On The Texas Road Again!

Happy Spring Saturday everyone crafty! I am the hostess again this week at Our Creative Corner. First, I would like to say "WOW!" The entries from last week's "Bingo" challenge were fantastic, and it will be hard for me to choose a winner, even though there are so few entries.  Thank you so much for participating!

Spring has sprung yet again! It's time to take that annual well deserved Spring Break vacation. Where would your postcard come from? Make whatever paper craft you like and show us your "spring break vacation destination". Remember to include the name of your destination somewhere on your project.

I decided to make a postcard of my Spring Break destination, and I'd love to tell you I visited one of the places above, but alas I cannot tell a lie. I spent last week on the road (Interstate 20 to be exact) to several wonderful Texas destinations...well sort of. We had a hockey tournament in Dallas and Fort Worth, and a golf tournament in Lubbock, then back home. Once home if was back on the highway to tote kids to and fro for their entertainment purposes only...for sure not my own. However, Hubby did take me to a fantastic stamping store in Dallas (Plano actually), called Stamp Asylum, so I guess I had a wonderful break! The nice thing about traveling around Texas during this time of year though, is definitely the scenery. The blue bonnets are just starting to emerge, and by next month, a sea of purplish blue will be able to seen all around our roadways.
If you are looking for more inspiration or just wanting to look, please visit my fellow OCC Design Team Members, or this week's Guest Designer, Carla Suto.

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon
 

I had two pieces of this bluebonnet postcard. I adhered them together on cardstock leaving a border. I stamped the tread image in Jet Black Archival, making it roadway instead.

I stamped all my other images in Jet Black Archival, on this Texas fact sheet, cut them out, and inked the edges in Black Soot. I replaced the 66 in the Route image with 20 using Thickers, that I first inked in Black Soot. I added the Texas plates to the car, then the welcome sticker.

I am also submitting this tag to The Artistic Stamper's monthly challenge of "travel" ;0)!
Supplies:
From My Stash: Texas ephemera (bluebonnets, fact sheet, sticker), ivory cardstock

Road Trip Stamp Set	Wild West Stamp Set	Jet Black Archival Ink	American Crafts Amy Tangerine Goodness Thickers	Black Soot Distress Ink
Idea-ology Lost & Found Salvage Stickers

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon, and here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend with beautiful Spring weather!

Blooming Tree Birthday Tag

It's definitely feeling like Spring here in West Texas. The trees are blooming or already have leafed out, and most everybody is cleaning up their yards and planting flowers. Since I am feeling this contagious mood, I wanted to make a Spring tag that combines three challenge guidelines. Simon Says Stamp & Show's challenge is "handmade backgrounds", The Sunday Stamper's challenge is "paper flowers", and The Blogger's Challenge is "birthdays". I think I got it all covered, plus some Spring!

I used Tim's Wrinkle Free Distress technique to gain color on my tag. I dabbed on Distress Inks onto my craft mat and misted with water, then ran my tag over several times, drying between coats. I had a lot of ink on the mat and I didn't want to waste it, so I did several tags.

I stamped the music notes in Walnut Stain and the letter script in Peeled Paint Distress Inks.

I rubbed Snow Cap Acrylic paint around edges of tag and then used it to stamp the swirling pollen (that's what I think it is) image on. There you have it...my background.

I die cut the tree and inked it with Gathered Twigs appropriately, and then stamped the wood grain image on with Walnut Stain Ink.

I have had these mini paper flowers in my stash for probably 10 years...now they have a home, along with a Stickle center.

I stamped my sentiment with Embossing Distress Ink and Spiced Marmalade Distress Powder. I coated the whole thing with Crackle Accents.

I have quilt binding, which is not to be confused with seam binding...cause it ain't people, cause I tried. It didn't work like I wanted but it colored well and was pretty enough. I stamped the AO butterfly on cardstock with Sepia Archival and used Glazed Pens to give it color and shine.

 

 

Supplies:
From My Stash: mini paper flowers, quilt seam binding, white cardstock

#8 Manila Tag	Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink	Mustard Seed Distress Ink	Peeled Paint Distress Ink	Broken china - Distress ink
Worn Lipstick Distress Ink	Mini Mister	Letters To Santa Stamp Set	Festive Sounds Stamp Set	Clear Mini Nature′s Elements Stamp Set
Whimsical Melange Stamp Set	Snow Cap Acrylic Paint Dabber	Distress Embossing Ink	Spiced Marmalade Distress Emobossing Powder	Sepia Archival Ink
Fall 2011 Limited Edition Distress Ink Trio	Walnut Stain - Distress Ink	Yellow Glaze Pen	Black Glaze Pen	Alterations Branch Tree Bigz Die
Wallpaper and Wood Stamp Set	Glossy Accents	Crackle Accents	Spiced Marmalade Distress Stickles

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!