ATC Swap !

Good Morning Crafters !    Happy Mother's Day !

If you are looking for my Blog Candy post please go here:  Blog Candy   Draw is May 17th.

I've been distracted from card making lately as I've been busy with other activities including working in the gardens.        

I 'met' a nice friend (also named Shirley) through the Chocolate Baroque Forum.   See my side bar for a link, it's similar to Paper Planet.      Shirley suggested that we swap ATC's (artist trading card) when I admired ATCs that she posted on the Forum and asked how she created them.    So of coarse I agreed but I'm not experienced at creating ATC's.

Below is the ATC I mailed to Shirley

The background was created from Tombow markers, water & salt.  I have lots of left overs here.   I stamped one of the flowers from the  Chocolate Baroque Fantasy Meadow set and embossed with a metallic power.   The sentiment is from Kaisercraft Life Sentiments set which was stamped with Cocoa Dye Ink. 

And below is the beautiful ATC that I received  from Shirley !   It's like a mini-painting I love it !

She explained her technique for the background:  "I did lots of blending with distress inks on an A4 piece of card, then I misted water into my hand & then flicked it on, Last but not least I put a small amount of perfect pearls into a mini mister with some water shook it up to mix & then sprayed that onto background & dried with heat gun"   Obviously she then added the tree & bird stamps (also from Chocolate Baroque) to create the scene !  

That's all for today.  I hope to be back later in the week with a card or two.  I have some cool looking texture stamps from Designs by Ryn that I'm anxious to get inked up !  

Thanks for your visits & have a great week !
Shirley

Vine Heart

Hello Crafters !  I hope your week is going well.

If you are looking for my Blog Candy post please go here:  Blog Candy   Draw is May 17th.

I'm posting two cards today that I designed for Designs by Ryn .      Both cards are created with her CM-F16 Vine Heart.  It's a beautiful design, I love how the vine winds into a heart which is fun to colour ! 

The background for the first card was created by stamping and embossing the heart with green powder (Lettuce by Adirondack).  I blended Dusty Concord and Peeled Paint Distress Inks over top.    The colours are a little softer 'real' than this photo shows.     I used a white gel pen to colour in the vines on a few of the embossed hearts.    

The sentiment is from a Kaisercraft Set - Life Sentiments CS763, which I stamped with Memento Grape Jelly Dye Ink.   I added ribbon and a gold heart charm to finish it off. 

The second card below is a clean and simple style or maybe it has too much colour to be considered 'clean'

The background for the above card was created by using a couple of Tom Bow markers to add colour and then sprayed with water.  I used a large flat brush to move the paint around.  I sprayed over the paint again to create water marks and then added purple glimmer mist.   (no salt this time)

I stamped the heart on Vellum paper and embossed with gold.   I turned it over onto a foam mat and embossed the vines with a stylus (dry embossing).   The embossed areas turn white.    
I cut the heart out and attached it with tape specifically for vellum so you can't see it through the paper.    I added a dark purple mat before attaching to the folded white card.  

Thanks for your visit & enjoy your day !

Shirley 

Created by Saakje & and Thank you Ina !

Hello Crafters !    It was gorgeous here this weekend and we enjoyed it by watching our granddaughter's soccer games and working out in the gardens. 

If you are looking for my Blog Candy please go here:  Blog Candy   Draw is May 17th.

A few days ago, Ina from Little Bits of Craft  passed on the Liebster Blog Award to me.  I am thrilled that I have been given this honour three times recently.  I've already passed the award on the first time, but I want to Thank Ina for thinking of me, it really is appreciated.  If you have a chance please visit Ina's Blog, she creates beautiful cards  !

My passion for card making was 'given' to me from my creative Tante Saakje, who lives in the Netherlands.   Saakje gave me a beautiful hand crafted Christmas card in 2004.   It was created with Iris Folding and I was in awe by the beauty !   During a vacation in the Netherlands in 2006,  Saakje taught me the Dutch Art of paper folding, dry embossing and embroidery on paper.   I fell in love with it all and haven't looked back since !  A couple of years later during another Dutch vacation, I was introduced to the joy of rubber stamping by Saakje & my Cousins and that's when  I became a stamp addict !     I have a life time supply of papers for folding, beads & floss for embroidery, templates for embossing and now the drawers are getting stuffed with stamps & inks !     

A couple of days ago Tante Saakje emailed me photos of beautiful cards that she created.  I love them and wanted to share a couple with you !

Saakje explained the following about the above card:   

"I made the background by blending Mustard Seed, Evergreen Bough and Mahogany Distress Inks and then sprayed with Perfect Pearls.    I stamped Hero Art CG120 'antique writing' over the background & embossed with silver.   The flowers were created with Hero Art CL945 Blossom Art, also embossed with Silver and coloured with Peerless Watercolours."   

I am not familiar with these watercolours, but I think the results are gorgeous and I'm very proud of my Tante Saakje.  I also want to thank her for sharing her love of paper art with me !

This next card also created by Saakje is completely different !   Zentangle that she drew !  Love it !   She is concerned that this is not exactly as planned, but whatever the plan was, this is beautiful !

I love to Doodle and saw Zentangle for the first time again by Saakje.  She was visiting with me here last summer and we sat under the trees either working on Embroidery, Beading, Doodling, Zentangle or puttering in the flower gardens  !   We have so much fun sharing our same passions !   

Thank you Saakje for sharing your creations !

Again if you are looking for the Blog Candy promotion please find it here Blog Candy .  The draw is May 17th.    Good Luck in the draw ! 

Thanks for your visits, it's appreciated !

Have a great day

Shirley   

Blog Candy and a Butterfly Fish !

Hello Crafters !

Ryn of Designs by Ryn is happy to announce that her website has been enhanced and we have Blog Candy to celebrate !  I hope that you would like to join us for a chance to win.

All stamps by Ryn are made with high quality rubber that are deeply etched and provide a sharp image every time !  I love working with her beautiful hand-drawn designs.   The deep etching allows the stamps to be applied to other surfaces besides paper.  They work well with other mediums such as clay & fabric.    Visit Designs by Ryn's Website for more information which includes a gallery at each product/design, an enhanced shopping cart & has been updated with her full line.

BLOG CANDY !

The Blog Candy package includes two Designs by Ryn stamps along with other 'goodies'

To be eligible for a chance to win please:

1. Leave a comment at the end of this post before May 17th, 2012 :)

2. Join as a follower if you are not already :)

3. Add the above 'Candy Photo' to your Blog sidebar with a link back here. (if you have a Blog).

One winner will be chosen by Random.Org and will be announced here on May 17th, 2012.  Good Luck !   

Below are three cards that I created using two of Design by Ryn stamps. CM-S8 Butterfly Fish & CM-S9 Kelp which are from her new Sea Creatures Line.

The background for this card was created by blending Smooch Inks.   (To create Smooch Backgrounds, start by adding Versa Mark Ink over smooth white card stock.  Next add Smooch Ink with a Colorbox applicator & black moldable tip - the applicator cleans up easily with baby wipes).  I used Banana Custard, Pool & Ocean Smooch Inks.

Next I stamped Kelp with Colorbox Harbor Pigment Ink.  I used a small acrylic block and added Gold Lame' Smooch in clumps over the blended inks.    It looks like coral in spots.   I also stamped Kelp with Gold Lame Smooch which resulted in a neat gold texture which you can see this at the top of the background.  

I stamped Buttefly fish and embossed with Gold on Watercolour Paper.   I used just one Peach colour Tom Bow marker and blended it lighter in areas, then cut him out and popped him up.   I didn't want colour to compete with the background or the detail on the beauty fishie !  

The next card was also created with same stamps but with a different technique & colours.   I've made so many 'fishie' cards using sea colours it was time for a change !

The background was created with Shabby Shutters and Scattered Straw Distress Inks using the Acrylic Block Technique and then sprayed with Sunshine Glimmermist.  Kelp was stamped with Foxglove Memories Pigment Ink.

Butterfly Fish was stamped and embossed with Gold on Watercolour paper and Coloured with Tom Bow Markers.

The spellbinder label from S5-034 set was coloured by blending Scattered Straw and Dusty Concord Distress Inks.  The sentiment is from the Impression Obsession set MC183 Angelfish & also embossed in Gold.   I also added some Holograph border stickers from Starform & some gold ribbon.  

This last card below was created using Smooch Inks (Pool, Ocean & Kiwi) for the background, Kelp was stamped with Colorbox Platinum and again a little gold smooch was added using an acrylic block.  The fish was stamped with Harbour Ink and embossed with clear before blending Kiwi Smooch Ink over top.  I also added holograph glitter in areas.    The ribbon is actually blue & green it's hard to see in the photo.   

Thank you for your visits, they are always appreciated & Good Luck in the draw !
Shirley

Anniversary Peacock Fan & Awards

Good Morning Crafters!   I've had an exciting few Blogging days !

On Friday I was thrilled to learn that I earned the Lovely Lotus Award from  For Your Inspiration  for their Photo Challenge #27.   Thank you ladies ! 

Yesterday evening I was honored a second time with the Liebster Blog Award from Maria at  Crafty Maria's Stamping World .    Maria is a Stampin' Up Demonstrator who also teaches classes and has a terrific Blog full of ideas, tutorials & beautiful cards.    Needless to say, I was excited to receive this award again so recently after receiving it the first time (when I forwarded it on to 5 others)   Thank you Maria !

And finally, I'm happy that I have many new Followers and would like to thank all of you for your visits & comments.  Without all of you, blogging would not be so rewarding.  I also enjoy visiting at your Blogs where I gather a lot of inspiration !

Now onto a new creation !    A friend asked me to create a card that she will give to her daughter & son-in-law for their First Wedding Anniversary.    Their Wedding theme was Peacock Feathers, and she asked that the design include Peacock feathers and the colours Emerald Green, Red & Purple.

I used stamps from Chocolate Baroque to create this card.  The two stamp sets:  Peacock Fan & Artistic Expressions.

The purple strip on the LH side was created by blending Grape Soda,  Sugar Berry & Gold Lame Smooch Inks and then I stamped one of the feathers from the Peacock Fan set with ColorBox Gold Pigment Ink over top.   I added a narrow red mat under this piece.

I stamped the same feather with Versa Mark on the folded green cardstock and just left it with a watermark image.   The color & stamping on the green shows up a little better in the closeup photo below. 

The LOVE sentiment from the Artistic Expressions set was stamped & embossed with Gold and then cut with Spellbinders S4-322 Grommet tag.  I blended Evergreen Bough Distress Ink over top.

The Peacock Feather Fan was stamped and embossed with Gold on Watercolour paper and then painted with my Tombows.    

Thanks for your visits and have a great day !
Shirley

Less is More - Sketch Challenge

Hello Crafters !  I hope you enjoyed your weekend !      We were working outside most of the day in our gardens !    We have lots to do, but it felt wonderful !  

I'm venturing again into the world of Clean & Simple and entering another challenge at Less is More.  I enjoy looking at the elegant creations by the DT & participants.  I'm intriqued by the challenge of this style which is different for me.    I like to 3D images and create colorful backgrounds with no white space,  but it is also fun to make cards that are CAS !   

This week's (#65) is a Sketch Challenge, but there is a choice of either a square or circle in the centre.

I've been playing a lot with Tombow markers, water & salt to create backgrounds so I have a lot of bits & pieces left over.   I decided to use a little orange/yellow one for my mini-background.  I stamped & embossed in gold, a small leafy branch from the Hero Art Set - CL477 Delicate Leaf Clusters and then adhered the piece onto a very narrow dark brown mat.   I popped up the 'mini scene' over the white square folded card stock.    I stamped the just a note sentiment that is from a little Kaiser Craft Set - CS921 Thinking of you with Memento Rich Cocoa Dye Ink.

This is the Sketch I chose:

Thanks for stopping by.  Your visits & kind comments make me smile !
Shirley

Black Eye Susan

Good Evening Crafters,  I hope you had a great week !

We are still 'enjoying' cool wet weather this week but we needed rain, so I won't complain.   It should be sunny this weekend.  I'm anxious to get back out into the gardens, there is always so much to do at this time of year.  

Yesterday I was working on cards for Designs by Ryn and today posting one that I created using her Black Eye Susan CM-F3 and Leafy Branch CM-F15 stamps.    I have the flower the 'right side up' this time  :)

One of my kind blogger friends suggested that I enter this into the Pixie Dust Studio challenge #124 as it's all about embossing !   So I will follow her suggestion and enter !  Thank you Shirl !   

The small strip on the LH side was stamped with the Leafy Branch, embossed with Gold and then I blended Wild Honey & Crushed Olive Distress Inks over top.   I added a little white with a Prisma Pencil in some of the leaves.   I stamped the Black Eye Susan onto the green card stock with Colorbox Platinum Ink.   

The Black Eye Susan that is attached to the background was also embossed with gold and coloured a little with my Tombows.  I cut it out & added some holograph glitter here & there.   I also added a few leaves die cut with Crealies CLCS11. 

The Spellbinder Label S4-322 was distressed with Wild Honey.   I created the mat behind it by tracing the outside of the die on green cardstock and then cutting it out.  Happy Birthday is from a little Kaisercraft set - CS921 Thinking of You.  

The ribbon & bow are a sheer rusty brown.   I also added a couple of orange rhinestones.    

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate all your visits !
Have a great weekend.
Shirley

Dancing Hummingbird

Good Afternoon Crafters !

I realized that I'm obsessed with stamping & inking while participating in Zumba recently.  Zumba is a fun areobic class with a variety of Latin dance steps.  While concentrating on following the fancy footwork, I suddenly noticed the tattoo of beautiful flowers on the shoulder of the lady in front of me and my mind left Zumba and went to thoughts of what a nice stamp they would make !   Of coarse I lost my step !

I received more beautiful stamps from Ryn of  Designs by Ryn to create more card designs for her and amongst them was another of her beautiful Hummingbirds.   This one is especially beautiful, he looks like he is dancing....... maybe not Latin Dancing but he looks very graceful !

Stamps used for this card:   Designs by Ryn CM-B9 Flying Hummingbird 2 and CM-F3 Black Eyed Susan.

The background was created by starting with white card stock (I use a smooth sheet that is meant for Copic Markers, it gives a nice base to work on).   I used the following Color Box Fluid Chalk Inks -  Yellow Citrus, Lime Pastel & Ice Jade and 'stamp smooshed'  the flower using the inks one at a time.   The final image is Color Box Boysenberry Pigment Ink which was stamped without too much 'smooshing'.    Stamp Smoosh is simply stamp and then give it a little 'twist'.. more dancing :)

I mistakenly mounted this background upside down, the flower looks better turned the other way, I will make sure to get it right on my next card using this stamp.   

I stamped the Hummingbird on water colour paper, embossed with black & coloured with Tom Bow markers & water.   He turned out to be a colourful bird.  It's fun to imagine what Hummingbirds in the tropics look like and maybe they are dancing there !    Here they like to hover over flowers which is amazing to watch.      

The Happy Mother's Day sentiment is from a nice little set from Kaisercraft - CS916 Occasions. 

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day !

Shirley