Benton Loves His Bubbles

Good grief, I haven't colored Benton since 2013!  I looked it up.  He was new to me then and it was the first and last time I colored him.  That's just wrong!  However, in the midst of chipping away at my collection of new-to-me acquisitions, I came across a bubble bath challenge.  Did you know January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day?

I did break out one not-yet-used item for this card, and that's the bubble stencil.  Actually, it's a bokeh stencil, but it's perfect for bubbles, too.  Benton and his bubbles were stamped in Memento London Fog ink and colored with Copics.  I cut out the words of the sentiment and used a flower punch on the ampersand.  The sketch is current at Freshly Made Sketches.  I followed it to the letter because, really, there was no reason to deviate.  It was ideal for Benton.

The Bubble Bath Day challenge is at Day of the Month Card Club.  They're somewhat new, this being their 11th challenge.  Each runs from the 7th till the end of the month, which gives us slow stampers plenty of time to play:

Also:

Freshly Made Sketch #417 and Double D Challenges "Use a Punch" (a punch was used on the ampersand in the sentiment):

Supplies for this card are listed below my signature.  That's all, folks!  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Inky Antics Pampered Benton  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, soft blue Bazzill  Ink:  Memento London Fog, Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Soft Sky for bubbles  Coloring:  Copic markers  Accessories:  Newton's Nook Bokeh Stencil Set, sequins, flower punch  Dies:  Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Stackables, Spellbinders Nested Lacy Pennants

Wish You were Here

One last card for this week, friends.  It's using a Rubbernecker stamp I bought before Christmas but didn't get around to till now.  Heck, a lot of my not-yet-used stamps have been waiting much longer.

I will confess I have a great fondness for cute stamps on cute cards that are light, bright, colorful, and fun.  Of course, you know I also love gorgeous flowers and... well... whatever.  I love a lot of things.  Today my heart belongs to these Rubbernecker 3 Cats in Tree.  I colored with Copics on watercolor paper and cut with the coordinating die.  The frame and heart were cut from a watercolor background.  The sentiment is another RN stamp:  Day in Paradise.

As you can see, I embraced the white space and left the background very clean with nothing more than an embossed card base.  The card is 4 3/4" because I recently bought some 5x5 envelopes which I thought was an unusual find.  I like this card size.  Not too big, not too small.

Inside I stamped an old JustRite sentiment and added another die cut heart.

I hope I'll have some cards next week.  I've been on a cleaning and homemaking binge for a few days, but I'm sure I'll get to my stamp room now and then, too.  Wishing you happiness, and I'll see you soon!

A Rose for Sympathy

While I was taking a little blog break Marcella at Power Poppy came along and gave us a new digital stamp... and when I say "gave" I mean it's FREE to everyone!  It's called Rose -- a simple name for an image of classic elegance.

Marcella created this digital rose in collaboration with Alyce Keegan of Kit and Clowder for one of Alyce's free coloring classes.  This is a big deal for anyone who wants to learn more about coloring.  I checked it out and I'm a little bit stunned by her generosity.  What an opportunity!

For today's rose I used SU Watercolor Wonder crayons (retired), coral over yellow.

I bring these watercolor crayons out to play every now and then.  They're a bit waxy so the colors spread differently than regular paints.  Also, I don't get a lot of saturation.  Nevertheless, I still have them after all these years, and they look so pretty all lined up in their tins.

Needing to replenish my sympathy cards, I chose Power Poppy's Soothing Sympathy clear set for my sentiment.

I'll see you again on Friday.  Wishing you a happy day!

Framed Dahlia

Hey there, and happy Monday!  I don't know about you, but I have a lot of not-yet-used stuff.  I'd like to say I won't buy anything more until I use what I have, but I'm a stamper/card crafter and that's not how it works for most of us.  Every time I look at the not-yet-used baskets or the printed-but-not-yet-colored digi box my head gets all gushy and it's hard to decide what to do next.  There's so much wonderfulness in those baskets!

So I picked out a few things and got some project bags together.  This keeps me focused.  No particular order or preference.  In fact, some of my favorite things have been waiting the longest.  It's as though I'm afraid to mess them up or something.  I don't know, sigh...  Anyway, this pretty little Stamplorations Framed Dahlia stamp was a gift received last summer.

I'm working on my birthday card stash so I stamped an old Hero Arts sentiment and stitched it label-style between the cardstock layers.  Designer paper on a ribbed white base.  Butterflies cut from designer paper.  Using up bits of this and that.  Coloring is Copics on watercolor paper.

My layered birthday card and I are playing along at Seize the Birthday today:

I'll be back shortly with another little something from one of my project bags.  Six more projects in this batch.  That shouldn't take long, right?  A new year always starts with the best intentions.  Supplies listed below.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Stamplorations Framed Dahlia, Hero Arts Day to Celebrate  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, ribbed white, SU Whisper White, SU Cameo Coral, Bo Bunny Prairie Chic designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Copics  Dies:  Impression Obsession Butterfly Set

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Hello there!  Do you feel refreshed after Christmas and eager to start a new year?  I sure do!  I have no particular plans or resolutions, but now that the holidays are behind me I feel like I've got some spare crafty time.  So... one thing led to another and I ended up with three cards today.  I'll blame it on organization.

It started with my effort to find space for a rather large purchase of miscellaneous envelopes -- some from CutCardStock, most from our local Staples.  Just stocking up.  In the process of organizing I gathered up a whole bunch of pre-cut cards and moved them to a more handy spot.  Right away I put one of those pre-cut cards to work... the glossy checkered card here:

Promise, I'll list all supplies at the end.  I felt the checkered card was perfect for this retired cars set (Henry).  I've colored him often and love him every time.  However, it was an unrelated Fiskars sentiment set that prompted me to use Henry.  Party on the front, huffing and puffing on the inside:

I hadn't used that particular "over the hill" quote yet and it needed a home.

A second Henry resulted from a stamping error and rather than put him, uncolored, into the card parts drawer I colored and cut him out and gave him his own card.  All stamps on this one are from the Henry set.  The smile word was cut apart after stamping in multiple colors.  I now have a spare "smile", sheesh, and will have to use it soon.  Both Henrys are watercolored with Tombow markers.

Well, gee, I had one more checkered card base (years old) so I upcycled a birthday card I received from our insurance agent.  That's the glossy white panel with sentiment.  I liked the clean style of the original card, but wanted to dress it up minimally for the hand crafted look.  The glossy checkered card base and glittery balloon were all it needed.  Love how this came out!

Well, this was fun for me.  Did you think this post would never end?  I know!  Just wanted to put the related cards in one post.  Supplies are listed below my signature.

Wishing you a wonderful start to the new year.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Stamps:  Sparkle N Sprinkle "Cars-Henry" (out of business, retired), Fiskars "Make a Wish Quotes"  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, Neenah 110 lb white, Cool Caribbean, glossy black, orange glitter cardstock, glossy checkered pre-cut card, upcycled bday card  Ink:  Palette Noir, Memento Tuxedo Black, Cool Caribbean  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Dies:  Lil' Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, Impression Obsession Balloons, Tutti Designs Celebrate Word Set, Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers, Memory Box Banner Parade

Yuletide Greetings

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas or happy Hanukkah and a wonderful New Year!

(Cottage Cutz Happy Ho Ho Ho, Creative Expressions Stitched Christmas Characters frame and trim)

Thank you all for your support and encouragement and for the good times we've spent enjoying our creative pursuits together.  I appreciate you so much and most earnestly wish you all good things in 2020.  Hugs and happiness!

Woodland Whimsy

Hello, and happy Friday!  So close to Christmas now.  I'm ready, are you?  Cards are made, so looks like I'll pop in a time or two again before Christmas.  As time went on the cards got simpler, but I did take the time to watercolor the first one here.

I purchased the November kit from Simon Says Stamp.  My first time, but it had quite a few things in it I thought I'd use.  This card features a deer from the Woodland Whimsy stamp set on a Suzy Plantamura watercolor panel.  Watercolors were in the kit, too.  Can't say I'll be using them again, tsk tsk.  The landscape dies cover up a thank you sentiment so I could turn it into a Christmas card (an idea from one of their kit samples).  My additions are Poppystamps Stitched Landscape and Memory Box Peace Cheshire Script.

Next card uses more from the kit:  Woodland Whimsy stamp set, Ho Ho Deer Circle die, and Moda Scrap designer paper.  The stitched rectangle die is an older one of mine -- Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets.  Use that set ALL the time.  I stamped around the edge of a grocer's kraft card base.  Added gloss to the deer's nose.

I'm looking forward to playing with the Woodland Whimsy stamp set again.  It's not a Christmas set, so can be used all year.  Cute stuff!  Happy holidays!

Double D Challenge: 12 Days of Christmas, Part 2

It's playtime with Double D, so let's have some fun with this one!  We're doing Part 2 of The Twelve Days of Christmas:

7th Day    Seven Swans A Swimming

8th Day    Eight Maids A Milking

9th Day    Nine Ladies Dancing

10th Day    Ten Lords A Leaping

11th Day    Eleven Pipers Piping

12th Day    Twelve Drummers Drumming

We always have creative winners, plus a prize for a lucky random winner:








PLEASE KEEP IN MIND that your card or project does not have to be for Christmas and it only needs to be inspired by the mood board.  It does not have to be a match, specifically.  Case in point:  I was inspired by "Ten lords a leaping", but I have only one lord a leaping.

Meet Harv from Art Impressions.  We go way back.  He just heard the news that "old is the new young", and he's pretty darned excited.  Can you tell?

I colored him with Copics and then fussy cut so I could arrange him on the card with some other fun goodies which I'll list in the recipe below my signature.  The hanging presents were cut from an alcohol ink background which looked odd as a whole, but awesome as a die cut.

I have a bunch of sentiments that go great with Harv, and this one is actually from another Art Impressions set called Loads of Fun.  I won it recently and haven't had a chance to use it yet because, well... Christmas.

It's a busy time for all, but I hope you can play along.  Visit my teamies on the Double D blog for more fun inspiration.

One more thing:

I'm afraid this is my last post with the Double D team, sniff sniff.  Yes, I am sad about that, even though it was a carefully thought out decision.  This was my first ever challenge team and it's been a great experience.  Darlene and Diane and everyone on the team are the BEST!  I'm just whittling down my commitments to free up some time for other things.  Thanks to this challenge gig I have new friends, so thank you Double D!

Happy day to all!

Stamps:  Art Impressions Harv and Loads of Fun  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, glossy white (for alcohol inks), turquoise textured  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, various alcohol inks  Coloring:  Copics  Accessories:  Cuttlebug Happy Birthday embossing folder  Dies:  Die-namites Hanging Presents, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags, Memory Box Oval Master Frame (used just the inner oval)