As fall gradually gives way to winter, I'm thinking snowflakes and snowy scenes for my cards. Our 'snowbirds' are leaving, or have left, for warmer climes. We are staying put, preparing for the cold and snow. I am choosing to focus on the positive...the pretty snowfalls, warm fires, comfort foods, gatherings, and more time spent home with family and friends.
I love when the sun is low on the horizon, and it's snowing those great big airy flakes, that seem to dance as they float to the ground. The sky is multi-colored as day creeps toward late afternoon.
For my card, I used stamps from Impression-Obsession. For the scene, I placed the WINTERY DAY stamp into my Misti, and inked it with Range Archival inks. I repeated the stamping as necessary to layer colors.
For the background, I brushed distress inks onto the sky area, and a little on the snow below to reflect the sky. I also brushed some 'snow' onto the tree branches with the white acrylic paint.
For the verse, I used one of the verses in the LAYERED PINECONE stamp set.
A few spatters of watered-down white acrylic paint, and some distress ink along the edges, and some layering, finish off the card.
I am adding my card to these challenges:
Addicted To Stamps - Make your mark
Make My Monday - Winter foliage
The Daily Marker 30 Day Challenge
Thanks so much for spending time with me today. I appreciate your visits and your comments.
Blessings,
This stamp is meant as a winter season stamp, but I love a good challenge, so I challenged myself to make a fall card with it.
This gorgeous stamp is from the Winter Wonderland clear
set from Power Poppy; the verse is as well. I love beautiful floral stamps, and this one is a beauty, full of lots of details and color possibilities.
Card development:
I stamped the image onto bristol card stock with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink. For my coloring, I used Arteza watercolor pencils. I have to be honest here, I have tried many different watercolor pencils, and until now, have not been happy with lower priced brands and sets. I say 'until now' because this watercolor pencil set by ARTEZA really impressed me with it's performance. The colors go on smoothly, and blend effortlessly. And the color range is superb. They are a fabulous value for the money.
I colored each flower and leaf using the pencils directly onto the image. Then I added water, using the Arteza water brushes. I repeated this process for each petal and each leaf, adding deeper colors and shading by touching the water brush to the tip of the new color, and applying it to the image.
When colored to my satisfaction, I added white highlights with a Prismacolor white colored pencil. Finally, I used a micron pen #2 to trace around the images details. This really brings the image details out and makes it 'pop.'
The verse is from Power Poppy's Olive & Oak Expanded clear set. I embossed it onto a panel of eggplant card stock from my stash, and added a shiny gold frame, which I cut from Altenew's Fine Frames Cover die. This one die cuts multiple thin frames at once.
I fussy-cut the image, and added it with foam tape to the eggplant card stock panel. I layered that onto a slightly larger green card stock panel, the used craft foam to add it to a kraft A2 card.
Full disclosure - I am an affiliate for Arteza, and get a small incentive when someone purchases their products using my blog links. You pay no additional money for the products. I do NOT write about anything I do not personally love. My goal with my blog is to help other stampers and artists by writing about my cards and projects, and sharing ideas and inspiration. When I use products, it is because I love them, and have found them to be a good value and high quality.
I do enjoy coloring, so I didn't mind spending the time on this. I find coloring with colored pencils, watercolor pencils, and watercolor to be relaxing and comforting. The Daily Marker is hosting a 30 Day Coloring Challenge this month. Hop on over and check it out. You don't even have to make a card, just color!
Challenges:
The Card Concept - Rustic fall
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Craft Stop Make It Take It - Anything goes
Dragonfly Journeys - Thanks/Thanksgiving
The Flower Challenge - Thanksgiving
Power Poppy Creative Confetti Challenge - Just color!
Power Poppy Power & Spark Challenge - Give thanks
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks
Watercooler Wednesday - Feminine anything goes
I hope you find time today to do something that makes you feel relaxed and comfortable!
Blessings,
I'm having a difficult time letting go of fall. There are just a few leaves left on the trees, and I'm lamenting the bareness. So, I decided to go to my happy place and stamp some more leaves!
I used the Impession-Obsession LEAF SET for my card. The entire card was made with the one set. I used the stamps in my Misti, and colored them with distress inks, layering color in small sections at a time. I added a little water to give them a watercolor feel.
For the background, I used makeup brushes to blend distress ink, then added some spatters of the inks for texture.
I used my green distress marker to hand draw the rectangle, in order to collect and ground the leaves.
That's it....easy-peasy! The stamps in this set really do all the work....they layer onto each other. Just ink the first (dark one) with a light color, then add ink colors to each of the others, gradually getting darker with each piece. I also love the verses and scripts in this set.
I am adding my card to these challenges:
Addicted To Stamps - Make your mark
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Craft Stop Make It Take It - Anything goes
I hope you are finding time to create today. I love days when I can spend time in my craft room. It truly is my happy place.
Thanks so much for visiting. I appreciate you taking time to stop in and comment.
Blessings,
It's a crisp, breezy fall day. I was in the mood for stamping, and thought I'd better get my Thanksgiving cards finished and out in the mail!
I couldn't resist the vivid colors for my background. Stamps are from Printworks. I am sad that they closed their business this year. I was a fan of their edgy style. This was a set of clear stamps with pumpkins and some verses, including this Thanksgiving verse.
I sponged a piece of Arteza watercolor paper with TH distress inks, then stamped pumpkins intermittently, filling up the panel, and overlapping.
I stamped the verse on patterned paper, layering it onto green then onto a gold panel with foam tape for dimension. I used rectangle stitched dies for the panels. I added the whole shebang to a white A2 card.
A pumpkin charm with twine tied through, and some punched and colored leaves finish off the card.
I really love these little pumpkins, and these colors make me happy. The leaves are almost gone from our trees, so I'm trying to keep the fall colors alive here. We had our first 'real' snow yesterday. NOT a huge fan of that! It's ok for a couple of days, but November through March is a little much.
I am adding my card to these challenges:
The Card Concept - Rustic fall
Dragonfly Journeys - Thanks and Thanksgiving
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Make your own background
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving
The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge
I'm so happy to have your spend some of your time here with me today. I appreciate your comments.
Blessings,
I hope you've been enjoying the 30 Days of Christmas on the Technique Junkies blog. We are on day 25 today, and Giovanna shared a lovely card for your inspiration. Be sure to check it out HERE.
I thought I would stop in with a trio of cards using the new SNOWFLAKES SET OF 9 set. This is a fabulous set of six snowflakes and three verses.
For my first card, I sponged a white A2 card with pink distress ink, then stamped various snowflakes from the set from the top right to the bottom left, using pinks and greens. The Warm Wishes is from the Season's Greetings Set of 6 set.
Some gems for the snowflakes centers add just the right amount of bling to my card.
Card two features the same Snowflakes set. This time, I used greens. I masked off a strip on a white A2 card, and sponged green distress inks, then removed the masks. A spattering of green shades of snowflakes, with pearl centers, and a verse from the same set complete this CAS card.
I went back to my usual style with my third card.
For this card, I created my background on mixed media paper using SHIMMERING BLISS sprays. When dry, I embossed the SNOWFLAKES in gold. I mounted this panel to a gold shimmer card stock panel, then onto a white A2 card.
I added a vellum panel, embossed with a verse from the Gifts of Christmas Set of 5, and added it to the panel. Some gold cord wrapped around offset the gold embossing and shimmery paper.
I just love the way the SHIMMERING BLISS sprayed background glimmers and shimmers in real life. It's so rich and regal looking.
What I love most about this snowflake set is it's versatility. It goes from CAS casual to elegant or shabby chic easily. It looks great stamped, or embossed. And it lends itself to so many art techniques. I would say it is my favorite snowflake set to date. A must have in any Christmas/winter stamp collection.
Remember, ALL Technique Junkies Christmas stamps are 20% off through November 13th. AND, use my code, TJ10Lynda, for an EXTRA 10% for stacked savings of 30% on Christmas stamps. Also, 10% off all other stamps and supplies.
Thanks for visiting this evening. I hope you are enjoying the colors of autumn if you live in an area with this beautiful season. Tomorrow's forecast is for snow here! That four-letter word! Soon the leaves will be gone, making way for some real snowflakes! Carpe diem!
Blessings,
As I promised yesterday, today I am posting another card using the Impression-Obsession fall stamp AUTUMN BOUQUET.
In yesterday's post I used non-fall, cool blue and green colors. Today, I'm going all-out fall!
STAMPS: Impression-Obsession - AUTUMN BOUQUET
Impression-Obsession - EARLY SUNSETS (thankful verse)
On Strathmore vellum bristol paper, I stamped the AUTUMN BOUQUET image a few times around the outside with TH distress ink in antique linen. I used just portions of the stamp. I colored the images using Polychromos colored pencils in muted fall colors, staying with golds and browns, with touches of brick red.
When finished with the coloring, I used vintage photo distress ink to add background blending. I embossed the thankful phrase with gold.
I layered the panel onto gold glitter paper from my stash, then foam taped it to a textured rust colored A2 card. Some fall colored gems finish off the card.
I hope you are inspired by this small but mighty stamp, and my creations. Thanks so much for your comments, and for stopping by today.
I am adding my card to these challenges:
Addicted To Stamps - Make your mark
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
The Color Throwdown - color selection
Dragonfly Journeys - Thanks & giving
The Flower Challenge - Special Occasion (Thanksgiving)
The Paper Players - Give thanks
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks/Thanksgiving
Clicking on the pictures below will bring you to their location in the Impression-Obsession store.
Blessings,
I decided to go with colors I wouldn't ordinarily use on this new IMPRESSION-OBSESSION 'fall' stamp. As it could actually be used year-round, I colored it for a non-fall type of card. In fact, I went to the opposite end of the color wheel to the cool colors, and away from the warm colors.
Stamps: Impression-Obsession - AUTUMN BOUQUET
Die: Impression-Obsession - DIE174-W GREETING Set
For my card, I stamped the image onto a soft green card stock from my stash, and colored it with Polychromos colored pencils. I used oval dies to cut it out, then added some distressing with TH distress ink, and layered it onto a blue oval die cut.
I used the DIE174-W Greeting Set to cut the Thanks die three times, and layered them atop each other for dimension, then attached it to a strip of the card stock. I added a piece which I had run through a diagonal stripe embossing folder.
Some blue enamel dots finish off my card today.
I will be back with a fall-type card or two with this stamp.
Challenges:
Impression-Obsession - So very thankful
Crafty Creations - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything goes
Simply Less Is More - Dimension
I appreciate you stopping by today, and also appreciate your comments.
Blessings,
