I Brake For Love....

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!  Most of us are entrenched in holiday planning, gifting and card making all focused on wintery themes, candy canes and candles.  BUT, right around the corner, more opportunities for card making await!

I love this little monster by Carmen Medlin in the Loves Me Set.  Whose heart wouldn't just melt for this little guy?

My card is a simple little water coloring.  Sometimes, simple really is best!

Have a great day!  TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Shakers.....

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!  I love this Bear Square image and am always looking for new ways to ink him up!  This time, I created a simple shaker card to feature that great face!!

I've used a simple black and white color scheme accented with some grey and cherry red.  The stamping was simple, just black ink on white card stock.  Using a square die, I cut the right sized window in a piece of grey card stock.  I also added some embossed snow swirls and flakes with an embossing folder.  Some acetate, dimensional tape, glitter and sequins--whalla!!  A shaker!

I accented the card with some red and brown twine and a few tiny jingle bells--easy peasy and so much fun to make and to receive!

TTFN--Jane

I Brake for Jingle Bell Elf

{jane bosi}  I Brake for Santa and Elves and Rick St. Dennis!   I've always been drawn to the whimsical images created by Rick St. Dennis and am ever so happy that we continue to have a wonderful selection of them available in the I Brake For Stamps Store!.

This jingle bell elf was fun to color and makes a great holiday card!  I stamped the image twice and popped up the little elf for extra interest and dimension.  I haven't gotten out my copic markers in a while so, this was a fun little project for me :)

Are you feeling the holiday jolly yet?   A little visit to the store is sure to get you on your way!

TTFN, Jane

I Brake For T-Rex

{jane bosi}  How cute is this guy???  Goodness, I just love the images from Carmen Medlin!!  They are perfect, along with the corresponding sentiments.  Today, I'm using  "Me and my little buddy" from Curiosities #3.

The image is so awesome, it's pretty easy to add a little water coloring to create a fun card anyone would love to receive.

Check them out!!

Be Awesome, Jane

I Brake For Lion {King}

{jane bosi}  Not that long ago, my 12 year old daughter was part of a middle school production of the Lion King.  Now, I've seen a lot a good youth drama (on the stage and in my home! LOL!) and, I'm still blown away by the show!  I was instantly attracted to Lion Face for this reason and, because it is a beautiful image!

I started with a piece of water color paper and some white embossing powder.  After heat embossing the image, I used various distress crayons to lay some color down on the whole piece.  I used every color from the Distress Crayons #2 set (rusty hinge, fossilized amber, peeled paint, seedless preserves and festive berries), creating a diagonal block of color.  Next, I spritzed the card stock with water and blended the colors slightly.  I layered more fossilized amber and rusty hinge on the lion face to accentuate it and make it pop. 

Again on the card base, I used the main image to create some texture along the left hand side.   To add to the shabby chic feel of the whole card, I distressed the edges of the black mat and added some sponged black soot to the card base.

Enjoy!!
Be Awesome, Jane

I Brake For Fall

{jane bosi} I simply cannot let Fall pass and not bring out my all time favorite leafy image, Fall Foliage.

Single image stamps can sometimes lure us into a slump....I mean, how many times can you color the same picture?  Right?  I wanted to challenge myself to use this image in a new way....step out of the box, so to speak.

I started with a kraft piece of card stock and repeatedly stamped the image, at an angle, across the card stock piece.  I used some scrap paper to insure that the images would not layer on top of each other.  It created an interesting background and is just one more way to use that single image!!

I added some extra texture by double stamping the image and layering the two smaller leaves.  While it's hard to tell in my photo, the leaves, in real life, are popping right off the page!

Be inspired, be awesome!
TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Dance

 {jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!  If you aren't feeling much like dancing......here's a card that might make you see things a little differently.  Mondays are hard enough, why not dance?  This cute little monster is motivation enough, right?

This little cutie is one of Carmen Medlin's designs called Monster Mash.  I think she/he is just darling! 
And, lots of fun to color!  I started with a water color wash and some spritzes on the background piece.  Then, using the same distress inks, I water colored the monster on a separate piece of water color paper.  I added a sweet little heart button and the sentiment on some colored card stock. Fun :)

Here's to dancing like no one's watching!  TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Flowers...

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday!  It's time for flowers here on the I Brake For Stamps blog!!  I just can't help it--I love this Kerr Jar image and never tire of looking for new ways to color this beautiful image!

I started by creating a wash of color on the background piece.  then, I colored and trimmed the Kerr Jar image and popped it up on dimensional tape.  It's a great all around image for a birthday greeting, thank you note or just an all around "thinking of you" kind of card!

Have a great day!  Jane

I Brake For Funky Freddy!

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!!   Today, I'm sharing a fun froggy water color card.  I love the whole Freddy the Frog line over in the I Brake For Stamps store--they are just so cute and laughable!  Be sure to check out the Freddy Sheet and Freddy Digital images too!
This particular image just makes me think of a friend of mine and that is reason enough to smile!  I do like hanging out with her....the singing is always a bonus ;)

The card, itself, is simple enough.  I simply stamped the image and water colored sky and ground around it.  I also water colored Freddy -- with a smaller brush than the "wash" style surrounding the image.  After the main coloring was done, I added some splatters and inked the edges.  I like the focus being on the stamped image.  It's like a card sized coloring book page that I can give away....maybe it will make it onto someone's fridge!

Go Be Awesome!  Jane

I Brake For You....

{janebosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!  It's been a while since I popped in--thanks for checking out my project today!

I love the look that is created by contrasting black and white with colors.  It's been popping up a bit lately in my pinterest so, naturally, I wanted to give it a try.  Pinterest always knows what I'd like ;)  I thought these beautiful floral images from Floral Half Sheet 148A  and Floral Half Sheet 148B  would be perfect to use!

I started by stamping random images in black in on a background piece.  Next, I on a second piece of paper, I stamped three images that matched the background piece in style, but contrasted in size.  I trimmed and water colored those images and then adhered them to the background with two way glue.

I use these two sets quite frequently--they are so versatile!

Have a great day and don't forget to be awesome!!  Jane

I Brake for Bister Butterflies

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday!  I have an earthy butterfly collage to share today that's all colorful and such due to my favorite......bisters!

I'm kind of like a scientist when it comes to bisters.....I keep on experimenting, just sure I am about to make a huge discovery!!  Like, how to keep the colors nicely saturated and colorful.  For this experiment, I spritzed my water color paper first and then added the crystals.  I tried to limit the moisture while still breaking down the crystals.  I'm not sure if you can tell, but I feel like this piece has some of the best color separation I've achieved so far---I can't tell you how many pieces started with all the colors and just ended up brown :(

To finish things off, I added a beautiful collage image called Zebra Butterfly Collage. It has just the right amount of open spaces to show off a colorful background! 

TTFN-Jane

I Brake For Florals and Mondays

 {jane bosi}

Happy Monday, Brakers!  It's Monday again.  Spring Break is over.  Vacation is over.  There's snow on the ground where I am and more promised.  If ever there were a reason for a cheerful project and flowers, this is it!!

This easy card features a background created by some tone on tone stamping using my favorite daisy/cone flower set, Floral Half Sheet 148B.  The tone on tone created the perfect backdrop for the focal flowers.  Truthfully, I have no idea what kind of flowers those are....they look like daisies to me.  I'm a crafty girl, but not so much with the growing of plants or naming nature things...LOL!

My focal flowers were stamped and water colored, then trimmed and adhered to the background.  I added a strip of patterned paper and also tore the top of the card stock for some added texture.  Easy peasy, just like monday morning......

Be awesome!  TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Watercolors

{jane bosi}  Happy Easter Week!  It kind of snuck up on me this year so, instead of a cute bunny (get this one....there's only TWO left!) or a little chick  (this one is going FAST!) or these that you can get RIGHT away, this week, I have flowers!

I love this Kerr jar image and I know I've used a bunch, but it's just so darn fun to color!  I was in the mood to water color--I've been working on the no line water color technique.  You can see the ink I used to stamp this so, I'm not quite there, but I like the finished product just the same ;)

Have a great week!  Be Awesome!  Jane

I Brake For Water Colors and Tulips

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!! 

Today, my project features a beautiful image called Tulip.  I've used it multiple times in the past, and it remains a favorite always feeling fresh and fun to color.  I chose to use distress inks to water color the image piece.  I also used a stencil and sponging technique to add some interest, framing the image.

I just couldn't add a sentiment on the front--I didn't want to detract from the beautiful image.  Instead, I'll have plenty of room inside the card to add my wishes!

That's all for today!  I hope you are feeling inspired!  TTFN-Jane

I Brake For Love

{jane bosi}  Happy New Year, Brakers!!!  It's time to get back to work, being adults and all.....


I created my water colored background using a stencil and some Ranger distress inks.  Once it was dry, I was ready to assemble using one of the little cuties from THIS SHEET by Alie Hoogenbozem de Vries.  I stamped her on water color paper, also, and colored with distress inks.  Then trimmed her and added to the background with dimensional tape.  Finally, I added the Be Mine sentiment, which is an older sentiment, but not currently found in the store. 

You CAN see all of the Valentine goodies, here. Lots of great stuff to choose from....enjoy!

TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Candle Light

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!!  My share today features a water colored image called Vintage Candle.  I wanted the project to have a mixed media feel to it so, I added several layers which was pretty simple since I used water color paper and water based inks in addition to my peerless water colors.  After water coloring the candle image, I masked it off and stamped over the entire panel using the wood grain background from Wood Background Half Sheet.  Because my ink was also water based, I was able to go over the lines of the wood grain image to blur and blend giving the background a shabby look.  Next, I randomly inked portions of the We Wish You Background and added it to the left hand edge.  To mute the text a bit, I ran a finger full of gesso over parts of it, further adding to the overall shabby look.

I hope you're feeling a bit inspired!  Go get inky and be awesome!  TTFN--Jane

I Brake For Gifts You Can Make

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!!!  We are in full swing with this Christmas Spirit thing!  With my shopping just about done, my thoughts are on gifts I can make.  'Tis the season for gift making, afterall!

I made these particular tiles a bit ago.  Combined with a bottle of the receiver's favorite beverage, they are the perfect gift!

 You can find the blank tiles at most home maintenance type stores.  Each main image is stamped with black stazon ink and then colored in with Copic markers.  Copic markers are not typically recommended for use with stazon.  As both are alcohol based inks, they will bleed into each other some.  The trick is to color just inside the lines and lightly feather the ink.  I typically heat set my tiles at 350 degrees for about 15-30 minutes.  Using the alcohol based ink eliminates the potential of the color running or fading when the tiles are in use.

You'll find the beautiful images shown on my tiles on the Asian Full sheet.  If you are interested in holiday themed tiles, check out the Deal of the Week section!  Lots of goodies there!

TTFN, Jane

I Brake For Artsy

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday, Brakers!!!  I took some time, this weekend, to pause the holiday preparations and just play!  I'm loving these new Stamp Release Sheets!  They are so much fun to play with and they all work well together!

There's a lot going on with this card and I am completely in love with it!  I wanted to create a background with a mixed media feel to it.  I started by creating a resist using the checker board strip stamp from the Einstein Half Sheet.  I added multiple layers of color using distress inks and my nonstick kraft sheet.  Then,  I layered several other images from Einstein Half Sheet, Binoculars and Golf Half Sheet and Wood Background Half Sheet.  I used white pigment ink, black ink and some distress ink.  I almost didn't want to cover it up!

I chose the main image from Binoculars and Golf Half sheet and popped it up on dimensional tape when adding it to the project.  To finish things off, I added the cute little tag found on the Einstein half sheet with a portion of the "Keep Calm" sentiment from the Wood Background Half Sheet (I'm sorry if I'm confusing you, but you really do need them all!!)

My second card features images from Glass and Eye Chart Sheet and Einstein Half Sheet.  The cracked glass image is embossed and colored with three different blue distress inks.  Great images for masculine cards!

Go on and get artsy--be awesome!  Jane

I Brake For Baby Jesus

{jane bosi}  Happy Monday!  It's time to start (or finish?) those Christmas cards!  I know lots of folks like to pick a design and then make multiple cards to send out.  Seeing as I bore easily and don't send to a gigantic number of people, I like each of my cards to be unique.  Also, I have a huge collection of images and feel like they should all get a turn!

For this card, I selected the beautiful, Christmas Image, as the focal point.  I started by stamping the manger image and then masking it.  I added the For Unto Us background stamp using distress ink and then ran my water brush over to create a sky like effect.  The rest of the image is colored using distress inks to water color, as well.

What are you working on?  Whatever it is, make it awesome!  TTFN Jane

I Brake For Different

{jane bosi}  I am totally in love with this Large Unicorn image.  We have a love/love relationship with the unicorn in my house......you may remember this shirt I created with the same image this summer.  What a great time that was!  You can also get the shirt size unicorn as a digital image :)  You.  Are.  Welcome!

I water colored some broken china distress ink on a piece of water color paper to start.  When that was completely dry, I added some 2-way glue and glitter......what's a rainbow colored unicorn without glitter, afterall?   It's so sparkly in real life! 

I stamped the unicorn, also on water color paper, and used various distress inks and my aqua brush to color it in.  Dare to be Different was the perfect finishing touch!

Go on... I dare you!  Be Awesome!  Jane