Featuring Pink Roses for The Flower Challenge

Welcome back!  It's good to be here with my crafty friends again so soon.  Today I'm sharing a card I made for The Flower Challenge where they're asking for pink.  I can do that!

While I had my Penny Black Winsomely set out for Rich's Valentine I decided to go right ahead and keep playing with it.  This time I stamped the larger image in a soft grey and watercolored with a combination of Stampin' Up inks and Tombow markers.  One of the card bases I made up with Jill's Sketch #4 made for a quick card design.

After coloring I cut by hand, then turned the flower cluster face down on a foam pad and used an Empressor rolling ball embossing tool to slightly round the cluster.  Added bits of foam tape under the rounded parts.  It's amazing how this small process improves the look of a hand cut image... when I can remember to do it.

I ink blended the sentiment and the panel inside the arch, and added some stamped splatters.  Before I adhered the flowers to the card I splattered with white acrylic paint.  I really don't know what's going wrong with my splatters lately, but it appears as though I dropped a paint can nearby. 

The Flower Challenge #99 -- Feature the color pink
Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Optional use a heart

 

There are more details in the supply list below.  I'll wrap it up now and leave you with a wish for a happy day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Winsomely, Stampin' Up! Itty Bitty Backgrounds (splatter stamp)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 & 110 lb  Ink:  Ranger Archival Shadow Grey, SU So Saffron and More Mustard  Coloring:  Watercolor with SU inks and Tombow markers  Other:  Cottage Cutz Hope Phrase, Spellbinders Essential Arches, Spellbinders Arches & Dots embossing folder, white acrylic paint, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Lemons and Blueberries

Hello there!  I'm glad you stopped by to start a new week with me.  Or maybe you're here at the end of the week.  At any rate it's good to see you.

I continue in my effort to empty out my basketsful of not-yet-used everything.  I know, it's never going to happen, but I can try.  Today's makes are with the Pinkfresh Lemons and Blueberries stamp set with matching dies.  It's not brand new and it's been in my basket for a while (hanging my head).  I think the stamps are so pretty!  As you can see I made two cards.

The first has the lemons and blueberries arranged on a favorite old Spellbinders die which I've used only a handful of times.  It's the most gorgeous die with twining vines and a little bit of lattice.  I sponged the edges, then smooshed with Versamark ink and clear embossed.  Layered once for dimension.  I traced and cut a center layer, added a sentiment from the Lemons and Blueberries set, an extra die cut embellishment, and a few gold gems.  Maybe a bit busy but I like it.

The next card is simpler, using the wreath and some mixed and matched sentiments from my stash.  Gold elastic cord for a bow, and more of the gold gems.  I think you can see the texture of the card base.  I embossed both card bases with the SU Subtle 3D embossing folder, but the photo didn't pick it up on the white card.

Well, that was fun!  I used all the stamps (more on the insides) and now the set is tucked away in a drawer.  There is so much to play with in my room, new and old.  I could never run out of crafty joy.

Of course, I'm heading to the party at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #48 where we share our "never before used schtuff".

Thanks for your time!  I hope I'll be back soon but it looks like a busy week.  We'll see how it goes.  Take care!

Stamps:  Pinkfresh Lemons and Blueberries with coordinating dies, Power Poppy Big Scripts (smile sentiment), Hero Arts Moments sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, SU Almost Amethyst  Ink:  Versamark, SU Old Olive and Lovely Lilac  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Other:  Gold elastic cord, Honey Bee Gems, SU Subtle 3D embossing folder, Spellbinders Decorative Curved Square die set

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.

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!

 

Meadowlark and Sunflower

Hello again!  One last Inkadinkado card this week and now I can happily say I have no more Inkadinkado in my not-yet-used basket.  They're all tucked away in their drawers and will come out to play again another day.

This time I stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa and colored with Copics.  The Western Meadowlark is Oregon's state bird.  They're even more colorful than my rendition, but I toned down the colors so my yellows wouldn't clash.

The background (from my bag o' backgrounds) was made by rubbing yellow ink onto the inside of an embossing folder and then embossing a panel of white cardstock.  You're familiar with the technique, I'm sure.  I've had a lot of fails but this turned out rather pretty... and then I covered up most of it.

Three challenges today:

The Sisterhood of Crafters -- Sunflowers.  I'm always pleased when I can use a never been inked stamp to play along in a challenge that catches my eye.  This is one of the smaller varieties of sunflower, but a sunflower nonetheless.
Four Seasons Challenge -- Anything goes summer.  Next month they'll switch to fall, but we're still enjoying summer while we can.
NBUS Challenge #41 -- Never before used schtuff.  You can find me there quite often (ahem).

  

Thank you for sharing a portion of your day with me!  Enjoy the weekend!

Stamps:  Inkadinkado Sing Like No Other  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, grocer's kraft PTI Lemon Tart  Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, something yellow (?)  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Kraft string, Cuttlebug Stylized Flowers embossing folder, Impression Obsession Fancy Cut Out Border

Sweet and Simple Dry Embossed Bird

Hello and happy Friday to all.  I have a very simple card to share today, made specifically for the Can You Handle the Pressure challenge.  It's always anything goes with an embossing folder, but each challenge includes an optional twist as well.  This month it's birds.  Say no more!

I pulled out every embossing folder with birds.  Turns out there are a lot in my collection, but I settled on this one which hasn't been used in a while.

It's a sweetie.  I embossed on retired SU Core'dinations cardstock, then sanded to bring out the white core.  After embossing I decided to cut a curved edge, which slightly flattened the embossing, so I fit the embossed piece back into the folder and re-embossed.  Perked it right up.  This blue is retired Soft Sky (an old favorite) with a border of retired SU designer paper, also in Soft Sky.

Along with all the old timey retired stuff is a new(ish?) stamp set from Birch Press called Contempo Greetings.  Comes with dies for the various shapes.  Love this set because the dies can be used with other sentiments as well.  I stamped with Versamark onto a scrap of the same cardstock, then embossed with white.

It's all very subtle and restful, like a spa for your eyes.

Two challenges today:

Can You Handle the Pressure?  Requires the use of an embossing folder.  Optional twist - birds.

NBUS Challenge #39 -- Never before used schtuff.  Today it's my Birch Press sentiment set.

 

This was a rather fun week with the oldies.  I'm trying to decide which company's NBUS to focus on next.  Heaven knows I have plenty.  Thank you for your time!

Stamps:  Birch Press Contempo Greetings  Paper:  Retired SU Soft Sky Core'dinations, Neenah white 80 lb, retired SU designer paper  Ink:  Versamark  Other:  Sizzix Birds of a Feather embossing folder, Poppystamps Dotted Curve die, white embossing powder

Little Yellow Birds

Hello friends!  I have finally pulled the last Rubbernecker stamp from my NBUS basket.  Happy dance!  I loved these birds the first time I saw them, but waited a while before I bought them, and then waited a good long while before I used them for the first time.  Silly me.  They're so quick and simple and cute!

I colored with Copics on Neenah Solar White, added flower sequins and polka dot paper.  The sentiment is NBUS Rubbernecker, too.  Inside says, "Have a tweet birthday", again NBUS Rubbernecker.

I stayed with all yellow and white in order to play along with the Double D Challenge which asks for white and only one other color.  I'm hoping the black outline image and black sentiment are okay.

Double D:  White with One Other Color Only
NBUS Challenge #39 -- First time use for the birds.

 

Altogether this Rubbernecker focus has involved 11 individual stamps and one whole stamp set.  That's all the NBUS Rubbernecker I had in the basket.  It's about time they got used, don't you think?  I'm on a mission to clear out those baskets -- two for stamps and one for dies and embossing folders.  I'm bad but I know I'm in good company.

See you again soon!

Stamps:  Rubbernecker Be Yourself (birds), RN On Your Terms sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 80 lb, retired SU designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Queen & Co sequins, SU Subtle embossing folder, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets

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

Rainbow Folk Hummingbird

Hello everyone!  Well, I didn't get to do as much in my stamp room this week as I'd hoped.  Sometimes there are just too many other things that come up... you know how that goes.  The week is not over, but the rest of the days are full.  However, I did manage to color something and, gosh, it sure does look bright.

 

The stamp set is Pinkfresh Folk Hummingbird -- just something I came across and loved when I was scrolling through the Pinkfresh site.  I stamped the flowers directly, but the hummingbird was cut with the coordinating die and popped up.  The flowers were watercolored with Stampin' Up! inks and the bird was colored with Tombow markers and my homemade blender solution.

The frame is just two Tombow marker colors -- a lime green and sort of a tropical blue scribbled onto a large acrylic block, spritzed with water, and then the frame was smooshed into it repeatedly.

I made this card with a number of challenges in mind:

• Double D - Birds.  Can be birds, bird nests, birdhouses, bird cages.  Bird stamps and dies are one of my many weaknesses.
• Colorful Options - Pretty Pink.  I tried to use more pink, but it just didn't look right, so I'm hoping my hummingbird represents a rainbow of color, which is the other option.
• Four Seasons - May Spring Challenge.  I believe this looks like spring.
• NBUS Challenge #38.  First time to ink up this Folk Hummingbird set.  Thank you for the challenge, Darnell!

I'm not good at playing multiple challenges, so this is a lot for me.

I sure do appreciate your visit and comments.  I know blogger has been eating a lot of comments lately and that's a sad thing because we all want to know when our friends stop by.  Wishing you good health and happiness!

Stamps:  Pinkfresh Folk Hummingbird  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, other white for card base  Ink:  Palette Noir (image), Memento Tuxedo Black (sentiment)  Coloring:  SU inks for watercolored flowers, Tombow markers and homemade blender for bird  Other:  Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Blue and Yellow for Ukraine

My whole reason for making this card is to express my solidarity with the people of Ukraine.  You've probably heard of one cardmakers' movement or another for this cause... this one is a Color Hues Challenge with two options, one being blue and yellow -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag.  My little card won't help anyone, other than to join the flood of blue and yellow that may touch the hearts of those in distress if they ever get a chance to see it.  I'm sure I don't need to say more.

My card was made with the Concord & 9th set, Blooms Fill-In.  The solid background was inked with Distress Oxide Chipped Sapphire.  I had planned to even out the coverage with a brayer, but then decided I rather liked the swirls that were left when I swooshed my stamp pad directly onto the stamp.

I stamped flower centers in Chipped Sapphire, and the yellow is Distress Oxide Scattered Straw.  The sentiment was stamped in Chipped Sapphire, then clear embossed.  It has a glare in the photo, but is quite rich in real life.  Stitching and sequins add a little something extra.

You can join in here:

Color Hues Special Double Challenge

Thank you for coming by today.  Sending love all around.

Hydrangea And Rose

Happy new year everyone!  I made every effort to get here to send my very best wishes to all for a good 2022 -- health and happiness and all things positive.  December was a bit rough at the Miller house.  My husband got some distressing news from the doctor, and then his sister died.  I won't dwell on those things here, but do want you to know we're okay for the time being.  It was important for me to free up my time and make my attention available when and where it's needed so I stepped down from all design teams.  Crafting has been spotty, but immensely enjoyable when I can get to it.  We must have our therapy time, right?

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I have two cards to share today.  The Pinkfresh Hydrangea and Rose stamp set and matching dies have been in my NBUS basket for a couple of months with multiples stamped and embossed and ready for color.  Finishing these two cards felt like time well spent.

Spare parts were utilized for both cards.  For this first one the whole card base was already done up with embossing and patterned paper border -- not sure why it was rejected originally -- and I simply added the frame, flowers, and sentiment banner.  The frame and banner were made with some of my original Spellbinders dies which I still use often.

For the second card I lightly stenciled a background, then added the cardstock strips (spare parts) with flowers, butterfly, and sentiment.  

There's a lot more to this stamp set which I'll get to later but my basket is spilling over with things I have yet to use.  Moving on...  Thank you so much for your patience and concern.  It's good to be back today.  Again, happy new year!

Stamps:  Pinkfresh Hydrangea and Rose  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80 & 110 lb, scraps color cardstock, gold mirror CS, scrap patterned paper  Ink:  Versamark, Ranger Adirondack Sandal, SU Always Artichoke  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender solution  Other:  Sequins, gems, gold self-adhesive trim, Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, Cuttlebug Anna Griffin Wildflower Gate embossing folder, unnamed stencil, Spellbinders oval and tag dies, Impression Obsession Medium Butterflies