Welcome to Velvet Paw Creations - Design Team Projects by Leigh Snaith-Brunton - The Sharpie Domino Queen & owner of LeighSBDesigns Art Stamps!

Monday, January 23, 2017

"Poe" Nuance Watercolour Portraits Poe Appreciation Blog Hop Finale!

Hiya Everyone!
Today is Day 5 and the finale of our 2nd annual Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!


If you're just tuning in then it's not too late to join the fun, here's the scoop!
We're hosting a progressive hop that spans over 5 days with new Poe projects accumulating as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE!  Get in on the fun by 5 to midnight PST tonight to be in the running to win our prize!

There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!  You can start your hopping from the beginning at LCPtoC, the Blog Hop Roll is at the bottom of this post!

We also released 5 new stamps just for the hop and we are also giving away TWO FREEBIE rubber stamps with every order placed!

For my finale I created two watercoloured Edgar Allan Poe portraits using Nuance Pigment Powders, Carmen's Veranda Edgar Allan Poe portrait stamp and Lost Coast Designs Raven with Tree Branches plus the License Plate Alphabet set on the card version.


To start I selected the Nuance colours I wanted to work with:  red, royal blue, violet and grey, mixed the powders with water in a palette and applied the paint directly to the Poe stamp with a paint brush.  The pigment paint dries quite fast which I reactivated with a sprtiz or 2 of water and then pressed a panel of Mixed Media cardstock I cut to 1.75" square onto the stamp to transfer the print.  I did the same with the Raven and then added my own brushed on touches to complete the piece.


I punched out the 2 top corners with a decorative Lace punch, applied Black Soot Distress Ink to the edges before matting the print onto black cardstock.  I then punched the 2 bottom corners with the same Lace design before adhering to a panel of red embossed cardstock.  I'd embossed the red panel with a Regency pattern (Craftwell embossing folder) and applied Black Soot Distress Ink to enhance the design.  I stamped out the letters to spell "Poe" and edged them with Black Soot Distress Ink too.  I applied silver rub-on creme to enhance all the cardstock edges, punched corners and the embossed details before adhering everything to a folded card made from a sheet of black cardstock.  I completed the card with self-adhesive black diamonds in 2 sizes.
 

This is one of my favourite watercolour techniques and I particularly loved how glorious the Nuance colours looked so I made a 2nd print and created this art piece that's POEfect for framing.

 
Thank you for participating and hopping with us this year.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing all the Poe art on show!  Here's another look at my other LCD/CV projects plus my Delicious Doodles journal cover I made for this year's hop, I had so much fun😋


 See you again next year for our 3rd Poe Blog Hop, mark your calendars for January 19 - 23, 2018 and don't forget to keep an eye on Lost Coast Portal to Creativity if you contributed to the hop to see if you are our Poe Blog Hop 2017 Winner😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations!
Enjoy!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *



Sunday, January 22, 2017

"The Skeleton Hand" Card - Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop

Hiya Everyone!
Today is Day 4 of our Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!
Welcome back if you've been hopping with us already and if you're just joining the fun then here's the scroop!  This is a progressive hop that spans over 5 days and new Poe projects accumulate as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE!  Tomorrow is the last day and you have until 5 to midnight PST to participate for the chance at winning the prize!

The Blog Hop Roll is at the bottom of this post!


There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!


In celebration of our 2nd Poe Hop we released NEW Lost Coast Designs stamps and I used our new fabulous standing Small Skeleton on my project today!  He's called small but he's quite tall at just over 5 inches!  I also used the following Lost Coast Designs rubber stamps: 
Large Journaling Letter Guide, Perspective FloorScalloped Flourish, License Plate Alphabet set and Tall Trees background

I stamped the Skeleton and Perspective Floor with Black Archival ink onto white cardstock and masked both with Pebeo masking fluid.  I then stamped the large Journaling Letter Guide stamp which consists of a set of cool wavy lines in Tea Dye Distress Ink and then the Tall Trees in London Fog Memento Ink.  I coloured the background with Tea Dye, Aged Mahogany and Black Soot Distress Ink with more Black Soot applied after I removed the masking fluid.  I then had fun writing in a portion of a poem attributed to Poe and doodling in the heart squiggles using white and black Dylusions Paint pens.

"The Skeleton Hand"
(attributed to Poe from The Yankee, August 1829)

...He fears that toward him pointeth there,
A fleshless human hand;...

I then stamped the flourishes in Galaxy Gold Brilliance Ink and drew in the black and white checkered edge on the right hand side and hearts in all four corners with the paint pens as well.  I stamped out the word "Poe" using the License Plate Alphabet in black Archival ink, cut the letters out and edged them in Galaxy Gold Brilliance ink before adhering them to the card.  To complete my card I matted the finished piece first on white cardstock and then adhered it to a folded card made from a sheet of black cardstock.

That's it for today and I hope I manage to finish my 5th Poe project for tomorrow's finale😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations!  Enjoy!

Happy Hopping

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *


Saturday, January 21, 2017

"Nevermore" card - Poe Appreciation Blog Hop at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

Hiya Everyone!
Today is Day 3 of our Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!


This is a progressive hop that spans over 5 days and new Poe projects accumulate as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE!
The Blog Hop Roll is at the bottom of this post!

There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!

In celebration of our 2nd Poe Hop we released NEW stamps and I used one of the large Ravens on my project today!


 I used the following rubber stamps:
Lost Coast Designs newest Zentangle inspired Raven Left Large as well as the Long Swirl Flourish, Pencil Tops Border and Verticle ABC Border, Grunge Tree background and Diamond background from the ATC Grunge Background set and the small Nevermore text...which is one of the Poe Hop Freebies you can get just by placing an order!

I stamped the Raven with Black Archival ink onto watercolour cardstock and masked him with Pebeo masking fluid.  I then created the gorgeous blue and purple watercolour background with Nuance Pigment Powders.  I then got to work stamping all the elements to create the background:  the flourishes were stamped with Grape Jelly Memento ink, the verticle alphabet with Cloud White VersaMagic ink and the pencil tops border, grunge tree and diamond pattern and the Nevermore text (on a separate piece of white cardstock) were stamped with black Archival ink.  I then edged the panel in white Dylusions paint pen.  I coloured the Raven with a graphite pencil in the traditional Zentangle style once I removed the masking fluid.  The panel was layered onto purple/plum cardstock and I punched holes in all four corners and attached fleur de lis brads and then adhered it to a folded card made from a sheet of black cardstock.  I trimmed the Nevermore text, matted it onto black cardstock and then adhered it to the card.  To complete the card I applied black Studio G glitter glue to the black card edges as well as the Nevermore text.

That's it for today!  I have more Poe inspired projects to share over the duration of the hop too so see you again soon😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations!  Enjoy!

Happy Hopping

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *


Friday, January 20, 2017

"Raven Rising" Poe art piece for Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop

Hiya Everyone!
Today is Day 2 of our Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!
In celebration I'm re-sharing a Poe project I blogged last week for the start of our January Challenge "Something New" over at Delicious Doodles Challenges.

Unfortunately Inlinkz doesn't allow you to display the Linky in more than one post at a time and applies it to the last post it's shared in...the Blog Hop Roll can be found below in my Day 1 project HERE!

This wicked cool image is Delicious Doodles' Skully Poe Digi Colouring Page
I called this piece "Raven Rising"....the Raven is like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of 2016.  He  carries forth the words of Poe into the new year where he will live on eternal as we continue to enjoy his tales of mystery and macabre.


This piece was coloured with Copics with metallic gold Promarker used on the book spines.
I'm going to use this Poesome piece as the cover of a project journal I'm working on.

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!   Hope you're enjoying the Poe Hop so far...the Blog Hop Roll is below😀
Have a great weekend and Happy Hopping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Thursday, January 19, 2017

"Poe" altered alphabet cube - Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop 2017 at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!

Hiya Everyone!
Are you a fan of Edgar Allan Poe?


Then you're in for a real treat coz today is his birthday and Lost Coast Portal to Creativity is celebrating with our 2nd annual Poe Appreciation Day Blog Hop!


This is a progressive hop that spans over 5 days which means new Poe projects will join the hop every day as more Poe fans play so check daily and hop all the blogs!  The Blog Roll is in the form of an Inlinkz link up and the HTML code to use in your blog posts is provided over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity HERE and on today's Hop post which will go live at 9am PST!  Last year's hop was a huge success and we hope to see lots of fabulous Poe themed creations shared again this year so lets get on with the Poe show!

There is a PRIZE up for grabs!
One participating Blogger will be randomly selected to win $10 in LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at our Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda online stores!  So hop on over to Lost Coast Portal to Creativity for all the info on how to play!

In celebration of our 2nd Poe Hop we have NEW stamps and I've used them on my project today!  Woohoo!  These Zentangle inspired Ravens (available in various sizes) and Skellie are so much fun!


But wait..there's more, we also have a wonderful Poe Hop special for you!
 Place an order, of any value, and receive TWO fabulous FREEBIE rubber stamps!  The special is open to everyone planet wide!  How Poesome is this "Nevermore" text and Raven😉


Now to share my project for Day 1 of the Poe Hop...an altered alphabet resin cube!  I found it on clearance last year and it already had a "P" on it...how could I resist😀

showing each side of the cube
 I used the following rubber stamps:
Lost Coast Designs newest Zentangle inspired Ravens:   Raven Mom small, Raven Right Small, Raven Left Small, Raven 1 and Small Skeleton as well as the Scalloped Flourish.
Carmen's Veranda:  Edgar Allan Poe portait and small Nevermore...which is one of the Poe Hop Freebies!

Here's a closer look at all the details!


In the photos below you can see the metallic gold flourishes.


I stamped the Ravens with Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Neenah Solar White cardstock cut into 2.5" square pieces and coloured them with Copics.  The images were masked with Pebeo masking fluid and the backgrounds done with Tea Dye, Aged Mahogany and Black Soot Distress inks.  The Nevermore text and Poe were stamped with black Archival ink and the Skeleton in London Fog Memento ink and the flourishes in Galaxy Gold Brilliance ink.  The cardstock panel edges were all distressed and I applied metallic gold rub-on creme to the roughened edges before adhering the panels to the cube which I'd already distressed a bit more with sandpaper.  I also added gold rub-on cream to the "P" and to all the edges of the cube as well.

That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed seeing my fun Poe cube.  I will have more Poe inspired projects to share over the duration of the hop too...I can't help myself, I just love Poe, so see you again soon😉

Now off you hop to see more fabulous Poe inspired creations by my fellow LCDesigners and Poe Fans!  Enjoy!

Happy Hopping

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles * 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

"Alice in Winterland" - Card for Lost Coast Designs Alice event!

Hello Everyone!
A Wonderlandful adventure began today over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity!
Alice has fallen down the rabbit hole again but this time she has found herself in a magical Winter Wonderland!


Enjoy our daily LCDesigner projects through to January 16th and then join the adventure!  Enter your wintery Wonderland themed projects by midnight PST on January 31st for the chance to win LCD/CV Bucks to spend on rubber at Lost Coast Designs and Carmen's Veranda!

We have a wonderlandful collection of Alice in Wonderland stamps in our Lost Coast Designs store, you'd be MAD if you didn't dash on over to check them out😊

 
I'm kicking off the adventure today with an accordion fold double window card.  I had an absolute blast designing this one and I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed creating it 😉

Featuring the following stamps:

Lost Coast Designs
"Alice" from the Alice, Tweedles and Alice in Chair set
"Alice and Griffin" from the Alice, Dodo and Griffin set
"Alice" from the Alice and the Queen and Sitting Queen set
"Cheshire Cat" from the Rabbits, Cat Face, Hatter, Rabbit with Watch set
"Perspective Floor"
Various Snowflakes from the Small and Large Snowflake sets  

Carmen's Veranda
ATC Birds in Tree
 The watercoloured background was created with Nuance water-soluable powder dyes by Magenta
 Who is Alice talking to?

She's talking to a disappearing Cheshire Cat of course 😄

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Raven Rising - a Poe project for Delicious Doodles DT!

Hiya Everyone!
 It's time for our first Challenge of 2017 over at Delicious Doodles Challenges....we're a bit late this month but things will return to normal for February!  Our January theme is Something New!

Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19th so I decided to create with this wicked cool image by Delicious Doodles' - Skully Poe Digi Colouring Page.  

I called this piece "Raven Rising"....the Raven is like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of 2016.  He  carries forth the words of Poe into the new year where he will live on eternal as we continue to enjoy his tales of mystery and macabre.

I adjusted the size down to half of an 8.5 x 11 sheet in Photoshop CS6 and printed out the page onto Neenah solar white card stock.  The entire image was coloured with Copics and metallic gold Promarker was used on the book spines.

I think I'm going to use this piece as the cover of a DT project journal I'm going to make.

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
 Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

"AUDities" tag book - Lost Coast Designs New Stamps Release!

Hello Everyone!
We're kicking off our 2017 events over at Lost Coast Portal to Creativity's event and challenge blog with a New Stamps Release!


We are super excited to be adding these quirky new designs to our rubber stamp collections:
a set of 9 AUD Creatures joins our Lost Coast Designs Isle of Aud line and a Matador Monkey and two puppets called Kukla and Ollie join Carmen's Veranda!  Pop on over to LCPtoC to see these newbies in action!


  Using 5 of the 9 new AUD Creatures I made an "AUDities" tag book!
The tags are held together in book form with a nut and bolt and I plan to add more tag pages throughout the year!

  
I started off with 3 large white shipping tags I got from A Stamp In The Hand and applied colour using Nuance powders and a Tim Holtz water spritzer.  The AUD Creatures were all stamped with black Archival ink and then masked with Pebeo masking fluid.  I then stamped the Large Perspective Grid stamp in Peeled Paint Distress ink onto each tag.  The large grid stamp was a bit smaller than the largest tag so I drew in the grid lines with a Peeled Paint Distress Marker.  I stamped the text "Isle of AUD" using Old Typewriter Capitals only and the Old Typewriter Alphabet that consists of smaller upper and lowercase letters (plus numbers).  I fussy cut out the letters and adhered them to the cover tag with a glue stick.  I then cut the right hand edge of all 3 tags so create the staggered effect once the tag book is closed.  To make the colours on the AUD Creatures stand out more from the background I applied a thin coat of Triple Thick gloss to them with a paint brush after removing the masking fluid of course!  You can't really tell in the photos but the gloss coat deepens the colours and makes them richer and pop out more from the background.  I then edged each tag with a black marker and assembled the tag book.  This was so much fun to make!

Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *

Sunday, January 1, 2017

"Ride the Leaf" Inspirational project for The East Wind DT!

Happy New Year Everyone!
How many of you have declared your New Year resolutions already?   How about instead of saying you're turning over a new leaf this year and actually take that leaf and RIDE it into the New Year with a calm mind full of confidence and determination to succeed at everything you put your mind to in 2017!  Yeah!  Let's do this😉

UPDATE
Some changes are being made over at The East Wind so there isn't a January Challenge!  Stay tuned for more updates!

It's time for our first challenge of the year over at The East Wind and the theme for #70 is Anything Goes.  


Here's my inspirational project to get the new year rolling featuring our January Newsletter freebie digi called "Calm Mind" MAC0341.  I designed the layout in Photoshop CS6 and added some leaf flourishes taken from another TEW digi called, "Aurora, Kingdom of Kitties"
  
I printed out the design on Neenah solar white cardstock and coloured with Copics.
More project details to come ;0)

Come and join the fun at The East Wind...we have 2 blog challenges every month and fun challenges on on our TEW Facebook Group too!

http://www.theeastwind.com/
Thanks for stopping by to see my project today!
Happy Stamping!

 Leigh S-B

THE SHARPIE DOMINO QUEEN
I design for * Lost Coast Designs * Carmen's Veranda * The East Wind * Delicious Doodles *