Color Challenge Day Five

     Day five of the 30 Day Color Challenge at My Daily Marker here .  I had fun drawing and coloring these mushrooms.  I threw in a little Zentangle for interest.  Watercolored with Distress inks and waterbrush.  I'm not really fond of my printing, but trying to get past that.  I need to spend some time developing my lettering skills.        
     Hubby and I returned late this afternoon from the weekend in Buffalo celebrating my birthday with the kids.  Then I was off to a retreat at church, now getting this up on the blog, then off to bed.
     See you tomorrow with Day Six!
Blessings,
     lynda

Color Challenge Day Four

I'm actually writing this on Friday, and posting it Saturday.  I knew I wouldn't have time to make a card and write a post Saturday, as we're celebrate my milestone birthday with the kids this weekend.  So I just need to hit Publish Saturday when I get a free minute.  This is for The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge here .
I had some fun with this Magenta stamp and watercolor from my distress inks.  Simple and fun.

Enjoy your day.

Blessings, 

lynda

Color Challenge Day Three - Colored Pencils

Is it day three already?  I dedcided to play with my colored pencils today for the color challenge on The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge....

Today was a big birthday for me.  I had lunch with some friends, then Starbucks.  Home now relaxing with hubby, and tomorrow celebrating with the daughter, son-in-law and the grand girls!  Can't wait!

See you tomorrow with Day 4.

Blessings,

lynda

Color Challenge Card Two

Just a quick post to get today's card up for the The Daily Marker 30 Day Color Challenge Day 2:

See you tomorrow!
Blessings,
lynda

Spring Card!

The first day of spring is actually less than three weeks away!  Hooray.  Perhaps a colorful spring card will help make the wait a little more tolerable. So, I pulled out my Penny Black butterfly stamp, my favorite set of Verve stamps, my embossing powder, and my distress inks.  

This card is for the following challenges:

The Daily Marker for their Coloring Challenge HERE .  They are hosting a challenge to color something every day for a month.  There are demos, prizes, and lots of fun.  Be sure to check it out.

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge for their sketch challenge HERE .

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge HERE  where the theme is Girly/Feminine.

Stop by these blogs and check out the entries....and maybe even make a card and play along.  

On a personal note, I have started another blog, Tangled In The Word , where I blog about Zentangle and God's Word.  If you want, you can check it out HERE .  Please leave me a message to let me know you were there.  I'd love to hear from you.

Blessings,

lynda

Distress Ink on Embossing

I made this card for a friend who is in the hospital.  I gave it to her when I visited her this afternoon.  Since I had forgotten to take a picture of it before I put it in the envelope, I snapped a pic in her hospital room....hence the machine gadget in the background.  

I used an embossing plate to emboss the owls on the branch.   The embossing plate is actually hers.  I used it to emboss a few pieces of card stock with the last time we were together.  I thought she would get a kick out of my making a card out of it.

I simply sponged distress inks over the embossing with my distress ink applicators.  Easy-Peasy.  This get well grouping is a single stamp (Sugarloaf See-D's).  The little circles are Stampendous silver stickers (Class Appeals), which I colored with my Copic markers (can't really tell in the picture).  

That's it.  Fast and easy, and lots of fun to make.   I think I'll make some for the card ministry with the rest of the panels i embossed.  I'm on a roll now!

Be Blessed,

lynda

Three CAS Cards

I love Pinterest!  These three cards are my spin on a card I posted to my Stamping and Cards section of my Pinterest site. 

 I changed it up a little.  Instead of using patterned paper, I used square pieces of card stock, which I watercolored with distress inks and water.  I used punched butterflies instead of hearts.  I added dimension by doubling the butterflies, and raising their wings.  I added a little interest with Liquid Pearls on the butterflies' bodies.

On the first card, I just layered onto a plain white panel.  The second card I embossed with an embossing plate for the dotted texture.  The third one is my personal favorite. I used the Anna Griffin butterfly punch, which I love.  I also used Stickles on the butterflies and on the card.

Which is your favorite?

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

lynda

Cards to Usher In Spring

We are really suffering with spring fever here in upstate New York.  I thought I would use some pretty, bright spring colors in my cards today.  Perhaps the cheery colors will chase away the winter doldrums!

I keep reaching for the Verve stamp set, as I adore the text and the scripts.  I added a doodle frame around  this one with my Micron black pen.   I used a Penny Black stamp and distress inks for the the watercolor look background.  A pink rhinestones flourish and sheer ribbon and bow finish it off.

I am thankful today for the time to spend in my craft room, creating.  Stop back tomorrow for some quick and easy spring cards!

Blessings,

lynda

Zentangle Tile Huggins

It wasn't until I looked at this finished tile that I realized how stressed and frustrated I was today!  I run my church's Lunch & Learn senior ministry, so did that this afternoon for a couple of hours. Other than that little reprieve, the rest of the day I spent trying to navigate the New York State of Health waters.  I got dropped three times and had to call back and start all over again....no small feat considering the hyroglyphics you have to go through just to get in the queue...then there's the infernal wait.  As I said, I was dropped and hung up on three times, got passed from person to person several times.  Given entirely wrong information, and in the end my issue was not resolved.  It has to go to their "superiors" for consultation!  Really?!  Our tax dollars hard at work!

So, I did what I love to do to relieve tension and anxiety..Zentangle.  This is what emerged.....

Yep...definitely working out some issues here!  I did feel a whole lot better when I was finished, however.

Anyhow...here's another one for the Huggins tangle on the Facebook Square One: Purely Zentangle group.

Hope you enjoy!

Blessings,

lynda

Zentangle Tile

I found a group on Facebook that I'm excited about.  It's called Square One: Purely Zentangle.  It's a group of people who post their tiles in the group.  A tile is a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 cardstock panel, on which you draw a string (a pencil squiggle or lines inside a border.  Then you draw tangle patterns inside the penciled string.  If you would like more information about Zentangle or the process, visit www.zentangle.com.  

Getting back to the Square One group, each week you need to incorporate the tangle (pattern) into your tile...you could use it exclusively, or add other tangles to it, as I have here.  

Tomorrow I will be playing with some stamp layering with a beautiful new stamp set I recently purchased.   Stop back to check it out!

Blessings....

lynda

All Creatures Great and Small Card Challenge

Just a quick post to enter the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday blog challenge.  This week the theme is All Things Great and Small.  You can check all the fabulous design team cards and the entries on their blog at http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/ .

The duck stamp is from Penny Black, and the verse is Printworks.

I'll be back tomorrow with a Zentangle entry.

Blessings,

lynda

Zentangle Inspired Art - Heart Journal Page

It's February....and hearts are everywhere!  Valentine's Day is around the corner, and heart cards, crafts, poems, candies, baking....are on everyone's blog.  I'm jumping in on the heart frenzy with today's Art Journal page.

It is not officially a Zentangle, as not all the objects are "tangles."  It is called Zentangle Inspired Art, or ZIA.  It was fun playing in my journal with hearts and flowers.   I drew inspiration from a book by Stasi Eldredge entitled Becoming Myself...Embracing God's Dream of You.  I have been reading this book with a group of ladies who meet each week to discuss the chapters, pray, praise, and share our experiences.  The quote was written by Madeleine L'Engle.  It is in a chapter on facing our fears and becoming free of them, through God's love.  I am learning a lot about myself, and about God's unconditional love through this study.  I highly encourage you to read Staci's book.  I'm not quite half way through, and am finding myself jumping ahead!

I am trying something new with my art journal.  I find it difficult to work in a large, bulky book.  Maneuvering around the binding is cumbersome.  As I work, I like to turn my page to work at different angles, and the notebook type journal made this really difficult.  My solution.... I work on individual sheets of mixed media card stock.  I will file my finished work in manilla folders and will bind them when I have several accumulated.  I think I will like this, as I can put like pieces together.  My ZIA's in one book, Zentangles in another, watercolor in another, mixed media in another; you get the idea.

Enjoy your week....and do something creative today!

Blessings,

lynda

Stamp Layering Technique Cards

Good morning.  It's bitter cold here, so I thought I would make a few cards with a twist on an old technique, which I found here on Hero Arts website.  They call it stamp layering.  The basic idea is to stamp a background stamp with white embossing powder and emboss it, then, using inks (I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks, ink over the background.  Finally, stamp an image over this background.  There are a few steps, which are wonderfully shown in the tutorial on the Hero Arts website link above.
Here is my take on the technique.....

 This first card I entered in the Mojo Monday Tall & Skinny challenge HERE.  I used the free stamp set I won from last week's challenge (see previous post for details).  Here is the sketch that I used for this challenge card....

 

These are the other two cards I made with this technique....

 Thank you for stopping by today....hope you are staying warm!  I'd love to see what you're working on in your craft room, if you'd like to share in the comments below!  I love to hear from you!

Blessings....

lynda

Cards With Color Panels

I know, not a very flashy name, but it does say what these cards I made today are.  I received a free stamp set called Wonderfully Made from Verve Stamps for winning the Mojo Monday challenge last week, so, of course, I had to break it open and ink it up.  These verses are beautifully scripted, and a nice mix of scripture and useful phrases!  Thank you, Verve Stamps!  You can check them out at www.vervestamps.com.  The branch stamp is from Magenta, C48011-L.  Here are the cards, followed by the technique...

I love the striking color and simple design of these cards.  

I took a 4" by 5.25" white card stock panel and used repositionable tape to tape it to my table so it would not move.  Next, tear an 8.5 by 11" piece of paper in half.  Place one half over the card panel, with the torn edge inward, about an inch or so in from the left side; the other of the torn paper over the right side of the panel, with the torn side facing in, leaving a two inch or so space between the torn edges.  Secure the paper with painters tape.  Use Tim Holtz distress inks and with the dauber, apply ink into the open area, blending from light to dark. The distress inks blend beautifully from one color to the other.  With the hombre look so popular now these cards are fun to make, work up quickly, and will have everyone wondering how you did them!  Try different color combinations...you won't want to stop!  Here is the link to the Ranger site where this technique is demonstrated with color pictures and step-by-step directions http://rangerink.com/?ranger_project=simple-summer-thank-you-cards .

Thanks for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I have a couple of cards with an entirely different technique to share.  I just want to be sure the friends I sent them to received them before they see them on my blog.  Hope to see you back here tomorrow.

Blessings,

lynda

Mojo Monday Card Challenge

Just getting in with an hour to spare for the deadline for the Mojo Monday card challenge.  Here is the sketch for the challenge

Here are the two cards I am entering....

I used Darcie's stamps,  and Copic markers.  I'll be back soon, but have to run over to the Mojo Monday blog to enter these.  Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday.

Blessings,

lynda

Christmas Card 2014

As promised, this is my 2014 Christmas card.  I kept it simple this year.  Stamps are Impression Obsession. The die cut ornament is Sizzix.  I used Tim Holtz distress inks.

I also said I would post the shaded version of yesterday's Zentangle page from my art journal. After making a couple of batches of caramel corn and some toffee, I finally sat down to finish it.

May you have a warm and very Merry Christmas!

Blessings,

lynda

Some Doodles in my Art Journal, and a Christmas candy rescue mission

I didn't feel like getting into any of my myriads of projects,  as I was feeling really tired. But there was my art journal, beckoning. So I grabbed a couple of my Zendoodle pens and sat down at the dining room table.  This is what emerged....

That was Friday night and I finished it up Saturday morning before shuffling off to Buffalo to see Granddaugter #1's Christmas dance recital.  It is now Sunday night, and I'm even more exhausted.  We had a great time at recital and with the kids and grands today.  Played games, read stories, watched a movie, and this afternoon Faith, the girls, and I rescued a batch of Christmas toffee that had gone terribly awry.  I'm awaiting the verdict as to the success of this rescue mission.  It's amazing what you can do with some melted chocolate and crushed candy canes.  I gotta say, I was not just a little intrigued with this challenge.  I love a good fixer-upper!  I'm wishing for a piece of it right now!

  

I will add some shading to this as soon as I can string two words together coherently and keep my eyes open longer than ten minutes.  I will post the shaded version on the blog tomorrow, along with this year's Christmas card.  I think everyone has theirs by now.

Blessings, 

lynda

   

Embrace Change Sketchbook Page

So, I'm new at the sketchbook thing.  Trying the whole challenging myself to try new things, to stretch my horizons and step out into new territory.  So, it's fitting that this page is about change.  I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone here.

This is for the Sketchbook Challenge on Flickr.  I stop by quite often to admire the talent of the artists.  I'm intimidated, but decided to jump in anyways.  Joyce Meyer says, "Do it afraid!"  That's my new motto.  I am working on not letting fear hold me back.

I love all things fall, so leaves and fall colors are right at the top of the list.  I was naturally drawn to this challenge.  This is my second attempt at the scetchbook thing.  Not spectacular. I have a long way to go, but it's a start.  I will become better at letting my inner artist out, but one step at a time.

I found some gorgeous leaves outside and pressed them in a book. I used them as a guideline on drawing the shapes and coloring.   I used my Micron pens, and Tim Holtz distress inks to warercolored the page.  I'm not very good at lettering, but this, too, will develop.   Practice, practice, practice!

It appeals to me, this art sketchbook.  It's a form of journaling, and I love journaling.  I'm finding that by combining my art with my journaling, I go deeper and thoughts and ideas emerge that I was not aware of.  

Change....hmmm.  Good?  Bad?  How to handle it?  Where is God in it?  All things to journal about in my writing journal.  The art has helped me open the door to my thoughts. 

I hope you'll stop by at the Sketchbook Challenge on Flickr and check out the wonderful art there!

Let me know what you have tried lately that you've been putting off out of fear of not feeling good enough.  And if you still haven't done it, I encourage you to take the leap and do it afraid!  It is very freeing!

Blessings,

lynda

My Favorite Magenta Stamp Challenge

I had fun with this challenge.  My daughter gave me a Starbucks mug for Mother's Day, and it has a removeable insert that you can decorate with whatever you want.  As I was thinking about this challenge at Magenta Style http://www.magentastyle.com/search/label/Défi%20%2F%20Challenge I happened to look at the mug still sitting on my craft table, waiting for just the right artwork to go inside. The stylized dragonflies are my very favorite Magenta stamps, so I decided to use them, along with some decorative hand lettering (I'm just beginning to get into that, and have a long way to go), and some hand drawn leaves.  I watercolored the finished design with Tim Holtz distress inks and a water rush.

 

This last photo is the insert before I put it into the cup...just so you could see the whole design.

I love stamping and combing my stamps with my drawing and lettering.  Now I need to start working on a fall insert for my cup!

Happy stamping,

Blessings,

lynda

Card Challenge

"J" is for........ This week's Monday card challenge at http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/?p=1778

       When I saw this challenge, I thought of jade, the precious stone.  I did a little research, and found some interesting information about this lovely greenish gem.  

       Symbolic energy and beauty, the traditional and the modern are combined in jade in a particularly harmonious way. And in gemstone therapy it is said that jade 'stimulates creativity and mental agility on the one hand, while also having a balancing and harmonising effect.' 

I read that it symbolizes balance, harmony love, and inner peace as well.

       So this beautiful gemstone brings us joy, vivacity and happiness all at the same time – and what, in our times, could we possibly need more?

       In my card, I used Tim Holtz distress inks on an acrylic block, spritzed with water, then pressed it onto he card stock to achieve the different green and blue tones.  Some of the more valuable pieces of jade, I read, have variances in the green hues, and slight nuances of blue and white, so I decided to use that for my background.  

I used a Crafters Workshop stencil to sponge the swirl in evergreen bow ink, which really makes me think of a jade ring I have.  Using a  lack fine micron pen, I wrote some of the qualities jade is said to impart along the swirl areas.

A couple of Tim Holtz clear stamps for the butterflies, and some pearls finish it off.

     Thanks for stopping by today.  Be sure to stop by the Simon Says Monday challenge to check out all the great submissions.  And here's a link to my friend Arlene's blog, where she entered a card using "Java" as her J word.  http://www.sundaystamperpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2014/08/well-you-know-how-i-love-coffee.html

Have a great week!  Blessings,
lynda