Lovely Trees

Hi all!

I've got 2 "tree" cards to show you all today. The first one here is mostly about adding incredible shine to a card! This card is getting entered into the Hero Arts monthly challenge for shine and also the Simon Says challenge to show a holiday greeting.....and one more for the Inky Impressions Christmas challenge.



I stamped the Hero Arts music background using Versamark, then stamped the trees using 2 colors of brown distress ink. I watercolored a bit around the trees to fill them in using the distress inks as well. Then I sprayed the whole blue layer with Perfect Pearls, and the white layers got sprayed as well. Stamped the sentiments using distress ink too (brushed corduroy). Then I wanted a bit more shine so I came over the trees and along the edge of the white layers using my Versamark marker, then dusting on some clear embossing powder. The shine and shimmer on here is amazing....and let me tell you it was very hard to get a decent photo of it (tried about 20 different shots).....yikes!

The tree stamp is by Stampin Up "Lovely as a tree", one of my all time favorite stamp sets. Both the sentiments are from Hero Arts clear set "Holiday Sayings", a new favorite of mine for all those Christmas cards.

This next card here is one I made last winter.....but never sent out- ooops! I found it among some piles of cardstock today.......what a surprise!



 I had fun expiramenting here using some masking and lots of time trying to make nice shadows and such (trying to be real artsy here- ha!) It's surely not perfect- you can see all the little oopsies up close......but it looks pretty cool to me and I thought I would show you all anyways!

The large scene of trees is a stamp by Innovative Stamp Creations and the pine tree is by Stampin Up, same one as above.  I used a small circle as a mask for the moon, torn paper to create the ground, and one of my Copics for the shadows. Lots of use of the Versmark markers and the polysparkle embossing powder to make the trees shine. I haven't played with this stamp in a really long time....just might have to try another version of this really soon using different colors.

Thanks for stopping bye and hope all of your holiday shopping, wrapping, baking and what not is going well!

Inky Hugs, Anne

Stamping with paint expiraments!

Hi ya everyone! I sure had fun playing with paint this week- watching the "Thinking Inking" week 4 video really got me going. I've only got the one gold paint dabber but lots of other metallic and acrylic paints to play with.

I made the first card here using my gold paint and the Starburst Lace stamp from Hero Arts. I also used the Old letter Writing stamp from HA in the background. Used antique linen distress ink to warm it up and vintage photo around the edge.

Used a few paper poinsetta's from Hero Arts and even painted some clear gems with the gold paint. The gold paint gives it such a lovely shimmer and I was pleasantly surprised how well the detailed Starburst stamp came out.

The next expirament I used my favorite pearl white paint from Lumiere. I've got a whole set of these wonderful metallic paints- got them here at Dick Blick. They dry nice and quickly and I use these watered down in a mini mister instead of Perfect Pearls......and they work great!

I used my favorite big snowflake stamp from Stampin Up (the set Winter Post) all over some white cardstock. Let it dry and went direct to the paper using my Adirondack Stonewashed ink pad. I wanted a dark navy blue border but didn't have any paper that color so I used my Night of Navy ink pad to make the border. I added some pearls onto the center of each snowflake and did the border of the Nestie die cut to make it look a bit frosted too. 

Her are the ink colors and the paint I used. I simply shook up the jar of paint and used a round make up sponge to dab some paint right out of the cover.....then loaded it onto my stamp. Super easy and you don't have to have a paint dabber to stamp this way.

Now onto to more "somewhat" exciting news in my house.  My little guy lost his first tooth today......actually just about 2 hours ago! It's been loose and wiggly for the last few days and it was really bothering him when he got home from school. So being the former dental assistant and knowing all the "teeth" things I inspected the situation (the adult tooth was already poking up through the gums)  and with a bit of a tug and twist popped that tooth right out like nothing! I'm sterilizing the tooth in a Dixie cup with bleach and water.....this disinfects it and that's how they do it at the dentist office too- just FYI.

He's happy it didn't hurt and now I get to play the "Tooth Fairy" tonight- wohooo- can't wait!

Thanks everybody for stopping by and I hope you get to try stamping with paint- it's really pretty fun! Messy.......but fun!

I'm getting rather excited for Halloween night to come- it's so fun to go out with the kids and take them "Trick or Treating". I'm dressing up as a nice witch! I hope our weather is better Halloween night than it is today- 50 mph winds and icky cold rain.....yuck!

 

Inky Hugs, Anne

Play Date Cafe Challenge #35

Hi there! I thought I would try my hand at another color combo this week for the Play Date Cafe Challenge #35 ! I love the summery colors to work with for this challenge, brown, turquoise, red, and orange. I don't use these colors often.....well ok ........I really love orange and brown but not generally paired with red and blue.

I pulled out a stamp set that I have a real love~hate relationship with. It's "Greenhouse Garden" by Stampin Up.

I love the 2 step stamping as it brings such detail to the flowers, but the part I struggle with it actually getting the stamps lined up just right- so it actually comes out looking good. I have played with this set soooo many times (many practice samples in the trash)  and finally just umnounted these stamps from the wood.

If only they were clear stamps it would be so much easier!

I really need to get myself one of those stampa-ma-jig things one of these days!

So I stamped the flowers using almost all distress inks- spiced marmalade and barn door for the orange ones, tumbled glass and broken china for the blue ones. The small red flowers were done using worn lipstick and the centers of those I used my favoriote dark red ink by Marvy- English red. I came back and added some white gel pen for the centers of the flowers. I stamped just the center of the daisy flower all over the card base so it looked like layers of flowers. I used Bazzill Tropical Breeze for my card base, a sheet of dark brown cardstock behind the image (unsure of the color name), and found some pretty brown ribbon to match. The sentiment is by Stampendous and is stamped using vintage photo distress ink.

I will give this card to my mother for her birthday (which was this past Friday- but I'll be seeing her today at a graduation party for my nephew).

Thanks for stopping by and hope the sun is shining on you and yours! It's incredibly muggy and looking like some more rain here today- praying the rain holds off until late tonight- don't want the grad party to be spolied by rain.

Hugs, Anne

Two Watercolor Expiraments

Happy Memorial Day friends!!

It's a truly beautiful day here in Wisconsin (75 degrees and sunny)  and I'm being very lazy today after 2 days of fun swimming in the pool, a nite watching dirt track car racing, and hanging out with friends and having many cocktails!

Today I finallly sat down and tried playing with a new technique that was shared by the very talented Joy- one of my favorite Hero Arts Flicker freinds (her cards are really amazing) ! She has a wonderful watercolor and distress ink tutorial that you have to try!

The first card I tried I used my favorite distress inks in the colors barn door and wild honey. I selected a very pale yellow cardstock to stamp on and a rich dark brown paper to go with it. I just love these colors and can't seem to get enough of them. The flower stamp for the background  is from Stampin Up (Greenhouse Garden), the sentiment is SU as well, the frame stamp is from WaltzingMouse Stamps. I honestly forget I have this whole set of assorted frames that match the fun Nestabilites dies.....must remember to use them more-duh! Grabbed a vanilla colored Prima flower, added an orange gem to the center and the card was done. So easy and very fun to make!

The next card is a totally different color family and I got really inky fingers playing with this one!

I grabbed my Hero Arts "Long stem Blossom" stamp and started playing using the colors dusty concord and tumbled glass. I didn't use quite as much water this time as I wanted to really see the shape and design of the stamp. Grabbed another Hero Arts sentiment and embossed that after stamping. Now, on to the part where I got the really inky fingers!! I had a long piece of plain white satin ribbon and I wondered if the distress inks would dye the ribbon? I've never tried it so why not give it a go!

I layed my ribbon on my Ranger craft sheet and just pounced the 2 ink pads on the ribbon in various spots, then sprayed the whole thing with a light misting of water. I picked up the ribbon and just rubbed the ink around- getting my ribbon all good and wet, blending the colors together and soaking up more water from the craft sheet. Who knew you could dye your ribbon this way-  I didn't?

I went and laid my ribbon in the sun to dry (took about 5 minutes) and tied it to the card!

It actually looked much prettier laying flat, has kind of a tie died look to it. Lastly I added a few blue and regular colored pearl gems on a few of the flowers! I love the colors of this card - not colors that I usually play with.

Here are a few more pictures of other expiraments using different stamps that I have not made into cards yet.

(click on the picture for a larger view)

Hero Arts hydrangea on the left, another Stampin up flower on the right.

Both of these stamps are by Rubbernecker Stamps.

Not sure that I'm really liking these 2, they may go in  the trash....

I hope you all had a safe and fun holiday weekend and thanks for stopping by!

 I'm going to go hop in the pool now and play with my son- going to try blast him good with the water pistol since he always gets me before I even get to the pool!

Inky Hugs, Anne

Another challenge Card!

This card was created for the weekley challenge at Inspire Swap Chat- hosted by my good friend Jacque! We were to follow the fold of this card- using any theme we like. I thought this paper from Stampin Up would be rather fun to use on the outside and inside of the card. I got to try out my new Hero Arts "Dots" background stamp on this as well. As you can see there was minimal stamping on my part.... I just let the paper carry the card along!

Here is the inside of the card! I love that paper with the clouds and the bird- fun don't ya think!

Card Recipe: Stampin Up "Sweet Pea" Designer paper

Stamps: Hero Arts sentiments & Dots background

button from my stash and hemp twine

Quickutz scalloped circle die

Anne

Yummy papers and a new punch!

I picked up these yummy papers by Bo Bunny yesterday and just had to play with them right away! I really am a freak for plaid paper ......especially soft girly colors and there were several coordinating papers to go with the plaid as well which made me very happy.  I broke in my new SU tiny tags punch and the friends sentiment is a coordinating SU set as well. I've had the leaf die as well but hardly ever used it..... so I tried that as well for this card. Lots of distressing here with my fave Ranger ink-  vintage photo. I had to color the brad in the center of the flower to match...... used one of my Bic markers for that. The sentiment is from a fave set from Hero Arts " CL140 Thinking of you".

Card Recipe:

Bo bunny papers: Kitchen Spice Nutmeg

Card base SU: Blush Blossom

Ink: Ranger Distress vintage photo

SU Tiny Tags punch

SU tiny tag stamps 118592

SU Little Leaves die

Assorted circle punch and scalloped punch

off white string- brass colored brad

Anne

Pretty Paper and thoughts of Spring

Patterned paper by Stampin up (Sweet Pea)

Sentiment by Impression Obsession

Copic Spica Glitter markers Clear & Chocolate

As soon as I saw this paper I was in love with it and could think of nothing other than Spring- and thought why not try making a grid kind of card. I also wanted to add some sparkle and shine to it using my new Copic Spica glitter markers. I know it's very hard to see (my lighting stinks!)  but I added some glittery white/clear to the white dots on the butterfly's wings and did the edges of the brown cardstock in brown glitter marker as well. I also traced around the butterfly's brown edge to try to get them to stand out a bit more. It looks so darn pretty in real life, especially when the sun hits it!

I'm sooooo ready for Spring here.....the winters in Wisconsin are long and cold! Hope this card gets you in the mood for green grass, flowers blooming, birds chirping, and warm sunny days!

Anne

3x3 Thank You cards

I just whipped up these super quick and simple thank you cards last night. I recently sold some crafting supplies (ya know- that stuff you will never ever use again) and I thought I would include a small thank you card in the package. I used the cute deer from Stampin Up " Forest Friends" and a Stampin Up sentiment as well. I don't normally make smaller cards like this but it was fun to try something different. I might make some more smaller cards today just for the heck of it in brighter colors!



I thought I would list  the last few stamps sets I was selling on here as well! I also have more crafting stuff I'm weeding out listed here over on SCS!

This set is from Stampin Up- "Figures of Speech"

I'm asking $9.00- most of the stamps have

never even been inked!

Another very old Stampin Up set " Borders Mini"  $3.00

I used 2 of the stamps once -so basically brand new!

If you are interested in either of these please shoot me an email at yamaha6@somtel.net.

Thanks everyone and have a super day! Anne

Religious Easter Card

Hi there stamping friends! Well I've been busy cleaning up my craft area and going through stuff (weeding out the scraps and things that will never get used) and job hunting- so little time to craft lately. Jessie is hosting this weeks challenge over at ISC and it was to make an Easter card. I purchased this fantastic set of stamps from Verve back at Christmas time and finally inked them up to make this card. I'm not a religious person but I know most of the people I send my cards to appreciate these kinds of cards. I also loved the cross as it can easily be used for a sympathy card as well. I used some more of my new Stampin Up designer papers and folded a large paper flower in half and added the pearl. I paper pieced the cross as well.

Other exciting news- I won 2 blog candies this past week also- I'm so excited as I've never won any blog candy before! I won some beautiful papers, ribbons , and stamps from Carol (you must check out her blog she is amazing), and a whole set of Copic glitter markers from Sally's blog too! Wow- I'm feeling awfully lucky- I think I better run and buy a lottery ticket! So I will have to come up with some blog candy of my own soon- my way of saying thanks to all you generous stampers!

Thanks for stopping in and have a great day!  Anne

Quick and simple Valentines cards!

Last night and this morning I whipped up some quick Valentines card using some of my new papers and tried out a couple of those cute "buttony bows" that I'm so in love with lately. I just learned how to attach the buttons onto a bow by watching this video on Youtube. The first card here is for a 3 year old girl named Abigail who needs some cheering up- she is in her third full body cast and has a rare hip disease. She loves to recieve cards so if anyone wants to help and send her a card please email me at yamaha6@somtel.net  for her address.

This next one is a just a fun silly kind of card for a specific friend who is into archery. I love this cute little Cupid- the stamp is one of those $1 ones from Michael's. Paper is by Stampin up (Sending love Specialty) and I used my Nestablities die on this one too. I hope she likes it and gets a kick out of it.

Last up is a pretty non-traditional Valentines day card! I got the image and sentiment in a swap a long time ago and just grabbed it and colored it quick using pencils and markers. As you can see I'm also into using some hemp twine all of a sudden as well (I've got all this stuff that needs to get used more often) .Not sure of the stamp manufacturer on this......maybe SU?  The green cardstock is SU (I think certainly celery) and real red. My cardstock is all sorted by colors and I have tons of it from all different manufacturers so I'm not always 100% sure what Co. it is- sorry!

Have a great Day and thanks for stopping by my place! 

Anne

Yummy patterned papers arrived!

I know all of you stampers out there love patterned papers- so feast your eyes on this fantastic pile of papers that came today! I'm not a huge user of PP, I think it's because I really need double sided papers that coordinate together, if stuck with just single sided paper I kind of struggle with that alot. My friend Lisa who is also my Stampin Up demo offered a paper share on her website- so I couldn't resist. I got 36 sheets of double sided PP to play with now! I just love all of it too- such a nice variety for different occassions and seasons. This Valentines and flowery paper will be the paper I play with first- I have to get my rear in gear and get some Valentines made quick! All of this paper can be found in the occasions mini catalog- feel free to visit Lisa's Stampin up website to order some! She has an amazing site with absolutely beautiful creations sure to inspire you.