NEW CREATION STATION

Since I am unable to "do" stairs, I had my sons move my craft stuff from the lower level of my townhome to the first floor second bedroom/office (which it used to be).  They also bought me a new desk and chair and put a ceiling fan/light in the room as the window faces west and can get really warm in the afternoon.  Got rid of a futon, file cabinet, lots of books, etc. to accommodate the new desk and chair.  A friend came over the other day and helped me organize as Kevin and Mike just brought stuff upstairs while I was still in rehab - so I didn't know where anything was.  What a joy it is to have everything where I can find it and to have such great family and a friend to help.  Here are some pics of the new room!

Top left is an antique oak file cabinet that holds a multitude of supplies.  Next to it is an old oak library table and another wood table where I keep my clear stamps, embossing folders, and stencils organized in wooden boxes (Target) and vintage filing and sewing machine drawers.  Bottom left is my new desk and chair.  Last is another view of the desk with the bookcase where I keep more supplies.  It will probably be tweaked a bit more as time goes by, but right now it works for me.  The desk has a pull out space where a keyboard is supposed to be, but I have a small paper cutter, my MISTI, and a small score board stored on it.  So handy. There is also a deep filing drawer where I keep all my cardstock.  The desk came from Office Depot (RealSpace).  

All for now.  

MUSE5

My final bit of homework for the Altenew Muse class uses photography as the inspiration.  

Love the soft colors with the strong contrast of the black tree and the bench for balance. 

I sponged on worn lipstick and broken china distress oxide inks and then went over the colors very lightly with some Altenew mocha.  Spattered some water drops, popped the piece up with fun foam on a pale grey base, added the leaves, the sentiment and a few clear sequins and done!

I have loved this class and would again highly recommend if you would like to stretch your designing skills.

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

MUSE4

Here is my fourth card for Altenew's Muse online class.  Can't believe I've actually made four cards - only one more to go and all my homework will be done!!!  Carissa used party supplies and decor for our inspiration this time.  I found this great letter with it's pretty colors on Pinterest and used that as my starting point.

I die cut the letters from white cardstock and inked them with Altenew's desert night.  The background was stenciled with sea glass ink.  The little flowers and leaves are from EH Courage and inked in rose quartz, puffy heart and purple wine.  The background is popped up with fun foam and mounted on a grey/tan card base.  Added a few clear dots and done!  The card is blank inside awaiting "birthday", "anniversary" or whatever.

Good to see you here today and thanks for your kind comments.

MUSE3

Art is the inspiration for today's card.  I found this painting on Etsy and loved the simple design and bold colors.

 

I just took my Versamark pad and smudged the edges of the three pieces of cardstock and then embossed in gold.  The center white piece is popped up with some foam tape.  Added the little sentiment strip and a few Altenew enamel hearts and done!

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

 

MUSE2

The theme for my card in the Altenew Muse class is to use home decor as the jumping off point for a card design.  I think what appeals to me the most about this class as it focuses on design, balance, use of space, color combos and most of all the element of organizing your design.

 

I used Altenew's Spring Daisy embossed on vellum for my focal point to reflect the wall hanging.  By looking at my planning sheet you can easily see how I designed my card.

Now to get more homework done - I'm only 3 days behind!!  Life interferes with my card making sometimes!!  Take care.

 

MUSE

I am taking the Altenew Academy's newest class (Muse) taught by Carissa Wiley and what a fresh way of designing cards - these classes are all taught by well-known designers and are so reasonably priced - highly recommend!!  Whenever I take these online classes tho, I'm horrible about doing the homework.  This time I decided to be a good student and get something done.

The first day of class had the theme of using fashion as inspiration.  Carissa gave many tips on ways to look at fashion photo and pull out elements that could be used in designing a card.  Here's my inspiration photo:

Love the soft colors in the flowers and the black on the bottom edge of the dress along with all the white space.

I first tried doing the composition with the flowers and black on the bottom right, but it was too heavy.  So just inverted the design and liked it much better.  I colored the flowers with Altenew markers and fussy cut.  The centers of the flowers have black seed beads for a little texture and dimension.  Rounded the two corners to reflect the slope of the model's shoulders.

I've started my own "muse" board on Pinterest to use as starting points for colors and design - after I add the photo to my board, I take a pic of it with my IPhone to keep on my desk.

So the homework is finished and I'm handing it in!!!  Am entering this in LaVon's summer celebrations challenge and Virginia's summer blog party.

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

WHITE ON WHITE

Addicted to CAS has chosen "white on white" for the their current challenge.  Have always loved this look, but find it difficult to execute to my liking.  Just bought the Altenew "Bamboo Rose" stamps and so decided to give them a try for this challenge.

For my background piece, I used some striped vellum on which I stamped the roses in Versamark and embossed with HA white satin pearl powder.  Added the sentiment and a few clear dots - done and dusted!  Since I moved the craft room to my main floor, I don't have the good window with natural light anymore - also my leg in the brace doesn't like to stand for very long - anyway you can see the pretty shine from the embossing powder on part of the card.  As for white on white, I'm happy with the results.

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

HERO ARTS SCRAMBLE #155

Arlene is hosting a 24 hour scramble today - started at 11 am CST and will end tomorrow (Sunday) at 11 am CST.  We are asked to create and post a card in 90 minutes with the challenge to use a die cut and pop it up - also use Hero Arts products. 

While I was in rehab, I had lots of time to wander through blogs and gather ideas for future cards.  One that I loved for it's simplicity was this one by Yana Smakula. The brayered background was so fun to make - I just pulled out various HA inks (pale tomato, and several other pinks that were in the monthly kits) and brayered them on.  Used the same colors for stamping my hibiscus flowers,  The sentiment was stamped in HA black and clear embossed for some shine.  Added a soft grey mat and popped it up with fun foam.  The larger flower is also popped up.  Some black dots were added - and done!  Think it would be fun to create a set of these for a gift!  I am adding this card to LaVon's LOVE challenge (summer celebrations theme).

Thanks for visiting today and also for your kind comments.

FLAMINGO SLIDER

The challenge theme this month at A Blog Named Hero is "interactive".  Since I usually just make regular A2 cards, this was a real challenge for me.  Was going to make a shaker card, but then saw this video by Dawn and this one by Erica on how to make a slider card and it quite intrigued me.  The idea by Erica used an MFT die (which I didn't have) but I did have the zipper die from Essentials by Ellen which looked like it might do and so my card began.

The base of my card is a piece of watercolor paper on which I used distress oxide inks in worn lipstick, fossilized amber and a little water.  Next I added the greenery around the bottom of the piece and then die cut with the zipper die.  Had to use my exacto knife to slice through the perforations on the die.  The little notch where the ribbon is attached was made with the second smallest HA circle die.  Colored the flamingo, did the scoring according to the flamingo proportions (I didn't use the scoring that Dawn or Erica used) and added the sentiments on the inner piece.  Put it all together with scor-tape, stapled on the little ribbon (colored with worn lipstick), added a few sequins - and an interactive card was created.  A first for me!!

Be sure to follow the challenge rules and enter your card here for a chance at a lovely prize from A Blog Named Hero!!

On another note - I have been home from rehab for two weeks - it's going ok, but have 8-10 more weeks of the full leg brace.  My physical therapist says I should be great by Christmas!!! Not only does the quad muscle have to heal before I can exercise that left leg, but then I have to have p.t. for the new left knee - right now I can only bend it to 45 degrees (doctor's orders!!). I was at 125 degrees bend when I fell on 2 May.

Cards will be sporadic as it's rather difficult sitting at a desk with my leg propped up.  It really felt good tho to get the creative juices going again with this card. 

Since Erica's card inspired me to create a slider card I am entering it in MFT's Camp Create challenge.

 

Thanks for stopping by and for all your kind comments.

OUT OF COMMISSION - UPDATE!!!!!

UPDATE!!!  I get to go home on Tuesday.  Tomorrow the OT and I will go to my house for a "home safety" check - make sure i can do everything by myself when I'm home.  Then Tuesday morning my son will pick me up and take me home.  I will have home health services for a few weeks (PT, bath aide and nurse).  Don't know how long i will have full leg brace on - Dr. is being super cautious and that's OK.

I have managed to keep busy coloring with watercolor pencils and a few copics.  A friend gave me some SU papers - called "inside the lines" which are really cool for coloring - so I have some good card starters going - plus several others of my wonderful stamping friends sent me stuff to color and make a few cards as I sit here with my leg up in a recliner - not the ideal position but it works!!  Have also managed to read about six books.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who have sent cards - the staff here is amazed at the number of cards I've received this past month - you all have been so fantastic and it certainly has kept my spirits up the past 5 weeks!!  I am truly blessed!!

I am going back to my house today for a fun project - my two sons and granddaughter are going to work on my new craft room which is being moved from the lower level of my townhouse to my second bedroom on the first floor.  New desk, chair, plastic pad under my chair (we think the chair was part of the cause for my fall) - so when it is still neat and tidy I will take some pictures to share. 

Again, thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as I have recovered from this "big bump in the road" of my life!!  I have always liked this little saying "Man plans and God laughs" - I will still plan and hope God doesn't play any more jokes on me!

Hugs, Betty

OUT OF COMMISSION

Hello, friends.  Just a note to say there won't be any cards from me for awhile.  I had a knee replaced on 18 April and last Tuesday, fell and tore open the knee where the stitches were.  Fortunately the new knee was ok, but tore the quad tendon and am in a full leg cast.  Had to have emergency surgery to repair it all - am in the hospital until tomorrow and then will go to a rehab facility for don't know how long.  Since I live alone, I'm pretty helpless when it comes to getting up.  Cast will be on for 4 weeks - a real bummer.  I am good - a little down at times - my kids are coming the end of the month to help me celebrate my birthday (even my son from England and my granddaughter) so have that to look forward to.  So I guess you'll see me when you see me.  All for now.  Betty

PINK AND GRAY

"Anything Goes" is this month's theme at A Blog Named Hero and you still have until 29 April to get in your entry.

Played around with some gray inks today and my new MISTI creative corners - love how easy these make stamping off the side of the card.

My flower came from the Hero Arts May monthly kit from 2016 - one of their prettiest flowers ever.  The first flower was stamped in dark gray and clear embossed.  Then did the other two progressively lighter.  Used a Heidi Swapp stencil and sponged on some random light gray stripes.  Stamped the greeting in HA black and clear embossed.  After coloring the one flower with copics and shading with colored pencils, I die cut the piece with a MFT stitched frame, put it together on a white base, added a few Nuvo rosewater dots and done.

Hurry and get your entry in here - it's not too late and you'll be eligible for a lovely prize.

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

ELLEN HUTSON PINSIGHTS GUEST DESIGNER

I am so honored to be one of Ellen Hutson's Pinsights designer this month.  When Laurel sent me the challenge photo, I was so excited to start creating with these gorgeous colors.

The center flowers in the pinks and yellows were the inspiration for my card using Julie's mondo peony.  I used distress oxide inks in worn lipstick and fossilized amber to watercolor a background piece. Die cut with the stitched rectangles and kept them together with some washi tape on the back and stamped the peony on the bottom right - used my Misti and stamped it several times to get a nice black impression.  I also stamped the peony on a piece of vellum.  Then I adhered the watercolor piece with a bit of non-permanent adhesive to the center of the card base.  Placed the vellum over matching it all - then put the stamp over the piece of vellum for just the right placement in my Misti.   Removed the card and vellum and stamped the peony on the base.  Put some thin adhesive dots all around the frame and adhered that down and then put the center piece in - and voila!! it all matched up!!!  Added the clear drops, some Spectrum Noir to just the center and the Nuvo dots and done.  This will be one of those cards for my stash to add a sentiment when needed.

I hope you'll play along with the Pinsights Challenge this month  and fun with these gorgeous colors!  You must use Ellen Hutson products - and there's a random drawing for a $50 gift certificate.

All the info on how to enter are on The Classroom blog, so have a go!

Thanks for visiting today and love to read your comments.

 

PAINTED FLOWERS

The photo for this week's Inspired by All the Little Things really is so gorgeous, I just had to make a card.  In fact, every week they have such lovely inspiration photos - I just don't always get around to creating something.

Since Altenew is celebrating their 3rd anniversay, I decided to use the first flower stamp set I ever bought from them - it's still one of my favorites and it has been a bit neglected lately.  I used some of their striped paper from the Reflections kit to mimic the stripes in the model's cape.  Then just used colors and the vertical design from the photo - added little raindrops too.  There is Spectrum Noir on just the flowers for some shiny prettiness!

I don't know how I was chosen by Altenew to receive this darling stamp set, but it came in the mail quite by surprise a week or so ago.  Love it!! 

So will add this to Inspired by All...and also Altenew's anniversary celebration.

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

HIBISCUS BACKGROUND

It's "Anything Goes" for this month's theme at A Blog Named Hero!  And you know me and my flowers so...

Today's card is totally inspired by Yana Smakula's card - I have always been total rubbish when it comes to making a background - have never liked what I've made - somehow it always looks off kilter or I screw it all up when I'm almost finished!!!  So using the hibiscus stamps I carefully did a similar placement of stamps and I'm finally happy with the results.  Now that I have this background placement technique down pat, I just might be making more of this design in various colors!

I used only the first and second layers of the flowers and picked some pretty HA colors.  Since I wanted perfect coverage, used my Misti in case I needed to stamp several times.  Added some little dots to fill in the blank spaces. When I was finished I embossed around the flowers and leaves using the dies.  This is the sandwich I use on my Cuttlebug to emboss with a die - A plate, B plate, tan Spellbinders mat, paper, die (face down), B plate.  Cut down the size of the piece with one the larger infinity rectangles and put it on a soft grey base adding some fun foam underneath.  Embossed the little sentiment on some HA layering paper (sorry don't know which color it is) using HA white powder.  Finally a few Nuvo crystal dots in rosewater.

HA inks used - pale tomato, a pink from Lia, butter bar, pastel blue, sea glass, soft granite - the light grey is  london fog and the pale yellow is dandelion - both from Memento.

Have a go with any Hero Arts stamps in your stash, create a card and enter it this month's challenge!!  

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

 

DEER TRIO

The challenge at Merry Monday this week is to "create a scene" and it prompted me to make my first Christmas card of the year.  Also the challenge at CAS Mix-Up is "inlaid diecutting" and since I cut my scene apart and then inlaid the the center part back into the frame, I thought this might qualify.

I first smooshed some Tsukineko white frost ink onto a piece of white cs (5.5x4.25) using some cling wrap.  Then stenciled the trees with Altenew evergreen ink and where the white ink was it sort of looked like snow and gave a varigated color. Next I die cut the frame, made the shaker and put it all back together on a soft gray card base.  Added the IO deer trio on the top and done.  Sentiment stamped inside.

 

 

Inlaid die-cut, stencil

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

CAS WATERCOLOUR

I have had this piece stamped with antique linen distress ink on my desk for several weeks - wanting to do some no-line watercolouring - but kind of reluctant to even try it.  So when I saw the challenge today on CAS Watercolour, decided it was time to take the plunge.

The image is from a Concord & 9th set - Happy Words.  Colored the flower with distress worn lipstick, the center with scattered straw and the leaves with peeled paint and water.  I used some watercolor pencils to add a little definition.  Finally used a light gray Zig and water to do the shadow around the flower.   Die cut it with a stitched rectangle and put on a soft gray base popping it up with some fun foam.  Couldn't decide where to put a sentiment, so just left it as is.

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