Hello Friend! I'm so glad you're here.
Today's card features no-line watercolor, and I made it for the Altenew October inspiration challenge.
Stamps are from the Altenew clear set Peony Bouquet.
I used Tombow markers to stamp and watercolor the flowers in the no-line watercolor fashion. There are several on-line tutorials on blogs and YouTube for how to do this. HERE is one by Kristina Werner on her blog. She uses watercolor paints on hers, but I did mine with Tombow markers.
The dies are from Spellbinders, and the embossing plate I used for the quilt background is by We Are Memory Keepers.
I used distress ink with a Clarity stencil brush to create the soft shading inside the die around the flowers.
Challenges:
Altenew October inspiration challenge 
City Crafter challenge blog - halloween or hello
Addicted to Stamps - Make your mark
Simon Says Wednesday challenge - Anything goes
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you like today's card, and the no-line coloring technique.
Blessings,
lynda
Yes, I am posting a Christmas card! Yes, I know it's not quite halloween yet. But we crafters and artists have to start early. Actually, most of my friends already have their Christmas cards at least started, and a couple of them have them DONE! (I'm not one of them).
Today's card is one that I had made for Flourishes l.c. The lovely Jan Marie, owner of Flourishes l.c., had asked me to be guest designer for October and November. I am very honored and excited for this opportunity. Here is my first card.....
Jan Marie had asked me to make a card using masking with the stamps she sent me. So....I created the harlequin floor with the diamond background stamp, using gold pigment ink, and used masking to stamp the elf. Complete directions for this card are on the Flourishes l.c. blog HERE.
Flourishes stamps used: Flourishes Elf N' Christmas clear set, Christmas Sentiments clear set, and Harlequin background clear stamp.
Please stop in to check out the Flourishes blog and website The artists there have created some really lovely stamps, and there is a Friday Free For All blog hop going on right now. The designers are very talented, and have created oodles of gorgeous cards and projects.
I would love it and appreciate it so much if you would leave a comment on the Flourishes blog post where my card is featured. And while you are there, check out the other artists' cards and leave them some love, too. Thanks so much.
Blessings,
lynda
Hi, and welcome!
Today I decided to make a CAS card. I have to say, even though CAS is not my go-to style, it is starting to grow on me, and I am enjoying the change now and then. It is getting a little easier for me, but I still have to fight the urge to add 'just one more thing!'
I used stamps from Hero Arts. I thought it would be fun to stamp them on kraft card stock, and see what happens when I color with Tim Holtz distress inks. It worked, and I like the effect. It looks somewhat muted on the kraft, giving it a more fall feel, I think. I used a Dove blender to 'watercolor' the ink onto the leaves.
I used masking to stamp the leaf in square three times down my card, and added the same type of lines around the perimeter of the card using my brown micron pen to mimic the lines around the leaves.
A little soft shading with distress ink and my Clarity brush, and a verse stamped on vellum complete this CAS card today.
I made this card for these challenges:
A Blog Named Hero - Geometric (squares)
Stamp, Ink, Paper - Color challenge 
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Autumn
Tuesday Throwdown - Add a border
http://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/ - Sketch 260
So glad you stopped in today. Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out the challenge blogs for inspiration!
Blessings,
lynda
Celebrate.....it seems the perfect sentiment to go with Chinese lanterns, doesn't it? And what's to celebrate? Why, glorious Autumn, of course, in all it's magnificent splendor!
For my card today I used:
Stamps - Impression-Obsession chinese lanterns E13185 and Autumn Squares CL138
Dies - Impression-Obsession DIE152-N
Inks - Tim Holtz distress inks
Colored pencils - Faber Castell Polychromos
I inked the chinese lanterns with ancient page distress ink for no-line watercoloring, masked the first stamping, then stamped a portion of it again over the original stamping. Then I watercolored the lanterns and stem. Distress inks blend well together, so the original stamping of the image faded right into the darker oranges I used for the watercoloring, creating a no-line effect. When dry, I added some darker shading and highlights with colored pencils.
I brushed some ink along the outside of the card with my Clarity brushes, and added some ink spatters. The celebrate die was one that I had in my stash, which I had die cut when I was at a friend's house, so I'm sorry, I don't know whose die it is. I stamped 'Autumn,' then adhered the die above it.
Finally, I adhered the IO die (I cut out a portion of it from the die cut) along the left edge of an A-2 card, and attached my watercolored panel under it (I cut around the first lantern a little to slip the trellis under it on the left side).
Some pearls finish off my card.
Challenges:
Impression-Obsession - Use a die
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Add a border
Thanks so much for stopping by today. It was a nippy, but sunny fall day here today, and I took advantage of it. Hubby and I walked the river trail to the boardwalk, then walked that, and back home. It was a long hike, but so worth it. Then we went to the public market and got lots of fresh fruits and veges. Then home to cook, and make a couple of cards.
I hope you had an enjoyable day, and found some time to do the things you love!
Blessings,
lynda
I love sunflowers! They are so majestic, and they herald my favorite season, fall. And if that weren't enough, their seeds are one of my favorite snacks. So, for the Penny Black challenges, I chose Sunny, #2669K from my Penny Black flower stamps to make my card.....
I used chalk inks to stamp the flower onto black card stock, then touched it up with my Faber Castell polychromos colored pencils, and highlighted here and there with my Signo white gel pen. the thank you sentiment is from my stash, and is unmounted, so I do not know whose it is.
A little layering, and some hand drawn squiggles and dots along the edge finish off the card for today.
I'm hoping fall hangs on a little longer here in upstate New York. Today was cold and blustery, and rain is in the forecast. I'm just hoping none of that nasty white stuff comes down with it! I want a few more walks along the river trail, and a few more days tending my fall garden needs.
Challenges for this card:
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Autumn/Fall Colors
Penny Black at Allsorts - Autumn
The Flower Challenge - Anything Goes!
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Anything Goes!
Thanks so much for stopping by today. Try these fun challenges, or just peek in to say hello and check out the amazing talent of the design teams and contestants!
Blessings,
lynda
Hello, and welcome! Today I have a card which I made for the Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge . This month it is a color challenge.
I have used stamps from their North Coast Creations line, called 'Gnome What?' Here is my card....
I also made this card for the Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge this week.
I started by stamping the mushrooms image onto a white card stock panel, and die cut with a Spellbinder's die. I colored the images with Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils, and sponged some chalk around the image. I layered the blue and purple card stock strips onto a card
front, then used craft foam to mount the image panel, to give it dimension.
I stamped the gnome from the same ODBD set, colored him with Polychromos pencils, and used foam tape to mount him. I added some flowers from my stash, and a happy birthday sentiment from a Spellbinder's die, which I had glued onto vellum to make it stand out over the image.
Some pearls for flower centers, and white dots from my Signo white gel pen finish off my card today.
I am also adding my card to:
Addicted To Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes
and - Love To Scrap Challenge Anything Goes
Thank you so much for visiting today. Please leave a note in the comments and let me know you were here. And be sure to visit the challenge blogs for lots of inspiring ideas.
Enjoy your weekend!
Blessings,
lynda
