Watercolor Fun and Butterfly Kisses

This is a piece I did during the Watercolor for Cardmakers - Intermediate class
that I took a while back.

I still haven't done all the homework.

It's a good thing I can go back and do it at my own pace.

Anyway, this was an exercise in Watercolor Wash.

After it was dry, I stamped and embossed this flower then added
Memory Box butterflies.

I can add this to the beautiful gallery at
Outside the Box: Challenge #9

I've got lots of pink on this card!

I can also take it to

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge
INSPIRED BY A SONG


for the song Butterfly Kisses.
I'm not sure which came first, the song or the card?

and

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
ANYTHING GOES




Only a few more days until the start of 
CAS Mix Up

This is a sample of a CAS Mixed Media card using
watercolor, stamping, heat embossing, die cutting and a few sequins for added texture.
Loll (Stamping with Loll) and I hope you'll join us there on March 1st.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness

Ink:  Whisper White

Paper:  Watercolor (Arches 140 lb. cold press), Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Vellum (SU)

Other:  Watercolors (W&N French Ultramarine, Aureolin, Alizarin Crimson), Isabella Butterfly, Pippi Butterfly (MB), White EP (SU), Sequins (PPP)

Happy Birthday Tracey

I'm late for a  party for Tracey McNeely who had a birthday last week.  There's a linky party going on here.  I hope there's some cake left!

If you don't know her, Tracey, of the blog In My Creative Opinion, is so inspiring.  Not only is she an exceptional CAS card designer, but she inspires with her encouraging comments. Many times she has visited my blog and made me feel so good.  Thanks Tracey and I hope you have enjoyed all the love sent your way.  

I kept seeing these stitched mats on Tracey's cards.  And every time I saw them I would think I really needed to get some.  I finally did and I sure do enjoy them.  I always think of Tracey when I use them.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness

Ink:  Tangerine Tango, Cherry Cobbler

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Other:  Stitched Mats Rectangles (Lil Inkers)

I first stamped the flower in Cherry Cobbler and sponged some Tangerine Tango on it.  I didn't like it at all. So...

I stamped the flower by inking it with Tangerine Tango and sponging some Cherry Cobbler on the stamp with a sponge dauber.  I liked it better so I cut it out and added it over the ugly first flower with dimensionals.

I'm going to take this over to Seize the Birthday too.  Any birthday card will do but we can add a topping of texture.  I've used the Stitched Mat Rectangles embossing.  I hope that's topping enough.

I'm really glad you stopped by.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Marybeth (a little late)

Marybeth, of Marybeth's Time for Paper had a birthday a little while ago.  Joyce and Cathy have planned a belated birthday/blog party for her.  Marybeth is so inspiring both with her creativity and with her encouraging comments.  How could I not want to particpate?

You may remember that I was playing with this flower last week.  While the stamp was inked and still looked pretty juicy, I stamped again on another piece.  Seeing it on my table and thinking about Marybeth, this came together.

Marybeth, I hope had a wonderful birthday!  Enjoy all the love today.  You are such an inspiration!

Here's the rest of the party goers.  Take a peek and see what they've done for Marybeth.

Joyce

Cathy

Ally

Bev

Bonnie

Carol J.

Carol S.

Christina

Darnell

Helen

Jeanne

Jill

Kara

Kelly

Kim

Lisa

Nancy

Renee

Sharron

Sue

Tracey

Vickie

Addicted to Stamps and More is having a CAS with a Twist Challenge

OPTION 1

Create a CAS (Clean and Simple) project

OPTION 2

Create a project that incorporates a Nicecrane Design Image

OPTION 3

Combine the two and create a CAS project with a Nicecrane Design Image

I chose Option 1.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness, Papillon Potpourri, Morning Meadow (Hostess Set)

Ink:  Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Tuxedo Black (Memento), SU Marker (Daffodil Delight, Basic Black), VersaMark

Paper:  Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Other:  Clear EP, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Scallop Trim Corner Punch (retired)

The butterfly was stamped and colored with a Daffodil Marker.  Then I smacked it with the VersaMark pad and clear embossed it. After punching it out and mounting it on the card, I drew the antennae with a Basic Black Marker.

I'm glad you could stop by today. I hope you'll have time to visit some of the other party goers blogs and especially Marybeth's.

Enjoy!

Blooming with Kindness Inside Out

Here's an inside out card for the Technique Challenge at SCS this week.

 External Frame/Internal Greeting

Today's challenge is to create a frame on the outside opening of your design, and to have the actual sentiment and main image on the inside. 

The outside....

And the inside....

It uses the colors of the Color Challenge at SCS.  The butterfly really is Daffodil Delight and Old Olive.  I don't know why it's showing up orange here.

Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Dessert Option--Use some kind of flower

Other Challenges:

Seize the Birthday 

And a couple of new to me challenges thanks to Cathy of Cathy's Card Spot

Cuttlebug Mania  

The front of the card is embossed with Perfect Polkas Dots Embossing Folder.

Simon Says Monday Challenge

Make the Cut

The window and frame were cut with the Window Frames Collection Framelits.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness, Happiest Birthday Wishes (retired)

Ink:  Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Tuxedo Black (Memento), SU Markers (Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Basic Black)

Paper:  Whisper White

Other:  Big Shot, Window Frames Collection Framelits, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Bitty Butterfly Punch, White Gel Pen.

I cut the window in the base card and front panel with the Window Framelit then cut a frame from a scrap piece using the same framelit and the next larger one.

Then I lightly traced the shape on the inside with a pencil.  Using this as a guide, I stamped the flower and sentiment and when the ink was dry, I erased the pencil marks.

The butterfly was stamped with Tuxedo Black (Memento) and colored with markers. Then I smacked it with the VersaMark pad and clear embossed it before punching it out. It's adhered with a glue dot under the body so the wings can be pulled up.  The antenna is drawn with the black marker.

I nearly scrapped this project as the first 2 times I went to stamp the image, it fell off the block onto the card.  I was able to fix that by applying 2-Way Glue to the top of the stamp and letting it dry.  It stays put very well on the block now. 

I was able to salvage one of the mishaps.  I'll share that with you later.

I hope you're having a wonderful day wherever you are.   Thanks for sharing some of it with me.

Enjoy!

Hope is....

A  very simple card today.

CASology's code work this week is

The Color Challenge at SCS this week is More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight.  Dessert is Spring.

If you look closely at the butterflies, you can see that I used More Mustard and Daffodil Delight on one and Daffodil Delight and Tempting Turquoise on the other.  They were stamped in black and colored with Stampin' Up! markers.

At Simon Says 

ANYTHING GOES

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Papillon Potpourri, Blooming with Kindness
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, SU Markers (Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise)
Paper:  Whisper White
Other:  Ovals Framelit Dies, Floral Oval Dies (Spellbinders)

I haven't seen any butterflies yet this Spring.  But it won't be long until they start to appear.

I'm so glad you could stop in.  I really enjoy your comments.  They keep me motivated.

Enjoy!

Playing with Muse

My time is almost up for the Muse challenge and I finally got a card finished late last night.

This week's Muse was Therese Calvird and this was her beautiful card that we were to use as our Muse (or source of inspiration).  

The first thing that caught my eye about Therese's lovely card was the cut out circle with the die cut and the simple layout.  I tried to go with a flower but mine were either too big or too small.  Then I thought of this set of butterflies that I bought a year ago and never inked up.  I pulled them out and I amused myself by going off in a different direction than I planned.

I know this happens to you sometimes.  It seems to be happening to me a lot lately!

The door is about to close so I need to take this over to the Muse site.  Voting starts at noon. Did you know that the winners are determined by viewers?  Kind of a new concept.

These are some other challenges that I want to enter.

Addicted to CAS  

Play Date Cafe

I used Cameo Coral and Calypso Coral to color the butterfly.  They came out darker than I'd planned.  I hope that's OK. 

Less is More is having a theme week

Frame it!

To get the matted circle, I cut a circle from the black with a Nestie then punched the white with my 2 1/2" Circle Punch.  LOL, I probably won't ever be able to do that again and have it come out right!  I should have added a ribbon, but it's too late now.  That panel is there to stay.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps: Butterfly (Lost Coast Designs), Blooming with Kindness
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento), SU Markers (Cameo Coral, Calypso Coral, Basic Black)
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black
Other:  2 1/2" Circle Punch, Circle Nesties (Spellbinder)

I'm so glad you could stop by.  Sorry I have to rush off, but I do want to join the party while the door is still open.

Enjoy!

Featuring Sue

The Featured Stamper at SCS this week is Sue (aka suen).  I had a hard time deciding which of her lovely cards I wanted to CASE.  I think I'll be CASEing more of her cards in the days to come.  This is Sue's lovely card that I CASEd this time.

Here's what I came up with.

I used the same stamp set but used just the large flower.  I stamped the flower 3 times and cut each out. Then I used the Paper Tole technique on the flower.  I used a white background, different embossing folder and ribbon and different sentiment.  I put some micro beads in the center. I'm not sure I really like them there, but there's no going back now!

Addicted to Stamps and More is looking for CLEAN AND SIMPLE cards this week.

CAS on Sunday    Challenge #3 - Happy Birthday!

Simon Says Stamp Challenge since this has a Bit of Green.


All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps: Blooming with Kindness, Field Flowers 
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Regal Rose, Primrose Petals, Lucky Limeade
Paper:  Whisper White
Other:  Vine Street EF, Lucky Limeade Ribbon, Micro Beads, Crystal Effects


I know some of you are buried in snow.  Take heart. Spring isn't far away.

I'm so glad you could stop by today.  Let me know so I can return the favor.

Enjoy!

For Queen Claudia

This is for the Queen for the Day at Splitcoaststampers.  Trish names the queen on Fridays and I usually get to browse the Queen's gallery but don't get a card made until much later....if ever!  Anyway, this week the Queen is Claudia and I wish I had time to CASE many of her cards.  This is the card I chose to work from mainly because I have this beautiful flower and it had been sitting in my "must use before I put it away"  box.

While I was trying to decide which of Claudia's card to CASE, the SCS Color Challenge was posted.   This week's colors are Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink and Primrose Petals.  Dessert is lace.  So I was able to combine both challenges into one card.  I love it when that happens!

The layout is this week's retrosketches #34

The flower was stamped on scraps of white inked with Pretty in Pink. I fit the Stamp-a-majig around the stamp before removing it.  Then I inked the stamp with Primrose Petals, stamped off once, fit in the SAMJ and overstamped the Pretty in Pink.  I used a Blender Pen to blend the colors together.  The flower is fussy cut and layered on another flower done the same way.

I diecut and embossed a lacy border and added a bit of lace that I've had forever.  So I'll take this over to Pixie's Crafty Workshop where we share our snippets.  In this case, I'll be sharing dessert too!

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness

Ink:  Pretty in Pink, Primrose Petals

Paper:  Primrose Petals, Very Vanilla, Whisper White

Other:  Big Shot, Large Scallop Edgelit, Delicate Designs EF,  Lace (unknown origin)

It's so nice of you to stop by.  I hope you'll leave me a comment so I can return the favor.

Enjoy!