A Four Card Set for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Here is my third project using "A Happy Place".  I had so much fun creating these whimsical cards for Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  The images and backgrounds were designed to create a beautiful art journal that anyone can easily create just by cutting out all the bits and borders and mixed media background papers that look like you spent hours creating. I was drawn to this set the moment I saw it, but I thought it would be fun to take these amazing images out of my journal and onto my desk (in my first project using this kit) and onto my wall (in my second project using this kit) and finally in my third project onto some note cards that I can share with others to brighten someones day.  I created these cards quickly and easily.  I like to print out my papers then cut out the images while relaxing in front of the TV in the evening.  Once the images are cut out, the fun truly begins when you start arranging.  I hope you like them!  For other projects I created with these papers,  please see the labels section at the right sidebar here on my blog under Ephemera's Vintage Garden.

Digital Design Paper from Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Printable Art Journal Page Backgrounds

A Happy Place II

A Happy Place

Also Part of The Set:

A Happy Place II Art Journal Page Backgrounds

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Other:

Laser cut cardstock doilies by Gina's Designs

Christmas Altoid Tin - Gecko Galz Winter Wonderland Challenge

Today I'm sharing this Wintery altered altoid tin using images from Gecko Galz.  I have entered this into the Winter Wonderland Challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog.  You have until Dec. 30th to join in the fun for the chance to win a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

I used images from the following digital collage sheets:

Wintertime

Vintage Angels

Christmas cards for friends - More fun with Gecko Galz images

I don't recall ever having this much fun making Christmas cards!  The images and backgrounds from Gecko Galz are a ton of fun to work with.  I used several different Gecko Galz collage sheets and/or Gecko Galz freebies which I will link to at the bottom of the post.  All of these cards are entered into the Gecko Galz Holiday Card Challenge on the Gecko Galz Papercrafting Challenge Group on Facebook.  We have several themed challenges to chose from each month.  Come join us for fun and prizes!

The top card is very vintage looking and the bottom two cards are retro styled.  For the bottom two I used one of our free backgrounds you can find on our Gecko Galz Pinterest.  I also used the following collage sheets in creating my cards:

Happy Holidays

Winter Wonderland Digital Paper Pack

Christmas Cuties

Winter Wishes

Vintage Kitty Christmas Card

Hello Friends!  Today I'm sharing a Christmas card I made for a dear friend of mine.  As a fellow crazy cat lady, I knew I had to choose a cat image.  I wanted a vintage look, and didn't want anything that screamed of Christmas, but rather something more soft and subtle.  I remembered seeing some gorgeous non-traditional Christmas trees on a collage sheet from My Artistic Adventures on Etsy a couple of weeks ago, and when I took another look, I knew I needed it for this card!  I mean, my goodness, there are even birds sitting on a wire in these trees!  What could be more perfect in design, and the color complemented my subtle color palette perfectly.  The sheet also had some gorgeous pink candy canes, that I glittered and was going to add to the card, but in the end, I left it alone.  As tempted as I was, I didn't want to over embellish this particular card.  

I found my image on Pinterest.  I cut off the bottom of the image where it said A Merry Christmas, and used the sentiment at the top, mounted on foam tape.  I layered the image with several coordinating paper scraps, tying a bow in between the layers.  I created the bow with my brand new Zutter Bow-it-All.  It's my new favorite tool and it's the best thing since sliced bread!  Once I had the card topper assembled, and glittered up a bit, I mounted that onto a plain cream colored card base leaving room at the bottom for a strip of coordinating paper cut in a banner shape.  I glittered my gorgeous tree all around the edges (cut an outline around the tree when you fussy cut to accomodate your glitter outline), and I mounted the tree onto foam tape.  

I ended up with just the perfect subtle softness I'd been after.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

The collage sheet for the Christmas Tree can be found HERE.

Entered into the following challenges:

My Artistic Adventures #14 Christmas/Winter Theme

Holiday Card for The Gecko Galz Facebook Paper Challenge Group

 Hello Friends!  Today I have a Holiday card to share.  I am entering this fun and colorful card into the Holiday Cards Challenge in the Gecko Galz Facebook Paper Challenge Group where each month you will find plenty of fun challenges to enter in many categories with free collage sheets for the winners!  We also have a monthly theme-based challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog.  Come visit and play along!

The bow underneath the Santa circle-shaped image was cut from one of the other images on the Old Fashioned Christmas collage sheet.  All images are elevated with pop dots for dimension, and I've added stickles for shine, but the sparkle doesn't really show in the photo.  The doily behind the Santa image is lazer cut cardstock from Gina's Designs.

I have used two collage sheets from Gecko Galz in creating this festive card.

Old Fashioned Christmas

Winter Time

Visit the Gecko Galz on ETSY where you'll find tons of backgrounds and images for your Holiday cards!

Click on the image below and head over to the monthly challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog, for the chance to win a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

Whimsical Shadowbox for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Hello my friends!  Today I'm sharing my second project featuring art journal backgrounds and whimsical page elements from "A Happy Place" by Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  I had so much fun creating this!  One of my favorite things to do when crafting is to create a scene.  No, of course I don't mean that I enjoy causing disturbances in public places LOL.  I meant that I like to portray a feeling through the depiction of a particular scene.  It may be a place where I've been in real life, such as I might create with a traditional scrapbook layout, but more often the scene is one where only my imagination could take me.  We all need a touch of whimsy in our lives now and then, and this kit, A Happy Place really makes me smile.

I began with an 8 x 10 wooden shadowbox frame that I purchased from Michaels.  I painted it with several coats of gesso so I would have a bright white surface on the base of the frame.  I wish I could say that I created all of the fabulous mixed media technique on the frame, but I didn't have to, it's already there on the background papers!  I printed the background papers onto tissue paper and then used Mod Podge to adhere it to the frame.  Let it overlap, it's fine, you'll trim and sand it later.  Don't trim it out and sand until it's completely dry, overnight is best.  To print onto tissue paper, I run a glue stick around all four sides of a 65 lb weight sheet of cardstock.  I place the white tissue paper on top pressing it firmly to the glue on the edges, starting at one side and smoothing it firmly over the cardstock backing to prevent as few wrinkles in the tissue paper as possible.  I trim it out so nothing is hanging over the cardstock backing so it doesn't get hung up in the printer and cause a jam.  Most of the time, I can easily remove the tissue paper from the cardstock  backing, but if not, you can just cut the edges off.  When I was finished with the frame, I simply fussy cut all the amazing and whimsical bits from the set, and arranged them inside and around the frame using pop dots for dimension at different levels within my shadowbox.  I added a few things that were not from the printable kit that I will list below.

I always like to remind my followers that many of the digital papers are designed to make incredibly amazing art journals.  The backgrounds look like you spent hours perfecting mixed media techniques.  Don't stop when you've finished creating your art journal.  You can print the papers again and again to create all kinds of projects!

Digital Design Paper from Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Printable Art Journal Page Backgrounds

A Happy Place II

Also Part of The Set are:

A Happy Place

A Happy Place II Art Journal Page Backgrounds

*The Blackbird at the lower left corner comes from one of the recent freebies called Merry and Wise

Sign up for Freebies Here and receive them weekly in your email box!

Other items used in this project are chipboard shapes by Gina's Designs including:

Birds on a Wire

Birdhouse

Clock Hands

Bird Nest

Santa Clock - My First Gecko Galz Challenge Entry

I'm so excited to have completed my first project using Gecko Galz products.  I am not officially part of the team until 2015,  but I couldn't wait to get started,  so I am entering this fun piece into the Holiday Decor Challenge in the Gecko Galz Facebook Challenge Group where each month you will find plenty of fun challenges to enter in many categories.  We also have a monthly theme-based challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog.  Come visit and play along!

I began by painting the dimensional chipboard clock by Gina's Designs with gesso, followed by a cherry red acrylic paint.  On top of that I painted Tim Holtz Distress Rock Candy Crackle Paint. When that was dry I rubbed on some gold distress paint and wiped it off quickly so it settled in the cracks.  I followed that with some Bright Gold Gilder's Paste around the edges and on the feet.  I also added some gold microbeads to the bell on the upper right.  I used collage sheets from the Gecko Galz to decorate the inside and the bell on the left hand side of the clock.  I then finished up with some stickles, some sparkle texture paste spread inside, and a tiny bottle brush tree from my stash.

Gecko Galz Christmas Icons (the Santa face image and the holly from the bells with holly image)

Other:  Gina's Designs Chipboard clock and Intricate Doily used as a background inside the clock.

Thanks for looking!

Click on the image below and head over to the monthly challenge on the Gecko Galz Blog, for the chance to win a $25 Gecko Galz shopping spree!

And don't forget to join our Facebook Challenge Group!

Exciting News to Share!

Just here today to share some news.  The post below was my final post and project as a Design Team member for Gina's Designs.  I had an amazing three years with the team as one of the original founding members.  During my journey,  I really learned a lot, and I gained more confidence and insight.

As I discovered myself artistically, I really wanted to try new things, and just couldn't find the time to add anything more to my existing crafty commitments.  In looking around for teams that offered challenges that were new and different, I happened upon a design team call posted by The Gecko Galz.  I loved their theme-based monthly challenges, blog hops,  and cross promotional projects with other digital design teams.  It was just the opportunity and new learning experience that I was looking for.  Lucky me when I found out I had made the team!  I have so much to learn from them in the coming year.  I hadn't realized that there are so many challenges out there that I wasn't even aware of.   Next year will be about having fun, and leaving stress behind.  Thank you Gecko Galz for believing in me.  I look forward to having a great time, and I'm hoping I can bring something creative to your 2015 team!

Vintage Winter Layout in a Frame for Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone, it's Nancy here!  Today I'm sharing a Vintage styled layout with a Winter theme.  I decided to frame my layout in a 12 x 12 wooden shadow box from Michael's, giving me more space to play with my chipboard shapes, embellishments, and mixed media techniques.    

I began by painting the unfinished wood frame with gesso.  When it was dry I used Mod Podge to adhere some of the design papers that I had printed onto tissue paper.  I then used some of my stencils to add texture.  I added even more texture with pieces of the Diamond Texture Sheet from Gina's Designs and some of our Intricate Doilies.  I embossed the pieces of chipboard texture sheet with Stampendous shabby blue and then I rubbed on gold Gilder's Paste.  The doily pieces were adhered to the frame with Mod Podge and when dry, I applied gold Gilder's Paste.  A closeup of the frame's textures is shown below:

I added texture to the chipboard tree from our Winter Shape Set with my goal being to give it the look of being glazed over with ice.  I first painted the tree with gesso.  I followed that with a coat of white pearlescent paint by Folk Art.  When dry I added Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy.  I then added Vintage Photo Distress Ink and wiped it off so it stayed mainly in the cracks.  I followed that by applying a white puffy dimensional paint and drew it on in a tree pattern.  While wet I sprinkled on clear glass beads and Tim Holtz Distress Glitter.  On the snowflakes I simply applied Stampendous shabby embossing powders in white and in ivory.

For the sled, also from our Winter Shape set, my goal was to try to make it look old and worn.  I began with a light coat of gesso applied using a fan brush so some of the natural chipboard showed through.  I added just a touch of light blue Prima Chalk Ink to the slats.  I then drew wood pattern on the slats with a Tim Holtz Distress Pen in Vintage Photo which I then blurred and blended with a water pen.  For the sleds framework, I first painted it with a brass paint dabber, then "rusted" it with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder.

Thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Winter Shape Set

Snowflake Shape Set

Cardstock Doilies - Intricates

Texture Sheet - Diamonds

Other:

Printable Digital Paper by Crafty Secrets (Vintage Christmas Kit)

Flowers by Tresors DeLuxe and Prima

Dragonflies by Renea Bouquets

Whimsical Altered Box for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Today I'm sharing a really fun box I created for Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  I used images and background papers from a set of digital printable art journal elements called A Happy Place.  I wanted to create something with a mixed media look and feel and with a touch of whimsey.  The papers themselves have paint splatters and blotches and I also added some of my own splatters and drips here and there, and some gesso to give it a real artsy look.  The papers and journal bits are designed to make creating an art journal both fun and easy, but there are so many other fun creations you can make in addition to your art journal.  I will be showing you more fun projects using this set next month.

Everything is very sturdy and coated with plenty of Mod Podge for durability so I can use this box for art supplies.  The flower on top is made of wood that I covered with more of the papers.  There are also more pieces, of both backgrounds and art bits available in this set which I will link to below.

Products:

Ephemera's Vintage Garden

A Happy Place II 

Printable Journal Pages

Other parts of this set that are available:

A Happy Place

A Happy Place II printable art journal pages

Other Products Used:

Unfinished wooden cigar box from JoAnn's

Wooden Flower from Factory Direct Craft available online

Chipboard diamond texture sheet from Gina's Designs

Christmas Kitties House Shadow Box for Gina's Designs

Today I'm sharing another of my favorite pieces, our house shadow box.  I've decorated this one especially for one of my kitty loving friends as a Christmas gift.

 After assembling the shadowbox, I painted it with gesso and applied Tim Holtz tissue tape in music note pattern to the edges.  The inside of the niches, and the outside of the shadow box were papered with a printable digital paper in a vintage Christmas pattern.

 I filled the box mainly with fussy cut digital images that I found on Pinterest, or purchased on Etsy, and handmade little books which I created from free digital files.  The smaller of our layered chipboard fireplaces fits perfectly in the larger square of the box, and I thought it added a cozy feel.

The lamppost at the upper right is also by Gina's Designs, and is available in the store as a larger piece than shown here.  I had requested that this smaller version be custom cut for me.  The shadow box was cut at a depth of 1 1/2 inches by request.  The standard depth is 2 inches, but you can request it be cut to fit your needs as I did.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

House Shadow Box

Fireplace (coming to the store soon)

Lamppost 2

Other:

Vintage Christmas digital paper kit by Crafty Secrets

Wooden vintage cat icons by Pork Chop Show on Etsy

Vintage Victorian Winter Themed Diorama for Gina's Designs

This Diorama is one of the newer selections in our store, and it's my new favorite piece to work with.  The possibilities are endless for decorating in any theme you like.  This is a large piece at 5" wide, 5"deep and around 7" tall.  When assembled, the Diorama provides a spacious  triangular shaped niche on each of the four sides for you to decorate.  The top of the piece also provides a really large space.   This piece also comes with a lazy susan pedestal to attach to the bottom so it will turn.  I chose not to use the rotating base and opted to add some Tim Holtz feet instead.  I wanted my creation to have a wintery vintage Victorian feel, and I thought that the ornate feet best reflected the look I was after.  

 

After I assembled the piece, I gave it a light coat of gesso.  I papered the inside of the niches with canvas resist by Prima Finnabair Elementals in a music note pattern.  I needed two sheets and had scraps left over.  I stenciled over the canvas using a snowflake stencil,  first with Prima Chalk Ink in Old Rose, and then I used the same snowflake stencil with sparkle texture paste.  I added some gesso with a dry fan shaped brush here and there to distress. 

I covered the vertical framework of the piece with crackle texture paste, and distressed it with some gesso and a little light pink acrylic paint, and a little buttermilk acrylic paint.  The horizontal framework was covered with a sequined eyelash trim I got on ebay and had been hoarding.

The chipboard shapes were embossed with Stampendous shabby embossing powders in cream and in white.

The Victorian winter images were mostly freebies I found on Pinterest, along with a collage sheet from Gecko Galz called Christmas Icons.

Thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Diorama (coming soon)

Winter Shape Set

Christmas Shape Set

Snowflake Shape Set 

Cottage Windows Small

Magical Fairy Layout for Gina's Designs

Today I am sharing a 12 x 12 layout that I adhered to a flat unfinished particle board frame from Michael's.  The Paisley Frame from Gina's Designs surrounds the 5 x 7 opening in the frame and adds dimension.  I decoupaged the design papers directly onto the wood, some of which I tore and layered.  The paper is applied to the wood with matte Mod Podge, and I have tucked some of our intricate doilies in between the layers for added texture and interest.  One of our Garden Fairies watches over the scene in the upper left corner.  I painted the chipboard frame that surrounds the opening with a light coat of gesso followed by Lumiere paints in gold and lavender shades.  The fairy is embossed with shabby beige embossing powder over some glass beads in the wings area.  I also rubbed on some Inka Gold.  Thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Paisley Frame

Cardstock Doily Set - Intricates

Garden Fairies Large

Other:

Design paper by BoBunny - C'est La Vie Collection

Lumiere paints by Jacquard

Flowers by Recollections and Petaloo

Bird Nest, Resin Topiary and Deer by Prima

Butterflies and Dragonfly by Renea Bouquets

Window Shadowbox in a Sewing Theme for Gina's Designs

Hello Crafty Friends!  Today I am sharing a customized version of the Window Shadowbox by Gina's Designs.   This was an original piece that I'd had in my stash for quite some time, just waiting for that right moment of inspiration to come along.  In this version of the shadowbox, there is a dividing shelf across the center creating two areas to decorate.  You can request to have your shadowbox divided in the center as in this piece, or you can purchase it the way it is currently shown in the store, with no center shelf, to create a large window view of anywhere your imagination takes you.  

I kept the chipboard technique simple on this piece because lots was already going on inside the box.  I covered all of my chipboard with a light coat of gesso using a dry brush, script stamped with perfect medium, then colored with perfect pearls.  Simple but effective, this technique worked perfectly to compliment this piece.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Window Shadowbox *customized version

Dressforms 2 Miniatures Shape Set

Dressforms 1 Miniature Shapes Set

Vintage Seamstress Shapes Set

Parchment flowers (upper left) from Craftsupplies1 on Etsy or Zibbet

Steampunk Canvas for Gina's Designs

Today I'm sharing an altered inverted 8 x 10 canvas that I created in a fun Steampunk style.  The adorable image and the papers behind it were digital freebies from Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  I thought that the Steampunk chipboard shapes from Gina's Designs really complimented this image.  I used the techniques described below on the chipboard shapes.

The butterfly, the hot air balloon, and the gears corner at bottom right were first given a light coat of gesso.  I always use a light touch with the gesso, usually just a dry brushing with a fan brush,  because I like the natural shading it provides when some of the natural chip color is coming through.  I then used a variety of different colored gelatos on the butterfly.  I blended the colors with a touch of water then let it dry.  To get the distressed and grungy look I was after, I sanded it back so some gesso showed through.  I followed that with a touch of Prima chalk ink in a burnt orange color.  By that point you couldn't even tell that I'd ever used the gelatos, but that's OK because with each layer of color you add, you'll get more depth and dimension as an end result.  I added a bit of stickles here and there, some bead connectors and I coiled some copper wire for antennae.  

On the balloon, I stamped a script stamp with perfect medium, then added shades of perfect pearls.  It has a beautiful sheen to it that doesn't show in the photos.  For the balloon overlay I embossed with copper embossing powder, sanded some of it off, then touched it up with Prima Chalk Ink in burnt orange.  

For the gears, I simply ran it through my Big Shot in a dry embossing folder, then rubbed it with different shades of Gilder's Paste.

For the chipboard Word Ribbon Title of "Explore", I rubbed the raw chipboard with Prima Chalk Ink in the burnt orange shade, added a touch of Tim Holtz tarnished brass Distress Paint then rubbed gesso over the letters.

To add texture to the image itself, I used a grungy edge stamp with shabby white embossing powder to make it look like ocean foam, and then I added some amber frosted flat back pearls.

To create the texture on the frame of the inverted canvas, I began by using matte Mod Podge to apply torn papers in colors to match the project all around the frame covering the staples.  I then dry brushed gesso over the paper using a light touch.  I followed with some Art Anthology dimensional sorbet paint applied through a stencil all over the frame.  I trimmed in some of the blank spaces with Tim Holtz distress paint in tarnished brass to highlight.  I added gel medium and applied glass beads and some little stones (lower left corner)

I made the grungy flower at left with the spikey shapes of the Tim Holtz Tattered floral die (I cut two), and in the center I used a Sizzix daisy die (I cut two), and punched out sun shapes for the center (I punched out three), then I added some glass beads.  The flower at right is just a simple rolled rose by Die-namics.

Thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Butterfly of Gears

Hot Air Balloon Stack Up

Word Ribbons 3

Gears Borders and Corners Shape Set

Other:
Image by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Butterfly by Renea Bouquets

Shabby Book Box - Creative Team Project for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Today I'm sharing a super shabby altered book box.  I have created some fun inside the box with the intent that it be displayed upright on my nightstand.  I just love how it came out, and I can't stop looking at the inside.  All of the papers as well as the tags and images inside the box, are part of the printable digital paper kit called Paris in My Heart by Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  Additionally, I have added some lace, doilies, flowers and other embellishments.  Inside I have created a flower from the digital papers and using the Tim Holtz Tattered Flower die.  This is my third project created with this collection.  I love that I can print what I want over and over again.  It is so gorgeous, perfect for any lover of shabby roses.  Thanks so much for looking!

Products Used:

Digital Design Paper by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Paris in My Heart Collection

Check out Debbie's other gorgeous paper collections, and sign up for amazing weekly freebies HERE!

Other:

Chipboard corner piece on cover by Gina's Designs

Flowers by Petaloo

Prima Resins

Doilies and parchment flower cluster inside cover by Craftsupplies1

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Lila's Wish - A Layout featuring Gina's Designs and Craftsupplies1

Today I'm sharing a layout featuring my cat Delilah for the October cross promotional project with Gina's Designs and Craftsupplies1.  The beautiful parchment flower and leaf clusters from Craftsupplies1, combined perfectly with the chipboard bird cages and flourishes from Gina's Designs.  I painted my chipboard with a light coat of gesso, then colored the pieces with gelatos and a touch of Prima chalk inks.  The crocheted doily underneath the flower cluster at the bottom left is also from craftsupplies1 and came in a package of assorted doilies in different sizes.  The design papers and the doily behind the photo are from the Scraps of Darkness kit club.  

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Scribbled Frames and Lines

Hanging Cages

Feathery Flourishes Set

Fern Fronds

Craftsupplies1

Zibbet

Etsy

Other:

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Scraps of Darkness Kit Club

Wooden bird by Pork Shop Show

Paper by Fabscraps - Paint Chic Collection

Sizzix Die (Wish)

Hanging Charm by Prima Vintage Trinkets

Nature Inspired Memo Board for Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone!  Today I am sharing a nature inspired Memo Board, one of my favorite pieces from the Home Decor section of our store.   I wanted my memo board to be both beautiful and functional.  I have left the center of the piece free of any dimensional embellishments, and a lined notepad from the dollar section of Michaels fits perfectly in the space and would be held in place by the addition of a metal clip as shown in the close up below.

With the simple addition of the Tim Holtz Clipboard Clip I was able to achieve a fully functional memo board to hold interchangeable and inexpensive basic memo pads.  I painted the clip to blend in with the rest of the design as shown in the closeup below.  I attached the clip with E6000 and also with brads in the holes.  I simply punched holes with my cropodile, added the glue to the back of the clip, then secured the clip with the brads.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Memo Board

Feathery Flourishes Set

Pine Tree Shapes Set

Other:

Tim Holtz Ideology Clipboard Clip

Tim Holtz rub-ons

Sizzix Botanical Leaves (Die with Embossing Folder Set)

BoBunny Enchanted Garden Paper (from the Scraps of Darkness kit club)

Prima Nest and Flowers

Dragonflies by Renea Bouquets

Gesso

Prima Chalk Inks

Tim Holtz Distress Paint in Tarnished Brass

Shabby Chic Memory Tray for Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Hi Crafty Friends!  Today I am sharing a creative team project for Ephemera's Vintage Garden.  This Memory Tray features the digital paper kit called Paris in my Heart.  This is such a perfect gift for a lover of shabby chic Paris style, or I could just keep it all to myself.  What I love about digital paper kits is that I can always just print more paper and make another one.  This is the second project that I've created featuring this paper kit, and I hope you'll come back to see yet another that I plan to create later this month..

I have done some fussy cutting of some of the images in the paper and raised them up onto pop dots to create some extra dimension.  This tray did not take me long at all to decorate. The hardest part was in deciding which gorgeous paper to put in which square :)

I began by painting the tray with white gesso, then I used Tim Holtz tissue tape around the frame, and added some distress ink.  

Products:

Digital Design paper by Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Paris in my Heart printable kit

Wooden memory Tray by Recollections

Doilies and chipboard shapes (including the Eiffel tower) are from Gina's Designs

Tim Holtz tissue tape

Flowers by Prima and Petaloo

Butterflies by Renea Bouquets

Check out Debbie's other gorgeous papers, and sign up for amazing weekly freebies HERE!

Spooky Banner - GDT for Kitty's Scrap Post and $$$$ COUPON $$$$$

Hi Friends!  Here I am again with even more Halloween fun!  I created this very Gothic and a little bit creepy banner with a printable digital paper kit from Kitty's Scrap Post.  This kit is called Nevermore and is one of several paper kits that Luisa has designed in a Halloween Theme.  This is my second project using this paper kit, and I just love the images.  I might have to make some Halloween cards next :)

 If you haven't tried digital paper kits yet, or you want to add to an existing digital paper stash, then please visit the shop and remember to use this discount coupon for 15% off of your entire purchase.  ****Enter code NancyGDT15 to receive your discount!*****

Products used:

Digital Paper Kit by Kitty's Scrap Post

Nevermore Full Kit

Nevermore  Bottlecap and Domino Art Collage Sheet

Decorative Cardstock Doilies by Gina's Designs

Haunted Mansion Shadowbox for Gina's Designs

Hi Everyone,  today I am sharing another Halloween project.  This time I have created a peek at the inside of a haunted mansion.  I didn't want to use the standard Gothic and Halloween colors, and I was inspired by collage sheets of colorful furniture from Alpha Stamps.  I had been wanting to use the chipboard spiral staircase, one of the newer shapes from Gina's Designs, so I thought it would be fun to create an upstairs loft inside the mansion that is separated from the downstairs by a 5 inch length of 1 x 1 wood that I found in my garage.

This piece was created inside of a 12 x 12 wooden shadowbox I purchased at Michaels.  The shadowbox is about 2 inches deep and the images inside are raised on pop dots at different levels to create lots of dimension.  I painted the frame with gesso then applied texture paste and used various inks paints and sprays to color it.  The red streaks of "blood" were created with distress re-inker.  I had a lot of fun creating my Gothic world.  I hope you like it, thanks for looking!

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Spiral Staircase

Grape Vines

Spiderweb Shapes Set

Chandeliers

Hanging Clock

Digital Design Paper (background) by Kitty's Scrap Post - Nevermore Kit

Collage Sheet Images by:

Alpha Stamps

The Sum of All Crafts

Moonlight Journey

Halloween Graveyard - Design Team for Gina's Designs

This Standing Dome from the Home Decor section of Gina's Designs, comes in two styles.  This one has a solid back and the other style has a framed opening at the back.  I love both of them, but this one in particular, because it does remind me of a tombstone.  The piece wasn't designed for Halloween necessarily, but I couldn't help myself.  The 4-inch depth seemed like such a likely spot for these skeletons to hang out.  

I painted the assembled piece black, then dry brushed some orange in places.  I also adhered some packaged spider webbing from the Halloween section of the dollar store with gel medium for extra texture, and melted it into the paints with my heat gun.  I also spread on a bit of glass bead gel and brass colored distress paint.  For the mossy look I added green acrylic paint with a dry brush.   I don't usually start with a plan, I just keep adding color and texture until I achieve the look I want.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Standing Dome

Tree 3

Spider Web Shape Set

Chain Borders

Collage Sheet Images by:

Seneca Pond Crafts

Alpha Stamps