With Deepest Sympathy

Just popping in with a card I created yesterday for two challenges.

I was inspired by two challenges for this card-Freshly Made Sketches #433 and this weeks The Color Throwdown #591.

I knew I wanted to do these two challenges in tandem so I dug through my supplies and pulled out this butterfly from PaperTrey Ink's A Bit More Butterfly Blooms stamp set. I had gotten this set AGES ago and had yet to ink it up. I decided this was the perfect card to ink it up for.

I heat embossed the butterfly and colored it in with Zig markers. I pulled these out to try something a little different. I haven't been doing a ton of coloring lately and when I do, it is always with Copic. I am not great with these but they were fun to use. 

Even the ink smooshing I did with the purple marker that I colored in the tiny dots in the wings. Mixed with water it turned out a bit more pink than I had wanted. However, I decided that it looked good with the butterfly so I kept it.

The sentiment is also from a PaperTrey Ink stamp set-Words of Comfort. This particular sentiment stamp is the one I use over and over.

Well, that is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Have a FABULOUS day!!

Even More Challenges!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope that you are all staying healthy at that those of you that celebrate Easter had a nice holiday yesterday. Warning-there are a lot of photos in this post!!

It is rainy here in CT with winds gusts of more than 60 miles per hour. Just praying that our power does not go out!! I usually try to go for a walk but since the weather was not cooperating, today I actually went down and did the elliptical machine. We have had this since my 41st birthday? Not sure but I hardly ever use it. It is harder to pedal than the ones at the gym so I would rather use those! I also did some weights. Hopefully I will be pleasantly sore tomorrow.

Today I am getting some cards for some challenges that I am getting in under the gun. I have "vacation" from school this week so I have time to blog them at the last minute.

The first card I created for Freshly Made Sketches #430.

I used WPlus9 "Fresh Cut Florals", Simon Says Stamp "Thanks and Encouragement Word Mix," and my new Altenew "Fine Frames Diamonds" die set.

The florals were from a pile on my desk that has been there forever. It has been fun challenging myself to do this. I always stamp "extras" when I am doing a project and have SO MANY to choose from!!

I have also been trying to stamp sentiments to have on hand and I had fun looking through them to pull for this card.

The challenges I am entering this card into are:

Freshly Made Sketches #430

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes With Dies (I was inspired by the pink flowers)

Inspired by Challenges #119: Spring is Here (I used Frame Dies)

NBUS Challenge (I used my Altenew Frames for the first time)

 

For  my second card, I started out being inspired by two challenges. The first was the Color Throwdown Challenge #588. I usually have a difficult time doing color challenges but I paired it with this weeks CASE this Sketch Challenge #367 for a simple card design. 

I started off my card by using Distress Ink to paint my four lines on a piece of watercolor paper.

I rarely do this kind of technique because I am LAZY and hate to wait for things to dry!! Yes, I could use a heat gun but don't like the way the paper warps when I do that. When the stripes were dry, I die cut the image with an MFT Blueprints 13 die.

The branch is from Paper Smooches and I die cut that from watercolor paper, using Twisted Citron Distress Ink to give it some color.

The sentiment from Altenew's free "Best Sentiments" set that has been sitting in my NBUS pile of things to use. I think I will be inking this stamp up a few times to have in my stash.

The next card I was inspired by the Flower Challenge #43: Spring/Autumn,  Inkspirational Challenge #210: Spring, and the Time Out Challenges #159-Quote Inspiration.

I made this card to go in a set for my Aunt's birthday this week.

This card was SO FUN to make!! I stenciled the background and then splattered with a couple colors of Distress Mist.

The large flower and large leaves were stamped using some Altenew dye ink combinations. The smaller flowers I colored with Copic markers. All are from Aletenew's "Beautiful Day" stamp set. This is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE stamp sets.

The frame is from Pink Fresh Studio. I cut it in half and used it on another card that I will post later this week. 

I know this card would not be everyone's cup of tea with the background but I LOVED how it came out!!!

On another note, since we couldn't spend Easter with our family we did a Zoom call instead.

My father had a few difficulties at first but it was fun to do. I have been doing virtual happy hour with some of my girlfriends on Saturdays and this has kept me SANE!! Also figured I would post a photo of my pup. He is declining even with all his meds he is on.

He has been refraining from snuggling as of late. I think it is because it is hard to get comfortable on the couch.

That is all from me today. I hope I didn't bore you all!! I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Stay safe and healthy. I think of all of you wonderful cardmakers that I call my friends and love you to pieces!!!

The Coloring Challenge and a Couple of Cards

Hello everyone!! Just popping in with a couple of cards I created today. I am actually surprised I was able to do anything as my daughter came home from college this Friday to spend her spring break with us but I had a little bit of time away from her to make some cards.

My first card I used NBUS stamps from Gina K Designs and the Mariposa Butterflies from Altenew.

The inspiration for my card came from two challenges-Freshly Made Sketches #425 and the Inspired By Challenge #114: Seeing Green.

The eucalyptus leaves are where the arrows on the sketch are and the color scheme was inspired by the greens from the photo. I so wish I had all that fun display in my house!!

Once again I made a sympathy card. I should have been making a belated birthday as I should have sent out a card to one of my friends on Friday and I totally forgot!!!

I used ink from Pink Fresh Studios. I like that the little cubes are in color families like Altenew!!!

The second card I created is a birthday card. I actually used the cut out from the butterfly on my first card as a stencil for the butterflies.

I should have only stenciled four butterflies BUT once again, I made a few mistakes and had to cover them up by stenciling more!!

This card was inspired by this weeks CASE this Sketch #362. Instead of the balloons, I used butterflies.

I am so happy that I got to play with some challenges!! I also have been playing with Kathy's 30 Day Coloring Challenge. It has helped me to destress after some really bad days this week!!  I have been coloring like crazy but have not photographed much.

This stamp set is from Reverse Confetti and I colored in the purples with Copic markers.

This I used Altenew Watercolors which I am TERRIBLE at. I know, I know, I should be gentle of myself but I don't love it. I will be using it though as it took me a TON of time to create!!!

I have been obsessed with watching comedy specials while I have been coloring. After seeing all the news about the Corona Virus I needed some laughter in my life. Netflix has some great comedy specials and were the laugh I needed this weekend.

That is all from me today!! I appreciate you taking the time to stop by. I hope you have a FABULOUS week!!

Freshly Made Sketches #423

Happy Sunday everyone!!

Tonight I am popping in with a card I created using this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #423. I was planning on posting this during the afternoon but time got away from me!!

Here is the sketch that I used for the card:

I started off by masking off a circle and ink blending in yellow and orange distress ink.

I then spritzed a bit of water on top for the sky effect. I stamped Penny Black's Delicate Silhouette's stamps in black dye ink over my blended sky.

The sentiment is from a retired My Favorite Things stamp set that I heat embossed in white. I added a little heart covered with Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen in the sky because it just needed a little something.

This weekend has flown by and I so wanted to make so many more cards, as well as clean my craft room. I did neither, instead cleaning the kitchen a bit and doing mountains of laundry. Does time get away from you like that?

That is all from me tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Have a FABULOUS night!!

Happy Sunday!!

Hey everyone!! Happy Sunday!! I hope you all had a FABULOUS weekend. 

Mine started with Happy Hour on Sunday to say goodbye to a co-worker and ending with a gray day. I spent the nice day of the weekend making cards for National Cardmaking Day!! 

Did any of you take the time to indulge? I actually told my husband that I set the WHOLE day aside to do so and I did!!! (With the exception of working out in the morning, giving my dog a bath and doing multiple loads of laundry to get a break from sitting!!)

Anyway, I am going to post some of what I was able to create-all using various challenges or were a result of technique videos I had playing in the background all day yesterday. 

My first card I created for Freshly Made Sketches #405. 

This sketch gave me a headache, I have to admit. What to put in these three squares was killing me. 

Then I had an aha moment, looking down at three white squares on my desk AND the colored flowers that I had done in front of the television this week. (I have started coloring again when I watch TV. Anyone else do this to keep you from snacking? It works!!)

I had cut these flowers from the frame they belong in to use the frame. Did you think I made that card yet? Nope but the flowers were perfect for my idea!!!

I am also entering this into this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #241. This week it was Dawn's Challenge and it was a feminine "anything goes," as well as the Flower Challenge #37-CAS.

 

For my second card, I used the Fab Friday Sketch #173 as my jumping off point, as well as the photo from this weeks "Inspired By" Challenge-Truckload of Fall. 

I was so excited because I got to pull out my Reverse Confetti "Thankful Heart" stamp and die set purchase that I made last week.

I chose to color in the pumpkin a more muted orange/yellow like some I have seen on the farms around here. I love the alternate color pumpkins!!

I love that I was able to layer the flower pieces to give the card dimension. The tiny flowers peeking out from the large spray are the little "tags" that peeked out from under the circle on the sketch. The pumpkin I used in lieu of a circle.

The background was inspired by the truck, which I mistakenly thought was one of those wood ones. When I went to look at the photo close up, I realized it was NOT. Oh well.

My third card I am posting today is from a sketch challenge at Scrapbook.com Sketch Challenge from the forum. 

It was a Mojo Monday sketch.

The stamped leaf is from Altenew and the sentiment is a mixture from Neat and Tangled, Newtons Nook and Memory Box.

I had the leaf embossed panel on my desk and decided it would be perfect for this card. The little flower die cut was just a scrap I had in one of my "extra" piles.

This card is NO MEANS my favorite BUT it I used a ton of stuff that was previously not used.

Well, that is all from me today. I will be back tomorrow with the rest of my cards from yesterday!!!

I thank you for stopping by. Have a FABULOUS night!!!