Penny Black - Christmas Blush

Hi everyone.  Sharing a beautiful flower (Christmas Blush 40-794) from the new Penny Black release, Making Spirits Bright.  This is a Christmas Rose (Helleborous) and there are several different colours of these flowers.

I started by stamping the image onto mixed media paper with black ink and heat embossing in clear.  Then I used Festive Berries and Aged Mahogany distress inks to add colour to the flower.  The leaves are done with Mowed Lawn distress ink; the pine needles in Rustic Wilderness distress ink.

To finish, I added a sentiment (Bright & Light 30-762) stamped with black ink and heat embossed in clear.  I thought the words were too close to the image, so added an underline to the sentiment to separate them.  It worked well. :)

Close-up ...

Thank you for coming by for a visit!  I'll be sharing more cards made with the Penny Black new release in the coming weeks.

Product Links

Christmas Blush (40-794

Bright & Light (30-762)

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Stamps:  Christmas Blush, Bright & Light (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany; Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, paint brushes, fine tip black marker, white Posca pen

Remembering Anne ...

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a sympathy card that I mailed to my dear friend, Anne's husband.  Anne passed away recently after a very long and hard battle with cancer.  She was an AMAZING person.  So passionate and caring, she got to know everyone she met and became friends with many.  Anne was one of those people who you met and instantly felt comfortable around, like you had known her for years.  She worked as a Family Counselor, which was the perfect job for her.

We moved in across the lane from this sweet couple in 1987, just one month before Jeremy was born.  As soon as Anne saw me out at the back, she started up a conversation, and soon asked us to come over for dinner to get to know each other.  We've been friends every since.  Our children were similar in age and grew up playing together.

I will miss her so much, but she is not suffering anymore and for that, I am grateful.

Anne always loved my hand-made cards and I sent them to her regulary to help brighten her day.  I found it really hard to try to create something for her and decided I needed a little help.  This is a very simple card using some patterned paper for the background and a lovely tree stamp with a wonderful poem that is fitting for the occasion.  I know Anne would have loved the card.

Thank you for stopping by.

STAMPlorations Stencil Challenge - part 2

Hi everyone.  I'm back with a second card for the STAMPlorations October Stencil Challenge.

Trying out another stencil technique using emboss resist.  I started by stamping Christmas Story (Penny Black) for the background, heat embossing in white.  I placed The Merry Tree stencil (ARTplorations) over top and sponged with two shades of green for the top of the tree (Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness distress inks).  The bottom of the tree is sponged with Candied Apple and Aged Mahogany distress inks.  After the ink dried I took a dry paper towel and buffed over top to remove any ink that was on the white embossing.

I stamped the sentiment in Versamark onto black card stock and heat embossed in white.  Cut the sentiment banner to size and adhered to the front of my card.

Close-up ...

I had a great time playing along with the challenge and hope to do it again next month!

I'm also entering this into Rudolph Days October Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Christmas Story (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Versamark; Distress inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz) 
Accessories:  The Merry Tree stencil (ARTplorations), white embossing powder, sponges   

Challenges:
STAMPlorations October Stencil Challenge

Rudolph Days October Challenge

Zoom with Crafty Friends - Brayering

Hi everyone.  Our Crafty group had our monthly Zoom a couple of days ago.  Brayering was on the agenda, with Brenda in IN (Inkspired to Stamp)  leading the technique.  

It was so much fun!  I used to brayer quite a bit about 10 years ago.  It's still a fabulous technique with a unique look.  I made two cards ... the one above is Sunset.  Using Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, and Salvaged Patina distress inks, I brayered the background to look like the sun was rising for the day.  I stamped  the Pine Tree (Stampscapes) three times in black ink and clear heat embossed.  To finish, I stamped the sentiment (Smiles - Penny Black) in the same black ink with clear embossing.

Below is the Sunset version ...

Changing just one of the ink colours gives it a totally different feel than the first card.  This is the same coloured distress inks as the top card except for swapping out Salvaged Patina for Seedless Preserves.  Love it! :)

During the Zoom session, I made another card.  This time with Candied Apple and Wilted Violet distress inks for the brayering at the top.

I stamped a Penny Black image (Scarved Sweeties 30-758) and then watercoloured with more distress inks.  The sentiment is from Festive Snippets (30-387).  I thought the sentiment was perfect for the scene. :)

I'm sending the card above over to Jingle Bells - Not a Creature was Stirring Challenge.

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

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Card 1 & 2:  Sunrise / Sunset

Stamps:  Large Pine Tree (Stampscapes); Smiles (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, Salvaged Patina, Seedless Preserves (Tim Holtz); Black ink: Obsidian Pigment Ink (Altenew)
Accessories:   Brayer, clear embossing powder, heat tool

Card 3:  Time for Joy

Stamps:  Scarved Sweeties; Festive Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:  Bristol paper (Strathmore); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)

Ink:  Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Wilted Violet; Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso, Mowed Lawn, Black Soot, Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz)

Accessories:  Brayer, clear embossing powder, heat tool, paint brushes, white Posca pen

Challenges:
Jingle Bells - Not a Creature was Stirring

Another Botanical Print

Hi everyone.  Quick post today to share another botantical print from a few years back.  I love the beautiful shape of the leaf with all it's petals.  It's the lightest of the double print I took.

I simply cut the print to size, adding a strip of Kraft card stock at the top, along with white embossed sentiment (Word Salad - Paper Smooches - retired) and some white faux stitching.

If you haven't had time to play along yet, I hope you'll give this fun technique a try.  The CAS Mix Up challenge is still open for another few days.

Hosted by Bonnie

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Stamps:  Word Salad (Paper Smooches - retired)
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. Hot Press), Baked Brown Sugar (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Versamark
Accessories & Tools: White embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, White Posca pen

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up October Challenge - Botanical Prints

Penny Black - Festive Fragrance

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card using another stamp from the new Penny Black release, Making Spirits bright.  The stamp is called Festive Fragrance (40-791).

I stamped the image in Sahara Sand ink (SU!) very lightly and then no line watercoloured the Christmas greenery in shades of green, red, and brown for the vases and grounding.  The sentiment (Holly Days 30-869) is the final touch.  I had a few smudges of brown ink in my background so just added a few more to give it a vintage look. :)

Close-up ...

* * * * *

We celebrated our Thanksgiving on Saturday, Oct. 9th with a lovely Turkey dinner.  While it was cooking, I mentioned that I would like to ink up this image and my son, Jeremy asked if we could watercolour together.  He has a degree in Visual Arts and is an Art Teacher at a High School in Richmond.  Below are the two images, photos taken by Jeremy and edited with a few filters.  I'm sure you can tell that the one on the right is Jeremy's version. :)  It was fun to work together and I did learn lots from him as well.     

                                       Loll                                                                               Jeremy

  

I went back and added a horizon line to my card and darkened up the vases and shadows.  What a difference, as you can see from the card at the top of this post.  

* * * * *

Jessie enjoyed her turkey dinner too! :)

Sleeping it off in front of the fire ...

Photo by Alejandro Garcia

Penny Black Product Links

Festive Fragrance (40-791)

Holly Days (30-869)

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Stamps:  Festive Fragrance; Holly Days (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Sahara Sand (SU!); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Paint brushes, Basic Gray marker (SU!), White Posca pen

STAMPlorations October Stencil Challenge

I have been wanting to find time to play along with this fun challenge for ages.  Today is the day! :)  My dear friend, Nancy is on the team.

The monthly challenge is always Anything Stenciling Goes.

 

I used stencil layering for this card.

I started by placing the ARTploration Christmas Reindeer stencil over my card front.  I taped it down and then lightly sponged with Brushed Corduroy distress ink, adding more colour around the edges.  I placed a second stencil overtop (Festive - Tim Holtz) and angled it until I liked what was showing over the reindeer.  I used small pieces of tape to mask areas and sponged the different elements using distress inks.  I added a little gold on top of the pine cones and the reindeer's antlers.  

To finish, I stamped the sentiment in Candied Apple and Fired Brick distress inks to get the right shade of red.

Close-up ...

I had a lot of fun trying this technique and will definitely use it again!

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Stamps:  Merriest (Avery Elle - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Brushed Corduroy, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs, Fired Brick (Tim Holtz); Delicata Gold (Tsukineko)
Accessories:   ARTplorations Christmas Reindeer stencil, Tim Holtz Festive stencil, sponges, tape for masking, white Posca pen, Fine tip black marker (Sharpie)

Challenges:
STAMPlorations October Stencil Challenge

CAS Challenges October Reminder

Hi everyone.  Time for the reminder cards for the October CAS Challenges.  First up, CAS Mix Up, hosted this month by Bonnie.

Bonnie is our host.

I went out and picked up a few maple leaves from my yard.  The card above uses a small leaf that I coated with Gold Liquid Watercolour Concentrate and then pressed it through my Gemini Jr. with mixed media paper.  I love how the gold paint shows all the veins.  It's very subtle, but still very pretty.  I added a soft suede card stock base, along with a gold splattered backing to my main panel.

Close-up ...

I did a second print using a large maple leaf.  Using Hot Press watercolour paper and my Gemini Jr., I got two prints, this is the side with all the wonderful autumn colours (see photo below of leaf), which translated to pale green, yellow and purple when pressed.

Maple Leaf

I created a frame from seedless preserves by sponging around the outside edge of a piece of Hot Press watercolour paper and then sponging with gold watercolour.  I splattered more gold watercolour over my botanical panel as well.  The panel was cut to size and placed at the top right corner so the frame is only showing on the two sides.  The sentiment (AliExpress) is stamped in more Seedless Preserves distress ink, but I had to stamp several times to get a clean image which means that it's darker than I wanted.  The colours of the print are subtle, but so pretty and even better in real life.

This is not a CAS design but wanted to share with you.

------------------------------------------------

CAS Christmas Reminder challenge

Marcia is our host.

Started with a basic gray card stock base (SU!).  Used the Christmas Wreaths stencil (STAMPlorations), off the page, sponging with the leaves with blending brushes in basic gray ink.  The berries were sponged in white pigment ink first, left to dry, then sponged again in Fired Brick distress ink.  Used a metallic silver pen to outline the leaves and berries.  Finished with a silver embossed sentiment (Art Deco Celebrate Christmas - Poppy Stamps - retired) and a few dots of white paint.

Close-up ... shows the silver outlining of the stenciled leaves and berries

------------------------------------------------

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 24th at midnight PST.  Come join us!

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CAS Mix Up Reminder - Botanical Leaf (1)
Stamps:  For You (Cavallini & Co)
Paper: Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Soft Suede card stock (SU! - retired)
Ink:  Gold Watercolour Concentrate (Blick Art Materials)
Accessories & Tools: sponges, splatter brush

CAS Mix Up Reminder - Botanical Leaf (2)
Stamps:  Beautiful (AliExpress)
Paper:  Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. Hot Press), Neenah white 110 lb. card stock
Ink:  Seedless Preserves Distress Ink (Tim Holtz); Gold Watercolour Concentrate (Blick Art Materials)
Accessories & Tools: sponges, splatter brush

CAS Christmas Reminder - Christmas Wreath
Stamps:  Art Deco Celebrate Christmas (Poppy Stamps - retired)
Paper:  Gray card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Basic Gray dye ink (SU!); Unicorn (white) Pigment Ink (Hero Arts); Fired Brick distress ink (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Christmas Wreath stencil (STAMPlorations), blending brushes, Silver metallic pen (Pilot), Silver embossing powder, heat tool, White Posca pen


Challenges:
CAS Mix Up October Challenge - Botanical Prints
CAS Christmas October Challenge - Gray and Red

The Flower Challenge #61 Reminder

Hi everyone.  Today is the reminder for The Flower Challenge #61 - Use a Shape.  It's also our 5th Birthday Celebration for our Challenge ... lots of prizes to win!

I rarely get freebies in the mail, but with my last on-line order I received this background.  Actually it was advertising the pad of paper for sale.  All the designs were on the back, but just one on the front, so I used it today. :)  I love the vintage look of this paper.  I stayed with the pink and brown to add my elements to the card.. 

I stamped a bouquet of peonies (Perfect Peonies - Clearly Besotted).  I love this stamp and have used it A LOT. :)  Looks awesome in pink and brown.  I used Ground Espresso, Kitsch Flamingo, and Picked Raspberry distress inks, mixing the pink and brown to get the colours for my blooms.  Stamped the peonies in dark brown ink and clear heat embossed.  Then watercoloured the image.  I die-cut the bouquet with matching die, but thought the white edging left from the die looked too stark so just added a light coating of pink.  The background is die-cut with a postage stamp die (Postage Stamp - Spellbinders retired).  I did a little stenciling in the top left and bottom right corners with Ground Espresso ink and Pebbles Stencil (Lavinia).  I stamped the sentiment (Happy Messages - Stampendous) in brown and then placed everything on a white 4 1/4" square card base.  Popped up the flower with pop dots for some dimension. :)

Close-up ...

Happy with how this card turned out ... I need to use patterned paper more often.  I have lots, but make so many of my own backgrounds, I rarely use them. :)

I hope you'll check out the reminder post for The Flower Challenge #61 to see the amazing cards from our Designers.  Then come play along.  Challenge is open until end of day Oct. 25th.  Hope to see you in the gallery.

This will be my last post for The Flower Challenge.  After a year of enjoying being on the team, it is time for me to step down and concentrate on running my own two challenges.  Thank you to Aileen and the team for making my time at The Flower Challenge so enjoyable.  A special shout-out to Viv, who works tirelessly to keep the team happy and well-informed as well as keeping the challenge running smoothly.  Thank you Viv for all the help you gave me over the past year!!

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Stamps:  Perfect Peonies (Clearly Besotted), Happy Messages (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Patterned paper 
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Ground Espresso, Kitsch Flamingo, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, matching die for Peonies image, Postage Stamp die - retired (Spellbinders), Pebbles stencil (Lavinia), sponges

Challenges:

The Flower Challenge #61 - Use a shape

Penny Black - Gorgeous Grove

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing another new cling stamp from the Penny Black's Making Spirits Bright release.  This image is called Gorgeous Grove (40-804).

I started by inking up my image in dark gray ink (Stampin' Up!) ink.  I then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I stamped the image again onto a post-it note to create a mask for the snow.

Then I did a little ink blending using blender brushes.  First the sun (Mustard Seed and Wild Honey distress inks).  Second the sky (Broken China and Chipped Sapphire distress inks).

To finish the card, I first splattered with very diluted white acrylic paint and blotted.  Once dry, I used a white Posca pen to add snow to the branches of the trees, and then splattered more (larger splatters) with diluted white gouache ink.  The sentiment (Christmas Sentiments: 30-504) is stamped on black card stock and white heat embossed.

Close-up ...

I'll be back soon with more cards using the new Making Spirits Bright release from Penny Black.

I'm entering this card into the Merry Little Christmas Challenge #39 - Anything Christmas Goes.

And also adding to the NBUS Challenge #31.

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Product Links

Gorgeous Grove (40-804)

Christmas Sentiments (30-504)

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Stamps:  Gorgeous Grove (Penny Black); Christmas Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:   Basic Gray ink (Stampin' Up!); Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz); White pigment ink
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, blending brushes, white acrylic paint, White Posca pen, White gouache paint, splatter brush, white embossing powder

Challenges:

MLCC #39 - Anything Christmas Goes

NBUS Challenge #31

Penny Black - Merriest

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a no-line watercolouring of one of the new releases from Penny Black's Making Spirits Bright collection.  This is called Merriest (40-794).

I stamped the image onto mixed media paper with smoky slate ink (SU!) and then watercoloured over top using distress inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany.  

To finish, I stamped the Joy sentiment (Holly Days 30-869) in Candied Apple distress ink, followed by two layers of Fired Brick distress inks.  Happy how it matched the colour of the berries.  I added a few white dots using my Posca pen before framing the image using another new release from Penny Black, Semi-Circle Stackers (51-706).

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge October - Anythings Goes.

And to NBUS Challenge #31.

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Product Links

Merriest (40-797)

Holly Days (30-869)

Semi-Circle Stackers (51-706)

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Stamps:  Merriest (Penny Black); Holly Days (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Smoky Slate (SU!); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Fired Brick (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   watercolour paint brushes, white Posca pen, Semi-Circle Stackers Frame die (Penny Black)

Challenges:

PBSC October - Anything Goes

NBUS Challenge #31