Sparkle and Shine Challenge #29 - Floral

Hello there!  It's time for another Sparkle and Shine Challenge! 

Here is our photo inspiration:

We are sponsored this week by our friends at Create a Smile Stamps.

For my card today, I water colored one of the Papertrey Ink Bold Blossoms Watercolor Sheets with my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  When it was dry, I diecut the panel with the Avery Elle Wonky Stitches dies.  For my sentiment, I diecut a My Favorite Things die from black card stock and teal card stock.  I glued them together, slightly offset, so that the teal with show as a shadow.  I added a few accents to the diecut with a white gel pen and popped it up with foam tape.  Then I added a scattering of iridescent sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

Be sure to visit the blog for lots more inspiration and all of the challenge details!

Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

Supplies:
Paper: PTI Bold Blossoms Watercolor Sheets, Hawaiian Shores, True Black
Dies: Avery Elle Wonky Stitches, MFT Hello
Other: Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Pretty Pink Posh sequins, foam tape

Watercolor Resist - Online Card Classes Homework

Hello there!!

So you all know how much I love watercolor!  I was so excited to see a new Online Card Class pop up on Watercolor for Card Makers: Intermediate Techniques.  I signed up right away!  Class started earlier this week, and I have to say that this class is my favorite so far.  I've learned so much!

Laura Bassen is a guest artist for the class and she did a bonus video on watercolor resist.  Now, I am  no LB, but I had a blast playing around with her technique!

I started off by heat embossing the MFT Sweater Stitch background on a piece of Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor paper with clear embossing  powder.  Then, I  used the Lawn Fawn Hearts Stackables and Stitched Hearts Stackables dies to create a random scattering of watercolor hearts all over the card front.  Since the dies are outline dies, and the center is open, it is easy to paint inside them.  I used several different colors of distress ink and did the wet on dry watercolor technique to fill in the hearts.  For the added interest, I added some paint spatters by tapping my wet paint brush over the panel to spatter the ink.  When they were dry, I diecut the panel with the Avery Elle Wonky Stitches dies.  Then, using the Simon Says Stamp Sketchy Heart die, I added a dark grey heart as a frame to the heart that I wanted to be the main focus on the card.  I diecut a bright pink heart, stamped a sentiment from the Avery Elle Hogs and Kisses stamp set, and popped it up inside the framed out heart.  Then, using the smallest heart from the Hearts Stackables, I cut tiny hearts to coordinate with a few of the watercolored hearts.  I added some details with a white gel pen, and popped them up with foam tape before popping the entire panel up on a white card base.

I can't wait to play some more!  That's all for now!  Thanks for stopping by!

All supplies are listed and linked above :)

Sparkle and Shine Challenge #21

Hi there!  Can you believe that we are starting our first Sparkle and Shine Challenge of the new year already!  Today starts a new challenge with this inspiration photo:

 

 

We have a new sponsor for 2016, Create a Smile Stamps!

 

 

 

I think the color combination used in the inspiration photo lends itself very well to a magical glittery scene!  One thing I love to do is mix and match stamp sets, sometimes using sets from different companies, together.  The Avery Elle Pixie Dust stamp set and the Star Scribbles by Papertrey Ink are a match made in heaven!  To start my card, I added Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac and Dusty Concord Distress Ink in a circular shape to the center of a piece of watercolor paper.  Then I added a a few flicks of water to get the looks I was after and diecut the panel with the Avery Elle Wonky Stitches dies.  I took the large circle scribble from the Star Scribbles stamp set and stamped in the center of the panel using a light grey ink, and filled in the stars with a Sakura Stardust pen for some added sparkle.  Then I stamped, colored and fussy cut one of the adorable fairies from the Pixie dust stamp set and popped her up in the center of the circle with foam tape.  I stamped a sentiment, also from the Pixie Dust stamp set, next to her and added a few silver sequins to finish the scene.

 

Be sure to stop by the blog to get all of the challenge and to see lots more inspiration from the design team!  I hope you will join us!!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Supplies:
Stamps: Avery Elle Pixie Dust, Papertrey Ink Star Scribbles
Dies: Avery Elle Wonky Stitches
Paper: PTI White, Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Paper
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Black Onyx, Mama Elephant Moonlight, Ranger Distress in Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac, Dusty Concord
Other: Copic Markers, White Gel Pen, Sakura Stardust Pen, Silver sequins, foam tape

Hogs and Kisses for Butterfly Reflections Ink!

Hello there!  

Today, I am over on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog with hogs and kisses for you!

Here is a little peek:

Click here to see the entire card!

Thanks for stopping by!! :)

My Top 15 projects of 2015!

Hi there!  For the past several years, I have done a post on the last day of the year to revisit some of my most favorite projects of the year.  Today is the day!  It was pretty hard to narrow my list, but I have selected my Top 15 of 2015!  Here they are starting at the beginning of 2015 and ending with my most recent favorite!  I have included links to the original posts if you'd like to swing and see how I created a particular card.  Let's get started, shall we?

 

First up...

 

Eye Think You're Neat - Lawn Fawn Stamps

 

Have a Sweet Birthday - Lawn Fawn Stamps

 

Meow Woof - Avery Elle Stamps

You are Appreciated - Paper Smooches Stamps

You Color My World - Lawn Fawn Stamps

Consider Yourself Hugged - Wplus9 Stamps

You Color My World - Lawn Fawn Stamps

Personalized Halloween Tags - Lawn Fawn

Artsy Hello - WPlus9 Stamps

Merry and Bright - Lawn Fawn Stamps

Watercolor Sympathy - Paper Smooches Stamps

Rainbows and Sunshine - WPlus9 Stamps

 

Bright Snowman Tags - Lawn Fawn Stamps

 

Jolly Holiday Wishes - Reverse Confetti

 

 

 Thank you Fairy Much - Avery Elle Stamps

  

Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with me!  Incase you didn't notice, I completely fell in love with watercolor this year, and I still can't get enough!!

That's all for now!  Stop back by tomorrow for my first post of 2016!!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy New Year!

My favorite products of 2015!

Hi there!  With the new year on the horizon, I thought it would be fun to share some of my most favorite new products of 2015!  These are items that were introduced this year, that have become fast favorites of mine, and they are things I think every card maker should own (haha! *wink)

Here are just some of my favorites of the year (but I have SO many more):

Stamp sets:

Avery Elle Pixie Dust

Lawn Fawn Sweet Smiles

Lawn Fawn Color My World

Lawn Fawn - Booyah

Lawn Fawn Baaah Humbug

Paper Smooches Best Buds

Paper Smooches Boom Bots

Papertrey Ink Brushed Off

Papertrey Ink Star Scribbles

Reverse Confetti Too Cute To Spook

WPlus9 Doodle Buds

Dies:

Avery Elle Wonky Stitches

Lawn Fawn Puffy Clouds Borders

Lawn Fawn Snowy Backdrops

Paper Smooches Butterfly Duet Dies

WPlus9 Sunshine Layers

Just add color:

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers - If you like to watercolor, you will not regret adding these amazing markers to your crafty stash.  These water based markers with a real brush tip are available in 80 gorgeous colors and can be purchased in sets or individually.  I started with the 12 pack and quickly added more to my collection. 

Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Ranger added 12 new colors to the lineup this year, and I purchased nearly all of them (but the others are on my wishlist).  I will say that the newest additions are among my favorites in the distress ink color range.  I love them all, but I can't live without Cracked Pistachio, Abandoned Coral, Twisted Citron, Blueprint Sketch and Wilted Violet.

Lawn Fawn Dye Inks - all of the colors that I have tried are fantastic, but my new favorite is from the most recent release, called Plastic Flamingo!  The color is perfect and the name couldn't get any better!

Do you have any of these products and love them as much as I do? :)

There were so many amazing additions to the papercrafting world this year... I can't wait to see what is coming in 2016! :)



Spreading around a little Pixie Dust for Butterfly Reflections Ink!

Hello there!  

Today, I am over on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog sharing a little pixie dust! :)

Here is a little peek:

Click here to see the entire card!

I'm going to enter this in the AEIheartU Challenge for December - Metallics

Thanks for stopping by!! :)

Heartfelt Sympathy {Butterfly Reflections Ink}

Hello there!  Today, I am on the Butterfly Reflections Ink blog sharing a watercolored sympathy card using products from Paper Smooches, Avery Elle and more.  Here is a little peek:

Click here to see the entire card!  Thanks for stopping by! :)

Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness Mini Blog Hop

Hello there!  Today I am excited to be part of an Autism Awareness blog hop called Light It Up Blue for Autism.  This hop was arranged by my friend Veronica.  You can start hopping here.

For my blue themed card today, I used a few different blue Distress Inks to create an ombre background, then I used the Neat and Tangled Ink Splash stamp set, some Furry Friends from Avery Elle and a sentiment from the Paper Smooches Good Gab stamp set.

That's all for now... thanks for stopping by! :)

Supplies:

Stamps: Avery Elle Furry Friends, Neat and Tangled Ink Splash, Paper Smooches Good Gab

Ink: Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Faded Jeans Distress Ink, PTI Enchanted Evening, Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies: Mama Elephant Femme Frames, PTI Double Ended Banner, SSS Tiny Hearts

Other: Copic Markers, Foam Tape, Glossy Accents, Sakura Black Gloss Pen

Avery Elle Challenge #23 - Watercolor

Hello there!  Today I have a card to share for the newest Avery Elle  AEI*heart*U challenge.  Challenge #23 is a watercolor challenge, and I have been LOVING watercolor lately.  I can't seem to put away my paints!  I got the new Furry Friends stamp set not too long ago, and so I pull that out, too!

I started out by watercoloring a piece of Tim Holtz Distress watercolor paper, then I stamped, colored and cut out the cat, dog and pet bed from the stamp set.  The little hearts are the Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts die, which I glittered with Wink of Stella glitter pen and then added a layer of Glossy Accents.

That's all for now!  Thanks for stopping by! :)

Supplies:

Stamps: Avery Elle Furry Friends

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies: Mama Elephant Femme Frames, SSS Mini Hearts

Paper: PTI White, Raspberry Fizz, Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor paper

Other: Watercolor palette from Michaels, Copic Markers, Wink of Stella Glitter Pen, Glossy Accents, Foam Tape

You're Dog-gone Awesome! {Avery Elle}

Hello there!

I have a quick card to share with you today using an adorable new set from Avery Elle called Furry Friends!  This set sold out on the AE website almost immediately, but I was able to get one from my friend Vanessa at her online shop Butterfly Reflections.  As soon as it arrived at my house, I had to ink up my favorite image from the set.

Isn't he just the cutest?

I am participating in The Daily Marker 30 day coloring challenge and this is today's entry :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

Supplies:

Stamps: Avery Elle Furry Friends

Dies: Mama Elephant Femme Frames, PTI Pinked Edge Border, SSS Tiny Hearts

Paper: Avery Elle Everyday 6x6 paper pad, PTI white, Ripe Avocado, Simply Chartreuse Pattern Paper Pack

Other: PTI Pure Poppy Twine, Copic Markers. Foam Tape