May Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge

It is May in Australia to home of Happy Little Stamper and it is time for a new watercolor challenge.

The May Watercolor Challenge for Happy Little Stampers is Anything Goes with the option of Embossing.  How you choose to emboss is your creative decision.

I decided to dry emboss the background for my card.  I first dipped my paper in some light blue ink to add some color to the white of the card stock.  I then used an old embossing folder and embossed text onto my background.  I then used a brush with some of the light blue ink on it and brushed it across the embossed areas of the card stock.  I then added darker blue ink splatters to the background (I was using the same colors as what I stamped the flowers in for my splatters.)

The floral images are from The Stamp Market.  I stamped the images in different shades of distress oxide inks.  I sprayed the stamps with water sometimes to help the colors blend together.  They are not layering stamps but I find you can build up different colors by stamping this way.  I then fussy cut out the floral and leaf images.

The sentiment was stamped with the darkest blue ink used on the flowers and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. 

To assemble the floral image I die cut a leaf branch from vellum and cut it apart to I could use the leaves in different areas.  The back flowers are glued directly to the dry embossed background.  The main flower is adhered with foam.

After the card was finished, I sprayed with a clear gold spray to add shine to the card front.  Every girl loves a little sparkle.

Here is a close up of the floral image and sentiment.  You can also see the embossed background and the vellum leaves.

Please join us at Happy Little Stampers for our May Watercolor Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Online Card Class - Day 15

Day 13 of the Online Card Class had to do with ink smooshing.  I love to do ink smooshing.

I made two cards I really like.

This card is the first ink smooshing.  I added a die cut and sentiment to complete the card.

This card was done with the second smooshing in the same ink.

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Online Card Class - Day 14

I have not done all the lessons from the class.

This is Day 14 and using alphabet dies.  Well, I didn't have an alphabet die - but I did have a die cut sentiment that looked like I placed alphabet dies.  OK it may have been Day 13.

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Thank you

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.

The striped multi colored paper on this card came from the packaging of a box of envelopes and card fronts.  The strip at the top is cut from one of my background pieces.  It had all the colors in it that matched the stripes.  I cut out the flower from card stock in my scrap bin.  An older (but never used) sentiment was used.  I used some grey matting - I like to have a break from black and dark grey is so nice.  It was added to a white card base.  I completed the card with splatters.  I love me some splatters.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Rainbows and Sunshine

I had to do some online shopping and buy this cute rainbow stamp from Concord and 9th and then I had to make a card - well actually I am making eith cards because right now people need a few rainbows and sunshine. 

The sketch from Paper Players this weeks worked out perfectly for using elements from my new stamp and die set.

Here is the sketch.

I first stamped the rainbow with Gina K Inks.  I went with a pastel rainbow rather than a bright primary colored rainbow.  I then stamped the sentiment on the rainbow and die cut this element out.  I matted it with a coordinating color from the rainbow.  I added color of my mat with one of the inks from the rainbow.  (I do have a problem with plain white backgrounds.)  I matted this piece with a coordinating color of card stock.  I also stamped the black x's in the lower left corner.  The last thing I did was die cut the sun out of gold mirror card stock.  I then layered everything on a white card base.

I really do like how this card turned out.  I am glad I was able to get the stamp and coordinating dies.  I will brighten 8 people's mail in the upcoming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by.

Online Card Class - Day 9

Today I will be sharing the cards I made from Day 9 of the Online Card Class

In this class you were to take a stencil and blend the design on some card stock, after you a re done with this step, you spray the inked stencil and lay paper on top of it to transfer the design.  I hate wasting ink so this technique works great for me.

The first two cards is where I added ink through the stencil.

On this one I had a little brain fart, and sprayed it a little too heavily with some sparkly clear fluid it kinda ran but it does sparkle nicely. 

On this card, I blended lightly over the stenciled design to cover up the white a little. 

The next two cards use the sprayed stencil squished on the paper to transfer the excess ink.

On the first card I cut out a circle of the design and framed it with some coordinating card stock.  A  die cut sentiment was added in the same colors as the frame.  I finished the card with splatters.

This is a 4 x 5.25 panel which I used a decorative edger on to cut the panel apart.  I then cut the same design out of card stock to add under the top panel.  A coordinating die cut sentiment finished the card.

This was a new stencil from Picket Fences.  I can't wait to use it with some fall colors.

Thanks for stopping by.

Watercolor and Gesso

This morning I watched a You Tube video by Vicki Boutin Mixed Media in Watercolor and Gesso.  Well I had to try it and I had so much fun.  I just needed to do something a little bit different and get a little messy.  This creative process felt to good. 

The card I created was done with my new watercolor set from Altenew.  The stamps I used are from Paper Smooches.  The rose is a new stamp and the sentiment I have had for quite awhile.

I am  going to enter this card into the current challenge at Paper Smooches which is HAPPY.

This is what my watercolor panel looked like before I did the stamping and adding the gesso.  Beautiful bright colors.

You first stamp your images and then you brush gesso around the image and all over the background.  I trimmed down the panel, matted it with black and added to a white card base. 

This is the first card I made and using a blue purple color theme.  The flower stamps and sentiment are a set from Gina K.  I remembered to add the black around the edge like Vicki did on her video.  She did a stencil across the front but I just added the black around the edge.

I am entering this card into the challenge at the Wednesday Simon Says Stamp Challenge where the challenge is Flower Power.

I really enjoyed playing with this technique. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Online Card Class - Day 6

I have been enjoying taking the Online Card Class - it gives me something to look forward to each day.  Some days I don't want to do the cards and I don't beat myself up over that. 

The class for Day 6 was taught by Kristina Werner.  This lady loves her exacto knife.  I am pretty much afraid to use one right now because I don't want to cut a finger badly and have to go for stitches.

The idea for this class was to either make watercolor backgrounds or take three different patterned papers and then cut them apart and piece them back together.  With this exercise you get three cards.  I chose to use patterned paper.  I need to make about 30 thousand of these to use up some of the patterned paper I own.

After I made my panel, I die cut a frame and then a smaller rectangle from the inner rectangle.  Both pieces were put on top of another piece of coordinating patterned paper.  The hello is stamped on a paper element from the coordinating paper pad.

I die cut part of a circle for this card.  I added it to a card base that was covered with a coordinated piece of pattern paper.  A strip of paper was added on the edge.  Hugs was die cut and added at an angle to the pie.

This card is just a simple rectangle that was die cut.   I added a die cut sentiment which is sitting on top of a piece of vellum.  I  thought the upper right corner needed a little something extra so added a partial circle of the same paper that was in the lower left corner.

I still want to try the watercolor technique.  I have a new set of watercolors so that might be fun to experiment with it.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Monday - time to show some love for your old supplies.

The image was a leftover I found when I was cleaning one of my tables.  I had used this image on ATC's in the past.  The green card stock came from the scrap bin.  The white is the back of the front panel on my Bristol smooth paper.  It has a really nice texture.  The stamp I used is very well aged also.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

Spring Online Card Class - Day 5

This was a fun class taught by Debby Hughes.  She is a wonderful cardmaker from England who loves to watercolor.

The idea of this card was to start two watercolor backgrounds, take a die cut and use that as a mask on one of your backgrounds and layer on more goodness.  After it is dried, you remove the mask and see the lines of it on your background.  You then take your die cut mask (which has wonderful color on it) and add it to the second background.

Here are my cards.

This is the card that used the colored die cut on it.  I added several more die cuts and a sentiment and bling to finish the card.

If you look at the background, you can see the faint outline of the die cut.  I added more die cuts and this beautiful sentiment from Gina K Designs.

You were only suppose to make two cards but as I was making the backgrounds and mixing paint, I had a piece of paper I was using to mop up my leftover paints and this background was created.  I added some additional color to it.  The die cut has three layers  glued together and the sentiment is heat embossed. 

This was a fun class and I did not fail this class.  Yay me. 

Spring Online Card Class - Day 4

Yes I know I have missed Day 3 but the papers are stamped just have not had the desire to work on that project.

So onto Day 4.  I must tell you I failed miserably this card making lesson.  I did come out with two beautiful cards (in my opinion) as I rescued my attempts to do the lesson. 

The idea of the class was to stamp an image on the front of your card and die cut it out.  Then inside that card you would stamp the same image, do some masking and stamp some more images besides it.  My stamping and masking did not work that well - I think it was the stamps that I used.  Rather than re do the lesson (which I might someday) I took the images I had and made these two cards.

This card is the images I stamped inside.  I colored it with Zig watercolor markers.  I die cut the panel out, stamped the sentiment, and added it to a white card base.  I refrained from adding splatters.

This is the card front where I die cut out the large flower.  The inside stamping did not look right so I die cut the front of the card with the opening.  I added color behind the opening to match the color of the large floral image.  I stamped the sentiment.  When I was laying the card out, I thought the blue floral area was missing something so I stamped a smaller version of the large flower to peak out behind it.  I then added my splatters.  I used some sparkly water mixed with my paint and it has a very subtle shine to it.

I did understand the idea of the class but I failed to execute it properly.  Luckily I was able to save my failures and make two wonderful cards.

Having fun and staying busy. 

Online Card Class Day 2

I am trying to be a good student and work on the class lesson for each day.  It gives me a focus for the day.  A focus that is not food.

Day Two - I believe it was Day Two - Kristine Werner showed us how to make a background and then be able to get two cards out of it. 

This is the background I made using a set of Gina K Stamps and distress oxide inks.  I only did the two toned stamping on one flower.

I trimmed the piece in two and then did a little more trimming.  Each background was matted with purple paper and a thinking of you die was used for the sentiment.  (I think there must have been a chunk of purple paper on my table so that I have used it on several different cards for this class.)

The placement of the sentiment was dictated by an empty spot in the design.

Not too much sun in Wisconsin right now so hard to get a good photo.

Thanks for stopping by.

Online Card Classes

In my earlier days of making cards, I had scoffed at the thought of learning to make cards online.  I then found a group called Online Card Classes.  They immediately changed my views on online card making classes.  I have learned so much over the years taking different classes from them and the prices are always reasonable.  You also have lifetime access to all the classes you have taken.

Currently I am enrolled in the Spring Online Class.  It has 20 lessons.  It gives me something to look forward to each morning when I get up. 

Day One:  Make your own embossing background using a stamp.  This is an interesting concept.  I did have (leftover from the old days) ultra thick embossing powder which I used for create my embossing backgrounds.  I don't say this is something I would do again.  But I did attempt it. 

This is a Stampendous stamp.  I thought the bolder lines of the design would work to make a embossing background.

I embossed it on 80 pound white paper and then did ink blending over the top with Gina K Ink.  I matted it with a coordinating purplish paper which I die cut the sentiment out of the middle before I assembled the card.  I stamped the sentiment in black onyx VersaFine ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Smile

I have looked at the sketch challenge at Sunday Stamps for the last week and knew I wanted to play along.  Finally today I got a chance to play with this fun sketch. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Monday, time to show some love for your old supplies.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge

I keep creating and keeping myself occupied.  Thank goodness there are so many wonderful challenges for card makers.

Today I played along with the weekly sketch at My Favorite Things. 

I needed some more thinking of you cards to mail out.  I am mailing this to a friend that I worked with many years ago.  She just posted last week that her long time doctor had died from the Corona Virus.  I just wanted to let her know that she is in my thoughts.

I water colored the lines on my card.  I watercolored the image and then die cut it with a heart die.  I heat embossed the sentiment in gold on black cardstock.  I added the striped background to a black mat.  The heart was added to the front of the card with foam to give it some dimension.  I then added gold splatters to the front of the card. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Seize the Spring Fling Birthday

I needed to make a birthday card. A sorority sister of my daughter's asked on Facebook is people could send her Mom a birthday card since her birthday is during these upsetting times and they can not be with her to celebrate.

Of course I said I would do it.  I really don't need an excuse to make a card and I sure have the time right now. 

The current challenge at Seize the Birthday is Spring Fling. 

This stamp is a Dina Wakely stamp.  I received a birthday card last year and a friend had used this stamp.  I had to have it and it is so fun to play with.

This was stamped on watercolor paper and colored with watercolors.  I couldn't get enough depth of color so I was wishing I had all the colored pencils that are at my daughter's.  Well they are there and I am here but I did find my Ink Intense pencils.  I just colored them into different areas to add for depth of color.  I really liked how it turned out and I used a not very often used craft item which I had to have at one time. 

I really wish I would remember to do a wash on my paper before I stamp the images because it is so hard to add after you have done your coloring.  I mixed up some very diluted blue watercolor and then took a piece of acetate and just blopped it around the image.  The sentiment which was heat embossed on vellum is strategically placed over an area where the red ran a little.  Whew - I was able to fix that mistake.

I then added gold splatters to finish the card.  

Thanks for stopping by.

Paper Smooches April Challenge

It is time for a new challenge at Paper Smooches.  The challenge for the first part of Aprils is Pastels.

I picked this stamp set along with another cute one at a Saint Vinney's resale shop.  Both sets have such cute images and make great kids cards.

I have the latest pad of paper from Paper Smooches - do you think I can find it - no - I could only find two partial sheets of the paper.  I just used it.  It is probably right there in front of my eyeballs.  My tables are even somewhat clean for me.  I digress - I used some pastel paper I could find sitting on my table.  I love plaid paper.  I picked up the yellow, pink and green in the plaid to complete my card.  

I made two cards using this image.  One will go to a foster care home and the other will go in a military box.  I know they will bring smiles to some child's face.

On this card, I used a strip of Paper Smooches paper.  I added a die cut to the sentiment. 

I hope these cards put a smile on your face today.

Thanks for stopping by.

Gina K Monthly Challenge

I am busy making cards to send out to people to let them know they are not alone during these trying times. 

Gina K Designs has a monthly challenge and this month the challenge is Spring.  Nothing speaks spring to me more than flowers.  My mom always had so many flowers in her flower beds and pink was her favorite color. 

I stamped the image with black ink and clear embossed it.  I then water colored the image with several different shades of pink.  I also colored paper to make a mat to coordinate with the floral images.  I decided to shake it up by cutting the image, mat and card base with a set of dies that I had to have and had never used.

Keep sending cards letting friends and family that they are in your thoughts. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Oldie Moldie Monday

It is Monday - time to show some love to your old supplies.

I found these bright cheerful papers and I needed to make thank you cards so it was a win/win.

Remember to show some love for your old supplies.