CYS- Hearts and Love

The CYS aka Challenge Your Stash group is posting today, and our theme provided by myself- is use a heart and use the word love somewhere on your card.

 The CYS group can be located here.  List mom Barb had the brilliant idea- lets use our stash items- with a monthly theme, I am sure finding no shortage of items to use in my creative space for this challenge...!!! Even those in the 'get rid of ' pile....... HERE is a link to all of the February Cards at Splitcoaststampers for this challenge.

 The group says closed- but we ARE open to new members!

Challenges:
Double D Challenge- Pink and White
Simon Says Wednesday- AG
Scrappy Land- use die Scrappy Land sells- IO heart
Path of Positivity- Love
Creations in Pink- Pink

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Tuesday Throwdown- Interactive Card

The Tuesday Throwdown team is creating Interactive cards this week, and Lawn Fawn is our sponsor.

  The squirrel on the right is the interactive element, and goes around in a circle around the swing : )  The set I used is called Let's Play, and I also used the dies to match the images.  The circle dies are Memory Box.
  Distress Inks Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass and Broken China were used to add color to the card. The images were colored with Copic markers.

I watched a Lawn Fawn Video for directions. Here is the link :
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoiThHoXeQ0

Challenges:
Happy Little Stampers- use a Die

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

GIU winners

Thanks to all who stopped by last week for my GIU posts. 

Unity provides prize packages to 2 'commenters' throughout the week, so I used random.org to pick days first, then a number for the comment for those 2 days.  The two comments that won were made by:

1)Kim Marie

2)Ionabunny

Congrats- please send me your address for me to forwar it on to Unity.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Year of the Pig

Chinese New Year is here and it is the Year of the Pig.  I am in a mingle, and chose to follow a difficult looking sketch, and came across a pig image that fit it perfectly. 

  I used shimmery white cardstock and some Washi to compliment my Year of the Pig image.  The sketch at AOSA (About Oriental Stamp Art Yahoo Group) is a weekly sketch posted in the group- this is for sketch #6.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

GIU Day 5

  Day 5 and the final day of me posting for Growing in Unity aka GIU. Thank you so much for joining me in a week of creativity and all things Unity!!!  Two winners will be picked using Random.org from those who have posted comments this week.  Check back Monday for winners!

 Here is a card that will leave you happy and singing........  I used the Unity set Love Bug.  I colored this image with Copics.  DP is Echo park. There is shimmer on the XOXO.  I had a blast making this.  We, my siblings, would p'lay a road trip game- every time we saw a VW aka ;bug', we would say,  "Slugbug" and whack the one next to us in the arm.....  Did you every play this travel game???

 Next, I had some Mixed Media fun :

 I started out with Distress Oxide inks smooshed onto a craft mat, spritzed with water and dabbed onto cardstock.  Once dry, the next layer of Distress Oxide ink is added.  Once all dry, I added a stencil and added Distress ink over that.  Then, a couple of stamps from the Hello Beautiful set were added on the background using Distress Inks.
  The main image Boldly Believe, was added using Gray ink- to either side of the main image location. I removed color with water using a watercolor brush.  I colored using Distress ink, then added color over the top using Crystal Nuvo drops- painted on,  Next, I added Crystal Nuvo to the Green Distress Oxide ink and painted that onto the leaves area.  I was trying to make the 2 images 'out of focus'.

 Next, I added the main image popped up on dimensionals.  It was painted with Distress Oxide inks. There are three hearts added (also from the Just beautiful set) on the background.  Glitter Nuvo drops were added in sets of three, and fiber added for a finishing touch.
  The sentiment is from the set, 'Just Focus on the Things'. It was stamped onto Kraft cardstock in Distress Oxide ink. I added it to the card and tied it onto the purple yarn fiber.

Thanks again for all of your support this week.  And, thanks Unity for the GIU program!!!

***FYI- All comments are moderated- spammers love me : )  If you write a comment and hit post, I need to moderate it before you can see it.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

GIU Day 4

Day 4 of Growing in Unity aka GIU..... no flowers today : ) 

First up, Kendra Girl

  I mentioned I will be a first time Grandma in May- so had to paper piece this image, and do a little coloring with Copics.  I added a touch of Wink of Stella to the sentiment heart : )

and 2nd up Forrest Guy

 He looks a bit like my son- and this sentiment from 3/2018 is perfect.  My son was never going to get married, and told us he was never having any children.....  aka detours!  Sometimes we find so much Joy in unexpected places, don't we?

 See a little bit of resemblance?  This is at the end of November.  She made the shirt- The Turkey is not the only thing in the oven : )

Life is good!

***Unity generously offers prize packages for GIU- all you have to do to win is comment on each post this week- I will use random.org to pick 2 winners at the end of the week.***

***FYI- All comments are moderated- spammers love me : )  If you write a comment and hit post, I need to moderate it before you can see it.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

GIU Day 3

Welcome to my third posting for GIU for this week.  I have watercoloring supplies out, and used images from 3/2018 KOTM.  This post is a tribute to my Mother, she was quite the artist, loved flowers and her favorite colors purple and yellow.

  I used Distress ink Seedless Preserves for the background. The background stamp is Spilled Paint Unity/Brutus Monroe.  Once the background stamp was inked, I spritzed a little water on it, then stamped it onto Canson Mixed Media cardstock. The tulip image was stamped onto Arches watercolor paper. It was cut out with a MFT die.
  The distress ink was applied to a craft mat and then spritzed with water, and painted onto the tulip.  I added a touch of Distress marker for highlight.  I took a sponge and grabbed some color from the stamp(that I had not cleaned off yet) and sponged the edge of the card.
  The cardstock is SU Marvelous Magenta (retired).  I finished off the card with a bow. I added the  sentiment  from 12/16 Sentiment kit (Special Wishes).

  Same card, same process- using Scattered Straw Distress ink.  Greenery was done with Forest Moss and Mowed Lawn. I added SU so saffron ribbon.

 I had one image left over, so decided to make it up without a background stamp.

 Whoa- that red cardstock is Gina K Red Velvet, and the rich red ink is Arteza waterbrush pen.  I used a sentiment from Gracielle Designs. The red layer under the image is embossed for texture, and the image is cut with a MFT die.

***Unity generously offers prize packages for GIU- all you have to do to win is comment on each post this week- I will use random.org to pick 2 winners at the end of the week.***

***FYI- All comments are moderated- spammers love me : )  If you write a comment and hit post, I need to moderate it before you can see it.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

GIU-Day 2

For the Bugaboo new release post, HERE is the link

 It's day 2 of my GIU week, I watercolored again today ; )  Growing up, and still to today, I am very allergic to...everything!  Flowers and grass and trees , dust, mold..... So, I really enjoy coloring and making cards with floral images- they do not make me sneeze!!! 
 
 

  This image is by Graciellie Designs Amazing Things. The card design was CASED from her blog , just different colors from hers.  I used a Unity/Brutus Monroe background Barn Wall. I inked it up with Burgundy ink by Sweet Stamps. I spritzed it before stamping it on Canson Mixed Media cardstock. I watercolored in peach/yellow.  I diluted the peach and brushed it over the Barn Wall background. I used SU cardstock Groovy Guava and Close to Cocoa, both retired. The floral image is raised on dimensionals. There is a touch of shimmer on the flower using Wink of Stella.

This stamp set is called You Matter by Graciellie Designs. I watercolored the flowers first using 3 shades of yellow. The background is purple watercolor and was done after the yellow dried. . The cardstock is Lovely Lilac (SU-retired), and So Saffron (SU).  I made this with a friend in mind, her husband was just put on Hospice care and I know she loves this verse : ) 
 I had to have these sets- will use it more- and happy to have finally inked it up!!!


***Unity generously offers prize packages for GIU- all you have to do to win is comment on each post this week- I will use random.org to pick 2 winners at the end of the week.***

***FYI- All comments are moderated- spammers love me : )  Once you post your comment, it will have to be moderated before it is posted.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Bugaboo- New Release

For GIU day 2 post, click HERE

Today is New Release day at Bugaboo!  I had a little mixed media fun with this image!

The new Release is Fairy Girl and can be found in the store HERE. I colored the image with Copic markers. There is Wink of Stella on the wings, but you cannot see it well in the picture.

The sentiment is a Unity stamp. It is embossed on the Wisteria cardstock (SU) using silver EP. .

 I used Mica ink in 2 colors on the background of black cardstock. I took that piece, once dry, and embossed it with a textured (aka 3D) embossing folder. I highlighter and embossed the raised areas with Silver EP.

Challenges:
TBA

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Girl In Unity- Day 1

  Each day for the next week, I am posting cards by Unity Stamps as "Growing in Unity" girl, aka GIU .  My personal goal is to create using images I have not used yet.....

 I stamped the fish, and masked them before inking up the background. I colored the fish with Copics. For the background, distress inks in Salty Ocean, Broken China and Peeled Paint were used for this underwater card. There is shimmer (wink of Stella) on the fish and on the sentiment that is not visible in the picture. I also used a stencil named Abstract (I think by Sweet Stamps).  The greenery was stamped using Wasabi and Old Olive SU inks. The border die is Gina Marie.
  This Unity stamp kit is called Fishy Philosophy.
  There was a book named Magic Fish I used to read to my kids when they were young.  If I can find it, I will make another card painting/coloring the fish like the cover of that book!

 These stamps from the 1/2018 KOTM have been siting on my desk waiting to be stamped up.They were inked up with Nuvo Hybrid Black ink, then water colored with Daniel Smith paints. The sentiment was embossed in Silver on vellum, and deconstructed to fit onto the card. The moon,clouds and the stars are popped up on dimensionals. They were painted with a Wink of Stella pen, so are very shimmery.
  My son and DIL are expecting a baby boy at the end of May : )   He will be the first grandchild for both families : ) 

***Unity generously offers prize packages for GIU- all you have to do to win is comment on each post this week- I will use random.org to pick 2 winners at the end of the week.***

***FYI- All comments are moderated- spammers love me : ) 
 
Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Bugaboo- BINGO

The Catch the Bug (Bugaboo) Saturday Challenge for this week is a BINGO challenge

  While it looks like a Valentine card, it is actually for my husband and my 32nd Anniversary which is in a few days!  For the BINGO, I used Bugaboo image, Embossing and Sparkle.  The image, Ava and Deacon Heart was colored with Copic Markers.  The die is Gina Marie and the embossing plate is Sizzix. The sentiment is Hero Arts.
  We defer Valentines Day until our Anniversary, as everything is so much more reasonably priced- dinner, flowers, etc......

Challenges:
Daisy Chain challenge- Have a heart

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Dueling Darlings-"Love Your Pet Day"

It's the 15th of the month, and that means its time for the Dueling Darlings!  Our hostesses for this month are Tracie (Dazzlers) and Bard (Divas).  Tracie sent us the cutest images and kit!

 This fun image and sentiment (also the balls) are from Newton's Nook Designs (Fetching Friendship).  The dog and ball are colored with Copic markers. Tracie stamped the images on Neenah Classic Crest cardstock using Gina K amalgam ink. The DP is by Authentique (Companions).  The ribbon and brads are from her stash.

 This is Sir Theo the dog, who has attached himself to my husband. My husband is trying to sit down and the dog hopped up and made himself at home.....  If I am playing with the dog and my husband walks by, he takes off and follows him.......

 The dog, Sir Theo the pup, was at our house last weekend.  I was trying to teach him drop.  It worked well as long as I had a treat for him.  If not...no dice....(he likes to play and wrestle you for the ball or toy).   But, alas, a Granddog- he goes home after a bit of time...until next time Sir Theo.
  Sir Theo the Pup has an Instagram page HERE.  His breed is called Black Mouth Cur and he was a rescue- as a pup, my daughter is his 3rd owner. He is very active and playful, but not growly at other dogs or people, so not sure why he was taken back- a little seperation anxiety, but, as I mentioned, he attaches himself to someone (my husband when my daughter is not around) and he is OK.

 Back to cardmaking.......Be sure to hop along and see what my teammates, the Dazzlers- and the other team, the Diva's have made!

Divas and Dazzlers links : )

Dazzlers:
Blogs: Darlene  ,  Donna,  Jeanette  , Shelly- you are here, Terry L  , Tracie

SCS Galleries:   Terry A , Debbie B

Divas
Blogs : Barb  , Carol ,  Judy ,   Heather  , Kelly  LJ  Tami
SCS Galleries:  Suzy  , Terry S 


Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Washi Bunnies

Washi is fun to use and not stressful at all!  So, these bunny cards are created using two separate but equally easy techniques.

 This card is created by cutting cardstock the approx length and width of the die and covering it with Washi Tape, then cutting out the bunnies and layering them on the DSP. The sentiment is from a Hero Art set.

  Here is the pink bunny before die cutting......

The 2nd card is done by die cutting the bunnies out of the DSP, then adding the Washi to card that will be under the DSP.

  Here is the card underneath.

 I used a portion of an Inkadinkado sentiment for the card.

Do you have much Washi???

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Fun with Washi tape

 Using my stuff, of course I needed a little more for the project : )

 I had fun with a die that cuts a "Gap" in the cardstock and laid Washi on the lower level. Once the die cut cardstock was raised on dimensionals, I embellished with a Cheery Lynn butterfly made from a sheet of Distress inks and has Wink of Stella and rhinestones to jazz it up.  I added a strip of Washi down one side of the card, and a sentiment across the lower levels.

***This can be accomplished with ANY border die or border punch : )

I have a couple more Washi projects in this series coming i a bit later : )

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Tuesday Throwdown-Falling Hearts

The Tuesday Throwdown challenge for this week is "Falling Hearts".  Our Sponsor is My Grafico who provided the Cat Valentine images to us. 

 The Cat Valentine image from My Grafico was colored with Copics, then I fussy cut it.
A prior sponsor was Sunny Studios, and I used the background and sentiment from stamps they provided us.  The hearts background was inked up with 3 pink SU markers, then spritzed with a water bottle. I did have to stamp the falling hearts image twice for the width. After that dried, I lightly daubered on Pixie Pink SU ink.
  Dimensionals were used to pop up the image from the background. I intentionally left a little spot in the center white to highlight the cat's head. Fun, quick and CAS for me! 

 You have 2 weeks to join is in the Falling Hearts challenge HERE.

Challenges:
Always Fun Challenges- Love-Valentines
Pile it On- Pretty in Pink
2 Crafty Critters Crazies- Critter on card

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Bugaboo- Love is in the Air

The Bugaboo challenge for this week is "Love is in the Air". I made a card for my Granddog to give to my daughter- his 'Mom' for Valentines day.  LOL How sweet, huh?

The image is HERE  How sweet!  I colored with Copics. Memory Box Stitched Circles die was used to cut out the image circle.  Memory Box Love die was cut out 3 times in gray, and colored with a Wink of Stella shimmery pen on the top layer.
  I used cardstock in my recycle/retired lot for this card.  I embossed the mauve CS with a Cricut/Cuttlebug folder and highlighted a few of the hearts with a Wink of Stella Pen. I tried to mimic the color in the girls shirt and hair tie,

You have a week to join us at the Catch the Bug challenge Blog- come join us!!!

Challenges:
Brown Sugar- Love and/or Valentine
Cute Card Thursday-AG
Little Red Wagon-  Something Sweet! 

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Card Kits-Feb

I am in a card kit group.  We send a kit each month to a member, and one month we are a recipient. We request our wishes and that guides the kits.  This month is my month to receive, and I requested Purple (my mother's favorite color) and thinking of you or Sympathy cards.

 This card kit was from Jeanette- just a portion of the kit.  The image is Flourishes. I colored it with Copics. I so love this pretty card, and sadly, have already used it!

 This was from Sue and one was already made, I had the ingredients to make a 2nd- just fantastic!!! I do not know where the dies are from, but so love them!!!

Finally, a kit from Bard D.  I added purple with a Copic marker in dots on the flourish of greenery, and added rhinestones with Copic V52 coloring.  I love this ribbon image -it is stamped and is so realistic- may just have to have this stamp set bu SU : ) 

More kits to come this month!  What a cool swap group to join!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

COF-Love

February 2019: Hostess/Tracie (taclary) on Splitcoaststampers for the Crafters of Faith Challenge

Challenge: OK everyone I have the challenge for February. Since February is Valentine's Day, Please make a card about Love. {... I will dedicate my card to my mom}

Scripture: I am selecting 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

I could not resist using a new Bugaboo image Two Hearts. This image was a freebie in the Bugaboo newsletter : )

 I thought it was a great image for the theme, as when we marry, our hearts are one. Our desires, needs, wants are now seen in the lens of 'us' instead of just 'me'.
  I colored the image with Copic markers. The background was done with a Stampin Up stencil- hearts- never used before- and initially I was water coloring through the stencil, but I progressed to sponging color through the stencil in Pinks and Purples using SU inks. I sponged Pretty in Pink ink over the entire background.  Yep- that cardstock started out as plain white!
  I used some Pink Bias Tape for the bow. The cardstock base is Rose Red - which has to be my absolute favorite SU color.
  I hope you can see the shimmer I added- on the white later right over Rose Red, and the white around the hearts in the bird image.  Also, around the white outline of the Two Birds.  The sequins in the corners are also SU.

If you go to Splitcoaststampers.com, and go to gallery and search COFfeb19, you can see all of the cards created for this challenge.

Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and more- Make your mark
Double D's- Inspiration board
Crafting from the Heart- AG
Dare 2 Be Artzy- Love
International Art and Soul- Make your own Background

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Year of the Pig

Happy Chinese New Year!  It is the Year of the Pig : )  This cute image is a freebie from Michael Strong.

  This is an digital image by Michael Strong.  (It comes pre-colored and black & white- and a stamp is in the works).  I did color the image using Copic markers.  Gold metallic cardstock was used to cut out the die that was used on Gina K red cardstock. The Happy New Years Kanji was from Michael a year or two ago.

Do you know your Chinese New Year sign?  I am the Year of the Rat : )

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Bugaboo- Anything But a Card

  Bugaboo posts on Mondays at the Catch the Bug Blog are "Anything But a Card".  I was loving the Oldies But Goodies card I made-from last Thursday, and had a box that needed 'fixin up, so went to town with the supplies on my desk!

This image is called Kidz Bella Heart. The die is Memory Box stitched Circles. I added some older SU pink ribbon. The sentiment by Create with TLC  is trimmed by hand and backed with cardstock. The sweet image was colored with Copic markers. Stamping Up cardstock layered with retired DSP.  The trim is from my stash drawer : )

 Can you see thru the acetate?  The box is filled with Dark and Milk Chocolate Dove candies in the shape of hearts.  Personally, I prefer Milk Chocolate!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly