Turning the Page July 2019

Time to turn the page on our calendars to a new month.

I make calendars each year for my desk and my family.

I thought I'd set up a regular post on the last day of each month to share them.

I hope you enjoy my “Turning the Page” posts.

Here's our July page.

By the way, the calendars are clipped together and can be displayed on an easel

or hung on a push pin or magnetic hook.  We all have a different way to display them.

If you would like a word document with the calendar, email me

and I will be glad to send it to you so you can design your own.

Email link is on the sidebar.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Peaceful Scene for Rudolph Days

Hello crafty friends.

Today I have another Christmas card.
I love how my stash is growing!

I had the pleasure of meeting Maureen last month while I was at the retreat.

She graciously shared some winter die cuts with us.

This is from one of them.  I actually cut the die cut and made two cards. 

I'll share the other one at a later date.

Maureen holds the Rudolph Days Challenge every month from the

25th until the end of the month.

The challenge is Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas.

I've simply added the die cut to a small piece of

Re-inker and Frost paint Smoosh then popped a die cut

piece on top to frame it.

The tiny snippets of yellow in the windows will let me into

Pixie's Snippet Playground

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Christmas Sentiments (PB)  

Ink:   Not Quite Navy (SU), 

Paper:   Neenah, Daffodil Delight (SU)

Other:  Winter Village Die (PB), Re-inkers (Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Not Quiet Navy), Frost White Paint, Snowflake Die (IO), Double Pierced Square Die (Avery Elle), WOS

Happy Birthday Loll

Today is a special day.

It's my dear friend Loll's birthday.

A few years ago I wished her happy birthday on my blog and had the wrong date.

I've been afraid to do that again so I've kept quiet.

But this year I'm throwing caution to the wind.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRIEND!

While at the retreat, Trina let me use her new Memory Box Rose Bouquet stamp.

I stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with white powder,

then with some borrowed Zigs, I colored.  What a wonderful image to color!

I used part of the image for this card and embossed the sentiment on vellum.

I couldn't not use the other part of the image....

Hmmm.  I'm thinking I need this stamp in my collection.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Rose Bouquet (MB), Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Versamark

Paper:   Neenah, Vellum, Mixed Media 

Other:  White EP, Zig CCRBM, Rectangle Die

More Twofer Bees

Hi there.  I hope you are doing bee-utifully!

I went wild with that bee stamp this month.

Darnell's Twofer Challenge

My onefer....

The sunflower is the die cut I used for a stencil for this card.

It was too pretty to toss and my UFO box is so full.

The background was a leftover from the other card on the same post.

I stamped the sentiment too high for that design.

It worked well here. 

I love when I can use those leftovers right away!

A dry embossed honeycomb and a little stamping made a quick

home for this bee.

We recently visited my hometown in Vermont.

It's been so nice to be in my beloved Green Mountains.

Here's the view from our deck.

It was so nice to be there and spend time with family!


Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Dragonfly Dreams (SU), Banner Sentiments (PB)

Ink:   Archival Jet Black, So Saffron (SU), Mustard Seed, Gathered Twigs (DI)

Paper:   Neenah

Other:  Black EP, Copic Y18, Sunflower Die (IO)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Dragonfly Dreams (SU), Fancy Sayings (Clearly Besotted)

Ink:   Archival Jet Black, So Saffron (SU)

Paper:   Daffodil Delight (SU), Neenah

Other: Black EP, Hexagon EF (SU)

Bleached Ombre

Hello friends.

I'm having a great time using the ombre technique.

Another card from our retreat.

This one uses a combination of  Linda's blending technique and Susan's

bleach technique.  I love this stamp but I don't know where it came from or

what it's called.   It comes from a Clearly Besotted stamp set called

Friend's Forever. (Thanks Colleen).  It doesn't seem to be available now

which is a shame because I would love to have this set.

Money saved!

With Linda's instruction and those blending brushes, I was able to get a rich,

smooth  background for the first time ever!

We stamped and heat embossed an image.

I loved the open flower but it kept calling to me to use bleach on it.

So I did and was I sorry!

I think I was too heavy handed with it or didn't blot fast enough.

I thought I'd ruined the whole piece.

But then I remembered that Susan had said we could go back in and

watercolor over the bleached part.

So with nothing to lose, I pulled out my watercolor pencils and a damp

waterbrush and went to work.

I think I saved it.

I hope I can save the other sample I did, but that was

enough stress for one day!

There's still a couple of days to join in at
CAS Mix Up

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe 

Stamps:  Forever Friends (ret. Clearly Besotted), Hello Friend (GKD)

Ink:   Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Seedless Preservs, Spun Sugar, Work Lipstick (DOX)

Paper:   Neenah

Other:  White EP, Bleach, Watercolor Pencils (Caran d'ache #90 Purple, #220 Grass Green, #69 Burnt Sienna, Blending Brushes

Pink Cosmo

Hello crafty friends.  I'm glad you stopped by today!

I had this stamp set out to use the sentiment.  I've used it lots for the sentiment, but

I don't think I'd ever inked the flowers.

They were so much fun to color.  I don't know why it took so long to play with them!

I put the stamp in my MISTI and used a combination of Distress Ink and 

Distress Markers to ink the outline stamp. 

I pulled color into the petals with my waterbrush and added color where 

I needed extra by picking up ink swiped on my palette.

When I was finished coloring, I pulled some of the pink from the edges

of the flowers to create a soft wash.

I used the stamp again by stamping with embossing ink

and heat embossing with white powder.

Then I blended Distress Oxide ink with my brushes (thanks, Trina).

I colored it dark at the top and faded it out toward the bottom to create an

ombre look.

Then I used a damp waterbrush to lift color from the petals.

I loved the soft contrast!

The centers were done with a Copic marker.

At CAS Mix Up the challenge is

The challenge is open until the 24th.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Cosmo (TT)

Ink:   Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Aged Mahogany, Crushed Olive, Fossilized Amber, Gathered Twigs (DI and DM), Early Espresso (SU)

Paper:   Mixed Media, Basic Black (SU), Neenah

Other:  

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Cosmo (TT), Banner Sentiments (PB)

Ink:   WOW Embossing Pad, Picked Raspberry (DOX)

Paper:   Neenah

Other:  Damp Waterbrush to remove color, Yellow Copic Marker, Pearl Thread, Dew Drops

Santa's Gifts for CAS Christmas Reminder

Hi there.

There's still time to join in at CAS Christmas.

This month, Linda is asking for....

Ho, ho, ho.  You must have been good because Santa has some gifts!

All colored with Copic markers and cut out and layered up.

I hope you'll check out what our fabulous Design Team and our 

Guest Designer, Leslie have done to inspire you.

Then join us at CAS Christmas.

(Christmas will be here before we know it!)

Santa will also go over to

Jingle Belles

SANTA BABY Challenge.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Jingle All the Way, Santa's Elves (MFT), Bauble Stamp Set (magazing freebie)

Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red (SU)

Paper:   Neenah

Other:  Copic Markers, Stripes EF (SU), Double Pierced Rectangle Die (AE), Dazzling Details (SU)

Cornflower for CAS Watercolour Reminder

Hello.  We are midway through the month
and midway through the year.
Whew, how did that happen so fast?

This month I chose the challenge at

CAS Watercolour

I have a Cornflower Blue Zig CCRBM and a fairly new die that

my friend, Hideko enabled me to buy.

I cut the cornflowers out of watercolor paper and used my Zigs

to give it some color.

I love this die!  It's so easy to color and shape!

I place it on an embossed piece from the retreat, held my breath as I stamped

the sentiment.  Fortunately it didn't take too long and stamped fine,

except it didn't look great in the sage green.  Bless the MISTI, I was

able to stamp over the sage with the cornflower blue and all is well.

I hope you'll check out the wonderful inspiration cards our

Design Team and Guest Designer, TaeEun have done!

You'll be glad you did.

The challenge is open until the 24th.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:   Bundled Sage Distress Marker

Paper:   Neenah, Watercolor (Strathmore 140 lb. cold press)

Other:  Cornflower Die (Alexandra Renke), Zig CCRBM (#37 Cornflower Blue, #38 Peacock Blue, Diamonds in the Rough EF (Cuttlebug)

Ombre Fern for CAS Mix Up Reminder

Hello crafty friends.

Can you believe it's the 15th of the month?

There's still time to join in at 

CAS Mix Up

Pop on over and see what our talented Design Team and 

this month's fabulous Guest Designer, Bobby have done to inspire you.

I've sponged an Ombre background using Distress inks and

those fun new brushes that Trina gave all of us at the retreat.

They work like a dream! (Or else rubbing Trina's arm to get her

talent to rub off on me really worked!)

I used two shades of green starting with Mowed Lawn at the top

and Twisted Citron at the bottom and blended in toward the center.

I die cut the fern from Neenah cardstock then used what was left

behind as a stencil.  I used a wet baby wipe to dab at the blended

background through the stencil to get a ghosted look.

The frame was in my stash and seemed a good fit.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Scripty Sayings 1 (GKD)

Ink:   Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron (DI), Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Neenah

Other:  Delicate Fern Die (MB), Dew Drops (PPP), Deckled Rectangle Die (Spellbinders)

Twofer Bees

Hello crafty friends.  I'm so glad you stopped by.

Did you guess that this is for Darnell's Twofer Challenge?

 

One of my twofers

A card to brighten someone's day.  This on it's way to a friend that

just had knee surgery.

I die cut this sunflower in frame twice and used one as a stencil to 

sponge ink through with sponge daubers.

I cut the sponged piece to the size of the frame, stamped

a sentiment and glued the sunflower frame on top.

I love the cheerfulness of the yellow card base.

I hope Debbie finds it cheerful

I'm thinking that this one would work for a guy.

Both bees were stamped with Archival ink and heat embossed with 

black powder.  The yellow stripes were done with a Copic Marker.

The Twofer Challenge is open until the 24th.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps: Dragonfly Dreams (SU), Special Sentiments (PB)  

Ink:   Archival Jet Black, Mustard Seed, Gathered Twigs (DI)

Paper:   Neenah, Daffodil Delight (SU)

Other:  Black EP, Copic Marker (Y18), Sunflower Die (IO)

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Dragonfly Dreams (SU), Banner Sentiments (PB)

Ink:   Archival Jet Black, So Saffron (SU)

Paper:   Neenah, Basic Black (SU)

Other:  Black EP, Copic Marker (Y18), Stitched Hexagon Die (MB), Hexagon EF (SU)

Bird of Roses Times Two

Hello friends.  I'm so glad you could stop by today!

I love it when I can use a die two ways.

I really love it when I can use it in the same way (sort of)
and get two different cards.

I die cut this bird from a piece of Brusho and popped him on
another piece of Brusho that had been spritzed with more water.

Then I popped a die cut white bird in the shape left from the first cut.

I attempted to call one an out cut, but I'm never sure which is the cut out

and which is the out cut.

When I Googled it to see which was which, cut out means the piece

cut out and the left over piece.

Now I'm really confused!

Honestly, I haven't been in the wine or the Wodka!

At any rate, I was able to get two cards from that one piece of Brusho background.

CAS Watercolour

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:   Pacific Point (SU)

Paper:   Pacific Point, Soft Suede (SU), Mixed Media (St.), Linen Textured

Other:  Brusho (Ost. Blue), Bird of Roses Die (SSS), Pierced Rectangle Die (AE), Woodland Branch Die (MB)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Tempting Turquoise (SU)

Paper:   Neenah, Mixed Media

Other:  Brusho (Turquoise, Purple), Bird of Roses Die (SSS), Double Pierced Rectangle Die (AE)

Sweetest Sound Blues

Hello there crafty friends.

After die cutting these sweet birds, I used a sponge dauber to add
color to the tops of each bird.

Then I blended the color with a damp waterbrush, adding a bit
of pink on the underside.  They ended up being ombre colored
don't you think?

I colored the branch with markers and blended with water.

The background was an oops from a class a couple of months ago.
I thought the embossed feathers worked well with the birds.

I hope to see you in the gallery at CAS Watercolour and CAS Mix Up.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Dapper Denim, Markers (Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery - SU)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 Series), Dapper Denim (SU), Neenah (110 lb. Solar White

Other:  Sweetest Sound Die (PB), Feathers on the Side EF (Darice)

Stenciled Flower

Hello.  I hope you are having a crafty weekend.

No crafting here but I'm hoping to get a few cards posted.

This was made from an image done at the retreat.

I used Versamark through a stencil, sprinkled with heat and stick powder

and heated it up.  Then I dry brushed some purple Pearl ex over the flowers and bud, 

and gold Pearl ex over the stems.

I think I missed some of the center area of the flower because it was

pretty blank there, so I swiped some Distress ink on my palette

and added some watercolor to the flower.

I did a wet on wet wash around everything and got a few splatters too.

For a little extra somethin' I added a few score lines.

I'm going to join in at

CAS Stencil

Stamplorations CAS Challenge

Stamplorations Mixed Media Challenge

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Sprinkles and Smiles (PB)

Ink:   Blackberry Bliss (SU), Versamark, Tumbled Glass, Wilted Violet

Paper:   Mixed Media, Orchid Opulence, Neenah, 

Other:  Happy Flowers Stencil (Stmplrtns), Pearl Ex, Simply Scored (SU), Candy Dot with Dazzling Details on top