Mooooooo-sh Up!

Hello, and Happy Wednesday!

Today, I am posting a card that I started days ago.  I was trying the Technique Lovers Challenge from SCS (which was also a Friday Mashup challenge recently, but one that I missed), and wasn't thrilled with it.  But it is nearly the deadline for the Friday Mashup, so I quickly made the rest of the card to post.

The TLC was to use embossing folder stamping, and a tutorial can be found here. The Friday Mashup asked us to use red. pink, and white...with a love theme.  Easy enough, right?

Well, my background is a bit messy and the shimmer still comes off on my fingers, days later.  Yikes!  I need to figure something else out next time.

I used sponge daubers to add real red and strawberry slush ink to my Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder.  Instead of plain water, I sprayed my water/shimmer paint/alcohol mix on to the folder, then pressed a piece of watercolor paper onto the ink.  Unfortunately, my mister was not giving me a fine spray...it was more like big drops of water.  What a mess!  It took a long time for the paper to dry, and the hearts are barely distinguishable.  Oh well.  I intended to try again, but had other things (work stuff!) going on.  Any who, I added this cute sentiment from the "Chubby Chums" set, stamped in Stazon jet black.  I stamped the cow onto very vanilla, punched him out with the large scallop circle, and added just a bit of color.  After wrapping ruffled ribbon around the background, I popped up my cow with dimensionals and placed it all on a real red card base.  The black enamel hearts are from Anna Marie, purchased online at a scrap book site.  

I think the card turned out okay, all things considered.  But now I have shimmer stuff on my fingers...and my keyboard!  LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky (and shimmery) {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Hope-Filled Finish!

Hello and Happy Friday!

Today is the last day to upload cards for the Hope You Can Cling to challenges.  Originally, I planned to do them all...then I decided I probably would not get them done, so I slowed down this week.  I actually spent time cleaning up a table in my stamp space last night.  I had slowed down a lot because I was intimidated by some of the challenges.  Well, I decided to cram things in and I did finish on time!  Unfortunately, I had computer issues, so I did not get these uploaded before noon.  No biggie...I am just thrilled that I completed all 35 challenges!  NEXT year, I will shoot for the Queens Thread!

This card was the last one I did, but the very first HYCCT challenge posted.  It's supposed to be paper tole.  I struggle with fussy cutting, so I held off on this.  The pieces should be curled a bit more.  Even so, he's kinda cute!  Not only was this card for Lydia's paper tole challenge, but it also for a color challenge; #496 on SCS.  I have a soft sky card base with pieces of cherry cobbler pattern paper and silver glimmer paper.  I stamped this snowman from SU's "Snow Much Fun" 3 different times.  The hat/head, scarf, and boots were cut separately for the tole technique.  I dropped a boot, or lost it...cut out another one, but it was the same side I already had adhered!  All this at 11:50 a.m.!  LOL  So, I just colored the flat boot.  Poor guy needs an upgrade!  He is mounted on island indigo, but I couldn't find the right marker so I used taken with teal instead.  Bakers twine and a sentiment punched out with the modern label finish it off. 

Next, I have a card for Barbara's challenge, which uses Embossing Paste...sort of.  I had never even seen this stuff before so I ended up making some of my own.  I had to rush to get this done, but I will definitely try it again.   My paste was made with baby powder, Tombow liquid glue, and white shimmer paint.  I added old olive ink for the color. I started with a pumpkin pie card base.  Fortunately, I had a piece left over from my smashed ink challenges, and the scrap from my Sizzix Leaves die.  Both came in handy, as I had to rush to get this done!  I used the scrap as stencil to spread the paste in leaf shapes.  I really like the texture that resulted.  My sentiment is from SU's "All Holidays" stamped in rich razzleberry on a Top Note die cut.  A bit of peach parfait ribbon is the last detail.  I am not thrilled with the overall card, but it isn't bad for such a quick project.  If I take more time, I could probably do some very nice, detailed projects with this paste.

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Mashin' Up with a NEW Christmas Stamp!

(Note:  this was originally posted on my other blog.  I am moving 2014 posts over here.)


Hello Stamping Friends!


Today I am posting a card for a SCS Color challenge from April: Baja breeze, sahara sand, and so saffron.  I skipped this way back when because it didn't really "speak" to me.  But in my quest to do all of the 2014 SCS Color Challenges, I am finally doing it.  I am also submitting this for The Friday Mashup this week (just in time!)  We were challenged to use the watercolor wash technique and/or make a Clean and Simple card.  I did both.

Since I prefer rich, saturated colors, this combo was tough for me.  Give me one light color in combo with darker colors, and I am good to go.  But this is a very muted palette.

But inspiration struck with this NEW gorgeous stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs.  Well, it's new to me.  I had never looked at their website before, because I was only familiar with the cutesy images I often see used.  Just not my style.  But during the recent Virtual Stamp Night, I saw a Christmas card made with an image that grabbed my attention.   I decided to look it up, bought it...plus two other gorgeous Christmas stamps!  This Madonna & Child is one of them.

I am not very good at detailed watercoloring, but this watercolor wash technique is so easy!  I think it really allows the artwork of the image to come through.  After stamping the image in Stazon jet black, I spritzed a piece of very vanilla card stock with water and brushed on color using an aqua brush and re-inkers.  I used more saffron near the heads, to represent halos.  I kept more of the sand color on the skin, and the blue was used more around Mary's robe and head piece.  I never would have thought of these colors for Christmas, but with this image, I think it works!

My sentiment is from SU's "Greetings of the Season" punched with a scallop circle and sponged generously.  Baja breeze seam binding and some pearls finish it off.

I made this in a hurry, so I can post here.  But I need to take a bit more time...like let the wet paper dry before I trim it!  I definitely plan to make at least 11 more (I try to do 12 cards of each design for Christmas.)  With this technique, every card will be truly unique. I plan to stamp more this weekend, so I can also submit this to the SCS Christmas Card Challenge...WooHoo!

Thanks for stopping by again!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim