EVERYWHERE GREEN

Seems like everywhere I looked this week there were challenges that involved green.  Plus I have been coloring The Greetery's lily die cuts using different mediums - so you will probably be seeing more lilies.

I used the photo as my color guide for my lilies.  First I watercoloured the lilies with some diluted black.  Mixed a variety of greens for all the leaves.  Then I used my polychromos to give some detail to the flowers and leaves.  I stenciled the background for some interest with DO old paper - it matched the lighter greens I used in the flowers so well.  Before attaching the arrangement, I stamped the sentiment.  Added some pale gray enamel dots and done.   

I am entering my card at CAS Watercolour (luck of the Irish-green), TicTacToe#55 (flowers, stencil, die cuts), The Flower Challenge (anything goes), Virginia's Show and Share, Color Throwdown (green and black) and Happy Little Stampers (dies).

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

HAPPY EASTER

Easter is still about five weeks away, but I needed to start on a few cards to send to friends and family - so began with this cute bunny shaker card.

Made my shaker part with an oval die - sort of an Easter egg shape I thought.  Put together the shaker after doing some blending of pinks and purples around the edges and inside of the shaker part.  Die cut my bunny three times for some dimension and added the little sprays of flowers and leaves.  Stamped my sentiment and put it all on a white card base.

I am entering my card in the Tic Tac Toe Challenge (flowers, pastels, critter) and Festive Friday (flowers, pastels, cute animals, green).

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

THINKING OF YOU

This is probably one of the fastest cards I've made.  Had the piece of gray/blue cardstock on my desk and grabbed it as the basis for my card.

Went through my stencils and quickly decided on this leafy background, smooshed the Versamark ink directly from the pad and embossed with some gold powder.  Cut it down to 4x5.25 and foam mounted on the same color card base.  Added the little sentiment, some sequins - and done!

I am entering this in the Paper Players and CAS Stencil challenges as both require heat embossing and The Stencil Challenge.

Thanks for visiting and love to read your kind comments.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

My birthday card supply has dwindled drastically so today I have a card inspired by several challenges.

I heat embossed the SSS flowers in gold and then colored with my Zigs and spattered with some black.  This piece and the black mat were die cut with HA rectangle dies.  The large "you" was die cut three times and layered up for some dimension.  Finally stamped the little "happy birthday to you" and assembled.

I am entering this in Simon Says Stamp #144 (die cuts), The Paper Players (heat embossing), Happy Little Stampers Watercolour (anything goes, flowers), AAA Birthday (flowers) and the Tic Tac Toe (watercolour, flowers, big sentiment) challenges.

Thanks for stopping by - always love to read your comments.

CAS MIX-UP AND ACRYLICS

 

When Bonnie asked me to be guest designer for March, I readily accepted - and then when she told me the theme I really had second thoughts.  Acrylics! Yikes!  I gave all of mine away years ago.  A challenge is a challenge though and I went down to Michaels (with a coupon) to see what I could find.  I discovered a perfect set with thirty-two little pots of various acrylic colors and only $6 using the coupon.  Then the problem was to decide how to use them.  I watched all the videos - tried several and since I'm not a very abstract person nothing really worked for me.  Here is one of my attempts:

Not pretty, eh?  So took out an outline flower stamp set and started overlaying it to see if I could rescue something.  Ended up stamping in black ink and clear embossing.  Then I fussy cut the flower and added black marker all around the edges for definition.

The background leaves were all stamped and embossed also.  Added a few enamel dots and done.  This is one of those cards that is going to have to wait for an occasion for a sentiment.  Besides the acrylics I used stamping, embossing and fussy cutting on my card.

The CAS Mix-up Challenge is open until March 24th so dig out those acrylics and have a go.  

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

ANOTHER INSPIRATION

Today I have another card that was inspired from the Talbots catalog spring line of clothing.

I used four gradient colors of ink to do the stamping of the leaves and flower.  Since the center of the flower was dark, I used white acrylic paint to give it a white center like the flower in the bottom photo.  The sentiment is meant to mimic the stripe in the shoes.  

I am entering my card at the Retro Rubber Challenge as the Layered Laurel (2017) and Floral Art (2018) stamps are both over a year old.  The theme is "anything goes".  Also am entering this in The Flower Challenge where the theme is "add leaves".

Had fun creating this card and hope you like it as much as I do.  Thanks for stopping by.

INSPIRATION CARD

The other day I posted a few inspiration photos from the recent Talbots catalog that I had put in my journal.  Yesterday I used one of them to design a card and what fun it was!  

I watercolored a large piece of watercolor paper with various shades of pink/coral and then die cut the layers of the flower.  I die cut the leaves just in white and did a little watercoloring on the tips.  Arranged everything and added a few copper Nuvo drops and done.  Another card to wait for a sentiment when needed.  I'm really pleased the way this turned out - adding brown was something I never would have done if it hadn't been in the clothing colors.  

I am entering this in Virginia's Show and Share for February and also The Flower Challenge to "add leaves."

Thanks for dropping by and always love to read your comments.

INSPIRATION FROM TALBOTS!

Since taking the Altenew "Mission Inspiration" class, I have been more aware of clothing design, home decor, nature, etc. pics that I run across.  Had a new spring Talbots catalog and found inspiration that all reminded me of various stamp sets I have.  So clipped them out and added them to my notebook.

In the top photo, I love the blue and white striped shoes with the flowered bag.  In the middle right photo the blocks of blue, coral and light blue with the flowers are so pretty - and love the polka dot with the flowers on the bottom left.

Maybe they'll get me going to make a few cards - or even inspire one of you also.

Thanks for stopping by - your comments make me happy!

 

FEBRUARY CARD CHAIN CHALLENGE

This month my card for the Card Chain Challenge is going to Suzanne in Pennsylvania.  I followed the colors of navy, pink and gray and also the sketch and friendship theme.

I colored the flower with my copics, but used my Zigs for the leaves as I don't own any gray markers.  It was an easy card to do just by using the sketch and colors.

I am entering my card in Virginia's Show and Share for February. 

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

SIMON SAYS WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE

This week the challenge at Simon Says is to use two or more patterned papers.  I am also sending my card to a friend in the Altenew Fan Group card swap.

I actually used five papers in my card - three in the flower and then one each in the leaves and border.  I used spiced marmalade distress ink for the shading - some black spatters and a few Nuvo drops finished my card.

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

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

What luck that I am scheduled to post a card today for A Blog Named Hero - and I just happen to have a wonderful new stamp set from Hero Arts.

This new wreath was so fun to color - hadn't used my Zigs in ages and this stamp was super easy to color with them.  The wreath was stamped in black and clear embossed first.  Used tea rose and light carmine for the flowers, olive for the leaves and pale gray for the bow and shading.  

A new challenge begins tomorrow (15 February) on A Blog Named Hero - so be sure to check it out, enter a card and be eligible for a gift card from Hero Arts.

Thanks for stopping by - love to read your kind comments.

 

OMBRE BLENDING

The current challenge at Addicted to CAS is ombre and this week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp Flickr is blending - so I combined them for my card today.  I am also entering my card in LaVon's LOVE challenge where the theme is "anything goes".

I first blended seedless preserves, picked raspberry and worn lipstick distress inks using my blending brushes.  Then I  laid the SSS peony bouquet stencil over the blended piece and added more of the same colors.  Cut the piece to 4"x5.25" and spritzed with some shimmer spritz.  The card base is peony from Hero Arts - love it.  Added the little sentiment and some sequins and done.  I think this design would make a pretty set of cards when done in a variety of blended backgrounds.

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