Muse Challenge, ATSAM, and LIM...Go ME!

I've made several cards today for three different challenges! Go ME!  I've had a very productive day! The challenges I have cards for are Less is More, Muse, and Addicted to Stamps and More...

          

I actually made two cards for the LIM challenge...but that's not unusual for me.

Used the Altenew Beautiful Day stamp set for this first card.  Sentiment is from PTI.  I stamped the flower in layers using 3 different colors of ink.  Leaves were stamped in two layers.  I LOVE layered stamps (now that I've figured out how to use them!)

I inked the background with distress ink, then stamped the image over it in black Memento ink.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out to color over the background ink with Copics...but I think it turned out just fine.  Sentiment is from Altenew's Beautiful day stamp set.

This next card is for the MUSE challenge.  I heat embossed the flowers from Clearly Besotted stamp set (love this set!) with clear embossing powder.  The sentiment is from SSS and is stamped in black and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  After coloring the flower and heat embossing the sentiment, I ran the panel through my Big Shot machine with an embossing folder....pretty cool look!

I can't say I'm really happy with this card...I often feel that way when I try to use water colors!  I water colored the background, stamped the cupcake on watercolor paper and then painted it with distress inks.  Sentiment is from MFT and is stamped in Versafine black.

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, Less is More, CAS(E) this Sketch, Simon Says Stamp...and more!

Got LOTS of cards to share with you today.  This post is very photo heavy!  I've made cards that fit in several challenges...I'm really on a roll this week!  

First up is my card for the CASology Challenge and the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge (one layer).

I used a Spellbinder die for the lacy heart and cut it from the card front.  I masked off the same size heart on the inside of the card and inked it up with some distress inks.  I added a touch of clear Wink of Stella to the lacy heart.  The sentiment from SSS Square Sayings was heat embossed with liquid platinum embossing powder.

My next card is for the Less is More 5th Birthday Celebration.  I don't get to play along with this challenge as often as I'd like, but I was very active when this challenge first started 5 years ago.  It's still one of my favorite challenges!

The LIM challenge this week is a white on white challenge.  I cut my butterflies with a SU! emboss folder that cuts and embosses.  I've had it forever, so I don't know if they still make it or not.  The sentiment is heat embossed in liquid platinum and is a SSS stamp.  It's difficult to see in the photo, but each of the butterflies have a touch of glitter on them.

Next up is my card for CAS(E) this Sketch

I made my background with Hero Arts ink and masking tape.  There's actually a couple of boo-boos in there, but hopefully, they're not too noticeable! The sentiment is from MFT...and I believe this is the first time this set has seen ink!  I cut the plaid panel with a SSS stitched rectangle die and stamped the sentiment in Versafine black ink.  I inked the edges of the card base with the same ink used in the plaid. (I used Mint Julep, Latte, Fresh Peach inks).

As I mentioned previously, I am in a widow's group that meet monthly.  Last month I took 15-20 of my cards and each of the ladies took a few minutes to write a note to someone on the group list that wasn't able to meet with us for lunch.  We've had some very positive feedback from some of the ladies who received cards, so I'll be taking some more cards to this month's luncheon.  

The first two are my favorites.  I love the no line coloring...I used Copics. The flowers are from Clearly Besotted  The second card I did a little ink blending with some distress inks...LOVE how this turned out. The grid die cut is from Spellbinders.

The third card was made as a one layer card and I used PTI leaf stamps and the sentiment is from Winnie & Walter.  On the last card I used the same Clearly Besotted image, stamped in black and colored with Copics.  I added a few drops of shimmer and some white dots for the flowers.  I reached waaaaaay back in my memories and thought about torn edges...and just went with it.  I think I like it!

I know this has been a VERY PHOTO heavy post...if you made it here to the end...bless you!

If you have any question about any of the cards, drop me an email and I'll get back to you!

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...

Case this Sketch #157 and a little watercolor

I love this week's Case this Sketch challenge!  I knew the minute I saw it what I wanted to do...and it turned out exactly how I envisioned it!  How cool is that....and how often does it really happen!

Using my MISTI, I stamped the sunshine first...then I sponged the clouds with distress ink.  After sponging the clouds, I put the panel back in my MISTI and re-stamped the sunshine to make it a little brighter.  I thought about masking it, but I really wanted a little blue behind the sun, so I decided re-stamping it would work the best.  The sentiment is from Flourishes...and just perfect for this card! I rounded the corners and added a touch of blue by added a small border around the panel before adhering it to the card base.  Another quick and easy card!

This card is one that I made just because I had an idea....and it kind of worked.  I love the tree popped over the sky background...I'm not too happy with the "ground" around the base of the tree.  But...still, kind of a cool card.  I die cut the opening with a SSS stitched rectangle die (using a partial die cutting to make it more of a square).  The tree is a Impression Obsession die cut from brown card stock.  I colored the base card (the background) with distress inks, and then popped the die cut opening over the "sky".  The sentiment is from HA. The "grass" was done with Copic markers.

This card is one I made a while back, but I don't think I every posted it.  I used a background stamp to heat emboss the background  (I think it's HA) on water color paper.  I colored the diamonds with distress markers and then added a little water to make them move across the diamond.  Popped the panel over a blue card base.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white on black card stock.

This last card was one I made after taking the intermediate water color class at Online Cards.  I'm not sure I like the colors (although IRL they are NOT this bright!) It was really a cool class and I did learn a lot.  I think my biggest challenge with water color is that true water color is loose...and free.  I like tight control...not going to happen with water coloring!

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...

Three in One

I must say...I'm kinda proud of myself today!  I've made a card that actually fits THREE...get it...THREE challenges! This first card fits with the One Layer Simplicity challenge (friends), the CASology challenge (glitter), and the Addicted to CAS (Red).  Woohoo!

 

Super simple CAS card!  I stamped the sentiments (Thinking of you - Hero Arts and "my friend" - Stampendous), added a couple of small hearts from another Hero Arts stamp set, added a touch of red glitter glue to the hearts and for the finishing touch, added some scored lines down the length of the card.  Oh...and I also rounded the bottom corners with a 1/4 inch corner rounder.  Lots of words to describe it, but it only took about 10 minutes to complete the 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...

Water Color Class and much more!

I decided to take the Watercolor for Cardmakers class and the more I play with water colors the more I like them.  Can't say that I'm really good at water coloring yet, but it's fun to play with them.  Here's a couple of cards that I made for the class....

For this first card, I decided to paint a bouquet using the wet on wet technique (for painting the blooms).  I kind of like how this turned out...not too sure about the yellow background, but overall not too bad.  I used Koi water colors on this card.  Tied a ribbon around the water color panel and added a sentiment from Flourishes.

I wasn't sure where this was headed when I started painting it.  I think the most difficult part of water coloring for me is the lack of "control" I seem to have over it!  I do like having "control" over things I do!  I also find it very difficult to wait for things to dry, as I'm anxious to see the finished project! I used Koi watercolors and Canson watercolor paper.  I painted the sentiment tag with the same colors used on the "flowers", added a sentiment from SSS.

Now...I've mentioned before about making cards for the widows group at my church...well, this week I've really been playing catchup, because last week we mailed 15 cards!  I know we only mail out cards once a month, but I didn't realize that I'd need quite so many cards.  However, it these cards are an encouragement to some of the ladies, then we definitely need to keep sending them out...Fair warning...very photo heavy from here on...

I've left all the photos small, but if you want to see them larger, you should be able to click on them and see them larger.

The "hello, hugs, happy, and smile" cards were made with the Cameo.  I designed the panels in the Silhouette program and cut them out to layer on top of the card base.

The bird cards are all Tim Holtz crazy bird stamps colored with Copics.  The sending caring thoughts card was made by die cutting the flowers and adhering them to the back of the white panel.

If you have any questions about any of the cards and how them were made, just shoot me an email and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. If you hung in there for all of this....bless you!  

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...

Lots to share...it's been a while!

WARNING:  This post is very photo heavy! 

I've been making quite a few cards lately.  I'm trying to get a good backup of cards to use in our widow's group.  One thing we hope to do more of this year, is try to send cards to each of the ladies in the widow's group, so that they get some "happy mail".  Don't you just love to open your mailbox and find a hand-addressed envelope rather than another bill or circular?  So, that's our goal this year, and I seem to be the one designated to get the first batch of cards together.  We have a number of our widows that are in assisted living facilities, so I think they'll be delighted to get a card to let them know that someone is thinking of them and praying for them.  Here's some of the cards that I've put together so far.

This round card was cut completely on the Cameo.  I stamped the flowers with a TH stamp.  I cut 4 additional sets of the word "celebrate" and layered them for dimension.  I inked the edges of the circle with distress ink and colored the flowers with Prismacolor pencils.

Super simple card - SSS feathers layered on a brown card stock and edged in the same yellow as the feathers.  I inked the edges of the feathers.  Added a bit of jute string and a bow to finish it off.  The sentiment is heat embossed. (can't remember who makes the sentiment)

I used a pink card base for this card.  The "hello" tag was made with water colors on water color paper using a "smooshing" technique.  I cut the SSS hello from the watercolor piece and from a piece of green shiny paper, then inserted the green into the water color piece.  Super quick and easy!

This is probably one of my most often made cards.  I love this layout with the inset flower (SSS), and you can add almost any sentiment and it makes a perfect card!  The sentiment is heat embossed and is from Paper Smooches.

Another card just like the previous...just added a few sequins, and a PTI sentiment.and a slightly different flower die.

This butterfly is enormous!  I cut him in white then colored him with Copics.  The sentiment is stamped on an inked strip to match the colors on the butterfly and heat embossed in white.  I dry embossed the background with a wood grain embossing plate.

Back to the tried and true...I really do love this layout....Sentiment is from Paper Smooches.

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...

Case This Sketch 155 and Merry Monday187

WHERE has the time gone!  I had no idea it had been so long since I last posted!  I've been busy...oh, so busy....made LOTS of cards, but never seem to get around to posting them!  I have a couple of cards to show you today that I made for the CTS #155 challenge and one for the Merry Monday #187 challenge.

First off...here's my cards for the CTS challenge.  I have totally CASEd Hannelie's card.  Seriously, isn't it the best card EVER!  I have a Cameo and I just need to use it more often! Thanks for the inspiration, Hannelie!  Since I had to cut it twice to get the two different colors...what's better than to make two cards reversing the pattern!  Score 2 for 1!!

This next card is my contribution for the Merry Monday challenge this week which is to make a card with plaid on it.

I made my plaid with red, green, and gold inks and the SSS stripes stamps.  I think the gold is a little to prominent, but overall, I'm pleased.  I masked off the upper portion of the card base and stamped my plaid across the bottom.  I removed the mask, inked up a strip of white card stock with some of the Delicata Gold ink and added it where the plaid and white meet.  I stamped the sentiment in black and heat embossed it in clear.  The holly leaves and berries are a die that I've had forever and I have no idea who made it - probably Quikkutzs.

I have several additional cards to share with you also, but I'll create another post for those.

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...