Celebrate

Fun to get out my Zig Watercolor Brush Markers to make a sweet floral card for several challenges.  The stamp is from Poppystamps Friends and Flowers clear set.  I stamped it on Bristol paper in Versafine Clair Acorn.  Then I colored with Light Pink and Light Carmine using the blender brush and no water.  It doesn't show in the photo, but I also brushed the blooms with shimmer--so beautiful in person.  You can get an idea from my IG post. 

The sentiment from Altenew's Sweet Bouquet was stamped in Acorn and embossed with clear matte powder.  I used Elizabeth Craft Designs Dotted Scallop Rectangles to die cut the panels.  So glad I saw the light pink paper in my stash.  Hard to see, but it actually has very light white or pink polka dots.  The edges of the card front were brushed with vintage photo Distress Oxide.  Finished off with 3 PTI rainstones.  I'm entering JUGS Case a DT Week.  I was inspired by Lisa's card with scallops, stamped focal point, polka dots and pink/tan/white color combo.  I'm also entering Poppystamps Inspired by Nature, DCD Celebration, SSS Monday Feminine, SSS Wednesday ATG and WAW ATG.

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

Birthday and Friendship

When I saw the Time Out Challenge Sweet Treats, I immediately thought of PTI Your Beautiful Birthday.  It's such a fun mini set that lets you build an artsy cake--totally different than most of my stamp sets.  I pulled out my sack of die cut panels and frames--determined to use some of them.  

Many friends send me die cuts and unfortunately, I'm not sure who gave me the heart bordered panel.  I love it and still have a couple more to use.  I did have to trim down the silver metallic panel to the size I wanted, but one less in the sack!  Really happy to be able to use one of the many smaller rectangles left from die cutting frames.  

I silver embossed the cake plate and then double stamped the solid cake layers in Altenew Pale Mauve.  The dots were stamped in Amethyst and the center of the candles in Grape Agate.  The flames were stamped in Amethyst and the glow in Delicata Silvery Shimmer.  I inked the card front edges in Grape Agate to show through the hearts.  The sentiment from PTI Scripted was stamped in Grape Agate and I silver embossed the edges.  I'm also entering DCD and SSS Wednesday. 

The challenge at JUGS is Spotlight Technique.  That is basically what I did for the first card in my last post, so I wanted to do something different.  IO roses background stamp is a favorite I haven't used in ages.  I black heat embossed a panel of Bristol cardstock so I could use another neglected product--Zig Watercolor brush markers.  

After diecutting the small label, I colored it with Light Carmine and Pink Flamingo, using the Zig blender brush and no water.  Then I spritzed with shimmer, added a cardstock layer for dimension and glued it into place.  SSS Painted Hugs and the mat were cut from glossy black cardstock.  Finished off with a tiny black wooden heart and 3 clear sequins.  I'm also entering WAW. 

Edited to add:  I am not a "radical left lunatic" but I'm absolutely repulsed by Trump's blasphemy, as well as his speech and actions.  Not all Christians support this administration. 

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

Woodblock Wednesday Guest Designer

I'm delighted to be a guest designer for Amy's Woodblock Wednesday November Challenge.  I still have a lot of my old wood mounted stamps.  If you've been stamping for over 25 years, you might recognize this wonderful 1998 DeNami stamp.  I used Versafine Clair Green Oasis and embossed with clear powder.

I love the design of the trees and that the sentiment is included.  Can't really remember the cards I made with it years ago, but I know they weren't watercolored!  I used green and brown Zigs and the Zig blender pen for the trees.  The background wash was done with blue Prima Confections watercolor.  Can't see in the photo, but I also added white gouache splatters.  I really like the look of using thin mats, so my Gina K Master Layouts 1 and 2 are getting a lot of use these days. 

I've seen a lot of colored card fronts lately and I do like them.  This one was made by brushing the green ink on the white card edges. Leftover red die cut dots covered in Christmas Red Stickles add some bling and tie in with the red mat.  If you have woodmounted stamps, why not join in the challenge?  It's always fun to see the variety in the gallery.  I'm entering Time Out (emboss, nature) and WAW.

Edited to add:  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.

Christmas and Birthday

I missed posting my card for last month's Woodblock Wednesday, so had it ready to go for the August challenge.  DeNami was one of the first companies I discovered when I started stamping.  I still have and love many of them, including this one from 1999.  

I stamped in Versafine Clair Green Oasis and PTI Pure Poppy.  Birch Press Handwritten Merry Christmas and Outline was die cut from vellum and cardstock I inked with Pure Poppy.  You can see the green and red Stickles in my IG post.  I love how beautiful elements let you create a simple card that is pretty and festive, but flat for mailing.  

Finally finished my card for the August Stay Crafty with Hero challenge.  I was the lucky winner of May's card kit which has a beautiful cake image.  I've been telling myself to use my Zigs, so gold embossed with HA powder on Bristol paper.  

The images are are pretty small, so not as intimidating for me to color.  I learned from Amy Tsuruta that Zig makes a blender brush.  Oh boy does it work great!  The cake plate was colored with Spellbinders gold pen, although here it looks brown.  I used a gold gel pen to cover the white edges after diecutting.  The kraft mat and card front were splattered with gold watercolor.  

The Gina Marie rectangle diecut was in the bag where I store the ones waiting to be used.  Usually I forget to check it!😊 I found just the sentiment I wanted in the 2011 HA set called Congrats and it stamped perfectly with one try.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday and Allsorts challenge to include a sentiment, hosted by my friend Brenda.

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

Orange and Hot Pink

Couldn't resist making a card for the JUGS Color Week Challenge, Orange and Hot Pink.  I remembered that my pink Zig is really bright and thought it would work.  It can be softened with water, but full strength is Hot Pink!  

My newest SSS flower die is Beautiful Buttercup, so wanted to use them.  The blooms were watercolored with pink and orange Zigs and the stems with a beige Zig.  I found 2 orange cardstocks in my stash that went together and used Elizabeth Craft Designs oval die cuts.  The center oval was embossed with SSS Dibble Tile folder--also new.  Thought the sweet Poppystamps Scribble Hello was the perfect sentiment.  It's colored with the pink Zig, stacked and covered with Shimmer Pico Embellisher.  I actually had this card finished a couple days ago, but had a terrible time getting decent pictures.  Tried again today and this will have to do.  I'm also entering WAW. 

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

July Challenges

One last post before my shoulder replacement surgery.  I realized our anniversary is early in September & I needed to make hubby's card while I can still use both arms. 

Woodblock Wednesday inspired me to use an old favorite heart stamp which still has the price tag, but no indication of what company made it.  I white embossed it several times using my old fashioned stamp positioner.  In the same stamp drawer I saw the love stamp made by an Oregon Company, Embossing Arts.  They've been out of business for years.  I black embossed that stamp, scored a frame & taped it off.  

I ink blended Distress Oxides lucky clover & broken china, as hubby's favorite color combo is blue & green.  The little heart was "colored" with a Gelly Roll Clear Star pen & I added black splatters.  Simple one layer card I think hubby will like.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday & WAW. 

The July Pinkfresh Studio challenge theme is Go Geometric.  Circles & half circles are considered geometric, so gave me a chance to use Slim Braided Circles Panel.  I knew I wanted to use my favorite Lush Vines background stamp and thought this textured green cardstock would be perfect.  It's actually a brighter kelly green in person--so pretty.  I white embossed on Bristol paper so I could use Zigs for the loose watercoloring.  This stamp is perfect for that technique, in my opinion.

The 3 sprigs from Dainty Blossoms were die cut from a white scrap embossed with HA Sparkle powder.  The sending hugs diecut from Perfect Sentiments was already black embossed & fit perfectly on this card.

Decided not to add any embellishments & just tied on a white crochet thread bow.  I'm also entering SSS Wed via IG. 

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  Hopefully, I'll get back into a routine of leaving comments when I'm released to use my left arm.  

Catching Up

As usual, I've made a lot of cards, but haven't posted them here.  I'll start with my entry for the March Poppystamps challenge to use only die cuts.  I embossed a white scrap with Stampendous Sparkle Puff 3D embossing powder & used it to diecut a bunch of rabbits.  It gives texture & sparkle--really pretty in person, but I couldn't get a decent picture to show it.  

I watercolored Flower Field Corner with Zigs, splattered white gouache & added Pico Embellisher black dots.  I tucked in Poppystamps Serene Rabbit & attached it to the blue panel die cut with one of Poppystamps Pierced Borders & splattered with gouache.  Poppystamps Scribble Thank You was die cut from a scrap covered in packing tape.  It gives the look of glaze with no mess or drying time.  A sweet Darice embossing folder was used for the background. 

Many of you know I really love elegant cards.  It was easy to make one for Easter using Altenew Floral Acanthus 3D folder embossed on PTI Vintage Cream cardstock. 

I carefully swiped over the raised edges with my Delicata Golden Glitz ink pad & splattered with gold watercolor.  The IO sentiment was die cut from SSS Gold Matte cardstock & I cut a strip for the edge of the card. 

Pearls are my favorite, but I seldom use them these days because of the needed extra postage.  But some cards just have to have them!  I'm entering Time Out Challenges via Flickr. 

I made another elegant card for Time Out Challenges using the same Altenew folder.  This time I embossed vellum, trimmed the panel down & attached it to cream cardstock. 

PFS Fancy Oval Frame was die cut from SSS matte gold cardstock.  I looked through all my ink pads & markers to find a purple that matched the Bazzill Concord Grape textured cardstock.  

Finally, I remembered to check my Versafine ink cubes & found Imperial Purple was just what I needed for the old wood mounted sentiment.  I gold embossed the edges of the oval & added Lucy's Iridescent jewels. 

My final card is for Just Us Girls Rainbow challenge.  I used rainbow foil for the Unity/ThermoWeb Wild Garden toner card front.  It's so beautiful in person as it changes color with every turn in the light.

I die cut The Stamp Market Just Vine from a scrap of PTI adhesive backed gold cardstock, leaving out some of the inner leaf pieces.  It's the same shade of gold as what's in the rainbow foil.  I took tons of pictures to try & show the beautiful colors & shine.  This one isn't bad, except that the red truly looks red in person.

Memory Box Hello Friend Posh Script was die cut from vellum & black cardstock scraps.  I used SSS Micro Dot Sheets to attach a couple layers of the words & to attach the words to the shadow.  I used the much stickier Ecstasy Crafts Sticky Specks to attach the sentiment to the card front.  The Sticky Specks don't work for delicate die cuts, in my experience, but are great for sturdier ones.  I finished off with 3 black sequins.  I'm also entering The Snippets Playground.

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