Sweet substitutions

I am going out on a limb and going to confess something here. I hope I don't offend our hostess this week at Just Us Girls, Sharyn. This week's wild card challenge is that old favorite the shaving cream technique. 

But it isn't my favorite. I am not sure why, just not crazy about it- maybe it is just to messy for my CAS brain now. Anyway, I almost thought about coming up with some excuse as to why I couldn't contribute this week. But that isn't fair, a challenge is a challenge right??!!? I decided I would make my card, but of course I had no shaving cream (the husband uses shaving soap). I wasn't going to buy it for one challenge. I put my thinking cap on and I came up with a sweet substitution!

Yes- you are seeing what you think you are seeing! Whipped cream- which I always have a few cans in the fridge! I thought why won't that work the same.

It worked just fine as you can see. Now if only the ants don't find the card!!

Nautical love!

Today is my wedding anniversary. George and I have been married for 27 years!!! Yikes!!!  Where does the time go? Seems like just yesterday we were two kids making a huge commitment.

At Simply Create Too the challenge this week is a male or Father's day card.  I am sharing my anniversary card for my sailing and ocean loving husband. All the stamps are from the Knotty by Avery Elle.

I also want to let you know that this will be my last challenge as a Simply Create too design member. Life has gotten busy and I needed to downsize some of my stamping commitments. I have sooooo enjoyed being part of this awesome team and am constantly amazed by the response to each challenge.

Make your mark

As you can see by the number of posts this week, I have been stamping like crazy! It is so nice to be out of school.  Addicted to Stamps and More is hosting a challenge called "Make your mark". The idea is to use your markers, paint brushes pencils etc on your card. I took this challenge literally and figuratively. I made my mark by outlining the ink well and making the paint splotches with a brush. But the card makes it mark by the idea of the quill and ink to write the birthday wishes.

Here is the same card done in teal. These would make a great card set done in variety of colors. The stamps are from Mama Elephant- Fair feathers.

Basket of blooms

Yesterday, I was able to spend the afternoon with my best buddy, Patricia. We did our craft store run. We hit JoAnnes, A.C. Moore and Michaels with all our coupons. JoAnnes had something I wasn't familar with. ek tools has a selection of textured sheets for punches. I had to have the natural texture sheets, which were a variety of natural woven sheets. 

Well low and behold Addicted to CAS was having a challenge using texture. I knew I had to use my texture sheets! Impression Obsession has a basket die that was perfect to use. I die cut the basket from the woven sheets and filled it with die cut flowers and leaves from Paper Smooches Reflections stamp set. I added more texture by embossing the base card and adding a twine bow.

Less is More is hosting a challenge using dies, so what the hay- I am entering this there also!

What a fun card for two fun challenges!

Bon Voyage!

This is Memorial Day weekend, the official start to the summer!! Yee haaa!!!! I thought it appropriate to make a Bon Voyage card and Simon Says Stamp cooperated by having a challenge that call for travel or vacation cards.

I am also entering this at Addicted to Stamps- where anything goes this week!

This card uses a very old but always well inked-Hero Arts vertical cloud. It is so old, I could only find it on e-bay. the bon voyage definition is also from Hero arts and the plane is a fav from Papertrey Ink.

Wishing all of you a happy start to your summer!!

A very graphic birthday

I just love it when something just comes together effortlessly and I sure wasn't planning for that to happen when I sawVicki's photo inspiration for Just Us Girls this week. It seemed somehow daunting. I think all photo inspirations are daunting though!  Anyway, all that black and white! Yikes! I like lots of color!

I examined the image and an idea took place! I love acetate so the glass coffee table was my starting point. the rest just fell together. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the results! (not to toot my own horn but yeah!!) The card has that clean and graphic feel the Arydeth inspires.

 Here is another view.

This view was by accident. I had the card sitting up on a pile of other cards. It was evening and the light was on in my studio. I saw this oh so cool shadow effect on the card. I just love it!! 

Please join us this week at Just Us Girls for this very graphic and cool photo challenge!

Tweet-tweet

Can I tell you how much I am loving the watercolor class with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner. I have become obsessed with watercolors. This particular  card is my favorite so far. I used distress markers on this adorable bird stamp from Impression Obsession that my best buddy Pat gave me. After I colored the stamp with the markers, I heavily spritzed it and stamped it and just blended the color out with a waterbrush. I thought about a sentiment on the front of the card, but I just loved the bird by itself.

I made this card for the color challenge at House of Cards for the CAS category. I mighta cheated with the gray tones, hopefully my fearless leader Mynn won't notice! :)

I hope you will join us this week at House of Cards and show us what you can do with the color challenge this week for either CAS or classic/elegant cards

Find beauty

 This week at Just Us Girls, Lisa  is hosting a color challenge that is waaaaaaaay outside my comfort zone. Orchid, kraft and white.

Since I am still on my water color kick, I did an orchid watercolor background with an acrylic block. I stamped elegant weeds from Hero arts with frayed burlap distress ink.I accented the blossoms with an orchid marker and added texture with  white liquid pearls from Ranger. I finished the card with a touch of a script stamp and some watercolor splotches. I like this card but ir wasn't my first attempt. 

My first attempt was much lighter and it just didn't read orchid, so I redid it. 

 Both are cool in their own way. I hope you will join us this week at Just Us Girls for Lisa's color challenge!

Watercolor class homework- direct to stamp

I hope many of you have been able to take advantage of the online card class Watercolor for Cardmakers.  Over the past 6 days there have been fabulous techniques demonstrated by masters in card making such as Jennifer Maguire, Kristina Werner, Jennifer Rzasa, Shari Carroll and Sanketi among others.

On day 4, Shari Carroll showed us how to use gelatos on our stamps for an awesome watercolor look. As you know, not one to keep up on trends I have no gelatos, but I do have watercolor crayons and I used them directly on to the tulip stamp from Rubbernecker and spritzed the stamp heavily with water and I stamped onto watercolor paper.

This card is the second generation stamping that I accented with an extra-fine sharpie to make it look like and outline stamp.

This is the same stamp done with reds. They almost look like poppies don't they? Can't wait to see what else is in store for us!

Hope you enjoyed my take on Shari's technique!

Dude- you rock!

Hey everyone! This week at Just us Girls, Sue V. is hosting a technique challenge. It is an oldie but goodie. The "kissing" technique. If you aren't familiar with the technique, check out this tutorial from Split Coast Stampers.  

I played quite a bit with this technique and finally came up up with this card that I liked. The guitar dude displays the kissing technique. the watercolor background is from the watercolor color class going on now with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner.

I hope you will take time this week to join us at Just Us Girls!

Trends

I have often said that I am way behind with trends in paper crafting, but the trend for watercolor anything is one I have heartily embraced in a timely fashion. So what with Jennifer Maguire and Kristina Werner's "Watercoloring for Cardmaker's class starting Monday, I had to pull out my watercolors. I have had the one set from the time I was a kid and it is well loved! Can you guess which one?

This week's sketch challenge at Just Us Girls is being hosted by Cheryl.  I have been trying to create CAS cards for the sketch challenges, which mean minimal layers. This sketch worked perfect for the idea I had. 

I just took a flat brush and spread on overlapping stripes of watercolor and just stamped the "artiste" image over the paint. it was so much fun I had to make one in cooler blues and greens.

Remember, you don't always need lots of pattern papers and layers for sketches. Think outside the box and join us at Just Us Girls this week!