MagentaStyle Challenge - Spring Card

Just a quick post to enter my card in the Magenta Spring Card challenge.  Today is the last day.  You can check out the challenge and Magenta's fabulous new lines here at http://lestylemagenta.blogspot.ca/2014/03/defi-magenta-mars-2014-march-2014.html .

Here is my card for the challenge

The stamped panel was stamped on watercolor paper with Magents's C0418.  I warercolored it with Distress Inks in bundled sage and frayed burlap.  The background was a stencil and I sponged the same two inks through the stencil for the pattern.  I dyed the white seam binding with the inks so that it would match perfectly.  The Thank You is a Magenta Peel Off, which I colored with the Peel Off markers before placing it on the card.

I am looking forward to seeing some green leaves on our trees soon.  In the meantime, I will stamp spring!

Blessings,

lynda

Blessing of The Heart Card For a Friend

Just a quick post to get this card up.  Busy Saturday here.  Lots of chores and errands to do, then Mass followed by our St. Pat's party at church.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Blessings,
lynda

Tulip Card

A quick post tonight to get the second card from Sunday's watercolor fest (see previous post).  I entered this card in the Mojo Monday sketch challenge at http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2014/03/mojo-monday-337.html .

Here's the sketch....

Here is my card....

I still have lots of the watercolor pieces left, so stop back later in the week and I will post the rest of the cards I make from them.

See you soon!

Blessings,

lynda

Watercolor Tiptoe Through The Tulips

I had my blog post all written, and somehow wiped it out, so her I go again.  I played with my Tim Holtz Distress Inks today with watercolor paper and Hero Arts stamps.  I started by spritzing the paper with water until it was wet but not dripping.   On some of these panels, the ones with the yellow and pink colored background, I created that effect by dabbing my ink pads on my craft mat, spritzing the craft mat with water until the ink blotches were very wet, then placed the blank watercolor card panel into the ink on the mat.  Next, I inked up the tulip stamp, spritzed it lightly, and stamped it onto the wet paper.  This created those fuzzy, faded tulips in the background.  I dried the paper with my heat tool, and when dry, I inked up the stamp again, spritzed the stamp this time, lightly, and stamped it over the others on the dry watercolor paper.  I added some ferns, and created splatters by dabbing my ink pads on my craft mat, then adding water and dipping my water brush into the ink and water, then flicking the color onto the card panels. 

And here is my first card:

Stop back tomorrow for more ideas from this watercolor session.

Blessings,

lynda

Sunshine Wishes

I'm getting my purple fix tonight with this card.  Penny Black stamps #3122 Sunshine and #3657 Wishes.....

I used several other PB stamps in the background, as well.  I had removed these from their blocks, so do not know the names and numbers.  

Inks are Tim Holtz Distress inks.  I inked the flower with milled lavender and dusty concord, crushed olive and forest moss, spritzed with water and stamped.  A little background stamping, a little distressing and I'm finished.

How you enjoyed your weekend.  Now I'm off to get things ready for work tomorrow.  Morning starts early.

Blessings, 

lynda

A Friend Inspires The Soul To Blossom Watercolor Card

I promised I would be back today with a card.  This was made for a wonderful friend, and now that she has received it, I can post it.  It is another card from the blue and green warercolored paper I made a few days ago.  Hope you enjoy it.  

Be sure to stop back tomorrow when I will have some finished cards from yesterday and today's stamping times!

Blessings,

lynda

Hope...a card from the heart

My card today sort of evolved as I stamped and colored and tried to make sense of and get control of my feelings.  It has been a difficult couple of weeks, with the devastating news of a dear friend's stage four endometrial cancer.  

I have known our dear Jackie for three years.  She was the cook/housekeeper at our church, where I am the secretary.  Jackie worked every Wednesday, and spent some time between chores in my office.  We joked that she was coming to confession when she sat in the chair in front of my desk.  We laughed together, we cried, we talked about everything and nothing.  She made me smile...she made everyone smile.  Her sassy countenance was a refreshing divergence from the every day frustrations our jobs brought.  I could feel myself perk up just knowing it was Wednesday and Jackie would be in.  

As I worked, Jackie's personality wiggled its way into my composition.  I chose yellow...vibrant, fun, soothing, promising in its playful hues.  Yellow is the color I choose to ascribe to Jackie....her kind smile and playful laugh that drew you in; her pride and joy when she spoke of her grandchildren, her nurturing yet straightforward nature....yes, it must be yellow.   Bright and full of life and joy and energy...and just a hint of irreverence.

When our pastor moved to another parish, it meant we no longer needed a housekeeper, so Jackie moved on to another parish.  But she stopped in now and then, and we kept in touch.  She met some of us for lunch regularly, and we always had the loudest table in the restaurant with all of us laughing at her outlandish stories.  

All too quickly, Jackie's visits became less frequent.  It was difficult to reach her by phone, and she missed a couple of our lunches.   And then the news.  Cruel.  Fragmented.  Cold.  Devastating.  And now the words no one wants to say, or hear, but must be talked about.....metasticized, chemo, surgery, hospice.  

Hence the word that emerged on my artwork....Hope.  Hope, because Jackie is a gift to each of us whose lives she has touched.  Hope, because even in sickness Jackie talks about life, and how good hers has been.   Hope, because hope keeps us going and gives us strength to be there for Jackie in whatever way she needs us to be.

I ask you for a favor today....please whisper a prayer for Jackie.  And every time you see yellow this week, smile and send another prayer on its way....for her, and for those who love her and are walking with her through this valley.   

Thank you.

lynda