Four Seasons Challenge - November

Hi there!  Time for another Four Seasons challenge!  November is the last of our fall months (boo hoo), and then we'll be moving onto the winter months, brrrr.  It's anything goes as long as your card or project has a fall theme.  A lovely mood board has been provided for inspiration, but not required that you follow it.

 

It's fun for me to be inspired by the board and see what I have in my collection that fits.  In this case I went with the photo in the lower left corner -- sunflowers in a tin container.  The sunflowers I used are a retired Power Poppy set.  The stamp depicts the sunflowers in a pretty vase, but I cut that away so I could put them in a tin pail (die).  The neutral colors in the background are also inspired by the photo.

There's that cute little Whittle Bird I've been using a lot lately.  The Memory Box Wood Grain Planks are new to me.  I sponged ink on the edges to weather them.  Colored the sunflowers with Copic markers.  The pail is cut from shimmery silver cardstock.  Stickles glitter for some dewy sparkle.

Hey, there's a prize this month!  You'll just have to go to the Four Seasons challenge blog to check it out and see the beautiful work by the team.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy In Praise of Sunflowers (retired)  Paper:  Neenah 110 lb white, shimmery silver, pre-cut neutral card base  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Sahara Sand, Really Rust, Baroque Burgundy  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Memory Box Wood Grain Planks, Impression Obsession Pail, Spellbinders Blossom Nestabilities and miscellaneous rectangle  Other:  Natural string, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, dimensional dots to pop up flowers

Sunflower Oval

Time out for a fall card.  The stamped sunflower, the yellow polka dot piece, and the sentiment had been cut and set aside a few weeks ago.  I hesitated to start the detailed coloring because there were too many other things to do at the time, and so it got pushed aside.  Then along came two challenges that prompted me to finish it.  I'll list them at the end.

It's been a long time since I used my Prismacolor pencils.  A while back I was diagnosed with early carpal tunnel and I've been doing everything possible to avoid surgery.  I'm much better now.  Just a little bit of numbness in my fingertips.  After spending two sit downs coloring this sunflower with pencils I remember why I've been avoiding it.  It's the gripping action that gets me.

Each petal was colored first with a yellow that matched the designer paper, then one petal at a time was colored in red, pumpkin orange, deep purple, and indigo (not the actual color names) -- different degrees of each in order to achieve the color and shading I was going for.  I did not use odorless mineral spirits on the stamp, but did use it for blending the background shading.  This is a retired Power Poppy clear stamp set, but this same sunflower can be found in a Power Poppy digital stamp here.

The two challenges that prompted me to finish up my sunflower card are:

Retro Rubber Challenge #170 -- Fallin' For Autumn  Stamps for this challenge must be a year or more old.  My sunflower set was released in 2016 and I've had it all that time.
Double D Challenges:  Sunflowers

 

It was good to see you today.  Happy everything, and be safe on Halloween!

Stamps:  Power Poppy In Praise of Sunflowers  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 #, kraft wood grain 111 lb card base, retired SU designer paper, DCWV burlap paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Prismacolor pencils.  Gamsol was used only in the background shading  Other:  Oval from Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets, miscellaneous small rectangle die, foam mounting tape to pop up oval

My Little Chickadee

Hello and welcome!  It's time for me to get coloring on some Christmas cards, so I stamped out everything new plus an oldie or two.  Today it's one of the stamps in the Chickadee Holiday set from Stampendous.

I embossed with Liquid Platinum, which maybe wasn't such a good idea seeing as how the bird now has a platinum eye, but it's done and it still looks pretty good.  The Liquid Platinum is new to me so I had to try it you know.  Coloring is with my trusty Tombow markers and homemade blender solution.  I dotted white acrylic paint all over for snowfall.

I have a fondness for bird stamps, and for the real thing as well.  In September the Cedar Waxwings were enjoying the bird bath just outside my patio door.  There were about a thousand more than shown in this photo, but they came and went so quickly I'm surprised I even got this photo.

My Stampendous birds are new and a first time use, so I'm going to link up with Darnell's NBUS Challenge #31 (never before used schtuff).

Thanks, Darnell, for the encouragement to get the NBUS out of the basket, and thanks everyone else for stopping by to visit today.  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Stampendous Chickadee Holiday  Paper:  Fabriano Artisticao Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, soft blue Bazzill  Ink:  Versamark  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender solution  Other:  Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder, white acrylic paint, Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles

Butterfly with Gold

Hi!  Stepping away from the beauty of fall for a moment, I made a birthday card for a blog friend who loves butterflies.  Seriously, who among us does not love butterflies?  My friend is one of those marvelous humans who nurtures and releases Monarchs, and that's why I made her a butterfly card.

The most difficult thing about this card was trying to choose which sheet from the paper pad to use.  It's Craft Consortium Ink Drops, Vivid.  All sheets have the alcohol ink look, many of them with gold.  Come to find out, purple is one of my friend's favorite colors, so it was a good choice.

I lightly stamped a heart pattern all over, added gold glossy dots and gold cord, all on a card base that matches the little bit of blue that shows in the paper.  The scalloped edge was cut with a rectangle die.

That's all for the moment, but I hope to see you again soon.  Thank you all so much for stopping in today!

Stamps:  SU It's Your Birthday and Background Basics  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, teal textured (SU?), Craft Consortium Ink Drops-Vivid designer paper  Ink:  Versamark, SU Soft Sky  Other:  Poppystamps Bellina Butterfly Collage, Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Stackables, Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, gold elastic cord, Pink & Main gold Glossy Dots

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #2

Hello, friends!  It's time for another Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge.  We debuted on October 3 and I hope you had a chance to check it out.  Each new challenge begins on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month and always "anything goes".  Please see the Peace On Earth challenge blog for more details.  We do have an inspiration board for you, but it's just there for fun.  Our board today:

Isn't it pretty?  Truth is, I made my card before I saw the board, but that's okay because I dearly wanted to use this very cool Power Poppy Garden of Gratitude stamp set from last year's release.  Since it's a garden-themed stamp I colored it all earthy and warm with Tombow markers and a blender pen.  A little plaid, a little self-adhesive gold trim... done!

Read up on all the info at Peace on Earth, see the awesome team samples, then show us yours!  Thanks so much for your time today.  Take care!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Garden of Gratitude  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Memory Box Christmas Plaid designer paper  Ink:  Ranger Archival Shadow Grey, SU Close to Cocoa  Coloring:  Tombow markers with homemade blender pen (no water)  Other:  Gold self adhesive trim

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Mixed Media Botanical Prints

Hello!  The creative good times continue with our mid-month reminder for the CAS Mix Up Challenge where our host, Bonnie, has asked us to bring the outdoors in and make some botanical prints.  We're in the mixed media cycle this month, so all cards must include stamping and at least one other mixed media element.

For today's card I tried one of the easier and more reliable techniques which also gives awesome results.  Serendipitously a leaf from our Purple Smoke Tree had been tracked in on a shoe and was lying damply on the floor.  I scooped it up and went straight to my stamp room.  Pressed it into inks, then onto paper, and was surprised with how distinct the impression was.  Naturally, I went outside and picked another leaf or two so I could change inks... ended up with a way cool background.

I didn't use very much of the background because I have to keep it CAS for the challenge, but you can clearly see the results.  You would never guess it had been done with a real leaf.  I inked the underside of the leaf so the veins would show.  I used an old SU stamp set for the gold and copper leaves.  The sentiment is from the same set, but wish I'd used something else.  Hindsight, you know.

To meet the mixed media requirement I did stamping, embossing, and fussy cutting.  The wood grain card base is 111 lb Gmund Limba White which can be found at different sites if you search.

The team and our guest designer, Izzy, have the most creative and beautiful botanical print samples for you to see at the CAS Mix Up blog.  They all really got their game on for this one!

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  Wishing you happiness!

Stamps:  A real leaf from my garden, SU Autumn Leaf Prints (retired)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, white wood grain cardstock  Ink:  SU Riding Hood Red, Rich Razzelberry, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Versamark  Other:  Ranger Princess gold EP and SU Classy Copper EP (retired?), copper cord

Laugh Louder

Hi there!  A brief pop in today to share a card I made for my sister/friend's birthday.  She's not actually my sister, but she might as well be... we're that close.

I don't know how many more times I can use this Art Impressions Laughing Set, seeing as how I've sent these girls out to so many people already.  I've got a bazillion sentiments I can use with them, and this sentiment is from Your Next Stamp, called Whatnot Sentiments Eleven.  Could there be any more truth in that sentiment?  I do love to laugh!

My laughing girls were watercolored with Gansai Tambi paints, plus the occasional Tombow marker when it was handy for the smaller spots or when I needed a color not in my paint tray.  You can mix the paints to change colors, but the marker is much easier.

It's a simple card.  Just some flower sequins and a stitched border.  So quick it made my head spin!

I hope you get a chance to laugh today.  Take care!

Stamps:  Art Impressions Laughing Set, Your Next Stamp Whatnot Sentiments Eleven  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, other card base  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Watercolor with Gansai Tambi and Tombow markers  Other:  Lil' Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, Queen & Co sequins

Squirrel!

Hello, friends!  I'm sharing a fun card today with pretty papers and a Bugaboo squirrel digi-stamp.  Still having a good time playing with my supplies since the most recent declutter and reorganization of my stamp room.  I purchased the stamps and paper pad late last year knowing it would be a while before I used them, but fall has come and time to make some Thanksgiving cards.

Squirrel with his precious acorns was colored with Tombow markers and a blender pen plus a little help from a few Copic markers.  Whatever works, right?  I hand cut and popped him up on the decorated  5 1/2" card.  The pale peach cardstock is probably from Stampin' Up, but the last time I checked they had discontinued this Core'dinations-type cardstock.  I love how it can be lightly sanded to show the white core for a different sort of texture.  I tend to hoard what I have of it, for shame.  It looks much better on a card than it does sitting in a dark cabinet.

This particular page from the DCWV Fall Forest mat stack has gold foil accents throughout, and so I decided to gold emboss the sentiment and add the gold cord.  It really dresses up Squirrel's card.  For accents I added the leaves and mushroom.  That mushroom turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole card.  I sponged with SU inks to coordinate with the paper and then stamped and gold embossed the tiny pattern on the cap.  Did that with a very old SU set called Petite Patterns, which is a set too useful to purge.

Inside is another sentiment purchased last year.  It's a whole beautiful set on its own and I hope to use it again this year.  The plaid-pattern paper on the front and inside is the reverse side of the foiled piece.

I'm happy to share in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #31 today with my sentiment stamps and Squirrel digi.

Okay, that's enough fun for one day, but I'll be back at it as soon as possible.  Till then... have a happy day!

Stamps:  Bugaboo Squirrel digi stamp, Impression Obsession Always Something, SU Petite Patterns, Crafter's Companion Thankful Words (inside)  Paper:  SU for card base, Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor for squirrel, X-Press It (white), scraps colored cardstock, DCWV Fall Forest mat stack  Ink:  Printer for Squirrel, Versamark, SU So Saffron & Groovy Guava for mushroom  Coloring:  Tombow markers & blender pen combined with Copic markers  Dies:  Spellbinders squares, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags, Cheery Lynn Faerie Mushrooms, Paper Smooches Foliage 1  Other:  Gold elastic cord, Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, dimensional dots

Hello, Hello!

Hey, there!  I have another pair of cards today.  I was in the middle of making a batch of Christmas cards when I pulled out my Memory Box Wooden Alpha set and found these letters all cut and ready to go.  I knew they were in there (I keep spare die cuts in the envelope with the dies), but had a temporary lapse of memory since I'd cut these back in April.  Sheesh, has it been that long since I used this alpha set?

I'm in the mood for fall cards so I designed the first with grocers kraft, wood grain, and autumn leaves.  The letters are set against a background from my bag o' backgrounds.  It's Neenah paper which was pressed against a watercolor piece as a way of mopping up excess water.  I felt the colors could work with the fall card.

The little birds are my first Whittle critters.  The birds were sponged with color, then spritzed with water.  The leaves were pressed into ink pads, then spritzed.  Easiest way to watercolor die cuts!  I pressed the leaves into yellow first, then olive green, then rust (all SU inks).  I tried to avoid overlapping the colors when pressing dark into light.  The water spritzing blended the colors nicely.  Note:  When pressing the leaves into the ink pads I placed paper over the leaves so as not to get my fingers all inky.

The next card has more of a spring theme with letters cut from something I'd colored.  The soft background is from a different area of the same piece I used on Card #1.  Green leaves, white card base, peachy designer paper -- all contribute to the look of spring.

I'm playing along in two challenges today:

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #31 (My Whittle Birds are a first time use.)
Dies R Us Challenge #178 (Anything goes with a brand of dies sold in the store.)

 

Well, this was fun!  Not a bit of stamping, but I had great fun with the inks and designs.  I hope you enjoyed looking, and I can't wait to get onto the next project.  Love this stuff!  Take care

Dies:  Memory Box Wooden Alpha, Poppystamps Whittle Birds, Paper Smooches Foliage 1, Spellbinders Long Classic Rectangles

Peace on Earth -- A Brand New Christmas Challenge

Welcome to our first Peace On Earth Challenge!  It's a brand new Christmas challenge from Darlene and Diane, who seem to have boundless energy when it comes to creating and managing challenge blogs.  This makes their 4th challenge blog, running concurrently.  Whew, I'm exhausted just thinking about it, but I do have to say those girls know how to run a beautiful challenge.

It's an "anything goes Christmas" challenge, but an inspiration board is provided if you'd like to use it.  Today's board has a nice variety to choose from.

I think the flower-bedecked horse in the upper right corner of the board is the most beautiful thing as I do have a fondness for critter stamps of a similar nature.  Today I've used a magnificent stag against a snowy woodland.

I need more stamps like I need a hole in the head, but I recently went on a special search for this type of beautiful Inkadinkado wood block stamp, realizing I had so few in my collection and feeling an urge to add more before they get too difficult to find.  I feel better now.  This one is called Christmas Reindeer.

I stamped the stag in Versafine Onyx Black on X-Press It Blending Card and embossed with detail clear embossing powder.  I found it to be the best way to capture the detailed pattern in his body.  The DOX background was blended directly onto the card base.

I'll refer you to the Peace on Earth challenge blog for fabulous team samples and more information.  I will mention that challenges are twice a month, beginning on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.  I hope you'll join us.  Have a wonderful day!

Stamps:  Inkadinkado Christmas Reindeer  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card, SU Ballet Blue, Neenah 110 lb white for extra layer under believe word, silvery-white glitter paper for star  Inks:  Versafine Onyx Black, DOX Chipped Sapphire  & Scattered Straw  Dies:  Memory Box Evergreen Sky Collage & Tall Fir Collage, Frantic Stamper Believe, MFT Die-Namics Star Stax

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - October

Hi, everyone!  Another month, another bunch of challenges that all start at the same time.  Once again I'll mention that you might want to scroll down to see all, or click here for the Four Seasons Challenge and here for the CAS Mix Up Challenge.

Today it's all about Halloween with Two Old Bats.  We have an inspiration board if you'd like a jumping off point, but this challenge is always anything goes.  Complete details can be found on the challenge blog.

When I saw the inspiration board I made a note to self about the pumpkin and black gingham.  The first place I looked was my pile of not-yet-used Bugaboo Halloween digis, and so this card came about:

I'm very sorry to say that the Bugaboo site is down due to technical problems and it's not certain that it will return, sniff sniff.  I feel especially bad for the owner because it was her livelihood.  I don't know much other than that, but I believe there was a lot of info on Facebook where I'm not a participant.

At any rate, I will continue to enjoy what I have because they're so darned much fun!  This one was colored with my go-to Tombow markers and homemade blender pen, then the card designed with a mix of very old papers and trim.  You just have to smile, don't you?

Play along with us.  The team and guest designer, Lena, have some great samples to show you, and whenever the participant number reaches 50 the Two Old Bats have a prize for a random winner.  Last month was fantastic and I'm sure this month will be, too!

I shall return tomorrow with the launch of a brand new challenge.  I hope to see you then.  Take care, friends!

Stamps:  Bugaboo digi Cat with Pumpkin  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, orange card base (not visible in photo), very old designer papser scraps  Ink:  Printer  Coloring:  Tombow markers with homemade blender  Other:  Spellbinders square die, K&Co Halloween trim

CAS Mix Up, Mixed Media - Botanical Prints

Hello, and welcome to our October CAS Mix Up Challenge!  Bonnie is our host this month and she has chosen something very fun for all of us to try:  Botanical Prints.  We are to incorporate real nature in our cards -- leaves, flowers, ferns, whatever.  There are a number of video links on the Mix Up blog, or maybe you have some ideas of your own.  It's a mixed media challenge this month, so be sure to include stamping and at least one other mixed media element.  There is a sample list on the sidebar of the challenge blog.

I couldn't wait to get started!  I tried my hand first at pressed flowers with hot pink and bright orange Impatiens and blue Lobelia.  I also used a heart-shaped leaf from a violet plant, but it didn't transfer much color.  Maybe too late in the season for it.  So where is all that hot pink and orange?  Somehow it came out as pastel lavender and pale plum/pink, but that's okay, too.

My garden pickings made a nice background for this Penny Black Peaceful Time bird and lattice border.  Mixed media elements in addition to the stamping include wet embossing (the bird), die cutting, coloring, and, of course, the pressed flower background.

The pressed flower technique I used is easy peasy.  Place flowers or leaves between two sheets of watercolor paper, sandwich between cutting plates, and run through your die cutting machine.  That's an abbreviated version, but it really was simple.  Do watch a video.  I ended up with two good background pieces, front and back of the flowers.  You really couldn't tell the difference.  While I was at it I made two more cards for different purposes.  Supplies are listed below my signature.

The CAS Mix Up team and our lovely guest designer, Izzy, will blow your minds with their creations for this challenge.  Beautiful stuff!  I hope you'll give it a try, too.  See you again soon!

Bird Card:  Stamps:  Penny Black Peaceful Time, SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds (splatters, retired), Paper:  Fabriano Artistico ExtraWhite 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb  Ink:  Versamark, SU Bashful Blue, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Other:  Black embossing powder, Spellbinders retired Lattice Border, dimensionals to pop up bird

Hello Card:  Stamps:  Hero Arts sentiment, SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds (retired) Ink:  SU Bashful Blue & Lovely Lilac  Other:  Poppystamps Petal Ribbon die, pearls

Anniversary Card:  Stamps:  SU Stippled Blossoms, Power Poppy Love sentiment  Ink:  SU Pale Plum/Perfect plum, Barely Banana/Summer Sun, Wild Wasabi/Garden Green  Other:  Lace, ric rac, pearls, Poppystamps Stitched Main Street Tags die, scrap designer paper