More Doggy Grins

Hi, bloggin' Buddies!

The other day I shared a card that I made with this same Art Impressions stamp set, "Doggy Kisses" and I have need for another similar card. This time I used my all-time favorite image from the set. This just really does make me laugh.

Once again I used my Copics and some bright rainbow paper. Because this qualifies I am going to submit this to the current Ai challenge, "Make Me Laugh".

Hope all is well with you. Thanks for the visit. Keep laughing!!

The Birthday Bird

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies:

I've saved my all-time favorite Ai Zoo Crew stamp (Buzzard Set #4194) for my final entry in the "Art Impressions Funny Farm and Nature Challenge #284". What a character! I have used it so many times for masculine birthday cards. In fact, I think every male I know has received a card with this great image, but this is one that I will never let go. So fun.

For this card I've colored the bird with Copic pens and added some woodgrain paper, Paint splatters, torn vellum some twine, and a couple of tiny staples for a "natural" look. As if this guy could really ever look natural!

And this sentiment, which I have put on the inside, couldn't be more appropriate or funnier! Love, love, love!!!!

Even though some of the Ai Stamps I have used for this challenge are retired, it hopefully gives you an idea of the classic terrific images this company has provided over the years - and they still do. Check out their current releases and keep your eyes open at used stamp sales for some of the fun stamps I have used.



Thanks for the visit and stay crafty,

I't's Only Natural

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies:

Least you believe that the only Art Impression stamps I own are their amazing critters......no, no, no! I love their crazy folks, too.

One might say that I am stretching it by entering this fun card into the current "Art Impressions Animal and Nature Challenge #284" but what is more "natural" than watering your garden? The way I garden, Mother Nature usually takes over, with dry and windy weather, plant-eating critters and lots of weeds! So I'd say that this qualifies as "Nature".

This fun clear stamp set called "His & Hers Gardeners" is still available. I pared this gal up with some patterned paper, some garden twine, a die-cut flower and some little buttons. I can just hear the tone in her voice, can't you?

I sure thank you for the visit!

Drinks to Go.......

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!
Today's Art Impression card is made with one of my oldest sets (Giraffe Set #4190) from their Zoo Crew line. The Zoo Crew was a bunch of playful designs of critters that offered a unique and hilarious sense of humor. Over the years I think I owned them all and I still have most of them.

This card I made for the "Animals and Nature Challenge #284" seems perfect for this new life of staying home, ordering all kinds of take-out......here in California we can even order hard liquor drinks with our dinners to go!

One of my dearest friends absolutely loves giraffes, so when this stamp set was released I had to immediately buy it. It has seen lots of use.

OMG! His eyes, right?!111

Thanks for the visit and have a great day.

Yes, I Am Jealous!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Today's card for the "Art Impression Animals & Nature Challenge #284" is made from one of my newer Ai fun animal stamps. My review of the Ai on-line store doesn't include this gem so it may be retired. Glad I have it. It makes me smile every time I see it.

Don't you just want to party with this gal?!

Art Impressions Products Used:
UMT2790
Elephant Set #4191

Hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for the visit,

Another Ai Fun Critter

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!
I am making some cards for the current challenge at Art Impressions called "Animals and Nature Challenge #284".  I have loved Ai's critters for years and yesterday I highlighted a new one, the party Llama Twist, that I was lucky enough to win from them at a recent Expo.

Today's gem is older.....let's say older than a Spring Chicken! I've combined two different stamps here to represent how I'm feeling many days now. Although I'm an "early bird", but since I really have no obligations I have been slow to get it going in the morning.

I used a chicken wire background to set this gal off. I stamped, colored and fussy cut her before adding her, with dimension, to a simple white card base. This just makes me smile.

Art Impressions Products Used:

"Spring Chicken" AiCS40 clear set

UMH1843 sentiment stamp

We have a cute new little coffee spot in our historic and charing downtown that is called the "Rebel Hen" and this card is perfect for them. As a brand new (they opened only 3 weeks before the SIP orders) small business they are struggling. Their food and coffees are amazing so we are doing what we can to support them. Good folks!

I don't know if you've noticed, I'm trying a couple of cards in the 4-bar (rather than A2) size for a change......it works well with some images.

Have a great weekend and thanks for the visit!

It's All About the Animals!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Today I am playing with the current challenge at Art Impression, "Animals or Nature Challenge #284". I have been a huge fan of Ai animals for years so it was difficult for me to select which set I was going to lead off with. But then I got some happy mail! I was a winner of an Ai prize from the Stamp and Scrapbook Expo @Home and one of the things that was included was the Llama Twist Set, the matching dies and the Twist Frame Die set. How exciting! Yay, me! Thank you again to Ai for being such a generous sponsor.

Of course I was "die-ing" - get it? - to try this new concept of card design.

Without further ado, here is my party llama!

How could this delightful creature NOT bring a smile, especially when she hubba-hubbas on the front of this colorful card???? I know, right??

I colored her up with Copic markers, added some fringe banner pieces from my party stash which I used the coordinating Twist Die to embellish with gold stars, and I added some Wink of Stella to provide some glittery shine.

Sure hope you had a great weekend. You still have time to play along with this challenge - I plan to play until it closes on June 17th at 5 PM.

Let's Put Out the Fire!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

It has been awhile since I colored up an image from one of my favorite companies, Art Impression. They have so many great characters, especially for us seniors (and I don't mean high school!). I made this card for a friend who, thankfully, has a sense of humor. I used Copic markers and made some die-cut star embellishments. The patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn.


















The inside is simple and to the point.

Sure hope you are having a good week so far. Lots of sunshine here for a change.

Thanks for the visit,

Wheelie?

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Happy World Cardmaking  Day! I thought I'd celebrate by making a fun card while others all over the world are doing the same thing.

I recently got this adorable skateboard dude set ("Wheelie Mini Shaker") from Art Impressions. It comes with its own "wobbler" to provide some real action and dies for the "zoom" and the stars.

I love it because my husband had one of the first commercial (he had previously crafted his own!) skateboards and he still has it. Thank goodness he doesn't try to ride it (at least not when I'm home - ha!). It makes me smile.

While my husband hasn't had to wear a tie since he retired, this silly guy reminds me of him and his best buddy Larry. They have been friends since second grade and this card is going out to him.

I added some fun patterned paper, used my stitched rectangle dies and added my own sentiment inside  (Wheelie hope you feel better soon").  I am including a short video (my first!) to share the action.

I am adding this to the current challenge at Art Impressions, "Jiggle a Little".

I wheelie thank you for the visit! Have a great World Cardmaking Day,

Wining Again!

Hello, bloggin' buddies!

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend. Stinking' hot here, so some crafting going on! I haven't used my Art Impressions stamps in some time, so I got a set ("Celeste Set") out and got busy.

I like to combine paper piecing and Copic coloring to get some variety and shading. Because this gal is such a focus I decided to keep the background plain and I just added a die-cut flower (My Favorite Things "Gerbera Daisy) as an embellishment.

I particularly love how the couch turned out - it is pretty realistic!

I don't know if any of you have issues with Signa white gel pens.....they are great when they work, but I had to try several before I got one to write......I can't tell you how many of those I throw away every year. No more....I'm going to try (cheap) white acrylic paint and a tiny brush.

Thanks for the visit, have a great week!

A "Challenging" Monday

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I had the chance this weekend to look over some current challenges - it has been awhile. I decided on the one at Art Impressions, one of my favorite stamp companies. Have you seen all the videos and new lines of products they have been producing?!

But, as much as I love the new things, I continue to reach for my old favorites! And I've done it again. You've seen him here before, and you more than likely will again - one of my all-time favorites, the sneering old buzzard!

The Challenge is "Layer it On Me" and while I don't (yet) have the Mini Trifolds and the Clasp Keepers that are featured on the blog, I decided to go with what I have and what I love.

I used Copics to color the big guy, used a Pico Embellisher for his eye, and splattered him with some watercolor. I cut out this layer with a stitched dye and edged the shape with some Distress Embossing Powder. This is a technique that I've been wanting to try and it seemed perfect for this card.

Then I laid on the layers. First is the amazing woodgrain paper that I frequently use, then some torn vellum, and finally some wood patterned paper. I tied it all up with some dark twine which I attached with Tim's Mini Attacher.

You have until June 8th to play along. Thanks for the visit - have a grand week!

Show it Off!

Hi, bloggin' Buddies!

I love Art Impressions stamps! If you are also crazy about the gals and guys they have, you MUST watch the great videos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMO-KODUbW4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIhQllryQSc) done by Bonnie Krebs for coloring their characters. I have been studying them for days.

I have always used Copics to color Ai characters, but Bonnie shows us how to use inexpensive water-based markers as a water color medium - with so many tricks to keep the images animated and the process simple. I am honestly amazed!

I decided to try these methods with a new stamp set that is available at Michaels, Spare Me SC0680. My friends and I have a long-standing joke about bowling, so this set is perfect.

Now, this is only my first try, so I have lots more practicing to do, but I love the results and the process was pretty quick and lots of fun.

I kept the card design simple so as not to detract from the fun image. I just used some bowling-themed patterned paper from my stash, some great glitter paper and some twine. And that is our fun vintage bowling pin ashtray in the background.

The current challenge on the Ai blog is to "Show off your Stamp" by including it in your photo, so I've done that. 

I urge you to watch the videos and give it a try - I bet you'll be as blown away as I am. I can't wait to try it on some of their larger images.

Thanks for the visit,

Watercoloring the Ai Way!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I recently took a class at my LSS, and I have been watching the great videos on the Art Impressions (Ai) website (look in the "Get Inspired" section for the YouTube videos), about using some Ai stamps with markers for a delightful watercolor look. Check it out and you will be amazed.

For this card I used the Ai "Flowering Mailbox" stamp and some of the foliage stamps, Distress Markers along with a paintbrush and water. The color from the stamped image is "pulled" into the image and the stamped lines are softened with a wet brush. Such fun!

The sentiment is from "Sentiments and Quotes" from Altenew. Several embellishments/die cuts are from my stash.

I know this technique takes some practice and I hope to spend more time with it, but for now I'm happy to have an alternative to traditional watercoloring.

This is going into the current Ai Challenge, "House and Home". There is plenty of time for you to play along.

Have a great week and thanks for the visit!

Ugly Sweater

Hello. Bloggin' Buddies!

I'm wrapping up the holiday cards - sometime I save the most fun for last.

First this was a simple A2 card featuring a favorite (but apparently retired - I can't find it on their website) Art Impressions holiday stamp that I colored with Copics. But the more I looked at it, it just had to be MORE. So I took it apart and made it into a 5" x 7" inch card, adding layers of "ugly sweater" printed paper (cut with SSS stitched rectangle dies), a playful bow (Die-namics) and lots of sparkle with Wink of Stella, Stickles and embelishments.

The sentiment I added inside is "Don't get your tinsel in a tangle". Fun?

The colors are actually much more vibrant - it has been so dark in the house that I had to use a flash.

I made this card for someone very special to us. She motivates us to move, inspires us to be healthy and is a total kick in the pants. She is also very kind, loving and thoughtful. Jeri is our aerobics instructor and we appreciate her so very much! I never dreamed that I would set my alarm for 6 am on Saturdays to exercise, but she makes it SO worth it. Thanks, Jeri!

Merry Christmas, dear readers - I also appreciate YOU!

So Excited!

Hello, bloggin' Buddies:

I have a quick post today to share with you a card I made for our neighbor. She is really into gardening (which I am not, BTW) and likes a good chuckle. This is a stamp set from one of my favorite companies, Art Impressions.

I colored her with Copics (sorry I couldn't get a quality photo), used Nestibilities and My Favorite Things (Gerbera Daisies) dies and paper and twine from my stash.

This is headed for the current Art Impressions challenge which is "Anything Goes".

Thanks for the visit and have a deluxe day!

A Grand and Glorious!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

We are gearing up for a fantastic Fourth of July here in the USA. There has been so much devastation, loss and sadness in the news recently, but there is still not a more glorious place than our wonderful country.

I am also excited to have a card-making pal coming for the weekend and hubby will soon be returning from a short trip, so I am posting this early. My holiday cards have already been mailed, but I wanted to play with my new (yep, I won it in a recent challenge!) set from Art Impressions, "Dancers Set (UM3580)".  I decided to try a shaped card (LifeStyle Crafts dies) for some extra punch and the word die is from the Sizzix "Celebrate Set (657127)". Silver Stickles add some fireworks.

This will be headed for the current Art Impressions challenge, "Red, White and Blue" and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, "Anything Goes". You've got time to join in the fun.

Thanks for the visit and, to my US readers, have a safe and grand holiday!

"Fore" the Fellas

Happy Friday, Bloggin' Buddies:

It is about time to think of Father's Day. With that in mind I plan to take on the current Art Impressions Challenge, "For the Fellas" and celebrate my favorite golfer.

I inked up my Art Impressions  "Gordon Golfer (Sku #P4330)" and did some paper piecing and Copic coloring.

Can't you jut feel his frustrations?

Wishing you a super-happy weekend and thanks for the visit!

Lovely Lady

Hello. Blogging Buddies!

It has been months since I inked up some of my all-time favorite stamps from Art Impressions. They just make me smile. I wanted to make a special birthday card for a special friend, so it was the time to get these out and color them up.

I made a center step card so my friend cam keep it on her desk. This lady is from one of the Hampton Art sets available at Michael's. The hilarious sentiment is from Girlfriends UM3577.

I also used Die-namics (Party Hat Border) and Spellbinders (Labels) dies. The candles are from an old favorite Hero Arts set, "Big Candles" CL287.

I added sparkle with Wink of Stella and Stickles.

This is going in the current Ai Challenge, "Lovely Ladies" in celebration of a new release of the "Girlfriends" series of funtastic stamps.

Have a wonderful week and thanks for the visit!

29 again?

Hello, dear Bloggin' Buddies:

Today I am sharing a fun stepped card that I made for a dear friend's birthday. This is another great set from Art Impressions - doesn't she look like a typical Grandma? I colored her with my Copics and went with a pink theme (patterned paper right from Granny's kitchen!) and added a couple of birthday sentiments from Hero Arts.

Hope you are having a great week! To all my eastern friends - stay warm and safe!

 Thanks for the visit,

Strike!

Good morning, Bloggin' Buddies!

I made this set of four note cards for a dear friend with whom I used to bowl. Well, truth be told, we didn't do all that much bowling - but we had the outfits and ALL the accoutrements!

This is a great stamp from Art Impressions and the printed paper is from my stash. Fun to color!


 Thanks for the visit and have a great week!