CAT IN THE MOON

For some strange reason, I love making Halloween cards for my grandkids and friends.  Also there's a little shop in a rather posh retirement home where I sell my cards and they are always a sellout there.  So not sure where this one will go, but made it for three challenges - A Blog Named Hero (happy), CAS-ology (moon) and a2z Scrapbooking (shake it up).

 

The moon shaker background was watercolored with Brushos and filled with glitter and little stars.  The little cat (he looks a little cross-eyed??) is from PTI and covered with glossy accents as is the "happy" sentiment from Hero Arts.  Wet cement and mocha layering papers from Hero Arts were used for the background.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.  Betty

ANOTHER HERO ARTS MAKEOVER

Hero Arts has a new blog look - a great makeover - easy to navigate and looks fantastic.  They also are having a challenge for us to do makeover on one of our own cards.  I did one already and then went thru some oldies and decided to update one of cards with one of the HA all time favorites of mine - hydrangea.  

MAKEOVER

2012 ORIGINAL

Actually I like the coloring on the old version, but the rest of it is pretty scary - way too busy - no white space.  For my makeover, I stamped the hydrangea in distress pumice stone and then colored with Zig clean brush markers and water - I was aiming for no line watercoloring - didn't quite make it - but I like it anyway.  Instead of just straight line cuts, I used MFT stitched edges, added the little Clearly Besotted sentiment and some clear sequins - done and dusted!

I couldn't find the hydrangea (K5376) on HA website, but did find it in several places on the secondary market.  Think HA needs to make it in a clear stamp along with a matching die - would buy it in a minute!  I took mine off the wooden block and made it into a cling of sorts.

Thanks for visiting today and your kind comments.  Betty

IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE...

My card today started out with the bulb in my Ottlite organizer burning out.   So I had to do something about that - tried to replace the bulb with the one from the Ottlite I had by my sewing machine (no organizer on this one) - bulb didn't work!  So had to move that lamp over to the work space.  What to do with all the stuff in the caddy part - reorganize the whole work space was the solution - throw out stuff, put stuff away, find stuff, store stuff that's hardly ever used away somewhere else, etc. etc. etc.  And in that whole process I found the watercolored piece that I used in my card today.  Thus the title of my post today - if you are familiar with children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff is darling, so fun to read to kids - a story of one thing leads to another!  Long intro for me!

So a card for three challenges came about!! Dawn McVey's "Make it Monday" technique was a camoflauged pocket insert card.  Virginia's View Challenge is to use geometric patterns and Darnell's Challenge #5 is "never before used stuff" and anything goes.

The NBUS is the watercolored piece using Brushos (new to me) and the PTI leaf silhouette die (also new).  The leaves are obviously geometric and also the chevron background.  Watch Dawn's video to see how I constructed it.  Supplies used: PTI Library pocket, PTI chevron coverplate, PTI patterned vellum and MFT stitched tag.  I think it's a fun card to make altho I did have to fiddle around to get the tag to go in the pocket just right and finding a sentiment stamp that would fit in the space took some playing around too!

Thanks for stopping by today and love to read your kind comments.  Betty

 

SEPTEMBER CARD CHAIN CHALLENGE

Sent this card to Judy for the September CCC - used the colors Deb suggested plus the Halloween theme.

  

Distress inks were blended to create the background and stamped the Hero Arts spooky trees in black on the bottom - used my MISTI to stamp them several times so they would be really really black.  The bats (Memory Box but no longer available) are coated with glossy accents.  The shaker part has MS glitter and little gold stars in it.  

a2zScrapbooking's challenge this month is "shake it up" so am entering it over there.

Thanks for visiting today.  Betty

A TOUCH OF HOLLY

The challenge this week at Merry Monday is holly.  Stamped Hero Arts Holly Jolly on Neenah metallic white gold card and colored with my Zig Clean Color Brush markers, using just a bit of water to blend.

 Closeup

I die cut "christmas" from Ellen Hutson's "Merry & Bright" twice from white card and then from the stamped area.  Adhered all three layers together and inlaid it back into the card.  The base is also Neenah metallic white gold.  Stamped "wishes" on the inside of the card and added a few champagne pearls (wanted to give those berries a little highlight and the dot on the "i" was just too tiny to inlay) from Michael's - done.

Will also enter this in Happy Little Stampers challenge which is coloring and Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge which is holly.

Thanks for stopping by and love reading your kind comments.  Betty

FRIENDS

My trip to Wisconsin and Minnesota has been just wonderful.  Over the weekend I went to my 60th high school class reunion from Aquinas High School in La Crosse, WI.  Stayed with a friend whom I've known since kindergarten - went thru elementary and high school together and then both of us eventually became library media specialists.  We don't see each other that often but when we get together it's like we've never been apart.  It was fun to see everyone from my class (218) but our numbers are dwindling and I was sad to see so many not in good health.  But we had many laughs and shared so many memories.

Linda, me, Jayne

Then yesterday I drove to Rochester MN where I met Linda and Jayne from the Hero Arts discussion group - and even tho we had never met personally it was like we'd known each other for a long time.  Had lunch at a lovely restaurant and managed to sit and talk for about 3 hours.  Stampers don't have a hard time finding something to talk about!!!

When I left Rochester, I took a wrong exit from I-90 and had a drive through the scenic countryside of southeastern MN.  After winding my way (no GPS on my car - also no phone service from ATT in that area) I finally found my way to Caledonia where my daughter-in-law lives - really was in no hurry and it was a beautiful day for driving.  Today Maria and I are meeting my sister-in-law for lunch and probably will have another 3 hour lunch.  Then it's back on the road tomorrow to Lincoln, NE.

Have a busy week coming up, but hope to get a few cards made - thanks for stopping by today.  Betty

POINSETTIA

My new stamp set, Mondo Poinsettia, arrived today from Ellen Hutson and couldn't resist trying it out.  First thought was to watercolor - so stamped it in distress antique linen and watercolored with Zig clean brush marker in carmine, olive green and water.  It looked rather blah and I had already fussy cut it.  Didn't want to toss it, so stamped over it with distress fired brick and peeled paint.  Much better - gave it some definition.

 

Had another piece of the watercolored background like I used on my previous card, so used that adhered to cream cardstock for the base (4"x5 1/2")  Added the sentiment from Jane's Doodles and some sequins - done.

Will enter this in Merry Monday's current challenge of red and two shades of green. 

I'm off to La Crosse, Wisconsin tomorrow for a big high school class reunion, so see you next week sometime.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

HOLLY

The challenge at Merry Monday this week is two shades of green with a bit of red.  

I stamped and embossed the HA holly with Ranger liquid platinum and used my Zig clean brush markers (mid-green, olive green and carmine) to watercolor.  I like to put down the color and then use my aqua brush to shade the colors.  The background is distress antique linen and water smooshed with a bit of metallic gold from my Gansai watercolor set.  Die cut the MFT stitched frame and popped it up with foam tape.  The sentiment is from Essentials by Ellen Merry & Bright cut from PTI gold foil.

Thanks for stopping by and always love your kind comments.  Betty

AUTUMN LEAVES MAKEOVER
  Hero Arts is soon going to launch a makeover of their website on 1 September.  As part of the celebration they are having a "makeover" challenge.  I have never done a makeover of one of my cards and it really is kind of fun - the hard part was choosing a card. 

Makeover Card

Original Card

The original card was done in 2011 - seems I was doing a lot of sewing and using patterned paper back then.  I still rather like it, but think the makeover is a little more classy because it is simpler.

I stamped the HA leaf on rice paper which my friend Cindy sent to me.  It is such fun to use - stamped the leaves with wild honey, dried marigold, peeled paint and seedless preserves distress inks - spritzed it quite heavily with water and just let the colors go where ever.  When it was dry I stamped a few leaves randomly on top of the colors and then mounted it on some Neenah gold metallic cardstock.  The HA sentiment was stamped on vellum with Versamark and embossed with HA gold.  The leaf (part of a Petite Prints set) is no longer available and the sentiment (CL380) has limited availability from Hero Arts.  Added some clear sequins and done.  

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

JUST FOR YOU

Ellen Hutson's blog has a challenge to combine a Clearly Besotted stamp with one of theirs - closes tomorrow so I'm just getting in under the wire.

I found the wonderful card base at Michaels - a whole package of these cards with envelopes - with a 50% off coupon, what a deal!!!  Cut the Bold Blossom flower and leaves from PTI's gold adhesive paper.  Stamped the sentiment from Clearly Besotted A Little Sentimental and embossed with HA gold powder.  Added the MME enamel dot - done and dusted!

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

BOOKMARK CARD

The current challenge at Addicted to CAS is "school".  When I was still an educator, the kids loved the booksmarks I made for them for various holidays.  I first made a card like this quite a few years ago and it was someone else's idea, but can't remember where I saw it.  This card is for my daughter with her initials on it.

It is constructed so that the bookmark just slips into the background piece.  Some old text paper, Graphic45 ABC Primer papers, and Hero Arts stamps were used.

Thanks for visiting today and your kind comments.  Betty

BUBBLES BACKGROUND

Stamplorations has a sketch and theme challenge for August - the theme is stamps and watercolor and here is my card with the sketch.

I smooshed distress inks onto the Stamplorations Bubbles stencil, spritzed with water and then laid a piece of watercolor paper on it - pressed it into the paper until the color was on the paper.  Here is a video of this technique if you would like a better explanation.  The background was then die cut with MFT stitched rectangle and bordered with SU crumb cake.  The Altenew flowers and leaves were white embossed on vellum and colored with Zig clean brush markers.  Sentiment is from Clearly Besotted.  Added a few clear dots - done and dusted!

MFT's Summer School this week is all about color so I am also entering this in their "cool" color challenge.

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your kind comments.  Betty

AUGUST CARD CHAIN CHALLENGE

The month for Deb's CCC challenge I chose to use the colors (melon, mustard and grey) and flowers - and my card is going to our fearless leader for this challenge, Deb Nolan!!

I watercolored my peony with PTI melon berry ink and the leaves were done with Kuretake watercolor in gold (that's sort of a mustard color - right?) after embossing the flower and leaves with Ranger liquid platinum.  I die cut the center circle and then added the PTI shaker shape: circle on top.  The card base is HA wet cement and the other layer is PTI soft stone.  Added some clear gems (from HA and no longer available) and done.  The sentiment is from Stamplorations Blooming Buds.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

ANOTHER PUMPKIN SHAKER

Had another play at making a shaker card with the PTI pumpkin die.  This time I made it taller by cutting off more of the sides.   I think I like this shape better.

Sponged on some distress inks to shade the bottom and ground the pumpkin.  Added that cute little cat - he's very shiny from a coating of glossy accents.  The "happy" is from Hero Arts.

Die-Cut Diva's challenge this month is "holiday" so will enter it there.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comment.  Betty

PUMPKIN SHAKER

Loved all the shaker cards that Betsy Veldman created for her blog today with the new PTI dies that will be released on the 15th.  So decided to try to make a pumpkin shaker from a PTI die from several years ago. 

After cutting from some orange card, I reshaped the outline part by cutting off the outer sides.  Adhered that to a piece of acetate and then fit and adhered the outer sections back in, leaving the center clear.  Added foam tape to the back, dropped in the sparkly bits and backed it with a piece of orange glitter paper to put it all together.  Mounted this on a piece of HA black layering paper (4"x51/4"), added the "happy" and Wink of Stella - done.  It's really very sparkling and fun in real life!  Now that I have this figured out maybe I'll make a few more - or maybe just buy the new pumpkin shaker die which would be bit easier!!

PTI has a challenge called "Create Along With Us" using inspiration from their team so am entering this card.

Thanks for stopping by today and your kind comments.  Betty

JOY

As I was going through challenges to possibly enter today, I found I could design one card that would fit four of them - Color Throwdown and Merry Monday for the colors, CAS(E) #135 for the sketch and HLS Christmas for "sparkle".

The poinsettia, leaves and background were watercolored with my Zig clean color brushes.  Used HA gold embossing powder for the flower, leaves and sentiment.  My poor photography doesn't show the sparkle very much but there is lots of Wink of Stella sparkle on the poinsettia.  Hope maybe the gold will qualify for sparkle too.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

GOLD AND VELLUM BUTTERFLY

Today Karen challenged us to use gold or silver plus vellum on a card for Scramble115 in the Hero Arts discussion group.  Before the scramble started I had chosen some stamps that I would like to use if possible - so this butterfly worked perfectly. 

I stamped the butterfly in gold and fussy cut - then used the coordinating dies to cut another butterfly and the body/antenna.  The vellum dotted strip and the leaves are cut from DCWV foiled vellum papers.  Sentiment is from Clearly Besotted and the leaves are MB Fresh Foliage.  Base of the card is Neenah metallic white gold.  Rounded the card corner and done.  From start to finish, this took about 35 minutes (not including photographing and posting to the group). 

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy your comments.  Betty

BOLD BLOOMS

There is a new challenge called The Pinterest Inspired Challenge.  I was inspired by the colors and also the all over design of the photo they chose for their first challenge.

 

I have a new (to me) stencil from Stamplorations which was used with distress inks (scattered straw, tumbled glass, peacock feathers, shabby shutters) to create the background.  I added some black Pico Embellisher dots, mounted it on black, added the sentiment and then on a HA cerulean blue base.   Think it would be fun to make this card in a variety of colors for a gift set - it's pretty easy and fast although the Pico takes a bit of drying time and you have to be careful not to get air bubbles.

Thanks for visiting today and your comments always make me happy!  Betty

IN BLOOM

This month the challenge at Happy Little Stampers is masking.  I hadn't used this lovely flower from PTI in ages and thought it would fit the bill.

I made a mask with post-its for both the flower and large leaf and then stamped and embossed in white on watercolor paper.  The flower is colored with Zig Clean Color brushes in light carmine, tea rose and water - the leaves are mid-green and olive green.  The haze around the flower is pale gray.  A little sentiment from Clearly Besotted, some gold thread, sequins - done and dusted.  The design for my card was inspired by this one from Debby Hughes - she has a great video on coloring with the Zig brushes - it's basically the method I've been using with them.  By the way - one day I stamped and embossed a whole bunch of these little sentiments on black strips and it's so nice to have them on hand to pop up on a card.


Happy Little Stampers has a nice list of masking videos if you want some more info on this topic - the challenge lasts all month.

Thanks for stopping by and always love reading your comments!   Betty

JULY PIN-SIGHTS CHALLENGE

Down to the last minute for posting this card to Ellen's Pin-Sights challenge - had the card finished, but just didn't get around to getting it photographed.  

Embossed Bohemian Garden flowers and leaves in white on patterned paper, arranged them around a PTI stitched circle, cut out the "happy", stamped the "birthday", added a few white dots and done.  The card base is Neenah astroparche.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

COLOR WASH

I have been hoarding some patterned paper (Color Wash by Pink Paislee) and when I received my new (to me) Penny Black stamp I decided to make good use of it.  These were 3" left over cuts, so stamped and embossed the flowers with Versamark and liquid platinum.  Then I colored in just a bit of the flowers using my watercolor pencils - I wanted soft colors to go with the paper and these were the best choice since I didn't want to use a lot of water and have the paper warp.

I have had these pencils forever - I think they should be called VSUS (very seldom used stuff - kind of like Darnell's NBUS).  Really love how they gave a hint of a coordinating color.

Then I created a card with one of the panels.  I popped it up with some foam tape (it looks like it's a bit taller than 5 1/2" but it's just my poor photography skills) and added the SSS sentiment.  Will add rest of the it on the inside like maybe "birthday wishes" or "best wishes" when needed.

Will enter this in SSS "Anything Goes" using Penny Black and Case Study #134 challenges.

Thanks for visiting today and love reading your kind comments.  Betty

EDIT:  Read Darnell's comment below - we decided that both Mt. VSUS and Mt. NBUS are definitely volcanic and have erupted all over the place!!!

STAMPLORATIONS INSPIRATION #29!

A new challenge went up yesterday on the Stamplorations blog - I chose Vicki's card to CASE as I love the black and white with the blue flowers.

 My flower is from Dee's Blooming Buds stamp set - colored with Zig brushes.  The die cut background is PTI's Mat Stack 3 embossed with a Darice embossing folder.  The sentiment is from SSS - I will add "birthday wishes" or "best wishes" or whatever is appropriate when I send the card.  The vellum leaves are a Sizzix Die - added those as an afterthought as I felt it just needed a little something else.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

LOVE AT CHRISTMAS

Another card for the Merry Monday challenge to use a heart on a Christmas card.  During the summer the challenge goes for two weeks, so there's still lots of time until Sunday (2 August) to enter your card.

I have always loved this quote from Christina Rossetti, but didn't have a stamp for the whole quote - so stamped the "love" and did the rest on the computer.  The wreath and the hearts are die cut from Neenah metallic paper, the little clear centers of the hearts were drops of glossy accents and red sequins are from my stash.  The background cardstock is also Neenah metallic (white gold).

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

PTI JULY CHALLENGE

The PTI challenge for today has a definite vintage look - something I haven't done in a long time, but had a go anyway tonight.

I stamped the gingko leaves from PTI Harvest Berries using my my MISTI so I could get the shades of green a bit varied.  Then I die cut the large butterfly (I honestly don't know where it came from), sponged it with distress inks and inlaid it partially.  The wings are popped up with two layers of foam tape.  Added the HA sentiment stamped on vellum and done.   I am also entering this in Just Add Ink's challenge #272 which is butterflies.

Thanks for stopping by and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

WEDDING WISHES

Needed a wedding card for the friend for whom I made those 100 invitations and decided to use the Color Throwdown challenge and my new Peony Scrolls from Altenew.  Of course, the blue and green called to me immediately!!

I used my Zig watercolor brushes to color the flowers and leaves after embossing with Ranger liquid platinum.  The background papers are HA wet cement and PTI soft stone.  I used a Spellbinders circle to make the cut in the center, die cut PTI shaker shapes:circle and popped it up with another die cut in fun foam.  The sentiment is also from PTI.  Added the clear gems (from HA but no longer available) and done.

Since the couple didn't want any gifts quite a few of us have gone together and are making a nice donation to Matt Talbot kitchen in their name - MTK has been feeding the hungry of Lincoln for many years and also has multiple other outreach programs for the needy.  The inside of the card is plain so all our names can be added.

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

MERRY MONDAY GUEST DESIGNER

A few weeks ago my card was chosen as the winner on Merry Monday and consequently I was asked to be their guest designer for this week.  The challenge is to use a heart on a Christmas card and I did a pretty literal translation of the inspiration photo.

I die cut the pine branches (Sizzix TH Holiday Greens) and spattered with Tsukineko frost white ink - also did the card base.  The hearts were cut from a Cuttlebug die and the sentiment is from Ellen Hutson Cozy Christmas.  The card base is Sahara Sand from SU - cut 1/4" from the side so the branches could hang over a bit.

Merry Monday is a great way to get started on your Christmas cards so hop on over and join the challenge - you have two weeks to get a card done.

Thanks again to the Merry Monday team for asking me to be their guest designer this week and thanks for stopping by.  Betty

PRETTY PEONIES

Made this card for several challenges - the sketch is from Get Sketchy #2 and the colors are from Color ThrowDown #350.   Since there is quite a bit of stamping involved (layering those flowers and leaves is a challenge all by itself!!) will also enter this in Virginia's View #16 and Happy Little Stampers challenges - both stamping challenges.

The flowers are from Wplus9 Pretty Peonies stamped with PTI blush and melon berry - leaves with simply chartreuse.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts.  I used my MISTI to line up the layers on the flowers.

Thanks for visiting today and enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

JULY CARD CHAIN CHALLENGE

This month I just used the colors and the friendship theme from Deb's Card Chain Challenge to make a card for Linda.  I stamped Altenew's Painted Flowers on a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of cardstock.  Then used an MFT stitched rectangle die to cut out the center.   Adhered the "frame" part to a card base, added fun foam to the die cut rectangle and fit it back onto the card.  Fussy cut the flower on the bottom, added the HA sentiment and done.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

GENTLE WHISPER CARD SET

When I made this card I thought it would make a nice gift set - so created my backgrounds with my MISTI and made various colored butterflies.  Added some Tsukineko Pico embellisher to the butterfly and dots around the flower for added interest.  The butterfly is popped up with foam tape.

Haven't decided whether to add sentiments or not - probably will wait and see until I give them away.

Thanks for visiting today and always enjoy reading your kind comments.  Betty

MUMS

Love the colors for this week's Color Throwdown #350.  Played around with my Zig watercolors and finally decided on tea rose and light pink for the flower and mid-green and olive green for the leaves.  Just stamped the flower with waterproof ink and blended the colors directly - no water.  Had the striped vellum on my desk from a previous card so just went with basically the same design.

 

The mum is from PTI Year of the Flowers series which I have not used for a long time.  I will add "birthday" or "anniversary" or whatever on the inside when I need the card.  A few clear sequins completed the card.

Thanks for stopping by and your kind comments.  Betty

FIVE SHADES OF GREY & A "POP" OF YELLOW

I made this card for three challenges - Card Concept (grey, yellow and white), Paper Players (the great outdoors) and CAS-ology #153 (the word "pop).

I used my MISTI to stamp the Penny Black Gentle Whisper flower in shades of gray - Mememto London Fog, Grey Flannel and HA Charcoal - stamped it several times until I was satisfied with all the colors.  The HA butterfly was stamped with Mememto Dandelion and more color was added with Zig Clean Color Brush yellow.  Added some clear sequins, Wink of Stella and silver wire to finish the butterfly.  Cardstock used was HA Wet Cement and SU Sahara Sand.  The HA sentiment was stamped on vellum.

The Card Concept style - CAS; Paper Players - flower & butterfly for great outdoors; CAS-ology - pop of color and the butterfly is popped up.

I think this will be part of a set of cards with different colored butterflies and sentiments.

Thanks for visiting my blog today and love reading your kind comments.  Betty