My Favorite Magenta Stamp Challenge

I had fun with this challenge.  My daughter gave me a Starbucks mug for Mother's Day, and it has a removeable insert that you can decorate with whatever you want.  As I was thinking about this challenge at Magenta Style http://www.magentastyle.com/search/label/Défi%20%2F%20Challenge I happened to look at the mug still sitting on my craft table, waiting for just the right artwork to go inside. The stylized dragonflies are my very favorite Magenta stamps, so I decided to use them, along with some decorative hand lettering (I'm just beginning to get into that, and have a long way to go), and some hand drawn leaves.  I watercolored the finished design with Tim Holtz distress inks and a water rush.

 

This last photo is the insert before I put it into the cup...just so you could see the whole design.

I love stamping and combing my stamps with my drawing and lettering.  Now I need to start working on a fall insert for my cup!

Happy stamping,

Blessings,

lynda

Card Challenge

"J" is for........ This week's Monday card challenge at http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=1778

       When I saw this challenge, I thought of jade, the precious stone.  I did a little research, and found some interesting information about this lovely greenish gem.  

       Symbolic energy and beauty, the traditional and the modern are combined in jade in a particularly harmonious way. And in gemstone therapy it is said that jade 'stimulates creativity and mental agility on the one hand, while also having a balancing and harmonising effect.' 

I read that it symbolizes balance, harmony love, and inner peace as well.

       So this beautiful gemstone brings us joy, vivacity and happiness all at the same time – and what, in our times, could we possibly need more?

       In my card, I used Tim Holtz distress inks on an acrylic block, spritzed with water, then pressed it onto he card stock to achieve the different green and blue tones.  Some of the more valuable pieces of jade, I read, have variances in the green hues, and slight nuances of blue and white, so I decided to use that for my background.  

I used a Crafters Workshop stencil to sponge the swirl in evergreen bow ink, which really makes me think of a jade ring I have.  Using a  lack fine micron pen, I wrote some of the qualities jade is said to impart along the swirl areas.

A couple of Tim Holtz clear stamps for the butterflies, and some pearls finish it off.

     Thanks for stopping by today.  Be sure to stop by the Simon Says Monday challenge to check out all the great submissions.  And here's a link to my friend Arlene's blog, where she entered a card using "Java" as her J word.  http://www.sundaystamperpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2014/08/well-you-know-how-i-love-coffee.html

Have a great week!  Blessings,
lynda