Christmas card making and VSN

I have been away from my blog for a bit- and here now creating for Christmas and Virtual Stamp Night over at Splitcoaststampers.com  .........

For the Holiday Plaid challenge, I used a Lawn Fawn set using stamps from the Scrapbook and Cards Today event from October.....  

 I love this sweet die cut and mouse image- coloring using Copic markers. The die using Holiday Plaid theme.  The card uses wrapping paper from past Christmas- shimmery silver,  for the die cut sentiment. 

And, another make- with the theme gifts- same set:

A stenciled card- stickles added to the Distress inked bulbs...  and the DP from Lawn Fawn. I added Silver metallic washi tape. The die cut is plain white cardstock. The images are colored using Copic markers. 

Not very traditional colors, but fun for a Christmas themed card. 

I hope you are having a blessed December !

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Back to school and Autumn

It's been a while since the last time I have posted here.  I am joining in a challenge on Instagram to post cards using a back to school theme and Harvest or Autumn theme.  Use a new technique or card fold and any sentiment.

 Well, teachers, students, families all go back to school, but think of the pets that have all summer to spend quality time with owners that are all of a sudden gone all day to work!  

So, for card one, here's one for the pets!

 And, a second card for Autumn

Both cards in a new style for me- no techniques, just using DP and stamped and embossed sentiments. 

Card 1 uses sentiments by MFT, card 2, Sunny Studios. 

Challenges: TBA

Thanks for stopping by! 

Shelly

Sending Love and Hugs

For an Instagram hop, we are to use our 'stash' and use supplies in an unexpected way.

I dug out a Crafters Companion stamp and die cut set I bought and have never used.....  

We are also challenged to use Red, White and Blue on our cards.  I colored the die cut image using Copic markers.  The unexpected craft item I used was a paper towel that I saves after I cleaned up a crafty session that used red and blue inks.... I used that paper towel and die cut the sentiment (from SSS or Simon Says Stamps).  This is a frequently used sentiment I use when chatting with my kids....  Perfect die for me!

The image was colored using Copics and the background uses Distress Oxide inks. I added white using the end of a blending brush and white craft ink by SU.  

The Instagram hop is HERE

Challenges: TBA

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Stay Cool

Many Thanks to Spellbinders who sent me some fun images from House Mouse- and this is one of them!  I so love House Mouse: )  

 As the weather heats up, I thought you'd appreciate this fun image!

I colored the image using Copics and a blending brush.  Ahhhhh- this looks like a wonderful way to cool off on a steaming hot day!

 I love the newer House Mouse images also now come with sentiments which match the images perfectly!  

Challenges TBA

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

House Mouse newbies!

I saw that House Mouse (Spellbinders) has now released new stamps!  I love them all and love to color too.  Here are a couple of my makes:

 I really enjoy that they come with added sentiments that coordinate now!  It is so helpful to me to not have to dig through my stamps for a good sentiment.....  

 The image is colored using Copics. For the CAS challenge at Splitcoast, I needed to keep it CAS,  so added a touch of color using stenciling on the background.  

Last week, I used another image and made these 2 cards:

and

 On the first, gingham DP plus a texture on the blue strip using the score board. Coloring using Copics.

On the 2nd, I used a background of shaving creme technique. The Spellbinders die did not have a good next side, so I freehanded the cut and then colored the frame blue. Again, sentiments are now included with the stamp.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Blackout Embossing

I made a couple of cards with the blackout embossing technique- quick and easy!

Ohhh, I love birds and have this beautiful 3D Embossing folder from Simon Says Stamps, aka SSS.

The tutorial is on the Splitcoast Technique TLC1001 thread.  I added DOC inks to the debossed image, then black over the top....  I love this- the colors are best if vibrant!

                            

 I have this new Altenew suite of stamps, stencil. EF- love this trio!  I used the 3D EF and added color using DOX, then black over the top.  I used a die from the suite to finish my card. What a fun look.  Hope you enjoy these cards and will consider coming to check out the challenge!

Challenges: 

First card:  Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge- AG

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Rediscovery IG Hop

I joined in an Instagram Hop to rediscover supplies...  and our theme is Sympathy and/or One layer cards. I made one of each......

My sympathy card uses a newer set from Altenew, but the sentiment set is Gina K/Unity which has been sitting lonely in my stash for ages!

I used the stamp, then used the stencil to brush in the images.  I used Copics to fine tune the edges.  I do not enjoy making Sympathy cards, but seem to need them more and more lately.......

Next, I did a one-layer card.  The postage rates have increased so much if there are any embellishments on cards, aka lumps or bumps.....  so, we aim to minimize......

This sweet image is by Impression Obsession.  Both of my sisters are huge gardeners....  I am not as I have pretty bad allergies!  My husband is out green thumb : ) 

This image is colored on heavy cardstock using Copics and Distress Oxide inks. There is Wink of Stella on the bee. How sweet is this!  

Challenges TBA

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Earth Day

I joined a group of ladies in an Instagram Hop for Earth Day.  Our posts were to be Earth Day, Umbrella or Rainy days themed. We are making 3 cards and are using up our older supplies.

I used House Mouse images on all 3 of my cards and all coloring is done using Copic markers. 

My husband and my mother grew up on farms.... so we do not view rainy days as gloomy, we view them as a gift for the crops, aka the food we eat.......

I love this parade of mice with their daisy umbrellas.  I layered it on a Hero Arts collage stamp as the background done in watercolor.  The die cut is Memory Box. 

The Embossing folder came with my Gemini. I love the pattern of it. The sentiment- unknown- was in my sentiment box unmarked...... Die cut is MFT

And finally, I used scraps from a 2011 Basic Grey 6x6 DP pad..... I used the Spotlight technique as the background is pretty busy.  I also paper pieced an umbrella from the DP. 

Challenges:

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge: AG or use a stencil

TBA

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

For a friend

I made this card for a friend whose brother is facing a health crisis- and asked for cards to cheer him up.

I also used the VSN (Virtual Stamp Night) challenge at Splitcoast and applied challenge parameters to this card'

The Early Bird Gets the Worm:

 W= watercolor  O=One image  R=Red  M=Masculine

I stamped the image on watercolor paper, and colored it using watercolors in my palate- most Windsor Newton, but I have a few other brands in the palate. The gray level uses an embossing plate from Cheery Lynn from a goodie bag given at a stamping retreat. The lower red layer has a pattern that is debossed in a layer of cardstock. 

Challenges TBA

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

In the Garden

 I was away at a weekend craft retreat in Wisconsin this weekend. It was so fun and we were so spoiled with Goodie bags and Door Prizes and a White Elephant exchange too. Plus the fun of the group of ladies!

This card was the one I created for a Shoebox Swap.  I created 'kits' for the ladies to create their own cards in this style. 

The Cardstock: White and Sage Green (retired SU).

Ink colors- all SU: Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink, Elegant Eggplant and So saffron

3D embossing folder with die cuts: Darcy's Garden from SSS (Simon Says Stamps)

Sentiment: Unity

Stencil brushes were a gift from a friend

Sequins- from my stash

Dimensionals-SU

I made kits the other ladies created. We also made cards from kits the owner of the retreat house, aka The Gather House had available.  They were available for a small charge. 

I'll come back tomorrow for challenges : ) 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Floral Garden House Mouse

I am back in town and ready to create!  I have had a few trips since Holidays in COlorado- we visited Gulf Shores in February for 2 weeks, then I headed to Costa Rica with my daughter Katie.  I headed to Wisconsin for a craft retreat this past weekend.  No trips planned for a few weeks, so back at my craft desk!

The last release of House Mouse stamps included this fabulous Floral image- which made me think of my Mother.  Mom was a master gardener. She had a magical touch in the garden.  Me- I stayed in the house with my Kleenex- allergies!

 The image was stamped using Memento ink, and colored using Copic markers. The die cut if from Gina Marie.  The embossing folder SU. How sweet is this image!

Challenge:

House Mouse and Friends Monday challenge

A made this card at the crafty retreat:

                                  

 This image is stamped on watercolor paper and I water colored it.  It is for a friends brother who is dealing with cancer. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Irish Teddy Postcard: Masking and coloring

I joined a 'postcard' swap for St Patricks' Day, and the image had to be hand carved.....  I went to work looking up free images on the internet, and ended up with a teddy bear holding a Shamrock. 

I am posting lots of pictures here- my How to process : )  

Image was stamped in Distress ink.  I generally color using Copics, but for a postcard, we do not want color bleeding through...  so, I stamped the image three more times and made 'stencils' from the cardstock and added color using Distress inks.

 I stamped the image on two pieces of Post it note sticky paper put together and made a mask....

After stamping the image, I fussy cut it out.  This is sticky on the entire image back....  so I could use it over and over again.  

Adding the mask over the image, I colored the background using 4 Distress ink colors.  When they overlap with blending, I get more colors.  I used Red, Yellow, Blue and Purple.   But, you can see where Red and yellow blend, I have a strip of orange, and where Yellow and blue overlap, there is a strip of green.......  

This is the back of the postcard.  

I added a sentiment using carved letters and Queens Gold Embossing powder. 

I laminated the postcards.  They are taking forever to arrive- some over 2 weeks! 

But, I enjoyed the process very much!  Today would have been dad's 97th Birthday. He was 100% Irish and I am about 2/3 Irish......  

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

IG Blog Hop

I am participating in an IG Blog hop beginning today called The Monthly Discovery Hop.  We have challenges- for this month:  'Theme' is Love and the 'Technique' is Slimline. 

The first time creating Mini-slimline cards which are 3.5" x 6".  My first card uses a new SU set- I die cut hearts (from a set that came with the machine). I stamped the image on white and purple card.  Then, Lined up the white under the Orchid card . The sentiment is from an ancient set from EK success.  

This card uses a sweet stamp I bought before I rubber stamped...  I used it on cardstock to hang up bows I sold to a children's clothing store.  The size of the cards depended on the size of the bows. And, I have always been a tea drinker : ) 

The image is by All Night Media, the sentiment and XO are unmarked wood mounted stamps. I colored the image with Copic markers. I used a stencil for the hearts using Pixie Pink ink , and stamped the XO's in purple. 

The 2nd card is going in the mail to a class in Virginia- looking to receive cards from around the US or the world!  

Ms Mattox

Round Hill Elementary School

2020 Oakland Dr NW

Roanoke, Va

24012

Challenges 

Purple card: Festive Fridays- Valentines and use 3 items on list: I used Purple, Hearts, Slimline and a Love sentiment : )  

Try it on Tuesday- Use some Text

Thanks for stopping by! 

Shelly

Heart Origami and using DP hard to use!

Hi to all!

  I made a few cards recently, and have been bad posting them here.  

Today, I created for Splitcoaststampers challenges Technique Lovers challenge (TLC) and that was an Origami heart and Tuesday Teapot- a card for a woman that just had surgery on her liver. Emerald Green is the color for liver cancer : )  

No stamping on this one...  I used die cuts from Cheery Lynn and Simon Says Stamps. The DP is so pretty and from an Origami stack. 

Next, I was in an Instagram Hop featuring hard to use DP. I made three cards.  Not my usual type of cards, but it was great to use up these DP's in my stash. 

The image here is Honey Bee Stamps. I embossed the background and added So Saffron ink over the raised areas. 

Again, the Dp was added to card and I added a sentiment from Honey Bee stamps. 

The sentiment here is embossed in white and is from SSS or Simon Says Stamps. The die cut DieVersions. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

Rainy day!

I made this fun House Mouse card to catch up on my challenges!

 Catching up on challenges for the , "March to the Beat" challenge at SCS.  I made this fun card- a little bit more shimmer than what shows here. Distress ink and splattering on the background, then added spatters of water that was blotted with a paper towel.  

 The image was colored using Copic Markers. The Die cut is Gina Marie. 

House Mouse and Friends challenge is always AG, but is asking for optional challenge of adding blue.  Blue it is- so will add this to the challenge. 

We have a big snowstorm heading this way- I hope to get some time in my craft room!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Shelly

House Mouse Knit One

Spellbinders sent me this fun and creative image for the House-Mouse Winter Release to create with.  

 I am going to use this image like crazy- I can see coloring this in so many different colors!  For this post, I used complimentary colors Blue and Orange. For the stenciling, I used a Distress color that is a green leaning towards gray color. I colored using Copic Markers. 

 I have more of this image colored and more cards to come...!

We are just home after 3 months away.  We were celebrating Grandson #2 birth- October 11th.  We had a blast spending time with DS, DIL and our 4 1/2 year old grandson- who looks so similar to our son at that age!  It was so hard to head home..... over 1200 miles away!

I am entering my card into the 'Blue' challenge at House Mouse and Friends Monday challenge. 

Thanks for stopping by

Shelly