April 2016 Stamp of the Month - Prickly Pear

The Texas Prickly Pear is seen every where it seems.  And when they are in bloom the landscape is transformed.  Texana Designs has several cactus stamps and really great sentiments.  This month the team was challenged to use the prickly pear stamp and a choice of three sentiments.  Enjoy the following.

12" x 12" Page Layout by Karen Lambert

Karen Lambert's Supply List:

TD stamps:  Cactus Heart, Cactus Bloom, Prickly Pear and Find Beauty in the prickly things in life.

Craft Card Stock

Bazzil Basics faded yellow polka dot pattern paper

Manila Shipping Tag

Versa Mark to stamp Cactus Heart on Craft Card stock and then lightly go over it with Tea Dye Distress Ink on a blending tool

Distress edges of all paper and tag with Tea Dye and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink

Stamp Cactus Bloom on cardstock and color with Promarkers.

Stamp Prickly Pear and Sentiment on Tag and color with Promarkers

Ribbon and Jute for Tag Decor.

A2 Card by Jilda Bolton

Jilda Bolton's Supply List:

 

Texana Design Stamps: Prickly Pear, Feeling a Little Rough

Paper: Green, yellow & white

Green ink pad, sponge

Copic Markers: Green YG91,93,95 Yellow Y08

Spellbinders Celebrations 3D Embossing folder – Fabric Weave

X-Press It ¼” high tack double sided tape

I stamped the Prickly Pear three times, sponged a green background, colored the cactus with Copic Markers, and cut out the images.

To create the back ground, I used a Spellbinders 3D Fabric Weave embossing folder on yellow paper.  The Spellbinders Celebration Embossing folders were created to use in the Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting & Embossing Machine.  Since I don’t have that machine, I found directions online for using the Sizzix Big Shot instead:

1)      Sandwich the Sizzix multipurpose platform with both Tab 1 and Tab 2 closed and one cutting plate

2)      Since the Celebration 3D embossing folders both emboss and deboss, you need to lightly spritz the paper on one side with water to soften the fibers of the paper so that it doesn’t tear

3)      Place the 3D folder with the damp paper inside on top of the multipurpose platform and put one cutting plate on top

4)      Roll through the machine and remove the paper

5)      Because the paper will be damp you need to let it dry (doesn’t take very long but you can lightly heat it if you are in a hurry)

I used X-Press It tape to put the paper pieces together since the surface is bumpy and I wanted to make sure they would stay stuck together.

A2 Card by Megan Bickers

Megan Bicker's Supply List:

Texana Designs Stamps: Prickly Pear Cactus, Cactus Border, Find Beauty in
the Prickly Things of Life

Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock

Bazzill: Navy Cardstock

Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)

Ranger: Tim Holtz Distress Crayons #2 (Festive Berries, Rusty Hinge,
Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint, Chipped Sapphire),
Distress Inkpad (Fossilized Amber),
Foam Blending Tool

Pentel: Aquash Water Brush

Heat Tool

3M Foam Tape

I colored directly onto the edges of the stamped images with the Distress
crayons and used my water brush to fade and blend the color over the entire
image. I used the Fossilized Amber inkpad and my foam blending tool to add
some yellow ink to the edge of my card base, then mounted it on navy
cardstock.  The focal image was colored in the same way, and I added the
Prickly Pear cactus over the cactus border with foam tape.

A2 Card,  #8Tag and ATC card

Janet Bradshaw's Supply List:
 

Texana Designs Stamps:  Prickly Pear

 “Feeling a little rough around the edges…”

“You’re looking sharp today.”

Color Blocking technique

Paper House ColorWays – noir – 12” x 12”

BoBunny Double Dot Paper

Versamark

White Embossing Powder

Ranger Mica Spray - Tarnished Brass

Brads and

Grosgrain ribbon and crinkle ribbon colored with Distress Stain

Check out the prickly pear tag on Janet's blog and posted on the Tim Holtz' 12 tags of 2016, March 

 

March 2016 Stamp of the Month - Bluebonnet 2 and Paintbrush 2

Spring in Central Texas brings a bounty of beautiful wildflowers.  These flowers were the inspiration of our artists to create some beautiful bluebonnet and paintbrush images for stamping.  Enjoy the fabulous designs of the Texana Design Team using these stamps.

Bluebonnet 2, Bluebonnet (mini), Paintbrush 2 or Paintbrush 2 (mini)

Scrapbook Page by Karen Lambert

12" x 12" Layout by Karen Lambert

Supplies used:

Bluebonnet #2 and Everythings coming up bluebonnet stamps
Bo Bunny Basics dark denim dot and Ocean Double Dot Patterned Paper
VersaFine Black Onyx Ink
Gelly Roll Glitter Pens
Die Cut mats cut with Silhouette Cameo

Two A2 Cards by Megan Bickers 

A2 Card by Megan Bickers

Supplies Used For Green card:

Texana Designs Stamps: Paintbrush #2
Bazzill: Green Cardstock
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)
Ranger: Distress Inkpads (Festive Berries, Abandoned Coral, Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint); Foam Blending Tool; Multi Medium Matte; Heat It Craft Tool; Spray Bottle
Molotow Art Masking Liquid: Wide and Narrow Markers
Best Test: Pik Up Rubber Cement Eraser
Zig: Wink of Stella Glitter Marker (Clear)
Spellbinders: Dies (Small Scallop Ovals, Small Standard Ovals)
Cuttlebug Die Cut Machine
Recollections: Washi Tape
Bead Landing: Sequins (Red & Gold)
Kuretake: Water Brush
3M Foam Tape
Clear Stamp Block

I was inspired by the technique called “Negative Space Coloring” posted in a YouTube Video by Jennifer McGuire and made a few changes in the technique to my card. I die cut the scallop and standard ovals with white cardstock. Then I stamped the paintbrush image onto cheap white cardstock (watercolor paper would not pill when wet, and I would use this instead in the future). The image needed to be masked for my technique, so I used the Molotow Fluid Masking Liquid Markers to cover the image, and let it dry. Then I used my three distress inkpads (Festive Berries, Abandoned Coral, Scattered Straw) to smear color directly onto a clear stamping block, which I misted with water and used to transfer the ink color to the background. I dried the layers with my heat tool, and added color to the background several times so it would build up to the intensity I wanted. Once this layer was completely dry, I used my Rubber Cement Eraser to rub off the blue masking fluid and revealed the white stamped image underneath. Then I used my waterbrush and the distress inkpads to color in my white image. I also added some clear glitter on top of the colored image. The stamped layer was glued down to the white scallop layer, and I added it to the card front with foam tape. The card front has a single row of washi tape for the image to sit on. I added some sequins to complete my card.

A2 Card by Megan Bickers

Supplies for Blue card:

Texana Designs Stamps: Bluebonnet #2
Bazzill: Blue Cardstock
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)
Ranger: Distress Inkpads (Seedless Preserves, Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky); Foam Blending Tool; Heat It Craft Tool; Spray Bottle
Molotow Art Masking Liquid: Wide and Narrow Markers
Best Test: Pik Up Rubber Cement Eraser
Spellbinders: Dies (Small Scallop Ovals, Small Standard Ovals)
Cuttlebug Die Cut Machine
Recollections: Washi Tape
Kuretake: Water Brush
Coats & Clark: White Crochet Thread
Buttons: from Craft Stash
3M Foam Tape
Zots: Glue Dots

I was inspired by the technique called “Negative Space Coloring” posted in a YouTube Video by Jennifer McGuire and made a few changes in the technique to my card. I die cut the scallop and standard ovals with white cardstock. Then I stamped the bluebonnet image onto cheap white cardstock (watercolor paper would not pill when wet, and I would use this instead in the future). The image needed to be masked for my technique, so I used the Molotow Fluid Masking Liquid Markers to cover the image, and let it dry. Then I used my three distress inkpads (Seedless Preserves, Faded Jeans, Stormy Sky) and my foam blender tools to add the color in an ombre pattern to the background. I misted the distress ink with water droplets and blotted with a paper towel to lift some of the color. I dried the image completely with my heat tool. Once this layer was completely dry, I used my Rubber Cement Eraser to rub off the blue masking fluid and revealed the white stamped image underneath. For this card, I chose to leave the white bluebonnet plain so that my colorful background would draw attention to the stamped flower. The stamped layer was glued down to the white scallop layer, and I added it to the card front with foam tape. The card front has a single row of washi tape for the image to sit on. I added a button and white crochet thread to complete my card.
 

Card by Jilda Bolton

 

Wildflower Card by Jilda Bolton

Supplies used:
Texana Designs Stamps: Bluebonnet #2, Paintbrush #2 and Script Happy Birthday
Paper: X-Press It Blending paper, white and pink card stock, handmade marbled paper
Memento ink: Tuxedo Black

Kaisercraft Decorative Die: Stained Glass – C6

Copic markers:

Bluebonnets -- B23,24,32,69, BV08, YG67

Paintbrush – R30,32,34, G85

Scotch Quick-Dry Adhesive in Fineline 18-gauge standard tip bottle

First I created the card front with the papers and Stained Glass die.  Then I stamped the Paintbrush image 5 times and the Bluebonnet image 4 times on X-Press It paper and colored them all with Copics. I fussy cut the flowers, arranged them on the card, and glued them down with the adhesive in the Fineline bottle. I left some of the tips of the flower petals and leaves unglued to create a bit of a 3D effect.  Finally, I added the sentiment and the card was finished.

Tag, ATC and A2 cards by Janet Bradshaw

A2 Cards, Tag and ATC Card by Janet Bradshaw

Janet created a couple of cards with the top and bottom of the front only connected by the focal image.  Patterned paper was used to decorate the top section and bottom section of the card.  The sentiment was stamped on the inside of the card so that it showed through the opening between the top and bottom of the card front.  She also used the mini stamp on the inside to pull the card together.  The tag is made into a similar card by connecting two tags at the top and the top one scored to open.  The ATC was created as a single layer.  The images are colored with pencils and blended with gamsol.

A2 Card cutting guide for bluebonnet card:

Black Cardstock
4 1/4" x 7", scored at  5 1/2" - card base
4 1/4" x 2 1/2" - bottom of card front
4 1/4" x 1 3/4" - mat for connecting focal image

White Cardstock
4" x 5 1/4" - mat for inside
4" x 1 1/2" - for stamping focal image

Patterned Paper - Echo Park, Jack & Jill collection - Plaid
4" x 1 1/4" - top mat
4" x 2 1/4" - bottom mat

The sentiment on the paintbrush card is a bit tall, so I trimmed the bottom black and patterned paper to fit the sentiment.

Variations:

So many variations, you can trim the front card at an angle or rotate the card.

Be sure to browse many more flower samples at Texana's Pinterest Board

February 2016 Stamp of the Month - Texas (shape)

This year Texana Designs will be featuring a stamp of the month.  February we are featuring the Texas (shape) designed as one of the first 12 stamps designed.  The design team has been creating some wonderful samples to spur your creativity.

12x12 layout by Karen Lambert

Texas Stars Layout Page by Karen Lambert
Supply List:

Texana Designs Stamps Texas(state) small, Barbed Wire Star small and mini.
Card Stock in grey, medium blue, and dark blue
ADORNit Patterned Paper Blender Basics - Blue Damask and Blue Pixie Dots
VersaMark Ink Pad
Ranger Super Fine Detail Embossing Powder in Black
Distress Ink Pad in Hickory Smoke
Fiskars Crimping tool to crimp the stars cut with Spellbinders Star Dies
Piece of Denim cut from old jeans for mat
Barbed Wire made with cording, modge podge, and paint following these instructions at www.instructables.com ...
Sewing Machine to sew mats in place
Tiny black brads to anchor frame and picture to layout.
Olivia Cuttlebug Alphabet Dies to cut the word STARS.  Cut from two colors and layered.
Xyron sticker maker to adhere Letters.

Card by Megan Bickers

Texas State Card by Megan Bickers
Supplies Used:

Texana Designs Stamp: Texas (state)
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
ANW Crestwood: Grey Cardstock (Night Sky)
Crate Paper: Pattern Paper (Hazelwood Café)
Tsukineko: Versamark Inkpad
Ranger: Distress Inkpad (Hickory Smoke); Foam Blending Tool, Adirondack
Metallic Paint Dabber (Pearl)
Letraset: Promarkers (Red, Linen, Mint Green, Warm Grey 4)
Wow: Embossing Glitter (Metallic Gold Sparkle)
Seal It: Glitter Washi Tape (Gold)
Spellbinders: Nestabilities Die (Labels 18)
3M Foam Tape
Paint Brush, Water

I stamped the image with versamark onto white cardstock, then used the gold
glitter embossing powder and heat set it. Then I used my alcohol markers to
color in the image and cut it out.  For the grey cardstock, I used some
Pearl Metallic Paint thinned with water and a paintbrush to give the
cardstock a shimmery wash of color. I used the grey inkpad and foam blending
tool to add some definition to the outside of the pattern paper card base.
The gold in the embossing powder, the glitter washi tape and the layer of
shimmer on the grey cardstock all give this card extra sparkle and shine!

Megan :)

A2 card by Jilda Bolton

Texas State Card by Jilda Bolton
Supplies used:

Texana Designs Stamp: Texas (state)
Gold poster board
Bazzill: Raven black cardstock
Index paper: white
Ranger Archival Ink: Jet Black
Deadbeat Designs Texas Trio Dies: Largest Texas
Ken Oliver: Stick It cut with Texas die
IndigoBlu Mega-Flake: Autumn Blaze
Ranger Cut-n-Dry Stamp pad foam: 1” square
Scrapbook Adhesives: 3D foam squares


I stamped the TD Texas 3 times onto the gold poster board and cut out the images.  I attached one side of the Stick It to white index paper and cut it out using the DB Texas die.  Then I removed up the other side of the Stick It to expose the sticky side.  I covered the sticky side with the Mega-Flakes and burnished the flakes with my finger to release the excess flakes. Then I continued to burnish the image with the small square of the Cut-n-Dry foam pad until all of the excess flakes were removed and the surface was smooth and shiny.  I arranged two of the TD Texas images and the Mega-Flake Texas image on the card front and then popped the third TD Texas on top of the Mega-Flake Texas with the 3D foam squares.  The Mega-Flake Texas really makes the card shine and pop against the black background!

A2 Card, #8 Tag & ATC by Janet

Card, Tag & ATC by Janet Bradshaw 

Supply List: 

Stamp:  Texas (state)

Papers:  Wright Designs – Red Bandana & Burlap,

ADORNit - Homespun Paper Burgundy Embossed

We R Memory Keepers - Fuse Tool

FUSEables Decorate Tape – Fringe/Kraft

Distress Splatter Brush

Distress Stain – Barn Door

Staz-On – Timber Brown

Craft Fun Foam

Ribbon

Video Instructions

Other samples using the Texas (state) stamp

 

Inspired by Tim Holtz January 2016 Tag

Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016 – technique remix - January

 

My name is Janet Bradshaw and I am honored to be on the Texana Design Team.  This year one of my goals is to do my first set of 12 Tags by Tim Holtz using the Texana stamps.  This is my first tag and I'm excited to share it.  Below are the techniques and supplies I used following Tim's blog post.

 

techniques:  chalkboard, industrious metal
supplies used:
stamps:  Texana Designs -120705 Texas (state)
embossing folder:  stars
surfaces: metal foil tape, #8 manila tag, black cardstock or tag
inks: distress embossing ink
paint: distress paint/black soot/picket fence
embossing powder: frosted crystal
embellishments: word band, mini fasteners, western charm
adhesives: foam tape, glossy accents
tools: tvagabond, on the edge cutting pads, heat tool, scissors
misc: white chalk

12 tags of 2016
technique remix

Merry Texmas

What a great Christmas card!  I love the watermark Texas shape on the background.  Megan combined the two barbwire strips, the holly and the Merry Texmas stamp as if they were designed to be one stamp.

Supplies Used:
Texana  Designs Stamps: Texas Solid-small, Lg Merry Texmas, 

Jam’n Holly, BW Lines 1 &2
DMD Inc: Kraft Cardstock
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)
Letraset: Promarkers (Cool Grey 3, Sandstone, Cinnamon, Burnt Sienna)
Kuretake: Gansai Tambi Japanese Watercolors
Ranger: Distress Inkpad (Brushed Corduroy), Foam Blending Tool
Best Creations: Red Glitter Paper
Recollections: Washi Tape
3M: Foam Tape
WeR Memory Keepers: Corner Chomper (1/2”)

A Texana Christmas by Megan

I just love the way Megan's creative mind works.  She never ceases to awe use.  Check out these three cards.

 Supplies Used:

Texana Designs Stamps: BW Lines 1 & 2, Jam’n Texas Large, Jam’n Holly, Have a Texas-size Christmas
DMD Inc: Kraft Cardstock
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)
Kuretake: Gansai Tambi Japanese Solid Watercolors (White, Red, Green, Yellow)
Pentel: Aquash Waterbrush
3M Foam Tape
Eclipse: Art Masking Tape

I started by stamping the Texas outline and the words on the background, then I masked off the Texas shape with art masking tape so I could stamp the starburst.  To create the starburst, I stamped at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 with one BW line.  Then I stamped from the card’s four corners to the TX shape, and filled in with another BW line stamped in between each of those corner stamped images and the original clock grid I stamped.  The background is totally stamped on the kraft cardstock, and I used the solid Japanese watercolors and my water brush to color the red and white sections (I had to go over the sections a couple times with the white and dry them with my heat tool until I got the opacity I wanted- I also used less water to make the white brighter).  I colored the green outline on the TX shape, and then also colored the holly images with the same watercolors.  The Holly is cut out of white cardstock and attached to the card front with foam tape.

 Supplies Used:

Texana Designs Stamps: Mistletoe Spray, Holiday Spirit
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
DMD Inc: Kraft Cardstock
CTMH: Clear Vellum
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black), Versamark Inkpad (Clear)
Akashiya Sai: Watercolors (Maroon, Green, Yellow)
Pentel: Aquash Waterbrush
Bic Mark It: Bronze Marker
Stampendous: Embossing Powder (Gold)
The Paper Studio: Brads (Gold)


I stamped the mistletoes all over the background, then used my watercolor markers on a craft mat, and picked up the color with a waterbrush to color in the images. I colored the background with the yellow and used my permanent marker to color the berries gold. For the sentiment, I stamped the words on some clear vellum and embossed them with gold powder. The vellum is attached to the card with gold brads.

Supplies Used:

Texana Designs Stamps: Mistletoe Spray, Wishing You some Texas Twinkle
Georgia Pacific: White Cardstock
Best Creation: Red Glitter Cardstock
Tsukineko: Memento Inkpad (Tuxedo Black)
Akashiya Sai: Watercolors (Red, Green, Yellow)
Pentel: Aquash Waterbrush
Making Memories: Brads (Silver)


I stamped the mistletoes all over the background, then used my watercolor markers on a craft mat, and picked up the color with a waterbrush to color in the images.  For the sentiment, I stamped the words on some white cardstock and cut a curved shape along the bottom to create a “tab”. I edged the white cardstock with some watercolors also. The glitter paper was added to the sentiment layer with brads.

How many ways can you decorate a signpost?

The signpost is so very versatile and can be used for any season or sentiment.  See many more samples below from all of the team members.