Birthday Hugs Floral Card

Hello friends!  It has been a while since my last post.  Life.  Summer.  Family.  Yadda-yadda.  All of the above.  But, I'm back.  All of the other is still going on, but I am carving out more me-time.  For my health and sanity!  So I hope to be on here a little more often now. 

My card today is for the Altenew Ultimate Challenge Blog Hop.   Several blogs are participating, and it sounded like fun.  

I used one of Altenew's Watercolor Coloring Book pages.  I LOVE this book.  Each flower is beautifully drawn, and each design has two flowers, one in regular black line, and one in very light gray for no-line coloring.  

I used Altenew pan watercolor paints to paint my image and background.  These watercolors are very high quality, and I found them a delight to paint with!  The Altenew watercolor brushes are artist quality also.   I have been using them for a while, and they are my go-to brushes now.  And they are reasonably priced for a this quality brush.  I used Polychromos colored pencils to add highlights and shading.

With a micron pen, I drew lines for borders along the top and bottom of the image, and along both sides.  I like the way they frame in the flower. 

I used the same pen to write the Happy Birthday, and drew in some black dots for texture and interest.

I attached the painting to a white A2 card front.  Inside, I used an image from the Wonderland and mask stencil, with some distress ink.  The inside verse is from the Altenew Beautiful Day set.

INSIDE

That's it for today.  The hubs and I are quarantining for 14 days, as we were with a friend Thursday who wasn't feeling well.  She took the Covid test the next day and was positive.  Thankfully, we are both well, and have tested negative for Covid, but the state mandates 14 days quarantine because of our exposure.  We have both been vaccinated, but apparently can be carrying the virus.  We are on day six.  Not fun.

So, I am brushing up on my watercoloring, taking a course that I am really enjoying.  I will post some of my work as we get a little further along.

Stay well.  Stay positive.  Be kind.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Blessings,

Altenew Year In Review Challenge

My card today is for the Altenew Year In Review Challenge.  The challenge is to use one of the Inspiration Challenge pix from 2018, shown here:

I chose the one on the upper left, January.  And, here is my card:

I stamped the main image from the Altenew Dearest Friends set onto Arteza watercolor paper.  I used masking paper to mask the image, then added some additional pieces of the image here and there to create my composition.   I used Daniel Smith watercolors to paint the image.  I added some leaves from Altenew's Remember This set, stamping them with distress inks. 

I was inspired by a video by Norine Borys, which I had watched a few days ago.  I wanted to try her technique of 'loose water coloring.'  Here is a link to Norine's YouTube video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=549vkaWP-VU  It is a look I've always admired, but have not tried.  So, today I took the plunge.   I had fun with it, and think I will try it again.  It's difficult for me to not fill in every part of an image, so I need practice in letting the water 'do it's thing,' and just be loose with my application, leaving white space. 

I used a verse from the Altenew Beautiful Day set, and stamped it with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink.  
To finish my card, I attached the watercolor panel to an A2 card.  
I sponged distress ink along the edges, and added some splatters of the colors I had used on the flowers.

This Dearest Friend stamp set was a gift from my very dear friend, Karen.  So I thought it only fitting that I make her thank you card from these stamps!  I am not adding that to this post, as I don't want her to see it until she gets it from me.  It's very similar to this one, but the verse is a thank you and friend verse.

I am adding my card to these additional challenges:
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes
Watercooler Wednesday - Anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I appreciate your visits and comments.  May the new year bring you joy, peace, and blessings abundant!

Blessings,

Thank You Flowers

Hello again today.  I'm just popping in to get this card up for the Altenew challenge in time for the deadline.

All stamps are from Altenew.  I used stamps from these sets:  Adore You (flowers), Painted Butterflies (thank you), and Lacy Scrolls (background stamps).

I gold embossed the flowers onto watercolor paper, and watercolored them with Tim Holtz distress inks.  

For the background, I used my scoreboard tool to create diamond shaped tiles in a white cardstock panel.  I used my Clarity brush and Altenew Galactic Stream ink to brush on a soft background, then stamped (stamping off on scrap paper first) light scroll images.  I attached the panel to a white A2 card.

A vellum strip with embossed Thank You, and some tiny sequins finish off the card.

I am adding my card to the  
Altenew Inspiration challenge.  This is the inspiration picture....

I am also adding it to:

The Card Concept challenge - Spring has sprung

The Color Throwdown Challenge 

Modsquad Challenge  - Spring theme

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes

Thank you for stopping by.  I always enjoy your visits and do appreciate your comments.

Blessings,

One More Altenew Challenge Card

Hello, and welcome.  Today I am saying goodbye to August with one last card for the Altenew Inspiration Challenge this month.  The challenge inspiration is...

And here is my card:

I created another distress oxide ink panel, cut it down, and added it to a soft green A2 card.  I used my Clarity brush to add some blue distress ink along the edges of the card.  I added a thin gold strip along the border also.  

For the main image, I used Altenew's floral image from their One Of A Kind stamp set, along with the verse.  For coloring, Caron D'Ache Neocolor II watercolor crayons.  I cut this out with a My Favorite Things die, and added a die from Spellbinders along the upper right and lower left from gold card stock.  Foam tape to adheres it to the card for added dimension and interest.

I used my Cropodile to make gold embellishments from the same gold card stock.

Keeping it clean and simple tonight.  Thanks for visiting!

Blessings,

lynda

Altenew Inspiration Challenge Card

Greetings!  I had a little time today to play with my stamps, and created a card for the Altenew Inspiration Challenge for August.  It was a brutally hot and humid day, so staying indoors was the only way to go for me.  I am not a fan of heat and humidity.

Here is a card I created today...

I started by stamping the Altenew wooden background stamp onto bristol card stock.  I then ran my Tim Holtz distress mini ink pads in brushed corduroy, gathered twigs, antique linen, and forest moss vertically down the paper.  I pretty much covered the inked wooden background, but I liked the look anways, so kept it.  I attached the panel to a top-fold A2 card.  I stamped and watercolored the Altenew stamp from the Best Mom stamp set on watercolor paper, then fussy-cut it out. 

I used the Spellbinders triple tear die to cut shiny gold card stock and adhered that the the background.  Then I used mini glue dots to adhere the floral image.  I also added a strip of the shiny gold paper and a piece of background paper I had created previously for another card, and added the strips along the left edge.

Here is a close-up...

 

You inspire me is stamped with Brilliance gold ink.  The 'You' is from Altenew's Adore You set, and the 'inspire me' is from the Hibiscus Bouquet set.

I am adding my card to the Altenew Inspiration Challenge 

Thanks so much for visiting.  Hope to see you back here soon.

Blessings,

lynda

Altenew Inspiration Challenge Card

The photo for the inspiration challenge this month at Altenew is lovely....
 
I love the colors, and the way Erum embossed and colored those flowers!   

Here is my take on the challenge....

I created the background by rubbing Tim Holtz inks onto my craft mat, adding water, and dabbing the inks onto watercolor paper.  I repeated this with a few different colors, and dried them in between layers.  I added some gold from my Fine Tec gold palette of watercolor pigments.  Here is a close up of the background.  I tried to capture the way the gold pigments shimmer on the background, but it's difficult to capture with a photo.....

The flowers are from Altenew's Hibiscus Bouquet set.  I embossed them in gold, and watercolored them with FinTec gold pigments.  Then I fussy-cut them and added them to the die-cut oval panel from the background I had created.  I mounted this onto the wood panel (Altenew) stamped background.  The Love die is by Spellbinders.

 I added this card to the Altenew Inspiration Challenge. 

Thank you for stopping in.  

Blessings,

lynda

I am adding this card to the Altenew Inspiration Challenge

You Inspire Me Altenew Challenge Card

It's hot, hot, hot here in upstate New York.  And sticky...really humid.  Great day for playing in my craft room, with my fans and Pandora.  I worked on a few cards today....finished two.  The rest are in various stages of being finished.  Here is my card for the Altenew inspiration challenge this month.....

 

 I used Altenew's Golden Garden set for the flowers, and Adore You and Painted Butterflies for the sentiment.

I started with a watercolor paper panel, and created a background with water and Tombow markers.  I rubbed the markers onto a piece of acetate, wet the paper, then used a paintbrush to add color to the panel.  When it was dry, I used my Tombow markers to 'ink' up the flower stamp, and stamped it three times.  I used a paintbrush and painted the flowers with more marker color rubbed onto the acetate.  I added some final touches to the flowers with colored pencils. I used my brush to paint stems and leaves.  For the centers of the flowers, I used FineTec gold paints.  I also spattered some of the gold, and the same Tombow colors onto the panel.  

I cut the 'you' from one of the phrases in my Adore You set and embossed it in gold.  I also cut 'inspire me' from a phrase in my Painted Butterflies set, and stamp and embossed that in gold.  

For the panel along the left edge, I painted some of the same colors on a strip of watercolor paper, and added that along the edge, then mounted my panel to an A2 card.   I added some gold cording along the edge, and some sparkling crystals from Studio Katia.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Altenew - Inspiration challenge 

Little Red Wagon - Favorite product (sparkling crystals)

Make My Monday Challenge - Monochromatic

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Splatter it

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Hope to see you back here soon.

Blessings,

lynda 

 

Birthday Card With Altenew Lotus Stamps

This amazing stamp set is the Majestic Bloom set by Altenew Stamps.  I love the variety of views in this set, and the scripts.  I made this card for their challenge, based on the inspiration picture below.

I used watercolor paper, and stamped the images using my Misty and Ranger archival ink.  I use the Misty when I stamp on watercolor paper, as the paper is generally rather 'toothy.' The bumpy texture makes it challenging to get a smoothly stamped image.  With my Misty, I can over-stamp it as many times as I like.  How did we ever do without our amazing tools?....especially this one!

Back to my card....  I painted the images using my Tombow markers and a watercolor brush.  When the panel was dry, I touched it up with colored pencils, adding some shading, depth, and highlights.  I added the verse (from the same stamp set).  With my Clarity brush, I added some picked raspberry distress ink to the background, gradually going from dark to light, fading it out as I went up the card.  I can't resist spatters, so added a tiny spattering intermittently.  

Some Pretty Pink Posh clear drops, and Darice baker's twine finish off the panel, which I adhered to a pink A2 card base.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Altenew Inspiration Challenge 




Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday Challenge  - April showers bring May flowers.

It's a glorious day today, with sunshine and warmish temps.....so, I'm off to play in my garden.  I'm itching to finish cleaning out my flower beds, do some mulching, and move and thin some plants.

I hope you have some time to do what it is you love today.

Blessings,

lynda