Love

Yesterday was our 23^rd wedding anniversary . . . and what an adventure it has been:  plenty of both ups and downs, but worth every hard-fought step we've taken together.  We are blessed, and very grateful . . .

A textured, weathered background, some bare branches, a hopeful butterfly, and two hearts filled with love:  all of these elements describe us rather well at this stage in our lives.  May the journey continue a good while longer . . .

Cardstock:   Generic textured Cream, Rust, Bazzill Simon

Stamps:        Angie B “Love”

Inks:               VersaMark, Distress Brushed Corduroy

Emb Powder:   PSX Weathered White, Cobalt Tapestry

Dies:              Spellbinders Hearts Two, Memory Box Branching Out,

                           DieNamics Pierced Rectangle Frame, Elizabeth Craft

                           Small Butterfly

Impr Plate:    Spellbinders Deco Chevron

Doo Dads:    Hot Fix crystals Teal

April 26

 Recently (like, last week) I made a card using dark and light shades of brown, some white, and popped up with red.  It looked nice and I decided it would be fun to see how far I can go with these basic colors of two browns and white, plus whatever color strikes my fancy at the moment. . .

I had a guy card to make so I decided to go with black as my fourth color.  Happily, I like the results very much . . . how about you?  For a variety of upcoming posts, I plan to have fun keeping the neutrals and trading out the fourth color.  Join me!

Cardstock:   Marco’s Jute, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper, Generic Black

Stamps:        Just For Fun Gauze Background

Inks:               ColorBox Frost White, Distress Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy,                             Black Soot

Emb Powder:   Judikins Opaque White, PSE Woven Tapestry, Weathered 

                              White

Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Elizabeth Craft

                           Hardware 1 – Hinges, Impression Obsession Feather Set,

                           Tim Holtz Alphanumeric, Tattered Lace Alphabet

Doo Dads:    Black gesso, brads, Black and Tan jute

YAY!

Today is my baby brother's birthday, so this one's for him . . .

A recent blog I viewed showed these colors of Kraft, black, and white, and I thought this combination would make a great guy card.  While I love coloring with various media, it was fun to take a break from shading and blending and simply play around with just the white pencil.  I did exercise a little care in not drawing over any of the black stamping as this helps to keep the look crisp.  

Happy birthday, Lil' Bro!

Cardstock:   Strathmore Pastelle Cover Bright White, Marcos Jute

Stamps:        Michael Strong Cloisonné Pot

Inks:               Hero Black

Pencil:           Prisma White

Dies:              Mama Elephant Peek-a-Frame, Sizzix Leaves, Slim,

                           Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags, Die-Versions A Hint of Lime font

Doo Dads:    Ranger Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black

With Sympathy

Aren't you lucky . . . you get to see my very first attempt with a new technique . . .

Yes, I've got miles to go with it before I'll get the technique down, but we all gotta start somewhere and today was my maiden voyage.  Welcome aboard!  But first, take a look at a real expert HERE: 

The Elegant Writer pen has a marvelous capability:  after drawing with it along the inside edge of an open, stamped image, you can use a water brush and move the color around for instant shading!  You get a soft, watercolor-y look with very little effort. 

Once it dries, it's permanent, so if you want more color, you can add real watercolors on top of it without disturbing the shading.  That's what I did here, and to maximize my ability to move color around, I stamped the image on vellum.  I ran some white cardstock through my Xyron and backed the vellum with it.  Then I die cut the layer with a stitched square die.  Lots of fun, more practice ahead, but I'm loving this Elegant Writer pen!

Cardstock:   Generic White Mesh, Constellation Snow Day, Bazzill Kachina,

                           The Paper Cut White Matte Coat, Glama Vellum #40 Clear,

                           Strathmore Bright White

Stamps:        Stamp La Jolla Satin Flower Square, All Night Media “With

                           Sympathy”, Stamps by Judith Dots

Inks:               Hero Black, Distress Black Soot, Speedball Elegant Writer

                           Marker Black, VersaMark

Emb Powder:   Judikins Black Diamond

Dies:              Lil Inker Stitched Mats Squares, Papertrey Ink Sketched Shapes,                           PoppyCraft Grosgrain Ribbons, Spellbinders Petite Scalloped

                          Oval, EK Success punch Cross

Watercolors:   Zig Clean Color Cobalt Blue

With Deepest Sympathy

While I love mixing patterns, there are a few guidelines worth paying attention to . . .

The main idea I used here involved putting a blank layer between the two patterned pieces.  This gives the eye a peaceful place to rest before moving on.  You can make a variety of patterns play together nicely by using this simple trick!

Cardstock:   Marcos Jute, Generic Peach

Stamps:        Stacy Stamps Antique Lace, Above the Mark Paisley

                           Background, Raindrops on Roses Watercolor Splashes,

                           Alias Smith & Rowe “With Deepest Sympathy”

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo

Emb Powder:   Zing Chestnut

Dies:              DieNamics On the Edge, Stampin’ Up punch Notebook

                           Edge, Memory Box Cascadia Butterfly Trio

Emb Folder: Taylored Expressions Weathered         

Doo Dads:    Prisma Colored Pencil White, Fiskars scissors Stamp

A Day to Celebrate

A blog-inspired idea for emphasizing texture . . .

I first die cut the panel and sponged it with the three different colors.  After heat drying, I used an embossing folder to add an all-over raised design.  Then I sponged on more of the same three colors.  This darkened the raised design and I got a lovely pattern that gave texture without overwhelming the final layout.  Pretty easy!

 

Cardstock:   Champion Snow Day, Strathmore Bright White, Generic

                           Swirl-printed vellum

Stamps:        Hero “A Day to Celebrate”, Savvy Dotted Background

Inks:               Distress Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Faded Jeans,

                           Chipped Sapphire, ColorBox Frost White, Wink of Stella

                           Clear, Ultimate Glitter Gel Silver

Emb Powder:   Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White

Dies:              Memory Box Poinsettia Ribbon, Grosgrain Ribbons,

                           Lil Inkers Stitched Mats Rectangles, Joy Butterflies

Emb Folder: QuicKutz Sketchbook     

Doo Dads:    Liquitex Gesso White, Oriental Trading enamel dots Green

Feel Better Soon

In early Spring, I was inspired by a blogger's gorgeous St Patrick's Day card and decided to put similar materials together.  When I come across a media mix I've not used before, I often like to try the combination myself to see what it feels like, and also to find out what I can do to put my own spin on it.  I would credit the original artist for today's layout if I could, but I cannot locate her name.  My apologies to her . . .

The original layout featured Washi tape strips at the bottom, but since I didn't have any tapes in the right colors, I made my own by stamping various small patterns, cutting them into strips, and tearing off the ends on the right side.

Scroll down for another look at this layout using completely different colors . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cocoa, The Paper Cut Watercolor cardstock, Generic

                           scrap Brown

Stamps:        Stampendous Music Score, Tin Can Mail Script Background,

                            Impression Obsession Sketchy Chevron Border

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain, ColorBox Frost

                           White, VersaMark

Dried Ink Powders:  Bister Natural, Brown, Lindy’s Stamp Gang Sidewalk

                                         Chalk

Emb Powder:   WOW Opaque Bright White, WOW Clear Matte Dull,

                                 Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White

Dies:              Memory Box Distressed Windham Collage, Spellbinders Fleur

                           de Lis Squares

Doo Dads:    Hot Fix jewels Copper, My Mind’s Eye enamel dots White

Cardstock:   Champion Narrow Ribbed Snow Day, The Paper Cut Watercolor                                             cardstock, Generic scrap Brown

Stamps:        Stampendous Music Score, Tin Can Mail Script Background,

                            Impression Obsession Sketchy Chevron Border

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy, Picked Raspberry, Walnut Stain, 

                             VersaMark

Dried Ink Powders:  Lindy’s Stamp Gang Poppin’ Pink, Freaky

                                        Franken-Lime, Steampunk Sepia

Emb Powder:   WOW Opaque Bright White, WOW Clear Matte Dull,

                                 Sweet Stamps Fine Detail White

Dies:              Memory Box Distressed Windham Collage, Spellbinders Fleur

                           de Lis Squares

Doo Dads:    Hot Fix jewels White, Raspberry

Blessings

My challenge to use two shades of Brown, a little White plus a single color continues to interest me.  Today, it's Pink's turn . . . . . .

My previous post this week describes the simple smooshing method for applying color.  For all of you neat freaks out there, this is not messy!  Yes, it's true that you never know exactly what you're going to get, but that's part of the fun . . .

Cardstock:   The Paper Cut Brown Umber, Watercolor paper, Strathmore

                           #90 Watercolor paper

Stamps:        Stampendous Agapanthus Long, Image Tree Parchment Script,

                           Unknown "Blessings"

Inks:               Distress Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain, Worn Lipstick,

                           ColorBox Cream White

Emb Powder:   Stampendous Aged Gold, Ranger Weathered White

Dies:              Lil Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Tim Holtz Lace, Simon

                           Says Sketchy Banners

Go Wild

My current self-challenge is to use two shades of Brown, a bit of White, and then add in one color to make things interesting.  So far, I've used Red, Black, and Pink – which will appear on my next post.  Today was Yellow's turn . . .

I smooshed a line of Mustard Seed on my craft sheet, and then added Walnut Stain down one side and Brushed Corduroy down the other.  A few mists with my sprayer, and then blotted this up with the watercolor cardstock.  This was heat dried, and then I repeated blotting up everything that remained on the craft sheet, after which I heat dried again.  The resulting splotches looked very giraff-y and I thought they went well with the image – yes?

Cardstock:   Bazzill Lemon Tart, The Paper Cut Watercolor paper,

                           Strathmore Cover Bright White,

Stamps:        Technique Tuesday Animal House, Stamp Zia

                           Corkscrew Willow

Inks:               Distress Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, Mustard Seed,

                           Tea Dye

Emb Powder:   BMuse Devil’s Food Delight

Dies:              Mama Elephant Femme Frames, Tattered Lace Alphabet