Leaves and more Leaves

I am holding onto summer with everything within me but I have a weakness for fall leaves and fall colors. 

 With the yellow and mint I kind of stayed with a slightly summer look but I still used leaves.  That really cute sentiment is from Paper Smooches and of course the background is the result of playing with some Distress Stain and watercolor paper. I used the Friday Mashup sketch for my card as well as the Addicted To CAS challenge to use leaves.  

 These leaves are die cuts from Lawn Fawn.  I feel in love with the great veins that the dies cut.  The leaves were also colored with Distress Stains.  

 Here is the Friday Mashup challenge.

Here is the Addicted to CAS challenge.

Here is the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

A new AAA Cards challenge

 This AAA Cards challenge is a favorite for me, embossing paste and/or stencils.  

 I had to use both! I colored a piece of watercolor paper with Distress Stains to create a background.  I then used a stencil and some silver Studio 490 Wendy Veechi embossing paste.  That flower is from a set by Tim Holtz and Stampers Anonymous and the leaves are from a set by Altenew.  After I stamped them with black ink, I added color with Distress Stains. My "hello" is a die from Mama Elephant and that was also colored with Distress Stains. 

I wanted to try to show off that amazing shine in that silver embossing paste.  What a fun way to add some serious bling.

Be sure to check out the other cards at AAA Cards and to also play along this week.

This also fits the Friday Mashup challenge to use stencils.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Shades of Green

Another reason to use some Distress Stains. 

 I found two online challenges to use an Ombre color combo, Virginia's View and The Friday Mashup.  Of course, I reached for my Distress Stains to create my look. 

 I stamped this amazing doily image from Mama Elephant using white ink and white embossing powder on watercolor paper.  After I spritzed this lightly with water, I started with the lightest shade of green Distress Stain and then added the medium shade and then the darker shade.  The water helped these shades of ink to flow together a little bit.  That middle small doily design was stamped the same way and colored with the darkest green.  I punched that out with a circle and added it to my card with foam tape.  

 This fits the current Virginia's View Challenge for Ombre.

The Friday Mashup challenge is also about Ombre.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Colorful Paper Smooches goodness

I wanted to play along with the Paper Smooches Sparks sketch.  It is always fun to play along with a challenge plus I love Paper Smooches stamps and dies.  

 To go along with the circle element on the sketch, I used the zig zag circle nested dies and embossed that design into my watercolor colored paper.  

 I stamped the flower sprig with white ink and embossed that with white embossing powder and after I cut it out with the matching die, I added color with Distress Stains.  Because the stains come with a dabber top, it is pretty easy to add the colors in the places you want them.  They will run together to go with the watercolor look.  I love that "happy birthday" word die so it was a great finish to my card.

 Here is the Paper Smooches Sparks sketch.

It also fits the Friday Mashup challenge to use watercolor techniques.  I can't seem to get enough of playing with that look.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

LOVE and red seem to go together

I am so loving creating cards that fit for Valentines Day and the biggest reason is because of the RED!!!

 Todays card is no exception, lots of red.  I created a messy background with a stencil and some Distress Stain on watercolor paper.  I love how the Stains work with water and watercolor paper and I love the resulting messy look.  

 To keep with the Sunday Stamps sketch, I used a couple strips of Washi Tape on the side.  On top of that I added a little bow from Recollections. The die cut word, "love" is from PaperTrey, Inc. 

 Here is the Sunday Stamps challenge.

 This also fits the Friday Mashup challenge.

And the Curtain Call challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

The MFT challenge

I have been a huge fan of My Favorite Things stamps for a really long time and so their new challenge blog is good news to me.

 I wanted to make sure to play along with their newest sketch challenge. For some reason I am in the mood all of a sudden to create in yellow, so here is my "HAPPY" card.  

 This card shows off my newest MFT purchases and can I say how happy I am that I got this banner die set!  OHHHH it is fun. How can you go wrong with a ton of banner sizes that all stack on top of each other?  I also got the pegboard background die and I have to say that that is pretty fun too.  I also used two little doily does on my card. That little gold "make a wish" sticker is from Teresa Collins.

Here is the sketch I used.

This also goes with the Friday Mashup challenge although I ended up placing the banners a little different.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Your Special Day

I wanted to play along with the first sketch challenge at MFT Card Challenge (My Favorite Things) so here is my card.

 It of course meant a really good excuse to pull out some of my My Favorite Things toys.  First off, I colored a piece of watercolor paper with some Distress Stains and then left that to dry.  Next I used this background die and embossed the pattern into the colored paper.  

 I love the irregular coloring with the watercolor look.  Next I used a piece of watercolor paper that I had previously colored with some purple shades of Distress Stain and cut the butterfly.  That banner is a stamp with a matching die. I love that the banners in this set stamp black.  They really stand out as a neat accent.  I used Liquid Pearls to add some little bit of glam to the embossed background.

 Here is the MFT sketch.

This also fits the Friday Mashup challenge to use shapes.  I love the shapes in the embossed background.

This also fits the Happy Little Stampers challenge.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

While I was at it...

You know that snowflake stamp I said I picked up on clearance after Christmas...

 Well, I just had to put it to use again especially when so many of my friends are finding snow at their doorsteps lately.  I love using snowflakes on crafting projects so it is fun that even though Christmas is over, snowflakes still fit in January.  I add some Broken China Distress Stain to my white cardbase to help that fit in with my stamped image.  

 I stamped and embossed the snowflake with white and then ran some Distress Stain in black all over that but I didn't totally cover my white cardstock.  I then used some Broken China Distress Stain on the exposed areas.  I loved that little accent of the turquoise.  I layered a die cut snowflake over that.  The die is from Wplus9 Designs. 

 This fits this Colour Me challenge.  You could go back over the year and pick a favorite combination.  

They are having a little party over at Colour Me!

Plus, check out the Friday MashUp challenge to use snowflakes, my card fits right in.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)