
- Stamps – Altenew – Fresh Freesia
- Embossing folder – Cuttlebug – Kassie’s Brocade
- Zig Clean Color watercolor markers
- Cardstock – BoBunny Violet Dot and Paper Accents Lavender Twilight
I stamped this pretty freesia on watercolor paper and colored it with Zig markers and a waterbrush. After I was finished watercoloring, I stamped the sentiment which is from the same Altenew clear stamp set. I used my Misti to get a nice, dark image. I’m a big fan of that tool! I wanted the card to be simple and elegant, so I used an embossed layer and offset it a bit to make the brocade embossing more visible. The Addicted to CAS challenge #89 – Petals is a current challenge and this is pretty clean and simple, so I’ll toss my hat in the ring. Thanks for stopping by.
5 Comments | tags: altenew, cardmaking, clean and simple stamping, cuttlebug, embossing, flora, stamping, watercolor | posted in Addicted to CAS, Challenges, Clean & Simple, Sympathy

- Stamps – Technique Tuesday Coffee Break Seal
- Cardstock – Ranger Manila
- Distress inks – Ranger Old Paper and Walnut Stain
- Pigment ink – Tsukineko Delicata Dark Brown Shimmer
I created this set of Artist’s Trading Cards (ATCs) for an upcoming exchange I’m participating in. A friend gave me the stamp set I used, which is the perfect size for trading cards! I started with the manila cardstock, which is the same stuff used for manila tags. I applied a layer of Old Paper Distress Ink with a foam applicator around the edges and then added the Walnut Stain Distress Ink and blended it into the other ink, around the very edges. I then spritzed some water on the craft mat and mopped up some water and Walnut Stain ink to make it look a little coffee-splotched–which is a technical term. I then stamped the seal in the center and added a coffee bean at each corner–all with the Delicata shimmery brown ink. I connected the beans with some freehand double-lines drawn in fine-line dark brown ink to pull the composition together. These cards are also very fitting for the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Blog Anything Goes Challenge. I even showcased Technique Tuesday stamps! Thanks for visiting today.
1 Comment | tags: distress techniques, Simon Says Stamp, stamping, technique tuesday | posted in Artist's Trading Cards, Challenges, Simon Says Stamp

- Stamps – Art Impressions Any Cake and Kodomo Happy Birthday
- Dies – Art Impressions Window Die
- Patterned paper – Echo Park Scoot: Little Helicopters
- Cardstock – Bazzill Bling Crystal Blue and Simon Says Stamp Fog
I must say before I go into any explanation of this card–this card required me to think much too hard! There was a front and back to the raccoons and window, things needed to line up, etc. The design on the card front fits The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #296. The overall card is 4-3/4″ square. I colored the raccoons with Copic markers and cut them out. I die cut the windows, added the raccoons and layered the patterned paper and cardstock so that everything lined up and then stamped the sentiments. I made this card for my mom’s 86th birthday. She has a raccoon (sometimes more) who comes visit her sometimes, so when I saw this stamp, I knew I needed to use it for her birthday card! Happy Birthday, Mom! Thanks for stopping by.
3 Comments | tags: Art Impressions, cardmaking, copics, die cuts, fauna, stamping | posted in Birthday, Challenges, Paper Players

- Stamps –
- Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz “Bird Crazy”
- Simon Says Stamp – “Happy and Smile” set
- Dies –
- Sizzix – Tim Holtz Framelits “Bird Crazy”
- Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts “Stitched Circle Frames”
- Corner punch – Fiskars “Spiral”
- Patterned paper – Lawn Fawn “Beachside: Deep Sea”
- Gelatos
- Cardstock – Bazzill
I think this is a pretty wild bird, so it fits perfectly for The Paper Players Wild Thing Challenge. The background was made with Gelatos and water. Some of the Gelatos were metallic, so there is a subtle sheen. I colored the bird with Zig Clean Color markers and a water-brush. I popped him up inside the circle frame and that dimension almost makes him look like he’s swinging on it. Thanks for visiting today.
4 Comments | tags: cardmaking, die cuts, lawn fawn, mixed media, Simon Says Stamp, Stamper's Anonymous, stamping, tim holtz, watercolor | posted in Birthday, Challenges, Paper Players

- Stamps – Lawn Fawn “Mom + Me”
- Dies – Lawn Fawn “Mom + Me” and “Stitched Circle Frames”
- Patterned paper – DCWV – “Nana’s Nursery Baby Boy” paper pad
- Cardstock – Bazzill
- Glitter – Martha Stewart – “Snow”
- Copic markers
- Tim Holtz Distress Ink “Walnut Stain” (ink pad and marker)
I created this card for my Mom on Mother’s Day. I framed the image with some circle die-cuts cut from patterned papers. I added some plaid patterned paper for the Plaid Challenge #87 at Addicted to CAS. There was a little bit of glitter on the background paper and I added more glitter to the pink stitched frame as well. I colored the owls with Copic markers. Inside the sentiment was “Happy Mother’s Day. You’re a Hoot!” Thanks for visiting.
2 Comments | tags: cardmaking, clean and simple stamping, copics, die cuts, lawn fawn, stamping | posted in Addicted to CAS, Challenges, Mother's Day

- Stamps –
- Technique Tuesday “Greenhouse Society: Fuschia”
- Avery Elle “Oh Happy Day”
- Dies –
- Technique Tuesday “Greenhouse Society: Fuschia”
- Simon Says Stamp – “Stitched Rectangles”
- Embossing powder – Stampendous – Violet
- Sequins – Simon Says Stamp – Assorted Moonshine
- Ribbon
- Cardstock – Bazzill and WorldWin
I enjoyed using my Zig Clean Color markers and waterbrush to watercolor this fuschia image. I popped up the die cut fuchsia on layers of cardstock, adding a few sequins around the flowers. I used the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches #235 as inspiration for this card. Thanks for stopping by.
5 Comments | tags: cardmaking, die cuts, flora, stamping, technique tuesday, watercolor | posted in Challenges, Freshly Made, Sympathy

- Stamp – Technique Tuesday – Greenhouse Society Series: Columbine
- Dies – Spellbinders Nestabilities – Labels Twenty
- Border Punch – EK Success – Swiss Cheese
- Cardstock – BoBunny Double Dot – Paprika and Orange Citrus
I colored this image with Sakura Glaze pens and added accent dots with a white gel pen. I created this card for a polka dot challenge, so I went a little crazy with the dotted cardstock and the border punch with lots of dots. We have columbines blooming around here in the summer, so I really like this image. Thanks for visiting.
Leave a comment | tags: cardmaking, die cuts, flora, technique tuesday | posted in Challenges, General Cards, Summer

- Dies – Sizzix Thinlets – Tim Holtz “Detailed Butterflies”
- Stamp – Simon Says Stamp “Square Sayings”
- Patterned paper – Basic Grey Lemonade Collection: “Pretty Petals”
- Ranger – Dina Wakley Clear Gesso
- Ranger – Tim Holtz Distress Crayons
- Ranger Texture Paste
- Stencil – The Crafter’s Workshop “Tiny Circles” 6 X 6″ stencil
- Sequins – Simon Says Stamp – Assorted Moonshine
- Inks Sprays – Dylusions White Linen, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist assorted colors
- Cardstock – Bazzill
This was such a fun project! I made it over a period of time, since I created the background while playing with patterned papers, texture paste and stencils, and ink sprays with some friends. I made a lot of different backgrounds with many layers of ink and texture. Then I got my hands on the Distress Crayons and butterfly dies and put together some different butterflies to use on something someday, coloring the butterfly base with the crayons and cutting the details from a contrasting cardstock. I stared at my backgrounds and the butterflies and finally put the pieces together in this birthday card! The final card fits perfectly for the current challenge at Simon Says Stamp for the Monday Challenge Blog Butterfly Beauty Challenge. Thanks for stopping by!
2 Comments | tags: butterflies, cardmaking, crafter's workshop, die cuts, distress techniques, mixed media, Simon Says Stamp, stencils, tim holtz | posted in Backgrounds, Birthday, Challenges, Distress Techniques, Simon Says Stamp

- Dies – Spellbinders “Foxy” and Lawn Fawn “Happy Birthday Border”
- Patterned paper – Basic Grey “Hillside” collection (6″ X 6″ paper pad)
- Washi tape – Love My Tapes and We R Memory Keepers
- Cardstock – WorldWin and Bazzill
I created this clean and simple card featuring the cute fox die cut from Spellbinders. I used the sketch: Freshly Made Sketches #232, with a couple of strips of Washi tape. I attached the black die-cut sentiment so that it connected to the black mat to tie the design together. Thanks for visiting.
3 Comments | tags: basic grey, cardmaking, clean and simple stamping, die cuts, fauna, spellbinders | posted in Birthday, Challenges, Clean & Simple, Freshly Made

- Stamp – Ranger – Dina Wakley “Scribbly Birds”
- Patterned paper – Basic Grey – “Urban Luxe”
- Die cut (Hi There) – Basic Grey – “Urban Luxe”
- Twine – American Crafts
- Cardstock
- Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers
First I stamped the bird with black ink and then colored different areas with brightly colored Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I applied water with a water brush and blended the colors to complete the bird image. I found some patterned paper in my stash that matched well for the background. I used Freshly Made Sketches Challenge Sketch #237 as inspiration for this card. Thanks for visiting.
3 Comments | tags: cardmaking, clean and simple stamping, fauna, Ranger, stamping, watercolor | posted in Challenges, Freshly Made, General Cards