Give Thanks to Him

This week the Bloggers Challenge is give thanks. I started with a Cheery Lynn die (Madrid Flourishes Rectangle Boutique Stackers Frame). I used the large border and part of the middle border. The sentiment is Psalm 100:4, an ODBD stamp. The background uses the embossed stains technique from the current Technique Junkies newsletter. although it's hard to see on the scan, the gold ink over the embossed leaves really gives a beautiful metallic glow.
I am also entering this card in these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs --borders and edgers; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Our Daily Bread Designs --Scripture inspiration; TJ Try That Technique -- embossed stains.

Trick or Treat

Tomorrow (Friday) is Halloween. I thought I'd share one more Halloween card. I started with a great piece of designer paper. I pulled out several sets of Halloween stamps from Artistic Outpost. I couldn't let the holiday go by without using the dapper skeleton all dressed up in his formal finest. I wanted to mask him, but he is quite skinny and difficult to cut out. Then I remembered that I had a jar of Masking Friskit. It was the perfect answer to mask my bony friend. I used a white gel pen to highlight his bones. The haunted mansion is another of my favorite stamps, along with the colony of bats. (Yes, that's what a group of bats is called.) Halloween was stamped in orange. The 'Trick or Treat" sentiment block is a part of  a larger stamp. I stamped it and then heat embossed it and cut out the part I wanted. Halloween Kisses--my treat to you!
Since this is the week and month of Halloween, there are a number of challenges met by my Halloween card: Tuesday Throwdown -- dressed up-costume; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- treats; Sweet Stamps -- Spooky; 3 Muses -- Take Fright; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- Boo to You; Inspiration Emporium -- In Disguise; Art With Heart -- Tricks or Treats; Artistic Outpost -- anything goes with Artistic Outpost stamps.

Stripped Gears

My dear sister is recuperating from a recent knee operation, so I wanted to make a card for her. (Sorry, Diane, you'll see the card before it arrives, but it's on its way.) I thought that this bouquet of Steampunk flowers along with the sentiment (both Heartfelt Creations) was the perfect combination.
I'll be entering this card in several challenges. At SanDee & Amelie's Steampunk Challenge the challenge is Steampunk couture. Flowers play such a big part of fashion and  couture. I also added a few metallic stitches to complete the effect. Kraft Journal challenged us to use ugly paper. I actually thought the red paper was not the prettiest, but cut into flowers and highlighted with silver color, the result is just what I needed. City Crafter wanted to see stripes, and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday wants us to use kraft paper (base card and sentiment.)

12 Tags of 2014 -- October

Halloween is this Friday, so what better time is there to share my version of Tim Holtz's tag of the month. I had a lot of fun making this tag. I really love the texture paste on the background. Adding the distress sprays was so easy. I have had the monocle for ever so long. I had to have it and then never used it. You never know when something you have will be just the thing you need. (I'm not a hoarder, I'm just waiting for the perfect moment! lol) I didn't have a Jack-O-Lantern stamp, so I used the pumpkin from the blueprint series and added the face features. It worked. I like Tim's idea of adding Glossy Accents to the colored part of the pumpkin: it really gives a dimensional look to the Jack-O-Lantern. Halloween is such a fun art season.

Happy Halloween

It took me a year, but I finally got to use my Witch's Laundry die from Cheery Lynn. My card base is black cardstock. I cut the orange moon to fit the card and then stamped it with bats from Artistic Outpost's Haunted Halloween. The sentiment is also from that set. It looks like our witch friend will have clean clothes for her big night out!
I am entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- black and orange; Dies R Us Challenge -- Halloween; Marks Finest Paper Simple Salutations -- things with wings; A Vintage Journey -- Halloween to die for; Artistic Outpost --anything goes with Artistic Outpost stamps.

O is for ... Oriental

I'm back after a 3 day absence spent in the hospital. It felt good to spend a little time in the studio. Using the sketch layout from the Marks Finest Papers Oriental challenge, I created this card. The background panel is cut from a Chinese newspaper. The red panel was made by using a stencil and stencil paste and then spraying with distress spray. The bottom panel was stamped using an Oriental stamp from MFP..
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- O is for...; Three Muses -- printed word; Addicted to CAS -- stencil.

Golden Autumn Days

My card today is based on the Mojo Monday challenge sketch layout.  My image and sentiment are brand new stamps (to me) from Serendipity stamps. I was really happy to be able to use them. I stamped my image on watercolor paper. I used the distress marker watercolor technique to watercolor the pheasants. The top layering panel was perfect for the sentiment. My background was made by layering leaves which were die cut  (Tim Holtz/Sizix) from an old book page onto a cardstock panel. The leaves were edged with distress ink. I think that the leaves, colors, and image make a wonderful autumn card.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- add leaves; City Crafter -- leaves; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge -- use watercoloring; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Fashionable Stamping -- anything goes; Frilly and Funkie --autumn colors; Great Impressions -- autumnal elegance; Serendipity Stamps -- fall.

Happy Halloween

Please don't think me weird, but I'm in a happy place because I am making Halloween cards this year. I'm not really a Halloween fanatic, but I love the fun that surrounds this holiday. As you may recall, last year I had health issues all during the fall season. I had new Halloween stamps and dies, but could never use them. This year I'm in the fun Halloween zone.
The base card is kraft cardstock. I then used a pewter backing panel. The background is orange cardstock with spider webs die cut from the pewter cardstock. The Halloween wreath and raven are cut from dark brown cardstock. The sentiment panel is orange cardstock with the sentiment in deep purple. All of the die cuts are done with Cheery Lynn dies.

I am entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- Halloween; Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge -- falling in love...with Halloween die cuts; Kraft Journal Monday -- no pattern paper; and SweetStamps -- dies.

Welcome Autumn

This will be the last card that I'm sharing today. I'm so happy that I got a chance to use my tree stamp from Kitchen Sink Stamps showing fall foliage. I have to use this stamp at least once every year. My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday tall and skinny sketch challenge. Fashionable Stamping challenged us to show a tree with autumn colors so I pulled out this stamp. Marks finest Papers Simple Salutations challenged us to use a metal embellishment on our card. I thought that the ribbons at the top could use a little embellishment.  The sentiment is an Artistic Outpost stamp.

Birthday Greetings

This is another card that I was able to finish today. I love it when I get extra time in my studio. I decided to use the time to participate in some challenges that I have not been able to play in for a while. Marks Finest Papers Oriental Sketch Challenge is this sketch. All of the stamps used are MFP stamps. The background was done using the TJ technique of the week challenge -- colored stone silk. I thought that it made a perfect background for an Oriental card.

Speedy Recovery

Today has been a fun and busy day. My card here is for the Addicted to CAS challenge which is cuddly. The minute I saw the challenge, I knew that I had to use this adorable and cuddly teddy bear stamp from Kitchen Sink Stamps.  Isn't he sweet!