Capturing My Romantic Heart By: Renea Harrison

Love is in the air, and with the release of  the Blue Fern Blush and Timeless Collections along with the Blue Fern February Sketch to inspire me, I just had to create some projects that capture my romantic heart and surround some of the things in life that I love!!!

I grabbed the new Blue Fern Studios Blush Paper Collection, a romantic photo of one of my FAV subjects-Ballet, and used the sketch to draw lots of inspiration from:

I started with a layer of Blush-Key To My Heart Paper, and then overlayed it with a piece of Blush-Celebration Paper,  

tearing random spots and curling back the edges to reveal the paper underneath.

I then took another piece of the Celebration Paper, and fussy cut out the top section and layered it on with foam tape to give me the feel of a curtain type piece that reminded me of the pattern in the sketch.

I created layers from leftover pieces of the 2 papers to top with my photo, cutting and curling some of the edges.

The word "Love" in the sketch inspired me to use the Love piece from the  Blue Fern 2 Hearts Set. 

I love texture and wanted to create lots of it, so I took a Blue Fern Everlasting Dangle Chipboard Piece and first painted it with Gesso and then wrapped it randomly with tulle.

I then took my heat gun to it to melt the tulle to the chipboard. I then randomly sprinkled Imagine Ink Cotton Candy Embossing Powder and some Glitter Glass and heat set them. I then added some Resin Ballet Slippers.

I pressed the "Love" Chipboard piece into clear embossing ink and then sprinkled it with the Cotton Candy Embossing Powder, heat set it and then created a crinkle seam binding bow and topped it with a  Glass Dome Cabochon. Such a Romantic. full of texture piece!!

I created a Flower Piece at the bottom corner using some soft flowers and then took a Blue Fern Chelsea Vines Set,

and heat embossed it with some Imagine Ink Sage Embossing Powder. Don't you just love the texture that heat embossing adds to chipboard? And the Imagine Ink Embossing Powders are just amazing to work with!

To add a bit more detail and depth to my layout, and pick up some of the pattern you see in the sketch,  I used a Blue Fern Arcadia Texture Stamp and stamped along the edge of my large Chipboard piece, 

And along the torn side of my layout.
I also added some of my Handcrafted Glitter Glass Dragonflies that looked amazing with the Blue Fern Papers!

Here is a side shot, so that you can see how you can create lots of dreamy layers and romantic drama using the Blue Fern Products.

Blue Fern Supply List:

Paper:Blue Fern Studios Blush Collection~Key To My Heart 

Blue Fern Studios Blush Collection~Celebration

Chipboard:

Everlasting Dangle

Chelsea Vines

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder:

Cotton Candy
Sage

I grew up in the country and I think I learned to ride a horse as soon as I learned to walk. To me there is nothing like the feel of a Velvet nose nuzzling you, the look of those big eyes when you are giving them a skritch right between the eyes, or the feel of those muscles rippling underneath you as you move in unison during a run. 

"There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse."~ R.S. Surtees

This layout features a photo by Photographer-Roy Bozerth that I used to create this layout that reflect my love of horses:

I started with the gorgeous, dark wood grain Timeless Abode Paper for my background.
I then took a piece of Timeless Papillons Paper  tearing the edges and around the brick pattern, then heavily inking the edges with 2 different colors of ink and then painting over the inking with crackle paint to get an amazing aged, rustic look.

Next came some burlap and then another layer of inked and distressed paper topped with my photo that I distressed and double color inked the edges on. 

I love pockets and places to tuck journaling and small treasures, so I incorporated a canvas pocket into this layout, using a left over canvas mini album page that I turned sideways, threaded burlap through the ring holes, and added some Key Trinkets to.

Here is the closeup of the pocket that offers up a secret hiding place.

And there is a journal card that pulls out that I created out of one of the Blue Fern Timeless Calling Cards cut from the paper, adding some burlap string and a flower. 

At the top corner of my photo I used a Blue Fern Circle Chain that I hit with an ink pad, leaving color in some spots and the natural chipboard color in others, and added some flowers in.

At the side of my photo, I created a hemp rope bow and topped it with a Blue Fern Manor Hinge Chipboard Piece that I two tone inked with the same colors that I used on my paper edges and added a little flower.

At the bottom corner of my photo, I added a larger Blue Fern Chain Circle, more flowers, hemp rope and another Manor Hinge Chipboard Piece.

For my sign piece, I cut out the pattern from the Blue Fern Calling Cards Paper, added some Chipboard Pieces that were actually from the parts of the Manor Hinge Pieces that most people punch out and throw away. I love using even those odd pieces that are not a part of the original design. I cut the "Timeless" piece from the bottom piece that names the Timeless Paper you are using, once again using a piece that others throw away.

The Butterflies are my Handcrafted Organza Butterflies and looked so YUMMY with the Timeless Collection.

Here is a side shot, showing off all that dimension and texture that you can achieve so easily with Blue Fern Studio Products.

Blue Fern Studio Supply List:

Paper:

Timeless Collection-Abode 

Timeless Collection Papillons

Timeless Collection Calling Cards

Chipboard:
Circle Chains
Manor Hinges

With Valentine's Day just 10 days away, I wanted to create an off the page Pocket Journal. I just love creating nooks and crannies made for  journaling and tucking in some of those love notes and romantic momentos that surround the day of love, and the Blue Fern Blush Collection was soooooo perfect for capturing the look I wanted. 

I started with a hand sewn, 3 layer pocket that gives me places to tuck items in, and then layered the front and back with the Blue Fern Blush Devoted Paper, adding a row of lace to create a romantic base layer.

Next, I used a Blue Fern Floral Clock Chipboard  Piece, this is a gorgeous piece and I painted it with white crackle paint, sprinkled it with chunky glitter glass and gold microbeads and let it air dry to bring out the YUMMY crackle finish, then topped it with the hands and added a pearl center. 

The Butterflies are some of my handcrafted pieces that I love to add to my art work.

Here you can see all the texture!
The sweet couple was fussy cut from the  Blue Fern Blush Calling Cards, and added onto the clock piece with foam tape.

I then added some various flowers and some handcrafted texture roses.

At the bottom corner, I took a "True Love" sentiment piece from the Blue Fern Two Hearts Chipboard Set, inked it then went around the edges with a marker to make it stand out.

I fussy cut this piece from the Blue Fern Blush Cupid's Folly Paper, added some texture roses and added the piece on with foam tape.

I added a beautiful Vintage Metal Clip and cut out a butterfly from the Cupid's Folly Paper and put it under the glass dome for a Romantic touch.

I created tuck in pieces that are perfect for journaling, and adding small photos and momentos  to. They include:
2-Large Tags created with the Blue Fern Cupid's Folly Paper and topped with seam binding bows and buttons.
1-Fussy Cut Heart Piece from the Blue Fern Calling Cards Paper

3-Double Sided Cards  from the Blue Fern Calling Cards Paper
1-Fold Open Card  from the Blue Fern Calling Cards Paper

1-Accordion Fold Piece  from the Blue Fern Calling Cards Paper

And here is a back view.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!! May your day be filled with love, happiness and all the chocolate you can eat!!! Hugs ~Renea 

Blue Fern Studios Supply List:

PAPER:

Blue Fern Blush Devoted Paper

Blue Fern Blush Calling Cards

Blue Fern Cupid's Folly Paper

CHIPBOARD:

Blue Fern Floral Clock Chipboard

Blue Fern Two Hearts Chipboard Set

Two layouts with the new collections and a video tutorial by Wilma

 My first post in 2016 and I am happy to tell you I will stay another year at Blue Fern Studio.   

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My first layout for today is one with a start to finish video .

I hope you find time to watch it .

I used the beautiful Timeless collection.

All the stamps and embossingpowders are from Blue Fern studios.

The video:

My second layout is made with the blush collection.

A Valentine themed line of papers.

But I think it is perfect for all kind of pictures because of its lightness.

I kept this layout light and playfull.

The Corner flourish chipboard was painted with  acrylicpaint.

After that I took away some of the brightness with white ink.

There are some cute little images on the papers .

I fussycut them and used them as little embellishments.

Thanks for visiting the blog...

Have a nice day

x Wilma x

It's January .. with Sandi Clarkson

Hello, Blue Fern Studios fans!

 My name is Sandi Clarkson and I am thrilled to begin my Second Term with the Blue Fern Design Team.  Having worked with the Blue Fern Studios owner, staff and many of my fellow team members, this tuly feels like home! It also doesn't hurt that I live in the same state where Blue Fern is manufactured to strengthen my sense of belonging! (Texas, USA)  Because of that proximity, I am sometimes the very first designer to get to see the new products! Talk about exciting!! 

I'm married with three grown, married daughters and a growing number of grandkids! By profession, I'm a very recently retired Audiologist (last week) and am excited to have more free time to get "lost" in creating! I enjoy trying new techniques but am usually happiest when the results still fit my "pretty" criteria. My scrap room is my happy place. I kind of love that my desks have paint, gesso and runaway micro beads all over them. I'm mostly a layout girl but love, love, love doing the occasional canvas. 

Please visit my blog at Soft Side of Sandi to see more of my work. 

So, onward with January's projects ...

"XOXO" (based on the January sketch and flipped)

This month I actually did 2 masculine layouts! Or maybe it is safer to say that I've used masculine photos and then did my own thing! For this first one, I've pulled out some older papers from the Sanctuary collection along with some older chipboard pieces. But I've paired them with some of the new embossing powders that I was dying to try .. Oatmeal and Sage. 

The background for this one was created with a stencil, super heavy gesso, tissue tape and a couple of mists, Persimmon and Jingle Bells. The Persimmon helped pull out some of the peachy, red tones from the paper itself. 

Beneath my photo layers is the Paisley and Vine Medley split in half which I've first gessoed and then embossed with the Oatmeal Embossing Powder. The XOXO title was treated the same but double embossed. I've included the Notebook Edges pieces of chipboard which lend themselves nicely to "guy" projects. For them, I've used the new Sage Embossing Powder and then splashed them with white paint. 

My lower cluster includes a Notebook piece as well as more of the Chelsea Vines which were used around the photo as well. Some variegation was created with my gelatos. 

Most of the Blue Fern paper collections come with a Calling Cards sheet which is ideal for photo layers and titles/subtitles. And I generally add some corrugated cardboard for increased dimension. 

I finished my page with flowers and specks of splattered paint, first white, then black. 

Blue Fern Products used:

Paper:

Santaury Birdsong Melody

Sanctuary Garden Plaza

Sanctuary Calling Cards

Chipboard:

Paisley and Vine Medley

Notebook Edges

XOXO

Chelsea Vines

Mist:

Persimmon

Jingle Bells

Embossing Powder:

Sage

Oatmeal

***

"Delightful"

I've been dying to scrap this sweet father/son photo and challenged myself to get it done this month. 
Since they look a little "chilly" I wanted to give the page a frosty feel, so I've pulled out the Autumn Anthology Cottage piece. 

I'm not usually one to mix my "blues" but I just went for it here and am very pleased with the results. I've used the Sky Imagine Ink on the background and paper and on the Floral Lattice Bits. 
For the Roman Clock set, I opted to use the new Heavenly Embossing Powder. Wow, this one really glistens! If you like sparkle, this is the one for you! It's amazing! 

My word title is from the Optimist Set and is simply lightly inked with some brown ink. 

Aren't the Clock Hands intricate and beautiful? 

And the Heavenly Embossing Powder, wow! 

The Floral Lattice anchors the opposite side of the page. You can also see a good view of the Texture 1 stamp being used on my background layer.

Blue Fern Studios Products used:

Paper:

Autumn Anthology Cottage
Autumn Anthology Calling Cards

Chipboard:
Roman Clock Set large
Floral Lattice bits
The Optimist Word Set

Mist:
Sky

Embossing Powder:
Heavenly

Stamp:
Texture 1

***

And now a girly page! 

 "True Love"

Lastly, I'm digging my hands into my new Blush collection stash! These papers are so my colors! I love me some teal with peachy-pink and a touch of yellow. They feel so warm to me. 

Lots of background interest was created on the Enamored paper, side B with Mists and stamps as listed below. And of course, some stenciling. For paper layering, I've torn some of the Enamored, side A as well as the Fondness papers and then the Valentine Cards to tuck here and there. 

I still had a few bits of the Floral Lattice Bits on my desk and decided to just paint them white and let them be a nice contrast to the other colors. I made some circles on my paper, being sure to capture those sweet red hearts near the top! Aren't they cute? 

You can also see part of the Chelsea Medallion that I've used as a photo layer. I misted it with Winter Fern and then heat embossed with Fern Embossing Powder. 

It seems fitting to start working some hearts into my creations, so I've used a couple of pieces from the Valentine Hearts chipboard set. Both were gessoed, then misted with Persimmon and finally heat embossed with the new Garnet color. The top piece with the keyhole is so fun! For that one I mixed in some 14 Karat EP with a double embossing technique. 

Just a closer look at this sweet hearts! And the wings. 

On the right, I've made a Valentine Cards cluster and layered in some flowers and resin. One little fussy cut butterfly is in the mix. He's from the Frolic collection. The Weathered Doilies stamping come into view in this close-up, as well as the Photography stamp. 

A fun dimensional shot! 

Blue Fern Studios Products used:
Paper:
Blush Enamored
Blush Fondness
Blush Valentine Cards

Chipboard:
Chelsea Medallion
Floral Lattice bits
Valentine Hearts

Mist:
Persimmon
Winter Mint

Embossing Powder:
Garnet
14 Karat
Fern

Stamps:
Texture 1
Photography
Weathered Doilies

Thanks for hanging in there with me for this rather long post this month! 
Please be sure to check out the sketch challenge HERE
See you next time! 
Sandi