Praise

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

No card today.  Just a song of praise.

The background was done long ago with watercolor crayons and needed something

to complete it.

This silhouette stamp needed some love and I had the perfect sentiment to go with her.

Recipe

Stamps:  Praise Silhouette (ret IO), Songbird (Inky antics)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Watercolor (Arches cold press)

Other:  Watercolor Crayons (ret SU), Black Marker (for filling in silhouette that didn't stamp well on watercolor paper)

Enjoy!

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Hummingbird Watercolor

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I'm still playing with Bibi's Hummingbirds and having lots of fun doing it.

This time I cut it out of Mixed Media paper and watercolored with Distress Ink

and a waterbrush.  I kept this one duller than my previous hummingbird for

a more natural look. 

I found the background in my background box and used a similar pink ink to stamp

some flowers on the splotch.  If you look closely, you can see some abstract flowers

the bird is dipping into.  I used a Quickie Glue pen to add some outlines and dots

then burnished Deco Foil over the glue.  You can see some of the gold below.

I held my breath when stamping the sentiment, even though I used my MISTI.

The font is small but stamped crisply.  Whew!

I hope you experience at least one moment that takes your breath away today.

Challenges:

Simply Clean & Simple - CAS cards option of Outdoors

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Passionate (PB), Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, Peeled Paint, Twisted Citron, Picked Raspberry (DI)

Paper:   Mixed Media, Black

Other:  Delicate Floral Hummingbird Dies (Spl), Quickie Glue Pen, Deco Foil

Enjoy!

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Sunflowers

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

The sunflowers are starting to bloom around here and I was inspired to have a play

with this die from my NBUS box.

This first one was colored with Copics.  I used some Press and Seal on the back

so the pieces of the petal didn't wander away.  The little ladybug is two circles cut from

red & black cardstock. Dots are added with a Ultrafine Sharpie.

It doesn't show in the photo but the flower sits on a piece of textured cardstock.

The strip is a snippet of Neenah Solar White colored with one of the Copics.

It's going to our neighbors who brought me a bouquet of sunflowers.

Next up is not as CAS...

This one was cut from mixed media paper.  I colored it with Tombow markers, moving

the colors with a damp waterbrush.  I laid it on another piece of mixed media paper to catch

my messy painting for the background.  

I need a lot more practice with the Tombows or I need to stick to my Distress markers.

There's a new challenge out there by the very active Darlene & Diane.  It's a CAS challenge

so the first card will definitely go there. I was happy to see other CAS challenges right now.

You'll find the links below.

Challenges:

Krafty Chicks #673 - CAS

Simply Clean & Simple -ATG CAS (didn't use the option)

The Flower Challenge #82 - Clean & Simple

    

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:   Chocolate Chip, Snippets of Real Red & Black

Paper:   Neenah Solar White, White Textured (stash)

Other:  Sunflower Stem die (SSS), Copics (Y15, Y18, YR15, YG17, YG95, E23, E25, E27), Circle Punch, Black Ultrafine Sharpie, White Gel Pen

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snippets (PB)

Ink:   Chocolate Chip, Tombow Markers (55, 985, 925, 126, 177, 947, 879)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 400 series), Crumb Cake, Snippets of Real Red & Black

Other:  Timeworn Type EF (SU), Burlap Ribbon (SU), Linen Thread (SU), Black Ultrafine Sharpie, White Gel Pen, Waterbrush

Enjoy!

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Hydrangeas

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I love hydrangeas and I think the deer do too.  Our pink hydrangea (the only one I have

in my yard) seems to have tasty buds because something eats them right off before they open.

They are too tall for the rabbits so I think it must be deer.

So, I have to put them on a card if I want to enjoy them.

I stamped the Paint a Flower Hydrangea from Altenew on a piece of watercolor

paper with Archival Shadow Gray ink and colored with my Altenew watercolor 36

pan set using the colors from their Inspiration Challenge this month.

Then I did a lighter version.

I stamped the same way but used Distress Markers to color.  I die cut the design

with my new to me Essential Arches die and made a shaped card with the dies to

put it on.  I added some Nuvo Crystal drops for a bit of subtle interest.

Challenges:

Altenew  - See colors below

Inkspirational #292 - Emboss your Background

NBUS #51 - Never Before Used Schtuff (Hydrangea Stamp & Arches Dies)

Try It On Tuesday - Summer Blooms

 

 

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  PAF Hydrangea (Alt), Thinking of You (Alt)

Ink:   Archival Shadow Gray, Blackberry Bliss

Paper:   Watercolor (Alt), Neenah Solar White

Other:  Altenew Watercolors 36 pan set (Puffy Heart, Midnight Viloet, Frayed Leaf), Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils, Gold Spray & White Posca Pen for splatters, Stitched Rectangle Die (SSS)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  PAF Hydrangea (Alt), Fragile Foliage (Alt)

Ink:   Archival Shadow Gray, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (DM)

Paper:  Watercolor (Alt), Blackberry Bliss  

Other:  Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils, Waffled Diamonds EF (Alt), Essential Arches Dies (Spl)

Enjoy!

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Butterflies for Craft Group

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

We're still not seeing many butterflies or bees in our yard.

But I have an abundance of butterflies in my craft collection. 

I needed to make some butterfly cards for our Craft Group swaps this month.

  The hardest thing about this assignment was deciding which butterfly to use.  

I ended up going with this large one from Penny Black's Butterfly Trio.

I stamped and heat embossed a few on mixed media paper.  Some were embossed with 

white and some with black.

Then I colored with Distress Markers and my waterbrush changing up the colors.

No die for this stamp, but it's easy to fussy cut.

I am accumulating some beautiful 3D embossing folders from the Spellbinders club.  So

I embossed a few backgrounds to mount the butterflies on.

Here's another that won't make it to the craft group...

The swaps and aqua butterfly card are A6 size cards and I embossed the flap of an

envelope to go with each.

Here's a peek at the swaps with the black embossing.

Challenges:

Can You Handle the Pressure - Embossing folder w Butterfly

Penny Black Saturday - ATG using Penny Black

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Butterfly Trio (PB)

Ink:   Whisper White, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet (DM)

Paper: Mixed Media (Strathmore), Neenah Solar White, Blueberry Bushel

Other:  White EP, WOS, Spring Burst 3D EF (Spl), Rainbow Sparkle Jewels (Lucy's Little Things)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Butterfly Trio (PB)

Ink:   Whisper White, Broken China, Peacock Feathers, Faded Jeans, Wilted Violet (DM)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Neenah Solar White, Coastal Cabana

Other:  White EP, 3D Patchwork EF (Spl), Rainbow Sparkle Jewels (LLT)

Enjoy!

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Yellow Magnolia

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I have a new die...

and with the Color Hues challenge being yellow and green (two of my favorite colors),

I Googled to see if magnolias came in yellow.  They do. 

So I die cut the flowers and branch from mixed media paper and used Distress Markers

and my waterbrush to color all the pieces.

When coloring the leaves and flowers, I laid the pieces on another piece of mixed 

media paper and did a sloppy watercoloring going over the edges onto the

piece in the background.  It gives an interesting background and the colors are perfect.

Then I looked at all those pieces and was stumped as to where they all went.

Fortunately there are some illustrations online that act as a roadmap and I've

got to say that although these flowers are pretty without all the extra little pieces, they are

amazing with them. And I was quite proud of myself that I could find all the pieces!

Challenges:

Color Hues - Yellow & Green

Double D - Color (yellow)

Memory Box Outside the Box #96 - Die-namic cards

NBUS #51 - Never Before Used Schtuff

 

 

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Friendship Messages (SSS)

Ink:   Crumb Cake, Twisted Citron, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Brushed Corduroy (DM)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), So Saffron (SU)

Other:  Magnolia Blossom Trio (MB), Magnolia Leaf Branch (MB)

Enjoy!

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Thanks to all who have subscribed to my blog by email.

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Painted Poppy

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

I do love poppies and have quite a collection of poppy stamps and dies.

So when our craft group was trying to think of a subject for our swap this month,

I suggested poppies.  With Memorial Day coming up, it seemed fitting.

Then I had a problem of choosing which poppy stamp or die to use.

Altenew's Painted Poppy won, hands down!

I stamped and colored it in the traditional Memoria Day red poppy.

Then for my blue loving friends.

Finally in pink.  (The border is pink, but the camera seems to see red.)

I used Bristol paper for all of these.  It warped pretty bad.  I managed to get it flattened.

Note to self to used Mixed Media or Watercolor paper next time.

Challenges:

Double D - Flowers

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Painted Poppy (Alt), Out on a Limb (PTI), Splatters (?)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, Tea Dye, Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss (DI), Tumbled Glass, Wilted Violet Re-inker (for wash)

Paper:   Bristol (Strathmore), Black, Poppy Parade

Other:  Ebony Black Nuvo Crystal Drops

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Painted Poppy (Alt), Out on a Limb (PTI)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, Archival Shadow Grey, Broken China, Mermaid Lagoon, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss (DI), Brushed Corduroy DI (for wash)

Paper:   Bristol, Black Pacific Point

Other:  Ebony Black Nuvo Crystal Drops

Card Recipe (card 3)

Stamps:  Painted Poppy (Alt), Out on a Limb (PTI)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black, Tea Dye, Picked Raspberry, Aged Mahogany (DI), Tumbled Glass, Wilted Violet Re-inker (for wash)

Paper:   Bristol, Black, Melon Mambo

Other:  Ebony Black Nuvo Crystal Drops

Enjoy!

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Thanks to all who have subscribed to my blog by email.

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Wonderful Friend and Magnolia Ballerina

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Instead of a year in review, I have some cards that I made and never 

put on the blog.  

I  really enjoyed the Altenew Coloring Book this year.

I wish I could buy some of that watercolor paper.

I also treated myself to a couple Altenew kits.

I hope to revisit this Magnolia Ballerina kit in the spring.

I think this Feathered Lilies kit was my favorite purchase of 2022!

I made about a dozen cards from it.  You can some of them here, here, and here. 

Card Recipe (card 1)

Stamps:  Friendship Messages (SSS)

Ink:   Orchid Opulence (ret. SU)

Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Orchid Opulence

Other:  Watercolor Coloring Book (Alt), Altenew 36 Pan Watercolors (Midnight, Violet, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, Citrus Burst, Fresh Lemon, Paper Bag), Tumbled Glass Re-inker (DI), Curved Stitch Die (PB)

Card Recipe (card 2)

Stamps:  Magnolia Ballerina

Ink:   Christmas Pine (GKD)

Paper:   Watercolor (TH), Christmas Pine (GKD)

Other:  Altenew Watercolor Pans (Citrus Burst, Fresh, Lemon, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glade), Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils (Dk Green, Dk Carmine)

Card Recipe (card 3)

Stamps:  Bitty Birthday Wishes (MFT)

Ink:   Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Mixed Media (Strathmore, Black 

Other:  Feathered Lilies 3D EF & Stencils (ALT), Altenew 36 pan set watercolors, Caran d'ache Supracolor Pencils, Black Ultrafine Sharpie, Macrame 3D EF (ret SU)

Enjoy!

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Songbirds for a Friend

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

Today I want to wish a special friend a very happy birthday.

I've foiled with Pewter foil and Pinkfresh Studio Hot Foil Plate on mixed media paper.

Then colored with Zigs and die cut with the matching die.

I die cut again from white cardstock and layered the die cuts.

Want to see the shine?

Card Recipe

Stamps:  

Ink:   

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore), Orchid Opulence (ret SU), Neenah Solar White

Other:  Songbirds on Branches Foil Plate & Die (PFS), Pewter Foil (Splbnd), Zigs (Olive Green, Haze Blue, Dull Blue, Purple, Shadow Mauve), Vine Canopy EF (SSS), Sentiment Foil Plate (Splbndr)

Enjoy!

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Hollyhocks and Gesso

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

We're using gesso at CAS Mix Up this month and this card came about

from playing with this medium.

I had seen something a few years ago about using gesso to lighten a background.

You can see that post here.

So while I had the gesso out, I thought I'd give it a try.

I went in a different direction though.  I picked out a Brusho background from my stash

that hadn't worked out and decided to see if I could make a usable background from that.

The technique calls for smooshing a background into gesso that's been spread on a

craft sheet and spritzed with water.

This is what it looked like after the first smooshing.

It was still too much for a background.

So I smooshed it again in more gesso and water and got this result.

Now here's where I went in a totally different direction.

The colors reactivated with the watery gesso and what was left on my craft mat was 

so pretty that I grabbed a piece of cardstock and smooshed it in the leftover color to mop it up. 

After that was dried (and the mess cleaned up), I used this hollyhock stamp, inked with 

Distress Ink, spritzed with water and stamped onto the background.

This technique is usually a disaster for me, but this time I had the right amount

of water.  It left some watery blobs that I sopped up with the corner of a paper towel.  

When it dried, I had just the look I wanted.

I just happen to have the die that matches the flowers so I cut one and colored

it by swiping the ink pad directly on the die cut.

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Full Bloom Hollyhocks (IO), Banner Sentiments (PB)

Ink:   Aged Mahogany (DI), Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Neenah Natural

Other:  Gesso, Hollyhocks Die (IO), Linen/Canvas Coverplate (PTI)

Enjoy!

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