Some splatter and watercolor fun

I so love to play with inks and then wait to see what happens.

 This card started out with me trying out my first Distress Spray in Spiced Marmalade.  When I first saw that they released these sprays, I just knew they were going to be very important to my craft playing.  This is something that you do spray and then walk away while it dries.  I did use watercolor paper.  

 I then reached for some new stamps from Simon Says Stamp.  The flower was stamped in a rather defused style by inking the solid flower stamp with a few colors of Distress Stain.  The flower has a matching die.  That amazing sentiment is also new from Simon Says Stamp.  

 I used the CAS(e) this sketch for my layout inspiration.  

And, I used the "Thinking of You" challenge at Simon Says stamp Wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Silvery snowflake

A snowflake on a card can be several colors but it just seems that metallic silver is just right plus that fits the Virginia View's challenge.

 The snowflake is a die from Simon Says Stamp. I love how dainty it is.  And that sentiment is from a set by My Favorite Things. 

 I started out with a very simple background.  Just a few colors of Distress Stain applied to some watercolor paper.  I did add a few drops of Heidi Swapp gold Color Shine.  I love the subtle way the inks mingle.  I used two layers for the snowflake, thinking that made it stand out a little bit more. 

Here is the Virginia's View challenge, All Things Metallic.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

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)

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)

Stepping up with some Fall colors

I wanted to play along at Colour Me because I fell in love with the combo.  I wouldn't say they really looked fall related but I was able to get a fall slant to my card.

 I went to the Freshly Made Sketch for the layout of my card.  Add to all of that some brand new to me stamps from Simon Says Stamp.  The word "Hello" is a stamp from Avery Elle and I added some sticker letters from Teresa Collins. 

 That neat tag is a die from Reverse Confetti.  The stitch marks on my card front were created using a die from a set by Lil' Inkers.  The biggest die in the set doesn't cut, it just cuts in the stitch lines.  I stamped the wreath with white ink and embossed it with white embossing powder.  After I cut it out with the matching die, I coated the stamped image with Glossy Accents just for some added interest.  The flowers and leaves were stamped with various Distress Stamp pads in the colors of the combo.  Because of the dies for the wreath, flowers, leaves and tag this fits the Cuttlebug Mania challenge too.

Freshly Made Sketch

Colour Me

Cuttlebug Mania: Anything Die Cut

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

The embossing paste journey

I love to experiment and to just sit and play with my crafting supplies.  I always learn so much, sometimes failures, most of the time victories.  

 I picked up some Crackle embossing paste and so I wanted to see how I could use it. I started out with the matte black embossing paste and a stencil.  It looks bad here so I wanted to be sure to show you that fun step!

 In removing the stencil, it is almost breathtaking the beauty that is unveiled.  This was left to dry. It could even be left just like this too.

I put the stencil back in place and gave my leaves a coat of the Crackle embossing paste.  That goes on white and the cracks are revealed as it dries.  I then took some Worn Lipstick Distress Stain and started adding color over the entire surface.  Again, I left this to dry. The color here is a little bit too orange from the real color.

 Here is the finished card.  I thought it ended up being a fun mix of colors and techniques.

 The fancy circles pieces are cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities with an vellum kind of paper.  The amazing black leaves are a Waltzing Mouse stamp and the label sentiment stamp is from Altenew.  The color combination was to go along with the Colour Me challenge but that has ended.  

 The card fits the Simon Says Emboss IT challenge.

And the Addicted to CAS Celebrate challenge.
And for a photo...

This is a new plant to our yard this summer, it just opened it firsts "flower".  Kind of odd but actually pretty artistic.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Blue and Red and Fun

I have a new set of stamps and a new stencil and out they came for this card.

 I used the Colour Q combo for my card. I started out with a Simon Says big dot stencil and all I did was take my Faded Jeans Distress Stain and I dotted that into each circle on watercolor paper. I thought the end result was pretty fun.

Next came my Reverse Confetti stamp and matching dies.  How cool is that little airplane in red! The tag, the little row of hearts, the airplane are all dies.  I used a Distress Stamp pad for the red.  In order to get in the Sand color in on my card, I used a brown to stamp the sentiment.  That cute little cloud is a stamp from Simon Says and I used a stencil to add some interest. 

Here is the Colour Q combo.

This also fits the Addicted To Cas SKY challenge.

And for a photo...

We were in a restaurant this weekend and they have three big windows full of really cool glass floats. So amazing with the light coming in.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Bring on the Sun!!

Summer just makes me happy, I think it is mostly that the day is lighter longer!!!

 Anyway, makes for a fun reason to create a sun design on a card and that is also the Addicted to CAS challenge this week.  I started out with watercolor paper and some Distress Stains. I could play with these all day long and every time they turn out different. That neat sentiment is from Technique Tuesday. I have been waiting for a chance to use this set!!!!

 When the inks were dry, I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil for my rays with some white embossing paste.  

Here is the Addicted to CAS challenge.

This also fits the Simon Says challenge.

 And for a fun project....

 My daughter created a gift for a friend who is moving away and I just had to share.  She started out painting the bottles with chalkboard paint.

 She then used a Chalk Marker to create her design. These are a ltitle more then just chalk.  You can wash it off but it is pretty stable. 

Love the verse she used.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Using Die Cuts

I so love color challenges, so it was fun to create this card to go along with the Color Throwdown plus to use some die cuts to go with the Less is More challenge.

 I just got a new large dot stencil from Simon Says so I used that with some Distress Stain to create my background on watercolor paper. I love the resulting watercolor look.  I cut my piece into a banner shape.

 I also just got this great die cut of "thank you" from PaperTrey, Inc.  I cut the word out of the light aqua cardstock and also cut that same word out of the watercolor piece.  This allowed me to "set in" the word, I love that look.  I also used a leaf branch stamp with matching die cut from Wplus9 Designs.  My new obsession is stamp sets with matching dies, way too much fun. 

 Here is the Color Throwdown challenge.

Here is the Less is More challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)