Masking with Calla Lilies

Hello friends! I hope that you are enjoying this gorgeous day. (Well, it's gorgeous where I live. ☺) The hubby and I spent the morning helping a neighbor getting some furniture from their storage unit and setting it up in their house, then we went to see the new Dr. Strange movie (that stars my boyfriend, Benedict Cumberbatch! Man, he is yummy!) And yes, I'm a total Sci-fi nerd and LOVED the movie!! Now, I should be making a card that's due for one of my design teams, but I wanted to share a card I made yesterday (not for any DT, just for because I wanted to!):

 Here is the inside:

Ok, so there is, like, triple masking happening on my card. First, I stamped the sentiment and flowers onto masking paper and fussy cut them. I stamped the sentiment first. (Oh, and btw, using my MISTI really made this soooo much easier!), applied the mask over that, then stamped the calla lilies, removed the mask over the sentiment and put the mask over the flowers. I could have die cut an oval, but the ones I have were just a bit too small for my liking. Sooo, I went old school and used an oval template from Fiskars. Do you remember those from before die cutting machines existed?

That's right. I drew the largest oval onto masking paper, then cut it out using an X-acto knife. (because I'm crazy like that!) I saved the oval and used the negative for my mask. The ink was sponged on then I splattered drops of water onto it, waiting about 15 seconds before patting it with a paper towel to dry. It's hard to see, but maybe if you embiggen the picture, you may see the splatters. Once I removed the oval and flower masks, the above is what I ended up with - soooo freakin cool! For a bit of sparkle, I went over the spadix with Star Dust Stickles. (Yes, I googled it) 

Ok, so that's all for today. Now I have to get up in my craft room and crank out another card. (And if you know me, I don't crank out cards. It usually takes me at least a couple hours to make a simple card, because I get so distracted by all the stuff I have, and can't make up my mind what to use!) LOL! Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great rest of the day. OMG, it's just after 5 pm and the light is fading outside. I am NOT a fan of daylight saving time come Fall! 

I'd like to enter this at:

STAMPlorations - November theme & sketch challenge - I used the sketch & theme: 3 flowers (and 3 masks)

STAMPlorations - Neverending ATG

The Flower Challenge #2 - special occasion

 

Supplies:

Stamps: STAMPlorations - Smile; MFT - Essential Sentiments

Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Color Box/Susan K. Weckesser - Ice

CS: Taylored Expressions; Darice; Bazzill

Accessories: MISTI; Inkadinkado - masking paper; Fiskars - Oval template; Ranger - Star Dust Stickles; water & paint brush

Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner

JUST US GIRLS #368 - Word Week

Good morning all and welcome! It's Word Week at JUST US GIRLS! Sue is your hostess this week and she's picked the word "ENCOURAGEMENT" for you to be inspired by. Here's my card:

 and the inside:

I know dogwood flowers are either white or pink, but I took artistic license and colored them purple. I had no sketch to follow, I just put things here and there to see if I liked it, before adhering. I did think the background needed something, so I found some purple mist and washi tape and added that to the mix. Another CAAS card for me (clean and almost simple!) Ha! 

I hope that you find some time to play along with our word week challenge at Just Us Girls! Since it's a new month, we have a new Guest Designer joining us! Welcome Cecile Ribon! I am looking forward to seeing what you create with us this month! For even more inspiration, please visit the blogs of my teammates and leave some love! 

Remember, if you are picked as Chic of the Week for any of our November challenges, you'll be in the running to be our Guest Designer for the month of January! Good luck and have fun crafting!

I'd like to enter this at:
STAMPlorations - November CAS challenge
STAMPlorations - Neverending ATG challenge
CAS on Sunday challenge #95 - flowers

 

Supplies:
Stamps: STAMPlorations - Framed Dogwood, Strong Women, Smile
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Elderberry
CS: Taylored Expressions; Darice
Accessories: PrismaColor pencils; GC; CUTplorations - Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die; Maya Road - Eggplant Purple mist; Recollections - washi tape
Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner, 3D and Thin 3D foam squares

SHOPPING OUR STASH #276 - Home Sweet Home

Hello friends! I hope that your Halloween was fun and festive, if you celebrated it! Can you believe that it's November 1st?!!!! WHERE did this year go?! I swear that I was just soaking up the sun at the beach. Now i'm starting to break out my sweaters and hat, gloves and winter coat. Sheesh!

Anyhoo, now that I've stepped down from the soapbox, it's time for a new challenge at SHOPPING OUR STASH! As the title suggests, we'd like to see images of houses or any kind of building on your card or project!

I, of course, don't have any stamps that are house shaped, so I went a different route:

 and the inside:

This may be the only religious stamp set I own, but I like it. I tried to make this more of a CAS card. Well, maybe this is more CAAS: clean and almost simple) I started with die cutting a circle from masking paper and sponging around it to create the sunset. My dilemma with the stamps was that they weren't proportional in size to each other, so I tried to make it look as if the three kings were in the background and behind the hill that the Holy Family were on. Once I stamped the images, I stamped them again (just the bottom) onto scraps of black card stock, then fussy cut the hills. To add a bit of highlighting, I took some gold ink and rubbed it onto the edge of the card stock with my finger before adhering them. For a final touch, I took a gold pen and filled in the letters and added dots to the halo and the arch on the stable. 

(Ohhh! Shiny!)

I hope you find some time to play along this week in our HOME SWEET HOME challenge at Shopping Our Stash! We'd love to see your take on this. For even more inspiration, do yourself a favor and visit the blogs of my teammates, and leave them some bloggy lovin! We also have a new Guest Designer joining us this month! Please welcome Cornelia Wenokor! We look forward to seeing what you create with our challenges this month!! Welcome!!

Just a reminder that we are looking for Guest Designers! If you would like to be considered for the month of December, simply leave a "DT" after your name when you link up! It's just that easy!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you have a great day!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Inkadinkado - O Holy Night
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Abandoned Coral, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey; Colorbox/Susan K. Weckesser - Shimmer
CS: Darice; scraps
Accessories: GC; SB - Std Sm Circle Nestie; Inkadinkado - masking paper; MISTI; Sakura - gold Gelly Roll pen
Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner

SISTERHOOD OF SNARKY STAMPERS #71 W is for Water Color

Welcome, snarky peeps! It's time again for another fun challenge at the SISTERHOOD OF SNARKY STAMPERS! We are jumping on the hot trend band wagon this time around, and want to see your water color skillz on your card or project! I saw this video tutorial and knew I was going to try it: Here is my offering:

 Here is the inside:

I did some smooshing with some Distress Inks. But before I did that, I took a snowflake cutting plate and debossed it onto water color paper. After I smooshed the colors, I spritzed the panel with Pearl Glimmer Mist, and tilted the panel this way and that to get the colors to blend. Once I was satisfied with the look, I blasted it with my heat gun. IRL this panel is sooooooo shimmery, but of course, it's a real bear to capture in a photo. Sigh. Once dry, I attached a rhinestone swirl, then heat embossed the sentiment in silver onto a strip of black card stock that is adhered with foam squares. I created a stacked snowflake using a die cut scallop circle from vellum, a die cut snowflake and a glittery foam snowflake sticker. 

Ready to get inky/painty? Of course you are! We'd love to see your water color creations linked up at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers! Need more inspiration? Then check out what my Sisters and our newest Guest Designer, Lauren, have created for your viewing pleasure, and leave some love on their blogs! 

Thanks for visiting. If you are like me and are gearing up for Halloween (my favorite holiday!!), have a happy one! Have a great day!

I'd like to enter this at:
Tuesday Morning Sketch #375
Simon Says Stamp Wed. Challenge - ATG

 


Supplies:
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Oh Dear; Hero Arts - Merry Christmas Message
Ink: Ranger DI - Worn Lipstick, Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet; VersaMark; Memento - Teal Zeal
CS: Strathmore water color paper; Bazzill; scraps
Accessories: GC: Memory Box - Scattered Snowflakes frame; SB - classic sm scalloped circle nestie; Paper Smooches - Snowflake die; Tattered Angels - Pearl Glimmer Mist; Recollections - vellum and rhinestone swirl; Whispers - silver EP; heat gun; Michael's - foam snowflake sticker
Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner, 3D foam squares; Ranger - Multi Medium Matte

JUST US GIRLS #367 - Wild Card Week

Hiya! Well look at that, a 5th Saturday! That means it's Wild Card Week at JUST US GIRLS! 

Maria is your hostess with week and she challenges you to make the sentiment the focal point of your card or project!

Here's what I came up with:

I used a stencil to sponge the background with a couple different Distress Inks, then splashed some Glimmer Mist over it. It was kinda vibrant, so I cut some vellum to size to help mute/fade it some. For the sentiment, I die cut 4 of the word 'awesome', stacked and glued them together. I used my MISTI to place the rest of the word stamps and stamped using Staz On Jet Black ink. After that I glued the stacked 'awesome' to the vellum and once dry, adhered to my card base with thin foam squares. Super easy!

I hope you find some time this week to play along in our Wild Card challenge! Simply link up your card or project at Just Us Girls! For even more inspiration, please visit the blogs of my teammates and our Guest Designer, Jaydee and leave some bloggy love! It's also Jaydees's last project with us as GD. I'm so happy that you joined us this month, Jaydee! Your creations were all so incredible, and I hope to see your amazing cards in our gallery in the future!

Just a reminder: If you are picked as Chic of the Week for any of our October challenges, you'll be in the running to be Guest Designer for our December challenges!

Have fun and thanks for visiting!

I'd like to enter this at:

STAMPlorations October theme & sketch challenge

STAMPlorations - Never ending ATG challenge

 

Supplies:

Stamps: Paper Issues - Freakin Sentiments

Ink: Staz On - Jet Black; Ranger DI - Squeezed Lemonade, Spiced Marmalade

CS: Taylored Expressions; Darice

Accessories: GC; STAMPlorations ARTplorations Bold Floral stencil & Awesome Cutplorations die; Tattered Angels - Aquamarine Glimmer Mist; brads from my stash; Recollections - vellum

Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner, Thin 3D foam squares

SHOPPING OUR STASH #275 - Three Trees

Hiya friends and welcome! We've got a new challenge starting today at SHOPPING OUR STASH, one that is pretty self explanatory and can be interpreted many different ways: THREE TREES! We would like to see a minimum of three tree images on your card or project! Pretty simple, eh? Here is what I came up with:

 Here is a very bad, washed out picture of the inside of my card:

Someday, I'm going to learn how to take decent pictures of my cards. The day I took this was not that day. Sigh. Anyhoo, I used an older freebie digi image from The Alley Way Stamps, I just printed it out side by side twice. I gave myself a brake and just colored the images without trying to add dimension, or shading, or highlights. (And apparently nor a shadow to ground them) But I like how it turned out. I used some gold glitter paper and a scallop punch to frame the trees, and adhered to my embossed card front. The inside was stamped in gold ink, and I edged the panel with the gold also. IRL it looks much better and brighter. ☺

I hope you get some time to join our Three Trees challenge at Shopping Our Stash! We'd love to see your take on it. For more inspiration, do check out the blogs of my teammates, and our Guest Designer, Gina!

Just a reminder: We are looking for Guest Designers! If you wish to be considered, simply add a "DT" after your name when you link up! Good luck and happy crafting!

I'd like to enter this at 52CCT #42 - embossing

Supplies:

Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps - free tree digi; MFT - Seasonal Sentiments

Ink: Brilliance - Galaxy Gold

DP: American Crafts - gold glitter

CS: Crafter's Companion; Darice

Accessories: Spectrum Noir markers; GC; Sizzix - Christmas Elegance EF; EK Success - Deco Scallop Edger

Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner

JUST US GIRLS #366 Photo Week

Hello and welcome, crafty friends! It's my turn as hostess at JUST US GIRLS, and for Photo Week, I've picked this adorable picture of a black cat atop a pumpkin. Great for all those last minute Halloween cards or projects! But even if you don't celebrate Halloween (or you're already sick of it, wink!), you can use the colors or images as inspiration. Here's the incredibly CAS card I made:

 This card is so CAS, it's making me itchy! LOL! I let some patterned paper do all the work. I was going to leave it with just that main image, but like I said, it was making me itchy. So, I used a jack-o-lantern punch and added a strip at the bottom. 

So, what inspires you about that image? The black cat? The pumpkins? Those pretty red mums in the background? Why not make something and link it up at Just Us Girls! We'd love to see your take on it. While there, please visit the blogs of my teammates and our Guest Designer, Jaydee, for more ideas, and leave them some bloggy lovin!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you have a great day!

I'd like to enter this at Naughty or Nice Challenge #32

Supplies:
DP: G45 - Happy Haunting
Ink: Ranger DI - Black Soot
CS: Bazzill; scraps
Accessories: Fiskars - pinking shears, pumpkin punch
Adhesives: SA by 3L - Thin 3D foam squares; Recollections - red tape

You're next....

I was embracing my dark side yesterday. This is what came about:

 here is the inside:

The bell jar and voodoo doll are two separate stamps, I just did a bit of masking to sit the doll inside the jar. (pay no attention to the fact that I stamped it crooked...even using my MISTI. sigh. Note to self: in future, stamp image first then die cut panel! Sigh) The image was colored with my Spectrum Noir markers. I sort of CASEd the coloring of this card by Hermine Koster. (Thank you Hermine, for the inspiration!) Once I had the image colored, I masked it and sponged a couple colors of Distress Ink around it. I flicked water over the panel, let it sit  a few seconds, and sopped it up with a paper towel. Then I spritzed Graphite Glimmer Mist over it, before removing the mask. I knew the sentiment I wanted to use, but didn't have a stamp that said it, so I did a bit of masking parts of a couple stamps to come up with it. That's heat embossed in white onto black cardstock. The inside panel was stamped then more sponging applied to finish my card.

I need to tap into my dark side more often. This was too much fun to make! Muahahahahaha!!!

Thanks for visiting!

Spectrum Noir markers used:
Doll: TN1, GB2, GB3, TN3, TN6, TN7, BG1-2-4-6-8
Bell jar: BT2, BT3, Blender, IG2-3-5

I'd like to enter this at:
Viva Las Vegas Stamps October challenge: Demonic - I was inspired by the tans/oranges/black colors and the sponged edges. And, come on, a creepy voodoo doll!
Cardz 4 Guys #142 Boo! Halloween
The Male Room #46 - Halloween
Spectrum Noir October Challenge - Halloween colors

 

Supplies:
Stamps: Viva Las Vegas Stamps - sitting voodoo doll, bell jar; MFT - Twisted Threesome; Hampton Arts - Beware
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; Ranger DI - Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso; VersaMark
CS: Crafter's Companion; Taylored Expressions; DCWV, scrap
Accessories: Spectrum Noir markers; GC; STAMPlorations - crazy double stitched rectangle die; MISTI; Stampendous - white EP; heat gun; Prisma Color pencil - 70% warm grey; Sakura - white Gelly Roll pen; Tattered Angels - Graphite Glimmer Mist; water mister; Inkadinkado - masking paper
Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner, Thin 3D foam squares; 3M - foam tape

SHOPPING OUR STASH #274 - Hey Ghoulfriend!

Hello friends and welcome! This week at SHOPPING OUR STASH, we challenge you to get in the Halloween mood, and make a Halloween card or project! Here is the card I made:

 here is the inside:

I've had this stamp set for a few years at least, and I have used some of the sentiments in it, but not the one on the card front, and not the image either. It was time. Although I had a heck of a time trying to blend the colors in the dresses, my crappy coloring job kinda makes the dresses appear made from a shiny, satin type material. (At least, that's my story and I'm sticking with it) 

I look forward to seeing what Halloween goodies you link up at Shopping Our Stash! For even more amazing inspiration, do visit the blogs of my teammates and our Guest Designer, Gina, and leave some bloggy lovin!

Remember, we are looking for Guest Designers! If you wish to be considered, all you need to do is leave a "DT" after your name when you link up! I hope you will!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you have a great day!

Spectrum Noir markers used:

Witch #1

dress: HB2, LV2, LV3

boots: IG4, IG7, IG9

arms: LG2, LG3, LG4

leggings: BG1, BG3, BG6, LG3, LG5

broom: TN5, EB3, GB2, GB4, TN3

Witch #2

dress & boots: IG4, IG7, IG9

arms: LG2, LG3, LG4

leggings: LV2, LV3, HB2, BG1, BG3, BG6

hat: IG4, IG7, IG9, IG10

ground: BG5, BG7

background: IB1

I'd like to enter this at:

Naughty or Nice Challenge #32

Spectrum Noir Oct 2016 challenge: Halloween colors

Just Add Ink #333 - Just add G - I may be pushing it with the "ghoulfriends", but I did use green!

 

Supplies:
Stamps: MFT - Totally Witchin'
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; VersaMark
DP: G45 - Rare Oddities
CS: Crafter's Companion; Darice; Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Spectrum Noir markers; GC; SB - Oval Bliss Nesties; Stampendous - Carnelian Pearl EP; heat gun; MISTI; CardMaps July 2016 sketch
Adhesives: SA by 3L - tape runner, Thin 3D foam squares; Recollections - red tape