Soap Bottle Inspired Xmas Card

I've had this soap dispenser since last year, and I've loved the color, glitter, etc.  So I've held onto the empty bottle until the time was right to try to recreate it. In my memory, the soap was more of a purple color.  This photo is a stock picture from the Internet.

The stamps are Lovely as a Tree from Stampin Up - stamped in Archival Violet.  Then I repositioned the stamp, stamped with VersaMark and clear embossing powder.  I used Peerless water colors to color the sky and snow.  After that dried, I embossed over the trees with WOW cha cha cha embossing glitter -- oh the glimmer in real life is awesome!!  The sentiment is from PaperTrey Ink.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

1) 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - where the challenge is to use a previous challenge - So I selected June Theme Challenge - Xmas Landscape

2) Also for CAS CAS Watercolor  

3) Inkspirational Challenge CAS with Sparkle -- this certainly qualifies :) 

4) Time out Challenge - Christmas with optional twist of glitter or shimmer

5) CAS on Sunday the theme is Christmas 

6) Winter Wonderland - Frame it or Night Scene - I think this qualifies 

and

7) AAA Cards - CAS

Thank you so very much for looking.

My cards may not be much . . . but it is OH SO Relaxing to work with paper and colors.  And I had a great time creating this card.  I hope you are having a good day too.  

Light the Candles!

I made this for a friend who will be 60 this week (and I'm making another for my hubby).  His "real" card can be found Here.  But knowing him, he'll like this funny card better.  

The stamps are from Art Impressions -- the paper is from Stamping Up.  Some stickles on the candles and around the speech bubble.  

I was inspired by the following blogs:

1. Colour Q Blog

2. Tuesday Morning Sketches - I had to modify the sketch a bit -- only one strip of pattern paper -- I tried two strips, but it did not look right.  And I put the sentiment in the top left corner, not the bottom right.  

3. Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Big Six Oh!

For my hubby who is finally joining the 60's !
Life has been very busy - so card-making has taken a back seat.  I miss my creative time.  But I had to really make time to create for my man's big birthday!!

This was an easy to create shaker card -- the paper is from Stamping Up -- the 60th dies are from PTI.  I'm not sure which company the Happy Birthday is from.

I was inspired by the following challenges.

1. Moving Along with the Times - use dies - numbers or letter

2. Seize the Birthday

 

3. Stampin Royalty - Masculine projects

4. Hand Stamped Sentiments - Color Challenge

5. Muse Card Club Challenge

Thank you so much for stopping by to take a look.  

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"Vintage Watercolor" Sympathy Flowers

I based this card on the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, which I really like because it is a very "clean" sketch".

 

 I am using the colors from Less is More which are Blue & Brown

I love how Heather Telford does this Vintage watercoloring.  She makes it look so effortless.  You can see her tutorial HERE  My stamp is one stamp from Penny Black.   I decided not to use "extras" like text or splatters, to keep the card simple.   Heather has such talent.  It took me several times to get this to a point that I like it.  There is a very light blue wash around the vase of flowers, but it does not show in the photo.  

So my card is very basic.  Just 2 stamps.  The sentiment is from Paper Trey Ink.  

Thank you for looking.  

That's all I've got for today.  I am glad I finally got to to do a bit of paper - coloring therapy.  It's been a weird summer.  

Hill? What Hill?

My daughter-in-law turned 30 just this week.  This card is for her.  But I don't have any way to get it to her.  Because she and my son are traveling across the country for an extended honey-moon / finding a place to live journey.  They left on May 10 to visit all 48 lower states.  They should be home this week, for a brief stop.  Then back out to do the NewEngland states.  

This is a photo of their camping set up before they left:

And here it is in action. This is one of their first nights out.  

I think in the Blue Ridge mountains.

They started a Blog.  But due to limited Internet access, the blog is not quite up to date.  

Here is the  LINK .  

Claire tells some amusing stories.  

The stamp is Happy Trails from Taylored Expressions stamps; I used their sketch for the basis of my design.  But it morphed a bit.  I put the stripe segment across the bottom and used the road die from My Favorite Things.  
So this will go into the Share Joy Challenge.

I colored the car and camper in the colors of their camping set-up.  I think they are fairly bold and bright.  So this will be for the Seize the Birthday - BOLD and Bright challenge also. 

I'm also putting this into Addicted to Stamps Challenge to "Make your Mark"  I colored the truck and camper with Spica glitter pens.

Also at Happy Little Stampers the challenge is to use die cuts.  The road and 30 balloons (from Avery Elle) are die cuts.  There are dies for the camper and truck, but I don't have them.  So I fussy cut them by hand.

At Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge you are asked to   Create A Scene.

It's been a while since I've had some crafty time.  And I had a real good time designing and making this for Claire.  Thank you so much for looking.  I hope you are enjoying your day.  

Vintage Watercolor Birthday Flowers

This is for my sister's birthday.  She deserves all good things as she is facing some challenges in her family life right now. 

I was inspired by this card and vintage watercolor tutorial by Heather Telford   Her cards are always gorgeous -- I used a lot more color that Heather did  . . . and some of the detail of the flowers got lost in the watercoloring.  

The flower stamp is from Penny Black .

I used the same vintage photo distress ink and calligraphy pen (for the leaves and stem).  But instead of adding color with pencils I used distress inks (abandoned coral, and a green - forgot which).  I used a gold metallic watercolor for the ribbon and the swirls and dots.  

I love the colors in the latest Color Q Challenge and the sketch from Stamplorations       

I'm putting this into  a few other challenges:

• Just Add Ink - Anything with B - a bouquet qualifies
• Addicted to Clean and Simple - code word "petals" 
  
  
  
• AAA Cards - their 2nd Birthday Bash

• And of course to the Penny Black Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks so very much for taking a look.  I hope you are enjoying your day. 

Happy Mickey Mouse Birthday!

5x7 inches

This is for Caleb who is turning 2 in a week.  Caleb was born very prematurely at 1 pound 9 ounces - a "micro-preemie". He spent 145 days in the NICU.  And he is now doing fabulously - he's still little - only 20 pounds.  But he has been released from all early intervention therapies.

One of his favorite characters is Mickey Mouse, and his parents are celebrating with a Mickey Mouse themed birthday party.

 

Isn't he the cutest thing? (I am prejudice).  And his personality is amazing -- always smiling and happy.  Although his mom reports that is he is becoming a "typical 2 year old" and beginning to really express his wishes, and not always in an easy manner . If you know any 2 year olds, you know what I mean!

I used the sketch from Retro Rubber  (RRCB37)

The sentiment was a combination of Happy Birthday from PTI (over a year or more old) ,  the number from a Studio G set (2008) and the "nd" from a Stampendous set Fifteen Candles (also 2008)-- embossed with black diamond embossing powder. 

I decided to make a shaker card in the shape of the Mickey Mouse head/ logo -- it was really very easy -- a big balloon die, and circle die for the ears.  I filled it with assorted sequins - So this is going into the AAA Cards Challenge

I'm also putting this into the challenge at Through the Purple Haze where you need to add a number.  They are celebrating their 100th challenge!!  Congrats to them!

The challenge this week at  Brown Sugar  is "For the Boys". (BSCB-195)  Caleb is all boy -- loves to play with things that move, turn and spin - to try to see how it works.  I predict he will work with his hands one day or perhaps be a type of engineer.  

Over at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge it is Anything Goes - try to use Stampendous Stamps 

I had a great time making this card - and I was pleased at how quickly I was able to put this together.  I am usually a very slow crafter.

The sun is shining - I'm of to enjoy a bit of it.  Hope you are having a great day.  Thanks for looking!

Hey Hot Stuff

This is for my hubby for our 37th anniversary.

I love pepperoni pizza -- would you believe I did not know what pepperoni was before I met him?  It's true!  One of our favorite date nights was to go to one of several Wine and Cheese places -- usually little homes with several little rooms that were repurposed with tables and chairs - -board games, and of course cheese platters (with pepperoni) and wine.  Nice and cozy - perfect for dates.  I do miss those places.

This stamp from Sugar Peas is perfect.
I used their sketch: Sugar Peas Sketch #45 with a few tweaks.

At Shopping Our Stash Weekly The theme is 

Something For The Big or Biggest Boy - 

I do think my hubby is the Big Boy.


At Addicted to Stamps the theme is Make Your Mark.  I colored the Pizza Chef with Copic Markers. And then popped him up with some dimensional tape.

And at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge the theme is  Anything Goes

 I made the background with a stencil from The Crafter's Workshop -- I colored the embossing paste with a bit of fired brick distress ink.  After that dried, I sponged some Antique Linen distress ink over the paper to give it a more authentic pizza parlor feel.  I added a bit of Crystal Effects to the pizza, his hat, and the wood pole.  

That's all of now.  Off to do my weekend chores.  Weekends are indeed too short.  It was fun while it lasted.  Thanks for looking - have a great day. 

Home Sweet Gnome

My co-worker and friend is moving into her new home soon.  This is for her.

The gnome and snail stamp are from My Favorite Things, I colored with Copics.  I stenciled the kraft paper on the bottom with a stone pattern.  The top white piece I stenciled with a sun stencil.  The clouds are from Paper Smooches.  The pattern paper is from ???  

I used the sketch from My Favorite Things and the colors also from My Favorite Things

And at the Clear it Out Challenge you need to use pattern paper that is over a year old.   I am embarrassed (or proud) to admit that I've had this paper since I started scrapbooking and card-making.  So it must be at least 8 years old . . .

That's about all for this card.  Snow is in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow morning -- not for much, and back to 50 or 60 degrees by Wednesday.  But I sure would love one more snow day off from work!  Keeping my fingers crossed, wearing my pj's inside out, all those school kid things!

As always, thanks so much for taking a look.

In a Galaxy Far Far Away

At Shopping our Stash Weekly the theme is "In a Galaxy Far Far Away".  I just stumbled upon this blog.  And I love the way they the challenges encourage you with some unusual topics.

To create the background, I used Color Bursts and Brusho (black).  I sprinkled some powder around and the spritzed with water.  It is a really cool technique, as no 2 backgrounds will be exactly alike.  Very pretty!

The stamps from Neat and Tangled (Time Warp and A Long Time Ago) were embossed in white.  I used a stencil (Simon Says Stamp - falling stars) to add some small gold stars.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is to make your own background.

I am also putting this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #6 - where I finally got to use all these never been used before goodies on this card.  And where I finally got to enter one of her challenges.  Darnell has a great blog, if you've never been - try it!

Busy busy - I feel like the rabbit that keeps going, and never stops.  

So, I Gotta go - thanks for taking a peek! 

PTI Balloons

Paper Trey Ink is celebrating their 9th Anniversary -- Their's is one of the first stamp companies I fell in love with.  

For their first challenge with the new release we were asked to pick a color palette to use on our card.  

It was so hard to choose, but one I fell in love with is Lexi Daly's colors.  

I also used the sketch from Always Playing with Paper Challenge

And of course the colors from Lexi's palette.  

All the stamps and paper are from PTI.  I stamped the balloons first with white pigment ink, then stamped over them with dye inks.  There was a bit of masking to get the desired effect.  I put some Wink of Stella over the balloons (which is very pretty IRL), and some sequins and done.  

I am also putting this into 30 Day Coloring Challenge .  Now I don't get to color and play with my cards often enough.  Work takes a lot of time -- then there is the usual housework, and hubby and family time.  But  . . . I had another snow day today (one on Friday too) so it was awesome having some extra craft time.  And I even baked cookies today!  Woo Hoo!

This will also go into the Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge - for CAS 

It is still snowing a bit.  Perhaps we'll have a delayed opening tomorrow.  

I hope you are having a good day.  Thank you for looking and your comments.