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