Saturday, June 29, 2024

Sunflowers and Winds

Hello and welcome.  It's been a few days since I've posted.  I've been dealing with this nasty migraine again and also the loss of one of my foster kittens from leukemia - little Jerry.   Although I'm missing him very much, I know he is no longer in pain, or suffering.  He hid his illness quite well until it was too late.  Since they say coloring is good therapy, and I agree, I decided to do a little coloring and creating. 
 

 
I had started coloring this image panel a few weeks ago for the monthly Woodblock Wednesday challenge and didn't finish the card until this morning using a long retired, and dusty, Stampin Up set called Winds of Grace.   The images and saying are stamped in memento tuxedo black ink and colored using my koh-i-noor pencils before blending using a blender pencil.  Once the coloring was finished, I stenciled the cloud background using a retired Picket Fence Studios slimline cloud stencil before layering and adding brads.  For the final touches, I added a bit of twine and waterfall ice stickles to highlight the ocean.

Challenges entered:
 

 
 IC968
 
Stamps: Stampin Up
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Stormy Sky
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up
Accessories: Kor-I-Noor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Brads, Stencil, Ice Stickles, Twine, Ice Stickles, Glue Dots
 
 
Next up are a couple of cards made using some pre-colored images from Gecko Galz.  Let me say this, I LOVE sunflowers and the Sunflowers For Ukraine collage has several gorgeous images included.  Every summer white I live, there are so many wild sunflowers growing everywhere.  After I had trimmed and layered the images I wanted to use, I added them to their respective card bases before stamping the sayings I wanted to use underneath the layered images.  I then punched some small circles to create my own matching "faux brads".  The final touches was adding a few coffee bean sequins adhering them using Bearly Art glue.

Challenges entered:
 
 

 
Stamps: Gecko Galz; Stampin Up (thank you); CTMH (Helen Keller quote)
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Sequins, Small Hole Punch, Glue, Glue Dots
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.
 
 



Monday, June 24, 2024

Vintage Flowers


 Hello and welcome.  Today I'd like to share a card made over the last several days coloring it only as I felt up to it.  My card is using Gecko Galz Background Check digital stamp set.

Once I was done printing the image at 3.5x5, to make it easier to color, I pulled out my Castle Arts watercolor pencils and colored the flowers, stems, butterfly and bee blending the colors using a blending pencil.  Once I was finished, I blended Tim Holtz tea dye and old paper distress inks using my blending brushes.   After layering the colored image, and added rose colored brads, I adhered it to my card using glue dots.  The final touch was adding some flat-backed vanilla pearls that found in my stash, never having been used.

Challenges entered:
 
Splitcoaststampers IC968 - The Other Aesthetic (inspired by the tulips used daisies instead)


IC968
 

 

 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.


Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: Tim Holtz Old Paper, Tea Dye Distress Ink
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up
Accessories: Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Pearls, Brads, Glue Dots, Glue, Blending Brushes
 

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Butterflies and a Stained Glass Desert

 
Hello and welcome.  Today I'd like to share a couple of cards I made this last week while dealing with my migraines again.  Let's just say I'm SO TIRED of having these constant migraines.

First up is a card made using the butterfly card toppers from Gecko Galz.  These pre-colored images are a life saver when you're eyes are not doing good because of migraines but are still trying to not focus on the pain.  Once I had the page printed off, I trimmed down the butterfly card front before layering and adding some small pink brads.  I then took a couple of primas I found in my stash and adhered those over where the saying used to be since I wanted to be able to use the card for any occasion.  Once those were added, I dug out some old, and I mean OLD, flat-backed white pearls from My Favorite Things and adhered those using my Bearly Art glue.

Challenges entered:
 
Double D Challenge June 19, 2024 - Reach For The Stars/Inspiration Pic Below (inspired by lower right colors, see stars as splatters). 

Triple B Challenge

Gecko Galz Facebook Group

Double D Challenge


Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: None
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Small Hole Punch, Glue, Pearls, Primas, Glue Dots
 
Next up is a card made using an OLD Rubbernecker (now Brass & Bliss) stained glass stamp that I bought in a grab bag at a stamp convention a good 15yrs, or so, ago. 

It's stamped in memento tuxedo black ink before coloring it using Copic markers.  Once all of the coloring was done, I layered it making sure to distress the edges of each layer using my paper distresser before adding brads and adhering it to a red card using pop dots.  The only embellishment is yellow ice stickles to highlight the suns rays. I'll be sending this to a friend, as a pick me up, who moved from Arizona to North Carolina.

Challenges entered:
 
Splitcoaststampers USEIT2024 - Use Your Unloved Stash (stamp not sure I've ever used it before)
Make My Monday #228 - Outdoor Summer Fun (family trip to AZ desert as a kid)
 
IC967 (I saw cactus)



 
 Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Rubbernecker
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: Copic White; Stampin Up
Accessories: MISTI, Copic Markers, Brads, Pop Dots, Paper Distresser, Ice Stickles
 

Monday, June 17, 2024

Angels, Steampunk And Summer

 Third post today.  Playing migraine induced crafty catch up. If you're looking for my Pammie's Inky Pinkies card, please scroll down two posts.  If you're looking for my ATC post, please scroll down one.  This post will have a total of three cards on it.
 
Hello and welcome.  I'd like to share with you a Christmas card made using this gorgeous angel freebie from Gecko Galz for their monthly Christmas challenge.  As soon as I saw the image, I just knew I had to pair her with Christmas music for the background.  

After printing off the Angels We Have Heard On High that I scanned from my late mother-in-law's old hymnal, I layered it, added some faux brads before adhering it to an ivory card base then set it aside.  I then layered the angel, added more faux brads, before color spritzing forest foliage and bravo burgundy markers to distress a bit more.  Taking my Martha Stewart punches, I punched several ferns, and flowers, from scrap card stock before sending the ferns through my paper crimper and adding using Ranger glossy accents.  The final embellishment was gold ice stickles in the flowers centers.  I'm really happy with how this card turned out.

Challenges entered:
 
 
Peace On Earth
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: None
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up
Accessories: Computer, Printer, MS Punches, Glossy Accents, Gold Ice Stickles, Paper Crimper, Color Spritzer, SU Markers
 
 
Next up is a really easy steampunk card made using Gecko Galz monthly steampunk challenge image.  As soon as she was printed off, I paper clipped her to leftover Conjurer of Dreams Timeless background paper.  I started out by layering the steampunk image onto scrap not quite navy and espresso card stock before distressing the edges and adding vintage brads.  I then adhered the layered image panel over my card base using pop dots before lightly spritzing night of navy marker using a color spritzer.  Easy peasy and looks fabulous in my opinion.  

Challenges entered:
 
 
Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: None
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up; Conjurer Of Dreams
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Paper Distresser, Brads, Color Spritzer, Navy Marker


Finally, I have a fun summer themed card using Gecko Galz August freebie collage.  I really love this vintage pin-up image and decided to pair it with a swirl embossing folder for a fun card.    Once the card base was dry embossing using my Cuttlebug swirl embossing folder, I dusted off my old stipple brushes and lightly rubbed Tim Holtz wild honey distress ink over the raised images before adding the layered image panel and faux brads.  The final touches were orange/yellow organdy ribbon and spritzing some riding hood red marker over everything.  Another easy peasy card.

Challenges entered: 
 
 
 
 
Gecko Galz Facebook Group
 
Gecko Galz Customer Challenge

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Ribbon, Color Spritzer, SU Riding Hood Red Marker, Glue Dots, Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Stipple Brush

 


 
 

Mermaid Swing

 
 

Hello and welcome.  I've been dealing with a bad migraine the last several days (thank you Mother Nature-NOT), so I'm sharing an ATC (altered trading card) made using an old blog freebie from Gecko Galz paired with a retired Anchors Away ATC background also from Gecko Galz.  I'm finding the pre-colored images from Gecko Galz really help me create during the bad migraine days. 

Once everything was printed, and trimmed to size, I layered my mermaid onto scrap card stock before adhering to the background I had trimmed.  Instead of using brads, I punched two crabs and 2 fish from card stock scraps before adhering them to the ATC corners instead of using brads.  After gluing some sequins, and adding eyes to my "brads", I color spritz some basic grey marker to finish it off.  It's not my best work but.....oh well.

Challenges entered:
 
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day. 

Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: None
Card Stock: Neenah White; Gecko Galz
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Punches, Glue, Glue Dots, Sequins, Color Spritzer, SU Basic Grey Marker
 

PIP Challenge 2424

 
  Sponsored by 

 
 
Hello and welcome.  Today begins a new challenge over at Pammie's Inky Pinkies and this week we're being sponsored by Gerda Steiner Designs.  I would like to thank Gerda for her sponsorship.  My card is using the Happy 4th Mouse.

I started out by printing the image, minus saying, on Neenah white card stock before coloring using Castle Arts watercolor pencils and a blender pencil.  Once my coloring was finished, I lightly stippled Tim Holtz old paper, stormy sky and chipped sapphire distress inks using my blending brushes before layering and adding some star brads from my stash.  For my card base, I pulled out some riding hood red card stock then adhered a vintage flag panel, I forgot I had, on it before stippling old paper distress ink over it "age" a bit more.  I then adhered my layered image, added some faux sewing with a black gel pen, some blue fibers finish off the card - or so I thought.  As an afterthought, I then stippled Tim Holtz fired brick distress ink around the edges of the card.  I'm happy with how it turned out especially since I made it while dealing with migraines again.

Challenges entered:

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day and don't forget to enter this week's challenge over at Pammie's Inky Pinkies.

Stamps: Gerda Steiner Design
Ink: Tim Holtz Fired Brick, Old Paper, Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up; Designer Paper
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Brads, Blending Brushes, Fibers

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Winner!! Winner!!

 

Found out the card I made for my husband's birthday won the Simon Says Monday Challenge.  Yay!  Here's the card I had made for my husband.




Thursday, June 13, 2024

A Model T Father's Day

 
Hello and welcome.  I've had a bit of a rough patch lately with my migraines and other health issues but still wanted to make Father's Day cards for my brothers-in-law so I pulled out a pre-colored image, and background, from Conjurer Of Dreams.  Both my husband, and brothers-in-law are car enthusiasts so this is the perfect card for them.
 
I started out by printing the Timeless background  on Neenah white card stock before printing the Model T images.  Once I had them printed, and cut down to size, I layered it onto scrap card stock before using a paper distresser along the edges of both the image panel and the card base.  The final touch was popping the image panel up and stippling some faded jeans ink along the edges to finish it off.  

Challenges entered:
 
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Conjurer of Dreams
Ink: Tim Holtz Faded Jeans
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Pop Dots, Paper Distresser, Small Hole Punch, Glue, Color Spritzer, SU Navy Marker
 

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Bohemian ATC's

 
Hello and welcome.   Today I'd like to share with you some ATC's I made using the Boheimian Gypsy ATC collage sheet from Gecko Galz which is a freebie this month that you can download from their monthly ATC challenge blog.

I started out by cutting all of the collage elements out then matched backgrounds to scrap card stock.  Once I had all three layered plus "faux brads", I pulled out my MS punches and punched ferns/flowers before running the ferns through my paper crimper.  Once I had the "bedding" for my floral sprays created, I added the yellow/burgundy flowers before pulling out some red prima's that hadn't been opened yet.  Some red bling, gold/black ice stickles and my ATC's were finished.  To the yellow'd flower ATC, I also added some faux sewing before lightly stippling tumbled glass distress ink leftover from another project.  I'm really happy with how they turned out especially since I'm still trying to focus on something besides the migraine that's not going away.  Close up's and challenges entered below:

 
 

 

 
Challenges entered:
 
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Gecko Galz
Ink: Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass 
Card Stock: Neenah White; Scraps
Accessories: Computer, Printer, MS Punches, Ranger Glossy Accents, Black Gel Pen, Blending Brush, Ice Stickles, Small Hole Punch, Glue, Paper Crimper

Monday, June 10, 2024

PIP Challenge 2423

 Sponsored by 

 
Hello and welcome.  Today begins a new challenge over at  Pammie's Inky Pinkies and this week we're being sponsored by Penguin Palace.  My card today uses their digital set Cruising On The Ocean.  With the temperature here in California hitting triple digits, I'm dreaming of the ocean, beaches, and cool breezes.

After combining images using Photoshop, I pulled out my Castle Arts watercolor pencils and got to coloring.  Once everything colored, I lightly blended Tim Holtz stormy sky distress ink to fill in the white space but also to give the impression of an incoming fog bank.  After layering the colored image, I added brads and set it aside before digging through my stash and finding the wooden anchor I knew I had, but also rediscovered a package of K and Company paper ribbon.  I then added my layered image panel using glue dots and the anchor using my Bearly Art glue.  The final touch was adding a bit of  diamond ice stickles.  I'm really happy with how it turned out since I made it while still dealing with this migraine that won't go away but also it's great for a kids birthday/get well, etc. 

Challenges entered:
 
The Four Seasons June 2024 - Anything Goes Summer (sailing in the ocean, cool breezes, beaches)
Park Hopping My Happy Place June 2024 - Anything Goes Theme Park Related (inspired by The Columbia sailing ship and Mark Twain steam boat in Disneyland's Rivers of America)
Crafty Calender June 2024 - For A Child (birthday, get well, etc)
CD Sunday Plus #135 - Anything Goes Digital/CD (Penguin Palace digi stamps) 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day and don't forget to join us at Pammie's Inky Pinkies.

Stamps: Penguin Palace
Ink: Tim Holtz Stormy Sky
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up
Accessories: Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils, Computer, Printer, Blender Pencil, Ice Stickles, Anchor Charm, K and Co. Paper Tape, Brads, Glue Dots

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Summer Of Travel

 
Hello and welcome.  Today I'd like to share with you an art journal page I made with summer traveling in mind.  Growing up I watched the Love Boat and always thought it would be so cool to go on a cruise.  However, now, you couldn't pay me to go on a cruise.  I know plenty of people that do and love it.  There are several reasons I personally don't want to go on one: 1) passengers "falling" overboard, 2) too many people 3) price and if there's one thing the pandemic taught me 4) cruise ships are like petrie dishes and exposure/getting sick is too risky for me. So I decided to make my journal page with flying, as well as cruising, in mind.

I started out by stippling some Tim Holtz picket fence, faded jeans and walnut stain distress inks onto navy card stock using my paper pouncers.  While that was drying, I cut apart a Gecko Galz Great Journey's collage sheet I had pre-printed a week or so ago, and layered the images.  Once I had adhered the layered images using glue dots, and my typed journaling, I dug through my box of wooden embellishments.  Some of the box I had received from a friend, when she had to give up paper crafting a while back and hadn't used yet, plus some from Dollar Tree.  After pulling out the ones I wanted to use, I adhered them all using Ranger's glossy accents.  The final touch was color spritzing a Stampin Up night of navy marker over everything.  I'm really happy with how it turned out especially since I'm still dealing with this blasted migraine.  Since physically I can't really travel anymore, I travel now through my crafting.

Challenges entered:
 
We Love To Create Mixed Medial #5 - Anything Goes Mixed Media (ink, digital stamps, wood embellishments)
 
 
Gecko Galz Facebook Challenge
 
The Four Seasons

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.
 
Stamps: Gecko Galz 
Ink: Tim Holtz Picket Fence, Faded Jeans, Walnut Stain Distress Inks
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up; Scraps
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Paper Pouncers, Wooden Embellies, Ranger Glossy Accents, Color Spritzer, SU Night of Navy Marker

 
 

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Mermaids, Coffee, Graduation And Heat

Its Too Hot GIFs - Find & Share on GIPHY
 
Hello and welcome.  First let me just say this .... It's too freaking hot!!  My part of California is forecasted to be 105 today with humidity. Ugh!  I am struggling with my migraines, plus other health issues, and this heat is not helping at all.  Now that I've gotten that out, on to today's cards.  Fortunately, I didn't have to do too much coloring since, pain wise, I was at "it might feel better crying" again.  

First up is a card I made for my friend's sons graduation from high school today.  I wanted something book related, and I had this cool freebie image, from Conjurer of Dreams Facebook group already printed.  Once I had cut it down to size, and layered, I added some "faux brads" then set it aside for a moment.  I then dug through my stash of designer paper and found this cool printed page, so I grabbed that and added it to the card before stippling Tim Holtz walnut stain distress ink around the edges and a little over the designer paper too.  Once I had added my layered image, I decided to "age" the image a bit and stippled old paper distress ink on it.  The only embellishments are some kraft thread and a "pair" of wooden glasses that I stained before adding glossy accents to make it look like real lenses.

Challenges entered:
 
 
Next up, I had a fun card made with The Cat's Pajamas Big Cups digital set and Picket Fence Studios Down To The Last Cup background I received as a RAK from a friend.  Once I had combined the Sprinkle image, and saying, I printed it on Neenah white card stock before coloring using my copic markers before layering and adding brads.  I then stamped the background in espresso ink, stippled espresso ink around the edges before lightly stippling some old paper distress ink over the panel and the layered image panel.  The final touch was adding some Picket Fence coffee bean sequins (retired) using Bearly Art glue.

Challenges entered:
 
 
Finally, I have a mermaid inspired card using Crafter's Companion Swim Free (retired) stamp set.  I started out by blending Tim Holtz tumbled glassbroken chinastormy skyfaded jeans and chipped sapphire distress inks using my blending brushes.  I then stamped all of the images in memento tuxedo black ink using my MISTI before layering and adding faux brads.  The only embellishment added was some blue sequins from my stash.

Challenges entered:
 

Double D Challenges


Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Graduation Card
Stamps: Conjurer of Dreams
Ink: Tim Holtz Walnut Stain, Old Paper
Card Stock: Neenah; Stampin Up; Designer Paper
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Blending Brushes, Wooden Glasses, Glossy Accents, Thread, Glue, Small Hole Punch
 
Coffee Card
Stamps: The Cats Pajamas; Picket Fence Studios
Ink: Adirondack Espresso; Tim Holtz Old Paper 
Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Sequins, Blending Brushes, Copic Markers, Brads, Glue Dots

Mermaid Card
Stamps: Crafter's Companion
Ink: Tim Holtz Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire, Broken China, Stormy Sky; Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Blending Brushes, MISTI, Sequins, Small Hole Punch, Glue