first time fusin' (Fusion, Moxie Fab, Amusing)

First off, green and purple go together.  The proof is in... my front yard.  (Darnell K., notice the dandelions... so much for your theory!)  BTW, this is what I see when I gander out the window as I'm sitting on the floor photographing my cards perched on a dining room chair.  And the sun even came back today - YIPPIE.  Well, not so yippie for photographing cards...

It took awhile but I've finally taken the Fusion Card Challenge.  Another challenge idea from Jackie R.  This time it's to see whether a sketch or an inspiration OR the combo of both is the most popular among cardmakers.

My concoction went about 85% sketch, 15% inspiration photo.  Must admit I added my own constraints since this is to be a thank you card for DD to send to Oma and Oma knows what DD's confirmation card looked like. Now you do too...

Sooo... keeping it themed...

I stamped and watercolored some more of these blooms and die cut a circle.  I heat embossed the sentiment, applied a couple brush strokes over it and ironed off the embossing when it was dry for a cool batik look.  The little heart embellie evolved after a peek into my purple scrap drawer!

Playing in the Wonder of Watercolor challenge at Moxie Fab.  Again. (Blushing).  And it's Anything Goes at Amusing Challenge.

Supplies vielen dank:

Paper: cream CS Bringmann, watercolor paper Herlitz

Stamps: Scenic Route,  sentiment Mia's Stempelküche

Ink : Memento, watercolors, Versamark

Tools: water brush, iron & scrap paper

Other: clear embossing powder, fiber, heart sequin

eins plus eins macht zwei (KIS, Moxie Fab, Retro Sketches)

Somebody stop me.  I'm drowning in watercolor...

Take the Wonder of Watercolor challenge at Moxie Fab with this lovely photo which I wanted to have a go at, like so many beauties you can find there.  Are you playing?

Image Credit

Well I came up with another twofer.  Stretching my Sizzix BigZ die this time.  These dies can be kinda tricky - the words are a bit on the large side and it's tough to get a usable negative die cut from them because you really can't selectively cut your paper (although they're great for cutting things like chipboard or plastic).  But I needed some die cut words so I tweaked a bit and voila!

It's a 5 1/2" square card.  The "watercoloring" was done a la the Distress-Inks-to-craft-mat-spritzed-with-water-and-smushed-paper-method.  I backed the negative with some digi PP.  Added some Versamark around the inside edges of the frame and heat embossed a touch of silver a la Maille B.  This will be a wedding or anniversary card I think.

Add the Keep it Simple challenge to use numbers and this Retro Sketch

and this is what I did with the die cut words (minus the "i"):

Can I get away with calling the "l" my loop/bow from the sketch?!?!?  A bit of vellum, a masked and stamped "2" and some dry embossing for the BG.  This will be a bday card with "on your birthday" on the inside. That's all (for now) folks!

Supplies love:

Paper: cardbase Buttinette, watercolor paper, digi PP Pink Petticoat, vellum

Stamps: 

Ink : Distress (Spun Sugar, Lemonade, Tumbled Glass), Versamark

Tools: Love and square die Sizzix

Other:  silver embossing powder, dimensional adhesive

Supplies love 2 you:

Paper: cardbase Bringmann, watercolor paper

Stamps: PTI

Ink : Hero Arts

Tools: love die Sizzix, "2" Memory Box, embossing plate Sizzix

Other: 

an amusing challenge on sunday (Amusing, CAS Sunday, Dynamic Duos)

Quick break from watercoloring to make a card for two challenges (DH was being a loyal soccer fan which gives me time in my craft room :)

Saw the sketch at CAS on Sunday and stumbled upon the Amusing Challenge where the theme is "Monochromatic".  I pulled out some Amuse Studio product I was lucky to win from CASual Fridays awhile ago and went Burano (that's the name of the orange-y color).

Here's the sketch:

And cuz the colors reminded me of it, I'm hooking up to the current Dynamic Duos #50 challenge too.   This one's going out to a friend with a friend dealing with breast cancer.  So hard to know what to say in such a situation, isn't it?

Thanks for looking again today ;)

Supplies HOPE:

Paper: white CS Neenah, PP Amuse Studio

Stamps: Amuse

Ink : Amuse, Versamark

Tools: embossing folder Craft Concepts, corner rounder

Other: white embossing powder, black marker, cosmetic sponge

watercolored cherry blossoms (Moxie Fab, SSS, ATCAS)

Have I mentioned I can't get enough of the watercolor trend ;)  You may have seen this card inspired by the crab apple in my front yard.  Well today I was inspired by the Japanese cherry in the backyard.

And the Pretty Pink Petits Fours at Moxie Fab.  What delicate beauty.  Which translated to cherry blossoms in my mind.

So I reached for some crepe paper and a potion leftover from a card I made for a submission call (didn't get picked but I'll share with you later.  Happy dance for the four that were picked!  I still can't believe it.)  The potion, you're wondering?  Spray ink + soap bubbles.  Yep.  That's it in the jar.

Dribbled some onto my palette, sprayed with water and soaked up some color with the crepe paper. Die cut some blossoms with a Memory Box die and added a bit of a gray branch like the silver serving piece, some woodgrain like the plate and some vellum to replicate the glaze.  I was so into this I've got two for your viewing pleasure!

For mom for Mother's Day (can't believe I've actually done this in plenty of time!)  Three blossoms with two layers of petals and a vellum sentiment.

And an all occasion beauty with a one-layer blossom and vellum butterflies.  These make me smile. Hope you're smiling too!

Joining the fun at:
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Moxie Fab - Wonder of Watercolor
Addicted to CAS - #11 Flower

Supplies mom:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, gray CS scrap, crepe paper 

Stamps: 

Ink : Dylusions ink

Tools: square die Sizzix, branch die Sizzix, other dies Memory Box, embossing folder Craft Concepts

Other: sewing machine

Supplies I appreciate you:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, gray CS scrap, crepe paper, vellus The Paper Co. 

Stamps: sentiment Hero Arts

Ink : Dylusions ink, Hero Arts Soft Graphite

Tools: square die Sizzix, branch die Sizzix, blossom die Memory Box, embossing folder Craft Concepts, punch Martha Stewart

Other: thread

heaven = watercolor + sequins (Moxie Fab, The Kraft Journal, SSS)

First off, I'd like to thank Cath at Moxie Fab for putting up a challenge to use watercolors.  Next, I'd like to apologize for taking up so many parking spaces over there.  But when I see something this yummy I just can't stop...

Soaked the watercolor paper and started applying some yellow and then different blue and green tones.  Hmmm, when to stop?  When is enough enough? But my biggest problem with a piece like this is what to do with it next.  I hate having to cut into it or cut it apart.  It pains me.

So I opted to basically use one complete half of the background.

Thanks to the challenge at The Kraft Journal to Reuse or Recycle, I now have one less piece of cardboard box cluttering my craft room.  And an artsy fartsy companion for my watercolored panel :)

And it wouldn't be me of late if there weren't a few token sequins.  I'm so in love with gemstones' mailable cousins.

I kinda like how the black sentiment jumps out at ya.  And how the texture of the white CS is reminiscent of an artist's canvas.  Fun, fun, fun.  Speaking of which, I'm joining in the Anything Goes fun over at Simon Says Stamp too.

Thanks for looking.

Supplies Thank you:

Paper: CS American Crafts, watercolor paper, recycled box and black paper 

Stamps: 

Ink : watercolors

Tools:  paint brush, die (Provocraft)

Other: sequins

pinspired and tilted (Pinspired, SSS)

Did someone say bokeh?  I'm in.
Have you seen the inpiration photo at the Pinspired Challenge?

Notice the bokeh background.  The wavy texture of the frosting.  And the "slice of tree" acting as cake platter!  Obviously a wedding theme, but DD needs some thank you cards.  So....

I think overall there's a bit too much happening here, but here's what I did.  Stamped the bokeh pattern onto a panel and heat embossed three rings of gold.  Sliced the panel into three parts (still on a tilt from the PTI blog hop here).  Dry embossed only the middle panel and adhered it to the cardbase with foam adhesive.  A selectively-inked sentiment above a strip of washi and the wooden bird completed the card.

Also playing at Simon Says Stamp where this week's challenge is Anything Goes.  This sure fits the ticket!

Supplies Thank aou:

Paper: CS Bringmann 

Stamps: dots (PTI), sentiment (Hero Arts)

Ink : Hero arts, Versamark, Versafine

Tools: embossing plate (Sizzix)

Other: gold embossing powder, washi (Freckled Fawn), veneer (Studio Calico)

tilt (PTI, Passion for Papretrey, CFC, SSS)

Blog hopping with PTI today...

I love this trend of putting things on an angle.  Here's my take.

Some digital PP, die cut alphas and metallic crepe paper topped with some strtegically-placed (ha!) sequins and I'm good to go.  Happy hopping!

Also playing at:
A Passion for Papertrey - Let's Celebrate
CASual Fridays - #99 Birthday Bash
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Supplies hb2u:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, digi PP Pink Petticoat, metallic crepe paper 

Stamps: 

Ink : 

Tools:  alpha die PTI, border die Amuse

Other: sequins

wms flower show - which flower is it? (WMS, CFC, Moxie Fab)

OK, it was a no-brainer for me.  The challenge is to CASE a card using WMS flower stamps from the lineup over on the WMS blog.

When I saw Taheerah's beauty, I had my card to CASE.

My approach to CASE = what I remember most about the card, tweaked a bit so as not to be a pure copy.  In this case tree,  pink, brown, white,  twine and splatters.  What happened?  I perused my WMS stamps and was totally lacking in the flower department...

This is what happened.

The brown took the form of kraft and my tree drawn with a Vintage Photo Distress Marker and softened with a water brush.  The blooms became embossed white blooms watercolored pink.  Splatters, white and gold (in honor of Taheerah ;).  And I really truly wanted to do the twine (in the form of a little bow tied around the tree trunk) but I couldn't.  I am sooooo CAS at heart and couldn't bring myself to disturb the sentiment area.  Oh yeah, the sentiment is from Teeny Trees - direct CASE on that front!

I may have been inspired by something else too.  This is my front yard these days.

How well do you know your WMS stamps?  Do you know which set my tiny bloom is from?

I'm also hooking up at:
CAS-ual Fridays - challenge #99 wishing Michele G. a happy 45th
Moxie Fab - Wonder of Watercolor Challenge

Your visit is appreciated.  Merci.

Supplies Birthday wishes:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, kraft 

Stamps: WMS

Ink : Versamark, Versamagic, watercolors, watered down acrylic paints (white, gold)

Tools:  water brush

Other: white embossing powder, 

love you DD (Moxie Fab)

Well, it's official.  Another step in growing up.  DD was confirmed this weekend.  My little girl is turning into a beautiful young woman.  Proud?  Yep.  Glad the weekend is over?  Yep.

Here's here card.  She's into mint green at the moment so the flowers had to take on green tones.  And there's a challenge at Moxie Fab World to give trendy watercoloring a go..  Don't have to ask me twice.

I had definite inspiration for this.  Have you seen this bold beauty?  Thanks for the idea, Kelly.

And thanks for looking friends.

Supplies love U:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP scrap, watercolor paper Hero Arts

Stamps: Scenic Route, U Technique Tueaday, sentiment Papertrey

Ink : Memento, Versamark, watercolors

Tools: water brush

Other: gold embossing powder

spot the sentiment (RIC, CFC)

Real quick here.  I'm supposed to be housecleaning!
DD gets confirmed this weekend.  Oma is coming to stay.  You do the math...

Saw the photo at Runway Inspired Challenge #34 and thought of the B/W digi PP that was laying on my workspace.  Notice the spots of light on the runway behind the chica?  And her cherry red lips?

This is what happened.

I'm not recommending doing this.  Those polka dots make ya crazy.  Can hardly spot the magenta sentiment in their midst!  Geesh.  Anyhoo... back to the housework.  Yuck.

Also hooking up at CASual Fridays #98 where you need to have something glittery.  While you were squinting, did you catch the metallic crepe paper?!?!?

Thanks for enduring.

Supplies danke:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, CS American Crafts, PP digi Pink Petticoat.

Stamps: none!

Ink :

Tools:alpha die PTI, scallop die Amuse

Other: silver crepe paper, glue stick

chevrons and flowers and pink, oh my! (WPlus9, CFC, SSS)

If you've been out and about in blogland you cannot have missed all the spring loveliness in the form of bright blooms and cool chevrons!  Well, I missed the deadline for the new Fusion Challenge, but I'm in on the WPlus9 Monday Mood Board

and Casual Friday's

and Simon Says Stamps:  April Showers or Spring Flowers.

Notice that mood board.  Pink and green with a touch of orange.  Check.  Flowers and leaves.  Check.  Washi.  Check.  Fibers.  Check.  Even that little button with greenery and a pink bloom.... check.  And times four.

Figure this will make a nice little tag assortment for a girlfriend.  As in, to attach to a present or hang on a bottle of Prosecco...   Stamped the chevron BG block in two different colors on each and heat embossed the sentiment in gold.   I made two of each sentiment cuz I thought they were the most appropriate for gift tags.

Appreciate your visit.  Should would love for Spring to stop by...

Supplies tags:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK, PP K&Co.

Stamps: chevron BG Clearly Besotted, other WPlus9

Ink :Jenny Bowlin, Versamark

Tools: leaf die WPlus9, circle and bloom PTI, heat gun 

Other: gold embossing powder, crochet thread, pearls,  washi

i quite like eclectic (WPlus9)

Have you seen the photo for the blog hop at Cloud9?  This table setup could happen at my house - well, minus the elegant dishes - but the colorful, eclectic mix is all me.

What caught my eye?  Poppy, milky white and wonderful deep blue with some ikat and some gold.  So this is what i did.  Thought that little round "bloom" image from Folk Art Florals had something ikat-y about it...

Homemade poppy embellie.  Gold embossed sentiment, washi and a couple sequins.  And the colors.  Thanks for coming by.

Supplies I quite like your smile:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK

Stamps: WPlus9

Ink : Distress Inks, Versamark

Tools: heat gun to melt flower edges

Other: fabric, beads, thread, washi, sequins

hb2u three-fer (SSS)

Three cards to share today (belonging to the species "publication rejects") which are totally fitting for the birthday celebration going on over at Simon Says Stamp.  Make a bday card to celebrate Simon's 4th and earn a chance at a great giveaway package.

Here are my entries.

I've always been big on themes.  Bet you've noticed the "hb2u" theme I had goin'.  All fun to make. All not picked up.  (But they had a cousin who did get picked up so the family's happy ;))  Some bokeh generational stamping with sequins, some bokeh with watercolor and acetate and some Dylusions spray inks over heat embossing.

Thanks for looking and hb2u Simon.

Supplies #1:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK

Stamps: Basic Grey

Ink : Aladine

Tools: die Memory Box

Other: sequins

Supplies #2:

Paper: CS American Crafts, Neenah

Stamps: 

Ink : Distress Inks

Tools: die Memory Box

Other: recycled acetate, watercolors

Supplies #3:

Paper: cardbase Craft UK

Stamps: Technique Tuesday, "2" We R Memory

Ink : Versamark, Dylusions, Versafine

Tools: die Sizzix

Other: clear embossing powder, recycled packaging