Holiday Cheer

Hi there!

I am continuing to showcase the very versatile set, Holly Days, by Hero Arts.  As mentioned in my previous post, I stamped, watercolored and die cut several of the holly and berry images to create several clean and simple cards.

For this card, I decided to add texture to my card panel.   One of my favorite ways is to use impression plates as they give just a subtle texture to the paper.  For this card, I used one of my favorites, Papertrey Ink’s Aida Impression Plate.  I simply LOVE it!

I then die cut an oval from black cardstock using (no longer available) Avery Elle’s Modern Leaves die set.  I stamped and embossed the sentiment from Hero Arts Under the Mistletoe using gold EP.

I added a holly cluster image from Holly Days on the top pointed side of my die cut and then added red sequins to finish it off.  The panel was then attached to my card base.

Until next time!

 

It’s Your Birthday

Hi there,

Here’s a card I made for my 2 year old niece.  She celebrated her birthday last month.

I love MFT’s Pure Innocence stamp series.  The images are just adorable and so fitting for a little girl.  This image is from a retired set, Fairy Girl.  It’s just so sweet.  I colored the image with watercolor markers.  The wings and wand have a little sparkle thanks to some Wink of Stella Clear Sparkle.  The die cut is from PTI’s Wet Paint Cuts.  I added a little patterned paper and clear sequins to just a little more interest and color to my card.

Until next time!

 

Birthday Peonies

Hi there.

Happy Spring!  Peonies are one of my favorite flowers – both plant and tree.  I’m always taken aback on the beauty of them.  I love them in all forms – from the bulb and to the withering flowering.  You find beauty in every stage.  I so wish I could grow them here in but it’s just too darn hot.

My card today showcases the gorgeous peony courtesy of Papertrey Ink’s  Peonies on Parade.

These beautiful images were heat embossed with white EP and watercolored using Inktense pencils.  The sentiment and die cut are from Mama Elephant.

So simple yet so beautiful.

There’s a bit of green in the background, so I thought I’d participate in SSS Wednesday Challenge Bit-O-Green.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Love & Laughter

Hi there!

I’ve been admiring stamps from The Ton and I wanted to play around with a few that I borrowed from my dear friend Vera.  Here’s what I made…

Love these roses from the Fresh Cut Garden Roses set!  I simply smooched water downed Distress Ink to these images.  I purposely left them unfinished to keep it interesting.

For the rest of the card, I added texture to the panel using one of my favorite Papertrey Ink impression plates, Linen & Canvas.  In addition, I splattered white and black watercolor ink on the panel.  I cut a circle in the panel and added a sentiment courtesy of Penny Black to the card base.

Hope you all are enjoying the day.

Love, Joe & Peace

Happy December!

I’m slowly (very slowly) checking off my Christmas to-do list.  Here is another Christmas card to share.

SUPPLIES Stamps: Bells & Boughs (PTI); Silver Bells (WPlus9); Woodland Wreaths (WPlus9); Believe (Penny Black: 30-310) Dies: Bells & Boughs (PTI) Color: Various Green Inks (Hero Arts); Versafine Black Onyx (Tsukineko); Clean Color Watercolor Markers (Kuretake) Other: Clear EP (Ranger); Queens Gold EP (Ranger)

I used a variety of stamps to create my leaf border.  They were stamps with various hues of dye ink.  I added a few red berries to add a change of color.  The bells and ribbon were stamped and embossed with gold powder.  I colored them with watercolor makers.  The sentiment is from Penny Black.

Until next time!

 

Wedding Card

Hi there!

It’s beginning to feel like fall here in this part of the country.

Today I’m sharing a wedding a card I made for my brother and sister-in-law.  It was a summer wedding held at the beach and it was a day filled with a lot of love, joy and laughter.

SUPPLIES Stamps: Brett and Brenda (Stamping Bella); Happy Trails (Papertrey Ink) Color: Black Licorice Hybrid Ink (MFT); Inktense Watercolor Pencils (Derwent); Old Paper Distress ink (Ranger) Other: Bristol Paper (Strathmore); Paper Distresser (StampinUp); Clear Sequins

I really LOVE this image from Stamping Bella and thought it to be perfect for the wedding card.

I simply stamped the image with black ink and lightly watercolored the image using Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils.  I distressed the edges and added Old Paper Distress Ink to highlight the lovely couple.  To finish the card I added with clear sequins around the panel.  I decided not to add  a sentiment on the front as I just wanted the image to speak for itself.   The sentiment that I included from the card is from Papertrey Ink’s Happy Trails – “To love and be loved is everything” – a fitting statement.

Until next time.

All About You

Hello!

I made this birthday card a few months ago for my mom.  I decided to try a technique from Jennifer McGuire’s blog.  I loved it and had to try.  Anyway,  this was my take.

SUPPLIES Stamps: Friends Til the End (PTI); Sprinkles and Smiles (Penny Black) Color: Various Hues of Yellow Distress Inks (Ranger); Inktense Watercolor Pencils (Derwent); Black Onyx Versafine (Tsukineko) Other: White Embossing Powder (Ranger); Versamark (Tsukineko); Clear Gems (Pretty Pink Posh); Watercolor Paper (Strathmore)

It’s a beautiful technique and I will try it again in the next few weeks.

Thanks!

 

Chevron Birthday

Hello!

A few weeks ago, I made a “quick” birthday card for my nephew.  I really couldn’t put much thought into it because I had to mail it right away.

SUPPLIES Stamps Chevron background (HA); Anything Can Happen (HA) Dies Birthday Trio (PTI) Inks Distress Paint (Ranger) Other Gesso (Golden); Versamark (Tsukineko); Queens Gold EP (Ranger); Enamel Dots; Vellum Paper; Glossy Accents (Ranger); Wink of Stella (Zig)

I tried to keep it simple and I wanted to use stamps and dies that are begging to be used.  I thought adding some paint would keep it technically interesting.  I first prepped a piece of Bristol paper with gesso.  I then added different hues of blue Distress Paint on the Hero Arts background stamp, Chevron.  I wanted an ombre look so I went from dark to light in the order of the paints.    Once colored, I heavily misted the stamp with water and then stamped the image on my paper.

While that dried, I die cut one of the dies from PTI’s Birthday Trio multiple times.  I glued them together to create a more 3 dimensional die cut.  The top layer was brushed with a Wink of Stella Pen and then covered with Glossy Accents.

I then assembled the card when all the items were dry.  On a strip of vellum, I embossed with gold EP the word “happy” from the HA Anything Can Happen clear set.  I added my die cut and finished the stamp with enamel dots.

Until next time!

Happy Barkday

Hi there.

My husband’s birthday was last week and, of course, I made a card.

I like to make whimsical cards for him.  So I thought I’d use a image from the Paper Smooches Birthday Buddies.

SUPPLIES Stamps Birthday Buddies (Paper Smooches) Dies Tipped Top Dies (PTI) Inks Black Dye Ink (Hero Arts); London Blue Dylusions Ink Spray (Ranger); Teal Color Shine Ink Spray (Heidi Swapp); Prismacolor Pencils Other Glossy Accents (Ranger); Dimensional Foam (3M)

My son has been bugging us for a dog.   We are eventually going to relent since the both of us want one as well.  I thought it appropriate to use the dog image with the matching sentiment.   The image was colored with Prismacolor pencils and then fussy cut.  I also added Glossy Accents to the birthday hat.

The “hello” is from PTI’s Tip Top Die set.  I die cut it multiple times, layered it and then added Glossy Accents.  On the CS panel, I sprayed blue ink spray just to give it some interest rather than a stark white background.

I then assembled the card.  After taking the picture, I decided to add a googly eye for the dog.  My husband loved it as well as the chocolate mousse cake I made for him.

Enjoy your week!

 

 

Now & Forever

Hello!

My son’s math and social studies teacher is getting married this month and the moms in his grade threw a bridal shower.  Of course, I made a card!

SUPPLIES Stamps Mini Blooms (PTI); We Connect (Paper Smooches) Inks Chipped Sapphire Distres Paint (Ranger); various Midtone Inks (HA) Dies Mini Bloom Dies (PTI) Other Versamark (Tsukineko); Queen’s Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger); Foil Paper (DCWV); Washi Tap (Michaels); Gesso (Golden); Bristol Paper (Strathmore)

 

Tell me you’re one of those people who hoard stamps from various companies and never use them!?  Well, that’s me.  I love PTI’s Mini Blooms set.  Just cute and elegant flowers.  I die cut the flowers several times until I had an idea of how I wanted to arrange them on the card.  I stamped each size flower with the same color and put them aside.

On Bristol cardstock, I added gesso to a card panel.  Once dry, I heavily covered the panel with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink.  I LOVE the watercolor paper Gayatri used in this card and I wanted to mimic it.  At the time I didn’t have Black Soot Distress ink, so I chose my darkest blue for the background.  I just love the color variation.  Once dried, I mounted the panel on gold foil paper.

I then embossed a sentiment from Paper Smooches We Connect using Queen’s Gold embossing powder.  I then added the card panel to the base and then arranged the flowers.  I also a bit of washi tape as well.

Thanks for visiting!