Stamps, Paper, and Ink

More Stamp-A-Faire Inspiration

This afternoon I was able to continue with the inspiration and classes for Stamp-A Faire 2016. 

I was enthralled with Melissa's Impressionistic Florals and made several attempts with her technique. I finally decided to "do it my way" and I simplified the embossing. I ended up embossing the flowers in white first. Then, adding some dots and fuzzy lines to soften the edges with a Versamarker I embossed again. The blooms were from the Vintage Linen set. I painted them with Peerless watercolors and snipped them out. 

Danielle's Gilded in Gold class showed the beautiful addition of Gold Leaf to her cards, tags, and even a pen. I didn't have that product yet, but can't wait to get it and give it a try! I was inspired by the colors Danielle used and chose them for my card. Also, the frame was die cut and then gold embossed. 

 There's still more to come so I hope to be back tomorrow!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

 

Let's Chill with Penguins in Paradise

This post is so aptly named since yesterday the temps topped 95 here in NC and in this heat wave our air conditioner for the downstairs decided to die. Thus, causing me to have to spend the whole day upstairs in the craft room trying to stay cool.  Haha! No wonder playing with the My favorite Things Penguins in Paradise set was my choice for the day. 

Not only that, but my fingers were itching to do some coloring for the 30 Day Challenge, and my mind was full of ideas from the Heat Wave class. Seriously that is what's going on right now at Online Card Classes!  

Without further ado, let's chill with the card, shall we?

Beginning with a background, I used Peerless Watercolors to create a scene. Next I colored the images with Copics. Then came the fun - embossing. I learned in class that you can emboss with colors over Copics, so I added polka dots to the swim ring using Pool Party Embossing Powder. Another surprise is that if you sprinkle water onto card stock, and douse it with EP, it will stick when you heat it.

Here's a close up for you of the spattered background and embossing detail.

I love the texture it adds and can't wait to try this again.  

That's all for now! I am packing a few bags and heading with my dear man (also bringing Josie our beagle) to a nearby hotel. Going to hang out and beat the heat for today. 

Hope your'e glad you came by because I sure am! Have a great day and stay cool. 

 Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Stamps: Penguins in Paradise - My Favorite Things

Accessories: My Favorite Things - Die-namics Blueprints 27.  Love these dies, but they are currently out of stock. I turned the frame with windows on it's side for my scene. 

I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Weekly challenge. 

 

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Celebrate with Sparkle! Layered Stamping

 I'm using the clean and simple technique of layered stamping for today's card. Actually, this is my first attempt and I had fun playing around with inks and options.

I began with a white card base and I masked off the rectangle in the bottom right corner. 

I stamped the gingham image in yellow for the background first. Next, I added circles in light aqua, then large stars in medium blue. I filled in with red stars. Here's a closer look at the stamped area. 

 

With this technique it's important to experiment with the colors that blend best. 

The sentiment was stamped over everything and I added black enamel dots to finish it off. I think this would be a cute birthday card for a child, especially for a July birthday don't you?

I'm happy to be playing along with the challenge at CAS(E) This Sketch. 

 The stamps are from Simon Says Stamp, and I used Hero Arts inks: Soft Pool, Pool, Butter Bar, and Pale Tomato.

Thanks so much for coming by today, hope it's a good one for you!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

 

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Camp Create: a Card with Movement

Good morning everyone! 

I'm wondering how it got to be hump day already, this month has flown by! So has the time at Camp Create, I have only until Friday to complete the activities. That is, if I want a chance to win supplies. I KNOW you know my answer to that question is a resounding YES!

Day two is about sliders or cards with movement. Now, you know at camp I was always just a little homesick, as you can see with my card.

I inked up the elephant from Sweet Safari and this time I did some paper piecing so that I could add this to the Color Challenge. I just could not resist these perky hues. 

The tutorial today shows how to make sliders and the challenge was to make a card with movement. I added google eyes to my polka-dotted pachyderm, and cut two die cuts in order to pop one up with an action wobbler. I added some details with a white gel pen, but definitely need some practice with this skill. 

So that's it for me from camp for now. I love that you came to visit me today!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Stamps: MFT - Sweet Safari (out of stock) and sentiment from MFT - Penguins in Paradise

Lots to celebrate! Then off to camp....

Hi everyone, hope your week is off to a good start. 

We've just had a whirlwind of fabulous days. Celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary, then my June birthday, and lastly a Father's day celebration with almost ALL of our family visiting!  Our two sons and two daughters and daughter-in-love were here plus, our TWO darling grands were along. Only our son in love was missing as he had to work. 

We had cook outs and boat and kayak rides and now after all the fun I can relive the memories. 

Speaking of memories, did you ever go to summer camp?  Well, now you can with Camp Create at the MFT blog! Each day there is a different stamping activity complete with a tutorial. And of course, I'm in for the chance to win free supplies!

I've been lurking and hope to take part in each challenge this week. Here's my go at the Glitzy Glitter technique using a die cut from day 1. 

I stamped the giraffe in black and colored him in with Copic markers. 

It's really fun learning new approaches to trendy techniques, old and new. I hope you might play along but if not, look forward to a handful of posts from me because I am gonna be stamping!

 

Have a wonderful day!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Stamps: MFT - Sweet Safari and matching Die-namics

Paper: MFT - Jungle Prints

Ink: Archival Black 

Accessories: MFT - Jungle Die-namics and Wild Greenery, Glitter from SU

I'm also adding this to the great  MFT sketch challenge for this week.  

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 Hello everyone! 

I don't know how this week has flown by but we've been pretty busy. And next week it will be even busier! 

All the same, I had time to make a card yesterday and here it is. Using wonderful new butterfly dies from Papertrey Ink.

The Coverplate: Bitty Butterflies and matching set were used on the top layer. After die cutting I embossed the panel with the Softly Falling folder from Stampin' Up!

The bottom layer began as white card stock. I sponged Distress inks in Broken China, Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac from top to bottom. To achieve a metallic shimmer, I brushed the inked panel with Ranger Perfect Pearls in Pearl. 

I adhered the panels together slightly off center, stamped a die cut butterfly and popped it up, adding a sentiment and a little bling. 

Hope you've enjoyed today's card! Thanks for visiting today. 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

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It's Saturday and our state is covered in snow and ice but we have power and it's cozy and warm. It will be even more so when our family from Raleigh join us to share the warmth since they are without power. I love snow days!

I'm posting a card from Thursday when my friend and I had a blast being crafty together and tried out a new technique.

I masked the outside border of white card stock, and sponged in three distress inks in the center rectangle.

Then I dusted them with Ranger Perfect Pearls, and used an embossing folder to texturize the whole layer.  

 

It's a bit difficult to see the embossing texture on the white edges, but it is beautiful IRL. Click the picture to see better. The deep lines of the new Next Level folder make you want to run your fingers over it! 

Here's a close look at the embossing details and the metallic shimmer. 

 I am playing along with the challenge at The Card Concept this week. I was so excited to be a winner with last week's card! Find it HERE. 

The challenge for this week is called Floral Elegance. 

My card fits the classy and elegant style. I was inspired by the lines and dot textures in the icing and the satiny sheen. I matted my card front with brushed silver card stock from Stampin' Up!

If you'd like to learn the details of this technique, please check out this post on Jennifer McGuire's fabulous blog. I've listed my supplies below.

Sending warm hugs and wishes for a great day!

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Sending and Wishing set

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU - brushed silver, Strawberry slush, Vellum

Ink: Distress inks in  Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Citron, Blueprint Sketch; Versamark 

Accessories: SSS - Sending Wafer Die; We R Memory Keepers - Next Level Embossing Folders - Quilted; Ranger Perfect Pearls - Pearl; heart punches and White embossing powder from SU

 

 

Flurry of Love

Hello friends! It's a bright sunny morning and I am loving this cold weather. It's only wintry for a couple of weeks here.  I thought I'd better get in some winter themed cards for you while I'm bundled up in a sweater and in the mood.

 

 

I've been thinking of trying this technique with snowflakes for awhile now. It's called faux embossing. Instead of using an embossing folder, I got this look by die cutting snowflakes and gluing them on a white panel to make a lace-texutred background. 

I also die cut with NBUS Snowflake Love Pendant Die  and used Copics to color in the heart. This makes a delicate and dainty die cut (don't you just love it!) so I placed it on a vellum tag. Crystal glimmer paper and a few sequins glitzed it up. The sentiment comes from MFT's Warmest Wishes set. 

In a few minutes my daughter will arrive and the house will be all-a-flurry-with-grandbaby-love. I'

m off to be ready! Hope you have a great day. Happy hugs~~

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Wrap up a Wreath

 Good morning! I hope it's been a good week for you! 

I'm sharing a card that I made awhile back. I'm still having some trouble with my photos but I hope you can get the gist of it.

This card began with a new product from Simon Says Stamp. I really really like this Ornament Wreath Die that is intricate and so fun! 

I die cut the wreath in white card stock and then also in a mix of patterned papers that I dug out from my stash. Basically I paper pieced in some parts of the ornaments and also added a few extra shapes and a few rhinestones. 

The sentiment is embossed in pewter and I wrapped a scrap of ribbon in an elastic bow. 

Keeping this post short today so that I can come back tomorrow with another card. Thanks for stopping by, and spending a bit of time with me. 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

More Festive Flowers

Well, hello again! 

I'm back today to show some fun I had playing with stencils over the weekend. I LOVE poinsettias, so when I saw that Tim Holz has a stencil featuring the Christmas flower, I bought it. Figuring out what to do with it involved some trial and error and this card was the result. 

I began with a Ranger watercolor panel, and attached the stencil with masking tape. Then I did some spritzing and continued until I'd achieved this lovely aqua color. Unfortunately the colors and shimmer are much prettier IRL and don't show up well in my photo. If you enlarge the photo you will see more of the detail. 

The only stamping is the sentiment I embossed in silver on the little tag. IRL the white card stock and watercolor paper don't match exactly but it's not as pronounced as in the photo. I used white so that the teal on the flowers could take center stage. 

I added a border of silver foil paper from Stampin' Up! and wrapped it up with a bow and a few clear sequins. Never heard of turquoise poinsettias?  Ha, come stamp with me and we'll create them!

Below are samples of my other experimentation with the stencil. On the right, I sponged Hero Arts Pale Tomato ink onto watercolor paper.

On the left above, I used texture paste and let it dry. The I put silver acrylic paint on top. This also began as off white watercolor paper, but the spritz of shimmer spray colored the background. It's a nice contrast with the silver. One day I may finish one of these off into a card. 

I promised to tell you in yesterday's post about something special going on in my life. Yesterday was a special day - it was my dear husband's last day of work. For good!  Yes, Dr B is retiring after his many years of being a dentist, and I'm very very proud and so excited for him! 

If you're thinking that this may require some life changes, you are right. Will the transition affect my stamping? For sure. I just don't know how yet.  :->  You can know this -- I will keep you posted! 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful!

 

Stamps: SU - Teeny Tiny Wishes

Accessories: Tim Holz Poinsettias Stencil, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Turquoise Blue, SU - silver foil paper