A Man Among Boys

Today seems to have been a Tim Holtz inspired day. Before I go any further, I'd like to thank Linda Ledbetter for holding the Compendium of Curiosities III challenge. This is Tim's third Compendium and the third round of challenges. Thanks also to Inspiration Emporium for their sponsorship of this challenge.
Challenge #1 is paint marbling (p.43 in Tim's book) The background of my card shows the paint marbling technique. Over the background I stamped several Steampunk images (Hampton Arts and Artistic Outpost). Overlooking these images is Tim's man among boys, Umbrella Man.
The monthly  Inspiration Journal challenge is a few of my favorite things. The background technique is one of my favorite techniques. Steampunk is a favorite theme. And Umbrella Man is one of my favorite dies.
Other challenges fitting my card: Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox & Friends -- rain; Fashionable Stamping -- flying things; and SanDee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenge -- favorite technique goes steampunk.

12 Tags of 2014 -- April

April is quickly coming to a close. That means it's time to share another tag inspired by the wonderful Tim Holtz in his 12 Tags of 2014 challenge. I really like the way Tim used  tissue tape and paint to make the background collage. I ventured away from my comfort zone a little with my color choices. Mustard seed and persimmon seemed to work as the background and embellishing ribbon for the roses.  I did have to improvise a little with the trellis. I haven't received my frameworks dies yet, so I used a similar die from Cheery Lynn. The shape worked fine, but the thin die doesn't cut through grungepaper totally (I knew I couldn't use grungeboard.) , so I had to use a scissors to finish the cut. The pinecone die really makes  pretty roses, doesn't it?
 I am also entering my tag into these challenges: Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge -- inspired by yellow and City Crafter --paint it.

Rose Garden

I am finally back to blogging after being off for a couple of weeks. My Dad passed and I needed a little time for family and myself. I miss him terribly, but it's time to go on. Art is a wonderful way to help healing.

My card today is based on the Rogue Stampers sketch posted on Facebook. The background was done using a favorite technique from the current Technique Junkies newsletter, pearly gelatos. I then stamped over the color using a Rogue Redhead Designs script background stamp. The focal flowers, ferns, and sentiment are also RRD stamps. I stamped and masked the roses and then stamped the ferns. I love how the roses come to the front.  The lace came from my stash.
I am entering this card in the following challenges: Design Junkies Try That Technique --pearly gelatos; Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations -- use lace, ribbon, or twine, Vintage Journey -- spring flowers; and V's Sweet Ideas -- favorite technique.

Easter Blessings

It's the season of Easter and this week Bloggers Challenge has the theme Easter. I chose this adorable little girl with her bunny as my focal image. The stamp is from SweetStamps, as is the sentiment stamp. The background panel has been dry embossed using a Cuttlebug floral folder. The basket and vines are diecuts (Spellbinders). The basket was cut from wood paper. The flowers are felt flowers (from my stash) with centers of Viva Decor gold (Classy Cards 'n Such). I used a favorite technique on the girl and bunny. Her clothes and hat are paper pieced using design paper. The bunny was cut from a soft paper towel to give a furry feeling. She was fussy cut to layer over the basket.
This card is also being entered into these challenges: Simon Says Wednesday challenge -- Easter or sweet treats; Word Art Wednesday -- anything goes; Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedy -- Easter; Fashionable Stamping -- favorite techniques; Classy Cards 'n Such -- Easter Inspirational Sentiment.

Floral Tags, RRD Blog Hop

It's Blog Hop time again at Rogue Redhead Designs. This month the Rogue Crew is featuring the wonderful stamp plate, Floriculture as its plate of the month. For spice, we are featuring the stamps on tags.

When I created my first tag to share, I did go to the stamp set Getting Grizzly for the background stamp. All of the other stamps used are from Floriculture. I bordered the background top and bottom with the checked border. I stamped the flowers on a scrap of white cardstock and colored them using distress markers. I tore the border around the flowers and touched metallic brass distress stain around the edges. The sentiment was stamped on another white panel and bordered with the brass stain. The ribbon was colored using the stain.

To make the background on my second tag, I used the distress paint marbling technique. I then lightly stenciled over the paint.  All stamps used on this tag are from  Floriculture. Once the background paint and ink had dried, The sentiment was stamped. The doily and vase were die cut using Cheery Lynn Design dies. I stamped the flowers on a separate sheet of cardstock and fussy cut them to place in the vase. I just love a vase of fresh flowers!

Oh, by the way, the Floriculture plate will be on sale for $10.00 for the month. Now is the time to get  this wonderful and versatile set of stamps. 

I invite you to visit all of the Rogue Crew members blogs. There's a  lot of inspiration and creativity to see. Here are the links. Happy hopping!

Sharon Briss - Ill Tempered Ink

Helene Huber - Lotsa Scrap from 2amscrapper

Krisha Ogle - Krisha's Keepsakes

Vicki Robertson - He"Artful" Validation of Vicki

Debi Ryan - My Bird Flying Free

Trisha Too - Easily Amused, Hard to Offend...

Barbara Washington - Magic Delights

Sharon Briss - Rogue Redhead Designs blog

Magic Inside Us

This week the Bloggers Challenge is stencil it. I used Tim Holtz's stars stencil and a touch of bleach to stencil the panels on my card which is based on the Mojo  Monday tall and skinny sketch challenge.
The base card is kraft. The focal sentiment is from Artistic Outpost. Since Kraft Journal challenged us to show inside and out, I am also sharing the inside of my card. All of the stamps are also from Artistic Outpost. The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge is happy birthday.
I am also entering my card into these challenges: Ink on my Fingers Sunday Challenge -- brown; Take a Word -- stars; Simon Says Monday challenge -- anything goes; Marks Finest Paper Friends of Speedy -- up in the sky; and Word Art Wednesday --anything goes.

Life Pieces

I'm very excited to announce that I have been invited to be the guest designer for the SweetStamps Challenge Blog. Today is my first post for their dies challenge. I have been using SweetStamps stamps for years and just love them.

To create my card I started with a white base card. For the top panel I used Cheery Lynn Designs fancy corner cuts 3 to cut the corners and an oval stacker to cut out the center. (Using the negative of the die cut for a frame).  I stamped the SweetStamps lilac bunch stamp as my focal image inside the oval frame. The color was added with distress markers. I stippled a little China blue ink around the lilacs. The three dragon flies were die cut (Cheery Lynn tiny things) and added over the frame and image.
I am adding my card to these challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs -- back to nature; Mark's Finest Papers Speedy Fox and Friends -- negative die cut; CAS-ual Fridays -- good egg/ovals; and Stampin' for the Weekend -- spring colors.