Birthday Celebration

Hi everyone.  Today's card was inspired by Seize the Birthday Challenge #309 - Food and/or drink.  I've had this sweet birthday cake image for a long time and haven't used it on a card yet.  I stamped the cake with black ink and heat embossed in clear before die-cutting using the matching die.  Then I lightly watercolour using Zigs.

I placed it over a paper towel background (leftover ink mopped up with a paper towel, spritzed with water and then pressed into card stock).  The background looked great behind the cake, but I felt it needed a little more, so I doodled confetti, streamers, and stars using a fine black pen.  The card was finished with a white embossed sentiment (Simply Sentiments - Lawn Fawn) on black cardstock, with the cake popped up over top.  Easy, peasy and fun card to make! :)

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Sending this card to the following challenges:

1)  Seize the Birthday #309 - Food and/or drink

2)  Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies

3)  NBUS Challenge #76 - first time using this image and die

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps:  Birthday Cake (Gemini by Crafter's Companion)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black cardstock (SU!)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Zigs (light yellow, dark yellow, light pink, red); Versamark
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, watercolour paint brushes, white embossing powder, fine black marker

Challenges:

Seize the Birthday #309 - Food and/or drink

Darnell's IDEAS Challenge - Week 2 - Dies

NBUS Challenge #76

Penny Black - Hello Deer

This stamp set (Hello Deer 30-766) is from the new Winter Wishes Release.  The card above could be used for Christmas, Winter, or as a Thinking of You card.  Love the versatility!

Used a piece of paper towel background from my stash, stamped the deer with decorated antlers over top in black ink and clear heat embossed overtop.

Watercoloured with distress inks and added some white highlights with my Posca Pen.  Die-cut a circle from the card front to create an aperture; placed over image panel.  I love how the image fits a round cut-out, but would look great as a square or rectangle as well.  To finish, stamped sentiment (also from Hello Deer stamp set) in black ink with clear heat embossing to match the image.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Products

Hello Deer (30-766)

Stamps:  Hello Deer (Penny Black)
Paper:    Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Forest Moss, Fired Brick, Brushed Corduroy, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Circle die (Spellbinders); water brush, Clear embossing powder, heat tool, White Posca pen

Penny Black - Autumn Decor

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing with a new set from Penny Black called Autumn Decor (51-653).  It's a mix of dies that you can use separately or together.  Very versatile.

I started with a piece of background I had in my stash (smooshed pink and orange liquid watercolours).  I die-cut my sunflower blooms, sponged the edges with Rusty Hinge distress ink and then added the center piece which was watercoloured with Ground Espresso.  The flowers are two layers each, which are off-set and glued together in the center only.  To finish the blooms I just used my fingers to lightly bend the back layer petals to the back and the top layer petals to the front.  This created a lot of dimension.

The jar vase was cut from another piece in my stash of paper towel background done in shades of yellow.  I love how the quilted design from the paper towel looks on the jar.  The stems and leaves were watercoloured in Peeled Paint distress ink.

The sentiment (Gratitude 30-105) was stamped in a mix of Rusty Hinge and Ripe Persimmon inks.  Happy how it looks with the colours of the sunflowers.  Then I adhered the flowers and vase to my card front, popping them up for added dimension.

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Entering this card into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes or Too Cute to Spook.

Penny Black Products

Autumn Decor (51-653)

Gratitude (30-105)

Stamps:  Graditude (Penny Black)
Paper:   White card front (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media (Stratmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Watercolour Concentrate:  Pink, Orange (Dick Blick); Distress Inks:  Rusty Hinge, Ground Espresso, Peeled Paint, Ripe Persimmon (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Autumn Decor dies (Penny Black), water brush, sponge

Challenges:

PB Saturday Challenge October - Anything Goes or Too Cute to Spook

You're so Thoughtful

Hi everyone.  I'm back with a second card using one of the images from the Refreshing Stamp set (30-695).  I love this pretty vase of roses ...

The image was stamped with archival (permanent) black ink over top of a paper towel transfer background.  This background is from a soft blue ink mop-up towel from a previous project. 

I heat set the image before watercolouring with distress inks.  When finished, I stamped a black sentiment to finish the card from the Family Sentiments Stamp set (30-555).

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Thanks for stopping by!

Products

Refreshing (30-695)

Family sentiments (30-555)
Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media paper (140 lb.) - Blick Art Materials

Stamps:  Refressing, Family Sentiments (both from Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Versafine); Distress Inks:  Aged Mahogany, Peedled Paint, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:   Water brush, Posca white acrylic paint pen

Guest Designer at Magenta

Hi everyone.  I'm excited today to be Guest Designer for Magenta.  Thanks to Helene for inviting me!  I love their stamps and stencils!

Today's card uses a beautiful daisy stamp from Magenta.  The stamp is called Daisy - Small and it measures approx. 2.75" x 2.75".  There's also a larger version, Daisy - Large which is approx. 3.75" x 3.75".

I started by stamping the daisy several times onto my card front using Antique Linen distress ink.  It makes for a subtle but interesting background.

I stamped the daisy twice more in Brushed Corduroy ink (a bit darker) and heat embossed first in clear, then in UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel), which gives lots of shine.  I watercoloured both daisies with distress inks and fussy-cut.  I cut down the petals for one daisy (top layer), just about to the center.  This makes it easier to shape with my stylus and mat.  I then adhered the two layers together with glue (just in the center).

I stamped the sentiment and heat embossed in Ancient Amber Baked Texture embossing powder because I thought it was similar to the colour of the flower.  That was done on a strip of black card stock which was adhered to my card front.  The layered daisy was popped up on top.

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I had a lot of fun playing with my Magenta Daisy stamp!

Stamps:  Daisy - Small (Magenta); Smile sentiment (AliExpress)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Abandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder, UTEE, Ancient Amber Baked Texture embossing powder, heat tool

Penny Black Country Charisma

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing two cards made with one of the new stamp sets, Country Charisma (30-690).  There's also a matching die set for each of the six images, Country Charisma cut out (51-634).  Especially love the watering can and pitcher that can be used when lots of different images.

I felt that I should make an all-blue card with this set.  Somehow, a bit of rust got added in. :)  I love the contrast.  Made a small slit with an exacto knife in the top of the pitcher so I could tuck the stems inside.  Finished with a simple black stamped sentiment from an older stamp set (Heartfelt 30-286)

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For my next card I used the watering can from the Country Charisma stamp set 30-690, with matching die cut, Country Charisma cut out 51-634.  This time I filled the watering can with roses from the Wings and Vases stamp set 30-704, using the matching cut out for the roses, vases cut out 51-619.  The sentiment is stamped in black, Special Sentiments 30-574, a very versatile stamp set!

I started with a background from my stash  It is a paper towel ink transfer background with Lindy's magicals ... so there's a little bit of shine (hard to capture in a photo).  Stamped the sentiment at the bottom and popped up the watering can full of roses on top.

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Thanks for coming by for a visit!


Penny Black Products
Country Charisma 30-690
Country Charisma cut out 51-634
Heartfelt 30-286

Card #1 - Enjoy your day!
Stamps:  Country Charisma, Heartfelt (both Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Permanent):  Versafine; Distress Inks:  Chipped Sapphire, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Country Charisa cut out, waterbrush

Card #2 - With Lots of Love
Stamps:  Country Charisma, Wings and Vases, Special sentiments (all Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Permanent):  Versafine; Distress Inks:  Weathered Wood, Dusty Concord, Wilted Violet, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Country Charisa cut out, Wings and Vases cut out, waterbrush, paper towel ink transfer background from my stash

Penny Black - Lolly

Hi everyone.  Today's card uses one of the smaller sets from the new Secret Garden release, Lolly (30-688). Come on! ... I had to have this. :)  

I stamped Lolly (30-688) and heat embossed with black.  Then used distress inks to colour her.  She is adorable!  Couldn't help but smile the whole time I was watercolouring her. :)  I fussy-cut her and the lollypop separately.  Used a Paper Towel Background (click on link to see video tutorial) from my stash, stamped the image again, and paper pieced with my fussy-cut image.  This is so colourful and fun!

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Thanks for stopping by!

Penny Black Products
Lolly 30-688

Stamps:  Lolly (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Pumice Stone, Picked Raspberry, Mustard Seed, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Mowed Lawn (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, red chalk, white gel pen, ink saturated paper towel to make background

At Grace

Hi everyone. Sharing a card I made a while ago.

I started by using a paper towel transfer for the background.  Click HERE to check out my quick video on YouTube.  I inked up just the flowers with watercolour markers, spritzed wth a little bit of water and stamped onto the card panel.  I repeated this until I was happy with the depth of colour.  I repeated the same procedure with brown ink to stamp the stems and leaves.  To finish, the same brown ink was used to stamp the scrolly sentiment which really mimics the flowers.

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Thanks for the visit!

Stamps: at grace (Penny Black); Good Wishes (Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Picked Raspberry, Gathered Twigs (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  water mister

Lots of Quick Christmas Cards

Hi everyone.  I took a couple of days and die-cut several new or fairly new die-cuts from white card stock.  Then I rifled through my stash of backgrounds ... all different colours, mediums, etc. to match up with the images.  I put them together, added a simple stamped sentiment ... and ended up with lots of cards for my stash and for the stash that I donate each year.

The card above is a die-cut from AliExpress with the circle with holly and snowflake flourish.  It's backed with a piece of alchol inks (green / blue) on acetate.

Next up uses a sweet framed "joy" sentiment from Memory Box.  I backed it with a piece of alcohol inks (red / pink) on acetate that has been backed with scrunched white tissue paper.  The tissue adds lots of visual texture

The next card is an AliExpress die, with a background of smooshed Lindy's Magicals (blue / purple).  There's quite a bit shimmer, but it doesn't pick up in the photo.

The card below is a snowflake block die-cut from Simon Says Stamp.  It's backed with a piece of alcohol ink'd (blues/greens) acetate, which is backed with white copy paper).

The next card is a Holly Triptych die from Simon Says Stamp.  It's backed with a smooshed piece of Lindy's Magicals (green / blue).  Again, lots of shimmer, but not in the photo. :)

The card below is a Penny Black die called In the Winter.  It's backed with a piece of paper towel that I used for watercolouring (wiping my brush off when changing colours).  I loved the colours and thought it would make a beautiful background ... and it did! :)

And the final card I'm sharing had a boo-boo. :)  The die is Sensational Snowflake die from Simon Says Stamp.  It is backed with a piece of smooshed distress inks.  I had to cut up the card and remount the strip onto a fresh card base, with a silver embossed sentiment.  It's pretty, but not as pretty as it would have been as one piece.  I learned "not" to stamp versamark, sprinkle with embossing powder and then walking away.  The versamark dries and it won't heat emboss nicely after that.  Now I know to heat emboss right away. :)

I also want to give a shout out to my friend, Jenny.  She recently made a card using this same die, using a silver metallic pen to colour the snowflakes - so clever!  I tried it out and it makes it so easy!  I will definitely be doing this again.  Thanks Jenny!!

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Had a doggy play day last weekend and wanted to share a few pics.

Updated - This wonderful photo was taken by Alejandro Garcia

The Gang's All Here!
(front to back):  Tessa, Violeta, Tika, Jessie

Tessa, Susan holding Jessie.  First time Tessa and Jessie have met!

Tessa, Jessie, and Christine with Tika!  They all want that cookie!

Challenges:
CAS Christmas October Challenge - Winter Scene

Butterfly Love

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the reminder post for August's CAS Mix Up Challenge - Paper Towel, hosted by me! :)

The butterfly is cut from a piece of mop-up paper towel.  I picked one that had a lot of blue and purple, glued it to a piece of card stock, and then cut out this beautiful butterfly die that I won recently at the Memory Box Challenge.  I die-cut the butterfly topper from white card stock and tacked it over top, leaving most of it free flowing from the butterfly.  A piece of smooshed pale blue watercoloured panel from my stash was used for the background, along with a die-cut antique frame.  A simple sentiment was stamped in silver delicata ink.

My card has watercolouring, smooshing, die-cutting, stamping and paper towel  ...

Here's a close-up ...

I hope you'll have time to check out the reminder post to see the amazing, CAS Mixed Media cards using paper towels from our Designers and Guest Designer, Betty.  There's still over a week to play along.  Hope you'll join us!

Since I've used a watercoloured Colourful Butterfly on my card, I'm sending this over to August's CAS Watercolour Challenge as well.

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Jessie

Hanging with Jeremy

Stamps:  Many Everyday Messages (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Tumbled Glass (Tim Holtz); Silver Delicata (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Paper towel used to mop up left over Lindy's Magicals, Flitter Side Butterfly die (Memory Box), Antique Frames die (Penny Black)

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Paper Towel
CAS Watercolour August Challenge - Colourful Butterflies

CAS Mix Up August Challenge

Hi everyone.  Welome to the start of the CAS Mix Up August Challenge.  This month is hosted by me and I'm looking for you to use paper towel on your card ...

I started by using one of my paper towel transfer backgrounds I had in my stash.  My video on this easy technique is HERE.  The background I choose was done in pinks and oranges ... and with Lindy's Magicals (lots of shimmer).

I stamped my image in gray Archival ink and then watercoloured the thistles and leaves with Magicals as well so the whole card has shimmer.

The image was cut into a circle and popped up with foam onto the card front.  A black banner with white heat embossed sentiment finishes the card.

Here's a close-up ...

The close-up shows the texture of the quilted design from the paper towel. :)

Please check out the challenge blog to see the amazing Paper Towel cards from our Designers and our wonderful Guest Designer, Betty (created by bjk).

Then come join us.  It's a great way to make use of those inky paper towels rather than throwing them away.

* * * * *

Jessie

Chill-axing in her memory foam bed

Stamps:  Thistle (Serendipity Stamps);  Happy Messages (Stampendous)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb.); White card base (Neenah 110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Grey Shadow Archival Ink (Ranger);  Lindy's Magicals ( )
Accessories & Tools:  Water brush, white embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge - Paper Towel