AAA Cards challenge time again with some orange and black

 Be sure to hop on over to the AAA Cards challenge blog to take in the newest challenge.

 I love this cute PaperTrey, Inc pumpkin so it was fun to get to pull it out again.  That black and white background was created with a Simon Says stencil and some black spray ink.  I used the Freshly Made sketch for my inspiration.  

For my pumpkin, I added some Distress Stain ink to a piece of watercolor paper and then cut out the pumpkin with the die.  That label is it on is from Reverse Confetti.

Here is the Freshly Made sketch.

Be sure to play along at AAA Cards

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

A new AAA Cards Challenge

 Fall is here and Halloween is upon us.  That makes this a pretty good challenge at AAA Cards for this week, to use the above image as an inspiration piece.  Plus you are playing for a guest spot at AAA Cards.

 My card is super simple.  Some punched out squares of a patterned paper and a pretty cute little spider cut with the Cricut Expression.

To give it the last little bit of interest, I did a line of machine sewing to look like the spiders web.
This also fits the Less Is More Little Creatures challenge.

Thanks for visiting and be sure to give the AAA Cards challenge a try, Linda (lbpost)

Succulent Love

Succulents have become my all time favorites for planting inside or outside.

 So....when Simon Says Stamp introduced this adorable set of planters and succulent plants, I simply had to have it and of course had to put it right to use.  The retro sketch for this week was the perfect format. Not to mention I also ordered this great stencil and that fit right in with the Addicted to CAS sketch challenge.  

 This succulent set also has a matching die set and I needed that too.  That pretty scallop label is from Reverse Confetti.  I started out with some watercolor paper that I had cut for my card base.  I added a wash of Shabby Shutters Distress Stain with some spritzes of water.  When that was dry, I wanted a little more detail for my card base so I used my new stencil and some Peeled Paint Distress Stain.  I added a little bit of those two colors to my label too.  The cup was cut from a piece of watercolor paper that I had played around with recently.  I found just the spot I wanted to cut the cup from.  The plant was also colored with Distress Stain and then accented with a white paint pen.  The sentiments are from the same stamp set. 

Here is the retro sketch.

Here is the Addicted to CAS challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Touch of Pink

When I saw the Colour Q combo for this week I knew I had to give it a try. 

 The super neat combination of black, pink, silver and white.  I started out adding color to a piece of watercolor paper with some Distress Stain.  I made sure that I left some of my paper white so I could add silver embossing powder to the tips of my feathers once I had them cut out.  When my paper was dry, I cut the two feathers, dies from My Favorite Things.  

 I wanted my background to be black and white so I used a stencil from My Favorite Things and some black ink.  I didn't cover the entire background with the black ink.  The sentiment is from Alternew and Simon Says Stamp.  Dots of silver Liquid Pearl finish off the card. 

Here is the Colour Q combo.

This also fits the Addicted to CAS stencil challenge.

This also fits the CAS on Sunday challenge to use embossing.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Autumn and the AAA Cards Challenge

 I so love using fall colors so I am really loving the AAA Cards challenge for this week.

 I am quite sure these are my favorite colors to work with for a card.  And, I got to use my newest die and stamp set from Simon Says Stamp! I did a very slight watercolor look for the background. I wanted it to be just a very slight part of the card.

I used a stitched frame die set from Lil' Inkers for the stitch lines on the card. For the smaller frame I only embossed the die rather then cutting it.  The wreath, leaves, acorns and sentiment are all from the Simon Says Stamp set.  

Be sure to link your fall or autumn card to the AAA Cards challenge.

This also fits the Simon Says Wednesday challenge to use watercolor.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Gotta LOVE the color Red

This post is all about my favorite color - RED!

 Plus, it is about one of my favorite flower stamp sets from Altenew Stamps.  I used a sketch from retro sketches.  This weeks challenge was to pick a sketch from their past sketches.  I also used Virginia's View challenge to use Clean and Simple and Simon Says Wednesday challenge to use a watercolor technique.  I started out with a piece of watercolor paper as it comes from the pad of paper.  I like to keep the binding edge on some of the papers as I cut each piece to the sizes I want to use.  I think it is such a fun accent.  

 I wanted to use the flower stamps in a very simple way, stamping them directly to my paper meaning I didn't need to cut them out.  I only used two of the steps in creating the flowers and I used a wonderful Distress Stamp pad in Festive Berries. I just love that these inks give the look of having colored the images with watercolor.  I did block off a portion of my paper and stamped around that then when I removed the mask piece, I drew thin black lines with a pen then stamped the sentiment in that blocked off area.  This sentiment set from Winnie and Walter is so neat because of all of the little words that come with the big words so you can create your own greeting.  

 Here is the retro sketch I picked.

 Here is the Virginia's View challenge.

Here is the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Sunday and it's AAA Cards challenge day

I was so excited to find that this weeks AAA Cards challenge is to use a watercolor technique on a project.  

 It seems that almost everything I am playing with lately regarding creating cards revolves around something with water color. What I love is that there are several different supplies to get a watercolor look. It is fun to explore so many of them.  To go along with this weeks challenge, I wanted to use real watercolors so I went to my little tubes of paint from the craft store.  I put little dabs on a piece of acetate and then took my waterbrush to dilute and pick up the paint.  I spritzed my watercolor paper slightly before adding the ink.  I love the way the inks run and mingle and then dry.

I had stamped an image on the paper first with white ink and then embossed it with white embossing powder.  That then acted as a resist to the watercolors.  I did the same with the leaf sprig and then cut that out.  That is from Wplus9 Designs. The little snowman is a stamp from Printworks.  I colored that with my watercolor crayons and a waterbrush.  He is added with foam tape.  

Thanks for visiting and be sure to play along with the challenge at AAA Cards.

Linda (lbpost)

Lets get this party started!

Every year at this time my heart gets just so happy - there is actually a World Card Making Day, a day for something that I enjoy so much.  

 Of course, I wanted to sit down ahead of time and create a couple cards to share.  I was playing with watercoloring techniques this week and created the background to this card.  I used two colors of watercolor paints.  The paint comes in little tubes, I squeezed out a tiny amount on a piece of acetate then used my waterbrush to dilute that paint and pick up some.  I just painted simple lines on my watercolor paper, spritzed it with water to help the inks run a little more and then walked away to let it dry.  I always love the surprise that comes as the inks dry on the paper.   I used a Happy Birthday stamp from Wplus9 Designs.  I seem to not make many birthday cards so I thought that was a good theme for this card.  

 The big flower is a stamp from PaperTrey, Inc.  I stamped it with black ink on white watercolor paper and then added color with three shades of Distress Stain.  I love how the Distress Stains are so easy to use and give a watercolor look.  I did add a few sprays of Heidi Swapp Gold Color Shine.  

 Be sure to check out the tons of fun planned for World Card Making Day.  You can also find lots of fun posts on Instagram.  So many companies are offering specials.

 Another card I wanted to share uses the Fusion Challenge for my inspiration.  I didn't use the colors in the challenge, but I did use the sketch and I also stayed with a big flower, mine is just black and white with some great bright green.  The background was created with a The Crafter's Workshop stencil. I love stencils and I love theirs.  I just gave it a spray with some black spray. 

 I gave that background some splotches of green Heidi Swapp Color Shine.  My flower is a stamp from PaperTrey, Inc.  I kept the coloring extremely simple so I could stay with my black and white color combination.  Can you see that little bit of neat sparkle?  I used a Wink of Stella pen to outline parts of the flower.  Some green Liquid Pearls finished it off along with a die cut word from Clearly Besotted.  

Here is the Fusion challenge.

This also fits the Addicted to CAS Stencil challenge.

Thanks for visiting and I sure hope you get to do some paper crafting today.

Linda (lbpost)