Tuesday, July 26, 2016

STAMPlorations inspiration #87

Here's my contribution to today's Inspiration Post over at STAMPlorations. It was this mess I saw laying around on my workspace which led to my card ;)


Saw that sunburst and thought it would pair well with little Kathryn from Kathryn's Big Wishes.
I actually had to  die cut the sunburst again from thinner paper, and centered so I could ink through the negative without messing up the rest of the panel.

TIP: First I used the positive to line up my design on the panel die cut with Crazy Double Stitched Rectangles and then placed the negative over it with temporary adhesive. Pulled up the positive and inked through the negative. Here's a photo.

That's how my sunburst ended up in the right place for Kathryn to hold the sentiment from Noteworthy. I thought a sentiment about dreams was appropriate for a little girl with her eyes closed.


My sunburst was inked with Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and a touch of Shaded Lilac. I partially colored Kathryn with yellow and lilac Copics, and gave her a little bit of gray gravel to stand on. Definitely need practice with that!

Heat embossed the sentiment in white, but didn't like it so went over it with Versafine black and then clear embossing powder. Not great, but I'm callin' it a "save". Added splatters of the two yellow colors after I masked Kathryn.

I attached the panel to a light orange cardbase. Notice on the photo below how the color shows through the wonky stitching cut into the rectangle. Cool, eh?


Remember to leave a comment over on the STAMPlorations blog to be in the running for a $10 GC to the shop. Thanks for visiting me and Kathryn today.

Friday, July 22, 2016

MMCC #25 - reminder


Coming by to remind you that there's still time to join us at the Mixed Media Card Challenge for this month's challenge where it's all about "Sparkle", with an optional element of gems too.

Here's another card for you with some sparkle on it ;)


I trimmed a CS panel and inked it with Broken China. I stamped it with CHF Polka Dot BG using the same ink. Then I put down the Tando Harlequin stencil (looks like a trellis doesn't it?) and inked the top half with Peacock Feathers and the bottom half of the panel with Lilac and Seedless Preserves. I stamped the Hero Arts Konnichiwa roses with Versamark, sprinkled (using my fingers) three colors of embossing powder including one with glitter in it and heat embossed.


I heat embossed the sentiment from PTI Cutting Garden onto vellum, trimmed it into a banner and adhered it to the reverse of the panel. Adhered the panel offset to my cardbase. TIP: To keep embossing powder colors cleanly separated on a sentiment, first cover last line with post it note, apply white powder and shake off excess, then cover with gold powder. The gold will not stick to the area already covered with white powder!

I'm hooking up at WOW Embossing Powder - Anything Goes challenge. I'd love to see your mixed media cards using "Sparkle" and/or gems in the MMCC gallery this month. You still have a couple days to link up here.






Tuesday, July 19, 2016

STAMPlorations inspiration #86

Summer slump got you down? Check out the inspiration from the DT over at STAMPlorations to get your mojo moving again. You might want to don your sunglasses for my project...


I planned my design, where the focal image would be, and then die cut Word Dies Birthday from the black panel. Then I used Texturized Big Numbers to heat emboss (in multiple colors of WOW embossing powder) the focal image. Lastly I selectively inked "happy" from Big on Words Mom and heat embossed it silver.

Added a strip of washi across the bottom of a gray cardbase before adhering the panel. I glued the little bits and pieces of the word die back in place and voila!

Funny thing about this card... the middle embossing powder is actually hot pink. But the "hot" kinda disappeared on the black I guess. So my card took a turn from feminine and now I think it's got a masculine vibe!

Remember to leave a comment over on the blog after you've checked out my teamies' projects. You could win yourself a $10 GC to the STAMPlorations shop ;) Have a good one.

I'm squeaking in over at Stempelkueche where it's about alphas and numerics.


And at WOW Embossing powder - these colored powders were part of a set I won last year.


Sunday, July 17, 2016

mix it up - take two

Back with another creation for the current Mix It Up at the CLASSroom over at Ellen Hutson. It's time to pair Essentials by Ellen and Neat and Tangled products. What a great match. Here's what I did.

I was inspired by the colors and layout of the Little Tangles inspiration photo.


And I'm sharing my card at Penny Black and More - Anything Goes with a Stamp.

Ready for this?... I needed a card with the following message: "Congratulations - heard you're moving up the corporate ladder." The recipient? A priest friend who is leaving his parish to take a position at the Archdiocese! Maybe I should mention he has a great sense of humor - I hope ;)

This is what I created.


Taped down my cardbase. Applied a light watercolor wash to imitate grass and sky. Used Neat and Tangled's On the Strip 2 to create the ladder. Then I masked the ladder and heat embossed some heavenly clouds using Essentials by Ellen Up the Happy. I watercolored inside the clouds with white but you can hardly see it.


I used the word die from Essentials by Ellen Zipper Panel, cut from glitter CS (heavenly) and red craft foam (thanks inspiration photo).  Didn't photograph the inside, but I wrote "heard you're moving up the" and used my Dymo labelmaker for "corporate ladder".


This card is in MI with me. Hope the priest gets as big a kick out of it as I did! Thanks for visiting today.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

mix it up - take one

Have you seen the current Mix It Up at the CLASSroom over at Ellen Hutson? It's time to pair Essentials by Ellen and Neat and Tangled products. What a great match. Here's what I did.

Well, first I saw the Little Tangles inspiration photo. Then I made my card.



My brain was already at Lake Huron (where I am now) and the upcoming Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race. When I saw those umbrellas lined up I saw sails. So out came some striped PP and a WPlus9 die.

I watercolored aqua stripes and then stamped over them with spritzed Broken China ink using Neat and Tangled's On the Strip. My sentiment is from Essentials by Ellen Bold Blooms. A strip of green washi on the cardbase is a nod to the grass in the inspiration.

I'm also joining the fun at:
Challenge Up Your Life - Watercolor


I've got another card coming soon. Funny story behind it... Thanks for visiting.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

STAMPlorations inspiration #85

A couple days ago we celebrated Shery R.'s birthday over at STAMPlorations. Today I'm sharing the card I made for Shery with you. Mixed media and nearly one-layer, just for Shery.


In a nutshell... I inked and stencilled, used grainy texture paste that I "ombred" with reinkers and created my own sentiment. Here you can see the ombre a bit better, light at the top, darker at the bottom.


If you'd like to see how I made it, check my spotlight post over at the STAMPlorations blog tonight. Be sure to check out the creations from the Inspiration DT over here and don't forget to leave a comment too.

I'm sharing this card at:
Anything but Cute - Summertime Fun

More Mixed Media Challenge - Anything goes with Pastel colors option

Sunday, July 10, 2016

first polychromo attempt

I should be making a packing list... instead I'm playing with my new Faber Castell Polychromos. It's actually a German product. How fun.

You may have seen my first play on Instagram - swatching the colors. Well I wanted to practice some blending of colors so sought out a couple challenges and gave it a go.

Colour Q

Addicted to CAS - Stripes

and Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes


I knew I wanted to use a stamped image I could practice coloring in. Thought about a little tweetie bird from Winnie and Walter but then saw this tree from Kindness and thought it fit the "stripes" theme so well. Stamped it on a scrap of white CS and started coloring. Oops. Guess Polychromos and my standard CS don't mix. It looks pretty grainy. Am I pressing too hard too maybe? Next time I better use smooth CS. Ya live, ya learn. And I need more colors to be able to do more blending. Whoddathunk 36 isn't enough?!?!?

Anyhoo, fussy cut the tree. Chose my Entrelac stencil from The Crafter's Workshop for background stripes. Used Festive Berries and Hero Arts Red Royal with a sponge dauber. Then I adhered the tree with dimensional adhesive.

The sentiment is from Winnie and Walter The Big, The Bold and Happy.

It's going to get a little quieter around here. I've got several scheduled posts coming at you. And there'll be a new STAMPlorations release late July. But we're off to visit family in MI :) Hope your summer is going smoothly. Thanks for stopping by today!


Thursday, July 7, 2016

europe cup 2016

I couldn't have given DH a better present than this... to have the Europe Cup happening at the time of his birthday! He's an avid fan. To put it mildly. Ask him who shot the winning goal of the game blah blah blah in 19blahblah and he can probably tell ya! But don't ask him while he's watching a game on TV or he might bite your head off ;)

Anyhoo, I was in the red, yellow and blue mode making my creations for STAMPlorations' 3rd Birthday celebrations and they reminded me of the colors of the German flag (currently hanging next to our TV in the living room cuz... Europe Cup ;) So I whipped out my CUTplorations Birthday die and created this.


Dry embossed a Crazy Double Stitched Rectangle into my cardbase. Stamped a secondary sentiment using Vignette: Chevron and Arrows and a little party poochie (like our Ellie) before adding the three offset die cuts to the card. Voila!

Good thing there was no game on the day of his birthday so we could celebrate. Now to see if Germany can beat France tonight?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I'm joining the fun at A Blog Named Hero - Masculine.
And Seize the Birthday - no toppings today

Starting to think about summer vacay in Michigan. Yippie!!!!! Have a good day, friends.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

STAMPlorations 3rd birthday blog hop - day 7


Well it's the last day of the big party. STAMPlorations is celebrating Birthday #3.  And be sure to stop by the Inspiration Post from today cuz we're also celebrating Shery R's birthday today ;) There's even a linky party where you can hook up and celebrate with us!

Did you see the new CUTplorations line in the store? I've got a card for you today using the new CUTplorations Word Dies.


Stamped white CS with "happy" from Blossom Overture with gray dye ink and then die cut it using the new CUTplorations Crazy Stitched Rectangles. Die cut the Word Die from watercolor paper and craft foam, leaving it in the negative to watercolor it so that some color would mingle and pool around the cut edges. When it was dry I adhered it to the foam and then assembled the card, adding a touch of washi for interest.

I'm sharing my card at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Paru's Card Making Challenge - Birthday Card
 Addicted to Stamps and More - Challenge #200
Sunday Stamps - Sketch Challenge

And since I can't bear to throw anything away, I put this card together with my leftovers. Dry embossed a Crazy Stitched Rectangle into a kraft cardbase, stamped a sentiment from Vignette: Chevron and Arrows and then added the negative pieces of watercolor paper and foam.


Have you celebrated with us yet? Hope you enjoyed the week, today's the last day :( There's a linky party with prizes over on the blog, and prizes for comments along the way too. Help us celebrate, won't you?



STAMPlorations inspiration #84

It's inspiration time again. Ready for cuteness overload? And a sentiment that I'm gaga about...


Now these images are from the Gone Postal set which is the current STAMPlorations Stamp Club set. But I couldn't resist skipping the postage stamp idea and just making a precious card to welcome a new little one. Don't you just love how the font of the sentiment works perfectly for a sweet baby card?

I stamped the image onto a scrap of leftover Distress-Ink-smooshed watercolor paper and fussy cut it. Adhered it to a label which was stitched to a Liquid Pearls smeared die cut which was adhered to a die cut piece of foam adhesive. Lotsa dimension going on here ;) BTW, if you're interested in knowing more about the Liquid Pearls smearing, check out my spotlight post here. Gotta love that shine and texture!


Take a gander at the other inspiration projects from the DT. And don't forget to leave a comment to be in the running for a $10 GC. Happy Tuesday!

CASEplorations July


Welcome! I'm sharing my card for the July CASEplorations challenge over at STAMPlorations. We're CASEing this fabulous mixed media card by Elina Stromberg of Elina's Arts and Crafts. So much goodness on her blog to check out. You can read about her card in this blog post.


I definitely wanted to do some Distress Inking and keep the love birds theme. Here's my recipe.

1. Make a mask with heart die and use the negative. (TIP: Draw a pencil line down the center of the cardbase and align the points of the top and bottom of the heart along it!)
2. Stamp birdies from Smallbirds. Stamp and fussy cut a mask and cover them up.
3. Use sponge dauber to apply Wild Honey in center, Barn Door around outside of heart.
4. Stamp text element from Mixed Media Elements a few times on heart with Memento black ink.
5. Use hearts from Sketchy Coffee Cups and Frames and Flowers with water to bleach several spots on the heart.
6. Splatter with paintbrush and water.
7. Remove masks.
8. Watercolor birdies' bellies with Tumbled Glass.
9. Selectively ink and stamp sentiment from Party Time.
10. Die cut branch and sentiment and adhere.

Here's a close up so you can get a better look at the faint text stamping and that oh-so-fun water bleaching!


Whew. Sounds like a lot, but it wasn't really. Especially if you like playing with your Distress Inks, I certainly hope you'll join us at CASEplorations this month!

I'm joining the Red, White and/or Blue challenge at Simon Says Monday, All Things Bright and Beautiful at The Artistic Stamper and at Inkspirational



Monday, July 4, 2016

STAMPlorations 3rd birthday blog hop - day 6


Joining the party again today! Happy Independence Day if you're celebrating, by the way! STAMPlorations is celebrating Birthday #3.  Did you see the new CUTplorations line in the store. DIES!!! I've got a card for you today using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies.


I actually used the smallest die of the set three times on this card. Die cut two panels and dry embossed it once into my cardbase too. I used my Gansai Tambi watercolors to decorate the panels a bit, letting the pigment show off the stitching by pooling in it. I also added some splatters of blue to my cardbase and bleached a few spots with water splatters which I dabbed off with paper towel.

What better way to celebrate a birthday than with the one-and-only wonky cake? I heat embossed the image and sentiment from Sketched Birthday Cake in gold and then watercolored it.


So have you celebrated with us yet? There's a linky party with prizes over on the blog, as well as inspiration from the DT. Join us by creating a card inspired by this mood board, won't you?

Sunday, July 3, 2016

STAMPlorations 3rd birthday blog hop - day 4


Joining the party again today! STAMPlorations is celebrating Birthday #3.  Keep watching for the product line coming to the store. DIES!!! We'll be showcasing them starting tomorrow!

In celebration of Birthday #3 this is the stamp set released for the party.

Kathryn's Big Wishes
For today's card I chose the big candle and decided to work the lollipop into my design too.


Stamped the lollipop creating a border. Heat embossed the candle black and watercolored it with Gansai Tambi using my chosen primary color scheme. Love how the red drip looks like dripping wax! Achieved that by tipping my card a bit while the watercolors were mingling. Two-tone heat embossed my sentiment and added a row of black sequins for some texture and shine.


So now it's your turn. There's a linky party with prizes over on the blog, as well as more inspiration from the DT. And there's a sale going on too! Help us celebrate won't you?


I'm helping the crew over at Addicted to Stamps and More celebrate their 4th birthday too! Here's to many more.


Saturday, July 2, 2016

winnie and walter and ellen - background building

Don't curse me - I'm back again cuz I've been on a mission playing along with two of my favorite companies who are sharing the love - Winnie and Walter and Essentials by Ellen.


You can check out all the fabulous inspiration at Winnie and Walter or The Classroom blogs.

This card is for the Day 3 Challenge of background building as well as the Day 5 Challenge  to use this gorgeous mood board.


Background building. One of my favorite things to do. But the last of my creations for Share the Love cuz... which stamp(s) to use???  And then the tiny little Sparkle set fell out of my pile of WW lovelies and voila! See that classy setup in the lower left corner? Gave me all the inspiration I needed to make this card.


I did draw myself guidelines with a pencil, but this image makes lining things up (even without a MISTI!) very easy. Just added a touch of Delicata gold pigment ink to the centers of the sparkles. For more sparkle ;) I LOVE the retro feel I get from this design. (Why does it give me a retro vibe?!?!?)


The icing on the cake is the die cut "congrats" from Essentials by Ellen Zipper Panel. I cut it once from white CS I'd swiped with gold ink and then topped it offset with a black one.

I'm sharing this card at Craft Stamper, Take it Make it for July.

At CASology.

And at CAS on Sunday where the theme is Black and White and one Color.
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