Here For You

I'm taking a break from a card making binge behind the scenes. Yes...there will be some news on July 1, but for now...I squeezed in a CAS design for two challenges: The Paper Players with a great sketch and The Cardmaker Concept challenge which has this fabulous inspiration photo with a romantic roses theme! 

I absolutely love working with Altenew's Bamboo Rose stamp set with matching dies.  When embossing the images, it makes it so easy to color with

Zig Clean Color brush markers!   Here's what I used:
STAMPS: Bamboo Rose (Altenew).
PAPER: Basics Patterned Paper by Bazzill; Black Licorice (MFT), White (PTI).
INK: Versamark.
DIES: Bamboo Rose (Altenew), Edge Essentials (Reverse Confetti), Circles by Spellbinders, Stitched Fishtail Flags Die-Namics by MFT.

That's it for now.  So glad you stopped by!  I always enjoy when you take time to comment.

Color Throwdown

Hello everyone! It's Wednesday and that means it's time for another Color Throwdown challenge! Vickie is our hostess this week and has these lovely warm colors for us: orange, green and brown. 

I went with Altenew's Painted Poppy stamps with coordinating dies on my card.  I used Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed and Crushed Olive distress inks on the images, then highlighted the poppies with an orange Zig Clean Color brush marker. 

The watercolored background was created using Gold Class Mission paints.  The sentiment was white embossed with Altenew's Pure White opaque EP on Early Espresso cardstock by SU.  The metallic and orange striped border is from Be Bold Be Bright paper pad by The Paper Studio.

Congrats to Doni High - our guest star stamper this week!  Be sure to stop by her blog HERE and say hello! 

I'm also joining in with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where anything goes this week.

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  

 Audrey Tokach - June Guest Designer 

Make It Monday

A quick card and post for the new Make It Monday challenge on Nichole Heady's blog for Papertrey Ink.  The challenge is to create a wreath using small images.  I used two images from PTI's Tag-its #12 and one image from Happy Hexagons stamp sets.  The sentiment is from Boutique Borders: Sympathy set.  I used SU's Coastal Cabana ink for the wreath and the sentiment was white embossed using Altenew's Pure White opaque EP.  I used PTI's Tag Sale Quilted die for the backgound and layered it over some patterned paper from Lawn Fawn's Fall 6x6 pad.

Inspired By All The LIttle Things

I hope your weekend is treating you well! If you get some crafty time, I sure hope you'll join us at Inspired By All The Little Things for a colorful new challenge!  Check out this fun photo!

I was inspired to create a background of overlapping shapes in the 4 umbrella colors - hot pink, royal blue, garden green and yellow orange.  I'll have to say, coloring in all these triangles with Zig Clean Color brush markers was a bit tedious and time consuming... but worth it in the end!  

I started by embossing with Stampendous' Detail White Opaque EP over Ranger watercolor cardstock using Simon Says Stamp's Abstract Triangles stamp.  The colors were extremely bright, so I toned it down by adding a layer of heavy weight vellum.  I was much happier with the more muted look!  Stamps and dies are from The Stamp Market - a new company that has a stamp style that's right up my alley!  The two sets - Pretty Peony (florals) and You (sentiment) - were easily lined up using my MISTI.  

INK: Picked Raspberry distress ink (Ranger); Little Piggy and Sweet Gelato (WPlus9); Garden Green (SU); Versamark. 
ZIGS: Bright Yellow 052, May Green 047, Pink 025, Persian Blue 032.

Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!  Would love to see how you interpret the challenge and hope to see you in the gallery!

Color Throwdown

It's time for another Color Throwdown Challenge and I'll have to confess...it took me three tries to finally come up with acceptable ink pads to match the colors.  I ended up really loving the colors (purple, mint green, hot pink, teal) chosen by Lynn - our hostess this week!  In my first two attempts, my pinks were too red...the blue was almost navy...then the green was an olive shade and not mint green.  I think I finally got it right with this version - lol!  

The stamps are from a newly released set with matching die - the Hope Bundle - by Concord and 9th.  The HOPE die was so unique, plus I fell in love with the beautiful font used with the multiple choices of sentiments to coordinate with the HOPE die.  I layered some black cardstock behind the die.  The violet flower centers are from Reverse Confetti's Garden Bunch set.

STAMPS: Hope Blooms (Concord and 9th).
INK: Picked Raspberry Distress ink; Wilted Violet and Broken China Oxide inks; Mint Macaron by SU; Versafine Onyx Black.

Big congrats to Nonni Niskanen - our guest star stamper this week!  Be sure to stop by her blog - Nonni's Handmade Cards - and say hello.

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  

 Audrey Tokach - June Guest Designer

Seahorse Birthday

Good Monday everyone! This is the first Monday in many years that I won't be posting for the Mojo Monday challenge - either as a mojomaker on the design team or as a dedicated challenge participant!  As you recall, Julee has given up the challenge blog after she reached her 500th sketch over a near 10 year span.  But life moves on...and so my mojo will have to stretch out into other directions as well.  

I totally waited until the last minute to get my husband's birthday (which is today) card completed.  I got home from work last night at 11 PM and was burning the midnight oil up until 1 AM to get this beachy themed card done!  I used the sketch for the current Fusion Card Challenge and really loved the curved line!  I was also inspired by the colors - aqua, coral and gray - in the photo.

I started with some masking paper that I tore into an irregular shape then stamped with a sea captain's journal image from SU's The Open Sea. Next, I stamped the splatters using 2 stamps from SU's Gorgeous Grunge.  I then used Liquitex Light Modeling Paste paired with a Mini Specimens stencil (TCW Rebekah Meier Designs).  I just loved FINALLY (after having it many months) inking up and die cutting the 2 and 3 step stamped images from Hero Arts' Color Layering Seahorse set!  I popped several with foam tape and adhered some real sea shells to the collage.  The sentiment was gold embossed using Queen's Gold EP by Ranger.

INK: Sea Breeze, Siren Song, Hayride, Old Gold, Sweet Nectar, Flamingo, Fairy Dust, Silver Lining - dye inks by WPlus9; Peacock Feathers and Twisted Citron distress inks by Ranger; Versamark. 

So that's it for now.  I'm going to enjoy my day off after working the weekend!

Inspired By All The Little Things

Hey, hey, hey...it's Saturday and a new Inspired By All The Little Things challenge is up to get your mojo moving!

I was immediately inspired by the burst of brilliant blue color, the florals and the horizontal shutter detail!  I knew my Zig Clean Color brush marker pens would get the job done after white embossing the images on Ranger watercolor cardstock.

Here's my take on it...

I die cut all the flowers and leaves then had fun arranging them - some flush with the base and some popped with foam tape.  I deliberated over the sentiment color, but gold embossing ultimately won out!

STAMPS: Peony Scrolls (Altenew); Painted Greetings (Altenew).
PAPER: Pacific Point textured CS by SU; White (PTI); Ranger WC cardstock.
DIES: Striped Sentiment Strip Cover Plate Die-namic by MFT; Peony Scrolls by Altenew.
ZIGS:  032 Persian Blue, 037 Cornflour Blue, 045 Pale Green, 041 Light Green.

Here's hoping you will find some time to join us!  Would love to see your creation in the gallery!

Cool Birthday

With temps going up to 90 degrees this weekend, I'm trying to stay cool! So, it was easy for me to choose what I did for this cool birthday card.  I'm using the sketch for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge #292 and am going with the sorbet theme for the current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge. 

I started by stamping the largest sentiment circle from Simon Says Stamp's Circle Sayings stamp set.  Patterned papers are from Fun in the Sun 6x6 pad by Pebbles - 

love the fun, happy colors!  I then added a popsicle die (Reverse Confetti "Let's Chill") and a banner sentiment (Reverse Confetti "Bitty Banners").  My MISTI was a must for the black ink stamping, since it's hard to get a crisp black outcome with only one inking!  I topped it off with Moonshine sequins by Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks for stopping by... stay cool!

HB2U

**Scroll on down for my Color Throwdown card** 

A quick post of another masculine birthday card (I need at least 6 this month)!  I combined the sentiment stamps (CAS-ual Fridays' Whole Shebang) with PTI's Polka Dot Parade #12 set that includes these fun candles.  I added Clear Wink of Stella brush marker to the flames and flicked some color to the base of the flames by using a yellow Zig Clean Color brush marker.

INK: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point - SU; Lime Green - Reverse Confetti; Versafine Onyx Black stamped x 3 using a MISTI. 

PAPER: BoBunny Surprise 6x6 pad; Pacific Point textured CS.

DIES: All Framed Up (Reverse Confetti); Stitched Rectangle (Lil' Inker Designs).

Color Throwdown

Hello everyone! Are you ready for another great color combo? The new Color Throwdown Challenge is being hosted by Lori this week and she's got the perfect colors - navy, aqua, lime green and kraft - for me to get another masculine birthday card completed! I'm needing SIX guy birthday cards in June...holy carp...how did that happen?!  Here's my take on the colors...

I finally got to play with this wonderful Abstract Triangles background stamp by Simon Says Stamp.  I white embossed on Ranger watercolor paper, then watercolored using Chipped Sapphire, Brushed Corduroy, Peacock Feathers and Twisted Citron distress inks.  The sentiment stamp and die are by WPlus9.  I die cut three "happy" dies and stacked them together to give it more dimension.  The balloons are from Simon Says Stamp's Balloons die set.  Some Moonshine sequins (SSS) were the celebretory bling needed to finish up the card. 

I'm also entering this into Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which is to use some form of embossing.  I used Stampendous' Detail White EP on my card.

STAMPS: Whole Lotta Happy (WPlus9), Abstract Triangles (SSS).
PAPER: Lime Green (Reverse Confetti), Blue Raspberry (MFT), Night of Navy (SU), Kraft (PTI).
INK: Versamark; Distress inks by Ranger (see list above).

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  

 Audrey Tokach - June Guest Designer

Cupcakes Inspiration

 

I was scouting around for some new challenges and found the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge that has this photo for inspiration and also has a watercolor theme. It was perfect to create a Father's Day card for my dad! 

 I was inspired by the green and blue cupcake (also my dad's favorite colors) and used Pelikan paints to create a watercolor wash over the white embossed Abstract Triangles background stamp by Simon Says Stamp.  

I masked off a portion of an old sentiment stamp by Darcie's and paired it with the "happy" die (WPlus9's Happy Trio set).  I stacked two white dies then offset it over one black die to create a shadow effect.  I scattered a variety of stitched stars (Lil' Inker Designs) over the background.  

Now I need to get this into the mailbox ASAP!  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Heading out to work in a few minutes.

CAS(E) This Sketch

So sad to see the weekend nearing an end already! It's been a hot one here in VA, but I stayed cool in my craft room this evening after watering some flowers. I inked up a couple of new stamp sets that I've had for several weeks and never got around to using yet.  I'm using the fun new layout for the current CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge.   I white embossed the flower and leaves on Ranger watercolor CS then colored with Zig Clean Color brush markers.  After dry, I splattered some yellow gold Gansai Tambi Starry Colors paint over everything.  I gold embossed the sentiment and added a narrow border of brushed metallic gold CS between the panels.

STAMPS: Summer Flowers (Simon Says Stamp); Uplifting Thoughts (Simon Says Stamp).
DIES: Stitched Rectangle by Lil' Inker Designs.

Inspired By All The Little Things

Yay for the weekend and what makes it even better is that it's my weekend off work (I work every other)!  There is a great inspiration photo for the Inspired By All The Little Things challenge - brought to us by Karren!  I was inspired by the textured background and went with an older but still a favorite embossing folder called Square Lattice by Stampin' Up.  I applied Shell Pink ink (WPlus9) to the EF then added the cardstock panel and ran it through my Big Shot.  

The corner floral spray in the photo inspired me to ink up Papertrey Ink's Garden Grace stamp set. Four of the blooms were popped up with foam tape. I wanted to use a white on white sentiment (WPlus9 Flower Doodles) and went with 2 white layered word dies offset over one pink layer to give it added dimension. A fun embellishment is to add these teeny tiny cross stitch dies from Paper Smooches ("Stitched" die set).  The large Tag Sale Quilted Die is by PTI.  Inks are all by WPlus9: Shell Pink, Little Piggy, Last Leaf, Beanstalk.  

We're thrilled to have Jen Wills of JENerally Speaking joining us as a guest designer.  Be sure to stop by her blog and say hello!

Here's hoping to see you in the Inspired By gallery!  Thanks for stopping by...

Color Throwdown

Happy hump day which means there's a new Color Throwdown Challenge going on!  Lisa is our hostess this week and has this fun inspiration photo with green, yellow and coral colors to play with!  These fun paper birds immediately led me to choose Reverse Confetti's Toucan of Friendship stamps and matching dies!  

I colored with Copics and used the June Sketch For You To Try

for the layout.

STAMPS: Toucan of Friendship (Reverse Confetti).
PAPER: Cherry on Top (SU); Neenah Solar White.
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black.
DIES: Toucan of Friendship, Lacy Scallop Circles by Reverse Confetti; Stitched Tall and Skinny Rectangles by Lil' Inker Designs.

We're thrilled to have the talented Audrey Tokach of Pink Ink Originals joining us in June as our guest designer!  Welcome, Audrey!

For more details on how to play along, head over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration by clicking on the links below:

Amy Rohl 
Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe (sitting it out this month) 
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  

 Audrey Tokach - June Guest Designer

Mojo Monday Hits 500th Challenge!

Good Monday everyone! It's a time to celebrate an awesome milestone as the Mojo Monday Challenge reaches its 500th sketch!  Now, that's a whole lotta sketches folks!  My card sentiment HAD to be a thank you for Julee's many years of perseverence at bringing us fabulous layouts week after week!  There is much behind the scenes work to keep a challenge going which leads into the next sad note.  This is the last Mojo Monday challenge (insert sad face here)! You'll want to head to the Mojo blog post HERE for Julee's explanation.  You will have an extra week to play along with this last challenge, so we hope to see you one more time in the gallery!  

So...let's get on with what is happening on my card - lol!

I loved the watermelon feel of these patterned papers from Pebbles' Fun in the Sun 6x6 pad and used that as a starting point.  I chose black and white elements with a pop of the bright yellow for the flowers.  Here is what I used:

STAMPS: Be Blessed (flowers), Treasured Words (sentiment), Bloom and Grow (leaves) - all by Verve.
PAPER: True Black (PTI), White (Neenah Solar White), Fun in the Sun 6x6 pad by Pebbles.
INK: Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Lucky Limeade (SU).
DIES: Rounded Scallop Frame, Elegant Leaves and Petal Points by Verve; Stitched Strips by Lil' Inker Designs; Edge Essentials by Reverse Confetti.

Out of curiosity, I searched Splitcoaststampers to see when I first starting playing along with the Mojo Monday challenge and it looks like Mojo97 on 7/27/2009 was my first entry.  Check it out below...oh my...what was I thinking with the dark background for the photo - lol?!

 
We'd love to see how you interpret this challenge!  You'll want to post your creation on the Mojo Monday blog.  If you need more inspiration, check out the design team's creations below:

  Julee Tilman (Owner) 

Justin Krieger 

  Lori Tecler 
  Marisa Ritzen   
  Sarah Bigelow  
  Teresa Kline  
  Wanda Cullen (you are here)