Bloom with Hope

Today's card is made using the sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  It's a fun one!  I have to admit I tried doing it with circles, but nothing seemed to turn out the way I wanted it to so I went back to using flowers on my card instead.  Yup, trusty flowers for me.  They seem to do the trick most of the time. :)   They were a bit bigger than the circles too, so I flipped my card so they would fit on it. 

Make sure you head over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE and play along when you get the chance.  It's a pretty quick and simple card if you don't do fussy cutting like I did! lol

I used watercolor paper for my flower and used blendabilites to color them in.  I love how they bleed when I use watercolor paper.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the boxes above. It will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" right at the top of my blog under the header. If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Pleasant Poppies in Watercolor

Yes, it's another card using a bit of water coloring.  I've enjoyed that lately and figured why not keep doing it if I enjoy it. :)  

I started by taping my watercolor paper down and got it a little bit wet.  I didn't want the colors to bleed too much when I stamped it.  It bled more than I thought it would though, so I let that layer dry and stamped over it again to define the flowers and stems a little more.  Since I don't actually use watercolor paints and only Stampin' Up! ink pads and reinkers I sometimes end up with strange colors if they bleed too much.  Then I just color it in again using an aqua painter and either a bit of reinker or some ink from the pad that's on the lid. 

I used a retired embossing folder with poppies on it for my card base, used Calypso Coral seam binding behind the picture, and layered my watercolor paper over Calypso Coral card stock.  I stamped Happy Birthday and put on Calypso Coral candy dots to finish the card off.

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Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

retired poppy embossing folder, masking tape

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the boxes above. It will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" right at the top of my blog under the header. If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Winged Watercolor Wash

Here's a card I made using watercolor wash for a friend's birthday.  I started by wetting my watercolor paper and putting drops of reinkers on it using an aqua painter.  I used So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral and Strawberry Slush.  

Once the watercolor paper dried I ran it through my BigShot under an embossing folder instead of in between.  That flattens it back out.  I was too impatient to tape it down when I got it wet! lol  I've also found I need to use a very sticky tape to keep the watercolor paper attached to any card stock.  I've been using Fast Fuse Adhesive and that seems to be working so far. :)

I cut out the largest butterfly in Basic Black using the Butterflies Thinlits Dies.  Yeah I didn't even know the trick of using dryer sheets to pull out all the tiny pieces.  Glad my upline Glenda mentioned it.  Shows how much time I have to look at all the tips and tricks out there! lol  I also spritzed the butterfly with smooch spritz, stamped "Happy Birthday" on Calypso Coral paper and punched it out using the Decotrative Label punch and did another in black and layered it under the calypso coral one.  I also ran the base of the card through the big shot using the Large Polka Dot embossing folder.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the boxes above. It will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" right at the top of my blog under the header. If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Evergreen Christmas Watercolor

I have to say it sure does feel like Christmas around our house right now.  Snow, snow, snow is what's happening here in my part of Michigan.  Good thing I love it or I wouldn't want to think about making Christmas cards! lol  Today I have a CAS card for you using a color challenge from 'Tis the Season.  I think it's a great masculine Christmas card and know a few guys I could send it to.

Make sure you check out all the other creations from the design team HERE at 'Tis the Season.  The colors were a little challenging for me, but I think the team did a great job coming up with cards!  Don't forget to play along too.  Christmas will be here before you know it!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the boxes above. It will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" right at the top of my blog under the header. If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Apothecary Art

Today's post is for this week's sketch from Try Stampin' Tuesday.  I can't say I'm super happy with it, but I don't hate it either! lol  I loved the sketch, but just couldn't seem to get the look I was looking for.  Does that make sense to anyone else?  It seems like I'm so overwhelmed with the new sets I have lately that I just wanted to use a set that's been out for a little while.  This set is so pretty, but it does take a bit to color it in.  I definitely wanted to go with non-traditional colors for this so went with green flowers and blue leaves with a touch of yellow mixed in too.

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It's hard to tell, but I cut out all the flowers that have pearls on them and popped them out a bit.  I really like how that looks and you can't even tell it! lol

Make sure you head on over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday's blog HERE to check out the other great cards the designers made using this sketch.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card: 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the boxes above. It will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" right at the top of my blog under the header. If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Changes?! Who Likes Changes?!?!

If you've popped onto my blog and think you're at the wrong place don't leave! lol  I've been making a few changes and updating my blog's look.  I haven't touched it since November of 2010 when I created it so I thought it was time to change things up a bit.  I'm sure I'll find something I don't like and try to tweak it here and there, but for the most part I'm happy with it.  I used a new set from the Occasions Catalog to create my header.  It's called Painted Petals and I downloaded the digital version of it onto MDS (My Digital Studio) and played around with it until I came up with something I liked.  I hope you like the updated look!

It's Valentines Day!

It's Valentine's Day so I thought I would show you what I came up with for my family this year.  First I'll start with my Paper Pumpkin goodies that I whipped up... 

Aren't these so fun!  When my Paper Pumpkin kit arrives I always open it up and check it out.  I knew when I saw what was in this kit I'd be making it up for the fam.  What I didn't pay attention to was how much was in the kit.  Enough to make 24 of these cute things!  For some reason I thought there were only eight, but boy was I wrong!  My next kit is on the way and I can't wait to see what's in it! If you like to have things ready for you to work on without all the fuss of prepping, then these kits are for you!  Right now Stampin' Up! is running a special during Sale-a-bration...3 months for $54.85.  If you'd like to order click HERE.  You'll be able to order by the month, 3 months, 6 months or a year.  Remember during Sale-a-bration for every $50 you spend you'll get to choose something for free from the Sale-a-bration catalog!

I made this card for one of my daughter's using the DSP Stacked with Love.  I NEVER buy DSP, but this year's occasions catalog has a bunch that I LOVE! :)

Here's another card I made for my younger daughter.  I know...it's dark, but for some reason I really liked it anyway.  Using DSP again for the hearts.

 Now on to the card I made for my son.  Yup, Valentine cards for him are hard.  I checked around for a guy card and found one HERE inspired by Weekend Warrior on Splitcoast Stampers.   I wanted something pretty simple and quick because...you know...he's a guy. lol  Funny thin about this card is that the ink I used is Real Red, but when it's put on Crumb Cake card stock it looks like Cherry Cobbler, so my small heart had to be punched from Cherry Cobbler card stock.

Thanks for looking and Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Sara

Supplies used on these cards:

Tags for You (retired set)

small heart punch

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I {heart} You

Today I have a CAS Valentine's Day card for you using the sketch over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  Since I like to make Valentine's cards for everyone in my family I figured this card would be the perfect way to start it out.  I created a window card using vellum paper instead of clear window sheets.  I wanted the red to be a little muted instead of really bright and standing out.  

I pretty much did an exact copy of the sketch because I needed the hearts, but make sure you head to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE to check out the other great cards using the sketch for a totally different kind of card.  Make sure you play along too!  We'd love to see what you create! :)

Just a couple more pics of the card at different angles.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

small heart punch (retired)

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Wondrous Winter Wreath

Yes, I have a Christmas card for you today since it's time for another challenge from 'Tis the Season.  I need to get busy and start creating more cards!  I've just been doing one at a time and that's not going to be enough if I don't get busy! I did do a second of this one, but didn't take a pic yet.  For some reason it takes about 30 minutes before my pics will load onto my computer.  Not sure what's up with that!

So here's the graphics for challenge #35 and it's an inspiration challenge.  I usually like to use some of the pics in the challenge to inspire me, but this time I used just the colors.  Make sure you stop by 'Tis the Season's blog HERE to check out the other great cards made by the designers and play along too.  Christmas will be here before you know it! lol

I couldn't resist using Stampin' Celebration's sketch this time around.  I really like it and though it would be perfect for the wreath that I was using.  Make sure you check out their great cards HERE.  

Thanks for looking and have a great day! 

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A Friday Sunset

Last Friday when I was heading home from work the sky was an amazing mix of colors!  I wanted to sit down to try and recreate it, but this card just doesn't do it justice!  There was a ball of fire on the horizon (the sun had just gone down and the colors were still shooting up from it) and there was a pink stripe of light shooting up above it high into the sky.  Then on each side of this the sky was purple.  It also had horizontal stripes of pink throughout the sky.  I don't like how they turned out on my card though. :(  Well they're actually not too bad on the card, but they turned out really dark in the pic and that's what I don't like.  Anyway thought I'd share the beauty I saw in creation that evening.

I'm also entering this in the Sunday Stamps sketch challenge.  I needed a sketch that was wide open to do this on and it was perfect!  I guess it's a pretty dark card, but it was also pretty dark when I saw the sky. :)

Just a couple more pics. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Wash World of Dreams

Wowser did I have a time and half with this week's sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday! lol  I wasn't sure what to do because I kept pulling out different sets with different ideas.  I finally settled on the set World of Dreams and made two cards...one a birthday and one a thank you. :)  I used my stampin' write markers to color in each of my stamps and stamped them onto damp watercolor paper.  I also did a bit of watercolor wash...at least that's what I think it's called.  I don't have a lot of DSP because it's not my favorite thing, but wanted something other than plain watercolor paper.

Make sure you check out the sketch HERE at Try Stampin' on Tuesday and play along too.  I can't see what the rest of you create with this sketch.  The designers' cards are all so different and I love that!

Just a couple more pics for you to enjoy.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog