More Christmas cards...

 Hello!  Popping in with a couple more Christmas cards to share.  The first card is for the Paper Players challenge to create a clean and simple card with a tag on it.  I also used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches so will post it there.  Take a look.

I made the tag several years ago for Ellen Hutson's annual Christmas tag challenge.  I used one of her stamp sets for the images.  I don't know which one because I was too lazy to dig through everything and find it, lol!  Anyway, I stamped a starry background on watercolor paper and then did a galaxy background with watercolors.  I die cut the tag from that and then added a little snowy hill for the deer to stand on.  The deer was stamped, embossed and then watercolored, too.  Die cut with the matching dies.  I stamped and embossed the moon on vellum.  Die cut it and then added some sparkle with glitter glue (I think!)  Finished with the sentiments and some sparkly eyelash twine.   For the sketch I added some strips of patterned paper from La La Land Crafts that went well with my tag.  The back panel was embossed with a Simon Says Stamp snowflake embossing folder.   Adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to make it sparkle.

My second card is for the Color Throwdown challenge and I used a Stampin Up! stamp and die set that I recently purchased.  Take a look.

I stamped the sentiment using Memento Pear Tart and then applied the same ink to white cardstock to create matching cardstock.  That was die cut with a Memory Box arched die.  The smaller arched die was cut from dark green cardstock and stamped with an image from the stamp set using a dark green ink.  I adhered the sentiment and then added the little pine branches that I die cut from black metallic cardstock using a die from the coordinating Stampin Up! die set.  The little berries were also die cut from the cardstock that I created with the direct to paper inking.  I added some glossy accents to them for a little shine.

That's it for me.  Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

flowers...

Hello and happy Monday!  I'm popping in with a couple of cards that I have shared on Instagram.  One card is for the MFT sketch challenge and I was just going to use Instagram to enter the challenge, but decided to post it on my blog since I still have a little bit of time before the challenge closes.  The second card was just something I colored up last week and turned into a card.   With the card for the MFT sketch challenge I used one of the images from the MFT Magnolia Blossom stamp set.  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored the flowers with two Copic markers (R81 and R83).  The stems were colored with one (YG67) and the center of the main flower with just one color, as well (Y02).  I had originally started coloring the image with different colors, but it was too bright.  I really took my time with the coloring and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.   I fussy cut the image once it was done and then finished up the rest of the card per the sketch.  I have a medallion die from MFT that I used for the background.  I don't know what it is called and I don't think it is available any more, but it is sure is pretty.  This is my first time using it.  I stamped the sentiment (from a retired MFT stamp set called Spring Blossoms) on vellum with watermark ink and heat embossed with Ebony embossing powder from WOW!

With the second image I used my ZIG markers.  I love the Mondo line of stamps from Ellen Hutson and one of my favorites in the Mondo Gerbera Daisy.  I used that one and stamped it on smooth bristol cardstock with VersaFine CLAIR Acorn ink.   This is another one that I spent along time on the coloring.  Once I was done with the ZIG coloring I added a little bit of depth with a brown Polychromos color pencil.  The image was die cut with the matching die.   To make the card I kept it simple and just added a little strip of yellow cardstock that I embossed and a simple sentiment that I stamped with the same Acorn ink.  I think coloring with my ZIGs is my favorite way to color. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

golden sakura...

Hello!  Got some crafty time in and made a card for the two challenges that I pretty much always combine:  Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches!    The FMS sketch is a square one and generally I don't like to make square cards (not sure why), but I decided to go with the square on the finished card.  I stamped the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Sakura on smooth bristol with VersaMark watermark ink and then embossed using WOW embossing powder in Metallic Gold Rich Pale and then colored with ZIG markers.  I used Pink Flamingo and Orange to create my peachy color.   And then finished with little touches green.  I will admit that I had to start over because I added little touches of color to the stamens and then die cut the image.  The little bit of color wasn't dry and it smeared on to the image.   Another live and learn, lol!  With the second image I didn't add the color to the stamens until after I had done the die cutting!  I created a background piece by scribbling two shades of blue ZIGs (Blue Hazel and Persian Blue) on some bristol cardstock and then blended it out with water.  After it had dried I die cut it with a Spellbinders classic square die.  The piece was adhered to an off white cardstock base and then I added the flower image.  Finished off the card by stamping the sentiment with VersaMark on vellum and heat embossing with the same embossing powder used for the image.  Sometimes simple is the best.  With my floral image I think this will also work for the current Inspired By challenge so I shall post it there, as well.

Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!

friendship and father's day...

Hello! Popping in with a couple of cards that I have made over the last two days.  First up is a friendship card that I made using the Freshly Made Sketches layout and the colors from Color Throwdown.   After making the Spellbinders card that I shared the other day I was in a gold/white mood and the colors from CTD were just waiting for me to use to make a card.  For my card I used the Stampin Up! stamp set Tropical Chic and the matching dies.  I die cut the leaves from white cardstock and then the insert pieces from gold metallic cardstock.  I adhered the insert pieces to the leaves with glue.  The flowers were stamped in pink ink from Hero Arts.  I die cut the label using a die from A Jillian Vance Design (sorry the set is no longer available) from light aqua cardstock.  The sentiment is from another Stampin Up! set called Climbing Roses.   I adhered the label to a white cardstock panel with foam dimensionals and then adhered the leaves and flowers as you see.   The finished panel was then adhered to a white cardstock base.

The second card is for CAS(E) this Sketch and I used the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Succulents stamp set.  I have had this stamp for months and finally used it!  I stamped the image on watercolor cardstock with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and then colored the image with distress inks in Evergreen Bough, Iced Spruce, Mowed Lawn, Bundled Sage, Brushed Corduroy, Crushed Olive.  When the piece was dry I die cut it with the largest die from the AJVD Stitched Dot rectangle die and then per the sketch I used another AJVD (from the set I used in the above card) to die cut the label from the panel.  I stamped the sentiment Happy Father's Day on the label with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink.  The main panel was adhered flush on a kraft cardstock base and the label portion was popped up with foam tape.  I added little dots here and there with a white Jelly Roll pen.  I pretty pleased with my coloring of the succulents.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

bloom where you are planted...

Hello everyone!  Popping in with a card for a couple of challenges:  Color Throwdown and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  I absolutely love the colors in this week's CTD challenge!  They are so bright and fun!  I have wanted to color up the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Wildflower stamp set for ages now and this was the perfect opportunity.  I recently tried my hand at no line watercoloring with pretty good results (I will be sharing that card soon!) so decided to give it a go with the Mondo Wildflower, but unfortunately I need more practice.   Since no line was a no go I went with my tried and true coloring with ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers on smooth bristol cardstock and got much better results.   After I finished coloring I die cut the image with the matching die.  I die cut some Simon Says Stamp fog cardstock with a Jillian Vance Design stitched dot rectangle, stamped the sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black (I used the same ink for the image) and then adhered the die cut image with foam dimensionals.   The panel was then adhered to a fog cardstock base.  I really like the way the fog cardstock makes the bright colors pop!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

Supplies: (Affiliate links used where possible) Cardstock: Simon Says Stamp fog; Smooth Bristol; Stamps:  Ellen Hutson; Ink:  VersaFine; Watercolor medium:  ZIG Clean Color Real Brush markers 

thanks so mush...

Hey there!  Popping in with a card that I made for Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches.  When I saw all the cute little mushrooms in the CTD inspiration photo I immediately wanted to use my Essentials by Ellen Snailed It stamp and die set.  Because the mushrooms are not small I did not go with a square card, but a rectangular one.  I stamped the mushroom stems in kraft ink and then the tops in red, green and black.  I die cut some Tim Holtz distress woodgrain cardstock with the largest A Jillian Vance Design stitched dot rectangle die and then after adhering the mushrooms together adhered them to the panel using foam dimensionals.  I stamped the sentiment from the Snailed It stamp set in kraft ink and then trimmed it out.  The word friend (from the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Daisy die set) was die cut three times, adhered together and then adhered to the card front along with the sentiment strip.  Finished by adhering the panel to a kraft cardstock base.  Also adding this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.  (Compensated affiliate links used where possible.  Thank you for your support I truly appreciate it!)

Compensated links:

Rectangle Die:  A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle

Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress Woodgrain Paper - 12 Sheets
Scrapbook.com

Crafter's Companion - Gemini Jr. - Die-Cutting and Embossing Machine
Scrapbook.com

Catherine Pooler Designs - Party Collection - Premium Dye Ink Pads - Rockin' Red
Scrapbook.com

Catherine Pooler Designs - Party Collection - Premium Dye Ink Pads - Grass Skirt

Scrapbook.com

Nuvo - Deluxe Adhesive
Scrapbook.com

Tsukineko - VersaFine - Instant Dry Pigment Ink Pad - Onyx Black
Scrapbook.com

Additional supplies:  PaperTrey Ink Kraft and True Black cardstock
                                   My Favorite Things Smooth White cardstock

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

a bright daisy...

Hello!  Hope your week is going well!  I recently purchased the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Gerbera Daisy stamp and die set and used it to create a card for a couple of challenges:  The Flower challenge (use your newest stamp and die set) and The Paper Players (monochromatic CAS).    For this card I used my ZIG markers and some smooth Bristol cardstock.  I have not had a lot of luck with Bristol cardstock in the past.   I always wondered why people seemed to be able to create beautiful projects with their ZIGs and Bristol cardstock.  Then I watched a video by the super talented Lisa Tilson and she mentioned that she really liked to use Strathmore smooth Bristol for coloring with ZIGs.  I had a 60% coupon for Joann and so I went up and purchased a pad.  I had a few piece of a different kind of Bristol and so before I tried using the Strathmore Bristol I gave the one of the other pieces a try.  Once, again, I had a bad result.  Then I tried the Strathmore.  What an amazing difference!  Coloring with ZIGs on the Strathmore Bristol is like a dream!  So glad I gave the Strathmore a try.  I used one ZIG in Bright Orange to color the Mondo Gerbera Daisy after stamping it with VersaFine Onyx Black ink.  The stem was colored with a light yellow ZIG.   I die cut the flower with the matching die and then used the word dies that come with the die set for my sentiment.  I finished off the card with a few little Pretty Pink Posh jewels in buttercream.

Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  PTI white, Harvest Gold; Strathmore Bristol; Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen; Dies:  Essentials by Ellen, A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  VersaFine; Embellishments:  Pretty Pink Posh jewels; Coloring medium:  ZIG clean color makers

you are beautiful...

Hello!  Hope you are having a good week!  A week or so ago I finally got my hands on the gorgeous Essentials by Ellen Mondo Sakura stamp set.  It sold out quite quickly once it was released by Ellen Hutson and I wasn't able to get one.  Then it came back in stock, but I think it sold out, again.  Finally third time was a charm for me!  I stamped it on Bristol cardstock with VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink and then I colored the image with Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors and a water brush.  I'm not very good at all with a water brush so my first effort didn't turn out very well.  I think it had to do with the fact that I was trying to use my ZIG markers.   The end result was bad, but it wasn't great either.  So I switched to my Gansai Tambi watercolors and things turned out much, much better.  I actually pretty proud of my effort.  Anyway, once the image was dry I die cut it with the matching die.  I then did a light wash of pink and yellow on a piece of watercolor paper.  I let it dry and then splattered it with the same color paints and some black paint.  I trimmed down the fully dry panel and then adhered the die cut piece to the panel.  Because I didn't want to cover up the image I stamped the sentiment on vellum with watermark ink and heat embossed it in white.  That was adhered with glue dots.   The layout is courtesy of Freshly Made Sketches so I will be posting it there as well as with the Essentials by Ellen color trend challenge since I used a couple of the colors from the palette.

Hope you have  wonderful day...

Supplies:  Cardstock:  kraft, Bristol, watercolor paper; Stamps and dies:  Essentials by Ellen; Ink: VersaFine CLAIR, VersaMark watermark ink; Watercolor medium:  Kuretake Gansai Tambi; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts

snailed it!

Hey there!  Popping in with a last minute card for the Ellen Hutson June Color Trend challenge.  For my card I focused on the top half of the palette and used the fun EE Snailed It stamp set to create a rustic looking card.   The layout for the card comes from the current Fab Friday challenge - a sketch.  I stamped all the images and die cut them with the matching dies.  I used some corrugated paper for the bottom piece in the sketch and then die cut a circle for the top piece.  I placed the circle in my mini MISTI, arranged all the images and then stamped the sentiment.  I finished things off with a bow tied from some hemp twine.  Another clean and simple design.  Seems like that is all I'm capable of right now, lol!

Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! green and white; corrugated kraft paper; Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen; Dies:  Essentials by Ellen; Inks:  Altenew, PaperTrey Ink, VersaFine; Recollections hemp twine

two birthday cards...

Hey there!  As my blog title says I have two birthday cards to share today.  The first card is for the Essentials by Ellen pin-sights challenge and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to use more than one stamp.  I have been having a bit of a love affair with coloring on vellum lately.  I just love the soft look that you can achieve by coloring on the back of your stamped vellum.  The last card I made I used distress markers, but with today's card I decided to try using my Memento markers.  One of my favorite Essentials by Ellen stamp sets is the Mondo Hydrangea and so I pulled that out to use for my card.  I wanted my hydrangeas in opposite corners so I stamped the image on opposite corners of my vellum with watermark ink and then heat embossed in white.  Once that was done I die cut each image with the matching die.  I colored one hydrangea with a light pink and dark pink Memento marker (Angel Pink and Rose Bud) and the other with a light purple and a dark purple (Lulu Lavender and Grape Jelly).  The leaves were stamped and embossed and then colored with a light green marker from Stampin Up! and a Memento marker in dark green (Cottage Ivy).  I trimmed down a piece of woodgrain cardstock and then adhered all the pieces using rolled up glue dots.  For the sentiment I used stamps from the Essentials by Ellen Lovely stamp set.  The birthday was stamped directly onto the woodgrain cardstock and the phrase 'It's your' was embossed in white on medium gray cardstock, trimmed out and adhered.  

The second card is super simple and made for three challenges:  Reverse Confetti Stock You Stash (Birthday), Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches.  I finally got a chance to purchase a couple of newer Reverse Confetti stamp sets and used one (Tall Blooms) for my card.  I knew the Tall Blooms stamp set would be perfect for the sketch! After two bad embossing results using Canson watercolor paper I switched to Arches Hot Press watercolor paper and got a much better result with my embossing.   Then I did some simple watercoloring using red and blue ZIG markers and clean water.  Once the piece was try I die cut it with an AJVD plain rectangle die.  The sentiment (from Tall Blooms) was embossed in white on vellum, trimmed down and then adhered using rolled up glue dots.   The panel was then adhered to a red cardstock base.  Super simple, but now I have one more birthday card!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Card #1:  Cardstock:  SSS medium gray, Tim Holtz woodgrain, PTI vellum; Stamps and dies:  Essentials by Ellen; Ink:  VersaMark watermark ink, VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts; Coloring medium:  Memento markers, Stampin Up! marker

Card #2:  Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Real Red, PTI vellum, Arches watercolor; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti; Die:  A Jillian Vance Design; Coloring medium:  ZIG markers; Ink:  VersaMark watermark ink; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts

floral cards...

Hello!!   I have a couple of cards to share today for a few challenges.  First up is a sunny little number that I made for the Color Throwdown and Freshly Made Sketches challenges.  I'm also going to add it to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge to add texture.  My texture is the embossed sentiments.   The flower and leaves are from the SSS Handwritten Floral Greetings and they were stamped in VersaFine CLAIR in Morning Mist and then watercolored.  I trimmed them out when they were dry.  Cut a strip of aqua cardstock and embossed the word "MOM" from the SSS Mom Flowers stamp set in white.  The sentiment was stamp on vellum and embossed in white as well.  Everything was layered on a white cardstock base and I was done.

The second card is for the current Essentials by Ellen Pin-Sights challenge and the Time Out challenge of spring time.  My peonies are growing quickly and will be in bloom in no time.  Nothing says spring to me more than peonies in bloom!  At least three of my peony plants have blooms in the color of the peonies on my card.  I stamped the peonies and leaves from Mondo Peony in watermark ink on Arches hot press watercolor paper and then embossed the images in black.  I then watercolored them with Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors.  For the peonies I used a combination of carmine red and dark pink.  The leaves were a combo of may green and mid green.  Once they were dry I trimmed the out.   I then colored some Canson watercolor paper with a dark blue and splattered it with black.  Once it was dry I die cut it with an A Jillian Vance Design rectangle die.  I placed the flowers on my panel to determine where to stamp the sentiment (from the EE Lovely stamp set) and then stamped it in VersaFine CLAIR Nocturne ink.  The panel was adhered to a cardstock base and then I added the flowers. 

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Supplies:  Card 1:  Cardstock:  MFT smooth white, SSS Sea Glass, PTI vellum, Canson watercolor paper; Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp; Ink:  VersaFine CLAIR and VersaMark watermark; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts; Watercolor medium:  ZIGs

Card 2:  Cardstock:  MFT smooth white, Arches hot press watercolor paper, Canson watercolor paper; Stamps:  Essentials by Ellen; Dies:  A Jillian Vance Design; Ink:  VersaFine CLAIR, VersaMark; Watercolor medium:  Kuretake Gansai Tambi; Embossing powder:  Filigree black

cards to share...

Hey there!!  Wow... the Patriots did not win the Super Bowl!  I did not watch the Super Bowl, but found out what happened when I went on line, but given just how well the Patriots play I was surprised that they lost.  Anyway... during the time I was not watching the Super Bowl I made a couple of cards and took my antique loving child to the antique store!  First up is a card for the soon to be closing Color Throwdown and this month's Reverse Confetti Sketch for You to Try.  I  created a little swag of flowers and leaves using the Reverse Confetti Whole Lotta Thanks stamp and die set.  I can honestly say that this is the first time I have used these stamps and dies even though I have had this set for over a year!  The light blue squares were die cut using the Reverse Confetti Shakers 'n Frames die set.   The flowers and leaves in the set have an outline image and a solid image.  I stamped the line image using the lime green, yellow and dark pink inks and then did second generation stamping to stamp the solid images.  I finished off the flowers by stamping the center of the flowers with the same ink.   This was a pretty labor intensive card to make with all the die cutting that happened, as well as getting everything arranged, but I think it was worth it.

The second card is for the current Essentials by Ellen Mix it Up challenge (combine EE products with Hero Arts) and the current CAS(E) this Sketch challenge.   I recently made a trip up to Issaquah, WA where Ellen Hutson LLC is located to pick up a few things I had purchased.  One of those items was the fun EE set Snailed It.  I combined that set with a Hero Arts set I got last year called You're A Fungi.  The mushroom images are from the Snailed It set.  The sentiment and the little grass images are from the You're a Fungi set.  I stamped all the images with VersaMagic inks and then colored in the grass with a couple of green Prisma color pencils.  A little bit of ground was added using a couple of brown Prisma color pencils.  The sentiment was embossed in white on vellum, trimmed down and adhered with rolled up glue dots.  I finished with a little bit of twine.   Think I will add this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of anything goes.

Hope you have a wonderful day...

Supplies:  Card 1:  Cardstock:  MFT white; RC light blue; Stamps:  Reverse Confetti; Dies:  Reverse Confetti and A Jillian Vance Design; Inks:  VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Melon Mambo, Lemon Lime Twist, Memento Dandelion

Card 2:  Cardstock:  PTI rustic white, kraft, vellum; Stamps:  Essentials Ellen and Hero Arts; Ink:  VersaMagic, VersaMark; Embossing powder:  Hero Arts white; Recollections twine