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!

 

 

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!

Inspired By Challenge--Tweet Messages

 

I'm joining the latest Inspired By Challenge after I saw the graphic and theme.

 

I was inspired by the cute little bluebird, perched on the branch. I happened to have 

several PTI birds on hand and chose this one for my project.

 

 

I decided on the layout, then stamped the sentiment before running the panel through 

Memory Box's Pinpoint Leaf Plate. I adhered a couple of branches and the bird on top.

Off to enter the card. Thanks for stopping by!

Pinkfresh Studio January 2021 Challenge

 

This is a first for me--entering  a Pinkfresh Studio Challenge! Actually I'm working

in reverse. I made the card and saw the "Monthly Challenges" tab on the Pinkfresh 

Studio blog. Lo and behold, my card fits the month of August 2020 which was

FLORALS. Even the colors matched. Sorta.

 

Here's my slimline project.

I recently discovered Pinkfresh Studio's stamp and stencil sets after watching--who else?--

Jennifer McGuire demonstrate the layered stenciling and I was hooked. Sadly my Copics

are drying up and I'm too lazy to refill them so to have an alternative way of coloring

images was very enticing.

You can stamp the image, then use the stencil to fill in the outline, but I chose to just

stencil in the colors. So quick and easy! When it was time to die cut the image, I 

decided to stamp over the stenciling in gray ink so I could see the image better.

I used Pinkfresh Studio's Diagonal Stripe Stencil to add some light gray stripes on a 

stitched panel, then popped up the floral spray. A stamped sentiment and clear drops

finished off the card.

Have you tried layering stencils? Such a novel idea and a godsend for crafters

like me who are looking for alternative ways to color. Thanks for stopping by!

CAS(E) this Sketch #405 -- The Last Sketch & A Giveaway!

Well, here it is. The very last CAS(E) this Sketch, and Chrissy made this one a

two weeker so you'll have time to enter several cards and play with us. Let's stretch 

out this last challenge as long as we can 😉

 

Sketch #405 happens to be a retro sketch from April 25, 2013. Sketch #25 was also 

my debut as a design team member so this post is a bittersweet one. 

 

 

Here's my take on it back then.

And here's the 2021 version.

I changed the orientation so the succulent pots would be upright. They were gold 

embossed and colored with Zig markers and a waterbrush. I adhered them on a strip

of patterned paper, then finished off with a gold embossed sentiment.

* * * 

To commemorate the last CAS(E) this Sketch, I'd like to have a little giveaway

of some duplicates that I've had in my crafty stash. Truthfully, I wish that I could send 

you all a little something for the visits you've made and the comments you left

over the past seven years.

 

Since I LOVE dies, I gathered five for my giveaway: 

 

• Simon Says Stamp Thanks Frame
• Memory Box Dreamy Butterfly
• Memory Box Petite Umbrella
• Frantic Stamper Large Hello
• Frantic Stamper Quad Love 

 

To be eligible for the giveaway, just leave a comment here by Sunday, Feb 7th and I'll 

choose a winner and announce it a few days later. Easy peasy, right? And remember you 

have until Thursday, February 4th to share your card with us at CAS(E) this Sketch. 

Let's fill up the last gallery!

 

Special thanks to Chrissy, our fearless leader, for your patience and graciously

taking over the reins from Jackie Rockwell. You're the best! 

Fusion Card Challenge -- COCOA

I'm joining the first Fusion Card Challenge of the new year!  

 

Here's my card. I played with both the sketch and the photo. I turned the sketch to a

landscape format, and picked up the plaid and mugs from the photo.

At first, the mug looked like it was filled with coffee, so I threw in some marshmallows for 

good measure.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

* * *

 

 

Edited to add: My card was chosen as an Honorable Mention! Thank you, Fusion! 

CAS(E) this Sketch #404

It's the second to the last sketch for CAS(E) this Sketch. Meet Sketch #404

from our teammie Michelle.

 

To be  honest, I was stumped. I tried to find a banner stamp or even a paper airplane. 

No luck. So I squinted at the sketch and came up with this. Squint with me.

 

I wanted an excuse to use the Papertrey Ink bird after I saw Wanda Cullen use him

on her project. The leafy branches were cut from green card stock and inked and

highlighted. The gold embossed sentiment and rounded off corner finished the card.

Visit CAS(E) this Sketch to see how the rest of the team interpreted Michelle's

sketch and join us if you can. Link up your card(s) by Thursday, Jan 21st.

We hope to see you in the gallery!

CAS(E) this Sketch #403

This week's CAS(E) this Sketch #403 is a little number from me.

I really don't remember how this sketch came to be but as always, use the

sketch as a guide for your interpretation. 

 

Here's the sketch.

 

 And here's my take on it. Yes, I used "that" embossing folder again.

I'm not gonna promise that it's the last time, though. 😉

I inked it with orange Distress inks then trimmed it and added two strips of

contrasting colors above and below it. The die cut "Thanks" and sequins

finished off the card. I may have over simplified it a little....

Visit CAS(E) this Sketch to see how the rest of the team interpreted the sketch, 

and for some news on the future of CAS(E) this Sketch. Link up your card(s) 

by Thursday, Jan 14th and we hope to see you in the gallery!

Happy New Year and a Second Helping of CAS(E) this Sketch #402

Happy New Year, friends! Here's hoping that 2021 will be kinder to us all.

I'm sharing another card for CAS(E) this Sketch #402 since you still have a few

more days to play along with this three week challenge.

 

Here's another look at the sketch.

And here's my second take on it.

 

Can I just say that I'm in LOVE with Altenew's Beautiful Bergenia embossing folder?

It's a 3D folder which means you get a deeper impression and you really don't need

to dress it up--it can stand on its own.

I masked off a couple of diagonal strips and inked them with two shades of green.

then I ran it through the embossing folder and lightly brushed on orange and pink

Distress inks. I finished off with the CZ Design sentiment and some sequins.

Visit CAS(E) this Sketch to see how the rest of the team interpreted Chrissy's sketch

and play along with us using your new (or old) goodies!