Sunflower Thinking of You

Although  I missed the Power Poppy challenge featuring this stamp, I managed to download the stamp while it was 50% off.   Such beautiful renderings--love PP's images!  A coworker's uncle passed unexpectedly so I kept the design very simple and used a deeper background color than I would normally.  It also works to focus the eye on the image.  Do you like the background paper's texture--sort of waffle?  I picked some more up in white this weekend.  It's perfect for interest but not too much.

The Details:  Power Poppy Sunflower Power, Clearly Besotted Thinking of You sentiment, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Esse brown cardstock (I think), Copic E17, E34, E39, E59 YG13 (center), Y11, Y15, Y18, Y19, Y24, Y27 (sunflower), YG00, G21, G24, G28, YG13 (greenery), B0000 (background), VersaFine Onyx Black, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps & More #159 CAS, Simon Says Anything Goes, Shopping Our Stash #216 Splish Splash

Flaming

I saw the My Favorite Things Tickled Pink sentiments and I had to have them.  Had to!   They're so punny!

For this card I first embossed the shimmer pink front panel with flames and sponged over it to create melon colors.  I love that the shimmer remained.  I had cut the flamingos with the Cameo out of the same panel; the glittered up circle covers up the missing flamingo shapes of the panel below.  I popped up the sentiment and added a sprinkling of hearts, sequins and enamel dots for fun.

The Details:  My Favorite Things Tickled Pink sentiment and pierced circle die, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, pink shimmer cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tangelo and Dandelion, Distress Picked Raspberry, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Darice embossing folder

I'm entering this in AAA Cards #47 Spectacular Embossing,  Fab 'n' Funky #270 Things with Wings, and Paper Players #260 Tic Tac Toe (haven't done one of these in forever:  Melon, sequins, circle)

Hey, Cupcake

A glittery fun cupcake card for the girl whose sister is getting a hedgehog--share the love.  Glitter + cupcake + heart = tween cute but not tween cutesy which apparently is a complete no-no. 

The Details:  Penny Black Cupcakes sentiment, Elizabeth Craft Designs cupcake sticker, Doodlebug Design Sugar Coating in Lily White, Versamark, Stampendous detail fine white embossing powder, Paper Studio Uptown Flair designer paper, Scor Tape, Copics, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Recollections 110lb black cardstock

I'm entering this in Tuesday Throwdown #259 Just Because, Simon Says Anything Goes, Seize the Birthday without weather topping, Simply Create Too #93 Special Occasion

Welcome to my Rainbow

Hello!  Time for another Great Impressions card for you!

With this card, I used the B224 You Need Me sentiment.  It's a 3 line sentiment but I chopped it up (seriously--don't be afraid to Frankenstein your stamps!) and made it into one line so I could tuck it beneath my colorful houses.  I was thinking of my step kids who have both moved to California for school when I left the door open on the next to last house.  This would be a great going-away card.

Btw, you may recall my rainbow butterfly card for which I first created the colorful cardstock.

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Sunshine of Life

Oh, my, I cannot relay to you how many things I tried with this concept all because I couldn't settle on a background.  First I tried my usual outline, but deep colors because I love that shade of blue against yellow.  I didn't like the result so tried again using dots.  Ick.  I finally decided to do an entire colorwash of a deep blue over everything and then wet a paper towel with colorless blend and dab it off.  Yay!  Not so yay--it didn't occur to me that the ink the paper towel was picking up would transfer onto my uncolored flowers.  Are. You. Kidding. Me.  Unfortunately, no.  I couldn't get the blue off the petals so colored and fussy cut another set.  Whew!  Well, worth it I think.  I'm going to place Copic backgrounds on my practice list but not for a while.  LOL.
The Details:  Hammermill color copy cardstock 80lb, Ellen Hutson woodgrain cardstock, Stampendous Sunflower Ladybug and white embossing powder, Lil' Ink Sunny Sentiments, Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base,

I'm entering this in Crafty Cardmakers and More #146 No Patterned Papers, Try it on Tuesday Sending you Flowers, Penny Black Summer Flowers, Simon Says Anything Goes, Addicted to Stamps and More #159 CAS

Enjoy the Hedgehog

I was asked  to make a hedgehog birthday card for a girl who is getting a hedgehog. They're so cute but I totally don't want one.  I'd much rather have a houseful of cats with pettable fur!  This card is super cute too--so pink and dotty!

The Details:  Penny Black stamp, Papertrey Ink Mixed Messages sentiment and 140lb white cardstock base, Embossalicious embossing folder, Versamark Onyx Fine, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Doodlebug enamel dots, MFT pierced circle die, Wink of Stella, Paper Studio Uptown Flair designer paper

I'm entering this in the Friday Mashup #222 birthday and/or technique, Little Tangles #59 Birthday, ABC P is for Pretty in Pink, Sweet Stampin' Spots or Stripes

Looks Like Watercolor But It's Totally Not

My Altenew stamps arrived!!  They were having a sale at MarkerPop plus free shipping.  Swoon!

This flower is from the Lacy Scrolls set.  I hadn't realized they were solid surface stamps until I received them and I was like "ewww."  Then I took a stroll online to see what others had done with them.  Holy craparooni--gorgeous!  So, this is my first experiement.

I stamped the image using Hero Arts Shadow Ink Soft Sky but I had used the stamp earlier with another HA ink which I hadn't cleaned off well so the end result was a pale lilac with orange tones.  Weird, right?  I used Copic B000, B21 and B26 and was very pleasantly surprised at how it reacted with the HA ink.  I wish you could see it in person.  The result is exactly the kind of look I love with watercolor but have been unsuccessful in achieving.  Huzzah!  I did the leaves the same way.

I can't wait to play more with these!  Oh, and the matching dies?  totally worth it.  I cut out the flower twice more and layered it rather than using foam.  Plus, I had perfect fussy cut look without the actually hand-cutting.  Sweeeeet.

The Details:  Altenew Lacy Scrolls, Clearly Besotted Sympathy sentiment, Copic B000, B21, B26, YG00, YG13, G24, G28, Hero Arts Soft Sky and Lemon Yellow, Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI 140lb white cardstock

I'm entering this in Papertake Weekly To Die For, City Crafter #275 Around the Corner, MarkerPop #76 Anything Goes        

High 5!

Had this idea brewing for a while and got my kick in the butt to do it by CASology #160 Number. 

I used Deco Foil transfer adhesive as a stenciling medium.  I learned it's important to sweep the surface as smooth as possible so it's easier to get the foil to stick in one go.  Also, it needs to dry for a spell before adding the foil to achieve maximum stickiness.  Not stickiness but stick-to-it-ness.

The Details:  iCraft Deco Foil and Transfer Adhesive, CAS-ual Friday sentiment, 5 mask cut with my Cameo, PTI 140lb white cardstock

I'm also entering this in Daring Cardmakers Let's Hear it for the Boys, Just Add Ink #276 Cards for Males   

Airbrushed Trees and a Little Star

I really liked this week's CAS(E) This Sketch #137 and have been playing around with this stencil so combined them.  I really like how this turned out.

I masked and airbrushed the Crafter's Workshop stencil with Copic B97 (I am so loving this color lately) then added the My Mind's Eye sentiment in VersaFine and a glittery silver star I found in my diecut leftovers.  I'm going to keep in mind the star and sentiment combo here as I can totally see it in a shooting star card idea.

I'm also entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More! #158 Holiday

Find Joy in a Mason Jar

I was putting away some stamps and it suddenly occurred to me that I could replace the vase that comes with the Stampendous Bowl Bouquet stamp with a mason jar for the current Curtain Call.  I shaded the jar blue like Ball jars since I grew up with that type.  We lived about 45 minutes from Muncie, Indiana, where Ball jars are manufactured.  Neat!

The Details:  Stampendous Bowl Bouquet and white ultra-fine embossing powder, Recollections Mason Jar and black 110lb cardstock, Hero Arts sentiment, Versamark, Hammermill 80lb color copy cardstock, Copics

I'm also entering this in Penny Black and More Summer Flowers and Try it on Tuesday Sending You Flowers 

Sunshine, Freedom, and a Little Flower

Hello!  Time for another Great Impressions card for you!

For this card I used G481 Bicycle with Flowers and E149 Said the Butterfly.  Butterfly, you ask?  Yes, the sentiment stamp is another I Frankensteined to use only the part I wanted.  You really stretch your stamps this way and can come up with all sorts of fun combinations.

I think the two stamps really complement each other and make me think of summer and school break (remember the good ol' days when we had those?).  I added a die as impression plate with the tree background and mounted it on woodgrain cardstock.  Love it!

See you next week with another GI design!  Toni 

Don't forget about the upcoming GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Get Well Chicken

Hello!  One of my Great Impressions teammates, Patti, is taking a break for medical reasons so we are sending her get well wishes in the forms of fabulous inspiration for you.  Do check out the cards we're featuring today if you haven't already.

I used F446 Get Well Birdie.  Super cute image and easy to color which makes it a quick card when you're running low on time and who's not, huh?  I am a huge fan of black and white against pink.  Although I colored this up as a chicken, you could make it a bluebird (of happiness) or any ol' bird that you feel like.

For the background, I embossed woodgrain cardstock with a honeycomb pattern.  I love the effect with the image!

See you next week!

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Masking Butterflies Tutorial

Time for a little mid-challenge inspiration and reminder for the Happy Little Stampers CAS masking challenge.  Come on over and join the fun!

Now, Linda had commented on my previous masked butterfly card and asked for clarification on my masking technique with Copics and the MISTI. So, last night I made another butterfly card and documented the process as I went along.  I hope this helps you!

1. Set up your MISTI and place scrap paper between the card stock panel and black foam pad.  This avoids ink being absorbed by the foam. I also find it easier to see what I'm doing.
2. Stamp your first image and leave the stamp in place on the lid of the MISTI.  Do NOT remove the cardstock panel.  
3. Notice the image is rather splotchy at this point. 



4. Color the image carefully to avoid accidentally moving the cardstock panel.
5. Re-stamp the image to cover up any stray marks and to deepen the color.  It really pops now, right?

6. Now lay down a mask over your image and position the next image.
7. With the MISTI I place the stamp where I want on the card stock panel and then lower the lid to pick up the stamp.  When I ink up and stamp the image, it is exactly where I had it.

8. Color up this image as above, leaving the mask in place.

9. The first stamping was really light but look how it pops after re-stamping.
10. You can also see where I nudged the card stock just the tiniest bit so the second stamping isn't quite in alignment with the first.

11.  Continue in this manner until your work of art is ready to go!

The Details:  Hammermill 80lb color cardstock, PTI 140lb white card stock base, Recollections black cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, MFT Inspired by Butterflies, 7 Gypsies sentiment, Wink of Stella, Versamark, Stampendous black detail fine embossing powder, Copic BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18, Y11, Y13

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More #157 Make Your Mark, Fab 'n' Funky #270 Anything with Wings   

Krafty Sunflower

Hello!  And welcome to another Great Impressions post. 

Can you believe how quickly summer is whizzing by?  My late blooming flowers are hanging in there so I thought I'd color some up.  Here I used G196 Sunflower Garden, stamping it in Memento Toffee Crunch for a no-line coloring effect.  I then used Copics to color the image.  I am so very pleased with the pots especially.  Notice the dimensional ladybug?  I accidentally colored over part of the image's ladybug so replaced it with a red enamel dot and a Sharpie.  I like the effect lots.

Don't forget about our GI monthly challenge!

You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!

Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Do I Amuse You?

I discovered that A-Muse Studio has a retail store here in Seattle so I stopped by there after work yesterday.  I picked up a couple of things (what a surprise . . . not) and today felt like playing with their stamps.  I completed the card and showed it to my honey who suggested a bit more shading for greater dimension.  I hate it when he's right!  LOL.  The pic below is before I darkened the shadows.  What a huge difference, huh?

The Details:  Hammermill color copy 80lb cardstock, Amuse Studio Charming Gardeners, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies die, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Memento Tuxedo Black, Glossy Accents as glue, Recollections black and white 110lb cardstock, Copic R22, 24, 27, 29 and 39.

I'm entering this in Addicted to Stamps and More #157 Make Your Mark, Penny Black and More Summer Flowers,

Birthdays are Scary

. . . especially at your age.   LOL!  Thanks to Less is More's current one layer the eyes have it challenge, I spotted this NBUS in my stash.  That's a lot of eyes.  I have a number of October birthdays coming up so I thought it would be fun to combine Halloween with birthdays. Not much else to tell since I just stamped, colored and sparkled the card up.  I had almost forgotten how quick some one layer cards can be.

The Details:  PTI white 140lb cardstock, Copic YG01, YG03, YG05, Y11, Wink of Stella clear, Your Next Stamp Silly Monsters Two, Doodlebug Designs sequins

I'm also entering this in Seize the Birthday (without optional embossing)

Holiday Sparkles

Have you played along at Happy Little Stampers?  It is comprised of three different challenges (sketch, CAS, Christmas) and now a fabulous shop.  I'm totally into these Elizabeth Craft stickers and glitter so absolutely could not say no to the HLS Christmas challenge this month which is "Sparkle."  Hello?  Everything is better with a little sparkle--omg, I should make that into a stamp!  LOL.  

I've included a second pic that has that dreamy out of focus sparkle factor going on.

Oh!  Almost forgot to mention that I used my white pigment pen to brighten up the spots I had left white for snow.

The Details:  Copic R22, R24, R27, R29, C7, C9, E71, E74, E25, E27, B000, B0000, G24, G28; Elizabeth Craft Designs 2537 sticker, Scor Tape, Doodlebug Designs Sugar Coating lily white glitter and enamel dots, Hammermill color copy cardstock, Hero Arts Very Merry Christmas sentiment, VersaFine Onyx Black, Martha Stewart designer holiday paper, sticky fun foam

I'm entering this in HLS Christmas Sparkle, Holly Jolly Christmas Feathered Friends, Sunday Stamps SSC107 color inspiration

Sweetest Fruit

Clean and layered for today's card.  It seems so fussy with that ribbon compared to my usual, huh?  I started out coloring the image then figured out the sentiment and layout.  This is my usual modus operandi.  I love the final product.  Reminds me of the farm.

The Details:  Deep Red Apple Harvest stamp, PTI Mighty Oak sentiment, mystery designer paper, PTI 140 white and 110lb kraft cardstock, Hammermill color copy cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

I'm entering this in Curtain Call Orchard, Simon Says Wednesday Tie It Up, Sunday Stamps SSC107 Color Inspiration  

Life is Like a Bowl of Cherries

I immediately thought of this bowl of fruit design when I saw that the latest Curtain Call cue word is orchard.  Growing up we didn't have enough fruit trees to qualify as an orchard but we had a few peach, pear, plum (ick!), apple, and cherry trees.  Oh, and a crabapple that was absolutely stunning in the spring.

I've done a couple of these glitter cards recently and have a couple of tips to share.  I found the easiest way for me to get the sticker onto the Scor Tape was to place the sticker sticky side up on the nonstick Scor Tape backer sheet.  You then take the Scor Tape and place it on your piece of card, remove the backing (actually I guess at this point that's the fronting) and place the lot right on top of the sticker.  You can then easily pull it up with the sticker firmly in place and ready for glitter.

Applying the glitter is fun and only mildly messy.  Yes, you will have glitter on your face and hands and cat but all in all, easy peasy.  Be sure to burnish it with your finger quite firmly and tap off as much of the excess as you can.

When you color the image, you can't do a lot of blending because it's glitter and because excess alcohol ink can break down the adhesive holding the glitter.  Now THAT is a mess, trust me.  So keep it simple.  The ink will naturally blend and bleed (due to the adhesive??) so a lot of blending isn't really necessary anyway.  I started here with my darks, then mediums and then light colors and didn't go back over it if I could avoid it.

The Details:  Elizabeth Craft sticker, Sugar Coating ultrafine glitter, Gina K Designs Garden Fresh sentiment, Copics, Scor Tape, baker's twine

I'm entering this in Curtain Call Orchard, Addicted to Stamps and More! #156 Anything Goes, Simon Says Wednesday Tie It Up, and CAS(E) This Sketch! #135

 

Happy Birthday, Amy!

Today we're having a birthday blog hop for the amazing Amy Tsuruta!  Do hop along and wish her some very big birthday wishes!

Happy Birthday, Amy!!!

Tonya
Laura
Kate

Katie 

Kimberly
Lisa

Toni (you're here)

Vicki  

Amy← Birthday Girl!

The Details:  Your Next Stamp Waddles - Happy Brrr-thday, Copics, Hammermill color copy cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI white 140lb cardstock base and kraft cardstock

I'm entering this in Addicted to CAS #69 Banners, ColourQ #302, and Happy Little Stampers August Sketch

Update:  fixed a broken link

Peony

I loved the inspiration picture at Just Add Ink; it seems modern and beachy and spa-like and just a touch quirky.  Me likey.  And then the colors from Pal Paper Arts called out to me and were really quite similar so I combined the two.  Neat!

I pulled out a panel that I had stamped back at the end of June with a giant flower stamp that Amy had just picked up--it was still in the bag even (thanks for letting me be the first to use it, Amy! and thanks to Lenae for the ink!).  I then added the sentiment and a few enamel dots.  I'm torn about whether I should have added a sheer ribbon--which I didn't have in the color that's in my head anyway.  :)

The Details:  A Muse Studio Charming Gardeners sentiment, Impress Pen and Ink Peony,  PTI soft stone cardstock, Recollections 110lb white cardstock, PTI 140lb white cardstock base, Hero Arts Tide Pool, Memento desert sand, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

Ribbit

Hello!  More inspiration for you from Great Impressions!

Here I used G204 Funny Frog Border.  It's such a fun image, isn't it?  Coloring it was fun too--love the bright pink flowers against that happy green. At a later time I might add little googly eyes for even more fun--LOL!  I really wanted the frogs to take center stage so I created the rest of the scene in white--reed background, clouds, and a cluster of lavender that I trimmed to look like cattails.  Stretching dies is fab!

Don't forget about the GI monthly challenge!
You don't have to use GI stamps but it'd be totally awesome if you did!
Also, if you do use GI stamps, be sure to link up to the customer gallery to show us your fabulous work and for a chance to get a little year-end prize.

Mod Retirement Card

Easy one layer card today.  I wanted to evoke a tropical sunset/Hawaiian shirt as I mean this for a retirement card.  I sponged various Memento and Distress inks on the masked off card and then used the MISTI to stamp the botanicals.  I used VersaFine so only had to stamp once.  That stuff has amazing coverage.  For the sentiment, I cobbled together my own as I only have one tiny retirement stamp.  I am loving the result!

Btw, over at the Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge this month it's all about masking so why not stop by and join us?

The Details:  Distress Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, and Squeezed Lemonade, Memento Love Letter, VersaFine Onyx Black, Papertrey Ink 140lb white cardstock, Paper Smooches Botanicals 1 and 2, Mama Elephant Up and Away, Fiskars smile sentiment

I'm entering this in One-Layer Simplicity Challenge #19 Strip Down, Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes, and one new to me, Stamp Ink Paper Designer's Choice (anything goes)