Birthday

Just a quick post to share this quick card! I used a card from one of the My Crush book sets and tru. Ed out the flower, then stamped the two little flags, brushed the flower with "wink of Stella" and rounder the corners. All CTMH but the design papers are long ago retired. Easy-peasy!

Baby card

I pulled out an older CTMH stamp set recently to welcome a new "grand baby" for one of my dear friends! The image and sentiment just never get old! I have forgotten if I used markers or pencils to color, but I think it was marker. I know the sentiment was Twilight. 

We have been busy, and I still only have my iPad (which is cumbersome) for posting. Every day I think we will resolve that issue and it hasn't happened yet. Perhaps this week.

The weather has been cooler than normal so our garden is slower than usual, too. I love that I can work out there without mosquitoes so you won't hear me complain about the coolness!  I just grab a sweatshirt and gloves and off I go!

We think a bike ride might be in our afternoon . . . :)

Multi-color chevrons

Recently there was a delightful short video on the Close To My Heart FaceBook page. I was "smitten" with the simplicity of the concept and the end result, with all the subtle changes in color! 

Needing a few thank you notes, I grabbed my favorite CTMH bicycle stamp and a never been used before stamp called Balloon Talk with a tiny sentiment from a Petite Perk stamp set and "voila"!

I thought I might be able to link to the post from here, but I couldn't figure out how to do it! So, in a nutshell - basically, I set out 7 ink colors: Cranberry, Goldrush, Honey, Pear, Lagoon, Pacifica, and Gypsy. Using the four line chevron stamp from the stamp set on page 118 of the current Annual Catalog, I started with a "downward" Cranberry stamped image. Then I cleaned the stamp, and re-inked it in Goldrush, and turning the chevron so it points up, I stamped it over the Cranberry on one side. The Goldrush blends with the Cranberry for a subtle color change. And you keep going with all the colors, cleaning the stamp between each color, ending with a "half" of Gypsy. For the focal card, I cut off one of the lines to use on the inside of the card, but on the card to the left that just shows a little bit, I used all four. I actually like the three-band one better.

On a personal note, we made it safely to Brainerd! I am happy to report that Mr. Baggins is a seasoned traveler now, and settled in the same day to the new location! He likes getting to be with me (and I LOVE having him with me!). The garden is fun right now, since it's still pretty cold for Mosquitos, and we have been doing all sorts of yard work!

How are things with you guys?!

Before and After

You probably recognize this card from a post last week - I prepared this one for my Open Stamping technique that I taught.  I showed the group how to use the acrylic blocks to create an interesting background for their focal image.  I had prepared for more people than showed up and rather than have that stack of supplies sitting there (cluttering my studio), I decided to sit down and make the remainder of the cards.  While I was working - on a whim I tried something different.  

I thought, why not add a little more interest by putting two ink colors on the block?  So I did.  I inked the bottom (maybe 1/3) with Flaxen and the remainder with Glacier.  And stamped it like before.  But the result was less than satisfying - especially where the two colors came together.  So then, I thought "what can I do to make the seam nicer?" and I decided to try spritzing the block with a fine water mist before stamping the colors.  Here is my "After" image: 

 

 Golly I love the result!  Well, I doubt I'll post again until we get to our summer home.  Keep posting, I LOVE getting ideas from all of you!  Hugs!!

Happy Birds

 I love the birds and flowers in this stamp set! I guess that is because I love coloring and this gives me a great excuse to play with color - the designs just beg to be funky! I used Shin-Han markers - very easy! The little came from a retired set and I stamped it in Topiary ink. The doodled frame was drawn free hand.

As you can see, I also used my "wink of  Stella" brush to add some shine. The design paper is from the Seasonal Expression 2 papers called Blossom! Beautiful!

On a personal note, I am preparing to "fly north" to my summer home! I am really looking forward to seeing all the family again! Hugs!

Easter Card 2015

Happy Easter! We have been so busy, first with Holy Week, then with the recovery from Holy Week! LOL! I wanted to wait for The season of Easter before sharing my card and here we are nearly two weeks into it already! 

I made this with a new CTMH stamp set, watercolor technique, and an amazing little artist trick called "frisket". Frisket is a masking fluid that dries to seal off areas you want to protect from your water coloring (such as the lily) and once the background is finished and dry, you can remove the frisket and continue to develop your art (in this case, with Shin-Han markers. I made a limited number of these, just for closest friends and clergy. The majority were easel cards like the one I kept for myself.

The sky was done with Indian Corn Blue. I love the occasional hints of purple that show up!

Hugs!

Technique for Open Stamping - April

I've been thinking about the way people use their acrylic blocks to put ink onto paper and finally pulled out some paper and tried it. The first thing I learned was that the "usual" side to use (for stamping) with the CTMH blocks is the flat-edge side. I have always held the block so the upper edges (where I'm trying to hold onto the block) are the curved ones. Well, it never occurred to me that the business side of the block (where the stamp goes) has an etched line (for keeping things straight - especially sentiments!) and that the line would show up in this technique. So, true to form, I have my first thing to share with my friends about how "not" to do it!  LOL

I put ink onto the block, stamping the block directly onto the paper and the rest was just as usual. What resulted is a very simple card - but I like the look. This is a technique I will probably do again - just because it was so easy and the idea of creating a block of color for your focal image appeals to me.  

I used the newest Seasonal Expressions catalog card-kit stamp set with Glacier, Pear, Smoothie, and Cocoa inks and White Daisy cardstock. Hope you like it!
Hugs!