"Warmest Wishes" Shabby Mixed Media Card for the March More Than Words Mini Challenge.

Welcome to my creative space!

I have several friends and family members with birthday's coming up, so spent some time in my studio this afternoon creating this sweet mixed media card featuring 49 and Market paper, flowers, stamps and die-cuts from my stash. The March More Than Words Mini Challenge this month is to use the word "warm" on a card, tag, ATC, or postcard.

You can find the challenge details HERE.

Tips and Techniques

A floral cluster with 49 and Market flowers. I stamped several small blossoms from Gabi's Hibiscus Set onto watercolor paper, painted with M. Graham watercolor paints, then fussy cut the images to tuck in among the dimensional flowers. The Tim Holtz Gumdrop is colored with alcohol ink to coordinate.

The 49 and Market Wing and Things Die-Cuts have such gorgeous images. I've used the beautiful blue flowers and sweet butterfly here. 

I molded a couple feathers to tuck in and rubbed with Finnabair Wax to bring out the textures. To add subtle visual texture, I stamped across the bottom of the card with the bubble image from 49 and Market's Gabi's Textue Set with Stormy Mix'd Media Inx. Over this I stenciled with Finnabair Light Paste using the Art Anthology Lotus stencil then spritzed with Lindy's and Shimmerz mist to highlight the design.

The sentiment uses the required challenge word and is stamped onto watercolor paper. 

**Tip of the Day**

The sentiment stamp also included "this Easter season" below Warmest Wishes. I covered the part I didn't want stamped with washi tape, inked up the stamp, then removed the tape before stamping onto the watercolor paper. 

Product List

49 and Market ~ Scents of Nature - Blue Petals

49 and Market ~ Layered Die-Cut Embellishments - Wings and Things

49 and Market ~ Vintage Shades - Orchid Blossoms

49 and Market ~ Shimmer & Shade - Lilac Fleurs de Champs

49 and Market ~ Pale Lavender Blooms

49 and Market ~ Gabi’s Texture Stamp Set

49 and Market ~ Gabi’s Hibiscus Stamp Set

Strathmore ~ 400 Series Watercolor Paper - Cold Press

Tim Holtz ~ Idea-ology - Gumdrops

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Alchemy: Antique Brilliance Wax - Amethyst Magic

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Alchemy: Opal Magic Wax - Royal Robes

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Basics: Light Paste

Golden ~ Soft Gel Medium, Matte

Joe’s Prime ~ Really Good - Clear Gesso

Tsukineko ~ VersaFine - Imperial Purple

Donna Salazar with Clearsnap ~ Mix’d Media Inx - Stormy

Lindy’s Stamp Gang ~ Flat Fabio - Frenchy’s Pink Pouf

Shimmerz ~ Vibez - Princess

Tim Holtz ~ Ranger - Adirondack Alcohol Ink: Raspberry; Stonewashed

Tim Holtz ~ Ranger - Adirondack Alcohol Blending Solution

M. Graham ~ Artists’ Watercolor - Sap Green; Mineral Viole; Ultramarine Blue

US Artquest ~ Prills - Laender and Lace; Ie Queen

Stampendous ~ Fran-tage - Glass Glitter, Lavender

Art Anthology ~ Stencil - Lotus 6x9 

Close to My Heart ~ Greatest Love 

Martha Stewart Crafter's Clay Silicone Molds: Antique

Vipe ~ Cake Molds - Feather

Helmar ~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~

"Comfy with My Dad" Mixed Media Layout for More Than Words Challenge

When I saw the March Main Challenge at More Than Words, I knew it would be just perfect for this photo of our handsome son and adorable granddaughter! The Word Inspiration is "Comfortable." Doesn't Avery look perfectly comfortable and happy on her strong daddy's shoulders? 

The colors in this challenge board are so beautiful. I've used all five colors featuring
gorgeous 49 and Market flowers and Scents of Nature Clockworks Paper .

All of the challenge details can be found HERE.

Tips and Techniques

A cluster of gorgeous 49 and Market flowers. The leaves are created with 49 and Market Gabi’s Texture Stamp Set. I stamped and heat embossed the image, then watercolor painted the leaves to coordinate with the focal paper and color challenge. The delightful layered die cut butterflies are also from 49 and Market and fit the color challenge perfectly.

The Dusty Attic Vine Corner Chipboard was brushed with crackle medium and set aside to dry overnight. I find that crackle medium has a way of flaking off, so I thinned gel medium with a little water and brushed it over the crackle. This acts like a glue holding the crackle in place, but thin enough to maintain the crackle texture. Next I painted with metallic paint and rubbed with Finnabair waxes to highlight the texture.

I've been making paper clay shapes lately, and in the process have collected the broken bits and pieces. I painted a few of them to tuck into the clusters.

A close-up of the sweet side cluster. You can see that I lightly brushed the edges of these lovely flowers with Finnabair gold and white gold waxes. I have a drawer of jewelry pieces and findings that I have picked up on clearance at local craft stores over the years. A bit of Amethyst Magic Finnabair Wax and this one is perfect to tuck in amongst the flowers.

The photo is framed with corrugated cardboard with layers of color and shimmer with metallic paints and Finnabair waxes. I added texture by applying Prills, seed beads and Finnabair microbeads to the frame with gel medium and more of the jewelry pieces are tucked in as well.

I found a wonderful distressed typewriter font called Trixie to use for my title. I printed it on white cardstock and colored with distress ink to coordinate.

Texture is created around the frame with frayed cheesecloth dyed dark green with Lindy's Stamp Gang Frosty Forest Green Starburst mist. The frayed edges are adhered by brushing with Finnabair Soft Matte Gel Medium. Before attaching the frame and cheesecloth, I used light molding paste with Art Anthology's Lotus Stencil for background texture. Violet gold metallic paint is thinned with water and brushed around the frame. I spritzed with a little more water and patted the edges lightly with paper towels to blend the color into the background. 

I used more bits of dyed cheesecloth as well as mica flakes and an assortment of embellishments to add texture below the photo.

I enjoyed creating this page for the More Than Words March Main Challenge!

Product List

49 and Market ~ Scents of Nature - Clockworks

49 and Market ~ Vintage Shades - Orchid Blossoms

49 and Market ~ Shimmer & Shine - Lilac Jardin

49 and Market ~ Shimmer & Shine - Lilac Fleurs Des Champs

49 and Market ~ Roses – Aqua/Teal

49 and Market ~ Photopolymer Stamps - Gabi’s Texture Stamp Set

49 and Market ~ Layered Die Cut Embellishments - Butterfly Harvest

Dusty Attic ~ Vine Corner DA0753

Dusty Attic ~ Spider Chrysanthemum

Cardstock ~ White

Arches ~ Aquarelle Watercolour Paper - Cold Pressed 140lb

Darice ~ Designs By Me - Beads: Lavender Crystal Balls

Cheese Cloth

US ArtQuest ~ Prills - Lavender and Lace

Stampendous ~ Fragments - Pearlized Mica; Lavender 

Assorted rhinestones, beads and jewelry pieces

Prima ~ Pebbles - Music Note

Prima ~ Say It In Crystals #563639

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Basics: Gesso - Clear, Black

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Basics: Light Paste

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Basics: Soft Matte Gel

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Alchemy: Acrylic Paint - Metallique Soft Satin

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Alchemy: Antique Brilliance Wax - Amethyst Magic; Mystic Turquoise

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Alchemy: Metallique Wax - White Gold; Vintage Gold

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Ingredients: Mica Powder - Gold Opal Magic 

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Ingredients: Texture Powder

Prima ~ Finnabair - Art Ingredients: Micorbeads - Gold

Prima ~ Iron Orchid Designs - Paper Clay

Liquitex ~ Gesso - White

Ranger ~ Distress Ink - Weathered Wood; Bundled Sage; Hickory Smoke; Black Soot

Lindy’s Stamp Gang ~ Starburst - Frosty Forest Green; Creme Brûlée Cream; Cam Bake Beige; Magnolia Magenta Gold; Frolic in the Forest Black

Viva Decor ~ Croco Crackling Colour - Transparent

Jacquard ~ Lumiere Metallic Acrylic Paint - Halo Blue Gold; Halo Violet Gold

Folk Art ~ Acrylic Paint - Metallic Sequin Black

M Graham & Co. ~ Artist Watercolor - Phthalocyanine Green

Royal Talens ~ Ecoline Liquid Watercolor - Black 700

Art Anthology ~ 6x9 Stencil - Lotus

Prima ~ Iron Orchid Designs - Keyholes Vintage Art Decor Mould

Martha Stewart ~ Crafter's Clay Silicone Molds - Antique

Trixie Font

Helmar ~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~