So Long, Farewell, Ciao . . .

 . . . my time on the fabulous Dreamweaver Design Team is up.  Where most teams offer a year-long adventure at best, I've been very fortunate to have worked with this amazingly talented group for two and a half years.  I'll still be posting projects on a regular basis, though just not on Thursdays – that's still reserved for the Dream Team.  And I'll still be teaching with the fabulous products from Dreamweaver Stencils and will post information about classes on this blog's sidebar. 

For my last post, I've tried to capture on paper the very beautiful wisteria blossoms that adorn the exterior of the Filoli Estate not far from where I live.  It's an amazing display and I've even taken wisteria pruning classes there in the hope that my one plant will aspire to grandeur.

Here's what you'll need:
Wisteria LG725
Translucent Embossing Paste DEPT
Palette Knife DPK
Paste Spreader LM2010
Ink (your choice)
Stencil Brushes
Removable Tape
Ribbon or other embellishment of your choice

Here's what to do:
Position stencil on card stock and apply color in light shades to wisteria blossoms only.   This will create the background and give depth to the image.  Clean stencil and reposition it a little higher and to the right of the wisteria blossoms you just colored.  Apply ink in darker shades to blossoms and leaves.  Remove stencil and clean it.  Reposition stencil over blossoms and leaves and tape on all sides.  Using palette knife, put some translucent paste on paste spreader and spread evenly over stencil.  Remove stencil and set card aside to dry (paste will dry clear).  Return unused paste to jar; wash and dry stencil, palette knife and paste spreader.  Adhere card to mats.  Add ribbon or other embellishment and adhere to card front.

There's still a few days left to enter this month's "Bloomin' Spring" challenge and you can find all the details and mr. linky on the Dream it Up! blog here.   Be sure to visit the rest of the Dream Team blogs for more ideas and inspiration.  Here are the links:

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

Cherylynn Moser

 

The new team begins posting next week so be sure to stop by to see what crafty goodness they have in store for you.   You can find their blog links on the Dream it Up! blog.

 

Happy crafting,

Liz

Welcome, New Team Members

A warm welcome to the newest members of the Dream Team

Heidi Erickson
Lyn Bernatovich
Caroline Duncan
Stacey Rumsby
Lea Kimmel
Jessica Griffin

You'll be working with the very talented and creative returning members Cyndi Bundy, Laura Drahozal, Cherylynn Moser, Louise Healy, Terrece Siddoway and Pam Hornschu.  The year ahead will be a fun-filled, roller coaster ride as you create amazing projects with the best stencils on the market.   

There are so many great floral stencils to work with that this month's challenge gives me a chance to use some of my old favorites.  

  This is a card I made for a friend's birthday last year, though the tulips (LL377) could easily be replaced by any of the other flower stencils:  iris (LL374), rose (LL375), daffodil (LL428), lilly (LL376), and sunflower (LL429). 

Instructions:
Dry-emboss (I used a BigKick) the Long Tulip stencil (LL377) three times.  With the stencil in place, color each image to coordinate with your patterned paper.  After the ink has dried (you could use a heat tool to speed this up), fussy-cut each flower and then cut away the larger leaves from the flowers.  Position the flowers as you would a bouquet and tuck the leaves in the background for depth and balance.  Attach ribbon to hide the stem ends and three pearls or other embellishment of your choice.  And you're done.

Be sure to hop around to the other Dream Team blogs to see what everyone's been up to.  You'll find lots of ideas and inspiration to create your own project to enter into this month's challenge.  You can find out all the details here, along with the mr. linky widget.  Better get started!

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

Cherylynn Moser

 

Happy crafting,

Liz 

 

Spring is in the air

It's been very warm the last few days and flowers and trees are bursting with colorful blossoms and buds.  While it's still early for big and colorful dahlias in the garden, this Stylized Dahlia stencil is perfect any time.  And it couldn't be easier to have your own flower garden full of them.

Materials
Stylized Dahlia LG743
Picasso tool (stencil shield) LL332
Matte Black Embossing Paste DMBP
Crackle Paste  CEP
Palette Knife DPK
Paste Spreader LM2010
Tsukineko Splendor Ink Pads

Instructions
Tape stencil to card stock using removable tape.  Apply matte black paste with palette knife.  Remove stencil and place it, along with the palette knife in a pan of water.  Set the card aside to dry. Wash and dry stencil.

Reposition the clean stencil over the black paste and tape all sides with removable tape.   Apply crackle paste.  Remove stencil; wash and dry it and the palette knife.  Set the card aside to dry.
Crackles will appear as the paste dries.  If you have a warming tray, electric skillet or griddle with a temperature control, this is the perfect time to use it to speed up the drying process for the crackle paste. 

When the past is dry, reposition the clean stencil over the image and color with pigment ink  and a stencil brush.  Use the Picasso tool, or stencil shield, for color separation on the petals and for shading on the leaves.

Mat on coordinating card stock and you have a cheery spring card to send to a special someone.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Dream Team blogs for more fun, ideas and inspiration.  And there's still time to submit your project for a chance to win a stencil of your own choosing.  Get the details here, along with the mr. linky widget.  Better get started!

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

 Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

 

Happy crafting,
Liz

Is it spring yet?

Welcome to a new month and a new challenge.  And what better way to celebrate the end of winter than with a challenge to "A Bloomin' Spring"?  You've got until the end of the month to submit a project using Mr. Linky on the Dream it Up! blog and who knows . . . you just might be the lucky winner!

Materials
Romantic Rose LL585
Picasso tool (stencil shield) LL332
Matte Black Embossing Paste DMBP
Crackle Paste  CEP
Palette Knife
Paste Spreader

What to do
Tape stencil to card stock using removable tape.  Apply matte black paste with palette knife.  Remove stencil and place it, along with the palette knife in a pan of water.  Set the card aside to dry. Wash and dry stencil.

Reposition the clean stencil over the black paste and tape all sides with removable tape.   Apply crackle paste.  Remove stencil; wash and dry it and the palette knife.  Set the card aside to dry.
Crackles will appear as the paste dries.

When the past is dry, reposition the clean stencil over the image and color with ink (I used Tsukineko Splendor ink pads) and a stencil brush.  This is where the Picasso tool, or stencil shield, really comes in handy.  By positioning it over the rosebud, it will help you keep the green of the stem from blending into the pink.

Adhere to coordinating mat, to patterned paper and, finally, to card base.  Add embellishments and you have a lovely card for a birthday, anniversary or thinking of you. 

For more ideas and inspiration, be sure to check out the rest of the Dream Team blogs to see what they've been working on.  Start your journey at Dream it Up! (that's where you'll find Mr. Linky) and then continue down the list. 

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

 Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

Happy crafting,
Liz

All About Hearts

The month of celebrating hearts, love and friendship is coming to an end and along with it our CAS Love and Friendship challenge.  I hope you've submitted a project but, if not, March is just around the corner and brings with it another challenge.  Stay tuned!

For our final love and friendship post, I've gone back to an old favorite, Heart Swirls (LL567) and the easy but very elegant gold leaf technique.  Ready to get started?

Materials
Heart Swirls LL567
Metallic Gold Paste DGP
Palette Stamp and Stick Glue Pad GSP
Variegated Red Leaf VRL
Palette Knife DPK

Instructions
Tape your stencil to the card stock on all sides and apply the Metallic Gold paste with the palette knife.  Remove the stencil and set the pasted image aside to dry.  Wash and dry stencil. 

Reposition the clean stencil over the image and apply glue to the open areas of the stencil with a dauber.  Lightly heat with a heat tool until tacky.  Apply a sheet of gold leaf and burnish with your finger.  Brush image with clean stencil brush to remove extra leafing.  Be sure to save the bits and pieces of gold leaf that you brush off as they can be used again in another project. 

Mat on coordinating card stock, add embellishments – I chose a creamy satin ribbon – and adhere to your card base.  I chose to put my sentiment inside, but you could position the heart image higher on the card front and add a sentiment below. 

Be sure to stop on by the rest of the Dream Team blogs for more ideas and inspiration and be sure to leave us a note.  We really do read the comments!

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

 Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

 

See you next week with a new challenge.  Until then . . .

 

Happy crafting,

Liz 

Owl Always Love You . . .

 . . . was the first thought that came to mind when I saw this adorable Open Owl (LG751) stencil.  He is soooo cute!

 

This stencil lends itself to a variety of techniques, so I started off with paper piecing. 

Materials:
Open Owl Stencil
Patterned paper of your choice
Tim Holtz/Sizzix Holly Branch die
Wiggle eyes, brads or buttons
Sentiment of your choice

Here's what to do:
Trace the owl on card stock and set aside.  Assemble patterned paper and trace the various parts of the owl on the back of the paper, keeping the front of the stencil (the side with the stencil number and copyright information) face down.  Cut out just outside the line.  If your owl is wearing a vest, cut a second body from contrasting paper and trim away the top and bottom.  Adhere cut pieces to card stock and cut out.  Add buttons or brads and wiggle eyes.

Die cut branch.  Stamp sentiment.  Adhere to patterned background paper and you're done! 

Check out the rest of the Dream Team blogs to see what crafty goodness they've cooked up for you.  And, there's still a week left to submit your project for this month's challenge.  You can find more information here and then get busy!  We can't wait to see your interpretation of this month's challenge. 

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

 Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

 

And don't forget . . . there's a Design Team call going on.  If Dreamweaver Stencils are front and center in your mind as they are in mine, now's the time to submit your application.   Get all the details here (click on the Design Team Call 2013 under the banner).

Happy crafting,

Liz 

Hearts, Hearts and More Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends and readers!  This month's challenge, CAS Love and Friendship, is perfect for the newly released ruffled hearts and Molten Magic technique. 

Here's what you'll need:
LG747 Ruffled Hearts
LS1004, You & Me
DPP Pearlescent Paste
Metallic F/X colors of your choice
DCP Metallic Gold Paste
DPK Palette Knife
LM2010 Paste Spreader
Removable tape
Small paint brush or Q-tip

Here's what to do:
Tape top of stencil to craft mat.  Lift stencil and slip card stock underneath.  Apply paste with paste spreader.   Remove card stock and set aside.  Repeat for second heart.  Set stencil, palette knife and paste spreader in a pan of water.  Sprinkle Metallic F/X over hearts by dipping paint brush or Q-tip into mica powder and gentle tapping over pasted image.  You may have to do this several times to get the coverage you want.  Heat the paste with a heat tool until bubbly.  Set aside to cool.

Tape You & Me stencil to card stock and apply Metallic Gold paste.  Remove stencil and set pasted image aside to dry.   Wash and dry stencils, palette knife and paste spreader.

Cut out hearts and trim sentiment to desired size.  Assemble on patterned paper and coordinating mat and you're done!  Ready to give to that special someone.

There's still plenty of time to submit your project for this month's CAS (clean and simple) Love and Friendship challenge, so get busy!  Link your crafty goodness using Mr. Linky on the Dream it Up! blog or send a photo of your project to Lynell at lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com or, if after February 13, to Louise Healy at louisehealy@sbcglobal.net). If you need a few more ideas or a bit more inspiration, check out out the rest of the Dream Team blogs, starting with Dreamweaver's blog, DREAM it UP!  

Dream it Up!

Pam Hornschu 

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy  

Terrece Siddoway

Kristi Van Doren 

Georgia Sommers 

Lee Kellogg  

Liz Martin (you're here)

 Cyndi Bundy

Cherylynn Moser

Wendy Jordan 

 

But wait!  There's more!   If you're as passionate about Dreamweaver Stencils as we are, please consider joining the team.  There's a Design Team call going on this month, so check it out.   You can find out more about that here (clink on the link under the banner).  

 

See you next week,

Liz