Double D Challenge: Lighthouse

Hello friends!  I have some special news today -- I'm back on the Double D Challenge team!  I retired from all challenge teams for a couple of different reasons.  Now things have leveled off manageably and I'm dipping my toe back into the water.  This is tentative, but hoping I can keep up.  I appreciate the opportunity.

Technically I'm on Darlene's team (third Wednesday of the month), but I couldn't wait to get started so I'm playing along with Diane's challenge (first Wednesday) -- Lighthouse.  Have a look at the inspiration board: 

I have exactly one lighthouse stamp and it's an oldie PSX.  I paired it with a Stampendous sentiment and some Mintay designer paper.  Played around with the design and some dies... I always have so much fun with the Double D challenges!

I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and clear embossed.  Minimal coloring was done with Tombow markers and my homemade blender.

The team votes on creative winners, plus there's a super nice prize for a random winner.  Love those Cottage Cutz dies!

Come play with us at Double D!  We'd love to see your lighthouses.  Have a great day!

Stamps:  PSX Lighthouse, Stampendous Ocean Sayings sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, 111 lb wood grain white card base, SU Poppy Parade & Brilliant Blue, Mintay Marina DP and Simple Stories Color Vibe DP for flags  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Rope Corner, Memory Box Banner Parade, Spellbinders squares and circles  Other:  Detail clear embossing powder, foam mounting tape to pop up lighthouse square

Twofer Card Challenge #19: Nautical

It's Twofer Challenge Time again and we're going NAUTICAL!  That's our prompt this time around -- now through the 24th.  Darnell will explain everything about her ideas for this prompt on the Twofer Blog, and the awesome team samples will give you something to think about, as well.

I went with an iconic image of the ocean shore -- the lighthouse.  My stamp in common is a PSX dated 1999.  Holy cow, 20 years!  I purge my stamp collection regularly, but this one has survived because it's the only lighthouse I have.  I've made a birthday card and a sympathy card.

The birthday card is stamped in Memento London Fog, colored with Copics on Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar white, and designed with Mintay Marina papers.  It has a bright and cheerful look with a few different things going on in the layout.  The sentiments are from a couple of different Power Poppy sets.

The sympathy card is stamped in Ranger Archival (Wendy Vecchi) Shadow Grey ink and watercolored on 140 lb Fabriano Artistico Extra White watercolor paper.  This paper is definitely whiter than most WC papers, but not an extreme white.  Behind it is SU's Whisper White.  The difference between these two whites is negligible enough for it to work without much contrast.  Most importantly is that the Fabriano is excellent quality paper.

For the sympathy card I made a simple design with very soft coloring.  I used Tombow markers which can give me either a very vibrant look or this dilute, faded look.  The image panel is cut with Spellbinders Scored and Pierced Rectangles, and an Amy Design Fishing Net gives texture to the background.

That's it for my Twofer contribution.  Glad I had something I could color for this prompt.  It's an old stamp, but the image is ageless.

Hop over to the Twofer Challenge Blog and see what the team and our Guest Designer, Natalie, are sharing.  Great stuff there!  Read Darnell's explanation of the prompt and the rules, and then see what you can come up with.  We'd love to have you join us in the gallery.  Have a wonderful day!

Double D Challenge: Birthday

Hello and welcome to another Double D Challenge!  Our theme this time around is "Birthday".  One thing is a given --I can always use another birthday card!

Click to enlarge

Our mood board shows many possibilities to inspire you.  We have humor, or watermelon colors, or spa-type girly stuff, or black and gold with a touch of pink.


As always, we'll have creative winners plus a prize for a random winner:

Click to enlarge

For my card I went with the black and gold for a relatively simple card using a stamp that hasn't seen the light of day for a while -- a 2002 PSX birthday cake (no name on the block).  Embossed in gold, minimal coloring...

I made a loopy border and loopy flower to match the cake.

Hop over to Double D to say "hello" and be inspired by the variety of team samples.  I hope to see you in the gallery!  Have fun, and enjoy your day!

Stamps:  PSX cake (no name on stamp)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Bright White watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, black, pink, gold mirror  Ink:  Versamark, Tombow markers for watercolor  Accessories:  Black rhinestone, Ranger Queen's Gold embossing powder  Dies:  Frantic Stamper Livermore Loop, Tutti Designs Celebrate Word Set, Sue Wilson String Flowers

Whatever Wednesday: PSX Garden

Wednesday greetings!  I've had this image all colored up for quite a while and finally made it into a card.  It's an ages old PSX stamp with no name, just K-1620, and a date -- 1995.  Can you believe that's 23 years?  Good old wood block stamps.

I took a notion to do this no-line style, stamped in Antique Linen Distress ink and watercolored on not my favorite watercolor paper with SU's retired Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  It seriously makes a difference which watercolor paper you choose.  I'll save this paper for backgrounds in the future.

I wanted to show the next photo because I think it's so interesting how different the image looks without the bold black outline.  Because of all the detail in the stamp I would have been better off with a slightly darker outline (and better paper, grrrr), but there's always a next time.  PSX stamps are classics and I'll keep this one forever.

Also, notice the shine on the image panel?  I smooshed it into my Versamark pad and embossed with ultra-thick embossing enamel.  It curls the paper and then when you straighten it out it cracks, thus the cracked glass technique.  However, this time I ran it through my Big Shot, sandwiched between two sheets of card stock and the cutting plates.  It flattened the panel, but it also took away the gloss and left it with a waxy finish.  I was disappointed at first, but then decided I liked it.  Looks laminated.

Gosh, I hope I get to color again soon.  New stamps and new dies are calling out to me, but it's a busy week.  I will make time for something simple, maybe 10 minutes at a time, and a card will eventually get done.  Have a happy day!