Inspired Dragonfly

 Hey Everybody,

Linda's challenge is to check out Abigail's gallery. check out her challenge here.  

This is the inspiration for my card from Abigail's gallery. This is one of the prettiest dragonflies I've seen on a card. It really caught my eye.

   

Here's my card.

I took a print that I made on my gelli printing plate and dry embossed it with the Modern wallpaper embossing folder. I pulled highland heather and old olive inks over the embossing. I stamped, colored and die cut the dragonflies from an old Divinity Designs stamp set called, Friend to Friend. I added clear wink of stella to the wings and added them to my background with dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment from Unity Stamps called Gretchen Girl and brushed olive ink over it then ran it through with the embossing folder to help it blend in with the background. This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital.

Keywords: FS1007

Stamps: Divinity Designs-Friend to Friend, Unity Stamps-Gretchen Girl

Paper: white, old olive

Paper Size: A2

Ink: memento tuxedo black, highland heather, old olive, assorted distress oxide inks

Accessories: Friend to Friend dragonfly dies, Cricut-Modern Wallpaper embossing folder, Copic Markers, clear wink of stella

Techniques: Gelli plate printing, dry embossing, direct to paper inking

What would you use from Abigail's gallery?  She has such a variety of things there.

Go through your stamps, papers, embossing folders and dies to see what you have that is similar to a card in her gallery.

You don't have to use the dragonfly, maybe you like the colors she used so you make a stained glass card or use a quilt die with different colored pieces. It's up to you and that's a freeing thing! Have fun with it.

I spent all day Friday and Saturday at Great Northern Mall helping my son sell his sport cards at the show in the mall. It was two long days. The mall is open 11-8 and we were there by 9 on Friday and 10:30 on Saturday. We could come in later Saturday because all we had to do was uncover the displays and set up some things which took about 30 minutes.

I had so many proud mom moments watching and listening to my son with young kids and dads who were getting started with collecting. He showed one kid how to check to see what to ask for a card he was selling by showing him a card he was selling.  That way he and his dad would be able to check prices for cards from other vendors they wanted to buy from or sell to.

One young boy of about 10 was shown how to negotiate a price on a card. My so walked him through the steps of making an offer, hearing the dealers counter-offer and making another offer himself. He did well with Ben's coaching. He came to a good deal for both parties.

I enjoy doing shows with Ben. It gives us time together as mom and son or friend to friend. It's not often that happens in the day to day interactions, so I look forward to card shows with Ben. I'm tired from  the shows, but oh so proud and happy!

Thanks for stopping by today. I'll see you again tomorrow.

Blessings,

Sue

Using Rub-Ons

 Hey Everybody,

Here's our challenge for today. I went to the Pinterest site for my inspiration. When I saw the dress, I thought of the gold rub-ons I had. As I was posting this, I noticed that the dress is no longer online. I used a black card base and added the gold rub-ons. I stamped my sentiment and punched it out with the Labeled With Love punch. I punched another in gold and cut it horizontally to go behind the sentiment. I added a rub-on the the sentiment piece then added it to the card with dimensionals. The gold rub-ons are no longer available or I would post a link to them on the Stampin' Up website. I will tell you that this card was difficult for me as it was very abstract with the shapes and sizes of the rub-ons.  I placed all of the gold designs in front of me and held different pieces in places to see what would look good. I like how this turned out.  It will go in my birthday card stash and be sent out to some lucky Birthday Random Act of Kindness member. (BRAK) Have you worked with rub-ons before? I found a video which shows you how Stampin' Up's rub-ons worked. It's quick and easy. Thanks for stopping  by today.  I hope you have a lovely Sunday. Blessings, Sue

A Green Trio of Colors and the Black Out Technique

 Hey Everybody,

Dini's challenge is to make a card using the letters in Grads to make your card. 
G-green, gold, glue dot
R-rectangles, rubber stamps
A-Air Fern, adhesive
D-Distressing, dimensionals
S-silver, scallops

I inked up white cardstock with peaceful pine, pretty peacock and old olive with blending brushes. Then I dry embossed it on the debossed side. I used the black-out technique and pulled secret sea over the ferns. I added the scalloped rectangle and the tag with silver thread. Then the sentiment was stamped and added with dimensionals. I backed the image panel with gold then added it to a card base.

Keywords: MIX695

Stamps: Scalloped Blooms

Paper: white, gold, olive, peaceful pine

Paper Size: A2

Ink: perfect pine, old olive, pretty peacock, secret sea, distress oxide peeled paint

Accessories: Stampin' Up!-Fern & Glora 3D embossing folder, scalloped blooms dies, silver thread, glue dot, dimensionals, blending brushes

Techniques: blackout technique, dry embossing

This is a card we're doing in classes this week, so soon I will have a video to show the process.

This week we  tried several inks on top of the greens and found that secret sea and black worked best to give a good contrast. We tried pretty peacock, which goes on dark, but dries lighter and of course more blue green. It didn't have the same degree of contrast and didn't show off the other colors as well. It still looked pretty, but not fantastic like black and secret sea.

Well, I'm off to Day 2 of a sports card show with my son at Great Northern Mall. See you for another challenge tomorrow.

Blessings,

Sue

The Challenge is, Use Paint

 Hey Everybody,

Our challenge is to use paint. You can find the challenge here.  

This is the first time I've used a gelli plate. I wanted muted colors for water so I used small amounts of color on the background. The stamps I used were, Sunny Studio-Best Fishes, Unity Stamps-Windowsill Woodlands.  Then I stamped my scene in Stazon black ink. I colored with Copic Markers being careful not to touch the lines of the ink. I also used Karin brushmarkers. I stamped the sentiment in versafine black ink. This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital.

Keywords: F4A848

Stamps: Sunny Studio-Best Fishes, Unity Stamps-Windowsill Woodlands

Paper: glossy white, black glimmer

Ink: stazon black, versafine black

Accessories: gel press, brayer, assorted paints, Copic Markers, Karin brushmarker pro markers

Techniques: gel press printing

I found a great video to show you what a gelli plate is and how to use it.

You don't need to use a gelli plate for this challenge. You can use paint any way you'd like. 

Here are a few ideas from the gallery for this challenge.

As you can see there are a lot of interpretations of 'use paint' for your card here in the samples. There are so many creative and artistic people who post their cards in the galleries here. It is an amazing community.

I hope you give this challenge a try. Maybe paint like acrylic paint, isn't your thing. You could use watercolor crayons or even watercolors. Do you remember using watercolors in school?  Like I've said before, I can't draw a straight line, but I can stamp and put a card together. LOL

Thanks for stopping by. Give your stamps, papers and supplies a look to see what you can use for this challenge.

Blessings,

Sue

A Gorgeous Z-Fold Card

Hey Everybody,

Faith's challenge is to make a card for a caregiver. You can find her challenge here.

I don't have a specific person in mind, but this will go to a local hospital where they care for cancer patients. I didn't add a sentiment on the front because I didn't want to take away from the image. Inside it says, Wherever this note finds you...I hope it finds you happy!

This is a z-fold card. I cut this gorgeous paper and added it to the card. Then I added the sailboat in a square frame which highlighted the sunset. I die cut shells and added them inside and outside. Lastly, I added the anchor trinket.

Keywords: WT1106

Stamps: Stampin' Up!-Sunset Coast

Paper: blueberry bushel, Stampin' Up!-Scenic Coast designer series paper

Paper Size: A2

Ink: n/a

Accessories: Stampin' Up anchor trinket, Sunset Coast dies

Techniques: fancy fold

Here is a video on making this card. The paper does all of the work for you.

This is one of the best designer series papers that Stampin' Up has made. It is called, Sunset Coast. It is out of stock right now but should be back soon. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was going to be very popular.

You can use any paper and any stamps or dies to make you Z-fold card. I hope you give this a try. It makes a fun card that easily stands for display.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Sue

A 4-Circle Sketch

Hey Everybody,

Today's post is a sketch challenge. Take a look at this. You can find the challenge here.

Here's my card. I tried to find designer series paper to mimic the circles in the sketch. I also found an embossing folder with circles.

When I saw the four circles, I immediately thought of my tiny House Mouse stamps. I stamped and colored 3 images on 1 1/2" white circles. I did a very old punch technique that we used years ago before we had dies. I punched the 1" circles out and used the circles inside. I kept the negative that had the hole and centered the 1 1/2" circle around the 1" opening. This creates a ring which I dry embossed and layered over the images. After I stamped the sentiment, I added a spinner to it. This will go to my 4 year old grand blessing. Who doesn't love getting mail; especially from grandma!

I found a video that if you fast forward to 2:43 she shows you how to make these rings. She has some other great ways to use circle punches, so the whole video is great to watch.

So there you have it. A fun and different way to use your punches. Sure, you could use your circle dies, but sometimes punches are quicker and easier.

If you make a card using this sketch, keep in mind you can turn the sketch and you can change the shapes. You don't have to use circles.

Here are some samples from the gallery from others who completed the challenge.

Well, I hope you give this card sketch a try. There are so many possiblities.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Sue

Free Shipping

 Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more June 11-13. 

What To Do With Pink and Purple?

 Hey Everybody,

Our alphabet challenge is to use pink and purple.

 I ran the designer series paper and a piece of white cardstock through my machine with the embossing folder. I colored the debosssed side with Copic Markers. I pulled gorgeous grape ink over the debossed side. I added the image panel to the glimmer paper then layered the card. I stamped the sentiment and used the key tag punch for the shape. This will go to a friend who fell and could use some cheering.

Keywords: ABC24P16

Stamps: always praying for you?

Paper: white, gorgeous grape, Stampin' Up!-Splash of Sparkles designer series paper, black gimmer paper

Paper Size: A2

Ink: gorgeous grape

Accessories: Stampin' Up!-Floral Spray 3D embossing folder, key tag punch, Copic Markers

Techniques: dry embossing, direct to paper inking, coloring

This is becoming a more common type of card to make for me. I am always amazed at how gorgeous the cards are once they've had ink pulled across them. I am experimenting with colors other than black and secret sea. 

What would you make for this pink and purple challenge? I have to tell you at first I thought I'd make a card for Mia since those are her two favorite colors. Then my friend fell, and my brain switched gears.

Take a look at some of your embossing folders, run one through your machine with white paper and color the debossed or indented side with markers, ink, blender pens, anything at all. Then pull a dark ink pad over it. How does it look? Chances are it looks beautiful.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Sue

Color Challenge of Blackberry Bliss, Garden Green and Pretty Peacock

 Hey Everybody,

  Our color challenge today was to use blackberry bliss, garden green and pretty peacock. You can find the color challenge here.

 

I stamped the image which is called, Danglin' by Unity Stamps and colored it with Copic Markers. I stamped and cut out a mask for the worm. I also added a circle in the sky for the sun. I covered the worm with the mask and stenciled the fish with pretty peacock ink and a blending brush. I lightly blended peacock ink over the fish to make the water. I used a scallop oval and a blending brush to make the clouds with a light hand with peacock ink. I removed the circle mask and used a dauber to color the sun. I stamped the sentiment in pretty peacock ink. I also used a silver gel pen for the hook.

This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital. I really loved this set and thought it would bring a smile to someone recovering in the hospital. I really enjoyed using the fish stencil from Unity Stamps which is called, Fishful Thinking. When I saw it online, I thought it would be great with this stamp. I don't usually use a stamp and stencil together like this but I like how it turned out. 

How would you go about this color challenge? Blackberry bliss, garden green and pretty peacock are your colors. Check out some of the samples that people made.

Lots of flowers here. Two of them were watercolored by a very talented lady. What a beautiful skill that is. 

Well that's our challenge for today. I hope it gives you some ideas for your card making or scrapbooking projects.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

Clean and Simple Monochoromatic Chicken

 Hey Everybody,

Lisa's challenge for us is monochromatic this week. Here is her challenge. 

Here is also some ideas on what monochromatic is.

I stamped the image with memento tuxedo black ink.  This is a Unity Stamps image called, Just Beak-Cause. I colored it with Copic Markers and cut it down to a square. I added black glimmer paper behind the image. I added it to designer series paper called Bloom Impressions by Stampin' UP! then a white card base. I stamped the sentiment then used the small and large oval punches. The image and sentiment were added with dimensionals. This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital.

Keywords: CAS899

Stamps: Unity Stamps-Just Beak-Cause

Paper: white, black glimmer, Stampin' Up!-Bloom Impressions designer series paper

Ink: memento tuxedo black

Accessories: small and large oval punches, Copic Markers, dimensionals

Techniques: coloring

When you look at the colors in the designer series paper you'll see why I colored the chicken the way I did. This is a challenge to make a clean and simple card which means not a lot of layers or other things added to your card. 

I smile every time I look at this image. I think one time soon, I'll have to give this googly eyes. I'd love to see what this looks like with them. LOL

What color would you use for a monochromatic card?  Now that you have your color, what stamp will you use?

It might be easier to choose a stamp first then decide what color to use. That's what I did. I could have easily made the chicken a different color like purple then found purple designer paper to go with it. Sometimes I'm such a grown up and make cards the colors they are supposed to be. Not always, but today I did.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Sue

Reverse Acetate Acrylic Painting

 Hey There,

Our challenge can be found here. TLC1108 - Reverse Acetate Acrylic Painting - 05/18/2025 by snietje at Splitcoaststampers

This technique is fun to do, it looks difficult but you just need to stamp and cover with some paint strokes, for those who have drawing skills, don't hesitate to paint your own scene.

This is Anita's Card.

So how does this work?

Step 1: Take an acetate sheet or a transparent (school stuff) sheet, we're going to paint on the reverse side so on the back side

Step 2: Stamp or paint your image, if you stamp use an ink that doesn't run such as stazOn, if you paint, think about what you want to see in the foreground, gold, black, white are the best, but color works also

Step 3: Now it's dry you cover the stamped or painted image/scene with acrylic paint strokes, yes you paint directly over the dried part so still on the back side, try with several colors, or if you've stamped in color cover with black or white

Step 4: Turn it on the right side after drying and finish your card

You can add white copy paper to turn this on the right side if you don't want to wait till it's dry, it will stick to the paint, or wait till your paint is dry to use your image, frame it or not...

Take care if you want to add a sentiment, stamp it on the front side if not you'll get mirror mistakes like me. 

I hope some of you will give this a try and I'm convinced you'll make more!!

Here's the card I made.

I stamped my image with a stamping platform a couple of times with Stazon black ink.The Image is from Unity Stamps called, Take Heart.

 I colored the image with Markers. I painted the back with light blue acrylic paint. When It was dry I added a black frame then added it to a pretty in pink card base. I stamped the sentiment with Stazon black. This will go on a dinner tray at a local hospital.

Keywords: TLC1108

Stamps: Unity Stamps-Take Heart

Paper: basic black, pretty in pink

Paper Size: A2

Ink: stazon black

Accessories: acetate, Markers, Light blue acrylic paint, paint brush

Techniques: Reverse Acetate Acrylic Panting

Well, what did you think?  I tried to find a video but most of what I found was on glass and drawings of people, not stamping and coloring.

It's an interesting technique and different from an ordinary way of making a card. 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Blessings,

Sue