Watercolored Sunflower (CAS August 2018 Challenge)

Good evening. Tomorrow is Friday..YAY. Even though I've been retired quite a few years, I still get happy when Friday is the next day. I guess it was ingrained in my consciousness for too many years :-)

I've been trying hard to get into this month's CAS Watercolor challenge, since it's sunflowers. Have a lot of those images (but when I went hunting in the flower stamp drawers, I wasn't finding as many as I thought I remembered having!!!)  I was looking for something that would be easy to watercolor, since that's a bit of a challenge to me. Finally settled on a clear stamp that probably was from the Michael's Dollar bin. I knew I was going to stamp on w/color paper, and  with that texture - it needs to be restamped multiple times, so I wanted a clear image I could keep reinking. Now please don't ya'll laugh at this card-----

used Distress markers in shades of yellow to ink up this stamp, and can't even remember how many times I kept reinking, restamping. The outline part shows up as though I'd outlined it, but that was the Rusty Hinge marker that showed up nicely here. I also had some of the Mustard Seed and Lemonade inked on the edges of this outline stamp. Then used a waterbrush to try to pull out the colors...that worked fairly well. Wanted a bit more shading, so scribbled the Mustard Seed on the kraft mat, and used the brush to add some more layers around on the petals. Center was done with adding a little Spiced Marmalade first, then using Tea Dye, Brushed Corduroy, and just going to darker browns until I got something that looked like the brown center of a sunflower to me.

Now here's where I said Don't Laugh! This was just a single flower...so I free handed the stem and leaves with the water brush. That little blossom just looked too lonely all by itself.

Mat was colored with brusho greens and yellows, also on watercolor weight paper. For some reason, it didn't want to spread well so that's why so many of the specks still show in the colors. The c/s was quite wet, but the crystals just didn't want to spread around even though I kept spritzing with water, finally with a gold spray. Decided I liked it anyway behind the sunflower and cut it with a S/B Wonky die.  The sunflower looks like it's on white paper, but it was cream colored..the card base is also cream color, and IRL these 'creams' look the same color.

OK, off to link up with the CAS August Watercolor (AW, heck, go ahead and laugh if you want! I'm still trying to get the hang of watercolor). Skating in by the skin of my teeth----

Ya'll have a nice evening. Thanks for joining me & maybe see ya again tomorrow if I can finish a card tonight. Trying to sneak in the 2fer also! Big hugs.

CAS Mixup Brusho and Clingwrap

HiYa...We have welcome sunshine after several dreary days. Think the cold front moving across the USA is on its way towards us, as the air is much cooler today. I hope all of you dealing with health issues are beginning to feel improvement. So many folks are down with respiratory infections, colds, the winter blues. Sending hugs to those folks.

After some playing with the brusho/starch/cling wrap techniques, I'm back with another card made from that play. Will add it to the CAS Mixup Challenge for January.

 

 

Blue background created with Dylusions After Midnight spray over a glossy krome kote cardstock; sprinkled some blue shades of brusho crystals, may have added a dash of the black pot, then spray starch. Let it bloom just a bit, then crumple a piece of cling wrap and just scrunch it all around. (remember that old song, You Do the Hokey Pokey and you shake it all about? Well, maybe nobody ever sings that anymore, but that's what I think about as I'm scrunching that cling wrap LOL).

MB die cut white glitter paper (American Crafts 6x6 pack - it does not have the heavy plastic backing some glitter papers do, so it's very easy to cut). Cut a plain c/s of the same die to give the glitter paper a little heft. Used a Hero Arts Infinity circle die to get a shape to fit the blue background - round part of the snow globe. I have quite a few different circle dies, and would you believe not a single one fits exactly? I made one of the Infinity dies fit with a little trim here and there, and carefully glueing it to the globe. Could have cut another die from the blue and done an inlay, though some of the bits would have been tedious. I'm not in the mood for tedious just now.

Fun Foam behind the finished snow globe for dimension. Then popped it onto a rectangle embossed with our favorite CB dots EF. Cut thin strips from the remaining brusho piece to create a frame after seeing how it looked just plopped over the snowflake mat. Stamped sentiment in Memento Paris Dusk, then restamped with versamark and clear EP to get some shine. Hand cut the sentiment piece and this is the card that was delivered to our neighbor with the new knee this morning. Since it was a little bulky - thought this would be a good use of a dimensional card, and will save the earlier card to mail.

Added a pretty card to the Cards by Friends page. Now off to link up with the CAS Mix Up Challenge. Hope you'll come along and see some gorgeous cards done with this technique.

Blessings and Hugs. Thanks for the visit.

The Dove of Peace

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

 

Here's a prayer that your day will be or has been - just the most wonderful and happy day of 2017 for you. I wanted to post a Christmas card made just especially for all those who are so kind to visit here, share sweet comments about the cards & posts I do, and for those who often chat with me by email. Your support this past year has meant so much to me, and helped me get through some tough days. When I would feel down or blue, I'd get an email or a lovely card from one of you, and my spirits lifted. Many times it enabled me to face whatever the next day might be bringing. I know that many of my friends are also dealing with some tough Life's Issues...This thing called Life visits all of us at one time or another. My prayers go out to those of you who are facing these trials.

 

I think I've mentioned here that I seldom watch the news on television. It's depressing, always something unpleasant or hateful, and that's what inspired the card today. It's a very simple card, but expresses my Christmas wish for each of you AND the world we live in.

 

 

 

Background made using Silk acrylic - royal blue as a wash over watercolor paper. While wet, sprinkled Brusho Prussian Blue, Ultra Marine and a bit of white. Spritzed with Dylusions After Midnight spray to bloom the crystals. Let that dry just a bit, then spritzed a pearlized spray for some sheen, with just a little more water to make the colors spread all over the background. I wanted a deep royal blue, and this was exactly what I had envisioned behind this white dove.  

 

- Martha Stewart mega bird punch...5 layers of snippets layered to create some dimension. Added pearls for the eyes (wish I'd left that off!) and the flower center. Leaf twig colored with copics.

 

- Hero Arts Infinity Circles cut the blue background and the outer gold mat. An old Cuttlebug Dots embossing folder for the topper. Memory Box peace die cut from a snippet of mirror c/s that had Stickit backing on it.

 

I was watching Jersey Boys while I worked on this card. Franki Valli & the Four Seasons was the sound of my teenaged years; I really enjoyed the movie and those wonderful songs.

  

Blessings, Hugs AND Peace in your world -  ya'll come back when you have time. I expect all of us can do with a little time off during this holiday season. Thanks for popping in to visit.

 





Thinking of You

Hello again, back with a couple of the snow pictures and a card that had to be mailed today. I'd done the apples to put on a Thanksgiving card, but decided the image would work well on this mica background. Just learned that one of my cousins has a brain aneurysm, and fortunately she got medical attention when the symptomatic headache started. I'm reading more & more - or hearing about folks - who develop intense headaches. These are people who seldom have headaches...then get a very severe one, that doesn't go away with aspirin or Over the Counter stuff like we all use. Then if the blood pressure is checked,  it's elevated. This cousin knew what had happened with SIL, so got a fast appointment to learn there's a problem. She will be getting it repaired next week. I know she's frightened, so thought perhaps a card might cheer her, to know prayers are being said. One of my brothers said "We're all falling apart". True!!!

- The background was made using Saffron Mineral Burst as a wash on 98# mixed media c/s. Then sprinkled some of the red brusho crystals over it. I was careful, as I didn't want to lose the lovely golden color of the mineral burst. I tend to get a bit carried away when I'm sprinkling the crystals, as it's such fun to watch the colors bloom.

Used a pretty EF with a pattern at top and bottom, just for a little dimension. The apples have some WoS on some. This image was a boo-boo. Had colored an image, die cut it, and was trying to sponge an antique looking edge around the diecut. Well, that just made a big mess. Cut out that basket, but stamped another one and colored, die cut. Used the messed up one behind the re-done one, and used a stylus on both images to create a little lift to some apples. IRL it looks nice. Doesn't show in the photo.

- Stitched fish tail banner with the sentiment, remembered to tie a ribbon before adhering to the cardbase, and it's done, mailed today.


Here's some Snow pictures of our surprise today.

Thanks for the feedback on the font size change. I do appreciate all who took time to let me know their thoughts.

Added a pretty card to the Cards by Friends page, which I hope you will take time to enjoy.

Hugs & have a great weekend. Thanks for visiting. I'll try to catch up visiting over the weekend.

Waffle Flower with Brusho Cling Background

Hello Friends, and welcome. This will be a fast post, as we've been having some thunder rumbling around all morning, and the computer will be powered back down quickly. Finished up a card last night and wanted to do a post. Haven't done much the past few days, other than enjoy a gorgeous sunshine day yesterday- after a rainy gloomy Monday. Had some neighbor visits, and we rehung the porch swing. Always takes a few adjustment to the chains to get the swing 'just right' & comfortable each spring.

On to the card:

Another background made by applying cling wrap, scrunching it over wet brusho background. This is such a fun and easy technique --- after I learned to use more intense shades of colors. The paler colors don't hold up well - at least my efforts didn't!

- Waffle flower Magical Flower die: cut from another stash background. Used a yellow-shaded piece and then part of a green one for the stem & leaf. Each time  cut just the area of the color of the size wanted, and added a piece of white snippet  with that to save the cutting plate from the die blade as much as possible (meaning there were 2 layers in some places, but only the white layer in a place-if that makes sense). For the flower part, glued the white snippet piece behind the colored piece. The center part of the flower cuts separately, and that came from a tiny snippet of a brown/yellow toned background piece. That & the stem is only a single layer. Was able to use the white leaf cut behind the colored cut, so it adds a bit of dimension. When I cut sentiments from a background, I try to save as much of the remainder as possible, as you just never know when it will come in handy for a tiny part of something!

Die cut the background with a pierced die, then just used the cutter to trim a snippet of green from the stash to fit as a mat. It's paper, not card stock, and of course it ripped when I was trying to edge with some DI pumice stone. Decided to go with that torn distressed look, and did a couple more deliberate tears, roughed up the edges, curled 2 corners. Edged all of it with more Pumice Stone.

The top fold card base is a textured cream, and the Misti came in very handy to repeatedly stamp the sentiment using Versamark Sepia several times to get good coverage. We have a lot of family birthdays approaching, so along with Easter cards, I've been trying to use up bits that I'm finding on my cleaning, to make up into cards.

Ya'll have a wonderful afternoon. Will try to post again tomorrow; got another one finished last night too, from bits & pieces, snips and snaps! Hugs & Blessings.

Brusho Garden Silhouette

Good afternoon, and welcome. Also - Happy April Fool Day, if you observe that holiday. ( one that I try to avoid...LOL). It's a gorgeous Saturday here in our area, and so far the morning has been spent in doing some much needed house chores. Took a break, and decided to write a post. Hoping to be back later in the evening with the Christmas Card Club post, so maybe you can check back in then.

I'm loving the Brushos and cling wrap technique. Watched some videos on Youtube yesterday afternoon during a little break, and gosh, you can get some fascinating looks with cling wrap, and even using the plastic garbage bags (just like cling wrap, except you can't see through it!).

Here's a background, that got stamped with an old wooden Hero Arts Silhouette stamp.

- Inked the stamp with Versafine Black onyx, and since it's wooden, couldn't use the Misti. Even though I had inked the heck out of the rubber, it still didn't give super great coverage. Used a Copic multiliner to color in the areas that needed some extra coverage. Used a Sakura gel pen to add some sparkle on the shovel and some of the plants. The colors of the background were from the brusho & cling wrap magic. Isn't that a pretty evening sky? Used an appropriately sized S/B classic square to cut out the stamped image & the black framing around the scene is part of the stamp image.

- Matted from a snippet created by other brusho & spray play, then used a scant black snippet to have another mat.

- card base was left from cutting another 8.5 x 11 piece of c/s (think it's a SU color), then embossed.

- Trim & sentiment were cut from the same brusho piece as that used for the stamping.

Here's another picture of what is blooming around our yard. This little tree is known locally as an Eastern Red Bud tree (sorry, don't know the Latin name). The pretty pink blossoms will fall off and it will just be a very pretty green during the summer. The foliage will be much thicker too.  The gardening shed in the background belongs to our neighbor.

 

 

Hugs. 

CAS Mixup Challenge with Smooshed Flowers

Hello again and back with the card for the March CAS Mix up challenge.

But first let me say a warm welcome to some new followers:

Lynn in IN. of Ruby-Dooby-Doo Crafts

Chantal of Chantal Hobby Blog

Sherry G. of Loose Stitches and Unraveled Threads

 

Ladies thanks so much for becoming new followers, and I hope you will find time to visit whenever you can.  I encourage my old friends to check out the work of my new friends, and enjoy some fine inspiration with these talented bloggers. I know they'll be happy to get to know you as well. 

 

Rules are easy, and shown in the badge. Remember, the card must have white (and don't forget to stamp something, as I've done on occasion!) I hope there is enough white to be eligible...

- smooshed with Brushos and Color Burst in Orange, yellows and some tangerine (Color Burst). I just sprinkled the products onto a craft mat, spritzed water, some gold spray, and smooshed away until I got results that I liked. Did several of these, and die cut one to use for the flowers. The green stems are a snippet left from this card.

Lil Inker Diamond Lace Coverup Die used to emboss the background, and of course Debossed the pretty side, but it looks nice either way.

- Paper Smooches Dainty Flowers. Replaced the stems, leaf insets, and the flower petals with snippets of other smooshed pieces. No difficult inlay, just glue!

- Penny Black clear Garden Friends set for the sentiment, using DI Spiced Marmalade and Abandoned Coral, with the Misti. Not sure if this stamp just doesn't give a sharp emboss-- if it was the water color paper OR if it was using the DI inks. It's a bit fuzzy, but we're gonna go with it! Fishtailed the ends, added some Nuvo crystal drops...and that's it. Happy Spring!

There's a couple of new cards added to the Cards by Friend page, so if you've time, please to enjoy these with us.

Don't you want to try some smooshing of your own? There's still time over at the March CAS Mixup Challenge. 

Thanks for joining me this evening, and don't forget Blog Candy #2 is still available, but you must be a follower, and have the thumbnail picture on your blog.  Big Hugs.

CAS Water Color Challenge with Brusho Background for Spring

Good afternoon & welcome.Still sorting, storing, etc, and have quite a mess here, but progress is being made. Thanks to the advice of a sweet blog friend, I am trying to think of this effort as 'bites in time'....set a time goal as to how long to work, what to accomplish in that space of time, and rest when the time is up. Good advice, because this is certainly a daunting task.

Hope that anyone in the path of Storm Stella has shoveled out, kept their power going so there was heat, and nobody had any serious problems during the storm.

Check in the sidebar for another blog candy picture...as of now, TWO giveaways. Since the first week expires on the 19th, and I've not done a post until today, there will be a 2nd blog candy. Who knows, maybe another one??? Perhaps I can do one weekly and find loving homes for some good NBUS. And YAY I finally got to 350 followers, so another cause for celebration!!

There is still time to join in with the March CAS Watercolor Challenge. I've been trying to carve a bit of time to make something, and last night, on a little sort break, decided to try the brusho-cling wrap technique done by my sweet friend Loll on this card. Tried the first stage of this last night, so the background could dry overnite. I'm happy to say my 2nd effort turned out better than when I tried the cling some time ago. Think the fact that I used more intense colors this time made the difference.

 

 

 

- Lemon Brusho crystals sprinkled onto dry mixed media (90# canson), sprayed with a silvery/pearl spray - let that bloom. Added Emerald Green brusho, spritzed again with the pearl spray. That didn't seem to spread the colors as much as water does, so then sprinkled Color Burst Turquoise powder, spritzed this with several sprays of water, keeping about 12" above the piece. IMHO, the brusho crystals are easier to control than the C/Burst powders.

 

When this color started to spread nicely, used a cling wrap larger than the background size and just bunched & scrunched it over the wet color. Left overnight. IRL the pearly spray added a nice silver look to the scrunched patterns, but the photo doesn't show this.

 

Die cut with a Gina Marie Double Pierced Oval (and the negative has a nice row of double piercing too.) This die came from Gina Marie site - but couldn't find to link there. Probably just overlooking.

 

G.Marie Spring Flower layering set cut from white snippets...the flower has 3 layers, the leaf has 2.

Adhered together, edged with some Distress Inks. We will soon have dogwood blossoms in our area, and this shape made me think of the dogwoods.

 

- stamped the sentiment from a clear set, cut the snippet into a fishtail shape, scored 2 lines to add a little emphasis, and called it done.

 

Sharing at CAS March Watercolor AND at the Snippets Playground week 271-272, where Parsnip may say "You are a stranger". (but I hope not).

 

Thanks for joining me this afternoon. I'll be back to the Craft Salt Mines once I find some lunch.

Hugs

 

Christmas Card Club Challenge #5 - Something Non-Traditional

Welcome to Christmas Card Club Challenge #5, the theme of which is "non traditional, a little whacky, unusual colors" and was chosen by Zoe, of Stamping Scene. I decided to go with non-traditional colors.....

 

 

 

 - Orange background was created with Brushos, Colorburst powders, some Paper Artsy Infusion powders. Sprayed the dried piece lightly with a little Tattered Gold spray. Once this dried, Dreamweave Gold Embossing Paste was applied using a Hero Arts Star Grid stencil - just around the outer edges to frame the tree.

- A salvaged piece of cardboard from a shipping box was separated to get the corrugated look. Applied white gesso, then a layer of Ranger Bronze Stain. Dried, then applied more gesso, some Paper Artsy Rusting Powder, spray with white vinegar and let it rust.**

- Impression Obsession Christmas Tree die to shape the tree. At first intended to die cut, but thought that would seriously flatten the corrugated shape. Flipped the tree to the back side, traced around the die in a rough tree shape, and hand cut it. Several punched tiny stars were made from gold glitter paper, glued together to create some dimesion on the star.

- Memory Box sentiment cut the same glitter paper, 2 layers. In between these layers, is a thicker layer using a cardboard snippet that handy. Hope this fits the unusual colors theme that Zoe was looking for. It could also fit in with the whacky part of the challenge too!

**Inspired by this card at Cathy's Card Spot. If you didn't see this unique and lovely card, I encourage you to zip over to enjoy it.

I also hope you will take time to check out what my fellow teamies have shared for this Sunday's Club Challenge.Their links are over on the right side bar.

Hope your weekend has been lovely, and that you're looking forward to a great new week. Thanks for stopping by. I'm a bit behind on commenting, but hope to catch up this afternoon. Big Hugs

Christmas Club - Mixed Media and Trees

Welcome to another Christmas Card Club post...and this time yours truly picked the challenge: Mixed Media with trees (the mixed media could be sponging, paste, sprays, texture or anything of that sort.)

Recently received some stencils from Stamplorations and decided to use one of those with Brushos, then try it with some embossing paste. First made a background with greens using Brusho crystals, Nuance, Colorburst and Infusion powders. Started with a slightly damp piece of 148# Strathmore water color paper, sprinkled the crystals and powders very carefully, then used Dylusions sprays that had been either diluted with water or mixed with the white Dylusions. It created an interesting color.
Then used the stencil over a slightly dampened w/c cardstock, sprinkled very carefully the same products through the openings of the stencil. That didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped, but I'll share it anyway. Then tried the same stencil using some Silver Dreamweaver embossing paste. I liked that one better.

- Christmas Trees Mini stencil - sprinkled the crystal & powder products over the stencil after slightly dampening the white Strathmore water color cardstock prior to placing the stencil. (masked off the sencil design I did not want). Spritzed the powders very lightly to create movement, then blotted with a paper towel. When this dried completely, replaced the stencil, spread some Golden gel beads over the stencil.(clean the stencil quickly after using this gel bead paste or embossing paste- before it hardens on the stencil). The beads paste is starting to harden or dry a bit in the jar; did not spread easily, and I was not pleased with the result. (one of the times I say "now why did I not leave well enough alone?"). Also got some of the color out in the white area surrounding the tree....so how to fix this? Since the gel beads are quite dimensional, die cutting was not an option. Traced an oval die, hand cut the motif.   First tried a white gel pen to cover the problem areas but that wasn't very effective. Then used white acrylic paint, dabbed it around the background area. The white paint picked up some of the extraneous colors, and changed to a dappled blue green, which looked better.

Memory Box die to cut the green brusho background (this has an oval in the rectangle die).
Tim Holtz Texture fade embossing on the white background. Placed the oval tree shape onto some white fun foam, for the design as you see it.

M.Box Merry Christmas die for the sentiment - 3 layers, embossed with Ranger Queen's Gold. The star is 2 layers, from a tiny punch, same Queen's Gold. This one is definitely an experiment in mixed media.

Next try:

Same stencil over water color #148..using Silver Dreamweaver embossing paste, and this time included the star at the top of the stencil. Removed the stencil, and while the paste was still wet, sprinkled some coarse Martha Stewart glitter over it. Doesn't show too much in the photo, but IRL, it sparkles beautifully. I was much happier with this effect than that with the green.

Hand trimmed the tree piece..the silver mat is a textured lightweight silver DP. Embossed this mat with a PTI die. Jennifer McGuire has an excellent video showing how to emboss using dies.

T.Holtz Texture fade embossed white card stock, then sponged it lightly with Delicata Silver. First I had tried using Versamark on the EF, then sprinkling a Silver EP over it after embossing. Evidently didn't get a good layer of the versamark, because the EP didn't stick in a lot of places. Brushed all of that off pretty well, then sponged it with the Delicata Silver.

- M.Box Merry Christmas die - 3 layers of the same dp as the mat. The Dreamweaver paste spread like butter...

If you have time, please visit my fellow team members, whose blog links can be found in the right side bar. And thanks for joining me today. Hope you liked these cards, and enjoyed my adventures. I like to know when other card makers have problem cards, and what they do to try to salvage the project. I learn as much from mistakes as I do from a well executed card. Hope you don't mind that I share my boo-boos! You can always skip over that part, if you don't want to read the story.

And we did have a lovely family Thanksgiving to all who asked. Big hugs, and prayers too for some of my blog buddies who are in need of them just now. Come again when you can.

Bold Blossoms with Brushos

Hello & thanks for coming by to visit. Today's card has this wonderful Julie Ebersole Bold Blossoms die made with a brusho created background. This came from the snippets box (where I toss backgrounds that I'm not ready to use just at the moment, and I have no clue as to what products/colors were used. Definitely some brusho crystals, but could have had some sprays mixed into the mix. I had thought to use the piece for a July 4th something or other, but the die was on the desk, the background in my hand, and so......)

- leaves from the set were cut from a previously created background using BoBunny Glitter paste and a stencil over a sprayed background, (not sure I quite like this color with the flowers, but it was glued down!). I like the shapes in this die set.

- Poppy happy sash die - 2 layers from some package chipboard. Top layer cut from the same brusho background as the flowers. This die did not cut well on the edges of the h and y, so had to snip with the scissors. Checked the die edges, and perhaps this die is not meant to cut at those areas, but it cut very nicely elsewhere. Easy to do a snip-snip. After it was glued down, added a layer of SU Crystal Effects (works like Glossy Accents). Lots of dimension. Added some of this stuff to the bottom blue flower, the leaves too.

- Darice flower EF on some red cardstock that has a pretty sheen to it. It's not shiny, but looks rather metallic.(from a 12x12 old pack). Debated on adding some gold gilding to some of the embossed flowers, but decided to leave well enough alone! That's hard to know when to stop!!!

This will be another birthday card...Hope you like it!

Have a great afternoon. Hope your Monday started the week out well for  you. Blessings & Hugs.

Pink Shoes and Butterfly

Welcome and this will be another scheduled post. Pink Shoes  -- another Art Impressions effort done some years ago, using Tombow markers to water color. While hunting for one thing, I run across something else I had forgotten about (doesn't mean that I found what I was originally searching for, mind you.)

 

The green piece was a Brusho effort, in the background pile, so used a PTI Scroll Frame Die Coverplate. Even though this background was on thicker watercolor paper, this die cut into the c/stock a bit. By careful handling I was able to 'keep it together' so that the pink shoes could be adhered behind the oval aperture, and then placed on the corrugated paper for the card front.  



 

 

 

 

The butterfly is one that has been floating around, colored with Zigs, hand cut. There is just a slight place right under the oval where the Scroll die did not fit back together perfectly, and the white bottom of the pink shoe c/s can be seen (if you look hard - I did!). Wasn't sure that the butterfly colors would be that great with the pastels of the rest of the card, but Hey Ho...went with it anyway. Added some white spots to the butterfly wings with a gel pen. Not sure who makes the butterfly...

 

The sentiment for this card will be added inside. Probably this will be a birthday card, as we have lots coming up for the extended family in the next few months.

 

That's it...Ya'll come back when you can. It's good porch swing weather, and the grass is nice & green now. Big hugs.

 



Lavendar

Hi, thanks for popping in. Thanks for all the lovely comments on the Poppies (or tulips) cards - you all made me feel so special! I liked that stamp and it was easy to card up. I want to try one more - using an embossed black against a pretty background. I think that will look fab too.

Here's another flower card, no sentiment decided upon as yet. I love the smell of lavender (well some of the lotions or candles don't always have the fragrance that I'm expecting, but the flowers themselves do. I've tried to grow it but unsuccessfully).

- Stamp was purchased at a garage stamp sale last month, and I think it's a PSX*. (which is why I spied it). Stamped with a light gray, colored with copics, WoS, and a Sakura silver star gel pen.

- a snippet of textured and rather glossy Bazzill was cut with a S/B (don't remember which one, but had to do some creative trimming, as the snippet was just not 'quite' large enough, and cut off a tiny sliver on one side.

- largest open die from the same set cut the turquoise mat, and it's got a sort of mulberry texture - but is not mulberry paper. (Guess I'm trying to say it has purplish slubs in the pattern & is pretty IRL).

- you've guessed that the background is a brusho effort using purple and turquoise, which was intended to go behind the image. It didn't look right, so thus the other papers came into play.

- card base is a top fold textured green also from the snippet box, but it was a pretty good size snippet, so perhaps doesn't rightly qualify for the term.

A sentiment will be added when the occasion arises to need this card. I have lots of relatives who like flowers, so it could be a get well, thinking of you, happy birthday, whatever. A die sentiment or a small stamped tag would work just fine at the time.

Ya'll have a good evening. Come by when you can visit a while. And I'll do my best to return all visits. Sometimes I'm not always certain that my comments get published, but I do try to make sure to always return visits to those sweet people who leave wonderful comments. Big hugs.

*Double checked this stamp and it does not say PSX on it..in fact, I can't find any markings, but it sure does have the look of a PSX image I think. However, I'm pretty sure that PSX stamps were labeled with identifying marks, and this wooden stamp has none that I see! Just tryin' to be honest, folks!

Hedgie says Happy Birthday

Good morning, and it's a lovely sunshine day in my part of the world. Not so hot (but would be if you wuz outside working). DD has been here for a few days, and we're just back from the local airport, and I'm in my usual blue mood. Just do NOT  handle goodby well when it's someone I love. Bless her heart, I think she spent the 2 days teaching us how to use the new Smart phones that everyone has been telling us we MUST upgrade to. (and she was one of them). We waited until she was here, to help us pick out the best features for our use of it. On our old 'dumb' phones, I had texting turned off, due to an unhappy experience with some kids playing pranks, and we had to pay for the messages. Being ignorant I opened these, as I didn't really know WHO would be texting me, but I know the DD does lots of that. Anyway, after getting our provider to dismiss the charges, I asked them to turn it off, so neither of us made that mistake again (They had said they would only honor iggerance ONE time!) This new plan - and yes we had to sign a 2 yr contract  which will be expensive to break if we're unhappy with this - provides unlimited talk & text. We got 1G of data, as it would be nice to do email while traveling - although I'd use the laptop at night. But it has really re-inforced our knowledge of the fact that we are woefully lacking in the technology dept. I did manage to get our contacts added into both phones - which the girl at the Costco kiosk was supposed to have done. She only got a few of them. Now just trying to learn some of the things and one thing I must get someone to show me, is how to do the coupons from the various stores. (I don't want to get more stuff we have to pay for unless I am aware up front that I'm doing it! DD said she doesn't do that, and couldn't help with it). Anybody else out there, feeling so dumb with this kind of thing????

Today's card has been received, so here goes:



- PBlack wood mount Hedgie, some years old, but I love it! Tiny dragonfly was in a sweet gift pack from the person who received this card, so thought appropriate to use on this card. Of course, image was Copic colored, some WoS. One booboo...when picking the WoS, thought I had clear. It was white, which I didn't realize at first. After all the WoS touches were added, I noticed the brilliant colors of the orange tones looking somewhat foggy. Hmm...what is wrong? Then I looked at the WoS marker, and dang - it was white! I was able to go back over with another coat or 2 of the same copics, and don't think the nib was bothered. But if you have white WoS, just watch when you are selecting...cuz it DOES make a difference.

-Sue Wilson Noble Collection Ornate Pierced Design die and then same die for the faux mat.

- Brusho background - previously done...with orange, yellows and some gold spray. But doesn't it look nice with the orange tones of the flowers in the bouquet?

- SU punch and sentiment. Ta Da.

One comment I keep intending to share, and forget, is this: got the Sizzix Precision Plate with the  Big Shot Plus (yes I got a good buy on it and free shipping - and while I'm still using the old beat up B/Shot, the Plus is handy for the bigger dies). I've been using the precision plate with some of the more intricate dies (f'r instance, the Cheery Lynn doilies that I have so much trouble with sometimes.) It works very well I'm pleased to say. Recently I used w/c paper with a die and even though I did several passes, changed the position on the plates one time - the die cut beautifully. So if anyone is waffling on the precision plate...I can testify that it is helping my frustration a great deal!!! Just sayin'.

Ya'll have a grand day and come back when you can sit a spell in the porch swing. Today would be a lovely day to enjoy the swing, as the humidity is low, and there's a breeze too. We had a spot of rain earlier, and predicted to get some more later today. Big Hugs.

Happy Little Stampers Sketch Challenge - May 2015

Good Morning friends, and welcome. So far it's been a rather overcast day, and we had a most intense rain & thunder storm last night. Thankfully, it didn't last long, but that rain was so hard when it came down & we had several hard cracks of thunder very close by. However, it was nothing like to what those poor folks out in Texas had and are having to endure. Prayers go out to those families who lost or are still searching for their loved ones.

Today's card is an entry into the Happy Little Stampers Sketch Challenge, one I've not participated in so far. Let's get right to it - and actually it's another UFO:

I'm not great with sketches, but here's my take:

 

- Background is a Brusho gone wrong. Still liked the colors but it didn't work for what was in mind when messing about with it at first. While doing a bit of cleaning on the stamp desk (remember when I was looking for missing stuff earlier? LOL) found a Zen sort of looking stamp...decided to stamp it with Versafine Onyx and just have a play with Pentel and the Staedtler pens.  Still didn't really have any ideas about what to do with it - but just doodling one night while watching Netflix.

 

Located a brass stencil in the floral shape that you see in the top right. (Jennifer McGuire has a recent video on using intricate dies to emboss which gave me the idea*). Embossed that onto the paper, liked it better. However, the embossing would not have shown up in the photo. So...took a sponger and some DI Faded Blue Jeans and wiped it over the embossing. Hooray...that showed very nicely.

 

- Bottom white part was embossed with an Anna Griffin EF that is still in the pile, then die cut the edge with a S/B Curved Bracket. Hmmm...if I put the 2 together, that might work for the HLS May Sketch Challenge.

 

- SU scallop punch for the snippet sentiment, a clear stamp from a Gina K set received last week. Lesson learned: stamp it, then punch it. Used the Misti to place the stamp, but it was tricky to keep this little bit of paper from moving when the Misti cover is opened for inking the stamp...even with the strong magnet holding it. Because the bit is so tiny, when placing the stamp in place for inking, then lifting to ink it - the tiny scrap would slip - just a tiny amount. Finally got it done though, and I think the sentiment looks straight!!!

Hoping that this card fits what the sketch is meant to be, I'm off to link up with HLS Sketch Challenge for May 2015, which is still open for 3 days. Thanks for visitin'...come again when you can.  Hugs

*Tried to find the link to Jennifer's video, but was spending too long searching for it. Believe it was done last week.

Happy Little Stampers Challenge for May 2015

Hi, and welcome. I've been trying for quite some time to get something finished that would fit into the Happy Little Stampers Challenge. Finally I did get something that I think will work. In fact, 2 somethings! Lately I've been trying to finish up a bunch of UFO's, that have been hanging around - seems like forever. Hunting for some things I ordered, put in a safe place...and can't find. Finding other things that I'd looked for earlier. Sound familiar?

First though, help me welcome a new friend, Kathy, of KTKrafts.  Please take a few moments to go over, enjoy Kathy's wonderful blog, and say hello. You won't be sorry you did! It's been a while since I had a new follower (have been seeing them disappear, then reappear), so it was happy, happy to see a new friendly face show up in the pictures' list.

Now, on to the card:

- MBox Ringo Tile die* cut out the white c/s, and Sizzix XandO EF. It is not showing well, but there are 2 scored lines separating the embossed section and the panel. Behind the panel is a previously done spray piece (believe it was Dylusions..I've been experimenting with Brusho-s and Dylusions - so there's plenty of background pieces. I _should_ write on the back of the piece what product was used, but ...)

- Frantic Stamper sentiment die cut from the same color.

- added a few sequins...and folks, that's my CAS!

*First tried die cutting the MB die with some textured Win-Win c/s (it's like Bazzill). Did lots of passes, but it did not cut well. Added a metal shim, still not a clean cut. Tried with varying thin card stocks...flipping & rotating the die as it was being cut. After working with some good sharp scissors to cut out bits of the panel, I gave it up. Decided to try one more time with just the cheap Walmart brand of GP cardstock, just a few back n forth passes - no shims - the die cut very cleanly. Only had to poke out just a couple of bits. The main panel was raised up on thin white fun foam - a technique I've seen Jennifer McGuire doing lately.

I'm off to link up with Happy Little Stampers Challenge for May 2015.

Thanks for joining me today, big hugs all round, and hope if you've not been feeling well lately, that you're on the mend! God Bless.

Brusho Background, with Lavinia Stamp on Sue Wilson dies

Good evening, Sweet Bloggers. Thanks for popping by. It's been a hot day here at our house, but we just enjoyed a nice dinner with #2 Bro & SIL...some good southern bbq. Yummy.

Now on to the card for tonight:

- Background was made with Eileen Godwin's Ranger Spritzer tool and Brushos.

- Die cut with a Sue Wilson die - forget which one! But if anyone wants to know, I will happily provide the info.

- Lavinia Stamp - Dancing Til Dawn - stamped in Versafine Olympia Green using the Misti. Stamped it twice to get good coverage. Then sprayed the piece with Tattered Angels gold spray mist, let it dry.

- Another SWilson die cut the black cardstock base. Again, not sure which one, but can add the info.

- Turquoise blue glitter paper behind the filigree.

Left the sentiment off the front, and have it as part of the inside verse.

This is my first Lavinia die. I wanted to get the Poppy Pods seen on Eileen's Brusho video. Since the shipping was a bit pricey, got a few other stamps in the order. This is the first fairy stamp I have, and now I see another one that I'm longing for. Oh me...

Enjoy your evening, and as always, thanks for your visit.  Come again when you can. Big hugs.

Flowers and Vines

Good afternoon and thanks for taking time to stop in for a visit today. MoJo has really been absent at this house lately. There have been things in process, but just couldn't get the motivation to finish up. However, today's card was finished last evening, (well almost), so here 'tis.

- Background done using a TCW Mini Climbing Vine stencil using DI colors of light blue, green and the new Fossil Amber yellow. Golden Gel Beads for texture were added with a Memory Box stencil (think it was Tiny Dots) and allowed to dry overnight.

- focal piece is a snippet oval salvaged from another project. I'm not sure if this was a Brusho or Dylusions background, but think it was brusho-s. Clear stamps from PBlack Flower Sparks were stamped in turquoise and green colors.  Some were done as second generation stamping. I was just experimenting to see what looks would emerge. Finally decided it was 'done', used a white gel pen to add some dots, and liked it.

- Rounded the bottom corners, and it's complete. I'm undecided about adding a sentiment to the front, as I rather like the clean look it has. It's going to be an anniversary card, so I think I'll just add the sentiment to the verse that will go inside.

It's been such a long time since I had a chance to give my little bear buddy Parsnip a big hug. So I think I will dash over to Pixie's Snippets Playground and see what all the little Snippeteers have been up to. Won't you come along and take a look at some fantastic inspiration cards, and perhaps join in, take a chance on winning a nice prize? We all have snippets, right?

I'd like to ask a favor for a good blog friend known to many of you, who's having such a rough patch of Life just now.  Brenda (Friends Craftin' with Friends) could use some prayers & positive thoughts big time. She's one sweet lady, who just gives and gives, and many of you know her. She's my 'other daughter' and if you could, spare a moment to send some positive energy her way - in whatever way suits your personal beliefs best. Thank you!

Big Hugs, come again when you can. I hope to get better about posting - no real good excuse for not doing so. Thanks once more for your time taken to visit here.

Rudolph Day #4 - with Brusho-s

Good morning and thanks for zipping by. Also thank you to everyone for being so kind about the cards yesterday...your comments made me feel better about them, as I really was quite discouraged with my efforts. I was feeling pretty much the same way about today's card, and after it was put together, I did one little change, and surprisingly - that made me like it more.

I had watched the Eileen Godwin youtube videos where she is using the Ranger Spritzer tool to blow the Brusho puddles around, and my first attempts looked nothing like hers. So watched them once again, and saw immediately what I'd done wrong. I have been better satisfied with my later attempts, but still have a way to go. However, I decided to use the last efforts, combine with Misti stamping, and that resulted in today's card. I did want to participate in Rudolph Day for April 2015.

- Brusho colors of Scarlet, Yellow and Sea Green. Dabble a regular brush in water, put puddles along the edge of the card stock, sprinkle the crystals - spritz with the Ranger Spritzer tool. You could use a straw too, but the tool gives finer lines - per Eileen. It was lots of fun, once I remembered what one is supposed to do. (I was just wetting the paper, sprinkling, and trying to spritz). I did several pieces and it's quite fun to do. Next, how to use it, since I don't have the pretty Lavinia stamps used by Eileen

- A Hero Arts set of patterned Christmas trees from years ago, along with a sentiment from the same set. Got out Misti, placed stamps on the dried art work, and Voila, Misti placed exactly.

- Die cut with a S/B Label 46, and then thought "This doesn't really look very Christmas-y". Faux cut the mat, and looked at the piece for several days.

Zipped into our local (and not very good) Tuesday Morning store last week while running errands. I don't go in this store often, as I don't find much that appeals to me. I do check in occasionally, and sometimes will find stamping/scrapbooking supplies, usually nothing that I have the imagination to use. Found a very nice large McGill punch that has 4 Halloween motifs ($7.99 - think these are usually at least $15 and up), and a Grand S/B Grand Decorative Circles for $19.99. Best price I've ever gotten on the Grands has been in the $30-s. So the smallest S/B shaped  the base card from some gold poster board found some time ago on sale. It cut very nicely, after running through the BS several times. Made this into a hinged card, with a white back, which is peeking through in the photo. This is not that noticeable IRL.  Still not crazy about the card as yet.

Had dropped a couple of sequins on the floor from another project, and while picking up some mess off the desk, noticed the red sequin. Placed against the card and "Hmm, maybe that would help". Tried a few more, and decided I liked the look, so Voila, the card is done! To my eyes, this was the spark that finished off the card.

So off to play at Rudy Day. Do please join in the fun with our very own ScrappyMoi.  You have until the end of April to submit a Christmas Card - anything with a Christmas theme.

Thanks for the visit. Big Hugs & blessings.

Brusho background, Spellbinder Oval & Memory Box Too

Hello again and welcome. Today's card has lots of fun stuff on it, and has been done - pretty much - for a while. Just getting around to photo & posting, and that was delayed due to Life!

Here goes:

- Brusho background using just the Black pot. Didn't it yield magnificent color? Tried to do the technique Eileen Godwin did with the Ranger Spritz tool, but haven't mastered that well yet. Plan to keep trying to get the look however. Even though I didn't get the results desired, thought it still looked nice, so stamped a PBlack Flower Sparks transparent set using a Blackberry Colorbox Fluid chalk ink. Had never used this ink pad; looked black in the container, but was a dark purple. Did a 2nd generation stamping after the 1st two blooms, but the MB die cut (?small Chloe stem?) sort of obscures it.

-Die cut the motif using largest of the Oval Regalia S/B set.. Considering adding a few pearls around the lacy part, but need to look at it a bit yet.

- Lavendar/purple card base from Bazzil texture cardstock, and IRL the color looks darker than in this photo. S/B corner dies cut from white snippet. Copic BV markers changed these from white corners. Liked it better with purple tones, then drew a skinny line using a WoS purple pen. That may not have been my best idea, because one of the corners has a pretty shaky line (bottom left). Again, we'll say this is my Amish touch! Decided to go with it as is, and hope the recipient will like it anyway. The sentiment will go inside when the card is ready to mail.

Hope you like this one. Thanks for visiting, it's getting time to sit in the porch swing & enjoy something to drink. Ya'll come back when you can...and Big hugs.