Penny Black Stamps Birthday Card

Today was the day I decided to try my new stencil from Penny Black.....

Stamps/Stencil:  Penny Black stencil Luster 25-013; Penny Black stamps - Special Thoughts clear set 30-338, Letter Background 1999L, Corner Piece 2859H, and Swirl Border 1969B.
Other:  Tim Holtz distress inks and applicator, Clarity stencil brushes, Faber Castell pastels, cotton applicator, sequins (stash), Strathmore mixed media paper.

I started with an A6 card, and added a strip of blue card stock along the left side.  I put that aside and worked on the main panel, which I had made on the mixed media paper.

I applied distress inks through the stencil onto the panel, using the ink applicator tools, shading as I went to create dimension on the petals, to the best of my ability.  I let that dry a little, then used a square cotton makeup remover applicator to apply blue pastel chalks lightly on the background around the flowers.

Using the Clarity stencil brushes, I brushed gathered twigs distress ink along the corners and borders of the panel, then stamped some Penny Black images intermittently onto the background.  

I added the birthday sentiment from the Special Thoughts set.  I love the script on this verse.  I added the panel to my prepared card base.  Finally, some sequins for a finishing touch.

I am adding my card today to these challenges:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge  - Spring or Easter

Penny Black at Allsorts - All things spring

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Anything goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

I wanted to put my mulch out in my garden this afternoon, but the trees in our back yard and our neighbor's are shedding those little yellow blossom/seeds.  They're coming down like snow, and our yard, driveway, and gardens are almost all yellow!  I will have to wait until that stops, then clean up the gardens and yard before I mulch.  So.....it's on to Zentangle instead.  But, perhaps first, a little nap?  Hmmm...sounds like a great idea to me.  Gotta love weekends, right?!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, doing exactly what you want to be doing.

Blessings,

lynda
 

Impression-Obsession Stamps Birthday Card

For today's card I used stamps from Impression-Obsession.  The cake is their Birdhouse Garden Cake G16212 stamp, and the Happy Birthday is an older one that I have in my stash.  Unfortunately, I had unmounted it from the wood base, and neglected to write down the number.

I stamped the Happy Birthday along the left edge of an A2 card, which I had made from card stock.  I added a piece of light green card stock.

I colored the cake stamp with Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils, then added touches of yellow glitter to the flower centers, and orange glitter to the petals and along the scalloped border of the bottom of the cake.  I used foam tape to mount the image to my card front, to give it some dimension and interest.

An easy card, and fun to color all the cake details.  

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Impression-Obsession Challenge  - You take the cake

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Anything goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Thank you for stopping by.  I will be back this weekend.

Blessings,

lynda

Pair Of Note Cards With Tiny Florals

Art Impressions Stamps has these little watercolor sets, which have flowers, foliage, and containers and buildings, and now some small animals.  They all work together to create lovely little scenes.  I just love to watch the You Tube videos of Bonnie and Kendra Krebs, as they work their magic with these stamps.

I have been playing with mine a little bit.  When I saw that the Art Impressions Stamps Challenge this time was ' make it mini,' I thought of these lovely little stamps right away. 

I created a pair of 3 1/2 x 5 inch note cards.  I used various flower and foliage stamps from the Art Impressions watercolor sets.  The Blessings is from the Art Impressions Easter Blessings 4886K set (I cut the Easter off and saved it for next year).  The stop and smell the flower verse is from the clear set Lovely by Essentials by Ellen.

I started with watercolor paper.  I taped off the edges and sponged color from Tim Holtz distress inks to create a little scene area.  Then I stamped the images.

I used Bonnie's technique of inking my flowers and foliage with Tombow markers, then stamping the scene.  Then I dabbed at them with a slightly paint brush, on which I had dipped it into water, then pinched off most of it, and dabbed at the images.  This darkens the colors, and makes the image blur just a little, giving it a watercolor look.  

I removed the tape, then attached the panel to a piece of slightly larger vellum, then used craft foam to give it dimension and interest on the card.  Some black crystals finish off the cards.

I am adding my cards to these challenges:

Art Impressions Stamps Challenge - Make It Mini 

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Something beginning with 'B' (blessings)

It was a glorious day today.....sunny, and warm.  Tomorrow is supposed to be downright summer-like, with temps in the 80's!  Not ready for that yet.  It was nice having my windows open today, and hearing the birds and feeling the breeze.

Thanks for visiting.

Blessings,

lynda

Cas-ual Fridays Stamps Color Card Challenge

Pink, navy blue, and white.....colors that work together so well!  I love this combination for this week's challenge at the Casual Fridays Blog.

 

I started with a lovely textured card stock for the A2 sized card.  I embossed the flowers, leaves, and the verse from the Cas-ual Fridays Stamps set Pretty Posies CFS1603 with white onto navy and pink card stocks, then fussy-cut them out.  

I added a strip of a lighter navy card stock, then a narrow strip of the hot pink across the top portion of the card, then used foam tape to add my flowers and leaves, arranging them pleasingly on the card front.  Some enamel dots from The Paper Studio finish off my card.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Flowers and/or showers 

Make My Monday Challenge - Embossing- heat or dry

Cas-ual Fridays Challenge - Use pink, navy, and white 

The Flower Challenge  - Sketch  

 

I hope you are enjoying your day.  The sun is shining here, and there's the promise of warmer days this week, so I'm heading outdoors to play some more in my garden. 

Thank you for visiting.

Blessings,

lynda

  

Inspirational Card For A Coffee Lover

It's Sunday already, and Mojo Monday is just around the corner, so here is my card for the challenge......

 For my card I used:
Stamps:  Verve Coffee set vs-0219, Verve free digis Here Comes The Sun
Other:  Distress inks and markers
            Vellum
             Spectrum Noir crystal clear sparkle pen
             India ink black
             Micron .01 pen
             Martha Stewart scoring tool
             Clarity stencil brush

I started with pink card stock for a top-fold A2 card.  I stamped coffee beans from the Verve coffee set with spun sugar distress inks randomly onto the card front.  Then I added score lines along the left side with my scoring tool, and brushed the same ink onto the card front with my Clarity stencil brush to highlight the raised score lines.  A strip of black and white striped paper along the left side to balance the composition was added.

I placed a piece of vellum over the verse of the digi sheet, and with a pink distress marker then my Micron pen, I traced the verse onto the vellum.  When dry, I backed it with a small white scrap of card stock, and attached it to my card front.

I stamped, colored, and fussy-cut two coffee cups from the digi set, and added them with foam tape.  Some sparkle from the Spectrum Noir sparkle pen completes the card.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Allsorts Challenge  - Something beginning with "B" (beans (coffee)

Simply Less Is More Challenge - Stripe

Verve Diva Challenge - Use digi stamps

Mojo Monday Challenge - Sketch  
 
Thanks for stopping by.  Now it's off to my garden to play in the sunshine for a bit.

Blessings,

lynda
        

Relaxing With Zentangle

Nothing relaxes me more than playing in my art room.  I used to refer to it as my craft room, but so much more than crafting goes on in that tiny little space of my very own!  Today, this happened.....

As many of you may know, I love, love, love Zentangle.  Creating these little tiles brings me such peace and tranquility.  It calms me, and helps me detach from the stresses of life.  It is a respite that I can go to any time, almost anywhere, with very few supplies.  Just some paper, a Micron pen or two, a pencil, and that is it!  
To learn more about Zentangle, visit www.zentangle.com.

For my tangle today I used the patterns Bowtye by Jo Flaherty, and Tipple, which is an original Zentangle pattern.  I added some shading, and with my pencil, lightly added some Printemps, and something in the corner...not sure what to call it...just a take-off on something I had seen.  I penciled these designs, then used my shading stump to fade them a little, so they didn't compete with the tangle.

I wasn't sure I was going to like Bowtye, but I think it's a keeper now that I have played with it and added some touches to make it my own.  It will definitely be going into my go-to pattern list.

Some people on the Facebook Zentangle groups had been discussing storage options for supplies.  I thought I would share what I came up with.....
 
I had been on the search for the perfect little container for my tangle supplies.  It needed to be smallish, stylish, and portable, yet able to accommodate my various size pens, pencils, papers, and small sketch book and scrap paper.  I finally found just the thing.  I purchased it at Burlington Coat Factory at our mall.  It is actually a make-up bag, but it has just the right size and style of pockets, and the bonus is that it has handles....

The bag is about 12" x 8" and 3" deep.  It has three clear, zipper pockets, one on each side, and a small one between them that flips either way.  It has room for my phone, and a small wallet.  

I keep my pens in the plastic organizer (got it at Walmart...really inexpensive).  It has three sections.  One is perfect for pens and a couple pencils (I like to have several sizes pens and some extras); the other two hold my tiles and scrap papers, some Post-It notes, an eraser, and some blending stumps.  This fits perfectly inside the bag, and then I have everything I need in one convenient, portable place.

I bring my Zentangle 'bag' with me wherever I go. You never know when you will have a few minutes to tangle.  Waiting rooms, in the car (usually while I wait for hubby to come out of one of those big handy man super stores), airports, planes, trains,hotel rooms, at the playground while the grandkids play, to work for lunchtime tangling.  It's an unobtrusive bag, and perfect for grabbing on your way out.

I'm seriously wishing I had bought two, so I would have a back-up in the event it wears out or something.  I admit, I do have a 'thing' for bags, purses, organizers, containers.  Do you?

So, now I'm going back to my 'art' room to do some stamping and play with my inks.  I may even be back later with another post of a card.

Thanks for visiting.  I enjoy your critiques, and thank you for taking the time to comment.

Blessings,

lynda

Purple Poppies Card With Penny Black Stamps

Today's card is for my sister-in-law, who is recuperating from surgery.  I hope she likes it and it brings her some cheer....

I know poppies are not purple, but I really wanted to use it on these flowers today.  I guess you could say I used artistic license.
Stamps:  Penny Black Poppies 3949H and Thinking of You from Penny Black Gratitude clear set 30-105.
Other:  Spellbinder's die for purple embossed frame; Lawn Fawn stitched squares dies; amethyst gems from my stash, Spectrum Noir crystal clear sparkle pen; fun foam; Copic markers.

I stamped the poppies onto white card stock and colored them with my Copic markers.  I used the stitched square die, then brushed distress ink (dusty concord) along the outside edges.  I then framed it with the purple die cut/embossed frame, then layered it onto black.  I used fun foam to attach it to my card base, to give it dimension.

A strip of decorative paper and some of the same card stock as the frame along the left edge give it some interest.  I gave the flowers some sparkle with my Spectrum Noir crystal clear sparkle pen.  I stamped the verse, and added some gems to finish off the card front.

Here's a peek at the inside....

Simon Says Stamp Prayers stamp set and die.  I don't know who the sprig is...it was in my stash unmounted.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Penny Black At Allsorts Challenge - All things spring

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Spring or Easter

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Showers and/or flowers

I made several cards today.  Some for our church card ministry to send to parishioners in hospitals or shut-ins, and a few for relatives and friends....just because.   I was on a roll!  This was my last one for the day.

Thank you for visiting.  

Blessings,

Lynda

Birthday Card With Altenew Stamps

Greetings!  I'm quickly dropping by to post a card I just finished.  Altenew is celebrating their third birthday, so I thought it fitting that I use Altenew stamps for my card today....

Stamps:  Altenew
Stencil:  Prima and Crafter's Workshop (background)
Inks:  Tim Holtz distress inks
Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Happy Birthday
Gemstones:  The Paper Studio
Clarity stencil brushes
Watercolor paper, card stock

On watercolor paper, I stamped the flowers and leaves with antique linen distress ink so I could watercolor them in the no-line fashion, masking them as I stamped.  I used distress inks to watercolor the flowers and leaves.

When dry, I masked the images, then brushed inks through the stencils to create the background, then removed the stencils and brushed ink to distress the background.  One of the background stamps was script, but when I brushed over it, the script kind of got lost into the background. 

I added the birthday dies, and the gemstones, then layered the panel into a card. 

I am adding my card to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, Happy Birthday.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  

Blessings,

Lynda

Wishing You Happy Birthday Card

What a glorious day in upstate New York today!  The sun was shining all day, and temps were well into the 70's!  We attended Palm Sunday services at church, and walked the grand-dog several times today along the river trail.  Our windows were open, letting in the fresh air.  Ah, I think spring has finally arrived.  My daffodils survived the blast of snow we had on Friday, and were proud and tall in their gardens today in my yard.

I managed to get some stamping time in today, and finished the insides of my Easter cards, so I can mail them tomorrow.  I made a challenge card, as well.....

Stamps:  
  Simon Says Stamp SSS101582 Roses For You
  Simon Says Stamp SSS101475 Sending And Wishing
Other:
 Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Square Stackable Dies
 Tim Holtz distress inks
 Clarity stencil brushes
 Inkssentials Glossy Accents
 Memento tuxedo black ink pad
 India ink black ink pad
 White card stock

I just love these flowers from the SSS Roses For You stamp set.  They are fun and perky, and so spring-like, so I simply had to use them today.  I die-cut three squares and stamped the flowers into them, then watercolored them with distress inks, which I had rubbed onto a palette.  

On an A2 card, I used a stencil to create three squares, slightly larger than the die cut squares.  I used my Clarity brushes to brush on rainbow colored squares.  Then I mounted the stamped and colored die cut squares inside the rainbow squares.  I used foam tape on one for a little dimension.

I added the verse and a few dots from the stamp set, then added some dimensional glaze to the dots.  That's it!  Easy, and CAS.  I know....that makes two CAS cards in two days....a record for me.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Make a rainbow

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Happy Birthday

Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday - What are you working on?

Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge - Something new (new stamp set)

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge - 

That's it for me today.  Early to bed....all that fresh air and walking has made me sleepy.  Thank you so much for visiting. 

Blessings,

Lynda