Thanks so Much

Pulled out my neglected Gelatos to make a thank you card for a blogging friend.  The stamp is Hero Arts Tall Flowers, also neglected.  The sentiment die is Impression Obsession & the dots are done with Paper Smooches Dots & Dashes die.  MFT Glitter Glaze adds some sparkle to the sentiment.

The floral panel & sentiment strip are mounted with foam tape for more dimension.  Last minute entry for Paper Smooches & a2z Scrapbooking. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Nature

I'd love to win an Ellen Hutson gift certificate so had to make a card for the September Mix It Up Challenge with Impression Obsession. My only EH product right now is Bold Blossom Stand Alone Dies.  My friend Rosemary's card is a masterpiece & she gave me the idea to use my dies to make stencils--although she ended up using her die cut as a stamp.  I simply held the die cuts while I brushed them with Gelatos Lavender or Pistachio mixed with water.  Since it's kind of an artsy look, I didn't worry about going outside the lines.  I splattered a bit of the lavender & I love the resulting panel!  The IO sentiment is stamped in Memento Gray Flannel & the cardstock is matted with vellum.  I layered lace & ribbon under the sentiment panel which is mounted with foam tape. 
The small blossom & leaf die cuts were watercolored with the same Gelatos & then covered with MFT Glitter Glaze.  Finished off with 3 white sequins.  I used the Mojo Monday sketch--inspired by seeing how DT member, Teresa used the sketch without copying it. I'm also entering SSS Wednesday, Use a Stamp. Thanks so much for stopping by.

A Pastel Christmas

There's something so soothing about pastels & I love them so had to join in the current challenge at Merry Monday.  I added color to the embossed Penny Black image using Gelatos with a water brush.  The image was partially die cut (trimmed the holly & kept it on top of the die) with a circle.  One of the best bargains I've ever found were these beautiful Spellbinder dies on close-out & I finally opened the package.  The top 2 layers are attached with foam tape & I used Authentique stickers for the sentiment. Decided against embellishments except for the gold & red Stickles. Have to say, this is one of my favorite cards & it probably can be mailed with 1 stamp as long as I don't use a square envelope.  I'm also entering SSS Monday--Make a Plan (plan to spend less on mailing costs for Christmas cards), Anything Goes at Simply Create Too, Stamplorations August theme of stamps & watercolor & Die Cut Divas favorite holiday. Thanks so much for your patience as I catch up on your blogs.

Nature

I love watching birds in all seasons, but it's especially fun in summer when I can sit on the deck with my cup of coffee only a few feet away from the feeders. Reminded me of this beautiful Impression Obsession stamp, Nest Collage, so made one more card for the IO challenge, Summer Fun.  I began with a piece of watercolor paper & the smooching technique using pink, green & gold Gelatos--love the soft effect.  I also added some splatters with the gold.  I stamped with Adirondack Meadow Green. The sentiment is also IO, C5171, & is stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia. Colored some pearls with a Copic, mounted my layers & finished just in time as the challenge is about to close.  

CCCB Inspiration

I'm also entering at City Crafter Challenge Blog where Smooching & Splattering are 2 of the choices. I used scraps for everything but the actual card, so will enter at Pixies Snippets Playground.  I won't be in the prize draw as it's the wonderful Spellbinder I just bought & used for THIS card. Thanks for stopping by.

Watercolor with Gelatos

Heather's sample cards

I love the PTI MIM challenges, but I don't have many PTI solid floral images.  I pulled out Snowflake Flurries since it has solid images & thought I'd play with creating a totally different look than I've used it for in the past.  I'm drawn to the current trend with stencils & distressed images & splotches.  I used Blueberry & Mint metallic Gelatos & rubbed them directly onto the stamps, then spritzed with water.  Took some practice since you have to be very light handed with the water. Wish you could see the gorgeous shimmery effect you get with metallic Gelatos.  I used watercolor paper & lightly distressed the edges before tying on the sheer gray ribbon & mounting with foam tape to a shimmery gray panel. 

The sentiment from Floral Foliage is stamped in Memento Gray Flannel.  Not sure the clear dot stickers were the best embellishment, but I don't have clear sequins so they'll have to do.  The end of this piece of ribbon & almost the end of the gray paper, so I'll enter at Pixies Snippets Playground. We're continuing to expose Puppy Fritz to more of his new world & he does seem to be less startled. Hope you're enjoying the weekend.  Your visit to my blog is greatly appreciated. 

Birthday Flowers

Therese's Inspiration Card

Almost out of time to enter the birthday challenge at Impression Obsession.  When I saw Therese's card for the Muse Challenge I was inspired to use her "coloring outside the lines" technique with my IO Five Roses stamp, J2441.  I used a water brush with 3 different Gelatos.  It's Your Birthday, A6977, is embossed, punched out & matted with a black punched circle.  I wrapped the panel with 3 rows

Greta's Card

of fibers I saved from the tags on some items I bought & then popped up the sentiment circle & the panel. Need to find more of the peachy-pink cardstock as it's a great match for the Gelato.  Also entering SSS Monday. Several snippets on this card, so I'm also entering at Pixies Snippets Playground. So glad you took time to stop by. Wishing you a great week.

Playing with Gelatos

I've been having fun playing with my Gelatos lately.  The colors are so gorgeous!  So far it's been backgrounds, but I'm building up my courage to paint an image with them next.  For the first card I painted the colors onto watercolor paper, added some Gesso over a homemade "mask" & stamped a background by coloring directly on the stamp with the Gelatos.  More details in Flickr HERE.  The newest card started by scribbling the Gelatos onto a piece of wc paper, but I wasn't able to blend them with my wet paintbrush like Alexandra did HERE (may need different paper), so I added more color & rubbed them with my finger--Love that it easily washes off.  After it dried I stamped the tulip image from Penny Black delicate florals set twice with the idea of having it frame my sentiment.  I decided the sentiment (an old PB stamp) would be better stamped on vellum.  It has been quite awhile since I added embossing powder to my panel, so sprinkled Stampendous! shabby white in 2 corners & heated it in my craft electric skillet until it was stuck enough not to blow with the heat gun.  I like the interest it adds--what do you think?  The card front is hard to see, but has PB diamond pattern stamped in Brilliance Platinum Planet & is really pretty in person.  The corner die cuts are pieces of Spellbinders Lacy Square.  Another card for my biggest fan, my sister.  Since I used a floral stamp, I'm also entering the current Stampendous! challenge.  Our rainy weather hasn't dampened the activity of the goldfinches at all & I was able to get a picture of one pair.  I've had up to 3 pairs at a time--so fun to watch.  Hope you have something lovely in your life today.  Thanks for stopping by.

Thinking of You

I have 2 Penny Black designers to thank for inspiring this card:  Elizabeth & Alexandra.  I printed off Elizabeth's tutorial the first day I read it as I was drawn to the unique design that wasn't complicated to do--just cut & score following her instructions.  The second designer is Alexandra who makes such wonderful backgrounds using Gelatos--the first example I saw HERE, but she has many others as well.  I've had some Gelatos for several months & never used them.  Finally last night I had no mojo to make anything, so just started playing with the Gelatos.  I used 2 shades of pink (being inspired by the current PDCC colors) directly onto Penny Black pointille & spritzed with Ink Potion #9 & stamped onto watercolor paper.  I repeated the process, turning the stamp opposite directions, until the piece was covered.  Collage is not my strength, but I did feel comfortable white embossing the Penny Black simple scroll in 2 of the corners.  At that point I wanted to add a bit of the green, so used my waterbrush with Distress Ink mowed lawn & let some drops fall onto the panel.  I blew on them & blotted them.  At first I thought I'd ruined it, but when it dried I decided I actually liked it.  Now I had to figure out how to make a card with my background, which I really didn't want to cover up.  

I saw Elizabeth's instructions sitting on my table--perfect for this!  I cut a 12x12 sheet of white cardstock following the tutorial & just glued my panel to the front.  It was so nice to know exactly where & how big to make the cut--I'd have taken forever to figure that out--LOL!  The butterfly, Penny Black wings, already looks watercolored to me so was a good fit for the style I wanted to create.  I used the darker pink Gelato directly on the rubber, spritzed, stamped on white cardstock & fussy cut.  I added the lighter pink on top, but you can't really tell.  I attached it with foam tape only in the center & bent the wings up a bit & added tiny green pearls.  The colored flap is done with the same Gelatos, watercolored, & the sentiment from Penny Black illuminations is stamped in the mowed lawn ink.  Sometimes mojo comes just by starting to create even when you don't have the end result in mind.  I'm entering my card into the PDCC and the Wonder of Watercolor in the Moxie Fab World.  Thanks for coming along on my journey.  I love to hear what you think.