Remembering Jojot

My card is made in remembrance of Joanne Grzelak (known on Splitcoaststampers as jojot) who recently passed away! My immediate memories of her include her love of the ocean, use of black/red/white color combo and the frequent use of this corner punch (don't know its official name but I've always dubbed it the dimpled corner punch). She was a member of the CCEE design team and you can read more details in THIS POST.

I did some ink blending with Distress Oxide inks (Fossilized Amber, Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch) and Picket Fence brushes. I used my MISTI to stamp the images three times to get a good solid black result. A little striped border and some yellow twine finished off this quick and simple design!

STAMPS: The Sea (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps).
PAPER: Black and White Stripes (My Favorite Things), Sweet Tooth (MFT).

Thanks for stopping by...it's mammogram and bone density testing day for me today, so I'm praying for good results.      ~Wanda                                

Color Throwdown #513

Hello October and hello to another new Color Throwdown Challenge! Broni is our hostess this week and she has a super fun color palette that I love: lime green, navy and green!  Since I wanted to use distress oxide inks, the closest to navy was Blueprint Sketch.  It paired up well with an old, retired SU cardstock called Brilliant Blue.  Other inks used were Twisted Citron and Mowed Lawn.

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I created the background with leaves from Sweet 'n Sassy's Season of Change stamp set designed by Dina Kowal.  I love that they have a mottled look rather than solid stamping.  The stripes were created with Simon Says Stamp's Brush Stroke Messages set. 

We're so happy to have the super talented Birgit Edblom as our guest designer in October!  Welcome Birgit! 

For more inspiration from the rest of the design team, click on their blog links below:             

•  Amy Rohl 
• Amy Rysavy 
•  Barbara Anders
• Broni Holcombe
• Jodi Collin
• Lisa Henke
• Lori Tecler
• Lynn Put  
• Vickie Zimmer
• Wanda Cullen (you are here)   
• Birgit Edblom (October Guest Designer) 

Inspired Be...All the Little Things

Isn't this such a gorgeous photo of autumn leaves?! Hope it inspires you to play along with the new Inspired By...All the Little Things challenge #29!  I love the warm color palette that nature brings to us in October and thought it would be fun to do some Gelli plate printing for this challenge!  It's always a messy and daunting task yet I always love the end results and wonder why I don't do it more often.

I used orange, green, gold and red acrylic paints and brayered over the Gelli plate, adding the Tim Holtz burlap stencil for the first step.  I like adding a hint of metallic gold paint as well, so used this

with a different TH stencil (bubble) for the second step.  After that was dry, I die cut a trio of leaves (Sweet 'n Sassy's Season of Change).  The subtle French Script (retired SU) background stamping was done by partially inking up the stamp with Cajun Craze (SU) ink.  I then inked up Concord and 9th's Lace Leaf background stamp with Crushed Curry (SU) ink.  The leaves were popped up using foam dots and the sentiment was layered with black then metallic gold cardstock - die by Concord and 9th.

The challenge linky will close on Friday, October 28, at 12:00 pm (PST), so be sure to check out all the inspiration over on the Inspired By blog, and link up your creation!  Speaking of grateful, I'm so glad you stopped by and hope to see you in the gallery!

Hello Autumn

I was so disappointed when it ended up raining most of the day on my day off! When it gets near peak foliage time in VA,  I love to drive to the mountains and stop at overlooks.  But...it wasn't meant to be today.  So, I brought some fall foliage to my card creation for the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge instead! These are not traditional fall colors, but I'm a papercrafter and I figure I can tweak the routine a bit. :-)  Guess I'm feeling rebellious today!  I used a couple of the new in colors from SU and paired them up with Sahara Sand - the colors in this fun Moonlight designer series pad.  The leaves and coordinating dies are by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  I die cut the sentiment twice and layered it to give a bit more dimension.  

STAMPS: Season of Change (Sweet 'n Sassy).
INK: Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Sahara Sand.
DIES: Small Hello by Simon Says Stamp; Season of Change (Sweet 'n Sassy).

It's that time of year again, so I'm putting a plug in for you to get your flu shot!  I checked that off my to do list today.  I've been a believer in this vaccine for many years.  No, it doesn't cover all strains, but a former doctor in our clinic used to say you will not get as bad of a version of the different strains if you do get sick.  Remember, it takes up to 2 weeks for your antibodies to build up so you have to allow for that build up time before you're "covered".  Have I convinced you yet? :-)   For more information, here is a link to the CDC information sheet.

Color Throwdown

Happy hump day! Check out these fabulous colors for this week's Color Throwdown Challenge! Vicki has picked this beautiful, serene bedroom for our inspiration and my mind immediately went to images of the sea when I pictured these colors.

I sponged the four colors (Tangerine Tango, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy) onto white CS then layered on a white stitched rectangle panel, then on the embossed kraft base.  This was so quick and easy that it even surprised me!  

Remember...to play along, you don't have to use exact colors - just something that's close.  If you upload to a public gallery, please use the keyword CTD 274 and also link up your card on the Color Throwdown blog using the linky tool.

 For more inspiration, you'll want to check out the rest of the design team's creations below, along with our super talented guest designer - Linda McClain! 

            

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

                                              Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor 
                                                   Joan Ervin - Stamping With Passion
                                                          Lori Tecler - Inking Aloud

Melody Rupple - A Paper Melody

Monika Davis - M.A.D. Stamper

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Vickie Zimmer -  Smitten   
Wanda Cullen - Cullen-ary Creations (you are here)
 Linda McClain (January guest designer) - Catered Crop

STAMPS: The Sea (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps)

PAPER: Kraft (PTI), White

INK: Versafine Onyx Black, Tangerine Tango, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy

ACCESSORIES: Stitched rectangle dies by Lil Inker Designs, Jute twine, Anchor charm, Sponges.  

                               

Deconstructed Sketch #100

The Deconstructed Sketch Challenge is celebrating 2 years and their 100th sketch this week! Jen

and her DT have some sponsors with prizes to be given out, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes!  This is
one of my weekly "go to" challenges as Jen always has a great new layout on board! I wanted to play around with some wax pastels on watercolor paper to create the background.  I scribbled two shades of blue and three shades of yellows and orange then spritzed with some water.  I then stamped Sweet 'n Sassy's silhouette image from "The Sea" set using Versamark Onyx Black ink.  My worsted cotton ball of thread is nowhere to be found in my cramped little stamping room, so I had to settle for white yarn for the sailor's knot.  Until I get back to Wally World, this will have to suffice.  If you want directions for this knot, click on my Tips/Tutorials tab at the top and check out the tutorial by Bar Anders. 

PAPER: Pacific Point (SU), Family Ties 6x6 pad by Pebbles, Canson 90 lb watercolor paper.

Color Throwdown

It's Color Throwdown Challenge time again and this week, the talented Lynn Put is our hostess! Check out this fabulous fall inspiration photo...LOVE these warm fall colors!

I thought these colors would be perfect for a collage of leaves in the background.  I used a set by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called Season of Change and stamped 4 different leaf images in Summer Sun, Old Olive, Really Rust and Cherry Cobbler on kraft CS.  The sentiment was stamped on a flag cut out with MFT's Fishtail Flags STAX Die-Namics - a "can't do without it" set of dies IMO! :-)  The little pennant flag banner is a new die by Verve with tiny gold circle stickers by EKSuccess added.

Remember...to play along, you don't have to have the exact colors.  You can choose something that's close in color.  Please use the keyword CTD209 if you upload to a public gallery and be sure to add your card to the link service at the bottom of the CTD blog post.  For more inspiration, you'll want to stop by and visit the rest of the design teams' blogs, as well as our talented guestie - Sherry Cheever!
Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Denise Marzec
 Joan Ervin
 Kerri Michaud
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put
Tammy Hershberger
Sherry Cheever (September Guest Designer).

CAS Sea

This card is for today's Ways to Use It challenge on SCS to use elements of some or all of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue".   I used my new Sweet 'n Sassy stamp set, old baker's twine, and SU's new Midnight Muse shade of blue color.  I kept it CAS for this week's CAS color challenge (dark blue and white).  This was an easy card to put together...CAS and masculine - two kinds of cards that I'm not in the habit of creating often.

STAMPS: The Sea by Sweet 'n Sassy
PAPER: Midnight Muse, White
INK: Midnight Muse (LOVE the new foam ink pads by SU!)
ACCESSORIES: Houndstooth EF, Baker's twine, Charm (Michael's jewelry section)

Splash of Blue

Jen Shultz has a great layout for this week's Deconstructed Sketch Challenge and I used the colors in the Play Date Cafe Challenge to use black and white with a splash of blue.  I love this butterfly image...colored it with Copics: B21, B23, B24, B26, C3 then fussy cut and popped it with X-Press It foam tape. 

STAMPS: Everyday Miracles by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps
PAPER: DP by Recollections at Michael's, Black, White, X-Press It Blending Card
ACCESSORIES: Butterfly lace trim by Wright's, Black satin ribbon, Oval Nestie, Flag die by 'Lil Inker Designs.

CASE Study

<---What a stunning card by Agnieszka Malyszek- the amazingly talented May muse for the CASE Study Challenge!  I also wanted to play along with the Ways to Use It Challenge on SCS to use complementary colors - colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.  Since I LOVE green, I wanted to keep it as the main BG color, so the complementary color is a violet-red.  I included the butterfly, lace and sentiment flag elements that Aga included on her card.  The butterfly was colored with Copics - RV14, RV17, RV19 - then fussy cut and popped with foam dots.  I sprayed it with Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist.

STAMPS: Everyday Miracles (butterfly) by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps; Mat Stack 3 Collection by PTI, Flags and Tags Stamps (sentiment) by Lil Inker Designs.
PAPER: On the Bright Side-Two by MME, White
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pear Pizzazz
ACCESSORIES: Mat Stack die by PTI, Banner flag die by Lil Inker Designs, Lace, Pear Pizzazz pleated ribbon by SU.