Happy Sunflowers

Hi everyone.  Today  I'm sharing a card inspired by a few challenges.  This time I wanted to celebrate the upcoming Fall season with sunflowers.

I stamped these lovely sunflowers (Pop Sunflowers - Stampendous) in black ink and clear heat embossed before watercolouring with distress inks.  I die-cut an oval from an older die set that I rarely use, and dry embossed the oval using a new-to-me embossing folder (Mason Wall - Altenew).

This layout and design is curtesy of Ceal, following the challenge at AAA Birthday to CASE one of Ceal's beautiful cards (see photo below).  Thank so much for the inspiration Ceal!!

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Sending the above card to the following challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies - Spellbinder's Oval - rarely use this die.  Second entry

NBUS #78 Challenge - never-before-used-schtuff - first time using the mason wall EF

AAA Cards (CAS) #298 - Follow Ceal's Lead

Color Hues #117 - Orange and Green

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Pop Sunflowers (Stampendous); Spring Sentiments (Stampendous

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress inks:  Mowed Lawn, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Fired Brick, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, Oval die (Spellbinders Nestabilities), Mason Wall embossing folder (Altenew), 

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies

NBUS #78 Challenge - never-before-used-schtuff

AAA Cards (CAS) #298 - Follow Ceal's Lead

Color Hues #117 - Orange and Green

Smiles and Hugs

Hi everyone.  Today's card is inspired by AAA Colourful Challenge #19.  Gorgeous colours and I LOVE the photo of the beautiful fall leaves, but went a totally different way. :)

I recently got this adorable doggy die in the mail, and couldn't wait to play with it.  The colours of the challenge work perfectly for him.  Don't you love that patch over one eye! :)

To finish, I added sponging of two shades of pink and then framed it up in a "window".  I love that the paws are hanging over the edge, like he is ready to jump out and give a big, slurpy kiss to the recipient of this card. :)  Simple sentiment finishes the card.

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Sending this card to the following challenges:

AAA Colourful #19

Darnell's IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks.  There's a whole lot of ink sponging on this card. :)

NBUS #78 (never-before-used-schtuff) - Doggy die is new.

      

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Banner Sentiments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Coloured Card stock:  More Mustard, Chocolate chip, Natural (SU!); Rust Card stock (unknown)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Rusty Hinge, Ground Espresso, Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Doggy Die (AliExpress), Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders - retired), sponges, white acrylic paint pen (Posca)

Challenges:

AAA Colourful #19

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks

NBUS #78

Embossing with Dies - Group of Cardmakers

Hi everyone.  Today at Group of Cardmakers, we are sharing our experimenting of Embossing with Dies.  This is a super simple technique that uses your dies and makes them into an embossed image. :)

Check out the post at Group of Cardmakers for links to wonderful videos and more sample cards from Christine, Pat, & Susan.

First up, my fav card of this post ... a pretty Peace Rose.  I watercoloured the rose in colours of a Peace Rose that I had in my garden at my last house.  The bloom was a delicate pink.  The edges turn to soft yellow when it opens.  I stamped my flower in black ink, heat embossed in clear; then watercoloured using Distress inks.  I used the matching die to cut it out before mounting it on my debossed background of a pretty leaf die.

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Sending the above card to:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

* * * * *

A Christmas card featuring a holly die.  I created a deboss of the holly image for the background, then die-cut the same die from Mixed Media paper and watercoloured, placing it over top.  A simple sentiment is added to finish the card.

* * * * *

I've made two cards using a postage frame die.  And I used it two ways, embossed with the cut side of the die showing a thin outline; and debossed with the backside of the die recessed (thicker outline).  That is a bonus to this technique.  With most dies, you can use either side of the embossed image depending on the look you want.  See below two cards using the same die but different sides of the embossed impression. 

Thin outline of die (embossed)

Thick outline with die (debossed)

One more card with a different way of doing this technique.  Sorry for the long post, but as you can tell, I had a lot of fun playing! :) 

This time I used a stamp and matching die to stamp the flower onto mixed media paper, heat embossing in silver.  Then I watercoloured the image using Distress re-inkers.  I finished by placing the matching die over top of the image, but instead of cutting it out, I embossed the image so that my stamped image has it's own outline.  This also adds texture and a bit of dimension to my otherwise flat card. :)  It's subtle in the photo above, but so pretty IRL. :)

* * * * *

Bonus ... you can take a lot of your dies and turn them into embossed images, then use the same die to cut matching stencils to use over top of your images.  Lots and lots of options!

Thanks for stopping by!

Card #1:

Stamps:  Enchantingly (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black ink (Memento); Disttress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Delicate Leafy Branch die (Simon Says Stamp); Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, Enchantingly die (Penny Black), watercolour paint brushes

Card #2:

Stamps:  Happy Snippets (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Crackling Campfire, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Ground Espresso (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Posted die (Penny Black), Autumn Decor dies (Penny Black), sponges 

Card #3:

Stamps:  Love & Magic; Jolly Snippets (both Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Posted die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, red chalk

Card #4:

Stamps:  Handy Christmas Sentiments (Amy R - long retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Holly and Berry Branch die (Penny Black), watercolour brushes, Clear Wink of Stella, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Card #5:

Stamps:  Amazing Things (Pinkfresh Studios)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Versamark;  Distress Re-Inks:  Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:  Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, Amazing Things die (Pinkfresh Studios)

Challenges:

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes - Embossing with Dies (2nd entry)

Summer Flowers

Hi everyone.  Today's card is inspired by four (now five!) challenges and I'm so happy that I was able to make a card that fits all of them - it's a first for me. :)

Starting off with We Love Staming - Flowers, couldn't resist making another card for this challenge. :)  The colours from AAA Colourful just scream summer.  I stamped the images in black ink, then die-cut using the matching die to the set.  The matching stencil was used to add the colours from the challenge (see below).  And then, used a new-to-me background die (for both IDEAS and NBUS Challenges) to cut a pretty design to use as the "lattice" for my summer garden. :)

I had lots of fun making this card.  That's what this hobby is all about! :)

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Here's the links to the challenges I'm entering with this card - thanks to all who take the time to run these challenges.  I know how much effort and energy it takes --- I appreciate YOU!

Edited to add:  Lisa let me know that my card fits the Just Us Girls Challenge #787 - Die Week - Florals.  Perfect.  Thanks Lisa!! :)

We Love Stamping - Flowers - 2nd entry

AAA Colourful #18

Darnell's IDEAS - Week 2 - Dies

NBUS Challenge #77 - 2nd entry this month

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Nature's Magic (Altenew)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Nature's Magic dies (Altenew); Nature's Magic Stencils (Altenew); brushes, Geometric die (Background)

Challenges:

We Love Stamping - Flowers

AAA Colourful #18

Darnell's IDEAS - Week 2 - Dies

NBUS Challenge #77

JUGS #787 - Die Week - Florals

Inlaid Die-cutting

Hi everyone.  I've been playing with inlaid die-cutting.

I started with die-cutting the Floral Heart (Simon Says Stamp) four times: once from my card front, discarding the white die-cut pieces as they aren't needed; then three more times from metallic paper (pink, orange, silver).

Packing tape was added to the back of my card front, and the metallic pieces were placed into the open spaces.  I used the pink paper for half the flowers, and orange for the rest.  The silver was used for the leaves and dots that fill in the design.  I finished by stamping the sentiment (Simply Sentiments - Lawn Fawn) in black.

* * * * *

I had several pink and orange die-cut pieces left because I only used half for the card above.  So I die-cut another card front, but this time I left the white pieces in place, securing on the back with more packing tape.  And another Floral Heart was die-cut from silver for the leaves and dots.

Since the white die-cut pieces were already there, this time the matching pieces cut from the metallic papers were glued over top.  This adds a little dimension and is a variation of inlaid design.

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Simply Sentiments (Lawn Fawn)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Metallic Orange card stock and Metallic Pink card stock (Ranger); Metallic Silver card stock (gift from a friend); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Versamark
Accessories:  Heart of Flowers die (Simon Says Stamp),  Packing tape, glue, Pokey Tool, Pick-up Stick, dimensional double-sided tape, Silver embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Colourful Hello

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a fun card I made, inspired by AAA Colourful #17 challenge.  Here's the colours of the challenge ... it closes July 14.

I just love these colours together.  They made a bright and happy card. :)

I started with a stencil (Textured Mesh - Memory Box), randomly sponging each of the colours over the background.  I die-cut two of the flowers (Refresh - Penny Black) from black card stock, shaping them with a stylus and mat before adding them to the card front.  The sentiment (Hello Builder - Penny Black) is stamped in black ink to finish the card.

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This was a very easy and quick card to make ... you gotta' love that! :)

I'm sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  AAA Colourful #17

2)  Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes

3)  PBSC June Challenge - Anything Penny Black Goes - I used Penny Black die and sentiment.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Hello Builder (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Textured Mesh stencil (Memory Box), Refresh flower dies (Penny Black), sponges

Challenges:

AAA Colourful #17

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 4 - Anything Goes

PBSC June Challenge - Anything Penny Black Goes

In the Studio with Dolly, Susan, and Christine

Hi everyone. Recently, my friend Dolly (aka Darnell) came for a visit.  She stayed for three days and we had so much fun visiting, playing with ink, and eating! :)  Our good friends Susan and Christine, joined us for two of the days ... it was great!!

Dolly showed up with a beautiful set of images from Altenew for me ... Fragrant Florals.  It included matching stamp, die, embossing folder, and layering stencils.  I made the card above using just the embossing folder and layering stencils and I'm looking forward to playing soon with the stamp and die! :) 

After I finished sponging through the stencils onto the embossed image, I took a SU! marker (early espresso) and drew in the branches and stamens.  And I used diluted distress ink (Mowed Lawn) and a fine paint brush to draw in the embossed veins on the leaves.  These little additions made a big difference. :)

Thank you Dolly, for this beautiful set.  I am going to have loads of fun making many cards with it!!  And thank you for the visit, I had such a great time!! :)

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Sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks (sponged with distress inks)

2)  NBUS Challenge #75 - new folder and stencil sets

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Fragrant Florals (Altenew); Many Everyday Message (Hero Arts - retired)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Abandoned Coral, Mustard Seed, Wilted Violet, Mowed Lawn; SU! marker - Early Espresso
Accessories:  Fragrant Florals embossing folder (Altenew), sponges, fine watercolour paint brush,  

Challenges:

IDEAS Challenge - Week 1 - Inks

S Challenge #75

Cornflowers Just for You!

Hi everyone,  I had some fun in my studio today. :)  I looked at the current challenges I follow and came up with four to make the card above.

I die-cut the cornflowers from mixed media paper and watercoloured with Distress Inks:  Blueprint Sketch, Mustard Seed.  I used the Blueprint by itself for the blooms, and combined the two inks for the stems.  I sponged more Mustard Seed ink in the bottom right corner of my panel before adhering the blooms, which I shaped with my stylus and mat for added dimension.  I popped the panel over top of my card front and stamped the sentiment in more of the Blueprint ink. :)

This was an easy and fun CAS card to make. :)

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Sending this card to the following challenges:

1) IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks

2) Just Us Girls #773 - Die-cut week - Use a flower

3) Color Hues #109 - Blue and Yellow

4) Die-cut Divas - Watercolour

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Everyday Script Sentiments (AliExpress)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Blueprint Sketch, Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Cornflower dies (Alexandra Renke), watercolour brushes, sponge

Challenges:

IDEAS - Week 1 - Inks

Just Us Girls #773 - Die-cut week - Use a flower

Color Hues #109 - Blue and Yellow

Die-cut Divas - Watercolour