January Sketch Challenge Winner and Featured Layouts

We are thrilled with the response to the January sketch.  It was our best month ever, so thanks to each of you who played along with us in January.  But don't stop there, the February sketch has already been posted.  You can find a link to it in our right sidebar.

As always, let's start with the winner.  Based on a random draw, the winner this month is ...........#4, which happens to belong to Laura Gilhuly of Canada!!

Congratulations Laura!  You have won a prize package of Blue Fern Chipboard!  

Please send me an e-mail, within the next 7 days, 

at {valerie(at)bluefernstudios(dot)com} to claim your prize.

Here is Laura's layout created using paper from our Sanctuary Collection and chipboard pieces (both the positive and negative) from our Turkish Bits.  We love how she colored the chipboard using mist, paint, and a little gesso.

Sometimes we just don't know when to stop.  So this month, we have even more layouts to feature, which isn't a bad thing!  You guys are just awesome.  Here we go.........

"Twinkle in Your Eyes" by Wendy Scholten

 This layout, with such an adorable photo, immediately caught our eye.  Wendy has used several papers from our beautiful Montage collection, one as the background and some fussy cutting from other papers.  She also used several pieces of Blue Fern Chipboard - the Checker Bits, Bohemian Flowers, Nested Circles, and the word Twinkle from our Winter Titles set.

"Fabulous"by Miki of Japan

Miki also chose paper from our Montage collection for her entry in the January Sketch Challenge.  The title is from one of our very popular sets, the Arrow Words.  We love how this all came together to create a beautifully designed layout.

"Happy" by Marina Timofeeva

Everything about this layout is "Happy".   Marina has used this happy paper with polka-dots from our Sanctuary collection.  The title is from The Optimist Word Set, and the other chipboard is from the Turkish Bits Set. 

"Left-Handed" by Sara K. 

On her blog, Sara says she really wasn't happy with this layout at first, but we love it!  What an adorable photo  - such concentration on that little face.  The Blue Fern chipboard stars, from our Seeing Stars set are the perfect touch. 

"Cherish"by Alena Grinchuk

Layouts don't always go as planned, which was the case with this one.  Alena had something else in mind when she began, but didn't like the photo she had chosen, so she switched to this black and white photo, instead.  The outcome is stunning!  The background paper and fussy cut flowers are from paper in our Montage Collection.

"Sweet Bundle of Joy" by Paulien van den Bosch

Our final choice for the month is this precious layout created using this dark navy paper from the Sanctuary collection.  Love how this came together, Paulien. Your grandson is so super cute!

 Congratulations to our winner and to the creators of our six featured layouts.  

We hope to see all of you again in February!

Sanctuary Projects with Rae

Hello all. It's Rae, sharing my last projects for BFS! It's been an exciting year for me, and I feel so honored to to have been a part of this team! I made all of these projects with the Sanctuary paper collection.

"Remember" Layout

This is my layout that I made for the December Sketch Challenge. You still have time to play along!

I am absolutely obsessed with cemetery statues. I took these pics a few months ago at a huge cemetery here in Denver, and I knew they would be perfect for the Sanctuary papers!

Here's a closeup of two pieces of chipboard that I layered (the ornate frame and a piece of the small Roman clock set). On the ornate frame, I used embossing powders and chalk ink to get that effect. I pressed my black archival ink pad on the clock piece, and used some gold paint.

Untitled Layout

I love all the rich colors in Sanctuary collection and how they are paired with such soft complimentary colors, so I wanted to play with all of them for this layout.

Here's a close up of the small spring iris piece. I treated it with a heavy layer of gesso, then randomly sprinkled clear embossing powder over it, and dried it with a heat gun. Once dry, I used some acrylic glaze paints and water to get this effect.

You can also see the Boston lattice- nothing fancy there- just a coat of gesso!

I used some of the Bohemian flowers from that set under the flower cluster, along with a key from the vintage key set. I used a platinum embossing powder and once it was hot, I pour small amounts of black embossing powder over it, so it only slightly melded on to the platinum.

I used the same technique on the manor hinges.

"Smile" Card

For this card, I used the Bordeaux Layered Frame. I traced the bottom piece on to the Conservatory paper, then adhered it to the chipboard, and filed the edges for a clean look.

 In this close up, you can see the top layer of the frame- I used several colors of embossing powders, layering them to achieve this effect.

I did the same thing with the "Smile" title. 

I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at my projects today, and this past year!

Congrats to the new Blue Fern Studios design team- it's going to be an amazing year!


Rae

November inspiration with Maja

Hi all Blue Fern lovers I´m here today to share two layouts and a card made with Blue Fern Studios products. First up is a layout made with papers from Montage paper collection.

Blue Fern Studios products used:

Papers: Montage - Invitation & Mercantile

Chipboard: Treasured floral frame, Picture perfect,Vereanda cage set, Roman clock set small and Bohemian flowers.

My next layout is made with Ombré Dreams paper collection and the lovely Techno Rings.

Blue Fern Studios products used:

Papers: Ombré Dreams- Dream Cards, Susan´s Dream & Ginger´s Dream

chipboard: Directions & Techno rings 

My last project is a little layerd card made with Montage papers and BFS chipboard pieces. 

Blue Fern Studios products used:

Papers: Montage - Mercantile & Bouquet

Chipboard: layering Steams & Veranda Cages.

Thanks for stopping by =)  

A Montage Layout with Jelissa

Hello friends, how was your weekend? I finally got to have a good rest after two long days of a scrapbooking workshop in school and some time to catch up with my assignments.

Today, I'm sharing my monthly Blue Fern Studios video with you, a layout created using the fabulous papers from the new collection Montage.

Here's the project:

I've used the "Fairyland", "Wisdom" and "Merchantile" papers for this layout, tearing and layering the papers in the background to create texture.

Some closeups of the chipboards and clusters:

A piece of the Roman clock

A Bohemian Flower chipboard which I used to alter a flower

Here's a video of how I put it all together. Sit back and enjoy the tutorial!

Blue Fern Products used:

Fairyland

Merchantile

Wisdom

Calling Cards (Montage)

Roman Clock Set (Large)

Bohemian Flowers

 love,

New Montage collection with Maja

Hi, Maja here today to share two projects made with the gorgeous new Montage paper collection. I hava a layout and a tag that I made. Let´s start with the layout.

When I first saw this paper collection I knew what I would do with just this piece of paper when I got it in my hands. Love tha lamp that is in the paper and the BFS chipboard  "evening lamp post" works so well with it. So that was my plan and this is how it turned out. My color splashes are made with Distress Stains. For my chipboard pieces I used black and white gesso.

Blue Fern products used:

Paper: Montage - Bouquet & Invitation

Chipboard: Evening Lam Post, Bohemian Flowers & Roman Clock Set Small

Next is my tag. I love the romatic vintage feel of the Montage collection and that what I wanted to create in this tag.  

Blue Fern products used:

Paper: Montage - Bouquet, Fairyland & Society

Chipboard: Tattered Butterflies

Thanks for stopping by =) 

Jackie's September Projects - A Layout and An Upcycled Box

Hello there Blue Fern Studios fans! I have two new projects to share with you today - one shabby layout and an upcycled project.

For my first project, I wanted to create a bit of whimsy for this photo of my youngest wearing a crown of daisies (vey begrudgingly!). Blue Fern Studios papers are so thick that they are gorgeous for tearing and distressing.

I began by tearing a diagonal strip out of the In Bloom sheet, then tore additional pieces off and layered them between the Love Letters and In Bloom papers, along with some lace. I also distressed and inked the edges, tucking in some lace and pieces of Bohemian Flowers chippies painted white.

I tucked additional Bohemian Flowers into the flower cluster - the stark white helps them to stand out against the busy mixed media background.

I cut the word Dream and the layers for my photo from the Calling Cards paper.

I love using the Mini Ring Things chippies for dimension in my background. Here I've coated them in a light brown chalk ink and then stamped them with a darker ink.

A little close-up of all the layers of media, chipboard, paper and embellies.

Blue Fern Studios Products

Blue Fern Garden papers:

- Love Letters

- Timeless

- In Bloom

- Calling Cards

- Parlour

Blue Fern Studios Chipboard:

- Bohemian Flowers

- Mini Ring Things

Are you a crafty hoarder? I am, which is how my second project came about. I have problems throwing out alterable items that might be able to be repurposed as something else, even if I have no idea what that might be. Such was the case with this little blue plastic box. Originally it housed a science experiment from the kids. Since it was a one-time-use experiment, the little box was destined for the recycling box. But I loved the size and the way it closed so snugly, so I salvaged it and tucked it away in a corner of my scraproom. This month I've given it new life - to store my resin pieces - with some gorgeous Blue Fern Studios products.

The Joyce's Dream paper from the Ombre Dreams collection is full of beautiful, subtle details. I added a little modelling paste through a script stencil and tinted it slightly with grey chalk ink, then added some splatters of purple to the background before adding my chipboard and other elements.

For the top of the container I used some of the Shabby Brick Bits coated with paint, embossing powder and chalk ink for a textured appearance.

To round out the cluster of embellishments I tucked in one of the Layering Stems coloured with chalk ink and then touched with gesso for a weathered appearance. I love these pieces of chipboard for tucking in here and there!

I finished the front of the box with one of the Spring Trinkets, coloured with various chalk inks and weathered with gesso.

Blue Fern Studios Products

Paper:

- Ombre Dreams: Joyce's Dream

Chipboard:

- Shabby Brick Bits

- Spring Trinkets
- Layering Stems

Thank you so much for joining me today! Remember, there is still plenty of time to play along with our September Sketch Challenge for your chance to win some gorgeous Blue Fern Studios products!

August projects with Blue Fern Garden

Hi Maja here today. I have two projects to show you, one layout and one card made with the Blue Fern Garden papers and BFS chipboard pieces. First up is the layout.

For this layout I used light modelling paste togehter with a stencil. I like this light paste because you can still see the pattern in the paper. Looks like embossing. My chipboard pieces I´ve painted with gesso and then used a stamp on them with some chalk.

Blue Fern products used:

papers: Blue Fern Garden - Boudoir and Picnic

chipboard: Lace Rounds and Bohemian Flowers

For my card I have used the new chipboerd piece " Birds ona wire".  I love birds and the color blue =) 

I have used 2 differerent colors of chalk on my chipboard and some pearls.

Blue Fern products used:

papers: Blue Fern Garden -Parlour

Chipborad: Birds on a wire 

Thanks for stopping by =)

Maja