Peace and Joy

Hi everyone.  I'm playing along with two Christmas challenges with the card above.

First, Rudolph Days May challenge.  It's always Anything Christmas Goes for this challenge.  Second challenge is Merry Little Christmas Challenge #34 - Anything Goes Christmas. :)  

I do love this poinsettia stamp, Holiday Bouquet from Avery Elle (it's unfortunately retired now).  I stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in Liquid Platinum.  Then watercoloured the image in distress inks (listed below).  I used a corner die that I bought from AliExpress a long time ago.  It has a piece of dark red card stock behind the cut-out design.  

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stamps:  Holiday Bouquet (Avery Elle - retired)

Paper:   Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, paint brush, Corner die (AliExpress)

Challenges:

Rudolph Days May Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #34 - Anything Christmas Goes

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Just a reminder for those that want to subscribe by email,

please fill out the contact form in the right sidebar near the top.

It is also important to add swl1subscribers@gmail.com to your contact list so

Google recognizes the address and delivers the updates.

Thank you!

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Penny Black - Thriving - Part 2

Hi everyone.  I'm back with Penny Black's Thriving Stamp set (30-811) again.  This is a second image I've used from the four that come with the set.  I love this sweet flower.  To me, it looks like a Gerbera Daisy, so I watercoloured it to look similar to a pot of Gerbera's I received as a gift last weekend.  Aren't they pretty??

I kept this very CAS, letting the flower be the star.  I stamped the image onto my card front, and again two more times on mixed media paper (which were heat embossed in clear).  I watercoloured both the flowers and leaves on the mixed media paper and fussy-cut them out.  I cut down through the petals of the flowers just a little ways towards the center so that I could shape the flower a little.  Did this with both flowers, then used my stylus and mat to add some shaping.  Glued the first set of flower head and leaves to my card front, pressing down firmly.  Then added the second flower head and leaves, slightly off center to give the flower lots of depth.

Added a small shadow of gray at the bottom of the flower and stamped the sentiment Smile (Happy Snippets 30-358) in black.  Popped up the card front on foam and adhered to my white card base.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

To my New Email Subscribers

Thank you so much for subscribing to my blog through the new format.  

I have received so many wonderful messages of support.  You really made me feel special!

Thank you!!

Penny Black Product Links

Thriving (30-811)

Happy Snippets (30-358)

Stamps:  Thriving, Happy Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz); Smoky Slate (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger); paint brush

Email Subscriptions

Hi everyone.  Today I'm posting without a card ... I know, it's crazy, right??!! :)

I have been using the Feedburner Email Subscription Service since I started my blog in 2011.  It is part of the Google Blogspot offerings and it has worked well for me.

Google is now going to delete this service.  This means anyone currently receiving emails of new posts for Stamping with Loll will loose that service.  You will need to sign up again using the new form. 

I have added a "Subscribe by Email" form on the right sidebar.  If you are interested in receiving an email with updates to Stamping with Loll, please fill in the form and submit.  I will then add you to the email subscription list.

For those of you who read my post from your email ... you will need to be on my blog to access the new form.  Click on the title of the post to be transferred to my blog.  Form is in the right sidebar.

Please be patient as I change over to a new format.  There are several people who currently get updates by email, so it may take me a while to process the new subscribers.

Thanks for your patience!

Penny Black - Thriving

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing one of the four images from the new stamp Thriving (30-811).

I love lilacs and this is such a beautiful image. 

 

I placed the stamp in my Misti and inked with distress inks (Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn), both markers and ink pads.  I misted lightly with water and stamped onto mixed media paper.  A small paint brush was used to move some of the colour around, and more ink was added to intensify the colours. Added a Square Frame (51-517)  and stamped a sentiment (Happy Snippets 30-358) in purple ink.

Sendng this card over to The Flower Challenge #56 - Use your Favourite Flower.  I love so many flowers, it's been hard to choose just one, so I keep making cards. :)

I wanted to make a second card using this same image.  I used the same layout but changed up the medium and colours. 

This time I started with Navy card stock (sorry, it looks black in the photo).  Stamped the image and heat embossed in silver.  Coloured the image with Mica Powders that I received as a gift from a sweet friend.  I mixed the Mica Powders with Gum Arabic (4:1 ratio), which adds binding to the medium so that it won't rub off the card stock.  Used a paint brush to added two shades of blue to the flower head (Sky Blue, French Blue) and Lettuce Green to the leaves.  Cut the image to size to fit inside the Simple Stacker frame (51-613).  The Mica Powders are so shimmery and beautiful but hard to capture in a photo.  Added a simple sentiment (Happy Snippets) and heat embossed in silver to finish the card.

Sending the second card over to NBUS #26 Challenge.  First time using this stamp today!

I'll be back with more cards using the other beautiful images from this set!

Penny Black Product Links

Thriving (30-811)

Square Frame (51-517)

Happy Snippets (30-358)

Simple Stackers (51-613)

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It was Jessie's 2nd birthday on Saturday.

Time flies!

She was looking very fluffy when Alex

took this series of photos.

Card #1:  Just For You

Stamps:  Thriving, Happy Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Paint brush, Square Frame (Penny Black)

Card #2:  Hugs

Stamps:  Thriving, Happy Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Versamark; Mica Powders:  Sky Blue, French Blue, Lettuce Green (Arteza)
Accessories:  Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, paint brush, Simple Stackers frame (Penny Black)

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #56 - Use your Favourite Flower

NBUS #26 Challenge

CAS Challenges May Reminder

Hi everyone.  It's already the middle of May and time for reminder cards for both CAS Mix Up and CAS Christmas.  

First up, CAS Mix Up's challenge is host by Susan and I've had a lot of fun ink blending with rainbow colors this month.  The gallery is so pretty!!  Thanks for a great challenge Susan!

Susan is our host.

I used a Fishscale stencil that I made with my Silhouette Cameo.  The image is from Silhouette America.  I placed the stencil over my regular white card stock and secured with tape.  I used my blending brushes (LOVE THEM! - thanks Trina!), to sponge in the colours of the rainbow using Distress Inks (Candied Appled, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet).  I removed the stencil, washed and dried it and placed it back over the design.  I coated the stenciling with Glass Bead gel using a palette knife.  Removed the stencil again and immediately had it in water.  The glass bead gel takes a little while to dry, but it is so worth the time.  It's so sparkly!

To finish, I added a silhouette die-cut made from a die I received from a dear friend and stamped the sentiment (Bloom Sketches - STAMPlorations - retired) on a black sentiment banner.

The close-up shows the sparkle from the glass bead gel ...

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Here's my reminder card for CAS Christmas.  Christine is our host this month.

I love foliage and berry cards for Christmas.  I make a lot of them.  Today I used just a few die-cuts to make a very CAS design.  Adding foil gives the card an elegant look.

I've used double-sided sheets (Sookwang) to cover an A2 card front.  I left the cover on and will keep it handy to die-cut images when I make future cards.  For the one today, I die-cut Holly Branch (Penny Black), removed the cover and then used scraps to first cover the whole holly branch with bright green Deco Foil.  I used red foil card stock to punch out the berries and NOEL and then adhered everything to my card front.

Simple, easy design!

Product Links

Holly Branches - Penny Black

Christmas Phrases - Little B

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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 both challenges close on the 24th at midnight PST.  Come join us!

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Oh Happy Day!
Stamps:  Bloom Sketches - retired (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Fishscale Stencil (Silhoutte America), Silhouette Cameo, blending brushes, Glass Bead gel (Golden), palette knife, Silhouette Flower die (gift from friend), White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool


CAS Christmas Reminder - Foiled Christmas
Stamps:  ---

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)

Ink:  ---
Accessories:  Green Foil (DecoFoil); Sookwang sheet; Holly Branches die (Penny Black), Red foil card stock (Tonic), 1/8" hole punch, Christmas Phrases dies (Little B)


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up May Challenge - Rainbow Ink Blending
CAS Christmas May Challenge - Foliage and Berries

The Flower Challenge #56 Reminder

Hi eveyone.  It's already half way through May so time for a reminder card for The Flower Challenge #56.

This time I went for my favourite flower that is in bloom all over the Vancouver area in April/May ... Cherry Blossoms.  They only bloom for about 3 weeks and then they are gone until the next year.  The trees are just filled with the delicate blooms ... some white, some pale pink, and some dark pink.  

I used the Cherry Blossom die (Penny Black).  Die-cut three times from watercolour paper, and watercoloured all the same using Delicata gold ink for the branches and leaves; Distress inks Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberry for the blossoms.  Used one of the watercoloured die-cuts to create a background print of lots of blossoms and shaped the other two using a sponge mat and stylus to add depth and dimension.  Adhered the two shaped branches overtop of the prints.  Added a simple Hello sentiment (Happy Messages - Stampendous) stamped in gold for the sentiment. 

Close-up ...

So happy to have our Guest Designer, BozenA (ArtCardBox) joining us with a reminder card.!  Please check out the challenge blog to see the amazing flower cards from our Designers and Guest Designer, BozenA.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

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A few photos of cherry blossom trees in Vancouver, B.C.  Of the approx. 90,000 flowering trees in Vancouver, 40,000 are cherry blossom trees from Japan.

  

Product Links

Cherry Blossom die (Penny Black)

Happy Messages (Stampendous)

Stamps:  Happy Messages (Stampendous)

Paper:   Hot Press Watercolour paper (Arches 140 lb.)
Ink:   Delicata Gold; Distress Inks: Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Cherry Blossom die (Penny Black), water mister, water brush

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #56 - Favourite Flower

Penny Black - Cuddlesome and Fragrant Friends

Hi everyone.  I have a couple of cards to share with you today.  The first one (above) is one of the new releases called Cuddlesome (30-814).  I love this adorable bear peeking out from the tea cup. :)  This image is watercoloured with Distress Inks, using primary colours for the tea cups.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set.  The only detail I added was some white dots to one of the cups.  Clean and Simple one layer design.

Close-up ...

Sending the above card over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes with Optional:  Clean and Simple.  This is definitely a clean and simple card!

For the second card, I've used a sweet bear image from Fragrant Friends (30-807).

He is watercoloured using distress inks and then cut out using the matching die, Fragrant Friend Cut Out (51-704).  I used the Leaf Pattern die (51-432) to create a stencil from acetate.  I then sponged through the stencil with a soft green to create a background.  The bear is popped up on top to add dimension.

Close-up ...

Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Product Links

Cuddlesome (30-814)

Fragrant Friends (30-807)

Fragrant Friends Cut Out (51-704)

Leaf Pattern die (51-432)

Card #1:

Stamps:  Cuddlesome; Sentiment - Fragrant Friends (Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, paintbrushes, White Posca pen

Card #2:

Stamps:  Fragrant Friends (Penny Black) 

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Mowed Lawn, Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, Leaf Pattern die (Penny Black), acetate, sponge, paintbrushes

Challenges:
PBSC May - Anything Goes with Optional: Clean and Simple

Twofer Challenge #38

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the new Twofer Challenge.  I found this a bit of a challenge because I don't have a lot of cake/cupcake images.  So I went shopping and my cake stamp arrived yesterday.  In the meantime, I found this cupcake and used it instead.  Now I have a cake stamp. :)  Thanks Dolly!

Don't forget to follow the rules ...

I used this adorable cupcake from a stamp set called, Balloons and More (Stampendous).  I stamped in black ink and clear heat embossed.  Stamped again onto patterned paper  and fussy cut both, adding the patterned paper wrapper overtop.  The candle was coloured with cobalt blue zig and I added the same zig ink over top of the patterned paper wrapper so they are the same colour.

The Happy Birthday is part of a stamp (Cling Chunky Birthday - Stampendous) that I masked off and inked in black, also heat embossing in clear.  Fussy-cut before using my zigs to watercolour in rainbow colours.  Tried to make the letters look ombre, light at the top and getting darker at the bottom, but not sure I succeeded. :)

For my second card; stamped, heat embossed in clear and fussy-cut (same as the above card.  This time used the zigs to watercolour the cupcake wrapper in colours of the rainbow.  Rainbows are so happy ... both these cards make me smile. :)

Outlined the icing (or frosting for those not from Canada) .. :)  in bright yellow (same as above card).  This time placed my cupcake in the bottom right corner of a horizonal, kraft card base.  Added a little brown pencil to create a shadow and stamped the sentiment (Many Everyday Messages - Hero Arts) in black (heat embossed in clear).  The cupcake and candle are popped up to create dimension.  Very simple CAS design.

Even though a struggled to get my cupcakes the way I wanted them, I'm really happy with the end results. :)

Hope you'll come play along.  Twofer is open for two weeks, closing end of day May 24th.  Don't miss out!

Also adding the first card to May's NBUS challenge (#26).  I have not used this cupcake / balloon stamp set before.

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Darnell (Dolly to me!) has asked us to include our favourite cake / cupcake recipe if we'd like.

My favourite is one that my Mom used to make when I was growing up.  I made it for my kids, and I still make it once in a while now.

Coconut Cake (click on link to see recipe)

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Product Links

Balloons and More (Stampendous)

Cling Chunky Birthday (Stampendous)

Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)

Card #1:  Happy Birthday Cupcake

Stamps:  Balloons and More, Cling Chunky Birthday (both Stampendous)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); patterned paper
Ink:   Black (Memento); Zigs
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, waterbrush

Card #2:  Just Because Cupcake

Stamps:  Ballons and More (Stampendous); Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Kraft paper
Ink:   Black (Memento); Zigs
Accessories:  Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, waterbrush, brown w/c pencil (Derwent)

Challenges:

Twofer Challenge #38 - Cake / cupcakes

NBUS Challenge #26

Penny Black - Delight

Hi Everyone.  I have another card to share that uses one of the new release cling stamps from Penny Black.  This image is called Delight (40-775) ... and it really is! :)

I started by creating a washed background.  I used the easiest way for me, sponging three layers of colours across the card front (green, mustard seed, broken china).  I kept the colours very light so that it wouldn't interfer with my watercolouring of the flowers.  After sponging, I spritzed with a little water and used a large paint brush, stroking from side to side.  Once the dry, I stamped the image with Archival Shadow Grey ink.

I watercoloured the flowers with distress inks and then added some brightness with zig brush markers.  To finish, I stamped a sentiment from Gratitude (30-105) in black ink so it would show up overtop of the flowers and sky.

Close-up ..

Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Product Links

Delight (40-775)

Gratitude (30-105)

Stamps:  Delight; Gratitude (both Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Shadow Grey Ink (Archival); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Broken China, Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade, Wilted Violet; Zigs; Black Ink (Memento) 
Accessories:   Paint Brushes:  1", #4 and #2 round

The Flower Challenge #56

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of The Flower Challenge #56.  The challenge is to use your 

favourite flower.  That can be a tough one.  I love lots of flowers, but my most favourite is the Stargazer Lily.  The image above is a Tiger Lily (Penny Black), but I watercoloured it in the Stargazer colours.  I love the shades of bright pink and the fragrance is amazing. 

I stamped the lily in black ink, clear heat embossed and watercoloured with distress inks and zig markers.  I then fussy-cut.  

I used a embossing folder stamping background from my stash.  This was done with a woodgrain embossing folder (Sizzix - retired) and Distress Inks Picked Raspberry and Gathered Twigs.  I die-cut a square aperture (My Favorite Things - retired) on the card front and secured my lily with the bottom stem inside the aperture, with the rest of the flower outside.  A simple sentiment (Trust Me Builder - Penny Bloom) was stamped in black to finish the card.

Close-up ...

We are excited to have BozenA (ArtCardBox) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful flower cards from our Designers, and wonderful Guest Designer BozenA.

Our challenge is open until April 25th.  Come play along!

Product Links

Tiger Lily (Penny Black)

Trust Me Builder (Penny Black)

Stamps:  Tiger Lily, Trust Me Builder (both from Penny Black)

Paper:   Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Gathered Twigs, Kitsch Flamingo, Candied Apple (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Woodgrain embossing folder (Sizzix - retired), water mister, clear embossing powder, heat tool, waterbrush, Stitched Square die (MFT - retired)

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #56 - Favourite Flower