Studio Sessions: December 2016

Merry Christmas!

Double the Fun: What's In Jill's Cup?

It's double the designing fun as we reveal two cards featuring the same Penny Black Creative Die set; 51-281 What's In Your Cup?.

Well, what's in MY cup today? A little bit of everything! LOL

To color my die cut cups, I first painted them with Sakura Koi Field Sketch Box watercolors. Once dry, I added a bit of Distress Ink to each. I love the combo of watercolors and inks! The background and "table" were also inked with Distress and Memento inks using an ink blending tool and a foam pad. All stamps and dies by Penny Black: 51-281 What's In Your Cup, 51-170 Warmest Wishes, 30-380 Nature's Silhouettes

I love this Creative Die set soooo much, I also recently featured it in a couple of videos on the Penny Black YouTube Channel. These cups and embellishments included with this set of dies are PERFECT for the inlaid die cutting technique.

Watch video on YouTube HERE.

All stamps and dies by Penny Black: 51-281 What's In Your Cup, 30-329 Woodland Beauty, 25-014 Oscillations, 30-375 Merry Jingle, 30-376 Snowbursts

For this third card, I used the die cut cup as a stencil.

Watch video on YouTube HERE.

All stamps and dies by Penny Black: 51-281 What's In Your Cup, 30-379 Woodland Beauty, 30-287 Festive Snippets

And what's in my cup, for real, you ask?

Coffee.

Lots of Coffee.

Oh how I love you, Coffee.

Double the Fun: What's In Elizabeth's Cup?

It's double the designing fun as we reveal two cards featuring the same Penny Black Creative Die set; 51-281 What's In Your Cup?.

Today my cup is filled with Christmas cheer.

Penny Black: What's in Your Cup (51-281), Festive Snippets (30-387), Golden Moment (80-015)

I made several of these cards to use as invitations.

After die cutting the mug from patterned paper, the steam was accented with Crystal Stickles and the snowflakes with puff paint and red pepper dimensional pearls.

A light highlight of Peanut Brittle Memento ink gives the background a warm glow.

Two different sentiments from "Festive Snippets" were spliced together to create the greeting.

Wishing you all "Christmas Cheer"!

Out and About with Jill: December Shimmerz Video

Today I'm...

on the Shimmerz blog with a new VIDEO!

featuring Penny Black products: 40-484 Into the Sky, 30-384 Rejoice with Joy, 51-268 A Blizzard

Click HERE for the full reveal and to watch the video.

And before you go...

If you're looking to add Shimmerz Paints to your crafty stash then be sure to mention my name in the "comments" section in your shopping cart when placing an order. The kind folks at Shimmerz will give you free paint just for doing so! (Shop HERE.)

Out and About with Jill: 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist

Hi! I'm so honored to be...

...on the Ellen Hutson blog today participating in the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist event!

If you are a new visitor to Studio Sessions, arriving from the Ellen Hutson blog, welcome thanks for visiting my little corner of blogland which I share with my talented blogging buddy, Elizabeth Allan. (You can read more about our blogging approach HERE.)

Now... onto the tag! Lisa Adametz, my partner in crime on Ellen Hutson's blog today, challenged me to use the following as my color inspiration. Isn't it gorgeous?

Here's what I created featuring Penny Black stamps and dies.

51-274 Snowflake Duo
40-497 Wintry Trail
30-387 Festive Snippets.

And here's the how-to:

1. Stamp the beautiful scene (Penny Black 40-497 Wintry Trail) using the MISTI stamp positioning tool. Color directly onto the stamp using Distress Markers, one color at a time, restamping as many times as needed.

2. Without removing from the MISTI, using a paintbrush with very little water, paint over the larger tree trunks, branches, and ground/grassy areas and add a very light layer of shading to the ground and behind the background trees. Allow to dry.

3. Clean stamp and then ink with VersaMark ink. Restamp and then remove from MISTI and sprinkle with clear embossing powder. Heat to set.

4. Using an ink blending tool and foam pads, add Distress Inks to the background.

5. Dilute gesso with water and splatter to create the look of falling snow.

6. Stamp sentiment (Penny Black 30-387 Festive Snippets) and trim stamped panel into tag shape.

6. Embellish with die cut snowflakes (Penny Black 51-274 Snowflake Duo), twine, and a pearl. Add a small Distress Inked border to the base of the tag.

A complete list of supplies is available on the Ellen Hutson blog HERE. You'll also find Lisa's tag featuring this same color palette -- you won't want to miss it!