Day 8

Hello, my Bloggin' Buddies!

Well, my time is running out for Ellen Hutson's "12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Touch". I have been starting my days early to try to get to all 12 but I doubt I am going to make it. I'm loving every minute of it, but the days are simply slipping away.

So, these next posts are gong to have to be brief in order for me to get done!

This tag is one that is inspired by Day 8 and the beautiful tag that Sharon Harnist did featuring "florals". I made a similar tag in a class taught by my friend Sandy Brien - she teaches classes during the warmer weather right near here and is a creative blessing! This tag features a Judikins Stamp (336338H) which is watercolored with Distress Inks. Embellishments are added for some additional dimension.

Thanks for the visit and I'll keep tagging' along!

Jumping the Rope

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

Gate-Fold Card

My card making marathon continues. Today I elected to make a gate-fold card, something I haven't done in a very long time. I went for a brilliant color pop, using bright fascia cardstock and some Distress Inks with a stencil. The silly sentiment seems a perfect and fun match. It is "Genius is Crazy" by Impression Obsession.

Inside of card

I added some color droplets and a fun stripe on the inside panel to complete the look.


Because this is another card that features the sentiment, I will submit it to the current Impression Obsession Challenge, "Pop Up Your Words!"

Thanks for the visit and have a terrific week,

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

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,

Still Crazy

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I've been traveling a bit, but I'm happy to be home and crafting again.

Here is a card made with one of my favorite sets - Tim Holtz's Crazy Birds. Those guys simply make me smile. A simple design colored with Distress Inks and Markers. The Paper Smooches sentiment is mounted into a bottle cap embellishment from somewhere in my stash.

Sure hope you are all healthy - stay that way!

Thanks for the visit and have a great weekend,

Sparkle on!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

I have made some progress on my Halloween cards but I don't want to post them until they reach their recipients. Maybe late next week.

I have a wonderful young friend who shares my love of mermaids. She is super-creative and has an Etsy shop where she sells her sparkly and Disney-inspired creations. This is the special card I made for her.

The mermaid is an older Unity stamp by Suzi Blu called "Elena Seaside". I love her unique style. I used Zig clear color markers to watercolor her and added sparkle with Wink of Stella and Stickels.

The sentiment ("Shine from Within") is one I finding myself reaching for more and more (the world needs all the sparkle possible!) by Reverse Confetti (I used it recently here).

The background is Distress Ink watercolored onto a panel I heat-embossed with the "Shells" background stamp by Impression Obsession layered on top of some DCWV glitter paper.

Thanks for the visit and have a weekend full of sparkle and joy,

Pineapple Chin?!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

So, the other day one of my very favorite exercise instructors was leading us in an exercise and she said to imagine a pineapple under our chins! Well, I've just had that image in my head ever since! I decided to thank her for doing that to me - ha!

I made this card with the Hero Arts Layering Pineapple die which is a little tricky to use. I doesn't cut out the shape of the pineapple, but rather the textural elements. A bit of a challenge. In fact, if I had realized this when I purchased it (I love all things tropical) I probably would not have.

I die cut the image and colored it up, using a mask, with Distress Inks and some finger daubers. It went well.

The sentiment is from "Many Thanks" by Paper Smooches and the sequins are from Simon Says Stamp "Sunshine Mix". I splattered the background with my gold and black Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors. The cardstock is Essentials by Ellen's "Desert Storm".

The nifty Stickles edging on the left side is a little trick I learned from the amazing Julie Ebersole when I took a class from her at the Paper Garden Boutique. My hand isn't quite as steady as hers, but I love the look.

Thanks for the visit and think tropical,

Graduation!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies!

At church this week we heard from 5 of the most amazing young people. They are all graduating seniors, college-bound. They conducted the church service and shared with us their journeys, their relationships with God and each other, and their love and appreciation for all who have helped them along in life. It was most inspiring - what outstanding kids (so much better than I was at that age!).

I was moved to make them each a card - we enclosed a note expressing our pride and encouragement.

For the background I used a Teresa Collins stencil blended with Distress Inks (Peacock Feathers, Twisted Citron and Pickled Raspberry). Rather than a standard "congratulations" sentiment, I selected a lovely Maya Angelou saying from Reverse Confetti's "Shine from Within" set and heat embossed it. I love that set - it has such wonderful sayings and the artsy fonts are such fun!  I used a very old (but well-loved) Hero Arts set (CL336) for the diploma and the inside graphics and embellished it all with Nuvo Drops and a touch of Stickles.

Thank goodness for my MISTI!

It warms my heart that there are great kids like this - it is our hope for the future.

Thanks for the visit,

Let's Hear it for Courage!

Hi, Bloggin' Buddies:

Today I have a card made with the amazing new stamp and die set from Ellen Hutson called "Courage". Unfortunately, I am finding that I need a set like this more and more often. That darn cancer touches too many of our lives and takes away so much hope for so many.

I made this card for a friend from my Zumba class - she loves to dance! She has finished her long round of chemo and soon starts on another lengthy round of radiation. Her spirit and courage are such an inspiration!

I used an emboss resist with Distress Inks for the background, sprayed with some Perfect Pearls for luster. The wonderful sentiment is heat embossed with white and the crown and sword are embossed on yellow cardstock with platinum.

Thanks, Ellen, for making this set, increasing our awareness and for making such a generous donation to the Breast Cancer Research Fund from the sales. You are a blessing!

Thanks for the visit and have a lovely weekend,

More Watercolor

Happy weekend, Bloggin' Buddies!

A quick post before we get ready to head to our niece's soccer game. Those are always fun and today is probably our last day of excellent weather for awhile.

In my ongoing quest to master enjoy watercoloring and be a little less controlled, here is a card made using Penny Black die cuts and my rich and creamy Gansai Tambi watercolors. The background stamps are from Hero Arts and I added some Distress Ink and dots of Viva Pearl Pen for the flower centers.

To be honest with you, when I saw this photo the balance of this card bothered me, so I ended up trimming off some of the right side.

It is kind of nice to break away from all the holiday cards that are everywhere on the web right now.

This is headed for the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, "Anything Goes".

Have a wonderful weekend, a happy Halloween and enjoy that extra hour! Thanks for the visit.

I Can No Longer Fight It

Fall is really almost here!

Good Morning, Bloggin' Buddies:

I guess I just have to accept it - the days are noticeably shorter and the leaves are turning, but we still have wonderful warm temperatures (and unfortunately, no rain) - it is on it's way. In making this card I guess I have relented to the season.

I have used an old LaBlanche silicone stamp for this card. These were quite the rage a few years ago, but I haven't seen them around for awhile (probably because they are not actively marketed here in the USA). This seriously speaks fall to me. I used lots of Distress Inks and some stash finds to finish this off.

Have a great Sunday and thanks for the visit. I'm off to find some pumpkin pie (all things pumpkin is the only part of fall I really celebrate!).

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!