#1043 – A Bright Hello

Hello and welcome! First of the month calls for a new challenge at Happy Little Stampers Watercolor challenge and the optional topping this time is ‘Bright‘.

And here’s what I made –

I started with the background. Choosing some bright distress inks, I painted them across a watercolor paper panel using a flat brush. While painting, I didn’t let each color dry out too much, since I wanted a bit of the colors to mingle, while remaining vaguely separate. Finally, while the panel was still moderately wet, I added a few splatters of water, creating a splotchy effect.

Once this panel completely dried, I die cut it using My Favorite Things Stitched Wonky Rectangle and mounted it on a white card base, on which I had already stamped with My Favorite Things Crosshatch Background with black from an almost dried up ink pad (yup, even those have good uses! :D) For the parts above, I used Pink Fresh Studio Floral Squares and Paper Smooches Hello dies to die cut several pieces of black cardstock, adhered them together, adding a vellum piece for the flower die cut, and then added them to my card.

And that’s my card! Checkout more inspiration from the rest of the DT at the Happy Little Stampers challenge blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#1042 – Pop-up Card

Hello and welcome! It’s time for yet another challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, it is my turn to choose the topping and I chose ‘Make it Pop!‘ Basically, you can use bright colors, funky images, or actually make something pop on your birthday project! If that isn’t your cup of tea, then go for the ‘Anything Goes‘ challenge and join us with your birthday themed project! Choice is yours!

And here’s what I made –

I got inspired by these cards made by Jennifer McGuire. The pop ups are in the card front, instead of the inside, which is where I have usually seen them.

I started with the images I wanted to incorporate in the card. I used My Favorite Things Piggy Pebbles (2019 stamp) and Scene Builder stamps to stamp the image on white cardstock using Versafine Onyx black ink, and colored them using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I then fuzzy cut them and set them aside.

For the card base, I chose a light blue cardstock, over which I adhered the tree & bush background and then added the pop up elements and the cute piggies. I then added a few small die cut flowers from Paper Smooches Flowers and Flowers 2 dies, colored using Zig Brush Marker pens and finally added the sentiment from Concord & 9th Tiny Tagalongs.

And that’s my pop up card! I’m joining the following challenges –

Retro Rubber Challenge #207: Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More challenge #446: Make Your Mark

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge: Add a Sentiment

Checkout what the rest of the team and our Surprise Guest Designer Bonnie Klass have created for your inspiration at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#1033 – STB: Card for a Child

Hello and welcome! It’s time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time, the Topping is chosen by Linda to be ‘Card for a Child‘. Of course, the topping is optional and you can choose to go without it and make any Birthday project to join the challenge.

And here’s what I made –

Using black cardstock might not seem too bright, maybe not the perfect color for a child, but I still went with it. I mean, why not have Unicorns and rainbows on a night sky, right? They still look fabulous, day or night!! 😀

On a black card stock panel, I stamped a unicorn from the MFT Friendly Unicorn stamp set using white pigment ink and used my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils to color it. I also colored the rainbow below it. I then splattered some stars using white pigment ink with some water and brush. I also added some meteorites above and painted some clouds below using the same pigment ink.

I then die cut the panel using Neat & Tangled Scalloped die and then tried to blend in some white pigment ink from the edges…which didn’t blend in very well. Hmmm. Nothing I can do at this point, so I left it as is. I then stamped the sentiment from the same set using white pigment ink as well. I then added this panel over a black card base. And that finished my card!

Step over to the Seize the Birthday challenge blog to checkout more creations from our new Surprise Party Guest Hilary Wright and the rest of the DT.

And thank you so much for stopping by! 🙂

#1032 – Paper Hugs

Hello and welcome! Today starts the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies challenge.

And here’s what I made –

I started with the background die cuts. I die cut 4 pieces of white cardstock using the Dress My Craft ‘Oriental Lace Border’ die. I then adhered two of the pieces together for some dimension. I then cut some scrap white cardstock using the Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms, and then added color on them using distress inks. I then adhered the arrangement on a cream colored card base.

I then adhered the sentiment, from My Favorite Things Bitty Hugs and Kisses and added a few small pearls for embellishing the flowers and the background die cut. And that completed my card!

Hop over to the Happy Little Stampers challenge blog to check out what the rest of our DT made for the challenge. And join the fun with your own die cut projects!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

#1029 – Initially, Yours

Hello and welcome! It’s time for a new challenge at Seize the Birthday and this time the Topping is chosen by Glenda to be ‘Use Your Initials’. What she means is to use words beginning with your initials to be featured in your project. Isn’t that a cool idea!?

This was something completely new for me and I had a fun time thinking about what I can pick with A and R. I even made a list to consider, and then chose my words to make this card –

Can you guess the words? A for ‘Autumn Colors’ and R for ‘Rosemaling’! And I was so glad to use this stamp after such a long time!! It’s probably my second time using it, even though I really love the versatility of this stamp set. I used this color palette for inspiration, though I did replace the Gold Coast for Chartreuse.

Image source: http://snapyourcolors.com/Chip/FYPwNW

I used the Lil Inker Designs ‘Really Rosemaling’ stamp set, stamped my Rosemaling onto a white cardstock panel. While arranging the pieces I also made some space for the sentiment, which is from Simon Says Stamp ‘Beautiful Flowers’ stamp set. I also considered that I would die cut the piece later using My Favorite Stamp ‘Elegant Rectangle’ die, so I stamped the sentiment curved to fit the curve of the die.

I also die cut another piece for the frame and then painted it black using watercolor. Why watercolor instead of black cardstock? Well, I initially thought of making the frame gold, so I thought of painting it in gold watercolor. That didn’t look good, I changed it to black! I let it dry before assembling the card. I added the center piece with a die cut foam sheet in between to get some dimension and then the frame, onto a dark cream card base. I considered adding some gemstones for embellishing, but decided against it, since I wanted the Rosemaling and the colors to shine in this card. 🙂

And that’s my card! Checkout what the rest of the team created mates and our Surprise Party Guest Stephanie Lanzalotto and the winner of the last challenge Melanie have created at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog!

Thank you so much for stopping by!