Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Pinterest Challenge

Happy Hump Day!! I hope you are all enjoying this Wednesday. Two more days until the weekend!!

Remember yesterday when I said that I went to book club on Monday night? We sat outside the whole time and apparently I was dinner for a lot of bugs. I did not realize it at the time but late last night, the itching began. This morning was even worse and huge welts appeared  up and down my legs. I made the mistake of taking a Benadryl and it has KNOCKED ME OUT pretty much all day. Don't you hate that? If I had taken it last night, though, it would kept me up. I wound up buying anti-itch medicine early this morning at CVS to use when the Benadryl wears off.

Today I am sharing my card that I created using my Zig Clean Markers. I was inspired by the new "Pinterest Inspired Challenge" blog. It was to use the pin below to create a project.


This is a new blog and I urge you to check it out. The design team made some stunning cards. Here is the card that I created:


I primarily chose the colors for my inspiration. I also attempted using this technique from the Simon Says Stamp Blog. Instead of using a Penny Black die, I used a My Favorite Things butterfly die to cut my "stencil."


I then used my Zig Clean Markers to paint in the butterfly. I chose to use greens and blues from the Pinterest image for the butterfly. I then accented it with Spiced Marmalade Distress ink that I watered down and painted onto the background.


I have to say that I had a difficult time using these watercolor markers. I am just not a natural at it. I tried to use light washes of color but somehow, it came out really dark. I do love how the watered down Distress Ink background came out, though.

After the image was dry, I die cut it using my brand new "Cross-Stitch Rectangle" dies from My Favorite Things. I adhered it on an angle to a Paper Trey Ink "Tropical Teal" A2 top folding card.


Next I cut a strip of black card stock, stamped and heat embossed a sentiment. I then adhered it to the front of the card using foam adhesive. My last step was to use a few sequins randomly around the card.

What I learned making this card:
  • I need to be more patient when I use the Zig markers. Patience is NOT my strong suit!
  • I also think that I would to better actually  "coloring in" an image then free handing it like I did with this stencil. 
  • Detail is hard with watercolors unless you use the right brushes. I have them but was trying to use my water brush rather then get out a million different sizes of paint brushes.
  • I tried two different kinds of paper to use with these markers. First was Bristol Board. No, it is not a watercolor paper so it did pill. However, I like the way the color layered on this better then the watercolor paper. 
  • I used Ranger watercolor paper on this card but I am not a huge fan of it. I think it has too much tooth to it. I TRIED to buy true white watercolor paper (more expensive then the TWO kinds I already own!) but need to go to an art supply store I think. The ones I have are just too off.
I thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog. Have a great night!!



Supplies:


Tuesday, August 4, 2015

MORE Paper Trey Ink CASEing, and Lawn Fawn Cuteness

Happy Tuesday!! I am trying to get this post in before I go to the gym. I am actually stalling because I really need to get ready and oh so do not want to go!!

I played in my craft room today. This time I was practicing with my Zig Clean Markers. I actually let myself "experiment" and let the process take me away. I am letting my projects naturally dry at the moment and will post them when I actually make them into something.

I went to my book club last night. My friends and I had to stop for a couple years due to their lives being busy. (I only have one child and a husband who is great at helping out so not having time is not as big of an issue for me.) We read "The Nightingale"by Kristin Hannah and it was FABULOUS!! Not a light read as it is about the Nazi occupation of France during WWII but it was fascinating and very sad. It was also really fun to visit with my friends. We have not seen each other in a long while and I miss them.

Okay, on to my card post for the day. Today I am sharing two more cards that I CASEd from the Paper Trey Ink girls. My first card I channeled my inner Nicole Heady and used this card from her blog as my inspiration. (You will have to scroll down a bit.)


Again, I changed the colors from what she used. I used Paper Trey Ink Melonberry, Lemon Custard, Limeade ink, as well as WPlus9's Blossomberry ink. These colors are the same as the other cards that I have shown in my two previous posts and will all be in one set. (If you have not seen them, see Post 1 and Post 2.)


The colors were not the only thing I changed up. I used an My Favorite Things stitched die to die cut my card panel and make the stitches above and below the die cut quilt pieces but also used the Paper Trey Ink Canvas Impression Plate to create texture in the background. Both of these touches were my way of making the card "mine."


I also added a bit of glossy accents to the cherries to make them look shiny. I am in LOVE with how this card came out!! In fact, it is my favorite from the whole set.

For my next CASEd card, I chose to use this card by Betsy Veldman, which Danielle Flanders also CASEd here.


I will admit that this was NOT my favorite card to make. I don't know how Betsy and Danielle did there cards but even with my MISTI, I had a hard time stamping every thing perfectly straight. Can you tell at the bottom?


Again, the color matches the color scheme that I am using for my card set. This was the first card I created in the set so I pretty much CASEd a combination of Betsy and Danielle. I made a scalloped border at the bottom like Betsy with some of the background card stock to peek out. I then added some twine like Danielle did and only used one flower bunch.


For the sentiment panel, I wound up masking the green above and below the sentiment. I then used an ink blender to blend Limeade ink into the stripe. I originally tried to stamp a stripe from the new plaid set but for the life of me, I could not get it straight!!

Now on to the Lawn Fawn card. To create this card, I used Lawn Fawn's "Wheelie Like You" stamp and die set.


The first thing I did was emboss the white background card front with Taylored Expression's "Diagonal Stripe" embossing folder. I then die cut two papers from Imaginisce's "Heartland" Collection (my new FAVORITE paper at the moment!) using the Lawn Fawn "Stitched Journaling Card" die. I layered the die cut rectangles over the white embossed card front.


I then die cut a photo frame out of white card stock, stamped the sentiment and adhered it to the front of the card.


I then added the hamster wheel and used foam adhesive it adhere the hamster. My last step was to add an enamel heart to the sentiment.

A very simple and easy card but I LOVE how it came out.

Well, that is all for today. Sorry for such a long post. I have one more CASEd card I need to upload in a different post this week. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as the enjoyment I had when made them.

Thank you for stopping by!!
Supplies

Cherry Card:





Stitched in Time Card:



I Wheelie Like You:
(Supplies)