Let's Make A Splash

Today I tried using vellum for the first time in my cards. I was inspired by Jennifer McQuire's beautiful card. I applied distress ink cracked pistachio on top layer and peacock feathers on bottom layer. I almost trashed these vellums because inks kept coming off. The next day I looked at them again and decided to finish my card with them, although the colors are still lighter than I expected.

 

This is also my first card with Copic coloring. I really enjoyed the brightness and depth Copic markers bring!



 

 

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #231 - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #272-273 - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampers Challenge #4 - Add a Sentiment

Penny Black March Challenge - Anything Goes

MFT Sketch Challenge #322

Supplies used in this card:

• MFT Soak up the fun stamp set (MFT)
• Mama Elephant All prettied up dies (ME)
• Lawn Fawn stitched hillside borders (LF)

Addicted to CAD #104 Pets

Today I have the honor to join the team at Addicted to CAS as their guest designer. Thank you so much for the invitation! The theme for #104 challenge is "Pets".

 

 

Below is the card I created for this challenge. This time I used the green colors that I don't normally use from distress inks - evergreen bough, cracked pistachio, peacock feather, broken china, and tumbled glass. After I ink blended the background, I used my watercolor brush to move the ink around, just to create some watercolor effects. Then I heat embossed the snowflakes.

Dialogs with my husband when I showed him the card.

Me: So what do you think?
Husband: What exactly is this penguin doing?
Me: err... surfing?
Husband: Oh, the background is water? Why are there snowflakes in the water?
Me: err... because it's winter?
Husband: Anyway, why does penguin surf in the winter?
Me: ... (it's called art... $*&%)


Supplies used in this card:

• Purple Onion Designs Stacey Yacula Dash (POD)
• Purple Onion Designs Stacey Yacula Snowflakes (POD)
• MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX die (MFT)

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Pets Corner

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #227

Word Art Wednesday #268-269 - Anything Goes

 Sweet Stampers Challenge #3 - Winter/Snow

 

Making Clouds With Kids

After seeing Anna's instagram post, I felt it would be fun to give it a try too. My five-year-old son had a blast learning how to make clouds. He practiced twice before he realized he should switch to lighter colors. Although the clouds in final card turned out to be too light, the whole card still looks very pretty. He was so excited after finishing the card. He's giving this card to his godmother.

 

 

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spread Your Wings and Fly!

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

 

Supplies used in this card:

• Stampingbella Tiny Townie blossom loves balloons (SB)
• Mama Elephant All Prettied Up dies (ME)
• MFT inside and out stitched rectangle die-namics (MFT)

AAA Cards #82 Winter Chill

Today I'm honored to guest design with AAA Cards challenge. The theme in #82 challenge is winter chill.

 

 

 

 

Talking about winter chill, I think about snow and ice. I thought it would be fun to learn how to make reflection effects on ice. I searched "card stamping reflection" on youtube and found a few interesting techniques to pick up.

 

So here is the card I made. For the background, I applied distress ink chipped sapphire and squeezed lemonade. I tried to be careful not to blend the two colors. When I designed the card, I wanted the yellow ring to symbolize warm friendship that keep snow and coldness away. But when I showed it to my husband and kids, one said "Beautiful moon!" and another said "Beautiful starry night!" Oh well... at least it's beautiful...

 

 

Another view of the card, in front of my backyard with 9 inches of snow accumulated.

Hope you enjoyed the card and play along at AAA Cards too.


I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Chill Out

Sweet Stampers Challenge #3 - Winter/Snow

Penny Black January Challenge - Anything Goes

CAS Mix up Card Challenge - Stamping+Liquid(Distress reinker)+Your Choice

Word Art Wednesday #266-267 - Anything Goes
STAMPlorations January CAS Challenge - Anything CAS Goes

 

Supplies used in this card:

• Stampingbella Ramona shares her hot chocolate (SB)
• SSS Winter warmth stamp set (SSS)

Snowy Birthday Cupcake

I've seen people making cards with patterned papers. The color/style combination between paper and stamped image are perfect matches. It really takes talent to do. Somehow it's very challenging for me. The patterned papers that appear beautiful to me are hard to be deployed. The ones that look boring to me, like the one in my card today, are more likely to find a match. I always feel like giving it a try and here is the card I created.

By the way, my sons saw this card and said "Let it go cupcake!"...

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Be Square

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Winter Birthday

Sweet Stampers Challenge #2 - Winter/Snow

Penny Black January Challenge - Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday #264-265 - Anything Goes

Paru's Card Making Challenges - Anything Goes

 

Supplies used in this card:

• Mama Elephant carnival cupcakes stamp set (ME)
• MFT LJD Peek-a-Boo wonky windows die-namics (MFT)
• Lawn Fawn mini snowflakes dies (LF)
• Avery Elle everyday collection paper pad (AE)

Sponging With Kids

I'm teaching my 5-year-old boy how to do ink blending today. I showed him how to do circular motion with very light hands, but he didn't really get it. He was very excited and wanted to try all the colors. Below was his first shot. I was amazed by how the bright colors were arranged, in a way that I would never think about doing.

On a separate day, we made a card together, again with ink blending technique. Without any guidance, he ink blended the background with multiple blues (I didn't ask him his recipe) and colored the cats/trees with his Crayola color pencil. He picked these cats and thought they are very cute!

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Start Afresh

Supplies used in this card:

• Lawn Fawn color my world stamp set (LF)
• MFT cool cat stamp set (MFT)
• MFT inside and out stitched circle die-namics (MFT)
• MFT BB Merry Christmoose (MFT)
• Purple Onions a beautiful day sentiment set (POD)

Fairy Tale New Year Card

Teal + silver is a color combination that I always wanted to try. Finally I made a holiday card out of it. All of this was new to me, including making cards with embossed outlines. It didn't go very well at first. My first version was made with silver outlines and only teal background (including everything such as houses). It didn't look as stunning as I thought it would be. When I started bringing in some colors on houses and trees, it looked much better.

My husband bought me a full-size MISTI for Xmas (such a surprise!). I was excited to put it in use right away. It was so useful for cards like this with lots of big stamps. I was able to stamp multiple cards and experimented with different colors.

So here's my favorite version of the card.

A color variation of the card. Also, I ink blended the background instead of watercoloring.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Start Afresh

Sweet Stampers Challenge #2 - Anything Goes

A Blog Named Hero Challenge - New To Me
Little Red Wagon Challenges #374 - Hello 2017
Penny Black January Challenge - Anything Goes
Paru's Card Making Challenges - Anything Goes

 

MFT Color Challenge #60

 

Supplies used in this card:

• Penny Black Gleeful Clear Stamps (PB)
• Mama Elephant Merry Greetings stamp set (ME)