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

Go Where Your Dreams Take You

I love the images and sentiments from Visible Image, and when I saw the current AAA Cards Challenge: Words Take Center Stage,

my card immediately came together in my mind. It's the fastest card I have ever made, and I love it. I still need a few graduation cards, and this is perfect for anyone celebrating the start of a new chapter in their life.

I am also playing at:

Paper Players #351 - Class of 2017

CWS #16 - Celebrate

Just Us Girls - Celebrate

An Ocean Of Thanks

I am honored to be Guest Designer at Happy Little Stampers July Watercolor ChallengeHappy Little Stampers July Watercolor Challenge which is:

My card has lots of colors, but it is an ocean scene, hence the blue. All of the elements are from the Hero Arts May 2017 Card Kit. I am in a mermaid state of mind these days, and I love this kit. So many wonderful images, dies, papers, inks, embellishments, etc. 

The background of the shaker is made with iridescent turquois silk liquid ink dropped on wet watercolor paper. The effect is awesome! The swirl tissue placed on top of it mutes the intensity of the background a bit, but I love the way it looks. I cut the coral and sea ferns from watercolored snippets. The rest of the images are watercolored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.

Please head over to the Happy Little Stampers Watercolor Challenge Blog and see what the Design Team has created for your inspiration. Grab your favorite watercolor medium(s) and create something fabulous for the HLS July Watercolor Challenge!

I am also playing at:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Yeah Baby!

Time for a new game at Time Out Challenges! TO #86 is a Theme challenge: Celebrations - with the optional twist of One Layer. Our wonderful sponsor is CASual Fridays Stamps. A random winner of a $25.00 gift voucher will be

selected from those who go for the twist on their creation.

TaeEun of Rainbow In November is Guest Designer for this challenge. Her work is incredible. Treat yourself to a visit to TaeEun's Blog. You can't help but be inspired.

I wanted to twist. As I was looking for some inspiration, I came upon THIS post by Jennifer McGuire. I decided to use her design, but instead of die cutting the sentiment panels, I masked them to achieve the one layer effect. The result was a happy accident. 

I masked the areas where the sentiments would be stamped, inked CAS-ual Friday's Full On Floral background stamp with VersaMark, and heat embossed with white EP. I wanted to cover the entire card front with the floral background, so I stamped again and applied three Brusho colors. I loved the way the color turned out, but I was concerned about the line on the right side that was created when I stamped the second time. Then when I lifted the masking paper, I saw that some of the watercolor had seeped under the mask. At first I was frustrated with these two "mistakes", but after stamping the sentiments (Casual Fridays Woot Woot - retired) and adding the sequins, I ended up being quite pleased with my wonky creation.

Please head on over to the Time Out Challenge Blog, and be inspired by the awesome Design Team creations. See where your creativity takes you, link up and play with us at Time Out!

I am also playing at:

Simply Irresistable Challenge - Emboss Resist Technique

AAA Cards Game #92 - Resist Technique

ATCAS - CHEERS

The Flower Challange - Anything Goes

Virginia's Blog Party - Share Your Summer Creations

Happy Little Stampers June Watercolor Challenge

Anything Goes with optional twist of Mask

To The Moon

I am so excited to be posting today as a new member of the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies Design Team. Woot! This is my debut creation. The theme is always "Anything Goes" as long as you use dies.

This card is for my son Greg, who even at 17, still loves a handmade card.

You have until June 30th to play. Challenge winner will receive a $15.00 credit at the Happy Little Stampers Store.

Please head over to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies June Challenge and check out the wonderful creations by the Design Team and create a project with dies to share in the gallery for a chance to win!

Supplies Used

Stamps: Hero Arts Star Galaxy, SSS Shine On

Ink: Hero Arts Mermaid Ink Pad, VersaFine Onyx Black

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Gina K Pure Luxury Black

Accessories: Lil Inkers Stitched mat Dies, PTI Double Ended Banners Die (watercolored snippet from stash with stamped sentiment), Simon Says Stamp Shine On Dies.

A Happy Hello

Time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges! This time the theme is "Home Sweet Home" - photo inspiration with a homey twist! 

Here is the inspiration photo for Time Out #85:

There are so many wonderful things focus on in this photo, but that beautiful hummingbird caught my immediate attention. I also incorporated many of the colors in the photo. I love all things tropical.

Ashwini is our Guest Designer for this challenge.

Happy Little Stampers are our sponsors with $15 gift voucher for the winner.

Come play with us! The Design Team has come up with some wonderful inspiration to get you started. Check out their projects, and then create something of your own to link up to the gallery and play for a chance to win.

Neapolitan

LIM #331 - Neapolitan

What a great idea for a challenge theme! In the language of ice cream, Neapolitan usually refers to a trio of ice cream flavors which is often a combination of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. I did a little research and the story is much more broad. For a little history on Neapolitan Ice Cream's sweet origins, click HERE.

I really had fun with this one! The color in my photograph is off a little. The color on the embossed hydrangea is true, but the butterfly is actually rose-colored, and the sentiment is stamped with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and much more brown than it appears in the photo.

I'm also playing at:

The Flower Challenge #9 - Anything Goes

Just Us Girls #396 - Die Cuts