Black Cats Studios

Cyndi Bundy

Have fun this summer and remember to try something new or revisit a technique you haven't tried for a while.

Happy crafting,

Liz

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Sizzling Summer Fun

We're having a mini-heat wave this week. Not as hot as in some parts of the country, but 90 degree temps with no fog or breeze is not nice. So I dug into the archives for my favorite representation of sizzling summer fun with shades yellows and orange.

The Mosaic Swirls (LJ901) stencil lends itself to a variety of uses, but today the swirls are the bright summer sun and the sizzle is the double glitter technique on the Summer (LM294) stencil. Position the stencil on card stock and adhere around the edges with removable tape. Add color to the spirals using a stencil brush with the darkest color at the center of the spiral and adding lighter colors as you move toward the outer rings. Set the card aside while you wash and dry the stencil. When the card is dry, replace the stencil and tape off all sides. Apply Translucent Embossing Paste (DEPT) with the paste spreader (LM2010). Carefully remove the stencil, wash an dry it, and set the card aside to dry.

If you followed the double glitter challenge last month, you know what to do. If not, you can find the instructions here, here, here and here. To finish it off, I added a bright orange check ribbon from Creative Impressions.

Stay cool and check out the rest of the Dream Team blogs for more ideas and inspiration and then, while it's too hot to go outside, get to your craft area and let us see you summer fun project. Be sure to link it up using Mr. Linky on the Dreamweaver Stencil's Dream it Up! blog so we can all take a look.

Cyndi Bundy

Happy crafting,
Liz

Thursday, July 5, 2012

A winner and a new challenge

I hope everyone had a wonderful time BBQing and watching fireworks yesterday. Before we begin with this month's challenge, congratulations go out to Stacey Rumsby, the winner of June's double glitter challenge. You can see her card here.

Are you ready for some summer fun? That's the theme for July's challenge and there are so many stencils to complement that theme. One of my favorites is the Beach Chair and umbrella (LL329) because there are so many backgrounds you can use with it. I love going to the beach (the closest is 30 minutes away and one of the most beautiful, Pebble Beach, is an easy 90 minute drive) so this was an easy one for me. I applied Color Solutions Alcohol Inks in Darkest Brown and Creme Brulee for the sand and Iceberg for the water/sky

on to gloss paper. (I used a little thinner to help "smush" the colors around). The beach chair was paste embossed on to acetate. I masked off the umbrella pole and added the glossy blue paste and then the matte yellow. I set the image aside to dry while I washed and dried the stencil. To add the umbrella pole, reposition the stencil on the image and, using a black fine-tip pen, add the line. To assemble, position the acetate on the background and adhere the corners. From card stock, cut a frame and attach to the front of the card to hide the glue marks on the acetate.

Won't you come and play with us this month? Here's a sneak peek at the prize . . .

. . . it's a new stencil that will be released this month at Summer CHA.

For more inspiration, see what's going on at the Dream it Up! blog, as well as the rest of the Dream Team

Cyndi Bundy

Happy Crafting,

Liz

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Last call for glitter . . .

AND

ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Visit the Art Glitter blog and the Dream It Up! blog for fabulous inspiration from both talented design teams. We are encouraging all of you to play along with the challenge of creating with Dreamweaver Stencils and Art Glitter*, preferably using the Double-Glitter Technique with a wedding theme. Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky on the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com, for an opportunity to win one of four fabulous glitter and stencil prize packages. One winner will be chosen each week. (US and Canada only, please).

Have you noticed how many cupcake shops are popping up all around? Within a 10 minute drive, I have my choice of Sprinkles, Kara's Cupcakes, Nothing Bundt Cakes (love this name) and, the latest addition, SusieCakes. So it was a no-brainer that I chose LL551 Cupcakes for the last double glitter card of the month.

If you've been following along this month, I'm sure you could do this technique in your sleep. For the newbies, here we go:

Adhere one side of the double-sided mounting paper (MPDS) to card stock, leaving the protective covering on the top side until you are ready to position your stencil. Rub the back side of the stencil with Handmade Hawaiian Coconut Soap (DHHS), making sure to cover the entire stencil. This will keep the stencil from making a tight bond with the adhesive. Carefully brush the soap "crumbs" from the stencil openings, making sure not to bend the stencil. Remove the protective paper from the double sided mounting paper and position your stencil, soap side down.

Use removable tape or blue painter's tape to mask off all but the chocolate kiss, cherry and candle. I used Art Glitter's #58 Brown for the chocolate kiss, #119 Cranberry for the cherry and #93 Lemone and #97 Nirvana for the candle and flame. Apply glitter using a cut off straw as a scoop and rub in with your finger. Tap of excess and return to jar. For the frostings I used #95 Summer Sea, #215 Wild Rose and #87 Hot Kiss. #90 Melone was used for the cupcake bases.

Place the glittered image, stencil side down, on a flat surface and begin removing the card stock. Be sure to keep the stencil flat against your work surface, moving or "walking" your fingers along the stencil as you peel back the card stock so that the stencil always remains flat and does not bend. Apply #86 Angel Dust to the exposed areas and rub in with your finger. Trim the image, adhere to coordinating solid or patterned paper and you're done!

For more inspiration from the Art Glitter design team, please visit their blog for a complete list of players throughout the month.

For more inspiration from the Dream Team, here's the blog list for this week:

Cyndi Bundy

There will be a new challenge for the month of July, so be sure to check back next week.

Have a wonderful 4th of July celebration,
Liz

Thursday, June 21, 2012

There's still time for more glitter fun!

AND

ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Are you ready for more glittery stencil fun?

We've had a lot of butterflies in the garden lately and there's even more beauties on Pinterest, making my decision on what to glitter very easy. There are many butterfly designs in the Dreamweaver collection and for today's project I chose LL59, Three Butterflies. If you've been following along on the double glitter challenge this month, you've probably committed the step to memory, but if this is your first visit, here's what to do:

Adhere one side of the double-sided mounting paper (MPDS) to card stock, leaving the protective covering on the top side until you are ready to position your stencil. Rub the back side of the stencil with Handmade Hawaiian Coconut Soap (DHHS), making sure to cover the entire stencil. This will keep the stencil from making a tight bond with the adhesive. Carefully brush the soap "crumbs" from the stencil openings, making sure not to bend the stencil. Remove the protective paper from the double sided mounting paper and position your stencil, soap side down.

Use removable tape or painter's tape to mask off the areas where you don't want glitter. I used Art Glitter's #6 Dubonnet opaque glitter for the body and outside edge of the butterfly wings (use a cut off straw as a scoop) and rub in with your finger. Tap of excess and return to jar. For the rest of the wings, I randomly scattered #196 Lion's Mane and #197 Flax. For the greenery, I used #109 Calvado. Place the glittered image, stencil side down, on a flat surface and begin removing the card stock. Be sure to keep the stencil flat against your work surface, moving or "walking" your fingers along the stencil as you peel back the card stock so that the stencil always remains flat and does not bend. Apply #86 Angel Dust to the exposed areas and rub in with your finger. Trim the image, adhere to coordinating solid or patterned paper and you're done!

For more inspiration from the Art Glitter design team, please visit their blog for a complete list of players throughout the month.

For more inspiration from the Dream Team, here's the blog list for this week:

Cyndi Bundy

See you next week for more glittering fun!

Liz

*For the month of June Art Glitter is selling 1 oz jars of glitter for $5.98 (regular price $7.32)! Get the deets HERE!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

More stencil and glitter fun coming your way

AND

ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Are you ready for more glittery stencil fun?

This stencil, LM266 Cat Watch, is one of my all-time favorites and it's perfect for the double glitter technique. Here's what to do: Adhere one side of the double-sided mounting paper (MPDS) to card stock, leaving the protective covering on the top side until you are ready to position your stencil. Rub the back side of the Cat Watch stencil with Handmade Hawaiian Coconut Soap (DHHS), making sure to cover the entire stencil. This will keep the stencil from making a tight bond with the adhesive. Carefully brush the soap "crumbs" from the stencil openings, making sure not to bend the stencil. Remove the protective paper from the double sided mounting paper and position your stencil, soap side down.

Apply Art Glitter's #507 Black Wing microfine opaque glitter and rub in with your finger. Remove excess and return to jar. Place the glittered image, stencil side down, on a flat surface and begin removing the card stock. Be sure to keep the stencil flat against your work surface, moving or "walking" your fingers along the stencil as you peel back the card stock so that the stencil always remains flat and does not bend. Apply #86 Angel Dust to the exposed areas and rub in with your finger. Trim the image and set it aside.

The sentiment is from LG741 Kitty Words. Follow the steps above for the double glitter technique. Trim the sentiment and you're ready to assemble your card. I you'd like to see this technique in action, Lynell has a great video here. Check it out!

__,_._,__

Cyndi Bundy

See you next week for more glittering fun!

Liz

*For the month of June Art Glitter is selling 1 oz jars of glitter for $5.98 (regular price $7.32)! Get the deets HERE!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Dream Teaming with Art Institute Glitter

AND

ARE TEAMING UP THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE TO BRING YOU AN AMAZING CREATIVE COLLABORATION MIXING DREAMWEAVER STENCILS AND ART GLITTER. COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE...WE PROMISE IT WILL BE A SPARKLING ONE!

Here's this week's double-glitter project:

And here's how to do it . . . Adhere one side of the double-sided mounting paper (MPDS) to card stock. Leave the protective covering on the top side until you are ready to position your stencil. Rub the back side of the Rose Tree (LG744) stencil with Handmade Hawaiian Coconut Soap (DHHS), making sure to cover the entire stencil. This will keep the stencil from making a tight bond with the adhesive. Carefully brush the soap "crumbs" from the stencil openings, making sure not to bend the stencil. Remove the protective paper from the double sided mounting paper and position your stencil, soap side down.

For the rose, I used a combination of Art Glitter's #119 Cranberry and #215 Wild Rose for the rose and #198 Green Briar for the leaves and stem. Cut a straw in to 3" pieces and then cut one end at an angle to make a little scoop. This is perfect for getting into small areas. I glittered the leaves and stem first, holding the stencil at an angle and carefully applying glitter to the area closest to the rose petals and letting the rest "waterfall" on to the adhesive. Rub the glitter in with your finger and brush away any excess. Unused glitter can be returned to the container. The Wild Rose and Cranberry glitters were applied randomly to give a shaded effect to the rose petals.

Place the glittered image, stencil side down, on a flat surface and begin removing the card stock. Be sure to keep the stencil flat against your work surface, moving or "walking" your fingers along the stencil as you peel back the card stock so that the stencil always remains flat and does not bend. Apply #86 Angel Dust to the exposed areas and rub in with your finger. Trim the image and it's ready to mat on solid or patterned paper.

Cyndi Bundy