One-Layer Simplicity Challenge #32 and The Flower Challenge #1

This is my second post for today....I have a two cards to share with you...one for the One-Layer Simplicity Challenge #32 and the other for a new challenge at The Flower Challenge #1.....So let's get started!

     

This was a fun card to create.  I haven't done much ink blending lately (mostly because I've been playing with my water colors!).  I masked off the rectangle in the center with some post-it tape and blended some distress inks (candy apple red, carved pumpkin, and squeezed lemonade).  I removed the post-it tape and stamped the silhouette image from Paper Smooches in versafine black.  After making sure the distress ink was completely dry, I stamped the sentiment from SSS and heat embossed it in white. I added the faux stitched border with a dark orange memento marker.  Super simple card...but I love how it turned out.

And now...here's the card for the Flower Challenge....

I absolute LOVE this flower from Penny Black!  I stamped it on Bristol paper and colored it with Zig Clean Color Markers.  Then....I fussy cut this flower!  Those tiny stems are VERY fragile!  I also used a black marker to color all of the edges of the image after I cut it out.  I cut a panel of white card stock about 4 x 5.5 inches and used an embossing folder (Tim Holtz, I think) to emboss the bricks.  I cut the center of the panel out using an oval die from Spellbinders BEFORE putting it in the embossing folder.  I used a little distress ink on the card base for the background and some splatters from the ink as well as some water splatters.  The sentiment is from Winnie and Walter...stamped in black.  I fussy cut the word hello and then cut a small rectangle for the word friend. Both words are adhered directly to the brick panel. I slipped the flower behind the oval and popped ups the blooms with some foam tape. I added a dark pink border down each sided of the card (it actually matches the blooms IRL!).

I know I'm going to ♥love♥ this flower challenge!  It seems that most of my cards feature a flower of some kind! ♥

As always, thanks so much for stopping in.  I appreciate your visit...and I appreciate each and every comment!

Practicing Watercolor and More

I've been working on trying to improve my water coloring capabilities. I think I might be getting just a "little" better!  

Using Altenew Peony Bouquet stamp set.  I stamped the bloom in a light distress ink, masked that bloom and stamped another bloom right beside it.  I masked off the blooms to added the leaves, which were stamped in light green distress ink.  I think I try to work the water colors (in this case distress ink) too much.  I cut the panel down, added some splatters, and popped it over a card base with on side covered in a green card stock. The sentiment is from SSS Uplifting Thoughts, stamped with versamark and heat embossed with liquid platinum embossing powder. (and would you look at that!  I adhered it crooked!!!  Maybe no one will notice! LOL!)

So...I thought I'd try the same bloom again.  This time I used distress inks again, but I used a lighter hand with the water.  I think it might be just a bit better blended than the first one. I like the leaves on this one better too.  Used the same stamp set.  I used some Nuvo pearl drops and a few spots of Irresistible in silver.  Popped it on a card base with craft foam. 

This was my third attempt at water coloring.  I used the Altenew Beautiful Day stamp set (LOVE this set!)  I stamped the blooms (using masking) with distress ink (Peacock Feathers), then worked on my blending again.  "Maybe" a little better? Didn't do a great job with the leaves...but I think I'm getting there!  Sentiment is from SSS Flower Friends.  Popped on a card base with a teal strip on one side.

Thought I'd add in a couple of cards that I actually made for challenges, but never got around to posting them.  I'm slow like that sometimes! :)

Super quick and easy card...I think I actually made this card for CASology "dizzy" challenge.  You know....when you're dizzy, you sometimes see spots?  Right?  Anyway, I just stamped random dots with several colors of ink from MFT, then added some white dots on the top of that.  Added a few drops of different colors of  Nuvo.  I really love this stuff!  Makes perfect drops....every time!  Simon Says has lots of different colors!  I wanted them all, but I restrained myself...you know, it's that whole fixed income thing!  I'm sure many of you can relate!

I really can't remember which challenge I made this one for...but it was a perfect fit...I do remember that!  I cut a card stock panel to 4.25 x 5.5 inches and cut a stitched circle from the center of the panel.  This particular die from Simon Says cuts stitching on both the inside circle and the outside circle.  The image is from a very old Flourishes stamp.  I colored the image with Copics and then sprayed a light mist of Shimmer Mist over the entire card.  There really is a pretty sparkle on the card...even though I can't seem to get it to photograph!  The sentiment is from the same Flourishes stamp set.  I popped the big panel on craft foam and then pushed the circle down into the opening.

That's it for me today.  Hope you'll leave a comment...If you regularly follow my blog do you think my water coloring is improving?

Thanks so much for stopping in.  I appreciate your visit...and I appreciate each and every comment!

LIM 215 and CASology

I have several cards to share today.  I seem to have a problem getting photos of my card and because of my laziness procrastination, I've missed a couple of challenges!  These first two cards are for the current Less is More challenge which is a one layer card with animals.  The second card is for the current CASology challenge with a cue word of "tropical". (and I think I'm squeaking in just in time!)

This is my one layer card for the LIM challenge.  I decided to draw several little "chicks" as I couldn't find a stamp I wanted to use.  Chicks are considered animals....right??  Anyway, I drew the chicks, colored them with Copics, added googly eyes, and masked off a little green hill to ground them.  Then just a touch of blue for the sky.  Very quick and easy...even though my little chicks look a little startled! I can't say I'm a great artist...but I try! LOL!

I hope this "tropical" card is CAS enough!  I cut the silhouette (chair, tree, ground) with my Cameo.  I used distress ink to shade the background, then stamped the sentiment in black and heat embossed it in clear embossing powder. I should have left well enough alone...but decided I "needed" a little sparkle in the sky, so I put clear Wink of Stella on the sky...kind of looks like stars!  The sentiment is from Flourishes - Beach Life (unfortunately Flourishes no longer exists!)

This next card is the one I made for my grandson who will be eleven tomorrow.

I wanted to make a shaker card, and I've had very little practice, so I gave it another try!  I cut the balloon from a white panel, then cut two layers of fun foam and adhered them to the back of the panel, aligning them with the opening.  I added tiny seed beads inside the balloon.  On the card base, I colored a blue rectangle to go behind the opening.  The robot is a MME stamp and is colored with Copics.  I added a dotted "ground" and colored it with a light grey Copic.  The sentiment is hand written. I hope he likes it and doesn't think it's too "childish"!

These next two cards were cards I made for last week's LIM challenge...but once again I was lazy didn't get photos in time!

  

The tulips are a stamp from Penny Black, that I stamped in Memento black and colored with Copics. I fussy cut each of the blooms and then layered them on the green panel.  Some of the tulips are popped up for a little dimension. The green panel was cut with the rectangle stitched die from SSS, but I did some partial cutting in order to get a more "square" shape.  The sentiment is from SSS and is stamped on vellum and heat embossed in yellow.

This card is the result of my playing with some of my distress inks and trying to figure out what I could do with the inked panel after I finished!  Can't say I really love this card, but I do like the bright colors!  The sentiment is from SSS (I think), and was stamped in black then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The butterfly was punched with a MS punch then coated with a little wink of stella.

Whew! That was a lot to drop on you today! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by for a visit!  Hope you'll come back soon!  Your comments are greatly appreciated! Until next time...

A New Challenge for Me....AAA Cards

I made a card yesterday that I discovered fit this challenge perfectly!  The AAA Cards challenge this week is 

Orange U Glad UR CAS"

Again, I was playing with my distress inks and this is what I came up with.

I used the SSS stitched border die to cut out the inked panel, then using my MISTI, I stamped the Winnie & Walter sentiment.  To ink the bottom of the panel, I masked off the top portion of the card stock, then blended my inks down and off the bottom of the card.  After stamping the sentiment, I added three orange sequins...and popped the panel over an orange card base using a piece of fun foam behind the panel.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by for a visit!  Hope you'll come back soon!  Your comments are greatly appreciated! Until next time...

CASology - Monochrome Challenge & One Layer Simplicity

I've made a couple of cards for two different challenges.  This first card is for the CASology monochrome challenge this week.

I was playing with my distress inks and this is what I came up with...

I used three shades of distress ink - broken china, tumbled glass, and salty ocean - and blended them across the card base.  After drying the ink thoroughly with my heat tool, I used my MISTI and some Versamark ink to stamp the sentiment.  The sentiment is from SSS - Sending and Wishing. I used detail white embossing powder to heat emboss the sentiment, then because the MISTI is SO cool....I stamped it again in Versamark and heat embossed with white again!  How "cool" is that!  Then because the card still looked like it "needed" something, I added three hearts from the same stamp set, using the DI salty ocean.  It's difficult to see on the card, but I then took my Wink of Stella clear and brushed it all around the sentiment and over the hearts.  The card really has a lot of sparkle IRL.  I used a 3/8 inch corner rounder for the right hand corners.

I'm still not completely sure about my ink blending, but I guess with practice I'll get better...I know my heat embossing is getting better each time!

I think this card will also work for the One Layer Simplicity Challenge for this month which is to blend colors...and I definitely blended some colors on this card!

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by for a visit!  Hope you'll come back soon!  Your comments are greatly appreciated! Until next time...