Fawn-tastic!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Lawn Fawn makes so many super-cool dies to add lots of pop to our creations - they are unique and such fun. Today I have a card I made using the "Everyday Pop-Up" dies and the "Toadally Awesome" stamp and die set. This is only the third card I've made using this Pop-Up set and I almost have it mastered - ha! Kelly Marie's video makes it look so easy - I just thought I could do it this time without watching the video. No way! Soon it will become second nature (I hope).

I love this "Toad" set - the faces on the little guys are just too cute! I colored them with Copics and added some embellishments with some Wink of Stella and Signo white gel pen. Die cuts from splash background and flower dies (from my stash) complete the "hoppy" scene.

It isn't easy properly photographing a 3-D card! I did my best. This is headed to the Lawnfawnatics current challenge, "3-D cards."

Thanks for the visit!

What's to Celebrate?

SPRING, my dear Bloggin' Buddies!

I see it on the horizon, too. I made this card for my sweet 97-year old Aunt who lives in Upstate New York. She is so sick of winter and her very favorite color is yellow. She seriously celebrities Spring, and will this year, especially with the weather that she's had.

I took advantage of the current challenge at the Creativity Meets C9 blog which is "Spring". I love using stencils, but I honestly wasn't too sure about using this "Flora Fill-In Set" with coordinating Patterned Paper - mainly because the paper is pre-printed. I wan't sure how it would come together. But, I figured that Concord & 9th has never let me down and they have some of the most inovative products on the market, so why not give it as shot?

I am so pleasantly surprised! I love the elegant softness of this card. I wasn't going for bright and flashy, so I used Distress Oxide inks to stencil over the paper. I love how it looks over the grey shades.  I popped-up a few of the images to add some dimension and picked up the grey tones with the die-cut ovals and added sunshine-colored sequins. My sentiment is from a set called "Birthday Stacks Stamp Set", which is so versatile - I can't wait to play with it further.

If this doesn't usher in Spring, I sure don't know what will.

Thanks for the visit and I hope Spring happens soon wherever you are,

"Shell" - fie

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I couldn't help myself! I had such fun creating this card with some great Impression Obsession products.

I hope you can see the lovely textural photo-quality sky that is provided by the "Clouds Cover-A-Card" cling stamp. It's very cool. IO has a big variety of these "Cover-A-Card" stamps. Their size, square shape and terrific designs make them so versatile.

I also used the "Instant Photo Frame" dies (which include the frame, the cute photo corners and the "smile" die!) on some glittery DCWV paper and the "Ocean Border" dies. Mr Crab is cut with the "Crab" Die from a scrap of paper I inked with Alcohol Inks .

This guy is headed to the Impression Obsession's current challenge, "All that Glitters".

Summer's on the way - wishing you sand between your toes! Thanks for the visit,

An Old Hero

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I was just delighted to spend time this weekend with an old friend, and a "Hero" at that.! I bought this Hero Arts "Large Bloom" stamp in 2011 and it has been a loyal friend ever since. It's great with so many different techniques and the image is timeless. Others must think so, too, because it still shows up on the Hero store website.

I used the emboss resist technique with Distress Inks to make this to use as a Mother's Day for my elderly Aunt, so I wanted a very traditional look. The pear embossing powder adds a nice glow. I added some classic embellishments from my stash.

I'm sharing this card today on "A Blog Named Hero's" current challenge - Put a Flower On It. You are welcome to play along until May 10th.

Thanks for the visit. Have a glorious week,

SaveSave

Glitter and Alcohol Do Mix!

HI, Bloggin' Buddies!

Well, I've been bitten by the alcohol ink bug! Once I started, I couldn't stop. Isn't it funny how what was old can be new again? I almost got rid of my alcohol inks because I didn't think I'd ever use them again.  Now I wish I'd saved my white "GO-Go" boots and and stirrup stretch pants from the 1960's!

I inked three pages of 5" x 7" Yupo paper and I managed to get 11 cards made from them! I'll be sharing some of rest of them soon.

Todays card was inspired by the current challenge, "All that Glitters!", at the Impression Obsession Blog. and the "Simon Says: Sparkle and Shine" Challenge on the Wednesday Challenge Blog.

I've said before what a big fan I am of Impression Obsession. I've been using their products since the late 1990's and, while their designs keep pace with current trends, there are so many that are timeless.

This card uses a piece of my alcohol inked paper and a glittery (sorry - after several attempts, I just wasn't able to capture all the glittery goodness in my photo) copper card stock from DCWV.  The die is the "Good Wishes Word Block" and is perfect for layering over fun backgrounds. I don't know the origin of the flower - I found it in my stash, probably stamped years ago at some crop. It is colored with Copics and dusted with Wink of Stella.

Please some and play along, and I urge you to. Challenges, especially sparkly ones, are good for the dull soul - ha!

Thanks for the visit and have a great week!

Coloring in a Mondo Fashion

Hi, Blogging Buddies!

I am very excited about today's card. I tried a new (to me)  technique using my favorite medium, Distress Oxide Inks. I "smooched" the inks onto watercolor paper, drying in between layers (a must with Distress Oxides). I misted it with Perfect Pearls and carefully dried the paper, and weighing it down a little to get it flat.

I used my MISTI to stamp an old favorite, Mondo Hydrangea by Julie Ebersole (a great pal and source of inspiration and giggles) by Essentials by Ellen. I then cut out the images and assembled the card. Julie has taught me think of using black more frequently so I gave it a try.

I tried several products for the flower centers, but I decided on my trusty Prisma colored pencils - they did the perfect trick.

I love the results! Im entering this into the Classroom Pin-Sights Challenge, which is using the Pantone Drama Queen Color Palette. You should play along, as you have almost an entire month.

Thanks so much for the visit and have a great weekend!

Flip-Flop Time?

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I am so ready for some real warm weather! How about you? My mind is always headed to the ocean, so I made this card to get in the mood. And, I had to use these cool new flip-flop dies. Love 'em!

This card showcases supplies by Impression Obsession, a company I have been using for years. Their products tend to be timeless - no matter what the "current trends" are, I continue to reach for many of their great designs.

I heat-embossed the "Shells Cling Background" onto watercolor paper and ink blended with Distress Inks. The dies I've used are 175-W ("smile"), 183-L (flip-flops) and 007-W (shells).

I will be submitting this to the current IO Challenge on the IO Blog. It is "Pink & Green", something I never would have used had it not been for this challenge. That is what I love - challenges that stretch my limits.

Wishing you sand between your toes and thanks for the visit,

My Hero (Arts)

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Hero Arts, in my native San Francisco Bay Area, is the first official stamp company that I used as a source of stamps and inspiration. I started stamping in the late 1960's when there were really not many main-stream stamp companies, so I used old office and business stamps in creative ways for my cards.

But, then I found Hero Arts and I was delighted. I  have such a wonderful history with this fine company. Not only is it creative, it is environmentally friendly and their products are made in America. I'm currently crazy about all the layering stamps sets - I think I own them all.

I have purchased, traded, borrowed and bought so many Hero Arts products over the years. Even though I periodically go through my stamps to purge and update (especially wood-mounted stamps for storage issues and because I'm a MISTI user) there are some Hero Arts stamps that I will keep forever. And, even though I am not really a "flower person", this (Sillhouette Flower CG105, cling) is one of those stamps. I like it because it is so versatile - there are many techniques that work well with it. In addition, it can be used for many different occasions. I added some Nuvo Drops to the centers of the flowers. Simple, yet unique.

I plan to enter this into the "A Blog Named Hero" current challenge, which is "Use your favorite Hero Arts product". That is a tough one, as there have been so many over the years.

Thanks to Hero Arts and thanks to your for the visit,

Aloha!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Yes, Aloha is the word. I have just returned from a couple of weeks in my happy place, Kauai. We try to go there every year and it just seems to get better. Here is a photo of part of the beauty that I saw on my morning walks. Paradise!

Today's card is a reminder of our trip. I used Avery Elle's
"Stay Fresh" stamp and die set. I ink-blended a partial circle onto some wonderful woodgrain paper, using a mask. The pineapple is heat-embossed on vellum and colored from the back with Copics. Some gold card stock was used as a mat and for the greeting, which is from Lawn Fawn. Gold Gansai Tambi watercolor splatters, sequins and twine complete the embellishments. The woodgrain and gold papers are from my LSS, the Paper Garden Boutique in Sacramento.

Thanks for the visit and carry the aloha spirit in your hearts,