Card tutorial : Happy endings are only new beginnings

Good morning everyone!

Bloom Girl Stephanie here with you and I'm thrilled to show you this creation today, as it made me go way out of my comfort zone, and I loved the experience! I have been turning this concept of card in my head for quite a while now, and then, it hit me: watercolours, alcohol markers, and an epic sentiment to focus on. Not to mention a gorgeous floral stamp!

Here's what you need to create this card:

Colouring medium and ink (I used Copic markers and Memento Tuxedo Black ink)
Bloom cling stamp - Floral
Bloom cling stamp - Sentiment from Lacie's set
Distress inks or your favourite watercolouring products
Mop brush
Water
Scott towels or any sponging paper
Mixed media paper
Foam tab adhesives
Kraft and black cardstock

1. Start by cutting a 4"x6" piece of mixed media cardstock.
2. With your brush, add water on your cardstock, carefully trying not to go too far near the edges.
3. Again with using your wet brush, dab some ink and transfer onto the watered surface of your cardstock. You should see the water reacting immediately.
4. Add more ink of the same colour for intensity, or change colours and repeat the step onto other parts of your cardstock.
5. Gently sprinkle water with your brush over the full piece, and sponge with your scott towel. Let everything dry completely.This will create "blank" spots, increasing the watercolour effect.
6. Stamp your flower onto regular colouring cardstock and colour it.
7. Stamp sentiment onto cardstock, separate and cut words.
8. Once your mixed media piece is dry enough, glue to a 4-3/16"x6-3/16" of black cardstock, mounting both on 4-3/8"x6-3/8" cardbase of kraft cardstock.
9. Put foam tab adhesives behind your flower image and some sentiment pieces, mount onto mixed media cardstock. Put regular adhesive on the pieces that are left.

The process of this card was pretty easy, so you should be able to overflow our facebook group with your inspiration, too! 

Happy Birthday Frida Kahlo, Bloom Style!

Hi everybody! It's a Monday, not our regular schedule here at the Bloom Girls but it's Frida Kahlo's Birthday today so I asked permission to post on her day!  Recently I visited Mexico, what a beautiful country and of course I HAD to visit Casa Azul, her home/museum in the quaint city of Coyoacán, MX.

And being the scrapbooker that I am I had to create a journal/album to put all my photos and memorabilia. 

I thought it would be cool to do a Bloom project going back on Jamie's stamps all the way to the newest.

Jamie's stamps are so versatile they go anywhere and Boom, make it all better!

I'm also using the new Ranger's line of Dylusions acrylic paint because they match so well the vibrant palette of Mexico, I think Frida would approve... and Sandra Evertson Relics and Artifacts, because Frida would approve as well...

so come visit!

One of my favorite FK quotes

 "Feet what do I need you for, if I have wings to fly"

you are going to love what I used to create my quote banner...I should put you to the test on this one, ha!

on to the know how

I took a chipboard album and painted it Azul, if you thought it was as easy as splashing cobalt blue, think again, I used 3 blues, one violet and a white, from Liquitex and DinaWakley acrylics, you can see a bit of the museum outdoor pic to help me with the color

I had me a stamping storm, can you spot the banner I used? yup you're right! I am using Sharon's hair as my banner, it worked beautifully, who would have though you don't actually need to buy an extra stamp now!

It's all in the eye of the beholder

 

 

Frida loved butterflies that's why I used the gorgeous Monarchs on Sharon's hair.  while I was fuzzy cutting I decided to leave the eye, kinda  quirky.  That led me to using a real eye from Sandra's Relics.  And what better to decorate that eye Frida/Dali style than by using Catrina?

Also this stencil silhouette provided me with the perfect Frida and Jamie's stamps provided me with the perfect scale for her signature flowers on her hair!

my first choice for her wings were the butterflies on Sharon's stencil, as the project evolved I decided to add the Relics ones on top of the Monarchs.  It's an ongoing thing, as you know,  while you create.

I wanted colorful blooms for my book to surround Frida with all the bright colors she loved

I'm using

 

 

Sharon

Sharon stencil

Catrina

Inspire, Create, Explore

Wings

 

Girl Sophie

 

Bubble Gum pink, postbox red, squeezed orange, lemon zest, cut grass, white linen, black marble 

I decided to add Catrina's roses here along with her hairdress in the eye and wings

and can you spot her chin in "Frida's" body? I used Catrina's chin sunflower in a couple of places!

Flowers' on Frida's hair

And now a tour of what's inside!

 

I saved all of my receipts, including a permission to take photos inside the museum!

each tab has one of Frida's quotes handwritten in them

I used Jamie's wings stencil and stamp here!

the body was made stamping a Prima floral stamp

here I used the wings stencil with some gold embossing

and this one was inspired by Frida's wardrobe exhibit:

 "Appearances can be deceiving",

 that we were fortunate enough to see

this is one of the corsets she had to use and also the inspiration of one of her paintings

 

So, I hope you have enjoyed my" Bloomy" interpretation of Frida

 

and enjoyed a new way to use some of  Jamie's fab stamps!

"til next time!

 

Milagros

 

 

 

 



Sirena Jewelry Box with Milagros

Hi Bloom Girls! Milagros here with some brand new inspiration for you.  As part of our traditions here in the island we get from Spain "turrón" a spectacular almond nougat done only on Christmas.  They come in beautiful wooden boxes that I treasure. When we are done eating, to me they are
not trash, not an empty box but a box of possibilities....and that's the,way I see it!
I thought creating a jewelry box that you could hide in your wall disguised as art, was a clever idea, function and aesthetics in one cute little package! It already has hinges and closure!

 

now let's see how I did it!

 

 

 Now you are ready for your Bloom Girl, I chose to bring Sirena out of the water into a garden

Love that her name is in Spanish ;) it means mermaid!

I used modeling paste to give a raised effect with my stencil.  Believe it or not I'm using the new lace stencil, made to look like some hanging vines!!!

Here she is after some watercolor painting, I chose Prima's The Primary collection for their purple and acqua. 

 

I used some twinkling watercolors to give a wash to my vines

yeah she's taking a breath out of the water and she is liking it! And I love the effect of the SII, they make her hair flow

hardware

hinges

line with felt, another recycled item

hide some treasures

and hang your piece!

the closure is safely hidden from view by my metal embellishments

I hope to inspire you on this upcoming Earth Day to upcycle a project and add some beauty with your favorite Bloom Girl

 

Milagros

www.milagroscrivera.blogspot.com

 

Materials used

 

Sirena Bloom Girl Stamp

Prima Lace stencil

Art Basics Heavy Gesso

Art Basics 3D Gloss Gel

Art Basics Modeling Paste

Prima Watercolor Pencils (The Basics, Soft Neutrals)

Prima Say it in Crystals

wood, metal, nails, hammer, pearls (in the same sentence, really!)

Spellbinders Die

Mini-Album tutorial with Jing from DT Stephanie

Good morning everyone!

DT Stephanie here to show you a mini-album that I created from start to finish with gorgeous ribbons from May Arts and Prima marketing amazing products. I just feel so inspired when I put them all together with a Bloom Girl! The plus side is that you even have all the instructions to reproduce this at home/in store! In this tutorial, Bloom Girl Jing was already coloured in a no-line technique with Copics markers, but you can do the same with stamping her in pale ink (Memento Desert Sand, in this case) and that's it!

Close-ups...

Here's how to do the Jing Mini-Album Project:

1. Cut 2 pieces of chipboard to 7”x6¼”
2. Cover both with patterned papers. I recommend using strong adhesive.
3. Add 3 pieces of trimmings one over the other on the binding edge.
4. Pierce holes for the binding. You could go with a regular 3-rings method or with a binding tool like the Cinch.
5. Add piece of trimming to the bottom.
6. Half-stamp your favourite image of the Bloom Girls collection in light ink and colour it, while leaving the flowers/details blank. Fussy cut it.
7. Cut a squared piece of patterned paper and mat it with 2 cardstocks.
8. Pop up everything on 3D foam dots.
9. Add flowers and other types of embellishments ; you’re done!

Products used :

Bloom Girl Jing stamp 980191

Almanach paper collection 12”x12”

Prima Flowers 571214, 571177

Wood Icons Epiphany collection 576059

Shabby Chic Treasures Metal Door Lock 892425

May Arts ribbons : 384-09, 393-09, 353-09, 433-10, 379-09, 353-10, 468-10, RG10

What a Hoppy Day with Canvas Corp.

Easter is in a few days and I always love creating a few decorations for the holidays. Here is a 12 x12 canvas I created using Canvas Corp. supplies! The designs and color are a fun and funky twist on the holiday and give it a more graphic feel.

I used Canvas Corp. 12 x 12 stretched canvas, Canvas Corp.(CC) Patterned papers, CC twine, CC Kraft shredded paper, and 7 Gypsies Medal medallion. I added a Prima flower to the center of the medallion and altered it with the same mist I used on the background.

Look at how you could use this paper line with a slight grunged look. I will show you how I created the fun background. 

Here are what you need to complete this technique.

_Unprimed Canvas. Canvas Corp. Carries a who line of unfinished, stretched canvases. 

_Gel Medium

_Palette knife or paint brush

_Patterned paper

_Brayer

_Glimmer Mist (color used Valencia Chalkboard mist)

1. you will cover your canvas with a generous layer of Gel media. I add it in spots and not the entire page. I think it gives a better weathered look. 

2. Place your pattered paper face side up on your working surface then place your canvas on top. You can even lay a collage of papers down to add a fun design.

3.Next use your brayer and run it along the back side of the canvas. Make sure to use heavy pressure to the canvas. This will help fuse the paper and canvas together. Turn the canvas over and run the brayer over your edges. Pressure is key.

4. Allow the gel medium to dry completely before you move on to this step. If you can. It's best to allow it to set over night. Then pull the patterned paper off of the canvas. Only what was adhered by the gel medium will stick to the canvas. 

5. Spray the left over paper with water. Get it moist enough to roll the paper backing off of the canvas with you fingers. You can see on the right hand side where I have removed the paper backing to leave only the colored design of the paper. I suggest doing some let it dry rewet and finishing it. This will assure your paper design does not become to wet and come completely off.

Next spray your canvas with your choice of mist. Do a light layer over the entire piece. When I mean light I mean an even coat of color. Not spritz of color lol ;) I know some of you lol
Then in only areas spray heavily to add contrast between the layers of mist. I find the chalkboard mist works best for this. Now your canvas background is ready to decorate. Enjoy :D


Hugs
Jamie