Happy Little Stampers ~ Watercolour Challenge JAN 2021

Happy New Year Friends! We've made it through 2020. Here's to hoping that 2021 will be a better year.

We're back at Happy Little Stampers ~ Watercolour Challenge with a new challenge to start off 2021.

Here's my first watercolour card for 2021

I started my card by stamping two of the blooms using Versamark ink onto some 96 lb bristol. I then heat set the image with white embossing powder. I added some colour with a water brush and distress inks (cracked pistachio, dusty concord, faded jeans). I was going for an ethereal look so I used plenty of water. I trimmed the panel down, matted with purple and then added it to a pale blue A2 card panel. I decided to leave this card without a sentiment.

Hoping you'll be able to join our Anything Goes watercolour challenge.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Die-Cut Divas ~ Farewell to 2020 Post

 It's the last day of 2020. Phew! We made it. It's also the last day for the current challenge at Die Cut Divas. Our sponsor this month is Kat Scrappiness

The challenge is ANYTHING GOES but be sure to use a die-cut machine (and a die or embossing folder) to be eligible for the Kat Scrappiness Prize Pack consisteing of your choice of one stamp set, one die and three packs of embellishments (sequins, gems or sprinklers).

Here's my card

For this card, I started with Kat Scrappiness' Diamond Wire & Wood Grain Frame die and kraft cardstock. I wanted a bit of a "used" or "antiqued" look so I added some ground espresso distress ink along the edges of the frame. For the bloom, I used STAMPlorations' Bloomfully: Celebrate stamp set which I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I added color with Copic markers. For the sentiment, I stamped the "thank you" using Simon Says STAMP Lots of Thanks stamp set and cut the scrap into a fish-tail banner. I adhered everything to a light grey A2 card panel. 

Thanks for stopping by. Best wishes to you in 2021.

sue

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Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #401

Hi! It's Monday and time for a new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. Here is this week's sketch

Here's my interpretation of this sketch

I started by stamping the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, using The Alley Way's Jolly Holiday stamp set. I added a bit of color with Copic markers E43, R05, G94. I then used a 1.5" circle punch to punch out the sentiment. With some gold cardstock and Stampin' Up's 1.74" scalloped circle punch, I punched a  scalloped mat to go around the sentiment circle. I then found some patterned papers from a 6x6 paper pack (so they already coordinate) to complete the card.

We'd love for you to join us.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Cupcake Inspirations ~ Challenge #509

It's time for a new challenge at Cupcake Inspirations

It's getting colder - maybe we'll have snowflakes soon. Our inspiration for Challenge #509 is just perfect for this time of year (assuming you live in the Northern hemisphere further away from the Equator, of course). 

Here's my card

I applied my anti-static tool to an A2 white card panel. I then stamped with Versamark ink many snowflakes from Catherine Pooler's Bring On the Snowflakes and CASual Fridays Snowy Sayings stamp sets. I then heat embossed them with white embossing powder. I then added color with an ink blending tool and distress inks (salty ocean, blueprint sketch, wilted violet). For the sentiment, I didn't want to cover up the snowflakes, so I heat embossed with silver embossing powder the sentiment from STAMPlorations Christmas Bell Medley stamp set onto a strip of vellum. 

We'd love for you to join us for our "Snowflakes" challenge.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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STAMPlorations CAS ~ December Challenge Reminder Post

This post contains affiliate links. When you click on them and place an order, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

We're halfway through the month of December. Have you had an opportunity to join the current challenge at STAMPlorations CAS.

Here's my card

I started with an A2 kraft panel. I stamped the evergreen bough using STAMPlorations' Christmas Bell Medley stamp set and Hero Arts Emerald Green ink. I did both first generation and second generation stamping. In case you're not familiar with second generation stamping, it's stamping the image a second time without adding more ink to the stamp. In other words, I applied ink to the stamp and stamped the image twice, moving to a slightly different location. In this way, some of the boughs seem closer (darker) and some lighter (farther away). To me, it adds more interest and some dimension to the stamping. I then stamped the bells from the same stamp set on a scrap of white cardstock with Versamark ink and heat embossed them with gold embossing powder. I added color with Copic markers C5, R29, Y17 and fussy cut them. I heat embossed also with gold embossing powder the sentiment, from the same stamp set. I used some gold thread for the ornament strings to complete the card. 

This is a great time to check out STAMPlorations. Use my code below for 20% off your purchase and a free $7 product too!

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #399

Hi Friends! Happy Monday! It's time for a new sketch challenge at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. Here's the sketch

I took my inspiration, not only from the sketch but the festive Christmas colors. Here's my card

I started with the poinsettia image using Sunny Studio's Christmas Icons stamp set and Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I added color with Copic markers R29, Y15. I then fussy cut the bloom. I looked through my stash of patterned Christmas papers and cut the required pieces, as per the sketch. I used a Sizzix circle die to die cut the green striped circle and trimmed off the pieces, to match the sketch. For the sentiment, I didn't know how to stamp the sentiment. So instead, I die cut with some gold cardstock and Paper Smooches Christmas Words dies. I adhered all the pieces on a light gray A2 panel.

Hoping you're inspired by our sketch. We'd love for you to join us.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Cupcake Inspirations ~ Challenge #508 Reminder Post

Our current challenge at Cupcake Inspirations has a week left. Here's our challenge

Here's my card

If you saw my card last week, here, I still had lots of blue patterned papers on my craft space. So I decided to create another card with patterned papers. I made fish-tail banners from the papers and adhered them below a 1/4" strip of dark blue cardstock on an A2 light blue card panel. For the sentiment, I used Hero Arts' Year Round Sentiments and Hero Arts Indigo ink. 

There is still time left to join us and our Shades of Blue challenge.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Die Cut Divas ~ December Challenge

I'm up on the Die Cut Divas blog today. Our challenge for December is 

Anything Goes

Be sure to use a die-cut machine (using a die or embossing folder or both!)

Our sponsor is

Kat Scrappiness is offering a Prize Pack which includes your choice of one stamp set, one die and three packs of embellishments (sequins, gems or sprinkles).

Here's my card

Let me start by thanking my teammate at Die Cut Divas, Arlene for this die cut. She sent me a package of great die cuts. For this card, I started with a beautiful die cut using Kat Scrappiness' Mandela die and black cardstock. Thanks Arlene! I then inked up a piece of white cardstock with distress inks with the picked raspberry forming the center of a circle, the next circle wilted violet and blueprint sketch forming the outer circle. I die cut the inked panel with a Sizzix circle die, picked so that it fit behind the mandela die cut. I adhered the two pieces to an A2 sized pink panel. I die cut the sentiment using CASual Fridays Hope Fri-die from Calling All Sistahs Collection with a scrap of purple cardstock. 

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Cupcake Inspirations ~ Challenge# 508

It's time for a new challenge at Cupcake Inspirations. For the next two weeks, the challenge is

Here's my card

For this card, I went through some of my collection of 6x6 paper packs (I have a lot) looking for blue patterned papers. I cut strips from the blue paper. Intentionally, I cut the strips narrow at one end and wide at the other. I adhered the strips onto an A2 dark blue panel. To complete the card, I cut a thin 1/4" strip from one of the patterned papers. For the sentiment, I stamped using Simon Says STAMP's Lots of Thanks stamp set on a scrap of blue cardstock. I used Stampin' Up's large oval punch to punch out the sentiment. I like the way this card turned out and I was able to use some of the 6x6 papers in my "collection".

How are you inspired by "Shades of Blue"? We'd love for you to join us.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Try Stampin' On Tuesday ~ Challenge #486

I'm thinking that the next 25 days are going to fly by. There is so much to do before the big guy in the red suit arrives. We have a new challenge at Try Stampin' On Tuesday that we hope will inspire you when you need to slow down and be creative.

Optional theme: something sparkly

Isn't this an interesting sketch (yes, you may interpret that to mean that it was a bit challenging for me!)? Well, seeing that it's almost Christmas, I made a Christmas card.

I stamped the ornaments and bell using The Alley Way's Fa-la-la and Jolly Holiday stamp sets with Versafine Onyx Black ink. To add in the optional theme, I added color with glitter gel pens. I haven't yet figured out the best way to take photos showing off the "sparkliness". I punched out the circles, using 1", 1.25" and 1.5" circle punches. I found a scrap of winter-y patterned paper for the horizontal strip. The sentiment is from Simon Says STAMP's Ornaments stamp set and was stamped on a scrap of pink paper, cut into a fishtail banner. The elements were adhered to a light teal A2 card.

Hoping you'll find some time to craft and join us.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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Rainbow Card Challenge ~ December Challenge

We've made it to December! One more month and the longest year will be over. Who could have predicted what 2020 would be like? We have one last challenge at Rainbow Card Challenge for 2020.

I was inspired by the ornaments in the bottom right corner. Here's my card

I found a new (to me) stamp company from England, called Polkadoodles. I've used their Baubles and Banners stamp set for this card. I stamped the various images randomly using Versafine Onyx Black ink onto watercolor paper. I then added color with my Michael's Artist's Loft Watercolor Set, some water and a paint brush. I'm just getting started using watercolors and I'm loving the way you get "fuzzy" lines. While the images are precise, the watercoloring can be a little more forgiving with "fuzzy" lines. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say! I used a silver sparkle gel pen to color in the tops of the ornaments and a gold sparkle gel pen to color in some of the "dots". I didn't want to cover up the images so I heat embossed the sentiment onto vellum. I used STAMPlorations' Christmas Bell Medley stamp set and silver embossing powder. 

We'd love for you to join us this month.

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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STAMPlorations CAS ~ December Challenge

This post contains affiliate links. When you click on them and place an order, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Hello Friends! Welcome to a new month. Can you believe it? We've made it to December! Typically, this is a most wonderful time of year. It's a time for friends and family. However, this year, with this pandemic, it's going to be different for sure. Hoping that you stay safe.

It's also time for a new challenge at STAMPlorations CAS

Here's my card

Obviously, I went with the optional twist of red and brown. Onto an A2 kraft card panel, I stamped the leaves using STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves stamp set with my MISTI. I inked up the stamps with Hero Arts Strawberry ink and Hero Arts Cup O' Joe ink. I was trying to imitate Mother Nature with her multi-color fall leaves. I wasn't pleased with the oak leaf on the left, so I added additional Cup O' Joe ink with a slightly wet paint brush. The sentiment is from STAMPlorations' Bold Sentiments: Imagine stamp set. I trimmed the panel slightly and added a dark brown mat. I think that it's important, especially in these pandemic times, to slow down and appreciate all that Mother Nature provides for us. 

We'd love for you to join our challenge. If you'd like to check out all of the gorgeous STAMPlorations products, you can do that here. Also, please use my 20% off your purchase code. Also, for purchases over $15, you can add a free $7 product! Sweet, eh?

Thanks for stopping by

sue

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