Hello from the Gnome Home

Greetings friends!  It's been too many days since I popped in here.  I've been making cards, but they're all for later.  What happened to the days when I would post at least three times a week?  I miss that.  Life happens and there are no guarantees, but the plan this month is to try and do better.

I'm going to start with one challenge at a time.  Today it's Sunday Stamps Challenge.  They have a sketch this time, which I'll show in a minute.  Thank goodness it's not a CAS challenge because their sketch inspired this card:

I thought I had used the last of my not-yet-used gnome stamps, but I was wrong.  I was looking through the not-yet-used basket when I saw this guy peeking out at me.  He's Stamping Bella's Gnome in a Tree, and since he lives in a tree stump I gave him a woodland setting with Bo Bunny papers, a grounding of grass, and a cute little mushroom for accent.  All retired stuff, I'm sure.

Coloring was done on watercolor paper with Tombow markers -- no water, just markers.

Here's that challenge link again, and the sketch:

Sunday Stamps Challenge #308 -- In The Middle.

I'll also link to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #50.  I'll be linking to this challege a lot as I try to catch up on my various and sundry NBUS.

Thanks for visiting today!  I do enjoy the compay.

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Gnome in a Tree  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, SU Crushed Curry (just a little strip showing), Bo Bunny Camp-a-Lot designer paper  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black (clear embossed) for gnome, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Dies:  MFT Die-namics Fresh Cut Grass, Cherry Lynn Faerie Mushrooms, rectangle die from other sentiment set  Other:  Detail clear embossing powder

Christmas Gnomes

 

Hi friends!  It all started with the Peace On Earth Challenge #38.

Gnomes will be gnomes... just having a little party.  This is not a Christmas stamp at all, but I tried to turn it into one after I saw the inspiration board at the Peace on Earth challenge.  There is not a snowflake in sight because the truth is I'm more likely to see green grass outside my Christmas window here on the southern Oregon coast.  I would not be likely to see beer-drinking gnomes wallowing in our grass, but the grass would be green.

I gave my card a Christmas sentiment with an unrelated stamp and die combo.  The die said "cheers", but I snipped off the "s".  Added some poinsettia trim which is not actually poinsettias, but it appears so to me.  It's an older Memory Box die set called Seraphine Laurel.

Pictured below is the sentiment combo I used inside the card.  Part of it came with the gnomes (guess which part), and the rest is retired Stampin' Up.  Too irreverent for Christmas?  I'm sure it will be just right for someone.

That's the last of my not-yet-colored gnome stamps.  These days I seem to balk at coloring stamps with a lot of detail.   Times, they are a'changing but, gosh, these guys sure are cute!

• Since my gnomes are a first time use I'll share in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #49 -- Never before used schtuff.
• I would also like to play along in the Christmas Kickstart Challenge #73 -- Gnome for Christmas.  My first time to play in this challenge.  It looks like fun!
• Another new-to-me challenge is Christmas Craft Creations.  Their April challenge theme is humor.

  

That's a lot of challenges for me, but everything just fit.  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Two Gnomes Under a Keg, other SU sentiments (old)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, SU Poppy Parade and Old Olive  Ink:  Palette Noir, SU Poppy Parade inside  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender  Other:  Golden Rod and Xmas Red Stickles, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder (retired), Spellbinders Hemstitch Rectangles, Memory Box Cheers Script, Memory Box Seraphine Laurel

Gnome Bringing Flowers for a Smile

My NBUS baskets are full of the most wonderful things, many of which I've looked at so often they hardly seem new anymore.  However, the moment I start to play with an item its wonderful newness all comes back to me and I have the best time.  Such is the case with this Flowery Gnome from Stamping Bella.

Just a mention:  The little gnome I included in the photo was given to me by a friend on Valentine's Day.  She made it from a baby or toddler sock and fake fur.  So cute!

My paper gnome was stamped on watercolor paper and colored with Tombow markers -- no water, and only minimal use of the blender pen.  I hand cut my gnome and the sentiment, then arranged with sequins on the embossed card base.  Gnome is popped up on foam tape.  The sentiment, BTW, is an oldie from Stampin' Up.

Now, about that pink embossed card...  I was inspired by a brand new challenge called Can You Handle the Pressure?  It requires the use of an embossing folder and there will always be an optional twist.  This time pink is the twist.  Those two prompts helped me make quick decisions on the design.

The embossing folder is one I've had for years -- Elegant Bouquet from SU.  I brushed the raised pattern with white pigment ink, directly from pad to paper -- always a soft look whatever the color you apply the white to.  Gnome looks right at home, doesn't he?

All tolled I'm playing in three challenges today:

Can You Handle the Pressure? -- Embossing with a Twist of Pink  Thank you for another great challenge, Darlene and Diane!

Double D Challenge:  Shades of Pink.  I was a lucky random prize winner in the previous DD challenge.  Thank you again, Darlene and Diane!

NBUS Challenge #35  Many thanks to Darnell for this challenge which reminds us to bring out our never-been-used treasures.  Today it's my Flowery Gnome.

My card is a Valentine for next year.  Maybe I won't get caught empty handed if I make a few ahead.

Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Flowery Gnome, SU Simple Sayings II (2003)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, Neenah white, SU Pretty In Pink  Ink:  Palette Noir for image, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment, white pigment ink for highlighting the embossing  Coloring:  Tombow markers, no water, some blender pen  Other:  SU Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, sequins, foam mounting tape

A Valentine for CAS Mix Up Reminder

Hello!  Back again with a reminder for the current CAS Mix Up Challenge.  Our host, Hilary, has asked us to use splatters on our cards and, since we're doing mixed media this month, we are also required to use at least one other mixed media element.  See the CAS Mix Up Challenge blog for all info.

I've been looking forward to using this stamp which was a gift from a friend, so with Valentine's Day approaching I went with a very sweet and pink love theme.

I stamped in Gina K Amalgam Warm Glow ink, which is a very faint, but still visible, tan or fawn color, then colored with Tombow markers and a blender pen.  My splatters are on the lower edge of the card as well as the die cut "love".

Mixed media elements:  Watercolor splatters + stamping + marker/blender pen coloring + die cuts

Check out more samples at the CAS Mix Up Blog.  So, there you go... now let's see yours!  Have fun!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Bundle Girl with Falling Hearts  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah card base (not visible)  Ink:  Gina K Amalgam Warm Glow  Coloring:  Tombow water-based markers and blender pen  Other:  Pink gem, Lil'Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, Frantic Stamper Sending Love/Hugs, Memory Box Precious Hearts

Gnomes Living the Life

Pardon me while I have some fun... just like these gnomes are having the time of their lives doing the simplest thing.  I love that!

I felt it was time to add some gnomes to my collection so I went to 1-2-3 Stitch and typed "gnomes" into the search field... oh, my word... there were a LOT of gnome stamps!  It wasn't easy to narrow it down to three, but I did it.  Ended up with all three of them being Stamping Bella.  When I saw these guys we just clicked... right into my cart.  They're so utterly gleeful!

It's a blustery fall day as they whoosh down the hillside.  Just look at the sun's warm glow and the leaves all swirling in the wind.  The leafy background and the hillside are designer paper, but I watercolored the overhead foliage and, of course, the happy gnomes.  My watercoloring started with SU's Watercolor Wonder Crayons, but I wasn't real happy with how that was going so I switched to my Tombow markers.  I definitely prefer the Tombows.

Can you have too much fun making cards?  I think not.  The more happy you can add to your life, the better.  Enjoy your day!  

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Adventure Gnomes  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor, white card base, Bo Bunny Autumn Song designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  A combo of SU Watercolor Wonder Crayons and Tombow markers  Other:  Poppy Stamps Freida Curve (2017), Poppy Stamps Dotted Curve (2017), Impression Obsession Grass

Bedelia

A mid-week hello to you!  I feel like I finally accomplished something in my stamp room.   My focus has been scattered and I've been unable to settle.  Gee, I wonder why?  I think we're pretty much "business as usual" at my house, but with certain restrictions, yet everything feels different.  Yesterday we went to one supermarket to pick up a few perishables, but then had to go to an additional store to finish up our list.  Even then there were things missing.  Are people eating more eggs than usual?  Bread?  I really can't complain, though.  We've been pretty lucky here.

Today I'm sharing something sweet.  Bedelia the Bunny is a Stamping Bella a friend gifted to me.  She's one of my favorites because she's an adorable critter and you know how I feel about critters.

I colored her with Copics and added Wink of Stella to the blooms and Stickles glitter to the flower centers.  I even embellished with sequins, which I need to do more often, considering I have a bunch of them.  Have they gone out of style yet?  I hope not!  I strung a little garden banner in the corner.  Trying to keep this CAS without sacrificing too much.

This was a rather quick card which was good for my current short attention span (due to distraction, ahem), but on the other side of the room I also had a watercolor going on.  I'm thinking that might be the new normal in my stamp room for a while.  Anyway, I finished the watercolor and I'll share it on Friday.  Meanwhile... I think I'll start two more projects.

Take care, wash your hands, keep your distance, stay safe and let's make this bug go away!  Hugs and love to all.

Easter Bunny Chick

Hi, friends!  I believe I've colored my last Easter card of the year.  They're going in the mail soon.  I don't have any new Easter stamps, but this older Stamping Bella Easter Bunny Chick is still a cutie.  Actually, it's new to me -- a gift from a friend, along with all the other Stamping Bellas I've been coloring lately.  Thanks, friend!

I colored with Copics and sponged a Salty Ocean Distress Oxide ink background, splattered with turquoise ink.  Hand cut the sentiment flag and used bunches of dies in the card design.  Oh, my word, I didn't realize how many dies until I wrote up the list.  Well, hey, use 'em if you've got 'em!

The eggs are decorated with Stickles Stardust glitter glue, with the top two eggs also having white gel pen applied first.  Simply fun!

I hope to see you again soon.  Take care and have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Easter Bunny Chick  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, watercolor, Bo Bunny Soft Shades Double Dot designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for coloring, Distress Oxide Salty Ocean, SU Tempting Turquoise  Accessories:  Signo Uniball white gel pen, Stickles Stardust glitter glue  Dies:  Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Stackables, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets, Memory Box Wrapped Stitched Frames, MFT Die-namics Fresh Cut Grass, Impression Obsession Grass Border, Impression Obsession Grass (tall)

It's a Stamping Bella Batch of Christmas Cards

Gee, I went a whole week without a blog post, but not without stamping.  There are limits to what a girl can endure.  I finished up a batch of Stamping Bellas, this being the last of my not-yet-colored Christmas Bellas, so I'm doing pretty good.  All are older stamps, some probably retired.  Not sure as I didn't look them up on the Stamping Bella site, but I do know that most or all can be found on Amazon.

I'll share them in the order in which they were made and list accessories below each photo.  All are Copic colored on Neenah Classic Crest Solar White.

The nice thing about starting early is that I can take time to play, and I do love to play.  The first is "Frostier" in a framed frosty scene.  Sparkle is courtesy of glitter paper and Stickles Stardust glitter glue.

(Dies:  Memory Box Wrapped Stitched Frames, Impression Obsession Tree Landscape Layers, Paper Smooches Hello Words)

The next is much simpler, just stitched up on some older Christmas designer paper.  This is "Santa Chick and his Helpers":

Pictured below is another one that involved some play, but the dies make it easy.  It's not as many layers as it appears.  The landscape hills are traced using the dies as a guide, and the trees were cut from the dies and rearranged to fit.  Lots of snowy microfine glitter on this scene featuring "Rudolph the Skating Reindeer":

(Dies:  Memory Box Wrapped Stitched Frames, Impression Obsession Tree Landscape Layers, Memory Box Frosty Border)

Last, but not least, is "Pamela the Poinsettia".   She's soooo pretty!  I cut her out and placed her on a panel which was ready made and sitting in my card parts drawer.  The Merry Christmas banner was also already cut and colored, which makes this probably the easiest of all four cards.

Total Christmas cards so far this year:  8

They're all finished on the inside and ready to mail.  I have a long way to go, but I'm already looking forward to starting the next batch.  I'm feeling motivated this year!  Have a happy day!

Double D Challenge: Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Welcome to another Double D challenge!  I'll admit I get a little excited when it snows, but that's because it happens so seldom here and then it melts away quickly.  Whether you love snow or not, it does make a pretty winter card, so we're hoping to see plenty of it in our Double D Challenge -- Let it Snow!  Let it Snow!  Let it snow!

I've used a Stamping Bella stamp called Frida Loves Frosty and a Power Poppy Nice Things to Say sentiment.

Here's our very snowy mood board:

And a snowflakey prize for a random winner:

I colored with Copic markers and added plenty of sparkle.  I'll list details in the recipe below my signature.

You'll find lots more info and wonderful team samples on the Double D blog.   Warm hugs to all!

Stamps:  Stamping Bella Frida Loves Frosty, Power Poppy Nice Things to Say  Paper:  Neenah Classic White and 110 lb white, SU Pool Party  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Stickles Stardust glitter glue  Dies:  Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangles, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, Poppystamps Heart Sprinkle Sash

CAS Santa

Monday greetings!  Card crafting slowed down when I decided to make gardening and housework and grocery shopping a priority for the time being.  I know, it's not nearly as much fun, but a necessity.  However, I still popped into my room a little bit each day so I could make a card for the current CAS Christmas Card Challenge.  The prompt this time is "Santa".  How could I resist the opportunity to use this darling Stamping Bella "Santa Has a Prezzie"?

How they describe CAS:

- clean (uncluttered) cohesive design

- must include white "or open" space (no pattern)

- minimal layers and embellishments

I think this qualifies, seeing as how CAS refers more to the design than to how much time you spent getting it that way.

Santa is colored with Copics and cut out.  I added white pearl pen sprinkled with microfine glitter to his hat and coat trim.  I isolated each "Ho" in the sentiment and circle punched -- 1/2", 5/8", 3/4".  Layered each punched circle onto a second circle for dimension, then lightly colored with a blue Copic and added Glossy Accents.  Arranged the circles to suggest Santa's laughter is receding into the distant mountains.  A sentiment is not considered an embellishment, but it sort of turned into an embellishment, didn't it?

Dies are Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes and Stitched Majestic Mountains.

Gosh, this was fun.  Fingers crossed that I'll be back soon.  Glad you stopped by!

Stamping Bella Christmas

It has been my goal to save Fridays for flowers and Mondays for cute cards, but I'm pulling a switcheroo this week -- a cute card today, and then I'll pop in with flowers on Monday.

I'm in possession of a fantastic number of new-to-me Stamping Bellas.  I haven't counted, but let's just say my friend is very generous with her time and resources.  I've used two of them on my card today:  Christmas Penguins and Rita and the Reindeer.  I had colored both and then it occurred to me that I could put them together, as though the reindeer is leading the penguins with their string of jingle bells.

Both stamps are colored with Copics and cut out.  Rita and the Reindeer is popped up.  I hadn't planned on cutting out the penguins, but the paper they were stamped on was too short to accommodate Rita and the Reindeer.  I probably spent more time trying to figure out how to avoid fussy cutting them than actually cutting them.

There's much more sparkle on this card than you can see in the photos:

Wink of Stella and Stickles Stardust on the snow.
Stickles on the falling snow and Rita's star.
Spica red glitter pen on the jingle bells and the bow atop the first penguin's head.
Sakura clear glitter pen on the jingle bell string.
White pearl pen covered with white microfine glitter on the scarf and hat trim.

The sentiment is from a Poppystamps set called Believe in Magic.  The folded card measures 6 3/4" x 3 3/4".  I think I've covered everything except to say this is probably my most fun Christmas card so far this year.  I still have a lot of Bellas to color yet, so we'll see if its position is usurped later.

Enjoy your weekend!