The Envelope Please......

Today we have several winners to announce.  First up are the winners from our July Contest.  In case you forgot, in July we asked you to give us some suggestions for chipboard titles.  Wow! - we were amazed by all the great titles you came up with.  As promised, we will select one winner from the blog posts, and one winner from the Facebook posts.  

Even though we are announcing two winners today, we will be using a LOT more of your suggestions, so keep an eye out for new titles and sets of titles.  We may be using yours.

So, here are our winners.  We will be making these titles first:

From the blog: our winner is Aggie who suggested some school related words/titles such as:  

You've Got This, A+, Learning Something New, Reading, Studying, Test Time, 

First Day, Graduation, Hitting the Books, School, Elementary, Middle and High School, 

Favorite Teacher, various subjects (English, Math, Science, Art, History etc), Recess, etc. 

From Facebook: our winner is Marilyn Hughes who suggested "Forever Young".

Congratulations Aggie and Marilyn!  As winners you will receive a prize package from Blue Fern Studios that will include the title(s) that you suggested.  Please send an e-mail, within the next 7 days, to {valerie(at)bluefernstudios(dot)com} to claim your prize.

August Challenge Winners & Featured Layouts

Based on a random draw, the winner of our August challenge is:

 

Entry #8 belongs to France Ringuette!  Congratulations France.  

You have won a prize package from Blue Fern Studios.  Please send an e-mail, within the next 7 days, to {valerie(at)bluefernstudios(dot)com} to claim your prize.

Here is the layout France created using the Tranquility Collection.  

What awesome bright colors against this background!

In August, we asked you to use one of our 3 most recent collections: Tranquility, Attic Charm, or Seaside Cottage.  We would like to feature one amazing layout from each of these collections:

The first layout was created by Beatriz (B-arte) of Spain.  This vintage style layout is so elegant and we love the texture she has created!

Next up, we have a layout using the Attic Charm collection.  Kylie Kingham (Paper Sweet Pea) created this gorgeous layout.  You will also see that she has several pieces of Blue Fern chipboard scattered throughout.  Kylie has a process video which you can view HERE at YouTube.

And for all you dog-lovers, our third feature of the month uses paper from the Seaside Cottage collection.  

Vija Anton created a beautiful layout using this photo of their Golden Retriever, Cooper.  What an amazing layout that really captures the feel of the beach.!

Congratulations to all of you who were one of our features this month.  

And a big thank-you to all who participated in the August challenge.  There were so many wonderfully creative layouts.  You never fail to make our job of selecting featured layouts a difficult one.  

You have used Blue Fern products beautifully!

We sure hope you find some time in September to join us for our Mood Board challenge.  

You can find all the details in our sidebar.

Creating Summer Memories With Blue Fern Studios~

For September, Blue Fern Studios is hosting a Mood Board Challenge!! I just love the Beachy, Summer colors, and I hope you get a chance to drop by the blog and play along with us!

This first  layout is my just for fun, Design Team take on the Mood Board, and if you haven't ever participated in a Mood Board Challenge, I will walk you through how I used the board for inspiration, so that you can get an ideal of how you can use it for your own inspiration.

I first picked papers that had some of those gorgeous, soft Summer Colors in them. I used the Blue Fern Studios Seaside Cottage Paper Collection, I created a base layer with the Gala Paper, then distressed and inked a layer of Regalia Paper, and created base layers for my photo by using the A & B Sides of the Embark Paper, and doing some machine sewing on the edges.

Next, I picked up the texture on the Starfish in the photo, and added texture to my paper by stenciling with texture paste. I created cut outs on my 2nd layer of paper to reveal the paper underneath and then cut a Blue Fern Lace Doily Chipboard Piece in 1/2 adding them to the cutouts.

I once again took inspiration from the Starfish and painted my Doily with gesso and then inked over it to give it that speckled color look. I then heat embossed the rim of the Doily pieces with Blue Fern Imagine Ink Sunshine Embossing Powder, so perfect to pull in that sunshine yellow from the photos.

I love the burlap wrapped around the flowers, so I added a strip of that down the side of my layout then ran lace down the middle of that. I added some of my handcrafted Oh So Butterlicious Butterflies to pick up the butter yellow in the Mood Board Colors.

I then heat embossed a Blue Fern Leafy Page Accent Chipboard Piece with the Imagine Ink Sunshine Embossing Powder, and added that to the side of my photo.

I then added in flowers and foliage that picked up the colors from the photos. The lily is a Blue Fern Seaside Lily, and the daisy is from the Attic Charm Daisies flower set. I then tucked in a natural seashell like those seen in the photo in the Mood Board.

I repeated that look at the top of my photo.

I then added some more of that burlap texture by threading some onto a metal pin and cutting the ship from the papers to add under the glass dome, and then added more flowers and another shell.

Blue Fern Studios Supply List:
Paper:
Seaside Cottage Paper Collection:
Regalia

Gala

Embark

Chipboard:
Lace Rounds

Leafy Page Accents

Flowers:
Attic Charm Daisies

Seaside Lilies

Imagine Ink:

Sunshine Embossing Powder


I am a huge romantic, and the Blue Fern Studios Serendipity Paper Collection, along with their gorgeous chipboard and embossing powders allowed me to capture that Shabby meets Romantic look that I love!!
Please note that I normally crop my layouts down to the edge, but since this one extended just a bit beyond the edges of the paper, I left the black background that I shoot my photos on around it, so that you could get the complete effect. 

I started with a layer of Serendipity-Reminisce Paper,  cut down a piece of  Contemplation Paper,  layered that on top and then took a second piece of Reminisce paper, and tore out a piece to put behind my photo. I then cut down a piece of Anticipation Paper, and used that to matte out my photo.

I loved the large Blue Fern Studios Looped Frame Chipboard, from the set that I had used on another layout, and thought it made the perfect, romantic piece to add to my layout.

I heat embossed the whole piece with Blue Fern Imagine Ink Oatmeal Embossing Powder, and then dabbed it with a clear embossing dabber, and then heat embossed those areas with Blue Fern Petal Embossing Powder, I then randomly dabbed gesso, and sprinkled those areas with silver microbeads. 

I ran some tulle trim across the bottom in a wave pattern and then topped that with some mini roses and leaves.

I wanted to create a little drama, so I wet a q-tip and rubbed a large whole into the second layer of paper and rolled back the edges to reveal the paper pattern underneath that matches the torn paper behind my photo.

I set metal eyelets and then did some lacing with some hand dyed seam binding, created a large bow and then topped it with a button. I love how the lacing brings out the lacing on the ballet shoes in the photo~so romantic!!

I then cut strips in the corner of my layout and rolled them back, and tucked some more of the tulle trim into the corner. I splatter painted and dripped gesso randomly onto spots of my layout and topped them with more of the silver microbeads.

I added some of my handcrafted Sweet Nothings Butterflies for added dimension and texture,

then created the quote "The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of Their Dreams"  by cutting it out of the Serendipity Calling Cards Paper, cutting out each section and applying it on spots of my layout.

I hope you have enjoyed a look at my romantic heart, and that you find the time to create a little romance of your own!! Hugs ~Renea

Blue Fern Studios Supply List:

Blue Fern Serendipity Paper Collection:
Anticipation
Reminisce

Contemplation
Calling Cards
 

Chipboard:

Large Frame from the Looped Frames Set

Imagine Ink:
Petal Embossing Powder
Oatmeal Embossing Powder

For my last Blue Fern September Project, I have a Mermaid Themed Pocket Journal to share with you. 

I started with a manila file folder Pocket Journal Base that I covered the front and back sides with Blue Fern Seaside Cottage Glory Paper. I ran some lace across the bottom, and then took a Blue Fern Seaside Flourish Chipboard Piece,

that I heat embossed with Blue Fern Imagine Ink Petal Embossing Powder, then accent heat embossed detail with Peacock, Sage & Sea Mist Embossing Powders, and then detailed the little anchor on the flourish with Imagine Ink Burnt Copper Glitter. The flowers are Blue Fern Harvest Lilies and Late Winter Lilies, and I added some pieces of sea glass for texture.

Next, I took a Blue Fern Seaside Mermaid, and gussied her up. I painted her body with gold paint, added a seashell and some pearls to create a top for her. 

I then took sequins of different ocean colors and glued them to her tail, coated the sequins with diamond glaze and then sprinkle that with glitter glass for a gorgeous shine that you just can not see in the photos. 

For her hair, I heat embossed in layers with Imagine Ink Peacock, Azure & Lucky Embossing Powders, 

sprinkled her hair with gold microbeads, and then added glitter glass and pearl accents. I just love how she turned out~so FABulous!!! I mounted her onto the flourish, and then 

topped that piece with a Blue Fern Island Time Chipboard piece. This piece was first heat embossed with Imagine Ink Oatmeal Embossing Powder, then dabbed with clear embossing powder that was then coated with Imagine Ink Peacock Embossing Powder, heat set, and then I randomly painted places with sand paste and sprinkled that with sand glitter glass.

Here you can see the back view.

and here are all the tuck ins:
2 Extra Large Tags (Created from Blue Fern Splendor Paper and topped with hand dyed seam binding bows and Harvest Lilies)

2 Medium Pull Outs (Created with Blue Fern Glory Paper and topped with cut outs from the Blue Fern Calling Card Paper)

2 Small Pull Outs (Created from the Blue Fern Calling Card Paper)
1-Tri-fold Piece (Created from the Blue Fern Calling Card Paper)

And there you have it, a perfect place to tuck in and journal about those favorite Summer and Vacation Memories!! I hope you have enjoyed all of my September, Blue Fern projects, and that you have found some inspiration to grab some of your Blue Fern Favorites and create some Summer Memories For Yourself!! Hugs, ~Renea

Blue Fern Studios Supply List:

Seaside Cottage Paper Collection:

Seaside Cottage

Glory

Calling Cards

Splendor

Chipboard:
Island Time
Seaside Flourish
Seaside Mermaid

Flowers:
Harvest Lilies

Late Winter Lilies

Imagine Ink:
Burnt Copper Glitter
Peacock Embossing Powder
Oatmeal Embossing Powder

Azure Embossing Powder

Lucky Embossing Powder
Petal Embossing Powder

Sea Mist Embossing Powder

Sage Embossing Powder

September Inspirations with Jelissa

Hello friends, how are you?

September is now upon us, and the weather here is becoming a little cooler with more rain. But I'm still very much in a summer mood because of the Seaside Cottages collection. Today I'm here to share two more creations with you. 

This has to be one of the simplest layout I have made in a long time with just splashes of paint in the background because the paper is too pretty to cover up. The photo is one of my boys on the day we landed in Okinawa after a really long flight. We had made our way to a sea salt factory and the view out is just amazing, with the sun starting to set.

Some details:

The Seaside Charms chipboard, which I had painted with gold acrylic paint and covered with a layer of crackle paint. 

My title piece which I had embossed with Breeze and Sky Blue embossing powders.

The top half of the Seaside Charms chipboard which I had snipped off.

Blue Fern Studios products used:

paper: Seaside Cottages - Calling Cards, Regalia, Gala, Embark
chipboard: End of a Perfect Day, Seaside Charms

embossing powders: Breeze, Blue Sky

My second share is another layout of my second boy when he was a baby. I love how the colors of the photo matched the background paper Embark so perfectly that I built the whole layout around this.

Details here:

Altered seashell and anchors matched with the seaside lilies.

My title piece

Fussy cut details

Mesh bits chipboard tucked behind my photo

More chipboard goodies!

And here is the start to finish video of how I put this layout together:

Blue Fern Studios products used:

paper: Seaside Cottage - Calling Cards, Embark, Mermaid

chipboard: Anchors Away, Nautical Set, Mesh Bits, Beach Babe
embossing powders: Breeze, Sky Blue Oatmeal, Mushroom
glitter: Watermelon

It's Time for a New Challenge

Welcome to September, and a brand new Blue Fern Challenge!  This month we have an awesome Mood Board for you.  This Mood Board was motivated by the feel and colors of our Seaside Cottage collection.   

You may draw inspiration from the colors, the theme, or the texture.  

You may take little bits from several areas of the mood board.  It's up to you!

Photo Credits:  Wildflowers, Seashells, Peach flowers, Beach

Our Creative Team used the Mood Board and each was inspired by a different part of the board.

"This Moment" by Nicole Doiron - You may find it strange that despite the mood board giving off a very Summery feel, I was inspired to create a layout all about Autumn. I looked through my stash of Blue Fern Studios papers and I found that some of the papers from the Autumn Anthology collection went perfectly with the colour palette. I was mainly inspired by the peachy hues which reminded me of Fall leaves and I had just the right picture for it! I wanted to make my page romantic and elegant just as the mood board images and I find that the Gazebo chipboard piece gives it a warm inviting feel. I made sure to add lots of flowers including a peach Attic Charm Daisy which is my favorite. And to soften up my whole page to coordinate with the softness of the board, I dabbed some white paint on my papers, flowers, chipboard, embellishments to give it a whitewash effect... inspired by the Sea!

"A Walk on the Beach" by Karine Gagnon -  I was inspired by everything in the mood board: the colors, at first, but also the flowers and the beach picture. What a nice and soft mood board! I used the Serendipity collection, along with the Mesh Bits chipboards, A Walk on the Beach title, Seaside Lilies, Seaside Roses and Tranquil Roses and Lilies flowers, Brocade Texture and Arcadia Textures stamps and some Imagine Ink snow embossing powder.

"The Beach" by Wilma Voermans -  The mood  board inspired me with the beach feeling, yellow, green and sandy colors, and the warm soft overall mood.  I used Seaside Cottage paper, Seaside Lilies flowers and Seaweed chipboard.For the title I used the "a walk on the beach "chipboard, but I did cut it to get the words I wanted .

"The End of A Perfect Day" by Debbie Burns - I was inspired by the colors and beach theme on the mood board and the beautiful (not sure if it is a sunrise or sunset) picture. I used the Seaside Cottage collection.

"Summer Vacation" by Maja Nowak - September is a good moment to scrapbook holiday photos. And since our holiday are somehow always connected with water, the Seaside Cottage collection seemed an obvious choice to choose for one of my sons' pics. The colour palette was perhaps not the first combo I would have thought of while working with the sea-themed photos, but that's even better, I like challenges.  Besides, the collection colours are all represented, so it was quite easy to follow. I also used the flowers and chippies from the collection as well as a couple of embossing powders: 14 Karat, Breeze and Oatmeal.

We would LOVE to see how our Mood Board inspires you, and of course, we have a prize for one lucky winner, who will be chosen from a random draw.  We will also feature a few of your projects.

We ask that you follow these guidelines:

1). You can create any of the following projects - a layout, card, canvas, altered item, or album cover.
No tags, please.

2.) You must use at least one piece of Blue Fern Studios chipboard OR use Blue Fern Studios paper on your project.   {Do not use any other brand of chipboard on your project, please!}

 

  You can find a list of stores that carry Blue Fern products  HERE.

3.) Upload your project using the Inlinkz tool below by midnight EST on September 30, 2016.

Although it's not required, we hope you will share with us in your blog or gallery post how you were inspired by our Mood Board. Have fun!  We can't wait to see what you create.

An InLinkz Link-up

Back Again With New Chipboard Designs

We love introducing fresh, innovative chipboard designs for you to use on your projects.  

Who doesn't like to have something new in their stash?  We think you will find a little something 

for everyone in this most recent release.  We have frames and flourishes (always favorites), 

a few autumn items, and even a couple of winter themed pieces. 

 Fluttering Fairy and Draping Leaves

Pretty Planter and Polly's Cage

 

Wheat Stalks and Pretty Pumpkins

Janie's Frame and Lovely Ladies

Frosty Flake and Winter Cabin

Swirled Floral Corners (Small)

 and Swirled Floral Corners (Large)

What are your favorites?  We'd love to know!