START THE ART

 Hello!

Playing along with this Freshly Made Sketches challenge (ends 3/9)

The colorful panel was made by swirling the same marker inks used to color in the watercolor pans. The ink splatter stamp was stamped in the black ink. It’s an ancient DOTS stamp that is so hard I didn’t know what kind of impression it would give, but it came through pretty well. Where the ink stamped a bit thin I just dabbed a bit on straight from the pad using a tiny rubber pointer tool.  The white tag was die cut, and the sentiment stamped in Versafine black ink. It was raised slightly by gluing a scrap of near-chipboard strength card stock onto the reverse. A white gel pen was used for a few highlights, and some enamel gems were placed about.  

SUPPLIES

sentiment, brushes and paint pan stamps - Jane Davenport Crafty Minx set

splats stamp - D.O.T.S. Ink Splatters

label die - ProvoCraft Tag Alongs plate (Cuttlebug)

And a couple more cards made from the same set:

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOOMS

 Hello!

Playing along with this AAA Birthday #83 Use Die Cuts challenge (ends 3/31)

and thisTimeout #308 CASE challenge (ends 3/18)

and this Mix It Up Anything Goes with Optional Die Cut challenge (ends 4/18)

and this Cardz 4 Galz #271 Embossing Heat or Dry challenge (ends 3/18)

and this Cut It Up #351 Happy Birthday challenge (ends 3/16)

and this Daisy Chain #105 Flowers challenge (ends 3/28)

The white background panel was embossed, then punched with the notebook punch - I like to fold the edges in as shown to create a clean but distressed feel. The rounded corner rectangle panel was die cut from vellum. The green banner strip was cut from a strip of textured cardstock, notched at both ends. *TIP* / To notch something freehand, just find the center of the width at the end, cut straight up from there as far as you like, then cut from the end corners diagonally, up to where your scissor cut ended. The longer the original cut line is, the pointier the notch will be./ Leaves and flowers were die cut from white cardstock, ink blended, and assembled as shown (these flower dies come with the base and the outline as separate pieces.) The flower centers were die cut from gold glitter cardstock.The birthday sentiment was die cut and foam mounted on the outer ends.

SUPPLIES

flower dies - Stampin’ Up! Peaceful Moments set

rounded edge rectangle die - Altenew Rounded Rectangles

embossing folder - Ellison Sizzix Notebook

Happy Birthday sentiment die - Spellbinders Wild Hello Card Kit June ‘21  

And another card from the same die set, which is originally on this post

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BACKYARD & TROPICAL BLOOMS.

 Hello!

Playing along with this Try A Sketch on Tuesday challenge.

It was very freeing to use some gorgeous patterned paper, as I usually make my own backgrounds. And I really enjoyed this very user-friendly sketch. 

 I found it easiest to cut and adhere the two end strips slightly larger than needed, and then do the center strip to even everything out. 

I cut the rectangle panel from vellum, then the frame using 2 sizes of these nesting label dies. The vellum was glued on the striped background panel. The flower and stem were stamped on white cardstock, fussy cut and the outline color was spread with a wet paint brush. 

Sentiment was die cut in gold card stock. Embellishments are flat backed gems glued on, and there is yellow glitter glue in the flower center. Flower head is foam mounted.   

SUPPLIES

flower stamp - Stampin’ Up! retired set

Thanks die - Spellbinders set

patterned paper - Stampin’ Up! retired

grass die - Penny Black

* I originally spent a few days working intermittently on this card below for the challenge, and really loved it, but was shocked when I got ready to upload it - it was eerily similar to a fellow stamper’s card already entered! But here it is just for fun:

SUPPLIES

flower dies - Stampin’ Up!

label/frame dies - Spelbinders Nestibilities

patterned paper - Stampin’ Up! retired Flamingo something, I think 🤔

vellum

sentiment strip - preprinted, sponged pink

gold glitter cardstock

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JUST BECAUSE FOLIAGE.

 Hello!

Playing along with this Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

UPDATE! 😊

Yay! Verbena named me a FMS Princess of Clean - thank you, thank you!

and this Simply Clean and Simple challenge - Anything CAS Option of Greenery (ends 2/28).

Distressed circle background was die cut through the green card stock, which is pretextured. Green panel was mounted on a white card front. Foliage branch was embossed in gold, colored with alcohol markers, die cut and foam mounted. Preprinted sentiment stamp is also foam mounted. 

SUPPLIES

background die - Sizzix Mixed Media #1 #660220 thinlits set 

greenery stamp and die - Altenew Retro Plantines set

flat back enamel gems - Altenew

gold embossing powder

flat black enamel dots 

preprinted sentiment strip

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SPARKLE RAINFALL

 Hello!

Playing along with the following challenges in no particular order:

this Addicted to CAS challenge (ends 3/6) I sure hope I am CAS enough to play along!

and this I Spy with My Little Eye challenge - Something You Love (ends 3/15) because I love a good rain day! :o)

and this All About challenge (ends 3/4).

This is a pretty straight forward CAS card - a few die cuts, and the stamped image is colored in with alcohol markers *TIP* die cut images with a lot of white edging can be minimized if desired by running a neutral marker that blends with the background along the white edge.

Main image mounted on foam tape. Embellishments are random flat back rhinestones from stash. 

SUPPLIES

girl and sentiment stamps - Spellbinders Cute Boots clear set 

cloud die -Darice set

background panel die - Penny Black Antique Frame set

flat back aurora rhinestones 

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GARDEN LATTICE HELLO

 Hello!

I have to say, I wasn’t loving the bright colors as I was going along, but I believe in pushing through to see the final product.  Then if I still really dislike it, into the recycle process it goes. I have some plastic sleeves of paper parts - stamped, die cut, embossed, backgrounds, card stock and pattern paper strips, etc. A couple times a year I dig it all out and usually make about a dozen or more pretty decent cards!

Playing along with the following challenges in no particular order:

this Allsorts #843 challenge - Embossing or Anything Goes (ends 2/26?).

and this Stencil Fun challenge - Create Your Own Background (ends 2/28).

UPDATE!

and this Pick 3 challenge (ends 3/17) - I chose Flowers, Bright Colors and Embellishments 

and this Sweet Stampin’ challenge - No Designer Paper

 (ends 2/27).

This stencil set is 5 layers, one for each color. I colored them all in with Hero Arts Hero Hues inks and blender brushes (except green, which is a Distress ink). I then cleaned and dried the first layer plastic stencil sheet and sponged Versamark through it so it was on the lightest pink area only. I heat embossed this area with holographic powder (an OLLLLD jar of PSX! But I say if it still works, and I don’t hate it, use it up 😂) The rest is straight forward - I die cut the lattice once, and the Hello 2x, then glued as shown. Embellishments are random flat back rhinestones from stash. 

SUPPLIES

Hello sentiment stamp - Spellbinders A Little Hello Sentiments set 

lattice medallion die - Spellbinders Spring Label Motifs set

flower frame stencil set - Spellbinders Stamp of the Month Jan 25 Nature’s Frame 

Thanks for stopping in today!