Color Throwdown #562

Welcome to my blog today, I so appreciate your visit. 

I got crafty and pulled out my Zig markers for today's card. 

I have been so inspired by playing along with the Color Throwdown Challenge. I find sketch challenges to be easy but color challenges make me think a bit more. 

I end up with not only different color combos that I would never try on my own, but often different style elements as well. 

I die cut the card front diagonally, used foam to raise the two panels, and placed black card stock behind for a bold and graphic design. 

The images are from Simon Says Stamps Look for the Rainbows and were heat embossed in black. Also entering this at the SSS Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.

That's it for me today. Hope to see you back here soon!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

You're A Classic

Good morning and happy Friday! Hope you're on your way to a great weekend.

I pulled out my Polychromos to color the car for a masculine card today. I liked being able to color this car as if it had a few dings and dents of a classic. Or vintage set of wheels.

 When I saw the argyle in the inspiration for the sketch I knew I would be adding another masculine birthday card to my stash.  And playing along with:

CAS(E) This Sketch 

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes. 

Now for the rest of the story. I keep thinking this card needs something. And it does. Because .... I lost the stamp I initially planned to use on it! You know how easy it is for polymer stamps to get stuck on something?  Well, the sentiment that says "Cruising by to say...." cruised itself right into hiding somewhere in plain sight. I chose a different sentiment after a long time of looking and left the banner mostly empty. Calling it done and squeaky clean!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Honey Bee - You're A Classic, Car Show

Paper: Neenah Solar White, SU - Real Red, Smoky Slate

INK:Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black

Accessories: WPlus9 - Bold Banner Die, Wink of Stella, Polychromos Colored Pencils

The Greetery Blooming Branch

Hello friends! You know that I can't let too many days go by without pulling out stamps from The Greetery. 

Today's card features the Blooming Branch and Robin and Wren sets with a clean layout. 

Inks in the window were blended using soft corals. You will find all my supplies listed under my signature.

I'm joining the inspiring group at Freshly Made Sketches with my entry. 

I'm so glad that you came by today!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Blooming Branch, Robin and Wren and dies , Sentiment Suite - Birthday

Paper: Neenah Solar White

INK: WPlus9 - Warm Wool, Last Leaf; Distress Oxide: Worn Lipstick, Abandoned Coral, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, Walnut Stain

Make Mine TALL

Good morning all! It is the middle of the week and officially fall. Cooler temps today and I'm in frisky spirits. Just in time for another card with the bushel and a peck theme! 

The opportunity to create a tall card was perfect for this large image. I stamped the bushel basket on woodgrain patterned paper, and added shading details with Copics and clear jewel drops for dimension. This card measures 3.5" x 7". I constructed two panels and adhered one flap over the back. 

Happy to be sharing this at The Paper Players today.
Enjoy your day!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Honey Bee Stamps - Bushel and a Peck and matching dies

Paper: SU - Very Vanilla, and retired DSP "Color Me Autumn" still one of my absolute favorite papers!

INK:Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black

Accessories: Nuvo Crystal Drops - Morning Dew, Cotton Ribbon - SU, twine

Orchid Expressions

It's a sunny Saturday afternoon! Hope your weekend is going well. 

I want to pop in with a quick post and then I'll be on my way. 

I saw the gorgeous combo at Color Throwdown and just had to play along. The need for purple inspired me to pull out the Orchid Expressions set (PTI) and stitched frames to mount the images on for an easy color-blocked design. 

These images include three layers of stamping. I added tiny black flower centers from another set, and a few sequins.

The combo includes Ivory and I thought it added a softness to the colors that is really fresh. You know I don't often use purple in my designs. But this card may have changed my mind! I love these colors together. Here's the beautiful inspiration photo.

Thanks so much for coming to visit today!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: PTI - Orchid Expressions and dies; The Greetery - Sentiment Suite - Thinking of You and Dies

Paper: PTI - Cream, Hawaiian Shores, Mint Julep

INK: Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black; WPlus9 - Ocean Breeze, Cockle Shell, Bloomberry, 

Metallics, Die Cuts and Bling!

Metallics, die cuts and bling. Oh my! 
Today's card features all of the above and is way out of my comfort zone. There were many twists and turns as I sought to combine these elements and three challenges. 

Totally different from the idea I began with! In the end I really like it and have reminded myself that the surprise factor is why I like challenges so much. 

Spattering and smooshing Distress Oxide inks to color the flower and leaves were the most fun parts of this creative process. All supplies used are part of the Simon Says Stamp September card kit. I really love the Metallic papers.

Thanks so much for visiting today! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Playing in the challenges at 
Just Us Girls 

The Paper Players

and Simon Says Stamp. "Bling it on!"

Farm Fresh for you

Simple Copic coloring and a hello fresh from the farm for you today. 

Took these critters on a road trip this summer and colored away in the car. Time to put them together for a punny greeting today. 

The Critters on the Farm stamps from Lawn Fawn were used and then fussy cut. A cute little scene inspired by the crew at CAS(E) This Sketch. I added Nuvo Drops in black to anchor the piggy.

Hope you have a great day! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

You Matter

Good morning! Welcome to a new week. I am ready for some delightful fall days and I've begun by enjoying the sunshine as I type here on my porch. Not cool weather yet, but it is coming! 

My card today is clean and simple and inspired by two challenges. I began by stamping the background stamp called You Matter (SSS) onto white card stock and adhering it to a white card base. 

The leaves are loosely (WPlus9 Autumn Leaves) painted with Zig Markers and spattered with a bit of black, also added to the background. I love that thanks to the text stamp this card can be for encouragement or a birthday and is gender neutral.

I assembled it thanks to the great prompt and lovely samples at Freshly Made Sketches

and Time Out Challenges. 

I am happily going to get on with my day now. Some cooking prep and a pile of laundry await. Hope your day is wonderful!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

The Greetery - Cotton Comfort

Hello friends! I hope your day is going very well.  I've not felt well the past few days but time in the craft room sure helps. So do new stamps and I'll bet you've noticed the fun I'm having with my new sets. The "Cotton Comfort" set is one of my favorites. Here's my first card made with it.

I blended a background with DOX inks in Aged Mahogany and Tea Dye, adding a bit of Melon Berry (PTI) and a few spatters. I love the softness of these colors to add subtle contrast to the pale grays and browns in the cotton stems. They were stamped in layers and die cut. Keeping the card simple in style I added one frame and a sentiment on white card stock. Both are on foam pieces for added dimension.

The sentiments in this set are perfect for many occasions. I especially love this one for a sympathy card. 
I also found a new challenge that inspired my card at Inspire.Create.










Hope you're glad you came by! I sure am. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: The Greetery - Cotton Comforts and the dies

Paper: Strathmore Bristol Smooth 

INK: SU - Early Expresso (sentiment); for the cotton - WPlus9 - Warm Wool, Fairy Dust, Coconut Husk and (SU) - Smoky Slate

Accessories: PTI - Pierced Feature Frame Dies: Rectangles; 

The Greetery - Bountiful Wreath

Hi everyone!
I've been inking up the beautiful Bountiful Wreath set designed by Betsy Veldman and available in her new store, The Greetery. The gorgeous designs for summer and fall have really kicked my mojo into gear! 

I love wheat for fall! The variety of wheat and greens, mushrooms and berries suggest a wholesome goodness. Inking the wreath in layers was made much easier by the wonderful acetate template that Betsy is now providing with her layered sets. I added details and some shading to the stamped images with my colored pencils. 

The wreath is die cut and raised. For the area inside the wreath I used the Knit Wits stencil (The Greetery) with Distress Oxide inks. The sentiment is stamped in brown.

For sparkle and shine, I used clear drops from Nuvo on the berries although they took on the light red shade of the ink. I cannot get enough of the Nuvo Crystal Gems. I want to add them to everything. On the closeup the lower two gems give you an idea of how they shine, it's almost like rainbow colors!

I had created this wreath previously, but decided it fits in very well to the challenge this week at Color Throwdown. I added the Garden Green panel and a yellow ribbon.

Thanks so much for visiting today. I hope your day is filled with goodness!

Copic Coloring and a Doodle Doodle Doo

Something new, something old and a doodle doodle doo! 

The song "Bushel and a Peck" is old, but it's still one of my favorites! My grand baby was tickled to laughter when I sang this for her recently with all the doodle oodle oodles!

The stamp set from Honey Bee (of the same name) is new to me - of course I just had to have it! I had fun with some Copic coloring of a stamped background full of apples and leaf images from the set.

I stamped hearts and black dots to fill in the small spaces, adding Crystal Effects to make the die cut sentiment and tiny heart shine. 

I was inspired by CAS(E) This Sketch and will also enter again at Simon Says Stamp: Stamp It challenge.  

Hope you have a fabulous day. Thanks for visiting! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Emboss Resist with a Twist

Hi, welcome back! 
I am honored to be joining the group at Retro Rubber Challenge as guest designer today! This challenge is to use the colors red, orange and brown for your card. Definitely put me in the mood to make a fall card.

I used the emboss resist technique with a twist. Beginning with Distress Oxide inks in Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral and Candied Apple, I blended a background onto Bristol Smooth card stock. Next the leaves were stamped and embossed with clear powder. The twist, is to use a damp brush over the inked background and blot with a paper towel to remove some of the color. This leaves a soft wash while the stamped images retain the contrast of the darker color underneath. 

The stamps from Clearly Besotted have been on my shelf for at least 4 years. I love the variety of leaf images and they are perfect for making backgrounds.  Playing at Retro Rubber has opened my eyes to new ways to use my older stamps and I am always surprised to find new color combos or techniques for using them. It's  a win - win! We hope you will play along too! Give those older stamps a chance to shine again.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Leafy Accents, PTI - Colorpop Autumn MIM sentiment die 

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Bristol Smooth, DSP from my stash, Gold foil

INK: WPlus9 - Coconut Husk, Gala Red, Versamark

Accessories: Bold Banner Die, gold cord

Out of This World

Hello, and good morning to you! 

It turns out this stamp set called Out of This World is also a blast from the past! So long past in fact, that it's no longer for sale.

No matter, I am into using things from my stash, the older the better! Some child will like the monster and ink-blended night sky. Right? 

I liked getting to add lots of WOS sparkle, clear Nuvo drops for the googlie eyes and spaceship windows, and all those iridescent stars. I just had to have them, you know? For THIS moment. 

This card is for the MFT Sketch Challenge. 

and I added it to the Wednesday Challenge at Simon Says Stamp: Stamp It! 

I am so glad that you stopped by today! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!