Enjoy Just Add Ink #472

Isn't technology crazy? My little crafty brain has a hard time wrapping my mind around the whole world wide web (as they used to call it, maybe I am dating myself). The challenge that I submitted today is from  a group of stampers from Australia.  Isn't that just so cool! I am all the way in Southern California! Amazing! I just recently found their website and I am so glad that I did!

Check them out here!

Isn't this a fun challenge?  I always love finding new layouts for making cards. I find that I tend to use the same few layouts so frequently. This one was very different then my usual style. That is another reason why challenges are great opportunity to grow.

The flowers I put in this cute little tea cup are from the bird ballad DSP.  I cut out the flowers that were on the edge of the paper and they fit beautifully into the rim of the cup. So don't throw away those little scraps on the ends.  ( Confession. Can you tell that I have a hard time throwing things out?) It actually becomes quite addicting when you start cutting the paper apart.  I have been using these flowers on everything lately. Join in the fun and check out the great just add ink website! Have a great day and thank you for stopping by!  And I would love any comments and letting me know where you are joining me from. Enjoy!

Harvest Blessings for Freshly Made Sketches #400

Today I created a card for the Freshly Made Sketches card challenge. I frequently go on to their website and am inspired by their amazing design team but this is the first time I have actually submitted something. I loved the sketch for this weeks challenge as well as so excited for them to have reached a 400 sketch milestone. Way to go!

Check them out here!

Isn't this just the sweetest little jug?  I love any type of a container in my stamp sets. The fun is always seeing what you can put in the container. This little jug is from the Country Home stamp set. I just adore this set. It has amazing images as well as beautiful sentiments.

Since the new Stampin' Up! holiday catalog has just been released I have been really in the mood to create fall cards.  I think they are my favorite to make with Christmas a close second.  I love the fall colors!

I had water colored one of the bouquets of flowers from the stamp set to originally place in the jug but then saw the small flowers from the bird ballad DSP and knew I had to use them. I had so much fun creating my own flower bouquet, although realized I don't really know how to arrange flowers so I just winged it.

For the background strip I used the pinewood planks embossing folder and swiped it with my crumb cake ink before running it through my machine. It really makes the groves stand out.

Do you have any ideas of what I can put in the little jug next?  I would love any comments you might have. Have a great weekend and go check out the fabulous website, freshly made sketches and thank you for stopping by! Enjoy!

Making a Monochromatic Card

Making a card monochromatic is so pleasing to the eye.  It has a calming effect when it is one color with a few neutrals. Today I have made a card with Mossy Meadow. This color is such a beautiful shade of green! 

I stamped the leaves from the to a wild rose set in momento ink and colored with my stampin blends. The bird I had colored a few days ago and thought he would be really cute on these branches of leaves. Keeping the card very clean and simple. I think I tend to gravitate to this style of cards.

Well August is almost over and I have been anxiously awaiting for the holiday catalog to go live!  You will want so many of the adorable things in the catalog! My list is so long! They have 2 hostess sets that are so adorable, you will want to host a party or combine your own orders for both of them. If you would like to host a party or if I can help you with your own order let me know. Also if you have not received a holiday catalog and would like one let me know and I would be happy to mail one to you! Enjoy!

Do you like to color?

So I am wondering do you like to color? I love to color and I have even since I was a little girl. I would always be drawing, doodling or coloring while watching tv or even in class at school. I have always loved all forms of art and especially learning new techniques. I could spend hours in any art store (much to the dismay of the people who are with me). 

For this card I used Stampin' blends. I tried to make the iris look as realistic as I could. They are such a beautiful flower.

When I started to color I looked on google to see the color of an iris. Wow there are a lot of different colors. But I decided to go with the most traditional colors.

Enjoy the coloring process, that is what I always like to tell people. Make it your own creation. The beauty of art is you can make it whatever color you would like.  I will never forget someone told a child at school they couldn't paint a tree blue because trees aren't blue. Well I say be bold and make the tree blue! Or you can make it the color you see on google or in real life. Just enjoy!

Have a great week and make some fun art!

Just a short time left to order!

Another Wild Rose

 The summer is slowly coming to an end.  My youngest starts her last year of college tomorrow.  I don't know where the time has gone. Since she will be back at school I will be able to be more consistent with my blog.  It feels good to be back in my regular routine.
 I am so hooked on practicing my water coloring with the to a wild rose stamp set.  This set is great because it gives you the option of quick stamp layering or you can just use one of the layers like I did on this card.

I stamped the outline in StazOn ink so that I could water color it. I used a wet on wet technique with several colors. I love how the colors just blend with this technique. It does all the work for you.

After using my wild rose dies to cut out the flower, I kept the background simple and soft. I wanted the flower to be the star of the show on this one.

The card came together quickly after I was done with the water coloring. Have a great week and thank you for stopping by.  I would love any comments you have!

Only a few days left to take advantage of getting a great deal when signing up to be a demonstrator. If you have any questions let me know. I have been a demonstrator for over 20 years now and so hopefully I can answer all your questions. 

CAS(E) This Sketch! #335

I am not sure where this week has gone.  I had so many stamp challenges that I wanted to participate in and so far this is the only one completed.  Just in time for the deadline. Hopefully I will have time tomorrow to finish a few more.

Check out the designers samples here.

This is the cute sketch for this week. I immediately thought of the lilypad lake stamp set. So I thought I would kind of make a scene with it using the woodland embossing folder.  The card is very simple and quick to make.

I love a set that has line images so that I can color! This set also has great dies that coordinate and the sentiments are so beautiful. This one is one of my favorite. A great card to send to someone going through any difficult situation. I hope this card inspires you to create and share with those you love!

Remember to sign up for the Halloween paper pumpkin by Sept. 10! It will be filled with great goodies to give to all your little ghosts and goblins. Although I think I am dating myself with those costumes. 

And if you would like to join my team I would love to talk to you about the great opportunity to start!  This is one of the best deals for starting your stampin' business or if you would just like the discount to purchase your own supplies. Let me know!

CAS(E) this sketch #334

I have not had much time to stamp this week, so much going on these days, but I did want to play with the CAS(E) this sketch. I love this sketch and couldn't wait to play along. 

http://casethissketch.blogspot.com/

Since the new catalog and all the fun new sets I realized I have not given love to some of my older sets. (and now with the holiday catalog starting next month more new sets!) I love the painted harvest stamp set and so I used it for the card.

I used a few different colors for the flower and many layers, so saffron and daffodil delight for the larger layer and crushed curry and pumpkin pie for the inner petals. I learned from listening to one of Jennifer McGuire's videos about tips for layering stamps is to let each layer dry before placing the next layer.  A great tip and it really makes a difference. The colors stand out more.  I learn so much from her videos! She has so many!

It is important to take time for yourself and stamp a quick little card!  Join one of the many challenges out there. It is a fun way to get involved.

I kept this card fairly simple since I didn't have a lot of time and it really put me in the mood for fall!

Speaking of fall, Halloween will be here before we know it and the paper pumpkin will be "to die for"  haha my attempts to make a really bad joke. It will be super cute I am sure.  Goodies for your little trick or treaters! Have a great week and Enjoy!

Birds!

I am so crazy about birds right now.  I love all the different colors that God has created them. Lately I have been looking so closely at them on walks and online. I also love the way that many crafters color on crumb cake color card stock and grey card stock, not just white anymore. 

My coloring with pencils is a constant challenge, but I keep practicing. It is really important to color softly and in layers. I really enjoy how relaxing it is.

Don't forget if you would like to sign up to be a demonstrator to let me know or even if you have any questions.  I would love to answer any questions you may have. Have a great day! Enjoy!

Shaker card

Recently the TGIF website had a shaker card challenge, although I did miss the deadline I made the card anyway.  It has been a long time since I made a shaker card and I was up for the challenge. I CAS(E) my card from the Christmas card  (paper pumpkin) a few years ago. I really liked the layout and so it made the job of what to create so much easier.  

The floral essence set has stamp that I am pretty sure is suppose to be a stem, well in my card I used it as a stem.  I think it really gives the flower a different look than just using the flower bud by itself.  

I am really loving these sequins from the annual catalog and have almost used up the whole container already! They have been really going nicely with all the cards that I have been making lately and they really come alive with the cards and gifts I have made. I used the new stitched nested frame dies for the shaker part, also slightly obsessed with this set of dies! Take time to make a shaker card of your own. Have a great day! Enjoy!

Floral Essence and GDP #200

Another challenge for me this week. What a beautiful card to CASE. I love how soft her card is and so I wanted to have that same feel with my card and that is why I decided to add water with the aquapainter to my stamps after I had inked them up. I love this look.

Check them out here.

The floral essence stamp set is great for this technique. The colors really blend nicely when stamped.

I also like the addition of sequins in the card by Janneke, so I just had to add those as well. I love how these lighter colored ones really pick up the colors in the card.

This card will make a pretty wedding card. I hope you enjoyed my spin on the amazing card created by Janneke de Jong. What an inspiration her stamped work is.

Embossing for texture

Coloring with my stampin blends is so relaxing and rewarding. Even though this stamp set has 2 other layers that you can stamp for quick and easy card, lately I have been coloring the image. I think because the petals are so nice and big it has a lot of room to color. After I have several images colored then comes the thought of what will I do with them. Sometimes I struggle with coming up with new ideas. Generally I will look through my old stampin up catalogs and find something that will work. Adding texture is something I really like to do and so when I saw an idea where they embossed the stamped image as the background I knew that was what I wanted.

I stamped one of the detail layers of the rose with versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder on crumb cake card stock. This added the texture and dimension that I wanted to add to the card. Because the way that I colored the flower was kind of busy I wanted to keep the rest of the card pretty simple. Where do you get inspiration for the projects that you create? Do you color your images with a project already in mind or do you color and then figure it out after? I would love to hear your thought process.  Enjoy!

Only a few days left to order. You must order by Aug 10th to get this cozy fall kit!