Inkspirational #369 - Visual Prompt

 Hi all!  There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational today!

And here's my DT card inspired by the prompt!  Obviously, inspired by the elf/gnome himself as well as the garden he's standing in!

The elf/gnome is a rub-on from Taperlogy, the beautiful paper is French Wallpaper from Unity.  I added 3 Candy Dots from Waffle Flower.  The DP panel is die cut with Scallop Stackers Small die from Papertrey Ink.

We hope  you will join us and link up your card inspired by the Visual Prompt.  You'll find inspiration from the rest of the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on June 19th!

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using this garden sentiment stamp

Die Cut Divas

Anything goes with a die

Stamps: Garden Sayings - Impression Obsession
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair.
Paper: Vintage Cream - PTI, DP French Wallpaper - Unity.
Other Supplies: Scallop Stackers Small - PTI, Gnome/elf rub-on - Easter Collection, Taperlogy, Candy Dots - Waffle Flower.

Inkspirational #329 - Word Prompt: Santa!

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational and it's a Word Prompt: Santa!  

And this is the card I created.

The Santa die is from Rubbernecker (now Brass and Bliss), the HoHoHo is a die from Impression Obsession and the DP is from a great paper pad from Waffle Flower called Seasons Greetings.  The die cuts are all up on foam dots.  I added 3 red enamel dots.

Inside I stamped: Here Comes Santa Claus

We'd love to see all of your 'Santas'!  Please link up your creations over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends 11/29

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

First time using the HoHoHo die

Love those Pretty Papers

Anything Goes using DP

ends 11/30

Krafty Chicks

ends 11/20

Inspired By

Big text, Santa, colors  ends 11/20

Die Cut Divas

Any Holiday in the Year ends 11/30

Paper:  Hammered white - Amazon, DP Seasons Greetings - Waffle Flower

Other Supplies:  Santas Face Die - Rubbernecker (now Brass and Bliss),  HoHoHo die - Impression Obsession, foam dots, red enamel dots - Altenew.

Inkspirational Challenge #320 - S'more's

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational  #320 - It's Designer Choice.

Marlena got to choose this time -  she would like us to:  Feature Products from 2 or more stamp companies!

I used products from The Greetery, Impression Obsession, Taylored Expressions and Altenew.

The pieces of chocolate were made using Chocolate Bar Background Stamp from Impression Obsession.  (still some found on Amazon)

The Graham Cracker die, marshmallows on the stick stamps and die are all from The Greetery.  

The sentiment is from Ooey Gooey stamp and die set from Taylored Expressions (retired). 

The enamel dots are from Altenew.

So, I'm sure we ALL have products from 2 or more stamp companies that we can mix and match on our card designs right?!!   

So there's no excuse to not join with us !!  You'll find some creative inspiration from the rest of the Design Team as well as Mr. Linky to link up your card - over at Inkspirational!

You have until July 26 to link up!

I'm also linking my card to:

NBUS

First time using the Greetery graham cracker and marshmallows stamp/die set even though I've had it for over a year?!  first time using chocolate bar background stamp

Shopping Our Stash

Never before Used Stuff   ends 7/15

first time using graham cracker and Marshmallow stamps/dies and chocolate bar background stamp

Seize the Birthday

Anything Goes option ends 7/23

Just Us Girls

S'mores!   ends 7/17

Stamps:  S'more Holiday - The Greetery, sentiment from Ooey Gooey - Stamp and Die combo - Taylored Expressions (retired), Chocolate Bar Background Stamp - Impression Obsession (available on Amazon).

Paper:  Textured Tan - from Stash, Dark Chocolate, White - PTI, DP The Sound of Summer - Ciao Bella.

Ink:  Portobello - Versafine Claire, Classic Kraft, New Leaf - PTI

Accessories:  S'more Graham Cracker Die, S'more Holiday Dies - The Greetery, white POSCA Pen, enamel dots - Altenew.

Card Chain Challenge - April 2024 reveal

 Today is reveal day over at The Card Chain Challenge - where all the cards exchanged around the world in April are revealed.

I sent my card to Kath in the UK and I received a card from Jeanne in Minnesota.

Each month we are given options for our cards - a sketch, themes, colors, product/technique.  We have to use one but can use more.

This month I used two of the colors - green and lilac (didn't use silver!) and I used two of the themes - Spring and Friendship.

The images (flower box, bunny and butterflies) are all rub-ons from the Easter Collection from Taperlogy.  The sentiments are all from Garden Sayings from Impression Obsession.

The card fold is called Center Display Fold.

It folds up to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" so it fits into a regular A2 size envelope for mailing.

View from the back when it's open.

The card fold is called Center Display Fold and I found it at one of Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenges.  

You will find Sabrina's challenge here.  

And here is her diagram and tutorial that she shared on the challenge. 

You will need a piece of cardstock for your base 8” wide by 5 ½” high.

Score from top to bottom at 2” and 6”.

1 ¼” from the top and from the bottom, cut between the 2” and 6” lines. 

Now score at 3” and 5” between the cut lines, and at 4” above and below them as shown in the diagram. 

The 2” and 6” score lines become valley folds.

The two shorter inner scores and the ones at the centre of the card become mountain folds.

I cut my DP for matting just ⅛” smaller than each cardstock panel I was layering it onto.

So for the two tall side pieces, that was 5 ⅜” x 1 ⅞”.

For the four smaller strips top and bottom, that was 1 ⅞” x 1 ⅛”

For the centre panel it was 2 ⅞” x 1 ⅞”

And if you want to layer the strips on each side of the centre, that was 2 ⅞” x ⅞”

As mentioned in my write-up, when you are adding die-cuts to the centre panel, make sure that you can still easily fold and open the card.

Folds to 5 ½” x 4” so will fit in a regular US A2 envelope.

For metric measurements:

Base is 20 cm x 14 cm.

Score at 5 and 15 cm.

Cut between these two score lines at 3 cm and 17 cm.

Then score above and below the cut lines at 10 cm, and in between them at 7.5 and 12.5 cm

So please check out all of the cards exchanged in April over at The Card Chain Challenge and sign up to join in for May!  You have until May 6th to sign up.

I'm just in time to link my card to:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

F is for FOLD It -  ends May3

NBUS

First time using this Garden Sayings Sentiment set

Tic Tac Toe

Ends 5/9

Middle vertical - Butterflies/Free/Patterned paper

Stamps: Garden Sayings - Impression Obsession

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, DP Dainty Flowers 12x12 pack - Stampin Up.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Accessories:  Oval die - Spellbinders, Oval Punch - SU, Easter Collection Rub-ons - Taperlogy

With Mirth and Laughter

 Here is a bright and colorful birthday card with LOTS of candles!  And this quote from Shakespeare is perfect for it don't you think?  

And I can send this to a friend since I'm also in the 'lots of candles' age group so they can't yell at me!

I inked the candles using a wonderful stencil set from The Greetery, recently purchased, called All Aglow.  The sentiment is from Impression Obsession which is popped up over the candles with foam dots.  Then I splattered the panel with white and black POSCA Pens  and added the orange center flame with a Copic.

I'm joining in with:

Time Out Challenges

NBUS

First time using the candle stencils

Stamps: Impression Obsession
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Carved Pumpkin, Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers
Accessories: All Aglow Stencil - The Greetery, White and Black POSCA Pens, finger sponges.

A Canvas to Our Imagination

 I've been playing on line with some stamping friends trying out a fun technique called Black Magic.  

Betsy Veldman has a tutorial on it on YouTube.  Basically, you start with piece of black mixed media paper or black watercolor paper.  Pick out a stamp that is an outline stamp.  I used a Crackle background stamp.  Stamp the image with Versamark onto the black paper and emboss it in gold.  Then you color inside the embossed lines using pearlescent water color paints.   When the paint is dry, you can add white splatter and white dots - I didn't do that step on today's card. 

I'm linking my card to :  

Inkspirational

Here is another card I made using this technique:

Mosaic card
Stamps: Crackle Stamp - Impression Obsession, Clearly Sentimental About Art - MFT (retired)
Paper: Black Mixed Media - Strathmore, white card base - PTI
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder - Ranger, heat tool, Pearlescent Water Color Paints - Yasutomo.

Boat card

Stamps: Liberty (boat), Forest Hares, Bell Flower Vine - Lavinia

Paper: Black Mixed Media paper - Strathmore

Ink: Versamark

Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Yasutomo Pearlescent Water colors, water, brush, White POSCA Pen, Ebony Black and Simply White Nuvo Drops

12 Tags of Christmas - Tag #12

 So here it is -  my 12th Tag of Christmas for Ellen Hutson's challenges found here!

The theme song for the final tag is Holly Jolly Christmas and, once again I had the perfect stamp for the challenge!

The sentiment stamp is from Festive Overlay by Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous,  the tag die is Papertrey, the holly die is Impression Obsession and the DP is Lawn Fawn.  I added some Clear Glitter Wink of Stella to the holly so it sparkles in the light.  

I also added 3 white glitter paper dots at the bottom, that were in my 'bin of bits' on my work table holding bits left over from prior projects!

I'll miss making a new tag every day but will now use them on Christmas gifts to  friends and family and can also relax and enjoy the final weeks before Christmas!

Stamps:  Festive Overlay - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous

Paper:  white, Pure Poppy, New Leaf - PTI, DP Snowy Day Remix - Lawn Fawn

Ink:  Obsidian - Altenew

Accessories:  Tag Sale #10 die - PTI, Patchwork Holly die - Impression Obsession, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella, red/white bakers twine.

Remembering Cleo

My friend recently lost her sweet older cat Cleo who had struggled for a while with poor health.  This is a picture of her on a camping trip with her family this summer.

I wanted to make my friend a sympathy card coloring the cat like Cleo. I found this sweet image Cat Under Covers from Impression Obsession in my cat stamps drawer.

I placed the stamp in my Misti and inked the face section with Distress Spiced Marmalade ink, wiped off any ink that got on the blanket part, and stamped it onto watercolor paper.   Then I inked the top blanket part of the stamp with Distress Broken China, wiping off any of the blue that went on the cats face and stamped it onto the paper.  There is a little bit that over lapped and turned green with the mix of colors but I thought it looked ok, sort of like a shadow.  

I added Cleo's name in die cut letters using alphanumeric Tiny Type from Tim Holtz/Sizzix and cut the panel with Pierced Feature Frame: Rectangles from PTI.  The outside piece of the frame is up on foam dots.

I'm linking my card to:

The Paper Players

Stamps:  Cat Under Covers - Impression Obsession

Paper:  water color paper - Canson Cold Press

Ink:   Spiced Marmalade and Broken China - Ranger Distress

Accessories:  Pierced Feature Frames: Rectangles - PTI, Alphanumeric Tiny Type Upper - Tim Holtz/Sizzix, foam dots.

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - A Caffeinated Tree Frog!

Here's my 5th and final card for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  What fun this week has been and there are well over 1,300 entries!  That's a lot of coffee cards! 

I used a super cute frog die from Impression Obsession for my final blog hop card - adding a coffee cup, that I stamped and fussy cut, to one of his sticky little hands!  This sweet guy measures just 3" tall and makes me smile every time I look at him!

I cut two full frogs so I could make him into a card.  I scored a line across the top of the inside piece, from ear to ear, and adhered them together with glue.  The score line allows you to fold a clean crease for opening. I also cut an additional head and popped that up onto the front with foam dots just for a little added dimension.  

I used two different green Copics and a white Stabilio pencil to make the dots on the green and a yellow Copic for the dots on his belly.  I cut extra hands out of yellow to match his belly - and colored his finger tips with a red copic.  I added red enamel dots for his eyes - drawing on the pupils with a Fine Tip Black Sharpie. 

(I googled tree frog for help with my colors!)

The sentiment inside is from a retired Coffee Set from Waltzingmouse.

They plan to announce all the random prize winners on Sunday over at the blog hop - fingers crossed!

Stamps:  Front of card: Coffee Cup, and sentiment - no name stamp set,  inside sentiment from Coffee Set  Waltzingmouse retired)
Paper:  New Leaf, Bright Buttercup, Orange Zest, Vintage Linen - PTI 
Ink:  Mocha - Altenew
Accessories:  Frog Die - Impression Obsession, Copics YG95, YG17, YR09, YR21, foam dots, Fine Point Sharpie, enamel dots - Altenew, white pencil - Stabilo

May CAS Watercolour Card Challenge - Night Sky

Hello everyone and welcome to May.
I hope you are all managing ok through this Coronavirus Crisis.

I know crafting has helped me cope with staying at home.  I can spend a whole day working in my craft room.

And now there's a new Watercolour CAS Card challenge up on the blog.   Jenny is our creative hostess this month and she would like us to watercolor the Night Sky!

I water colored a dark night sky behind a cityscape die cut layered over the sky with foam dots.  I embossed the HOPE in silver as well as the rest of the sentiment below the image. I layered the panel to a slightly larger panel of metallic silver card.

One photo of my process.  I just purchased the Boku-Undo Shadow Black watercolor paints (thank's for the enabling Nancy!)  I used the Bluish Black on the top of the panel and the Purplish Black along the bottom.  I started by brushing water over the watercolor panel and then brushed on the inks.

The card echos the worlds' feelings as we hope for the lessening of the Coronavirus spread and the return of being able to gather with others.

So please join us this month.  You'll find more inspiration from the Design Team as well as our talented Guest DT Tina - over at CAS Watercolour.
We can't wait to see your CAS watercolored night skies!

I'm also  linking my card to:
The Library Challenge
The main character spent a lot of dark and scary nights trying to figure everything out - but always hoped she would find the answer and her own self worth.

 

Stamps:Guiding Lights - PTI
Paper:  White,  True Black - PTI, watercolor paper - Canson, Kraft Metallics Silver - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories:  Silver Embossing Powder, City Scape Dies - Impression Obsession,  Bluish Black and Purplish Black Boku-Undo Shadow Black Water color paints, foam dots, water, paintbrush.