Memory Box and Poppystamps

I'm working on monthly challenge entries.  Usually I end up doing them at the end of the month, but that may not be possible this time.  I've known for a few years that I would need a right hip replacement.  Finally talked myself into doing it & the date is almost here.  Hopefully I'll be able to make cards soon, as that helps keep me sane!

The Memory Box January Ravishing Reds challenge inspired me to make hubby's Valentine.  I used Alizarin Crimson Color Burst powder & water on a mixed media panel.  While it was very wet, I sprinkled it with Pearl Perfect Pearls & mixed it with a brush.  

I used the color from the brush on the heavy white cardstock MB Bingham Heart diecut.  MB Grand Heart & Parker Lowercase Alphabet letters were die cut from the red panel & backed with white diecuts.  The Bingham Heart diecut was also stacked 2 high.  You can see the shimmer in a short video HERE.  The embossed background was made with Taylored Expressions Swiss Hearts folder.  I'm also entering Die Cut Divas, Time Out Challenges & Word Art Wednesday.

Snippets Playground challenge 445 is celebrating the 11th Blogoversary of my dear blogging friend & fellow doggy momma, Di.  This time we are to show a picture of the snippets we used to make our entry.  The first picture is of the 2 scraps I began with.  The second picture shows the white scrap after it had been silver embossed & cut.  There was enough left to die cut the J & Y. 

I picked the blue & white scraps to make a snowflake card for the January Poppystamps challenge.  My sweet friend, Maria, gave me the Poppystamps Seed Snowflake Joy die a long time ago.  I love the die, but don't think I ever made a card with it.  This was the perfect time to change that & I actually ended up with 2 cards!  

This one was made by diecutting a blue panel cut from the scrap.  (The snippets picture & close up show the actual blue color.)  I backed it with part of the silver embossed white scrap.  Decided I wanted the letters put into the negative spaces & there was just enough of the silver embossed scrap to die cut them.  

The Winnie & Walter sentiment was stamped in Versamark & clear embossed.  Love that it matches & doesn't overpower the design.  Amazing the difference it makes to have the silver embossed edges, rather than just the blue card front.  I'm also entering Christmas Craft Creations, a snippets challenge for January. 

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

I will visit you.

Best Wishes

Silhouette images always appeal to me, which is why I have Penny Black's stamp set called silhouettes.  When I saw that was the challenge at Double D, I determined to use that set--maybe for the first time.  

I began by using my new NUVO stencil brushes to add Distress Inks tattered rose & cracked pistachio over the MFT Fishnet stencil.  Then I die cut it with Spellbinders Labels 18 & stamped the image several times in Brilliance Starlite Black--a beautiful shimmery charcoal ink.  Couldn't find anything I liked for the background, so finally just brushed the card front with the same 2 inks.  For a bit more shimmer, I brushed on perfect pearls--works great since Distress Ink doesn't dry immediately.  

I die cut the next size down label from fun foam & attached it to the focal point & then to my card.  Keeping things simple, I just stamped the 2 words from W&W Big, Bold, Seasons in Starlite Black & trimmed them out.  Now I just need to find a Spring bride to give this to--haha!  I'm also entering CropStop, SSS Wednesday, Stamplorations CAS challenge & Word Art Wednesday.   Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Two Floral Cards

No winter last year, but it's making up for it this year!  Woke up yesterday to freezing rain which turned into several hours of fluffy snowflakes.  

We ended up with 2 inches of snow making a Winter Wonderland.  Today we're finally above freezing & it's back to good old Oregon rain.
One of hubby's cousins just had surgery, so I pulled out this Altenew flower stamp my friend, Cat recently gave me.  I used the colors for the Altenew January Challenge.  

The fussy cut flower was colored with a dark red Zig & a gold gel pen.  I'm on a roll adding Diamond Glaze with a fine tipped applicator--love it!  The sentiment is from an Inkadinkado set I've had for ages, but never opened until now. Years ago I fell in love with Spellbinder dies because you can emboss the edge, as I did here. The edges of the ivory label were sponged with Distress Inks wild honey & vintage photo. Glad to say, hubby says it's perfect to send to Cuz R.  I'm also entering Dies R Us.

No excuse not to enter the monthly challenges at a2z, as I have a huge collection of Hero Arts stamps!  

Decided not to put off making a card & noticed my un-inked Flower Swirl Vine stamp.  Clearly I have too much stuff, as this is a beauty I've never used!  I love the look of adding color to a masked area a bit smaller than the embossed image. I sponged with Distress Inks shaded lilac, tumbled glass & cracked pistachio. Then I brushed on Perfect Pearls which gives such a gorgeous shimmer.

The panel was die cut with AJVD Polka Dot Rectangle which I also used to cut out the center of the dark gray panel.  Debated about adding some bling, but honestly, I don't think it's needed. I'm also entering HLS Anything Goes with Dies, PB & More & A Blog Named Hero.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Thankful

Getting in under the wire for some challenges & both cards have a thankful theme so I'm putting them in one post.
First up is my card for the Ellen Hutson Pin-Sights challenge.  The Classroom has tons of tutorials & the latest one showing a background done with Alcohol Inks mesmerized me! I have at least 9 bottles of the inks so picked out Lettuce, Butterscotch & Cranberry to use for Fall colors inspired by the photo.  Once again, no luck getting a usable background, but knew it'd work to die cut the EH Bold Blossoms--the only EH product I own right now.  

I used my Versamark pen & clear embossing powder for the uneven lines on the card front which I thought would work with the design of the flowers.  The bottom of the panel was cut at an angle & splattered with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate resulting in dots with shimmer.  Not sure if other company stamps are allowed, so I used Cosmo Cricket stickers for the sentiment. The panel is mounted with foam tape & tiny brown pearls are the embellishment. I'm also entering SSS Monday Throwback (Nov. 11, 2013 Got Ink?), SSS Wednesday Anything Goes & The Kraft Journal CAS Thanksgiving (this card is going to a blogging friend at Thanksgiving with the inside message being that I'm thankful for their friendship). Long post--thanks for sticking with me.  

My other card is for several challenges: Twofers--Blue, Green & Yellow, Muse--inspired by the layout & CAS-ual Fridays--Tic Tac Toe bottom horizontal row--too late to link up, unfortunately & SSS Work It Wednesday--use a stamp. I'm seriously in love with using Perfect Pearls on a blended ink panel so that's what I did again. The gorgeous wheat image is CAS-ual Fridays & I heat embossed it with Zing! Mustard powder. Distress Inks weathered wood, broken china, bundled sage & peeled paint were used for the blended panel. Sparkle is subtle as I used Distress Stickles Scattered Straw on the wheat & a single gem. The sentiment from PTI Take Three Fall is stamped in broken china.  
I have to work this weekend, so hopefully the wind & rain calms down while I'm driving.  Thanks so much for stopping by.