Butterfly Basics Birthday

I had fun creating this card a few days ago for my sister-in-law's birthday  Since I love to watercolor and the watercolor on this card was very simple to do I had to give it a try along with all the other techniques involved in this card.  I was inspired by Sandi's card HERE and she was kind enough to make a video of it!  I didn't want to copy what she created so I pulled out a whole different stamp set and got busy.

Some of the techniques used on this card are watercolor, sponging, heat embossing, bleaching and using mixed media (kind of I think). There might be more, but that's all I can think of right now. ;)

I "kind of" used all of these colors on my card.  The watercolor paper I use is more cream than white so I put Very Vanilla.  I heat embossed a few things in white, and you can tell I used Soft Suede and Basic Black card stock and ink.

Whisper White

Very Vanilla

Soft Suede

Basic Black

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

A small amount of bleach

Water Colored Vintage Leaves

Today's card is inspired by the colors over at the Color Throwdown challenge #362.  As soon as I saw the rich earthy colors I new I need to make some sort of card using them.  Since my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's anniversary is coming up I though I'd make an anniversary card using them...and I just had to pull out the 2014-2016 In Colors from Stampin' Up!  I love this group of colors!

I created the leaves by stamping the images on watercolor paper using VersaMark and embossing them in gold.  Then I used my Leaflets Framelits to to cut them out.  Once I had them cut out I worked on one leaf at a time.  I wet the whole leaf using an aquapainter, then started adding color from my ink pad lits onto the leaf.  I used Hello Honey and Mossy Meadow on the smallest leaf, Blackberry Bliss and Hello Honey on the oak leaf, and Tangelo Twist, Blackberry Bliss and Hello Honey on the maple leaf.  I know some of the colors on the leaves are not nearly as dark as the ink pads.  That's because I played around with them a little bit by adding water if I thought the color was too dark and also by mixing the colors together.  I never would have thought I'd get the red I did on the maple leaf, but taking the time to play around with the colors and mixing them can really be worth the effort! :)  The background of the card is watercolor paper also and I did a basic watercolor wash on it using Hello Honey and Mossy Meadow again.  I also used a stamp from the set Gorgeous Grunge on the background piece.  I stamped it with Mossy Meadow, but made sure I stamped off the watercolor paper onto scrap paper two times, then spritzed it with some water before I stamped it onto the watercolor paper.  I added a touch of lined thread here and there and the Happy Anniversary to finish it off. 

I also stamped leaves on the inside that were light enough to write over.  Yup I totally forgot to take a picture before I wrote all over it. lol  That's ok since I usually put that off until the last thing.  I just do NOT have a way with words, especially in cards so if I have something on my mind I write it before I forget it! lol

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Christmas Wishes

I have another fun card for you and since it's still winter out it might not seem too bad.  Yes, it's another Christmas card, but it could be a winter birthday or thinking of you card too. :)  I made this card for the next 'Tis the Season challenge and this week it's a sketch challenge.  

You need to check out all the other cards made using this sketch HERE at 'Tis the Season.  They are all so different, but so fun!!  Play along with us too if you get that chance.  You'll be glad you did when you have your Christmas stash finished in plenty of time to send them out for Christmas.  Trust me...that's what I did and it was wonderful! :)

Believe it or not I really did incorporate the sketch on my card.  After I stamped the tree from the set Sheltering Tree I used the group of snowflakes from the set Holiday Home and stamped those before the rest of the snowflakes using a stamp from the set Gorgeous Grunge.  The snowflakes and tree are all stamped with VersaMark and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss powder.  Then I brayered over the embossed images first in Coastal Cabana, then Island Indigo, next Pacific Point and finally Night of Navy.  I spritzed it all with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (mixed with rubbing alcohol) to give it a shimmer effect and it cleans all the ink of the parts of the card that were embossed in white.  The last thing I stamped was "Christmas" using Night of Navy on the bottom of the brayered sheet, then embossed more snowflakes and "wishes" on the bottom of a piece of Night of Navy.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Supplies used on this card:

retired snowflake embossing folder

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Happy Black Berry Bliss Watercolor

Ahh...it's Friday and a day to celebrate too.  Happy 4th of July!  

Today's card from Heidi over at the Friday Mashup was a fun one!  Here is the challenge that she has for us...

Create a Project with a "Watercolor Wash".

Create a "CAS project or one with Minimal Layers".

or Mash it Up! and create a "CAS project with a Watercolor Wash".

I haven't done watercolor wash before and it's a little hard without a paintbrush so I used one of my aqua painters instead.  I tried a few different "strokes" and decided I liked this one the best.  I also did a wash around the edge of my top piece because I didn't want to add another layer to my card.  I kind of like how it turned out. :)

Head over to the Friday Mashup HERE to see the other great projects using watercolor wash.  Make sure to give it a try yourself and show us what you've created.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Happy Watercolor, Gorgeous Grunge & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock:  Naturals White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Black Berry Bliss & Mossy Meadow
StazOn:  Black
Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Evergreen Christmas

I know it's hard to think about Christmas when it's so close to the 4th of July.  Then again with as cold as it was here in Michigan yesterday it felt more like a cool October day instead of the beginning of July!  But nothing is stopping me from creating cards for Christmas and 'Tis the Season Christmas card blog.  I didn't get a chance to make three more cards though because I was helping my daughter move a bunch of her stuff back to our house last night.  Maybe I'll get a chance tonight because I really loved the colors for this week's challenge and like how my card turned out.  

Head on over to 'Tis the Season HERE to be inspired by some more great cards, and take a bit to play along.  You'll be glad you have a card or two when Christmas comes around!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Evergreen, Gorgeous Grunge & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana & Whisper White

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Punch:  Modern Label

Embossing Folder:  retired

Jewels:  Basic Pearls (colored with Blendabilities)

Birthday Traveler

Today's card is for this week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch challenge #174.  I made this card for my hubby's birthday using the new Traveler set.  I have to admit I enjoy making masculine cards just as much as I enjoy all the feminine stuff.  Strange I know, but there's just something about them that I love.  I suppose that's a good thing since I need to make plenty of those too.  

Check out what all the other designers made using this sketch HERE, and make sure to play along if you get a chance. :)  

I couldn't resist putting a little something on the inside too.  It just makes it look better, and that means less writing too! ;)  Yup, I like to create the cards, but I just don't have a way with words. :(

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Traveler, Gorgeous Grunge & Wetlands

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Night of Navy & Naturals White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Night of Navy

Memento:  Tuxedo Black

Embossing Folder:  Argyle

Candy Dots:  Regals (Black)

Sponges

'Tis the Season for Ornaments

Ready for Christmas yet?  I'm not, but I'm definitely working on more Christmas cards for the next challenge over at 'Tis the Season.  This time around we have a color challenge for you.  I thought to myself, "No problem figuring these colors out!", but boy was I wrong. lol  I just couldn't get them to cooperate together, but did manage to come up with these cards.  I don't think they turned out half bad, but I do think they're more masculine...if Christmas cards can be that way. :)  

Don't forget to head on over to the challenge HERE to see how the other designers used these colors and to play along too. :)

I can't forget to tell you where I got the sketch from.  It's from the Red Hot challenge blog HERE. However it's not on the blog since it's pretty new.  One of the ladies has been nice enough to start up the blog and post them so anyone can play along. :)  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Ornament Keepsakes, 

Gorgeous Grunge & Christmas Messages

Card Stock:  Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Rich Razzleberry & Pacific Point

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Silver

Framelits:  Holiday Ornaments

Winter Wonder

Today's card is something I've wanted to make since Christmas Day.  I looked out the front window and the sky in the distance was a dark blue just above the tree line and the farther up you looked the lighter the sky got.  I snapped a few pictures of it, but neither my pics or this card does it justice!  It was so cool to see!  I know a lot of you don't like the cold and snow, but I have to admit I do. :)  My thought is if it's going to be cold it might as well be cold with snow instead of cold with rain and mud.  

The design for this week's card is from Try Stampin' on Tuesday, so don't forget to check all of the other ladies cards HERE.  I'll admit I fudged a little on the bottom part of this week's design, but I just didn't think the circles went with the scene I created, so I went with the "skid marks" from Gorgeous Grunge instead. lol  The twist is Sparkle it Up, which I did do, it's just hard to tell.  I spritzed it with smooch spritz that's mixed with rubbing alcohol.  I guess you can see just a bit of it if you look for it.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree, Gorgeous Grunge & Sassy Salutations

Card Stock:  Marina Mist, Smoky Slate & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Smoky Slate, Basic Gray,

Marina Mist & Island Indigo

Craft Pad:  Whisper White

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges & Brayer

Love You!

Ok, so I did one very simple thing for the October Creative Crew challenge...Creative Focus: Celebrate Sweetest Day (10/19) by creating a card for your Sweetest using products from the Etcetera Suite found on P 96-109 of the US Catalog.

This is a pretty basic and simple card for my sweetie on Sweetest Day. :) That's ok because he likes simple...maybe not pink though! lol

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Gorgeous Grunge & Seasonal Sayings 

Card Stock:  Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Chocolate Chip & Pink Pirouette

Embosslits:  Fashionable Hearts

Gorgeous Grunge Christmas

It's Sunday so that means it's time for another Red Hot Stampers' sketch challenge card.  I went a little different than normal using Christmas ornaments with the gorgeous grunge streaks underneath.  I guess it's a pretty clean and simple card for this week's challenge. :)  Don't forget to check out what the other Red Hot Stampers made over at the Red Hot Stampers' blog HERE.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets: Ornament Keepsakes, Gorgeous Grunge

& Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Elegant Eggplant & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Elegant Eggplant & Perfect Plum

Framelits:  Holiday Ornaments

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

Need for Speed Birthday

Today I needed to make a card for my nephew who is turning 20.  What do you make for a guy that's turning 20?!  I went to my trusty retired set Need for Speed and whipped this card up using the Paper Craft Crew sketch challenge for the week.  Whew...glad there are all these sketch challenges out there to help me out even though I twisted this one around just a bit. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Need For Speed (retired), Gorgeous Grunge 

& Banner Greetings

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Smoky Slate & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Smoky Slate

Stampin' Write Markers:  Basic Black & Smoky Slate

Embossing Folder:  Houndstooth

Sponges

Gorgeous Grunge Make and Take

Today I have another quick post for you.  I took another make and take and did a take and make making up something similiar, but not the same as the make and take that they gave us.  Did you get all of that?! lol  Yup, I'm just saying I changed things up again.  For some reason I like to do that, but that's what's so great about making cards...you can make them your own way. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Gorgeous Grunge & Sassy Salutations

Card Stock:  Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe & Whisper White

Glimmer Paper:  Silver

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe & Strawberry Slush

Punch:  2 1/2" Circle

Framelits:  Circles

Baker's Twine:  White

Buttons:  Designer Very Vintage 

Christmas Cheer in July

For today's card I thought I'd look through the blog challenges I follow and make a card using one of them since I haven't done any in a while.  Well, I ended up picking two.  For my theme I used this week's Friday Mashup...make a card using a Christmas/Hanukkah Project with Stripes.  For my sketch I used this week's challenge from the Paper Craft Crew.  The colors are a little different than normal for Christmas, but that's what I wanted, and boy did I have a bugger of a time getting a picture to come out looking nice between the gold embossed ornaments and the smooch spritz I used! lol

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Ornament Keepsakes,

Gorgeous Grunge & Sweet Essentials

Card Stock:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Soft Suede

Versa Mark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Gold

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer