Cute Bunny Easter Cards

I think the bunnies in this Easter Blessings stamp set from Art Impressions are the cutest little critters!  And the whimsical flowers and decorated eggs are perfect for some darling Easter cards!  

I stamped them onto watercolor paper, and used Tombow markers and water to watercolor them.  I brushed a coat of clear sparkle Spectrum Noir over the colored images for a touch of glittery shimmer, and added colorful gems, sequins, and enamel dots for accent.

These cards were really fun to make, and worked up in no time. I made these for our church card ministry.  I had so much fun with them that I will be making more for myself to send out!  

I am adding my card to the Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge www.thedailymarker.blogspot.com.  Also:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge - Anything goes

Little Red Wagon http://lilredwagon.blogspot.com - Hippity Hoppity

Cas-ual Fridays www.cas-ualfridays.blogspot.com - No dies allowed

NOTE:  My computer is at the Apple Store, as I purchased a new laptop, and it takes a day or two for them to transfer my data from my old one to the new one.   So I am posting this via my IPad. The IPad, however, does not play nicely with Blogger, and there is no way to add links for the sites.  When I get my computer in a couple of days, I will come back and edit this, and add the links.  Thanks for understanding.

Thank you for stopping by!

Blessings, 
Lynda

Spring Thank You Card

This little kitty is waiting for some important mail, it seems.  Or maybe it's just a good spot to see the birds!  Either way, he seems content, perched on top of this mail box.

Stamps:  Art Impressions watercolor stamps
Other:  Watercolor paper, MFT dies, Tombow markers, watercolor brush, stamp positioner

I stamped the mailbox onto the watercolor paper, using a sepia Tombow marker to ink up the stamp.  I painted the mailbox with markers.  Using a stamp positioner, I stamped the kitty on top, painted him, then added foliage and flowers, inking the stamps with the markers, and dabbing them with some water from my brush.  

A handwritten thank you, and some die cutting and layering finish off my card today.  I am enjoying my Art Impressions watercolor stamps.  I will keep practicing, and hopefully will get better.  I think it will take some time to really get good at this technique.  In the meantime, I am having fun with them.  

I am adding my card to  The Daily Marker 30 day color challenge.  I am also adding it to:

Art Impressions Challenge - Springy cards

Stampin' Royalty Challenge - Spring

House of Cards Challenge  - Make a scene and/or colors

Thank you for visiting.

Blessings,

lynda





 

He Is Always With Us - Stamping on Canvas Paper

Foliage and leaves fascinate me.  I love the various shapes and types of leaves and trees.  They make interesting subjects for art of any kind.  I find them especially suitable for card making, as they can be used for almost any type of card, and for male, as well as female, recipients.

I chose to make a general card today, using an old leaf branch stamp from my stash.  I knew immediately what I wanted to do with it.  Don't you love when that happens....a stamp just sparks an idea?  It doesn't happen often enough for me, but when it does, I just go with it.

Close up to show texture from canvas and details

Stamps:  Leaf - A Stamp In The Hand (old one from stash)
               Verse - Simon Says Stamp  Blessed clear set
Stencil - The Crafter's Workshop Mini Believe Script
Other:  Tim Holtz distress inks and markers, Brilliance galaxy gold ink pad, ink blending tool, cotton swab, India Ink pad, Misty tool, Canson Canva-Paper

To create the card, I sponged some distress inks onto a panel of canvas paper, in the general shape of the stamp.  Then I used the script stencil to apply distress ink, and some gold ink here and there.  I used my heat tool to dry the panel, then inked the stamp with my mini ink pads in various greens, and stamped it onto the panel.  

I used distress markers in the same colors to create shading and depth to the leaves.  I used a cotton swab to add some gold directly from the ink pad, and also added some dots to the background with the used swab and gold.  

I stamped the verse, using my Misty so that I could stamp it enough times to get all the detail, as the paper is quite textured, and I knew it would need to be restamped.  A few black spatters of ink, and a swipe of gold and green around the outer edges finish off the panel, which I attached to a green A2 card base.
I thought this stamp was a great candidate for stamping on canvas. 

I am adding this card to The Daily Marker 30 Day Challenge, and also to these challenges:

Simply Less Is More  - One layer/leaves

Cards In Envy - Keep it simple

ColorThrowDown Challenge -

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  -Bit O'Green

Thanks for visiting!

Blessings,

lynda

Sending Kitty Hugs and Prayers

Just a quick post tonight to get one more card up on the blog.  This kitty stamp set from Simon Says Stamp is just the cutest!  I had to use it again.  I thought it would make the perfect card for a dear niece who is going through a difficult time.

 I used Simon Says Stamp Furry Kisses stamp set, and their Prayers stamp set.  The prayers die is also from Simon Says Stamp.  
Other:  Tim Holtz distress inks, Clarity stencil brushes, Polychromos colored pencils, rubber cement, Spectrum Noir crystal clear sparkle pen, SSS assorted moonshine sequins.

For the background, I used a technique that I had seen on Jennifer McGuire's blog in her YouTube video on masked inking for one layer cards.  You can find the link to her tutorial on her blog HERE.
I used rubber cement to mask the kitties.  

I added some sparkle and shimmer to the prayers die with my Spectrum Noir sparkle pen, and some sequins for fun.

I am adding my card to the Daily Marker 30 day color challenge.  

I am adding it to these challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - For a special lady/girl

Simon Says Stamp Flicker Group - Color something

Make My Monday Challenge - Use any three colors of the rainbow

Thank you for visiting.  Hope to see you back here soon.

Blessings,

lynda

Magenta Stamps Birthday Card

We are experiencing some effects of the Nor'eastern storm that is hitting the east coast.  Since last night we have had blustery, windy, snow, with accumulations expected to be 20 inches by tomorrow evening.  Good weather to stay indoors and stay warm.  

To that end, I am spending much of the day in my craft room, playing with my stamping tools and making cards.  

Stamp:  Magenta Stamps floral panel
Die:  Simon Says Stamp Happy Birthday die
Embossing plate:  Cuttlebug birthday background.
Other:  Prismacolor colored pencils, The Paper Studio fibers, Tim Holtz distress inks, Clarity stamps stencil brush.
A peak at the fibers card.  I love this stuff, and always forget to use it.  I think you will be seeing more of this now that it has surfaced from my 'stash.'  

I am keeping it simple with this card.  I stamped the panel onto Strathmore vellum bristol with antique linen distress ink, then used the colored pencils to color it.  On the A2 white card panel, I embossed an area slightly larger than the panel.  To do this, I cut a piece of heavy cardboard (the back of a used watercolor pad) slightly larger than the panel, taped it onto the front of the card, turned it over and ran my embossing tool along the outer edge, creating the recessed area for the panel.  I attached the panel with craft foam.  

I cut the birthday word from the embossed panel, brushed a light coat of ink over it with my stencil brush, and attached it to the card front with foam mounting tape.  

I ran the brush with some ink over the 'happy' die with my Clarity brush, giving it an ombre look, and attached it to the card with my Quicky Glue glue pen.  The fringe at the bottom was attached with two sided tape.

I am adding my card to the The Daily Marker 30 day color challenge, and also to these challenges:

The Flower Challenge - Anything goes 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - For a special lady/girl

Stampin Royalty Challenge - Spring

As I look out the window, the snow is accumulating at a quick pace, and visibility is very poor.  Prayers for those who have to drive home from work today, and especially for those who are still without power from our last week's wind storm, which caused widespread power outages and severe damage.

Thank you for visiting.  

Blessings,

lynda

 

Fabulous You Card

Another card with Penny Black stamps.  This one features their slapstick cling stamp 'flower cascade' # 40-466.  This is a stunning stamp, and has so many possibilities.  Love it!

So, I started with a panel of Strathmore smooth bristol, and embossed the stamp with Ranger gold embossing powder, then I watercolored it using Tombow markers.  I stamped the image again around the rest of the panel, stamping off first on scrap paper so that the image is faint.  Then I brushed some worn lipstick and abandoned coral inks ever so lightly on the panel.

I also brushed the colors onto a strip of vellum, onto which I embossed the word 'you,' which I had found in my stash.  I cut about 1/4 inch off the right side of the panel, and adhered the panel onto a white A2 card.  Before I adhered the panel onto the card, I ran my mini distress ink pads in the above colors over the right side so it would be a direct match to the front of the panel.  Then I wrapped the vellum around the card, and taped it on the back.  I lined the back with a piece of card stock to hide the vellum ends.

A 'fabulous' die, from Ellen Hutson, and some pearls from Want 2 Scrap, (which I had colored gold with my gold leafing pen) finish off my card. 

I am adding my card to these challenges:

The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - For a special lady/girl

Allsorts Challenge - Ladies/girls 

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Bright and cheery colors

Penny Black at Allsorts - Anything goes

The Flower Challenge - Anything goes

Thank you for visiting.  Hope you're having a great weekend!

Blessings,

lynda

Penny Black Perfect Pear Stamp - My Story

It's no secret that I love everything about pears.  I particularly like the green, crisp, not ripe ones.  They have a unique taste, and the texture is different and appealing.  Aside from their taste, I think pears are the perfect fruit for drawing, painting, and, of course, stamping.  It is interesting, with it's shape and color variances.  It lends itself to creative interpretation.

When I had my stamp shop, The Stamp Pad, I taught many classes.  The most requested was always my 'pear class.'  We also had monthly demo days, and my trusty pear stamps were almost always used as subjects on my demo cards and techniques.  My groupies, uh, I mean customers, looked forward to what 'Lynda was going to do with her pears this time.'  But I digress.  Onto today's card......

 This stamp was a must-have for me when Penny Black first introduced it, and I hurried to add it to my collection.  However, I put off using it, as so many of the 'master stampers' had created such exquisite art with it.  I felt intimidated.  So, there it sat, lonely, and wanting to come out and play.  Finally, I brought it out and let it sit on my desk for several days.  Then, on a whim, I decided to take the plunge.  I wish I could say that a masterpiece developed from that plunge, but, alas, I tried and tried, and every piece found its way quickly into the circular file.  

Not to be outdone, however, I decided to take a different approach.  In the past, I had tried inking it with mini stamp pads in various colors, with markers, adding color where I thought it should go.  Yeach!  It was so difficult to see where the areas were on the rubber stamp surface, and I just could not get the colors where I wanted them.  So, lightbulb moment, I thought, why not ink the entire stamp with one color?  Genius, huh?  I know, you're thinking 'duh!'  Hey, it takes longer for some of us, be kind.

So, with the help of my trusted Misti, I inked up the stamp with Tim Holtz distress ink in scattered straw, then stamped it off on scrap paper, then onto a panel of Strathmore vellum bristol paper.  Aha!  There it was....the pear in all it's lovely perfection, all of the details finely printed out before my eyes.  I proceeded to add colors with my distress markers and inks, and a watercolor brush, layering and blending as I went along. 

The background:  I sponged distress colors onto the panel , the stamped background stamps...script, swirls, etc, here and there for interest.  To finish it off I stamped the verse, then added pieces of the die, which I had sponged with color first; and finally some green crystals.   Not perfection, but I'm sure that with practice, I will be able to conquer 'the pear' once again.  

Stamps:  All Penny Black:  40-493 Perfect Pear, 30-338 Special Thoughts, and various PB background stamps. 
Other:  Tim Holtz distress inks, Penny Black Creative Die 52-035 dots & swirls (I love, love, love this die); crystals from my stash.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Penny Black At Allsorts - Anything goes

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Bright and cheery colors

City Crafter Challenge Blog - Tutti Frutti

Mod Squad Challenge Blog - Song inspiration (Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears by The Monkees

Addicted To Stamps - Make your mark

The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge 

That's it for now.  Perhaps I will be back later...I need to catch up with my posts for the 30 day color challenge!  Thanks for visiting....I do appreciate your comments.    

Blessings,

lynda

 

Wishing Happiest Birthday Card

We were one of the fortunate almost half of the Rochester NY area residents with power today, after 81 mile per hour winds tore through upstate New York yesterday.  Prayers go out for all those who did not fare so well.

I walked around the neighborhood to survey the damage, then came home and decided to watercolor.  I made this birthday card....

The stamp is from Altenew's Best Mom clear set.  I watercolored it using Tim Holtz distress inks, then fussy-cut the edge and foam mounted it to the background.  I created the background on a matte coated card stock panel.  I rubbed some distress inks onto my craft mat, using spun sugar, picked raspberry, tumbled glass and salty ocean.  Next, I spritzed the mat with water, and rolled my acrylic brayer through, then onto the matte card stock.  I repeated until I achieved the look I desired.  Then I cleaned off my craft mat, and applied some gold pigment from my Fine Tec metallic watercolor paints, and rolled that onto the panel.  It shows up far more in real life.  When dry, I stamped some Penny Black images (letter background and twirls) on it, then spattered with the picked raspberry.  
Some strips of patterned paper and a narrow strip of white dyed with my ink pad to match the card along the left edge balance the composition.  The 'wishing' dye is Simon Says Stamp, and the birthday phrase is from their coordinating set Sending and Wishing.
I am adding my card to these challenges:

The Daily Marker - 30 day color challenge

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Make your own background

The Flower Challenge - Anything goes

Allsorts Challenge - Spring inspiration 

Thanks so much for stopping in today.  Stay warm and safe.  Hope to see you back here tomorrow.

Blessings,

lynda