Hello

It is cooler here this week, but today the humidity seems to be climbing.  Windows are still open but if it gets any warmer or stickier I'll be whining about the air conditioner. 

Isn't the photo inspiration from Just Us Girls a beautiful summer table?  The pinks ( napkins, bottle label, pepper shaker) and teacup roses grabbed my attention right away.

For my card, I stamped in pale gray ink Frendship Blooms from Hero Arts in collaboration with Gina K designs. I then used actual watercolors (mijello mission gold 24 set) to color the blooms and leaves. I gave them several layers of color waiting for them to dry between.  Once the image was dry, I die cut a square, added the sentiment (from Altenew) and mounted it on a colored cardbase.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Friends

Hello -

I had some time to play with a new to me Altenew set.  The Basic Blooms flowers are very easy to stamp and die cut.  I recently used one layer to create color layering swatches, its such a cute bloom.

I stamped three blooms in each color combination, and die cut them. I also stamped several leaves.  After adhering the lattice die to the card panel, I arranged the flowers.  To preserve the layout I used  press n seal.  I adhered the first layer flat, and the second and third layer with foam dots.  The sentiment is from the Altenew set Leaf Canopy I stamped it with a mini misti after the card was put together.  A few crystals were added to add a bit of bling.

I am entering this to Altenew's August 2019 Monthly Inspiration Challenge.

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Thanks for stopping by.

Thinking of you Twice

Hello -

There were several challenges I wanted to play in before they expired.

My first card is inspired by two challenges - CAS Colours & Sketches (colors)and Freshly Made Sketches (Sketch) .

I stamped out three Altenew Basic Blooms in several shades of purple, die cut them, then mounted them on paper strips already adhered to a card base. I added a few sequins and a sentiment strip to finish it off the card.

My second card took its form from two other challenges - Inspired By Challenge (colors and the anchors) and Cas(e) this Sketch (Sketch).

I die cut a border and a couple of anchors for this card from some blue and yellow cardstock.  I added a bit of gray for contrast and added big dots to the card base with an SU embossing folder.  A larger sentiment was added to the gray strip to finish the card.


 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Holidays

Hello -

I am up to my knuckles in glitter.  I'm doing laundry as well...hope hubs doesn't mind a few sparkles here and there on his laundry.  LOL.  You all know there is no getting rid of it.

I have to thank the gals at CAS Christmas Challenge for my mess. The prompt this month is glitter and apparently I just couldn't do it the easy way with pre-glittered paper or tape. The results in real life are worth it...so sparklie!

I started with several ornament diecuts from Stampin Up.  I added tumbled glass distress ink and some elmers glue then dumped on Nuvo sparkle dust. I also added some to the wreath ornament on the white part only, I needed the center for the white embossed sentiment.  Lastly I took some silver glitter washi tape, placed it on cardstock and cut three ornament tops.  After adhering them all to the card front, I added silver "strings" with a silver gel pen.

We all know photographing glittery things is next to impossible, these are gorgeously sparklie.  I tried getting a bit of that in this up close shot.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Friends are like Seashells

Happy Friday -

I am happy to get some time in my crafty space before the weekend.  Of course College Football starts this weekend, so Saturday there will be no crafting. 

This card is going to Addicted to Stamps and More.  I loved the mood board and I had the perfect stamp, and the perfect recipient for this card.  The stamp set is from Close to My Heart - Treasured Friendship.

I started the card with a blank panel. I added Distress Inks with a blender sponge in Antique Linnen, and Tumbled Glass.  The shell and sentiment were stamped with Hero Arts Soft Graphite ink.  I colored the shell, and did not like how it turned out, so it was an opportunity to give more texture to the card by recoloring the shell and gluing it down over the original stamping.  I found a card base with a similar blue tone to the shell. I trimmed the panel and mounted it to the base. Lastly I added a few dots with gray copic markers around the shell. The stamp comes with a few dots I just added more.

Can you see which of the panels inspired me?   Thanks for visiting.

CAS Watercolor

Hi There again -

One more card today for the CAS Watercolor Challenge. 

 

I scribbled some watercolor brush pens onto some hot-press watercolor card.  I wanted the colors to blend a bit but not to lose their individual colors since this is a challenge for colorful butterflies.  The colors were then lightly spritzed with water. It created some blending, but not a muddy mess thankfully.  I die cut the butterflies with a Simon Says Stamp set of stitched butterfly dies.  I mounted the butterfly, added the dotted lines and sentiment.

I might be disqualified since one of my butterflies flew the coop before getting glued down...and then the card looked better as a square with just one butterfly.

Thanks for stopping by.

Couple of CAS Challenges

Hi There,

How is it the 21st of August already...it was just July!  I love the CAS Challenges (Mix Up, Watercolor, Christmas and Stencil). They've introduced me to many new techniques. 

For this post, I am showing cards for two of the challenges: CAS Stencil and CAS Mix UP.

 

I started with the stencil card,  I placed a Flower Frenzy stencil on watercolor paper and spritz it with two shades of Heidi Swap sprays teal and green.  I mopped up with a paper towel there were lots of splooges all over.  The blotting made the sprays lighter.  So my first two attempts will be kept for something later.  My third attempt I used hot press water color card, and I had a bit better control on the spray.  I was able to get a light spray.  I love how the colors mixed.   I decide to add some clear pearl embossing powder ontop. The spray is very sticky so this worked well.  I love the texture and pearl effect this gave off.

My next card is for CAS Mix Up. 

 

I took the messy and sticky paper towel and laid it on more hotpress watercolor paper.  After lightly spritzing with water, I put a round stamping block on top of it and the used my fingertips to tamp down on it. I wanted to preserve the dimples from the paper towel in the color transfer.
 

I didn't get quite the look I wanted, the circle image wasn't clear enough, but the color with the dots intact was perfect.  So I diecut a window cardbase to go over the piece.  I die cut a daisy added it to the aperture,  heat embossed a sentiment on a strip of same the same  piece. That too was diecut and placed on the card front.


Both pieces are much more soft than my ususal colors, and I think they are great additions to my stash.  Thanks so much for visiting.

Color Throwdown 557

Hi There -

I was excited to win at Color Throwdown for their August 7th, 2019 color combination.  You can see the card here. Along with the win,  Lori asked me to be their Guest Star Stamper for this challenge. Thank you so much.

The colors are gorgeous and immediately reminded me of our hydrangea bushes. They are multi hued since we have weird soil. The degree to which the soil is or is not alkaline determines the color of hydrangeas. The challenge colors are purple, blue, turquoise, and yellow.

I took a bit of artistic license, but I love how the colors came together.

Thanks so much for visiting, and I hope to see you in the Color Throwdown gallery.

Ice Cream

Hello -

I've been having a fabulous afternoon playing in my crafty space.  This is the last card for today, thank you in advance for those of you who have visited each post today.

This card is for Inspired by Challenge.  I'm really not much of a fan of purples, but I have to say I loved making this card.  The stamp is by Newton's Nook Designs, and I took a liberty making the cherry on top a blueberry.  I wanted the purple to be in all parts of the card. The base is lavendar, the bubbles diecut was inked with Distress Oxide ink in  wilted violet. I kept the kitty cat neutral in cool grays and added coloring using bv and v copic coloring. I fussy cut the image allowing a thin white border to give it a bit of pop since the colors are subtle.  The sentiment comes from the same stamp set Newton's Summer Treats. 

Can you see which parts I took from the inspiration photograph.



Thank you for visiting.

Hello No Stamps

Hi there!

This card is definitely a departure from my usual. There is no stamping on it, die cuts only.

The design was inspired by the sketch at Fusion, the colors come from Color Throwdown and Cupcake Inspirations as they were colored with glitter markers, and no stamping comes from Just Add Ink.

 

 Thanks so much for stopping by.

Happy Birthday from the Cats

Hello -

My Dad has a birthday coming up, and I usually make sure he gets a card from the cats.  This sweet image from Newton's Nook Designs was perfect for this year's edition.

This card is going to visit the following challenges:

The Male Room



Inky Paws

 

Watercooler Wednesdays




Thanks so much for visiting.

Freshly Made Sketches

Hey there -


I do love a sketch challenge and every week Freshly Made Sketches is in my must read list.  For their 400th sketch challenge they are celebrating all month.  This is the week 2 sketch:

I have a fun embossing folder that adds dots to the bottom half, and leaves the top half smooth. Seemed a perfect starting point for this card sketch. The morning glories were sent to me by my friend Peggy who stamped and die cut them.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Thanks

Hi there -

Many of you know my coloring and cardmaking friend Peggy moved to Maine several months ago. She came back to Maryland for a visit in June and we were able to get together.  She has no great craft stores near her so when I run across one she might want to check out...I send her the address.

As a thank you for pointing her in the direction of Butterfly Reflections Ink in New Hampshire,  she sent me the Hero Arts/Gina K collaboration set Friendship Blooms.  This card is a thank you to her.

I am also submitting the card to the Flower Challenge.  This flowery stamp is my current favorite flower. Its perfect for coloring.



Thanks so much for visiting!

Guest Elf at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

Greetings -

I was thrilled when Jo asked me last January if I'd be willing to be a guest elf for her wonderful Christmas Kickstart Challenge. Of course I said yes.

The cue for this challenge is Dashund through the Snow.  

Any festive Christmas themed canine will do for the challenge.  

I have one set of dog stamps (my others are dogs and cats together).  So I took what I like to think of as the Golden Retriever or Labrador sized dog from Tim Holtz's crazy dogs and made a scene.  I think his expression is guilt ridden...as if he'd knocked down the Christmas wreath while racing round the house.

I blended on some olive toned ink on the left side of the cardbase to add some interest to the background.  I stamped, colored and fussy cut the pup, and adhered him to the card with foam tape. Then I used Lawn Fawns wreath die cut and wrapped it under his foreleg.  The sentiment comes from Tim Holtz as well and was white heat embossed on midnight green paper.

I hope to see you in the gallery!  Thanks so much for visiting.

Twofer Card Challenge 19

Greetings....

Well my nerves are now calmed down after successfully having had my first post with the team at Twofer Card Challenge last month.  Everyone has been very nice and welcoming.

On to this months challenge:

 Just click on the graphic above to be taken to the challenge page.

Since this is a challenge requiring two different card designs for two different occasions I start with selecting my stamps first (but you can use stamps, dies or stencils for your images).  Then I think about the design.  Making sketches really helps in the design process and assures you have two different designs. 

My cards feature the stamp set Sailing from SSS.  My common stamp is the ocean waves.  

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you in the August Twofer Gallery.

Warmest Wishes

Another play with the mondo wildflowers from Ellen Hutson.  

This time I took my inspiration from Just add ink  the colors,  and Seize the Birthday with toppings of flowers for the occasion.






    

Thanks for visiting.

Hello

Hey There -

I have another card for a few challenges today.

This is one of my go to's when mojo goes on vacation.  White heat embossed flower and some watercoloring using markers, in this case Arteza markers.  It calms me. The stamp is from Ellen Hutson, Mondo Wildflowers. Hard to see but the sentiment die is layered over a vellum outline piece.

This is going to:

Watercolor Wednesday

 

Color Throwdown

 

Case This Sketch (ya I took liberties)

 

Thanks so much for visiting.