Thursday, January 31, 2013

Live Fully


Hi there!! I am Kelly Foster, and I am so happy to introduce myself to you and be able to call myself a design team member here at Blue Fern Studios!! A big HUGE thank you to Leslie, for having me here on the team!!
A little bit about me...
Well, I am 26 years old, and I am from the lovely/cold state of Minnesota (USA). I have been scrapbooking for just over two years, I was inspired to begin shortly after the birth of my oldest daughter, Lilah (2.5 years old). I have two daughters, my youngest being Paisley (9 months old).
These two do keep me on my toes, and quite busy, but I do make some "me time" most days for my crafting. I also enjoy sewing, and I love to cook and bake, but scrapbooking comes first for my hobbies, for sure!
As for my "style" I am not sure...I love to use interesting colors, add lots of layers and different mediums, I love experimenting with mixed media and a little bit of messiness. I don't care too much for precision so you will see lots of torn edges and distressing, my style can be quite free spirited. I basically just start with a pile of paper and see where it takes me, based on my mood for the day! Sometimes it comes out all grunged out and sometimes you will see more of the super feminine floral look! You can see more of my work on my blog: http://scrappin-sisters.blogspot.com.

Enough talk, let me share my first layout with you featuring a few favorite pieces of Blue Fern chipboard:


I kept the chipboard pieces pretty simple, to make them stand out against the busy and bright back drop..The Hearts and Royal Border were simply painted with gesso, and I liked the look of the stark white against all of the bright colors of my page.

The Heart below had also been painted with gesso, then was colored with Faber Castell Gelatos in various colors. I then added a few swipes of gesso with my fingertip, and a little chalk ink around the edges to finish it off.



Blue Fern pieces used:

Royal Border

Royal Border - Click Image to Close

Heart Set

Heart Set - Click Image to Close

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you will check back often to see what the rest of our team is up to!!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Beautiful Layers....

Hello everyone! I am Iris Babao Uy and I am very excited to write my first blog post here at Blue Fern Studios. First, please allow me to share a few things about myself. I am a scrapbooker and mixed media enthusiast based in Manila, Philippines. I have two sweet girls and a husband who endlessly inspire and encourage me to create. I rarely plan my pages – I let a photo or a patterned paper inspire me and I take it from there. I love the shabby chic and romantic style but I also enjoy working with bold patterns and striking colors. I’m an ink and paint type of person. I just have to get it a little messy to consider my page done. If I don’t have ink and paint on hand, then I just tear little bits of elements and stick it randomly for the sheer fun of it☺ I am very fortunate to be designing with Blue Fern Studios. The chipboards are of the highest quality and it can really take in several layers of art mediums without the chipboard breaking down. I love this because it allows me to experiment with layers upon layers of texture and color and I am confident that I won’t be breaking the form of the pieces as I go along. I teach workshops both in Asia and Europe. My work can be seen in craft books as well as craft magazines such as Creating Keepsakes and the like. I will definitely be incorporating Blue Fern Studios chipboards in my future classes. If you want me to teach in your area, you may reach me at iris_sparkup@yahoo.com. Also, if you have time, I would be so happy if you can visit me at my blog http://www.irisbabaouy.typepad.com.
As soon as I received my first box of chipboards from Blue Fern Studios, I already knew which ones I wanted to work on first. The birdcage and the vines really caught my eye and they are truly beautiful pieces. I also used one of the locks for my page here. For the birdcage, I first coated the chipboard in gesso. While it was still wet, I added embossing powders and embossing enamels and heat set it. I then added colors using my copic pens.


For the lock, I added Viva inka gold (wax based pigments) to add gold and copper tones.
For the vine, I also coated it in gesso and sprinkled with embossing powders and enamels. To add the green tones, I used my smooch inks and a Tattered Angels glaze.
FANCY BIRDCAGE
ORGANIC VINE
VINTAGE LOCKS
Thank you for visiting the blog. The entire design team is always working on new projects to share with you. Please visit us often! Have a great day and don't forget to do something crafty today! hugs, Iris

Monday, January 28, 2013

Mixed-media Canvas with Blue Fern Flourish


Hello dear scrappy friends! I am very honored and excited to design for such an amazing company as Blue Fern Studios. I want to say a huge thank you to Leslie for inviting me to join her fabulous team!

My name is Svetlana Austin. 
I am a Russian girl who ended up living in hot South Africa for the last 11 years. 
I met my husband while he was doing mission work in Russia. 
We have 2 beautiful sons - Ivan and Sebastian. They keep us busy and fill our lives with sunshine (not that we have lack of it in the northern part of our country). 
I was always creative. I tried many different crafts but once I was introduced to scrapbooking by my friend, I never stopped. It was almost 9 years ago. 
I defiantly love to create layouts about my little boys the most. My aim is to reflect their personalities through my work. I love to make real boy’s layouts full of colors and details. I like to use paint and sprays in my projects, as well as hand-stitching and off course chipboard! :-)
 Sometimes I like to make very romantic and feminine layouts about myself or as gifts for my girl-friends or their daughters. It allows me to express the stuff that I personally like flowers and all that kind of frills. 
My scrapbooking style is always determined by photographs I use and what kind of story I would like to tell through my project. So if you visit my blog you will find quite a variety our there.

You can visit my blog at Colorful Memories (http://www.colorfulmemories-protea.blogspot.com/)

As my first project for Blue Fern Studios created a very romantic and pretty mixed-media canvas and I used a very fine and intricate Blue fern Flourish on it.


This flourish is so fine but very detailed and beautiful. I used gesso to paint it. Gesso is so nice not only for priming the chipboard but it is perfect for painting it and adding some texture. I also added a layer of pearly shimmer glue on top of the gesso.

Blue Fern Flourish
Blue Fern Studios: Blue Fern Flourish

Thank you for letting me share this project with you and thank you for visiting our blog today! 
Keep well everyone and come back again!


Sunday, January 27, 2013

The Perfumery Collection - Artist Trading Cards


Hello all you chipboard enthusiasts! I am Joyce Lawrence and I’m very excited to be designing for this exquisite product brought to us by both Leslie and Michele, and I am grateful and honored to be amongst this dynamic and talented group of designers.

I was turned on to scrapping as we know it today when I became the caretaker of some family vintage photos a few years ago, and I wanted to preserve them and tell my family’s story.  This quest has ignited in me an insatiable appetite for procuring papers, chipboard, embellishments, mixed media art products, and the many other good scrappy products that scrappers must possess.  Scrapbooking has also allowed me to incorporate all my past hobbies of watercolor painting, beading, apparel arts, photography, and other hobbies on a 12 x 12 piece of paper.   I enjoy creating layouts, artist trading cards, art journals, mini albums, and mixed media creations too.

Although I do admire scrapping styles of mixed media, shabby chic, vintage, retro, grunge, contemporary, and other eclectic styles, I’ve not yet decided what my style is, and so I will leave that up to the good opinion of those of you that view my work. 

One of my philosophy’s in life is to romance the ordinary by adding some elegance where I can.  Sipping lemonade out of my best crystal glassware always makes the lemonade taste better, and with that same philosophy, I try to add scraps of elegance to my pages as well.  You can find me at http://scrapsofelegance.blogspot.com

The perfumery collection below in the form of artist trading cards, were created using those darling perfume bottles included in the Vanity Set.
 
Coco Chanel: Watercolored with Glimmer Mist (Vintage Pink) and a charcoal watercolor pencil.

Marilyn: Apply a light application of tacky glue over the chippie and sprinkle some Stampendous shabby white embossing enamel and set with a heat gun. A little piece of a remant from another  BFS chipboard was placed on the upper portion of the bottle for more decoration. Ink and glitter some more.

Blue Fern Scent: Cover the chippie in gold ink; apply a very light application of black ink on a stamp and stamp over the chippie; apply some clear embossing powder and set it with a heat gun. When the embossing powder was set, lightly run a small black ink stamp over the image again.

Paloma: Glimmer Mist (Pop Rocks) and Fusible Webbing. Add embossing ink on top of fusible webbing product, then sprinkle on top of the webbing Ranger's Gold embossing powder and set with a heat gun. By holding the heat gun to the webbing for a long period of time, you'll achieve a lacy appearance. I then tore up pieces of the webbing and applied it to the bottle and other areas of the card with glue.



Friday, January 25, 2013

CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration Birthday Blog Hop!!

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CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration turned one this month, andthey've been celebrating with fun and festivities all month long. But what's a birthday party without presents?
We are rounding out CSI's birthday celebration with a huge pile of presents! The talented and very generous CSI design team, aka the CSI Detectives, have prepared special blog posts for you this week, and all you have to do is leave a comment on participating design team members' blogs for a chance to receive a present from them! The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you'll have to receive a gift!
Blue Fern Studios has been invited to join in on this birthday bash blog hop! CSI's very own Detective Michele Signh, as you know, is the talented designer behind our beautiful chipboard, and we are delighted to join in on the party as together we celebrate both a successful year at CSI and the birth of Blue Fern Studios in the very same month!
The CSI Birthday Presents Blog Hop will run from January 25 - 29. Winners will be announced in the Full Disclosure (Announcements) Forum the following week. A newsletter will go out to members once this announcement is posted.

Here is a list of the blogs you will want to visit:

And of course what would a Birthday Blog Hop be without presents?? One lucky winner (chosen at random) will receive this gorgeous pack of Blue Fern Studios chipboard:

And all you have to do to be in the running is simply: (1) Make sure you are a follower of our blog, and (2) Leave a comment on this post! That's it!

So keep on hopping~ your next stop is Debbi Tehrani.

Good luck!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Pure Joy


Hi everyone!  I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of Blue Fern Studios.  I have known Leslie for quite a while, and was thrilled when she asked me to be a part of this new company.  I have the joy of being the Design Team Coordinator for this amazing group of designers.  You will be wowed by their creativity.

I'm Valerie Serfozo and I live in Columbus, Ohio, USA with my husband and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Kiefer.  We have a grown son and two beautiful granddaughters.  Kiefer is my constant companion as he sits under my desk while I create, and spend way too much time on the computer.  I work part-time as the financial secretary for a church.  My husband claims I work a few days a week to support my habit (paper crafting, of course).

I began scrapbooking in 2000.  It was something that I had always wanted to do, but just needed a push to actually get out there and find out what it was all about.  It quickly became my passion and I love learning new techniques and using new products.  My style has changed dramatically since then, but I l still love those 13 year old layouts!  They are just as precious to me as the ones I create now.

I hope you'll visit me at my blog Pie for Breakfast.

For this layout, I used two Blue Fern Studios items - the lovely Floral Clock and the packaging from the Blue Fern Frame.  Be sure that you don't throw away the packaging!  It's something that you will want to use on one of your projects.


I first primed the chipboard clock with Gesso.  When that dried, I used some Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Tarnished Brass) over it.  Before it dried, I wiped a little bit of it off to soften the color.  I then used my finger to apply some Stampin' Up All Purpose Ink (Frost White).  I finished it by making some pearls using a Viva Pearl Pen (Cream).  This chipboard is so easy to attach.  I ran my ATG adhesive over the back and it adhered just fine.


Blue Fern Studios Floral Clock



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Did you know that Blue Fern Studios has a gallery on the website?  The Design Team posts all their projects in the gallery, and we would like to see yours, too!  If you've used Blue Fern Studios chipboard on a project, we would love for you to post it in our gallery.  

Want some incentive to share your projects with us?  Leslie plans to randomly give away some Blue Fern Studios chipboard to those of you who post in the gallery.  Who knows --  it could be you!  

Monday, January 21, 2013

Love Lives Here

Hi there Blue Fern Studios Fans! I'm very proud and honored to be part of the Blue Fern Studios International DT! Thank you so very much Leslie for inviting me to join this uber creative team of designers and to have the opportunity to create using your awesome chipboard products!

Here's a little bit about me: My name is Mona Pendleton, I live in Phoenix, AZ USA with my sweet and supportive husband Scott. We have a blended family which consists of 4 children, (2 young adults and 2 teen agers) along with 2 West Highland Terriers.

I work as an Operating Room Registered Nurse in an Orthopedic Hospital and create in my spare time. I've been dabbling in some sort of craft for years. I started out sewing dresses for my daughter over 20 years ago then began exploring painting, scrapbooking and card making. I'm not sure what my style is as I love to try everything and anything. I do love lots of layers, textures and embellishments whether it's on a canvas, card, tag, art journal or layout.

You can find more of my work on my blog: Cupcake's Creations

Today I have a mixed media canvas to share featuring several beautiful Blue Fern Studios chipboard pieces.
I painted and added a coat of distress crackle paint to one of the pretty butterflies from the Brigitte Butterfly Set. 
 I framed my sweet furry friend Griffin with a beautiful Tuscan Window. I first painted the window using Gesso, once dry applied a coat of Distress crackle paint.
 To add a pretty metallic finish to the two Blooming Flourishes and Royal Border, I first painted with a coat of Gesso then applied a coat of embossing enamel.

Blue Fern Studios Chipboard Used:
Brigitte Butterfly Set (074387) 
Royal Border Large (074615)
 Blooming Flourish (074509)
Tuscan Window (074752)
Thanks so much for visiting! Please be sure to stop back for some more fabulous inspiration from all the DT members!
Be Sweet ;)

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Royal Bird Frame Layout


First of all, I would like to congratulate Blue Fern Studios on their launch! I'm so honored to be part of the team here.

I’m Irene Tan a member of the Blue Fern Studios DT! Sometimes, people know me by the name, “Scrapperlicious”. I live in a small island, Penang in Malaysia. I live here with my family which consists of my the other half, Danny, my two kids, Ryan (9) and Chloe (6) and my furkid, a Siberian Husky named Hiro (3).


I started scrapping since 2007 and a couple months later, I’ve discovered my absolute love for stamping and inking. I love to add a little ink or paint to everything I create. As for my style, I think you all should judge that by yourself after looking at my project below. I love to get all dark and grungy but sometimes, I can be colorful and clean. Combining tons of different elements and textures to a project is what I love to do!
Here's my layout using Blue Fern Studios Royal Bird Frame.
I've misted the frame with some paints and later distressed it with gesso. When it's dry, I've cut it up into two and placed them separately on the layout.


Here is a picture of the Blue Fern Studios chipboard used:

Royal Bird Frame
Do check back for more projects from the DTs using the gorgeous chipboard designs by Blue Fern Studios.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

"Sweet girl"


Hi:)
This is my very first blog post here at the Blue Fern Studios blog.
I am so proud to work with so many talented girls. 
I  hope you like my work, 
and that you get some inspiration to use this wonderful chipboard.



My name is Vibeke Harila. I am 38 years old, and I live here in Norway.
I live together with my handsome man, my 2 lovely girls – and we also have 2 cats.

I started scrapbooking in 2007, when I got my youngest girl. 

My style is very different. I LOVE painting on my layouts. But next time I maybe make some vintage layouts 
– or shabby;) I also do some art journals and cards. But mostly layouts. 
I am working a lot with details, and try to do something new every time.

I have been on different designteam, 
but today I am a proud designteam member over at Lilo in Mollys Scrapbooking.

When I  first look at the designteam call over at Blue Fern Studios I got so happy. 
This was so ME.  
I am so proud to be a part of this team. 
So talented girls – and the products are beautiful.

You can visit me blog here: http://vibekescrapperogskryter.blogspot.no/


Today I want to show you a layout I have maked of my sweet girl.
Enjoy:)



For this layout I have used the beautiful Blue Fern Frame. 
This is so special and lovely. And big :) 

I have also used one piece of  the Ornate Medallions.

I love the way this chipboard looks.
First I took some white paint. Then I painted over it with the brown Dylusions spray.
So great looking!!:) Some stamping - and covered it all with Dimensional Magic Lakk.

You can see that a little bit of the frame is pink. This is pink embossing.





Ornate Medallions 074462


Blue Fern Frame 074325


Thank you so much for looking. I hope you liked my work.

I wish you a happy day:)