Double D Challenge: Color Red

Hello friends!  The Double D team is seeing red today... in a good way.  Everything in Blogland seems to be red or pink this month, and why not?  'Tis the month to let red have its way, so that's our challenge -- show us your red.  Here's a lovely mood board for inspiration if you so desire:

Creative winners are voted on by the team, and the prize pictured below will go to a random winner.

Penny Black Across the Miles premium 3.25" x 4.5" cardstock

For my sample I used Stampendous Mailbox Spring with a sentiment from another Stampendous set.  I colored with Copics and covered the card base with Echo Park Love Notes paper.  I'm sure this Valentine has been received by now, but no telling with the crazy weather it has to go through to get there.

I ink-sponged the edges of the image panel and flicked a little water.  Added Wink of Stella to the butterflies.

I love red and think it should get to come out and play more often.  I'll work on that.  In the meantime, I hope to see your red in our gallery at Double D.  Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Stampendous Mailbox Spring and Flower Frame sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, scrap red, Echo Park Love Notes designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Bashful Blue, Pink Pirouette, and Old Olive for image edges  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Lil' Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, SU 3-in-1 Heart Punch, Wink of Stella on butterflies

Double D Challenge: Hearts

Hello, friends!  Double D is at it again.  A new challenge starts today and this time Diane is asking for hearts.  Little hearts, big hearts -- 'tis the month for hearts.  See the pretty inspiration board...

... and a prize for a random winner:

I'm still working my way through not-yet-used supplies, and that will go on for a long time.   You'd think I was a craft survivalist with the way I've stockpiled.  Today it's the cute little envelope with flowers from the Stampendous Mailbox Spring stamp set.  The large kraft heart was a spare part.  I embossed it with an old folder and tapped all over with a freshly reinked white pigment pad.

The glossy dots are punched cardstock circles with Diamond Glaze added.  The die cut sentiment  is two layers. I used the packing tape trick on the top layer -- applied clear packing tape to red cardstock, then die cut.  Instant glossy cardstock.  After I hand cut the stamped envelope and flowers I coated with Versamark and clear embossing powder.  Maybe sometime I'll try the packing tape on a hand cut image.

This little 4 3/4" card will be a Valentine for a friend.

My teamies have used their hearts in some clever and beautiful ways.  Come along and spread some love with us by sharing your hearts in our Double D Challenge.

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stampendous Mailbox Spring  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, kraft, Cougar Vanilla, Stampin' Up Ridinghood Red and Groovy Guava, red glitter cardstock  Ink:  Memento Toffee Crunch, Stampin' Up White Pigment ink, Versamark  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Tutti Stitched Nesting Hearts, Impression Obsession For You  Other:  Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder, 1/8" & 1/4" circle punches, heart punch, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, clear packing tape, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Double D Challenge: Sunflowers

Hello, friends!  I'm back to my Double D Challenge duties today.  The DDs and team were very patient with me while I dealt with life stuff and I appreciate them so much.

Diane has given us a cheerful challenge today -- sunflowers.  You just have to feel good looking at those bright yellow blooms.  Here's our inspiration board:

The team votes for creative winners, and a random winner will receive the prize pictured below.  Please see the Double D rules for more specific information.

Yellow sunflowers and blue butterflies... I think you can see which corner of the board inspired me.  I've crafted a simple design with crisp white layering on an embossed card base trimmed with a strip of polka dots.

I colored with Copics on Neenah white, added black pearls to the butterfly bodies.  All supplies are well loved and oft used.

Come join us at Double D with your sunflower creations.  We'd love to see them and we hope you'll be inspired by the team samples.  Great stuff over there!

Thank you so much for dropping in today.  Happy crafting!

Stamps:  Stampendous Pop Sunflower  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80# & 110#, scrap SU Old Olive, scrap designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Black pearls, Tim Holtz Lumber 3D embossing folder, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets

Pumpkin Feast

Hi there!  One more Thanksgiving card just for fun.  I've had this Stampendous wood block stamp for ages and still use it every few years.  Today it's combined with a fall vine and an everyday wood frame.  I believe dies were not even a "thing" when I first bought the stamp.  Time marches on.

I did my usual coloring with Tombow markers on watercolor paper.  No blender this time, just the markers.  These days I'm comfortable with a looser coloring style -- not a lot of detail and shading.  I'm sorry about that in some ways, but better to ease up than to stop altogether.

• I'm playing along today in the Four Seasons Challenge.  They've got a super cute mood board and it's the last of the fall challenges.  After this they'll start up with winter.  Sad face.
• Additionally, the Sisterhood of Crafters has a Fall Harvest challenge.  I would say my chipmunks are definitely enjoying a fall harvest.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Take care till we meet again.

Stamps:  Stampendous Pumpkin Feast, Hero Arts sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Cougar vanilla  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Rich Cocoa for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Dies:  Memory Box Autumn Border, Impression Obsession Small Leaf Set, Hero Arts Wood Frame, Spellbinders rectangle from retired set  Other:  Clear embossing powder, foam tape to pop up sentiment and single leaf

Double D Challenge: Sunflowers

 

'Tis the season for sunflowers and that's Darlene's Double D Challenge for us today.  The mood board is inspiring for sure.  Who doesn't love sunflowers?

I bought my Stampendous Sunflowers last year and played with them a lot.  Now here they are again because I still love the set and the darling little bird that comes with it.

I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black on hot press watercolor paper, then clear embossed and colored with Tombow markers and blender.  It looks like watercolor, but it's just pens.  A blank Copic marker filled with homemade blender solution makes it easy to just sit down and go for it.

Blank Copic marker filled with homemade blender solution.
2 tsp glycerin
4 tsp distilled water
1/4 tsp 70% rubbing alcohol
Shake in a small bottle to mix.  Use eye dropper to fill pen.

All the pretty pieces are hand cut.  The flowers are popped up on thinnish foam mounting tape.  I went to The Vast Hoard for designer paper because I really need to use it.  These papers are retired Stampin' Up and not necessarily favorites, but the colors worked well enough.

 

Inside is a combination of two sentiments in the set.  A cute font and a nice thing to say in a card.

Pictured below is a cute stamp set for a random prize winner.  The team votes on creative favorites.  Such a difficult task, but we're dedicated to the process.

Come on down to the Double D Challenge!  You know we love to see your stuff and we hope you'll enjoy our samples, too.

Wishing you a sunflower kind of day!

Stamps:  Stampendous Pop Sunflower  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White hot press 140 lb watercolor, Cougar vanilla, PTI Dark Chocolate, retired SU designer paper  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Rich Cocoa (inside sentiment)  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Dies:  Hero Arts Wood Frame, Paper Smooches Hello Words  Other:  Tim Holtz Sizzix Lumber 3D embossing folder, detail clear embossing powder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Playing Cards with Michele

Oh, what fun, my bloggie friend, Michele (I Card Everyone), invited me to play cards with her today!  That means she gives us a to-do list and we each make a card following those specifics.  Then share on the assigned day.  It's the next best thing to being there!

Today is World Bee Day and here's our to-do list:

1. Make a card that includes a honeybee.
2. Flowers are welcome, but not necessary.
3. Add a honeycomb, the color yellow, or black and yellow stripes.

I had just the thing:  A never-been-used Stampendous Bumblebee Happy stamp set.  Yes, they're bumblebees, but I did my best to make them appear as simply very plump honeybees.

They're well fed and a fully stocked honeycomb is evidence of that.  Surely they're not getting all their sustenance from those little white flowers?

All coloring was done with Copics.  I added Wink of Stella to their wings, and Stickles Stardust glitter glue to the flower centers.  Maybe you can see how their eyes are glossy little bubbles.  That's from an approximately 20 year old bottle of JudiKins Diamond Glaze.  The dies are oldies -- a flower border plus flowers from another die set which is super cute in its own right.

You probably know Michele -- sweet, funny, kind, and a talented card maker with a lean toward CAS.  I've been waiting quite a while to see her card.  I'm sure it's a sweet make, a honey of a card, a bee-u-tiful design...  Let's go look HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  I hope you had fun, too!

Stamps:  Stampendous Bumblebee Happy  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, black, Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Stickles Stardust Glitter Glue, Wink of Stella, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, Joy Crafts Happy Border die, Spellbinders Homespun (flower & leaves)

Two Birds on a Branch

Hello and welcome back!

It's time for another Christmas card.  I didn't think this one would survive the wastebasket, but I rescued it.  Suffice to say the bird oval was cut away from the original card and placed on this much simpler, cleaner card.  It's Stampendous Heavenly Birds stamp.

Lately I've had a distressing number of cards ending up in the round file.

After gold embossing the birds (last year) I colored (this year) with Tombow markers and homemade blender.  I added a dry embossed layer to the card base, then topped with the birds, a Lawn Fawn sentiment with banner, and gold and white branches for accent.  Everything is listed in the recipe below.

I'm playing along in two challenges today:

Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #25 --  It's always anything goes, but they have a lovely inspiration board.
NBUS Challenge #43 -- Never before used schtuff.  It took a year to finish the card, but it's still a first time use.

 

Thanks ever so much for stopping by today.  I'm behind in visiting due to three days of taking care of business, then two days down with my back.  I'm pretty sure I hurt it in the garden when I lifted something that seemed easy enough at the time.  Sure fooled me.  Anyhoo, it's very difficult to sit at the computer for any length of time.  I'll heal soon and be back to business as usual.  Take care!

Stamps:  Stampendous Heavenly Birds, Lawn Fawn Winter Wavy Sayings  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, gold mirror, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White  Ink:  Versamark, SU Rose Red  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Other:  Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, Cuttlebug Heritage Collection embossing folder, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder (card base), Lawn Cuts (Lawn Fawn) Wavy Banners, Sue Wilson Delicate Fronds, Memory Box Hayden Twigs

Rose Teacup

Hi!  I'm playing in The Flower Challenge today.  They're asking for sparkle and I had this not-yet-used Rose Teacup set from Stampendous on my table.  What a fun combination.  It's only been in the basket for a year, I believe.  🙄

I white-embossed the stamps and watercolored with Spectrum Noir sparkle pens.  There's lots more sparkle than you can see here.  I love those pens!  The stick-on butterfly has glittery wings and a rhinestone body that refracts the light nicely, too.

White on white for the background with a delicately die cut oval frame.  I don't know the name of the frame die because it was in a package of die cuts sent by a friend.  All the images were hand cut.  The bouquet that fills the cup is popped up.

Two challenges:

The Flower Challenge #72 - Add Sparkle    My sparkle is in the watercoloring with Spectrum Noir sparkle pens, and in the glitter on the butterfly.
NBUS Challenge #42  The Stampendous Rose Teacup is out of the package for the first time.

 

Thank you for coming today.  Take good care and I will hope to see you again soon.

Birthday Mail

Hi there!  I'm sharing two cards today.  I meant to be here on Wednesday but with too many other things to do I just couldn't manage it.  However, I'm here now because I took a notion to play along in the Seize the Birthday challenge with the optional sketch.  That's the first card pictured.  Both cards use the fairly new to me Stampendous Mailbox Birthday set.

(Retired designer paper and SU Core'dinations-type cardstock, Park Lane Pennants embossing folder, Pink & Main Birthday Girl Glossy Dots, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, punched circle)

I mixed designer paper, an embossed panel, and a sanded card base for the sketch, and arranged a group of fussy cut images with the sentiment for the focal piece.  I colored with Copics and applied a little sparkle and some glossy dots.  I hope you can see the details okay in the photo.  See the sketch below.

Seize the Birthday #245 - Sketch

 

My second card uses the primary image in the set, stamped on watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers and homemade blender.  This one was made and mailed last month.  I remember how fun it was to color and create.  Supplies are listed below the picture.

(Stamps:  Stampendous Mailbox Bday  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, scrap Bazzill cantaloupe, Park Lane 110 lb printed cardstock base  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Tombow markers & homemade blender  Other:  Spellbinders Blossom Nestabilities)

Sending happy wishes to everyone everyday!  Take care of yourselves and enjoy your day!

Wild Horses

Hi friends!  Brace yourself for some wild color because I've been at my Laurel Burch stamps again.  They were sold by Stampendous, but I don't see them there now, so I'm wondering if they've been discontinued.  I see they're available on Amazon and elsewhere.  Typical of me to be clueless.  I'm just happy to have a few in my collection.

My Horse Friends are stamped in Versamark and embossed in gold.  I painted with Twinkling H2O's, using natural colors for the horses' bodies but going more creative for their manes.  I didn't want too much crazy color in the focal piece because the background is so wildly colorful.  The die cut "fantastic" seemed appropriate considering the fantastical nature of the artwork.

About that background...  I was in my Joseph's Coat phase but had an idea for something different.  I used a large sponge to apply a rainbow of inks to shimmery ivory cardstock.  Then I laid my stencil over top and used another large sponge to thoroughly apply black ink to the negative spaces.  It's a striking lot of color, but perfect for my Laurel Burch stamp.

The stencil is Whispering Grass by Pink Ink.

Inside is trimmed with a leftover piece, and the sentiment is gold embossed.  It's an oldie Wordsworth stamp and one of my all-time favorites.

The next card actually came first.  I brayered ink from an old SU spectrum pad onto Whisper White cardstock, then clear-embossed the horses.  I used a craft knife to cut the image from the center of the inky background and then rubbed black ink over just the horses image.  Matted the image and put it back in place.  It's more trouble than it would have been if I'd had a plan from the beginning.  Just goofing around.

I'm working with my not-yet-used Stampendous this week.  They're a favorite company with a variety of image styles and always reliable quality.  Just saying.  Some of my oldest and best loved stamps are from Stampendous.

As per usual I'll be sharing at Darnell's NBUS Challenge.  My Horse Friends stamp and Whispering Grass stencil are both being used for the first time.

See you again soon!