Adding Texture

This is my second post today.  Scroll down for my DeNami Blog Hop card. I love trying the techniques shown on the PTI MIM videos.  This week is adding texture to your image before stamping it.  Betsy used a comb, but I found a little brush (the kind you clean a razor with) & decided to give it a try.  My stamps are PTI Trendy Tree Tops & Background Basics: Geometrics.  Goldfinches are one of my favorite birds & I see them at my feeder every day now.  They inspired me to use yellow glitter for the little bird in the tree.  I used a black Glaze pen for the eye.  New record--4 sequins on a card!  Think this would make a good masculine card except maybe switch out twine for the yellow ribbon.  Gorgeous day in the Pacific Northwest & I worked in the roses which are in full bloom--way earlier than usual.  Love the flowers, but I'm not so crazy about picking up petals & pruning--LOL!  Hope you had a good weekend.  Thanks for choosing to spend some of your time checking my blog--I really appreciate it.

DeNami Fresh Florals Blog Hop

Always fun to participate in a DeNami Blog Hop.  As soon as I saw the theme was florals I signed up.  You should have come by way of Kanani who inspired you, I'm sure.  I've collected DeNami stamps around 15 years & many of them are flowers.  I'm using all DeNami stamps, as well as their twine.  This card started out inspired by Lisa Petrella's incredible star card tutorial, but as you can see I got off track.  Oh well, will try that idea again later.  I do like how the Spellbinder Blossom 3 made a nice frame to pop up over the stamped daisy background done with Brilliance Pearlescent inks: Lavender, Coral & Jade.  The daisy centers just ask for glitter, don't you think?  The doily is one I rescued from under my soup cup at a local restaurant (I also grabbed hubby's before anything spilled on it!)  The card itself is die cut with Lifestyle Crafts circles.  Remember, you can cut a small straight edge on the back circle so the card will stand. First time I've been so close to the start of the hop & I'll keep it short since there's a lot of inspiration ahead.  Next stop is Amy, a true lover of all things DeNami, so I know she has a treat for us.  To get all the hop details or a complete list of hop participants, head to the DeNami Blog.  So glad you stopped by & don't forget to leave a comment to be in the running for a prize.

Live, Dance, Laugh

I was putting a stamp set back into the notebook & saw this Inky Antics set I had never opened.  Decided to use it for my entry in the challenges at CASology ("Bloom") & CAS on Sunday (Pastel Pretties).  Don't you love this sentiment?  I colored the flower with markers, spritzed with Ink Potion #9 & stamped on watercolor paper.  The sentiment is stamped in Versafine Smokey Gray to go with the pastels, instead of black.  I've been using my sequins one at a time & again I covered the hole--this time with a small glitter sticker.  Well, at least I'm sort of joining the trend--LOL!  Thanks for taking time to visit my blog.  Hope you get to do something fun this weekend.

Surprise Number 2

Took a lovely drive through farmland & wineries to a Starbucks so I could meet my blogging friend, Stacy.  Her mom babysat & hubby fended for himself so we could have a few hours just to chat.  Talk about a good day off! This is the 3rd time I've gotten to meet an on-line friend in person--so much fun!  She brought me a loaf of yummy bread from a local bakery along with this darling card using a DeNami iris stamp.  Computers are great & I do feel like I have a large circle of friends around the world, but spending time with a friend in person is still just so special.  Hope you had something make you smile today.  Thanks for all the sweet comments about my new blog look & thanks for your friendship.

Surprise Number One!

Did you saw WOW when you came to my blog?!  That's what I said when Jackie finished today's "surgery."  I didn't have the skills or time to make my blog look "like me", but I found the person who could--Jackie Rockwell.  Just click on the blog button in my sidebar if you're interested in seeing what she can do for you.  Thank you so much, Jackie!  You're worth every penny--I couldn't be happier!  PS--she is very patient & understanding--I didn't even know what all the terms meant!  Gotta get ready for surprise #2, so just a quick post for now.  My latest card is HERE or scroll down.  See you soon.

Hooray!

I have a fun card to share with you today.  As soon as I saw the Muse Challenge card with the cute elephants I thought of my new DeNami giraffe--not yet inked.  Hopefully that isn't too far a leap--LOL!  I seldom make cute cards & a change can help get the creative juices flowing I think.  In addition to the 3 cute animals, I also incorporated a background with colors matching the animals.  I didn't have printed paper that worked, so I used the dots from DeNami Retro Borders One inked at an angle using my stamp positioner.  The colors are VersaMagic Pink Grapefruit, Mango Madness & Turquoise Gem.  I also used the same sentiment as Therese on my card by inking just the last word of one of the stamps in Hero Arts Happiness Messages.  Stickles are added to the images & the edge of the scalloped borders & a black Glaze pen was used for the eyes.  I have a hard time using my sequins, but decided one would work to attach the little tag--Just had to add a tiny gem, though!  I'm thinking this could be used for a young kid's birthday card.  My color choices came from the Cards Blog Challenge to use coral, yellow & turquoise, so I'm entering that challenge as well.  

Notice:  My Blog is on the surgery schedule tomorrow, so there will be a couple hours when it is not available.  I also have another fun surprise planned tomorrow & can't wait to share it with you. Enjoy your day, my friends. 

Therese's Card

Pink & Black

Last chance to win the Flourishes new release with the Timeless Tuesday challenge to use black accents.  I grabbed one my all-time favorite Flourishes sets called Thinking of You (It may now be retired).  I clear embossed the image & then covered it with victorian velvet Distress Stain using a circular motion.  I just love the natural shading that resulted.  The dies are Spellbinders Labels One & Decorative Labels One which cut beautifully using a piece of wax paper between the paper & the die.  The dies are so pretty I kept my embellishments very simple--3 tiny black pearls & a little black bow.  

Thought I'd share 1 more picture with our rhodies.  Over the last few years we've made the change from a blue house to a taupe one.  The final step was getting a matching roof & changing the blue trim to a darker shade of the house color.  Now I really like it & the flowers look so pretty with the taupe background. Thanks for coming by--enjoy your day.