The Watermill

 

Hello and welcome.  Today I'd like to share a card made from another one of the images I colored while my husband had been in the hospital using a digital Watermill image from Impression Obsession.  The image is one I've had for a while printed out and just hadn't gotten to yet.  It is colored using Castle Arts Watercolor pencils and once layered, I added some faux brads to it to help keep the postage price down.  The only embellishment used is stardust stickles to highlight the water.

Challenges entered:

 

Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #76 - Use Your NBUS 

FarmQuest General Store July 2025 - Anything Farm or Country Goes (country)

Splitcoaststampers USEIT2025 - Use Your Unloved Stash (image)

Moving Along With The Times #180 - Masculine

Park Hopping My Happy Place July 2025 - Anything Goes Theme Parks (inspired by Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland - just permanently closed too)

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

 

Stamps: Impression Obsession

Ink: None

Card Stock: Neenah;Stampin Up

Accessories: Computer, Printer, Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Faux Brads, Stickles  

Conjurer of Dreams July 2025 Inspiration And Challenge

 

 

Hello and welcome.  Today is my day to share with you my projects for this month's Conjurer of Dreams challenge.  With the price of postage these days, I'm starting to do my layering digitally, then print and put onto a card base for easy mailing.

 

 

Sets used: Baby Forest Animals, Circle Tags Gnome Craft Kit, Twig Frames, Vintage Tags and Elements Kit, Black Silk, Aged Papers

 

Challenges entered: 

Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #76 - Use Your NBUS (forest animal images)

Crafty Catz #697 - Anything Goes 

 

 

Sets used: Baby Forest Animals, Twig Frames, Vintage Tags and Elements Kit, Metallic Silk, Blue Silk

 

Challenges entered:

Digi Choosday #7 Wk 1 - Anything Goes 

CD Sunday Plus #161 - Anything Goes Digital (Conjurer of Dreams)

 

Sets used: Baby Forest Animals, Twig Frames, Birds Clipart, Birdhouses Clipart,

 

Challenges entered: 

Paper Funday #78 - Anything Goes Optional Use Stencils 

Little Red Wagon #814 - Anything Goes 

 

 Digital collage

Sets used: Baby Forest Animals, Twig Frames, Birds Clipart, Vintage Tags and Elements Kit,

 

Challenges entered:

Ally's Angels #95 - Anything Goes  

 

 

ATC 

 

Sets used: Forest Lake View, Noble Elk, Vintage Tags and Elements Kit

 

Challenges entered:

Creative Fingers #304 - Anything Goes 

Moving Along With The Times #180 - Masculine 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day and don't forget to enter this month's challenge at Conjurer of Dreams.

 

The Secret Garden

 

 

Hello and welcome.  For those that celebrate it, I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Mine was really quiet as it's still a very hard day for me.   I lost my mother, my best friend, on May 19, 1991 only one week after Mother's Day to metastatic breast cancer.  Just 5 months after I got married.  It probably seems silly, however, there are many who understand.

Today I'd like to share with you a few ATC's (artist trading cards) I made using a free ATC collage sheet from Gecko Galz for their monthly ATC challenge.  After printing out the collage sheet, I fussy cut all of the elements out before layering each of the ATC backgrounds to scrap card stock.  Once that was finished, I started laying out the cut elements over the backgrounds to see which matched to what background before adhering them using Bearly Art craft glue.  While they were drying, I pulled out my MS punches and paper crimper, and began punching out butterflies, flowers, ferns and pine sprigs.  Once I had all of the ferns I wanted, I ran through my paper crimper before adhering those using Ranger Glossy Accents.  The only other embellishments added was pink, pewter and red bling along with crystal ice stickles to highlights parts of the background flowers and/or water.  Close-ups and minor additions below:

Green Apple Fairy ATC - besides the bling and ice stickles added, I also drew the ladybug's legs and antenna using a black 3D glaze pen since I had cut off the ones on the collage sheet.

 

 

Pink Garden Fairy - also added a punched butterfly with bling highlighting the center

 

 

Blue Garden Fairy - for this one I made sure to punch the ferns out of blue scraps and the pine sprigs out of brown scraps.  I added the smoky grey bling to the lock and as the body of the butterfly (inspired by a card Tanis Buckton made for Gecko Galz using bling as the center of her butterfly).  I also made sure to highlight the "lights" of the blue garden and added "firefly's". 

 

 Challenges entered:

 

Gecko Galz ATC Monthly Challenge May 2024 - Secret Garden 

Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #62 - Use Your NBUS

ATC's Around The World May 2024 - Anything Goes 

The Four Seasons May 2024 - Spring See Inspiration Board  (inspired by flowers, greenery)

Inspiration Station May 2024 - See Pic Below (inspired by flowers, colors)

Sparkles Monthly April/May 2024 - April Showers Bring May Flowers

CD Sunday Plus #133 - Anything Goes Digital (Gecko Galz ATC Collage)

Moving Along With The Times #166 - Flowers

Make My Monday #225 - Florals

Gecko Galz Facebook Challenge May 2024 - Floral Fantasy (garden fairies) 

Triple B Challenges May 2024 - Birds, Blooms, Butterflies (blooms, butterflies)

 

 

The Four Seasons

 

Inspiration Station

 

Gecko Galz Facebook Group
 

 Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day and rest of your week.

Stamps: Gecko Galz

Ink: None

Card Stock: Neenah White (for ATC collage); SU Scraps 

Accessories: Computer, Pinter, Bearly Arts Glue, Bling, 3D Glaze Pen, MS Punches, Ranger Glossy Accents, Paper Crimper, Ice Stickles

 

Just A Fluffy Penguin

Hello and welcome.  I've been a bit scarce thanks to my migraines and being sick.  So I decided it would be good to make something humorous or snarky.  I settled on this cute Just Fluffy digital stamp from Sweet N Sassy Stamps.  Isn't it the cutest?

I started by printing the image onto Neenah white card stock before coloring using Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils and a blender pencil.  Once the coloring was finished, I lightly stippled some Tim Holtz tumbled glass and stormy sky distress inks using my paper pouncers before layering and adding some black brads.  My card is dry embossed using a Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder with some basic grey ink lightly stippled over the raised images.  After adding my layered image, I dug up some never used Bo Bunny ribbon I had in my stash (who knows how long) and added crystal ice stickles to the snowflake centers.

Challenges entered:

 

Splitcoaststampers F4A724 - New ( ribbon, digital image)

Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #58 - Use Your NBUS (digital image, ribbon)

Critter Crazy #82 - Anything Goes Featuring A Critter (penguin)

Creative Inspiration #10 - Anything Goes 

Craft Rocket #110 - Use Embossing (dry embossing)

Moving Along With The Times #162 - New Craft Item (digital image, ribbon)

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

 

Stamps: Sweet N Sassy

Ink: Tim Holtz Stormy Sky, Tumbled Glass Distress Ink

Card Stock: Neenah White; Stampin Up

Accessories: Computer, Printer, Castle Arts Watercolor Pencils, Blender Pencil, Brads, Glue Dots, Ice Stickles, Big Shot, Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, Bo Bunny Ribbon

Flamingo Thanks

 

 

Hello and welcome.  I recently received several boxes from a friend that had to give up stamping due to health issues, and since I wanted to make a thank you card for her, I pulled out this retired set from Picket Fence Studios called Hello Beautiful and went with a pink theme for Breast Cancer Awareness month.   

I started out by stamping the flamingo, and saying, using my MISTI before coloring using prismacolor and copic markers before layering and adding brads.  Taking a retired Stampin Up flamingo wheel, I then stamped the card using pixie pink ink.  Once that was done, I adhered the image panel to my card before adding some silver/white twine along the edge.  As an afterthought, I stippled some leftover pixie pink ink around the main image then highlighted the glasses using a black 3D glaze pen.

Challenges entered:

 

Never Before Used Schtuff (NBUS) #55 - Use Your NBUS (stamp set)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #215 - Anything Goes 

Polkadoodles Wk 40 - Anything Goes 

Moving Along With The Times #159 October - Anything Goes 

Time Out #248 - Cancer Awareness, Friendship, Encouragement (friendship thanks/cancer awareness)

Critter Crazy #79 - Anything Goes With A Critter (flamingo)

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Picket Fence Studios; Stampin Up

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; SU Pixie Pink

Card Stock: Copic X-press; Stampin Up

Accessories: MISTI, Prismacolor and Copic Markers, Brads, Glue Dots, 3D Glaze Pen, PFS Blending Brush

Lighting Candles and Listening Friends

Hello and welcome.  Although I'm still dealing with migraines, I needed a couple of birthday cards for some in-laws so I decided to pull out my Art Impression Fire Out set to make one.  I just LOVE this set to use for nice snarky birthday cards.  My late step-dad would have loved this set too since he was a fire captain for Cal Fire here in California. 

I started out by stamping my image/saying in memento tuxedo black ink onto a white scrap before coloring using Lyra and Castle Arts pencils.  Once my coloring was finished, I stippled some Tim Holtz Tattered Rose distress ink and Stampin Up Rose Red ink around/over the image panel before layering and adding some brads.  I then added the layered panel onto a rose red card that was dry embossed using a Cuttlebug birthday embossing folder and my big shot. I then stippled more rose red ink around the edges of the card.  The only other embellishments added was a pink organdy ribbon on the side and using a Sakura 3D glaze pen for the glasses.

Challenges entered:

Seize The Birthday #247 - Anything Goes Birthday Theme 

Shopping Our Stash #479 - Hey (h)Ombre (I went with different layers of pink to red)

Splitcoaststampers USEIT2022 - Use Your Unloved Stash

Outlawz Festive Sept 16 to Sept 29 - Anything Goes

Krafty Chicks #630 - All Occasions

Addicted To Stamps And More #438 - Birthdays 

 

 

 

My second card to share is using an adorable Pooh and Piglet image from Dina Kowal Digital designs.  The image is Classic Pooh and I love how some of the images in the set are already combined for an A2 sized card.  Although I can work with digital stamps, I'll admit to still trying to figure out my Photoshop program.  

After printing the image onto Hammermill white card stock, I colored is using my dusty Prismacolor watercolor pencils and blender marker.  Once my coloring was finished, I stippled some Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass and Walnut Stain around the edges of the colored image and my card base.  Once I had my image panel layered, I added some faux brads before adding to my card.  The card base also had a panel of Classic Pooh digital paper.  The only embellishments added was some primas flowers I've had for years and some crystal ice stickles highlighting the snowy path, faux brads, and center of the flowers along with some kraft thread on the side.

Challenges entered:

Never Before Used Schtuff #42 - September Use Your NBUS (image)

As You Like It Sept 2022 - Favorite Metallic or Glitter (ice stickles glitter glue because it's the easiest way to add sparkle when you have cats in the house)

Moving Along With The Times #146 - Trees or Leaves (have winter trees)

Little Red Wagon #672 - All You Need Is Love 

Word Art Wesnesday 561 to 562 - Anything Goes Uplifting

Colour Crazy Craft Wk 37 - Anything Goes Colouring (used watercolor pencils) 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great rest of your week.

Light The Candles card:

Stamps: Art Impressions

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin Up Rose Red

Card Stock: Hammermill White; Stampin Up

Accessories: Lyra and Castle Art Pencils, Blender Marker, Sakura 3D Glaze Pen, Ribbon, Brads, Pop Up Glue Dots, PFS Blending Brushes, Big Shot, Cuttlebug Birthday Embossing Folder

 

Friend Listens Pooh

Stamps: Dina Kowal Digital Designs

Ink: Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Walnut Stain

Card Stock: Hammermill White; Stampin Up; Dina Kowal Digital Classic Pooh DP

Accessories: Computer, Printer, Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, Blender Markers, Crystal Ice Stickles, Small Hole Punch, MS 2-Way Glue Pen, Prima Flowers, Kraft Thread, Glue Dots, PFS Blending Brushes

The Full Buck, Um Moose, Moon

 

Hello and welcome.  I'm playing along with the Farmer's Almanac Inspiration Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers along with a few other challenges, so today I'd like to share with you a card made using one of Impression Obsession's retired red rubber Gary Robertson images called Winter Moose (NBUS).  My inspiration came from this pic here describing the Full Buck Moon only I changed it to a moose moon for my card.

After stamping my image in memento tuxedo black ink onto Hammermill white card stock, I pulled out my Lyra and Castle Arts pencils to color it before making a mask and then stippling chipped sapphire distress ink around the colored image.  I then layered my colored image and added brads before popping it up on a dry embossed card using pop up glue dots.  Copper cord and two Picket Fence sequins adhering them using glossy accents.

Challenges entered:

 

Splitcoaststampers IC865 - Farmer's Almanac (made mine a moose moon instead of buck moon)

Colour Crazy Craft Wk26 - Anything Goes Coloring 

Creative Fingers #234 - Anything Goes 

Never Before Used Schtuff #40 - July Use Your NBUS (stamp used is my NBUS)

Moving Along With The Times #144 - Inky Background (I stippled my background)\

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend.

Stamps: Impression Obsession

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Chipped Sapphire

Card Stock: Hammermill White; Stampin Up

Accessories: Lyra and Castle Arts Pencils, Stipple Brush, Mask, Copper Cord, Brads, Pop Up Glue Dots, Cuttlebug Branches Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Sequins, Ranger Glossy Accents

I Was Framed!

 

This sounds so much like something one my own cats would say; especially my fur-grandson Inego.  LOL  Hello and welcome.  Second post for me today.  If you're looking for my Instant Witch post, please scroll down one. I made this card using the new Crabby Cat I Was Framed image from Bugaboo Stamps.  

After printing it off onto Hammermill white card stock, I colored it using both prismacolor and copic markers before layering on scrap card stock and adding brads.  I then added it to a long piece of scrap card stock before cutting that down.  Other than the brads, the only embellishments used is a small ribbon bow from Michael's I've had for some time and then using Sakura 3D glaze pens to highlight parts of the image.  I'm real happy with how this turned out since I made it at 3am with a raging migraine (still have it too).

Challenges entered:

 

Splitcoaststampers IC775 - Eyelet Outlet 

2 Crafty Critter Crazies #43 - Anything Goes With A Critter 

Pammies Inky Pinkies #2040 - Anything Goes 

Crafty Catz #522 - Anything Goes With Optional Twist Wild & Crazy 

Creative Knockouts #371 - Clean And Simple 

Moving Along With The Times #123 - Animal(s) and/or Bird(s) 

 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great weekend and stay safe out there!

Stamps: Bugaboo

Card Stock: Hammermill White, Stampin Up Scraps

Accessories: Computer, Printer, Brads, Bow, Glue Dots, Sakura 3D Glaze Pens

 

 

 

Happy Now?

Hello and welcome.  Today is Humor Me Wednesday over at the Bugaboo Stamps blog Catch The Bug.  Did you know that September 7th is not only Labor Day here in the United States, but it's also "Neither Snow nor Rain" Day.  So I decided to make that my inspiration and go a bit snarky with Stella - Happy Now.  You cannot go wrong with Stella!

I printed my image at 3.5x5 since I've been dealing with a migraine so it would be easier to color using both my prismacolor and copic markers.  Once the coloring was finished, I stippled some Tim Holtz broken china distress ink around the edges before layering over a dry embossed border.  After dusting off some blue fibers I've had for like forever, I added some equally dusty silver snowflakes sequins and then ice stickles to the image to finish it off.

Challenges entered:

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #141 - Anything Goes
Splitcoaststampers USEIT2020 - Use Your Forgotten Stuff 
Crafty Sentiments - Sept Anything Goes 
Tuesday Throwdown #465 - Anything Goes 
Classic Design #9 - September Anything Goes 
Crafters Design #250 - Anything Goes 
Love To Craft #50 - Sept Anything Goes 
Moving Along With The Times #122 - Sept Anything Goes 
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #167 - F is for friends 
Outlawz Festive Friday Sept 4 to Sept 17 - Make It Funny 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Bugaboo
Ink: Tim Holtz Broken China
Card Stock: Hammermill White, Stampin Up, Scrap Designer Paper
Accessories: Computer, Printer, Prismacolor and Copic Markers, Brads, Fibers, Sequins, Glue Dots, Stipple Brush, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, Ice Stickles, Big Shot

It's A Halloween Pumpkin Patch

Hello and welcome.  Second post from me today.  For my stained glass sunflower, please scroll down one. 

I'm sharing one of the cards I made for Splitcoaststampers Dare To Get Dirty challenges.  It's a week full of online challenges hosted by the Dirty Girls for SCS fan club members once a year.  You can do as many, or as few, as you like or physically can.  You just have to be a fan club member.

My project is a slimline card and is made using a long retired, and dusty, Stampin Up set called Carved and Candlelight.  I stamped the images onto Hammermill white card stock then masked the pumpkins before stippling basic gray, pumpkin pie, garden green and Tim Holtz chipped sapphire, stormy sky, and dusty concord before layering and adding silver brads.  I then stamped two more pumpkins, fussy cut them out and popped up on dimensionals.  Taking some pumpkin pie and garden green scraps, I punched several different flowers, added using glue dots and then highlighted using silver ice stickles.  The final touches was a silver moon brad and some hand drawn "bats" using Souffle 3D pens.

Challenges entered:

Pixies Crafty Workshop #385 - Anything Goes Using Snippets
DL.Art Thankful Thursday #266 - Halloween 
Krafty Chicks #523 - Stamp Act 
Moving Along With The Times #122 - Create A Scene 
Time Out Challenges #169 - Season (Autumn for this card) 
Outlawz Festive Friday Aug 22 to Sept 3 - Autumn/Fall  

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Stampin Up
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; SU Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Basic Gray; Tim Holtz Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, Stormy Sky
Card Stock: Hammermill White, Stampin Up
Accessories: Brads, Stipple Brushes, MS Punch, Glue Dots, Silver Ice Stickles, Souffle 3D Pen

Favorite Grocery Store

Hello and welcome.  Today I'd like to share with you a card I made using a couple of new and never before used (NBUS) Hollyhocks Cover A Card CC408 along with the Successful Adulting CL1027 sentiment set from Impression Obsession.  I absolutely LOVE this sentiment set. I can hear my mom saying this to me.

I started out by stamping the Hollyhocks in deep iris ink onto white card stock before layering the panel on a lavender card.  I then stippled some tumbled glass distress ink over the image before stamping my saying, layering, then adding it to my card.  After adding some light mauve organdy ribbon, I then added some purple bling to the centers of the flowers.  Clean, simple and oh so easy.

Challenges entered:

Impression Obsession - Mom's Rule 
Pammies Inky Pinkies #2019 - Anything Goes
Never Before Used Stuff (NBUS) #14 - Anything Goes
Not Just Cards May - Anything Goes 
Moving Along With The Times - May Flowers 
Arty Divas #21 - Anything Goes 

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day and please stay safe.

Stamps: Impression Obsession
Ink: Altnew Deep Iris, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass Distress Ink
Card Stock: Neenah White, Stampin Up Lavender Lace
Accessories: Stipple Brush, Ribbon, Bling

Red Poppy Thanks

Hello and welcome to another week.  Definitely not a happy Monday for me as I'm dealing with a nasty migraine again so it's a good thing I was able to come up with a clean and simple card during the few moments my head wasn't pounding for a couple of challenges.

With the holidays over, everyone needs a few thank you cards and this one is so easy to mass produce as well.  My image and saying are from Welcome Poppies by Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company and is stamped onto MFP white then colored with prismacolor markers.  Once my coloring was finished, I layered the poppies onto MFP scarlet and black linen card stock along with some Making Memories black baby brads.

Challenges entered:

Moving Along With The Times - Thank You
CAS-UAL FRIDAYS - CFC84 Thank You

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

MFP: Welcome Poppies
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Card Stock: MFP
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Brads

Pansies & Best Wishes

Hello and welcome to Tuesday.  Sorry about the delay between posts, I've been down with another nasty migraine.  Will someone please ask Mother Nature to make up her mind here on the west coast.  Ugh!  This week's Moving Along With The Times challenge is all about celebrations, however, NO BIRTHDAY celebrations.  No sweat!  I can handle that especially when it just happens to coordinate with the Teapot Tuesday challenge over on Splitcoast.

Once I had stamped my images from Spring Flowers and Pansy Riot in memento tuxedo black ink onto MFP snow storm smooth card stock, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring before cutting out some of the extra pansy images to pop up later for some added dimension.  Once all of my layering was finished, I stamped my saying onto scrap snow storm smooth card stock, layered, and added the same orange brads to match my pansy panel.

I decided to keep the inside saying of the card fairly generic so I could use it for any type of a celebration as needed.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Pansy Riot, Spring Flowers

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Memento Grape Jelly, Memento Ladybug

Card Stock: MFP Snow Storm Smooth, Stampin Up!

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Brads, Pop Dots, Dimensionals

Seagulls & Lighthouse

Hi there.  This last weekend I came across a couple of challenge blogs that I thought interesting - Moving Along With The Times Nautical challenge and CCEE Stampers faux brad challenge.  So, even with another one of my migraines, I pulled out my stamps and got to work.

I started out by stamping my images from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company Gullible Mini , Scenic Selections and Lighthouses stamp sets in memento tuxedo black onto snow storm smooth card stock before coloring with koh-i-noor pencils, prismacolor markers, and a blender marker.  Once my coloring was finished, and the images from Scenic Selections cut out for popping up later, I started stippling Tim Holtz tumbled glass  and forest moss distress inks around the edges.  Then I stippled Adirondack caramel ink for the sand and aqua ink over a cloud template to help fill in the sky before layering.

Once my layering was finished, I pulled out a small hole punch to create my own brads to make sure they matched the layered card stock.  The final embellishments were some baker's twine with a starfish charm and white liquid pearls for the sea foam.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: MFP Scenic Selections, Lighthouses, Gullible Mini

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Forest Moss, Adirondack Caramel, Aqua

Card Stock: All MFP

Accessories: Koh-I-Noor Pencils, Prismacolor Markers, Blender Marker, Baker's Twine, Charm, Liquid Pearls, Stipple Brushes, Pop Dots, Small Hole Punch, 2-Way Glue Pen