April projects by Karolina

Hi everyone! It's time for my next projects for the Blue Fern Studios blog! Today I will show you 3 ( 4 exactly) totally different projects. Hope you will like them and you will feel inspired! :)

Memories

So let's start! My first project is a canvas. 

I used papers from Autumn Anthology and Deja Vu collection and few chipboard pieces. First I cut papers into small pieces and I created a texture on the background, then I built a 3D composition with these same papers, photos and chipboards. Finally I added some flowers and embellishments and media of course. I used pastels and watercolors.

I covered chipboards with using two different colors of embossing powders - lilac and breeze and a chalk finish acrylic paint (background pieces).

I added also some stamps with using black ink to make some contrasting accents.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Autumn Anthology collection - Le Ballon, Mercantile, Deja Vu Collection - Lustre

Chipboard: Leafy Page Accents, Memory Frames

Embossing Powders: Lilac, Breeze

Stamps: Forever, Essential Textures

Inspiration

My second project is a layout with cute photo of me and my grandpa. I used papers from a Timeless collection. I really love a vintage look of these papers. 

I built a composition based on 2 circles using papers, embellishments and flowers. I also used 2 chipboards - Inspiration and a frame. 

I used a acrylic nk and black gesso to add some color to my chipboard pieces. 

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Timeless collection: Calling Cards, Couture, Freedom

Chipboard: Petite Boutique Frames, Contemplation

Stamps: Forever, Essential Textures

Cards

And finally last but not least I will show you my two cards which I created with very romantic Blush collection. If you love make cards you can successfully use smaller pieces but also a background chipboards. Of course you must cut them :)

On the first card I used very cute little balloon from the set "Love is in the air" and "Bits of honey". 

On the second card I used a beautiful openwork tag. I used chalk ink to make it blue.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Blush collection: Celebration, Key to my heart

Chipboard: Love is in the air, Bits Of honey, Stencil tag 1

And that's all! See you next month!

Maja's February Projects

Hello, Blue Fern Studios Fans and welcome to the blog today :-)

For my today's post I created various projects, so I hope everyone would find something for themselves to get inspired. All of them feature our latest release, the Serendipity collection.
Let's start with the layout:

I first layered two papers in contrasting colours for the background and added some stamping. For the title, I traced the words of the "Always Remember" chipboard with embossing marker and heat-embossed them separately with Heavenly and Ginger embossing powders:

Then I cut out some journaling cards to mat my photo. I tucked some flowers in between then layers,  I also included some loose brick pieces I found with my Shabby Brick Panel (you can also find them in the Extra Bits sets :-)) that I covered with subtle crackle paint.

I created a custom button by attaching an epoxy sticker to the bird image and cutting it out. As for the extra pieces you might get with your chipboard, I decided to keep them and use for some interesting decor element :-) I first removed the pieces from the chipboard, covered them with various eps and but them back together, creating kind of a mosaic/stained glass element (to be able to mount it on 3D dots, I matted the shapes with some paper on the back side):

For the word part, I first embossed the background pieces with Breeze ep and then re-heat it a bit so that particles of Oatmeal ep would stick to it and embossed again to get a shabby chic look:

Always Remember:

Papers: Serendipity: Anticipation, Fascination, Imagination, Chronicle
EP: Ginger, Heavenly, Azure, Seven Seas, Breeze, Oatmeal
Chipboard: Always Remember, Charmed Page Dangles, Shabby Brick Panel/Extra Bits
Stamps: Photography, Forever, Vintage Edges

I used this mosaic/stained glass technique for my next project too, an OTP home decor piece with the beautiful Couture chipboard as the main image:

Just as with the Charmed dangle, I removed the pieces, covered them with Lilac and Mystic Plum eps and but them back into the main piece that I covered with 14 Karat ep.

For the background, I layered some papers, put some lace in between the layers and stamped a dangle from the Deja Vu stamp set, then added some dimensional elements to it:

I also included a flower cluster with a button and metal wing charm in it. Beneath my composition I put the Inspiration chipboard on the passe-partout I splashed with black ink:

Inspiration:

Papers: Serendipity: Inspiration, Merriment, Reminisce
EP: Lilac, Mystic Plum, 14 Karat
Chipboard: Couture, Serendipity Words 1
Stamps: Deja Vu

I also made two cards for this post - here's a wedding card that features the Boston Lattice chipboard piece:

I think it makes a beautiful bakcground for the flower cluster, and it also reminds me of a wedding pergola :) For the background, I layered two sides of the Glee sheet:

 I covered the chipboard with white chalk mist and used the extra pieces as propping places to hide 3D dots:

Wedding card:
Papers: Serendipity: Glee
Chipboard: Boston Lattice


It wouldn't make a February post without a Valentine's card ;) Here's one I gave to my own personal hubby:

I used the True Heart stamped image for the main motif: I stamped it on watercolour paper, coloured it with Distress inks, cut out and mounted on layered papers that I also stamped with Journey stamps:

For the sentiment, I used the "love" word from the Chunky Words set, covered it with glue and dipped in the Fool's Gold glitter. Just to make sure it would fall off, I secured it with glossy accents. 

Love card:
Papers: Serendipity: Contemplation, Inspiration
Chipboard: Chunky Words
Glitter: Fool's Gold
Stamps: Journey, True Heart

I wish you a lot of creating time - and see you next time!

Maja Nowak

My first projects for Blue Fern Studios - Karolina Czajkowska

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be here today with my first projects for Blue Fern Studios. 

Such an honor and a pleasure to be able to be a part of this fantastic team!

First, let me introduce myself. It's the most difficult moment, because I'm not really good in talking about myself. My name is Karolina Czajkowska and I live in Poland in one of the biggest city Łódź. I'm 26 and I'm an architect. I finished my study 1,5 year ago. 

I started my scrapbooking adventure 4 years ago and definitely it was a love at the first sight ;)

Scrapbooking is a huge part of my life, and it is more than a hobby by now. I can't imagine my day without scrapping and I am very sad when life and obligations do not allow me to go to my crafty space. One year ago I started to lead classes in Poland and abroad and I do love it! I think I'm mixed media girl. I'm pretty sure that this is the best way for me to find myself and my own style. And what my style is?

I still don't know, but defenitely it's not a clean&simple style ;)

You can find me on:

*my blog*

*facebook*

*pinterest*

*youtube*

I created 2 layouts and a winter canvas to share with you today:

Layout "Delightful love"

My first layout is very soft and girly, I think. In the picture you can see two little ladies - my goddaugters. They are so cute, aren't they?

This page based on paper from the Love Story collection. I started my work of covering the entire background under my composition with using clear gesso. Then I made a composition using papers from Déjà Vu collection and of course I added some chipboard pieces.

I chose three chipboards - this one which you can see in the background its's a smaller piece of the Quatrefoil panel. First I used it like a stencil and then I covered it using mists and water paints in pink, lavender and warm beige colors.

I covered two smaller chipboards, a frame with "Love" inscription and "Delightful", using two embossing powders - very soft Cotton Candy and more contrasty Mystic Plum.

In the next step I added some flowers and embellishments of course, to make my projects and a composition richer. Then I added some color mists with paintbrush around my composition. Finally I decided to stamp a background a little bit.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Love Story collection - The Grand Ball, Déjà Vu collection - Petites Cartes and La Plume

Chipboard: Quatrefoil Panel, The optimist word set, Memory frames

Embossing Powders: Cotton Candy, Mystic Plum

Stamps: Essential Texture 

Layout "Happy Way"

My second layout is defenitely more colorful with a lot of my favourite turquoise. I like to treat layouts a little bit like art journal pages - I mean: telling some story, capturing thoughts and feelings, not only pictures and memories.

I really like to create layouts on the dark background - this makes the colors "explode". This time I chose a beautiful paper in the deep navy blue color from the Sanctuary collection. I love a pattern of this paper. I prepared a photo and then I knew which colors I had to use. I have combined papers from two different collections - Ombre Dreams and Frolic and when I decided where my composition will be, I covered this area with gesso. I also used a modeling paste and stencils. In the next step I reached for a stamp with text and a pearl embossing powder. I wanted to connect it to the pattern from a basic paper.

On my layout you can find two chipboard pieces - the smallest circle from Beaded Strings set and beautiful Ironworks medley. Both of them I covered with a lot of different embossing powders to make a colorful embellishments, matching to my vision of this project. Then I added some light turquoise paint on all gaps.

After adding flowers and color mists around my composition, I stamped again using two stamps sets - this time with a black ink.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Sanctuary collection: Bountiful, Frolic collection - Petits Moments and Friendship, Ombre Dreams collection - Dream Cards

Chipboard: Beaded strings, Ironworks medley

Embossing Powders: Garnet, Heavenly, Fern, Azure, Mystic Plum, Iris, Honey,

Glitter: Caribbean

Stamps: Essential Texture, Halftone

"Winter time"

My third project, which I would like to share with you today is a winter canvas. I know that Christmas time is gone, but we still have winter and maybe it's not my favourite season, but I really like winter projects!

In the background you can see old book pages. I really like this vintage effect. The next layer is a little piece from the Mini rings panel. I sprayed it with a dark brown mist and arranged it in such a way as to stick out from both sides of my composition. Next I built a very dimensional composition with papers from three different collections Déjà Vu, Autumn Anthology, Paisley & Vine and chipboard frame.

On the close-ups you can see all shades of my frame. First I covered frame with gesso and next I mixed gesso with a blue pigment and with using sponge I started to dabbed on blue accents.

I also added some stamps.

Smaller flakes I covered with white acrylic ink to make a very shiny surface. Then I added some translucent glitter. As a result, my project is more sparkling.

In the background you can also find some stamps and little black dots.

And finally a deer - this handsome gentelman would be a main point of my canvas. First I treated a chipboard with white gesso and then I distressed the edges.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Papers: Déjà Vu collection - La Plume, Autumn Anthology collection - Mercantile, Paisley & Vine collection - Vineland

Chipboard: Winter Deer, Snowflake frame, Shabby flakes, Mini rings panel

Stamps: Essential Texture

I hope I have inspired you today. See you next time :)

Hugs,

Karolina

Welcoming In The New Year With Blue Fern Studios~

Welcome to to the New Year and welcome to my very first Blue Fern Studios Post!!!

To kick things off, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. 

My name is Renea Harrison aka Reneabouquets in the virtual world, a Southern Girl, born and raised in Tennessee. I have been married to my husband, David for over 25 years, and we have one son, Draven, who went off to college last year. I am the bookkeeper for our local business and owner of the Reneabouquets.com Store and Reneabouquets Etsy.

 I don't just love scrapbooking, I am passionate about it. I love every aspect of this amazing multi-media art. I love the art of the creation itself, from taking the design in my head and getting it out onto paper, to the social aspect of it. I love sharing what I know, and learning what others share. 

As a scrapbook artist, I don't really have any one set style. I tend to scrap whatever mood I happen to be in which can range, from Shabby Chic, Girly Girl, Vintage and Girlie Grunge to Masculine, Grunge, and Mixed Media. 

As an artist, I think that one of my greatest hopes is that I can inspire you to create and can teach you something new that you can take and use in your own work, so let's get started!!

Boots, Beauty & Blue Fern:

I love sliding into a comfortable pair of boots, and for this Design Team layout, I couldn't help, but get inspired by the Swirly Circle Chipboard Frame to create something rustic meets beautiful!!

I started with a layer of Blue Fern Studios Autumn Anthology-Newsworthy Paper, I then took another piece of the same paper and used the backside, tearing and inking the edges to fit my design. Next, I added a layer of corrugated board that I heavily inked and added my photo to.

I took the Blue Fern Swirly Circle Chipboard Frame, inked it up and then randomly heat embossed it with some Imagine Ink Oatmeal Embossing Powder to get a wonderful, rustic look, and layered it over my photo.

I added some lace to add a feminine touch, and then took some branches with moss, made a little stack and wrapped and tied it with twine, added some mini pine cones and popped some of my handcrafted butterflies.

I added some cheesecloth, burlap leaf picks, a large chiffon flower and some more flowers to round out my feminine meets rustic look. 

I then crackle painted some areas around the frame, and inked them, then took a Blue Fern Essential Textures Stamp and did some stamping. Stamping can add a lot of texture and dimension on your layouts and the Essential Textures Stamps are so perfect for adding background noise. 

Here is some more detail of the Yumminess of the stamping. 

In the top corner of my layout, I inked a "Natural Beauty" chipboard piece from the Blue Fern, All Natural Set. I inked in a way that let some of the natural kraft color of the chipboard show through to get a variegated color effect. I then added some more twigs wrapped with twine and pine cones. I took some of the paper pieces left over from the tearing I did and rolled and inked them, then tied more twine around them. I fussy cut out a little bird from the paper and glitter painted him up and then popped him on with foam tape for dimension.

And here you can see all the dimension and texture that you can create using  Blue Fern Products.

Blue Fern Studio Supply List:

Paper:

Autumn Anthology~Newsworthy

Chipboard:

All Natural Set (Natural Beauty)

Swirly Circle

Stamp:

Essential Textures

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder:

Oatmeal

Getting Winterlicious With The Blue Fern Sketch:

Each month Blue Fern Studios has a sketch challenge that you can take part in. Here is this month's January Sketch:

And here is my Design Team take on the sketch:

I decided to work with some papers from the Blue Fern Deja Vu line to get a Winterlicious, frosty look!! I started with a piece of Lustre Paper and then used another piece of the same paper, this time using the backside. I distressed the edges heavily and did some grunge punching. I used a stencil and texture paste to create the snowflakes on the background paper, and  I then added in 2 more layers of Tresors paper, adding sand paste and Glitter Glass to create a Snowy~frosty look.

Next, I took a Blue Fern Chipboard French Ironwork, painted it with crackle paint and then clear emboss inked randomly and heat embossed using the Imagine Ink Mystic Plum Embossing Powder, and added a crystal for a little bling.

The snowflakes were created by taking Blue Fern Chipboard Winter Flakes,  painting them with white gesso, and then heat embossing them with Imagine Ink Icicle Embossing Powder.

To add a little more texture and bling, I then added Silver Microbeads to the tips of the flakes and overlaid them with Snowflake Buttons. 

I created a flower layer at the bottom corner of my photo.

I also popped on some of my handcrafted butterflies for some extra sparkle!!

I love that Blue Fern papers are so high quality and thick that they can handle all of my mediums, textures and layering! Just look at all the dimension that they allow you to achieve.

Blue Fern Studio Supply List:

Paper:

Deja Vu-Lustre
Deja Vu-Tresors

Chipboard:

French Ironwork

Winter Flakes

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder:

Mystic Plum

Icicle

I love creating off the page projects, and one of my FAV things is mini albums. I love creating pages that have little tuck ins for storing memories, and all kinds of unexpected treasures!!

 For this mini album, I used the Blue Fern Frolic Paper Collection,  starting with a layer of Friendship as the base layer and then adding a layer of  Petits Moments. 

I then added a layer of corrugated board that I added some beads, Imagine Ink Embossing Powder In Cerulean and cheesecloth to grunge it up a bit. I took some pieces of  the Blue Fern Shabby Brick Pieces Chipboard, textured them and added them to my cover design.

Next, I fussy cut out one of the birds from the Friendship Paper and glitter painted him up, then cut out the rest of the bird design and added it to a Blue Fern Majestic Chipboard Frame.

I painted the frame with a coat of gesso and then heat embossed it with the Cerulean Embossing Powder.

Here is a look at all the layering.

Here I created pocket pages with tags using the following Blue Fern Papers:

Frolic Petits Moments
Frolic Veranda

For these pages, I used:

Frolic Friendship and Frolic Petits Moments Papers

there is a pocket that I created using a cut out of the birds design and then created,

a sweet, little sewn booklet from the Calling Cards Paper, 

and a tag that tucks in at the top from the Dans Le Jardin paper.

These pocket pages were created with the Frolic Adorn Paper.

And all the tuck in and tags were created with the Frolic Calling Card Paper.

The last set of pages were created with the Frolic Dans Le Jardin Papers and feature a pocket,

With Frolic Calling Card tags as well as a large tag, tuck in created with Frolic Friendship Paper.

The back side was created using Frolic Friendship Paper.

Thank you so much for joining me for my first Blue Fern Studios Reveal! I hope that you have enjoyed getting to know a little bit about me and also that you have enjoyed my projects. Here is to a New Year full of Creativity, Inspiration and Fun!! Hugs ~Renea

Blue Fern Studio Supply List:

Paper:

Frolic Friendship
Frolic Calling Cards
Frolic Dans Le Jardin
Frolic Petits Moments
Frolic Veranda
Frolic Adorn

Chipboard:

Majestic Frame

Shabby Brick Pieces

Imagine Ink Embossing Powder:

Cerulean