Techique Tuesday - Color Blocked Background Cards

Color layering is the topic of the past couple of weeks over on the Hero Arts Blog, and I posted a TT about it a couple of weeks ago.  Today, Sally Traidman posted a really great article on the HA blog about color layering her way!  She used acrylic blocks (the ones you mount clear and cling stamps to for stamping), with ink.  Here's the link to her article...check out her fabulous cards http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2010/06/29/color-layering-my-way/ .

I really liked the look, so I'm passing along the details to you.  Here is color blocking with acrylic blocks:
Begin by inking an acrylic block with dye ink.  You may use one color, or ink two or more colors on the block before stamping.  At this point you may choose to spritz or stamp.  I just stamped the block onto my card stock.  In Sally's article, she spritzed the inked block with water, then stamped it.  The look is similar, just a little less defined if you spritz. Either way, the effect is a really great background.


You may also choose to add some Perfect Pearls to your spritzer to add some shimmer to your background.  Play around with this technique, and you're sure to come up with your own "recipe!"

Here's a card I made with my background piece:

I can't wait to do some more, and may even post more pictures on the blog posting before the evening's over.  For now, I want to get it up on the blog.  I did get another done....check below.

I'm using this card for a couple of challenges:
Our Creative Corner Challenge http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/2010/06/keep-your-cool-color-challenge-blues.html 
Use blues and greens.
and
Simon Says Stamp http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/
where the theme is Friends.

Stamps are Hero Arts H3251 Wild Brush, and one of the phrase stamps from the LL206 Take Good Care Greetings, and F2674 Long Writing Background.
Instructions:
Create background using the instructions above and trim. Ink flower stamp with water based markers, spritz, and stamp over background piece.  Repeat.
Ink and stamp writing background with green, and stamp over flowers and to the left.
Punch right side of panel (EK Success punch).  Add green strip along left side. Layer onto blue panel, tear right side. Layer again, and tear.
Create "belt" with strips of green card stock.  Wrap around panel.  Add brads.
Stamp verse and use Nestabilities to layer and cut. Add to card with foam tape.
Stamp same flower stamp onto outside of ivory card with green. Add panel.  Distress edges.
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I did make another card tonight, and here it is:

Hope you like this technique.  I'm off now to make some more!!  Be sure to stop by Hero Arts blog, and read Sally's article.  You might want to try a challenge or two, also.  OCC and Simon Says are lots of fun, and always have such gorgeous DT samples on their sites...stop by and check them out.  Maybe even enter them!

If you didn't see my previous two posts, I posted a 4th of July card, and another card using the same stamp with different colors.  Just scroll down to check them out.

Happy 4th of July.  Celebrate safely!

Peace and blessings,
lynda

Friend Birthday

I had so much fun with my Betsy Bluebell Penny Black stamp yesterday, that I decided to make another card with her today.  If you didn't see yesterday's 4th of July card, just scroll down, or visit the Penny Black blog, as it's up now, and the full directions are on the PB blog.  Please stop by the PB blog and leave a comment...they love to see people's comments!

Today's card is also for the Simon Says Stamp challenge over here http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/ , which is all about FRIENDS.  I love the Simon Says challenges, and try to participate as often as I can. 
Finally, I also joined it in the Allsorts challenge http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/, which was to use embossing. 
Here's the card (in real life the patterned paper really matches the coral cardstock...photographed poorly):

Enjoy your week!

Peace and blessings,
lynda

Happy 4th of July Card

I just love the 4th of July, don't you?  For us, it's always a weekend celebration.  One of the days, we go to my cousin's house in Fairport to watch the parade, which goes right in front of her house. She has at least 20-25 people there, and everybody brings a brunch item. During the actual parade, we all sit in our lawn chairs at the curb, with the little ones sitting on the curb so they can catch the candy the "parade marchers" throw out.  We laugh, joke, talk, drink and eat, and have a great time.  After the parade, we head for the back yard, where there are tables all set up, and eat the brunch items everyone brought. The food is always terrific, and the company wonderful.
The next day, we head to our friend's cottage on the lake, and spend the day with them and about 12 - 15 other people. More laughing, eating, talking, swimming, playing beach games, laughing, eating...well, you get the idea! At dark, we build a bon-fire and sit on the beach and watch fire works.  What's not to love?!
We usually have a picnic with the kids on the third day.  Yep, you guessed it...more eating and laughing and talking.
The fun begins in less than a week, on Saturday....can't wait!

I made this Happy 4th card in anticipation. Isn't this little Betsy Bluebell image from Penny Black just adorable?  I thought she looked like she was waiting for the parade, so I colored her in blue and red!  It's one of my Penny Black Design Team cards for this week, and the directions are on the PB blog now:  http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/ .  Please stop by and leave a comment....they love to see them!  Thanks.

I also designed it for the Cards Blog Challenge « Blog Spotting: Clouds Challenge Gallery and New Challenge!

Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend.  Celebrate safely, and enjoy, and lets give thanks for our freedom and for the wonderful country we live in, and the many blessings we enjoy!

lynda

Get Well Card

My new stamps have been calling to me all day while I was at work, so right after dinner tonight I retreated to my craft room and got stamping.  I needed a get well card for a friend, so I made this card with Penny Black's new Mimi stamp, Sweet Thing # 4084H.

 I colored it with Marvy LePlume markers and a Dove blender (used watercolor paper to stamp it on). Cut it out with Spellbinder's Nestabilities dies. Decorative paper is My Mind's Eye. Layered floral onto brown card after wrapping ribbon.  I embossed the beige panel with my Cuttlebug dotted folder, distressed, and added to card front.  Add lace trim.  Foam tape image to card,  buttons.  Tie double bow and add to bottom.  Computer generate Get Well Wishes and add with floss.
Add clear Stardust gel pen to frosting and wings.

For more great ideas with Penny Black's new Mimi and friends collection, visit their blog at http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/ .

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy your weekend!

Blessings and peace,

lynda

Enjoy Your Day - any occasion card

This is the first card I made from the new stamps Penny Black sent me last week.  What a great day, coming home to my mailbox brimming with a large package from PB....sure made my day! 
This is one of the new Mimi stamps.  Isn't she darling? 
I spotted this Basic Grey paper in my stash, and knew I had to use it.
I stamped the image on watercolor paper, and colored her with Tombow markers and a Dove blender.
I made the top frame with my Spellbinder's nestabilities dies, and raised it up with foam tape, so you're looking down into the picture.

Martha Stewart punch.

Hope you like.  It will be on the PB blog soon. 
They just posted another of my cards today, if you'd like to hop over and check it out, and leave some love.  http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/happy-birthday-2/
Have a great evening.

Peace and blessings,
lynda

Technique Tuesday - Highlight Spot

I really had a fun day today, and got lots of cards made.  Today's technique is something that I do quite often.  I call it a highlight spot.  Basically, it's an area or block of color, used to "ground" an image.  If you stamp an image, and feel like it "needs" something, chances are it needs to be grounded, so it doesn't just sit there all by itself, or look like it's floating. How it's done:
Start with watercolor paper.  Draw a border the size and shape desired with a water based marker, such as Marvy LePlume or Tombow markers.  Use a wet paintbrush to "pull" the color from the border into the inside of the shape.  Be sure to fade to almost no color as you get toward the center.  You can add color by rubbing marker on a craft sheet or piece of plastic, and picking up the color with your brush and adding it to the shape.  If you put too much color, some of it can be removed. Just add more water and dab with a paper towel.  Practice this a few times, and you'll get it.  Try keeping your brush a little dryer after the initial water application...this helps keep the color from becoming too intense.

After you make our highlight, be sure to let it dry completely, or heat set, before stamping in it.  Then, just stamp and color as usual.

Here are some cards using this technique:

I have entered this card in the Hero Arts Blog monthly challenge http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/june-2010-contest-details/ , and the Paper Crafts Sketch Challenge 4 http://www.flickr.com/groups/pc_go-to_sketch_challenge_4/ . Here's the sketch:

And this next card is one I made for my daughter.  I really miss her....I know she's only an hour and a half away, but with both of us working, we just don't see each other as often as I'd like. I had a hard time leaving Sunday to come home. Poor hubby, had to listen to me blubbering all the way home!  I know, at least I get to see her more often than some of my friends get to see their kids, who live many states away, so I try not to complain. But I MISS HER!!  We always have such a good time together, and now that she's grown, I truly enjoy her company.  Not to mention, her little 5 year old shadow, Keeley!  Don't even get me started on how much I miss seeing more of my awesome little granddaughter!!  She's really enjoying stamping, and will sit and stamp with me for a couple of hours!
But, I digress....here's the card:

Penny Black stamps 3368K Asters, 2007E Scroll Motif, 1989E Harlequin Border, 2652J Dot & Scroll Border, 1967H Music Pattern, 1969D Swirl Border, 30-014 Salutations (miss you).

Notice how the little highlighted areas on these cards give the images "a place to be?"  A few years ago, we used shadow stamps to achieve this.  Now, you can make your own, and any shape and size you want!  Hope you'll give it a try.  Practice several and you'll get it before you know it.  Be sure to use watercolor paper, or it will not work.

Oh, and do scroll down to the previous two or three posts, as I posted several today and yesterday. Don't want you to miss anything!  Have fun!

Have a wonderful evening, and a great week!

Blessings and peace,

lynda

Challenge card

I received a wonderful package from Penny Black last week, and finally had time to play with some of the new stamps today.  I'm still on cloud nine, being selected to be on the Penny Black Design Team. It's fun to be able to use the new stamps before they even are in the stores!! 
The new Mimi and Friend Sweet Things collection is adorable, and so fun to use. I made this card for these challenges:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ .  
The theme is travel/holiday.  Mimi is all ready on her bicycle, traveling along, collecting flowers in her basket. 
Allsorts Challenge Blog http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ . 

This was a sketch challenge - here's the sketch 

and
Caardvarks June Challenge http://caardvarks.blogspot.com/2010/06/drs-designs-july-card-challenge.html
which was to use wet or dry embossing.

And, finally, here is my card:

Stamps:  Penny Black 4086H Easy Rider, 30-053 Betsy Bluebell clear set, 30-014 Salutations clear set.
Cuttlebug embossing folder, Spellbinder's Nestabilities dies.
Watercolored with Tombow maarkers and Dove blender.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
lynda

Mad Hatter Challenge Card

I had so much fun creating this card for the Colour Create challenge http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/ today.  The theme this week is "Mad As Hatters."  You have to use two of the colors in the picture, and either gems, satin, pins, or anything else in the picture. I managed to use a few of them, and really enjoyed this challenge.  Here is the picture that is posted for inspiration:

And here's my card
The rabbits are a 100 Proof Press stamp, and background stamps are Penny Black. 

If you'd like to play along, you have until July 1st to get your card done.

Blessings,
lynda

Technique Tuesday - Glitter Glue

Have you ever stopped to think about what your stamping style is?  I've had this conversation with two different friends lately, and it was fun to hear what we each thought each other's style is.  I appreciate all different styles, and even dabble in several myself, however, I have my own unique style, as we all do.  Today I challenged myself to make a card out of my element, and not in my "style." I decided to try to keep it simple.  I must say, I found it very difficult, but will definitely be doing it again.  Here's the card, and, although I did add a couple of embellishments and some vellum and glitter glue, for the most part, it's pretty simple in design.  I couldn't help myself, however, and had to tear and distress the edges, use some decorative scissors, and add a little piece of vellum and some glitter glue.

Now for my glitter glue technique.  This is a solid rose stamp, so I just applied marker colors to the stamp, gave it a spritz with a fine-mist spritzer, and stamped it onto a white panel.  After it dried, I applied yellow glitter glue to a few areas, then took my finger and spread it all around the flower head.  You can't really see from the picture, but this gave the flower a really pretty glitter look, especially when looking at it from different angles.  Then I added some glitter glue along the edges of the petals, and let it dry so those areas remained dimensional.  Simple technique, but quite and interesting look.
The stamps are Hero Arts.

For another card idea, especially for a male card, hop on over to the Penny Black Blog and check out my father's day card.  And please leave some love there....I appreciate your comments.  Here's the link:  http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/ 
 
What a simply lovely day it was here today!  I really got to appreciate it, because it was my day off (even though I had to go in for about an hour to do something quick).  I met my friend, Arlene, for breakfast at a mutual favorite spot - Panera's!  After talking for a while, we jokingly remarked about being there until lunch, because we had so much to catch up on.  Yesssiree, you guessed it.  We were enjoying ourselves so much, that we hadn't even notice the time.  Finally, I saw that people were ordering lunch-like foods, and we checked the time.   It was after 12!!  We got there at 9!  Where did that time go??! Well, obviously we really had a good time, and vowed to do this more often.

It was a great way to spend the morning, and I made myself a promise to take the time to connect with my friends more often.  Seems life is always getting in the way, and I, for one, don't take the time as often as I should, to visit with my friends.  Yet I enjoy it so much when I do.  This is going to change!

I hope you are taking some time for yourself to connect with those you care about.  These summer days are fleeting, and before you know it, will be behind us.  I'm hoping you're doing some fun things for yourself.

Blessings and peace,

lynda

My card featured on Penny Black Blog NOW!

It has been quite a week for me.  We had some huge issues at work, with some problems with distributors and communication mix-ups, which really stressed me out!  Then, I had some email issues with Yahoo, which had me searching the web for a few hours this week.  Hopefully, it's finally resolved.  I had the stuffed/plugged ear thing. 

I have to say, it's weeks like this that make me appreciate my craft room and my "hobby."  When I enter my room to create, the stress just melts away.  It's amazing how you can lose yourself in a project, and emerge hours later, feeling much more relaxed and able to handle things in "the real world."  I'm so thankful that I have my little haven to retreat to when things get tense. 

I also don't know what I would do without my computer.  I love the support and encouragement I get from the online community.  The forums and blogs I visit and participate in all help me feel connected to other stampers/scrappers, and all share so much encouragement for each other. 

Then, just this morning I got a note from Penny Black that my first card as a Penny Black Design Team member is up on the Penny Black Blog TODAY!!!  Here's the link:  http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/ .  Please do stop in and check out the blog, see my card, and please leave some love.  I, like all of you, really appreciate every word of encouragement!  It's what keeps me going.  I'd love to hear from you over there.

I attended a bridal shower today for my dear friend's daughter, who is getting married the end of this month.  It was a lovely day for a shower, and the girls did a great job on the shower.  We have a couple more weddings/showers this summer, as well.  How fun to be part of all the excitement going on around me.  New beginnings for so many! I'm so happy to share these times with those I care about.

Many blessings and peace to you all!

lynda

Technique Tuesday - Unique Opening Card (Joy-Fold Card)

I promised the directions for the cute little sleeping hedgehog card I posted last Friday, so I'm here to post the link to the video tutorial over on SplitCoastStampers.  Beate Johns is the author of the tutorial, and creator of this card.
Here are a couple of more cards I made from this design on Sunday, with my friend, Sylvia.  Click on the pictures to see larger.

This is Sylvia's very first joy-fold card....came out really cute:

And here's the link to the SplitCoastStampers written tutorial with step by step pictures: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/joy_fold_card/  .  And here's the link for the video tutorial:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u_RnvolcZc .  Check them both out.  If you read the directions, then check out the video, it will all be very clear.  It's really easy, and lots of FUN.  You'll want to make lots of these.

And, last, but certainly not least, I have some really exciting news!!   I AM NOW "OFFICIALLY" ON THE PENNY BLACK DESIGN TEAM!!!!!!!!!   I have been a long-time fan of Penny Black stamps, and  am honored, excited, and thrilled to be working with such a wonderful company.  Here's a link to their blog:  http://pennyblackinc.wordpress.com/ .  Check it out when you get a chance.  Soon you'll be seeing my cards on there, along with the other designers!! 

Wishing you a terrific week, and many blessings.

Joy and Peace,

lynda

Penny Black Birthday Card

Yes, I had a busy day.  Worked until noon, then went to lunch with a friend, and back to her house for some card-making and fun.  The previous post is the first card, and this is the second card that I made for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ . The theme for this challenge was In The Garden, and I chose this darling little sleeping hedgehog, cuz' I just adore him. I bought this paper because it made me smile - it's a "happy" paper, don't you think? Anyways, I just had to use it today!! It's by We R Memory Keepers.
It also fits the sketch challenge for the Unscripted Sketches #57 challenge - http://unscriptedsketches.com/ , and, Raise The Bar Challenge # 21 - http://raisethebarchallenge.blogspot.com/ , which is Celebrate Summer!
Here's my card:

It's called a Joy Fold Card, and it's ssooooo fun to make.  I'll post a couple of pics so you can see the clever opening.  The top panel opens UP, the the bottom panel opens DOWN. Then there's some cute stuff going on INSIDE the card, too.  The little round flower embelly on the front is raised on foam, so that the front panel just tucks under it to keep it closed.  Clever, huh.  I learned this card over on Splitcoaststampers, and will be posting another, along with full directions, on Tuesday for my Technique Tuesday blog. Stop back soon!
Here are a couple of side/inside views:

That's it for today.  I'm pooped, and ready for bed!!  Take some time, tonight, to count your blessings!

lynda

Thinking of You Card

Here's a card I made for a couple of challenges today.  Stamps are by Penny Black, paper is Anna Griffin.  The challenges were:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ -
   Theme:  In the garden

Unscripted Sketches - http://unscriptedsketches.com/ -

And here's the card I made:   

I stamped the scrolls on the background paper, and added the black strip and green ribbon, and buttons. I inked the stamp (Constellations # 3867K) with green and distress linen ink, spritzed, and stamped. Added stitching lines with black fine point marker. Stamped and cut out PB butterflies, from the Salutations set # 30-014. 

Hope you get some time to create this weekend.  Enjoy!

lynda

Technique Tuesday - Color Layering

The Hero Arts Blog featured a really gorgeous inking technique today, and I'm borrowing it for this week's Technique Tuesday.  Shari Carroll is the artist who created this card, and she shows the technique she used on the post, as well as in a video. I really love the way this looks.  You may have done variations of this, as I have taught similar techniques in the past, but this is just a little different.  Here's the link to the technique video, which illustrates very precisely how to achieve this look.  http://heroarts.com/learning/technique.cfm?techID=159 .  And here's the card featured on the blog (another card is featured in the video).

Here's the link to the full article on the Hero Arts blog, which gives details about their current challenge, and info about the new images available now:  http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/2010/06/01/take-two-tuesday-with-sketches-and-more/ .  Hope you'll hop on over to check it out.

I had to try it, and here's the card I made with this technique.  I used a sketch from the Card Patterns blog challenge here- http://cardpatterns.blogspot.com/2010/05/sketch-66.html - for this card:

Here's the sketch from the Card Patterns challenge:

Hope you'll stop by the Card Patterns blog and try their sketch challenge.  It's fun, and a great way to get some card ideas.  Soon I will post an article on how to use card and scrapbook patterns. For now, just hop on over and give it a try.  You will soon be addicted!

I also used a button and flowers on it so I could enter it in the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge over here:  http://thesecretcraftersaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/, which was Buttons and Blooms somewhere on your creations. Check out their blog, also.  There are some really gorgeous design team samples, and if you click on the photos, it will take you to the person's blog, where you can see how each card was made!

Oh, and getting back to the Hero Arts Color Layering technique, if you are like me, you probably cringed when the instructions said to stamp the darker inked image into the lighter ink pad. Horrors....get my light green contaminated with a much darker green ink?!  You can probably feel me wincing even now.  Soooo, being the ever so resourceful one, I looked around my craft room for an idea to help me do this without getting my stamp pads contaminated.  Eureka!!! Right under my nose, literally, was my craft pad.  I keep it right on my work table, and do all my stamping and creating on it. It's where I rub markers to mix with water for watercolor, stick my foam tape to, mix my colors, etc. So, I simply took the lighter color stamp pad, dabbed it onto the pad until I had a nice heavy application of color, and used it as my "ink pad" for the second part of the directions, where you ink the image with the lighter color without removing the darker color. I got the same results, without soiling my ink pad!

Well, that's it for today. Glee is about to start. Hope you're having a wonderful week.

Blessings and peace,

lynda