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)

Sending Happy Thoughts

Playing with inks, my favorite!!!

 To create my background, I used a stencil and a few different Distress Ink colors to make my card fit the Color Throwdown challenge.  

A finishing touch was to cut the word "hello" in gold metallic paper, I love that pop of bling.   

  The leaf wreath is a stamp by Altenew.  I stamped that with white and embossed it with white on watercolor paper then when I added the inks, the embossed lines acted as a resist. 

Here is the Color Throwdown challenge.

It fits the Sketch Saturday sketch.

And the Just Us Girls, Bold Letters challenge with the Metallic gold word.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Butterfly Hello

When you have new stamping supplies, you really do need to play with them.

 For this card, I used a few online challenges and I think my most favorite Distress Oxide stamp pad in BluePrint sketch and a new Tim Holtz stencil.  How much do I want to use both of these on everything I create!!!! For this background, I have covered the stencil in ink and I always want to make use of all of the ink I can so I spritzed the inked stencil and pressed that to watercolor paper.  

 A rather newer stamp set for me is a set from Simon Says Stamp.  It's a set with a number of great images and I picked the leaf and two of the butterflies to help me use the colors in the Color Throwdown challenge.  These were stamped in white ink, embossed with white embossing powder and then colored with Distress Stains.  One of the beauties of this set is it has matching dies, making cutting out the images so fast and easy.  
The dotted rectangle die frame is from Lil' Inkers and the "hello" is from Lawn Fawn. 

Here is the Color Throwdown challenge.

The CAS on Friday challenge is to use butterflies.

And the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is Anything Goes.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Bouquet of Roses

Just a big bunch of red roses.

 My card fits The Card Concept challenge.  I stamped a number of Altenew flowers and cut them out allowing me to add them as a group to the bottom of my card.  

 I love playing with stencils and inks and this background is the result of a play session.  I added a coat of glaze to each of the flowers for further interest.  

Here is The Card Concept 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)

Layered Flower

I started out with the amazing layered flower die set from Altenew. 

 I started out cutting all of the pieces of the flower from watercolor paper.  Using that kind of paper let me then custom color my layers.  I used various colors of Distress Ink.  After these were dry, I assembled my flower and let it steal the show on my card front.  

 I cut the sentiment, "congrats" from silver glitter paper.  It's a simple look but carries a punch in the glitter.  

 My background was simply created on watercolor paper with shades of green Distress Ink.  Once that was dry, I added a dot accent with a stencil and embossing paste.  

I designed my card after the CAS(e) this sketch 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)

Celebrate

Yes, another card completely inspired by some online challenges plus purchases from last weeks stamp convention.

 I'm quite sure my favorite stamp pad and favorite color ink ever is the Distress Oxide in Blueprint Sketch!!! That and the new stencil from Stampers Anonymous and Tim Holtz are a match in stampers heaven.  That color also helped me use the Color Throwdown combo.  

 I used a flower stamp set from Altenew and added color to complete the Color Throwdown combo with Distress Inks and Zig Clean Color markers.  The stamp set has a matching die set making cutting out the flower and leaves so easy and perfect.  

 I put a strip of vellum across the card from to help it fit the Freshly Made sketch.  

 Here is the Color Throwdown combo.

 Here is the Freshly Made sketch.

And the Time Out challenges anniversary challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

So Happy We Are Friends

I am so in love with the Freshly Made sketch for this week so I just had to sit down and play. 

 Something about the sketch made me also want to keep my card rather simple so I started out using a stencil from Alternew to create a subtle background with gray ink.  

 The stitched squares are from a die set by My Favorite Things, the leaf is a layered stamp from Altenew and the "thanks" is from Paper Smooches.  Lots of Distress Inks were used. 

Here is the Freshly Made Sketch challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Special Delivery

The AAA card team has a challenge this week for a One Layer Card and I actually find that to be one of my most challenging techniques but of course I had to give it a try. 

 I used watercolor cardstock to start my card.  The Paper Players has the best photo challenge this week so that was where my inspiration came for for my creation.  I started with a wash of Distress Inks in the soft blues and then I used a stencil and a brown ink to get the foundation design.  

 Next I added a few stamped images, the lips, the "always", the Special Delivery and the sentiment that is from a set by Simon Says Stamp.  

 Here is the AAA Cards challenge.

And the Paper Players challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

You Are Awesome

For the card I want to share, I went to two online challenges for my inspiration.

 I used the CAS(e) this Sketch challenge for the layout of my card.  I decided to make my coloring gradient, my version of the sketch.  I tried something a little different to start my card.  I used a Simon Says Stamp stencil and translucent embossing paste, covering the entire front of my card made from watercolor paper.  When that was dry, I started adding inks with Distress Inks, starting with the lightest color on top.  The embossing paste resisted the inks and I love the resulting look. 

 Here is get the idea of the shiny design of the embossing paste.  Since the paper is watercolor paper I love the way the inks run together.  The sentiment running up and down the card fits with the sketch and the heart makes it fit the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.  

 Here is the CAS(e) this Sketch challenge.

Here is the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Big Hugs

Starting a card by playing with Distress Stains is my favorite. 

 This card base started out with some red and pink Distress Stain then I used a leave design stencil to add some of that leave design with Distress Stain and then with white embossing paste.  Using the stencil helps it fit the Simon Says Flickr challenge.  This provided the ground work for the elements I then added.  

 The wreath was stamped and then cut out with a matching die.  The words "big hugs" and the "thanks" were then cut out from black cardstock.  All of these dies are from Simon Says Stamp.  

Here is the Card Concept challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)