Frames

I had some questions about some of my frame die cuts and wanted to share some I have made in the past...This one uses images from Innovative Stamp Creations and some saran wrap and ink to color the background...I glued the silk flowers on with Ranger Glossy Accents and added gold glitter dimensional fabric paint for the centers...

I stamped each of the above frames with a background stamp, then used a pattern paper frame, torn in half, layered onto each frame...All images are from Innovative Stamp Creations... These are a couple of the ATC frames...I did some various stamping techniques on them...Images are from Innovative Stamp Creations...
Check out our package of frames at http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com

Round Book Kit Ideas

I was asked to share one of my round book kit ideas...I did this one a while ago...but its still one of my favorite "altered style" books...I used various die cuts and papers along with embellishments to create this book...I used my bind it all to bind it...but it would also work well with a snap ring to bind it as well as ribbon/fibers...

For more info about ordering the round and scalloped round book kits check out my studio blog at http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com/

Skinny Max Book by Dianne Adams

I love the Skinny Max book kit...and so did Dianne...she jumped at the opportunity to create a very unique book with this kit...I am in awe...I love it...Dianne did a super job using the die cut book kit from http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com All credits are at the end of the book...Scroll thru the pages and enjoy...

The clip art credits go to the Birthdays book in the Instant Memories books series published by Sterling/Chapelle. . The words and definition were all created and printed on my computer by me... The inks are Chalks and Brilliance. The musical notes, circles and swirlys were hand punched shapes...The rubberstamp on the music page is by Stampcraft. The number 3 is by Provocraft.
Special 2 day offer on this kit...Order the Skinny Max book kit from my studio blog by Saturday night midnight May 31, and get an embellishment pack only available with this kit...I have a limited number of these embellishing packs...so get yours soon...Overseas shipping is extra...

A Bird today

I have to cross a bridge over this quaint little pond called Wilson's Pond, hence the name of our road Wilson Pond Road...LOL...anyway...there is a dock that I check out everyday to see if any birds on are it...and as luck would have it...not only was he, this beautiful blue heron, there today, but I also had my camera...I stopped the truck, jumped out and snapped his picture...so I had to share him with you...

Framed or Cornered---both...

I love my square frame die cut...its a great size to use on most of my book kits as well as any scrapbook layout...I also love to Cuttlebug my die cuts...I also enjoy working with foiling/leafing techniques...So...I covered this frame with leafing adhesive, once dry i applied gold leaf to it...I then ran it thru the dots Cuttlebug embossing folder...I hit the edges with Coffee Archival ink...and then...
cut the frame in half...why...to create some awesome corners that I am using in an altered art project...I hope to get finished this weekend and share then...I am loving these corners...so, I got framed and cornered, in just a few swift strokes...now, just imagine the possibilities here...Remember...You are only Limited by your Imagination...and my oh my...what I can imagine...I will be sharing more as I get more studio time in...

ACC's--Collage Stamping

I am having so much fun creating these Artfull Calling Cards or ACC's, they are "moo" sized cards cut from cardstock...I did some collage style stamping on these using the beautiful new stamps I got from Innovative Stamp Creations...Betsy has some awesome images...I have done collage style stamping for over 10 years...and its still one of my favorite techniques to play with...
Be sure and check out our studio blog for ACC's cut from cardstock and chipboard, as well as lots of great kits http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com/

Tag Book from Michelle Weaver

This beautiful Altered Art Tag Book Kit was created by Design Team Member, Michelle Weaver...This Tag Book is beautiful...Thank you so much Michelle...for more info on how Michelle created this book, please click her link under my favorite places and view more art on her blog...We will have more samples using Debbie's Die Cuts from Michelle soon...

Foiled Frames

I just had to play some more with the foiling and frames today...I had fun with these two today...
This frame has the look and feel of leather...kinda like a faux leather effect...I ran the white cardstock frame thru the cuttlebug embossing folder, then painted each diamond shape with the adhesive for foiling...I used the rainbow foil and then randomly used versa mark on the white areas left...then used perfect pearls and pearl ex on the entire piece...I then used some tea dye distress ink to darken the edges of the frame...I then used a soft cloth and burnished the piece...I am going to use this frame in a project coming soon...
I wanted to cover an entire frame with the rainbow foil and then emboss it...it turned out great...
but, I had to go one step further...I added some black ink to the raise areas, then used the foiling adhesive on the embossed areas and used copper foiling in a hit and miss fashion on the swirls...I trimmed the edges with a copper metallic marker...It looks really cool...could not get the lighting just right for the photo...but I will be using this in a future project, so stay tuned...
I am working on another new tech/project...should be ready to share later this week...

ACC's and ATC's...Collage is fun............

This ACC or Artfull Calling Card was fun to make...These cards are the same size as "moo" cards except in standard rather than metric measurements...I rounded the corner on this one and then ran it thru the cuttlebug embossing folder...I used my versa mark and rubbed it across the embossed areas...then used some perfect pearls to color them...I then rubbed some tea dye distress ink randomly across the ACC...I smoothed the embossed areas down flat using my bone folder and then stamped the words...I trimmed the edges with a dark brown marker and glued on the beautiful bird image from Lisa's Altered Art pages http://www.lisasalteredart.com I added the small prima flowers and put gold dimensional paint for centers...You can cut your own ACC's or "moo" size cards or get them precut from cardstock or chipboard http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com/

I love to make ATC's...once I get started I sometime don't know when to stop...LOL...I began with a cardstock ATC die cut and rubbed some tea dye ink onto it...I then used some background images from Innovative Stamp Creations to create a background to work off of...I cut another ATC from a patterned paper and tore it to use on the bottom part of the ATC...I used a flourish die cut from the same pattern paper as well...I used Lisa's Altered Art image, some prima flowers and beadazzles to embellish the ATC...I use Ranger Glossy Accents as a glue for the beadazzles and flowers...

Going Green---with Lizards, that is...

The only critter I could find stirring about in Moma's yard were a few lizards...I caught this one on the fence...and by chance caught him like this, it was the only pic I even got of him...I thought it was kinda cool...
This guy was on the outside of my small studio building...and when i moved in closer...
he turned his head toward the camera, as if to say...come on take a picture, I have bugs to eat now...
This guy was on the bird feeder pole...just sitting...he let me get pretty close to him before...
He jumped down to one of the camellia bush branches below...I snapped this shot before he scurried into the bushes further...

Hummers are everywhere...

I got home this afternoon after being gone all day long to hummingbirds everywhere at every feeder...Oh my...I ran got the camera and stood as close as they would let me and took some photos of them...at one time i counted 9 at one feeder...they tickle me the way they seem to argue over who is eating and who is waiting in line so to speak...We have 3 feeders this size and they can drain all 3 in a couple of days...these little buggers have hefty appetites...but they are so much fun to watch...right now as I am typing this, I can hear them outside my window...and there are so many between two of the feeders I cannot count them all...

Vendor Praise---Lisa's Altered Art--Innovative Stamp Creations

I ordered some collage sheets from Lisa's Altered Art http://www.lisasalteredart.com/ and to say the least I am more than Pleased with the printed sheets, fast service and I also got some samples to play with...Oh my...Just wait until I get studio time...If you like collage sheets, check them out...the prices are great and the images are wonderful...
I ordered the two newest stamp sheets from Innovative Stamp Creations http://www.innovativestampcreations.com You will love these two new sheets...Betsy's images are awesome to work with...I am going to be very busy creating...
I also have a new tag book to release soon...and there are lots of new samples coming soon...
Check out the kits we currently have http://thestudioinpreston.blogspot.com

A bit of bird watching...of sorts....

When I got home today...i looked up and saw this hummingbird sitting on the old tv antenna...I used the zoom feature on my camera and took a couple shots of him...
pretty neat considering how far away I was...

This cardinal was sitting on the back fence waiting for a turn at the feeder...
I love our resident mocking birds or "mockers" as we call them...He was on the same tv antenna as the hummer...
If you look closely you can see the redheaded woodpecker on the top of this power pole across the road...he was just hammering away...I heard him...so I zoomed in on him as best I could...
I almost missed the redwinged blackbird...He lit and then flew almost as quickly...I snapped the shot anyway...its the only time you can see the red wing bars they display...I saw a few other birds at the feeder this evening...a chickadee, my favorite and an indigo bunting...but did not get photos of them...they were too fast for me...