Art Journal Challenge: Only one Color

Ok, so only using one color can be a bit daunting right?

I mean most of us love the ooooey gooey lovely colors of our backgrounds.

However, there is something freeing about not having to make all those choices too!

I opted for blue of course, because it's currently my obsession!

I can't think of anything more refreshing than water.

The Living Water of Jesus Christ, and the giving life of water.

I am beyond blessed by my Lord to get to create these pages, and to live in a life of wonder.

Thinking about all the tiny details that go into each of our lives and how 

He took the time to create all of it!

Some process pictures?

Ok

I started with distress inks and covered the whole background

Then I splattered some water.  To do this I spray water on my hand until it starts to pool, 

and then I throw it gently at the page. 

I liked how most of it was towards the bottom of the page.

After this I guess I forgot to take any pictured until it was done.

I used scribble sticks to get the section darker, 

and I drew circles for the air bubbles, and then painted them with white acrylic paint.

Finally I did a little outlining with scribble sticks and my fude ball pen.

Lastly I added the verse.  

Like a lot of you I'm not too keen on my own handwriting, but I'm continuing to work on it! 

Hope you are having a blessed day! 

I may get to play some more later as I'm off from work today! 

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win some Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks! 

Joy

It's December!

It's December!

Did you hear me?? It's December!

And there are only three weeks until Christmas!

Have you found your joy this season?

I know I'm loving this amazing joy stamp from Just for fun stamps.

It's a big stamp, and it leaves a great impression.

If you have some last minute cards to make, get to steppin! 

Fall tag

It's pretty hard to believe that it's already Thanksgiving week.

I have been a working fool, and have not had much time to share any creations or artwork.

However, I did teach my monthly 12 tags of 2015 class, and this was my take on Tim's tag!

I used an assortment of distress products to create the background, and do the stamping.

For the leaf I used my watercolor pencils to color it's a bright autumn orange. 

A quick addition of some vintage buttons and the die cut "Discover"

to finish off this fun and beautiful tag.  

I hope you all are having a wonderful fall, and have an amazing Thanksgiving.

I will be working, and then having dinner with my hubby.

I may do a tiny bit of shopping after that. 

Linking up with: 

Tim Holtz: 12 tags of 2015

Beachy canvas

This morning I got up early.

I wrote out a list of all the projects I wanted to work on.

This beachhead canvas was at the top of my list!

I've been watching YouTube tutorial videos for the last 5 days, 

and today I finally have the time to create! 

First and foremost I knew I wanted to use my Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays, and play along with the current challenge found here and this graphic:

So here's what I created!

Most all the background is Lindys sprays. I used:   pop rock purple, merry go round green, raspberry lemonade, time travel teal,  also used magical powders freaky franken-lime and witch potion purple, which are both part of the haunted Halloween pigment powder set. 

I started with layering on sprays and powders to make the background. 

I sprayed, and heat set, and sprayed and heat set until I had a background I loved!

I then layered some stencils and using distress inks added a bit more color and texture. 

Next I painted the chipboard pieces with gesso, and then sprayed them with the Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays and the magical powders. 

You can see I didn't use some of the pieces here, there are some great chipboard pieces in the set! 

Finally I started assembling the embellishments and picture on the canvas. 

Don't you just love that lighthouse??

I layered some dictionary paper, twine, an old doily, buttons and pearls to complete the photo area. 

I could use these sand dollars on hundreds of projects!  And all colored up with golden sleigh bells from the jingle bells spray set!

I love how I mixed and matched sprays from a number of different sets and they all look amazing together! 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Entering into: 

Lindy's Stamp Gang: October Color Challenge

Festive tag

I hope you all had a fun and safe 4th of July.

I had to work in the morning, but got to enjoy some fireworks in the evening. 

Today I am sharing with you my creation for the new challenge up at Anything but a Card

This month it's an open or anything goes theme... 

Welllll anything but a card that is!!!

So I am sharing my festive tag,

I used Tim Holtz's mini blueprint stamps, and some distress markers and inks.

I am just loving the way the inks move on the distress watercolor paper.

Honestly this tag was a breeze to create. 

The hardest part was that I glued on the wood veneers before I stitched, 

so I ended up having to stitch around the veneers!

At the last minute I pulled out my old Dymo and added the Brave tag.

I do hope you are having a festive weekend,

Either here or abroad I wish you all a wonderful weekend, and week ahead! 

Entering this tag into:

12 Tags of 2015

Sheri Crafts: 4th of July

Bright and cheerful thank you notes

Hello!

Today I have some thank you cards to share with you all. 

In my every day life I'm a 911 operator. 

Yep, I'm that voice of calm on the other end of the line when you are in an emergency.

I wanted to make thank you cards for our supervisors at work,

 (for National Telecommuters Week (in April))

and I wanted needed them to be quick. 

I inked up some regular heavy cardstock with bright distress inks

 (including the new mermaid lagoon)

and then I ran the paper through an embossing folder,

ran a black ink pad across the raised areas, and stamped the thank you. 

Then I finished it off with a bit of black and white bakers twine. 

Not too bad for a quickie card!

Hope you are having a fabulous Monday Morning!!!

a Get well soon card

I recently won some of Tim Holtz' new Bird Crazy stamps,

and I thought they would be perfect to cheer up someone that is sick. 

I stamped and then colored up my bird with some distress pens,

Ohh i just love the little flip of his feather (makes him look like an elvis bird!)

For the "Get Well Soon" sentiment I stamped in peacock feather distress ink, and then clear embossed over. 

Finally I finished the card off with some twine so the bird isn't just "floating in space"

He sorta looks like he's a bird on a wire. 

Thanks for stopping by and check out my work, 

you all mean so much to me. 

Card swap part deux

I couldn't leave well enough alone...

I had to do a second card for the swap

This wonderful saturated canary image is called Dorothy... Duh!!

She was so much fun to color... All 6 times I did!!

I added a little bit of polka dots to her socks, and some glitter glue to her shoes.

After all don't her shoes make her??

The background I added some quilting and sewing.

I'm entering this card in the q is for quilt challenge over at abc challenge. 

I used my copics, prismacolor and a bic marker to color her..

And finally hubby used my new typewriter to "print" the sentiment on the side.

Isn't she a lovely card???

Card Swap

After working 9 hours of overtime.... I hit a wall

I knew I needed to come home and create 5 fabulous handmade cards

for a swap with the girls....

I also have made a resolution to not buy any new product in the month of June

I sat in the studio trying to put together different patterns for the card....

Frustrated I grabbed my purse and headed to Joann's

After wandering the aisles for a while 

I Walked out!!!

That's right, I left without buying anything!

I came home and made this wonderful card

The ice cream cone digi stamp I got from wings and willows (a super blog... check it out...)

I colored it with my copic's and prismacolor markers,

The red paper I made using some fun stamps I embossed onto plain white 

and then I used my "barn door" distress ink to make it the pretty red...

Both the polka dot and red paper is sewn on the edges using... that's right, my sewing machine! 

Then I had to add some pretties to the envelopes

And the flap side

On the inside of the card I stamped "thinking of you" from the stamp set I won from denami 

Voila!  I'm excited to give them away, and to get some fun cards in return.

Thanks for stopping by!  It's great to see you today!!

ICAD #2

If you haven't already seen these prompts, go over to daisy yellow and follow along... 

it only takes a stack of index cards and your imagination!!! 

 

Today's prompt is "ideas for cards"

I went simple with some collaged papers, some stamping, some yellow and red distress inks and a little list...

I got a "new to me" Counting Crows cd today and thought I'd like to smash one of those songs...

Maybe an ICAD instead!!!

ICAD #2

  

In case you can't tell from the pic, that list is on grid paper that I distressed!  

What can you create with a card and your imagination today??  

Index card a day #1

Quite a while back I stumbled upon daisy yellow an amazing blog

that explores art journals and is generally just 

heavy on colors and textures!

Just up my alley

Starting June 1st she is doing ICAD, or an Index Card a Day

It's a challenge to do something on an index card every day!

She gives a prompt, and also gives idea's of what to use

Today is day 1, 

the prompt is "Take a Voyage"

This is my card... I distressed the edges,

and in the true spirit of the saying I tried my hand at drawing an Eiffel Tower

did some stamping and the writing, added a few old postage stamps and voila! 

So if your feeling adventurous, and are ready to take on a daily challenge...

Check out ICAD!  it's a no pressure way to try new stuff... without it "counting against you"

Prompt: Wacky

This past weekend at our smashing Smash* crop

Holly gave us a prompt for the evening... it was Wacky...

I had literally smashed the background of this page prior, using my new 

Acrylic Dabbers using this technique and had added the Starburst wrappers 

thinking I would do a candy page!

But the colors just screamed WACKY

and so I went to work... Hoping that my toils would win me a small smash* book prize

The pics I happened to have taken with my Ipad on our recent Grand Canyon

trip with mom and dad... they are in "infrared"

I had stamped and painted the kites earlier in the day

using of course my ranger distress inks after stamping and embossing the outline I 

used my paintbrush with a little water and the ink I filled 

in the kites... it gives a cool water color effect

Next I added some of my smash* pad top 10 notecards

I added the washi, made some "Wacky" "Color" tags

Voila! While I don't think it won me a new smash* book (I left before the drawing,) 

it was very satisfying to finish a page

and to use the funky pictures that I thought would never make it into any

book! 

Do you have that funky picture that you don't think will fit anywhere??  Are you bold enough

to just go for it??

Coffee makes the world go round... or at least mine!

Coffee...

Oh sweet coffee!!! 

I do literally think it makes my morning brighter, 

and is the cure all for any headache!

I'm not a huge fan of regular Starbucks coffee,

but when I heard their Fraps would be only $2 over Memorial Day weekend

I knew I'd be there... (to clarify, they were only at the Starbucks inside the Safeway stores!)

Friday I mozied on over to my local Safeway and ordered up a nice cold 

Cookie Crumble Frap!

MMMMMMM sweet goodness... 

I spied these little cards on the counter, and picked up a comment card to boot...

Perfect for some smashing

Then the next morning I finished off a can of White Chocolate Carmel Latte 

Creamer.. so I ripped the wrapper off that bad boy 

hit it with a little heat gun, and voila... perfect for smashing...

Finally, my favorite piece of the smashing puzzle...

This little tag.. the coffee ring is made with real coffee, out of a real coffee cup! 

Super easy, just splash it over the edge, like what happens when your cat jumps up and the coffee sloshes 

over the edge.  Let it dry, stamp a little saying in the middle, add a rusty washer and some twine (from the twinery of course) 

And you've got yourself a smoking hot (and great smelling) smash* page.

FYI, I modge podge'd a napkin to the page as the background. 

What gets you up and going in the morning? How many cups does it take??

Where'd this come from?

This is what happens when you leave your supplies out

and your scrappin buddies come along and make you a smash* page

Last night I went to my very first smash "crop"

I nervously packed up a bunch of supplies, and wondered what to expect.

I had been working on some of the pieces of this page all day... Especially the "ROXY" sign

Which is was all hand made, and the ribbons and lace and washi were added by the girls

during the crop hop.

The washi flags on twine were a hit, and I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of those

in the girls work over the next few weeks! 

And they're super duper easy to make!

As a last minute addition to my supplies I pulled out the tag... I didn't know it if

would get used, but it's just perfect with the additional "dog"

bling! 

This page just screams Roxy... She's a bold fun princess...

Who we learned doesn't really love the outdoors as much as we thought she

would, and always sleeps at my feet to "protect" me.

Thanks girls for the wonderful page!

The best part about the crop (other than the company of course)

is that I have lots of pages to share with you this week! 

Come on back tomorrow for inspiration monday! 

Smash* Challenge #1

This weekend I am participating in the Three 24 hour smash* aholics challenge.  It's 3 challenges for 

each of the three days of the weekend.

The first challenge was to make a page about someone or something special..

So I flipped thru my pictures and this one stood out t me...

It's of my parents from their last visit.  And in honor of my mom finally starting to follow this blog I thought 

I'd include her!!

Some close ups of the details... The pretty butterfly with Ranger acrylic paints, and home made 

glitter spray (I used an old container of eyeshadow)

The little glassine envelope was left over from my wedding, and I added a little bit of twine

At the top of the pic is the xoxo glittery ribbon, some coups I got at a raffle a while back..

The king and queen are from the cover of a book of stamps, and I made the mom and 

dad sign from scratch...

It's a cute little page, and much more smash* like than I usually do!  I hope you enjoy!

A Summer Bookmark

I Love Bingo!!!

Hubby thinks I should actually be about 65 years old....

But I Love Bingo!!!!

So when I saw the Bingo 2 Week challenge over at shoppingourstash I KNEW I was going to participate!

Of course I also love saturated canary's challenge, so for my first combo challenge, I did this little beauty

For SC the challenge this week is bookmark, 

it's perfect for that summer book I'll be picking up soon!

For the Bingo challenge I had to incorporate glitter, pearls, distressing, blue, and flower...

I love the glitter in her hair... feels like she got some sand stuck in her locks

I also got a chance to use my new denami stamps that you may remember I won in a blog hop last weekend.. That's the little butterfly, embossed and painted with pearl watercolors!
I also incorporated some of the twine I got in that same win from the twinery to the ribbon's at the top of the bookmark..

The pearls and flower I tied together in my handmade flower which is also blue

There is some distressing on the edges of the bookmark, and I also used ranger distress inks and a little punchinella on the side of the bookmark. 

I hope you love my summer bookmark!  

What is your favorite book??  How would you make a bookmark for it? 

Another Birthday Card

As promised I have some eye candy for today!!! 

This little beauty was a little bit of some left overs that I found in my studio.

The picture is from saturated canary's talented artist Krista Smith.  I colored it with copic and prismacolor markers.

The card I got on clearance in Hobby lobby, and the papers I've had for literally years!!!  

The little 3 and 5 are stamped with embossing ink, and then clear embossed, and then I distressed the paper with Ranger inks. and attached a brad.

It was a pretty quick card since I had already colored the digi stamp! 

I made this pretty little girl for my sister Tanya... so if your reading, sorry to spoil your card... but it's obviously MUCH better in person!!!  Enjoy!!

What is your favorite card making technique??  Are you like me, helter skelter??  Or do you plan everything out to the last detail??

Please feel free to follow my blog, I can't wait to meet all of you out there in blogland!! 

Happy Wednesday!