Memory Box Windham Collage

Hello my friends.

I don't usually post twice in one day but I wanted to join in 

 at the Memory Box Challenge

and time is running out.

I've used three Memory Box Dies on this card:

Windham Collage, Kaleidoscope Butterfly & Moonlight Butterfly.

I pulled out my Alcohol Ink Panels and used one behind the lattice

and another to cut the top butterfly.  The bottom of the butterfly

is from a snippet of heavy vellum.

I wanted some gold splatters but was afraid of messing up 

the whole design.  So I dripped a bit of Gold Color Shine

on a plastic lid, dipped a micro applicator into the gold and 

lightly touched it on the panel.

I might add that I held my breath while applying the gold.

Whew!

Then I walked away and let it dry.

I'm learning.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Agpanthuus (TT)

Ink:   Midnight Muse (SU)

Paper:   Neena 110 lb., Glossy, Heavy Vellum

Other:  Alcohol Inks, Kaleidoscope Butterfly, Moonlight Butterfly & Windham Collage Dies (MB), Gold Color Shine (Heidi Swapp)

Decoy's and Hawks.

Hello stampers!

We recently had a special day at our house.

DH and I celebrated our anniversary.

I've mentioned before that he likes ducks.

He likes decoys too.

So I was excited to find this Decoy stamp by Impression Obsession.

It was so easy to stamp it with the MISTI.

I stamped and blended the colors with an Aqua Painter.

Easy, peasy and a big hit with the hubs!

To celebrate, we went to the movies and saw Wonder Woman.

An awesome movie!

As for the hawks.....

We've had some visitors the past couple of days.

Our first sighting was from the back door.  He was about 6 feet away on our deck.

Couldn't get to the camera without scaring him.

He followed a squirrel around the deck and at one point, lifted his wings trying to look ferocious.

The squirrel slowly moved out of range and off the deck.

Our feathered friend followed him to they yard

and was joined by another.

At that point, I got my camera.

We watched them playing in the gumballs and throwing them in the air.

They played together for quite a while.  Very like kids.

Then we heard another in a tree.

After a bit the two flew to our vehicles parked in the sunshine.

This last picture is of him just before he hunkered down on top of my car for a nap.

They were back yesterday.

DH was in the yard this morning and came around our deck and up the steps and one was perched on the railing.  He said he was 18 inches away from him.

That's too close.

I think we need to stop feeding the birds for a few days so they don't become the meal!

They don't seem to be too interested in the squirrels and they scamper about 

when the hawks are in the yard.

This is so amazing because we live in the middle of the city.

We have lots of trees around so we do see wildlife but not usually this close.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Decoy (IO)

Ink:   Distress Markers, SU Markers

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Basic Gray, Watercolor Card (Strathmore)

Other:  Aqua Painter, MISTI

Rainbow Birthday Wishes for Poppystamps

Hello my friends.

Today's card is another collaboration between Jack and myself.

He has a birthday coming up.

He was visiting and we were crafting.

The conversation about school went like this.

Jack:  I messed up my picture and the teacher wouldn't give me another paper.  It made me mad.

Nana:  Well sometimes when we think we've messed up other people think its wonderful.

Jack:  No Nana, it was messed up.

Nana:  But let me show you something.  (I pulled out the folder with all his "messed up artwork".)

Jack:  I did those?  You shouldn't keep my stuff when I say it's messed up.

Nana:  I'm glad I saved them.  I can use these.  (Lightbulb moment! He has a birthday coming up.)

Jack loves rainbows and the June challenge at Poppystamps is

Now I have to decide which card to give Jack.


BTW:  The colors from the background of the second card bled from the glue.

Solution:  Splatters!


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe  NOTE:  Cards are larger than A2.  

Stamps:  

Ink:   

Paper:   Neena 110 lb., Watercolor (Cheap stuff)

Other:  Happy Birthday Background Die (PS)

Flip Floppin'

Hello friends.

I hope you are enjoying the weekend!

I don't know about where you are, but we're having flip flop weather here.

I haven't played at the Just Us Girls challenge in quite awhile.
This week's challenge is the perfect time to break out this NBUS die.

You can't see them in the inspiration picture, but the flip flops
are lined up in front of the chairs.

I haven't been to Pixie's Snippet Playground in forever!
I'm looking forward to a visit and seeing what shenanigans are going on over there!

I was able to use some of the tiniest snippets on this card.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Thinking of You (Altenew)

Ink:   Pool Party (SU)

Paper:  Solar White (Neena), Daffodil Delight, Pool Party (SU)

Other:  Nested Flip Flops Die (Gina Marie), Seaside EF (SU), Fun Foam, Colored Rhinestones (Stash)

More Embossing Paste with Stencil

Hi y'all.

I have a couple more cards to share using embossing paste
through a stencil.

I used Pearlescent Embossing Paste this time.

Can  you see the shine?

After adding the embossing paste through my
Tim Holtz wildflower stencil and letting it dry,
I watercolored with Distress inks and water.

Here's another.

This time I added some splatters.

CAS Mix Up Challenge
is open for a couple more days.

It closes at midnight, June 24th (PDT)

My mixed media are embossing paste, stenciling, watercolor and stamping.

AAA Cards

is still open too.

also open until the 24th

CAS Watercolour Card Challenge

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Thinking of You (Alt)

Ink:   for stamping - Coastal Cabana, Tempting Turquoise (SU); for watercolor-Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron (D)

Paper:   Neena (110 lb.), Coastal Cabana, Tempting Turquoise (SU)

Other:  Mini Stencil #4 (TH), Pearlescent EP (Dreamweaver), Aqua Painter, Fun Foam

Out to Sea

Hello, friends.

Summer is here!

Wouldn't it be nice to be sailing across the cool water

with the sun shining overhead?

I've never been on a sailboat and probably never will.

But I can dream.

And I can make a very simple card that speaks of summer on the water.

I pulled a Brusho background out, die cut this awesome piece from black,
added a little glue and a sentiment and I was done!

The Brusho crystals were sprinkled on watercolor paper and spritzed with water.

My grandson, Jack, likes to help me do this so I have lots of backgrounds.

We're doing Summer Watercolor at
CAS Watercolour

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

MASCULINE

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge

LET'S TAKE A VACATION

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Sentiments (HLS)

Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:   Watercolor (Strathmore 140 lb. cold press), Basic Black (SU)

Other:  Out to Sea die (PB),  Brusho Crystals

Summer Flower for CAS Watercolour

Edited to add that this card was a winner at
Simply Irresistible Challenge
by Heather Telford and The Foiled Fox.

Thank you so much ladies!
I'm so excited!

Hello friends.
Is June flying by as fast for you as it is for me?

Here's another summer watercolor card.

I've heat embossed some script stamping on a die cut square

and used a watercolor wash over it.

This sweet, bashful daisy was die cut from watercolor paper

and I used Tambi Gansai watercolors to color the stem and center of the flower.

A super simple, easy card!

There's still time to enter at 

CAS Watercolour

Challenge is open until the 24th

The rest of the Design Team and our Guest Designers have

some more awesome Summer inspiration for you to check out.

Hope to see you in the gallery.

I'll also enter at 

AAA Cards

Wishing you a belated birthday  AAA.

edited to add to a new challenge

Simply Irresistible

with Heather Telford and the Foiled Fox

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps: French Script Background (retired SU) 

Ink:   Whisper White

Paper:   Neena, Watercolor (TH)

Other:  White EP, Stitched Shapes Framelits (SU), Bashful Die (PB), Tambi Gansai Watercolors

Embossing Paste Reminder for CAS Mix Up

Hello friends.

It's the 15th of the month and a reminder that there's still time to enter at
CAS Mix Up

Here's some more inspiration for you.

The challenge is

I've used stamping, embossing paste through a stencil, Copic marker coloring, die cuts and vellum.

I applied some Wendy Vecchi embossing paste through part of  my

favorite stencil.  I'm sorry it's retired, but I think Tim Holtz has a similar one.

While it was drying, I stamped this graceful flower from a NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff)

and colored it with Copic Sketch Markers.

The curve of the flower made me think of a circle, so I die cut it with a circle die 

and to be a little different, I cut it straight on one side.

I also die cut a larger circle from vellum to frame it a bit.

I added some dots with a white gel pen to give the flower a little more interest.

And it was done.

The Design Team and both of our Guest Designers have some 

wonderful inspiration pieces to show you.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

This fits at Penny Black and More

ANYTHING GOES

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Delicate Florals, Enjoy (PB)

Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:   Neena, Whisper White Thick, Vellum (both SU)

Other:  Scraped Paint EF (retired MB), Embossing Paste (WV), Stitched Circle Dies (LI), Infinity Circles Die (HA), White Gel Pen

Embossing Gel Try

Hi, y'all.

Today's card isn't what I had in mind when I started.

I had a NBUS  stencil from Penny Black and thought embossing paste would work well with it.

When I pulled out my box with the embossing pastes, gels, etc.,

I saw the NBUS translucent embossing gel and thought of all 

those backgrounds needing to be used.

So I picked the one I thought would be best for these flowers

and almost chickened out.

It was such a pretty background that I hated to take a chance on ruining it!

Do you ever do that?

Well, I took a deep breath and proceeded, telling myself that I could always do another background.

Well, it didn't work.  Aargh!

The flowers were totally lost on the background.

But I didn't want to waste that background.

After all it was one of my favorites.

I remembered my dear friend Loll having a similar experience with a stencil.

She cut out the flower and put it on a  CAS card.

So I used ink to stencil the design on a piece of white cardstock

(you can't go wrong with white. It goes with everything).

I cut out the gelled flowers and popped them on the stems.

Saved!

Maybe not what I originally intended, but fit to send.

This month's CAS Mix Up challenge

My mixed media are stamping, embossing gel through a stencil, ink through a stencil, 

fussy cutting and die cuts.

I'll take this over to Simon Says Monday Challenge: Touchy Feely too.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Lots of Thanks (SSS)

Ink:   VersaFine Onyx Black, Mowed Lawn, Sun Sugar (D)

Paper: Primrose Petals (SU), White (Neena)  

Other:  Flower Dance Stencil (PB), Texture Paste Transparent Gloss (Ranger)

Monochrome for Merry Monday

Hi!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned with some crafting thrown in.

It's been a busy week here but I managed to get a card done for
Merry Monday
thanks to my UFO (UnFinished Object box)

the challenge is hosted by Debbie this week.

I found this piece that I had done using the Embossing Folder Technique.

I rubbed Distress ink on the inside of an embossing folder, spritzed with water

and "stamped" it on a piece of cardstock.

My spritzer bottle and I have a running feud!

It wants to take control and send an over abundance of water to the project.

I was able to salvage a small piece of it that had white snowflakes

instead of watery blue.

A frame that was cast off from another project was the perfect size.

I actually tried to make a shaker card using some acetate from the back of a stamp set.

Nothing would stick to it!

I wonder what that stuff is actually make of?

I gave up on the shakers and stamped a sentiment directly on the image.

I've used this Holiday Snippets set many times and always wanted to 

find a card to use this sentiment on.

Here's a close up in case you can't read it on the card.

You can also see the sparkle on the snowflakes.

I thought it needed something else so I winked it with Stella.

However, Stella seems to have lost her sparkle.

So I sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds on the wet Stella.

I'm hoping there was enough glue in it to hold the glitter.

Otherwise whoever gets this card will have an envelope full of sparkle.

Maybe that's not a bad thing!

The best part of today is celebrating our oldest grandson's graduation from High School.

It seems like yesterday he was a tiny baby.

Now he's a big strappin' young man!

We are so proud of him!

I'm hoping to catch him in his cap and gown later today.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Holiday Snippets (PB)

Ink:   Faded Jeans (D)

Paper:   Neena, Midnight Muse, Whisper White (SU)

Other:  Snowflake EF (SZ), Stitched Mats Rectangles for frame (LI) WOS, Dazzling Details (SU)

Geraniums for a Friend

Hi there.

I got out my watercolors and an NBUS stamp yesterday.

I tried inking with Distress stains but I ended up coloring the stems red
as well as the flowers.

So I went back in with markers.

It's a little messy.

I used MISTI to stamp.  That way I can go back and get some details
after moving the color with water.

I pulled some of the color out and around the flower to
give it a loose look.  That way the messy seems intentional.

Maybe...

I plan to give this to our neighbors who are moving soon.
We are sad to see them leave.

They have admired my red geraniums each summer so
I thought this would be appropriate to  wish them well.

Inside I added this message....

Many people will walk
in and out of your 
life, but only true
friends will leave
footprints in your heart.
                Eleanor Roosevelt

Since it's flowers for friends, I'm going to run over to
TIME OUT CHALLENGE
'Flowers and friends make life a garden'

THE FLOWER CHALLENGE #9

And since geraniums are my summer flower of choice,
I'll put this is in the gallery at
CAS WATERCOLOUR

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Cling Geraniums (Stampendous), Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Versafine Onxy Black, Distress Stains (Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn), Distress Markers (same + Barn Door, Peeled Paint, Pine Needles)

Paper:   Neena, Watercolor (TH smooth side)

Other:  Paint Brushes #2 & #4, MISTI