What Color is Love?

I've had fun lately playing with alcohol inks.

I did several panels using the Alcohol Ink Smoosh technique on Yupo paper

 that Loll shared with us.

This Simon Says Stamp Stitched Heart Collage Die

 is perfect for showing off these backgrounds.

You'll probably be seeing more cards using this die and the smooshed Yupo.

I made lots!

This week's Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is

THE COLOR OF LOVE

Simon Says Monday Challenge is

YOUNG AT HEART

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Essential Greetings (SSS)

Ink:   VersaMark, Alcohol Ink (Adirondack Shell Pink, Poppy Field, Gold)

Paper:   Solar White (Neena 110 lb.), Yupo, Gold Foil (SU)

Other:  Stitched Heart Collage Die (SSS), Stitched Snowdrifts Die (MFT), Gold EP (SU)

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)

Fun Little Totebag

I don't usually do anything but cards.

You see I have a problem when it comes to folding and gluing.

I usually end up with the strangest shapes.

But a while back, my friend Karen (Snippets) posted the most adorable little bag.

She included the video she went by to make her bag.

LeeAnn Gref did the video and she made it look easy enough for me to try.

Fast forward to this week and Karen is the host for the Technique Lovers Challenge at SCS.

I just happened to have this totebag waiting in the wings for a chance to hop on my blog.

It does look a bit wonky, but I think it's because of the camera (wink).

I'm going to make some more of these.

I'm hoping they'll be as easy as this one was and I don't end up with something odd!

Maybe I can reduce some of that pretty paper I've been hoarding.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  

Ink:   

Paper:   Retired DSP & Cardstock (SU)

Other:  Brads (also retired), Tombow Aqua Glue

With Love for CAS Watercolour Card Challenge

Time for another challenge at 

CAS Watercolour Card Challenge

Here's this month's challenge.

With Valentine's Day on the horizon, I wanted to start the challenge with hearts and love.

I started by stamping this image with Whisper White ink and

 heat embossed so I could do a resist technique.

I used by Gamsai Tambi Dark Pink Watercolor and a wet on wet technique for the wash.

After it was dry, I dropped a bit of diluted blue ink that was on my palette.

When dry, I added some more color to the hearts.

This card was inspired by Heather Telford's gorgeous card here.

Our challenge at CAS Watercolour is open until the 24th.

Our Design Team and Guest Designer, Michelle

have some gorgeous cards to inspire you.

I hope you'll check them out then join in the fun!

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Love & Hugs (PB), Special Wishes (PB)

Ink:   Whisper White, Perfect Plum

Paper:   Mixed media (Strathmore), Regal Rose (SU), Solar White (Neena 110 lb.)

Other:  White EP (SU), Gansai Tambi Watercolors (Dk. Pink), Stitched Mats Rectangles (LI), Basic Pearls (SU)

Birdhouse for CAS Mix Up

It's time for another challenge at

CAS Mix Up

Using corrugated cardboard, stamping, acetate smash, smooshing and die cuts.

Susan is our hostess this month and she chose this for our challenge

For your corrugated cardboard, you can use any kind of corrugated cardboard you like.  It can be recycled from a box (but you must tear off all or part of one of the paper layers to expose the corrugation), a recycled coffee cup sleeve (as I used in my card), corrugated cardboard sold in craft shops, or even cardstock you run through your good old paper crimper.

I chose some cardboard from a box of NBUS.
I have more of that than should be legal!

I had to pull one side of paper of the ripples.
That's easier said than done!
But I finally got a clean piece after a little sanding.

I used my NBUS birdhouse die
and a background of acetate splash.

The Big Shot flattened the ripples but I was able to pull them out
a bit with a paper piercing tool.
They add wonderful texture even if they're flattened.

My piece didn't have any green so I smooshed some green ink,
spritzed with water and smooshed the bottom of the piece in the ink
and let it dry.

I needed some stamping so I inked the little flowers with markers
and stamped under the birdhouse.
I used my Aqua Painter to move the red ink around a bit.

I had so  much fun using the cardboard!

Our Design team and Guest Designer, Julie Beech
have some awesome inspiration for you.

I hope you'll join in and share your card or cards with us at
CAS Mix Up.
(I predict it will be hard to stop with one!)

This card doesn't fit Darnell's optional technique but I'm going to add it to her
NBUS Challenge #10

My birdhouse die was a NBUS

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Silhouette Sentiments (retired SU)

Ink:   SU Markers (Melon Mambo, Old Olive), Distress Inks (Broken China, Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed for smash technique), Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (for smooshing)

Paper:   Solar White (Neena 110 lb.), Arches (140 lb. cold press), Cardboard Box

Other:  Bird House Die (Paper Smooches), Stately EF (Craft Concepts)