Thursday's Dream Schemes:Summertime Challenge

May Arts ribbon on bridal stencil (LJ924) card

HOT HOT HOT....this month we are touting all that is summertime. Thank you everyone who has linked up and joined the challenge. We will be announcing our random winner the first day of August. AND...a special thanks to Wendy Price for being our guest designer this month. I don't know about ya'll, but I have been loving the anticipation of seeing what she has to share...such great talent!

I am posting this sizzling bridal shower card because the background says 'summertime wedding' to me. My sister was married in the summertime (many moons ago) and these were her wedding colors...hot pink and peach! Well, this might be a bit hotter than her wedding colors, but this summer has been hotter too. Whew!! Hope you are all surviving this heat, we are heading to Las Vegas this week for CHA the summer show and our travel day will be 107 degrees. (We are praying for cooler weather to set up in.)

This zentangle inspired art card was rendered completely by Wayne this time around. All I did was make it into a card after he completed the artwork. Here are the steps according to him:

1. Wet a 140# hot press watercolor paper.

2. Use a wash of several bright watercolors starting with the lighter colors and working to the darker colors. This was accomplished by smudging the colors on with a large watercolor brush.

3. Place the bride stencil (LJ924) in the center of the card and tape off the edges. Then spritz the stencil image with water. Wipe out as much color as possible.

4. With the stencil still in place trace the design with a black 01 micron pen (30181). Remove the stencil and 'tangle' away with your favorite patterns. The major tangle on the dress is called 'Fiore' and the floral edged pattern at the bottom is called 'Buttercup'.

5. White highlights were added on much of the design with a white prisma color pencil and gouache.

6. As I said once it was finished I tied it with a May Arts ribbon and mounted it on metallic papers.

I want to thank Pam Hornschu for posting for me when my life gets too busy here at Dreamweaver, also for the support of the team and all of the followers who have sent cards or written notes and comments regarding the passing of my Father. Just know that he was ill for a long time and slowly fading, so he is now at rest and we are at peace. One of my mother's customers sent him a card every week and it was really something both of my parents looked forward to. For those of you who are card makers and know someone who is a shut in or in a nursing home I encourage you to do this, it can really bring joy. Thank you Madeleine!

Please follow the team's posts here at the end of this post and PLEASE join our random winner challenge this month by linking to the linky tool below.

Dream It Up! 

Wendy Price

Laura Drahozal
Lyn Bernatovich
Pam Hornschu
Heidi Erickson
Louise Healy
Jessica Griffin
Cyndi Bundy

Summertime, Sparklers, and S'more...Week Two

Hi, it's Pam here once again, giving Lynell a little break as she only got home yesterday from visiting her family. For those of you that know Lynell and her parents, you know that her dad has been doing poorly for a couple of years now, but particularly in recent months. He'd become very weak, and breathing had become harder, and caring for him had become more difficult for Lynell's mother, Shirley. As it progressed, they made the decision to place him in hospice, and as anyone knows who've dealt with caring for a loved one near the end, those hospice nurses are awesome...so kind, helpful, understanding, and rejuvenating for caregivers. Bill passed away on Sunday, July 7th, in the afternoon, which has become a bittersweet feeling for all involved. As Lynell says, he is now at rest, and they are now at peace...relieved that he is no longer suffering, and they can be comforted in knowing they were there for him as needed, and now can share their treasured memories as a family. Feel free to leave your thoughts below in the comment section for Lynell and her family, or email her at lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com. If you are feeling particularly creative, you can send cards in care of Dreamweaver Stencils, 1335 Cindee Lane, Colton, CA 92324.

Now on with the post! In keeping with our summertime theme for the month of July, I'm posting this sweet and dreamy pink sandcastle card that I created. I played with a new technique which will be coming out in a new technique sheet soon, so I can't go into too much details. I can tell you that Pearlescent Paste and Memories Mists were used, and no, it's not a sludge paste. The stencils used were the new Sandcastle, the Scallop, and the Scales designs. Using Bazzill's Bling paper line in pink added to the shimmer, along with some little adhesive pearls and a tiny die cut sentiment. Remember, the purpose of our monthly challenges is to encourage YOU to play along, learn new techniques, and discover the joy of stenciling. Just link your creations to the linkytool at the bottom of this post, or email to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com. Don't forget, we have more fun surprises for those of you that follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and our weekly tutorials on Paper Craft Planet! Now, check out what our "B" team has created along with this month's Guest Designer, the amazing Wendy Price:

Dream It Up! 

Wendy Price
Lea Kimmel
Louise Healy
Stacey Rumsby
Terrece Siddoway
Caroline Duncan
Pam Hornschu
Cherylynn Moser

Hop Prize Winners, a Challenge Winner, and a New Challenge...Oh My!

Hi, Pam here for this week's post as Lynell is off for a family visit.

Are you excited? Are you doing the "Oooh, oooh, oooh, did I win?" dance? We had so much fun with last week's hop with Ranger's Stickles Dry Glitter, and we hope that you did as well. Just so you don't "wet your knickers", I'll let you know who are the two prize winners...Sandy (Cheesy) and Kren!!!!

Congratulations to both of you! Please email your address to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com, and your packages will be on their way! (Please note, the clear pail, ribbon bow, and lime green paper shred is not part of the package...just a cute marketing ploy by our social media and marketing semi-whiz...me! Well, if you ask nicely, we might just throw in the paper shred).

We also have a winner to announce from our monthly challenge for the month of June, but I'll add that at the end of this post...kind of drawing out the excitement for a second "Depends" moment. Lol.
 
The challenge for the month of July will be fun, simple, and predictable..."Summertime, Sparklers, and S'more"! We hope you'll play along with us, and link your creation to our linkytool at the end of the post for an opportunity to be a random winner of the stencil of your choice. If you want to start deciding on that choice, check out the line of stencils HERE. Meanwhile, here's our post for today, followed by the Dream Team list of players this week, and our special guest designer for the month of July...Wendy Price!

I had the fun of creating today's card for the first post of the new challenge, and I used a 4th of July memory from years ago to inspire me. When my boys were young, we were back in Minnesota for a month in the summer to visit my mother and grandmother. The neighbor next door asked if the boys and I would like to go watch the town fireworks out near the lake. Despite the mosquitoes, we had a fabulous time. My favorite part was how the fireworks were reflecting off of the water...so pretty, so I worked on a loose interpretation. For my card, I paste-embossed the Large Flourish stencil in red, white, and blue on a dark gray panel with sparkly speckles in it. Then I covered each section with the new Stampendous Micro Glitters and set it aside to dry. The bottom panel was created in the same way, but using a mirror cardstock. Once the paste was applied, I ran a "pointy tool" through the wet paste to create some movement. The completed card also features a sentiment banner, and fun Card Candi in patriotic colors with stars on them.

Before you head off to visit our "A" team, I'll let you know that our challenge winner for the month of June is YOGI, who created this gorgeous card:

Congrats, YOGI! And thanks so much for playing along with our Pinterest-inspired challenge in June. We love your creation. Let us know which stencil you would like us to send you! For the rest of you, be sure to leave our team some love as you check out their summer creations! Have a safe, happy, and yummy 4th of July!

Dream It Up! 

Wendy Price

Laura Drahozal
Lyn Bernatovich
Pam Hornschu
Heidi Erickson
Louise Healy
Jessica Griffin
Cyndi Bundy

Dreamweaver Stencils and Ranger are Hopping with Stickles Dry Glitter

The Dream Team has a big day today! Not only are we into week three of our Pinterest Inspired challenge, we are also playing with Ranger's Stickles Dry Glitter in the mix! We've had so much fun playing with jars of sparkly goodness, that we want to share the fun with two lucky crafters! 

  

Just visit everyone on the list below, and leave comments for everyone. Two winners* will be randomly selected and announced Thursday, July 4th...what a great day for a celebration! Each prize package includes a mix of five Ranger Stickles Dry Glitter, a mix of six Dreamweaver Stencils, and jar of Dreamweaver Translucent Paste, and a Palette Knife for spreading. If you want to add to the fun, play along with our Pinterest challenge and link your own creation to the linkytool on theDream It Up! blog before July 1st for a chance to win this month's stencil prize. Here's the list of sparkly-Pinteresting players:

Cherylynn Moser

Leadonna Kimmel

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy

Jessica Griffin

Caroline Duncan 

Stacey Rumsby

Pam Hornschu

Heidi Erickson

Cyndi Bundy

Terrece Siddoway

Lyn Bernatovich 

Jennifer Dove

The Ranger Blog  (this will go live later in the day)

Here is my creation for today's hop and the June Pinterest challenge. You will find my Pinspiration piece at the end of my post. Meanwhile, a few steps in the process...

The May Arts canvas ribbon was perfect to use the matte black paste (DMBP) on!

I mixed the Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste (DEPT) with the dry Stickles Glitter from Ranger.

Southwest background stencil (LJ807)

Here is a picture of what it looks like when it is pasted on the Southwest background stencil (LJ807). I loved how it looked holographic on the dark purple cardstock. I was surprised that the tangerine color that you see above looked turquoise on the purple paper. I actually mixed a Lime Green mixture as well and pasted them at the same time. To see more how this is done you can learn about paste-embossing two pastes at the same time in my book on Embossing Paste techniques. It is called New Dimensions in Cardmaking (Book-4) and the project technique is called "sludge paste"...catchy name, huh?

The lizard stencil (LL2004) was paste embossed with Glossy Black Embossing Paste (DGKP) and then the Green and Lime Green dry Stickles were sprinkled on top of the paste. I like using glossy pastes with this technique, as the glossies are stickier and tend to hold glitter and embossing powders better than the matte pastes. When the lizard was dry I used a craft knife and scraped the edges so he had a black outline.

And here is my Pinterest inspiration. Isn't he a colorful one? Click HERE for more info.

I know many of you are here to see the monthly challenge creations, so if you are thinking of playing along, you can link your creations up with the linky tool below to join our challenge this month. I know it is a Pinterest inspired challenge, but we just love to have people link their creations of any kind! So feel free to join us with any kind of creation you have done. 

Our random winner for the monthly challenges is posted the first Thursday of the next month and our next challenge is then presented. So July 3 we will be announcing the hop winner as well as the challenge winner! You could be the random winner of a stencil of your choice...but please leave us some love on this hop to be eligible for the random winning of one of two of the generous combined gifts from Ranger and Dreamweaver Stencils!

Pinterest Inspired/Thursday's Challenge

My Pinterest Inspiration Click HERE

This month we are challenging you to join our Pinterest inspired challenge. Just find a link on Pinterest and create from this inspiration. Also this month we have a guest designer, Jennifer Dove. Jennifer hails from the state of Arizona and also travels to do Copic workshops...be sure to view her weekly creations this month.

Today I am sharing a card from Elaine Benedict. The month of May many of the retailers in Illinois and design team members came together for the first Dreamweaver Stencils Teacher's Certification workshop. And Elaine Benedict, my former Illinois/Wisconsin rep traveled all the way from North Carolina to assist me at the workshop. And she shared with me this wonderful card that she had created for her daughter's upcoming wedding shower. Her wedding color will be shades of purples. 

We spent some time comparing pictures etc., because my daughter is getting married soon as well. Making invitations and wedding cards can really be rewarding. Over the past few years I have had the joy of doing this for several friends and clients. 

These cards are a lacy edged paper with four flaps. It was originally die cut to match up with a lace doily stencil (LJ836). Elaine made this using the simplest of stencil techniques. Placing the bride stencil (LJ924) with removable tape (RMT) and then using a large stencil brush (NHB3/4") stenciled with pigment inks. The flowers were achieved with just a bit of purple STickles glue and then May Arts ribbon was used as a closure.


I mentioned our first Dreamweaver Stencils Certification was in the Chicago area. If anyone is interested... our next certification will be in Las Vegas on July 20 and 21 at the Suncoast Casino. Two days of intense stenciling with like-minded stenciling fanatics. I will be doing the teaching and we still have room for more. The Suncoast is not near the strip, but it is a beautiful resort casino. Not far from California and there is shuttle service to and from the airport. If you are interested I will happily email you an application. Let me know: lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com

Hope you'll take time to see the other Pinterest inspired creations. Just follow the list below and leave the team some love. Also would love to have you join us, so get inspired and leave your creation on the linky tool below.

Jennifer Dove 
Laura Drahozal
Lyn Bernatovich
Pam Hornschu
Heidi Erickson
Louise Healy
Jessica Griffin
Cyndi Bundy

Father's Day Pinterest Inspiration/ Thursday's Dream Scheme

Artwork: Two Fine Foxes by Oliver Lake

This month we are challenging you to go onto Pinterest to find your inspiration. Create something and then come back to the linky tools below and join our challenge. To find out more about the artwork inspiration in the picture  at the right, click HERE.

This month we also have a guest artist, Jennifer Dove, who is playing along with us. So be sure to take time and visit her blog as well as the Dream it UP team's creations. Their links are listed at the bottom of this posting. Usually half the team posts one week and half the next, but this week we have several playing along with us. Be sure to leave them some comments...it really inspires them to have your love sent their way.

Of course the real inspiration for a Father's Day card is Father and mine will be 83 this year. He is an amazing man and for the past few years has struggled with his health, but keeps on keeping on. 

The two fox stencils (LM2016) and (LL3030) were very simply stenciled onto white cardstock with small 1/4" stencil brushes (GHB) and Splendor pigment ink pads (Circus) and (Magic).
The Happy Father's Day stencil (LM244) was paste-embossed with the matte black embossing paste (DMBP).

I started by base coating with yellow and then stippled the brown into the areas that I wanted to shade more. The stenciling was finished with just a touch of black on both foxes.

Now is your opportunity to visit the rest of the team and our fabulous guest designer, but don't forget to link your own Pinterest-inspired creation to the linkytool below!

Jennifer Dove

Lea Kimmel

Louise Healy

Stacey Rumsby

Terrece Siddoway

Caroline Duncan

Pam Hornschu

Cherylynn Moser

Jessica Griffin

Cyndi Bundy

As an added note, feel free to follow us on Pinterest by clicking HERE! You can find more Dreamweaver creations on Pinterest as well as post your own by clicking HERE!

Inspired by Pinterest:Plus Random Winner for the May Challenge

My Pinterest inspiration for this week's creation.

For the entire month of June we are challenging our readers and creative followers to find something on Pinterest to be inspired by...then link up your inspired creation to the linky tool below along with the link or photo of the inspiration.

I was inspired by this photo I found on Pinterest. And my creation below is done with the Poppy stencil (LL521). We have had a very dry winter, so the poppies did not bloom in full regalia like they usually do. And I've really been enjoying all the beautiful photos of poppies that I've found on the Pinterest site.

Also in the future...starting today, we are posting the previous month's challenge winner on the first Thursday of the month along with the notice of our new challenge. Our random challenge winner from last month... was Jill D. Click HERE to view her creation... it was wonderful to have her play along with May's Challenge of "Tiny Treats"(...thank you Jill). So, Jill, please be sure to email me with the stencil you would like to have. Yep...any Dreamweaver stencil you so desire. Just write to me at lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com and we will send that to you post haste.

This month's guest artist is Jennifer Dove. She is listed below on the Design Team list, so be sure to take time to visit their blogs and hers to see how they have been inspired by Pinterest. Jennifer is from Arizona and teaches extensively with Copic markers. I feel fortunate that she is also a fan of Dreamweaver Stencils and has created some wonderful cards using our stencils and materials. Thanks Jennifer for joining us this month.

Now just a few details about my poppy creation. We have a new instructional flyer called: Embossed Strié. I know I have shown you in the past this technique...but as they say "expression makes impression" and the more I teach this and write about it...the more ideas and creations are evolving. To begin, you need to emboss the stencil image. That can either be by hand using a light table and a stylus or it can be using the "Big Shot" or "Cuttlebug" etc. The main thing to remember while embossing by machine is the stacking method. If you follow these steps you will not ruin your stencil OR your machine.

1. Place the thickest white plate in the machine first if you own a Cuttlebug this is referred to as the A plate. If you own a Big Shot this is referred to as the thick white platform...do not use the TAB 1 or 2. Instead let those tabs follow through opened up. 

2. Place the poppy stencil (LL521) face down on this thick white plate or platform. This means the copyright and stencil code is hidden from view. 

3. Next place the cardstock to be embossed on top of the stencil then spray this paper with rubbing alcohol. This spritz of alcohol helps the paper fibers break and move into the stencil for a sharper embossed image without making the paper soggy like water would. And has the added advantage of not leaving water spots on the cardstock.

4. Now place the thick Stamping Details rubber mat on the paper. This mat is thicker than most but definitely worth having. Otherwise you need to use two or three plastic shims with your thinner rubber mat. But the rubber mat should be closest to the paper.

5. This is followed by two acrylic plates. For the Cuttlebug...these are identified as "B" plates.

Crank this stack of plates through the machine. DO NOT FORCE the machine. If it is too tight you could hurt the machine. Find the right formula for your machine by reading step #4 over again if necessary.

To achieve the striped look called Strié that you see at the edges of the poppy card begin by placing the embossed card onto a piece of scrap paper. Then load a 3/4 inch stencil brush (NHB3/4") with pigment ink and begin in the upper left hand corner and make sure the flat bristles of the loaded stencil brush are resting  on the piece of scrap paper. The majority of the color will be off loaded at the edge of the card stock. As you pull the brush in a straight line toward you, lessen the pressure you are applying and sweep the bristles of the brush upward coming off the card right in the center of the paper. If you don't make this sweeping upward motion, the pigment will stop abruptly and make a smudging coloration right in the middle of the paper. As much as possible, keep the bristles straight and then repeat this same action moving approximately a brush width at a time, all the way across to the right side of the card. The streaks of pigment hitting the edges of the dry embossed design will accent the upper half of the image. Now you have half of the card done. Turn the card a full 180 degrees and repeat this same action again, moving right to left. The card is now finished, however, if you want a more "linen' look  to your card, you can turn the card 90 degrees and repeat the same "strié" technique again. To finish this linen look, turn the card 180 degrees again and finish the last side. Now, all four sides are done and you will have twice as much color on the card.

On the poppy card the strié background was subtle and so I added more color by placing the stencil on top of the embossed image and stenciled the poppies with orange, red and black pigment inks using small 1/4 and 1/8 inch stencil brushes (BHB and GHB). I do love to stencil and hope you'll take time to try this technique. And we're hoping you'll join us for this month's challenge.

Jennifer Dove 
Laura Drahozal
Lyn Bernatovich
Pam Hornschu
Heidi Erickson
Louise Healy
Jessica Griffin
Cyndi Bundy