Pure Fragrance Semi-Slimline

Hello and welcome!

Heads up:  This is my 6 am PST post and I have another post at 10 am PST today.  I hope you'll enjoy both!

Marcella is featuring some beautiful flower digis on the Power Poppy blog today.  I've watercolored Pure Fragrance and designed a mini-slimline card -- 3 3/4" x 6 3/4".

The watercoloring was done with Tombow markers.  This utterly feminine image seemed a good time for stitching and lace.  Making note to self to dip into my lace stash more often.  This subtle and delicate addition adds no weight and slips easily into an envelope.  Love that!

Also being featured today is Volumes of Beauty -- another gorgeous digital stamp illustrated by Marcella.  I don't know which image my teamies have colored, but let's see samples here:

• Stacy
• Christine
• Allison
• Barbara C.
• Lisa
• Gloria
• Catherine
• Marcella @ Power Poppy Blog

Thank you for visiting.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Pure Fragrance digi  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Neenah white card base  Ink:  Printer  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Lace, sequins, stitching

Five Years Old!

Hi there!  Today I'm celebrating with my friends at the Double D challenge blog as they celebrate their 5th birthday this month.  Congratulations, Double D!  They're asking that we use a cupcake on our creation.  I don't have much in the way of cupcake stamps or dies, but I do have this cute Bugaboo digi which I was happy to print up and color.

For the sprinkles on the cupcake I dotted first with various Tombow markers, then went over most of the dots with Souffle pens to make them puffy.  For the decorative pieces on the frosting I dotted with clear gel, then sprinkled with Art Institute glitter.  It's deep pink and very sparkly.  I think it was the wrong time of day for picture taking because the sparkles and texture don't show up much at all.

Double D 5th Anniversary/Birthday Cupcakes Challenge.  You can guess which part of the mood board inspired me:

Well, that was fun!  I'll be back on Friday with two posts.  Sorry, it just worked out that way this month.  Wishing you a cupcake kind of day!

Stamps:  Bugaboo Mouse-Cupcake digi, Power Poppy Best Day Ever sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, SU Whisper White, Echo Park Happy Summer designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black  Coloring:  Tombow markers & blender pen  Dies:  Misc Spellbinders rectangles and circles  Other:  Viva Decor Glass Effect Gel, Art Institute glitter, Sakura Souffle pens, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

La Vie en Rose

Welcome back!  I'm happy to share my first Power Poppy card of 2021.  I'm using a rose which can be found in the La Vie en Rose digital set.  My sentiment, however, is from a retired Power Poppy clear stamp set (My English Rose).  A yellow rose means friendship, care, and remembrance.

I colored with Tombow markers and, in certain spots, a blender pen.  The card is minimally decorated with some pretty designer paper and a scrolly corner, as well as the scalloped edge.  Oh, and three little rhinestones.

Let's see other samples today:

Stacy

Nancy

Christine

Wishing you only good things as 2021 progresses.  Sent with love!

Stamps:  Power Poppy La Vie en Rose digital stamp and retired My English Rose clear stamp set sentiment  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor, Bazzill brown card base, 49 and Market Butter designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Palette Noir (sentiment)  Coloring:  Tombow markers and blender pen  Other:  Rhinestones, Die-namites Scrolly Corner, Lawn Fawn Outside In Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Stackables

CAS Mix Up Challenge -- A New Gig for Me!

Hello, friends, and happy new year!  A new year is a fresh start and it often brings resolutions, plans, new endeavors.  I've had a nice rest after Christmas and now I'm ready to jump back into things with my first post as a new team member of the CAS Mix Up Challenge.  I think this is going to be fun so let's get started!

It's a mixed media challenge this month.  Hilary is our host and she has chosen splatters as the main focus.  I like splatters!

Video Tutorials:

Splattering Techniques for Cards by Loll Thompson 4.25 mins

Perfect Splatters by Hedgehog Hollow 5.22 mins

Heat embossed water splatters by Jennifer McGuire at minute 11.

The listed video links may show you things about splattering that you've never considered, and they're fun to watch.  Here's my sample card:

This challenge is good CAS practice for me.  Lots of white space, uncluttered design.  My splatters have a lot of shimmer because they're made with Twinkling H2Os.  The die cut balloons were coated with Versamark ink and embossed with an iridescent embossing powder.  The sentiment is coated with gloss.  Mixed media doesn't have to be complex or artsy -- watercolor, die cuts, wet embossing, glossy accents -- most of us have these things in our toyboxes.

A closer look at the shimmer, sparkle, and gloss:

Be sure to check out the samples by the team and our lovely guest designer, Elaine, at the CAS Mix Up Splatters Challenge.  I hope I've covered everything.  Now, go forth and have a happy day!

Paper:  Cougar Natural, misc color scraps, Neenah 110 lb white for layering under die cuts  Ink:  Versamark  Splatters:  Twinkling H2Os  Other:  Very old Iridescent Peacock embossing powder, Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents, Impression Obsession Balloons, Tutti Celebrate Word Set

Two More for Christmas

Hello and happy day to all!  In spite of the new order of things due to COVID, this is still a busy time of year.  I've been totally focused on getting the Christmas cards finished and in the mail (I waited too long!), but I believe they're all done now.  Today's cards are the last of them.

Altenew emperor penguins with a Power Poppy sentiment is up first.  I made three of these.  I dearly wanted to add white snow splatters, but then I thought about how rarely it snows on Antarctica, so I left them off.  Silly of me because it would have been so much prettier, I think, and when you're the card maker you can do anything you want, right?  Next time they're getting snowflakes!

(Stamps:  Altenew Warm Hear, Power Poppy Simple Joys sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Super Smooth Solar White  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Wendy Vecchi Archival Watering Can, DOX Abandoned Coral and Salty Ocean  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Elizabeth Craft Warm Diamonds microfine glitter, 1" circle punch, Poppystamps Snowflake Ribbon die)

I'd planned on making multiples of the next card, but in spite of letting the designer paper do a lot of the work, the die cut sentiment made it far too time consuming.  I'll come back to this paper with a different idea later.  Turns out this is one of my favorite cards this year.  Love that Mintay designer paper!

(Paper:  Mintay Christmas Stories designer paper, Neenah 110 lb white  Other:  Amber gems, Wink of Stella on snowflakes  Dies:  Memory Box Warm Christmas Wishes and Bauble Snowflakes, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set, Marianne Designs Anja's Oval)

I'll be playing in my room, making cards and backgrounds and just generally having fun... when I have time... so I may pop in again before Christmas.  After all, there are still 11 days left...  Happy holidays, everyone!

Cottage Cutz Christmas

Hi, there, and welcome back for more Christmas cards today!  I'm showing two different cards, both made with Cottage Cutz dies.  The first was the easy peasiest thing ever because I pulled the smooshed watercolor background from my stash.  It was not so pretty as a whole sheet, but as a cut down piece I love it.  I made two of the first design.  Note to self:  Make lots more backgrounds for my stash.

(Cottage Cutz Moose & Pine Trees)

I made only one of the next card as it was a little more involved.  I wanted it to be simpler, but it just didn't happen.  Minimal coloring, ancient designer paper, Wink of Stella for shimmer (not that you can see it in the photo).  The frame is a spare part -- a negative left over from cutting an oval.

(Cottage Cutz Snowman w/Animals, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set and Let it Snow)

I hope to be back by Friday with a batch of Christmas cards, but it remains to be seen.  I'm getting cards in the mail each day, but US mail has been iffy so I sure hope they arrive by Christmas.  I've been receiving cards -- thank you, friends.  One of the cards took 12 days to travel from the midwest to here (west coast), which is a trip that previously took only 4 days.

Take care, be safe, hang in there, things will get better.  Merry everything!

Bentley's Joyous Wishes

Hello on a Monday, friends!  You're probably doing way better than me, but I feel as though I can't get another single thing done until I finish my Christmas cards.  By day I create, by night I address and write up cards for the mail.  Actually, I don't spend all day and all night on cards, but it's on my mind a lot.

Today's card is Bentley by Whipper Snapper.  I made four of these, all the same, inspired by two challenges which I'll list at the end.

Super easy and quick coloring with Tombow markers, no water.  These markers blend so easily when using marker on marker.  Much easier than Copics and just the ticket when I'm in a hurry.  Bentley's hat is trimmed with Viva Decor Ice White Pearlen Pen (similar to Liquid Pearls), then sprinkled with microfine glitter.  The one gold glittery star completes my nod to holiday sparkle.

It was Double D's Santa Hats Challenge and their cute mood board that made me think of Bentley, so he's heading over there to spread holiday cheer.

Bentley and I are also playing along with Retro Rubber Challenge #149.  Older stamps are required, and Bentley and the sentiment are both several years old.  For the current challenge we are to use the photo for inspiration (see below).  I made sure to include red and green as well as pine boughs, plaid stars, and a stitched mat. 

  

I'm listing card ingredients below, but a lot of these things are no longer available.  We're all just having fun, playing with our stuff, right?

That's all for today!  I'll be back with more Christmas cards this week.  Happy holidays!

Stamps:  Whipper Snapper Bentley, Hero Arts Wishing You a Joyous Christmas  Paper:  Neenah Super Smooth white, Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, textured green, SU Real Red, gold glitter, Memory Box Christmas Plaid designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir for Bentley, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow Markers no water  Other:  Viva Decor Ice White Pearlen Pen, Elizabeth Craft Warm Diamonds microfine glitter, Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangle Stacklets and Ric Rac Borders, Sizzix Primitive Stars, Impression Obsession Pine Pair

A Birthday Linky Party for Susan

Don't fall out of your chair!  I do not have a Christmas card or even a fall card today.  Instead I have a very springy-looking card for the lovely Susan (Cardmakers Garret) in celebration of her 70th birthday.  Hey, it's a milestone so Loll has organized a linky party on her blog.  All are invited to send a virtual birthday greeting to Susan by linking up a card.

My card is simple and quick.  Stamped and embossed the flowers first, then stenciled an area which I'd masked off with tape.  I did not mask the flowers, but carefully applied ink through the stencil with a very small brush.

The next step was to watercolor with Twinkling H2Os.  Maybe you can see some of the twinkle in the next photo.

I think this sentiment is just the nicest thing to say.

Since this is a first time use of the flowers, sentiment, and stencil I'm also sharing at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #21.

See a quick supply list below my signature.  Wishing everyone a happy day, and Susan a very happy birthday month!

Rubbernecker Brushed Flower #7 and Smiles and Thinks of You
Altenew Ombre Stripes Stencil
SU Inks Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Watercolor with Twinkling H2Os on Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor paper