STAMPlorations 2nd birthday blog hop - day 2

Well there's a party goin' on around here (thanks, Lionel). STAMPlorations is turning 2!!!! Have you taken a gander at Day 1's projects? And folks, when Shery throws a party there are always lots of presents ;)

Today is Day 2 of the hop and I've a party card for you using the new set designed by Deepti M., Party Mates.

I decided to combine my love of randomly stamped backgrounds and sloppy watercoloring on a masculine birthday card. How'd I do?

I used Latte, Pool and Stream Adirondack inks on creme CS. The sentiment is from Party Time. You'll see it again tomorrow ;)

Be sure to check out the fun cards over on the STAMPlorations blog, including one from our guest today, Anni L. of Annikarten fame. You'll find all the prize into there too, as well as a linky where you can hook up a card inspired by this birthday mood board.

spotlight - spotlights and sloshing

The "spotlight" technique has been around for ages. I think it's totally trendy these days with the popularity of the illustrated look in designs.

Here's a card I created using the spotlight technique. Check out my Spotlight project over on the STAMPlorations blog if you're interested in the details.

I'm going to be missing around here for a bit. Dad is in the hospital with heart problems and will be undergoing surgery. I needed to get myself over to MI so crafting will be on hold for the next few weeks. Your thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated. For Mom too!

Please do come back at the end of the month for the STAMPlorations 2nd Birthday Blog Hop!

STAMPlorations inspiration #23

Pulled out an older, but new to me, STAMPlorations set from the Vignette series, Artful Flutters, to play with.

I heat embossed the butterflies white onto scrap CS that was left over from this card (4th in post) which I had made using a DIY ink pad (reinkers on folded baby wipes). I pressed the baby wipes to scrap CS when I was finished and ended up with a nice muted mix of red, yellow and blue. Used the CS for this card too!

Anyhoo, fussy cut the butterflies and adhered them to a panel that I had dry embossed with ARTplorations Just Squares stencil.

A strip of washi below the panel and a heat embossed sentiment from Bloom Sketches finished off the card.

Thanks for looking. You'll find more inspiration from the rest of the team here. Feel like CASEing this card? Then be sure to hook up to the Inspiration CASE Playground there for a chance at a prize.

collaging Ellie

There is still time to play in the Mixed Media Card Challenge #12!!!

Thinking of the collages I'd made during my school days when I saw this challenge theme, I was flabbergasted when I saw how today's technology has reinvented the world of collage. If you've a spare minute, take a gander at the images which come up when you google "collage".

I couldn't resist trying out this concept in the world of paper. (And I needed a birthday card for DD!) Haven't seen our pooch for awhile? Here she is...

In a nutshell... edited a photo using an "engraving" option, printed it on white, green, yellow and orange, then cut out some sections from those and added some sections of PP too.

LOTS of room for improvement here, but a couple ideas if you feel like giving this a try. Use the printed images for the main features (eyes, nose, mouth). Use printouts as a guide for cutting shapes from PP. Use black marker to add/extend main features.

I'm calling this mixed media, although technically, it ain't. But I've got a technique. And there's lots of texture! We'd love to see your collages (with the optional element of "frame") over at the MMCC. The gallery is open until the 25th.

And here's Miss Ellie, for reals. Needing a haircut.

mix it up with altenew

Haven't been able to play in the challenges over at Ellen Hutson as often as I'd like, but I did it this time. It's time to mix Essentials by Ellen product with Altenew. What a great pair-up.

How'd I do?

DS is finishing up his schooling. We're still not sure with which qualification (did he pass his Fachabi exams?!?!?) but it's a milestone!

I paired a subtly stamped "awesome" (in SSS Fog on PTI Soft Stone CS) from Altenew's Super Script with the Zipper Panel and You Rock die cuts plus secondary sentiments from Altenew's Magnolias for Her and Papertrey and some number stickers. A strip of washi finished off the bottom of my card.

Now, what to fill the secret compartment with? (Maybe it depends on which qualification...)

I'm also hooking up at Make it Monday #214 where it's about stamping with neutrals.

Thanks for visiting. Hope your weekend is lovely.

nbus goes us - take 4

More fun with PTI Phrase Play #11 die. Hope you've enjoyed my series. Meet the card that started it.

For a homeschooled grad. Now I don't know how homeshooling works with "graduation", but I saw some photos of her friends with red gowns and I wanted to work rainbow colors into the design. So where are they, you ask?

ROYGB with a layer of white on top. I actually made the stacked die cut first then chose to adhere it to a black cardbase. Maybe not girly (she's not), but definitely striking.

So then, for the boy wearing the blue gown in his family's photos (TG for FB!)...

For Papertrey Make it Monday Neutrals. Did some stamping. And used neutrals including Soft Stone PP to let the die cut pop. Hope that counts.

And finally, waiting in the wings...The "series" started when I started playing with all the fun remnants from the die cuts for the first card above.

Gave it a tilt when adhering and added a few stars for fun. Kinda funny that this card of Ardyth P.'s pushed me over the edge to purchase this die. And I haven't even tried cutting it apart yet!!!

Going to CASology #115 with these

Thanks for looking! Happy weekend.

STAMPlorations inspiration #22

Take a kingfisher. Plop him on a Polaroid frame cut from printed vellum. Random stamp a BG and splatter. Add a heat embossed sentiment and washi and what do you get?

Here come the deets. Used Jenny Bowlin Robin's Egg for the BG. Stamped the bird from STAMPlorations The Bee's Knees Smallbirds multi-inked with Salty Ocean and Ripe Persimmon Distress Inks. Watercolored and fussy cut. The frame is Amy Tangerine. The embossing powder is WOW!. The vellum is age old from Aldi, just happy I remembered I had it!

Feeling inspired? Why not CASE this and hook up at the June Inspiration CASE Playground over at STAMPlorations? Check out the other inspiration from me teamies while you're there.

Do you get a summery vibe? Hope so cuz I'm entering WOW! Embossing Powder's Summer challenge.

And the Summer Colours challenge at Addicted to Stamps #106.

Also joining AAA Cards #41 with my birdie

Enjoy your weekend! Any of you in Germany know The Queen Kings (a Queen cover band)? They are amazing and a blast to see live. They're in town this weekend and they're gonna rock me!

nbus goes us - take 3

Hooray! Another reason this NBUS die is now categorized USed. More fun with PTI Phrase Play #11 die. Hope you're enjoying my series. Today it's about masculine.

Tomorrow you will actually see why I had all these pieces to play with... Well the green remnants spoke to me so I cut a black frame and plunked them in. Grabbed a kraft base and when I saw the color combo I decided I liked it a lot so I did not "fill the holes". Except for that precious little pop of red star in the banner!

Going to Simply Create Too #87 where it's Masculine and you can hook up until the 19th

The Kraft Journal #227 where I've used black, masculine, and a tiny dot of red.

And Paper Players #248 Masculine challenge.

Tomorrow I'm sharing the graduation card(s) which started this whole shebang!

nbus goes us - take 2

More fun with PTI Phrase Play #11 die. First up, inspired by a sketch and code word.

Got my butterflies from STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies, stamped in Neon Yellow pigment ink.

And the rest of the sketch... love how the frame from the sketch is built into this die cut! I used white textured CS for the die cut to help it stand out from the cardbase a bit. Recognize the sketch?

Going to CASe This Sketch #126 where the incredibly talented Sonja K. is guest designing.

And to Addicted to CAS #65

How about a wedding card? Same frame, die cut from recycled gold packaging, this time as a shaker housing some Pretty Pink Posh sequins and backed with a panel watercolored with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink.

In a nod to the sketch I added some vellum roses and watercolored leaves die cut with Winnie and Walter Maggies Roses.

I'm hooking up at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge where it's about Love of Plants

And at Sparkle and Shine sponsored by Pretty Pink Posh

Thanks for looking. More tomorrow!

nbus goes us - take 1

I stumbled across the NBUS and not-even-put-away-yet PTI Phrase Play #11 die in my craft room yesterday. And found it perfectly fitting for graduation cards which I needed. Again! So I made a few. Then a few more non-graduation. Seven in total! And I am happy to  categorize this die "US" (used schtuff!)

Here's one card that I made inspired by the challenge at ShowCASe Your Style #16.

Black and white striped. A bit of metallic. OK.

Gettin' an Oscar-esque vibe? Me likey. More HOORAYs to follow. Have a good one.

spotlight - stencils and glitter

I'm so excited! I've got my first official Spotlight post up on the STAMPlorations blog today. Wanna see how I created this card? Check it out here.

So I'm taking my glittery texture over to the June challenge at Craft Stamper, Take it, Make it where it's all about Texture.

STAMPlorations inspiration #21

Time for another dose of inspiration over at STAMPlorations. Well let me tell you, I am often inspired by cards I see in blogland, but seldom do I run to my craft room to basically recreate something I've seen. Today's card changed that.

I am showcasing the sentiment set, Fond Expressions, with its wonderful combination of handwritten froufrouness and clean san serif type. And a flower.

This glittered die cut technique is what I absolutely had to try after I had seen Gayatri's card for the current RIC challenge. In a nutshell... cut solid Winnie and Walter bloom from sticky paper (I ran scrap through my Xyron), outline from black. Adhere outline to solid, mix red, blue, gold and silver glitter and pour it on. Burnish with finger and voila! Chose a couple PPs from my stash to frame the bloom.

Um, and, I actually own J. Crew. That sure can't be said for most of the eye candy at RIC! Have a good one.

If you wanna CASE this card, join us over at the Inspiration CASE Playground.

And... Virginia L. recently posed the question "How do you solve a problem like Maria?". Well, I know the answer? You take her to the "hills (which) are alive with the sound of music" :) And a beautiful short weekend at Lake Constance was had by all. (I'm not into selfies, but I thought this fit the bill).

guesting at Virginia's View

I'm guest designing over at Virginia's View #15 where it's all about "Ombre/Monochromatic" this month. You must check out the beautiful gallery entries. I've got two cards over there for you, ombre die cutting and dip-dyeing , but I 've one more for you too.

I recently made a graduation card for a grad whose school color was purple. This one is for a college grad whose gown also appeared to be purple! Whoddathunkit? Purple! Reminds me of when DS started with "bambini" soccer. Their uniforms were purple! And I was on the sidelines yelling "Go lila, go" (Lila being the word for purple.) Lotsa moms in town still come up to me chanting that ;) But I digress.

So. Take your grad's school color. Or the bride's color scheme. Or your Mom's favorite color.

Find yourself a large sentiment stamp (mine is STAMPlorations). And color it using your kids' old school markers in various shades of your chosen color. Give it a light spritz of water before stamping and Ta da! Ombre. You're keeping your card design simple, but adding interest with the various hues of your chosen color.

To go with the purple I chose Liquid Platinum embossing powder for my secondary sentiment and the tassel of the MFT mortarboard. Which I die cut from glitter CS cuz the grad is a gal ;)

Isn't the bit of sparkle a nice contrast to the sketched sentiment? So how about giving "Ombre/Monochromatic" a go and hooking up at Virginia's View?

Still want more ideas. How about ombre stamping? How about ombre watercoloring? How about a set of ombre tags? Or ombre inking through a stencil?

Have a good one, folks!

coffee and watercolor challenge on sunday which is friday

The stars have aligned in the world of challenges for me today! May I present my card for:

Amy T.'s Coffee Lovers' Summer Hop

Pretty Pink Posh's Watercolor Hop

The Challenge #37

and CAS on Sunday  Tic Tac Toe (I've used birthday-female-off the edge, the inside reads "Happy Birthday").

Got the coffee goin' on thanks to STAMPlorations (love that sentiment!). Got the watercolor thanks to Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks and my paintbrush. Got the sketch covered thanks to the splats of blue and lilac and the "coffee stains" (from STAMPlorations Holiday Artsy) in Versacolor Cement above and below the coffee cup.

Amy T. and Paulina have done an awesome job putting together these two hops. Can't wait to see all the cards. Thanks, ladies! Happy hopping!

simply create too 87

Ready for Father's Day? Over at Simply Create Too we are challenging you to make a Masculine project. Sounds like perfect timing to me!

I have a retirement card for you however... completely PC-generated cuz I had this idea and it seemed the only way to make it happen.

Whaddya think?

I'm joining For the Guys over at AAA Cards #40

the Make it Masculine challenge at SSS Wednesday and a new-to-me challenge, Perfectly Rustics, where it's all about Letters or Symbols. I think my card fits the bill.