Many Thanks

My card started out when I created this background with a stencil and a couple Distress Inks.

 The colors I used went along with the Color Throwdown color combination.  

 Next I pulled out a flower stamp from a brand-new-to-me set from Altenew.  Since I stamped the flower with white ink and embossed it with white ink, coloring it was then extremely easy using Cracked Pistachio Distress Stain.  Because I used watercolor paper, this ink works like magic for coloring and the white acted as a resist. 

I cut my panel with a rectangle stitched die by Avery Elle making it fit the Simon Says Wednesday challenge.  The sentiment is a word die from My Favorite Things.  I cut the words from Silver glitter cardstock and again from gray cardstock, gluing the two layers together.  

Here is the Color Throwdown challenge.

Here is the Simon Says Stamp wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Sweet Birthday Wishes

I don't seem to make enough birthday themed cards so it was great to have the CAS on Friday challenge to help me with that for this card I'm sharing. 

 I started off cutting the scallop circle from a set of dies from My Favorite Things, one of my newest purchases from Simon Says Stamp.  It gave a great piece for grounding my other elements.  I wanted a playful yellow background but I didn't like plain yellow cardstock so I used a piece of watercolor paper, I embossed the circles into it and then added color with Distress Spray.  This ended up giving it a little bit of texture.  

 The little tiger is a stamp from a set by Reverse Confetti, another new purchase from Simon Says Stamp.  I colored this cutie with Zig Clean Color markers on watercolor paper.  I used a stencil to add purple dots to the circle and then accented them with Nuvo Crystal drops.  

 Here is the Paper Players sketch challenge.

 Here is the CAS(e) this sketch challenge which is so similar to the Paper Players.  

Here is the CAS on Friday challenge.

And here is the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

The Colorthrowdown Challenge #528

Recently I was the featured stamper and that means I get to be the guest designer for this weeks color combination.  

 One of my favorite challenges are color related and wow did I love this weeks challenge combo and how much do I love that owl!  I started out creating a messy background with Distress Inks and a leaf stencil on watercolor paper.  Once I had that the way I wanted it, I stamped the leaf spring and colored it with Zig Clean Color markers.  The leaf sprig is a stamp from Simon Says Stamp from the Beautiful Day set with a matching die.  

 The "thank you" word die is from My Favorite Things.  I colored it with Distress Ink too so I could get the exact color I wanted.  The small sentiment is from Reverse Confetti.  

 Here is the adorable Color Throwdown Color challenge combo. Take a few crafting minutes so you can play along.  

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Splatters and flowers

Excited to play along with Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, Splatter It challenge.

I always love challenges and I will most often find an online challenge to be the spark to my inspiration.  I also love to add splatters to a project so this was an easy one for sure.  

I started off with a flower set of stamps from Alternew.  Adding various colors with Distress Stains made for easy and fast coloring. That cute tag is a die from Lil' Inker Designs.

 The main flower was loosely colors with Distress Stains by touching the dabber top directly to the paper.  Spritzes of water make the inks run for a watercolor look. 

I first gave the background to my card a slight wash with a soft green Distress Stain and then added splatters to match my color combination.  Splatters can be added a few different ways but a fast way to do it is to take a spray bottle of Distress Stains or other inks that come in a spray bottle and unscrew the spray cap.  There is ink on the tube that goes into the bottle so with your fingers, flick that plastic tube and you will get splatters of ink.  The only thing is you aren't controlling where the splatters go.  

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Splatter It.

Thanks for visiting, 

Linda (lbpost)

Hello Sunshine

I found a few minutes to play with some online challenges so I first of all went with the color combination of the Color Throwdown blog.

I went with my most favorite way to create a background with Distress Stains.  I added the inks directly to an acrylic block, one color at a time, gave the ink a spritz of water and smooched it onto my watercolor paper, sliding the acrylic block down the paper.  This makes what I call a "messy" background.  I used the Freshly Made sketch to create the layout of my card.  The sentiment is from Wplus9 Designs.

I used a flower from a collection by Tim Holtz, coloring them with Distress Stains and a little accent with a Distress Crayon.  I love the way the Distress products work together so well.  

Here is the Color Throwdown challenge.

Here is the Freshly Made sketch.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Snowflake time

Well, we won't really get any snowflakes where I live but I sure love using snowflakes for winter anyway.

I first of all I used a snowflake plate from Lil' Inker and embossed the entire piece using watercolor paper.  Next I took one of my Zig Clear Color pens and added some color.  I then used a watercolor brush to "paint" each embossed snowflake.  I loved the resulting soft look.  The sentiment from Simon Says Stamp was stamped on vellum.  I like that I could add the sentiment is a subtle way.  

 I also cut out snowflakes from this set of Lil' Inker dies, I love the stitching marks that are in the dies.  I sprayed the cut out snowflakes with Brushed Pewter Distress Spray.  I placed the die cut snowflakes over some of the embossed snowflakes.  

 The card fits the Inkspirational FLAKE challenge.

 The colors fit the Sunday Stamps challenge.

Plus it fits the Simon Says Wednesday Die Cut challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Autumn Colors

I know it's fall, but we aren't seeing that here where I live but it will come.

 I used the retro sketch for my design.  That piece in the middle is a page torn from my tablet of watercolor paper.  I love using this strip.  

This leaf is a stamp by Tim Holtz.  I did stamp it on watercolor paper and then I did add color with Copic markers.  The finish is a spray of Antique Bronze Distress Spray.  I cut the word out of copper glitter paper and the die is from My Favorite Things.

Here is the retro sketch.

I also used the Fusion challenge for the fall inspiration.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

It's a Party

All you need is a balloon and a cute banner, and it's a party.

 I started out with this adorable little monkey from Simon Says Stamp from the Falling for You new collection.  The balloon and the banner are part of the same set.

 I paired it with a word background by using a Tim Holtz stencil and some Distress Spray inks.  This makes it fit the Simon Says Wednesday challenge, Let's get sentimental.  The stitched squares are cut with a My Favorite Things die set. 

 Here is the Wednesday Challenge.

It also fits the CAS-ology Shape challenge.

Plus it fits the Freshly Made sketch turned on its side.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

A Cup of Succulents!

Because I have more recently found how fun and rewarding it is to grow succulents, I am planting more and more of them.  

 When Simon Says Stamp offered this adorable set of stamps with a matching die set, I had to have it.  It is such a fun set.  Several cups or pots and several plant styles that all work together.  This cup and plant were the foundation of my card that fits in with the Colour Me color combination and the Simon Says Stamp texture challenge.  I added some Distress Stain ink to a piece of watercolor paper and then cut out the cup.  I stamped the clear stamp version of this cup over that for a black outline.  I wanted a ton of texture to my background piece so I used a Simon Says Stamp stencil and some embossing paste. To get the yellow, I ran some yellow Distress Stain over the stencil first, placed it on my paper and then ran the embossing paste over the stencil with a palette knife.  That way you get a mix of white and yellow.  When that was dry, I added some other colors of stain and spritzed it with water.  For a little added interest, I cut out a square with a My Favorite Things stitched square die and then I added the square back into the resulting hole with foam tape. 

 I tried to turn my card to the side so you could get a glimpse of the resulting texture.  The die cut word "thanks" is also from Simon Says Stamp.  I colored a piece of watercolor paper with green Distress Stains and then cut out the word.  

 Here is the Colour Me challenge.

And the Simon Says Wednesday Texture challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Little Birdie

My card was pretty serious until I added on that adorable little Christmas birdie.

 I started out with black Distress Stain and watercolor paper. From there I added some Pewter Distress Spray.  I am so in love with how the inks dry and create such interesting patterns.

 Next I stamped some snowflakes using Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder.  The word "peace" is a die from Winnie & Walter and the little Christmas birdie is from Lawn Fawn.  

 This fits with the City Crafter Colour Challenge.

And the Merry Monday Christmas card challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

O Christmas Tree

Another Christmas card to share...

 I am trying to put a big focus right now of creating Christmas cards.  I am going with different designs rather then mass producing lots of the same thing. More fun creating that way.  For this one, my main piece is a black tree. Not your usual color but it ends up as a fun combination. 

 The tree is from Wplus9 Designs  The little heart is part of the stamp, I stamped an additonal one, cut that out, colored it with red and added some Glossy Accents.  The background to the entire card is some red Distress ink blended over a dot stencil. Such a fun way to create a simple background. I added some sprays of Pewter Distress Stain, an amazing silver spray and my mat on the card is silver paper. 

This fits with the Paper Players Black Tie challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Shiny Gold and Vintage Santas

I am having so much fun creating cards for Christmas.

 For this card I pulled out an older stamp I have had for awhile. It is by Paula Best, I always enjoyed her style.  The sentiment is a die from Simon Says Stamp.

 I went a little unusual for my coloring.  I added color with Copic Markers and then added shine with some Distress Spray in Pewter.  That dot background was created with a dot stencil and some gold Embossing paste. I love how this embossing paste looks.  I took this photo at an angle to try to show off the shine of the gold dots. 

 I used the Inkspirational challenge to use Gold.

And the Addicted to CAS challenge to use DOTS.

And the Wednesday Simon Says challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)