Another Thank You

Happy Wednesday!! It is POURING outside and thundering, and I probably should NOT be posting right now but sometimes you just have to risk it.

Today I am posting a card that I created last night as a thank you for Chris' Aunt and Uncle. I used this weeks Paper Players Challenge #452 as my inspiration.

Here is the sketch:

I used CC Design's "Kitty With Chicks" stamp to honor the kittens we played with over vacation.

I colored in the image with Copic markers and used a Nuvo Shimmer Pen with Glossy Accents over the beaks and the kittens ears. I then used an MFT stamp for the sentiments.

I layered the stamped image over some pattern paper scraps. I didn't use any adhesive foam because I wanted this to go through the mail easily.

I am also going to enter this into this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #232-Anything Goes.

That is all from me today. I thank you for stopping by. Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Another Creative Weekend

Hi everyone!! I am popping back on to the blog to show case a few more cards I created this weekend. That is two in a row where I ACTUALLY HAD MOJO!! Whoot Whoot!! It happens so rarely with me that it makes me giddy.

That said, I also need time to clean my craft room. It looks like a tornado came into my room and there is stuff EVERYWHERE!!

Onto my cards!! The first card I used the Addicted to CAS Challenge #157- Fluffy, as my jumping off point for my card.

I am hoping that this card is clean and simple enough to even participate in this challenge!! I used Copic markers to color in this adorable panda from Gerda Steiner Designs "Lovely Panda" set.

I experimented in trying to make the bear look fluffy by using tiny flicks with my marker. I am actually happy with the way it turned out.

The sentiment is not how I originally planned it. I wanted it to be right on the card front BUT when I stamped it, I got distracted and it came out crooked. I hate to throw anything away so I just added a card strip with the sentiment on it over the top of my mistake.

I am entering this into the Addicted to CAS Challenge, as well as Just Us Girl's Challenge, Birthday and Seize the Birthday Challenge, no topping.

For my next card, I used the quilt from the "Inspired by" Challenge and the butterflies from The Paper Players Spring Theme challenge as my starting off point.

The great thing about this card is all the paper strips I die cut for the front were SCRAPS from my drawer!!

I could see this as a strip quilt, couldn't you? It was so fun to make that I cut more strips from the same papers to create another card but have not gotten around to that yet.

The butterfly and the doily were even left overs from another project. I always stamp or die cut more then I need because I am a person whom makes MANY mistakes.

I just stamped this today and I cannot even tell you what stamp I used for the sentiment. I have so many sets everywhere that I cannot find it!!

Well, that is all from me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by and visit me today. I hope you all have a FABULOUS night!!

Paper Players #296 Sketch Challenge and a Graduation!!

Happy Monday everyone!! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine flew by in a flash!!

My niece graduated from Salem State with a BA in Accounting this Saturday. I am so happy for her!! Here are a few photos of the day!!

Poor thing had to walk down the aisle on crutches!! She had knee surgery a week and a half ago!!

They give their diplomas out on the same day they graduate!! You don't have to wait for the mail.

My daughter Charlotte with Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn and I. I cannot tell you how proud I am of this kid. She is smart, hardworking and just a great person!!

Enough about my Saturday!! I was able to spend some time in my craft room yesterday and I actually got to make a card for a challenge!! It has been so long since I have had the time, or the inclination, to do so. My mojo seems to have been playing hide and seek with me lately.

I used the Paper Players #296 Sketch Challenge for my card.

I used Sunny Studio "Backyard Bugs" and Paper Trey Ink's "Building Blocks" stamps for this card. The flowers, leaves and flower pot have been sitting on my desk for ages, calling me every time I sat down. However, I just couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with such tiny images.

Here is the sketch that I used:

I started out by using Lawn Fawn's "Stitched Rectangle" dies to cut out of a piece of Pebbles paper from the "Spring Fling" collection. I then used my "Nesting Circles" by Umbrella Crafts to cut out a circle in the middle. I layered this over an A2 white card base.

I took the pinked circle that I had blended with Distress Ink's AGES ago and stamped my sentiment. I adhered it in the middle of the die cut circle. Next I used My Favorite Things "Stitched Circle Frames" to die cut a frame out of Kraft paper. I adhered this around the center.

I adhered the little flowers and flower pot over the circle and covered the flowers with Wink of Stella. The card was complete!! It was fast and easy, which is something I NEVER say!!!

I thank you for stopping by tonight. Have a FABULOUS Tuesday!!

Supplies

Freshly Made Sketches #204, The Paper Players Challenge PP263, Zig Clean Markers and Lawn Fawn's "Happy Harvest" Set

What a beautiful day this Sunday is. The sky is so blue and the weather has just a touch of coolness to it. A perfect day to apple pick!! (I caution you-this post is a little heavy on the photos. I apologize but I just had to do it!!)

Chris, Charlotte and I took a drive to Lyman Orchards and picked Macoun apples, which are my favorite. We have numerous orchards in our town but I had heard good things about the shop Lyman has on their property and the rumors were true. We bought some pot pies for dinner tomorrow and some FRESH cider donuts. 

Here are a few photos that Charlotte and I took at the orchards. I took the first and the last, Charlotte took the middle three.

Charlotte is taking a photography class in school and her subject this week was either to photograph a toy or leaves. She is not happy about either assignment but has chosen leaves. However, the leaves have not turned here yet. I suggested this photo because of the red and green against the blue.

Charlotte was trying to get the birds in flight in this photo!!

Here is where her camera broke so she had to borrow mine for the rest of the visit. She has my old DSLR and it really needs to be replaced. She does not like my lens, though!!

So today I am going to show you two cards I created using Lawn Fawn's "Happy Harvest" set.

I received a HUGE order from Scrapbook.com this week and this stamp/die set was just one of my many purchases. Shhh-do not tell Chris!!

I did something that I have not done before when making a card. I stamped the SAME image on two pieces of card stock and used my Zig Clean Clean Color Real Brush Markers to color them in. However, I did two different techniques using these markers.

For my first card, I am playing along with the Freshly Made Sketches Blog and using Sketch #204. I am kind of obsessed with sketches as of late. I can use my own supplies but the layout often jump starts my creative juices. 

Here is the fun sketch I played with:

I am also entering my card into The Paper Players Clean and Simple Challenge-Create a Fall Scene. I think my card is perfect for this!!

 Here is my card that I created:

For this card, I stamped the the pumpkins and the wagon using a lot of masking. I then colored them in with my Zig Clean Clean Color Real Brush Markers. I have been watching different ways to use the and one way is to color with them like a Copic. This is what I decided to do on this image. 

After coloring, I masked off the stamped images and created a background with distress inks. I then stamped the corn stalks and the sentiment. Next I die cut the stamped scene and adhered it over a card base and a piece of patterned paper.

My last step was to stamp, die cut and adhere some leaves from the same stamp set. 

On my second card, the scene is pretty similar. I did not use the sketch, though, but decided to layer my scene over some patterned paper rectangles.

I did all the same things with the masking and distress ink background BUT I used my Zig Clean Clean Color Real Brush Markers with water. I would color a bit of two colors on whatever I was painting and then blend it together. I think this gives the image a bit more dimension but painting takes longer then coloring!!!

I added a banner rather then stamping the sentiment directly on the scene and added a few more stamped leaves. I am not sure if you can see it or not but I also added some clear Wink of Stella onto the wagon to make it "shiny" like metal. Okay, it really IS NOT shiny like metal but that is what I was going for.

What I learned:

• I like coloring better then using water with these markers. HOWEVER, I think that I would use them up really fast if I colored in images with them and you cannot refill these.
• I think using the markers with water gives the image a bit more dimension then blending the colors without water. 
• It is VERY EASY to reactivate the colors when using water with the distress ink background!!! I did figure this but was not careful and had to "fix" some mistakes with more painting.

Okay-I am at the end!! If you made it to this point, thank you!! I appreciate you taking the time to stop by!!

Have a wonderful night!!

Supplies:

Card #1

Card #2

Zig colors I used:

Pumpkins-052, 070

Wagon-020, 022

Wheels and Handle-091, 094

Stems-041, 044