Summertime

simon

This card is a definite celebration of summer. I had a chance to use a  lot of my little Cheery Lynn dies and lots of bright colors. I started with a bright summer sky blue card base. I then stamped it with the music Behind the Scenes from Rogue Redhead Designs. The lattice was then added. I added the fringe for grass, flowers and the insects -- dragonfly, butterfly, bee, and ladybug. All of the dies are from Cheery Lynn Designs. The sentiment is a Club Scrap stamp.
I am entering my card into these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs --hot time in the summer; City Crafter -- animal magic; Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- anything goes; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- music.

Miracles

This weeks Bloggers Challenge is quotes. My card layout is based on the current Mojo Monday sketch challenge.
To make my card I started with a sage card base. I used a Spellbinders embossing die to make the background of butterflies. The decorating panels are Graphics 45 designer paper. I needed spots and dots. My quote is from Quietfire stamps. The quote is from a poster by Karen Salmansohn. I really like this saying.

I am also entering my card into these challenges: Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- red; Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge --spots and dots; and Craft-Dee Bowz -- anything goes with a handmade bow.

Little Voice in your Head

It's a gloomy, rainy day, so I decided to play in my art journal. That always cheers me up. I have had this stencil for ages from The Crafter's Workshop. I fell in love with it, but never found a reason to use it...until now. There are several  challenges which screamed at me to use this stencil. Mixed Media Monthly published its first challenge which is spray inks. Tuesday Throwdown challenged us to show wildly colored hair. Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge had girls as the theme. So out came the stencil and my Dylusions spray inks to start my page. The background color came from wiping my clean up towel on the paper. The stamps are from Sweetstamps and Club Scrap.
I am also entering my page in these challenges. SweetStamps -- no design paper; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- vintage.

Perspective

I started my card off with an experiment. I decided to try distress paint marbling on a piece of kraft cardstock. The result was a very subtle background since the paint tended to soak into the kraft. However, it worked great for what came next. I then took Tim's doily stencil, laid it over my background and sprayed with Dylusions white linen spray. It really showed up well. I also added a little ink over the chevron stencil. Since the current challenge for Compendium of Curiosities III is to try Tim Holtz's glitter technique from p. 56 of his book, I die cut the frame and flowers from grungepaper and used  Tim's distress glitter. Oh yes, I also added a drop of stickles to each of the flowers. The stamped image is from SweetStamps. Distress markers were used to color the image. The sentiment stamp from Tim Holtz was die cut using a Cheery Lynn Die. Also I'd like to give a shout out to The Funkie Junkie for sponsoring the CCC3 challenge this time around.
I am also entering this card into these challenges:  Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- botannical; Kraft Journal -- flowers; Sweet Stamps -- anything goes; Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- no designer paper; and V's Sweet Ideas challenge -- distress.

A Man Among Boys

Today seems to have been a Tim Holtz inspired day. Before I go any further, I'd like to thank Linda Ledbetter for holding the Compendium of Curiosities III challenge. This is Tim's third Compendium and the third round of challenges. Thanks also to Inspiration Emporium for their sponsorship of this challenge.
Challenge #1 is paint marbling (p.43 in Tim's book) The background of my card shows the paint marbling technique. Over the background I stamped several Steampunk images (Hampton Arts and Artistic Outpost). Overlooking these images is Tim's man among boys, Umbrella Man.
The monthly  Inspiration Journal challenge is a few of my favorite things. The background technique is one of my favorite techniques. Steampunk is a favorite theme. And Umbrella Man is one of my favorite dies.
Other challenges fitting my card: Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox & Friends -- rain; Fashionable Stamping -- flying things; and SanDee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenge -- favorite technique goes steampunk.

Life Pieces

I'm very excited to announce that I have been invited to be the guest designer for the SweetStamps Challenge Blog. Today is my first post for their dies challenge. I have been using SweetStamps stamps for years and just love them.

To create my card I started with a white base card. For the top panel I used Cheery Lynn Designs fancy corner cuts 3 to cut the corners and an oval stacker to cut out the center. (Using the negative of the die cut for a frame).  I stamped the SweetStamps lilac bunch stamp as my focal image inside the oval frame. The color was added with distress markers. I stippled a little China blue ink around the lilacs. The three dragon flies were die cut (Cheery Lynn tiny things) and added over the frame and image.
I am adding my card to these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- back to nature; Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- negative die cut; CAS-ual Fridays -- good egg/ovals; and Stampin' for the Weekend -- spring colors.

Dreaming

When I saw this weeks inspiration photo for the Speedy Fox & Friends challenge, I immediately thought of shimmer sheets. These are plastic like sheets which look holographic and are gorgeously colored. The background of my card is a piece of shimmer sheetz which I dry embossed. (IRL the background shimmers and shines and  has beautiful purple and blue colors.) Frilly and Funkie challenged us to use neglected dies. The oval dies I used were some of the first dies(Spellbinders) I ever bought. Since they were purchased, I have acquired so many different dies and kind of forgot about these. I brought them out and dusted them off and here they are. This card is also being entered in Ink on My Fingers Sunday Challenge where Hels has the theme dream. All of the stamps used are from Rogue Redhead Designs.

Inspired Thoughts

I was in the mood to create a tag this afternoon. SweetStamps Cameo Girl was stamped on canvas and framed with an ornate frame die cut (Tim Holtz). She makes a wonderful centerpiece on a tag covered with Graphics 45 flowered design paper. She is embellished with lace. The sentiment is found on the pin and tag (Inspire and Thought).
 I am entering my tag on these challenges: SweetStamps -- anything goes; Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge --a cameo appearance; Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends challenge -- anything but a card; and City Crafter challenge -- flowers and lace.

12 Tags of 2014 -- February

It's nearly the end of the month and I finally finished the February tag for the 12 Tags of 2014, the challenge on Tim Holtz's blog. I know its hard to believe, but I don't have several of the items that Tim used on his tag. I think my substitutions worked pretty well. I do love the chalkboard technique, especially since it uses real chalk. The gradient effect done with the stencil gives a great effect.
I am also entering my tag into these challenges: Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes and Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- chalk.

Happy Valentines Day

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentines Day. I'm sharing cards I made for my grandchildren to celebrate the day. Unfortunately, the sunlight was poor and the photos do not have their sharp colors. Suffice it to say, there's a lot of red and purple on the cards.
I'm entering Joshua's card into the Tuesday Throwdown challenge which is anything goes, into the Cornish Heritage Farms challenge which is Valentine, and into Mark's finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends challenge which is love.
Jayda's card is being entered into Critter Challenge which is red and purple and into Three Muses which is red.

Love is in the Air

I can't believe it...this is my 1000th post! What better topic to celebrate this milestone than LOVE! I'm actually going to make this a double post. I have 2 cards to share on the theme, but I'll be linking each to different challenges.

My first card is done all in pink except for the sentiment. Cheery Lynn Designs challenge is tickled pink. I used both the tropical flourish and the daisy strip dies on my card. The card just designed itself when I realized by accident that two tropical flourishes  put together made a beautiful heart especially when flowers were added to the tip. The background paper is very glittery. I've had it in my stash for quite a while waiting for the perfect time to use it. Well, here it is. I am also entering this card into the Great Impressions challenge which is have a heart.

For this card I used an image from Stampendous and stamped it on my card front panel. I then stamped it on a piece of flowery design paper and paper pieced the clothing.  The side border is the mesh strip from Cheery Lynn cut down to fit. The red hearts are stickers that just showed up on my work table. I guess my muse was working overtime today. The letters are die cut..  I'm entering this card into the Stampendous Impressions challenge which is love is in the air; into the Artistic Stamper challenge which is hearts and flowers; into the Fashionable Stamping challenge which is show some love; and into Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox & Friends challenge which is paper piecing.

Christmas Cardinal

I know I've been MIA from my blog and from challenges lately. I have been trying to keep up with my 2 year old granddaughter more than usual, but on the art front I have a great announcement. I was invited to join the Scrapbook News Review team as a staffer. I've been spending a bit of time trying to get up to speed with them. It's exciting that my cards and art will be published on a regular basis and I'll be doing a few tutorials too.
Now back to my card. I had a peaceful day today, so I finally was able to catch up with my Blogger's Challenge card. The theme this week is birds of a feather. I'll also be able to share my card in a number of other challenges. Hels at Ink on my Fingers also had a bird challenge. Three Muses is looking for animals. Marks Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends challenge is pop it up (use pop dots). Both the bow and the cardinal are popped.  Artistic Stamper has an anything goes challenge. Great Impressions wants to see holiday creativity.
To create my card I used design paper from My Mind's Eye for the background panel. The cardinal is from Heartfelt Creations. I stamped and embossed him on red cardstock. The wreath and bow are die cut using Tim Holtz's die. The sentiment is an Outlines Sticker and was placed on a label die cut using a Spellbinders die.

Floral Gatefold

This week the challenge at SweetStamps is watercolor. I was happy to be able to use a new SweetStamps stamp as my image. I used the marker watercoloring technique from the Jun/Jul 2008 TJ newsletter to watercolor my image. The markers I used were distress markers.
City Crafters had the challenge, Wishi Washi where we are to use washi tape and only two other items. I used washi tape along the top and bottom of the card. My two items were the image panel and the diecut frame.
The Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends challenge is to use a different fold. My card is a gate fold card. If you look closely, you can see the split in the center of the card.
Finally, the Sunday challenge at Ink on my Fingers is Green Tambourine, use green. My card base and all of the leaves and stems are green.

Simple Pleasures

I haven't been blogging for several days and I'll probably be somewhat sporadic for the next week. My grandson is between day camp and school, so we have been enjoying each other's company and visiting the local sites. I did get a chance to finish a few things today.

Today's card follows the layout of the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. Three Muses has the challenge theme of strawberries. The strawberries and sentiment were stamped using Kitchen Sink Stamps.  Cornish Heritage Farms wants to see a black and white card with one other color. Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox challenge is dots. I love it when challenges work so well together.

Fun With ATC's

I love making atc's, but I haven't made any for quite a while. I had so much fun creating these. I am entering the entire collection into the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge which is paint it up. All of the backgrounds are monoprints made on my Gelli Arts plate using Creative Inspirations Paints. I wasn't sure how the CI paints would work, but they worked beautifully. The shimmer really comes through even after I went over the cards with distress stains. I also added paint to the continents on the globe, the butterfly, and the metallic numerals. On the cat atc, the cat stamp is from Stampa Rosa and the sentiment is from Club Scrap. On the bird atc the words are diecut from Spellbinders dies. All of the rest of the diecuts, distress ink and stains, ChitChat word stickers, stamps, filmstrip tape, photo sticker, and metallic numbers are Tim Holtz products.

Here they are individually.

I am entering this card in the Take a Word challenge which is memories. I just love the little camera.

This card is being entered into the MFP Speedy Fox challenge which is getting back to nature.

This card is being entered into the Great Impressions challenge which is walk on the wild side - feature an animal.