Guesting with Color Hues Challenge: Blue and Red

Hello crafty friends!  I'm having some fun today -- guesting with the Color Hues Challenge!  I was so pleased with the invitation and couldn't wait to get started.

As you can see, our colors for this challenge are blue and red, with neutrals welcome as well.  I can't help but think "nautical" when I see these colors, and I had the perfect guy for the theme.  I'm so glad to bring him out for his first play!

I joined the Spellbinders Small Die of the Month Club just so I could have the Shipmates set.  I definitely do not have a Walrus in my collection and I think he's so cute!  There's a seagull in the set, too.  Quite a deal I thought, and bigger than I expected.  He fills up the card quite nicely!  The anchor and sentiment are separate.  I fell back on my trusty (older) Mintay Marina paper for the background.

Check out the amazing samples by the Color Hues team, and then show us your blue and red.  It'll be fun!  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stampendous Ocean Sayings  Paper:  Stampin' Up Brilliant Blue and Real Red, neutral color scraps, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, Mintay Marina designer paper  Ink:  Real Red for sentiment, other matching for sponging  Dies:  Spellbinders Shipmates, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, KaiserCraft Anchors  Other:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Double D Challenge: Let's Go to the Beach!

Hi!  How about a trip to the beach?  Darlene is inviting us to share our beach-themed cards or projects for the Double D Challenge that kicks off today.  She's provided a lot of inspiration to get us started:

There's a prize for a random winner.  Creative winners are voted on by the team.

I've made two cards.  The first brings to mind the cooler temperatures of our Pacific Northwest beaches.  I embossed and sanded a blue panel, then added a few bits and pieces from my die collection, all older, some probably retired.  They're listed further down.  I'm especially fond of the fishing net which doesn't get many opportunities to play.  The patterned frame was in my spare parts drawer.  The sandy beach is torn paper.

Next is a tropical beach.  The beautiful Mintay paper was not to be resisted, though I've had it for quite a while and barely used it.  When I pulled out the pad I found the shell pattern with a circle already cut on the edge, so I used it to frame another piece, then added a woodgrain border.  I brushed the tropical fronds with Stampin' Up inks Barely Banana and Sage Shadow.

I'm serious about using my designer paper more often.  It can feel like cheating, but I put a lot of thought into this design and thoroughly enjoyed the process.

10 die sets -- Spellbinders Standard Circles Large & Small, Amy Design Fishing Net, MFT Die-namics Wild Greenery, Impression Obsession Grass Border, Grass, and Mini-Shell Set, Memory Box Wrapped Stitched Frames, Cottage Cutz Seagulls in Flight, Sue Wilson (Creative Expressions) Life's a Beach
1 embossing folder -- Tim Holtz Sizzix Lumber 3D
1 paper pad -- Mintay Paradise
2 stamp sets (for inside sentiments, not shown)

My teamies at Double D have shared all manner of beach cards for inspiration.  I hope you'll come along and have some beachy fun with us!

Enjoy your day!

Double D Challenge: Nautical

Hi everyone!  A new Double D challenge starts today.  Here's Diane's fabulous board and a prize.  I love it all to pieces!

I was inspired to make something relatively clean and simple with a mix of dies and stamps.  No coloring, just colored cardstock.  It was rather nice for a change!

Penny Black Immense Enjoyment die and Enjoy Builder stamp set.  Two layers.
Impression Obsession Sailboats.
Frantic Stamper Making Waves.  I cut right across the card front, then separated the pieces, backed with the same blue as the big "enjoy".  Smaller wave dies from the set were used inside the immense "O".

I borrowed a banner die from a Poppystamps sentiment set, and those little black stars popped out of a background I cut for a Christmas card a while back.

That's the gist of it.

Come see the team's inspired samples at Double D.  Play for fun and maybe you'll win a prize or become a top favorite in the process.  Enjoy!

Relaxing with Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Hello friends, and welcome!  In this merry month of May I have the privilege of being the guest designer for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  That's way fun for me because Penny Black stamps are my favorites!

As always the challenge is "anything goes", but the optional theme this month is "Pastels".  I did not go with the optional theme this time around.

I worry that some of my favorite PB critter characters will fade into the background as the newest releases seem to favor a different style, so I bought a few sets, including this guy:

I colored on watercolor paper with Tombow markers and have him relaxing on the beach after his birthday party.  The designer paper overhead suggests the waterline, and he's gathered a starfish and shell to take home as souvenirs.

He'll be sent to a guy friend who loves the beach.  I've stamped a Penny Black sentiment inside with more of that water lapping at the lower edge.

Many thanks to the PBSC crew for having me this month!  Do stop by the challenge blog to see the team samples.  They're always fun and inspiring.

Have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Relax and Birthday Love  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, scrap designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Tombow markers and a little bit of blender  Other:  Impression Obsession Mini-Shell Set

Ocean Fish Splishin' Again

Hi friends!  I hope you don't mind if I share more fish cards today.  These two cards are somewhat simple designs that just sort of happened all on their own and they turned out to be my favorites.

Using the Memory Box Ocean Fish 3D embossing folder with matching dies and stencils.

First is a 3 3/4" x 6 3/4" mini-slimline.  These fish were die cut from a stenciled wavy underwater background.  I was struck by how pretty they were with their delicate colors and gentle pattern from the waves stencil so I simply embossed and left all but one as is.  An old Darice Corner Scroll embossing folder added movement to the background.

Just one fish is colored, popped up, and facing the opposite direction... hence the sentiment (Power Poppy).

Inside has more fish, soft wave stenciling and a Hero Arts sentiment.

 

I had three fish left over so I made a 3 1/2 x 6" mini-slimline using the same Darice Corner Scroll embossing folder.  This one is a birthday card with a Stampendous sentiment.  So simple and so much fun!

Wishing you all a happy weekend.  If you're traveling and observing the Labor Day weekend here in the US please stay safe while you enjoy it.  See you again soon!

 

Ocean Fish Waving Hello

Hello and welcome to a new week on the blog!

We'll soon be waving goodbye to August and hello to September.  No matter the season at my house, it's always summer somewhere.  The fishes on my card today are living in a year-round paradise.

I weakened and bought a few things from the previous Memory Box release, but I'm not sorry one bit because these fish are the neatest thing since sliced bread.  They're the Ocean Fish 3D embossing folder with matching dies, and a matching layering stencil set (sold separately).  I brushed inks through the stencils, gave each an eye dot with a gray Copic, then pressed each fish into my Versamark pad and embossed with clear powder.  You know how much fun I had with this, don't you!

Each fish is layered for a bit more dimension and they're swimming in an underwater scene created by brushing inks onto the Memory Box Underwater 3D embossing folder.  The Poppystamps Sylvan Frame seems to work pretty well with the scene.  I added a wavy sentiment from Lawn Fawn, and some Memory Box Fairy Jewels for bubbles.

Inside is a Poppystamps birthday sentiment which I altered with a permanent marker.  I die cut a Poppystamps Sylvan Sprig and used it like a mask to create a soft border along the lower edge.  It's interesting and nice how these Sylvan dies (2016) work for underwater scenes when I've always used them for garden and flowers in the past.

This card does appear to be rather involved, but the frame and background were already made,  I even had a banner cut for the sentiment.  You can lose yourself in this craft... you know what I'm saying.  In fact, I made four cards with my fishes before I put them away.  Some were very clean and simple but turned out to be my favorites of the bunch.  This was my first sit down with the new toys, so thought I'd share in order.  Not that I don't love it, too... well... anyway... each to her/his own.

I'll be back when I can get it all together.  See you then, I hope!

Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Wavy Sayings with matching die, Poppystamps Birthday Blow Out (inside)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb  Ink:  Various Stampin' Up, Memento Tuxedo Black  Other:  Memory Box Ocean Fish 3D embossing folder with matching dies and layering stencils, Memory Box Underwater 3D embossing folder, Poppystamps Sylvan Frame and Sylvan Sprig dies, Memory Box Fairy Jewels, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

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

Fish Splishin'

Hello and happy day to you!

Things haven't been going right in my stamp room lately.  I can't color worth a darn, equipment fails me, techniques don't turn out... just to name a few.  I decided to quit worrying about it and do another Rubbernecker week.  This week will wrap up the last of the not-yet-used Rubbernecker stamps in my basket -- hooray!  Today it's a stamp called Fish Group.  I love these guys.  It's an older stamp and I think no longer available.  I must have gotten the last one.

For this card I watercolored with Twinkling H2Os.  You can't see much twinkle, but I like the colors.  I'm trying to show the bubbles in the picture below.  I spent a good amount of time cleaning the nozzles on all my Nuvo drops, so I'll be using them more often now.  They have to be rinsed clear after each use or they clog.  At least that's my experience.  They're an awesome product when properly cared for.

I cut a Big Splash Border (Memory Box 2013) and stenciled make-believe sunrays.  It's all just fun and whimsy as I work my way through this mojo slump.

I hope these fish faces will make you smile with me a little bit.

Sharing at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #39.

More Rubbernecker coming later this week.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Fish Group, Stampendous Ocean Sayings sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, Neenah 80 lb white card base  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU Summer Sun  Coloring:  Watercolor with Twinkling H2Os  Other:  WOW Super Fine Clear and Super Fine Black embossing powder, Nuvo Sea Breeze translucent Jewel Drops, MFT Ray of Light stencil, Memory Box Big Splash Border

Puffin Splash Edger

Hey there, I have several photos today.  I had to wait to share these cards because I didn't want to spoil a birthday surprise.  I treated myself to some new dies that I've been loving from afar for quite a long time, and as so often happens I couldn't decide which ones I wanted... so I got several.  It was still not easy to narrow it down.

Today I'm sharing four cards all made with the Creative Expressions Puffin Splash Edger.  I fiddled around until I got my groove on with it.  The first card shown is my favorite result.

When I bought the edger dies I figured I'd be cutting in white or other solid color and placing over a blended background.  In the end I thought the Puffin looked way cool on the Mintay Marina designer paper with a matching solid blue underneath.  In the area of the pretty Mintay design I pieced two fish and a heart-shaped splash back in so as to relieve some of the busyness.  The bottle was cut from the Mintay paper and a sentiment stamped.  Cardstock and ink are SU Brilliant Blue.  Pearls for embellishment.

A second favorite idea was to use just part of the die as a focal piece.  After cutting the die in white I cut again with a stitched circle die.  I stenciled a red on red background, added the blue dotty frame, then matted on a larger white circle.  All that was added to a Mintay Marina covered card and tied with baker's twine.  The card is an odd size, not quite square, not quite A2.  That's because I goofed one day when making square envelopes on the envelope punch board.  Rather than discard the envelopes I simply made cards to fit.

I like this idea for stretching the use of the die.

Finally, the last two cards are the first I made and more closely resemble how I imagined I'd be using this die.  I did not make my own backgrounds, but remembered my Vivid Ink Drops designer paper.  Hey, if I'm going to be a designer paper fanatic I might as well make a point of using it.  I like these cards, too, but they did not turn out to be my favorites.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  It was great fun making these cards and sharing the ideas.  It's not often I start playing with new acquisitions almost as soon as they come in the mail.

Now it's time to send one of these pictures over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #35.  Lots of great things to see over there!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Mermaid Tail

Hello and happy Monday to you!  Now that we're six days into September are you feeling a change in the weather yet?  It might be all in my head, but to me it seems different already.  The air feels more crisp, the wind has died down.  That's what I love about fall here on the Oregon coast -- no wind!

However, today's card is not meant to convey any of those fall feels.  It's all about summer and sunshine and beachy days when you just might spot one of the magical creatures pictured below:

I've combined Mintay papers and Impression Obsession stamps.  Both have been with me for a while, but it's a first time use for the Mermaid Tail and Make Some Waves sentiment.  I can't stress enough how I love to play with paper, and it worked out pretty well on this mini-slimline (3 1/2 x 6 3/4).  I've been loving this size card for a lot of years.  Very handy sometimes!

I colored with Copics and sparkled with Wink of Stella and Stickles Diamond glitter glue.  The sequins are called Soft Mint -- just a touch of  color.  I hand cut the sentiment flag and added mint-colored ric rac trim which reminds me of an ocean ripple.

I was truly shopping my stash when I made this summery card so I've linked to the challenge here:
Shopping Our Stash #453 - Summer Lovin'

Right from the get go it was my plan to play here:

Double D Challenge -- Anything with a Tail

And, since the stamps are being used for the first time (finally) I'm linking to Darnell's challenge here:

NBUS Challenge #30 (never before used schtuff)

Just having fun.  Wishing you a good week and a chance to have a little fun yourself.  Thank you for your time today!

Stamps:  Impression Obsession Mermaid Tail and Make Some Waves senti  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb, Mintay Paradise designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Wink of Stella, soft mint sequins, ric rac, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers