Summer Lovin'

  I am super excited to be here with my first Basically Bare Design Team project.  I recently took a winter get away to Key West and wanted to put this picture from the sunset in Mallory Square in a frame.... but not just any frame :)

I started with this one, which was shiny

So, I roughed it up a little bit- some sandpaper took the shine off.  I wanted to make sure the papers would adhere well.  Then I added a thick layer of Gesso to help with the 'purchase'.

 

I deco'd on little strips of a bright colored paper, but it was just a bit too garish for what I wanted.  My design team good box had some Art Anthology Viridian and it brought just the right amount of sea and sparkle to tone down those colors.  Here, you can see the difference.

This trip was super fun and I wanted the frame to show that off.  And the Basically Bare Camera chipboard piece was perfect!  I started with another thick coat of Gesso and layered on some Velvet Dimensional Paint in Tango.  Then I took some stickers from the paper collection and put the on in a 'stripy' way, to mimick the paper technique.

 

That was also given a coat of the Viridian.

  

Lastly, I used the circle that was set into the camera to give a bit of a title - and that paint is called Mermaid... no lie!  I said all weekend in the Keys I was a Mermaid, I just had to laugh when I saw that.

Here is the finished piece.  I am really happy with the mosaic/grunginess of this frame and love looking at it thinking of what a great time was had.

I put up a video with the final piece if you'd like to see it up close and personal   

Chalk board paint prizes!!

I LOVE chalkboard paint right now! I altered these simple frames and covered them with it. Added a pretty pink ribbon...for obvious reasons, and a vintage button. Five of these super cute treats are in the raffle bin...got your ticket? Made a donation?? Let me know!

Happiness Cards

Tonight I worked on an altered frame for a swap, made some flowers, spent a little time on my desk calendar I have been making and finished off the night with three pretty cards. 
I have had this cherry blossom mulberry paper for ages but it felt like an odd theme for OWH cards.  But, I used a 50% off coupon to pick up the Fiskars Background Asian Inspired Clear Stamps set I have been wanting.
A tag punched with my Stampin Up punch, great satin ribbon, embossed character and the word happiness all finished off with some strategically placed half back pearls.  I didn't forget the inside either and shared one of the stamps there.  Three more cards for the box.