Summer Chillin'

Can you believe that the lazy days of summer are coming to an end? I have certainly enjoyed this summer....and the late days of this season are some of my favorites as the days get a bit shorter, the heat isn't quite as intense and you can begin to see the golden colors fall knocking at the door...life is wonderful and so full of beauty.

One lazy summer activity I have enjoyed this summer is creating cards. For me creative time is truly a treat and so rejuvenating....it's one of many things that make me happy. So....today I'll share with you a creation or two that I have enjoyed putting together and also share with you one of my most favorite techniques---it's a messy one, but you'll be hooked as soon as you try it.
For both of these cards, I used acrylic paint to create a distressed look. I love using this stuff----and here is how I do it in a nutshell. I stock up on inexpensive foam brushes from our hardware store, and my most favorite color of acrylic paint called Queen Anne's Lace from Delta---it's so perfect for just about anything. Next, I shake the bottle, take the top off, and dab a corner of my foam brush either down inside the lid or the bottle itself---you don't need much paint at all---then I swipe the coated corner of the brush around the edges of my card, paper, die cuts---whatever I want to age. Let it dry a bit, and then run some Ranger Distress Ink over the painted edges---Old Paper is one of my favorite inks. These two elements combined together can transform your creation by bringing in the most lovely color---worn and loved. I also painted the wooden button of the winter card with the same color of paint. After it dried, I rubbed the sides and top across my Ranger Walnut Stain ink pad, and it created such a fun, weathered look---hope you'll give this a try when you're in the mood to shabby something up!
Enjoy the remaining days of summer.

Melissa