Color Huess Challenge #106 - Lemon & Lime

Hello friends.  It's time for a new challenge here at Color Hues and our sweet hostess Julie has chosen LEMON & LIME as the colors to work with for the next two weeks.

Aren't those just the brightest colors as we get closer to welcoming Spring (I hope!!!)?  I went quite literally with the colors as I had a new stencil set from my sweet friend Birgit that sent me a box full of sunshine for my birthday last month!  Here's what I came up with using TCW's Layered Lemon Branch Stencil...

Very simple but I love the way it turned out.  I used yellow and a bit of orange for the lemons and bright green for the leaves.  A bit of light turquoise was used for the flowers.  I used Gina K's ML#4 to die cut the scalloped and stitched layer and added it to a piece of Harvest Gold Bitty Big DSP from PTI and also a strip of Green Parakeet Bitty Big DSP from PTI, and then attached both to a white card base.

  I finished very simply with a bold sentiment from The Greetery's Opposites Attract (die cut 3 times for dimension) and a few lemon slices (Dress My Craft - Lemon Sprinkle Mix) that was also a part of my birthday gift from Birgit.  Now to just get the thank you written and sent off for all the wonderful gifts Birgit included in my birthday box of sunshine!!

The DT and our special GD have some wonderful inspiration to get your juices flowing with this color combo, so check it all out right HERE and play along with us!  This challenge is open till Saturday, March 29th @ 9:00AM.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

The Flower Challenge Reminder #100 - Add A Circle

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's still time to play along with our challenge to add a CIRCLE to your flower card.  Don't forget that this is a celebration challenge also and many of the DT are offering up a prize to anyone who enters the challenge.  

I have another stenciled card to share with you today, and this one uses Altenew's Flower Bunch Stencil.  Take a look...

I kept my colors very light with the pale yellows and light plums and went a bit more bold with the leaves.  After I finished with my stenciling I did the hard part and used a circle die to cut out the image (SU!'s Spotlight on Nature Die).  I always kinda cringe at this part as there's no turning back after you've made the cut to an already colored up image!  Luckily it turned out just like I imagined it would look!!  I placed a layer of Barely Banana cs (SU! - retired) underneath the front panel and attached both to a top folding white card base.

I finished with a bold sentiment from Waffleflower's Paper Hugs Sentiments (cut 3 times for dimension) and also added some Lemon Drop Pearls from Trinity Stamps.

Don't forget that this is a celebration for our 100th challenge and that many of us are offering prizes (Mine is for U.S. participants only because of shipping costs) for those that participate in the challenge.  Here is what I'm offering up...

So check out all the inspiration from the DT (and special prizes!) and then play along with us.  You can check it all out right HERE.  This challenge is open till Tuesday, March 25th @ 5:00PM.

 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Those First Little Peeks of Spring

Hello friends.  The first signs of Spring for me here in West Michigan are when my Snowdrops first pop up, so getting out my Spring Snowdrops dies from The Greetery seemed like the perfect choice to play along with Double D and the Four Seasons challenges.  Here's what I came up with...

I started with a white card base and then added a panel of Pear Pizzazz that I used PFS's Stitched Diamonds coverplate die on.  Next I die cut 3 Ornate Oval Frames (PFS also) and placed over my Pear Pizzazz layer.  I used one of the inside ovals leftover from die cutting the frames and stamped The Greetery's Windowpane Plaid Background stamp in Pear Pizzazz ink on it before placing it inside the Ornate Oval Frame.

I stamped and die cut the snowdrops with Pear Pizzazz and Old Olive inks and then added foam tape behind the whole bouquet to add even more depth.  I finished with a little bow from PFS's A Bow and then added glitter around the edges of the bow and also on the snowdrops.  Double D asked for mostly GREEN for this challenge, and other than the neutral white I think I've got that covered!

  

I am SOOOO ready for Spring and it felt so good to make a Spring card.  I left a sentiment off mine as I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet, but it will most likely have to be hand delivered because of the bow.  It was a perfect fit though, so I couldn't not add it!!  You can play along with the Double D Challenge until Sunday, March 16th @ 8:00PM and with The Four Seasons Challenge until Tuesday March 25th @ 12:00AM (links for both challenges at top of post.)   

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

The Flower Challenge #100 - ADD CIRCLES

Hello friends.  Welcome to the month of March and another Flower Challenge.  We're looking for you to add CIRCLES to your flower cards this month, so think backgrounds, die cut circles to stamp your florals or sentiments on, etc.

Here's what I came up with...

I started with a panel of Highland Heather cs (SU!) and embossed it with a SB's ef called Geo Screen and then lightly brushed my white pigment ink pad over it to outline the design a bit.  Can you see the circles??  Next I pulled out one of my favorite stencils from The Ton called Precious Poppies and stenciled the 3 flowers separately and then used SU!'s Spotlight on Nature dies to die cut the poppies into the 3 circles.

 I finished with SB's Better Press A Little Message Sentiments and a few PFS Iridescent Gems.  Really happy with the way this one turned out!

Because this is our 100th challenge, we decided a little celebration was in order!  A few of us from the DT are offering up a small prize (U.S. participants ONLY for mine as international postage is just too high!) and it's open to all who enter a card in this CIRCLE challenge. My prize is a trio of snowflake dies from Birch Press Designs that make a simply beautiful snowflake.  We have lots of inspiration from the DT to get you started on this challenge, so check it all out right HERE.  We would LOVE to see YOU in our gallery, so come play along with us!  This challenge is open till Tuesday, March 25th @ 5:00PM. 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Color Hues #105 - GREEN & WHITE

Hello friends and Happy March!  Our sweet hostess Carol has chosen the color combo of GREEN & WHITE for us to work with here at Color Hues for the next two weeks.

Two of our 3 daughters have birthdays in March, so this color combo seemed very appropriate for our middle daughter who loves the color green AND gnomes.  Here's what I came up with...

I made a book binding fold (scored at 1 1/2" from the center of card base in the landscape design and glued shut from the inside 1 1/2" section) for this card.  My little gnome is from an older SSS kit called Gnome for the Holidays and I used PTI's Bitty Big Green Parakeet dsp to cut out the gnome's hat and for the background pieces.  Before I sealed the inside piece shut, I added a ribbon piece and then added my die cut "happy" (HB - Bitty Buzzwords Stamps & Dies) that I once again added a piece of packing tape to before die cutting so the "happy" was shiny.  So my gnome would stand out against the plaid background I added a white circle (PFS - Diagonal Stitched Circle Dies) with the inside of the circle stenciled with Gina K's Festive stencil in light gray.  

  To finish, I added a black strip that I embossed "BIRTHDAY" on, and then also added some silver pearls.  I think my daughter will get a kick out of it!

The DT and our Special GD Nance have some awesome cards to share with you using this color combo, so check it all out right HERE and then play along with us...we'd love to see YOU in the gallery!  This challenge is open till Friday, March 14th @ 9:00AM. 
 WHITE

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Peace On Earth #82

Hello friends.  Playing along with the gals over at the Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge where they have the most beautiful mood board to inspire us!

I love all 4 photos, but the snowy Owl really caught my attention!  I have many cute critter stamps, but no really realistic ones, so I had to make do with the "cute" ones.  Not too much of a hardship as I have loved these Owls from MFT's Warm & Feathered Hugs for quite a few years now.  I have a twofer for you today as I couldn't decide which image to use.  Let's start with the little guy all wrapped up in his Winter scarf...

I used my lightest gray Copic (C0) to color the Owls, although it's not too visible in my photos. For his scarf I used C3, C5, & C7 and then a little bit of Y15 & Y17 for his beak and tootsies.  I used an older SU! embossing folder for the pine branches in the background and also used a circle die to frame him out a bit.

I used a layer of Smokey Slate cs (SU!) behind the embossed layer and attached both to a top folding white card base.  The Owl has foam tape behind him to stand out a bit, and then sentiment is an oldie from PTI's Think Big Favorites: #20 to finish off my card.

  This 2nd card features the little guy wearing his cool beanie hat his mom made for him!  I used the same color Copics for coloring him and his beanie as I did on the 1st card.  I used an oval die to feature this little guy and another SU! embossing folder called Fern for my background.

My sentiment was embossed in white on a strip of Smokey Slate cs and is from the same stamp set as the owls. I finished with a few silver gems (PFS) and some silver & white baker's twine at the top.  For only using gray & white like the inspiration photo, I think both cards came out really cute.  Can you pick a favorite?  Not me!!  Haha!!

Check out all the inspiration from the talented DT right HERE and then play along, although there's not a lot of time left!  This challenge ends Thursday, Feb. 27th @ 8:00PM. 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Double D Challenge - The Color RED

Hello friends.  I'm playing with the Double D Challenge today where they are looking for the color RED.

I was gifted the PB enchantingly stamp and die for my birthday a couple weeks ago and thought I would give the rose a try with Jill Foster's water coloring techniques.  Not as easy as Jill makes it look!  But try I did and also used one of her sketch ideas.  Here's what I came up with...

The rose was stamped on Canson 140lb watercolor paper and then water colored with Gina K re-inkers.  Re-inkers are very concentrated ink and therefore very dark, so there is definitely a learning curve to watercolor with them.  A couple things I learned were, because they are so concentrated you only need a micro-dot of re-inker on your brush along with very small amounts of water.  Always let dry before adding a 2nd layer of color!!  Use just plain water (small amounts) to move your color around.  When I stamped my image in black, I also used clear embossing powder over it as it helps to keep the watercolor in the section you're working on.  However, I'm not sure I like the glossy look of the black in the photos!  I will keep watching Jill and trying again as I really do love the watercolor look!

  

I used the same watercolor paper for my card base and sketch design.  The center 2" strip was embossed with SSS's Canopy Vine embossing folder and then a skinny strip of the same paper was added on the top and bottom of the embossed strip.  I also used the watercolor paper for the die cut frame (PB's - classy frames) and attached over the embossed strip along with the die cut rose.  The sentiment is an OLD SU! wooden block stamp that I love and that finished this CAS card.

The DT has a lot of beautiful inspiration done up in RED for you to check out right HERE.  This challenge is open till Sunday, March 2nd @ 8:00PM. 

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!