March projects for Lydia Guijt!

Hello Blue Fern Studios friends! 

Lydia Guijt here again with some new creations for March.

My first layout will be accompanied with a tutorial. You'll find that below.

For my second feature I've made something completely different. I hope you'll like it.

Memories

The new Spring Parade Collection has a beautiful color combination. For this layout I chose the Susie's Garden sheet.

 For my background I started off using the Tattered Harlequin stamp for embossing and the Tattered News Print stamp for inking. After this I used a stencil and paste. After the background work is done I prepared the chipboard pieces. 

Crossing the Lines with Speckled Mint and some Peacock Feathers. Wild Field Stem with Lavender Eggs on the flower part and Verdant with some sprinkling of Antique Gold. The same process for the Leafy Twigs. The title Memories - Chunky Words Halftone was done in Pink Dust. Once that was all done it was time to assemble the layout. I used the new Spring Peonies and Late Winter Lilies in my flower cluster. To finish off the page I added some further touches. 

Below you'll find the video with the whole process of making this layout. 

Enjoy!

Paper

Spring Parade - Susie's Garden

Chipboard

Crossing the Lines

Wild Filed Stem

Chunky Words Halftone

Leavy Twigs

BFS Embossing Powder 

Pink Dust

Speckled Mint

Lavender Eggs

Verdant

Antique Gold

Glitter

Peacock Feathers

Stamps

Tattered News Print

Tattered Harlequin

Flowers 

Spring Peony and Berries

Late Winter Lilies

Follow your Heart

For my second project I wanted to do something different. 

Our Blue Fern Studios Chipboard is so nice and sturdy, it's perfect to use for Mixed Media projects.

I got a double sided canvas and tore out the center to open it up. I used pastes and stencils to created textures on the outside and center part. Once it was all dry I started with the Shabby Bits Bricks Chipboard pieces as the bast to build the center part on. 

Using other materials like cardboard and metal embellishments stacking and tucking in and under to create interest and textures. On one of the top layers a couple of Leafy Page Accents. Around the edges I used the Note book Edges and having the Layering Stems fall over the edges.

With all the items in place and stuck down it was time to paint everything with black gesso. Once that was all dry it's time paint on all the the accents. The Follow your Heart title was first embossed and further highlighted with some acrylics and pastes.

Chipboard

Notebook Edges

Shabby Brick Bits

Layering Stems

Leafy Page Accents

Follow your Heart

Embossing Powder

Antique Gold

Spring Greetings

For the last project this month I decided to make a set of cards using the new Spring Parade collection.

I started of with cutting different sizes of paper and played around with them creating a layered look. Once it was right I started filling it in with some doilies and some lace. For the Easter card I used one of the Easter Egg Ornaments and embossed it with Lavender Egg. Giving it some extra glitter with Peacock Feathers. The Spring card has a Spring Trinkets chipboard piece and is treated the same way. 

To finish off the cards I used Later Winter Lilies and Soft Blossoms and some other decorations. The final touches were some mist splatters and we're all done with our card set.

Paper

Spring Parade -  Susie's Garden, Market Place, Spring Petites

Chipboard

Easter Egg Ornaments

Spring Trinkets

BFS Embossing Powder 

Lavender Eggs

Glitter

Peacock Feathers

Flowers 

Soft Blossoms

Late Winter Lilies

Thank you so much visiting the blog and looking at my projects! 

Hope to see you again next month!

Lydia Guijt

My layout for October by Marie-Eve Bernard

Hello,

I'm back with my three layout for October.  The first two are with the Seaside Cottage, I just wanted to keep summer here a little longer.  My last one is more seasonal with the fall color palette.

Mommy's Boy

My first layout is featuring my baby boy...and me!  It's not often that i use a picture of me on one of my project but I really like this one. For this layout, i use less medium as usual.

On the chipboard of the title, I apply a coat of gesso and add blue spray ink. For the squares, i just apply gesso.  

Blue fern Studios list of supplies

Papers

Seaside cottage, Calling Cards

Seaside cottage, Voyage

Chipboards

Mommy's Boy

Mod Sqares

A walk on the beach

On this second layout, I use plenty of Imagine Ink embossing powders on my chipboard pieces. To decorate, I use the Blue Fern Studios flowers and to have the total beachy look, i add some real seashells and starfish.

Blue fern Studios list of supplies

Papers

Seaside cottage, Embarck

Chipboards

Screen panel

A walk on the beach

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder

Ginger

Mushroom

Nutmeg

Seven seas

Breeze

Flowers

Harvest Lilies

Seaside Roses

Magique:

I really enjoy the fall color and wanted to use it on this layout.  I use a variety of paper collections on this one.  I mist colours of Imagine Ink embossing powders on my chipboard pieces.  On my background, I stamp with the Essential Texture Stamp set and emboss it with the Ebony powder.  

Blue fern Studios list of supplies

Papers

Serendipity, Fascination (background)

Tranquility, Peaceful

Timeless, Adobe

Timeless, Couture

Chipboards

Notebook Edges

French Adjective 2

Folkart frame

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder

Ebony

Mushroom

Nutmeg

Chili powder

Tangerine

Auburn

Stamps

Essential Texture

Hope you enjoy my october share!  See you next month!

Marie-Eve Bernard 

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

Ombre Dreams by Kim Price

Hello everyone! I'm so happy to be back sharing a few of my latest creations for Blue Fern Studios after my short break.

Today I want to share a few projects I have created using the Ombre Dreams collection along with some amazing chipboard shapes and sentiments.

I just love the combination of blue and yellow and for my first project today I've used these colors together for a soft romantic look. I've used a much treasured photograph of my youngest daughter when she was a little girl along with the "adore" sentiment from the Adore, Love, Cherish pack as my title. To decorate this piece I have simply applied a coat of gesso prior to applying a watercolor wash, then simply outlined each letter using a fine permanent marker to make it stand out from the rest of the layout.


I've layered together Jasmine Collage, a stem from the Pretty Weeds pack and Notebook Edges - all decorated with watercolors for that soft, subtle finish.


Combine these with Ginger's Dream and Susan's Dream patterned papers from the Ombre Dreams collection and the result is a lovely romantic layout.

Products used: Blue Fern Studios paper collection: Ombre Dreams Ginger's Dream and Susan's Dream patterned papers

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Adore, Love, Cherish pack, Jasmine Collage, Pretty Weeds and Notebook Edges.

For my second project today I chosen to go with the pink shades again from Ombre Dreams.

I've used Ombre Dreams Shannon's Dream patterned paper as the base to my layout and featuring the small Circle Flourish chipboard. I've colored this piece using watercolors to coordinate with the color scheme in my project, adding lots of paper flowers to really set that frame off.

The final touch to this project is my title Angel Eyes found in the Spiritually Speaking pack.

Here's a closer look at the watercolor effect on my chipboard title I've been loving to use so much lately.

...and a closer look at the flourish detail as well.

Blue Fern Studios patterned papers: Ombre Dreams Shannon's Dream

Blue Fern Studios chipboard: Circle Flourish small, Spiritually Speaking

Thanks for calling in to the blog today, I hope you find some inspiration in my August projects!

-Kim

July Inspiration with Jelissa

Hello Blue Fern fans! How has your month of July been? The weather has been blazing hot and we're doing whatever we can to cool down.

It's my turn on the Blue Fern blog today and I have two creations to share with you. The first is based on the fabulous July sketch. Here is what it looks like:

I've kept the orientation of the sketch, as well as the dark background and my papers came from a mix of Sanctuary and Love Story to create my layout.

My mixed media background was created Birdsong Melody from Sanctuary, with a lot of paint dabbing and layering with watercolors, as well as textural details using microspheres, dew drops and microbeads, as well as some string and stamping. I love it that Blue Fern tries in sneak in a few dark colored patterned papers into their collections for us to create our very own backgrounds.

Some close-ups:

The La Plume chipboard which I first painted with a light brown, followed by UTEE embossing for resist and layering with more browns. Beneath are paper layers made from scraps I had left over from Love Story collection.

The Notebook Edges chipboard, which I first heat embossed and then colored with different shades of blue. To add texture to my layers, I mixed chipboard, paper, lace and trims.

A close-up of some of the textural details I have in my background.

I hope my sample has inspired you to create a project of your own to participate in our monthly sketch challenge!

Blue Fern Studios products used:

Sanctuary collection - Melody Birdsong

Love Story collection - Concerto, Sweet Song, True Harmony

Notebook Edges

La Plume

And now for my video tutorial. For this project, I revisited one of my all time favourites from Blue Fern Studios, the Ombre Dreams collection. 

I used only "Susan's Dream" because the images on the paper fit my composition perfectly and had the exact type of watercolor imagery I had in mind to create for my background. I also used scraps from Dream Cards and Charlotte's Dream to build up my layers.

Some close-ups:

A die cut from Dream Cards which I used as my title, and a Bohemian flower piece tucked into my cluster. You can also see the half-tone stamp which I used to add minute details to my background.

I love the big chipboard pieces because they are simply value for money and so fun to play with. Here, you see Medley Border which I have cut up into four pieces and tucked them everywhere to maintain the flow of my composition, as well as to break up the monotony of paper layering.

Interspersed in the layers is also the Notebook frame which I had added some texture to.

Here is the start-to-finish video. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I have creating the project.

Blue Fern Studios products used:

Ombre Dreams - Charlotte's Dream, Susan's Dream, Dream Cards

Notebook Frame

Bohemian Flowers

Medley Border

Halftone stamps

love,

Jelissa