Hippie Hello | ft. Forever In Time "Sunshine Daisies"

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

You know how your Mom or you Grandmother would have different decorations for each season? Different framed pictures on the walls, different throw pillows and colour schemes depending on the time of the year? Just to keep things fresh. Well, I've decided that it's time for that to be me.

I recently had my first Dollar Tree experience, I couldn't believe I had never been there before. I got an entire set of Autumn dishes (large plates and bowls) for like $20!!! For eight place settings!

Last week, my Mother and I were back at Dollar Tree looking for a set of Winter dishes (because why wouldn't I buy another set?) and I came across a set of clear stamps by Forever In Time. I had used their embellishment products before because they are super inexpensive but I had no idea that they made stamps. So I figured why not? At $1.25 for the set what did I really have to lose?

I started by stamping out the largest daisy with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on 110lb Copic-friendly cardstock. I then did the medium size, then the smallest. My intent was to create a patterned paper for a background.

It wasn't until they were all stamped out and coloured with Copic markers that it struck me as a very "Hippie" background. I then did something, that I had never even considered before.

I coloured the background with Copic markers. I know that seems pretty common, but I'm kinda cheap and the idea of using a Copic (not cheap) to fill in such a large area was somehow terrifying to me. But I am sooo glad that I did.

Once the entire panel was coloured I remembered I needed a greeting. So I prepped the whole piece with my powder tool and stamped the "hello friend" from Stampendous in VersaMark ink and heat embossed it in white. Now typically, that's where I would leave it, but even with the contrast between the white and the colours the text seemed to get lost. To solve this, I took my 0.3 Staedtler pigment liner and carefully traces around the embossing to make the letters really pop.

I created a splatter looking using a bit of watered down Copic Opaque white and a clean brush. On the front of my standard A2 sized card base, I sponged on some Broken China Distress Oxide ink just around the edges and then adhered my hippie panel to the front.

I wasn't really expecting much from this stamp set, I expected a low quality that didn't hold the ink very well that I would probably end up tossing. But I can honestly say that I have paid more for other "more popular brands" that frustrated me to no end. These worked better than I had ever thought. They certainly aren't perfect, but considering I paid $1.25 for a set of 10 stamps, I'll definitely purchase any others that I happen to come across.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own. If you haven't already, please follow me on the right side bar or over on Facebook, so you don't miss any future posts. Drop me a line in the comments section below and let me know what you think.

Mother's Day 2016 Series - Card 2

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by. I hope you are having a great day.

Welcome to day two of the Mother's Day series for 2016. I actually created this card a couple months ago for a friend who wanted to get a jump-start on the holidays for the year.  Usually when I create a card that I really like, I'll post it quickly. In this case I decided to wait until the series started.

To create today's card, I began by sponging Tattered Rose and Milled Lavender Distress ink over the entire back panel. I used the same distress inks to sponge colour onto the tag.

I then used the same colours, but in distress makers to colour directly onto the flower stamp. I also added a darker shade of pink to add depth, and two shades of green for the stem and leaves. I stamped this in first, second and third generation on to panel. When doing this, you have to work very quickly otherwise the maker will dry on the stamp and your impression won't be clear. Immediately before stamping, huff on the stamp to add moisture.

I wrapped the ribbon around the panel and through the hole in the tag. I added foam tape to the back of the tag and put it in place before tying the ribbon in place.

I then mounted the panel on a dark pink piece cut slightly bigger and then on a lighter pink piece cut to the same size as the card base.

Finally I added a scattering of pearls to finish it off.

I hope you like today's card and are inspired to create something of your own.

Birthday Bouquet

Hi everyone, thanks so much for stopping by today.

Today's card is for the Muse Challenge #148. This challenge provides you with a card from one of their wonderful designers, and we (as artist card makers) draw our inspiration from their card.

From the Muse card (shown below), I drew my inspiration from the flowers and the lovely shade of pink that she used. I also loved the scrolling vines coming from the flowers and thought that the scripty greeting in black was a lovely parallel. Of course I had to add some wink of stella to make it shimmer, I just can't resist. I also applied some glossy accents to the centres of the flowers for a bit of additional shine.

It is my hope that one of my cards will inspire you as well.

Anita Bowden created this week's Muse Card

Valentine's Day 2016 Series - Card 1

To officially kick off the 2016 Valentine's Day Card series I have this adorable little card featuring Stinkin' Cute stamp set from Lawn Fawn.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I just adore this little guy; and here he is again!

To create this card, I used a stitched circle die to create the focus that he sits on. I used copic markers to colour the flowers and the skunk, then applied glossy accents to the heart and the middle of each of the flowers.

I had considered stamping the flowers in pink but landed on black to tie in the colouring of the skunk across the card.

I'm not usually a "pink" kind of girl, but this season the colours are really speaking to me. Perhaps I do have a girly side, after all.

Raised focus over argyle stamped background with coordinating flowers and hearts.

Watercolour Sympathy Card

No one likes to talk about it. No one likes to think about it, and we certainly do not plan what to say or do in the event that it happens. But it does happen.

Sooner or later we are all touched by death. Whether you have lost a close friend or relative, or you find yourself as a pillar of support for someone else to lean on during a difficult time, you will be faced with sadness and uncertainty.

No line watercolouring of black-eyed susans and butterfly with gold embossed greeting and three edge boarder.