Precious Little One

Hello friends, I hope you've had a good week and are looking forward to the weekend!  Tonight I'm sharing a card made with the current challenges at Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches.  I'm also joining the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme this week is Anything Goes.

CTD 582

FMS 424

I decided to use a new to me stamp set that I won as a random prize during the last 30 Day Coloring Challenge (thank you Kathy Rac!!).  It is a delightful Hero Arts stamp set with retro critters, and when thinking of the CTD colors, I chose a darling bear holding a heart nearly as big as she is!

I used my Copic markers to color up the image with the challenge colors, plus adding a neutral warm gray to ground the bear then die cutting with a stitched circle die.  I remembered I had some long retired SU patterned paper in a kraft color, so I pulled out sheets to create the banner and the background.  For the background piece, I decided to color the tiny hearts with the bright pink to kind of tie everything together, then adhered it to a slightly larger panel of aqua card.

After adding the background pieces to the card base, I trimmed down the banner and popped it up on foam tape with die cut focal image partially overlapping.  Finally, I heat embossed the sentiment in dark brown ink, die cut it and also popped it up on foam tape.

Thanks so much for visiting, I really appreciate it!  Enjoy your weekend!

Stef


Stamps:  From the Vault Cute Animals (Hero Arts), Small Phrases (Verve)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Sea Glass (Simon Says Stamp), Love Blossoms dsp (SU ret.)
Ink:  Gina K Chocolate Truffle Amalgam, Versafine Clair Pinecone
Other:  Stitched Shapes Framelit circle (ret. SU), Scallop A2 Rectangle die (Honey Bee), Hero Arts clear embossing powder
Copics:  E37, 33, 31, 30, R22, 20, RV09, 06, 02, BG10, 000, 0000, W3, 0

You Are Loved

Hello friends and welcome back!  It's time for a new Color Challenge at Splitcoaststampers!  Chris is hosting this week and has chosen the luscious combo of Pretty Peacock, Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive, with a dessert option to use vellum.  I hope you'll join us this week!

I'm also playing along with The Flower Challenge, where this month's theme is to add leaves.

The Flower Challenge #41-Add Flowers

The purple reminded me of the Hellebores in my garden back in Sherwood, they should be blooming by now (but not here in Idaho), so I decided to color up three for this challenge, using Copic markers similar to the challenge colors.  The Old Olive is hard to see but I guarantee it's there in the flower center and glazed over a portion of the deep teal leaves.

When the coloring was complete I die cut the flowers and leaves then set about working on the card base.  I wanted to anchor the flowers somehow, so I settled on a white die cut frame.  This also worked to provide an edge around the vellum panel with the white heat embossed sentiment.

After adhering the frame to the Fog card base, the flowers and leaves were added to the corner and three iridescent jewels around the sentiment.

Thanks so much for visiting, it's always appreciated!  Have a great week!

Stef


Stamps:  Even More Spring Flowers (Simon Says Stamp), That is All (WPlus9)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Fog (SSS), Vellum
Ink:  Gina K Obsidian Amalgam, Versamark
Other:  Stitched Rectangle Scallop Edge Frame Die (MFT), Even More Spring Flowers companion dies, Lucy's Iridescent Jewels, Tonic Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen
Copics: RV69, 66, 63 - Flowers; BG 78, 75, 72, YG95 - Leaves; G99, 94, YG95 - Flower Center

Celebrate You for The Paper Players!

Hello friends!  It's Sunday, which means there's a new challenge at The Paper Players!  This week the lovely LeAnne has brought us a wonderful sketch to use for our creative endeavors.  I think it's so versatile I could definitely see myself using this one again in the future.

The Paper Players

I'm also joining the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is to add a sentiment.

This sketch worked perfectly for a frame die I acquired a while back but never used.  I decided to do an ombre background, with the lightest color at the top moving to the darker and more vibrant at the bottom.  I chose three shades of Distress Ink to use for this background - Shaded Lilac, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet.  This is one of the Distress Oxide blending groups Kristina Werner shared on her blog last year but of course it works beautifully with regular Distress Inks as well.  Here is a link to the first of the seven DOX ink blending posts she completed from late January through March 2019, if you're interested.

I taped down a piece of watercolor paper to a hardboard then used my flat brush to apply water over the entire panel.  Then I used the same brush to pick up the inks one by one, starting with the lightest and moving to the darkest.  I did tip the panel up and down to get the colors to move and unfortunately most of the lightest color disappeared and what was 3 colors ended up looking more like four or five LOL!  However, I LOVE these shades and after the panel dried I sprayed it heavily with sheer shimmer spray and that baby sparkles like crazy IRL!  I think the photos show it a little bit.

While the panel was drying I used the frame die to cut four frames, three from white card and the fourth with white glitter paper, because I don't think there can ever be tooo much sparkle!  I glued the four layers together and adhered it to the dried panel.  I decided a sentiment white embossed on a black strip would work well with this card, so I pulled out my Tiny Words stamp set and found one that fit the space.  Lastly, the panel was mounted with foam tape on the white card base.

That's it for this week!  I do hope you'll use the link above and join us at The Paper Players for this week's challenge!

Thanks for visiting, I always appreciate it!  Have a great week!

Stef


Stamps:  Tiny Words (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Black, Arches Coldpress 140# watercolor, Glitter White (SSS)
Ink:  Versamark; Shaded Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet Distress Inks
Other:  Carnation Frame die (SSS), Tsukineko Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray, Alabaster White embossing powder (Brutus Monroe)

Stylish Birthday

Hello friends!  I have a card to share that I made for three challenges - Sunday Stamps (sketch), Seize the Birthday (white space) and Just Us Girls (color).  I used these three fabulous challenges as an opportunity to use some long neglected products to make this card.

SSC 224

STB 183

Just Us Girls 523

I started with a gorgeous piece of patterned paper with gold print of floral images over a light script.  I've hoarded collected some lovely patterned papers over the years and this card was a great opportunity to use one of these lovelies! It was trimmed down to A2 size then cut with a frame die that took out a skinny frame about a quarter from the paper edge, which was replaced with a gold frame when all the paper pieces were adhered to the Ivory card base. This followed the sketch element and also gave a bit of added interest to the background.

Next I worked on the tag.  I've had a trio of PTI tag dies for years (they're probably retired by now) but never used them often due to size and that they're solid, which means you can't center over a stamped image, instead you must stamp your sentiment after die cutting the tag.  Well, if you mess up the stamping, then you have to go back to square one.  Now my Misti eliminates that problem, so I will probably use these tag dies more often.  The sentiment, from an old PTI sentiment set, was stamped in black pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  While this sentiment may no longer be available, there are plenty of newer sentiment stamps out that could easily replicate this.

Finally, the tag was popped up on the card with foam tape, then a black satin bow and gold glitter Crystal's added as the finishing touches.

I'm so happy with how this turned out and will use it for a dear friend's birthday coming up next month.

Thanks so much for visiting, it's always appreciated!!  Have a great day!

Stef


Stamps:  Stylish Sentiments: Birthdays (PTI)
Paper:  Ivory (Simon Says Stamp), Tonic Gold Mirror Card, Heart of Home patterned paper (Jen Hadfield)
Ink:  Versamark
Other:  Tag die (PTI), A2 Thin Frame die (SSS), Clear and Gold embossing powders (Hero Arts), Black Satin ribbon (ret. SU), Gold Sparkle crystals (Studio Katia)

Cactus Love

Hello friends and welcome back!  It's time for a new Color Challenge at Splitcoaststampers!  Barbara is hosting this week and has chosen the lovely combo of Terracotta Tile, Coastal Cabana and Granny Apple Green, with a dessert option to use an embossing folder.  Unfortunately I had to skip dessert this week because it wouldn't work with my design.

I wanted to make an unconventional Valentine for my husband because we really don't celebrate this holiday in the traditional sense, but it's part of my dna as a card maker to make a card if there's an occasion!  And because my husband is a major green thumb and loves cactus and succulents, the Suzy's Watercolor Print worked perfectly along with this week's CC colors!

I used Copic markers in colors similar to the challenge colors along with four that are similar to Stampin' Up neutrals Merry Merlot, Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso and Crumb Cake.  I tried to mix up the colors of the plants, sometimes even laying down a blue green before coloring with the yellow greens, just to change things up.

I started by coloring the background in a light brown to avoid inadvertently touching one of the darker colors and pulling it into the background.  After everything was colored I used a white gel pen on some of the pots to create a design.  When all was complete, the panel was die cut with a stitched wonky rectangle die and the sentiment die cut with a circle die, added with foam squares and the entire panel added to the Coastal Cabana base with fun foam.  

Thanks so much for visiting, I really appreciate it!  I hope you'll join us for the Color Challenge this week!

Stef


Stamps:  Spoken Bird (sentiment, Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit February 2018)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Coastal Cabana, Suzy's Succulents Watercolor Prints (Simon Says Stamp)
Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
Other: Wonky Rectangle die (SSS), Infinity Circle die (Hero Arts)

Copics:  
Terracotta pots:  E19, 08, YR18, 15, 14, 21
Bluegreen pots:  BG13, 11, 10
Plants:  Granny Apple Green-YG67, 17, 23; Mossy Meadow-G46, 43, 40; Coastal Cabana-BG13, 11, 01, YG13
Flowers:  R89, 39, 37
Wood shelves:  E49, 47; Background: E41
Shading on "white":  T4, 2

Friends Forever

Friends forever.  Do you have a friend like that, who has been part of your life for a long, long time?  I have one who has been like a sister to me for most of my adult life.  We don't see one another often, but when we do, it's like the conversation picks up like we'd been together just yesterday.  This card is for her.

The tulips were colored with Copic markers and die cut with matching dies.  I found a panel of embossed white card in my stash that I thought would add some nice texture, trimmed it down and added to the lavender card base.

Next I took a smaller panel of white card to use as the main focal point, stamped the sentiment in gray in the upper right corner so the tulips could lie across the panel without covering it up, then used a splatter stamp to add more gray, and interest, on the white panel.

I popped the tulips up on the small panel with thin foam adhesive, then used regular sized foam tape to add the whole thing to the base.  I would have added some sequins but I wanted to keep the card more mail friendly so I can send it off to my friend this week.

I'm joining the current challenges at Color Throwdown and Fresh Made Sketches, which acted as the design inspiration for my card.

ctd #580

FMS #422

Thanks for visiting,  it's always appreciated!

Until next time,

Stef


Stamps:  Sketch Tulip Bouquet (Simon Says Stamp), Mini Everyday Messages (Mama Elephant), Gorgeous Grunge (ret. SU)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Lavender (SSS)
Ink:  Gina K Jet Black amalgam, Hickory Smoke and Black Soot DOX
Other:  Tulip matching die, retire SU embossing Folder
Copics: V17, 15, 01, 000, YG67, 17, 03

Woodland Carpet for The Paper Players!

Welcome, I hope you're having a good weekend!  It's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players and the fabulous Jaydee is hosting this week.  Her challenge is to make a Clean and Simple card with woodland critters.

The Paper Players

For my card, I used a gorgeous stamp set from Power Poppy called Woodland Carpet.  I decided to make a tri-fold card and used both the larger images on the front and the first interior panel, then to the last panel I used two smaller images to leave room for a written message.  I cut the card base to a 11 x 5 1/2" card base, then scored at 3 5/8" from each end so the card stands narrower than a typical A2 sized card.

I used my Misti to stamp each panel and place the sentiments were I wanted them.  I then colored it all with my Copic markers.  There is a lot of detail in each stamp, so it took me two coloring sessions to get it done.  It was definitely a labor of love, but totally worth it!

I used dots to create the texture of the ground, starting with the lightest and then darker with each layer.  I love all the exquisite detail such as the robin catching a worm and the fabulous mushrooms!

This panel has the little snail tucked in by the leaves and the beautiful butterfly alit on the fern.  And more fabulous mushrooms!  This card actually has a bit of a story behind it.  My husband and I moved to Idaho last fall, where he lived for nearly 30 years before moving to Oregon where we met.  He's often told me about many fabulous outdoor places here but we haven't had a chance to fully explore until now, hence the sentiment.  I plan on giving this to him for his upcoming birthday.  Good thing he likes non-traditional cards!

Thank you for visiting, it's always so appreciated!  I hope you'll join us at The Paper Players this week for Jaydee's challenge!

Stef


Stamps:  Woodland Carpet (Power Poppy)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White
Ink:  Gina K Black Amalgam, Versafine Clair Nocturne (sentiments)
Other:  Copic Multiliner, Sakura White Gelly Roll pen, Copic markers

Friendship Blooms

It's time for a new Color Challenge at Splitcoaststampers and I am the host this week!  I've chosen Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie and Pool Party with a dessert option to add texture.

For my card I stamped the beautiful Friendship Blooms floral stamp and accompanying sentiment on a piece of white card stock.  This is a very large bouquet, so I angled it off the right edge of the panel, leaving room for the sentiment in the lower left corner.

I used a blend of Copic markers similar to the mango and pumpkin colors for the flowers and then used blue greens as a halo around the bouquet.  The leaves were colored with markers similar to Mossy Meadow, a Stampin' Up neutral.  A white gel pen was used to add interest to the flower centers and also color the berries.

Next I took a larger panel of Mango Melody, ran it through the Big Shot with a wood 3D embossing folder for the dessert texture option, adhered the main panel and wrapped it all with some hemp twine.  Foam tape was added to the back, then added to the Pool Party card base.  

Thanks so much for visiting, I really appreciate it!  I hope you'll be able to join us for the Color Challenge this week!

Stef


Stamps:  Friendship Blooms (Hero Arts and Gina K Designs)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Mango Melody, Pool Party
Ink:  Gina K Jet Black Amalgam
Other:  Hemp twine, Sakura White Gelly Roll pen, Lumber 3D embossing folder (Tim Holtz)
Copics:  BG11, 0000, YR18, 07, 16, Y17, G46, 43, 40

Enjoy the Ride for The Paper Players!

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at The Paper Players.  This week the fabulous Ann is bringing us a timely Color Challenge!

The Paper Players

I'd already made plenty of Valentine's cards, so I thought it would be fun to use these colors for Vienna, who is obviously enjoying her pretty pink Vespa!

The cool thing about Stamping Bella is that they provide their customers with coloring maps, which helped me more with the shading than the coloring choices since I was using the challenge colors.  Those pleats on her skirt were tricky but fun to try, and having that map really helped.  I hope to color Vienna and her Vespa again soon and add a scene in the background.  But for this card and it being the first time I've used this stamp, I felt challenged enough just coloring this tiny image with my Copics!

After the coloring was complete, the panel was die cut then adhered to a slightly offset piece of red cardstock, then added to the black card base with thin foam adhesive.  The sentiment is from the same stamp and was also die cut and popped up with foam tape.  And that finishes my card!

Thanks for visiting, I always appreciate it so much!  I hope you'll join us this week for this fun color challenge at The Paper Players!

Stef


Stamps:  Uptown Girl Vienna and her Vespa (SB)
Paper:  Neenah Solor White, Poppy Parade (SU), Black
Ink:  Gina K Jet Black Amalgam, Versafine Clair Nocturne
Other:  Stitched Rectangle dies (Simon Says Stamp)
Copics:  RV 23, 21, 10, 00, R39, 37, 35, 32, 20 C9, 6, 4, 3, 1, W3, 0, E29, 37, 33 11, 00, 0000

Sending Love

Hello again!  This is my second post today and my last (!) Valentine for 2020.  Scroll down in you want to check out the cute Bundle girl card.  I am joining the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is "With Love".

For this card I started by blending three Distress Oxide inks on a panel of white card stock, which is a combo (Tattered Rose, Abandoned Coral, Seedless Preserves) shared by Kristina Werner in her Distress Oxide Combos series last summer.  After the ink blending was complete I used a heart stencil and some luscious, sparkly Moonstone Glimmer past to layer on the hearts.  Then I set the panel aside to dry.

In the meantime, I took a strip of vellum and heat embossed part of the sentiment, die cut and adhered the word "love" from Copper Foil paper, wrapping it around the now dry stenciled panel.

Finally, the panel was adhered to the card base with fun foam.  Super easy but it looks like a million bucks with all that sparkle!

Thank you for visiting, it's always appreciated!  Check back tomorrow for my card for the new challenge at The Paper Players!

Stef


Stamps:  That is All (Wplus9)
Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Copper foil (ret. SU), vellum
Ink:  Tattered Rose, Abandoned Coral and Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide, Versamark
Other:  Drifting Hearts stencil (Memory Box), Script Words die (Altenew), Tonic Nuvo Moostone Glimmer Paste, Alabaster embossing powder (Brutus Monroe)

Falling Hearts

Hello friends!  I'm back with a Valentine's Day card that I'll be sending to one of my girlfriends.  I used the precious new Bundle Girl from Stamping Bella and kept my card relatively CAS.  I joining the current challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is "With Love".

I stamped the little sweetie on a panel of Neenah Solar White card stock, the colored her and the falling hearts with my Copic markers. The panel was then die cut on one side with the heart border die then layered on a bright pink card base.

The sentiment was stamped, trimmed down and added to the card with foam tape.  Super simple and I love how it turned out!  In fact, I made three in total, all to be sent to my girlfriends.  Since my husband and I moved out of state last fall, I am trying harder to keep in touch with my crew that I left behind.

Thanks for visiting, I appreciate it so much!  I will be back later today with another Valentine card and tomorrow morning is my new post for The Paper Players, so I hope you'll come back and check them out!

Stef


Stamps: Bundle Girl with Falling Hearts (SB), Teeny Tiny Wishes (retired SU)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Doll Pink (SSS)
Ink: Gina K Jet Black Amalgam, Versafine Clair Nocturne
Other: Stitched Heart Curved die (Poppy stamps)
Copics: E11, 00, 0000, R39, 37, RV95, 55, 52

Beary Good Birthday

Hello and welcome back!  I have a fun card to share that I made for our great nephew's upcoming 6th birthday!  He's learning to ski, so I thought he might get a kick out of this little group of polar bears in their snowy environment.   I'm joining the current challenge at Seize the Birthday where the "toppings" option  is creatures great and small.  Perfect!

STB #182

I started my card by creating a sky on a Bristol panel with Shaded Lilac distress ink, a cloud stencil and a blending brush.  I apologize for the lighting in the photos, it's a bit on the dark side even after photo editing.  We've had some cloudy days so it can be tricky to get the right timing to photograph!  Someday I may break down and get a light tent but most of the time it's not an issue.

After die cutting some snowy hills from white card stock, I blended a bit of Mermaid Lagoon on the tops, which was a mistake because the color didn't look right to me. So then I went over it with the lilac color and ended up with a bit darker color than originally planned for, but it helps the bears in the forefront stand out more (she rationalizes to herself ha, ha).

The sentiment was stamped on the front snowbank then both were adhered to the Bristol panel, with foam tape under the front one.  I fussy cut the bears then positioned them in the scene, with the seated bear popped up on foam tape.  Lots of dimension on this card, good thing it will be hand delivered!

Thanks so much for visiting, I always appreciate it!

Stef


Stamps: Polar Bear Pals (MFT)
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Strathmore Bristol
Ink:  Gina K Jet Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne, Shaded Lilac and Mermaid Lagoon Distress inks
Other:  Stitched Hillside Borders die (Lawn Fawn), Mini Cloud stencil (MFT)
Copics:  YG01, 07, B02, 00, C3, 0