A little Fuchsia Sprite by Mitzi at Sweet Pea Stamps

Are you ready for some purple and a little spring? I know that I am ready for spring; me and this cold wet weather do not get along at all. My project is dripping in purple and will make you want the warmer weather.

I would like to introduce you to “The Fuchsia Sprite” by Mitzi Sato-Wiuff. She is a new artist that was introduced to us all by SweetPea Stamps. Mitzi’s images will all be rubber stamps.

I love all things fantasy! Mitzi’s images are right up my alley and so much fun to color with Copics. After the coloring I die cut the image with Spellbinder’s Card Creator A2 Curved Basics die. After the cutting and embossing I distressed the edges with Dusty Concord Distress Ink. This little sprite was then layered on Stampin’ Up!’s Elegant Eggplant cardstock. The designer paper is Prima’s Sweet Fairy collection. And the light purple Stardream cardstock is from PaperWorks.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 11, BV000, R02

Flower petals: V000, 01, 04, 05, 06, 09

Petal cap and shoes: G40, 82, 94, 99,

with some flicks of V000

Background: W00, 0, 1, 2, 3, V000

My embellishments were a lot of fun to make, but most of Mitzi’s images really need to stand on their own. I kept my embellishments on the light side. The large butterfly is Spellbinder’s Les Papillions. I also have one on the inside. These butterflies are in two parts. The top die I cut with the designer paper, and the bottom die I cut with SU’s Elegant Eggplant cardstock. I then added Viva Décor’s 3-D Violet stamp paint to the bottom layer. The other butterflies are Martha Stewart’s punches and I added the 3-D violet stamp paint to them also.

The little vines are from Cheery Lynn’s Ivy Strip. I cut them with SU’s Always Artichoke and added 3-D stamp paint in Moss green for that little bit of sparkle. My ribbon is my ever growing stash from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

Just a few things going on at Sweet Pea Stamps. There is an amazing sale that is lasting until Dec. 31. Click here for the sale, you won’t want to miss it. We have our December challenge up and running at One Sweet Challenge. Our theme is “A Gift in Itself.” We would love for you all to come share your little pieces of art using Sweet Pea Stamps in rubber or digital. Come join our SPSFacebook group.

So glad you made it by today. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

SPS Design Team

I Brake for Jingle Bell Elf

Happy Monday! It’s almost Christmas and I am still enjoying all my red and green. But, alas, all things do come to an end. This will probably be my last Christmas card for I Brake for Stamps (IBFS). Now we need to see some spring! That will be next week.

Today I have an art card created with a very handsome little elf. This little character was designed by Rick St. Dennis for IBFS. You can find “Jingle Bell Elf” in digital format or as a rubber stamp in the IBFS store, whichever version you like.

Jingle Bell Elf was color with Copics. I added a light gold Wink of Stella glitter brush marker over the jingle bells. I also added some highlights with green and red Wink of Stella glitter brush markers. Jingle Bell Elf was fussy cut and layered on several layers of Stampin’ Up!’s Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler cardstock. Before I completed all the layering I distressed the edges of each cut piece with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 11, R02

Hair, gloves & belt: C1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Bells: Y11, 15, 26, E27

Shirt & part of hat: E21, 23, 25, 29, 40

Rest of hat and shirt garland:

R14, 46, 59, RV99, and

G21, 24, 28, 29

Shirt collar: R14, 46, 59, RV99

My background designer paper is Bazzill’s Countdown to Christmas. I have used this paper stack a lot this season. I trimmed to size and distressed the edges with Gathered Twigs and layered it with Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler cardstock.

My corners are from Spellbinder’s Lace Doily Accents. After cutting, and before adding the corners to my card, I added red Wink of Stella glitter brush marker. My ribbon is from my monthly Really Reasonable Ribbon club. Love their ribbons.

I hope that you come “like” our IBFS Facebook page. You can keep up with all the sales and new releases. Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Aletha Jane
AJ’s Design Art
IBFS Design Team

Hairy Legs at Delicious Doodles

Yep, our new challenge at Delicious Doodles (DD) is all about “Hairy Legs!” We want you to interpret that in any way you would like. You do not have to use an image from Teri’s wonderful imagination, but if you do your entry will count twice. All the information is spelled out in the DDchallenge post.

I decided to go with something a little saner than what I have been doing. My “hairy legs” inspiration came from the DD image “Rowena.” It’s Rowena’s pet mouse that has the hairy legs, but then maybe Rowena did not shave her legs for a month. ;o) Who knows?

Anyway, Rowena was colored with Copics and a few accents made with glitter pens and a white gel pen. After I colored her, I trimmed her, added Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to the edges. She was layered on Stampin’ Up!’s cardstock in Cherry Cobbler and Brushed Gold.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 11, R02

Hair: E42, 43, 44, 47, 49

Leaves: YG91, 93, 95, 97, 99

Berries, lips: R21, 29, 89

Mouse: E21, 23, R02

For the finished card I layered the designer paper, My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found Christmas Collection, with more of SU’s cardstock. I added some die cut corners, Cherry Lynn’s Lace Corner Deco A, and some more flourishes to the sides of the central image, Memory Box Amira Flourish.

I hope you join us for this Hairy Legg’s Challenge. When you do, and even if you don’t but you do use a Delicious Doodles, I hope you join us in our Delicious Doodles Facebook group.

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate contacting me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

Delicious Doodles Design Team

Christmas at StampNation

Christmas is almost here. For all of you who do celebrate Christmas we, at StampNation, have a wonderful challenge ready for you this week. This week’s challenge is for you to be creatively inspired by a favorite Christmas carol. Our challenges never end, so you are invited to join in any time for some fun and a lot of inspiration. We have such a wonderful and growing group of talented people.

The carol I picked is “First Noel.” I found the perfect image for this challenge from AuroraWings. This sweetie is “Little Shepherd” and is available in Mitzi Sato-Wiuff’s Etsy shop as a digital image. I have colored him with my Copics and have die cut it with Spellbinder’s A-2 Distressed Edges die. The Little Shepherd was layered on antique gold cardstock, and Stampin’ Up!’s Bravo Burgundy.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 11, R02

Burnoose: E42, 43, 44, 47, 49

Thobe: E21, 23, 25, 27, 29

Lamb: C00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

Grass: G40, 85, 94, 99

Background: W00, 0, 1, 2, 3

A few of the other supplies that I used are:

Designer paper from My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found Christmas

Cheery Lynn’s Lace Corner Deco B die

Distress Ink in Gathered Straw

Ribbon from my stash

Have you joined StampNation? If not, I hope that you do. Some of the advantages of being a Sistah at StampNation are:

• Over 380 exclusive video tutorials,
• Lessons in the CAS (clean & simple) classroom,
• Trend Articles,
• Weekly challenges (which I have already mentioned),
• And so much more!

Click here to register or learn more about StampNation. I know that you will not be disappointed.

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate contacting me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

StampNation Designer

Rubber & Digital Stamp Sale at Sweet Pea Stamps!

DIGIS:

Spend $15 in digis get one digi free!

You must enter the coupon code: digispecial

to get the $3 taken off.

No need to enter the special coupon for shipping as this will take it off for you.

This special coupon expires 12/31/13

RUBBER STAMPS:

We have 15 pages, over 150 rubber stamps marked down (as low as $1.50)

as overstock and discontinued stamps that I would like to

get rid of before the end of the years inventory.

This sale is for in-stock only, if we run out, we will notify you and

refund the difference if paying by paypal or adjust your credit card.

Click here for the rubber stamp sale.

Our non-sale stamps: Through Dec 31st we will not be pressing rubber

(to keep our inventory low), if something is out of stock when you order, we will notify you.

Thanks for stopping by,

Aletha Jane
AJ's Design Artz
Sweet Pea Design Team

A Sprite and a Dragon at Sweet Peas

I have a very fun art card today. Sweet Pea Stamps (SPS) has started carrying a line of rubber stamps designed by the fantasy artist Mitzi Sato-Wiuff. I have loved her images for forever and when Lynette announced that Sweet Peas was going to be producing rubber for Ms. Sato-Wiuff,  I did the happy dance again. I say again because every time a new artist is picked up by SPS I do the happy dance.

 For my little piece of art I chose to create with the Snapdragon Sprite and Baby Dragon stamp. I love all things fantastical, and this one fit the bill. I also love coloring with my Copics, and just look at all those snapdragon ruffles begging to be colored just as bright as I could make them. I thought red and yellow would do the trick.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 11, R02

Leaves: YG91, 93, 95, 97, 99

Petals: R20, 21, 22, 24, 27, and

Y17, 15, 13, 11

Baby Dragon: YG61, 63, 67

Background: W00, 0, 1, 2, and Y11

After the coloring, I fussy cut the sprite and popped her up on some Stampin’ Up! cardstock in Basic Black and Old Olive. I do love my layers and some contrast, so there was a lot of cutting going on with this project. My designer paper is Stampin’ Up!’s Paisley Petals.

This little sprite really did not need too many embellishments. I decided that a few dainty Memory Box butterflies would do the trick. I also used some Pumpkin Liquid Pearls for some accents on the butterflies and corners. I always forget about Liquid Pearls and I love using them when I do remember.

Snapdragon Sprite will be entering in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything except Christmas

Loves Rubber Stamps - Anything Goes

Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes

SPS monthly challenge is going on over at One SweetChallenge. The theme is “A Gift in Itself.” We would love for you to join our SPS Facebook group and share your love for all things Sweet Pea Stamps. Want to keep up with all the happenings at SPS? Then come “like” our page and you can be the first informed. Mitzi has a Facebook group, Stamps by AuroraWings, and I know that she would love for you all to join.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you stop by the SPS Design Team blog. We have two to three inspirational pieces for you every day. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate contacting me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

SPS Design Team

A Challenge at StampNation

We have our newest challenge ready for you at StampNation. This challenge is all about snowflakes and we have an inspirational photo to get the creativity flowing. There’s bound to be a wealth of little pieces of art from around the world. The cool thing about our challenges is that they never close.

Have you joined StampNation? If not, I hope that you do. I know that you will never be disappointed. Some of the advantages of being a Sistah at StampNation are:

• Over 370 exclusive video tutorials,
• Lessons in the CAS (clean & simple) classroom,
• Trend Articles,
• Weekly challenges (which I have already mentioned),
• And so much more!

Click here to register or learn more about StampNation. I know that you will not be disappointed.

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate asking.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

StampNation Design Team

I Brake for a Southwest Scene

Happy Monday and I hope that everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. My family and I certainly did. Now we are getting revved up for Christmas.

But, for this week, I veered off course. I decided on doing a Southwest style card using I Brake for Stamps (IBFS) Maiden with Dove rubber stamp. I love this image and the size is just perfect for my coloring mediums.

I embossed the image with black pigment ink and clear embossing powder. Now the fun starts. Not my usual Copics coloring but with Twinkling H₂Os. My tans and browns are from instant coffee. Yes, you heard right, instant coffee. I love the texture that it leaves. You do need to make if very strong and always use watercolor paper too. Some of the darker areas were achieved by very little water and a lot of coffee, not a sludge texture, but definitely thick. I did test on a scrap piece of paper to see just how strong the color would be. You can also add some water to the image before painting with the coffee. That gives it that watercolor feel, which is what you are really doing with coffee and not paints.

I did some fussy cutting and mounted her on Stampin’ Up!’s copper cardstock and mounted that on a piece of natural paper that was embossed with gold pigment ink and clear embossing powder. The last two layers are a coffee filter that I wrinkled and used Vintage Photo distress ink and water on the wrinkles. I ironed that flat for drying and mounted on some scrap cardstock. That was mounted on more copper cardstock and then mounted on the card base.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope that you hop on over to the IBFS blog every day for more IBFS inspiration. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate contacting me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz
IBFS Design Team