Watercolor Wednesday - The Greeting Farm

Hi Everyone! I'm back with my last Watercolor Wednesday post for 2014 and I am in LOVE with this card I'm sharing. I recently got my hands on some peerless watercolors and have been playing with them a LOT. I've been intrigued by these for some time and I finally took the plunge. I purchased the main pack as well as the bonus pack so I have a total of 60 colors to work with. O.M.G. These things are Ah-MAZING! So much color packed into a little area. The blend like buttah! Seriously, I am in love and so happy to have them added into my watercolor arsenal. I cut little 1x1 squares to create a travel palette. I love that I can take these anywhere so I can color easily at the kitchen table with 60 colors right at my finger tips while watching a movie with my hubby. Nothing like being able to color and spend quality time together. :)

I almost left the card without a sentiment because I couldn't find one I liked but as I looked again at the Together Anywhere stamp set, I saw the Awesome and the Together from the different sentiments and decided to merge them together with some simple masking of the stamp before I inked it and created my own custom sentiment perfect for the card. I think I am going to give this one to my hubby for valentine's day - can never start too early, right?! I kept the card very simple as I really think the coloring is the feature here. I'm starting to think I just can't do layers. Plus, I really want to try to mail more cards in 2015 so it's best to keep them simple so I have no excuse not to slap a forever stamp on an envelope and put them in the mailbox!

Here is a close up of the coloring. It is fun experimenting with skin colors. haha I think Ian looks a little sunburnt here. I do love the sunset background though. Seriously, look at how those colors just blend so pretty into each other! I took my inspiration from the Bo Bunny papers I received in my Simon Says Stamp January Card Kit. Those papers are gorgeous! Has my two favorite colors - purple and teal - LUSH! I think I need to get my hands on a full pad. hehe

I would also like to enter my card in the following challenge:

• Simon Says Anything Goes Challenge

Thanks so much for stopping by - if you liked my card today and don't want to miss a post please be sure to follow me by clicking the button below!

SSS Work It Wednesday Challenge - I love Watercolors!

I came across this challenge on the Simon Says Stamp blog - I am an avid reader and *drooler* of their blog - love being inspired by their designers although I don't join in to play as often as I would like - so I thought today I would do just that. They have a monthly challenge called Work It Wednesday - with a theme - this month's theme is to show something you LOVE. Well, that was easy - after a week of organizing my stamps, I was inspired to pull out some favorite stamps that I haven't ever used. I mean, seriously, how cute are these Gorjuss stamps?! I love them but then get intimidated by coloring them. I decided to pull out my new Peerless Watercolors and just have fun.

I also love my SSS Card Kits - I used the stamp set and perfect pearls that came in the January Kit. LUSH, I tell ya! I don't subscribe to a lot of kits - well, any actually, but the SSS Card Kit is the ONE exception! I stamped my image on some 5x7 watercolor cards that I have - love having these pre made cards - perfect for watercoloring and I just kept it a one layer card letting all the painting shine. It was really relaxing to bring this stamp to life. She's just too cute!

I know I've been quiet - I'm super excited though for 2015 - stay tuned! 

I apologize about being a lazy blogger lately and not listing my products. I promise to start doing that again - just gotta find the time and energy to fire up the old inlinkz thing again - I let it expire. 

Thanks so much for stopping by - if you liked my card today and don't want to miss a post please be sure to follow me by clicking the button below!

Watercolor Wednesday - WPlus9 Birthday Card

Hello everyone! It has been a couple weeks since I've posted for Watercolor Wednesday but I'm back today with this fun card I created last month for my hubby's birthday. I have recently become obsessed, er I mean aware of a stamp company called WPlus9. They also make dies and I purchased their Stag Trio die. It's PERFECT for masculine cards. I had seen some silhouette watercolor paintings on Pinterest which is where I took my inspiration for this card. I just laid down a rainbow of watercolors for my background and die cut my stag from some Simon Says Stamp woodgrain card stock. I used a stamp also by Simon Says Stamp for the Happy Birthday sentiment and then thought it would be cute to add My Deer so I used my Lawn Fawn alphabet set to create a custom sentiment.

I absolutely love creating these watercolor backgrounds like this and I'm so happy to have found a new (to me) stamp company that has such cute and fun stamps and dies! Plus, the owner is an incredible watercolorist and I've learned so much watching her videos on youtube!

For another watercolor card, please check out my post on The Greeting Farm Blog! 

Thanks so much for stopping by - if you liked my card today and don't want to miss a post please be sure to follow me by clicking the button below!

Visible Image - INKognito Thursday Inspiration

Hi everyone! It's Thursday so that means Visible Image Inspiration day! The line of stamps that really made me fall in love with Visible Image was the INKognito line! These stamps are so grungy and original and perfect for art journals. It was long overdue time to get them in mine. I also had been neglecting my Pan Pastels so I grabbed those, my stamps and my old book journal and decided to have a play and experiment a bit.

I love this old book I picked up at a thrift store. It is one of my favorite art journals because I love having book text as a base. I can show as little or as much (like these pages) with the amount of layers I use. Plus, there are these great quotes that are so fun. I decided to keep the layers light in order to keep the quote showing. I started by stamping the stem from the Flower INKognito stamp to frame the quote in VersaMark. Then I stamped the flowers along the bottom of the pages also in VersaMark. 

After I did that, I started adding Pan Pastels in red, yellow, green and blue and blended them together over the page. This is where the magic happens. Where I stamped the images in VersaMark, the color is much brighter and vibrant. I love that effect!

Next I stamped my sentiment Imperfection Is Beauty in Archival Black Ink and highlighted it with a white gel pen. I also added some Ink Splats stamps all around the page. These make the perfect imperfect ink splatters! 

Here is a close up of the gorgeous Pan Pastel across the VersaMark stamped images. Isn't it beautiful? Playing in my art journal and this fabulous medium has only reminded me that I don't have NEARLY enough colors! Must rectify that pronto. ;)

I also want to show how this technique can be applied to cards as well. Here I stamped my flowers on a piece of Neena Solar White Card Stock and then added the Pan Pastel over them blending just orange and yellow this time with a touch of green. Then I stamped the same sentiment in Archival Black and highlighted with a white gel pen. I also added some white highlights on the flowers. I just mounted the entire panel cut slightly smaller than a standard A2 size card (4.25" x 5.5").

Here is another close up of this gorgeous technique! I hope you have enjoyed my post today. I have some sad news as this is my last post as part of the Visible Image Design Team. I have had so much fun designing with these fabulous stamps. The company is amazing - just great people. I have definitely added another fabulous company to my list of favorites. I am thankful for the time I've been able to spend with them. It definitely won't be the last time you see me using these gorgeous stamps! Especially, the new line of sentiment stamps. Be sure to check out the entire Express Yourself Line - they are awesome!

Be sure to check out our 'Tis The Season Visible Image Stamps Challenge this month for your chance to WIN £20 to spend on our stamps!

For more inspiration from the Design Team and our amazing fans, be sure to join the Visible Image Facebook Group and visit the Visible Image Blog.

SUPPLIES USED:

Visible Image - Flower INKognito, Imperfection is Beauty, Ink Splats

Pan Pastels

Archival Ink - Black, Sepia

White Gel Pen

VersaMark Watermark Ink Pad

Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine Special Thanks! Blog Hop

Hi everyone, wow, what a hop this has been! If you are coming from my dear friend Annette's blog you are right on track, if not, definitely take a look at the links at the bottom of this post to make sure you hit all the stops along the way.

I am excited to be a part of this little (big) hop down memory lane. I still remember the first time I got received the happy email from Susan Opel saying one of my cards got picked for publication. 

Oh, how excited I was! Literally doing the happy dance. I've always loved flipping through my crafty magazines and the thought of having one of my little ole' cards in print was incredible. 

When I first heard the news that Paper Crafts was going digital I thought that we have really seen an entire industry change before our very eyes. When I first started seeing the news rapidly fly on Facebook that the magazine was forever shutting her doors, I couldn't believe it - didn't want to believe it - but sadly, it is true. 

I've met a few of the Go To Gals and Editors in the past couple years when I've been able to attend CHA and they are just as nice and awesome as they are online. It's been an honor to meet them and because they are so awesome, I know they will all be landing on their feet and continuing to create, inspire and be fabulous in whatever venture they decide to do next! 

So, in the spirit of this hop, I've created a little Thank You card. A card to thank them for their inspiration, their thoughtfulness, their generosity…it's just not enough! I wish everyone the best!

I used this fab die cut from Papertrey Ink to create my background. I cut it from Simon Says Stamp Woodgrain Cardstock. Then I die cut my banner (also from Papertrey Ink) out of vellum and embossed my sentiment from Paper Smooches. I created a second smaller banner to layer on top using washi tape, sprinkled some sequins and called it done. I love this large die cut. It is definitely going to be a go to staple for my cards. It fits perfectly on a standard A2 size card which is my favorite card size to make.

I don't want to go on too long as this hop is BIIIIG! Your next stop is one of my all time favorite crafty companies: Crafter's Companion! 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed my card - made especially for all our friends at Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking Magazine.

I found a pair of Blitsy Golden Scissors!

Hi everyone! It's no secret that I LOVE Blitsy.com - perhaps a little too much my hubby might argue. LOL Anyway, they have an AWESOME giveaway going on and I created a little video to share with you all about it. Don't mind the no make up and crafty mess in the background! haha ;) Keeping it real here!

For more info, take a look at the Blitsy Golden Scissors Blog Post! Good luck! Remember, today is THE LAST DAY you can win a pair - and there are crazy awesome Cyber Monday days - check it out at Blitsy today! 

Visible Image - 'Tis The Season December Challenge!

Happy Monday, friends! Can you believe it is December 1st?! I certainly cannot. Wow! I don't even want to think about it being the last month of the year and all that. I sure am excited for Christmas though - it is my absolute FAVORITE holiday and season. 

This month at Visible Image we are in the holiday spirit with our challenge 'Tis The Season! That's right, dig out your favorite Visible Image winter or holiday stamps and create anything you design to join our Challenge this month! I created a Christmas card with our Winter Tree Stamp. First I created a background by doing some masking for the snowy hills and using Distress Inks in various blues and purples to create a winter twilight sky. Then I removed the masks and added just a touch of Distress Ink so it wasn't stark white. After that I stamped the tree using Archival Ink. I added snow with Imagine Crafts IrRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Wedding Dress. I also added some to the branches where snow would have fallen. For the snow on the hills, I used Faux Snow by Art Glitter - it is super chunky and fabulous! I finished the card off with a die cut sentiment. I love how it turned out and hope you find some inspiration in my card today.

Be sure to check out our 'Tis The Season Visible Image Stamps Challenge this month for your chance to WIN £20 to spend on our stamps!

For more inspiration from the Design Team and our amazing fans, be sure to join the Visible Image Facebook Group and visit the Visible Image Blog.

SUPPLIES USED:

Visible Image - Winter Tree stamp

Distress Inks

Archival Ink

Imagine Crafts Pico Embellisher - Wedding Dress

Ranger Embossing Powders - Silver

Art Glitter - Faux Snow

Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Simon Says Stamp - Christmas Blessings Die

A Warm Hello with The Greeting Farm!

Hi everyone! I'm back on The Greeting Farm blog today with another fabulous card. Be sure to head over there and check out the full card as well as information regarding information on the Hair and Skin Coloring Workshop I'll be teaching at Stamping To See You on December 7 in Littleton, Colorado!

Tombow DT Finalist - Xtreme Adhesive Watercolor Canvas

Hello friends! I am SO excited for my post today. I was selected as a Tombow Design Team Finalist and this is my project. We were each sent the Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive and were challenge to use it to create something OTHER than a card or scrapbook layout! Something OUTSIDE the box! What a fabulous challenge, right?!

After some thought, I decided I wanted to create a watercolor mixed media canvas using the Tombow Xtreme Adhesive to add the embellishments to my canvas. I started by stamping the Free Spirit Prima Bloom Girl stamp on the canvas - my tip for these stamps being they are so large and I don't have a block big enough was to lay the stamp flat on my desk, ink it up and then place my canvas carefully on top pressing down with my hands to create the impression. Next, I colored it up using my Tombow Dual Brush Pens - the flesh tone set for the skin and hair. Then I used a variety of other watercolor mediums to paint the background of my canvas with bold and bright color - using my brush to flick some color on as well.

Next, came the fun part of adding my embellishments. I used the Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive to adhere all my elements except for the small wood veneer stars and sequins because they were so small so I used my Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue for those.

I love the texture and depth I am able to get with the Tombow Dual Brush markers - I use them with water to move the color and get the look I want.

I am especially impressed with the hold of this metal flower cluster using the Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive. It has such a strong hold and staying power - I have no worry at all that it will move or fall off!!

I also added some Wink of Stella Clear glitter on the feathers which you can kinda see here.

This is my finished 8x10 canvas and I am just in LOVE with the way it came out!! I love all the embellishments and it was super easy to put together with the Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adheseive. I never would have though to use a tape runner before to add wood and metal to my canvas but I will definitely be using it more often! I have also been using it to adhere my watercolor panels to my card bases because it has such a strong hold it takes out any of the warping that occurred as I was watercoloring.

I want to thank Tombow USA for this awesome opportunity to join their Design Team. I am a huge fan and love all of the products they make. Please take a look at the original post with all the talented artists that have moved on to this 2nd round with me and be sure to check out their projects, too! It will be a hard decision, I'm sure as there are so many beautiful projects that everyone has created using the Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive!

Thank you for stopping by today and wish me luck!!

PRODUCTS USED:

Tombow Dual Brush Pens Portrait Palette

Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive

Studio Calico Wood Veneers

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Foliage

Feckled Fawn Cork Frame & Sequin Star

Grumbacher Watercolor: Payne's Gray, Violet, Alizarin Crimson, Sap Green

Winsor & Newton Watercolor Quinacridone Gold

Koi Watercolors

Imagine Crafts IrRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Tuxedo Black & Wedding Dress

Prima Flower

Sequins

May Arts Natural and Gold/White Twine

Visible Image Inspiration Thursday - Classic Face

Good Morning! It is Thursday so that means I have my inspiration card for Visible Image for you today! I created my card today using the Classic Face stamp as my main focal image. I created a watercolor wash background first and once it was dry stamped the image on top with Versafine Black Onyx ink. Then I added accents with a white gel pena and glossy accents on the lips and eye. The watercolors I used have  pearly shimmer to them so I also added a frame around the image using a silver Wink of Stella Pen. Before mounting on my standard A2 card, I created a background using the Grunge Polka Dot stamp and stamped the entire card base using VersaMark ink. I love the watermark effect it has. This card was really simple to create and I love the watercolor background behind the Classic Face. One of my favorite stamps for sure! 

Thank so much for stopping by today!

Before I go, have you heard the amazing news?! Visible Image has been nominated for The British Craft Awards in the Best Stamp Range category. If you live in the UK, be sure to head over HERE to vote for Visible Image! Hurry! Voting closes at 11.59pm on 19th December 2014.

Thank you for stopping by - I hope you enjoyed my card.

Be sure to check out our Your Favorite Visible Image Stamps Challenge this month for your chance to WIN £20 to spend on our stamps!

For more inspiration, be sure to join the Visible Image Facebook Group and visit the Visible Image Blog.

SUPPLIES USED:

Visible Image - Classic Face, Grunge Polka Dot and sentiment from OZ Dorothy Set

Watercolor Paper

Yasutomo Watercolors

Derwent Inktense Pencils

Wink of Stella in Silver

PaperTrey Ink Kraft Cardstock

Versamark Ink

Versafine Black Onyx Ink Pad

Glossy Accents

White Gel Pen

Totally Terrific Tuesday with The Greeting Farm!

Hi Everyone! I'm up on The Greeting Farm blog again today! I am sharing a teensy sneak peek with you here, but for all the details about my card as well as the 411 on an AWESOME WORKSHOP here in Colorado next month - be sure to hop on over to The Greeting Farm Blog.

Till tomorrow…when I hope to have my post ready for Round 2 of THIS exciting news:

Eeek, wish me luck! I only have 3 more days left to submit!

Imagine Crafts 2015 Artist In Residence!!!

Eeeek! I am SO excited to FINALLY share that I've made it on the Imagine Crafts 2015 Artist In Residence Video Team! This was the first DT team call that I ever tried out for that had 2 rounds - it kinda felt like The Voice or something. LOL! I had so much fun creating with the specific products that were sent each person that made it to round 2 - my desk was a MESS after trying and trashing different ideas. This is an incredible opportunity and a dream come true for me. The team they have put together is full of talented crafters with a variety of styles sure to keep you inspired all year long. I can't wait to get started!! You can check out the full announcement on the Imagine Crafts Blog and be sure to hop through the rest of the team that I'm so blessed to join & join me in congratulating everyone. I am thrilled to be on this team with all of these amazing ladies:

2015 AIRs Project Team

Clare Horner (UK)

Heike Linnek (Germany)

Isha Gupta (Switzerland)

Jowilna Nolte (South Africa)

Linda Lucas (Australia)

Maureen Cronin (WA, US)

Penny Ward (FL, US)

Renee Zarate (MA, US)

Roni Johnson  (US)

Sylvia Blum (Germany)

Taylor Usry (VA, US)

2015 AIRs Video Team

Baerbel Born (Germany)

Carisa Zglobicki (CO, US)

Cathy Andronicou (UK)

Gini Cagle Williams (NC, US)

Savannah O’Gwynn (FL, US)

Tina McDonald (NB, Canada)

Also, before you go, be sure to check out THIS POST at Imagine Crafts blog as we are looking for YOUR input on what you want to see for the 2015 blog calendar. Project posts, book reviews, crafter interviews, interesting craft news, IMAGINE Crafts behind the scenes, something else entirely?  Leave a comment on the post with your idea(s).  Don’t be shy!  Feel free to let us know what you feel has worked — and what hasn’t.  We’ll choose a random commenter to win an irRESISTible Neon Spray and Pico Embellisher!  (To be eligible for the giveaway, leave a comment by Sunday, November 30.)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Visible Image Inspiration Thursday - Elegant Emma

Good morning, friends! Today I am sharing a card I created using Visible Image Elegant Emma Set. I am working on a Copic coloring class so a good friend let me borrow her Copics and I'm kinda in coloring heaven right now! I couldn't wait to ink up some of my Visible Image character stamps to color while I have them.

I started coloring this stamp inspired by the movie Frozen and then turned it into a Christmasy card. I have another idea brewing for this stamp that I will have to try. I added the pieces of red after I colored her but I think had I don't that first, I would have probably colored her dress red. Sometimes these things just take on a life of their own! I still love how she turned out. I used Imagine Crafts Vertigo Paper and die cut it with Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders to create the snowy banks behind her. I think it looks so cool because of the texture of the paper. I also used a Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames to create my sentiment and add some snowflakes behind her.

Before I go, have you heard the amazing news?! Visible Image has been nominated for The British Craft Awards in the Best Stamp Range category. If you live in the UK, be sure to head over HERE to vote for Visible Image! Hurry! Voting closes at 11.59pm on 19th December 2014.

Thank you for stopping by - I hope you enjoyed my card.

Be sure to check out our Your Favorite Visible Image Stamps Challenge this month for your chance to WIN £20 to spend on our stamps!

For more inspiration, be sure to join the Visible Image Facebook Group and visit the Visible Image Blog.

SUPPLIES USED:

Visible Image - Elegant Emma Set

Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Copics: Skin - E000, E00, E11, R20, R24, BV23 / Hair - E40, E41, E42, Y11, BV23 / Dress - BG000, B00, B01, B04, BV23, C1, C2, 0 

Wink of Stella in Silver, Gold and Clear

PaperTrey Ink Kraft Cardstock

Versamark Ink

Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Authentique Paper Pad

Imagine Crafts Vertigo Paper

Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders

Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames

Watercolor Wednesday - Exciting news from The Greeting Farm!

Hi friends,

I am SO excited! When Joni and Rosemary asked me to be their holiday guest designer there was NO hesitation on my part! I eagerly accepted as The Greeting Farm is my first stamping love and I'm pretty blessed with a friendship that bloomed when Marie accepted my crazy request to pick up my stamps once I realized she was right here in Colorado all those many moons ago. We've had hours of laughter over packing stamps together and now 5 babies later between the two of us (she is almost caught up with me now LOL), it's easy to say she's one of my closest friends. While at my very first CHA show, Jessica took me under her experienced wing and showed me the ropes thus another friendship bloomed - it became our tradition to have breakfast together before the show. It's just one of those things I love about this hobby - the friendships are definitely by far my favorite part. I'm sure you can tell, everyone that has been and is part of The Farm becomes family.

Watercoloring has taken the stamping industry by storm and I have definitely been bitten. I love applying colors and seeing them move across the page and blending together. It is definitely trial and error as you have to be careful which colors you place together as it can quickly turn to yucky mud. LOL One tip is to keep cool colors and warm colors apart only blending within the color family. Of course using your primary colors together like red and blue or blue and yellow is always fun because you can get those purples and greens as they blend together. Be sure to visit my first post on The Greeting Farm blog to see the rest of the cards I created as well as my tip for embossing!

Also, there is a fabulous sale going on at The Greeting Farm with more items being added! Be sure to check it out HERE.

I know it has been quiet the past couple weeks on my blog but I promise there are many, MANY exciting things in the works…I should be back with an announcement this Friday so be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss a thing. It is about to get VERY busy up in here. I will also be back tomorrow with my weekly Visible Image inspiration post which you won't want to miss!

Thanks so much for stopping by - I hope you enjoyed my card!

Visible Image - Oz Dorothy - Inspiration Thursday!

Good morning, friends! It has been a ROUGH 2 weeks - let me tell you. I have been training for a new job and  it is pretty far out of my comfort zone at the moment. I know like anything else, it will click and it is definitely challenging which is something I was looking for so I enjoy it in that aspect but everything else has really fallen to the side while I get my bearings about me with a new schedule and this new information overload. I am so grateful that the team at Visible Image has been so understanding as I just haven't been able to post anything at all until now! LOL 

That said, let's move on to my card - we have a new challenge at Visible Image for the month of November to use your FAVORITE Visible Image stamp! Now…that was definitely challenging for me since I don't KNOW which is my favorite favorite yet, but my favorite thing to do in stamping is coloring so I chose to use the Oz Dorothy Set for my card in this month's challenge.

I stamped the image on watercolor paper with Onyx Black Versafine Ink. Then I colored the image using a combination of Inktense pencils and Distress Inks. I also added some shimmer to her dress using Wink of Stella and made her shoes pop with Perfect Pearls! I am seriously in love with Toto - isn't he the cutest?! 

I kept my card simple as I usually do with such a cute image as the focal point. My papers come from Lawn Fawn - Sweater Collection 6x6 paper pad and I used some twine as an accent as well as a little border accent with Fiskars Apron Scallop punch - one of my favorites that survived the purge. haha

Thank you for stopping by - I hope you enjoyed my card.

Be sure to check out our Your Favorite Visible Image Stamps Challenge this month for your chance to WIN £20 to spend on our stamps!

For more inspiration, be sure to join the Visible Image Facebook Group and visit the Visible Image Blog.