guest designing at cherrylana

I was lucky to win a stamp set from the lovely Cherrylana Designs a while back and they asked me to create a couple projects with it. Gladly. Today I am sharing them with you.

You can read more about them over at the Cherrylana blog.

And my projects.

Here's the stamp set, Magical Forest. Hope you likey. Happy hump day!

I'm playing at:

Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's cold Outside

Addicted to CAS - Ombre

reed bird swoon

Welcome to my post about a reed bird. He made me swoon when I finished coloring him. I hope he makes you swoon too. Fun word, eh?

Cuttlebug Thanks die

Memory Box Bird die

Savvy Grass die

SSS Thoughtful Messages stamp 

Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens

Gotta love that Perfect Pearls shimmer and what it does for colored die cuts...

Taking this card to:
#thedailymarker30day
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Layer it up (I layered layers of color on my birdie)
CUTplorations - January cuz of the colors
Tuesday Throwdown - Favorite Color (mine is magenta and the tones around it on the color wheel)
CASology - Swoon

papertrey january blog hop

It's that time of the month over at Papertrey! When I saw this photo I knew I had to play along. It's right up my alley. B/W. Lots of white. Polka dots. Rainbow sprinkles. And those cone shapes, see 'em? Looked like unicorn horns to me...

PTI Big Hugs die

PTI Scene It Skyscapes (stars) die

PTI Scribbles stamp

Lifestyle Craft diamond die

Concord and 9th Awesomeness stamp

Concord and 9th Grateful stamp

Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens

Stamped the sentiment on my cardbase. Stamped and fussy cut the unicorn, watercolored with blue, yellow and pink Zigs and gave some shimmer with Perfect Pearls mixture. Shaded a bit of gray too. Die cut a diamond and stamped scribbles and some black polka dots on it then colored. Die cut the starry sky circle and the hugs sentiment and layered it all together! Added a few iridescent sequins - cuz unicorn!

Thanks for stopping by. Can't wait to see how you interpreted the photo.

I'm taking my creation to:
Where Creativity meets C9 - Use your first C9 stamp
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Layer it up

#thedailymarker30day

Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

The Paper Girls - Water Colors

coloring and zigged critters

You can't have missed that Kathy R's #thedailymarker30day coloring challenge is underway. I'm giving it a shot this time around. Determined to give Birka R's Zig coloring a try (remember this video?) I thought I'd line up a few critters and color them in rainbow colors. Yeah. Well. Probably better to start slow and easy, Maria.  And use the right paper!!!!!

This happened. It actually almost didn't. But since I can't bear to toss things, I stuck it out. And added my new best friend. Yellow. I like the design. The coloring, not so much.

Avery Elle Storybook stamp

Avery Elle More Stories stamp

Flora and Fauna Texture Two stamp

Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens

What did I try? To put down color around the edges and spread it with a water brush.

What did I learn?

1. I already knew this, but for me the Zig pigment moves a lot easier on smooth cardstock, like Bristol. Here I used my standard white (Folia) and it sucked that pigment right in.

2. Each color seems to have different properties. Or my pens have different qualities. Especially the magenta... no such thing as putting that down lightly. Poor little bunny...

3. Yellow is a great thing. Or as I've heard Kathy R say, a little bit of any different color helps to make the color you're working with more interesting. So the bits of yellow here definitely helped (I know, you're wondering what this mess looked like before the yellow, eh?) but my result - it's just too weird.

Off to practice more. I'm hooking up at:

#thedailymarker30day

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

The Paper Girls - Water Colors

coloring a starry starry night

So coloring is tough enough. Then, when you've got your critters colored... it's time to come up with someplace for them to dwell. I rarely create "scenes" but this one was actually fun to make! I think it's cuz I really like these sweet critters. You can read so much into their expressions. I read "starry, starry night". You're welcome for the earworm ;)

 Avery Elle Storybook stamp

Avery Elle More Stories stamp

Distress inks

Polychromos

To create it, I cut a mask from scrap paper and then swiped three blue distress ink pads across the top of my card. Then I used the mask and Hickory Smoke DI to create the snow hills on the bottom. When the sky was dry I splattered water, and stamped tiny dots and little stars with Delicata silver ink. Even thought to add a bit of shadow under the critters. I'm learning!

For the moon I punched a circle from white CS. Smooshed it with pale Squeezed Lemonade DI then crumpled it up. Smooshed it with pale Hickory Smoke then spritzed it with Perfect Pearls mixture for a nice sheen. Stamped the sentiment on it before adhering it, and the critters.

I'm playing at:
Cards 4 Guys - January Blues
The Cat's Pajamas - #342

Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's cold Outside
Mix it Up Challenge Blog - AG + Masking
Sweet Stampers - Winter/Snow

Stampotique - 290 Spots and Dots
That's Crafty - Feeling Blue

Hope your week is going well. 

spotlight on negative space again

I've another project inspired by the 2018 trend of negative space over at the STAMPlorations blog today...

STAMPlorations inspiration #160

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team where the team members feature stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today we're using Shery's Shery Russ Designs stamps. Her stamps are 15% off this week  - with an extra 20% off when you use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA !!!

Here's the last of my "Urban Tribe"inspiration post projects using this image from my Pinterest inspiration board. That bold necklace in the lower left corner caught my eye.

image source

Stamped a sentiment from one of my most used sets Party Time as a background. To capture the essence of the necklace I trimmed strips of scrap CS, adhered them to scrap paper and die cut Congrats. In order for it to stand out from the busy BG, I adhered it to a strip of black CS cut slightly thinner than the die cut itself.

Wanna see more with the sentiments ... check out this cool card here.
Here is another card using the Congrats.

Remember, you could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on the January inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. So happy you stopped by :)

I'm stopping in at:
Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies
Daring Cardmakers - B/W with a Pop
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Add a sentiment
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - week 317 (this card is all about snippets!)

coloring and a threefer fer twofer

Well lucky me that the Twofer Feathers challenge is still open. Actually, my threefer is only a twofer cuz two of my three are encouragement cards and the challenge is to create different types of cards. But to tell you the truth the "feather" part didn't even dawn on me until I saw my finished cards with my Polychromo colored birds of paradise in front of me. Duh! Here they are. BTW, you can see colors of Polychromos I used in my IG posts if you're interested.

STAMPlorations Birds of Paradise stamp and die

STAMPlorations Be You sentiment

STAMPlorations Layered Snowman stamp

Distress inks

Polychromos

Stamped the smallest snowman ball up top multiple times, then the sentiment over it. Added a "rock" on the bottom with another snowman ball and perched the birdie on it. A tiny washi strip finished it off.

I'm playing at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Add a Sentiment

Sunny Day Crafting - C is for Color It
Stampotique - 290 Spots and Dots
House of Cards - MM or colors
Cut it Up - New Year's Resolutions
Stick it Down - January card sketch

STAMPlorations Birds of Paradise stamp and die

STAMPlorations Jump sentiment

STAMPlorations Star stencil

Distress inks

Polychromos

Inspired by the YNS sketch, I masked and stenciled stars onto my cardbase. Stamped the sentiment with two colors of DI then adhered the die cut birdie with foam adhesive.

I'm playing at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Add a Sentiment
That's Crafty - Feeling Blue
Your Next Stamp - #81

STAMPlorations Birds of Paradise stamp and die

STAMPlorations Stitched Rectangles die

STAMPlorations Star stencil

Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die

Distress inks

Polychromos

My third birdie found a home on a panel cut from the scrap paper I "stamped off" my stencil from the previous card on. I just spritzed the leftover ink on the stencil then smooshed it down on the scrap!  Die cut a little star tag from the same scrap to stamp a tiny sentiment on and hang from his beak, then added a strip of washi and a snippet from my desk to ground the birdie.

I'm playing at:
Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies

That's Crafty - Feeling Blue
Stick it Down - January card sketch

coloring and ellie

Nope. Not our pooch :) The ellie I colored a couple days ago for #thedailymarker30day challenge. Today he got a home on a card.

STAMPlorations Tweet Love stamp and die

STAMPlorations Love Words die

STAMPlorations Hearts stencil

Polaroid die

Polychromos

With a cheapie makeup brush I applied light layers of Distress Inks. Then I applied Hickory Smoke through the heart stencil (inspired by Birka R. who has a great video showing coloring with Zigs... which I will tackle after Polychromos). Adhered the Polaroid then the sentiments and finally the ellie popped up a bit. Love how it looks like he's blowing the "u" out his trunk!

I'm joining the fun at:

Paper Craft Crew - #276

Inspired by all the Little Things - #78 (I've got the soft colors and hearts)

Cuttlebug Mania - Valentine

Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies

Let's Craft and Create - Love is in the Air

coloring and aha arts

In my quest to improve my coloring skills thanks to the #thedailymarker30day challenge, I went searching for more images to color. Not in the mood for florals yet, I discovered I don't have a lot of cute animals (who seem to be the fave for coloring). My stamp arsenal is full of graphic or nature images. But I found this little gal in an Aha Arts set (designed by Ashley Goldberg - love her).

Aha Arts Girls stamp

Avery Elle Storybook sentiment

Polychromos

What did I try? Imagining my light source over my right ear which would create highlights on the top of her head and her pocket. And consequently shadows on the left and under her chin. And applying light layers. With super sharp pencils. Cuz I watched this video.

What did I learn?
1. You can use only two colors (light and dark blue, light and dark gray) and hit the darkest areas with  a tiny bit of black. Especially on small images.

2. You can color a face with only one pencil (cuz my set only has one rosy tone) and blend it a bit with a white pencil.

3. An eraser can be used to lighten up an area. I did this to highlight a bit of her hair on the right side. I had a problem figuring out where to highlight/shade her hair. I'm OK with the top of her head but don't like the transition to the side. Maybe it's the way the image is illustrated.

I'm joining these challenges:

The Color Throwdown - #476

Addicted to Stamps - Baby it's Cold Outside (I've used cool colors)

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes/Something New (new is that I'm coloring- with shading)

AAA Cards - Chilled (my colors)

pinsights and concord and 9th

I knew there was a mix-up challenge over at Ellen Hutson with Concord and 9th, however it came and went without my playing. But then I saw the Pinsights inspiration and decided those pods could be interpreted with feathers so here are those C9 feathers. Again.

 Concord and 9th Grateful stamp

Concord and 9th Sweet and Cool stamp

Essentials by Ellen Merry and Bright die

Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers

See? There are the feathers hiding under the stitched-on-vellum. I'd thought I was going to work the panel with feathers into a design with a PP pack I picked up recently (yeah, like I need more), but couldn't make that happen. Ended up working it onto this cardbase I'd used to clean up leftovers ages ago!

But then I had to make a card with the perfect PP pack (from my local TEDI dollar store). So this happened. I think it captures the mood of the garden in the inspiration photo perfectly.

Essentials by Ellen Many Thanks die

Just added a strip of silver glitter washi between the two panels to pick up on the gray of the damask PP and called it good. Thanks for looking.

I'm taking this to:

EH Pinsights Challenge - January

Where Creativity meets C) - Use your first C9 set

coloring and curves

Are you taking part in Kathy R.'s 30 Day Coloring challenge? I'm trying to give it a go this time - maybe not every day but definitely intent on practicing with color mediums.

So I started with colored pencils. Perhaps you saw my first attempts on IG. Today I turned one of them into a card.

STAMPlorations Tweet Love stamp

STAMPlorations Tweet Love die

Avery Elle Waves die

Polychromo (36) pencils

What did I try? Applying light layers of color, a light overall, then some dark (yeah, that's my problem... where to add "shading"), then the light again and then dark then light again. Hmm. I used "dark" around the stitched edges on these images and tried to keep Kelly L.'s tip to "shade where two things come together" in mind (like belly and leg, or head and neck).

What did I learn?

1. This is my standard 300g Folia cardstock. It's grainy. Plus I die cut the image first and I think my old cutting plates add texture to the paper. My result on the giraffe looks very grainy. Maybe I just needed more layers of color.

2. Note less graininess on the balloon - maybe cuz not run through my Big Shot?!?

3. An eraser can be used to lighten up an area. I did this to highlight cuz I cannot seem to keep an area of an image white/light when I'm in the coloring process!  Little area on his face and hooves.

4. I must research shading and highlighting. I know "consider your light source" in theory, but I have a hard time putting it into practice. Kinda like me and skiing... Anyhoo, any favorite videos on coloring for beginners?

Ah yes. As for the funky use of the waves die cut... it's new-to-me and happened to fall onto my counter and vaguely reminded me of a cage in a zoo. Giraffe. Bingo. That's how I roll, folks. Told ya, it's scary...

I'm playing at:

STAMPlorations - Stamps and Curves

Addicted to Stamps and More - #275

Die Cut Divas - Something New (my wavy die)
Dies R Us - Kids Card
30 Day Coloring Challenge

Hope your weekend is going well.

spotlight stamping - again

If you saw yesterday's post you know I'd been thinking about playing in The Flower Challenge's - Spotlight challenge. And I had all these freshly EZ-mounted Alisa Burke doodled bloom stamps in front of me.

Like I mentioned, this probably doesn't even count as spotlight stamping. But in a convulted way it kinda is. I took a gelli print (I've a whole stack) looked at where the color was concentrated and then stamped in those spots to spotlight the concentration of color. See, told ya it probably doesn't count.

But here it is anyhoo.

Alisa Burke stamps

CUTplorations Love Words die

acrylic paint gelli print

An acrylic paint gelli print trimmed to size. A few blooms stamped in black. A strip of zebra PP along the bottom edge and a die cut sentiment with a drop shadow up top. Voila!

I'm playing with:
The Flower Challenge - Spotlight Stamping

Basteltraum - Love

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Ring in the New (the bloom stamps)

The Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes
Craft Stamper - TIMI January

spotlight stamping. not really.

You may have read yesterday's pulling teeth mojo post. I have more cards that happened in the same crafting session. Consider yourself forewarned!

Actually, this wasn't as bad. Again, you must remember I'd spent an hour mounting rubber stamps on EZ Mount. As in, gooey, sticky fingers and scissors. The whole nine yards. But I'd been thinking about playing in The Flower Challenge's - Spotlight challenge. And I had all these Alisa Burke doodled bloom stamps in front of me...

Now this probably doesn't even count as spotlight stamping. But in a convulted way it kinda is. I took a watercolor mop up piece that reminded me of the House of Cards inspiration photo, looked at where the color was concentrated and then stamped in those spots to spotlight the concentration of color. See, told ya it probably doesn't count.

But here it is anyhoo.

Alisa Burke stamps

Winnie Walter scallop die

Winnie Walter Celebrate die

watercolor panel

After stamping on the watercolor panel with Archival ink, I die cut it and adhered it only along the top and askew (Just for fun, google "askew". You're welcome! :) to a blue cardbase. Then I added three light green leaf sequins and the die cut sentiment.

I'm joining in at:

The Flower Challenge - Spotlight Stamping

House of Cards - Mixed Media and or colors (both!)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment

The Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes

Craft Stamper - TIMI January

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge - Ring in the New (the bloom stamps)

cat on a hot tin roof

I'm CAS(E)-ing a sketch for you today. Twice actually. My first idea did not turn out as I'd hoped. But I like what happened then.

Back to the beginning... I was lucky to win some Rubber Dance stamps over at Craft Stamper TIMI and I chose the whimsical houses designed by Susanne R. For some reason (never try to understand what goes on in my head... which reminds me... did you see this at Ellen Hutson?)...

...how 'bout that chocolate?!?... and while I was washing dishes and thinking about the framed-with-florals sketch and wondering how I could work whimsical houses into my creation, I remembered creating a village with masking like on this card and as the village came into my mind's eye so did the cat stamp I recently picked up as well as "cat on a hot tin roof" so it was a done deal. Lots of roofs and cats instead of florals. Following?

So I masked and stamped away. And stamped and fussy cut cats. And agonized for ages over the "frame". Geesh. What'd I come up with? A circle. Brilliant, eh? And the sentiment (I wasn't going to NOT use it, cuz punny), well it sure isn't the right size/shape. But. Please meet card #1.

Rubber Dance houses stamp

Kaisercraft cat stamp

MFT radial circle die

distress oxides

Actually, I forgot to mention that I first spent an hour putting these Rubber Dance rubber stamps onto EZ Mount. Been ages since I'd done that! Remember that sticky goo?!? And while I was at it I did the same with some rubber stamps I ordered from Alisa Burke (know her?) ages ago. Um, yep. Finally. Surprised the rubber hadn't cracked. But that, my friends, remains for tomorrow's blog post... Stay tuned.

So. One of the stamps I'd mounted and cut was a trio of houses. A trio. Like the florals framing the frame on the sketch! Lightbulb. Meet card #2.

Simply Graphic frame die

Technique Tuesday hello die

watercolors

Weird. I know. But me likey better. Used a snippet of gelli plate print for the die cut. And gave the houses a touch of watercolor. Dad's neighbors have sold their house. I think this may be heading their way.

So. Did I freak you out with the glimpse inside my head? If so, sorry. I'm playing at a couple other challenges too which may have added to my brain stress.

CASE this Sketch - #254

Rubber Dance - January

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Add a Sentiment
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Snippets (circle frame and blue rectangle, "hello")