Oh Ship!

I was just so amused by this photo inspiration at Inskpirational #218, and as soon as I saw it, I knew just what supplies I was going to use to play! The tentacles are from a Hero Arts wood mounted stamp that I have had forever and never used. The ship and sentiment are from a Hero Arts clear stamp set called Enjoy The Journey. I stamped and clear embossed the tentacles, then masked them and stenciled the dots using the Falling Snow stencil from SSS with Memento Love Letter ink. I colored everything with Zigs and popped up the boat and sentiment. It just keeps cracking me up. I love it.

I'm also playing at:

A Blog Named Hero July Challenge - Embossing

Always Fun Challenge #173 - Use Stencils

Love You More Than All The Stars

Time for a new challenge at Time Out! For Time Out Challenge #146, we challenge you to be ENCOURAGING. We are  sponsored by Newtons's Nook. Winner will receive a $25 gift voucher for the Newton's Nook Store.

Our awesome Guest Designer is Shawna of The Grand Stampede. Shawna's work is gorgeous. You will surely enjoy a stroll through her blog. Say hello and leave her some love!

I made this card for my son with the intention of sending love and encouragement as he navigates his second year of college, but his first year as a transfer student to a whole new environment. He is a stellar student, but the work has been tough, and the social scene a little challenging coming in as a sophmore. Things are looking up, and I am incredibly proud of him. There is a song that my boys and I all love called "Sky Full Of Stars" by Coldplay. This card makes me think of that and I think he will love it.

I used a stencil, die and sentiment from the celestial-themed My Monthly Hero August 2017 Kit to create this card along with Distress Oxide, Delicata and VersaFine inks. I am so pleased with the way it came out.

Please head over the the Time Out Challenge Blog and see what the marvelous DT has created to inspire you. Come play with us!

I'm also playing at:

Little Red Wagon #518 - Cut It Out!

Always Fun Challenge #131 - Dies Or Punches.

Addicted To Stamps And More #362 - Make Your Mark.

Love Ewe

Time for a new challenge at Addicted To CAS: ATCAS #154: Code Word FLUFFY.

Our Guest Designer is Michele Ferguson. Michele is an incredibly talented card artist who has a wit as keen as her crafting skills. Be sure to treat yourself to a stroll through her blog. Get ready to be inspired and to experience belly laughs.

As I searched my stash for fluffiness, this image from Unity Stamps was the one I loved best. I masked the lambs, and blended some Distress Oxide inks over the mask before removing it. I used Copics to add some color to the adorable creatures, stamped the tiny hearts, added the sentiment, and my card was done.

Please remember that this is a CAS challenge. Here is a definition to remind you:

Please head on over to the ATCAS Challenge Blog and take a look at the wonderful inspiration pieces the Design Team has created for your inspiration. I can't wait to see what you come up with to share in the gallery. Happy crafting!

I'm also playing at:

Little Red Wagon #486 - Love It!

SimonSaysStamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes (3rd entry)

Shine Brightly

Time for a reminder of the current challenge at Time Out. For Challenge #116, we challenge you to be BRIGHT.

You have until Aught 30th at 5:00 PM BST to enter.

Our sponsor is Happy Little Stampers.

Winner will receive a $20 gift voucher to the Happy Little Stampers Shop.

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is Anila Dikay of Novel Ideas.  Anila is a very talented  cardmaker with an eclectic style. Take a stroll through her blog. You are sure to be inspired.

The thing that I like most about my challenge card is the word "brightly" and how it came to be. The stamp set I used had the word "bright", but not "brightly". I am a certified grammar freak. I needed the word "brightly" for my sentiment. "Bright" would have been gramatically incorrect (in US English), so I set up the word "bright" on my large MISTI tool, and the word "family" on my small MISTI. I masked and moved the stamps around and stamped on scrap until I had it perfectly set to stamp the word "brightly" in 2 steps using 2 MISTI tools. That may seem a little crazy, but it had to be. It's how I roll. LOL!

This card will be going to my son who just started his Freshman Year of college. He is an awesome human being, and I am so excited for him. I know he will shine brightly as he continues his journey!

Please head over to the Time Out Challenge Blog to see what Anila and the Design Team have created for your inspiration. Then create a food/drink themed card and link up in the gallery. I can't wait to see how you are inspired!

Supplies:

Stamps - Winnie and Walter The Big, The Bold and Fun.

Ink - Various Distress Inks, Tsukineko Metallic Silver Shimmer Delicata.

Paper - SU Daffodil Delight, Neenah Solar White 80#, black scraps, blue glitter paper scrap.

Accessories - Winnie and Walter The Big, The Bold and Fun Cutaways, Avery Elle Wonky Stitches die, The Crafter's Workshop Mini Party Lights stencil.

I'm also playing at:

Inspired By Challenge - Rustic Summer

The lanterns on my card put me in mind of a lovely outdoor summer party.

Paru's Card Making Challenge - Family.

For my son who just started his freshman year of college.

Addicted To Stamps And More #306 - Anything Goes

Magical Christmas

A new month of challenges has started at Happy Little Stampers, and today is day one of the July Christmas Challenge with the theme of Anything Goes with an Optional Twist of Die Cuts.

I broke out the October 2016 Hero Arts Monthly Card Kit that has been waiting patiently for some love since I got it. It's full of stamps and dies to create wonderful Christmas scenes. I went for the snow globe and made a shaker card. I used a sentiment from Happy Little Stampers Christmas Joy set to complete my magical Christmas scene.

Please head over to the Happy Little Stampers July Christmas Challenge to see what wonderful inspiration the Design Team has for you. Get your Fa La La La La on, create a Christmas project of your own, and share it in the HLS July Christmas Gallery for a chance to win a $20.00 gift voucher to the Happy Little Stampers Store! You can check out the challenge details for the Christmas Challenge, and all of the other Happy Little Stampers Challenges HERE.

I am also playing at:

Die Cut Divas - Christmas in July

Stamp Ink Paper - Christmas In July

Merry Monday - Christmas In July

Christmas Card Challenges #16

Masked Poinsettias

The May Christmas Challenge is up at Happy Little Stampers, and this time the "twist" is masking. I did the twist, and here is what I came up with. I masked the panel on the left on Bristol Paper, embossed the (Happy Little Stampers) poinsettia  images with white EP and colored them with Zigs. "Merry" is die cut, stacked and inlaid. I really love the way this one turned out.

Do go over to the Happy Little Stampers May Christmas Challenge, check out the wonderful DT creations for some inspiration. Stay on top of your Christmas card-making by entering your Christmas creation, with or without the twist, in the HLS May Christmas gallery. 

Challenge winner will receive a $15.00 credit for the Happy Little Stampers Store.

I am also playing at:

CAS Watercolor Challenge
Poinsettias

The Paper Players Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge
Bottom horizontal row-Pink, Leaves and Flower

Creative With Stamps Challenge #14
Poinsettias

Supplies Used

Stamps - Happy Little Stampers Christmas Joy, Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold and the Merry

Ink - VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black 

Paper - Strathmore Bristol, Gina K. Pure Luxury Black

Accessories - MISTI. Winnie & Walter The Big, The Bold and the Merry Dies. Ranger Multi Medium Matte Glue, Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Zig Watercolor Brush

Masked and Inlaid Thanks

Game #74 is up at the AAA Cards Challenge Blog! The theme is Masking. 

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Stampendous.

Our Guest Designer for this challenge is the very talented Rahmat. You can see her wonderful work on her blog here.

Here is my take. I used Designs by Ryn Flowers stamp set and Winnie & Walter Big Bold You dies for this creation. Masked flowers and leaves are colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush pens.

Please head over the the AAA Cards Challenge Blog and see what our Guest Designer, Rahmat and my wonderful teammates have created for your inspiration. Leave them some love, then create your own masked project to link up to our challenge. Thanks so much for stopping in today!

Wishing

It's time for AAA Cards Game #46 : 

“MASK-erade”

MASK: hide, conceal, disguise, cover up, obscure, screen, cloak, camouflage, veil.

Get your MASK on and create a project using one, some, or all of the following:

·      Masking technique.

·      Masquerade Theme.

·      Inspiration from the Game #46 inspiration photo above.

Here is my take on the game:

I wanted to make a beautiful sunset scene on a card to send to my dear far away friend for her birthday. Though this is not a traditional birthday card, it is perfect for her. It puts me so in mind of the gorgeous sunsets on Barnegat Bay from our roof deck on Long Beach Island.  I used THIS tutorial by Theresa Momber to help me get that beautiful richness of color. Theresa is a sponging rock star. All of the the inks I used are Ranger distress inks except for the sentiment, which is VersaFine Onyx Black.  The stamped image is from Penny Black : Winter Sky. The die cut and stamped sentiments are Simon Says Stamp.

I am also linking this creation to the following:

Addicted To Stamps Challenge #157: MAKE YOUR MARK - Use anything that will make a mark on your project. Markers, paints, sponges etc.

Seize The Birthday Challenge : Anything that Flies.  Although this is a non-traditional birthday card, it is a birthday card, and there are birds on it!

Thank you so much for stopping in today. Your comments make my day!

Peaceful Soul

Marion Vagg is this week's Muse for Muse Challenge #105. 

The inspiration from Marion's card combined with this weeks CASology cue inspired me to create this card:

I so love this image from Memory Box, and Marion's wonderful card put me in mind of it right away.   I used just one colored ink along with black as a neutral.  The image is embossed with black EP.  The hills were masked and sponged with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink. The sentiment is from PTI's Peaceful Garden stamped with VersaFine Black Onyx ink.  Probably the fastest card I ever made, and one of my favorites.

Snowing again here in the northeastern part of the US... I guess I was also inspired by the weather. Keep warm and craft on.  Thanks for stopping by.