Just a Reminder-You Still Have Time to Play with Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #528!!!

 Hello Peeps!! 

I hope that you are all doing well. I am writing this ahead of schedule because I have a lot going on right now AND I actually am somewhat ahead of my deadline. That rarely happens!!

Today I am sharing another card for Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #528, a theme challenge, which is camping. PIXEL PAPER PRINTS is our sponsor for this challenge and once again I used images that were generously gifted to us.

I used several stamps from the Camper Boys digital stamp set on my card. I resized each to create a little scene that I colored in with Copic markers. 

Below is the inspiration badge for this weeks Cupcake Inspiration Challenge. I chose to use the fire and the tent as the inspiration for this card.

Forgive me for the rest of this post as I broke down how I colored this in with photos.

Step 1

I started off my card by coloring in the pine trees with G24, G28 and G29. I left a little white space in between to give the trees a fluffy effect. 

Step 2

Nest I used shades of blue to color in my tent. Since I am NOT a camper, I had no idea what color tents were. I used the good old web to look up tent colors and this dark blue was the one I chose to use. 

Step 3

I used E25, E27 and E29 to color in all the tree trunks and the logs on the campfire. I didn't get to detailed as there was so many other things going on in the card that it would have gotten lost.

Step 4

I decided to do the "floor" of my card is shades of brown. I hike a lot in the woods and the leaves under my feet fade to brown once they are off the tree. I started off with my darkest color, E59, and ended with the lightest color, E53. I repeated this numerous times until I had what I wanted. I also added some yellows and oranges to the campfire.

Step 5

I used some heavy blues for the night sky (shown) and some grays to complete my tent opening. This was a lot of coloring for me and it scared me immensely. I don't usually cover a whole sky like this. I added some colorless blender to create stars that were far away and a white gel pen to create some stars that were closer to the earth. 

Step 6

My last step was to add some Stickles to the camp fire and to the night sky. I wanted to give the illusion of "twinkling" stars.

The sentiment that I used was one that I researched and then used my computer to design.

For being out of my comfort zone, I think my card came out pretty good!! Now I need to find someone to send it too!!!

Has this card inspired you to join us this week? Please hop on over to the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge Blog and link up your creation. I cannot wait to see what you create!!!!

That is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!!

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #528-Theme Challenge

 It is time for a NEW Cupcake Inspirations Challenge!!! The theme for this time around is CAMPING!!

The photo below was the inspiration for this very rustic looking card. 

I chose to use an embossed wood background as the base of this card. I then added digital images from our sponsor, Pixel Paper Prints. She generously gifted us the "Camper Boys" digital stamps. Aren't they fun?

I knew in my head the basic design I wanted to do with this card. I wanted to use Distress ink to "dirty" it up. Instead of coloring all the images, I decided to color only one. I chose the lantern because this was one of my favorite images in the whole set. I used Tombow water based markers to color it in. 

The sentiment was created by using my computer. It was a tad smaller than I wanted so I used some kraft cardstock as a frame.

I will be honest, making this card was really out of my comfort zone. I am NOT a camper at all and really have no one to send this card to. However, it was fun to think outside the box to create.

That is all from me today. Please hop on over to Cupcake Inspirations Challenge and play with us this week! There are prizes being awarded. See the post for details!!!

Freshly Made Sketches #503 and a Card for some Color Challenges

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Happy Saturday!! It is a FABULOUS day here in Connecticut. So needed as this week has felt like it went on forever!! 

I have been busy trying to create some Halloween projects that I will be sending out to some college students to decorate their rooms and it is a bit of a process. I am painting wood, which takes time. Do you send out fun things to your college students? I remember my mother sending a Valentine package to me at college stuffed with things for me and for my floor. We only lived 20 minutes away so it was such a fun surprise!!!

Today I am popping in with some cards I created for some challenges. I have found it so hard to have time, or any motivation to create anything as of late. I have ideas in my head but am just too tired to execute. I was happy this week that I had a day to play, along with some actual energy!!

My first card was inspired by this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #503.

It is nothing earth shattering but I was able to use some fun things that I had on my desk. I chose to go with this blue color as my main theme as blue is my favorite color and makes me happy. Below is the FMS505 sketch I used for my card.

The background was die cut from *Neenah Solar White cardstock with an Altenew *Dainty Cover Blooms die. I die cut the squares from paper scraps with an Embossed Edge Square Die from Kat Scrappiness. 

I first stamped the Pinkfresh Studio *Sweet Friend Floral Stamp with a light ink and used the coordinating stencil to color it in. The flower was then stamped again with *Versamark Embossing Ink and heat embossed with Wow! Superfine Metallic Rich Gold embossing powder. I then used the *Sweet Friend Floral matching dies to die cut this out. 

The sentiment was pulled from my stash and adhered using foam adhesive. Such a simple card but am so happy at how it came out!!

My second card I created for a color challenge and a theme challenge. I used The Card Concept #159 "Colorful Fall" badge to influence the colors I used on my card. The theme I used was from the Double D Challenge Mood Board which was filled with leaves. 

I started off my card by attempting to use my gel plate and a stencil to create a background. I chose to use some oxide inks in *Fired Brick, *Wild Honey and *Dusty Concord as the printing inks. I didn't use enough and it was an epic fail so I had a plan b. I used the Altenew *Striped Leaf cover die to die cut Neenah White cardstock to layer over my print disastor.

I then colored in some of the positive pieces with Copic markers and inlaid them back into the leaves.

Other die cut areas I chose to layer *Glossy Accents over the inked portions of the leaf. I cannot seem to create a card without Glossy Accents these days and need to order some more!!

I finished off my card with the Simon Says Stamp Sending Smiles die and random colors of sequins that matched my leaves.

All in all, I saved my background from being thrown out. Seems to be a pattern these days for me!!!

Well I am off to bake some Apple Crisp for my step-mother's birthday celebration. I didn't pick apples yet but bought them from the farm stand today. I will be picking apples later this week as I love them fresh off the tree!!! My favorite type are Macoun. What are yours?

I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a FABULOUS rest of the day!!!

Inspired By Challenge Entry IB187

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Happy Sunday everyone!! 

I am popping quickly today with a card that I created for this weeks Inspired By Challenge #IB187. I am hoping they are going to accept it as I DID NOT make a fall card.

Instead, I used the black window, the wood sentiment board and the yellow flowers and blueish eucalyptus branch as my color inspiration.

I started off by swishing Hero Arts *Unicorn Pigment Ink across the front of a Kraft A2 sized card base. I then die cut a frame using the Spellbinders *Candlewick Etched Dies from Hero Arts Pitch Black Cardstock. (and a shout out here-*Spellbinders is having a warehouse sale. I spent a lot of money there myself this week-don't tell my husband!!)

I used Simple Stories Vintage Lemon Twist *die cuts and stickers on this card for my embellishments. The gingham paper is from the Simple Stories Vintage Lemon Twist 6" by 8" paper pad. 

I popped some of my embellishments up with foam adhesive and added some clear sparkle pen in some areas. Other areas I used *Glossy Accents to enhance a portion of my die cut. 

I bought some Nuvo Vintage Peppermint Candy colored drops and used them to create the "enamel" dots to finish my card off.

I know I didn't use "traditional" stamps on my card but I really like how this came out. I have a couple more that I created but will post them at a later date. 

That is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS Sunday!!

On the Blog at CAS-Fridays with a Pet Sympathy Card

 Happy Hump Day!!

Today I am on the blog at CAS-ual Fridays Stamps with a simple pet sympathy card. This did not turn out as I had planned but I made it work-something I try to do when I take a lot of time on a card. Below is a sneak peek:

Please hop on over to MY POST to see my completed card. 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a FABULOUS day!!

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #527 Reminder

 Hello Crafty Friends!!

Today I am popping in to remind you of the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #527-Shades of Green.  This week I created another little scene with a dragon.

Once again, I used images generously donated by our sponsor- WWW.CRAFTYSCRAPPERS.IN-to create my card. Isn't she precious?

Below is the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #527 Badge:

Source

I started off my card by creating a scene with a photo program using different images from WWW.CRAFTYSCRAPPERS.IN. I then printed out the scene on my computer and die cut it with a *Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle die. 

I used Copic markers to color in the entire scene. I then layered the dragon over a dry embossed panel that was on top of an A2, *Neenah White, top folding card base.

Once again, I created little dragon "scales" with colored pencils. I used some *shimmer pen over the horns and the wings, and then covered both with *Glossy Accents. 

I think that this dragon came out cuter than last weeks!! My daughter saw this card and insists I send it out to her at college!!!

I so hope that you play with us this week at the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #527. Be sure to hop on over to the BLOG POST to see what the other designers have created with these fun, little images!!! You can enter the challenge for a chance to win!!!

That is all from me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

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Distress Inking and Copic Coloring for Some Challenges

Happy Tuesday everyone!! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend. 

Chris and I are in full fledged empty nest and we actually were social for a change. We had my Dad and Stepmother over for a cookout on Sunday and went to a friend's house to spend time with my girls on Monday. We hadn't been all together for over a year. It was so refreshing!!

That said, I know we probably should have not gone anywhere. However, I am tired of being the only one staying home and socially distancing. I am vaccinated, I have been masking EVERYWHERE for months, and I needed these visits for my mental health.

I also had some fun making a couple cards for some challenges. 

I created my first card for the Color Hues Challenge #TCH #25, Sunday Stamps #265, a color challenge,  Addicted to CAS #205-Nature and The Four Seasons Challenge.

I started off my card using a rectangle die to die cut a mask. I placed the mask over an A2, top folding, white card base. 

I then blended Ranger Distress Ink in Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold and Carved Pumpkin through the mask. I then used Tim Holtz Distressed Mica Stain-Set 1, over the top.

While the stain was drying, I die cut Prima Moroccan Foliage Dies out of white cardstock and used the same colored Distress Ink blend over the top. 

I tied the three leaves together with 49 and Market Jute and adhered them to my card front.

My next card I created using this weeks Color Throwdown #658 and Freshly Made Sketches #501 as my inspiration. However, I missed the deadline for both. I am also going to enter this into the Inspired By Card Challenge #IB185, which is to use scraps on a card. I used PLENTY of scraps on this card!!

I started off using the Hero Arts Bold Script Prints background stamp using Hero Arts Charcoal Dye Ink on a Neenah White card base. I then stamped it again using Hero Arts Navy ink.

I then a scrap of light gray cardstock over the top. I then adhered a light blue rectangle scrap that I embossed with a polka dot embossing folder and a strip of blue pattern paper. I stamped a sentiment from MFT at the bottom of the blue rectangle.

I die cut some Pink Fresh Curvy Leaves out of vellum and Neenah White cardstock and layered it over the top of the card.

I then used a Pink Fresh butterfly from Little Butterflies that I had stamped with Tuxedo Black ink. I colored in the image with Copic Markers and then heat embossed with Ranger Super Fine Gold embossing powder. I die cut it using the matching Small Butterflies die. 

I adhered it to my card front using foam adhesive. My last step was to use some SB.com Clear Shimmer Pen.

Well that is all from me today. I want to thank you all for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS day!!