Just Made It!

Today I finally had an idea for a card using the Stamplorations February sketch.  Appointments interrupted me, but here it is. Unfortunately I couldn't get the picture taken until after dark. The color is really pink, not peach.  (Got a new picture in daylight, so replaced the picture.)

I white embossed the daffodil from Stamplorations Boxed Blooms & Bold Sentiments on Bristol paper.  Then I used a flat brush to watercolor with Distress Ink worn lipstick--drying between each layer.  Clear Spectrum Noir was added to the final layer for shimmer.  I also splattered with water & spritzed with Goosebumps for more texture.  

CAS-ual Fridays word die was cut from the panel & from charcoal cardstock & then both layers were inlaid back into the panel. Finished off with sheer white ribbon & white sequins. I'm also entering CropStop. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Easter Card

I bought the Impression Obsession Three Trees Background die for Christmas cards, but thought it'd work all year long. Wanted to make a watercolor scene so I used Bristol paper & colored with Zigs.  I didn't try for realism, but more of a whimsical look.

Instead of blending with water, I used Wink of Stella so there's lots of sparkle.  The IO bunny (DIE-043G) was die cut from self adhesive fun foam & covered with pink foil--cute, huh?! The IO sentiment (MC121) is heat embossed in dark brown. I'm entering the IO Somebunny Loves You challenge & SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Christmas & Thinking of You

I tend to forget about my Pearl Ex powders so it was fun to pull out Interference Violet.  I stamped Hero Arts Wild Flowers in Versamark on a purple card & used a cotton ball to cover the image with the Pearl Ex--so pretty in real life.  

The IO die cut was clear embossed & I summoned enough courage to add some black Pico Embellisher dots--yah!  I'm entering ABNH, SSS Wed & Word Art Wednesday.

My next card is inspired by Lydia's card which I found through my friend, Betty.  I stamped images from W&W In Bloom: Frenchy's Florals onto the W&W Noel die cut using PTI Simply chartreuse, Ripe Avocado, Hibiscus Burst & Memento Love Letter.  

I thought it would be more of a a traditional red & green look, but I love it anyway.  The word is heavily spritzed with Perfect Pearls which gives a gorgeous shimmer. The sentiment is from PTI Star of Wonder & the panels are die cut with AJVD Polka Dot Backdrop Rectangles.  Love how adding small ink splatters changes the look!  Finished off with 3 PPP clear sequins and I'm entering the W&W BD Bash Three Challenge with Shay. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Edited to Add: Also entering SSS Work It Wednesday.

Papertrey February Blog Hop Challenge

I've never been sorry I chose a career in nursing, but after more than 40 years I must admit I prefer cardmaking challenges to those at work--haha! I'm not planning to renew my license next year, but am continuing occasional shifts for now.  Yesterday was very busy, so I relaxed after dinner by making my card for the PTI February Blog Hop.  

Today I had to run an errand out of town while it wasn't raining, so just now getting my post done.  I was reminded of my older stamps like Rosie Posie during the Past, Present & Future celebration.  Fun to use it again, along with the newer Rosie Posie Step 2.  The hexagon image was stamped on a Smokey Shadow panel in Brilliance Starlite Black.  I stamped the stem die cut in Delicata Golden Glitz & the fussy cut blossom was stamped in Amethyst Allure, Lavender Moon & the gold.  

Used Tiny Tags for the sentiment & left the gold thread ends longer than usual because I liked how it curled. Debated about adding something to the flower center, but decided against it this time.  Bet there's a big variety of projects in the gallery this month--enjoy the hop!  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Christmas Card with Die Cuts

OOPS--looks like Maureen & I got our wires crossed, so I'm not the GD this month.  Instead I'll add my card to the challenge.
Most of you know how much I love making Christmas cards, so of course I said yes to guest designing for the February Rudolph Days challenge. Maureen runs it the 25th to the end of the month & the random winner can choose a die or a stamp.  My card uses the beautiful Elizabeth Craft poinsettia that was a gift from Maureen for being a DT member last year.

I colored the die cuts with Zigs & blended with WOS instead of water. The shimmer is really gorgeous & I plan to use that technique again.  

I've had the tiny gold beads for many years & need to remember to use them.  Attaching them with Diamond Glaze worked like a charm! Love this Penny Black Joy die cut which was brushed with WOS & then covered in Diamond Glaze for a nice shine.  Lots of inspiration from the DT & in the gallery--hope you join in.  I'm also entering HLS Christmas challenge, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Edited to add: Also entering SSS Work It Wednesday as I have green leaves.

Running Out of Time

Challenge deadlines are coming right up, so I have 4 cards to show you. Feel free to just look at the pictures--tried to write less, but still a long post.
First is a card I made yesterday for the Hero Arts Flickr Scramble.  

I brayered a piece of glossy photo paper with HA red to pink ombre ink pad & then stamped the 2009 Large Dot Flourish in Brilliance Graphite Black.  The HA sentiment from 1996 is stamped in Delicata Silvery Shimmer.  I'm entering a2z, Retro Rubber & Word Art Wednesday.

The next 3 cards are for the PTI challenges which have given me so much inspiration to use the sets I currently own!  The first one is for Celebrating 2008 & Nichole's Out on a Limb card inspired me to use one of my earliest purchases--Lovely Leaves.  

I've used this sentiment but never took time to figure out how to stamp the leaves on the branch.  Need more practice, but still love how it turned out.  The leaves are stamped in Green Parakeet & then watercolored with the same ink using a tiny brush.  The berries & mat are Berry Sorbet while the branches & card front are Classic Kraft.  The dotted leaves were stamped in Classic Kraft on the card front.  

The berries are so tiny I decided to add shimmer to the leaves instead & it's really pretty in real life.

My card for Celebrating 2009 uses Guide Lines--a stamp set I bought from a blogger doing a purge several years ago & I'd never used it.  As soon as I saw Nichole's card using Giga Guidelines I thought maybe I could use a small image stamped multiple times for the same idea--& it worked!  

I used Lavender Moon for the image & mat & Brilliance Starlite Black for the sentiment from Splits: Just a Note. Clearly my taste runs to simple, as this is one of my favorite cards.  I want to try the other images & various color combos--could make a nice gift set.  I'm also entering ATSM & The Playground.

Last is my card for Celebrating 2014 inspired by Dawn's card. I usually stamp black, brown or white on kraft, but really love the look of these colors that Dawn used: New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse & Pinefeather.  

The stamp sets are Meadow Greens & Twig Wreath.  I used AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle Backdrop Dies.  I'm also entering Dies R Us.  Thanks so much for making it through this long post--I appreciate every one of you!

3 Cards

Don't have all my chores done, but did work on a couple cards--surprise, surprise!  
First up is my card for the Winnie & Walter Ink Blending challenge.  

I sponged a square card with Distress Inks festive berries & seedless preserves.  The poinsettia from In Bloom: Frenchy's Festive Florals was clear embossed & the sentiments were silver embossed.  I splattered with Distress Stain brushed pewter & decided not to add any bling.  I'm working on one layer cards for Christmas, so happy to have one more done.  I'm also entering Allsorts, CropStop & Christmas Card Challenges.

Next is my entry for PTI Celebrating 2011.  I'm so happy one of the showcased sets is Year of Flowers Collection.  

It was one of my earliest PTI purchases, but I haven't used it very much. Laurie's card done with Zigs totally inspired me, so I white embossed 4 of the florals on Bristol paper.  I chose fairly soft Zig colors since I need a sympathy card.  The panel is spritzed heavily with Perfect Pearls.

I love the floral panel, but then it took me several hours to actually make it into a card.  Thankfully, I do like the soft yellow frame & white embossed edges on the sentiment strip which was my very last idea!  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.

Last is a card I posted on Flickr & thought you might enjoy seeing.  

The color scheme was inspired by CAS-ual Fridays, so I'm entering there. I used festive berries & worn lipstick Distress Ink pens to color the hearts which are from SSS Heart Banner die.  I covered them with WOS & Diamond Glaze before putting them back into the outline die cut from SSS Fog cardstock.  

The sentiment is from SSS Hello, Beautiful & I finished off with splatters & clear sequins.  I'm also entering Die Cut Divas. Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.