Happiness Butterfly

I was feeling colorful today, so decided to break out my distress inks on some glossy card stock and create a colorful background.  Then I made it into this card.....

What I used:  
Glossy cardstock
Tim Holtz distress mini ink pads
VersaFine Claire Nocturne ink pad
Impression-Obsession Butterfly Bliss clear stamp set CL171
Impression-Obsession stamp Happiness Is a Butterfly D1381
Technique Junkies Shimmering Bliss in the color Dazzle
 
To make my background, I started with glossy card stock.  I used my mini TH distress inks, and rubbed colors intermittently, directly from the pad, onto the card stock. I was careful to place the spots of colors in a pleasing arrangement, and colors that blend well close to each other.  I didn't want to create muddy colors.

Next, I spritzed the inked panel with Dazzle Shimmering Bliss.   I let the colors spread and run as I sprayed the SB onto the colors.  I removed the sprayer from the bottle, and used the bottom of the sprayer tube to drop some spatters onto the almost dry panel.  This created those light spots.  I spattered some on also for smaller spots.

I can't tell you how excited I was, as this is so extremely shimmery and vibrant in real life!  My photos do not do it justice.

When the panel was completely dry, I used the VF Claire pad to stamp the images and verse.  I used a heat tool to dry the ink, then put it aside to dry completely.

I outlined the panel with the black ink, and mounted it onto a white A2 card front.  I decided to leave it as it was, and not add anything to it.  I really wanted the beauty of the black against those shimmery colors to take center stage.

I hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer.  I am looking forward to fall, myself.  My fall stamping has begun, although I deviated just this time to make this card for some challenges.  But, actually, now that I'm really looking at it, these colors definitely say fall to me!

I am entering my card in these challenges:  

Impression-Obsession - Rainbow colors
Allsorts Challenge - Create a scene
Cards In Envy - Feels like fall
Dragonfly Journeys - Fall festival of colors
Make My Monday - Fall colors

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I appreciate your visit and your comments.

Blessings,


 

Bible Journaling Mark 8:27-35

Just stopping in with a Bible journaling page, and a link to my reflection on my blog, A Little Perspective; Living In Joy, Hope, and Grace.

Details and my reflections are on my blog post HERE.
I hope you will visit and check it out.  I look forward to your insights and comments.

I appreciate your visiting.  I will return tomorrow with a new card for some challenges.

Blessings,

Holiday Berries

Merry Christmas!  I know, I know, it's NOT Christmas.  It's not even technically fall here is the good ol' USA!  But, it feels like fall and winter in my craft room.  My fall stamps and mediums are keeping me busy, and Christmas projects abound.  
Today's project is this card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge this month.  The theme is always Anything Goes...and today's optional is a sketch.  Since I've been busy creating Christmas cards, I decided to omit the optional this time around.....

I used Penny Black stamps Berry Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for the image and verse, and Damask and Letter Background for the background stamping. 

I created the background by sponging festive berries, candied apple, and spun sugar distress ink onto watercolor paper, and adding some water to create a watercolor feel.  When dry, I stamped the background stamps lightly with brushed corduroy distress ink.

I stamped the berries using my Misti.  I inked the berries carefully, using the same colors distress ink mini pads and wiping up stray ink with a cotton swab.  Then spritzed and stamped.  I repeated until I achieved the desired look.

I stamped the verse with my Ranger archival potting soil ink pad.  Some distressing along the edge, and mounting with craft foam for dimension onto a pink card base finish off the card.  I used white acrylic ink mixed with a little water to flick on the 'snow flakes.'

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Craft Stamper Challenge - Anything goes
Cards In Envy - Fruits of your labor
Tuesday Throwdown  - One layer
Watercooler Wednesday - All about occasions
Penny Black Facebook Page Challenge  - Creative Christmas Challenge

Thank you for stopping by today!  I appreciate your visit, and your comments.


Blessings,

Autumn Blessings

I heard my first flock of geese honking their way south yesterday.  Sure sign of autumn coming.  When the kids were little, I would summon them out on the back deck whenever I heard the geese coming or going in the spring and fall.  We would wave and welcome them or bid them farewell.  Spring is always a welcome season.  Fall, however, is my very favorite time of year.  I love the cooler weather, the flaming colors of nature, returning to the comforts of routine, and of casseroles and comfort foods.  And though winters surely follows fall, it only makes me cherish it's beauty all the more. 

This stamp, AUTUMN BLESSINGS , from Technique Junkies, is my favorite from this September new release.  The artist, Janine Tinklenburg, created a beautiful image for designing cards.  

The beautiful tree with lots of leaves to color with fall hues (and greens in the springtime) is the perfect image to welcome fall.

Check out my blog post on Design Junkies HERE for full details of how I created the card and added the script background and my techniques, along with all the stamps and mediums I used.

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Addicted To Stamps - Make your mark 
CAS Watercolor - Tree
Little Red Wagon - Back to basics
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a stamp
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use stamps




Thanks so much for visiting.  If you like the stamps I used and want one of your own, hop on over to the Technique Junkies store HERE.  The September release stamps (including the fabulous Autumn Blessings tree) are 15% off through September 8th.  Use my code, TJ10Lynda, and also get 10% off all other stamps and/or inks, sprays and other items in the store any time.

Blessings,

Technique Junkies September Release and Blog Hop

 

It's here!!!  The Technique Junkies September Release and Blog Hop!   And wow, what fabulous stamps in this release! And a new artist to us, Janine Tinklenberg, has joined the hop this month!   These stamps are fabulous!   And they can be yours for 15% off until September 8th!  

 And, for additional stamps or products in your order, use my code TJ10Lynda and get 10% off of those!    If you are here from Beth Norman's  blog, you're in the right place.  If not, you can start at the beginning of the hop!                                                          

Today I have two cards for your inspiration.  I love all things fall, so I'm starting out with two cards, both fall themed.

FIRST, Color outside the lines....Or in this case, color the lines....

I used the -AUTUMN DOODLES- stamp a little differently.  Rather than stamping it, then coloring it in, (which I can't wait to do because I love painting with fall colors), I chose to put my color onto the stamp itself, so the lines are in color!  I used Arteza brush pens to color on the stamp, and stamped it onto white card stock.  Here's how I did it....

**I used my Misti and applied color to a small portion of the stamp at a time, misted it with fine mist, stamped it, then cleaned the stamp.

** I did the same with another section of the stamp, still in the Misti, with another color.  

**I continued in this fashion until the card was finished.  I love using my Misti for this technique, as I don't have to worry about everything lining up.  

**I die-cut the card and this panel with a rounded-corners die.  

Just a note on this stamp....when you are coloring it, you will really notice all the interesting objects hidden throughout this background.  There's a boot (under the phrase), a pumpkin, sunflower, an acorn, berries, and leaves, along with all the lovely swirls.  

CLOSE UP

This is definitely my favorite fall background stamp in my collection. 

**I stamped the phrase, which is from the Things I Want To Do  set, and embossed it with white onto rust card stock to match my base. 

**I added a ribbon accent, die cut the phrase piece, and added it with foam tape for dimension.

SECOND card:  Crow at the stone wall

Here's how I created this card using the EPHEMERAL CROW  stamp and the OLD WALL stamps:

** Stamped the EPHEMERAL CROW stamp onto kraft card stock with black Ranger archival ink, then added some some color to the inside with darkest gray colored pencil.  

** Sponged some dark gray distress ink along the outside of the crow with a sponge dauber, and my finger, to create shadow on the wall.

** Masked the crow, and stamped the OLD WALL stamp to create the background, using Tim Holtz distress ink in gathered twigs and vintage photo. 

CLOSE-UP

** Sponged vintage photo ink along the edges.

** Layering and a bit of twine finish off this card.

That's it...easy-peasy. 

Now, for more inspiring ideas with this release, hop on over to Pat Huntoon's blog. 

Thanks for stopping by.  See you at the hop!

 

 

Trust Yourself

During these last couple of weeks of August, the signs of autumn are creeping into our days here in upstate New York.  The air is a little crisper in the evenings, and the trees are beginning to fade in color, with some actually having yellowish leaves already.  The days are shorter, and the hummingbirds and orioles in our yard are having a feeding frenzy.  And the cicadas are screeching.
I am finding myself reaching for my fall colors that I love so much.  So, for my first fall-like card.....

I used Technique Junkies stamps:
Single Sunflower 
Things I Want To Do - verse
French Text - background

I embossed the sunflower with copper embossing powder, and painted it with watercolor.  Then I added Technique Junkies Shimmering Bliss in the color Dazzle, which adds shimmer without color, so the color of the paint shows through, but with amazing shimmer.  Unfortunately it really does not show in this picture.  But in real life, it's fabulous.

I spritzed the French Text background stamp with Shimmering Bliss in Wine Stain, then stamped it onto some maize colored card stock.  I lined the panel with a copper leafing pen.  

I added the fussy-cut flower with foam tape, and die-cut the circle with the verse from the Things I Want To Do set and added it.  Some pearl accents and a copper strip of card stock finish off the card.

Use my code TJ10 Lynda to save 10% at the checkout on your Technique Junkies stamps and/or Shimmering Bliss sprays.
 

I am adding my card to these challenges:

Cards In Envy Challenge - Something new (stamps and Shimmering Bliss sprays)
CAS Watercolor Challenge - Sunflower

Thanks so much for visiting.  I look forward to your comments.
Blessings,
 

Jumping For Joy Birthday Frogs!

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge theme this month is Anything Goes, with the optional theme of 'On the move.'  I thought these adorable Penny Black frogs (toadily # 30-022) would work well for this, as they are certainly moving.  And I just adore these little fellas!

I also used the birthday phrase stamp and dragonflies from the salutations # 30-014 set.

I created the water with TH distress ink in Tumbled Glass.  For the sky, I used chalk pastels, which I applied with a makeup cotton square.

I watercolored the images with Arteza watercolor pencils.

Won't you join us at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge?  Who knows, your card just may win the $20 gift voucher from 1,2,3 Stitch!  You have until August 30th to play.
 
I am adding my card to these other challenges: 

Cards In Envy Challenge - Something new (Arteza watercolor pencils)

Little Red Wagon - Wild animals

Penny Black At Allsorts - I spy something beginning with 'B'

Seize The Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I appreciate your comments.

Blessings,

 

More Artist Trading Coins With New Release Stamps

I've been having so much fun making these Artist Trading Coins, I just couldn't stop!  This first one uses Technique Junkies Stamps from the August new stamp release. If you haven't seen all the new stamps, or been to the August release blog hop, you can see them HERE.

To get 15% off the new release stamps, order by August 8th.  Also get 10% off the other stamps and products you order by using my code TJ10Lynda at the checkout. 

Here are my Artist Trading Coins today....

I used the Technique Junkies Never Stop Making Wishes stamp and the Messy Marble stamp.

and

 Stamps:  Technique Junkies Hibiscus Panel,
French Text, and Big Swirls,  and Things I Want To Do set.

And here are cards that I made using these Artist Trading Coins as the focal point....

For my card base, I stamped the Messy Marble stamp onto light green card stock with green ink, cut a panel, and added it to a black A2 card front.  I added a strip of gold glitter paper.

I stamped the Never Stop Making Wishes stamp onto the black with a white pigment ink pad, then colored it green with colored pencils.  I stamped the same stamp onto green card stock, using black ink, then just the seeds with a green pad, then cut it 2 12 round for an Artist Trading Coin.  

I added the ATC to the card front with foam tape, so that the image underneath matched up.  I punched some circles from the gold glitter paper and added them for accent. 

and

For this card, stamped the French Text, and Big Swirls stamps onto a white A2 card front, using green and blue distress inks.  I brushed on some blue distress ink , then brushed more through a piece of nylon screening.  

I stamped and watercolored the Hibiscus Panel stamp onto a white scrap, and added the same blue brushed ink and screening technique, and cut a 2 1/2 inch circle for an Artist Trading Card.  
I added the ATC to the card front, over the same image I had stamped onto the card front.  I added the Choose Joy stamped circle over that.  Some Ranger Enamel Dots finish this card.

Want to win some Technique Junkies stamps or new Shimmering Bliss sprays?  Make an Artist Trading Coin, or a few,and enter this month's challenge.  Details and inspiration for this challenge are at THIS POST. 

Thanks for visiting today.  I appreciate your comments.

Blessings,