Stay Chill!

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a summer card.  I got several stamp sets for my birthday that are summery sets, so I wanted to at least use this once before summer is officially over here. :)

I think these Chillin' Gnomes from Simon Says Stamp are the cutest!  And I love having a mushroom cap sun umbrella.  How fun!

I stamped the images in black ink and heat embossed in clear; then fussy-cut.  Coloured the images with zig w/c marker and set them aside.

Created the background with lots of ink and water with a large paint brush which gave me a soft sand and blue water background.  It was a little too subtle, so I took the same colours of ink pads and lightly did direct-to-paper.  This gave me some definition and interest to the background.  Adhered my large mushroom directly to my card front, and popped up the gnome and small mushroom.  Added a simple sentiment to finish the card.

Close-up ...

Fun card to make!

Hope to be back soon with more summery cards before the leaves start to fall. :)

Another never-before-used-schtuff ... heading with this card to the NBUS #18 gallery.

* * * * *

Doesn't Jessie look smart??!!

Alejandro got a new app. :)

Stamps: Chillin' Gnomes (Simon Says Stamp)
Paper: Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink: Black (Memento); Zigs (Kuretake); Distress Inks:  Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Salty Ocean (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: water brush, large paint brush, clear embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
NBUS #18

Sending Love and Poppies

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card made for a very special friend who is not well right now.  I wanted her to feel the love and I hope this card conveys that. :)

This is a new stamp from Simon Says called Poppy Background and it's an 6"x6" stamp so this is just a portion of it.  I stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in Liquid Platinum.  Then watercoloured the poppies, stems and leaves in distress inks (carved pumpkin, ripe persimmon, candied apple, fired brick, shabby shutters and peeled paint).  To finish, I die-cut the Sending three times in black card stock and glued them together.  I added a white embossed LOVE on black card stock and put them together.  Used onyx liquid pearl for the dot above the "i" ... the die-cut one got lost on my work table. :)  I also used black soot distress ink to fill in the centers of the poppies and then used clear wink of stella on all the poppies for lots of shimmer.

Close-up ... this shows the shimmer better ...

Adding this card to the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Stamp it!

Since this is the first outing for this stamp, I'm adding my card to the NBUS #18 Challenge gallery.

Stamps:  Poppy Background (Simon Says Stamp); LOVE sentiment - Nouveau Flowers- retired (Clearly Besotted)
Paper: Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black card stock (Stampin' Up!)
Ink: Versamark; Distress Inks:  Carved Pumpkin, Ripe Persimmon, Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)
Accessories: Liquid Platinum embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool, water brush, Sending die (Simon Says Stamp), white embossing powder, Clear Wink of Stella

Challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Stamp it!
NBUS #18 Challenge

CAS Christmas September Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Christmas September challenge.  This month is being hosted by Colleen (One Smile Lifts a Spirt).  She has chosen a fun and easy challenge!  And our Guest Designer is Steph (My Paper Corner).  Welcome Steph!

Quite a while ago I had a play day with my friends Susan and Christine.  We played with the new-at-the-time Alcohol Pearl Inks.  I still had my samples from our play day, so used one of them to create two cards.  I love when I get get two from one background.

We dropped the AI pearls onto vellum and watched them spread.  So beautiful!  I love the shimmer.  I used the vellum behind a favourite tree die-cut that I have.  The sentiment is heat embossed in shimmery blue embossing powder that I bought ages ago from Lindy's.  Another NBUS!  The colour isn't as deep as I wanted, but pretty close considering I only have about eight of the embossing colours (there are many, many more that I obviously NEED to buy!)  :).  A super easy and quick card.  Gotta love that!

Close-up that shows the shimmer of Alcohol Pearls ...

Since this is the first outing of my Alcohol Pearl Inks, I'm adding this card to the NBUS #18 Challenge.

I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the fabulous CAS Christmas Tree cards from our Designers and our Guest Designer, Steph.  Then come play along with our challenge.  Remember to keep your card CAS (Clean and Simple).

Products
Alcohol Pearl Inks - Ranger
Morning Glory Azure Embossing Powder - Lindy's

Stamps:  Snowglobe Sentiments (My Favorite Things - retired)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Vellum (SU!)
Ink:  Alcohol Pearl Inks:  Tranquil, Sublime (Ranger); Versamark
Accessories:  Evergreen Window die (Memory Box - retired), Morning Glory Azure embossing powder (Lindy's), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Christmas September Challenge - Christmas Tree
NBUS #18

CAS Mix Up September Challenge

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the CAS Mix Up September challenge.  This month is being hosted by the amazingly, talented Jo (Jo-Jo's Card Spot).  She wants us to use our dies in a different way ...

I followed the video linked on the challenge blog by Lost in Paper.  I just love how she stamped several flower images for a backgroud and then dry embossed with matching die to give a whole new look.  I used the same idea, but used my stamped, watercoloured and dry embossed (with die) image as my main image.  Adds a special touch to watercoloured images!

Close-up ...

I added some splatters with a mix of the two red inks used on the card (candied apple / real red).  Also added a black sentiment banner with white embossing.

We are so excited to have Mac (The Sweetest of Peas) as our Guest Designer this month.  Please stop by the challenge blog to see Mac's CAS embossing with dies card, along with the Designer's cards.  You will be inspired!


Main Products used are listed below with links.  I've included the paper I used with this card.  I use mixed media for the majority of my cards.  Blick Art Materials is the best price I've found.

Products
Golden Dance (30-562) from Penny Black
Golden Dance cut out (51-533) from Penny Black
Happy Snippets (30-358) from Penny Black
Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media (140 lb.) from Blick Art Materials

Stamps:  Golden Dance, Happy Snippets (both from Penny Black)
Paper:  Mixed Media (Strathmore 140 lb.); Black (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Candied Apple, Black Soot (Tim Holtz); Real Red (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Paint brush, Gemini Jr. die-cutting machine, white embossing powder, heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up September Challenge - Embossing with Dies