A Watercolor Note

Hi all!

Hi everyone - happy Monday!  Yea right!  We had a great weekend off in our camper with Pez.  We went to Bethpage Resort which is fabulous - if you are anywhere near VA I recommend it.  And you don't HAVE to have an RV, you can rent a cabin there.  I think it would make the perfect group camping spot if I could get some other folks together to do it.

I have another card done for my mom today - this one is inspired by the following challenges:

• SCS TLC494 Try a New Technique - Embossed Watercolor 
• SCS CAS285 Clean and Simple - Watermelon Color Pallette
• Hiding In My Craft Room - Keep It Simple
• Our Creative Corner - Summertime

I love incorporating a little mixed media into my card making and that is what I did here.  I stamped and embossed my image with white and then put a light wash of watercolors on using my shimmery Twinkling H2Os.  It helps to mist the paper before adding the Twinks.  Once dry I sponged on some Silks Acrylic Glaze through sequin waste to get the tiny dots.  you can get Twinks AND Silks at ColourArte!

When the light hits the card there is gorgeous shimmer and glow across the card front - I just love that!  I added a die cut done using the Cricut Damask Decor cartridge and then stamped my sentiment.

And now we're off to the mall to buy teeny baby shoes!  Our first grandbaby is on the way and we just found out it's a boy!  So Pez and I are off to get some teeny shoes to stage a pic for the scrapbook page of ultrasound pics - you'll have to wait and see what we have planned!  Maybe I will get back to scrapping after I finish all of my mom's cards!

Keeping it Clean & Simple

Hi all!

A new card for today - and a new genre for me - Clean & Simple style.  I did it for the CAS challenge on Splitcoast Stampers - we were to case a card from the featured stampers gallery.  I am also submitting this to the following challenges:

• Gem of a challenge - Embossing
• Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - 1 Layer

I began by masking off a diagonal strip on the white card front using post it notes.  Then I laid a stencil over it and sponged on Moss Green ColourArte Silks Acrylic Glaze - love that shimmer!  I accented the diagonal stenciling with 2 lines of embossing on either side using my Scor-Pal.

 I finished it up with a layered embellishment - I cut felt with a Spellbinders die and then added a flower I made using clay and a silicone mold from Etsy.  Before baking it I lightly brushed it with ColourArte Primary Elements shimmering powder.  I stamped a Studio G $1 sentiment and added purple sparkly Pez-A-Bling on each side.

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer card

Hi all!

I am on a roll trying to get 25 cards done for my mom's stash!  I have used this same dragonfly on several cards.  This one is inspired by the following challenges:

• Craft It Up & Link It Up - Sketch
• Creative Corner - Summer
• SCS - Color Challenge

I inked him up with Tsukineko Brilliance And VersaMagic Chalk inks and masked off a portion so the image was smaller and easier to work with.

I used a pretty crocheted flower I made myself a long time ago - I have had someone request that I make some to sell but I am not sure it would be worth it so I may make a few this weekend and see how much time it takes and what I would want to sell them for.

Once again I used that beautiful Cryogen White sparkly paper from Paper Temptress - love!

Let me know what you think - will my mom like her cards????

Mixin' It Up

Hi all!

Combining my card making with my love of all things mixed media today with this card.  I was inspired by several challenges:

• SCS  - Color Challenge 490
• Lunchtime Sketch
• Crafting When We Can - Bright Colors
• Mixed Media Card Challenge - Summer
• Tok Bobok - Mixed Media

This card was so much fun!  When I first saw the color challenge on Splitcoast and pulled out the 4 papers I was not too sure I could pull it off but as I was working I liked it so much I made TWO!  This is the first one.

Rather than use patterned paper I took a paper with a faint script running across it and gave it some mixed media flair. I began by making a yellow paint with Primary Elements powder and Glazing Medium and sponged it on through sequin waste. Next I mixed the same paint in a red color and applied it using the side of small gift card. I finished off by mixing a pale blue color into molding paste and applied it through a stencil.

On the stamped image I mixed the same blue Primary Elements with gum arabic and water and spattered it on the image. Then I mixed the same yellow color into the molding paste and applied it through the same stencil. I added more of the red lines to tie it all together.   It's done on Cryogen White paper from the Paper Temptress - I love how it sparkles!  I finished it off with 3 little pale blue Pez-A-Bling squares in the upper left corner.


So what do you think?

Pretty Pansy

Hi all!

Here is my card for today - I love the color scheme on it.  It's so nice when things come together!  I was inspired by the following challenges:

• SCS - Faux Block Stamp
• Pile It On - Stitching
• Sunday Sketch

The concept of Faux Block Stamp was simple - take a large stamp image and "cut it down" and add a "frame" so it resembles a block stamp - I love block stamps but rarely do it with a stamp myself.  I used a square mask because I didn't want to just stamp it and cut it off - I wanted my image to stop before the edge of the paper so I could draw in the frame.

I finished it off by adding faux stitching with a stamp and some pale pink Liquid Pearls (which were too pointy - dontcha hate that!)

Thanks for visiting!

Dragonfly summer

Hi all!

Have you been enjoying your summer?  It's hard for me to believe we are already in August!  At the beginning of summer I panic and think how on earth am I going to fill up all these weeks?  (We don't do summer camps other than Girl Scouts.)  And then we get to August and I panic again thinking OMG I have all this stuff on my list of things to do that we haven't gotten to yet!  I am always torn about what's best for her - do I cram her weeks full of all of these "super camps" and put myself in the poor house so she can have all these super enrichment experiences?  Do I schedule a super activity myself every day and kill myself trying to make every day an adventure?  Or do I just let her laze around and do whatever she wants?  Today our activity is Minecraft mods - she wants to learn code and write her own.  I told her how about we just figure out how to use one someone else has made first.....

As for me, I have been back in the studio (usually with her right by my side!)  I saw a tutorial for a Layered Batik on Splitcoast Stampers that was very cool - I tried to do it 6 or 7 times and failed miserably

However, I liked the stamps I had gathered and the color scheme so I finally gave up and went with good old-fashioned stamping.  I am submitting this card to the follwoing challenges - click on the links and join them too!

• Daring Cardmakers - Color Challenge
• Crafty Creations - Just For Fun
• Glitter N Sparkle - Add glitter and sparkle
• Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
• All Sorts - Favorite Things (My Brilliance inks)

All of the stamps are from various Inkadinkado clear sets I have had for ages.  I haven't bought a rubber stamp in a really long time and I pulled up their website - big mistake!  Now I want to order a slew of stamps!  I have always loved their stamps.

My hands down fave inks are Tsukineko and for this card I used Brilliance inks on the dragonflies and VersaMagic for the swirls.  I love how the brilliance shimmers and the VersaMagic is a nice soft chalk.  I like the mini size too - I have all of the dew drops - made it easy to collect them all!  The Hello is a Studio G $1 stamp of course!

I used a few Pez-A-Bling in light blue sparkle to finish it off.  Still one of my favorite finishing touches.  I do still have plenty for sale in lots of colors.  If you are interested let me know!  Eventually I will get them posted again with pics and links to buy.

And now I am off to research minecraft mods - thank you for stopping by!

Some sewing projects...

Hi all!

I LOVE to sew, I mean I love it!  I suck at making clothes but I love to make other stuff.  Awhile back I made a cute little stuffed owl for my step-mom.  It was meant to sit on her sewing table to keep her company and hold her sewing supplies.  When it arrived and she called me I could here my dad being silly in the background and whining about how he doesn't have an owl friend so:

I enlarged the pattern pieces by 50% and made an owl for him to hold his remote controls :)

You can get the pattern and make one yourself: Handy Who

And for my step mom - she requested a purse for her birthday:

I am quite pleased with how it turned out! This is my favorite purse patterns of all the ones I have made so far.

This purse is packed with pockets which is what makes it so fantastic!  There is a large one on the front, A roomy zippered one on the back and 1 on each side with magnetic snap closures.

In addition there are 4 more pockets on the inside!  Now all those pockets make this a fabulous purse, they also make it tricky to put together!  But it's worth it.  If you would like to try it grab the pattern: Sandra Sue

What are you working on today?

Lunchtime Sketch!

Hi all!

Once upon a time I made cards like some kind of obsessed crazy person....Hahaha!  I don't know that there is anyone reading this from back then but back then, when I first started papercrafting there were only a handful blogs and even fewer challenges - one of the challenges I participated in religiously was Technostamper's Lunchtime Sketch *waving Hi to Mary Jo!* so I was thrilled to see they are still going strong and couldn't wait to use it!  I am also submitting this for the following challenges:

• Splitcoast Stampers - Mixability: Glue
• Crafts Galore Challenge - Anything Goes.

In the Mixability challenge we were to use some type of glue or gel medium mixed with a colorant - of COURSE I jumped on this one - it's one of my favorite techniques and I use it often in all of my mixed media stuff.  I mixed up some gel medium and ColourArte Primary Elements Pigment Powders.  Primary Elements are gorgeous pots of powdery pigment mixed with amazing heaps of shimmering mica powder.  These pots of gorgeous color and shimmer can be used with any form of medium so you have a huge amount of versatility.

And here some super cuteness for you - My Bubba kitty is such a good foster daddy:

Have a great weekend!

Just A Note...

Hi all!

Ahhh...

I got back in the studio again on my little cardmaking mission for my mom.  Nothing quite like a cookie dough latte and some Twinkling H2Os!

I have 2 more cards for you today using the following challenges:

• Splitcoast Stampers - Ways to use it: Maps
• Crafty Creations - Just for fun
• 4 Crafty Chicks - Anything Goes

I have this great 5 x 7 book of map pages I found at Hobby Lobby to use on a desk I am refinishing (that project should appear here soon...)  It was perfect for this challenge since I have so many pages left.

For my main images I decided to stamp with my Twinkling H2Os - it produces a gorgeous shimmering watercolor type image.

Can you believe that shimmer!??!

It can be a bit tricky to get it right and took me several tries.  I wanted to share a few tips with you:

1. Wake up the Twinks with 3-4 sprays of water from a mister.  Let them sit 10 - 15 minutes, go make your latte, throw in some laundry - at least that's what I did.
2. Once the Twinks are close to the consistency of honey they are ready.  Dip your brush in and then be sure to brush it against the edge of the jar several times so the brush is not very loaded with paint.  You just want a little.
3. Brush the Twinks onto your stamp - you want the paint thin so it doesn't pool or puddle.  Don't worry about hurrying or the paint drying.
4. Once your stamp is covered hold a mister of water about 12" or so away and mist it lightly and then stamp onto your paper.  Mist again and stamp again, sometimes the second image is better than the first one!