Christmas card making

Every year I procrastinate making Christmas cards and I send out about 100 or more.  Each year, I tell myself I’m going to start early, and yet again, I’m behind the 8-ball.  So after seeing the colors for this week’s Color Throwdown #519, I knew whatever card I designed would be one to use for this year’s stash.

I really love how it turned out too.  I smooshed the background and added snowflakes and heat embossed snowflakes in silver, too.  This will be an easy card to mass produce!

Supplies used:
TH watercolor paper and Weathered Wood Ink
Gina K’s Ocean Mist and Sea Glass Inks and layering White CS
SSS Retro Deer Die
PTI’s In The Meadow Silhouttes dies (the birds)
PB’s Into the Woods die
PTI’s In the Meadow Stamp set (snowflakes)
MFT’s Simply Snowflakes
SU’s Silver EP
Duvo drops in Autumn Red
Embroidering Floss

Fall and Winter

These two cards are for November Twofer Challenge.  This will be my first time since Darnell started the challenge that I
could even think about entering. I hope my entry qualifies.  Darnell please let me know if it doesn’t.

One of the cards is for the Color Throwdown 518 using blue yellow and brown.

List of stamps...MFT’s BB Harvest Mouse and I don’t remember which set the Happy Birthday came from.  SSS Naughty & Nice Elves and MFT’s Hand Lettered Holiday. The wreath die is Wreaths Confetti Cuts from Reverse Confetti.

A Fall Birthday

Hi everyone, It’s nice to be back stamping again. I’ve had this stamp for at least a year and finally had a chance to ink it up. I bought it at a local craft show.   I think this stamp is an obvious “watercolor me” stamp.  It’s called Shady Path by the Artful Stamper by SOI.  I took a bit of liberty and made the path a creek.   I used my SU stamps for watercoloring: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake and Pool Party.  The Happy birthday stamp is from HA CL661.  I’m entering this card into the Color Throwdown #517 and Simon Says Stamp Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge “Anything Goes.  As always thank you for stopping by.  I love it when you do. 

CTD #516

Just a quick post to be in before the deadline for this week’s color throwdown

Happy Valentine's Day

Can you believe that this Wednesday is already Valentine's Day?  I can't either.  It is also Ash Wednesday.  It's hard to believe Lent is beginning this week, too.  

I spent last weekend in NYC wedding dress shopping with Sarah, maid of honor, Jessica, and Paul's mom, Lorraine.  Sarah, said "Yes to the Dress", but not at Kleinfeld's.  We didn't even go there.  They are just a bit out of our budget but we did find two places that fit our budget and the last dress she tried on was the one!  I wish I could show you the dress, but I just can't.  Here is a picture of us all at brunch later that day.  Sarah's friend, Theresa, was also able to join us.  Sarah, Jessica and Theresa introduced Lorraine and I to a drink called the Barnstormer--so good!

Here's my card for this week's Color Throwdown Challenge #479 and both of Simon Says Monday Love is in the Air and Wednesday It must be Love Challenges.  I started out by doing a light watercolor wash using Shimmers Aqua Heuz in Hottie Pink.  Then I put a bit of Simmerz Silver Bells on my craft mat, added a little water and used one of the Simon Says Stamps Frozen Fractal stencil and put it in the Silver Bells and stamped it over the dried watercolored panel.  After that dried.  I took a paint brush and dipped into Shimmerz Royal Red paint and splattered that color on top of the watercolored panel.  After everything dried, I die cut 4 times Simon Says Stamps Super Heart Border from the watercolored panel, red and two shades of gray cardstock.  I inset the hearts and dots from the red and gray cardstock and then attached the watercolored panel to a piece of Smokey Slate cardstock.  I stamped Happy Valentine's Day from Simon Says Stamp  Hello Beautiful stamp set in Momento London Fog ink and embossed it with Hero Arts White Satin Pearl EP.  I really liked how the stencil looks on this pink watercolored background. 

Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you do.  I appreciate your comments, too!  Have a great week. 

CTD #477

Hi everyone,
This crazy month of January is almost done.  I have a couple of cards to share.  This first one is for CTD #477.

I had fun using these three colors together.  Such a cute stamp set I bought from MFT last year and just hadn't had a chance to play with until now.  So sad. 





MFT Season's Tweetings & coordinating die
Newton's Nook Snowfall Stencil
Tim Holtz's Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass
IO's birch tree dies
SSS Happy Birthday
Various Copic Markers
SU card stock
EP Hello Winter DP










This second card, I had to have this stamp after seeing Jill Foster's video.  OMGosh, I fell in love and had so much fun making this card as I followed her how-to video.  I didn't have exactly all the same colors she used, but used colors close to what she used.  I ended up making two cards yesterday and will be making a few more for my stash.

PB's dressed in Snow
Altenew Ink, Forest Glades & Evergreen
TH's distress markers, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Forest Moss
TH's distress ink pads, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Salty Ocean.
Uniball White Gell Pen
Clear embossing Power
SU Happy birthday stamp (not sure what set it's from)

My dad really liked this card.  Thank you Jill Foster.  I loved CASing your card!

Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you do and please leave a comment if you like.

Long time

Wow, I can't believe how this year is flying by and how long it's been since I had time to post to my blog.  We've had such a busy year.  Al and I remodeled our kitchen, which turned into a much bigger job as we also remodeled the laundry room, the living room and dining room.  We did almost all of the work except installing the countertop and kitchen sink.  We didn't kill each other either.  What a transformation from the 1980's.

I finally had some time to make a card for a challenge.  I've wanted this stamp set since I saw it in the SU catalog.  What a great set.  I'm entering this card in Color Throwdown #466 and SSS Wednesday challenge - anything goes.

Gina K ivory luxury layering CS
SU Perfect Plum CS and ink
SU Old Olive and Crushed Curry inks
SU Painted Harvest Stamp set
SU Crazy About You Stamp set
SSS Happy 3x4 Stamp set,
Versamark and embossing powder.














Thanks for stopping by, I would love to hear from you so please leave a comment.  Have a great week.

Color Challenge - Day 3

Well it's really Day 4, but I didn't get to post Day 3 until now.  I'm just happy that I've colored for the past 3 days so far.  I'm hoping to color every day, but we'll see how the month goes.

When Simon Says Stamp came out with this background stamp, I just had to have it.  It reminds me so much of the 70's--with all the flower power, bell bottoms and peace signs.

Here's my panel for day 3.  I haven't made it into a card just yet.

SSS Mod Flower Stamp
HA Unicorn Ink
White Embossing Powder
Uniball White Pen
Copics: C1, G82, G43, YG41, E11, RV21, R20, R22, Y02, Y11, Y06, BV02, V22, BV000, B01 and B000

It screams 70's and spring at the same time.  I love it!  Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you do. Peace Out ✌

PTI MIM #246 and Day 2 - Coloring Challenge

It's hard to believe it's March already! 

Melissa has us trying colored pencils on kraft this week at Make It Mondays, which also fit into The Daily Marker's 30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 2.  I've seen people doing this for awhile and thought it would be neat to try, but just hadn't taken the time to do so.  Now, I'm kicking myself for not trying this sooner.  It even looks great on black.  It just doesn't photograph very well.

I admit I had to wipe the dust off my colored pencils.  Here's my card.  I really liked how it turned out.


PTI's What the Doodle: Butterfly Stamp Set and Keep It Simple: Thinking of You Stamp Set.
SU's Crumb Cake and Bordering Blue (retired) Card Stock
MFT's Die-namics Blueprint Dies #20
Versa Mark ink
White embossing powder
Twine

Thanks, Melissa for using this technique.  Hopefully, I will use my colored pencils more often so the dust doesn't collect on them...lol!

Thanks for stopping by, I love it when you do.  

30 day coloring challenge using Zig Markers

Today's post brings some new firsts for me.  This is the first time I've participated in the 30 Coloring Challenge and also the first time using my Zig Markers.  I bought them quite awhile ago, but kept reading other bloggers struggling with them, so I kept putting off using them.  I can see why.  I'm not real thrilled with the way my background turned out.  I wished afterwards, I had used watercolor paper then I could have blended out the coloring. I'm not going to beat myself up too much, at least I tried them.  I'll keep working with them from time to time.  I do love how bright the colors are. 

I have been following the 30 day coloring challenge for quite some time, but just never took the time to actually participate.  I even when to Starbucks and picked up a couple of cups from last fall to color them as Kathy did.  What's even more funny is the fact that was the first time I had ever been in a Starbucks as I'm not a coffee drinker.  Can't stand the taste or smell of coffee. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I love it when you do.  Enjoy the rest of your week.