Let's Celebrate

Yes, another card created from the inspiration of a couple online challenges.  I love using these challenges to give me direction as to the colors or layout.  

 I used a little block stamp from Wplus9 Designs.  I stamped it four times to fill my card front and then added the colors in the ColorThrowdown challenge using Zig Clean Color markers on watercolor paper.  

 In order to follow the sketch with CAS(e) this sketch, I used a stencil and some Distress Stain to create a design that would become the strip down the middle of my card.  

 The banner and the "Let's Celebrate" is a stamp and die set from Avery Elle.  That was added with foam tape for added dimension.  The dots were created on each flower with white Nuvo Cyrstal drops.  I find it interesting that the white took on the underneath watercolor ink.  

 This Color Throwdown is already closed.

Here is the CAS(e) this sketch challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Black and White, a splash of Red

I used the Paper Players Tic Tac Toe challenge to create my card that I'm sharing.

 I picked Washi Tape, Embossing and Circles.  As usual I love using a challenge to inspire my card design.  Instead of using just a white card base, I used a stencil and blended some black ink for a random design.  

 I applied four different designs of Washi Tape to a piece of white cardstock then cut a scallop circle from that.  The circle die is from My Favorite Things.  It is a set of graduated sizes so I cut a slightly larger circle from cardstock to create circle layers.  The leaf sprig is a stamp from Wplus9 Designs.  I stamped that in black, embossed that with clear and then used the matching die to cut it out.  Nuvo drops added some accent.  

Here is the Paper Players challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Completely Wild About You

I pulled out this adorable stamp set from my stash, the set is from Wplus9 with matching dies. 

 I used two online challenges for my inspiration.  The CAS on Friday challenge is "Baby" and also Clean and Simple so I used quick and easy techniques.  A messy background with Distress Inks is always quick and I like that I can use colors that I want.  The giraffe was quickly colored with Copic markers, the balloon got its cute pattern from a stencil and they both have a matching die meaning I was able to cut them out quickly.  

 I didn't want just a solid color for my balloon so I thought using a stencil added some fun.  

 Is this guy simply cute!!!!

 Here is the Just Us Girls challenge.

Here is the CAS on Friday challenge.

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)

Merry Snowflakes

One last Christmas card to share for this year...

 I used the color combination from Colour Q along with a few snowflake related products.  The banner shapes are die cuts from My Favorite Things.  I love that they are various sizes so that they fit on top of each other.  The word "Merry" is a die from Simon Says Stamp.  

 I ran the white banner piece through the Cuttlebug along with a die cut that I embossed instead of cutting.  The snowflakes are from Wplus9 Designs.  

Here is the Colour Q combo.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Beautiful Day

I wanted to put the Freshly Made sketch to use plus the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge of Anything Goes.

 The sketch has three spots, I decided to make circles on watercolor paper with Distress Stains and then to accent them.  

 After my spots of color, I wanted the rest to be very simple with a black and white accent.  The flower is a stamp from Altenew and that neat sentiment is from Wplus9 Designs embossed with silver.  

 Here is the Freshly Made sketch.

Here is the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Play along with Addicted to CAS

I have one last challenge with Addicted to CAS as their guest designer.  I've loved playing along with them.  

 I love how easy it is, just create with blue.  

 Once again, I turned to my Distress Stains to create my background.  I applied the ink directly to an acrylic block, spritzed it with water and then pressed it to the watercolor paper.  Working with the Distress Stains this was is always unpredictable but I always love what happens.   

I used my Lil' Inkers dotted label die and used it to emboss a design into my paper.  LOVE those dots.  The stamps with matching dies I used are from a set by Wplus9 Designs. I wanted my look to be very simple so I didn't color my giraffe except for the bottoms of his little feet.  The big balloon and the sentiment are also from the same set.  I only added some accent to the balloon with a light gray Copic marker.  I hand wrote the string for the balloon. 

Check out what the rest of the Addicted to CAS team created and be sure to play along too.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Welcome Baby

When I purchased this adorable set of stamps by Wplus9 Designs with this super cute giraffe, I knew it should be used for a baby card.  

 Because I wanted to color my giraffe with yellows and soft browns, I created my background in those colors with some Distress Stain with a watercolor look.  I added in a few spots with a dark brown ink.

 This completely adorable giraffe stamp has a matching die making it so easy to cut out.  I added my color with Copic markers and a little accent of some watercolor inks.  Plus some Glossy Accents here and there.  A few little epoxy stars finish off the fun. 

This fits the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge of Anything Goes.  Since I purchased my stamps from Simon Says Stamp, I think that really makes my card fit their challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Just a Note card

 I wanted to play along with Freshly Made sketches for there birthday celebration so here is my card.  The sketch itself is extremely simple leaving it open to some creativity.  I put a piece of tape across my watercolor cardstock and added two different colors of Distress Stain on either side of the tape.  This did leave a white space down the middle so I took a stencil by Tim Holtz and added some dots with more Distress Stain.  

 Next I used a flower and stem stamp from Wplus9 Designs and just stamped it in black.  The middle of the flower was centered over one of the turquoise dots, the rest of the flower was not colored.  The sentiment is from that same set of stamps and I added a couple buttons to the middle of the flower.  

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

Thanks Friend

First off, I wanted to use the Colour Q color challenge to create a card.

 The first thing I went to were my Distress Stains to create a background and to use a couple of the colors in the challenge.  

 Next, I turned to one of my Altenew sets of stamps with matching dies to stamp the leaves.  I added color to those with more Distress Stains to use the rest of the colors.  The sentiment is from a stamp set by Wplus9 Designs making this card fit the Friendship is Golden challenge at Time Out. 

 Here is the Colour Q challenge.

Here is the Time Out challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Keeping white space

Why does it seem so hard to create a card and still keep lots of white space?

 The challenge at CAS-ology this week is Precious, meaning that white space is precious.  I of course had to give it a try.  

 I started out by mixing a little bit of orange and purple Distress Inks onto a piece of watercolor paper. I spritzed these inks with water and created the little burst of color that I wanted.  I stamped this great sentiment on the ink once it was dry.  Then stamped the flower with white ink and embossed it with white embossing powder.  I added color with Distress Stain ink.  The flower and sentiment are stamps by Wplus9 Designs and the flower has a matching die.  I added Glossy Accents to the middle of the flower and then added some white pearls with Liquid Pearls.  

Here is the CAS-ology Precious challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

AAA Cards Challenge - Woodland Animals

 Its time for another great challenge at AAA Cards and I have to admit this took me a minute.  As I searched my stamps, I couldn't find an image that would be a woodland animal. 

 Then I remembered the little wood Moose that I picked up at Paper Source.  I just needed to create a scene he would fit in. The sentiment is by Wplus9 Designs.

I used some Distress Stains to create a forest colored background.  I cut out a window with two Li'l Inker stitched dies and then filled that space with some stamped trees that are from Paper Smooches.  

Be sure to check out the cards at AAA Cards from the rest of the team and take the time to play along too.

This also fits the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, make it masculine.  

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

AAA Cards Birthday Party and Blog Hop

Everybody loves a party and its time for AAA Cards Challenge blogs 1st birthday.  I think that is pretty exciting not only because this cupcake is completely adorable but because there are prizes, lots of prizes, you just have to play along. Check out the AAA Cards blog for all of the details.  You should have come here from Jane's blog.

 I wanted my card to be very pink to match that adorable party banner.  Of course, I started out by coloring a piece of watercolor paper with some Distress Stains.  There seems to be no way I can get enough of that technique, maybe because it turns out different every time.  

 Next I cut the flowers and leaves by Essentials by Ellen from plain white paper and cut the "happy birthday" by Paper Smooches from plain white paper and then sprayed the words with Heidi Swapps gold Color Shine.  I wanted to keep my card very simple and let my die cut shapes have all of the glory.  

I knew I needed to do another card, maybe because you can't have too many for a party.  Simon Says Stamp has supplied one of the prizes for the celebration and they sent me one set to play with so I wanted to have that be part of my celebration.  The little kitty is from a set from the Falling For You collection. 

That adorable frame is a stamp with a matching die from Lawn Fawn and the super cute sentiment is from Wplus9 Designs.  The balloon is also from the Party Animal set.  Once again, my background is simply Distress Stains and watercolor paper. 

This also fits the Simon Says Wednesday challenge regarding sentiments.

Plus the Lawnscaping watercolor challenge.

This is a birthday hop so you can hop on over to Vicki's blog so see what she created for the party. If you missed any of the blogs along the way, you can always go back to the AAA Cards blog.

Now it's your turn to create.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)