Full Moon in Winter

I have a quick post today after completing a couple of challenge cards for the next two weeks. I put this card on IG several days ago and forgot to add it here to my blog. After watching a Lavinia Stamps YouTube video seen HERE, I was inspired to try my hand at creating a night sky with some snow drifts in the foreground. It's basically just masking off areas then adding ink with blending brushes or sponge daubers.

 I'm also still playing around with flat lay vs. front side photography using a lightbox with my cards. My personal review is mixed, so that explains why you will see some of both! After the backgound was blended and dried, I splattered with some watered down Copic Opaque White. It's one of those products I've had and never quite knew what to do with until I realized it makes great splatters - lol!

STAMPS: Winter Wonder (trees), Tree Essentials (pine branches) by Ink to Paper/Papertrey Ink.

PAPER: Bristol Smooth watercolor paper; Stampers Select White, Ocean Tides (Ink to Paper).

INK: Ocean Tides, Classic Kraft, Cocoa Bean (Ink to Paper); Stormy Sky, Broken China, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough, Blueprint Sketch distress oxide inks by Ranger.

DIES: Winter Wonder, Border Bling: Twigs (Ink to Paper); Banner Flags STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

OTHER: Martha Stewart super fine glitter; Copic Opaque White.
 

Fusion Card Challenge: Autumn

 

While the theme may be autumn for the new Fusion Card Challenge, I went with the sketch and was inspired by the mug in the photo to create this Christmas card using the Festive Mugs set from Ink to Paper. I used atypical Christmas colors but wanted to try out the Americana ink color paired with Dark Indigo patterned paper.

STAMPS: Festive Mugs (Ink to Paper).

PAPER: Bitty Big: Dark Indigo, Vintage Cream (Ink to Paper); Christmas Day 6x6" pad by CartaBella.

INK: Americana, Spring Rain, Enchanted Evening, Pinefeather, New Leaf, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, True Black.

DIES: Festive Mugs (Ink to Paper); Stitched Circle and Rectangle  STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

 

That's all for now! Happy stamping!    ~Wanda

 

 

Color Throwdown meets Paper Player

 

I'm using the sketch for the current Paper Players challenge and combining it with my sample for the new Color Throwdown challenge which is being hosted by Lori and includes kraft, red, green and chartreuse colors. I'm thrilled to be getting so many Christmas cards done early this year, so chose that theme again! 

I die cut the corner scroll design from Corner It: Holly in kraft card

stock then cut it into smaller sections and arranged it around the wreath. I used the small sprigs of greenery from the Sweet Orange Holiday set and the holly and berries from Corner It: Holly set to tuck in around the JOY letters.

STAMPS: The Joy of Noel, Corner It: Holly, Sweet Orange Holidays.

INK: Simply Charteuse, Ripe Avocado, New Leaf, Classic Kraft, Cocoa Bean, Pure Poppy.

PAPER: Bitty Big: Pure Poppy, Stampers Select White, Classic Kraft (Ink to Paper).

DIES: The Joy of Noel, Corner It: Holly, Sweet Orange Holidays (Ink to Paper); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

OTHER: Clear Star Gelly Roll pen by Sakura; Glossy Accents. 

We'd love to have you join us at CTD! Be sure and check out what the rest of the design team has created by going to the blog HERE.

                                    Happy stamping!     ~Wanda

Color Throwdown #616

It's hump day and that means a new Color Throwdown challenge! Lisa has some great fall colors: kraft, cream and cranberry. I actually still have some Cranberry Crisp card stock from Stampin' Up's old retired colors, so that's where I started. I finally got to play with the new cover plate die from The Greetery - Square Dance - and cut it once from Classic Kraft and once from Vintage Cream to offset the colors over the base cranberry panel. I loved the new Bittersweet Bouquet set which was perfect for these colors. I'm considering the green to be a neutral - lol!

This is also my first attempt with a new light box! I was so

dissatisfied with trying to get by with natural sunlight when so often it was after sundown or on a rainy day that I needed to photograph something! I'm still fiddling with light adjustments in the box but am very happy with it so far! I ordered a Zecti from Amazon after many days of researching and checking out tips on YouTube, other crafters' blogs, etc. There are many DIY light box instructions available, but I didn't want to fool with those steps. Call me lazy - haha! I have only done flat lay photos so far which is through a hole in the top of the box. I don't have a fancy SLR camera and consistently use my iPhone camera for photos. The background inserts (which I most likely will always use white) are not fabric and wrinkles will not be an issue. It's a very pliable plastic, matte finish material and they come rolled up - not folded. So...back to my card...

STAMPS: Bittersweet Bouquet (The Greetery).

PAPER: Cranberry Crisp (SU), Classic Kraft, Vintage Cream (PTI/Ink to Paper).

INK: Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, Classic Kraft, Terracotta Tile (PTI/Ink to Paper).

DIES: Square Dance, Sentiment Suite Basics, Bittersweet Bouquet (The Greetery); To the Point Edgers Die (PTI/Ink to Paper).

We'd love to have you play along with us!

                                           Happy stamping!           ~Wanda

 

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

 

I loved the sketch for the current Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and decided to play along with some recent releases from Ink to Paper! I always love the soft colors that Melissa Phillips uses in her card creations, so hopefully channeled some of her soft ink blending into this design. The corner holly die with matching stamps is such a fun and easy image to use!

 

STAMPS: Corner It: Holly, Just Sentiments: He Is Born (Ink to Paper/PTI).

INK: Sweet Blush, Pale Peony, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, Ripe Avocado, True Black (Ink to Paper/PTI).

PAPER: Pale Peony, White (Ink to Paper/PTI).

DIES: Corner It: Holly, Keep It Simple: Frames (Ink to Paper/PTI); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

It's a beautiful fall week with glorious sunshine and afternoon temps to get near 70! Yay! Our tree colors here in the Shenandoah Valley are very disappointing this year. Mostly browns, a few gold colors but they seem to just turn brown and drop off early.  Maybe next year we will see more of the reds and oranges!          ~Wanda

Freshly Made Sketches

It was a leisurely Sunday afternoon and I got two more Christmas cards completed while listening to football games. I loved the timeless layout for the current Freshly Made Sketches challenge and wanted to pair up the sketch with some goodies from Ink to Paper.

I sponged the inlaid die cut border lightly with Sweet Blush ink. The patterned papers pretty did the rest of the work with the exception of the gold embossed sentiment.

STAMPS: Just Sentiments: He Is Born (Ink to Paper).

PAPER: Merry Little Christmas 6x6" pad by My Mind's Eye; White by Ink to Paper.

INK: Versamark; Sweet Blush (Ink to Paper).

DIES: Peaceful Forest, Border Bling: Joy Frame (Ink to Paper).
 

That's is for now...I'll post the second card tomorrow! :-)

                      Hope your weekend has been great!   ~Wanda  

Fusion Card Challenge - Purple Sky

This month is flying on by and it's time once again for another Fusion Card Challenge! I was inspired by the purple sky and also chose to use the sketch with just a wee bit of tweaking.

I had the alcohol ink background in my stash for several months, so I only added the black and gold strips and the sentiment die which includes two layers (purple over black). Easy peasy!

STAMPS: None.

PAPER: Yupo; White, True Black, Luxe Gold (Ink to Paper).

DIES: To Die For Sentiments: Long Distance Hugs (Ink to Paper); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (My Favorite Things).

We would love to have you join us in the challenge. You can use just the sketch or just the inspiration photo or you can create a fusion by using both!

                                                Happy stamping!      ~Wanda

Release Day is Here at Ink to Paper

 

It's the 15th of the month so, that means it's release day at Ink to Paper! It's been a great four days of reveals and the design team has loads of inspiration if you take time to check them all out on the Ink to Paper blog! 

I wanted to share this card that highlights the Woodgrain die and is paired up with this darling scene from the Sweet Scenes: Winter set. I smooshed 3 different distress oxide inks onto the wood "planks": Iced Spruce, Speckled Egg and Pumice Stone. It was perfect to give it the bluish grayish coloring I was going for!

Since we live close to the Blue Ridge Mountains in VA, I made the mountain peaks a bluish color to mimic the real mountains in our area.

STAMPS: Sweet Scenes: Winter, Just Sentiments: He is Born (Ink to Paper).

PAPER: Soft Stone, White (Ink to Paper).

DIES: Woodwork, Love to Layer: Scalloped Circles, Border Bling: Diamonds (Ink to Paper).

Happy shopping and happy stamping!      ~Wanda

Ink to Paper October Reveal Day #4

This is the last day of reveals for Ink to Paper's October release! Tomorrow evening at 10 PM EST, you will be able to purchase the new items and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have! 

Today, we are introducing you to Leaves in Fall Stamp Set and Dies + Feathered Friends 5 Mini Stamp Set and Dies + Folky Holiday Stamp Set and Dies + Merry Alphabet Dies +Feathered Friends 5 Dies + Just Sentiments: He is Born Stamp Set. My post is another long one with four cards to share!

My first card uses the Leaves in Fall with the Feathered Friends 5 Mini set. You also see the wreath die from Joyous Holiday introduced earlier. I went with a grunge look by sponging aged-looking colors and adding some crackle texture paste to the base panel.

STAMPS: Leaves in Fall, Feathered Friends Mini 5
INK: Crack Pistachio, Shabby Shutters, Vintage Photo, Pine Needles, Weathered Wood, Mowed Lawn, Pumice Stone distress oxide; True Black, Dark Chocolate, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile, Saffron Spice, Classic Kraft, Honey Nut
PAPER: Rustic Cream, Classic Kraft
DIES: Feathered Friends Mini 5, Leaves in Fall, Joyous Holiday, Border Bling: Grateful Vine, Skinny Frames: Diagonal Border
OTHER: Crackle texture paste

If you scroll down to my first post of the day, you'll see my Color Throwdown card using this Leaves in Fall set on a slimline card. -->

 

 

Next, we switch gears to a folk art style stamp set called Folky Holiday. This one has a gazillion ways to arrange all of the elements but, I went with a one layer design that reminds me of the old Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs.

Because I used the two birds (? doves) in the center, I wanted to use a sentiment that included peace on earth.

STAMPS: Folky Holiday, Peaceful Forest
INK: Pinefeather, Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Bright Buttercup, New Leaf; Versamark
PAPER: Pinefeather, Blue Sky, White, Vellum
DIES: Cover Plate: Trellis, Love to Layer: Scalloped Circles, Circles
OTHER: Gold embossing powder

This card showcases another bird to add to the bird die series. He's a chubby fellow and has been hitting the feeder quite heavily - haha!

I love the sparkly tree which contrasts with the barren tree adjacent to it (from a previous release). A gold embossed sentiment on vellum was added to avoid covering up much of the scene.
 

STAMPS: Winter Wonder, He is Born
INK: Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Vintage Jadeite, Classic Kraft, Ocean Tides; Versamark; Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers distress inks
PAPER: White, Vellum; Bristol Smooth watercolor paper
DIES: Feathered Friends 5, Pierced Feature Frames, Border Bling: Tin Stitch, Winter Wonder
OTHER: Crackle texture paste; Gold embossing powder; Snow glitter

 

Last, but not least, is a card that highlights the Merry Alphabet dies. I dry embossed the base and cut out a silver embossed "Christmas" from the background script stamp called Holiday Spirit introduced earlier in the week.

STAMPS: Holiday Spirit

PAPER: Lovely Lady, Green Parakeet, Hawaiian Shores, Sweet Blush, Pure Poppy, White

INK: Versamark

DIES: Skinny Frames: Diagonal Border

OTHER: Silver embossing powder, Bow wire, Jingle bells, Sizzix snowflake embossing folder

SUPPLIES

It's a wrap folks! Thanks for hanging with me and get that shopping list ready for tomorrow! :-)

                                            Happy stamping!          ~Wanda