WWC321 - Tristan's Challenge: All Things Masculine

Time for some adorable little Gnomes at the beach!  I just got this set from Stampendous and have to use it for Tristan's masculine challenge.

For this card I decided to use a top fold since I had plans for the inside, as you'll see.  My base is a Heavy Whisper White followed by a matte of Pool Party.  For the images, I used a piece of Mixed Media paper and stamped my scene.  I love the fact that this set has lots of background images as well as images of the gnomes.  It really helped a lot since I didn't have to go hunting through various stamp sets just to set a scene.  For a change I watercoloured my images and background using a variety of Stampin' Up! stamp pads as well as my Stampin' Markers.

I love the way I was able to have a veritable waterfall of images by using this top fold, don't you?  The background paper is stunning and I'm so glad I got it from the Craft Consortium.  The grunge colours really compliment the colours in each scene, don't they?   I've even added one extra frame with the sentiment stamped right on it and waiting for personal greetings to the birthday boy/man.  I love that there is such a variety of images with which I could play.  This set will definitely be used many more times, it's such fun.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, August 9th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #151 - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge #67 - Summer Time

{PIN}spirational Challenge #279 July

WWC320 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

As you know, I love whimsical stamps.  I also love stamps with little animals, especially mice.  How cute is this new stamp I've gotten from Penny Black with three little mice floating along in tiny little walnut shells?

I decided to make a birthday card.  After all, you should be able to do your own thing on your birthday, right?   With a base of bright Pineapple Punch, I needed a nice bright blue as a matte and this one, in a pretty lacy die-cut, is perfect in Balmy Blue.  

I stamped the images using VersaFine Clair Morning Mist.  I love the softer edge it gives, don't you?  Then I used my Aqua Painter and a variety of stamp pads to watercolour my images.  Since the walnut shells are a pretty Soft Suede, I also used the colour for the sentiments.  It's always about balance, isn't it?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, July 26th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #150 - Anything Goes

Penny Black Saturday Challenge PBSC July - Anything Goes

WWC319 - Helen's Challenge: All Things Feminine

It's wonderful when one can use some fabulous Designer Paper, a brand new intricate die set and a terrific new stamp set on a card.  

This Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series paper was so fabulous that I decided not to have a sentiment on the front of my card.  I love the way the photographed flowers actually appear to be on top of the paper rather than just being a design.  I feel as if I could reach out and pick them up.  This part of the card was simple to make.  I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White, added a matte of Crumb Cake and then adhered the piece of patterned paper.

And then we get to the inside of the card.  I was excited to use Karen Burniston's Photo Collage dies for the first time.  First I adhered some patterned paper  to each side of the inside.  Then I used the die on a piece of heavyweight Mixed Media paper.  In Karen's video, she suggested using a very heavy paper since the pieces of this photo collage move each time the card is opened or closed.  Once I  assembled the die cuts and adhered them to the centre of the card, I was ready to add some fun sentiments from Penny Black's "Choose Happy" stamp set.  I also added some fussy-cut butterflies since they complimented the floral paper so nicely.

You can just tell from this photo of my hand and the card, how they mechanism pulls the pieces inside the card as you close it and then has them "explode" out as you open the card.  I love the effect and hope the recipient gets just as much of a kick out of it as I did.  Don't you just love it?

 Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, July 12th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #149 - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday Card Challenges #26 - Flowers

Dream Valley Challenges #251 - All Occasions

WWC318 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

It's Father's Day on Sunday!  Of course I made a Father's Day card.  

This continues to be one of my favourite stamp sets for Father's Day.  Titled "A Good Man", the images are perfect and loving.  You can get fancy and mix it up with different background and/or fancy patterned papers, but I love the  clean and simple look for these images.  This one, especially, needs nothing more than the coloured image and these sentiments. If it's a lovely sunny day for Father's Day, the lucky man in your life will probably relax and "catch some rays" after a picnic feast.

I used my Derwent Watercolour pencils for this card, along with my Aqua Painter.  The colours are nice and vivid, making it seem like a sunny day.  

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, June 28th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #148 - Anything Goes

Try it on Tuesday: For the Man in Your Life

The Male Room Challenge #151 - Dads  & Grandads

WWC317 - Heidi's Challenge: All Things Masculine

 My mind has been all over the place lately because of health issues with our adorable kitty, Khali Kho.  I think I set a record for the number of times I changed my mind about the card for my challenge.  Seriously, I have a pile of stamp cases on my crafting table which I really do have to put back on the shelves.  

As it turned out, I didn't use any of the sets which I had pulled.  I happened to be clearing a shelf and saw a die-set which I bought a couple of years ago and hadn't used.  Somehow these three musicians just appealed to me and I wound up with a black, red and white slimline card.  Don't you just love it!!!

I played around with one of my fancy square die-sets.  The results almost look like an Argyle pattern?  I heat embossed "You Rock" in red but should have known the embossing would barely show against the black so I rescued it by outlining the letters with my white Jelly Roll pen. 

For the inside, I used a Stampin' Up! set which I can't find.  Things are crazy here with having to give the cat pills and driving all the way down to the Veterinarian two days in a row.  Things will get better, and I will find the stamps, and God-willing, I will remember to add that information to this post.  But I make no promises.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, June 14th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #147 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenges #249 - Die-Cuts and/or Punches

WWC316 - Cathy's Challenge: All About Occasions

 I am madly in love with the wonderful images which Anita Jeram has created for the Colorado Craft Company.  The set which I am using for Cathy's challenge is called Birthday Wishes and, although I didn't use them for my one-layer card, also has dies.  I'm sure I'll be using the images along with the dies sooner than later.

I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White and then stamped my images on regular Whisper White cardstock.  While I like the regular Whisper White, it isn't the best for watercolouring.  I found it really soaked up the colour and, for a very anxious half hour, I though that it would never dry to a smooth finish.  It is, however, a very bright white, and I think the colours show up brilliantly, don't you?

As I said, I kept this to a single layer on my base.  I didn't use a matte to keep the scene dominant, rather than have competition with a bright surrounding colour.  I like the results.  The sentiment, rabbit holding the balloon and hamster jumping up from the tree stump are all by Anita Jeram.  The tree stump, however, is from the Craft Consortium's Little Fawn and Friends series of stamps.  I think it works together with the other stamps quite perfectly, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May 31st, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

AAA Birthday: Game #25 - Happy Birthday  (Happy 2nd Birthday)

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Four legged friends

NBUS Challenge #26 - Never Before Used Shtuff

PCC427 - Theme Challenge (#SimpleStamping)

WWC315 - Marsha's Challenge: All Things Feminine

 It's been a month since I used one of my House Mouse stamps and I swear I'm suffering from withdrawal.  So, of course, I had to use one today.   This card was such fun to make, deciding on a sentiment and having everything fit into a slimline card.

Just because I knew I wanted to use a House Mouse image, I checked out the HM&FMC to see what their option was for the current challenge.   And the option was for a slimline card.  That took a lot of pressure off.  For you crafters out there, you know how sometimes it takes a while to get going, thinking about all the styles of cards one can create.  Knowing I was going to make a slimline card and having already picked out my image, I felt like a huge weight was lifted and was able to get right down to creating instead of  thinking and overthinking, turning the whole thing into an ordeal.

I used a base of Whisper White and was able to use a fun set of slimline dies which I just acquired.  The set let me cut out the lovely scalloped Melon Mambo layer, the stitched white layer, and the skinny piece onto which I stamped my image and the sentiment.  Way to get the ball rolling!   

After stamping Amanda mouse, I used my Spun Sugar and Faded Jeans Oxide Inks to make the sky.  Then I watercoloured her cute image using my Derwent watercolour pencils and Aqua Painter.  To ground her, I added some grass and watercoloured the area in a variety of earthy colours.  When everything had dried, I assembled the card and felt that something was missing.

So I grabbed my Shimmery Crystal Effects and added three "dew drops" to the flower petals.  Finally it looked right and finished.  I love the way it turned out, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May  17th, 2021.

 

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

HM&FM Challenge #339 - Anything Goes or an option of Slimline Card

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #145 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Feminine

WWC314 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

 My cat made me do it!  Seriously, I was trying to decide for which occasion I would create a card for our challenge and spied a piece of paper on the floor.  It looked  remarkably like something I had cut out and had put aside to use for a card "someday".  We all do that, don't we?  Well, putting it aside is one thing.  Finding it on the floor is a totally unacceptable thing.  I knew immediately who the culprit was, of course. My sweet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth Khali had made another trip across my crafting table and, being the clumsiest (and cutest) feline I've ever met, had inadvertently pushed the cut-out onto the floor.    

And that led to the creation of this Birthday card.

I love the "Happy Birthday" die but absolutely hate putting glue onto the die-cut.  By the time you finish going from one end to the other, across all the lines and intricate details, the portion where you began has dried.  But a few months ago I happened to have purchased a roll of Diecut and Bond.   This is thin paper, double sided with adhesive.  You put it onto a piece of cardstock, use your die to cut whatever design you happen to want for a card, and voila.  The backing peels off and it sticks by itself.  While I'm sure this doesn't come as a surprise to a lot of you, it was like magic for me and I will be using my more intricate dies a whole lot more from now on.        

Oh, and that heat embossing on the red?  It just looked so plain when I laid all the pieces out so I grabbed a relatively neutral background stamp (Crackle Paint) and heat embossed the pattern onto the red using my clear embossing powder.   It gives  it just enough interest without taking any real attention away from the sentiment and cute little squirrel, doesn't it? 

You can see the  heat embossing better from this angle.  And, of course, the  squirrel is clearly raised up from the stitched heart with Dimensionals.  I love the way the card turned out, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May 3rd, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges: 

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #144 - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs: Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge:  Bright, Cheerful colours

Dragonfly Dreams April Challenge:  Feature a Creature

WWC313 - Tristan's Challenge: All Things Masculine

Oh my!  I discovered a Canadian stamp company and am the proud owner of one of their stamp/die sets.  It's called Beaver & Hockey, both of which epitomize what the world considers as Canadian.  

I had a few different ideas for this set, which included a bookmark, but finally decided on a tag attached to a card.  Wouldn't the tag, by itself, be perfect attached to a present for the hockey player in your life?  But attached to the card, it's looks pretty perfect anyway, doesn't it?

I used a base cardstock of Soft Suede followed by a plain layer of Pacific Point and, finally, a layer of Whisper White put through the Big Shot with a star embossing folder.  I stamped the cute little beaver and the smiling puck onto a piece of Whisper White and coloured the images using my Derwent Watercolour pencils as well as an Aqua Painter.  

I used a fun stitched tag die to cut the tag from a piece of Soft Suede and tied a piece of blue ribbon at the top.  Then I heat embossed the top sentiment and complimentary bottom sentiment using white embossing powder.  After using foam dimensionals to attach the tag to the card, I added the smiling puck and hockey beaver to the tag, also using foam dimensionals.  The result is a fun card that would appeal to both young and old(er) hockey fans.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, April 19th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Layer It (many layers in this card)

HLS April Watercolour Challenge - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Guyz #268 - Use Something new to your Stash 

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #143 - Anything Goes

          

WWC312 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

I was thrilled to discover that my card was chosen as one of the Top Three winners for the challenge.

We're having an early Spring this year.  Naturally those stamps which I have that suggest Spring and Robins and blossoms jump out at me and beg to be used.  This adorable House-Mouse scene by Ellen Jareckie is perfect for the way I'm feeling.

I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White cardstock and then added a Pear Pizzaz matte with a shorter and wider striped matte underneath.  I love that the  colours reflect the colours which I've used in watercolouring the scene, don't you?  Most of the colours are from my Derwent watercolour pencils but the bare wood fence as well as the background sky are from my Stampin' Up! stamp pads.  The Gray Granite was perfect for the look of the weathered wood and, of course, the Balmy Blue was perfect for the sky.

I simply love the look on this little mouse's face as he looks up at the offered worms and grubs and points to his friends, suggesting they are hungry rather than himself.  On the stamp it appears as if the Robin has a fly or other winged insect in its beak but I thought grubs and worms would be more effective.  First of all, they are slimier looking and second of all, they are easier to identify in the picture.  It wasn't difficult to take one of my permanent journaling pens and create the changes I wanted.  As usual I finished up by adding a touch of the Nuvo Aqua shimmer.  I think it's perfect on the buds and flowers, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, April 5th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

House-Mouse Challenge (HM&FMC #336) -Anything Goes with an Option of Bugs

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Whatever the weather

Lemon Shortbread #142 - Always Anything Goes

Inkspirational Challenge #235 - Fur/Feathers

WWC311 - Kath's Challenge: All Things Feminine

I'm enjoying the early Spring we're experiencing at the moment.  Yes, I know as far north as I live, actual Spring weather normally comes sometime in April if we're lucky.  Most likely there will be another snow storm, more cold weather, and just the memories of this warm spell to sustain me.  But for now, it's lovely and so I had to find an image which reflected my mood.  This House-Mouse image by Ellen Jareckie comes close.

I used a base of Heavy Whisper White followed by a matte of Balmy Blue cardstock.  My image is stamped on a piece of Watercolour paper using the VersaFine "Morning Mist".  I love the lighter grey because it leaves the watercoloured images showing off without much in the way of intrusive lines.

I used my Derwent InkTense Watercolour pencils for the images and then used my AquaPainter and Balmy Blue stamp pad to watercolour the background.  I love the results, don't you?   If you look closely, you'll see a bit of sparkle on the butterfly's wings as well as in the centre of the wide open flower.  For that I used the Nuvo Aqua Shimmer.  I love that stuff!

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, March 22nd, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

 Lemon Shortbread Challenge #141 - Anything Goes

HMFMC #335 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Use Something Green (used green watercolour pencils)

WWC310 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

This is the first of our bi-weekly challenges for our awesome Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I have to admit that it feels good to have decided to make the change from weekly challenges.  It was a matter of facing a total "burn-out" or making the change.  I think we've made the right decision.

I'm back to using an "old friend" this week.  I fell in love with the wonderful Foxes Clear stamps by C.C. Designs a while back and couldn't resist using another image this week.   

I kept this card very simple.  My base is the Heavy Whisper White and then I've just added the die-cut image and a simple sentiment.  For my image, I turned to my Derwent Watercolour Pencils and Aqua-Painter.  I added a wash of colour for the sky and then grounded everything with a wash of  brown and green, mixed.  

 But of course I had to add just a little bit extra.  After my watercolours had dried, I added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the sweet fox's eye and then gave the butterfly a bit of dazzle with a wash of Nuvo Aqua-Shimmer.  I think it works beautifully, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, March 8th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #140 - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Oh So Cute!

AAA Cards: Fame #184 - Sketch and optional twist Watercolour

WWC309 - Dawn's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

 For Dawn's Masculine challenge I decided to revisit the adorable Gnomes in Fran's Stampendous stamp set.  They really adapt well to almost every occasion.

I decided to keep this card clean and simple.  For my base I used the Heavy Whisper White and then allowed a large frame around the actual image, with a Cajun Craze matte around the stamped and watercoloured image.

My little Gnome is sitting in the grass with a present which could be for a birthday, valentine's or even an anniversary.  The sentiment certainly works for any of those occasions.  It's what  gets stamped or written inside which will decide.  I love the way the Derwent watercolour pencils add so much bright colour, don't you?  They're so easy to use with a little bit of water and brush or an Aqua Painter, which is my favourite. 

 In this slanted view  you can see the shine on the silver-coloured bow.   I added a few black dots for interest.  This was an easy card to make but I love the results.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 22nd, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #139 - Anything Goes

Always Fun Challenges #201 - Anything Goes

Cardz 4 Guyz #264  - Clean and Simple

WWC308 - Tristan's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Ooooh!  I have a fun birthday coming up and am excited to be able to use a brand new stamp set: Art Impressions by Bonnie Krebs, Frog Set.  I know my grandson is going to absolutely love the card!

My base is the Heavy Whisper White followed by a matte of Old Olive.  I did the stamping on a piece of Mixed Media paper and watercoloured the images using my Derwent watercolour pencils and Aquapainter.

At this angle it's a bit easier to tell that I've coloured the confetti with my silver pen and added the Shimmery Crystal Effects to the flame of the large candle.  All the "bodies" of the candles also have a layer of Nuvo Aqua Shimmer on them and, in real life, are quite gorgeous.  Of course I had to ground the group but felt a huge waterlily leaf would be more appropriate than actual ground and so sketched one in.  I used my Stampin' Up! Mossy Meadow ink for that, fading the colour as I came to the front of the group.  I love that the Mossy Meadow is different enough in colour to compliment the green of the frogs, don't you?

For the inside of the card I decided to use a matte as well, again in Old Olive.  Then I used another sentiment from the set for the centre and the bullrushes from the retired Wetlands stamp set for the right-hand side.  I was excited to use a craft "spring" for my frog.  It allows the card to close tight for the envelope and doesn't create a bulge but when you open the card, Mr. Frog is suspended outwards from the paper by about half and inch.  I'm just crazy about these springs and will use them again for certain.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 15th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #264 - CAS

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #139 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenges #241 - Add Some Green

WWC307 - Heidi's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

 After getting an amazing sentiment stamp made by Stampendous, I began checking my (way too many) stamps to see what image would fit.  Sometimes oldies are the best.  I combined two of my favourite Stampin' Up! sets and did some free-style drawing to wind up with a card that I love.  I hope you love it, too.  

I love this image from the Beautiful You set.  It is definitely my favourite, although I love the other images, too.  In order to make the image fit the sentiment, I added a puddle at her feet and then sketched two boots to fit her feet.  Since this is a very stylish girl, I had to ensure that her hat matched those boots, right?  And then I sketched in a little jacket since the rain is seldom warm.  All the colours I used to watercolour my image are from Stampin' Up!  We have Daffodil Delight for her hat, crinoline and boots, then her jacket is a combination of Basic Black and Smoky Slate.   That pretty dress is the lovely, bright Poppy Parade, the puddle and raindrops are Balmy Blue and then the sentiment is Pacific Point.

I'm not sure if you can tell from this angle that I covered the puddle with some Shimmering Crystal Effects.  After all, puddles are shiny, aren't they, even in the rain.  The raindrops are from the Weather Together stamp set.

For the inside, I cut a broad stitched frame from a piece of Balmy Blue cardstock and then stamped the remainder of the sentiment inside.  Then I went on a hunt for a boot stamp.  Believe me, with all the stamps I've accumulated, I knew I had a stamp which would be perfect.  And I was right.  This image is from the Craft Consortium Farm Meadow.  I love the style and went wild with the colours, of course adding polka dots to make them perfect. 

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 8th, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #138 - Anything Goes

Addicted to CAS Challenge #190 - Pattern