Dreams are Forever

Hello and welcome back to release week for Artistic Outpost.  You probably already know that Artistic Outpost released two new plates this week - Chalkboard Wisdom and Chalk it Up - and I have had lots of inky fun playing with them! These stamp sets coordinate wonderfully with each other and also look fabulous with many of the other plates Artistic Outpost has to offer!   Chalk it Up features frames, collage elements, and lovely chalky bits, while Chalkboard Wisdom features plenty of inspiration with the hand lettered style set of sentiments.

Starting with some papers from the Maja Design Vintage Summer collection, I distressed the edges with my fingernail, tearing little breaks in the edges occasionally, then sponged the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.   The sentiment and frame were stamped on some of the Maja paper with Jet Black archival ink and fussy cut out.  I made the flowers by cutting white card stock with the Tattered Flowers Decorative Strip die, stamped them with the ledger sheet stamp from Ephemera Backgrounds in Vintage Photo and then sponged the edges with Aged Mahogany DI.  I misted them to let the ink react and blend a bit and then shaped the leaves and layered them together.  The leaves were cut with the same die, sponged with Peacock Feathers DI and edged with Vintage Photo, then flicked with water droplets a la Tim Holtz.  

My butterfly was cut with the Mini M&S Butterflies from acrylic packaging and alcohol ink was applied.  I'm sorry but I don't know what colors, but it matched wonderfully with the colors of the card, I just had to use it.  It was one of those little treasures that float around the craft desk, surplus from a prior make just waiting for the right piece of art to join.  I added a few sprigs of dried baby's breath and a couple of copper filigree corners to finish everything off.  

Thanks so much for stopping by - hope you all are having a great weekend!

Designer:  Linda Coughlin

The Funkie Junkie