  So suffice to say, as much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE to create, I have realistically about ten minutes a day where I can squeeze in any kind of craftiness for myself.  So I try to use my time wisely and create when I can.  I love sitting in our classroom at my desk creating but that's not always realistic.  So sometimes at night when my husband and I are watching our shows, I will stamp off a bunch of images onto watercolor paper, bring this brush and these paints into our tv room and sit, watch tv and paint.  It's very relaxing AND it provides me with ready to go images when I need them!  

I find that the toughest part of getting a project going is the image part - what am I going to use?  how am I going to color it?  when I decide how then I have to figure out color palette...so many questions! This way I have a bunch of colored images and I can pick and choose what to use based on my mood.  

Today I'm using a painted image from the TAWS Wigwam set. I then used a sentiment from the Flower Doodles set and the little heart is from the Big Chatter set.  

I added some stitching and some enamel dots and voila!  

Thanks for coming by today!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

TAWS post #21 - Hello Dreamer!

Greetings TAWS friends!  Popping in today to bring you a watercolored creation using Wigwam and Big Chatter.  I started by stamping my image using Hero Arts black dye ink.  It does not run when wet so it's lovely to use water color with.  I first stamped the dream catcher and then wet the paper all over, including on top of the image.

Next, I barely added a touch of color to the feathers and let the water do the blending job for me.  I did the same with the background.  I would pick up color with my brush and barely touch it to the wet paper and it would blend and move for me.  Once I let it all dry, I added my cardstock layers.

My first layer is a very pale blue cardstock from one of my Studio Calico kits.  I folded the cardstock and tore it purposefully to have the raw or deckled edge showing.  I then added a layer of kraft cardstock and used my notebook punch along the bottom edge.  I added some stitching to pull it all together.  I used the TAWS set Big Chatter to add my giant sentiment, a strip of sparkly cardstock and some sparkly star stickers as a finishing touch.

I added some Wink of Stella pen to the center of the dream catcher for some added sparkle and I added some white Martha Stewart glitter around the very outer edge of the dream catcher for some dimension.

Thanks for coming by today!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

TAWS post #10 - Get Well

Greetings Friends!!  Popping in with a crafty post today using a few older The Alley Way Stamp sets.  I learned this technique in Jennifer McGuire's On-line Card Class - Inspiration Showcase that I took a few years ago.  If you've not taken this class I strongly suggest you do - it's simply amazing!! 

I've used a combination of Big Chatter, Flower Doodles, and Phraseology to create this multilayered effect.  But it's all one layer!  It's fun and easy to do.  I masked the edges of my watercolor paper to create the hard edge that frames the panel.  I then stamped the background using Phraseology.  

I stamped my selected flowers using Versamark Ink which I heat set using clear embossing powder.  This step traps the first layer that I stamped with Phraseology underneath it sealing it behind the Versamark Ink.  Now that the flowers were heat set, I took my Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and sponged over the entire background.  The areas where there is no Versamark Ink take on the color whilst the Versamark areas do not.  When I was done, I misted with some pearlized water and let it dry.  Once dry, I took a baby wipe and cleaned off any bit of ink that might have stuck to the Versamark.  The result is a multilayer look but it is all one layer! 

I cut my MFT Die-namic Speech Bubble out and added my sentiment from Big Chatter using black Momento Ink.  I love the "twisty string treatment" that's big right now in the crafty world so I recreated it using bright yellow, hemp twine behind my speech bubble.  The speech bubble is popped up on 3-d foam adhesive to accommodate for the bulk of the twine. 

I added a simple interior for a little extra touch.

Thanks for coming by today!!