Wildflowers

Do you know the song Wildflower by Skylark?  It's been covered a few times by other artists.  The background reminds me of a field of wild flowers although I chose to go ombre versus the profusion of color I usually associate with a weedy field.  ;)

I made up this card for Carol for the Card Chain Challenge (CCC).   I received a card from Lizzy H in Australia but haven't taken a pic yet.  The card was super fab!  Thanks again, Lizzy!  If you haven't joined in, you should give it a go.  You still have time to sign up for July.   It's really fun to make and send cards to other cardmakers around the world.  PLUS, you are entered in a prize drawing.

The Details:  Hero Arts Pale Tomato, Soft Canaloupe, Fresh Peach and Everything Flower Background, PTI Reasons to Smile sentiment, Recollections 110lb white cardstock, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, mystery sequins

I'm entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Top Tip Tuesday Name That Tune

Your Time to Soar

I was and am really smitten with the Card Concept inspiration picture.  I replicated the color by dotting 4 (5?) different alcohol inks (love these!) on the edge of an alcohol ink applicator and swiping it repeatedly across a piece of glossy cardstock.  It turned out so amazing.  You'll definitely see that on my cards in the future.  With this card I'd plop it in the clean and layered category; there's a graphic quality too.

The Details:  Avery Elle Look Up sentiment, Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack alcohol inks, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies, Isabella Butterfly and Rhone Butterfly Wings dies, Recollections 110 lb white cardstock, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

I'm entering this in The Card Concept #37 Butterfly Effect, Just Add Ink #267 Typography, Simon Says Wednesday Fav Product or Technique, Addicted to Stamps & More! #149 CAS

Edited:  How could I have forgotten Fusion?  Shame on me!

Stylized Black-Eyed Susans

I really liked this week's CAS(E) This Sketch! and finished the card in time.  I'll wait while you pick yourself up from the floor.

I haven't used this stamp set much but I love it.  It's just a bit edgy and the stylized flowers made me feel like I could color them any which way.  I also used a Happy Birthday sentiment from a set I've never used.  NBUS whittled down by one!  Oh, but wait, this was also the first time I used the MISTI to restamp something to make it darker.  Nice!

The Details:  Peerless watercolors (used wet on dry), Martha Stewart All Occasions sentiment, Hot Off the Press Simply Susan stamps, My Favorite Things Pierced Rectangle die, Memento Tuxedo Black, Scotch foam tape, Tim Holtz watercolor paper, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Doodlebug Black Sprinkles

I'm entering this in CAS(E) this Sketch! #126, Seize the Birthday without optional animal topping, Pretty Pink Posh Watercolor Hop

Less Talk. More Coffee.

I could not resist this cute stamp for the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop.  I am not a coffee drinker but I have considered it a lot--lord help you if you talk to me too soon in the morning!  I do sort of wish the bunny's slippers were bunny slippers (still so needed now during our cold Seattle mornings) but that does have a bit of a Silence of the Lambs quality to it, doesn't it?

Really simple coloring and embossing of the slipper and puffy robe bits to give them dimension.  I saw the sentiment online and just typed it up in Word. Easy!

EDIT:  Forgot to mention I will be offering up blog candy, not sure what, but something fun.  Be sure to leave a contact email.

The Details:  Doodle Garden Rise & Shine, MME enamel dots, Neenah 80lb solar white cardstock, PTI kraft cardstock, Recollections 110lb white cardstock base, Simon Says stitched rectangle die

Copics
Bunny:  E50, E31, E53, R0000, R00, R01
Robe:  N0, 0
Ground:  E30, E31, E35
Slippers:  R00, RV10, R20
Heart on Mug:  RV10, RV13
Background:  B0000

I'm entering this in Less Is More #226 Lucky Dip 2 or 4 Legs

House of Cards Spring Blog Hop

I hope you'll hop along and be inspired to join us for this month's House of Cards End of Term Blog Hop which runs until June 15th at noon CST.  We have lots of sponsors and prizes to win along with amazing cards from my teamies.  You can read all about them below my card details.  Btw, we're looking for a few new team members so feel free to throw your hat in the ring.  We'd love to have you join us!

For my first card I took the Stitchy Bear Shaded Flower Border VI and printed it large enough to run along the side of the card.  I love that you can resize and manipulate digis to your heart's content, don't you?  I colored it with my Copics using the yellow greens and deep coral pinks from the inspiration picture.  I wanted to pull in the strong horizontal lines in the pic but was stumped until I noticed that the black frame of the photo on the wall had shiny stripes.  Eureka!  I used removable tape to mask then applied a liberal coat of Versamark and embossing powder.  It was wonderful peeling the tape off (before heating!) and seeing that I had no stray powder.  Check out the second pic to see the stripes a bit better.  I also recreated the framed picture by mounting my sentiment on a black base.  I love how modern and elegant this turned out. 

For the second card, I kept it very simple for a masculine birthday card. Here I took inspiration from the horizontal shelving, pops of green, block letters and vertical lines of the stems.

The Details Card 1:  Stitchy Bear Shaded Flower Border VI, PTI Meadow Greens sentiment, Recollections 110lb black and white cardstock, Hammermill 80lb color cardstock, Hero Arts Soft Olive Ink, Versamark, Ranger clear embossing powder, Simon Says stitched rectangle die, Copic 0, E18, E19, E39, RV11, RV13, RV14, RV17, Y11, YG61, YG63, YG76
I'm entering this one in Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, Moving Along with the Times Texture

Card 2: Cuttlebug embossing folder, Stampendous white detail fine embossing powder, Versamark, Hero Arts Operation Write Home sentiment, Technique Tuesday Happy die, mystery green cardstock, Recollections 110lb white cardstock
I'm entering this one in Mod Squad Masculine, Crafter's Cafe #118 One for the Boys, CAS on Sunday #59 Tic Tac Toe (birthday, male, off the edge), AAA Cards #40 For the Guys, Seize the Birthday Anything Goes

And now, here's your hop order~

House of Cards Challenge Blog

Mynn
Sue

Barbara

Cohenna

Cornelia

Daen'Ys

Dana

Donna N.

Donna T.

Emily

Gracie

Judy

Katy

Lilian

Linda

Lorry

Merethe

Michele

Monika

Mrs Duck

Pat

Rocky

Ruza

Tammy
you're here--Toni--you're here

Here are all of our fabulous sponsors.

Our team will be using a variety of products

from these amazing companies!

Deedee's Digis
Prize: Gift Card to the online store.

Eclectic Anthology
Prize: $50 gift voucher to the shop.

Great Impressions
Prize: Prize Package

Inspired By Stamping

Prize: Gift Card to Store

Stitchy Bear
Prize: $10 gift voucher to the shop.

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