Scarlet Majesty for NBUS Challenge

Hello, my friends.

I have another Christmas card for you to take a peek at.

This is not the first try!

Let's put it this way, I'm glad there's 2 sides to the paper!

I tried to splatter masking fluid and discovered that I need more practice at that.

Lots more practice!

As you can see, there isn't any speckles.

What actually landed on the paper came off on my paint brush.

And I did wait til it was dry.

It wasn't fun picking those little goo balls of the brush.

I guess I pulled my brush too hard?

Anyway, this is a NBUS stamp that I just had to have last Christmas.

I'm finally getting around to using it.

I tried inking the stamp with markers and stamping.

My MISTI works wonderfully for this technique.

After playing with the first try, and failing, 

I spritzed the stamp and stamped on another piece of mixed media paper.

Usually this doesn't work for me, but today it did!

Then, I worked some wet on wet wash around the image.

I thought about adding some splatters, but thought I'd better stop

and call it well enough.

I did brave stamping a sentiment.

Even with MISTI, I hold my breath when I add a sentiment!

The design piece is mounted on a piece of foam then to the card base.

The lovely Darnell is holding her

NBUS Challenge

In case you haven't checked out her blog lately, she has given us

lots of laughs this week using cheeky sentiments.

Her challenge lasts until October 4 and this is my 2nd entry.

Thanks, my friend, for encouraging us to use those NBUS items we just had to have,

then forgot what we wanted to do with them!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Scarlet Majesty (PB), Think Big Christmas (PTI)

Ink:   Gathered Twigs (DI), Distress Markers (Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Festive Berries, Barn Door, Wild Honey, Gathered  Twigs)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Vanilla Thick (SU)

Other:  MISTI, Aqua Painter, Distress Sprayer (TH)

Bejewled Love and Laughter

Hello my friends.

I hope you are having a day filled with love and laughter!

This is a one layer card for

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

and my goodness, what a wonderful array of cards are in that gallery!

I popped this Penny Black Brushstroke Stamp into my MISTI

and inked it with mini distress ink pads and markers.

After the first stamping, I moved the color around a bit with a damp Aqua Painter.

Then I stamped again.

Added some more color where I wanted it darker and stamped again.

A sentiment, splatter and a painted strip across the bottom finish the card.

I'll take this over to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge too.

   

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Bejeweled, Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Distress Inks (Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint), Distress Markers (Same colors plus Festive Berries), Early Espresso (SU)

Paper:  Watercolor (Arches HP)

Other:  MISTI, Ruler (to guide for painted strip)

Going Dotty for Poppystamps

Hello and how are you?

With Christmas right around the corner, I'm thinking I need to
speed up on those Christmas cards.

So when I saw the Poppystamp Challenge for this month,

I thought Christmas.

I used a stencil from Memory Box with some embossing paste.

By adding some Dazzling Diamonds before removing the stencil,

the "snowflakes" sparkle.

I die cut some Poppystamps Pine Sprigs from mixed media scraps

and added some Gansai Tambi watercolor.

The "berries" add more dots.

Another Christmas card for the stash!

Speaking of Christmas cards, it's that time of the month for 

Rudolph Days 

sponsored by the lovely Scrappymo.

and my snippets will let me in to

Pixie's Snippet Playground.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Holiday Sayings (Inky Antics)

Ink:   Real Red (SU)

Paper:   Neena, Silver Foil, Whisper White (SU), Mixed Media (Strathmore)

Other:  Pine Sprigs (Poppystamps),  Gansai Tambi #53 Med. Green, #54 Olive) Crisp Bows and Texture Tiny Dots Stencil (Memory Box), Embossing Paste (Wendy Vecchi), , Dazzling Diamonds, Red Gems

Happy News

Hello.

I have another card to share.

I'll show you all the shine first.

Here's another view so you can read the sentiment better.

I just got this die in the mail.  I'd been wanting it for a long time and
when we went to the mountains, I stopped at The Enchanted Cottage
for a quick trip through.  They didn't have the die in, but ordered it for me
and mailed it for minimal shipping.

I love that store and wish they weren't so far from us!

I used a technique that Loll showed us in this fantastic video and
it's the subject of the Try a New Technique Challenge at Splitcoaststampers
for last week.  Fortunately there is no deadline on these challenges.

Our fantastic friend, Darnell, is having another NBUS Challenge

and since this was my happy bird's first outing, I'll take him over there.

I hope your heart sings today.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Eloquence (PB)

Ink:   Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Shabby Shutters (DI), VersaMark

Paper:   Neena, Tissue, Gold Foil (stash)

Other:  Happy News (PB), Gold EP (SU)

Tag Card

Hello friends,

I have a card for Merry Monday.

Sue is hosting this week's challenge.

If you're thinking this looks familiar, you're right.

I made the tag for Loll's Twelve Days of  Christmas Even last year.

You can see my post here. 

I added it to a card base.

I hope this counts as new work.

It was kind of an easy peasy shortcut.

But it has sparkle, bling and die cuts.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps: In the Meadow (PTI)

Ink:  Encore Silver, Tumbled Glass, Faded Jeans (Distress Ink)

Paper:  Solar White (Neena), Whisper White, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer, Vellum (SU)

Other:  Silver EP, Dazzling Diamonds (SU), Snowdance Stencil (PB), White Embossing Paste (Wendy Vecchi), Snowflake Die (?), Ribbon (Offray) 

A Bouquet of Thanks for CAS Mix Up

Hello, my friends.

We're doing watercolor wash at CAS Mix Up.

This stamp set was a birthday present from my dear friend, Loll.

After stamping and heat embossing, I painted with Gansai Tambi watercolors.

For the wash, I pulled color from the flowers and stems adding more color as needed.

Finally, I added a light splatter with Deep Violet.

There's still time to join in at
CAS Mix Up

I used stamping, heat embossing, watercolor, watercolor wash and splatter.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Bouquet of Thanks (SSS)

Ink:   Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant (SU)

Paper:   Neena, Mixed Media (S), Orchid Opulence (retired SU)

Other:  White EP (SU), Gansai Tambi (#139 Purple, #54 Olive Green, #38 Deep Violet)

Happy Fall

Hello.

Did you hear that the first day of Fall (or Autumn) is this week?

I love Fall with the beautiful colors and smells.

It will be a while before we see much color here
so I had to create some of my own.

I die cut this Arboscello Tree from Memory Box from watercolor paper

I scribbled with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers on

a pallete, spritzed with water and smooshed the leafy part of the tree into it.

I die cut some of the top of the tree from the leftover watercolor paper

and smooshed that too.

The tree is a double thickness for extra body and I snipped some of the

extra leaves to "fall" on the ground.

BTW: According to Mr. Google, arboscello is Italian for sapling.

Some challenges:

AAA Cards Challenge Autumn Colors

Just Us Girls Color Week: Burgundy, Yellow & Orange

The Memory Box Outside the Box Challenge Falling for Fall

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Clean and Simple

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Happy Fall (Verve)

Ink: Soft Suede (SU)  

Paper:   Neena, Woodgrain (TH), Watercolor (Arches CP)

Other:  Arboscello Tree (MB),  Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, 

Budding Branches for CAS Watercolour Reminder

The month is half over already.

Seems like the months whoosh by!

For my watercolor I used Brusho crystals sprinkled on a Gelli plate 

and spritzed with water.  I smooshed a piece of mixed media paper on the plate.

I think the Gelli plate gives softer look to the Brusho background.

I'm always amazed how using the same products in a different way

can yield such varied results!

  The leaves on this stamp are open

but since this is a silhouette challenge, I colored them in with a black marker.

We're going strong at 

CAS Watercolour

Our talented Design Team has some more to inspire you and our 

Guest Designer, Birgit, always inspires.

And there's even more inspiration in the gallery.

The challenge is open until the 24th.

Hope you'll join us.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Budding Branches (TJ), Thinking of You (Alt.)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, VersaMark, Basic Black Marker (SU)

Paper:   Naturals White, Basic Black (SU), Mixed Media (S)

Other:  Brushos (green & yellow ?), Gelli Plate (Gel Press), White EP (SU)

Lake View for CAS Mix Up

Hello friends.

We're halfway through the month already!

There's a little over a week left to play at

CAS Mix Up

Using stamping, watercolor wash and dry embossing.

The Design Team and our Guest Designer, Cathy R.

have some fantastic inspiration to share with you.

I've used a NBUS stamp, Wildflowers, from Technique Tuesday to

stamp on a piece of watercolor wash.

The bloom made me think of mist rising off the lake.

It wasn't intentional, just a happy happening!

I've matted the piece on a bit of black then over some Naturals White

that was dry embossed. 

The picture doesn't show the embossing very well.

Another masculine card to add to my stash.

I have quite a few birthdays for the guys coming up.

This also works for CAS Watercolour

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Wildflowers (TT), Fun Birthday Messages (HLS)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black

Paper: Watercolor (Arches cold press), Naturals White, Basic Black (SU)  

Other:  Gansai Tambi Watercolors, Pinewood Planks EF (SU)

Birthday Blossoms

Hello dear friends.

I had some fun with my Zigs.

I found this piece already stamped, embossed and ready to color.

I pulled out my Zigs and went to work.

It's really not work.  I find watercolor very relaxing.

After coloring the flowers and foliage,

I added a light wash around it all using a wet on wet technique.

CAS Mix Up

I've used stamping, watercolor wash, heart embossing and die cutting.

The Design team along with our Guest Designer, Cathy R.

have lots of inspiration for  you at the challenge site.

The gallery is full of beautiful entries too.

Not sure what a watercolor wash is?

We have links to videos here.

I'll take this over to 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 

This week they're asking for CLEAN AND SIMPLE.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Birthday Blossoms (SU), Beautiful Butterflies (PTI)

Ink:   Whisper White, Chocolate Chip (SU)

Paper:   Neena, Mixed Media (S), Daffodil Delight (SU)

Other:  Zig CCRBM (#50 Yellow, #52 Bright Yellow, #65 Mid Brown, #64 Oatmeal, #43 Olive Green, #46 Mid Green, #36 Light Blue), Stitched Rectangles Die (SSS), Sttitched Shapes Framelits (SU), Stitched Squares (LI)  

Lake Loon Washed

Hello.  Thanks for joining me today.

It's time for a new challenge at CAS Mix Up

This month I'm hosting the challenge and I chose

I've used stamping, watercolour wash, watercolor painting, salt and heat embossing

I die cut this beautiful loon die from mixed media paper.

I colored details for the cattails and loon with Distress Markers

and an Aqua Painter.

The rest of the piece was washed, wet on wet

I added more color when the piece was just damp and got some blooms.

I think it made it looks more like water.

The background piece was washed and salted.

There are some awesome inspiration pieces at the challenge blog.

Our Design Team have done beautiful work and so has our

Guest Designer, Cathy R.

We've also got lots of videos if you need some technique ideas.

Hope to see you at 

CAS Mix Up

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Messages (HLS)

Ink:   Whisper White (SU)

Paper:   Neena, Mixed Media (S), Basic Black

Other:  Lake Loon Die (GM), White EP (SU), Gansai Tambi Watercolors

Snowflake Joy

Hi there.

Did this week go by fast for you too?

Merry Monday is back after a summer break.

My friend Marcia is hosting this week.
Here's her challenge.

There's lots of wonderful inspiration over there and it's always good to

have those Christmas cards done before it's time to send them out!

I'm also going to enter this at City Crafters Week #378

PICK ONE

I have a combination of the top and bottom right samples.

also Craft Stamper Magazine Take it Make It September Challenge

ANYTHING GOES

My UFO box had a Brusho background that had been stamped and
embossed with the wonderful, BIG, Hero Arts snowflake.

I had just bought a new die set of Penny Black Christmas words so
I die cut the joy from a snippet of glimmer paper.  The snowflake too.

Another card for the Christmas box!


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Dazzling Snowflake (HA)

Ink:   Whisper White

Paper:   Mixed Media (S), Neena, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer (SU)

Other:  White EP, Brusho Crystals (?), Stitche Rectangles Dies (SSS), Snowflake Die (IO), Greetings Die (PB)

Choose Joy Tiny Flowers

Hello, dear friends.

I'm playing with a couple of challenges today that I haven't played in a long time.

It seems like the days are just too short to do all that I'd like to do!

I used the tiny flower stamps that were included with a lovely sentiment set that I recently bought.

In the Make it Monday Challenge #296, at Papertrey Ink, Lexi showed us how
to use some of these tiny stamps in a repetitive pattern for a card.
Here's Lexi's card....

I put mine in a die cut window.  It helped to get the images in a straight line

(I don't do straight lines very well!)

and at Less is More this week

I love this color combination!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Choose Joy, Beautiful Butterflies (PTI)

Ink:   Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Gumball Green (SU)

Paper:   Whisper White Thick Pacific Point (SU)

Other:  Take Three Die (PTI)