Touch of Nature

I recently watercolored some long ago stamped pieces.

I painted this little guy as what we refer to as a LBJ (Little Brown Job).

We're using corrugated cardboard this month at
 CAS Mix Up
so I added a cardboard mat and heart.

I really like the added texture and color of the cardboard
on this card.

My mixed media are stamping, corrugated cardboard, watercolor,
distressed edges, tearing and dry embossing.

Here's another card using this stamp.

this time it's a chickadee.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Touch of Nature (retired SU)

Ink:   Jet Black StazOn

Paper:   Naturals Ivory (ret. SU), Cheap Watercolor, Acrylic (Strathmore), Basic Black (SU)

Other:  Koi Watercolors, Cardboard from box, Primitive Hearts Bigz Die (Sizzix), Stately EF (Craft Concepts), White Gel Pen

CAS Poinsettias for Merry Monday

Kathy's challenge at Merry Monday this week is a favorite of mine.

I used a NBUS die from Simon Says Stamp and popped it over a piece of 

Inka Gold smoosh background.

I die cut again from some green cardstock and inlaid the leaves.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Merry Christmas Messages (HA)

Ink:   Raspberry Ripple (ret. SU)

Paper:   Raspberry Ripple, Very Vanilla (SU), Garden Green

Other:  Poinsettia Parade Die (SSS), Inka Gold (Lava Red, Platinum), Basic Rhinestones (SU)

Signs of Spring

Look what I found in my yard this morning.

There were some Red Winged Blackbirds visiting too but they were
high up in the tree and I couldn't get a picture.

Those of you that are buried under snow, note that Spring is on the way.

Thanks for the visit and special thanks for your comments.

Enjoy!

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)