Stencil Me In!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

Today I thought I'd share a card a made awhile ago but never posted. It was a struggle for me, but I do like the results and actually recently used it for a Mother's Day card.  It is watercolor with a stencil (Penny Black Sun Catcher). I used Distress Inks for the watercolors. To be truthful, I used my sentiment strip to hide a boo-boo! I diecut the word using the same creamy kraft cardstock as I did for the card base. I used the Simon Says Stamp "Hello You" set for this sentiment.

I didn't like it when I first made it, but I have to say that this grew on me.

I'm entering this in the current Simon Says Stamp  Challenge which is "Stencil It". Thanks to Simon for challenging me so many times.

Hope you are having a great week full of Spring. Thanks for the visit,

Party in a Card!

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I have been so excited about the new designs by Julie Ebersole in the latest Essentials by Ellen release. I received my order and have been itching to play, so earlier this week I decided to play along with Ellen's Mix It Up Challenge featuring Penny Black products.

I broke out my We R Memory Keepers Fuse Tool for this totally fun shaker card. I am trying to remember to think about the color wheel when deciding on colors and I think it really helped with this card.

I love the results! The sentiments (outside and inside of the card) are from Penny Black's "Kind Words" set. My Essentials by Ellen products are the sweet envelopes, "Bitty Envelope" die set (so many possibilities!!!), and the tiny hearts on the envelopes, "Home and Hearth" dies."

I used Distress Inks (Cracked Pistachio and Squeezed Lemonade) on my back panel and drizzled it with some Perfect Pearls solution. I heat embossed the sentiment, loaded the shaker up with the heart-studded envelopes, sequins and tiny beads from my stash and there was plenty of shakin' goin' on!

It isn't easy to still photograph shaker cards!

Thanks for the visit and keep shakin' it!!!!

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.

Wonderful Watercolor

Hello, Bloggin' Buddies!

I recently took a class where we learned to use watercoloring with die cuts. We did several watercolored backgrounds and then we watercolored die cuts which were made from watercolor paper. It was intimidating, but so much fun. I just love my Gansai Tambi watercolors - they are so highly pigmented and so rich.

For this card I blended three different colors of watercolors, being careful not to create mud (as my friend says "ask me how I know").  I then stamped the dry background with some brown ink and added the watercolored Penny Black die cut image. The sentiment is from Tim Holtz and the bling is from my stash.

This is headed to the current Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog, which is Wonderful Watercolors. You have time to play along!



Thanks for the visit and I hope all is good.

World Cardmaking Day!

Happy Day, Bloggin' Buddies!

Like we need an excuse to make cards, right?! What fun to have a day all our own. Enjoy it!

This is another in the series of me trying to get less protracted and more artsy. Not an easy task. I took a class on using watercolor pencils with stencils and I've been giving it a chance.

This is one of my first ones and they do get better (promise!). I added some gesso and a vellum strip to help hide the less-than-perfect areas - ha! I do love this technique and will continue to wok with it.

The stencil is from Penny Black, the sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp "Hello You" set.

I hope you have some crafting time today. If you make a card, link it up with Simon Says Stamp's World Cardmaking Day link for a chance for a generous prize.

Have a great day and a wonderful weekend,

Outside My Comfort Zone

Happy Monday, Bloggin' Buddies!

I tend to be very controlled and precise when making cards - perhaps it is a result of my training, education and career. That isn't a bad thing, but I have been trying to get out of that zone and try some more "fluid" and "artsy" techniques.

To that end I recently took a class where we learned to use watercolor pencils with floral stencils. It wasn't easy for me, but the more I did the more I loved it.

This is one of results that I have saved - there are several that I did not. I used a Penny Black stencil, a random background stamp (stamped with Distress Ink), and some Gesso (applied with fingertips). Since I was already on the edge I decided to use a vellum panel (that stuff has always intimidated me) for my sentiment (Simon Says Stamp). I added some Pearl Pen dots for some dimension.

I plan to keep playing with this technique and continue to find ways to challenge myself creatively.
Have a great week and thanks for the visit!

Merry Christmas!

One last post before I wrap up the year. This is a card I made with a dear Penny Black stamp called "Winter Swing". What fun to color! I am not real big on stamps of cute kids, but there is something extra dear about this sweetie.

The ornament is a JustRite stamp, embossed in gold, cut with a matching Spellbinders die. I also used some of my new Studio Calico wood stars - I'm crazy over them!

Thank you all for your wonderful visits, your sweet encouragement, your smiles and all of your amazing inspiration throughout the year. I am so touched to have so many real friends right here! There is always someone ready to offer just what I need. It has been amazing year. I hope to see you all next year and maybe even meet some of you in person.

I am entering this is in the current Simon Says Stamp (I just received an order in today's mail = excited! Simon Says Santa!) challenge, Merry Christmas. You still have time (if you have time) to play along.

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! I'll see you in 2013!

Celebrating Fifteen and Bon Voyage!

Last week (while many of you were at Scrapfest!) Gary and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. Now, I know that 15 years isn't much compared to many of you, but it is a milestone for us (like my pal Robin, we can't wait for our 40th to celebrate).

Each of us waited patiently for decades until we found our perfect match. I had actually given up on the idea of marriage and was quite happy and fulfilled as a single gal.

We finally met when we were in our mid-40's. It was as if we had known each other all our lives - similar backgrounds, values, personalities. I thought we would be best pals, but Gary had other ideas!

Some were concerned that we had each been so independent for so long that we would find marriage difficult, but we celebrate every single day - laughing, supporting and loving! Our only regret is that we don't get to have grandkids, but Gary has blessed me with the BEST extended family and dear friends who are like family. It is all good and just keeps getting better.

I love this Penny Black stamp (Tom & Tilly) because you don't see the faces, so it really could be US! I paper-pieced it to represent the clothes that we wear. The perfect inside sentiment is Technique Tuesday by Ali Edwards (I love her work!). That brilliance is from shiny Candi embellishments.

Thanks so much for checking in. We are heading out for special anniversary cruise, so I will be unplugged for a few of weeks - I'll miss you all! Happy crafting!

Parade of Stars

One more star-spangled card before the big holiday! This one was made with my wonderful friend and teacher, Bibiana. She is such a special lady.

Hero Arts "It's A Parade" (G5469) is used with a technique called "Shadow Effect". I found this link with details on this heat-embossing technique, if you are interested. I love the vintage effect!

The other stamps here are Inkadinkako's "Flag Map" and Penny Black's "Damask" (for the tone-on-tone background).

This is for Lily Pond Cards SSS Challenge, the current Simon Says Stamp Patriotic Challenge, and I found a new place for fun challenges, called "Shopping Our Stash" - don't ya just love it? - or, SOS. Their current challenge is for red, white and blue or stars and stripes.

Thanks for checking in and wishing my fellow Americans a Grand and Glorious holiday!

A Window into my Heart

I am heading out early tomorrow morning, so I'm posting my Monday blog tonight. As I shared with you in my January 23rd post, my blogger buddy Virginia has joined the Design team at the fantastic Lily Pad Cards. She is doing a series of challenges called "Virginia's View". This lovely photos is the inspiration for her first challenge, which is sponsored by Penny Black.

For my card I decided to use one of my most favorite (I love hearts!) and oldest (it's from 2004!) Penny Black stamps (3088C, "Beaded Heart"). Perfect! I stamped it many times, colored it with Copic pens and I raised some of the hearts with dimensionals. My freehand "window" frames the hearts.

I added a bit of shine (Glossy Accents) to represent the window's glass and some thread to echo the twine from which the hearts are suspended in the photo.

This is WAY out of my comfort zone and nothing like my "normal' style - and that's what a challenge is all about! I am just delighted!

Thanks to Virginia and Lily Pad Cards! You have until February 2nd to submit if you'd like to join me. This is also going into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes!

I'm liking the photos I can take with my new camera! I still have lots to learn about it, too.

Have a great week!

Ooh La La!

I think that I told you that I took a card-making class a couple of weeks ago. Such fun! Our dear teacher, Bibianna, taught us how to make what is called a "pyramid" or "tee-pee" card. We used the technique to make this French-inspired Eiffel Tower card.

Isn't she the cutest? The stamps are Penny Black "Mimi in Paris" #30-071 and "Music Background" #2025M. The butterfly and grass edge punch are by Martha Stewart and the daisy chain from is ek success.

The cool part about this card is that it is held together with a little piece of Velcro and it folds flat for mailing.

The best instructional video I could find on this technique is here. That gal does a better job with the instructions than I could ever do  - and besides, I don't have a video camera!

Hope you are having a great week. Merci for stopping by!