Folklore

I know I've been missing for a while. So much going on and not enough time to do it all. I may be away quite a bit this Spring...lots of yard work.  Today, I have a card with a folklore image. I'm not really into folklore but needed this image for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I do think it is a pretty and very sweet image, though. It is for the Dirty Dozen Fan Club challenge, CT0415-Imagine That.  You could use gnomes, fairies, images of far away places, things unseen, science fiction, etc. You get the idea.

My card was also for the Ways to Use It challenge-watercolored backgrounds (WT527). I used a wonderful tutorial on Splitcoaststampers, Stencil Monoprints. If you visit Splitcoaststampers, it can be found in the tutorials. You place your stencil upside down on a craft mat, use Distress Inks or Distress Paints or other water soluble mediums, wipe on three of four colors of ink (I used only two), turn over and place on watercolor paper. Press with a rag, etc. to allow the ink to absorb into the paper and remove extra water. Easy and fun.

I colored just the edge of a piece of white cardstock with Copics just a bit darker than the corner sprigs for my blue layer.

I'm entering the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Make Your Own Background.

Recipe:
Stamps-Vintage TLC Creations/Peaceful as a Baby from Create with TLC, JustRite/Just the Right Words
Paper-PTI vintage cream, water color paper
Ink-Tim Holtz Distress Inks/Victorian Velvet and Mustard Seed, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories-Stencil/Swirl Background from plaidonline.com, Copics, Spellbinders Die D-Lites/Corner Sprigs

Filigree Wedding

First, I have to say I was disappointed with this photo. It looked better on Splitcoaststampers when I uploaded it this morning. I went back and tweaked it some in Picasa but still don't like it so much. The lighting is off and the size, also. This is as large as it would get on Blogger.

I worked so hard on this card. I found this tutorial at Flowers, Ribbons, and Pearls. I love everything she does and she has wonderful tutorials. Instead of explaining how I did this card, I will let you look at her tutorial. I did have to order this corner die to make it. You need a die that doesn't cut out all the way around. I had a corner die but it didn't want to work.  This is Heartfelt Creations Decorative Blossom Corner die set. I finished the back as she did but I didn't use the curved dies on mine.

This card fits two challenges on Splitcoaststampers: Free 4 All-Flower Power and the Fan Club central theme: The Keys to Happiness-Things that make you happy. Weddings and love make me happy.

I did have a bit of a hard time making it and took a while. But, I'm hoping if I do it again it will be easier. I think it makes a beautiful wedding card.

I want to wish all my fellow bloggers a very Happy Easter.

I'll be around to your blogs as soon as possible. Hubby is off work today and tomorrow we are visiting our grandchildren. Then, off again on another trip Sunday. 

Recipe:
Stamps-Inspired by Stamping/Arrows set (sentiment), Stamps by Judith/Dot (for leaves)
Paper-PTI white cardstock
Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black and Bamboo Leaves
Accessories-Heartfelt Creations/Decorative Blossom Corner die set, Spellbinders Nestabilities/Stately Circles die set, Anna Griffin embossing folder/Poppy, Recollections/flowers, Bridal embellishments from Hobby Lobby, Susan's Garden/leaves from lily flower, white and blue pearls

Loving White on White

I've been away again on another trip so I have gotten behind again. Plus, I have not been in the card making mood for a while but I'm working on it.

I love white on white cards. I worked on this one for two days because I started out trying to make a case of a beautiful card I saw on Pinterest but I didn't have the correct die for it. I think I need to order it, though. So, for this card I did my own design.

My card was made for two challenges on Splitcoaststampers: CT0315, Fan Club March Gallery. The theme is The Keys of Happiness. Some of the things that make me happy and used for this card are: hobbies and crafts, flowers, white on white cards, and birthdays. Also, my card was for challenge TLC516, White Out.

My card also fits the challenge at djkardkreations: NBUS #4 to use something old or new that has never been used. I am using a Spellbinders Shapeabilities die set (Botanical Swirls and  Accents) that has never been used and I am thinking I have had it for a year or two.

Recipe:
Stamps-Sweet 'n Sassy/Poppies Greetings
Paper-PTI white cardstock
Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories-Spellbinders Shapeabilities-Botanical Swirls and Accents set die cuts, pearls, unknown flower, Cuttlebug/Anna Griffin-Poppy embossing folder

Butterfly Trail

At last, we have sunshine! It hasn't been around since last Monday..except maybe 2 seconds for a couple days.

It really is beautiful and warm. It is supposed to be 70 degrees today. That makes me happy.

My card was made for the Ways to Use It challenge,WT522, on Splitcoaststampers. We were supposed to make a card using something we thought was a lucky charm for us. Well, I don't think I have a lucky charm but some people believe a butterfly lighting on them is lucky. So, I used that as my excuse to play in the challenge. :-)

I needed to make a tall, skinny card to fit all the butterflies I wanted to use. It is 3 3/4 x  8 1/2. I have an envelope to fit that size. The card is already in the mail to a special friend who could use a lift.

The butterflies are colored with Copics. The large one at the top is stamped twice and one cut out and popped up with dimensionals.

My card is also for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Things that Fly

Wishing you all a beautiful Sunday.

Recipe:

Stamps-Stamps by Judith/Sm Line Butterfly, Lg Line Butterfly,  Dot row, Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps/Dogwood Blossoms set (sentiment)

Paper-PTI cardstock

Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories-Copics/R22 and R35, Y17 and Y35, E71, BV000 and BV02, B02 and B000

The Cross-Easter

I went away on a trip last week and had some warmer weather in the 80's for  a few days and missed a lot of icy weather at home. I hope that was the end of winter for us. This week is all rain....EVERY DAY. I need sunshine!!!!!!

My card was made for the CAS315 challenge on Splitcoaststampers. The challenge was to use ribbon. I saw this card on Pinterest and wanted to case it for an Easter card.

I didn't have the purple ribbon so I dyed some with Stampin'Up! Perfect Plum ink. I have no idea why the ribbon looks white on one of the ends because it isn't. I'm thinking it is the cardstock and then the shadow begins????

The embossing folder is by Sizzix/Birds and Wreath set. I cut the cross 1/2" wide. It is popped up and I just placed the ribbon behind it.

My sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps/Blessings

Circles, Swirls,.........SNOW!

I think this is enough with the yellow. Seems that is what I've done the last three or four cards. I liked this card better when it was just swirls of color but I decided to add circles for a watercolor bokeh tutorial on Splitcoaststampers. Hmmmmmmm.......my white ink circles should have blended more with the watercolor background. I really liked mine better when it was just a swirl background. I guess practice would make perfect.

I used Tim Holtz Distress Paint for the background. The lady doing the tutorial used re-inkers. My circle stencil was made with my Spellbinder circle nestabilities putting two or three together and cutting. Instead of using only white ink which I put down with a dauber, I sponged inside the circles with ink the same color as my background.

My flower is watercolored  and the butterfly die cut (rather large, isn't it) was cut with blue paper and then vellum on top. It was glittered.  I used Tim Holtz stickers for the sentiment.

This card went into the Dirty Dozen Fan Club Central Theme for February, CT0215. The theme this month: For the Love of Friendship.

Guess what?????? We got snow late yesterday and last night. Donna (Designing Keepsakes), you're off the hook for sending snow.  Here's a photo in the back yard. Yes, we do get excited when it snows down south. :-) It's beautiful. All you  who have had 70-80 inches, don't laugh.

Recipe:
Stamps-Crafting in Croatia (digital)-Flower
Paper-Stampin'Up! Marina Mist, watercolor paper
Ink-Tim Holtz Distress Ink/Wild Honey and Peeled Paint
Accessories-Tim Holtz Distress Paint/Broken China, Peeled Paint, and Wild Honey, watercolor brush, Spellbinder Card Creator Matting Basics A, Spellbinder circle nestabilitie, Cheery Lynn #2 butterfly, Comotion glitter embossing powder, Tim Holtz Idea-ology ChitChat

Yellow Lace

I won some wonderful blog candy recently from Mary H at Carolina Cards. The embossing folder I'm using, GooseBumpz Lace (set of 2), and the stamped flower, Stampabilities/Floral Silhouette2,  are part of the goodies she sent me. Thank you so much, Mary.

I did a Ways to Use It challenge, WT519, on Splitcoaststampers this morning. The challenge was to use buttons and lace, faux or real. My lace is faux, using my lace embossing folder. I ran my Tim Holtz Distress Paint in wild honey over it before running it through my Cuttlebug. I love the way it turned out. I am using the white buttons for the centers of the flowers.

I added a sentiment from Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps/Welcome Poppies set.

I cut out the flower and sponged some blue for the sky behind the flower. The frame is a Spellbinders Card Creator A-2 Matting Basics A and I popped it up with mounting tape.

It is so cold here. The deep south should never be this cold. Brrrrrrrrrr   It was supposed to be 8 degrees last night..don't know if it fell that far or not. It is 17 degrees right now. I hate winter!!!!

Oriental Poppy and Ice

We had a lot of ice yesterday. I had rather had snow. But, the ice is very pretty and I have a photo below.

My card was entered into the MIX107 challenge on Splitcoaststampers:Sentiment Mash-Up---Create a new sentiment from at least two sources and use at least two mediums. Also, my card was entered into the Dirty Dozen Central Theme Fan Club Challenge for January, CT0215-For the Love of Friendship--There were several ideas for interpretation. I decided to feature a special sentiment about friendship.

I made the background doing a color wash with Distress Ink, Tombow markers, and water for a color wash. The poppy was watercolored with a brush using Tombow markers and water.

I've used two stencils and embossing paste.

Recipe-
Stamps-Lindsay's Stamp Stuff/Oriental Poppy digital image, JustRite/Just the Right Words, Rhonna Farrer for Autumn Leaves
Paper-PTI white cardstock, Stampin'Up! Always Artichoke
Ink-Tim Holtz Distress Ink/Antique Linen
Accessories-Tombow markers, Tim Holtz Distress Paint/peeled paint, Heidi Swapp Pink Paislee stencil/Lattice, Hobby Lobby mini borders #1-#W9306 StenSource Int'l-single stencil, unknown die cut letters, gold sequins, watercolor brush, craft knife

Icy trees in woods behind my back lawn. This doesn't happen too often in my area of AL...maybe a little snow coming this week, too. I sure hope so. Donna (Designing Keepsakes), maybe you won't have to send me any snow. Ha Donna was going to send me some by mail because she has piles and piles of it. Wonder how that would have worked????? We're both thinking not very well.

Mixed Media Love

 I'm glad to be here posting today. I was so sick Thursday night and felt bad yesterday. I'm not sure, but think I may have had food poisoning when I went out to eat. It could have been a virus. I don't think I have ever been as sick. Anyway, that is over and I feel good today.

This was for a challenge on Splitcoaststampers---Mix106-I Heart Colors-Use lots of color in a love themed project

I added a cork heart and some small hearts to go with the two large hearts and did a bit of distressing.

I lost my stencil and can't remember the name of it. Do you lose things in your craft room? I bet you do. :-)  I used embossing paste with the stencils. I cut up little scraps of paper to glue over the smaller heart just for a mixed media look.

This card will go to my hubby since it doesn't have a lot of pink. I don't know what he will think of all the mixed media business going on. :-)

 I hope everyone has a very sweet Valentine's Day and a great weekend.

Recipe

Stamps- Hero Arts/Valentine Flourishes set (sentiment only), Stamps by Judith/bold modern heart

Paper-PTI white cardstock, watercolor paper, SU Cherry Cobbler and Crushed Curry

Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories-Sizzix Bigz die/Hearts, Primitive, Little Yellow Bicycle/cork hearts, Darice embossing folder/Henna, Americana acrylic paint/Margarita, snow (white) titanium, and Georgia Clay, stencil

Raindrops Keep Falling..But Not On My Head

Good morning! I got a decent night's sleep so I am feeling chipper this morning. I have trouble with my sleep....took after my mother. Believe me, it can make life miserable when you get about three hours a night. Duh......

The raindrops on my card were a bit of a challenge for me. I did this card for the mix-ability challenge, MIX105. It was about two weeks ago and I just now had time to get it done. The challenge was given by Lydia/UnderstandBlue, the community manager on Splitcoaststampers. She had a waterdrop technique she wanted us to use. She explained how to draw different shape raindrops . Well, I can't draw. I tried one with my roller pen and it went into the garbage. Then, I got wiser and a pencil was used so I didn't immediately destroy my flower.  I went over it with my roller ink pen when it was o.k. She wanted us to stipple a little inside and outside. Also, we were to use a white gel pen inside the shading. Hmmm....I just about covered up my shading.  I managed to get three droplets made, two on leaves and one on a flower.

I colored the flower with Copics. The background was made with a color wash of distress paint. I used a couple of stencils, added a sentiment and enamel dots....finished.

Recipe:
Stamps-Stitchy Bear digi/unknown name, Mark's Finest Papers and Stamps/Bring on the Sun (sentiment)
Paper-PTI white cardstock, watercolor paper
Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories-Memory Box heartwood stencil, Dylusions alphabet border-small stencil....though, I didn't use the alphabet part, green enamel dots, Tim Holtz distress paint/peeled paint, broken china, and wild honey