Lucky Green

March has finally arrived. Although we are still covered with snow here in Chicago, the weatherman is promising warmer temperatures in a couple of days. I sure hope he's right.
My card today, created with the Mojo Monday sketch in mind, celebrates St. Patrick's day. My card base uses kraft cardstock. The white background is dry embossed using a Tim Holtz background texture fade. The green panel and shamrocks are cut from glittery cardstock. The sentiment is one of the Tim Holtz stamps and is framed with glossy gold. The card is finished with a pearl embellishment that I have hoarded for a long, long time.
I am entering this card in these challenges: Mojo Monday -- sketch challenge; Simon Says Monday challenge -- just a hint of clover; Kraft Journal --St. Patrick's Day; Great Impressions -- go green; Art With Heart Challenge -- go green.

Joy to the World

It's been quite a while since I was able to post on my blog. I've been rather busy around the house since my daughter had surgery on her arm. She's fine, but it was her right arm and she is right handed. I've had to drive her and the grandkids and do other stuff she would normally do. I did get a chance to work in my studio for a little while. Here's a non-traditional Christmas card I was able to finish.My base card is yellow cardstock. The background is designer paper from Club Scrap. The carolers are Tim Holtz/Sizzix dies as is the sentiment.
I am entering this card into these challenges: Tuesday Throwdown -- family Christmas; Artistic Stamper -- anything goes; Inspiration Journal -- Sing It Loud; V's Sweet Ideas --Holiday theme; Art With Heart --holiday traditions (caroling).        

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.

Autumn

The first official day of Autumn 2014 is just around the corner, so why not a card celebrating autumn. My card layout is based on the Mojo Monday challenge sketch. My colors were all chosen to represent autumn. My background is a more current take on a technique I learned at my first stamp show, years ago. Then it was Versamark and chalk. For this card I pulled out my Pan Pastels. The colors are so much richer than any chalk I have in my stash and they work in a similar way. I stamped the background  on watercolor paper (for the tooth) with Versamark ink. Then I added the Pan Pastels. The technique is easy to do, and quite effective. All of the sunflower stamps are from the latest Heartfelt Creations release. I do love sunflowers! All of the die cuts were cut with Spellbinder dies.) All of the coloring was done with my Pan Pastels. The sentiment is a Club Scrap stamp.The diagonal design paper is from my stash.
I am also entering my card in these challenges: Bloggers Challenge -- fall colors; Simon Says Monday Challenge -- techniques; City Crafter -- diagonals; Dies R Us -- fall festival; Inspiration Journal -- fall is in the air; E-Play -- fall; Art With Heart -- fall back.

Sunflower Garden

For this card I had a chance to pull out some stamps from Kitchen Sink Stamps. I love how the image is colored by the stamped ink and has so much detail. The background behind the sunflower was done using a stencil and distress inks. The Cheery Lynn frame die adds a festive look to the card especially with the pearls added to the two corners. The sentiment is a stamp from Club Scrap.
My card is being entered into these challenges:  Cheery Lynn Designs -- frame it; Classy Cards 'n Such -- sunflower inspired (available at CCnS are Cheery Lynn frame, distress inks, pearl bling); Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Sweet and Sassy -- border stamps or die; MFP Colors -- orange, yellow, and pink; Art With Heart -- anything goes.

Happy 4th of July

  

Hoping everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July today! 

this week's Blogger's Challenge is red, white, and blue. My card is a bit non-traditional for a 4th of July card, but it certainly fits in with the red, white, and blue. I started with a red base card and added the blue panel. I stamped the sentiment (Artistic Outpost) along the fold edge of the card. The face (Prima) was stamped on a piece of Tim Holtz watercolor paper. I then masked her and stamped (Hero Arts) the background. I used the distress watercolor technique from Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities 3 Book, p. 39. This just happens to be the  current CCC3 challenge. (A special thanks to Inspiration Emporium for their generous sponsorship.)
My card is being entered into these challenges: Blogger's Challenge -- red, white, and blue; Classy Cards 'n Such -- red, white, and blue (Tim Holtz's distress markers can be purchased there.); Tuesday Throwdown -- anything goes; Compendium of Curiosities 3 challenge -- distress watercoloring; Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- patriotic; Art With Heart -- red, white, and beautiful; V's Sweet Ideas -- red, white, and blue.

Down By the Sea

I was in my element as I was making this card. Add lots of texture and some vintage images and I'm happy. This week there were several beach/water challenge themes and a couple challenges calling for texture. I started with a piece of kraft cardstock and embossed it using one of Tim Holtz's texture fades. I then added distress embossing powder to the bottom of the panel to represent sand. I used Tim's Chevron die to die cut the waves. I added distress glitter to the waves like white caps. Texture fades, distress embossing powder, and distress glitter are all texture techniques that Tim Holtz uses to add texture to his art. The beach house and bathing beauties are stamps from Artistic Outpost as is the sentiment.
 I will be adding my card to these challenges: Kraft Journal -- water, water everywhere; Marks Finest Papers Friends of Speedy --beach theme; A Vintage Journey -- texture; Addicted to CAS -- texture; V's Sweet Ideas --Summer fun; Art With Heart -- summer celebration.