Happy Birthday, Darnell

Today is Darnell's Birthday.

If all her friends sang Happy Birthday at the same time,

it would be heard around the world!

Happy Birthday, my friend, 

and I hope you have many, many more.

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

    **********

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Happy Moments (retired)

Ink: SU Markers (Not Quite Navy, Pear Pizzazz, Real Red)

Paper:  Marina Mist, Whisper White

Other:  Anytime Tags Dies (Lil Inker), Fancy Fan EF, Crochet Thread

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Serene Silhouettes for Queen Trish

This week's Queen for the Day is to revisit a past Queen whose screen name begins with T-Z.  The fabtastic person that presents this challenge each week left her name off the list.  I'm thinking that, when someone was filling in, she was named Queen but I can't find it in the list. So...she's my pick for Queen this week.

Here's the gorgeous card that I CASED for Queen Trish (aka TrishG).  And here's what I did....

I hadn't had much success with the Acrylic Block technique in the past and kind of gave up on it. (You can find a tutorial here.) I used markers to ink the block.  I think I needed to spritz more water on it but I was happier with this attempt than past tries.

I did try it again without going in such straight lined and spritzed more water.  It made the prettiest background.  Then I ruined it when I stamped the image.  I couldn't salvage any of that. =(

I'll try again though.

I'm going to take this over to Simon Says Wednesday Challenge which is Anything Goes

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Teeny, Tiny Wishes

Ink:  SU Markers (Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral, Marina Mist, Basic Black), Jet Black StazOn
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black
Other:  Acrylic Block, Woodgrain EF, Corner Rounder Punch

I'm so glad you could stop by.

Enjoy!

For Queen Jill

The current Queen for the Day at SCS is Jill (JDfromPAUSA).  I saw lots of wonderful cards to CASE in her gallery.  This is the card I finally settled on.

Here's my card....

Jill used different colors of embossing powders for her sentiment.  I just inked the stamp with different colors without embossing.

I wanted to keep the design using nature but wanted it subtle so as not to upstage the prayer.  So I inked with markers and stamped off on scratch paper before stamping on the design piece.  And since it's on it's way to my nephew I'm taking it over to....

The Paper Players  Challenge this week is Ann's Clean and Simple Masculine Challenge. 

Since I used pieces from the snippets bags for the design and mat, I can go to Pixie's Playground.  There's always some fun shenanigans going on over there as well as wonderful card inspiration!

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Serenity Prayer (Inkadinkado)

Ink:  SU Markers

Paper:  Whisper White, Textured blue (scrap)

My prayers go to the folks in Moore, OK as they recover from that horrible tornado yesterday.  What a monstrous storm!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Enjoy!

Dynamic Serene Silhouettes

Dynamic Duos is celebrating their 1st anniversary!  In honor of this big event, they have invited us to use any of their Past Colour Combos!  Here's my choice.

And the Simon Says Stamp Challenge this week is FLOWER POWER!

This is a card that we did for a sponging class back when this challenge was called.  I missed the deadline and didn't get it posted then.  

The layout was inspired by this card by Mary T. (jandjccc) posted at SCS.

The flower image was first stamped in Whisper White and heat embossed with white.  Wisteria Wonder was sponged around the embossed design. Then the flower was stamped again in Concord Crush.  Such an easy technique with a powerful impact.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush

Paper:  Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush

Other:  White EP, Scallop Trim Corner Punch (soon to be retired)

Glad you could stop by!

Enjoy!

Sunrise Sunset Serene Silhouette

The CAS challenge at SCS yesterday was to do a card inspired by this quote:

May every sunrise hold more promise

and every sunset hold more peace.

The quote made me think of this card that I had done with the Watercolor Splotches technique.  I don't believe I had ever posted it. (I can see that I have learned a lot about editing since I did this picture.)

I love the quote and think I will do it up on the computer to use in sympathy or thinking of you cards.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes (stamped twice)

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Re-inkers

Paper:  Shimmery White, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Other:  Aquapainter, Ticket Corner Punch, Square Lattice EF, Rich Razzleberry Ribbon (retired), Linen Thread, Basic Rhinestones

I hope the week is off to a good start for you.  Thanks for visiting.

Enjoy!

Serene Silhouettes

It's been such a busy week.  I finally have my craft room pretty well tamed and just in time.  We will be gathering here for Stamp and Share tomorrow.

Here again I was using some pieces left from the last class.  I had done the image when I saw the CAS-Colours and Sketches challenge for this week.

I had decided the flowers needed a butterfly and I had one from Rich Razzleberry in the butterfly box.  How lucky is that!

CAS-ual Fridays is having a

Addicted to Stamps is having an ANYTHING GOES week.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Happiest Birthday Wishes (retired Hostess set)

Ink:  Pool Party, SU Markers (Primrose Petals, Always Artichoke, Basic Black)
Paper:  Whisper White, Primrose Petals
Other:  Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits, Ovals Bigz Die, Holiday Frame EF, Lattice EF (Sizzix), Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Festive Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercing Tool, Stampin' Sponge, Rhinestones (non SU)

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Shades of Blue

Here's another card using the Serene Silhouettes flower.  I love this flower!

When I saw this card by the Queen for the Day Carole, at SCS this week, I knew just what I wanted to do.  If I had time, I would CASE many of her beautiful cards.  Such an inspiration!

The colors are from Dynamic Duos: Monochromatic shades of Teal.  The design team has outdone themselves this week! So many beautiful creations!

Just us Girls has the same colors in their photo inspiration.  Again, some wonderful inspiration from the design team!

Simon Says Anything Goes.  How easy is that!

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes

Ink:  SU Markers (Pool Party, River Rock)

Paper:  Whisper White, Island Indigo

Other:  Big Shot, Framed Tulips EF,  Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Pool Party Seam Binding, Basic Pearls

Thanks for stopping by. 

Enjoy!

Serene Silhouettes Sponged

The Featured Stamper this week on SCS is Andrea aka stampinandrea.  What a wonderful gallery full of CAS inspiration!  This is the card I chose to CASE.  I used the purples, sponging and a similar layout.

The layout looks like the  Seize the Birthday sketch to me.  This week it's a feminine card. Check, check.  And another birthday card for the stash.

Here's the sketch

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes

Ink:  Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush

Paper:  Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush, DSP

Other:  Scallop Trim Corner Punch, Lacy Brocade EF, Stampin Sponge

I'm so glad you could stop by.  I hope you'll come back again soon.

Enjoy!

More Autumn Foliage

A while ago I posted a one layer card using this stamp and technique.  You can see that card here.  That card was my second try.  The first had a smudge and ruined the design for a  one layer card.  So I cut the design out and it's been sitting in my UFO (UnFinished Objects) box until I had time to put it on a card.

It's pretty straight forward and simple. I inked the trees with markers using the thumping technique on the leaves. I colored in the grass extending the green a bit with the markers, and dotted with the fine point of the markers for fallen leaves.

The CCEE Stampers challenge this week is hosted again by my friend Brenda (Benzi) and she's asked for Fall colors with leaves and a punched border.  I die cut the border because I didn't have a punch that I thought was appropriate for a masculine card.  Hope that's OK.

Shopping our Stash is about Halloween/Trick or Treat this week.  I'm not sure that this is really what they're looking for, but Fall Foliage is certainly a treat at Halloween time. 

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes

Ink:  SU markers (Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Lucky Limeade, Summer Starfruit)

Paper:  Naturals White, Cajun Craze

Other:  Big Shot, Finishing Touches Edgelits, Linen Thread

And it's another masculine card for the Newcomer's Club.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Autumn Sunset

Here's a card for this week's Queen for the Day at SCS.  Her name is Joanne but she goes by jojot.  What fun to take a leisurely look at her gallery.  This is the her inspiration card.  Congratulations Joanne! Enjoy your reign!

Here is my card.

I'm also going to take this over to Shopping Our Stash where they're looking for 

Fur or Feathers

No Insects, Spiders or Bees.

The Peach Parfait cardstock and sentiment are both from my stash.

The background was done with the Watercolor Splotches technique.  You can find a tutorial here.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Three Little Words (retired)

Ink:  Jet Black StazOn

Paper:  Shimmery White, Basic Black, Peach Parfait (retired)

Other:  Re-inkers (Pool Party, Marina Mist, Pumpkin Pie) Aqua Painter

Thanks so much for your visit.  I really enjoy hearing from you and getting by to see what you've been up to.

Enjoy!

Autumn's Foliage

When I saw the Serene Silhouettes stamp set, I imagined these trees clothed in Autumn's splendor.  While I can't begin to create what God has done so beautifully, I can  have fun trying to share it on paper.

I think I can get this in the Less is More challenge in time. This week they're asking for FOLIAGE on a One Layer Card.

The One Layer Wednesday challenge, which I've neglected lately is hosted by Cheryl.  She's asking for an AUTUMN card.

The Ways to Use It challenge at SCS is to use Markers. Painting the stamp with my markers is one of my favorite techniques!

The Free for All challenge at SCS is to use the Corner Rounder punch.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Three Little Words (retired)

Ink: SU Markers (Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Lucky Limeade, Summer Starfruit)

Paper:  Very Vanilla

Other:  Blender Pen, Simply Scored, Corner Rounder Punch

Whew!  It's taken longer to edit the picture and do the blog than to do this card.  Well, not if you count the first try that didn't work out.  You'll be seeing part of that on another card though.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit.

Enjoy!

Dynamic Duos Meets the Queen

Queen for the Day at SCS last week was Arizona Maine (Angela).  I've been drooling over Angela's creations since she came on the scene at SCS.   You might want to check out her gallery.  This is the card that I CASEd.  And here's what I came up with.

I used the bold and sassy colors from the Dynamic Duos challenge this week.

The circle background image was stamped with Whisper White Craft ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Then I used a combination of Watercolor Crayons and markers to color the images.

Part of the flower spray, from Thoughts and Prayers, was inked with markers and stamped so the circle design would look like a continuation.

I ended up with a smudge on one side of the design piece so I cut it off and just happened to have this Old Olive card with some of the front cut off.  They were a good match so I adhered the design piece so that a bit of the back of the card shows. I think it needs something else and I'm not sure what.  Maybe some scoring on the green card front.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Thoughts and Prayers, Kindness Matters (sentiment)

Ink:  Whisper White, Old Olive, SU Markers (Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive)

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White

Other:  White EP, Old Olive Ribbon (retired)

It didn't turn out as I imagined, but I'll go with it.  It's quite different from my usual layouts and it's fun to break away and try something different.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Serene River Rock and Artichoke

Serene Silhouettes may not be a silhouette this time, but it is serene due to the Dynamic Duos challenge.

 This week's colors are 

I used the layout from the CAS challenge at SCS this week.  The inspiration card is simply beautiful and I was tempted to do an exact CASE.  I loved how she used her Crop-A-Dile for the embossing across the bottom of her card and I did that.  My Crop-A-Dile pretty much just sits there gathering dust.  I was happy to find another good use for it.

I think this would be a good card to send to a guy or as a sympathy card.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Teeny, Tiny Wishes
Ink:  Always Artichoke, SU Markers (Always Artichoke, River Rock)
Paper:  River Rock Textured, Always Artichoke, Whisper White
Other:  Linen Thread, Crop-A-Dile (retired)


Our weather has turned so nice!  After days of heat and humidity, we've had a warm but breezy and humidity free day today. How lovely!

I'm so glad you stopped by.  I hope you come back soon.

Enjoy!

Father's Day

Hi Peeps.  I wanted to share the card I did for DH for Father's Day.  I left it til the last minute and had to work like crazy yesterday to get it finished.

I found this stamp on our craft store field trip and just couldn't resist.  My DH, Pop Pop to the grandkids, is always pointing out the trees and birds to the young ones.  He's quite apt to give a Latin name for a tree, which I think means he doesn't really know the tree, but we play along with him anyway.  Of course I had to ink up the stamps with my markers.  It's so much more fun than doing a silhouette.

The trees are from my new Stampin' Up! set, Serene Silhouettes.  I love this set!  There again, I inked the trees with markers then went back and sponged the grass and sky.  I stamped the grass with an old fern stamp from a set I believe is called Watercolor Minis.  It was one of the first SU sets that I bought.

I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches this week.  When I saw the sketch, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with this stamp for DH's card.

I flipped it over so everybody was looking in the right direction.

Hubby liked the card and even put it on the mantle instead of shoving it back in the envelope.  That made me happy!  It truly is a one of a kind card.  I doubt I could ever duplicate it.  But he's a one of a kind sort of guy.  And a terrific Dad/Pop Pop!

All supplies are SU unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes, Teeny, Tiny Wishes, Dad Stamp (Great Impressions)

Ink:  Old Olive, Soft Sky (retired), Not Quite Navy, SU Markers

Paper:  Whisper White, Handsome Hunter (retired)

Other: Sponge Daubers, Blender Pen, Word Window Punch

I talked to my Dad tonight.  He's in the soldier's home and so far away from us.  I wish he was near enough where I could visit him often.  He sounds like he had a good day and for that I'm thankful.  I hope you were able to spend time with a special Dad today, whether it was your own, your children's or just a special guy who's a Dad to someone.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  

Enjoy!

Dynamic Duos Retrosketch

Hello stampin' peeps.  I have a new toy that I'm excited to share with you.  It's the new stamp set, Serene Silhouettes and I fell in love with it when I first laid eyes on it in the new catalog.  I used one of the images for this card.

The Dynamic Duos challenge is fairly new.  This is just the 6th week.  It was started by my friend Lesley of Always Playing with Paper and she has found a dynamic design team. Each week they give two colors and only those two colors can be used along with neutrals such as black, white, vanilla, skin colors and kraft.  This week's colors are....

There's also a fairly new sketch challenge out there.  It's called retrosketches and I love the simple sketches that they come up with.  Arielle, of the ColorQ challenge is the host of this one.  And she has brought together another amazing design team.  Here's the sketch this week.

I love the way combining the two challenges came together.  I'm hoping you'll like it too.

I used my favorite technique of using markers to ink the silhouette stamps.  This particular stamp has a watercolor look when it's done like that. I stamped twice after each re-inking.  It looks like I re-inked three times.

This is really an awesome set and I can't wait to play with some more of the stamps in this set.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes

Ink: Basic Gray, SU Markers (Regal Rose, Basic Gray)

Paper:  Whisper White, Regal Rose

Other:  Big Shot, Top Note Die, Square Lattice EF, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon

I'm so glad you could stop by. 

Enjoy!