Chicken in the Grass

Okay... this one is just for fun because I wanted to try another one of my Woodware Lino Cut stamps.  With so much solid surface it can be difficult to get a good impression, especially with a clear stamp, but this came out usable with Memento ink and the MISTI.  It's called Chicken in the Grass.

My friend gave me the sheet of wood grain designer paper to help out with this card, and it was just the prompt I needed to decide which colors to use with the green.  A little burlap paper, a die cut greeting, and the Chloe Stem die to match...  I mean, really, how many different things can you do with a green square?  In the end I love it.  Stamped a birthday greeting inside (came with the stamp set), and tucked the card away in my birthday file.

Since my Woodware Chicken in the Grass stamp is fresh out of the package, I'm sending it over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #23 (never before used schtuff).

Till I see you again... have a happy day!

Stamps:  Woodware Chicken in the Grass  Paper:  SU Whisper White and Blush Blossom, Neenah 110 lb white for die cuts, Craft Consortium wood grain designer paper, DCWV burlap paper  Ink:  Memento Bamboo Leaves, Copics B05 and R02 for coloring die cuts  Other:  Stickles Stardust Glitter, Cottage Cutz Greetings, Memory Box Chloe Stem

Winter Bird

Hello and happy Wednesday to all!  Keeping it very simple today with Inkadinkado Winter Birds set and a pretty snowflake border.  I dressed it up minimally with self-adhesive silver trim and rhinestones.  The sentiment is retired SU.

Sorry to rush, but as I write this I've got a full day ahead of me.  When I made this card (days ago) I was inspired by the CAS Christmas Card Challenge -- Birds:

The Precious Marieke Snowflake Border die is not new on the market, but it's new to me and this is a first time use, so I'm heading over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #19:

Thanks for putting up with me.  I'll be back Friday with all new Power Poppy!  Take care...

Haunted Halloween

Welcome to Wednesday, friends.  I can't not make a few Halloween cards this year, even though I have several left from last year.  Today I have two, and they actually started with the Cloudy Skies stenciled background made with Distress Oxide inks Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Victorian Velvet.  Splattered with water just a little bit.

I've used a Plum Purdy cat and Whipper Snapper bats, both of which are years old.  Tee hee!  Love those bats!

Hillside edges were swiped with white ink.  Die cut sentiment.  Coloring was done with Copics.  This slimline card measures 9" x 3 3/4".

The next card is made with Impression Obsession dies and another Cloudy Skies background.  Same inks, different cloud layers, no splatters.  The little ghosts are sequins.  I added Wink of Stella to the sentiment.

I'm sending my slimline card over to the Shopping Our Stash Challenge #430 - On Trend - Slimline.  Between the awesome DT and the players' gallery there are some fabulous cards and great slimline ideas!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope to see you again soon.  Take care!

Card #1 -- Stamps:  Plum Purdy Black Magic (cat), Whipper Snapper Spooky Expressions (bats)  Paper:  Neenah white 80 & 110 lb, black  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, white pigment ink, DOX Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Victorian Velvet  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Heffy Doodle Cloudy Skies Stencil, Poppy Stamps Stitched Landscapes, Impression Obsession Trick or Treat

Card #2 -- No stamps.  Ink and paper same as above with the addition of SU Apricot Appeal for die cut sentiment.  Other:  Wink of Stella, ghost sequins, Impression Obsession dies Halloween Hill and Happy Halloween

Snowy Tree Scene

Welcome back!  Fiddling around with some things I'd pulled from the drawers, making a mess on my desk... I decided to turn some of the mess into a card.  The die is Tutti Designs Fir Trees Arch Scene -- not yet used, but definitely on the Christmas card line up this year.  Two 110 lb layers over an alcohol ink background.

About that background... I own exactly 3 alcohol inks which I bought when they very first came onto the market way back in I-don't-know-when.  All this time I just haven't been sure if I wanted to start collecting a whole other thing, if you know what I mean.  Anyway, this is my 3 color background on photo paper with 91% alcohol as the blending solution.  It looks fine to me.

The snowflakes along the bottom of the card are those that popped out when the die was cut.  Quite usable and not something I could bear to toss out.  Cutting two dies I ended up with 16 snowflakes this size.  I used some inside the card, as well, but still have quite a few little snowflakes left.  They'll be showing up on other cards.

I'll send my card with its NBUS tree die over to NBUS Challenge #18.  I know, practically every card I make heads over to that challenge.  It's just that I have so much NBUS and I'm trying to use it.

More supplies are listed below.  Thanks so much for your time today!

Stamps:  SU Heard from the Heart sentiment  Paper:  Neenah 80 lb card base, 110 lb for dies, photo paper for AI background  Ink:  SU Bermuda Bay for sentiment, alcohol inks are Wild Plum, Stream, and Butterscotch  Other:  Tutti Fir Trees Arch Scene

Blooming Birthday

Welcome back and thanks for coming!

I'm using two of my newest stamps today -- Rubbernecker Brushed Flower #6 and Special Joy -- because I always need more birthday cards.  I have more new flowers from Rubbernecker and I'm loving all of them.  New favorites.  Just sayin'.

This is the simplest Copic coloring using only yellow and green because I'm playing along here:

Color Hues Challenge #1

It's also a very CAS design because of this challenge:

CAS Mix Up -- Embossing with Dies.  Several videos are linked on the challenge blog.  The one I watched is Embossed Impressions.  Now I finally have a die embossing sandwich that works great!  The die I used is Impression Obsession Fancy Cut Out Border.  I'm ready to go again on this technique.  It's way fun!

Of course, I have to link up with Darnell's NBUS Challenge #18 again, too.

That's all for today.  Thank you so much!

Floral Frame Watercolor

Hello there and welcome!  It's about time I colored this very fun bouquet that's been sitting unused in my basket for a few months.  Shame on me.  Just look how cheerful it is!  I love how the flowers are splashed together all carefree, and that's the way it begs to be colored, too.  No muss, no fuss, and I adore it!  The stamp is Floral Frame from Stampendous.  One image and lots of sentiments.

I watercolored with Tombow markers.  I did not plan to cut out the image, but I stamped it crooked, so this was the fix and the card is better for it.  You know how that happens.  The striped base is some heavyweight cardstock.  The black oval was already cut and waiting to be used.  A super quick card.  Why did I wait so long?  After I finished this one I colored two more.  So easy!  I'll share them a little later.

Today's card is heading over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge ~ 18 which is always anything goes as long as it's never before used schtuff.

I'll be back soon.  I've been doing a lot of stamping and coloring since our last camping trip.  I think we're done with that for a while as everything is very dry here in the west and fires are raging.  We're safe, but many people are not so fortunate.  Hugs to all!

Stamps:  Stampendous Floral Frame  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press, black, Park Lane 110 lb designer cardstock  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Center oval from Memory Box Oval Master Frame

A Day at the Seashore

All the beach challenges I've been seeing recently have cumulatively inspired me to finally sit down with some of the beach/ocean/nautical stamps and dies I've been collecting, but not using (ahem).  Today I have one new die and one very old stamp.  Here are the two cards I made Monday morning:

Taking a look at the card below... it features an I-don't-know-how-old wood block stamp, completely unmarked.  It's been in a drawer forever and I've possibly used it once or twice.  The rock doesn't stamp very well, but I filled in the blanks.  We'll call it shading.  I pulled out this oldie for the CAS Mix Up Watercolor Challenge:  Beach

The next card uses a watercolored Pelican die from Cottage Cutz along with a pre-made smooshed watercolor background.  Just having a little CAS fun with this one.  Since the Pelican is a first time use, I'm sharing this one at Darnell's NBUS Challenge ~ 17.

I didn't do a lot of decoration inside the cards, but each features this sentiment:

More info in recipes below my signature.

That's all from me today!  Take care and stay safe.  I hope none of you are suffering damage from the tropical storm Isaias.  The news doesn't look good.  Hugs to all.

Card #1 --  Stamps:  No name OR Coast wood block, Art Gone Wild Variety Pack 1 sentiment inside  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 and 110 lb white  Ink:  Palette Noir on front, Memento Tuxedo Black inside  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Kaiser Craft Anchors die

Card #2 -- Stamps:  Hero Arts Moments sentiment front, Art Gone Wild Variety Pack 2 sentiment inside  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Strathmore Mixed Media vellum surface for background, SU Creamy Caramel for sentiment  Ink:  DOX Salty Ocean, Versamark  Coloring:  Watercolor with inks and Tombow markers  Dies:  Cottage Cutz Pelican, Frantic Stamper Making Waves, Spellbinders Long Classic Rectangles  Other:  White embossing powder

Butterfly Twofer

Hello again!  I had some extra time in my stamp room on the day they removed our fallen tree, staying out of the way with a good view of the goings on... so I made a twofer... specifically, a pair of butterfly cards in order to play along in the Twofer Card Challenge #29 where the prompt is "Butterflies".  Just happened to have a NBUS butterfly die:

The die is Poppystamps Bellina Butterfly Collage, and is shown in full on the birthday card below.  It's simple and pretty over an inky background that was sitting in my bag o' background pieces.  Embossed a Poppystamps Birthday Blowout sentiment and tucked it in the side like a label.

The "hello" card was more time consuming, but fun.  I had a CAS card base pre-made from when I was trying to use up the last of my Prima Fairy Flora designer paper.  A good start.

• I saved the popped out parts from when I cut the full butterfly die for the first card, then cut it again just to get more pop out parts from the largest and smallest butterflies.
• Used the die cut like a stencil to guide the placement of two layers of parts on the circles.
• Colored with Copics, added glitter.

It's colorful and dimensional, but still clean looking and an easy mailer.  The sentiment is from an oldie Inky Antics set.  It appears black in the photos, but is stamped in chocolate brown.

Two different card designs for two different occasions using the same die.  Also heading over to link up at NBUS with my not-yet-used butterfly die.

Twofer Card Challenge #29:  Butterflies

NBUS Challenge #16

    

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay well, stay happy.  Love.

Christmas in July

We've reached the halfway mark, friends -- Christmas.  It's just what you want to think about right now, isn't it?  Well, I hope to be more ready than last year.  This trio of cards was made with an older Penny Black stamp called Adornment.

The first card was almost a throw away.  At this point I don't remember what I did to make myself love it more, but it's probably my favorite of the bunch now.  Stamped in light brown, Spica glitter pens were used to color the bow and baubles.  I didn't capture the sparkle in the photo, but it's lovely.  A star die cut from gold glitter paper accents the bow.

The next wreath was stamped in Versamark and embossed with gold glitter embossing powder.  I added a die cut bow for fun

Lastly, I have a wreath stamped first in green, then stamped again in Versamark and embossed in white.  A green bow was added with Wink of Stella Shimmer.  The baubles on this one were touched with Platinum Stickles glitter glue.

A closer look:

I'd like to do more with this wreath, but I need to move on.  I have so many new Christmas dies and some new-to-me Christmas digis to get to.  I'll list the main ingredients below.  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Adornment  Designer Paper:  Studio Light Woodland Winter  Dies:  Impression Obsession Holiday Bottom Word Edgers, Cottage Cutz Double Stitched Square Set, Poppystamps Prim and Proper Bow, Die-namics Star Stax  Other:  Gold embossing tinsel, white embossing powder, Atyou Spica glitter pens, Wink of Stella

Picture Perfect Sloth

Hi, there!  I'm happy to see you again this week.  I thought I might skip blogging this week in exchange for simply coloring, but that didn't happen.  How is it that the weeks go by so quickly?  I've been outside planting flowers rather than sitting at my coloring table or the computer.

Nevertheless, I did finish one card.  It's a quickie and a cutie.  I've had this MFT Picture Perfect set for over a year and I've only colored one of its six image stamps... Wait... what?  How is it that the years go by so quickly?  I guess my stamp buying spree goes back further than I thought.  Still trying to catch up.  Will it ever happen?

I made this clean and simple -- bright on white with some cute and glittery die cut leaves and a punched heart.  I'll list everything below.

I'll be coloring more of this set soon, seeing as how I stamped it all out so it would be sure and get done.  It's too cute to leave it lay dormant.  Why do we do that?  This post is full of questions, isn't it?

I'm playing along at NBUS Challenge #15 with my never before used sloth.

Thanks for coming to visit!  Have a great day!

Stamps:  MFT Picture Perfect  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 100 lb, DCWV Animal Crackers matstack (dated 2008, sheesh!)  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  MFT Die-namics Wild Greenery and MFT Die-namics #Captions  Other:  Heart punch, linen thread

Puppy Play

Hello there and happy first day of May!  I'm playing with my cute Flower Puppy from Bugaboo today.  He asked so nice and I couldn't say no.  We played very briefly between gardening and dinner prep -- quick to color, and a ready made sketch from The Paper Players Challenge.  He turned out very cheerful and fun, as is the way of puppies.

I used puppy paper and a matching sentiment sticker with Doodlebug matte sprinkles for accent.  Colored with Copics.  The "play with me" is cute, but for no particular occasion until you think of it in conjunction with the inside sentiment.  Then it has the option of becoming a birthday card.

I love that this quote is from Ward Cleaver.  I still enjoy watching "Leave it to Beaver" now and then.  They were my American dream when I was growing up.  The quote stamp is from the retired Stampin' Up! Smarty Pants set.

That's all for me and my puppy.  Thanks so much for stopping in today.  You know I love it when you do.  Wishing you a very happy day!