i was asked to make a thank you card for a male so here’s my design, although i think this would be ok for any recipient.
i love the colours; a combination i rarely use. since the design is clean and simple, it was also a quick and easy card to make. the sentiment is a penny black die and the papers are from an older basicgrey 6 x 6 pad, hello luscious, from my stash that i really need to use up.
thanks for popping by.
i need more masculine cards and the Impression Obsession challenge theme of I Sea You inspired me to create this card for my stash.
i heat embossed the birthday from the IO Wishes (MC657) clear set on a piece of kaisercraft coastal escape paper; die cut the IO Wishes (DIE364-E) from blue shimmer paper and attached two other sections of paper from the same pad.
thanks for popping by.
I mixed things up a bit and used alcohol inks on a masculine card.
i blended alcohol inks on a piece of an elizabeth craft designs shimmer sheetz, embossed it with the Sizzix Texture Fades Embossing Folder – Flourish and then sanded it to reveal the silver core. i cut it into squares and matted each with black glossy cardstock. i masked off part of the impression obsession sentiment and i finished the card off with some designer paper and gold mirri.
i’m playing along with the As You Like It challenge: Favourite type of embossing and why. I love to emboss and sand watercolour paper or shimmer sheetz to reveal some highlights of texture; i am much more successful with this than heat embossing.
thanks for popping by.
it’s time for a new theme at the penny black and more challenge and this month we’d like to see ‘things with wings’ – so many options.
this sweet penny black ‘garland pixie’ was a generous gift from maureen for being on her Rudolph Days design team. i had so much fun painting it with tombow markers on hot pressed watercolour paper; it’s popped on foam tape and attached to some pink christmas paper.
remember your focal point must be hand stamped, any company, to be eligible for one of the fabulous prizes from this month’s sponsors: Penny Black, Stamp Addicts, Marianne Designs. the design team will select a future guest designer from those who do use a penny black image.
i’d like to submit this card to the Addicted to Stamps and More – #298 – Holiday challenge.
thanks for popping by.
i’m playing along with maureen’s rudolph days challenge; it’s my month off as a design team member but i’m still committed to creating christmas cards at least on a monthly basis.
i stamped the angel from the penny black banner of joy clear set and coloured with coloured pencils. the background was sponged with distress inks and i added some gold corner die cuts.
i’m also playing along with these challenges:
International Art & Soul – #36 Art Nouveau
thanks for popping by.
i’v mentioned before how much i love making bookmarks and keeping my daughter stocked up for her textbooks.
the cute tiny lawn fawn smiley flower from the so much to say stamp set was stamped on some leftover scraps of hot pressed watercolour backgrounds and coloured with coloured pencils. i used an avery elle bookmark die and finished them off with white dots.
i’m submitting these to the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge 31 – flowers, floral and foliage!
thanks for popping by.
It’s now been nine years since my son passed away from cancer.
this year’s card reflects the countless hours my son spent at the drafting table perfecting his art. back then, while he was illustrating, i was trying to learn how to use a computer and i was lucky he was close by. i needed a lot of guidance, not to mention assurance that i really didn’t break it. i always enjoyed my son’s choice of music while we both worked intently to achieve our goals; his art was in demand and was published and i learned to use the computer independently. i also learned to paint better when he offered me a brush to try.
i painted this penny black ‘designed by me’ wood stamp with a few watercolour media: twinkling H2Os, markers and watercolour pencils. i added the blue lines because my son used blue line paper to work on.
thanks for popping by.
i’m playing along with the impression obsession challenge – foodie fun!
i was going to mat this and attach to a narrow card base but as i was painting my husband asked who the bookmark was for. naturally, i said ok it’s done; quick and easy and perfect for when i’m short on time and energy.
the cakes image is from Celebrate (CL254), painted with twinkling H2Os and the sentiment is from More Basic Greetings (CL549).
thanks for popping by.
i created this clean and simple card for my daughter to thank those who honoured her with a prestigious academic award.
proud mama moment while i reflected on her accomplishments and she’s not done yet. i used white and silver shimmer papers with a matte purple; the creative expressions thank you was die cut twice and centred on the sizzix label.
i’d like to submit this to these challenges:
As You Like It Challenge Favourite Cardbase Shape Or Fold (&why): the rectangle is my favourite card base shape because it so easily divides into three and suits my style of an image and a sentiment.
International Art & Soul – #35 Sentiment as Main Focus
thanks for popping by.
i have attempted, and failed, to make slider cards a few times with the canadian penny, which is no longer in circulation anyway.
out of desperation i bought some MFT spin and slide discs and i’m happy enough with the results, although this elephant (wplus9 bubble talk) doesn’t quite spin like i had hoped. i created a very clean and simple card just to focus on the technique. for years my style has been to feature one image so now i need to practice creating scenes.
i sponged distress inks for the sky and grass but i painted the elephant with twinkling H2Os and added a sentiment from the Wplus9 unforgettable set.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Animal Friends Challenge #63 – Elephants
Die Cut Divas June – Animals or Pets
Dies R Us Challenge #98 – Sunshine or Clouds
Happy Little Stampers Watercolour June – Anything Goes + option: Smile
Happy Little Stampers CAS June – Smile – must be Clean and Simple
thanks for popping by.
since it’s the first sunday of a new month, it’s time for a new theme at the penny black and more challenge so we’re spending time ‘in the garden.’
i painted this adorable bunny, a penny black wooden stamp image called garden slumber, with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed watercolour paper and added a sentiment from the penny black every happiness cling stamp set.
your focal point must be hand stamped (any company) to be eligible for one of the fabulous prizes from this month’s sponsors: Penny Black, Swedish House Crafts, Crafty Ribbons. a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image.
visit the blog to see the lovely creations by my team mates.
thanks for popping by.
i’m excited to be guest designing for the Addicted To Stamps Challenge and i had a lot of fun creating this card.
the theme for the current challenge is black and white plus one other colour, not counting skin and hair.
i painted this cute inky antics image from the bumbly bees set with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed watercolour paper and stamped one of the sentiments from the same set. i added clear wink of stella to her wings, a MFT daisy, and yellow stickles on her anklet and sandals. all the papers are from doodlebug.
be sure to pop over to the blog to see the lovely creations from the design team.
thanks for popping by.
creating this card made me smile. the new impression obsession challenge is ‘send a little humour’ and i hope it makes the recipient smile too.
i created a z-fold card to feature the impression obsession darn ducks stamp (D17214) on the front panel, painted the sky, grass and water on cold pressed watercolour paper with twinkling H2Os, and also painted the IO duck set (DIE398-F) with twinks. to finish it off, i stamped a sentiment from the IO more basic greetings (CL549), which might be retired since i couldn’t find a link.
i’m also playing along with:
Back To Basics – #4 – Fold Back Card
Simon Says Wednesday – Anything Goes
HLS June Watercolour Challenge – anything goes optional twist smile
thanks for popping by.
i’m enjoying the brighter colours of spring so even though yellow is one of my least favourite colours, i keep reaching for it.
i painted this penny black image with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed watercolour paper, stamped the impression obsession sentiment and added some green rick rack to a strip of yellow ribbon and a bow. both the image and image mat are popped on foam tape.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Addicted to Stamps – Ribbons
CAS on Friday – No. 133 – BIRTHDAY
As You Like It Challenge – Flora or Fauna (&why) i prefer animals because they are full of character, lower the blood pressure and are so much fun to paint.
Simon Says Wednesday – Use More than One stamp
Happy Little Stampers Watercolour April – Anything Goes + option: CAS
thanks for popping by.
it’s time for this month’s Rudolph Days Challenge hosted by scrappymo and it’s always an anything goes theme that starts on the 25th and ends on the last day of every month except December.
for my DT card, i painted this adorable snowman from the penny black merry delight set with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed watercolour paper. i used the my favourite things flop circle die to create this fun fold card featuring the taylored expressions prezzie and a MFT sentiment on the inside.
playing along is easy – all you need to do is create one project to be eligible for a fabulous prize on offer so pop over to the blog to be inspired by the rest of the design team and to read the complete rules.
i’m submitting my card to these challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday – Use More than One stamp
Crafty Catz – Challenge #418- Anything Goes with optional Extra – Chistmas
Happy Little Stampers Christmas April – Anything Goes + option: Stars
Happy Little Stampers Dies April – Always Anything Goes with Dies
thanks for popping by.
the allsorts challenge is marking its 9th birthday with a big celebration so i’m joining in with a birthday card.
i painted a couple of images from the penny black ‘it’s your day’ clear set with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed watercolour paper. all the images fit into the my favorite things die-namics die and i added some taylored expressions confetti and a waffle flower celebrate die, layered three times. finally, i added some nuvo crystal drops.
thanks for popping by.
i’m back with a post to remind you that you still have time to play along with the penny black and more challenge and this month’s anything goes theme.
i’m impatiently waiting for spring blooms so i painted this sweet chick from the penny black chick to chick clear set with twinkling H2Os and added a sentiment from the penny black cling set called every happiness.
visit the blog to see what my team mates created and to see the fabulous prizes on offer from: Penny Black, Marianne Designs, Bee Crafty.
remember your focal point must be hand stamped (any company) to be eligible for a prize and a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a Penny Black image.
thanks for popping by.
we’re into may already and since it’s the first sunday of the month, we have a new theme for you at penny black and more; i think it’s a big favourite – anything goes, as long as your creation features a hand stamped focal point.
i made a free standing pop up card that folds flat using this cute hedgie from the penny black cheerful critters clear stamp set. everything is painted with twinkling H2Os; i added two extra balloons and some green stickles to the candle flames.
it’s easy to play along – your focal point must be hand stamped (any company) to be eligible for one of the fabulous prizes from this month’s sponsors: Penny Black, Crafts U Love, Rare Earth Stamps. a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image.
visit the blog to see the fabulous creations by my team mates.
i’m also submitting this to these challenges:
International Art & Soul – #32 Interactive
Simon Says Wednesday – Animal Magic
Crafty Animals #14 – Always Anything Goes
thanks for popping by.
it finally feels like spring is here, complete with last night’s thunderstorm and hail.
this is a cute taylored expressions image that i coloured with colour pencils and a taylored expressions die cut sentiment that i painted with twinkling H2Os.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Allsorts – #465 – All About Pets
Animal Friends Challenge #62 – Stitching
As You Like It Challenge – Favourite Animal (&why): my favourite animals are bunnies; they’re too cute, very smart and extremely entertaining. it’s amazing to see rescue bunnies flourish once they are treated with love and kindness and realize at least some humans can be trusted.
Simon Says Wednesday – Animal Magic
Star Stampz Challenge Hand Coloured Image
thanks for popping by.
i created a second card for the Impression Obsession Challenge – All That Glitters!
the very talented pam at expressions with heart used a stamp shammy with distress ink blending technique that reminded me of how much fun colouring with a sea sponge is or as i call it, sea sponge stamping.
i ‘stamped’ salty ocean distress ink onto 140 lb. cold pressed watercolour paper, die cut the Impression Obsession umbrella (DIE049-A) three times and covered with glitter, which rarely shows on camera. i took another photo of the umbrellas in the sun just to show the sparkle. using the same sea sponge, i stamped mustard seed distress ink on CP w/c paper to create the background. finally, i stamped the Impression Obsession sentiment (B5536).
i’m also playing along with:
Challenge Up Your Life – #90 Watercoloring
Cardz 4 Galz – #70 April Showers
thanks for popping by.
i’m playing along with the new Impression Obsession Challenge – All That Glitters! and now i have glitter everywhere!
i die cut three of the impression obsession ornaments (DIE476-Y) twice, once from gold mirri for the bows and again with designer paper and adhesive paper that i covered in crystal glitter ritz; i did the same to the strip of paper on the bottom using scor-pal tape. everything was attached to burgundy suede paper that i took a sticky roller to and i still couldn’t remove from all of it. oh well, it adds to the shimmer.
i’m also playing along with maureen’s rudolph days challenge since it’s my month off as a design team member.
thanks for popping by.
this is my second QAE (quick and easy) card but i was aiming for a more masculine style.
i coloured the same poppystamps freida wreath with the same distress inks as the feminine version, but i added versa mark and a verdigris embossing powder; i used the same sentiment from the memory box birthday bunnies stamp set.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Poppystamps Challenge – #43 Framed
4 Crafty Chicks #400 Less Is More (CAS)
thanks for popping by.
when i’m short on time or energy i like to make QAE (quick and easy) cards, preferably more than one at a time.
to create this card i used the poppystamps freida wreath die, memory box floral delights die and the sentiment from the memory box birthday bunnies stamp set. everything was coloured with distress inks using my new creative expressions mini smoothies and i added some nuvo white crystal drops to the flower centres.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Poppystamps Challenge – #43 Framed
Memory Box Challenge #36– Floral Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Flower Power
4 Crafty Chicks #400 Less Is More (CAS)
thanks for popping by.
i need more thank you cards so i thought this might be one to easily mass produce; it would be, it’s just a bit time-consuming.
i die cut everything from 140 lb. cold press watercolour paper and sponged the memory box thanks die and lavish branch leaves with green distress inks, the flowers with pink and yellow distress inks and added pink stickles to the centres. i die cut the poppystamps honeycomb curve in the centre of the panel but decided i wanted a border instead so i cut some away and attached it to some w/c paper also sponged with distress inks.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Memory Box Challenge #36– Floral Challenge
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – Flower Power
thanks for popping by.
just popping in with a reminder that there is still time to play along with the penny black and more challenge and this month’s black and white plus one theme.
i used the dog from the penny black ‘bubbly’ set, painted him with twinkling H2Os and used the mama elephant die to frame him; the inside sentiment is from the same set.
it’s so easy to play along! your focal point must be hand stamped to be eligible for one of the fabulous prizes from this month’s sponsors: Penny Black, Sizzix and Woodware; a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image.
visit the blog to see the crafty creations by my team mates.
thanks for popping by.
i created a second card for the impression obsession challenge theme of pink and green but this time i’ve used the adorable new bunny border die (IO DIE664-T).
i die cut the bunnies with 140 lb. cold pressed watercolour paper, painted green and pink washes with twinkling H2Os, and used some leftover hydrangea petals (IO DIE044-Y) with pink stickles in the centre.
i’m also playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday – Texture
Dies R Us Challenge #95 – Springtime
As You Like It Challenge- Favourite Colouring Medium (&why): watercolour painting with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed w/c paper is my favourite; it’s so relaxing and i love making whimsical characters come to life.
thanks for popping by.
welcome to some new followers! thank you for joining me on my creative journey!
i’m playing along with the impression obsession challenge theme of pink and green – one of my favourite colour combinations.
after the hydrangea (IO DIE044-Y) was die cut with 140 lb. cold pressed watercolour paper, i painted the leaves with twinkling H2Os, used the small end of a creative expressions mini smoothie (reviewed here) to colour the petals with distress ink and added pink stickles to the centres. i stamped the sentiment (IO CL465) and splattered the same pink twink onto watercolour paper and attached it to a green base.
for the second card i sponged the edges of the petals with distress ink and added stickles to the centres as well.
i’m also playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday – Texture
As You Like It Challenge- Favourite Colouring Medium (&why): watercolour painting with twinkling H2Os on hot pressed w/c paper is my favourite; it’s relaxing and i love making my own colours.
thanks for popping by.
i went way outside of my comfort zone and created my first peek a boo card with my scor-pal.
the penny black wood stamp a great surprise! consists of a series of three hedgies but i masked off the centre one since i only needed two for this card. i painted with twinkling H2Os, stamped the lawn fawn sentiment and used some colourful birthday papers for this fun card following this tutorial. as i was making it i thought i’d never do another but when it was finished i changed my mind.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
More than One Score at Scor-Pal #47 – April Fool Us
Simon Says Wednesday – Birthday
Cute Card Thursday #524 Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps – Balloons/Bunting/Presents
Craftaholics R Us – #14 – Birthday Cards
International Art & Soul – #30 Card Type You Haven’t Tried Before
thanks for popping by.
welcome to some new followers! thank you for taking an interest in my creations.
i made some more bookmarks, colouring on kraft this time, still using a paper smooches bookmark die, and a retired flourishes stamp set but this time i coloured with laurentian colour pencils.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – A TRIO OF SOMETHING
Alphabet Challenge – A IS FOR ANYTHING BUT A CARD
4 Crafty Chicks – #397 Flowers
Colour Crazy Challenge – No.13 – ANYTHING GOES
Ellibelle’s Crafty Wednesday – April – Say It With Flowers
thanks for popping by.
i had fun getting inky again since i discovered the creative expressions sponges, reviewed here; now if only the distress ink pads were more useable for people with disabilities.
i used a paper smooches bookmark die, a retired flourishes stamp set and three different stencils and distress inks to create these. my daughter has a lot of textbooks so i keep her well supplied with bookmarks; she likes these as they attach better and stay put because they are longer.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – A TRIO OF SOMETHING
Work It Wednesday March 2018 – distress inky technique
thanks for popping by.
i’m playing along with the Impression Obsession challenge and the Pick a Holiday (any holiday!) theme.
maybe spring isn’t a holiday, but it should be! what better way to celebrate the end of all that snow, cold temperatures and dreary skies. one of the IO design team members used a spring card, so i thought it was ok to use the spring wishes sentiment. i started this card by painting the sky and grass with twinkling H2Os and painted the chicks and eggs; each is an individual stamp (Sarah Phelps CL212). i finished it off by stamping the spring (MC657) and painting the die cut wishes (DIE364-E).
i’m also playing along with these challenges:
Allsorts – #461 – New Beginnings, technically, it’s spring
Dies R Us Challenge #94 – Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers Watercolour – anything goes, option rainbow
thanks for popping by.
it’s the first sunday of a new month so it’s time for a new theme at the penny black and more challenge.
this was very challenging for me since i usually activate my twinkling H2Os to have a colourful palette ready to paint with. i thought the kitty from the penny black ‘bubbly’ set would be a good starting point with the black and white; i used three different pink twinks and added some clear wink of stella to the balloons, some pink sequins, striped washi tape and finally, i stamped the sentiment onto a flower die.
it’s so easy to play along! your focal point must be hand stamped to be eligible for one of the fabulous prizes from this month’s sponsors: Penny Black, Sizzix and Woodware; a future guest designer will be selected from those who use a PB image.
visit the blog to see the crafty creations by my team mates.
thanks for popping by.
paper crafting with RA means i create more slowly and, because of loss of function, some techniques are avoided because products are not useable by people with disabilities and they exacerbate pain.
sponging is one of those techniques that i stopped doing but i’ve discovered a helpful tool – the creative expressions mini smoothies:
i love these sponges! they are easy to grasp, dense, and hold more ink so less effort is required and the task is completed more quickly which means less pain. the smaller tip can be used for small areas like sponging paper while it is still in a die.
note: price above is canadian dollars and allergy alert: they are latex.
while not being completely scientific, i did use the same supplies for each test:
as you can see from the examples above, they’re very similar; the difference was that the blending foam with handles took longer and required more pressure.
these are the picked raspberry and mustard seed distress inks blended together. i used the same sponge for both colours on each sample, deliberately not swiping the sponge on paper towels in between since i wanted a blend of the two. the colour in the bottom sample is slightly more intense because the sponge is easier to use so i spent more time blending. also, because i could hold the sponge close to the bottom i had more control and more success.
the daisy on the pink box, posted earlier today, was coloured in picked raspberry ink with a mini smoothie sponge:
why not other tools?
the wooden handle is difficult to hold, the velcro requires a pinching and grasping motion to remove and since the foam holds less ink, it requires more time holding it in an awkward and painful position.
thanks for popping by and if you try these, let me know what you think.
this cardstock is very bright pink, which i love, but i think it looks more intense in the photo.
i used my scor pal and followed the tutorial at pootles’ blog to create this little 2 inch box; the challenge is to find tiny treats to fit inside – maybe a couple of chocolate kisses. i sponged the my favorite things daisy with picked raspberry distress ink, using a creative expressions ‘mini smoothies’ blending sponge, and added flower soft to the centre; the box closes with a magnet.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
More than One Score at Scor-Pal #46 – All things bright and beautiful
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – INSIDE THE BOX
Work It Wednesday March 2018 – distress inky technique
thanks for popping by.
this is another treat box i made with the taylored expressions matchbox die that holds a mini kitkat bar.
i painted the cute memory box bunny and background with twinkling H2Os, as usual, but this time i fussy cut the jacket.
i’m playing along with these challenges:
Little Red Wagon – Hippity Hoppity
Memory Box Challenge #35 – Color Challenge Green
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – INSIDE THE BOX
Simon Says Wednesday – Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers – #208 BUNNIES, CHICKS OR EGGS
thanks for popping by.
snailzpace.com 