Butterflies

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

I have a threefer of butterflies to share with you today.

These are cards I'd done through the year and never got on my blog.

My butterfly was stamped and heat embossed on vellum and

colored on the back with Zigs and a barely damp waterbrush.

When it was dry, I fussy cut it and trimmed down a piece of dry embossed leaves for

him to perch on.  Then I framed it all in some gray "white space".

This card uses a sweet little butterfly stamp by Lost Coast Designs.

I had the die cut in my UFO box with the background all picked out.

The background was smooshed on cardstock with re-inker and frost white paint.

All it needed was this fussy cut butterfly and a sentiment to finish it off.

He's been heat embossed and watercolored.

I love it when I can use one of those UFOs!

This beautiful die cut butterfly was from a play with my friend Nance (Soul Stampin' Designs).

It makes such a Quick And CAS card when paired with a colorful background

with Lindy's Magicals splashed onto coated cardstock.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Butterfly Trio (PB)

Ink:   Wow Embossing Pad

Paper:   Smokey Gray, Vellum Cardstock (SU), Neenah (110 lb. solar white)

Other:  Black EP (SU), Zigs (Lt. Blue, Violet), Stitched Square Die (SSS), Layered leaves EF, Subtle Texture EF (SU)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps: Butterflies Set (Lost Coast Designs), Thoughtful Wishes (Stampendous)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Neenah, Whisper White

Other:  Mixed Media #2 Die (TH), Re-inkers (Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy), Frost White Paint

Card Recipe (card 3)

Stamps: Thankful Wishes (Stampendous)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:  Neenah, Coated

Other:  Flickering Butterfly Collage (PS), Lindy's Magicals

You are Awesome

Hello my friends.

Please forgive the blur.  My camera doesn't like shine!

We're in the last week of our CAS Mix Up Challenge for March

I have smooshed, splattered, die cut and heat embossed on this card.

We've been celebrating our birthday and we love how you have celebrated with us!

If you haven't joined the party yet, you have until the 24th.

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Since I used snippets for my stick frame and butterfly & sntiment, I'm off to
Pixies Snippet Playground
to play with Di, Parsnip and the fun gals there.

I'm also going to share this at the Poppystamps Challenge

I love this Poppystamp Stick Frame die and it seemed perfect in gold.

I just saw that this card from my last post was the winner at Merry Monday!
Thanks, guys!

   

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Painted Butterfly (Alt.)

Ink:   More Mustard, Abandoned Coral (DI), Whisper White (SU)

Paper:   Neena Solar White, Basic Black, Gold Foil (SU)

Other:  Stick Frames (PS), Pippi Butterfly (MB)

Layered Leaves for CAS Mix Up

Hello friends and welcome!

Today is a reminder that there's still time to play at CAS Mix Up.

I've had such fun smooshing different color media this month!

This time it was alcohol ink.

Loll has done a fantastic tutorial on alcohol ink smooshing.

I squirted some drops of green alcohol inks and copper mixative
on a piece of aluminum foil, added blending solution and
smooshed a piece of Yupo paper into it.

After it dried, I sprayed some more blending solution (just a little)
to get a little more pattern going.

The die is 2 layers at the top and a 3rd at the bottom to add body to the foil cardstock.

Our CAS Mix Up Challenge is

I used alcohol ink smooshing, stamping, heat embossing and die cuts.

Don't forget that we are celebrating our First Birthday

and we have prizes!

We also have some wonderful inspiration from our Design Team 

and Guest Designer, Marcia!

And the gallery has some awesome entries too!

The challenge is open until the 24th.

I can't wait to see what and how you smoosh on your Clean and Simple Cards!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Fun Birthday Messages (HLS)

Ink:  VersaMark, Adirondack Alcohol Ink (Lettuce, Botanical, Copper Mixative)

Paper: Rustic Cream (PTI), Yupo, Copper Foil (SU)  

Other:  Layering Leaves Die (C9), Copper EP, Blending Solution

Going Green

Hello, Stampin' Friends,

I had a few minutes of free play and decided to do some smooshing.

March always makes me think green, so I pulled out some green inks and
 my craft mat and had a good time.

I wanted a light background so I used celery ink and blotted the piece
with a paper towel after smooshing.

I dried it with a heat tool and smooshed again, repeating the process until
I was happy with it.

The clover was cut from a piece of Yupo paper I had dropped
alcohol ink on.  I used Loll's 2nd technique here.

So I used smooshing, stamping, alcohol ink, dry embossing and die cuts
forthis month's  CAS Mix Up 

and it's a special birthday challenge!

Two of my friends, Nance (Soul Stampin') and Lori (Caffeinated Creativity)
are on the Design Team of a new to me challenge that I've been wanting to play....

4 Crafty Chicks

#340 GREEN

Curtain Call

Betty Suggests that I enter at The Card Concept

My card is CAS and it does have that one little bit of aqua.

.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Thinking of You (Altenew)

Ink:   Old Olive, Certainly Celery (SU), Alcohol Inks (Adirondack)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Solar White (Neena), Yupo

Other:  Meadow Clover Die (PS), Dew Drops (PTI), Stately EF (Craft Concepts)

Hello Friend for CAS Mix Up March Challenge

It's time for another challenge at CAS Mix Up and it's a very

SPECIAL MONTH!

We are celebrating our 1st Birthday!

More about that later.

This month our challenge is

I smooshed with Inka Gold spritzed with water on cardstock for the birds and 

on watercolor paper for the sky.

The branch was cut from a piece of smooshed alcohol ink.

I also have die cuts and heat embossed stamping.

Now for the part you've been waiting for (or maybe you skipped ahead).

WE HAVE PRIZES!!!!

Be sure to go over to CAS Mix Up and check it out!

While you're there be sure to check out the Design Team's awesome cards.

Our Guest Designer this month is Marcia (Marcia's Stampin' Pad).

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Script Sentiments #1 (Inky Antics)

Ink:   VersaMark, Alcohol Ink (Adirondack Caramel, Gold)

Paper:   Solar White (Neena 110 lb.), Glossy cardstock, Watercolor (Strathmore 140 lb. cold press)

Other:  Liquid Platinum EP (Ranger), By Your Side Die (C&9), Rectangle Peek-a-boo Window (MFT)

Doing the Bubble Wrap Smoosh

We're down to the final days of Darnell's last NBUS Challenge to celebrate her 

5 years of blogging (birthaversary), her more than 1000 followers and

1000+ posts.  What a lot to celebrate! Congratulations, my friend!

Her last challenge, like the 2 previous ones, requires something from our

NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) pile and an optional challenge

of using bubble wrap or bubbles or some other unusual material.

I was intrigued by the bubble wrap backgrounds Darnell and other friends shared

and had to give it a try.  I have lots of the big bubble wrap but not much of the little stuff.

Most of the small bubble wrap came from the inside of padded envelopes and it's kind of squished.

But I decided to go with what I had.

I tried the big stuff and alcohol ink.

It looked like green eyeballs! Eek!

I dropped some more alcohol ink on a piece of the little bubble wrap

and put pressed the green eyeball piece on it.

It helped some but still not great.

So I though, what if I smoosh the  piece into the bubble wrap.

I laid the paper on the inked bubble wrap, pressed down good,

and twisted it smooshing the ink onto the glossy paper.

Now that was fun!

(This isn't that piece.)

So I smooshed some more pieces.

But I was loosing the circles. 

So I spritzed with some more blending solution and

pressed the piece into the bubble wrap again.

Had some circles.

That made me happy!

My NBUS is the Fern Die.  I die cut it 3 times and glued the pieces

 to give it some extra thickness so it wouldn't get lost against the background.

The top layer of the fern is a piece of retired Irrestistable Paper that was laying out.

It has shiny, white dots on it and goes well with that glossy paper.

I also shaped the leaves after the glue had dried.

(Well it was almost dry.)

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  

Ink:   Adirondack Alcohol Ink (Sandal, Indigo, Gold Mixative)

Paper:   Glossy (It was a gift from a friend), Snippets of Neena 110 lb., Irresistibly Yours Paper (retired SU)

Other:  NBUS Pair of Ferns (Cheery Lynn Designs), Bubble Wrap, Blending Solution (Adirondack)

Happy Valentine's Day

Share the hugs!

Here's an example of CAS (Clean and Simple) Mixed Media.

I have smooshing, die cutting, stamping with heat embossing, 

and dry embossing. The smoosh was done with re-inker and Perfect Pearls.

The heart was cut from a smooshed piece and the stitched die cut panel

was mopped up from the craft mat.

BTW, a big thanks to Loll (Stamping with Loll) for my new blog header and signature.

Isn't she the best?

Thanks for stopping by today.

Enjoy!

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Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:  Whisper White (SU)

Paper:  Solar White (Neena), Mixed Media (Strathmore)

Other: Stitched Mats Rectangles (Lil' Inkers), Primitive Hearts Bigz Die (Sizzix), White EP, Re-inkers (SU), Perfect Pearls (Ranger)

Smooshing with Happy Little Stampers

It's time for a new challenge at

Happy Little Stampers CAS

This month's challenge is

If you're not sure about this technique,

 Loll has found several links to smooshing videos.

Tutorials:

Smooshing with Acetate by Laura Bassen (5:59)

Smooshing with Inka Gold by Loll Thompson (4:02)

Smooshing with Waterbased Ink Markers by Sage Kimble (5:10)

Smooshing with Re-inkers by Loll Thompson (3:46)

Smooshing with Alcohol Inks by Artful Splodger (1:19)

Smooshing with Gelatos by Kimberley Crawford (starts on video at 2:58 mark)

Smooshing with Inks by Loll Thompson (3:42)

My flower was cut from pieces of smooshed watercolor paper.

The green was done with re-inker and metallic Perfect Pearls

spritzed with water on a craft mat.

The flower head was mopped up from Brusho overrun.

I find that I get some really pretty papers from the leftovers.

Our challenge is sponsored by

and the winner will receive one stamp set from HLS.

Joyce is our fantastic Guest Designer this month.

Smooshing is fun!  I hope to see lots of smooshed cards this month!

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

    **********

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Solar White (Neena), Mixed Media, 140 lb Cold Press Watercolor (Strathmore)

Other:  Joyful Die (PB), Tall Rectangles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Garden Green re-inker (SU), Gold Metallic Perfect Pearls (Ranger), Brusho Crystals (Scarlet), Simply Scored (SU), Basic Pearls (SU)

Funky Snowman

It's Merry Monday time.

This week, the talented Nina chose our challenge.

Don't ya just love those hats?

Well, as much as I love them, I don't have any funky hats.

So I did some punch art.

Since I used some snippets from the Christmas paper bag,

I'll go to Pixies Snippet Playground.

I hope you can find a funky hat to put on a Christmas card and join us at

Merry Monday.

(Or just pull out your punches and make one!)

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

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Card Recipe

Stamps:  Woodgrain, Yuletide Collection (Kaisercraft)

Ink:  Real Red, Baked Brown Sugar

Paper:  Solar White (Neena), "Smooshed" Whisper White, Baked Brown Sugar, Whisper White, Christmas DSP (retired)

Other: Decorative Label Punch, Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 3/4" Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Candy Dots, Pom Poms (stash)

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

B is for Backyard Basic Butterfly

I enjoyed doing that "watercolor smoosh" technique so much 

that I did another card with it.

This time I smooshed the colors around the edges of where my paper would lay, 

spritzed it and laid the paper on the ink.

I used bright colors but I love the soft look it gave.

I stamped the butterfly with VersaMark ink and embossed with Black EP, 

colored it with Blendabilities, smacked it with VersaMark and clear embossed it.

Makes it look very silky IRL.

After fussy cutting, it was ready to pop in the center of the card front.

Simon Says Monday Challenge

B IS FOR........

I have blue butterfly.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge

THINGS THAT FLY

A butterfly flies.

Looking forward to seeing butterflies again.

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

    **********

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Backyard Basics

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Solar White (Neena), Whisper White, Versa mark

Other: Water Spritzer, Coverplate Stitched Die (Papertrey Ink), Black EP, Clear EP, Blendabilities (Coastal Cabanna set)

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

For Loll

My friend Loll is the CAS Featured Stamper on SCS this week.

Loll inspires me every time she posts

sometimes in between posts too.
Here's her blog.  She'd love to have you visit.

This is Loll's card that inspired me.

I used a piece of "smooshed" background behind the outcut circle and

another piece for the butterfly.

Since I used snippets I can go for a spin on the merry go round at

Pixies Snippet Playground

I'm so glad you could stop by.

Enjoy!

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Card Recipe

Stamps: Apothecary Art

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Smoosh colors: Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry

Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Other:  2 1/2" Circle Punch, Isabella and Pippi Butterflie Dies (Memory Box), Madera Corner Die (Memory Box)

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Wild Blooms Smooshed

I think I need to stay off the Internet!

Not only do your wonderful creations inspire, but they send me in a frenzied search for all kinds of cool toys!

And then I see other things that I have to have too.

This die was one of those things.

But doesn't it make a wonderful quick and easy card?

I had some smooshed paper left over from doing Valentine cards and it worked so well to put behind the negative die cut and butterfly.

I sponged some green on the die cut stems and popped them back in.

Addicted to Stamps and More

CLEAN AND SIMPLE (CAS)

Cuttlebug Mania

LET'S FEEL IT

(I have pearls and embossed dots and a popped up butterfly)

Pixie's Snippet Playground

has opened the playground gates so I'll take my smoosh snippets over to play.

Seize the Birthday

ANYTHING GOES AS LONG AS IT'S BIRTHDAY

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

ANYTHING GOES WITH PEARLS

Here's a link to the "smooshed" technique.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.  We've been busily enjoying two more of out grandchildren.  Not much creative time but lots of snuggles and fun movies.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

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Card Recipe

Stamps:  Watercolor Trio (retired)

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry, Pear Pizzazz

Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Other:  Wild Blooms Die (Memory Box), Scallop Trim Corner Punch (retired), Bitty Butterfly Punch, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Sponge Dauber, Basic Pearls, Re-inkers for Smooshed paper (Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry)

Smoosh Bird for Queen Michelle

I've been playing with that smoosh technique again and used it to punch out a sweet bird for Queen Michelle (aka tygerpaws11), at splitcoaststampers.  See what you think.

Once the "smooshing" was done and dried, it didn't take long to put this together.  This is Michelle's card that I CASEd.

I left off a sentiment because I couldn't decide what I wanted to put on there.  I'm thinking it would make a good Thinking of You or Get Well card. 

You can see some other smooshed cards and directions here  and here.

Card Recipe

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: None

Ink:  Daffodil Delight marker (for beak)

Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Other: Re-Inkers (Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist), Bird Builder Punch, Baja Breeze Seam Binding,  Basic Pearl (colored with Sharpie Pen), Embossing Folder (Sizzix),

The snow has come in and it's a winter wonderland out there.  It started about 12:30 and we have about 4" now and it's still snowing hard. The roads are really bad and you're probably going to see pictures on the news of the Raleigh traffic snafu.  It looks like Atlanta 3 weeks ago.  Thankfully, school was cancelled so there are no kids stuck out there in buses.

We're safe and snug and all our family have arrived home safely except for DSIL.  He's stuck at work preparing for a party that's not going to happen this evening.  The client was insistent that she didn't want to cancel.  At least if they have to spend the night there, they'll have lots of good food!

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!