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!

Color Hues #104 - Coral & Yellow

Hello friends.  Time for a new challenge here at Color Hues, and our sweet hostess Bonnie has chosen the colors CORAL & YELLOW to work with.

I have to admit I was a little uncertain about this color combo at first, but I ended up loving it!!  I ended up using PFS's Garden Florals stencils and came up with this...

I ended up using a lighter hand with my stenciling, so I have more of a pastel look rather than the bold, bright colors, but I thought it looked great with the neutral gray for the leaves and also for a sympathy card (of which I never have any when I need them, so hence the sympathy card today.).  After stenciling, I cut down my panel and attach it to a Smokey Slate panel that I used The Greetery's Crimped Rectangle Dies on and then attached both to a top folding white card base.

  My sentiment is from a Gina K set and I die cut that using The Greetery's Crimped Circle Dies and Smokey Slate cs.  Before adding the circle I added some white bakers twine and then added my sentiment with some foam tape behind it.  I finished the card off with a few silver pearls from PFS.  A pretty simple card but I'm very happy with the way it turned out!

The DT has some fabulous inspiration using these two colors for you and our special GD Teresa has a FABULOUS card to share with you, so make sure you check them all out right HERE and then play along with us.  We'd love to see YOU in our gallery!  This challenge is open till Friday, Feb. 28th @ 9:00AM. 

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

The Flower Challenge Reminder (#99) - Feature the Color PINK

Hello friends.  Just a friendly reminder that there's still time to play along with us at The Flower Challenge where this month we would like you to Feature the Color PINK on your cards.

My card today features a floral bouquet that I stenciled using ASD's Garden of Blooms in shades of PINK and a bit of orange and green.  Take a look..

I just love the depth this stencil set gives the florals...it's like you can really see all the layers!  To add even more texture to my card, I ran the stenciled panel through with Altenew's Organic Linen 3D embossing folder and then matted it with a black layer and attached to a white card base.

 I finished this card simply with a hot foiled sentiment using SB's Everyday Sentiments II and hot pink foil, and then a few pink gems from SU!.  

Check out all the inspiration in PINK from our DT and then play along with us!  Any flower and any shades of PINK will work for this challenge, so we hope you'll join us in the gallery!  You can find all the details right HERE and this challenge is open till Tuesday, Feb. 25th @ 5:00PM.

                      

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

Double D - Hearts Challenge

Hello friends.  Playing with the gals over at the Double D where they are having a Hearts Challenge and my Valentine for my youngest granddaughter fit perfectly!

Isn't this such a sweet mood board?!!  Although the colors are all pretty much pastels, I went with the traditional reds and a little bit of pink and came up with this for my sweet Bella. 

Aren't those little snuggle bunnies just so CUTE??!  This is an Anita Jeram set from CCC called Snuggle Bunny and although I think it was made for adult snuggle bunnies, my youngest granddaughter (she's 7 weeks old) just LOVES to be held and snuggled, and hey, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it, right??!!  So anyway, back to my card!  I stamped and Copic colored my bunnies and then die cut them with the coordinating die.  My first background layer uses Honey Bee's Fluttering Hearts Pierced Cover Plate, and my 2nd layer that I stenciled is from Honey Bee's Hearts in Bloom stencil set.  My "hugs" die cut was an attempt to try another of PB's Jill Foster sketches where you die cut just the top portion of the die, but I goofed and cut the top half of the hugs off with my diagonal cut, so I had to do a little surgery!  I used a piece of vellum to cut the backer piece and I think it covered up my booboo pretty well!  The actual "hugs" was die cut 3 times with the top one having the packing tape placed over the Real Red cs first and then die cut.  LOVE how shiny it comes out!!

 I used The Greetery's Nordic Hearts Dies with foam tape behind it so you can see the white scalloped heart from the stenciled background, and then added the snuggle bunnies with more foam tape to the heart.  I finished with a little sub-sentiment that came with the stamp set, and it's good to go for Bella's 1st Valentines Day card. 

And here's my little snuggle bug.  She just melts my heart!!  You'd think after #5 I wouldn't be so giddy about another grandbaby, but she has my heart just like the other 4 that came before her!  God is so good!!

The DT over at the Double D has some beautiful inspiration if you're looking to finish up those last minute Valentines, so check them out and play along.  This challenge is open till Sunday, Feb. 16th @ 8:00PM.

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

Just Us Girls CASE a DT Member - #760

Hello friends.  Nothing like getting in just under the wire, but when I saw Bobby's card for the JUGS Challenge, I just knew I had to play!

I had been thinking about pulling out my Honey Bee Heart Hugs Dies to make my 2 grandson's Valentine cards when I saw Bobby's card HERE and that was all the inspiration I needed to get started!  Of course getting started and actually making a card in time are two different things!  But finish them I did and here's what I came up with...

I started with Honey Bee's Fluttering Hearts Pierced Cover Plate on a piece of Real Red cs (SU!!) and attached to a kraft card base.  I also added a rectangle of kraft cs and a piece of PTI's Bitty Big DSP to the center of my card so I had a place for my sweet bear!  I die cut the bear from kraft cs also and then ink blended around his edges with Walnut Stain DI.  For the hearts he's holding, I used a trick the creative Leslie Miller mentioned in a couple of her posts where you used a piece of packing tape (clear) over your cs before die cutting, and then voila!!...you have shiny hearts!  Did the same for his nose and eyes too.  

  I finished with a "LOVE YOU" sentiment (MFT) and a piece of red & white baker's twine.  Thought about adding some bling, but it is for a young boy (well I actually made 2 exactly the same for my 2 grandsons), and I figured the one glittery heart was all it really needed!

This challenge closes later tonight, so not much time if you do want to play along, but the DT has some really great cards to CASE if you do find time today to create!  You can find all the info needed right HERE. 

 

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

The Flower Challenge #99 - Feature the Color PINK

Hello friends.  Welcome back to the Flower Challenge...seems like quite awhile since we've played together, hasn't it?!!  We are all excited to be back and showing our beautiful FLORAL cards, and this month of February we are looking to Feature the Color PINK!

I have a very CAS card to share with you using a sketch from the talented Jill Foster of Penny Black fame, and a stamp/stencil combo from PFS's called Delicate Rosebuds.  Take a look...

I started by stenciling the rose bud and greenery, and then used the coordinating die to cut it out.  Next I die cut one of Penny Blacks classy frames from white, and then ink blended a bit of light pink onto the inner piece of the frame before setting it back into the outer frame.  I added both to a piece of white card that I used an Altenew EF (Organic Linen 3D) on, and then added all to the card base.  I did use a thin strip of white card to separate the embossed layer from the card base, and this gave me just enough room to add my sentiment (also from the Delicate Rosebuds stamp set). 

I did add a few silver gems (PFS) to the upper right side of my card for a little added bling and then called it complete.  Very CAS and I love the way it came out!

We have lots of wonderful inspiration from the DT to get you started and you can find it all right HERE .  You can use light pink like I did, or go dark pink or any shade in between on your card...just don't forget the FLORAL!   This challenge is open till Tuesday, Feb. 25th @ 5:00PM. 
 

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

Color Hues Challenge #103 - RED & PINK

Hello friends.  February 1st and time for a new challenge here at Color Hues.  Tracey is our sweet hostess this time around and she's looking for RED & PINK.  I'm thinking Valentine's Day with these colors, but as always, you do you!!  We are also partnering up with the Inkspirational Challenge for these next 2 weeks and here's a bit more info for you...

We are also excited to share with you that we are partnering up this challenge with the Inkspirational Challenge! Details are shared below from teammate and cardmaker extraordinaire Carol Mayne!

Carol here, one of Color Hues' designers and a designer/behind-the-scenes organizer of Inkspirational Challenges.

The design team gals and I at Inkspirational are delighted to participate in this first-time collaboration with Color Hues. Hopefully, you’ll find our team’s contributions as inspiring as those created by the team here.

This collaboration serves two key goals: to increase the exposure of both challenges to players who may/may not know about them and to offer YOU a chance to share your projects in two galleries. If you link up here, please hop over to Inkspirational and link up there as well. 

A wee bit about Inkspirational Challenge, in general:

We’re a two-week challenge that features a rotation of: Word Prompt, Designer's Choice, Mood Board, Clean and Simple, Use Stencils and Seasonal. We’re pleased to have a strong group of participants who embrace our challenges with enthusiasm and creativity on a regular basis. We look forward to introducing them to Color Hues and hope they'll add this engaging challenge to their crafting repertoires.

So, let's get going with what I have to share using these two great colors!  I started with an oldie from Penny Black stamps called ...goodness and it's from 2015.  Take a look...

Isn't she a cutie?!  I colored her with my Copics and then fussy cut her out.  I added her to a background that I used a SB Heart Swag embossing folder and also die cut a heart from red & pink using The Greetery's Nordic Hearts dies.

  Here's a close up so you can see the embossed details better on the background and the hearts.  I used foam tape behind the little girl and then finished with a sentiment strip embossed in white on black cs and a few Disco Ball Sequins (Gina K).  

I always stamp 2 images in case of a mess up and decided to finish up the 2nd one with just a reversal of the red & pink and now have 2 of the 3 Valentine cards I need for my granddaughters.

 So there you have what I came up with using RED & PINK for this challenge.  We can't wait to see what you come up using these 2 colors, and don't forget to check out all the inspiration from the DT here at Color Hues and also at Inkspirational.  You will only need to link up your card at one of the challenges and then the system will automatically link you to the other one.  Both these challenges are open till Friday, Feb. 14th @ 9:00AM.

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