Jingle Friends

Hi everyone.  I'm playing along with Christmas Craft Creations July Challenge  - Patterned Paper.

I have lots of Christmas papers in my stash, but don't use them often enough.  Today I used a piece I've had for at least a year.  The snowflakes are printed onto a brown background.  I thought it would make a good backdrop for my Santa with Rudolph (Jingle Friends from Penny Black).   :)

Santa and Rudolph are stamped in black ink and heat embossed with clear before watercolouring with DOX inks.  I tore a piece of white card stock and used it for the snow for them to stand on, with the patterned paper in the background.  The sentiment (Festive Snippets from Penny Black) is stamped in Candied Apple DOX inks.

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This was a fun card to make! :)

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Stamps:  Jingle Friends (Penny Black); Festive Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); A Ginergread Christmas Patterned Paper - retired (Echo Park)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Oxides:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Ground Espresso, Mowed Lawn, Black Soot (Tim Holtz); Flesh, Light Gray (Zigs)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, paint brushes, white acrylic pen, Clear wink of stella, crystal glaze (Nuvo)

Challenges:

Christmas Craft Creations July Challenge - Patterned Paper

Beautiful Edge Die

Hi everyone.  I'm sharing a card using a beautiful edge die (Edged Wildflower Die - Altenew) that I received from a dear friend for my birthday last month.  Isn't it beautiful??!!

I pulled out a smooshed background that I made about seven months ago.  At the time, I had leftover ink from another smooshed background that I used for THIS CARD.  I smooshed the leftover ink, let the card dry and added it to my stash of backgrounds to use later.  Today is the day! :)

I thought this was the perfect background to add some colour and visual texture from the ink smooshed design.  To finish, I wanted a sentiment that reflected how I was feeling when I received this lovely gift.  This is from the Special Sentiments stamp set (Penny Black).  I've mailed the card to my sweet friend and hopefully she has received it by now.

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Because this is the first time using this lovely edge die, I'm sending this card over to the NBUS Challenge #40.

* * * * *

Wanted to share a photo of a painting I received a couple of days ago ...

Acrylics by Jeremy Thompson

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Stamps:  Special Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Edged Wildflower Die (Altenew)

Challenges:
NBUS Challenge #40

Sparkly Christmas Trees

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card I made for the Rudolph Days July Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes.

I started by pressing Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet distress inks onto my mat, spritzing with water, and then smooshing (pressing, turning, dragging) a piece of mixed media paper through the wet inks.  While my smooshed piece was drying, I die-cut this pretty die (Alpine Trees from Memory Box - retired) from white card stock.  I used a paint brush to add some glue to the tips fo the trees and along the snow line.  I sprinkled with glitter and used a piece of scrap paper to press the glitter into the glue.  I left it to dry.  Unfortunately, the camera didn't capture the pretty sparkle of this card.

I mounted the die-cut onto my smooshed card front and then stamped the sentiment (Believe from Penny Black) in more of the Wilted Violet ink.  To finish, I splattered the whole card with diluted white frost acrylic paint ... you can see a little of the pearl shimmer in the photos. :)

Close-up ...

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Stamps:  Believe (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock(Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media card (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Salty Ocean, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Water mister, Alpine Trees die - retired (Memory Box), glue, iridescent glitter (SU!)

Challenges:
Rudolph Days July Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Happy Birthday Flowers

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the Seize the Birthday Challenge #243 - Purple, Blue, and Green.  The challenge is being run by my sweet friend, Colleen.  I LOVE this colour combo and I'm so happy I had a chance to play along. :)

I started with a piece of watercolour paper, sprinkled with three colours of Brushos (Violet, Turquoise, Leaf Green) and spritzed with lots of water.  I love the deep, saturated colours you get from Brushos.  Once the panel was dry, I cut it to size and then splattered with diluted silver re-inker.  I die-cut a row of flowers in white card stock and secured it over top of my Brushos panel.  I stamped the sentiment (Stampendous Brushed Wishes - retired) using Silver Delicata ink.  I die-cut the flowers (Memory Box Painted Flower Stems - retired) a second time so I could layer another flower head on top, which gives the flowers more depth ... this was to cover up a stray brushos that ended up on one of my original row of flowers. :)  I finished by glued silver half-pearls to the centers of my flowers.

Close-up ...

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Stamps:  Brushed Wishes - retired (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Hot Press Watercolour Paper (Arches)
Ink:   Brushos:  Violet, Turquoise, Leaf Green; Silver Delicata (Tsukinecko)
Accessories:   water mister, Painted Flower Stems die - retired (Memory Box); paint brush for splattering, silver half pearls (Studio Katia)

Challenges:
Seize the Birthday #243 - Purple, Blue, and Green

Penny Black - Recollection

Hi everyone.  I'm here with one of the latest dies from Penny Black (Recollection).  This lovely layered flower can be coloured in lots of different ways and colours, but today I made it into a poppy. :)

I started with the background, sponging the bottom portion of my card front with Wild Honey distress ink over the Zigs and Zags stencil from Penny Black.

The flower (Recollection) is sponged with distress inks:  Back layer is sponged with Candied Apple; middle layer is sponged first with Candied Apple and then Fired Brick on top (to give it a bit of the brightness from Candied Apple); center is sponged with Black Soot.  Finally, the stem is sponged with Peeled Paint.  I glued the flower layers together only in the center so I could lift some of the petals to create dimension.

I glued the stem onto the card front with stenciling and added the flower over top, popped up on foam for added dimension.  To finish, I stamped the sentiment Penny Black's Smiles (30-802) in black ink and clear embossed so it stands out over top of the zigs and zags stenciling.

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Thank you for stopping by!

Penny Black Products

Recollection (51-740)

Zigs and Zags Stencil (25-010)

Smiles (30-802)

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Stamps:  Smiles (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Wild Honey, Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Black Soot (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:  Recollection flower die (Penny Black); Zigs and Zags Stencil (Penny Black); sponges, clear embossing powder, heat tool  

July CAS Christmas Reminder - Santa

Hi everyone.  We are over half way through July already!!  Time for a reminder of the CAS Christmas  challenge this month ... Santa.  Hosted by the wonderful Barb, she wants us to include Santa (or Santa-inspired elements) on our CAS creations.

I pulled out a NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) stamp from Stamping Bella (Santa and his Reindeer - retired)  that I've had for a long time.  This cute Santa and a couple of his reindeer are stamped in black ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then used the Falling Snow stencil from Simon Says Stamp to add white textured paste to the top of my card panel, making sure to avoid being too close to my image.

Once the paste was dry, the image was watercoloured using distress inks.  I used my soft gray zig marker to add details to his mustache and beard ... and to create the snowhill.

To finish the card, I stamped the sentiment (Christmas Sentiments - Gina Marie Designs) under the sleigh in black ink, heat embossing in clear.

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I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the wonderful reminder cards from our Designers.

And I hope to see you soon in the challenge gallery!

Since this was the first time using this stamp, I'm sending my card over to the NBUS #40 Challenge.  I took so long to finally ink this up, that it is now retired. :)

And, I'm sending this card to the Merry Little Christmas Challenge #45.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Santa and his Reindeer (Stamping Bella); Christmas Sentiments (Gina Marie Designs)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Fired Brick, Wilted Violet, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Brushed Corduroy, Rusty Hinge, Walnut Stain, Black Soot (Tim Holtz); Zig Light Gray marker
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder (Ranger), Falling Snow stencil (Simon Says Stamp), White Texture Paste (Dreamweaver), palette knife, paint brushes

Challenges:
CAS Christmas July Challenge - Santa

NBUS #40 Challenge

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #45

July CAS Mix Up Reminder

Hi everyone.  We are half way through July and it's time for the CAS Mix Up Reminder.

This time I've used Lindy's Magical powders, spritzed with water to create a watercolour background.

The butterfly is part of a stencil from STAMPlorations called Flutterby Stencil.  I masked off the other butterflies before adding embossing paste over the largest butterfly.  I quickly sprinkled with silver embossing powder and then let it dry before heat setting.  

I embossed white card stock with the Blossom Field embossing folder (Simon Says Stamp), then die-cut a curved edge using a long-retired die.  I was stumped for a while as to where to add my sentiment.  I finally settled on adding a small black banner with silver embossing, held to the card with a staple.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up! - Endless Birthday Wishes, another long retired set that is only getting it's first inking after years in my NBUS box! :)

Adding this card to the NBUS #40 Challenge ...

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I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see more CAS "Things with Wings" cards from our Designers.

Then come play along with this fun watercolour challenge.  There's still nine days left before the challenge closes.

Hope to see you in the gallery!

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Stamps:  Endless Birthday Wishes - retired (SU!)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Magicals (Lindy); Versamark 
Accessories:   Flutterby stencil (STAMPlorations), Embossing Paste (Dreamweaver), palette knife, silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, staple

Challenges:
July CAS Mix Up Reminder

NBUS #40 Challenge

Penny Black - Gladness

Hi everyone.  Today is another new stamp from the latest Penny Black release, called Gladness (40-854).  I created this card for a very special friend's birthday, which was three days ago.  I hope she's received my card in time. :)

I stamped the bouquet of flowers onto mixed media paper in Gray Granite dye ink (SU!) and heat embossed with clear.  I stamped a second time onto a scrap piece of mixed media paper, making sure all the flowers fit, but didn't worry about the stems.

I watercoloured all the flowers with distress inks:  Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Mowed Lawn.  I fussy cut the blooms from the flowers stamped on the scrap piece and set aside.

To add a focus on the middle part of the bouquet, using a circle die as my template and a pencil, I drew a circle over top, having the circle go off the page slightly.  I used a piercing tool to poke holes around the circle at about 1/8" intervals.  I erased the pencil circle.

I stamped the sentiment Not Older, Better (30-896) in the upper left corner in the same Gray Granite as the flowers, heat embossing with clear.  I attached the card front to my card base and then added the fussy-cut blooms over top of my card front, adding some pop dots for added dimension.

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I'm sending this card to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes with Optional Spots and/or Stripes.  I've added paper piercing to create a dotty (or spotty) background for my flowers. :)  This is my second entry.

And I'm sending this card to The Flower Challenge #70 - CAS.  I created a CAS design using some stamping, watercolouring and a little piercing. :)

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Penny Black Products

Gladness (40-854)

Not Older, Better (30-896)

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Gladness; Not Older, Better (both from Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Gray Granite (SU!); Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Candied Apple, Mowed Lawn, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour brushes, Piercing tool

Challenges:
PBSC - Anything Goes with optional:  Spots and/or Stripes

The Flower Challenge #70 - CAS

Rocker Card

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing my first attempt at a Rocker Card.  This is the challenge at Just Us Girls #640 this week.

I have never made one of these cards before, but after seeing the adorable cards made by the JUGS Design Team, I had to give it a try.  When I saw the cards, I thought the shape looked like a watermelon slice ... I went with that.  I die cut a circle, folded in half and then sponged (masking as I went).  Used Mowed Lawn and Rustic Wilderness distress inks for the rind, and Picked Raspberry and Festive Berries for the center.  Used a black marker to draw the seeds.

 

I then looked through my stamps to find an image that would be hanging over the edge and this sweet dog (retired from Impression Obsession) was perfect (sponged him with distress inks).  I originally constructed the background panel with the dog image and sentiment combined.  Attached to my watermelon slice and the darn thing was too top heavy. :)  I have to admit that I didn't watch the video on how to make these cards ... I just winged it.  So I removed the dog from the panel, cut down the sentiment and attached it behind the dog with a thin piece of card stock.  Better, but still not centered so I had to add a few pieces to the back to weight it until it sat straight. :)  Trial and error.  Should have watched the video! :)

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Thanks to Carol Mc of JUGS for the fun challenge!

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Stamps:  Dog - retired (Impression Obsession); Sweetest (sentiment - Avery Elle)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Clear embossing powder, sponges, black marker (Sharpie), white marker (Posca) 

Challenges:

Just Us Girls #640 - Rocker Card

Penny Black - Courier

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card using the new die from Penny Black - Courier (51-734).  I've also used one of the new stamps from the So Thankful set (30-914), masking off a bit to have a simple "Thanks".

Before I created the bird on the branch, I worked on the background.  This is a stencil monoprint of the Penny Black Promenade stencil (25-001), which I've had for ages. :)  For the stencil monoprint, I randomly pressed two colours of distress inks (Peeled Paint, Chipped Sapphire) onto the stencil; spritzed with water and then flipped the wet side of the inky stencil onto a piece of mixed media paper.  I blotted with paper towel (which keeps the cutout of the stencil design clean white), leaving the background with lots of colour.  This is my favourite stencil technique. :)  

Blotting all the excess ink and water created a soft, dreamy looking leavy background for my lovely bird on a branch die, which I sponged with more Chipped Sapphire distress ink on the bird's body, along with two shades of brown ink for the branch.  I die-cut a second bird, using just the wing to glue on top of my bird to add dimension.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Products

Courier (51-734)

So Thankful (30-914)

Promenade Stencil (25-001)

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Thank you.

Stamps:  So Thankful (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Peeled Paint, Chipped Sapphire (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Promenade stencil (Penny Black); Courier die (Penny Black)