Bear Hugs Enclosed

After the shootings a week and a half ago, I felt like I needed to make some cards that held lots of love for the recipients. This is one that I made using Hugs by Concord & 9th. Just got this in the mail recently from Drive By Crafts. I stamped and embossed him with Clear EP, and then colored with Copic markers. Then I used my handcut cloud stencil to make my sky, and blended the sky into the sponged grass.

I gave him a little shadow, added a wood heart from Stampin' Up! and he is ready to mail! Send a little love this week. It may be the boost someone needs to keep on the bright side.

Challenges:   
Allsorts - Use Something Beginning with B 
Crafty Calendar - 2 or More Layers 
Send a Smile for Kids - Anything Goes or Cards for Teens
Sweet Stampin - Spring Has Sprung 
Colour Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes   
Aud Sentiments Challenge - For A Friend
Cute Card Thursday - Cute Critters

Coffee and Donuts, Anyone?

Today I am sharing a quick, fun card using a sweet set called You & Me from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. It comes in both clear and digital formats. I have the clear set. So many fun images and sentiments to go with it! I made this for my Valentine this year! It was very easy to put together and color, and gave me a chance to use several patterned papers! 

Stamps: You & Me (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)
Paper: Poptone Sweet Tooth (base), Whisper White, Love Blossoms DP (SU!), Paper House DSP Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Copic markers
Accessories: arrow die, corrugated cardboard heart, SB circle die, Momenta doily 

Challenges: 
Brown Sugar - February - Valentine's Day  
Kitty Bee Designs - Anything Goes optional/ Love and Marriage
Quick Quotes - February Love 
Craft Rocket Challenges - Love 
Through the Purple Haze - Add Some Turquoise

Distress Oxides and Shimmerz

Today I am playing in the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge. Our inspiration was Schreiner's Iris Gardens. SO many beautiful flowers with many colors! I chose this daylily called All Revved Up for my inspiration.

My background was made with Distress Oxides. I sponged them on my cardstock, and then spritzed with water. When dry, I added Shimmerz Paint Spray in Pearl to add a LOT of sparkle! The sentiment (Heart Filled Sentiments) and Falling Hearts Panel are from Reverse Confetti. 

I stamped the sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black on vellum, and then decided to make it super sparkly. I embossed with Vanilla Ice EP (Sparkle N Sprinkle) and it looks so much cooler IRL than in the photos!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Monoprinting with Gel Press

Hello!
As you might know, I love to use my gel plates and make oodles of monoprints! The trick for me is then getting them on a card! I love to just look at them. This one was made with a 3 x 5 Gel Press Plate -- my favorite new size! It's a little less mess, because of the smaller base, and is perfect when you don't want the entire background of your project covered.

I thought this stencil looked industrial enough to pair with this little robot from Printworks (a Hobby Lobby 75% off fabulous find!). I used orange acrylic paint for the first generation print (and only one stencil pattern), but you can see where it picked up some pink from a previous print. I love that!

The robot was stamped with Ranger Archival Black ink and colored with Copics. This is a thank you card. The inside says "A million thanks" which I thought fit with the stencil pattern as well.

Happy Friday!

Challenges:

• Crafting With An Attitude - Always Anything Goes
• Creative Knockouts - Anything Goes
• Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes
• A Perfect Time To Craft - Always Anything Goes
• Creatalicious Challenges - Anything Goes + Option: Boy/Man
• Create and Inspire - Anything Goes

The Beary Best

Happy Valentine's Day!

This adorable little guy is from Concord and 9th. It's the cutest set - and you can make oodles of different bears with accessories! I chose to keep him simple, and added an acrylic heart and arrow to help bring home the truth of the sentiment. One of the stamps is that cute striped background. I cut out my bear using the matching die.

I added some white pom pom trim from my stash, a white doily, and some sweet patterned paper with hearts and clouds. This is going out to my son and his wife (and sweet granddaughter) who are expecting my first grandson in about a month! Just sending some love their way  - 1300 miles away! (Sniff.)

Stamps: Hi There Bear (Concord & 9th)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black & Vintage Sepia, Altenew Razzleberry, Pinkalicious & Pink Diamond
Paper: Neenah Solar White & Desert Storm, Doodlebug Sweetheart DP
Accessories: Heart & Arrow embellishments (Hobby Lobby), pom pom trim (Really Reasonable Ribbon), white doily (Michael's)


Challenges:  
Crafting By Designs - Valentine 
Little Red Wagon - Love 
Paper Shelter Challenge - Decorate It/Embellishments 
Die Cuttin' Divas - Valentine's Day
Stamps & Fun = Creativity - HEARTS

You Painted With What?

Today I am sharing a card made by painting my image using pen ink! The sandpipers and sentiment (Stampin' Up!) were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I outlined parts of the birds with an Elegant Writer Pen, and then added water with an aqua brush. As you pull the color out, it turns blue and then light pink - all from adding a little black pen! I love this technique! I think it gives the impression of ocean waves. What do you think?

Challenges for this card:
A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes 
Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes  
Incy Wincy Designs - CLEAN AND SIMPLE 

For the Birds!

I had a lot of fun making this card for the Splitcoaststampers CAS Challenge today. It was "Feathered Friends." I had been to Hobby Lobby and had picked up both of these stamps in their 75% off sale, so it was the perfect time to ink them up!

I embossed my card base (Ivory Heavyweight CS - Hobby Lobby) with the Flowers Cuttlebug embossing folder (an oldie I haven't used in awhile), and then made my front panel. The tag is from Julie Nutting's Tag Pad (Prima). I used the Wrinkle Free Distress technique, with two colors from my Distress ink (TH) collection. When dry, I stamped my bird and sentiment in VersaFine Smoky Slate (I LOVE this color!) and then added some Bay Leaf seam binding (Really Reasonable Ribbon) at the top. The last thing I did was add a very faint shadow under the bird with a Copic C1 marker.

Super cute little feathered friend! Happy Monday!

Challenges for this card: 
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything Goes with a Critter 
A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes 
Crafty Animals - Always Anything Goes
Sweet Stampers - Things with Wings 
Crafter's Castle - Anything Goes+ optional: Share Your Favorite Distress Ink Technique 
Send a Smile for Kids - Anything Goes or Easter/Spring Cards