Poppystamps and Pinkfresh

Here are a couple cards for monthly challenges.  First up is my entry for Poppystamps Pockets Please Challenge.  Really had to put on my thinking cap!  I looked through my dies and pulled out 3 from Poppystamps plus the Memory Box Blooming embossing folder.   

The beautiful folder was embossed on pink cardstock and I rubbed over the raised edges with white pigment ink.  Sparkle embossing powder was added and heated for a lovely sheen and sparkle.  I layered 2 Tunnel Tags and die cut Grograin Bow for the top.  The Luscious Script Hello word and the center of the bow were also embossed with the Sparkle powder.  Simple and fun way to give a gift card. 

The Pinkfresh December Challenge Theme is Very Merry and I used it for my entry.  It's been a long time since I made a card with PFS Wintry Forest stencil set. 

There are 6 stencils, but I just used 3 blue Altenew inks plus Versamark on the final layer.  The snow is Stampendous Sparkle Puff ep.  Not sure I've ever used Season's Greetings from the PFS Classic Holiday Words die set, but it fit perfectly on this card.  The mat and sentiment shadow were die cut from silver metallic cardstock.  I layered the white die cut words 2 high.  I've now begun my 2026 cards that won't need extra postage!  Think I'll make a couple more cards using different colors and at least one will be a birthday card.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.   I've gotten way behind on reading blogs, but I'm working on catching up.  Wishing everyone joy and peace this holiday season.

Challenge with a Friend plus PTI

Recently I told my friend, Betty, that I couldn't let myself place a C&9 order because I still hadn't opened my Everyday Bouquet Turnabout Tool Kit.  She replied that she hadn't opened hers either & challenged us to each make & send a card to the other.  We've both received our cards & so fun to see how totally different they are.  Check out Betty's fabulous card HERE.
For my CAS card I used PTI inks Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides, Simply Chartreuse & Cocoa Bean.

I picked them by looking through the monthly PTI downloads & really love how they look together.  The sentiment from the set is gold embossed & matted with a scrap of Ocean Tides.  I added some splatters & tiny gold star confetti.  I'm entering Virginia's March Show & Share and WAW.


Next is my entry for PTI LFF challenge: Favorite Packaging.  I'm hoping a gift card holder will count as I don't have other PTI packaging dies, boxes or bags.  A friend gave me PTI Monthly Moments: Journal Card Pocket #1 Die which makes a great gc holder.

I used it with a piece of PTI Happy Spots designer paper that I got for $1 a few years ago.  I embellished it with one of the PTI Delicates dies cut from vellum, stacked 3 high & lightly brushed with Aqua Mist ink.  The die cut sentiment from PTI Bold Borders: Foliage Die was cut from brown cardstock, stacked 2 high & covered with Nuvo Glaze. 

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Winnie & Walter Leading Lady Take 2

Thanks for all the positive comments on my initial Leading Lady post.  I'm so appreciative of your support.  Now it's time for Take 2.

This week I wanted to show you some ways to add color without the traditional art of coloring, since that's not one of my talents.  I often use solid images, but I'm not restricted to them.  Here are some cards with open images & techniques anyone can do.

First up is a card using the adorable snowman from Snowy Holiday. 

Using a couple solid circles from Scenery: Dotty, I stamped 3 times, overlapping the circles, with Distress Inks weathered wood & faded jeans on a watercolor panel.  Then I spritzed to make the ink run.  I used my heat tool before repeating the process & adding splatters.  When it was completely dry, I stamped the snowman in Delicata Sapphire Blue several times using a stamp positioner.  Then I stamped in Versafine Clair Morning Mist.  The gray ink didn't really change the blue, but just made the image a bit crisper.

I added Shimmer Pico Embellisher to parts of  the snowman for clear sparkly dimension.  The sentiment is from The Big, the Bold & the Happy & I added a few clear sequins.
Next is a fun Valentine's Day card using a die from Essentials: Tilda Cutaways that makes an opening for a gift card.

I began by white embossing Mini Scenery: Bed of Roses on Bristol paper so I could color with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  They are great for a messy watercolor technique that doesn't require staying in the lines or adding shadows--perfect for me!  I used 3 purple markers & a blue gray, mixing with a little water.  After it dried I cut out the gc holder & then spritzed with shimmer spray.

The white embossed sentiment strip made with words from The Big, the Bold & the Happy was mounted with foam tape.  The background is done with white dye ink & Scenery: Pennsylvania Polka Creative Screenings.  I didn't want the actual gift card to detract, so I covered the back of it with a scrap of Bristol paper colored with the blue gray Zig & dry embossed with little dots.
My last card is another example of messy watercoloring.  This time I stamped a beautiful leaf image from In Bloom: Renee's Leaves across the top of a white panel in Distress Inks pine needles & evergreen bough. 

Then I "stamped" the ink pads on a flat palette, added water & picked up the color with a small brush to paint the leaves--again not staying in the lines.  When it was dry, I stamped in a darker blue green dye ink for more definition & then in Delicata Silvery Shimmer purposely not lining up the stamp.  The sentiment from In a Word: Thanks was stamped in dark gray ink to match the mat.  I left off embellishments, but did add some silver splatters.
Hope I've given you some inspiration, even if you do traditional coloring.  Remember to leave a comment on my first post to be in the running for a $30 Winnie & Walter gift card.

Want an additional entry into the drawing?  Just leave a comment below telling me if you've used any of these coloring techniques.
I'll be back next Saturday for more fun with wonderful Winnie & Walter products!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

PTI MIM and TT

I do love the PTI challenges, as most of you know.  First is my entry for PTI MIM Packaging with Printed Paper.  Our gift giving these days is most often gift cards, so I pulled out PTI Monthly Moments: Journal Card Pocket #1 to make a gc holder. 

For the papers I used Candy Cane Prints & Bitty Dot Basics that I got in the $1 sale a couple years ago.  The sentiment is done with a die & stamps from Don't Forget to Write.  I die cut & stamped the little sprig from Spruce & Sprigs using New Leaf ink on the New Leaf printed paper.  Finished off with a little twine bow.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.

I love the now retired Take 3 stamp sets.  Decided to use a recent Christmas card as inspiration for a Thanksgiving card to enter Transformation Tuesday. 

This time I inked the stamps with 3 Brilliance Pearlescent colors: Crimson, Olive & Rust.  The sentiment from the same set (Take 3: Fall) was stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa & Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate.  The new card is made with ivory cardstock & I added tiny splatters with a brown Zig.  Both cards are 1 layer, but the new one is smaller than A2.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday.
 

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Not Last Minute!

I seem to enter lots of challenges at the last minute, but today I have 2 projects done in plenty of time!  I actually had this idea for last month's Poppystamps challenge & never sat down to make it.  Now I'm glad I didn't since I probably wouldn't have thought to add the flowers--this month's theme.  

The gift card holder is made with a PTI die & a bit of DI tumbled glass watercoloring & splatters of DI victorian velvet. Poppystamps Frieda die was cut from Bristol paper, watercolored with 2 green Zigs, attached & trimmed.  I used Versafine Vintage Sepia for an old Flourishes sentiment.  

I'm really enjoying the Nuvo drops--quick & easy to use, but I do have to remember to put it far away from me to dry!  I'm also entering Dies R Us, HLS Watercolor, SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.  

Just found out a blogger lost her mom recently, so wanted to send her a card.  I wanted to try out SSS Birch Tree Window die, but wasn't thinking & trimmed around the die before running it through my Big Shot.  Not how you use a window die, but I was determined not to waste the whole piece cut from Bristol paper.  

Ended up with this small piece which I colored with 3 green Zigs & attached to an ivory panel which had been splattered with the same watercolors.  The sentiment die from Avery Elle was cut a couple times from kraft cardstock which I also used for the card base.  I'm entering SSS Flickr #70 & SSS Monday.

Before I go, wanted to share another picture of my beautiful lilacs.  

Now that they've opened there's also a wonderful fragrance. Wish you were here to enjoy them with me!  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Final PTI Challenge Cards

Hello from rainy Oregon!  I'm not complaining--no big snowstorm like the east coast & a great day for crafting!  I worked yesterday, so today I finished up projects for 3 of the PTI Anniversary challenges.
First is my entry for Day 2--use multiples of a single shape.  My first thought was Happy Hexagons, so that's what I went with.

Fun to also use some of the printed paper I got in the big sale. To be honest, it took me forever to decide on how to arrange the hexagons. I've got quite a few left over, so hopefully they'll end up on a card, too. The sentiment from Boutique Borders: Birthday is stamped in Autumn Rose & the mat is Scarlet Jewel.  I'm also entering HLS Anything Goes With Dies.

The challenge on Day 3 is to use your favorite floral set. Meadow Greens has only 1 flower & maybe it's not my all-time favorite floral set, but I haven't used it much & I do love it.  

My first idea was a flop, but I was able to turn the watercolor panel over & start again.  Ended up with a card I like--yah! The Distress Inks are scattered straw, wild honey, peeled paint & shabby shutters.  I used a water brush to blend & then splattered some wild honey & peeled paint. Scattered straw Stickles was added to the flower center & I distressed the edges. The card front & sentiment strip are Classic Kraft & the sentiment from Through the Trees is stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia. I'm also entering Stamping Sensations.

Last is the project I've been thinking about for days & finally made today. It's for the packaging challenge inspired by Rebecca's eye candy.  I was the designated gift wrapper for our family.  My folks put the recipient's name on the outside of the box & I did the wrapping--even for my own gifts! Beautiful papers & ribbons have always appealed to me.  

These days I seldom give wrapped presents, so my project is a gift card holder.  I used the Monthly Moments: Journal Card Pocket #1 die.  I used the eraser end of a pencil to make the gold dots & the sentiment from Lovely Layers was stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black.  Fun to actually use some of my Washi tape & a little clothespin.  I'm also entering Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.