Saturday, April 28, 2018

Kitty Showers

I told you I'd be back today!  Like this kitty, I'm feeling a little damp from an all-day rain here.  But I'm holding onto the last part of the April showers bring May flowers ditty! 
 
How adorable is this little kitty kat!?!  I miss my kitties.  They are both in feline heaven now, and I cannot have more because the loves of my life (my granddaughters, and daughter) are asthmatic and allergic to their dander.  I colored this little gal like my previous cat, Margo.  They were both indoor cats, but if there was something wet to get into, she would be the one to do it!

I used the Whipper Snapper Designs stamp Kitty Showers CY674.  I painted it with Arteza watercolor pencils and a watercolor brush.  I don't like water brushes, as I cannot get enough control with the amount of water with those.  I have not tried the Arteza water brushes, but have heard some really good reviews about them.  Guess that's my next purchase!  I'll let you know what I think after I've tried them.
Close up
The verse is an oldie from Just Rite stamps.  

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - All about pets

Casual Fridays Challenge - April showers bring May flowers

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything goes

Thanks again for visiting my blog today.  I hope you were inspired.  I appreciate your lovely comments.  Enjoy your evening, and have a wonderful Sunday!

Blessings,

Life Begins After Coffee

It's a dreary, rainy, soggy day today.  Definitely a coffee-drinking day for me!  I'm on my third cup, and have yet to get up to my craft room.  I am enjoying the peaceful quiet, as hubby is out and about.  I love rainy mornings, actually.  The forecast for next week is sunshine and warmer, MUCH warmer, temperatures!  Hooray.  I'll take some rain if that is what follows!

So, since I have yet to enter the creative realm of my 'studio,' I am sharing a card that first made it's debut for the October, 2017 Dirty Dozen Design Team central theme cards.  It was my first month on the DD team at Splitcoaststampers, and we had to make six cards each month to fit the theme.  These cards were available only for SCS fan club members to view.  I could not publish them elsewhere for six months.  So, it's April, and now I will share some of these cards with you as they meet the six month rule.  First up.....
The theme was Creepy/Crawly.  I made this coffee themed card to represent how I creep ever-so-slowly out of bed and crawl to the coffee pot.  A stretch on the theme, for sure, but then, you haven't seen me 'bc' - before coffee!  NOT a pretty sight.  

I began by sponging the A2 white card front with distress oxide inks abandoned coral and worn lipstick, then spattering with water droplets.  One of my very favorite techniques!  I stamped the verse (Verve coffee set) with black, then added the coffee die, which I had distressed with vintage photo ink and layered onto a piece of fun foam for dimension.

I die-cut the curved border (Spellbinders), stamped the coffee steam, and sponged with vintage photo ink, then layered atop my background with foam tape.

For the cup, I water colored the Verve mug and fussy-cut, adding it to the curved panel with foam tape.  Glossy Accents add some shine and texture, and some flowers from my stash, pearls, and some clear sequins. 

Inside.....
Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I cannot add this card to any challenges, as it had been previously published.  I will return later with, hopefully, some fresh inspiration from my 'she-den', aka 'studio,' 'craft room,' and my hubbie's favorite 'your hole!'

Blessings,

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Single Pink Rose

I love pink and green together.  Especially with the addition of something gold.  Soooo..  I gold glitter embossed this exquisite rose from Me & Carrie Lou (an oldie but goodie), watercolored it using distress inks, and fussy-cut it.

I cut the swirl with a Momenta die (flourish), and the sentiment from Spellbinders' Sentiments One die.  I cut it from card stock I had sponged with greens and pink distress oxide inks.  I used some of this paper along the left edge of the card also.  





I added some Studio Katia drops for a little something something.  Because that's the way I roll.












I am adding my card to these challenges:

AAA Challenge - Perfect day

Modsquad Challenge - Watercolored floral

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Flower power

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything goes

Simply Less Is More  - Bring something back (old stamp)



Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I look forward to your comments, and appreciate you spending your time here with me.

Blessings,
 


 

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Bible Journaling Page - Psalm 51:10

Just a quick post of my page for Lesson four of my "Seeing The Scriptures' Bible journaling class.  Please visit my blog, A Little Perspective; Living In Joy, Hope, and Grace for details.  I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.
Thank you so much for visiting.  I will be back tomorrow with more card ideas.  I'm having so much fun creating flowers and spring-like images to share here!

Blessings,

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Perfect Gift

I'm keeping it simple today with my card.  It's a challenge for me to create CAS cards, and I had to really fight my urge to add more, layer, etc.  But I resisted, and kept it clean and simple!  Hooray for me.
I used Penny Black's 3363K Dicentra stamp, an oldie-but-goody.  Using my Misti, I placed Strathmore bristol vellum paper in, and used my Arteza real brush markers to 'ink' the image.  I first brushed on the lighter coral color on the flowers, and stamped.  Then did the leaves and stem in the lightest green.  I gradually added the medium, then darkest of colors to the flowers and to the leaves.

I added a little sponging of Tim Holtz distress ink in abandoned coral. 
 
The verse is from Penny Black's 'gifts from above' clear set.  I inked it in India Ink black.

I couldn't resist at least adding some little somethin' somethin', so I added a touch of color to three Simon Says Stamps moonshine sequins with my Copic marker, and added them to the card. 

I hope you will join us in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  The theme is Anything Goes (optional spring flowers), and you have until May 5th to enter.  You may just win a $20 gift certificate to our generous sponsor, 




So, check out my fellow design team members' cards, and get inky and join in the fun!  Hope to see you there.

Blessings,



 

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Birds And Balloons!

Just a quick post to let you know I have a card on the Technique Junkies blog today.  Just click the above underlined link to take you there. 

This is the card..... details on the blog post.
Be sure to use my code TJ10Lynda at the Technique Junkies store for a 10% discount on all stamps!  Details in my blog post HERE.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Cards In Envy  - Birthday party

Modsquad Challenge - Use a balloon

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Use bright colors

Thanks for visiting, and for your lovely comments.

Blessings,
 

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

A Friend Loveth

Good day, friends!  I had a busy day today, but got in a little play time, also.  I would like to share a little card I made this evening...
 STAMPS (All Technique Junkies):  Poppy Bouquet

                                                  Van Gogh's Letter 
                                                  French Text
                                                  Proverbs 

I stamped the Poppy Bouquet onto Strathmore bristol vellum and watercolored it using Arteza Real Brush Pens.  I'm in love with these pens.  The colors are so vivid and they blend like butter! 
Close up
I created a background on a white A2 card by brushing some green distress ink onto the card with a Clarity stencil brush.  Next, I added some parts of the French Text background stamp intermittently.  

I fussy-cut the part of the flower that I wanted to use on the card, and attached it with foam tape for dimension.  

I stamped and distressed the Van Gogh's letter with antique linen distress ink, then added frayed burlap.  I curled the edges to give it interest, and added it to the card.
  
Close up

I stamped the friend verse with Ranger Archival ink in potting soil.  

The Poppy Bouquet stamp is from the April release at Technique Junkies.  The others are from previous releases.  You can get any or all of these stamps at a 10% discount by using my code, TJ10Lynda, at Technique Junkies
I am adding my card to these challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Flowers or showers

Make My Monday - In the garden

Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

That's it.  Time for me to call it a day.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  And thank you always for your wonderful comments.  

Be blessed,

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Butterfly Woman

We braved the ice to get to church this morning.  Very few people there, as the news since last night was all about the 'ice storm' we were getting, but I was lector, so we had to go.  Glad I did...the Deacon gave an inspired homily.  

Now for some time in my art studio.  Just me, my music, and my art and stamping supplies.  Bliss!  Oh, and coffee, definitely coffee.  

I enjoyed playing with these stamps from  Technique Junkies.    Butterfly Woman and Began To Fly.  

For the background on the card, I used an acrylic brayer, and some matte coated card stock.  I ran my brayer through a Kaleidacolor rainbow inkpad, then onto the card front.  I repeated until I achieved my desired look, then I made a pool of gold Perfect Pearls, ran my brayer through that, then onto the background.  Just to kick it up a notch.  It doesn't show so well in the picture, but in real life it is a really pretty touch of gold glimmer.

For the woman, I inked her with Tombow markers, then cut out with an oval die and used foam tape to raise it up.  The verse is stamped with Ranger Archival ink.

A little shimmer from my Spectrum Noir clear sparkle brush, and some punched butterflies, finish off the card.  

Hope you are enjoying the April releases from Technique Junkies.  

Don't forget to use my code TJ10Lynda when you place your order.   
Now on to my playing.  I'm working on my DT cards for the May release!  Where is the time going?  

Thanks for stopping by today.  I appreciate you spending time with me, and love reading your comments.

Blessings,

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Psalm 23 - Bible Art Journaling Page

I'm just popping in to post a link to my Bible art journaling page on my A Little Perspective blog. 

If you would like to read the details, please click on the above link and it will take you to my blog post.
Thanks for visiting.  

Blessings,

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Wishing The Best

Good morning!  I hope you are having a glorious day!

I am delighted to share my post today as Guest Star Stamper for the Color Throwdown Challenge # 488.

I love the color combo for this challenge....
 And, here is my card based on that inspiring photo....

I really had fun creating this card.  I stamped the Just Rite Blooming Vines stamp onto Strathmore bristol vellum paper, using Tim Holtz distress ink in antique linen.  I wanted an ink that would not show so that I could color it with the no-line look.  

I colored with Faber Castell Polychromos, my favorite colored pencils.  For the background, I used Faber Castell soft pastels with a cotton swab around the flowers, and a larger pom-pom for the areas in between.  After applying the blue pastels, I used a clean cotton swab to clean the chalk off of the images.  

I added the Wishing die from Simon Says Stamp, and the white embossed verse from Simon Says Stamp Sending and Wishing clear stamp set.  

A sprinkling of white acrylic paint, applied by dabbing my embossing stylus into paint and then onto the card, and some yellow embroidery floss, finish off my card.  

Hope my art has inspired you to try this challenge.  Be sure to head on over to Color Throwdown for the design team's inspiration, and all the details!  

Thanks for visiting today.  I have been really enjoying the comments, so please let me  know what you think.

Blessings,