Thursday, March 31, 2016

Fusion March 31 - Orchid Occasions

Spring is here - hopefully weather wise as well - and it's time for a lovely new Fusion Card Challenge.
I was inspired by the blues and the sketch this week.
First I did a watercolor wash over the watercolor paper panel.  I die cut the oval out of matboard, inking it by rubbing my Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink pad over it.  Then I flicked water onto it and dried it with my heat tool.  I die cut the butterflies also out of mat board and used Tim Holtz' Eroded Metallic Technique on them shown on this post.

So show us what inspires you with this weeks Fusion Challenge!   Link your cards up here.
You will find all of the Design Team cards there too - they are also linked below.
Julia Aston - me!
Stephanie Severin

as well as our March guest designer!
Kate Lorenzi

Stamps:  Everlasting Life - Verve
Paper:  Water Color Paper - Ranger, Mat Board - Sizzix, True Black - PTI, DP Fine and Sunny Paper Pad - Kaiser Craft.
Ink:  True Black - PTI, Ranger Distress Mermaid Lagoon
Accessories:  Die - Small Oval/Alterations, Small Butterfly - Movers and Shapers - Sizzix/Tim Holtz, sequins - Waltzingmouse, blue watercolor paint, paint brush, water.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

More for Easter

Today I'm sharing some Easter cards I've made for 2 of the Saturday Inspiration Challenges over at Splitcoaststampers.
Two weeks ago the inspiration was the Easter Egg Hunt Pinterest Board.  
My first card was inspired by this feather egg in the egg cup
 Here is my card.
I curved the die cut oval egg and kept the curve in it by tying twine around it. Since this egg is just cardstock, I cut a little slit on each side to hold the twine on the edges. I doubled up 2 thick foam dots to hold the center of the egg curved out off the cardbase.   I had these feathers for a Thanksgiving project I did with my grandnieces and nephews last year. (think turkey tails on plastic eggs!)
My 2nd card was inspired by this pinterest post
Here is my card:
 I layered the gold foil egg to a thicker piece of grungeboard. I again curved the egg a little and held the curve by tying the ribbon tightly around the egg while I held the curve. Then I mounted it over the die cut saucer and panel with two thick foam dots.  I added the die cut bunny to the side also with foam dots.

This past Saturday, the Inspiration Challenge was Google It - the Google Art Pinterest board
I always enjoy the Google art and wondered who created it.
I was inspired by this leap year google art with the leaping bunnies
and created this card.

I used Loll Thompson's Splash Watercolor technique on everything - using Brushed Corduroy and Worn Lipstick Distress on the bunnies and bows, Brushed Corduroy and Peeled Paint for the wild flowers, and Tumbled Glass on the background - all on Arches watercolor paper.  I die cut the EASTER (to look like GOOGLE) using Alphanumeric thinlit dies from Tim Holtz on a piece of thin cork.
All three cards hopped out the door at our Easter Cards and Treats sale at church last Sunday!
He is Risen
Stamps: Denami Designs
Paper: white, vintage cream, true black - PTI, DP Archaic - Basic Grey
Paper Size: 4 1/4 x 5 1/2
Ink: Archival Jet Black
Accessories: die - Large Oval/Alterations, twine, feathers - Michaels, thick foam dots 

The Golden Egg
Stamps: Rubber Soul
Paper: Fresh Snow Linen Cardstock, white - PTI, Gold Foil - SU, grungeboard - Ranger
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: Archival Jet Black
Accessories: Dies - Medium Oval/Alterations, Bunny and Bows Die Set - Lil'Inker Designs, Tea Time - Alterations, ribbon - May Arts, thick foam dots, Pink Tiny Twinkle - Taylored Expressions, small oval punch - SU 

Cork Easter
Stamps: Keep It Simple Birthday - PTI
Paper: Arches Watercolor paper, Vintage Cream - PTI
Paper Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Ink: True Black -PTI, Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Brushed Corduroy, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass
Accessories: Dies: Wild Flowers and Alphanumeric - Thinlits/Alterations, Bunnie and Bows - Lil' Inker Designs, Sequins - WMS, Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, thin cork - Staples, foam dots, Craft Mat, mini spritzer, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Baskets for Easter

Have you seen the wonderful Wednesday Tutorial Betty posted over at Splitcoaststampers last week?  Here's a link to it.  She calls it a slatted basket.  I love making treat baskets so I ran right up to my craft room to try it out.  This took me less than 15 minutes to score, cut and put together. The base of the basket is 4" x 4" and it stands about 8" tall to the top of the handle.
First you take a double sided 12" x 12" piece of patterned paper or card stock, score, cut and adhere the sides to create  the box base.  Then you cut 6 strips, center and adhere them  across the bottom of the box, fold them up to the top and adhere them under the rim of the box.  And to finish - you cut the handle and adhere it inside the box.
You can decorate them with tags, flowers, and stampings of course -  but I simply tied a long tailed bow with wrinkled seam tape on mine and called it done!  I'll add candy or maybe a small gift - like soap, a candle or body lotion depending on who I present it to!
Then I thought it would be fun to make one for my son.  Mind you - he's now 38 years old - but a mother has to give her boy an Easter Basket right?!  I always give him a few treats and thought a basket would be much nicer than a plastic shopping bag!
Two things define Josh - he proudly served in the US Army and he loves to ride motorcycles - and since I didn't have any motorcycle style patterned paper on hand (none big enough anyway!) and I did have some camouflage paper - the Army theme won out! 
I decorated the handle with some Jolee Army stickers that I've had for ages - so long that the stickers on the backs of them had dried out so I had to put new ones on!
The other side of the handle with more Jolee Stickers - A duffle bag and a shirt.  I added a few treats that he likes - malted milk ball eggs, Reeses Peanut butter eggs and Cadbury Eggs.  I added his name with Idea-ology Label letters.
I knotted a piece of frayed linen ribbon on the top of the handle - because all Easter baskets have to have ribbons right? But I didn't want it to look feminine.   I thought this would look like an ace bandage that he might have had in his Army first aid kit!
I think he'll get a kick out of this basket - I know he'll like the treats!
What's in your Easter basket??!!
Easter Basket
Paper: Sweet Sorbet Double Sided DP - SU  
Accessories: wrinkled seam tape, ScorTape, ScorPal, Quick Dry Scotch adhesive

Army Basket
Paper: Green Bazzill, Green Camouflage - Creative Imaginations/Joanns  
Accessories: ScorTape, ScorPal, Quick Dry Scotch adhesive, frayed linen ribbon, Army Fatigues Jolee's stickers, Label Letters - Idea-ology

Monday, March 21, 2016

Coffee Lovers Spring Bloghop

I'm excited to be participating in the Coffee Lovers Spring Bloghop today - I used spring colors on my coffee cup and on the patterned paper.
The cup was cut out of watercolor paper using MFT Coffee Cup Die.  I inked them using Loll Thompson's Splash Water Color Background technique using Ranger Distress Inks Worn Lipstick, Broken China and Brushed Corduroy, my craft mat and water mister.
This fun sentiment is from Becca Crueger's set designed for Stamplorations called Literary Caffeine-ations.  I stamped it on a piece of Vintage Cream cardstock cut with Storybook 1 die from Pretty Pink Posh.
The coffee cup and sentiment panel are popped up on foam dots.
There are TONS of prizes to be won chosen by Random.org - You'll find the Coffee Lovers Spring bloghop details and link for your creation here.
 
I'm also linking my card to:
I used their great sketch for my card today - flipped on it's side

Stamps:  Literary Caffeine-ations - Stamplorations
Paper:  Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate - PTI, Arches Watercolor paper, DP - This and That Echo Park 6x6 paperpad.
Ink:  Dark Chocolate - PTI, Ranger Distress Worn Lipstick, Tumpled Glass, Brushed Corduroy, enamel dots - Michaels, Foam dots, Coffe Cup Die - MFT, Storybook 1 die - Pretty Pink Posh.



Sunday, March 20, 2016

A Delightful Spring

As I post this with my happy title - they are predicting a snow storm for us starting today into tomorrow morning - a possible 6" in our area - Yikes!!  I'm sure it will melt quickly - but it's rather depressing isn't it??!!  So I'm going to focus on this delightfully bright and springy image!
The image is an older stamp I had in my Easter stamp draw from Alias Smith and Rowe.  I stamped it in Archival Jet Black ink, colored it with Zig Clean Color Markers and then went over the areas with my waterbrush.   The sentiment stamp is Wishing Easter from Verses Rubber Stamps.
 I die cut the panel with a Stitched Mat Rectangle from Lil' Inker Design and the sentiment with a square Nestability.  I adhered the sentiment onto the image panel with foam dots and added Lemonade Blend sequins from Avery Elle.
 I'm linking my card to the following:
Addicted to Stamps and More - Photo Inspiration
 Cute Card Thursday - Easter

Stamps: Eggs and Grass Pot -  Alias Smith and Rowe, Wishing Easter - Verses Rubber Stamps
Paper:  Watercolor - Ranger, White - PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  Zig Clean Color brush pens - light gray, orange, yellow, cobalt blue, green, light green, pink, Lemonade Blend Sequins - Avery Elle, Square Nestability die, Stitched Mat Rectangle Die - Lil' Inker Designs, foam dots, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, waterbrush.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Leaving the Nest

Happy Saturday everyone!  I'm so glad it's the weekend!
I made this Easter card for the Card Concept challenge - Naturally Pink.  I'd say my card was CAS Mixed Media
I was inspired by the colors and the nest!   I was going to add eggs to the nest but then felt an empty nest was the perfect illustration of  the empty tomb on Easter Day as 'He has Risen!"  
I made my background using my friend Loll's Splash Watercolor  technique using Worn Lipstick and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks and water on my craft mat.
I dried the background with my heat tool and then stamped the nest from the Bird Feather set using Ranger Distress Ground Espresso ink.  I love the look of the splash watercolor. Some of it's a wash and some of it's water spots!
I gold embossed the sentiment from Everlasting Life by Verve on the panel.  It really sparkles in the light IRL - you can see that sparkle a bit in the two photos above.
I layered panel over a slightly larger gold foil panel from SU and added 3 Sugar Blend sequins from Avery Elle

I'm also linking my card to:
I used stamps, watercolor and wet embossing
Cute Card Thursday - Easter
Splitcoaststampers - Mixability Challenge - Trio of Spring colors

Let us celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem this Palm Sunday and his final teachings to his disciples during the week before the sadness of Good Friday when he dies for our sins.  How wonderful that Joy returns on Easter Sunday - when He is Risen!
Stamps:  Bird Feather - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Everlasting Life - Verve
Paper:  watercolor - Ranger, Vintage Cream - PTI, Gold Foil - SU
Ink:  Versamark, Ranger Distress Ground Espresso, Brushed Corduroy, Worn Lipstick
Accessories:  water mister, Craft Mat - Ranger, gold embossing powder, Sugar Blend Sequins - Avery Elle.

Friday, March 18, 2016

Doodle A Tangle

One of the classes I'm taking through Wanderlust (see my side bar) was on Zentangle - which is like a meditative doodling but you doodle specific patterns - each pattern is called a tangle. A Zentagle is a mix of several tangles that you draw with a 1.0 Micron black pen on a 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" piece of card - preferably Fabriano.  There are rules for this art form - but, of course, you really can do whatever you want!  
I loved the on-line class (you can see some of my Zentangles here) and wanted to learn more.    I ended up purchasing the book by the teacher of the class - Beckah Krahula - the book is called One Zentangle a Day.

 So here is my first tangle from the book -  it's called Poke Root - and I made it on a 2" x2" piece of Fabriano card.  This is the first time I've drawn this tangle - it's my practice piece (but now I'll have to make another since I put this one on my card!  And you, obviously, get better each time you draw it.
 I decided to make a note card with my tangle -  I cut the front flap of the card smaller than the back and adhered the tangle half off the edge of the front - just to kind of spotlight the tangle.  I drew this very simply - just doing the Poke Root repeatedly and filling in the spaces with tiny circles - it's really easy using the 01 Micron Pen.
I could either stamp a verse inside behind the front panel - being sure I didn't go past the edge (!) or I could write a note in the same space.  The card  back measures 4 1/4' x 4 3/4" and the front panel is 2 3/4" x 4 3/4" so it fits into a regular envelope.
It is really fun to Zentangle - and I'm looking forward to practicing and using all of the Tangles that are in the book!
I'm linking my card to:

Paper:  Fabriano Card
Accessories:  01 Black Micron Pen - Sakura, pencil, Blending Stub, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive.

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Fusion March 17th - Everything's "Owl" Right

Happy St. Patrick's Day! -  It's also a new Fusion Card Challenge Day - and instead of shamrocks - we're being inspired by Owls!
I was totally inspired by the owls this week rather than the sketch and here's my card:
First I did a watercolor wash on the stitched edge water color paper panel in blue and green.  Next,  I stenciled the tree.  I stamped the owl in Archival black on a piece of Yupo (have you heard of this? it's fairly new - and I'm not really sure how to use it yet - have to check out YouTube!), clear embossed it and then water colored it with Zig Clear Color pens and a water brush.  I fussy cut the owl and layered it on the card with foam dots.
What inspires you for this weeks Fusion Card Challenge?  The owls or the sketch or will you do both??
  Link your cards up here.
You will find all of the Design Teams cards there too - they are also linked below.
Julia Aston - me!

Stephanie Severin
as well as our March guest designer!
Kate Lorenzi
 

I'm also linking my card to the following challenges:
CAS Mix Up - I also used stenciling
And I just had to post this card I made  - after all  it IS St. Patrick's Day!

Stamps:  QT Hooty Owl - Pink Cat Studios
Paper:  Arches Watercolor Paper, Vintage Cream - PTI, Yupo.
Ink:  Archival Jet Black, Wendy Vecchi Archival Tree Branch and Leaf Green.
Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Wendy Vecchi Layered Tree Stencil, foam dots, Zig Lear Color Brush Pens Cobalt Blue, Yellow, Orange, Watercolor  paints - Blue and Green, waterbrush pen, paint brush.