Summer Hello

When I saw the new Winnie & Walter Gossip Column Summer Fruits post it took awhile before I could tear myself away from that gorgeous citrus print dress--not that I could wear it! Taheerah actually found lots of incredible inspiration & her cards are just brilliant!  However, I thought this might be one challenge I'd have to sit out.  A few hours later it dawned on me that I have the Love Jar Hero Arts stamp set that includes a citrus image I've never used.

 

I've been wanting to use printed paper with my W&W hello die, so thought maybe I could make my own.  I started by sponging DI dried marigold on a white scrap & then stamped in Orange Zest.  Such a fun summery look, I think.  I mounted the die cut 3 high using Orange Zest cardstock for a slight shadow.  I also wanted the card to work for the floral theme at ABNH who is collaborating with W&W this month.  The daisy from the set worked perfectly for the look I wanted--just curved the stem in my mini MISTI to the right angle.  I kept the citrus theme using lemon yellow & lime green markers. Each color had to be stamped several times--so great having the stamp positioner!  I masked the flower & used a stencil brush with DI pumice stone & tumbled glass for a light background, but it needed something.  Just love the change I got by partially embossing the Echo Park dots folder using a small hammer.  

The word is covered in Wink of Stella, every other petal is covered in yellow Stickles & the sides of the panel are die cut with Paper Smooches dots.  I mounted it to a kraft card & tied some twine for embellishment. I'm also entering a2z Scrapbooking, HLS Anything Goes with Dies, SSS Wednesday, SSS Work it Wednesday, Stamplorations Theme & Virginia's Summer Blog Party.

Edited to add: Anything Goes for Paper Smooches this month, so I'm adding my card to their challenge.

Summery Leaves for a Birthday

The Winnie & Walter Color challenge is about to end. Decided to make a second card & combine it with the new Rerun Challenge & ABNH where the collaboration is with W&W. Unfortunately, I forgot that the theme is florals--that'll teach me not to double check--haha!  

Shay's Rerun card with the symmetrical arrangement of trees inspired my design using 3 images from In Bloom: Renee's Leaves.  After white embossing, the leaves were messy watercolored with DI squeezed lemonade, picked raspberry & salty ocean.  The top line of the sentiment is from Hero Arts Find Joy (masked to use just the 3 words) & celebrate is from W&W Big, Bold Seasons.  I stamped with HA Field Greens, using my Mini MISTI to re-stamp just the word celebrate.  I sprayed the panel liberally with Heidi Swapp white Color Shine.  

The lined strip is done with Scenery: Stripes 2 & the same green ink.  I attached the strip to a larger piece of white cardstock covered with MFT Glitter Glaze.  A tiny strip of yellow textured cardstock was attached to the card front to tie in with the center leaf.  I mounted the strip with foam tape & added some PPP marshmallow sequins.  I'm also entering HLS Watercolor Challenge, Paru's Card Making Challenge, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Birthday & Christmas

I've had the rest of my DI rainbow panel sitting on my table since I made my card for Poppystamps last month.  Decided to use about 1/2 of what was left for the new Just Bling It challenge.  

My sweet friend, Brenda, sent me lots of Poppystamps Stitched Butterflies die cuts, so I pulled out vellum & cardstock in different sizes to layer.  Hopefully my one beautiful bling dot will qualify, as it really seemed like all that was needed.  I added some little black splatters & the sentiment from Poppystamps Hope and Thanks.  I'm also entering DRU, HLS CAS, Paru's Card Making Challenges, The Playground & SSS Wednesday.

Next is my PTI MIM entry.  Honestly, I did not see Kim's card until mine was already done--as they say, great minds think alike!  This was a really fun technique--check out the video if you haven't.  

I made an acrylic circle stencil using a die & saved packaging.  DI pine needles was sponged for an ombre effect going from lower right to upper left.  The masks were made with a die cut berry image from PTI Spruce & Sprigs.  Then with the masks removed & the stencil left in place, I stamped the berry image in DI festive berries & added Christmas Stickles. The sentiment from PTI Snowflake Flurries was stamped in Brilliance Starlite Black--a bit softer than black. I sponged the edges of the card front to match & attached the panel with foam tape.  Couldn't find an embellishment with the right colors in my stash, so decided to just use a bow made with a beautiful textured ribbon.  

Thought it still needed something, so covered the bow with painter's tape & sprayed with Perfect Pearls--just love that shimmer!  I'm also entering Christmas Card Challenges, Die Cut Divas & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Happy 4th of July!

I don't know why the 4th always sneaks up on me, but this year I have the excuse of being gone last week.  Couldn't find any left over cards from last year, but I did get a couple made before we left & mailed them from the coast.  

My sweet friend, Maria, gave me these adorable Doodlebug pinwheels.  I sponged white cardstock with Brilliance Mediterranean Blue & then added the dots using the same ink & SSS Falling Snow stencil, hoping for a confetti look. I stamped "happy" from SSS Sketch Ranunculus in Brilliance Rocket Red multiple times using my Mini MISTI & hand wrote "4th" with an extra fine Sharpie.  Really love the Tim Holtz star embossing folder & I added some sparkle with Stickles on one & Nuvo Glitter Drops on the other.  

I'm entering the first one in SSS Flickr #74, SSS Monday & SSS Wednesday.

Last night I finally finished a card for EH Pin-Sights Challenge. The inspiration is so beautiful--I'd totally have that cake & bouquet if I could go back in time!  I've been trying to design a card with EH Bold Blossoms die cut from gold cardstock with a pink & orange background--inspired by the cake.  Yesterday morning I watched Jennifer's video using the old acrylic block technique & decided that would be perfect.  

I used DI picked raspberry & ripe persimmon.  One thing I learned from the video was to leave the block in place for 5 minutes.  That gave me gorgeous, deep colors which I'll use for another card.  This piece was done by spritzing again without adding more ink, so it's a bit lighter.  The Hero Arts sentiment from Find Joy was stamped several times in HA Cup O' Joe using my Mini MISTI & I added tiny splatters of the brown. Tried something new--added a drop of gold Pico Embellisher to the gold PPP sequins.  This will be a birthday card for a blogging friend.  I'm also entering ABNH, DRU, Paru's CMC & SSS Wednesday.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Just a Note

Decided to get back into making cards with the PTI MIM challenge to build a wreath using small images.  Must admit, I got carried away with my first try--just couldn't leave well enough along--haha!  Here's take #2 using the June Color Recipe of Hibiscus Burst, Berry Sorbet, Melon Berry, Vintage Jadeite & Aqua Mist.  

The images are from Quilted Summer, Fancy Foliage & Garden Gild.  The card base is from Don't Forget to Write & the sentiment stamped in VersaMagic Jumbo Java is from Take Three: Fall.  Finished off with a junk bow, ala Melissa Phillips, using ribbon & trims in several shades of white with an enamel dot in the center.  Started to embellish the flowers, but really, I like it as is.  I'm also entering CAS on Friday, SSS Wednesday, Stamping Sensations, Virginia's Summer Blog Party & Word Art Wednesday.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Another 365 Day Trip Around the Sun

I just loved this Penny Black sentiment stamp as soon as I saw it at my LSS about 7 years ago.  Decided to pair it with some flowers for our floral challenge at Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  

I white embossed the sweet image from delicate silhouettes & watercolored the flowers using a wet brush & DI worn lipstick. The sentiment was stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa several times using an old-fashioned stamp positioner.  I sponged the panel with the same ink & matted it with vellum. Both inks were splattered on the card front before mounting the sentiment with foam tape.  Pink & brown is one of my favorite color combos, but I've never used it quite like this--fun for a change.  The only embellishment is White Blizzard Nuvo glitter drops in each flower center.  There are so many great PB floral stamps--hope you'll play along with us. I'm entering CAS on Friday, Seize the Birthday, SSS Wednesday & Word Art Wednesday. 

We escaped the heat wave and spent a few days at the bay off the Oregon Coast.  Here's a picture of the view from our site.

Fritz had fun meeting an English Mastiff just a few months younger than him & over 100 pounds bigger!  Both of them wanted to play--so cute. I've gotten a little behind, but will catch up with you soon.  Thanks for stopping by.