Happy Little Stampers June 2017 Watercolor Challenge

HLS' June Watercolor Challenge!

Adding watercolors to your cards is so hot right now.

Beautiful background washes, wet on wet, bright bold colors, or

soft muted pastels. All give our cards that little something extra.

The challenge is Anything Goes, with an optional twist, to mask.

I usually love to incorporate the twist, but I tried a new 

technique, (to me) and didn't do the twist.

My background is done with Marvy Brush Markers, but you can use 

any markers that are water base.

I started with a 4 x 5 1/4" watercolor card stock, and 4 pen colors.

The colors are applied to  an acrylic block, and spritzed with water.

The block is then pressed onto the card stock, to form a washed bg.

I found the technique here:

Tutorial Tuesday Watercolor Series Part I -Creating Designer Papers with Distress Inks and Distress Markers with Heidi Blankenship

Once my bg was dry, I splattered with the darker blue, purple and white paint.

My butterflies are from PTI's Life is Beautiful, 

and Bitty Butterflies Coverplate.

I painted and spritzed my butterflies with various colors and iridescent sprays.

The large butterfly is die cut with vellum, and edged in silver embossing powder.

Sentiment from HLS's 'Especially For You'.

Hope you get a chance to try this technique, so much 'whammy'

for very little effort. Can't wait to try it with other colors!

Don't forget, there's a 20. GC for the winner of this challenge!

12 Kits of Occasions May '17

Hello! And welcome to 12 Kits of Occasions, on the last day of May!

Birgit Norton is our hostess this month, and I have to say, she hit every 

homemaking button I have with her wonderful kit,

Happiness Is Homemade.

Birgit dedicated it to her mom, and it's easy to see

where she picked up all her talent!

Let's get right to the cards, there's so much to see!

The apron for this card came completely assembled. 

Copics and ink for the rest of the kitchen goodies. Nuvo drops for cupcake.

2 darling aprons came in this kit. I added the poms and PTI's frame.

Adore this sweet scene, and loved watercoloring it. 

Double tag:Poppystamps Pinpoint Main Street Tags

All these rich yummy coordinated papers and fruits just went together!

Just thought the sweet PTI strawberry cake went great with 

the chalkboard paper.

The trim and twine were included in the kit.

Cooking, baking, gardening and sewing all in one kit!

Birgit included these PTI tulips in cherry yellow and orange

My last card is a watercolor 'Thanks' to Birgit. 

You really hit this one out of the park with your attention to detail.

And, I have so much left over! Enough for another 8 cards!

Don't forget to visit the other 12 Kits designers, and leave love along

the way for a chance to win a future kit!

Birthday Wishes

Stephanie Gold shows us some tips on creating 2 cards at the 

same time, with one stamp set, this week at PTI's MIM.

Ivy & Bloom is becoming one of my favs. Full of lovely images, with lots

of choices for designs.

Kept everything simple, arranging around the oval die cut window

(included in the Ivy & Bloom die set).

Noted A2 stitched rectangle.

Pure Poppy, Scarlett Jewel, True Black & Ocean Tides Inks

Stampers Sellect & Mint Julep Cardstocks.

Make It Monday #286: Coordinating Card Pairs

A Magical Birthday

Greetings to all this Memorial Day!

Playing along with Inspired by All the Little Things, 

and this inspiration photo

Sometimes an idea takes bloom, and you just have to 

go with it. That was the case with this card.

Just a bit of ink needed, on the tips of the daisies, Amethyst Allure (PTI). 

The rest all die cut and gold emboss tipped. 

I used the new die from Poppystamps called Ragged Daisy. 

There is also a sprig called Massa Leaf Background (Poppystamps).

Sentiment: Fairy Greetings (Poppystamps).

 Cardstock PTI, except for the gold stripe vellum (DCWV).

Hope you're enjoying the long weekend.

Gardened this morning, crafted this afternoon, and swimming later!

Before you go, check out our newest

16 new ducklings!

Mama was MIA for a whole month. Finally found her nest, and took her food.

She came out with her brood Sunday after church.

So glad the weather is warm! Much better for the little ones.

Honestly, I spend half the day checking on them!

Inspired By #58 featuring Donna Mikasa

Felt Bookmarks

MIM on Nichole's blog features Lizzie showing us how 

she makes beautiful flowers out of felt.

I watched her video, and learned to make several style of flowers, 

I thought would be perfect on the top of bookmarks.

Very easy, and fun too!

Each bookmark cut from PTI's Bookmark die,

with ribbon glued front and back, and flower with leaves on the top.

The flower sticks out over the top of the book.

I used 3 PTI die sets to create my flowers:

Fab Flakes, Lovely Layers, & Flower Mandalas.

Make It Monday #285: Felt Flowers

Tag You're It - Week 4

Here we are at the end of May (already!), and I have a 

reminder tag for you for the current Tag You're It Challenge.

We have changed to a monthly format, which gives you time

to play, and play, and play some more.

Our muse this month is the talented Lindsey M-P.

Bright, bold red & white! 

Didn't stray far from Lindsey's muse

with my Poppy Stamps die, Sweet Pea Flower.

Gave it a bit of depth with copic 29.

Join us for a chance at a guest designer-ship!

Tag You're It #71 - Week 3

PapertreyInk May 2017 Blog Hop

PTI Blog Hop, with this inspiration

Nichole features the all over patterns of 'Irtsya'.

If you go to her website, she has other patterns and color combos.

Loved the way she softly colors her images, then adds

just a sprinkling of splatter. 

Started with the daisies from Friendship Jar Fillers,

masked them, and added flora from Gathered Garden and Gran's Garden.

I don't need a 'get well' right now, but the sentiment from 

Graceful Greetings 11 fit perfectly! Never looking a gift horse in the mouth,

that's what ended up on my one layer card.

Splatters courtesy of a toothbrush dipped in paint, and a few sequins

and done!

Play along on Nichole's Blog here:

May 2017 Blog Hop

Getting a late start to the hop today, had grandma duty this morning,

and barely getting posted this afternoon!

Can't wait to see what all of you have done.

This was challenging. Worked on it a few days before I was pleased.

You all never fail to amaze me, so I'm off to view!

Bride & Groom

Hello Card Concept fans! It's time for a new challenge,

and we have this inspiration photo as inspiration:

So much to choose from, right?

I focused on the pink & gold, together with the ampersand symbol

for my Classy Elegant card.

I started with Betsy Veldman's Luxe Letterpress set from PTI,

and combined the blooms from PTI's Gran's Garden.

Can't wait to see what inspires you. 

Play for 2 weeks on the Card Concept Blog.

The Card Concept #74-{Freshly Elegant}

Create Along With Us - Happy Birthday

Create Along With Us, time, at PTI, as we enjoy the designers' creations,

and find inspiration from every beautiful card!

This card by Laurie Schmidlin, hi lighting a new set

this month, Ivy & Bloom, caught my eye. To be truthful, every card

has elements that are standouts, and I love to file away all the 

clever details each month. But take another look at Laurie's card.

Pale grey on a white bg, window with sentiment inside, colorful accents, 

wreath like frame with floral accents, and color combo,

That's what I cased.

My card was built on the Garden Garland die, cut from Soft Stone card stock.

All those pretty posies are also from the die set.

The window is cut from the smaller die from Fun Frames.

Sentiment: Lovely Lace.

Berry Sprigs: Beautiful Berries: Spring

Laurie backed her top window with foam, lifting it up, (which I wish I had done.)

Black dots complete the card. 

Laurie's colors were something I just had to duplicate.

Loved this combination, and intend to use it again.

Play along on Nichole's Blog here:

Create Along With Us: May 2017

Big Halo Hello - Poppy Stamps Blog Blitz

Hello! 

I recently got an email from my friend Jeanne Jackna, asking, 

'would you like to join the 

Poppy Stamps Design Team?'

Couldn't say yes fast enough! I secretly crushed on Poppy for oh so long!

And, guess what, it's Blog Blitz time at Poppy, which means I get to 

showcase a die from the new release.

There are so many wonderful new dies to check out, but seriously,

is there one better than 'Hello' to greet Poppy fans with?

I LOVE this double die, that allows you so much creativity. 

Every piece you see, on my card, was die cut from white card stock,

then the larger, (fatter) die was rainbow inked in warm colors,

before adding the white, skinnier die.

The larger die was placed on an angle before running it through my 

die cutter.

Then I simply placed my rainbow 'hello' in the window, adhering 

it to the inside of the card.

Still plenty of room to add your rest of your message.

I glued several skinny 'hellos' all over the card, on a slant, 

like the window die cut,

then snipped off the edges.

Gives the card such a cool embossed effect, don't you think?

I loved doing this so much, I did 2, one in warm tones, and one with cooler.

How would you like to win this fun new double 'Big Halo Hello' die?

Just visit the Poppy Blog here:

Big Halo Hello by Nancy Penir

and leave comments on my post and 

each of the designer's blogs, May 10th - May 21.

You have until the 22nd to comment.

Poppy stamps will announce the winners on May 24th.

Good Luck and hope you win!

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