Transparent Balloons

I saw a tutorial on coloring balloons with Copics and thought I'd have a go.  It was super easy and fun!  I also took Lisa's advice and sponged [the clouds] using a plastic mask.  Boy, what a difference.  I found it a lot easier to manipulate the sponge.  Thanks, Lisa!

So, what we've got here is watercolored grass using the rough side of the paper for texture, coloring with Copics, masking and sponging the clouds, masking the elephant, fussy cutting, sassy toenails, diecutting and impressing (I love, love, love the double-stitching effect).

The Details:  Hammermill cardstock, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border die, Memory Box Puffy Cloud Border die used to create mask, Mama Elephant Up & Away, Stampin' Up Happy Heart Day (elephant), Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock and Distress Ink Mowed Lawn, Crushed Olive, and Tumbled Glass, Copics: YG0000, YG11, YG17, Y00, Y11, Y15, BV0000, BV00, BV01, BV02, V000, RV10, RV14, B0000, B000, B02, 0, N0, N3

I'm entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Addicted to CAS #64 Animal, Simply Create Too #86 CAS, Addicted to Stamps & More #146 Anything Goes

Encouragement, French Style

Well, my stepson is officially on the road heading down to California.  It seems like forever since he'd been making plans and all of a sudden the big day was here.  Sigh.  We'll miss you, A!

I thought of him as I was making this card but it's just a tiny bit girlie, don't you think?   ;-) So into my stash it goes.  Some quick coloring, masking, and embossing is all it took for this card. 

Although I'm feeling a bit blue and may not do much crafting this week, I will at least be sorting through and organizing the rather massive haul of goodies I made away with at Amy's garage sale.  I'm almost glad I couldn't make it on Friday, the first day of the sale.  Break the bank!  LOL

The Details:  Penny Black A Little Bird..., PTI Signature Greetings II, Inkadinkado background stamp, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Wink of Stella (the bicycle), Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Onyx Black, Recollections 110lb white cardstock, Neenah 80lb solar white cardstock, Ranger clear embossing powder, Copic YG13, YG17, YR0000, Y21, Y35, YR24, E19, N0, N3, Y00, Y11, Y15, E0000, E00, E30, E31, E33, B00, B02, B05

I'm entering this in Crafter's Cafe #116 Feminine, Addicted to Stamps and More #144 CAS, CAS on Sunday #58 Cheer Up, Buttercup, CAS(E) This Sketch! #123   

Floral Birthday

Man, this card was hard to photograph.  My camera just couldn't deal with the gray and yellow so most of the pics are tossers. Argh.  The pic with the markers behind is a bit closer in color softness and sheen.

Anyhoo, I immediately knew what I wanted to do when I saw the latest Fusion image. Of course, that's totally not what ended up happening--LOL.  So I ended up with soft colors of yellow and gray, shiny embossing and vellum standing in as tulle.  I do love how this turned out.  It's so very soft and pretty.

The Details:  PTI Movers and Shakers sentiments, Penny Black Floral Tapestry Background, Versamark, Ranger Clear Super Fine Detail and Recollections silver embossing powders, Copic N0, Y11, Y15, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, Recollections vellum and 110lb white cardstock base, stone gray cardstock that I think is PTI (otherwise it's MFT), Simon Says stitched rectangle die

Bright Butterfly

I saw a painting on Pinterest and thought it would make an incredible card.  Quite timely as I had just received a piece of sheet music from a high school buddy--kismet.  I copied the music onto lightweight watercolor paper.  That was easy.  In my head I had planned to use a Memory Box butterfly die and then realized the darn thing was too small so I used my Cameo.  I used rubber cement to mask off the butterfly then applied Peerless watercolors all over the place.  Love!  Rubbing off the rubber cement was fun too.  Sticky but not stick-aye.  The embossed sentiment and enamel dots finished it off.  I'm going to have a hard time giving this one away!

The Details:  Peerless watercolors, Avery Elle sentiment, Versamark, Stampendous white embossing powder, Recollections black and white 110lb cardstock, Cameo, rubber cement, Enamel Accents

I'm entering this in Butterflies #30 J for Jagged Edges, Simon Says Wednesday Let's Get Sentimental, Shopping Our Stash #200 Big, Bold and Beautiful, Crafty Cardmakers and More #138 Make Your Own Background, Seize the Birthday Use the Negative, Just Us Girls #292 Embossing

Mo(le) Coloring

It's spring, aka mole season.  As I was driving up to the house the other day I counted 8 new mole mounds in the lawn we had rehabbed (dethatched, aerated, and all that jazz).  8!   Good thing I believe in letting bygones be bygones.  Anyhoo, I saw this little mole popping up out of a flower pot and couldn't help but think of our home situation.  Much cuter than the real deal for sure.  I kept the colors mellow but still used my favorite orange/yellow combo.

The Details:  Gmund Savanna Limba woodgrain cardstock, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock base, scrap yellow cardstock, Spellbinders Small Classic Scallop Circle die, Impression Obsession Picket Fence die, Darcie's Potted Moles, Hero Arts Woodland Creatures sentiment, Copic Y11, Y15, Y19, Y02, Y04, E97, E33, E35, E37, R22, R24, R29, YG11, YG13, YG17, Distress Ink Tumbled Glass

I'm entering this in MarkerPOP #68 Anything Goes, Tuesday Throwdown #243 Flowers for Her, Simon Says Wednesday Let's Get Sentimental, Simply Create Too #85 Fav Color Combo

Birthday Fishes!

I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this mermaid image yesterday but I like where it ended up.  This card features coloring with Copics, airbrushing (image background), sponging the bubbles, embossing, using a branch die as seaweed.  Cutting the mylar with the die was a bit of a pain even with shims but worth it.  Glammest seaweed evah!

The Details:  Recollections 110lb cardstock base,  Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, TheDoodleGarden Drifting Dreamers, Sakura white pigment pen, Simon Says Stitched Rectangle die, Paper Studio Mini Bubbles embossing folder, Memory Box Grove Branch die, Elizabeth Crafts Shimmer Sheetz, Copics YG0000, YG01, YG03, YG11, YG13, YG17, 0, B0000, BG000, BG10, BG11, BG13, V000, V01, V04, V12, E0000, E00, E02, R20, E97, YR18, E19

I'm entering this in Seize the Birthday with Make Your Own Background Topping, The Paper Players PP243 Transportation, and Addicted to Stamps and More #142 Make Your Mark

Hello, Buttercup

Have you heard of the SOS Card Chain Challenge where you sign up and send a card to the person before you and receive a card from the person behind you?  You have a variety of options to choose from which change from challenge to challenge.  I chose diecuts this time. Isn't this Tiddly Inks girl the cutest?  I like the combo for the golden brown hair as well as the Memento Luxe yellow sentiment.  Finally a pigment ink I like!

This is the card I sent to Jo in England.  I received from Robyn in Australia this beauty.  Thanks, Robyn!

 

The Details:  Tiddly Ink XX, Memento Luxe Dandelion, Hampton Art clear embossing powder, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies, Recollections 110lb white cardstock, Hammermill 80lb color cardstock

Copics:
Dress:  B0000, B000, B00, B01, B02
Slip:  YG11, YG13
Hair: YR21, YR23, E33, E37
Skin:  E0000, E00, E02, E30
Shoes: E50, E51, E53, E35
Flowers:  RV10, RV13, RV17, Y11, Y13
Grass:  YG0000, YG11, YG13, YG17

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More #142 Make Your Mark, Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Happy Little Stampers Diecuts & Punches      

Sweet Pho Sho

This month at the House of Cards, we're playing with the bokeh technique.  There are lots of ways to accomplish the effect.  In my case, I used my airbrush system to spray the circles through a mask, varying the intensity/density of the ink to give the illusion of depth.  I then stamped white pigment ink circles over the top to complete the background.

I'm planning to give this to my stepson's girlfriend who's Vietnamese and I thought she'd get a kick out of the punny stamp.  Hopefully she won't mind that there aren't any pandas in Vietnam--LOL.

The Details:  Sweet Stamp Shop Pho You, Mama Elephant Pandamonium, Simons Says Stitched Rectangle die, Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Memento Rose Bud, PTI Fresh Snow, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock base, Recollections 110 lb black cardstock, Hammermill Color Copy 80lb Photo White Cover Stock, Spectrum Noir BT1, GT1, GT2, PP1, PP2, PL1, LV1, HB1, MFT stitched circle dies to create masks, Scotch foam tape, Hampton Art clear embossing powder, Little Days Alt font

I'm entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes