Hello Friend Mermaid card

I've had this beautiful Stampendous Mermaid stamp for a while and I couldn't  resist using her for Simon Says challenge Go Fish.

 

 

Products used:

Spellbinders Majestic Labels Twenty Five

Spellbinders S4-237 Floral Flourishes

Stampendous Mermaid

Penny Black 30-172 April Showers

Imaginisce Sea Shells

Yasutomo shimmer paints

Ranger Distress ink, watercolor paper, Archival ink

Deep Red bubbles background M1N4B5

Colorbox pigment White

Spectrum Noir clear Glitter pen

Misti

I started with my Spellbinders die and cut the outside frame from some beautiful aqua blue card from my stash. Then I cut the center panel from watercolor paper. I placed it in my Misti making sure to mark where it edges were for later. I stamped the Mermaid and painted her with the shimmer paints then stamped again on the Misti.

Then using masking paper I covered her and Inked my background with my distress inks and randomly stamped the bubbles all around her. Using dimensional tape I popped up the outside frame and then adhered the Mermaid flat onto the center of the white card. I took another piece of watercolor paper and using my distress inks I painted it green with two shades of green and a large paint brush, then I cut the floral flourishes for sea weed. I stamped the sea shells, painted them and fussy cut them out, then arranged them using dimensional tape and glue. I used my Glitter pen on the sea weed and stamped my sentiment using archival ink.

Here's a close up of the shimmer of her tail and the glitter on the sea weed.

I will be entering this card in these challenges:

                                                                          Simon Says Monday Challenge "Go Fish"

                                                                          All Sorts"Use at least 2 Dies"

                                                                           Love to Scrap " Anything Goes"

Have a wonderfully crafty day!

Karen

 

No line Water coloring

Today I practiced no line water coloring and I was very surprised with the result. I have done this many times without much success, but today I guess I was just in the right place, because I didn't do to bad. I stamped it using Ranger distress ink "Antique Linen". I added water to each petal individually and then the color and let it work it's magic. It's still not perfect but I'm very happy with the result. I will continue to work on this technique till I am satisfied that I can do no better.



Products used:

Stamp-N-Up Lg. Lilly stamp

Ranger distress ink

Watercolor paper

PB #30-105 gratitude

I will be entering this card in: Less is More "Exotic"

                                                Allsorts  "Fabulous Florals"

Have a wonderfully crafty day!

Karen

Just around the corner

September is just around the corner and I have so many cards to make I'm getting dizzy. Two of my Grandchildren have birthdays in September. Evelyn who is turning 7  and Mark who is turning 5, I can't believe how fast they're growing up. It feels like yesterday they were babies. I also have several birthdays for friends and there little ones and my Niece is getting married. So I've been very busy.

My first card is for my Beautiful Niece and her very handsome Hubby to be:



 Products used: Spellbinders die set  5x7 Elegant Labels 4

Altenew Peony Bouquet set

Ranger Queens Gold Embossing powder

Versa Mark

Paper Pizzazz Gold

White Card stock 110 lb.

Craft foam

Misti

I started by cutting out the frame with my Spellbinders die, I love this die and I have use t quite often when making cards. I also cut out the outside frame out of craft foam. I then carefully removed the backing of the foam, so it wouldn't stretch, and adhered it to my frame. I like to do this because it gives it better stability and it's easier than cutting foam tape strips for the small areas. I cut a piece of Gold paper to cover the whole front of the card, after sticking the gold paper down I added the frame to the front making sure to get it centered. I then glued the center piece to the front of the card and placed the whole card in my Misti. I centered my sentiment and stamped it. I'm not sure what company the sentiment is, I took it off the wood and didn't label it. Sorry, 

Then I stamped and embossed the peonies and fussy cut them out. I arranged then on the front of the card and adhered them using dimensional tape and my tape runner. My Nieces Wedding colors are White and Gold. 

I will be submitting this card to: Simon Says Wednesday Challenge"Make for the Border"

                                                    All sorts Challenge "Fabulous Florals"

  

My next card is a Birthday card I made for my wonderful husband Dale:





We love to go to the Ocean any chance we get our favorite place is Virginia Beach VA, so I went with that for his card.

Products used:

Inkadinkado  #97521 Coastal/ Maritime

Ranger inks

Wood Anchor

Twine

First I stamped the lighthouse and then colored in the beach, the fence, the vegetation and the lighthouse stripes, then fussy cut it out. I tore a sheet of white scrap to shape the beach and used my Ranger ink and a blending tool to give it the look of sand. I then took another piece of torn paper to make the waves, moving it up and down and back and forth using a blending tool and 2 different inks to get the wave effect. Then I punch out some circle punches, of different sizes, and glued them to a piece of paper along the edge: and using my blending tool I did the same as with the waves to create the clouds, on a piece of white card cut to 61/2 x41/2 . When I was done with the background I attached the sand and wave piece to a 5x7 card  and then using some dimensional tape added the Lighthouse. I drew the birds and the light coming from the lighthouse on then attached it to my card. I used the twine to frame the scene and added the anchor, which I used my Ranger markers to color black,  I also stamped the Happy Birthday and framed and popped it up, to finish the card.  

I will be submitting this card to:Little Red Wagon Surfs Up"

                                                   Seize the Birthday "Anything Goes"











Good Morning!

I've been busy these last few days. I got several more new stamps in the mail. It always amazes me that when the mail comes and I have several packages, for days in a row, my husband never says a word. He is so good to me he says, if it makes you happy, I'm ok with it. Just don't break the bank.

I'm a very lucky girl. I digress, these are the stamps I received in just the last 2 days.

Of course I went straight to my craft room and got to work. My first card reminds me of when my boys were little and how much they loved to blow bubbles, ah....those were great times.





Products used:

PB slapstick/cling # 40-229 bubble boy

PB T for transparent #30-358 happy snippets

Ranger distress ink

Ranger watercolor paper

Ranger Archival Ink black

Gellyroll glitter pen and

Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen

Misti

I stamped the bubble boy in archival ink on my Misti  and then using my distress ink and a watercolor brush I colored him in, then back in the Misti to freshen the outlines. I used my distress inks to create the background, and the Gellyroll pen to add a little depth to the grass. I used the Spectrum Noir glitter pen on the bubbles, then stamped "life is great play" and mounted on yellow then onto a blue card.

I will be entering this card in: PB "Anything Goes With a Stamp"

                                                Simon Says Monday Challenge" Summer Fun"

Card #2 Happy Birthday

Products used:

Altenew Mini One of A Kind

Hampton Arts #SC0586 celebrate life

Ranger distress ink markers

Ranger watercolor paper

Ranger archival ink

Ribbon from my stash

Spellbinders dies #S4-425 Elegant Ovals and #S4-324 Ribbon banners

Misti

I fell in love with this little stamp as soon as I saw it. I began by inking my stamp and stamping it around the entire paper including the center. I wasn't sure where I was going with it at this time but I loved the way it looked. Then I took my water brush and lightly brushed over the stamped image and blended the colors, and used a blending tool to add color to the edges. I decided to use this background for the sketch from MOJO Monday, and the Inspiration challenge at Altenew.

So I stamped another flower and cut it out with my spellbinders die. I then cut out the next size die in the same set for the background, and the banner for Happy Birthday.

I wrapped the ribbon around the center of the background and then using a blender I added the same color to the background frame as around the edges of the card. I adhered it to the center of the card and using some dimensional tape I popped up the framed flower up in the center.  I stamped Happy Birthday on my banner and blende the edges, then attached it to the bottom of the framed flower.

I will be entering this card in:

                                               Altenew 2016 Inspiration Challenge "Flamingo Inspiration"

                                               Mojo Monday "MOJO461"

                                               Seize The Birthday "anything Goes" 

                                             

Have a wonderfully crafty day !

Karen

New stamps, let's play!

I've having so much fun with these new stamps I got from Altenew. I had no idea what I was going to do with them at first I was just playing around, this is the result.

Inspiration:



Products used:

Altenew card#1 Lotus card #2 Golden Garden

Penny Black card #1 30-105 Gratitude card #2 30-356 Treasured Sentiments

Ranger distress ink

Ranger watercolor paper

Ranger Archival ink black

Clarity brushes card #2

Dimensional tape

Card 1: I stamped the Lotus using Picked Raspberry, Peeled Paint, and Fossilized Amber distress ink markers. Then I used my water brush to shade. I stamped several and fussy cut them out. I decided to add some depth so I cut the bottom of one flower to pop up on another, for the background I used a mixture of two inks, Faded Jeans and Broken China, I wet the whole piece of watercolor paper and then added the ink brushing it to make it appear to be water. I added the flowers and sentiment and matted it on pink and then on a gray card.

Card 2:  This one was from my earlier stamp play. I stamped and masked and stamped and masked until I had this curved image. I water colored the flowers with Abandoned Coral and Peeled Paint and them fussy cut the whole thing out. I adhered it to a white card and then using my Clarity brushes I shaded just the edge to the right of the flowers. I add my sentiment and it was done.

Another great day of stamping fun! Can't wait for my next 3 sets to come in the mail!

I will be entering these cards in: Altenew August 2016 Inspiration Challenge "Flamingo Inspiration"



Bonjour mon ami!

Hello friends!

It's been a very busy couple of days, my Granddaughters called and asked for a sleepover and of course I said yes. We love it when they come over and spend time with us. We shopped, baked cookies, played cards, Evelyn had a bottle war with Grandpa and then came into my craft room to work on a tree she wants to add to her art journal. She really enjoys playing with me in the craft room. After she finished her tree she made a card for Mommy and a card for Daddy. It was lots of fun!

Well onto my cards.  I got some new stamps from Altenew and went to work playing with them to get a feel for what  I wanted to do. When I was done I was very happy with the results.

 Products used:

Altenew Golden Garden stamps

Ranger Distress ink (Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Abandoned Coral)

Ranger Watercolor Paper

Ranger Archival Ink Black

Recollections alphabet stamp sets #296432 card 1 #119928 card 2

Just Rite Cling  Script Background stamp # CL-02157

I stamped the Image in black and then using my Ranger distress markers I colored the second stamp with Abandoned Coral and Peeled paint. At this time I didn't know what I was going to do with them I was just playing. Then I decided they would look nice with a Script background so I masked the flowers and stamped the background, just down the middle of the first card, then the whole background on the second. I used my Ranger blending tools to add Abandoned Coral and Mustard seed to the edges and over the flowers. I just loved the way the first one turned out so I did the same on the second card but this time I left the center untouched.  I added French Sentiments, and I was done.

I will be entering these cards in : Less is More one layer cards "Something French"

What a great day of Stamping Fun!!

Searching my stash

I spent the last week trying to better organize my stamps so I could find them by company. Unfortunately, last year, I took all my wood block stamps of the blocks. In doing so I have several, not several  a lot,  that I don't know which company they belong to. I also removed many stamp sets from they're original packaging when I opened them, so again I don't know what company they are from. So when looking for stamps to create a card for the IO challenge "Squared" I had only one choice, Christmas. I really love the traditional colors of Christmas, Red, Green, Gold and Silver, so I went to work. This is the result:





Products used:

IO stamp #F2268 Winter Wonderland (tree)

IO stamp #B5462 Christmas Joy

VersaMark

Ranger embossing powder Queens Gold

Queen and Comp. Sunflower Yellow Pearls

K&Comp. Christmas Cheer Gold Words paper

Paper wishes  Red Holly paper

Darcie 110lb. white card stock

Spellbinders curved rectangles #S5-006

I stamped and embossed the tree and on my white card stock and the cut it out with my spellbinders die. I wanted to mat it in gold so I traced the die on another piece of white card stock and fussy cut it out. I ran the edges over my VersaMark pad and then using the Queens Gold, embossed the edge. I matted my 51/2 x 51/2 card  with a 5/14 x51/4 piece of Christmas Cheer paper, then I matted the Embossed Christmas tree onto the embossed piece of white card stock. I cut a piece of  the red holly paper 1/4' bigger than the matted Christmas tree. Using dimensional tape I popped up the tree on the red paper and then adhered to the left side of the card. I stamped and embossed the Christmas Joy  sentiment on a piece of scrap paper and matted it in red and green cutting it to make a banner. I added the Pearls and banner. Simple but Elegant. 

I will be entering this card in: IO challenge "Squared" 

  

Watercolor cards using distress ink

I love to watercolor using my Ranger distress inks.  When I use watercolor paints or pencils I'm very rarely happy with what I've done. I can't quite get the shading right or I've used to much water and the colors run. I guess I just have to keep trying and I know I'll get the hang of it, eventually. However I love using my distress markers and inks to watercolor, I almost feel like a pro. The two cards I made today are both made using this technique and I do love the way they turned out. I also have to say that I love using my Misti, (for those of you who don't know what it is, you can check it out at SimonSaysStamp.com) it makes stamping a breeze.  

Card # 1



Products used:

PB #40-428 Scented Beauty

HA #CL401 Tapestry Background

IO #CL114 Sympathy Sentiments

Ranger distress markers and inkpads ( Spun Sugar & Forest Moss)

Ranger Archival ink (Black)

Ranger watercolor paper

Inkadinkado Masking Paper

American Crafts twine

Spectrum Noir clear glitter pen

Clarity brushes

My Sweet Petunia, Inc. Misty

I cut my paper to 41/4 x51/2 and placed it in the corner of the Misti securing it with magnets. Then I positioned my stamp and closed the lid, sticking the stamp to it. I opened the Misti and used my distress markers to color the stamp, and closed the Misti. I did this twice. I removed my paper, leaving the stamp in passion in the Misty. Using a paintbrush and a small amount of water, (I used the back of my hand to remove the excess water from my brush) I drew the ink out to the edges of each petal one at a time until done, repeating with the second flower and the leaves. When I finished, I placed my paper back into my Misti and inked the stamp once more very lightly and stamped the image again to add a subtle edge. Then I cleaned and removed the stamp and repositioned my paper to the center of the Misti. Using the masking paper I stamped the roses again and the fussy cut the mask out and placed over my finished image. I used removable adhesive on the back of my paper to keep it in place, since I was going to stamp over the whole thing. I positioned my background stamp over my paper and closed the Misti so it would stick. Then I inked it using the black Archival ink. I stamped it and there were some missing spots so I inked the stamp again and stamped it again, success. I love my Misti. I cut my paper to 41/4 x 53/8 then using my Clarity brushes and some Spun Sugar inked the edges, and wrapped the twine around the left side crossing it and knotting it. I stamped the Sentiment on some white card stock using black Archival ink and matted it on black card stock and adhered it to the top right of the panel. Then I adhered the panel to a black card.

Card#2

Products used:

PB #40-312 Sunny Pair

PB #30-358 Happy Snippets

Spellbinders #S5-218 A2 Devine Eloquence

Ranger Distress Ink ( Rusty Hinge, Squeezed Lemonade, Peeled Paint, Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo and Bundled Sage)

Ranger watercolor paper 

My Sweet Petunia, Inc. Misti

I did everything the same for this card up till the background stamp. Instead of using a background stamp I used some Squeezed Lemonade and water to go around the flowers leaving some white at the top and bottom. Then I cut it out using my spellbinders die. I used  Bundled Sage around the whole frame. I stamped my sentiment, "a little bit of sunshine for you" and used dimensional tape to adhere it to a white card. I didn't like that it was so white so I added just a touch of Squeezed Lemonade around the edges of the card.

As I mentioned at the top of the page my Favorite Technique is water coloring with Distress Inks.  

I will be entering these cards in:



Little Red Wagon "Sympathy"

Penny Black "Your Favorite Technique"

Penny Black "Anything Goes"

To Cheer You

I have tons to do today so I'll get right to it.

This card was a challenge for me because I wanted to add a lot more colors to it but I think it came out pretty good.

I started with some water color paper and used my Tim Holtz brick stencil and some Ranger "Vintage Photo" distress ink on the top left and bottom right corners. Then I used a watercolor brush to give them a little texture. I used my Sizzix Tim Holtz Window & window box die and a piece of vellum to make the window. I used "Vintage Photo" to shade on the window and to add a wood effect to the window box. The flowers are from a set of Butterflies and Florals from Inkadinkado. I stamped the flower with "Salty Ocean" distress ink, fussy cut them out and then used "Faded Jeans" distress ink to shade. for the centers of the flowers I used my Gelly Roll glitter pen "Golden Star" and some "Vintage  Photo" to add a touch of sparkle. I'm not sure if it will show up in the picture, however. I used dimensional tape to pop up the window and some of the flowers. I also stamped the to cheer you a second time just a little off to give it a shadowed effect.

 

Well that's it for today.

I will be entering this card in Less is More Blue and Brown

Blue and Brown Challenge

What a morning!

Today started out like most, cup a coffee and breakfast, then into my craft room to write a post. That's where it all went wrong. I turned on my computer and had a message to update my drivers so I updated them. It took forever, all morning, when it was done my display was all mess up. I guess I'll have to call my son Chris, over to look at it. I sure hope the rest of the day goes better.

So here are the cards I made. The first is a Birthday card using Hero arts stamps from my stash. they are about 7 or 8 yrs. old and I took them off the wood blocks so I don't know the names. I love Hero arts and when I worked at the Paper Garden the owner, Bridget, used to let me order all the time. so I have lots of them. I used a Ranger distress markers to ink the stamp then sprayed with water and stamped on watercolor paper. Then I cut it out with Spellbinders nestabilites "Floral Ovals". I embossed it and then used "Peeled Paint" distress ink around the outside. I used Cuttlebug "Tropic Blooms" embossing folder on a piece of very light violet paper, and distressed it with "Dusty Concord" distress ink, and cut it into 3 pieces. I adhered the strips to an olive card spacing evenly.

I wrapped a piece of yellow ribbon around it and the mounted the flowers using dimensional tape. I added a bow and a banner. The Happy Birthday is from Inkadinkado # 97629 Expressions and Frames, and Ranger archival ink. 

The second card was also created using Hero Arts #LL072 Peeking Posies set. I stamped the posies in Ranger archival black ink then using my watercolor pencils I colored the flowers. I fussy cut them out and then I decided they needed to be out lined in black to make them pop. I used my black 

Uni-ball Signo pen. I then added some Hero arts gemstones "CH113" from my stash. I used a

Martha Stewart border punch for the edge and distressed it. A little ribbon and the sentiment is from Hampton Arts (jb0198).

Card1 

Card 2

 I will be entering Card 1 in mojomonday.blogspot.com/

                                             Tuesday Throwdown Tic Tac Toe 

                                             Simon Says Fabulous Florals

I will enter Card 2 in           Simon Says Fabulous Florals

                                            Addicted to StampsPhoto Inspiration

                                            Love to Scrap It Takes Two

One Layer Cards

I started the day working by myself in my craft room working on my newest card when my friend Lynda (Paper Arts Café) called and we decided to get together and play.

I decided to work on my cards for PB "One Layer Cards" challenge. My first card I used my new slapstick/cling Hydrangea #40-469 I also used clear sets #30-230 Sunny Hello and #30-105 Gratitude. I used Ranger archival ink and distress ink and a metal bow from my stash.

  

For the second card I used my slapstick/cling stamp #40-425 beary merry, and a Christmas bulb stamp from my stash. Ranger archival ink, distress ink, Dylusions inks in water pens, and my glitter pen, also double layered the bow on the bear to give it some dimension.

 

I am entering both cards in:

PB One Layer Cards

Less is More: Two week challenge (use something tactile)

 



Busy, Busy, Busy!

Well today was a very busy day. First chores around the house and some grocery shopping. Then off to a friends house to borrow a die for a card. I have a so many dies I don't know if I've used half of them but wouldn't you know it the one I needed was the one I don't have. Lucky for me I have someone like Lynda in my life. What I don't have she usually does.
So recently I purchased several new stamps and dies from Tim Holtz. These include Crazy Birds, Crazy Cats, Crazy Dogs, Crazy Things and Crazy Talk. I have the dies for Crazy Dogs on pre-order for the September release. I have been working with them a lot and these are  some of the results.
 For these 2 cards I used the Crazy Dogs stamp set. All of the initial stamping was done using black or brown Archival ink. I used Ranger distress ink to watercolor the dogs and Dylusions Ink, in water brushes for the embellishments and I cut them out using the Crazy Things Dies. I used some chipboard for the 6 and covered it with a scrap of K&Comp. paper. The sentiments are done using the Crazy Talk stamps.

I will be entering both of these cards in these Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More

Simple Less is More

Simon Says Monday Challenge-Celebrate

That's it for today!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Today I am working on a card for the Penny Black (One Layer Card challenge)  I love my PB stamps. The sets I'm working with today are 40-372(divine)Slapstick/Cling and 30-105(gratitude)Clear set. I've used both of these many times in the past with great results. I'm also using, watercolor paper for the card, Ranger distress ink to color and shade, my jellyroll twinkle pens and my Spectrum Noir Sparkle Glitter Brush Pen, Clear to add a touch of sparkle and Ranger Archival black ink.
I stamped the flowers in black and then used my distress ink(festive berries, and Peeled Paint) to color them. I used distress ink(Mustard seed and Tumbled Glass) for the back ground. I used the sentiment Have a Wonderful Day and the butterfly from the gratitude set. I  colored in the butterfly with my twinkle pens and used the Sprinkle glitter brush on the flower petals. for a finishing touch I decided to add3 pearls(sunflower yellow) from Queen and Co.

Well I'm done for now. On my way to visit my sister-in-law to cheer her up.

Have a Wonderful Day!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge "one Layer Card" challenge