Essentials by Ellen Mod Floral Die

 

It's no secret that I LOVE dies. My die collection has nearly outgrown my stamps 

and I'm not complaining. In fact, I went out to get a bigger container!

 

Ellen Hutson's newest Essentials by Ellen Release has a Mod Floral Die that I

just HAD to have after seeing Kelly Griglione work her magic with it. I ordered it

on the day of the release and a few days later, it arrived in my mailbox. Yay!

 

 

 Then I pulled out my neglected Kuretake Zig markers and went to work.

 I wet the diecut piece with my water brush, then tapped color on with the Zig 

markers. I was planning to make two cards and painted two diecuts nearly 

identical and at the last minute, I layered them and I'm so glad that I did.

The sentiment is from the Mondo Tulips Stamp set which I'll play with when I 

have the time. But for now, I'll think of different color combos and play with

the Mod Floral die a teeny bit more.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Flower Challenge #55 -- Pretty Pastels

I'm entering a new to me challenge -- The Flower Challenge and their theme is Pretty Pastels. 

Here's my card using Altenew's Tulip 3D Embossing Folder. After embossing the image

I used their ink blending tool and applied color lightly on the blooms. Then I started

coloring the leaves.

At first glance, the coloring looks ok, but I have to confess that I dropped the ink blending tool

not once, but TWICE, as I was coloring the leaves. Here's a close up of the boo boo.

Luckily, the brush happened to fall near to the leaves. Twice.

 

I thought about tossing the panel but if you squint, it's not too bad. I trimmed the panel and 

adhered it to a gray card base. The sentiment was cut from gold card stock and the shadow 

was cut from vellum. I spattered the image with gold ink, then adhered the sentiment.

 

If I have time, I'll attempt a second card...and hold on tight to that blending tool.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 * * *

I'm thrilled that my card was selected as an Honourable Mention! Thanks so much,

Flower Challenge!

Inspired By Challenge -- Wrap Me Up in Spring

I made some time to join this week's Inspired by Challenge. I was totally inspired

by the flowers and used supplies from four stamp companies on my card.

 

 

This is the first time that I'm using Hero Arts' Watering Can Die. I'm not sure why

the watering can turned out the color that it did because I ink distressed white

card stock with Pumice Stone distress ink. Must be my Pic Monkey editing.

The tulips and fillers were cut from white card stock and colored with Copic 

markers. The can was grounded on a strip of diagonal striped paper and

finished off with the Penny Black sentiment.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Inspired by Challenge -- Spring into Color

 

For the latest Inspired by Challenge, I was totally inspired by team member Michele and

 her gorgeous take on the inspiration photo. Go on, click on the link and prepare to be blown away.

 

I decided to use Altenew's Crocus Layering Stamp and Die Set and Laurel's sketch for my card.

 

 

When I Googled crocus, I didn't see pretty red or pink crocuses. Mine look more like

tulips. I'm calling them fantasy flowers. I used Altenew inks--love that they come in sets

of three or four that makes life so much simpler. 

I cut them out with the matching dies and adhered them to a mini slimline card. I white

embossed the Penny Black sentiment, rounded off the top corner and called it done.

I think the crocus gods are frowning down on me. Thanks for stopping by!

One Cup at a Time

 

I'm linking up one project to the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Hop on the

very last day, just under the wire. Thank goodness for DST. I think I made it.

 

Here's my card, using a panel of stenciled flowers that wasn't perfect but

works out fine for a ceramic coffee cup.

I've been playing with layered stencils and Altenew's Hill Blossoms arrived 

together with their detailed blending brushes. I am super messy, no matter how

much I mask. So a smudged panel was cut with a Marianne Design mug die

and inked around the edges.

 

I ran a kraft card base through an old embossing folder for a bit of texture, and

remembered to stamp the sentiment before that for a better impression.

I trimmed the panel a bit to let the cup extend beyond the edges, then

popped up the mug.

 

Thanks to Amy, and her Coffee Crew for another successful hop! 

* * * 

 

Edited to add: My card was chosen as a Designer Pick by Helen!

Thank you so much!

Waffle Flower March Challenge -- Greenery

 

I haven't been consistent about keeping up with Facebook, but I got an invitation to

participate in Waffle Flower's March Challenge with a Greenery theme.

 

I was going to pass but remembered that I bought their Spring Leaves Dies and with the

Peerless Watercolors that arrived, I decided to join the challenge.

I painted some watercolor paper with different colors of Peerless watercolors then

cut out the small leaf shape. The outline was cut from gold card stock then adhered

over the solid piece a little off center. 

I adhered them to a white card base then gold embossed the sentiment. I spattered

some gold ink and rounded off a bottom corner. Oh, and I "joojed" (a Laurafadora 

term) the top part of the outline leaves for a bit of dimension.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Inspired By Challenge -- Take a Number

I'm entering the latest Inspired By Challenge just under the wire.

Where did February go??

 

 Here's my take on the challenge theme.

This Penny Black die is one of my all time favorites and I thought it would work for 

the challenge. I die cut watercolor card stock and inked it with warm Distress inks

then spattered it with gold ink. A gold embossed sentiment finished off the card.

Ok, I'm off to enter the challenge. Thanks for stopping by!

Embossing Folder Pop!

 

Jennifer McGuire recently shared a technique using 3D embossing folders

and a sanding block that she called Embossing Folder Pop. Taking away color with

the sanding block lets the embossed images pop and appear to have highlights.

I remembered that I had some Stampin' Up sanding blocks so I inked a panel and

ran it through Altenew's Beautiful Bergenia embossing folder. Then I started

lightly sanding the raised areas on the panel. 

Either my sanding block is too old, or my hand is too heavy because too much

color was taken away. I ended up swiping the surface with a white pigment ink 

pad and I liked the results much better. A gold diecut "hello" finished off the card.

I'm determined to try this again, with my order of Altenew's newest 3D embossing 

folders on its way and a lighter hand at sanding.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Simon Says Stamp Make a Slimline and Giveaway Winner!

The newest Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is Make a Slimline.

 

I'm currently obsessed with 3D embossing folders and just received Memory Box

Blooming 3D folder. I planned to emboss a slimline panel twice to form a 

continuous design.

It took me several tries and this is the best result I could get. Don't look too

closely--I managed to cover up the "seam" with part of the sentiment. After

embossing the panel, I inked Altenew dye inks with their large blender

brushes and I must admit, they are AWESOME!! 

The flat surface of the brush is flat helps to keep the color on the raised parts

and very little ink goes on the rest of the background although I may have used

a heavy hand. 

 

I adhered the panel onto a light gray card base then diecut the sentiment from gold 

and white card stock and adhered them to the card. Sequins finished off the card.

* * * * *

 

My apologies for the tardiness in announcing the winner of my recent

giveaway. Random.org has chosen Dee and Dee, I'll be contacting 

you sometime this week.

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway and/or joined the last

CAS(E) this Sketch!

Altenew Creativity Inspired: Memorable Monograms

When Altenew's Creativity Inspired Contest popped up in my mailbox, I thought

I'd enter so that I could a) finally use their alpha dies that I've had for a while, and

b) crank out another Valentine card. 

 

 

I snuck in a bit of my favorite Altenew washi tape, too. Adhered it to white card stock

then cut out LOVE. I used a lined stamp and created a tone on tone plaid design

with Versamark ink on dark gray card stock. 

 

I die cut the "You" and inked it with pink dye ink, then adhered it over the O.

Some iridescent sequins finished off the card.

I'm not sure if my card fits the criteria for the contest but it was fun to make,

Thanks so much for stopping by!