Etsy & Mixed Media

I love making cards with my original mixed media pieces. These photo cards are made by taking a photo of my pieces and then sending them out to be printed.

This gives me more usage of my artwork. I absolutely LOVE how they turn out and they are such great quality too.

Check out a few of the cards that are in my Etsy Store, ThreeSonsandAStar.  You can get there by clicking on the ETSY icon on the right or the link above.

Check out my store to see more cards, mini scrapbook albums and 12x12 layouts. I'm adding new listings weekly.

TGIF; Thankful Friday #30 and Junk Journal Post #8

Another week to be thankful. This was a tough week since it's the anniversary of my dad's passing. I'm so thankful for busy hands. It sure made things a little easier when I can just go upstairs to the Command Center and create.

This art journal page came about all because I was experimenting with my new Powder Puff Chalk Inks from Quick Quotes.

Here's what I did: I inked the background of this page with three different Powder Puff Chalk Inks. I love how the pads have a curved top and they made a great background stamp. I accomplished this by "stamping" the top of the pads directly to the paper.

I also added some lines by using the sides of the same ink pads (to cover the words on the base page). I love how it adds movement to the page.

I stamped the genie lamp and sentiment directly on the page. I used white acrylic paint to "color in" the lamp with a skinny paint brush and a silver marker and silver Nuvo Drops for other areas.

Scribbled around the sentiment with a pencil to emulate a smoke bubble & added some small circles using a straw and Deep Sea ink. Wrote the question on the bottom with a fine point Sharpie. I drew lines around the words and then used watered down white acrylic paint around the boxes. The left over paint I splattered throughout the page. I also drew a base with some scallops so the lamp had something to stand on.

Added two strips of Washi tape to finish it.

It's different, but I like it. So...what will you wish for if you are granted three wishes?

I'm going to have a cheesy mom moment, but I wish for health, love and success for my children.

I've been asked to do a process video and I am planning on doing that sometime soon. I just need to stop overthinking it and just do it!

QQ February Challenge; Love/Valentine

February is here and you can feel the love in the air. This month's challenge on the Quick Quotes blog is Love/Valentine.

Instead of doing a traditional Valentine project, I decided to create a layout to celebrate the love between my oldest son and his finance. We celebrated their engagement in November with a Parisian theme (she loves all things Eiffel Tower) and the Spring Showers Paper Collection is perfect for the photos. (Ok, the weather was cold and it definitely was not Spring, but the colors coordinate perfectly!)

I used Spring Showers SG103 for the base of the layout and then fussy cut the flowers on the left side of the Spring Showers SG100 paper. I inked the edges with Tropical Punch and Vanilla Cream Powder Puff Chalk Ink. I love how the chalk ink softens the edges of the paper.

I cut an Eiffel Tower using my Cricut and the French Manor cartridge and placed another fussy cut and inked flower bouquet on top of it. I also used a dry brush and the Tropical Punch chalk ink to add some dimension to the flowers.

The layout was a little left heavy and I knew it needed something on the right side to give it some balance. I cut the title "love" with my Cricut and placed it on a banner made from the paper scraps. I layered three pieces of Washi tape from my stash, a doily and some pearls. I used another fussy cut flower and some Washi tape on the upper right.

Quick Quotes Products Used:
Spring Showers Paper Collection
Powder Puff Chalk Inks: Tropical Punch and Key Largo

Bonus Project:
Using the paper scraps, I made a card to add to my card rack.

I cut the scrap down to 3.75 x 5, inked the edges and adhered it to a piece of coordinating cardstock. Before adhering to the card base, I cut a banner using the back side of SG100, inked the edge, added a scrap of the doily I used for the layout above and added a bow. Stamped a sentiment and viola!

Pretty simple and also pretty and simple!

Quick Quotes Products Used:
Spring Showers Paper SG100 Scraps
Powder Puff Chalk Inks: Bermuda and Vanilla Cream

Be sure to click on over to the Quick Quotes blog to join the challenge and be inspired!

FCCB #319; Valentine's Day

 Happy Monday and welcome to another Monday challenge at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog (FCCB)!

Challenge #318-Valentines Day
Make a project using anything heart/Valentine related. But there has to be a least one cut from the Cricut Library!

This Weeks Sponsor is-

And the prize is-

$25 Virtual Wallet!!!!

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used. If you use a Cricut Explore machine, at least one cut must be from the Cricut catalog of images.

If it isn't a card, you will get two entries into the drawing!

Here is my project-

I decided to use one of the printables from our sponsor.  OMG! Aren't these giraffes so super cute! I uploaded the image into Design Space and cut them at 6.25". (With all the Bluetooth problems with Design Space this past week, I had to cut them out using the Basic Cricut app) After assembling the images, I added faux stitch lines around the giraffes and splattered some Sparkle Color Silk for shimmer. I also added a rhinestone in the middle of the flower.

Before attaching to the bag, I cut some patterned paper that I had in my stash. Don't you love that scene for these giraffes? I attached all images to an upcycled white gift bag using ScorTape and 3D dots for the hearts. Isn't this perfect for a Valentine's Day gift?

I also added a swipe of ink to add a base for them to stand on.

Back Side

To enter the challenge, be sure to link your Valentine's project to the FCCB site.

Junk Journal Post #7; Stenciled Heart

This lined notebook page started with the spritzed mist on the page. I was testing out my new Outrageous Pink spray from Fun Stampers Journey and what better place to experiment than a Junk Journal?

I used Sweet Berry acrylic paint (also Fun Stampers Journey) with the heart stencil and added some white acrylic paint to lighted the center. I used a fine point BIC pen to out line the heart and add scribbles. Then I used Cool Pool acrylic paint (FSJ) to add the dots here and there. 

The black marks are from a script stamp and background stamps that I have in my stash. I added the handmade scalloped book page on the top right of the page.

Final touch was to add some Black and Outrageous Pink Color Silk splatters on the page.

I love the softness of this page.

Here's another look saved by using a filter.

Fun Stampers Journey Products:

Outrageous Pink Spray Mist

Outrageous Pink Color Silk

Black Color Silk

Sweet Berry Acrylic Paint

Cool Pool Acrylic Paint

To purchase Fun Stampers Journey products, click to their website and select me, Dorlene Durham as your Journey Coach.  Thanks!

TGIF; Thankful Friday #29

Happy Friday!

I can't believe January is gone and we've already started February. This week I am thankful for my doctor. She is amazing! This year, I changed my insurance carrier and had to switch my primary doctor as well. It was the best decision I ever made. She calls to check up on me. She recommends things that I never even thought of and I love that she can explain all these 50+ things that are happening to me.

So thanks goes to Dr. Barbosa this week!

Now it's your turn...what are you thankful for this week? 

Creative With Stamps; Hearts

Ohhh! I love the challenge this month at Creative With Stamps! Be sure to click on over for inspiration and to join the challenge.

This month's challenge is HEART.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, now is a perfect time to create a card using a heart (or hearts in my case). I made a heart stencil using the Feelin' Groovy cricut cartridge and some ugly scrapbooking paper. (I keep ugly paper for this reason.) I gathered all my heart stamps and stamped a variety of hearts within the stencil. After that, I used the same ink and a sponge to color inside the heart leaving it a little lighter in the middle.

Then I stamped the sentiment in black ink. I made two cards using this technique. One I kept pretty basic and the other added Color Silk in black, sparkle and whip cream. Then I mounted them on pink cardstock before mounting on the card base.

Here are my two cards and some close ups:

As you can see from the photos, the "plain" card, I also outlined the heart and added some Nuvo drops.

I hope you join us at Creative With Stamps (CWS) and link up a card. If nothing else, check out what the Design Team has made and be inspired!