Spring Window

How about something cheerful and springy today?  I sent this card to a friend whose fluffy black cat likes to sit in a sunny window and watch the goings on outside.  This cat is looking in the wrong direction, though, hmmm...  Maybe there's a window on the other side of the room?

The image is Bugaboo's Spring Window digi, colored with Copics.  I had a hankerin' to play with papers and dies, so I dressed it up a bit.  I haven't bought a shred of designer paper since I organized my paper cabinet, so it's all growing old, but that's okay by me.  It's a first time use for the image and the leafy die.  The Die-namites leaf die was a heck-of-a-deal close-out bargain which I thought would be useful and versatile.  I split it into two pieces here, plus used one little leaf cluster for the small flower on the opposite side.

The flowers are Sue Wilson String Flowers with enamel dot centers.  The sentiment is an ancient one from my collection.  I'll sum it all up in the recipe down below.

Glad you stopped by!  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Bugaboo Spring Window digi, Stampa Rosa sentiment  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, CTMH Sunkiss Yellow, SU Garden Green, Memory Box Brioche designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics (also used to color String Flowers)  Accessories:  Wink of Stella (dragonfly wings), enamel dots, Die-namics Wonky Stitched Squares, Sue Wilson String Flowers, Die-namites Leafy Flourish

Three More Christmas Cards Done!

There's going to be a lot more "ho ho ho" at my house come December when all my Christmas cards are done and ready to mail.  This makes nine so far.  I don't know how I managed in such a short time last year.

Anyhoo... today it's my not-yet-used Power Poppy set called Fully Stocked.  Cute stuff which I didn't get around to for Christmas 2016.  All the cards have basic similarities making the completion of three a faster process.  Same paper pack, same layout.  The sketch is from this month's Power & Spark Pick-a-Sketch Challenge at Power Poppy.  I think the first is my favorite, probably because I'm a kid at heart.

Coloring was done with Copic markers on X-Press It Blending Card.  The set includes a small coordinating stamp for each stocking, so I used those as accents.   The card bases are a nice shimmery ivory, but I covered two of them with very lightly patterned designer paper.  Below are the next two:

That's it!  I'll list ingredients further down, but first... here's that Power & Spark Pick-a-Sketch Challenge:

I used Sketch 2, flipped it and modified it only slightly to make it work.  There sure are a lot of pretty entries in this challenge.

Thanks a bunch for your time, and I hope to see you again this week.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Fully Stocked  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, Shimmery Ivory, Graphic 45 Twas the Night Before Christmas designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter glue, 3/4" circle punch, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets, Taylored Expressions Ric Rac Borders

It's a Bunny, but not an Easter Card

Hi, friends!  Easter is over, but I've still got bunnies on my mind.  I continue slowly through my not yet used stamps and dies.  There's one of each on this card. -- Inkadinkado Bunny Retreat stamp and Memory Box Palma Curve die.  I fell in love with each and just had to have them.  I really need to stop looking!

The bunny was colored with a million flicks of several brown Copic markers, trying to make him look fuzzy.  Took forever!  The leaves were easier, though.  By the time I got to the grounding I was ready to be done and just sort of scribbled it, tsk tsk.

Since there was nothing but green and brown in the colored image I added some pink.  I've got to use up some of that cabinet full of designer paper.  Such a small smidgen here, but at least it's something.  The card became instantly prettier with the paper!

Well, that was fun, even if it did take too long.  Onward now to the next not yet used whatnot!  Supplies are listed below.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Inkadinkado Bunny Retreat, Hero Arts Small Greetings sentiment Paper:  Strathmore Mixed Media Vellum Surface, SU Pink Pirouette, Bazzill brown  Ink:  Memento London Fog for image outline, SU Chocolate Chip for sentiment, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  SU Candy Dot, Memory Box Palma Curve die set, Spellbinders Circle die

Double D Silhouettes Challenge

Hello there!  I'm popping in with a sample for our Double D Silhouettes Challenge which starts today.  Show us your silhouettes, whether die cut or stamped.

I do have a few silhouette stamps, but I hadn't used these dies yet -- Memory Box Dragonfly Stems Left Corner, and Tall Grassy Stems Right Corner.  Very simple with ink rubbed onto the background, masked with a circle die cut for the sun.  I added a little ink into the sun area after lifting the mask.

Inspiration is here:

A prize for our Silhouettes Challenge is here:

I encourage you to pop over to Double D where the rest of the team samples are sitting pretty.  See the winners from our previous challenge, too.  We'd love to have you join us!

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stampin' Up Happy Harmony sentiment (retired)  Paper:  Strathmore mixed media vellum surface (for sponging), shimmery ivory (card base), gold metallic, black  Ink:  Stampin' Up So Saffron, Really Rust, Ruby Red; Versafine Onyx Black for sentiment  Accessories:  Memory Box Dragonfly Stems Left Corner and Tall Grassy Stems Right Corner, Spellbinders Long Classic Rectangles Large and Standard Circles Large, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Peony Muse

Rainy day stamping is the best, isn't it?  Or snowy day stamping.  Windy day.  Morning, evening, any time at all, really.  I didn't have a lot of any kind of time when I made this card, but it went surprisingly fast.  It's my first sit down with Power Poppy's Peony Muse clear stamp set.

Easy masking created the arrangement, and then I watercolored with Tombow markers direct to 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  Some marker colors react more efficiently with water, so I tested on scrap paper first to see which would work best for the direct to paper method.  For the flowers I used an orchid-purple, with blue for darker shading.  I tried to relax and not be as exact as I usually am with coloring, and if I don't look too closely or be too judgmental I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, especially because it didn't take forever.

Paintings always look better when viewed from some distance, but in the interest of sharing, here's a closer look:

I applied a very little bit of marker color to the shaded areas, and then for the most part I painted water onto the white space and let it bleed and pull the color in.  I touched the marker color, itself, only minimally.  It's a fun experiment that I'll try again.

Love that these big flowers give you room to play.  I'm not sure what the berries are supposed to be, but I'm happy Marcella included them in the set because they make things more colorful and interesting.  There are so many berries and seed clusters with a similar appearance, you can make them pretty much anything, I think.

That's all, folks!  Supplies, such as they are, can be found listed in the recipe below.  Have a gorgeous day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Peony Muse  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor, textured white card base  Ink:  Palette Noir, Tombow markers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Easter with the Oldies

Happy Friday all!  I'd hoped to have a little more stamping done by now, but once the rain stopped I was out in the garden doing spring things.  It didn't help that I was absolutely at a loss as to what to make for my son's Easter card.  For Heaven's sake, he's 41 years old and you'd think an Easter card would hardly matter to him, but I know he'd think there was something wrong with me if I didn't go to the trouble.  I always send a package with a card and Easter candy.  It's a Mom thing, right?

I really need some new Easter stamps.  This card was made with my old, retired Best of Cluck set from Stampin' Up.  The Memory Box Curved Happy Easter die created a hillside on which I stamped the chicks.  They're watercolored all loose and easy on 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.

I added grass with an old D.O.T.S. stamp (now called CTMH).  What manner of hen would hatch a brood like that?  Well, there she is, calling to them from the hilltop.

The sky was painted onto my new Strathmore Mixed Media vellum surface paper.  It looks just like a cloudy sky, doesn't it?  So easy.  I painted water onto the panel, then dabbed ink and moved it around only minimally.

Inside there's a chick just hatching:

The hatching chick was colored with Copic markers.  Supplies are all listed below.

We've got rain and wind again now, so maybe I'll get more stamping done.  I hope you all have a stampingly wonderful weekend!

Stamps:  SU Best of Cluck (retired), D.O.T.S. Hillside Grass, Posh Impressions Wild Grass (inside)  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor, Strathmore 140 lb Mixed Media vellum surface paper, Cool Caribbean, other white inside  Ink:  Palette Noir, SU inks for watercoloring, Memento Tuxedo Black inside, Copics for inside coloring  Accessories:  Memory Box Curved Happy Easter die

Coloring in the Wee Hours

A few nights ago I had one of those awful sleepless episodes.  They say you shouldn't stay in bed if you can't sleep, so I went to my stamp room and colored.  I never color in the middle of the night, but this particular night once the thought entered my head there was nothing else for it.  I had to color.  I went right to sleep after.  The next night was another sleepless one, but no coloring.  I toughed it out in the darkness until 5 am when I finally drifted off.  I've been sleeping fine since then.  I don't know what gets into me.  Does that happen to you?

So... for my coloring in the wee hours I rummaged in my box of printed digis for something quick and easy.  Probably no surprise that I came up with a Bugaboo -- Floral Teapot.

It was a few days before I made it into a card.  Framed with a Taylored Expressions die that's meant to be used horizontally, but there's no reason the "hello" can't be up the side, I guess.  I made three layers of Neenah 110 lb white and colored the top layer with Copic B21, which is the lightest blue in the teapot.  Fun designer paper on the card base and a few glittery Nuvo drops to echo it.  It's simple, but not too simple.  Just another stop on the road to utter simplicity, but I don't think I'll ever quite get there.

About that sleeplessness... I've read everything there is to read, adhere to all the dos and avoid the don'ts.  Don't eat too close to bedtime, don't read your Kindle or use the computer, don't exercise or drink alcohol or coffee or anything with caffeine.  They even say don't read in bed.  What???  They can't take everything away!

Enjoy your day.  I've been out making hay while the sun shines.  The rain is on it's way back...  Supplies listed below.  Thanks for making my day with your visit!

Stamps:  Bugaboo digi Floral Teapot  Paper:  Neenah Classic White (image panel and card base), Neenah 110 lb white (frame), Echo Park Fine and Dandy designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Baby Blue Stickles glitter glue, Nuvo Sherbet Shimmer Glitter Drops, Signo Uniball white gel pen, Taylored Expressions Picture Perfect - Smile/Hello die