Anything Goes!

Happy Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Today's collage card was made to thank some kind folks who took some great photos of a trip we took with my sister-in-law's church, which is called "Hope Lutheran" (hence the "hope" ticket). I went distress and vintage with Tim Holtz images and supplies.

I had fun assembling all these great elements.

This is headed to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Challenge, which is "Anything Goes", and this isn't just anything, it's a little bit of everything!


Thanks for the visit and I sure hope you are having a great week!

In the Background

Happy Monday, Bloggin' Buddies!

Today I am sharing a card I made for my cousin's son. He is an amazing tuba player - he is a college professor and also works with the Phantom Regiment.

I got this perfect stamp from Tim Holtz and I used it not only for the centerpiece, but I used it to create a background paper. Masculine cards are a real challenge, but I used textures and colors that helped create the "manly feeling". The die is from Spellbinders and the sentiment is Hero Arts.


This week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is to use "no designer paper", so I plan to submit this there.

Have a great week, get ready to say so long to September. Did you see that amazing moon list night?

Thanks for the visit!

It is all about

the BLING!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I normally try to stick to card-making here, but I do have another passion - jewelry-making. I have been doing it since I was a (wanna be) hippie gal in high school in the 1960's. I used to pound out copper wire on an old brick to make earrings.

Anyway, I now am involved with a great group of bead-living gals and I have been getting back to some jewelry-making. My tastes and style have sure changed over the years.

I went "Big and Bold" (as some would say I am!) for this latest wearable art I created. I can't wait to wear it! The great part is that it isn't as heavy as it looks.

Hope you are having a great week!

Paper Smooches

Good Monday morning, Bloggin' Buddies!

Hope ya'll had a great weekend! I was lucky enough to take an all-day card-making class at the Paper Garden Boutique in Sacramento taught by the AMAZING Julie Ebersole! Wowzer! What a true joy and inspiration she is.

I am starting the week off thinking about the upcoming holidays (not my favorite time of year). However, it is kind of fun to unearth my holiday stamps (I keep them packed away all year) and see all the goodness that has been hidden away.

I made this card (actually, several of them) using Paper Smooches "Falling For You" stamp set and the"Notebook Basic" die on a watercolor panel.

I found these vintage fall doilies at an estate sale and wanted to incorporate them.

Now that I look at the photograph I wish I would have balanced the elements a bit differently. Guess that happens with rushing to produce several cards....

Ah well. This is headed for the current paper Smooches SPARKS challenge, "Anything Goes". Have a great week and thanks for the sweet visit!

Wink, wink.....

Happy Friday, Bloggin' Buddies!

As I have shared with you, I am making a real effort to loosen up a bit and develop a more artsy style for some of my work. One of my huge source of inspirations is a neat gal I "met" years ago in the card-making blogland, Cheiron Brandon. She has so much talent and I love visiting her blog to see what excitement she is up to.

I recently took a class in, and have been playing with, Wink of Luna pens. These are water-based brush/pens with lots of intense color and glimmer. They are sisters to the Wink of Stella pens that many of us have been using. What a punch of fun!

I made this card to send to Cheiron just to let her know how much I appreciate all she shares and how much she inspires. The background is Wink of Luna on wet watercolor paper with images stamped on dictionary paper and directly on the dried background. The sentiment is from Altenew (Label Love - one of my current favorites).

I plan to continue to work on this new style (but I will also keep my oldies!) and explore more with this fun product.

Thanks for the visit and have a tremendous and creative weekend!

Last Minute Mix-Up!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

The current Essentials by Ellen Mix It Up Challenge  is to mix products from Essentials by Ellen and Impression Obsession. I knew I had some IO products, but I didn't get to looking for them until this morning! So, I am getting this in under the wire.

This card uses the cutest mermaid stamp (IO "Layla & Ginger" by Claudia Tenorio-Pearl) - and you all know what a mermaid gal I am. She is colored with Copics and has a touch of Wink of Stella for some glimmer.

I have paired her with Essentials by Ellen's "Wold Garden" dies by the amazing Julie Ebersole for my coral and seaweed (yes, liberties taken!). I colored the elements with Distress Ink and added lots of sparkle with Stickles. The fun bubble paper is from Cosmo Cricket's 6 x 6 pad called "Salt Air"

This is kind of over the top, but it is for a very special young Mermaid Princess and it had to be special.

As Julie herself says, "Happy Mundane"! Thanks for the visit!

Grateful

Hello, Bloggers!

Hope you are doing well and getting ready for the weekend.

Today's card is my acknowledgement that fall is really on it's way. Every year I approach this time of year kicking and screaming. I am a summer/tropical gal and don't like to see the days getting shorter and cooler and the leaves turning.

Anyway, I used a new Paper Smooches set for this card - Blossoming Buds and used my Copics to give them some fall colors. I used the coordinating dies called Blossom Icons. I am getting into these watercolor backgrounds! There is Wink of Stella on the flowers, but it isn't too visible.

This is my final entry into the current Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge "Anything Goes"

Take good care, thanks for the visit and have a wonderful weekend.

To the Moon.....

Good morning, Bloggin' Buddies!

Yesterday I made this card for a fellow who is recovering from surgery. I love this Paper Smooches set. I used the "Space Dies" to cut the stars from the background so the amazing gold foil paper shows through (sorry about the reflected light - it is super-shiny!). The stamp set is "Space Cadet". I colored the cute images with Copic pens.

Gotta dash and get this in the mail!

I will submit this to the current paper Smooches SPARKS challenge "Anything Goes". You still have time to play.

Thanks for the visit!

Hey, Chickie!

Hi bloggin' Buddies!

Today's card is one I put together for a special friend using Paper Smooches stamps. I plan to submit it to the current Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge, "Anything Goes".

I am struggling with a new Mac. The computer is great, but many of my favorite old programs weren't compatible, so I am having some troubles - excuse me!

I did some watercoloring with my Gansai Tambi paints and cut the shape out with Die-Namics Zig Zag Stitched Ovals. Everything else is paper Smooches  - "Chubby Chums" and "He Said She Said".

Thanks for the visit!

Color-Full

Happy weekend, Bloggin' Buddies!

We just returned from a visit to California's Sierra Nevada mountains. It was beautiful - lots of streams, trees, lakes and waterfalls and we were with some great folks. A perfect conclusion to summer.

The card I have today is yet another of the "less controlled" designs that I have been working on. The background is watercolor (Gansai Tambi) over a white-embossed Hero Arts background stamp ("Looped Flower"). I have never been a "yellow person", but I wanted to give it a try.

The sentiment is heat-embossed on vellum and is from MFT "Bold Statements" and the tiny heart is from Memory Box Stitched Layers.

This is headed to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which is "Make it Colorful". Check it out and play along!

Have a wonderful weekend. In the US we are celebrating labor with a national holiday on Monday.
Thanks for the visit!