spotlight on a rainbow gone awry

More stenciling... this time not so fun. For the background story on this rainbow gone somewhat awry, check out my Spotlight tutorial over at STAMPlorations ;)

STAMPlorations special release - the bee's knees

There are a couple new stamp sets being released over at STAMPlorations. They're from our own Shirley Bampton and here's the Little Owls set I got to play with today.

I decided to pick one of the owls and design a card around him. First up, I had to give that frazzled cutie a go.

STAMPlorations Little Owls stamp
STAMPlorations Be You stamp

Distress inks

I used my MISTI to stamp each line of the sentiment stamp with a different rainbow color, then perched Mr Frazzled on top of it. I love this large sentiment - both the message and the way it can carry a card design.

Then I decided to use the striped cutie cuz I felt the need to rainbow something else ;)

 STAMPlorations Little Owls stamp

STAMPlorations Clouds stencil

Copics

I stamped and masked the owl. Die cut a circle from scrap and using the negative as a mask, stenciled the clouds with light gray ink. Colored the owl, stamped the sentiment and gave the clouds a coat of Wink of Stella.

Shirley has a second new set out today with larger owls (both new sets are 10% off til August 10). Visit the STAMPlorations blog to see more inspiration using both sets. By commenting here and there before August 8, you could possibly win yourself a prize! Thanks for coming by. I'll have more makes with these cuties tomorrow.

STAMPlorations inspiration #227

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Another from my series of ink blending with stencils. It's so easy (and satisfying) to create a one-layer card (my faves) with a stencil and some inks. Here's a sympathy card inspired by nature.

 STAMPlorations Just Squares stencil
STAMPlorations Blooming Buds stamp

Distress inks
makeup brushes
white embossing powder

Did an all-over design for this one. Used Bundled Sage and Peeled Paint inks. Splattered water. Stamped the loose bloom images which provide a nice contrast to the graphic squares. Added a heat embossed sentiment on a black snippet (always a good idea ;)

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post here. Thanks for looking.

simon says stamp - never quit swimming dude!

Happy weekend! There's a new Believe in You release in town from Simon Says Stamp. I got to play with Never Quit Swimming. Talk about putting you in a good mood.

OK. So I think being in the company of these little cuties took me back to those good old Finding Nemo days. What a great movie! One of my favorite parts was the turtles riding the East Australian Current. I had to run with it...

 SSS Never Quit Swimming stamp
Waffle Flower Cutaway Letters die

Distress inks

So that's supposed to be little Squirt (maybe you need to go watch the clip and then come back ;) I had to incorporate "dude" so I die cut it and colored it with some leftover ink and water. 

Check out the release if you haven't, and all the makes with it in the Believe in You gallery at Simon Says Stamp. I'll have a few more makes for you with this stamp set. Thanks mucho, Simon.

I'm playing at:
AAA Card Challenge - One Image + positivity (optional)

simon says stamp - never quit swimming jelli

Have you seen the latest SSS release, Believe in You? I was so excited to receive a super cute set of adorable sea creatures to play with, Never Quit Swimming. Talk about putting you in a good mood.

As I mentioned yesterday, I seldom "do" super cute. But there's something about these creatures. They are smaller then the typical "cute" images and for some reason I think they're just perfectly illustrated. The sentiments are a riot too and in a fresh font style.

SSS Never Quit Swimming stamp

watercolors

There's a story behind this one. I'm a beachcomber. A few years ago I was walking along a beach on the Atlantic coast of France. Barefoot. There was this thing on the beach - bluish, purplish, plasticy, squishy. I nudged at it with my toes. Couldn't really define it (thank God I didn't pick it up) so walked on.

Later that evening I couldn't feel my toes. Turns out I'd nudged a dead Portuguese Man of War. After googling, my kids were certain I was going to die. I didn't. But this Great Lakes girl learned her lesson. Trust me, if you see a bluish, purplish, plasticy, squishy thingy on a beach at the ocean, don't touch it.

So, in a nod to that bluish, purplish, plasticy, squishy encounter I merely stamped the image with waterproof ink, sloshed on some water, dabbed some Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet and Picked Raspberry into it and then restamped the jelli with rich Versafine black.

Check out the release if you haven't, and all the makes with it in the Believe in You gallery at Simon Says Stamp. I'll have a few more makes for you with this stamp set. Thanks mucho, Simon.

I'm playing at:
AAA Card Challenge - One Image + positivity (optional)

simon says stamp - never quit swimming rainbowed

Have you seen the latest SSS release, Believe in You? I was so excited to receive a super cute set of adorable sea creatures to play with, Never Quit Swimming.

You know I seldom "do" super cute. But there's something about these creatures. They are smaller then the typical "cute" images and for some reason I think they're just perfectly illustrated. The sentiments are a riot too and in a fresh font style.

SSS Never Quit Swimming stamp

watercolors

So when I saw that striped fish I had to rainbow him. Actually a bunch of him. A school. Drew myself a guide line, stamped the sentiments and fish in a row and then the rest of the school using Antique Linen Distress Ink. Then I did some simple watercoloring.

I seriously doubt that I'll ever be swimming with a school of fish, but if I did I'd want them to look like these.

Then I had the idea to run a line of fish and a line of sentiments across a card front. The "rainbowing" took a slightly different turn for this one. But you get the idea.

  SSS Never Quit Swimming stamp

Sakura Gelly Roll pen

watercolors

Check out the release if you haven't yet, and all the makes with it in the Believe in You gallery at Simon Says Stamp. I'll have a couple more makes for you with this adorable set. Thanks mucho, Simon.

I'm playing at:

neon goes pastel

OK. So a while ago I had a fling with neon  (for the CUTplorations challenge). And then I ran into neon watercolors at the Creativeworld in Frankfurt. Had to add them to my stash and had a good play with them trying out some hand lettering.

Each time I was done with one color and hand lettering, I added a splash of water to a spare piece of cardstock and dabbed the brush off on it. Had to do something with the panel when it was complete, right?

 Rico Design neon watercolors

STAMPlorations Let Go stamp

STAMPlorations Mixed Media Grunge stamp

black and white acrylic paint

washi

I stamped an old BG stamp over it the watercolored panel (with white pigment ink) and because I just love neon with B/W I had to give the whole thing some splatters with watered down paints too. A couple washi strips finished it off.

I need to remember to let the heavy stuff go as I head to Michigan and my dear Dad whose heart is getting weaker and weaker...

I'm linking up at:
Bastel Traum - AG
Craft Stamper - TIMI July
Happy Little Stampers - Watercolor July

STAMPlorations inspiration #226

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

The inspiration girls and I are sharing projects with you throughout the summer and I hope you're enjoying my July theme- inking with stencils.
  

I love me some ink blending. It's so easy to create a one-layer card (my faves) with a stencil and some inks. Here's one inspired by some summer skies Kristina W shared a while back.

 STAMPlorations Bloom Silhouettes stencil
Hey Sunshine stickers

Distress inks
makeup brushes

Kristina used distress oxides and a stamp. I used distress inks and masks and a stencil. Love that this stencil comes with masks. I used temporary adhesive to put them down and do my inking with Scattered Straw, Abandoned Coral and Dusty Concord. Then I put down the stencil and dabbed black ink through it. Love the result!

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post here. Thanks for looking.

age is just a number

So someone else in our house turned a big "23". All he asked for for his birthday was a chocolate cake - American style - box mix and canned frosting. To quote "nothing healthy!"
Yep, that's my boy.

Since I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make that happen (I was), I decided to give him at least a card with a chocolate cake. And the Concord and 9th cake was calling to me in all its glory.

Concord and 9th Happy Day stamp

Copic markers

I revisited Kelly L's video on coloring chocolate frosting (she's amazing) and gave it my best shot.

It's amazing how this versatile stamp set carries the whole card. Since this image is pretty feminine, I tried to go easy on the colors to not make it too girly. DS appreciated my ole college try!

I'm stopping by:
Watercooler Wednesday - AG Masculine
Bastel Traum - AG

STAMPlorations inspiration #225

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Back with another of my July theme- inking with stencils - for you today.
  

More fun ink blending. This time all over the card front using this stencil that has so much open space the white areas seem to become "an image". It's so easy to create a one-layer card with this technique, although I opted for a heat embossed sentiment on a vellum strip smack dab across the middle of the "image".

 STAMPlorations Circular Two stencil
STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2 stamp

Distress inks
makeup brushes
vellum
white embossing powder

I chose to use pinks and yellows. Started with the lightest tones at the top and bottom and worked toward darker tones in the middle.

If you'd like to see this stencil in action on another card, check out this post.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post here. Thanks for looking.

happy birthday, darnell!

There's a birthday bash happening at CAS Watercolor Challenge in honor of the one and only Darnell K. You know her. And if you don't... you absolutely should. Don't drink coffee and read her blog posts at the same time though ;) You may end up with coffee all over your screen. Don't say I didn't warn you...

So here's my watercolor bouquet on its way to the belle of the ball.

STAMPlorations Precious Plumeria stamp

STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2 stamp

STAMPlorations Just Squares stencil

Zig Clean Color Brush markers

Distress ink - Mustard Seed

I totally CASEd Erum T.'s amazing no-line watercoloring card, right down to splatters and some attempted shading (gag). I'm making another one without shading that's for sure!

But I do love the addition of the light stenciling to "ground" the bouquet.

Dear Darnell, you ARE my kind of wonderful. Hope your 71st year is as wonderful as you.

I'm hooking up at:

STAMPlorations - World Watercolor Month

Time Out - Inspired by Words

CAS Watercolor - Flower Bouquet

STAMPlorations inspiration #224

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Although things are quiet on the STAMP blog, the inspiration girls and I will continue to share projects with you throughout the summer and I have a theme for July - inking with stencils.
  

I love me some ink blending. But I'm keeping the ink blending CAS today.

 STAMPlorations Oh My Stars stencil
STAMPlorations Little Love Birthday Wishes stamp

Distress inks
makeup brushes

First I stamped the image and masked it. Then I tore a "circle" out of scrap paper and used the negative to cover my card. Then I put down the stencil and inked Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon through the stencil. Removed the stencil and masks and voila! Stamped the sweet little sentiment making this a truly one-layer card!

I've used this stencil here and here too.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post here. Thanks for looking.

I'm playing at:
Addicted to Stamps - CAS Summer card (this was for a July birthday boy)
Always Fun - AG
SSS Wednedsay - Stars and/or stripes
Basteltraum - Summer

so raise your glass...

Someone in our household turned 60. And it ain't me. But it's still shocking!

The kids and I got DH tickets for Pink in Frankfurt. This is the card I made, inspired by the line in Pink's song AND the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. (OK, I missed the challenge due to a busy weekend) but still inspired by the sketch...

Spellbinders Bottle Tag die

Essentials by Ellen Hands die

Memory Box Parker Numbers die

patterned paper

nail polish
Dymo label maker

Pretty self explanatory. But did you notice the polished nails? Yep, used red nail polish ;)

I'm joining the fun at:
Tuesday Throwdown - AG
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Any Occasion

spotlight on easy peasy summer design

OK. This might just be my very favorite card design this summer. You just can't beat a rainbow accompanied by lotsa white space and dramatic black.

OK, add a unicorn and maybe you beat it ;)

I'm over on the STAMP blog with a tutorial for this card.

I'm taking this to:
SSS Wednesday - AG
Pinspirational - #242

AAA Cards - One Corner

STAMPlorations inspiration #223

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Although things are quiet on the STAMP blog during the summer, the inspiration girls and I will continue to share projects with you throughout the summer and I have the first of my July theme- inking with stencils - for you today. BTW, did you see my Stencil Sunday post over at the STAMP blog. Check it out for more ideas. And you still have a couple days to leave a comment for a chance to win!
  

I love me some ink blending. It's so easy to create a one-layer card (my faves) with a stencil and some inks. Here's one inspired by the yellow peonies I saw on Instagram lately.

 STAMPlorations Peony One stencil
STAMPlorations Healing Herbs stamp

Distress inks
makeup brushes
white embossing powder

Love this stencil. Love this design - a bloom, lotsa white space and a heat embossed sentiment on a snippet.  Nothing original about it but it's always good.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post here. Thanks for looking.

I'm playing at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - AG
AAA Cards - One Corner (+ flowers)