Trying Something New (to me)...

Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope you have plans for a fun weekend ahead.

I recently took an online Watercolor for Cardmakers class through Online Card Classes. The number of lessons, the talent of the teachers, and the projects were fabulous. Unfortunately, during the class, there was a lot of activity going on around here, and I only had time to watch the class video at the end of each day and download the PDFs for later reference.

There were many techniques demonstrated during the class that I plan to try, but one captured my interest right away. I began to carry my little watercolor set with me each day, and when I had some downtime, I practiced, practiced, practiced (and I painted and threw away and painted and threw away some more), until I had something close to what I was trying to emulate. I was especially taken with the looser, colorful style of Sanketi's class sample, and wanted to see if I could make a small watercolor in that style (you can check out her beautiful work here).

In the end, the painting I liked the most was the one of poppies - not the same stamp used in the class - but the bright colors of the class sample are what attracted my attention from the start, so that's what I ended up choosing as my favorite of my "experimental" pieces. And since my sister's birthday was coming up (and she's the *real* artist in the family) I thought it might be fun to make one that I liked enough to use on her birthday card.

So here's what I was brave enough to send her. She said she loves it (she's my sister and probably would say that anyway, but it's obvious I have more practicing to do - LOL)...

And since I had to add some of my usual shabby style to the card, there's a bit of white twine wrapped around the piece, a couple dyed seam binding bows with an embellished leaf stick pin, banner sentiment strip, and a few red gems on the painting...

Supplies:

Stamps:   Penny Black "Blooming Garden" (flowers);   Winnie & Walter "The Big, the Bold, and the Happy" (sentiment)

Watercolors:   Sakura Koi           Edge punch:   Martha Stewart Vintage Doily

Die   Tim Holtz Tattered Banners            Hug Snug seam binding          Gems:   Recollections

Maya Road leaf stick pin (embellished)

Thanks for stopping by today...have a great weekend!

LOTV - Dare to Dream

Hello, there! A little "summer break" is over now, and I'm getting back in my craft room to turn out some finished projects again. :)  I made this card up a bit ago, but with some recent distractions, almost forgot that I hadn't posted it yet.

It's a center-step card, made with graduations in mind, using an encouraging quote/sentiment from LOTV's Quotables / Go For It set, patterned papers from the Bear Necessities pad, and a second, smaller sentiment from the Inspirational Sentiments stamp set...

The floral cluster starts with a large orange rose, surrounded by smaller roses, punched branches, a cluster of stamens, and large dyed seam binding bows loosely draped in the opposite corner. The whole cluster anchors the bottom of a large die cut oval frame. One frame was die cut from tan cardstock and slightly offset from the top white die cut frame, adding some dimension with a light shadow effect...

Once I had the floral cluster finished, I thought the upper corners needed something to counteract the "weight" of the large florals. But the corner die cuts I had weren't working for me...so to the "tool chest" I went...and in one of the drawers I found a couple of these (so glad I didn't purge them in my "great winter cleanout" of my supplies!)...

I cut it in half diagonally using my Tim Holtz Tonic shears...then used Vintaj Patinas and Caramel Alcohol Ink to get the pieces to just the right combination of color and shabbiness before gluing them to the corners of the card using Glossy Accents...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Lili of the Valley Bear Necessities paper pad

Stamps:   Lili of the Valley Set 63, Quotables/Go For It;  and Inspirational Sentiments

Die:   Memory Box Tiffany Frame

Punch:   Punch Bunch Large Fern          Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com

Flowers and stamens:   Wild Orchid Crafts              Pearls:   Recollections

Miscellaneous:   Hug Snug seam binding, craft store metal corner, Vintaj Patinas and Caramel Alcohol Ink

Thanks for stopping by today...I hope your week is going well!

Soft and Flowery...

Happy Tuesday, all!  Before I show you some pictures, I want to congratulate Claire H, who left a comment on my Fairy Blog Hop card last week, and is one of the two randomly drawn lucky winners of the complete set of 10 new fairy stamps. I know you'll enjoy your prize, Claire!

Today's card is one of the Mother's Day cards that traveled across the miles for Sunday's holiday. Made with pastel blue and white cardstocks, it's filled with diecut details and lots of flowery accents...

The inside has more of the diecut detailing, except that the center portion was left open for the sentiment and personal note...

The large center flower is lilac and grey...I dry-brushed some light touches of white craft paint around the edges...

Supplies:

Dies:   Spellbinders A2 Tranquil Moments and Foliage Two

Large flowers:   Prima;  Melissa Frances

Paper roses, sweetheart blossoms:   Wild Orchid Crafts

Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com               Pearls:   Recollections          

Miscellaneous:   Maya Road chipboard clock, Hug Snug seam binding

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today...I hope your week started with a smile!

LOTV - Success is Natural...

Happy 10th Birthday, Lili of the Valley! Today's the day of the big celebration at the Leeds shop, with new products being available for purchase, demos by design team members from around the globe, and an online party for those unable to attend in person. It's a fun day! I hope you'll have some time to participate in some of the fun. If you'd like to join in on the online festivities, head on over to LOTV's  Facebook page, click on the "Events" button, then "Join" at the virtual party tab.

The card I'm sharing today is a card of encouragement and congratulations, with a sentiment that's perfect for not only the celebration going on at LOTV, but also appropriate for a high school/college/university graduation card. I've featured patterned papers from LOTV's Antebellum  (pink sentiment block), Country Lady  (white floral), and Beach Bliss (green background) paper pads for the backgrounds...

 



with a large floral cluster of pink and white roses, sweetheart blossoms, pearls, and lace, all atop a swirly, leafy flourish...

and a large sentiment from Set 63, Quotables/Go For It at the center of it all...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   LOTV Antebellum, Country Lady, and Beach Bliss collections

Sentiment stamp:   LOTV Set 63, Quotables/Go For It

Dies:   My Favorite Things Four Corners and Leaf-Filled Flourish

Flowers, stamens:   Wild Orchid Crafts

Pearls:   Recollections          Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com

Thanks for visiting...hope you're able to join in on the birthday fun some time today! Have a wonderful weekend...

LOTV - Birthday Fairy Blog Hop!

Good Wednesday morning, everyone - it's time for another Lili of the Valley blog hop! This time, we're celebrating the release of 10 new Birthday Fairy stamps that will be available for purchase on the LOTV website starting at 10AM (UK time) on Saturday, May 10, as we celebrate LOTV's 10th birthday. (Notice the "10" theme going on here? )

The shop in Leeds is open Saturday for the birthday celebrations. There will be so much going on, and design team members from all over the world will be there, along with new products, demonstrations, and special offers throughout the day.  It's going to be a fun day!

If, like me, you're unable to get to the shop in person, fret not...there will be some online fun going on and details will be released soon about those.  Lucy will be on LOTV's Facebook site throughout the day, bringing you news, chats, and pictures of the celebration. (To join the virtual party, click on the "events" tab on the LOTV Facebook timeline page linked, and you'll see a button to join the online party.)

And now for the hop details. Simply travel from one blog to another, following the links on each post, for some fun inspiration using the new images.

As always, we'll have some hidden prizes along the way. Two winners will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the participating blogs. Even we design team members don't know who the "lucky blogs" are, so make sure to comment on each one to give yourself the best chance of having your name drawn as one of two lucky winners of a full set of the new Birthday Fairy stamps!

The two lucky winners will be announced on the Ideas to Inspire blog on Saturday morning!

Here's the linked up list of blogs participating today...

Ideas to Inspire

Anne

Becky

Dawny

Dena

Elise

Fleur

Gretha

Jen

Kathy (you're here!)
Lou

Mary J

Mindy

Pops

As you may already know if you've "hopped" with us before, my focus on the team is the use of the beautiful papers and the sentiment stamps. Today my card is showing off the beautiful and spring-filled colors of the Promises patterned papers and coordinating Promises solids, and uses Sketch #10 from the I2I blog as inspiration for the layout...

For the sentiment circle snuggled in among the flowers, I used Set 9, Mixed Circular Sentiments, and for the sentiment in the upper right, Set 25, Handwritten Phrases...

This little butterfly is from Set 66, Grunge Elements...it's colored with Spectrum Noir pens, and sparkled up with Crystal Stickles and a few little pearls...

Patterned papers:   LOTV Promises and Promises Solids

Stamps:   LOTV Set 9/Mixed Circular Sentiments,  Set 25/Handwritten Sentiments,   Set 66/Grunge Elements

Dies:   Spellbinders A2 Scalloped Borders Two;  My Favorite Things Leaf-Filled Flourish;   

Poppy Stamps Massa Leaf Background

Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com          Pearl spray:   local craft store          

Pearls:   Recollections          Clay corners:   Martha Stewart mold and air dry clay

Your next stop on the hop is a visit to Crafty Lou's for some more fairy stamp inspiration.  Remember to stop by the I2I (Ideas to Inspire) blog on Saturday to see if you're one of the two lucky winners.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit...have fun, and good luck, on the hop!