St. Patrick's Day Frog

Top O' the Morning!

 

And a Happy St. Patrick's Day it 'tis to ya! Life has been busy at our house of late, just can't seem to get with it on card making and blogging. The 4th Blogaversary came & went, but there IS some blog candy ready, just didn't have time to photo and write a post about it!

 

We got the damaged car back & it seems to have been repaired ok. Today will be my first drive when I go for a much-needed hair trim. DH has driven it, says it seems ok to him.

 

Had made a few St. Pat's cards, but didn't get a single one in the mail in time. So guess that means I'm ahead of the game for next year. But I did manage to finish up one that had been started with Mr. in mind. He likes frogs.

 

 

 

 

- Whipper Snapper image (I think!) colored with copics, a bit of WoS and some Glossy Accents on the eyes, water splashes & Lucky. Of course photo doesn't show it.  S/B Deckled oval to die cut Mr. Frog.

 

- VOS (very old stuff) design papers and a Sue Wilson die to cut the snippet sentiment. A few tiny green sequins and that's all the luck this little froggie has about him. DH liked him.

 

Please check in on the Cards By Friends tab as there are some cute new cards we've received. Enjoy them with us!

 

Thanks for checking in - hopefully one of these spring days, life will get back to where I will be finishing up some cards and posting. For the moment, Mr. MoJo is on walkabout and Life is busy anyway. Big hugs. 



Altenew Botanicals and Watercoloring

Good Morning...Happy Wednesday. We're supposed to have a 76F temperature day, but our sunshine is in & out.

Two of my good blog friends have started a new challenge here (Bonnie & Loll) and Our Darnell has NBUS Challenge #6 going on. So I've tried to find time each day to make 'something' that would fit in these challenges;  each day something would come up to delay my good intentions.

This is one of those cards that _should_ have been so easy. Tried several different times working with watercolors and this pretty Altenew Botanical image - each one was a bust. Finally got one I could go with, so here it is:

 

 

- Altenew Botanical Clear flower was embossed with Ranger's Gold on Bristol Smooth paper (it's quite like watercolor paper, except a smooth surface). First effort, created the water colored background & stamped, embossed. Decided the flower blossom should not have the background colors. Restamped the flower first; masked it with the Molotow masking pen, which I'd used before with good results. Did a background watercolor wash with Kuretake Gansai Tambi  watercolors which I'd had for about 6 months**, unopened. Results were good, but when I removed the masking, the flower blossom was mottled with the blue ink of the masking fluid. The mask rolled up fine, but it appeared that the fluid had absorbed into the paper. This pen came from another source than did the first pen I had used & had been used on Copic Xpress paper.

 

Anyway, this 3rd effort worked better - stamping and embossing, no masking, just creating the water color washed background.... and at the last minute, decided to use Zig Brush markers to color the flower Lilac.

 

- Die cut with a Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Frames. This is one of those times I didn't look at the die as closely as should have, and discovered it cuts out an inner layer with a stitched frame. Worked great for what I wanted, but something to remember. (I probably won't!). Used the outer stitched frame, and then popped up the inner portion on white fun foam.

 

- Elizabeth Craft dragon fly cut from 2 different snippets of previously created backgrounds, using sprays, brushos or something of the sort.

 

- The motif was layered on a white rectangle- which is just a bit creamier shade than was the card base. I liked the slight contrast. Layered onto a top fold plain white card base. As I looked at the plainness (let's call it CAS, shall we?) I thought about doodling a frame around the base card using a lilac marker. Folks, I was just too afraid that I'd mess  it all up! Like I said, this is one of those cards that really should have been an easy, no brainer. Didn't happen that way!

 

**Lesson learned from not opening packages, instead just tucking away to look at later. When I opened the Gansai Tambi box, several of the pans were broken. I'm guessing this happened in shipping, as I know I didn't drop the box. Set was ordered from Amazon when after seeing the product on some Youtubes. Since it's been a while ago, I can't contact Amazon to complain about the broken blocks of color. They will still work ok, but it's something to remember. Check out your packages when they arrive....don't just stack on Mount NBUS as I've done.  

 

 I'd like to enter this CAS card, with the mixed media techniques:  Stamping, Heat embossing, water coloring, & die cutting over at the CAS Mix Up Card Challenge. This challenge is open for 15 more days, and already has lots of fabulous entries.

 

 

 

Also would like to submit to the NBUS #6 which closes in one more day!

 

 

 

 

Both these are fun challenges hosted by some fantastically talented cardmaking bloggers, so I hope you'll find time to join in the fun!

 

Thanks for popping in. Hugs

Christmas Card Club - A Card for Someone Special

Good Morning, and my apologies for being MIA for a while. We were away, then when we returned, still had a house guest. Once our BF headed back home, we were busy with car insurance & repair aggravations. However, I think that is in hand (we don't know yet how successful that will be - but at least it's in progress).  We had fantastically beautiful weather in Florida, and basically I read, relaxed, and enjoyed the family & sunshine. First trip we've taken in recent memory that I took no craft supplies...just my kindle.

As I'm doing this post, it is lovely sunshine outside, about 63F degrees, and shaping up to be a splendid day. Several sweet readers have asked what the card sets on in the photos: It's a Yankee Candle topper. I got the idea from some clever UK folks who were using them when I first started this blog. Although I had a couple of other style YCandle toppers, mine were nothing like what I was seeing the UK folks use. So the hunt was on. There's a picture at the end of this post showing exactly what the one I've used of late - looks like. I watch the sales, folks, and try to find seasonal looks. Sometimes it's not always shaped to have the card set in the opening as straight as it should, which of course, I never see until I look at the photo! Thank goodness for Photo Shop and the rotation feature!

One last comment before the Christmas Card Club part of this post: This blog started on March 12, 2012...so a Fourth Blogaversary is coming up. I've been saving up some goodies - I had hoped that the Blogaversary and 350 followers might just happen close together. Since I've lost some followers, that ain't gonna happen, BUT...the 4 year mark will. So Watch This Space...I hope to find new homes for some surprises to You, my wonderful followers!

{Ahem}: Now for the Christmas Card Club stuff:

Today our challenge was chosen by Our Zoe and Zoe chose the challenge Someone Special. At first I thought this was to be for Mother's Day, which I believe comes in the UK before ours does in the States. So after some thought, I decided to do something with the Most Special Mother of all time: Madonna. I've always particularly loved images & pictures of Madonna and Child, and have some old, very wonderful purchased Christmas Cards with beautiful images on them.

So here's my card in honor of Someone Special:

- image is an old wooden Inkadinkadoo, stamped with Versafine Majestic Blue. Had decided to do no coloring, let this very finely detailed image just be very simply done. First thought of sepia tones, then decided I'd go with the darker blues.  I was quite pleased that it stamped out as finely as it did. The only coloring is some Clear WoS for sparkle on the Mother's veil and the Baby's wrappings. Doesn't show in the photo, but is quite pretty IRL.

- Paper Trey Ink Scroll  Cover Plate for the embossing. Before embossing, used a S/B Large Petite Oval die to cut the center shape larger than the cover plate's opening. My first attempt was to use the plate as a die to cut a frame. However, once the center was enlarged, the frame didn't look right. Then decided to just cut the opening, and then emboss the frame into the design, and this looked much better. The plate's aperture didn't reveal enough of the image.

- used the small & large S/B ovals to cut a textured silver frame to place just inside the navy blue frame; this was a last minute idea.

- Elizabeth Craft sentiment die to cut the sentiment, using 2 layers of snippets white c/s. A pentel Slicci silver pen colored the white c/s, then placed a silver layer cut from the same piece as the framing silver (also a snippet). The 3 layers created good dimension but still let the image remain the focus. The thought process in making this card was geared to Mothers. Didn't want to do a Merry Christmas, but I think Mothers all over the world, would feel Peace is a greatly desired quality to have - and not just at Christmas. I'm certain this particular Mother would have felt so.

Please pop over to my fellow Christmas Card Club members to see what they have shared for this challenge. Their blogs are listed on the right sidebar.

And many thanks to so many of you who emailed to ask about us, while I was missing. You've no idea what a lift that gave to my day, and was so appreciated. My many wonderful friends have been the biggest bonus of this Blogging Adventure! So lots of hugs & have a wonderful day.

Yankee Candle Topper used as easel for photos. This one is a Snowflake pattern.

HLS Christmas Challenge - March - Shaped Card

Welcome. It's time for Happy Little Stampers March Christmas Challenge, and this month our theme is a Shaped Card.

 Our Challenge is sponsored by Happy Little Stampers.

It's been a while since I did a shaped card, so here goes: (and this is my 2nd card. My first one had some wrinkles in it - and a totally different concept. )



- Pine branches are from a Simon Says Holly Berries clear set. I was inspired by an Ornamental Pine Embossed card done by Dawn. I had been wanting to try this technique, and this seemed like a good time to do so. Used Versamark as Dawn shows, and added the same SU Dazzling Diamonds EP and it really does glitter nicely.

The Lawn Fawn Winter Owl was waiting to be stored away, and thought he'd look good with the pine branches. Used Memento Northern Pine & Olive Grove, sometimes stamping off for the shadows. Add a few pine cones from the Holly Berries set using Espresso Truffle. Stamped some extras for around the sentiment. Added some more shading to these after fussy cutting.

Die cut with a S/B Classic Circle large, sponged SU Espresso around the edges. Came back with Memento Espresso Truffle, and DI Scattered Straw to have a bit of golden look at the edge.

- Owl stamped on watercolor paper with Versamark, heat embossed with Ranger Fine Detail gold. Used Zig watercolor markers to color. (a little hesitant with this, since my w/c skills are rubbish at times. This guy turned out ok, I think. Fussy cut him, not sure if there's a die available on this small set. He's popped up with dimensional foam.

Die cut the card shape using a S/B Grand Circle. Edged the top of this with Versamark, then heat embossed with Ranger Queen's Gold.

HLS Mixed Christmas Sentiments was embossed with Ranger Fine Detail Gold, die cut with a S/B fancy tag, the ends of which have been covered by the embellies. Pine cones from the Holly Berries set, and tiny twigs from an Impression Obsession die set.. these were cut from a green dp, but then colored them with Copics in dark green shades.

Hope you will join in with this fun challenge, and get a head start on your Christmas card stash for 2016!

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE HLS STAMPS TO ENTER OUR CHALLENGES

Thanks for joining me today. Big hugs.