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3/20/2015

DeeDee's Digis - Gifts of Spring

Good evening, sweet Blog Friends. So lovely to have you pop in for a visit & a chat. Please help me welcome 2 new followers:

Mackie of MackieMade Paper

Thanks for becoming followers, and I'm so looking forward to getting to know each of you better, and enjoy your crafty work. I hope lots of my blog buddies will be checking you out as well, so many more of us can be inspired.

We had 4 beautiful spring days, beginning with Sunday. M-T-W I got ambitious (well, not really, but it needed to be done!) and did some weeding along the house foundations. We get this rather pretty weed that is called henbit or chickweed locally (don't know what the scientific name is). If one sees a field of the stuff, it's the prettiest green & lavender to purple shades. However, it's not so pretty in the flower beds, and once the lavender/purple seed heads start to bloom, the wind can spread it everywhere. Over the winter, patches of it were sprouting up, so that meant that Moi had to get out & get industrious. Can I just say here, I absolutely detest yard work? Also I'm terrified of those things that slither & crawl. The neighbor behind us, had put out a blurb on our subdivision's facebook page, that her husband had found 2 out by their pool. Ugh! I'm armed with a hoe, and believe me, I was stirring up the mulch & shaking the bushes before I put a gloved hand down to the mulch. Took me 3 days - with lots of breaks - to do  2 sides of the house foundation where we have plants. My back hated me, so did my legs. I don't squat, I bend & pull. After a few minutes, Back says "Idiot. Stop. NOW!". I think I worked about 2 hours each day. Bagged the stuff & this morning we took 4 big lawn garbage bags to the dump. So that's my excuse for being MIA the last few days.

Today's card has been nearly finished for couple days - just had to get the MoJo to photo it. I have been watching some great Youtubes with the Smoosh technique - inking up plastic, spritzing, then smooshing the card base down on the resulting wet color. (here's the link to the PTI video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK9TrwwDQak and thanks to Bonnie K for providing the link on her blog where I first saw this). Since then, I've seen some other Youtubes*

*See a link Below to some good Brusho videos, thanks to my friend Gloria

Ok...on to the card:


- the background was done with the Ink Smoosh on plastic technique. While it was wet, sprinkled on some green brusho crystals. Spritzed again. Had taped off the Canson Mixed Media paper with painter's tape to have white frame around the edges. However, had to trim the white edges off, because when the tape was removed in one place, it had stuck and sort of messed up the paper. So after trimming, added the rectangle piece to a white tent fold card base.

- DeeDee's Gift of Spring precolored digi image. This set has got it all: 2 cute images that can be either for Spring or Easter, sentiments, papers - a real value buy. Fussy cut the image after doing a bit of shading, some WoS blue on the basket ribbon. Did a little dimension with a stylus, but it doesn't show in the photo.

- Used a TCW leaf stencil to ink an egg on the lower left corner. The stencil leaf pattern reminded me of an egg dye trim..used Bamboo Leaves & Pear Tart...wanted this to stay a subtle pattern in the grass. (Hidden eggs, ya know?)

Trio of eggs die cut from snippets using Impression Obsession DIE041-A - which makes a little egg chicken - decided I just wanted the eggs. The 2 pink eggs are from snippets of valentine paper that is still in the pile, and the center egg is tissue paper that is waste liner from spray projects. Thought all of these snippets made some pretty eggs!

Hope you'll pop over to DeeDee's Digis where there is a nifty challenge theme, something yummy to eat or drink, over at Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge. The challenge allows you to make any type of card as long as it has something to do with food or drink. So do check it out.

Now, here's a Youtube link for all you Brusho users. Eileen Godwin does 4 cards, and has some most interesting techniques and wonderful effects. Thanks Gloria, for giving me the heads up. I certainly enjoyed Eileen's work and will be trying some of these techniques. Bet the UK folks already know about Eileen, but I didn't!

Since I used a couple of snippets, think I'll pop over to see Parsnip, at the Snippets Playground and see what he & the Snippeteers are up to these days! It's week 168 and the gates are still open for 9 more hours as I'm typing this post! Hurry up - the fun's still going on.

There's a new card to enjoy on the Cards by Friends tab too.

Thanks for joining me, come again when you have time, and have a wonderful weekend. Hugs.

40 comments:

  1. Oh wow, this is absolutely gorgeous, Mary!! The background looks amazing!! So do the eggs!! That chickie is so cute!! Love, love this!!

    I did some yardwork when it hit the 70's the other day. My legs were screaming for me to stop!! I'm terrified of things that crawl, too...three outdoor cats and I don't have to worry about them at all ;) Happy Spring and have a great weekend :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  2. Oh my Momma Mary, this card is just so cute. I love the smooshed watercoloring, the image from DeeDee is so cute, love that basket of eggs and that cute chick. Sounds like you got the flower beds all cleaned out and now it is time to rest that back of yours!! Glad you didn't run into any creepy crawly's too, that is never fun. Hugs, Brenda

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  3. Greetings Mary, what a delightful Easter design. Oh yes, I know how you feel about cleaning out the flower beds. I don't like to find surprises.

    Hugs Diane

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  4. Good Morning Mary. Wow,what a fabulous Easter card. The colours alone are amazing. I hope you are taking it easy after all that heavy work. Hugs from Scotland. Rita xxxxx

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  5. Wonderful card Mary - the background is fabulous.
    Please pray for my DGD as she had a nasty break to her lower leg today and is in a full length plaster - she is not quite five.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  6. You did a great job with another new technique, Mary, and I love your Easter card! Thank you for the links. You'll enjoy Krisha and Mackie!! Have a great weekend and no more weeding!! Hugs, Darnell

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  7. As always a gorgeous creation Mary, apols for quick comment off for the day and whizzing round.

    Hope you have a lovely weekend.

    B x

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  8. Gorgeous card Mary and love your techniques and thanks for the link I am going to check it out....also thanks for adding our challenge of Chocolate, coffee and Cards Challenges to your page....we would love to see more enter.xxx
    {The Journey is the Start – my personal blog}

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  9. This is so adorable. Your background is amazing (as always).

    You sound as if you have a good start on Spring yard work. We have a huge tarp down at the moment killing off a section of the lawn around the patio.
    The remainder of the yard around the patio has plain small rock around it. We are taking out this last piece of lawn, putting down the ladnscape fabric to prevent weeds and then will rerake the small rock over it.

    Once it is all the same, we will have a load of the large and medium sized river rock delivered and topdress that peagravel with it. I have one huge planter to sit in the middle on one side and picture filling it with different decorative grasses.

    Then we plana couple of walks along the ocean or perhaps the Fraser River looking for an interesting piece of driftwood for the other side.

    Yep, you guessed it...the lazy mans way to garden half the yard...lol

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  10. What an utterly darling card Mary, such a sweet chick!! Love the background too. Sounds like you have been busy and I'm glad you stop when told to!! We have had glorious weather here to and I think I shall have to get the lawn mower out later xx

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  11. Wonderful Easter card Mary - I do so love that smooshing technique for backgrounds!

    That was a lot of yard work to tackle, esp. whilst watching for 'beasties'!

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  12. Hi Mary, Lovely card. I like the colours.

    Hope you have a lovely weekend. Sue

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  13. Great card again Mary x

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  14. Your Easter card is lovely, Mary!!! Love that great bg you created and the basket is beautiful!!!
    Hope that back is better by now and stay out of the flower beds for some time now, hey!!!!
    Have a great weekend!!!
    Hugz

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  15. What an adorable, fun and colorful card. I love DeeDee's images. Just very cute. Glad your weather is good. We are finally supposed to have nice days today and tomorrow. Love it when it's sunny out. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  16. Adorable card and I love the colors!!

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  17. So so cute and very festive! Your use of color is just outstanding ~ your card really draws the eye in with all the detail. I looked it up and down scrolling all over just to take it all in! I worked for DeeDee's DT a couple of years ago and I know how great her digis are, so this card must have been so much fun to create! It's fantastic in so many ways!
    It's HOT HOT HOT here, sadly - already in the high 80s and scorching! When you love the snow and winter like I do, it's hard to enjoy THIS - LOL!
    Have a great weekend,my friend! ♥

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  18. Mary... thank you so much for the link on here and the very kind comments that you left on my blog. I'm your newest follower and love your work xxxx
    Eileen xx

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  19. Such a pretty background!Love the fun
    and bright colors.
    Absolutely Beautiful!!!
    Have a wonderful day,
    Millie
    Crafting With Creative M

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  20. A pretty card, cute little chick. I love your painty background, and thanks for the video link.
    Well done for doing the garden work, I hope you are feeling rested now. I really should be doing the same but I don't have much enthusiasm for it these days.
    Jean x

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  21. A lovely bright and cheerful Easter card Mary, and good use made of some pretty off-cuts.
    I used to love working in the garden, and I am not too bothered by the insect life, but there are few that are new to me out here, so I am a bit more careful these days. I still like to spend the odd morning working outside, but like you, the joints creak a bit these days, so I have to pace myself. Kate x

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  22. Hiya Mary, Deedee will absolutely love what you have done with her chick, I love your background and your eggs, such a lovely effect, you must have got your hands dirty LOL.

    As for the gardening, I have to say I'm the foreman, hubby does it all, I pick a few weeds up, maybe this year when his eye is better, I'll get out there with him!

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  23. My cat loves to catch snakes! I think you need one or two, or hire a gardener! Haha! No wonder you've been resting in the recliner!
    Your card is darling! Great job with the swooshing technique ! I need to watch those videos!

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  24. Oh my this is absolutely fabulous Mary that image is super cute, wonderful colours and design
    hugs
    lorraine x

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  25. Hello, Mary! Such a beautiful background! Love the eggs too! That's a great technique! I love the fun image from Deedee's! I can't believe you are out gardening - we still have 4 feet of snow on the ground, and we're expecting flurries and freezing rain tonight! So jealous of your warm weather!

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  26. Hello Mary, gosh you have been busy with the garden maintenence, just watch you don't injure yourself, I bet your garden will look fab though.
    Lovely card, love the colourful background and the cute image.
    How are you getting on with Wolf Hall, still persevering with it? Hugs Kate x

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  27. This is so cute!
    Hope your resting after the forced gardening!

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  28. Wow, Mary, what a lot of different techniques and media you used! Love that Easter basket and little chick! I'm off to watch the Brusho videos. Thanks for the link!

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  29. Hi Mary. LOVE this card ... the background is spectacular, and the chick and basket of eggs is so adorable.

    Thanks so much for the link to Eileen's tutorials on brushos. Loll xx

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  30. Love the Easter card and great smooshing technique and love the eggs--hope your back has recovered and we have a beautiful dwarf red tailed boa snake and she is very tame and friendly
    Carol x

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  31. Hi Mary,
    Oh your poor back, I can sympathize with you.
    You take care now with that gardening.
    Still it has to be done otherwise it's even harder if it's left.
    Love your fab Easter card.
    Beautiful background work as usual.
    Love that fab chick he looks as though he's got attitude.
    Wonderful stenciling of the eggs.
    An all around winner in my book.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

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  32. Love your card Mary. The depth is incredible!
    I hope your back is all better now ;)

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  33. Your card is beautiful Mary, so cute...great smooshing. Carol x

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  34. Fantastic Easter card design Mary, love your background colors and gorgeous image..
    Look after you back..
    Pam

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  35. What a pretty Easter card Mary, and I adore your smooshed background and the pretty image with the added eggs using your lovely inked snippets. How cute is that stencilled egg hidden in the grass. x

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  36. I love your card, Mary. I read about the smooshing technique, but of course have yet to try it. Your results are beautiful. You really know how to dress up a pre-colored digi. Your snippets are perfect. And I totally enjoyed your funny story of yard work. I am scared of creepy critters also. I'm glad you got the work done without harming yourself. Maybe you should buy a crafting treat as a reward for a job well done - LOL!!

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  37. Hi, Mary! Your smoosh technique looks wonderful! and the shading in your precolored images is beautiful! Lovely card! hugs, de

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  38. I've got so much to learn about using my inks and making my own background. The smooth technique sounds easy, not too messy and has a great effect!

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  39. Your smooshed background came out lovely. And I never would have guessed that 2 of your eggs were from Valentine's paper. Way to repurpose it. Super cute card.

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  40. Take it easy, girl. That yard work can be hard. But, I rather enjoy it.

    What a gorgeous card and such pretty eggs. I like the gold trim around the sentiment.

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