Spontaneous Joy

Hi everyone.  I havve had this stamp in my NBUS box for a long time.  After seeing my friend Robyn's card HERE, I just had to ink it up!  Thank you so much for the inspiration Robyn!!

Entering this top card into the May Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  I followed the Anything Goes and didn't add the twist this time.

This is such a beautiful and elegant image.  I placed it in my misti and coloured just the stems and leaves with a ink pen.  I spritzed with just a little water and stamped onto mixed media paper.  I spritzed again slightly because the ink was too dry the first time.  I moved around the excess ink with my paint brush.  I wiped down my stamp and started again, this time inking all of the flower heads in coral.  Spritzed with water and stamped, etc. until I was happy with it.  Then applied a bright red just to the parts of the flower heads that I thought should be darker, spritzed with water and stamped.  Once I was happy I let it dry before adding a sentiment and then splattered more coral over the card front.

Close-up ...

Happy with how this turned out but could not get my camera to see the true colours.  The flowers are coral and red --- so pretty! :)

I made a second one pretty much the same, just changing up the colour of the blooms.

This time I wanted to add stenciling to the background, which I did with a pale gray.  The stencil was too busy so it took away from the pretty flowers.  I used a damp paper towel to remove most of the gray ink, but the wet paper towel also got on a bit of the flowers.  You may be able to see a faint outline of stenciling in the close-up ... and how the colours bled a little.  And you can tell the card front has a gray haze about it, but I think it adds character.  :)  I added a sentiment and then got a little carried away with splattering. :)

Close-up ...

Updated:  Since this is a NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) stamp, I'm sending the purple version above over to the NBUS Challenge #14. 

Penny Black Products:
Spontaneous Joy (40-597)
Special Sentiments (30-574)
Eloquence (30-162)

Stamps:  Spontaneous Joy, Special Sentiments, Eloquents (all Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Stampin' writers: Gumball Green, Real Red (Stampin' Up!); Distress Markers: Abandoned Coral, Seedless Preserves, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, paint brushes

Challenges:
Penny Black Saturday May Challenge - Anything Goes
NBUS Challenge #14

May Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  It's the 25th of the month, which means Rudolph Days Challenge is open.

I've created a quick and easy card using an AliExpress mistletoe and berries die-cut smooshed with green and blue magicals (the green took over and blue doesn't show much once dry).  Added pearl paint to the berries so they shine.  Stamped the sentiment in red before mounting the mistle toe to the card front.

Close-up ...

Thanks to Maureen for running this fun challenge.  It helps keep my stash of Christmas cards growing throughout the year!

Update:  Had a few inquiries about the Christmas Greetings stamp.  It is from an older, wood mounted set by Tim Holtz, which I unmounted so able to use in my Misti.  Click HERE for a link

Stamps:  Christmas Greetings (Tim Holtz)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals:  Hydrangea Blue, Lederhosen Laurel (Lindy's); Candied Appled distress ink (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, pearl acrylic paint

Challenges:
May Rudolph Days Challenge - Anything Goes Christmas

Perfect Poppies

Hi everyone.  There's a great sale on at Power Poppy.  My friend, Leslie, is a Designer for Power Poppy so I checked it out and bought a few clear stamps.  Then I saw my friend Bonnie, colouring up some beautiful digi stamps from PP.  I haven't worked with digi stamps for a long time, but once I took a look at what there was, I had to buy some.

I'm going to enter this over at Power Poppy blog in the Creative Confetti challenge - A walk in the Garden.

My favourite flower is stargazer lilies ... but my favourite flower to watercolour is poppies. :)  I just love the beautiful flow of this gorgeous image.

Close-up ...

After printing the image on a piece of mixed media paper, I watercoloured with distress inks.  I decided to add some yellow to the background (and that's why I choose this sentiment).  The yellow was sponged lightly, although the colours turned out quite bright. :)  Then more interest was added with more of the same yellow ink through a tiny dot stencil.  The senitment banner finishes the card.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Perfect Poppies; Bee in a Foxglove - sentiment (both from Power Poppy)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Abandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Printer, Paint brushes, sponge, Mini Tiny Circles stencil (The Crafter's Workshop)

Challenges:
Creative Confetti - A walk in the Garden

Happy Belated Birthday Laura!

Hi everyone.  This is a card I sent to Laura (one of my blog followers) who turned 80 years old a while ago.  I'm hoping that she's received my card in the mail by now.  Hope you had a wonderful birthday Laura!

I love this hydrangea from Stampin' Up!  It's an old stamp set, but one I will hang on to.  I watercoloured the hydrangea bloom and butterfly with Distress inks before fussy-cutting both images.  I die-cut this fabulous Penny Black frame and adhered my images on top, popping up the butterfly for a little extra dimension.  I added one of my favourite HB sentiments from Technique Tuesday.

Close-up ...

* * * * *

Jessie on Mother's Day

Stopped running after Violeta for a moment to pose for this picture.

Don't usually see her tired with her tongue hanging out. :)

Celebrating both birthdays on May 17
Jessie's BD (May 15) and Jer's BD (May 17)

Jessie's birthday portrait

Jer and his girlzies

Photos by Alejandro Garcia

Copyrighted

Stamps:  Best Thoughts (Stampin' Up!); Cosmos - sentiment (Technique Tuesday)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Watercolour paint brush, Simple Stackers Frame die (Penny Black), white gel pen

Distressed Window Box

Hi everyone.  Today's card started by receiving a lovely gift from my friend, Julia (Create with Me).  She sent me these wonderful dies for the distressed brick.  I used them to make a stencil and then sponged through onto my card front.  Thanks Julia!

I added a die-cut window with a flower box filled with watercoloured, spring flowers.  To match the disressed look of the exposed brick, I tried (not very successfully) to add some distressing to the window and box as well.  Thankfully, the flowers are pretty and hopefully distract from my feeble attempt. :)

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Script Sentiments (AliExpress)
Paper:  White Cardstock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (for watercoloured flowers) Strathmore 140 lb.
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Pumuce stone, Broken China, Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, paint brushes, sponges, Brick Layer Die (The Greetery), Cherry Blossom die (Penny Black), Small Madison Arched Window die (Poppy Stamps), Small Flower Box die (Poppy Stamps)

May CAS Challenge Reminders

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the reminder post for all four CAS Challenges.  It's been a fun month with lots of new things to try.  Starting with CAS Mix Up, Linda wanted us to use Gesso as a resist.

Linda is our host.

I have to say that Gesso intimidated me and I've had it a long time and not used it very often (just basecoats).  But this is a great way to use it.  Pulled a background from my stash that I made the other day using leftover magicals.  It was very soft and pretty.  Placed my bird stencil (NBUS) over top and sponged with gesso.  It dries really quickly!.  Then I sprinkled more of the same four colours of magicals and spritzed with water.  I let it sit for a few second and then blotted with a paper towel.  I repeated one more time until I was happy with the vibrancy of the colours.  Once dry, I placed a leaf stencil (gift from friend), over top, masking off where it overlapped with the bird.  I sponged two shades of green distress ink.  To finish I stamped a very simple sentiment at the top right with blue and added a stitched frame in white.  I'm feeling a lot more confident using Gesso now!

Thanks so much for this great challenge Linda!

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Jenny is our host.

CAS Watercolour Reminder.  Created the background by smooshing some distress inks.  Added falling snow by splattering diluted white acrylic paint.  Die-cut the front panel and then stamped my image in matching ink.

Fantastic challenge Jenny!!  I had lots of fun creating night skies for my DT cards!

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I'm your host.

CAS Christmas Reminder.  Have had this stamp for a couple of years and not used it yet. :)  Placed the image in my Misti and coloured up the stems with brown ink and stamped a couple of times until I was happy with the depth of colour.  Repeated the same for the berries, adding bright red and burgundy shading.  Used diluted white acrylic paint and my stylus to add dots to some of the berries.  Framed the panel in black and added a black sentiment banner with white heat embossed sentiment.  Had to include the close-up photo so you could see the shimmer from the Wink of Stella on the berries.

Close-up ...

Since this is a NBUS stamp, I'm sending this card over to the NBUS #14 Challenge gallery.

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Hilary is our host.

CAS Stencil Reminder.  I started with a card panel from my stash.  I already had a stencil monoprint of chicken wire done with liquid watercolours in orange and yellow (subtle shades of those colours).  I added a flourish stencil over top and sponged with brown.  I topped that with a mini circle stencil, sponged with rust.  I used a double frame die-cut.  I adhered a watercoloured leafy sprig die-cut in bright oranges and brown to the panel, then adhereed to my card front.  A simple sentiment was stamped with the same colour as the sponged flourish stenciling.

Another fun challenge this month --- thanks Hilary!

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I hope you'll check out the challenge blogs to see the amazing cards from our Designers, Guest Designers, and participants.  If you haven't had time to play along, there's over a week left before all four challenges close on 24th at midnight PST.  Come join us!

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Bird and Branch
Stamps:  Happy Messages (Stampendous)
Paper:  Mixed Medi paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magicals:  Hydrangea Blue, Hag's Wart Orange, Cana lily burnt orange, Drop Dead Gorgeous Green (Lindy's); Distress Inks: Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Broken China (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: Some Birds stencil (STAMPlorations), Lovely Leaves (Studio 490), water mister, sponge dauber, Stitched Rectangle die (Lil' Inkers)

CAS Watercolour Reminder - Winter Night Sky
Stamps:  Holiday Bouquet - sentiment (Avery Elle)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Cracked Pistachio, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, Evergreen Window die (Memory Box)

CAS Christmas Reminder - More Berries
Stamps:  Merry Berry (Winnie & Walter); Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Soft Suede, Real Red, Bravo Burgundy (Stampin' Up!); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  white acrylic paint, stylus, Clear Wink of Stella, white embossing powder, heat tool

CAS Stencil Reminder - Layered Stenciling
Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Liquid Watercolours:  Orange, Yellow (Blick Art Materials); Distress Inks:  Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister, Chicken Wire stencil (TCW), Flourish Layering stencil (Tim Holtz), Mini Tiny Circles (TCW); Hemstitch Rectangles dies (Spellbinders)


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up - Gesso Resist
CAS Watercolour - Night Sky
CAS Christmas - Winter Berries
CAS Stencil - Layered Stenciling

Flower Jars

Hi everyone.  Sharing a CAS card using a NBUS stamp that I've had for a while.  I'm heading over to the NBUS #14 gallery to share it there as well.

I thought this was such a sweet image ... HAD TO HAVE IT!  It's been sitting for a few months, but today is the day! :)  And I used my watercolour paints (not distress inks), which is not the norm for me.  These are very small images, so I had to use small brushes to watercolour.  Not perfect, but happy with the outcome.  Stamped a simple sentiment in black and popped up the image panel for some dimension.

Close-up ... don't look too close! :)

Hope this brightens your day!

Stamps:  Flower Jars (Stampendous); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Versafine);Tansai Gambi paints; Black (Obsian - Altenew)
Accessories & Tools:  Paint brushes

Challenges:
NBUS #14

Twofer Challenge #27

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with Twofer Challenge #27 - Flowers.  You all know how much I LOVE flowers, so I couldn't miss this! :)

I used a stamp that I've had for AGES, but don't believe I've ever used on a card before.  So I'll be sending this first card to NBUS Challenge #14.

I stamped my hydrangea on a post-it note and fussy-cut to create a mask.  I stamped my first image in the center (bottom) of a piece of mixed media; topped that image with my post-it mask, and then stamped on either side of the center image to have the flowers go all along the bottom of my card.

I watercoloured the hydrangeas with distress inks, stamped a simple sentiment, and added a little bit of white with my gel pen to finish the card.

Close-up:

For my second card, I stamped the same hydrangea image onto mixed media paper and again watercoloured with distress inks.  I cut a stitched square aperture in my card front, adding the watercoloured image to the background.  A simple sentiment finishes the card.

I hope you'll join in the fun at Twofer, creating two different designs using the same stamp, die or stencil.  And if you use something new (or old but unused), come add your card to the NBUS gallery!

Stamps:Floral Bouquet (Avery Elle); Special sentiments (Penny Black); Where your Heart is (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black permanent (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools: paint brushes, white gel pen, Stitched Square die (AliExpress)

Challenges:
Twofer Challenge #27 - Flowers
NBUS Challenge #14

Happy Mother's Day

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a Mother's Day card I made using a Layered Stencil that I've had for a long time but never used. :)  I do have a LOT of those in my studio! :)  Entering this card into NBUS #14 (never-before-used-schtuff).

I sponged two colours of distress inks for both the flower and leaves.  I removed the stencil and decided that I wanted more of a watercolour look, so pulled out my paint brushes and got to work.  Stamped with a beautiful sentiment from Penny Black to finish the card.

I will miss seeing my Mom on Mother's Day.  Believe this is the first time I won't be seeing her on her special day.

Stamps:  Gratitude (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Tattered Rose, Abandoned Coral, Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Obsidian ink (Altenew)
Accessories & Tools:  Dahlia layering stencils (Altenew), sponges, paint brushes

Challenges:
NBUS #14

CAS Stencil May Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the last CAS Stencil challenge as things are changing with CAS Challenges.  Starting next month, CAS Mix Up is changing it's challenges to include mixed media along with stencil and watercolour.  More details will be in June's CAS Mix Up post.  We hope you'll come play along!

This month's challenge is hosted by Hilary (fiddling about).  She would like us to try ...

We are also happy to have Greta (GG Creations) as our Guest Designer.  Welcome Greta!

This technique is out of my comfort zone, but it's something I'm keen to learn.  I had lots of fun making my stenciled panel, but I definitely need lots of practice. :)

I started with a stencil monoprint from my stash, done with Lindy's magical powders and a Mini Tiny Circles stencil from TCW (one of my most used stencils!).  Placed a second stencil overtop and sponged with gold ink.  Mounted my panel behind a card front die-cut with a stitched square (gift from my sweet friend, Bonnie).  Added a white die-cut flower and gold stamped sentiment to finish.

Close-up ...

I hope you'll come join us for this fun challenge.

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Magical powders (Lindy's); Delicata Gold (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools: water mister Mini Tiny Circles stencil (TCW), Wander & Find stencil (Carta Bella), In & Out Stitched Squares die (MFT), Flower Flourish die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Stencil - Layered Stenciling