CAS(E) This Sketch

I'm playing along with the newest CAS(E) This Sketch challenge. After watching Kristina Werner's tutorial recently on distress oxide ink blending, I went with a trio of inks that are really different from my normal style but I'm finding that I'm really drawn to this combination: Old Paper, Evergreen Bough and Black Soot!
Once those inks were dry, I white embossed with Altenew's Pure White embossing powder using the Ornate Background stamp by Simon Says Stamp.

I used these same 3 inks for all of the images and sentiment - stamping off once for a couple of the layers on the bird (Wren and Robin by The Greetery). The branches were stenciled using a couple of the Mason Jar Fillers stencils by The Greetery. The sentiment is from The Greetery's Sentiment Suite: Thinking of You set.  The white panel is a die cut - Stitched Rounded Rectangles STAX - by My Favorite Things. The alcohol ink panel was die cut with The Greetery's Crimped Frame die.

I'm thinking this is not quite as clean and simple as it should be - haha - but it follows the sketch so I'm going with it!
                                                                            ~Wanda

Paper Players CAS

Happy Sunday everyone! It's time for another Paper Players challenge and this week, Anne Marie is hosting a clean and simple challenge with a "marvelous metallics" theme! I knew right away I'd use a leftover piece of alcohol ink blending that I had in my stash for many months. I blended Ocean Green, Sky and Lake Blue inks by Brea Reese (thanks to a half price coupon at Michael's) and added Pinata Brass fixative which gives a fabulous gold veining to the panel. Yupo paper is by far my first choice of paper for this technique! I take advantage of coupons at Mike's for this as well. I die cut the Boddington Tree Border by PoppyStamps from Altenew's Gold Mirror cardstock. The easiest way for me to adhere an intricate die is with Elmer's spray adhesive.

The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions' Simple Strips: Friendship stamp set and was white embossed on black cardstock.
I recently watched a helpful video from Kristina Werner who tested several brands of black cardstock with white embossing.  You can see the video HERE. I used True Black by Papertrey Ink which isn't one of her tested papers, but it's a very black black and embosses well if you have your heat gun hot and move it around quickly so the powder doesn't absorb into the paper. TIP: Even with an anti-static bag rubbed over the cardstock before embossing, you still can get tiny stray white specks on your paper. Use a black gel pen to dot over the white speck and you'll see it disappear! :-)

For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, please check out their creations HERE.  Hope to see you in the gallery! Have a blessed day!                         ~Wanda   

Nurse ---> Hero

I finally inked up this stamp set after having it several weeks! The MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge had an interesting striped lower half which I chose to interpret by using washi tape. I then tried to match up the colors with Copics (used to color the images).  Unfortunately, I smeared some residual black ink that was on my piercing tool that I also use to burnish the fold line. Grrr...My sand eraser helped some, but it's still too noticeable.

STAMPS: Call the Shots (My Favorite Things).
PAPER: X-Press It Blending Card, Smooth White (MFT).
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black.
DIES: Call the Shots (MFT); Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-Namics (MFT).

Our granddaughter, Matilda, turns three today! She is such a sweet, smart and nurturing child and I hope she has a wonderful celebration with family at the beach today! 
                                                                         ~Wanda

Color Throwdown #560

Sunflowers and apples are definite signs we are transitioning into the fall season here in the US! I'm hosting for the Color Throwdown challenge this week and I hope you love these warm, vibrant colors as much as I did! I was itching to ink up this Bountiful Wreath set from The Greetery which was perfect for a more muted version of the colors.

I wanted to use a rustic background and chose Papertrey Ink's Rustic Cream CS.

I already had this leftover wren from a previous project and thought he'd look cute perched on the wreath. A touch of jute twine also helped with the rustic feel I was going for.

STAMPS: Bountiful Wreath, Robin and Wren - The Greetery.
PAPER: White and Rustic Cream by PTI.
INK: Last Leaf, Gala Red, Old Gold - dye inks by WPlus9; So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede - dye inks by SU.
DIES: Crimped Frame, Bountiful Wreath, Robin and Wren - The Greetery.

I want to give Betsy Veldman another shout out for her fabulous customer service and fast shipping at The Greetery! I ordered at 2 PM on a Thursday and it was in my mailbox on Saturday! Wow! 

Be sure to stop by the blogs of the other team members to see what they've come up with:

Amy Rohl 

 Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders 

 Broni Holcombe  

Jodi Collins 

 Lisa Henke  

Lori Tecler 

Lynn Put  

Vickie Zimmer 

 Wanda Cullen (you are here)

Hope to see you in the gallery!          ~Wanda

Sunday Stamps

I loved the colors so much that I created a second card for the Sunday Stamps Challenge! I'm loving the Bountiful Wreath die set from The Greetery which is perfect for autumn and for Thanksgiving greetings! This little wren (Robin and Wren by The Greetery) seemed like the perfect embellishment plus I added some Glossy Accents to the berries.

I wanted a very subtle stenciled background, so I used So Saffron ink with the Knit Wits stencil from The Greetery. The base panel is Ructic Cream cardstock from Papertrey Ink which I die cut using the Crimped Frame die from The Greetery. I used dye inks from Stampin' Up: Garden Green, So Saffron, Crushed Curry, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Baked Brown Sugar. 

Have a great day! I'm off to meet my granddaughter at her house as she gets off the school bus! Then it's church council meeting at the church at 6. Busy day!                                      ~Wanda

Sunday Sunflowers

 

It was a leisurely Sunday afternoon yesterday and I was in my stamp room happily creating with these lovely sunflower dies from The Greetery!  I'm entering this into the Sketch Saturday and Sunday Stamps challenges which was a color challenge this week.

I water colored on Ranger cardstock with Mijello Mission Gold

paints (love their vivid shades of color!) then die cut the different layers. I love the crimped kraft panel behind the florals and need to remember to do this more often!  I really love all the tiny sentiments that Betsy Veldman includes in her Sentiment Suite series of stamps. They are so perfect to add to a tiny tag! Here is what I used...

STAMPS: Sentiment Suite: Thank You by The Greetery.
PAPER: Vintage Cream, Rustic Cream, Kraft by Papertrey Ink.
INK: Memento Tuxedo Black.
DIES: Crimped Frames, Sentiment Suite Basics, Sunflowers by The Greetery; Stitched Rectangle Die-Namics by My Favorite Things.

Hope your Monday is a great start to your week!  Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting.                     ~Wanda

Paper Players

How do these weeks roll around so quickly?! We're into September and the leaves are starting to turn and fall already here in VA. When Ann shared her beautiful color challenge for this week's Paper Players challenge, I knew I wanted to watercolor some leaves!

STAMPS: Simple Strips Background (Taylored Expressions).
PAPER: Ranger watercolor CS; True Black, White - PTI. Unsure of blue color since it was in my leftover pile.
INK: Versamark.
DIES: Striped Sentiment Stripe Cover Panel by MFT; Simple Strips by Taylored Expressions; Small and Large Marianna Vine Background by Poppystamps.

For more inspiration from the rest of the talented design team, please check out their creations HERE.  Hope to see you in the gallery! Have a blessed day!                         ~Wanda