With Gratitude

Hi Friends!!

Happy Monday! I had a chance to create a Clean and Simple Mixed Media card last night using the retired stamp set, With Gratitude from Stampin’ Up!  It has been years since I had a chance to ink up this set and with the leaves starting to change here on the East Coast, I was in the mood for an Autumn/Fall card :-)

 I decided to use the PP462 Joanne’s theme “Gratitude,Thankful for You” Challenge at The Paper Players along with the Joy of Sets#010 Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge (diagonal leaves, Watercolor/Smooching, Embossing) and the Simon Says Monday “Fall/Autumn” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to drop by the above challenge sites yet, I hope you do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

Ink the leaf image from With Gratitude using Versafine™ Onyx Black onto white cardstock and heat set with a heat tool.  Watercolor the image with water-based markers and use the heat tool in between layers.  Once you are satisfied with the coloring, add shimmer with a clear glitter pen and copper shimmer paint.

Watercolor the background with distress ink and use the same distress ink with the “smooching” technique- pressing the ink onto a piece of acetate, smoosh with a bit of water and press onto the background.  Heat with a heat tool and die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle die.

Emboss the card front with a woodgrain embossing folder, mount the watercolor die cut image with dimensional foam (or chipboard).

Emboss the sentiment with gold embossing powder, trim and mount onto the card front with dimensional foam (or chipboard).

Use a paintbrush with water to splatter a bit of white shimmer paint over the background to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: With Gratitude (retired Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black, Versamark™, Stampin’ Write Markers- Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, retired Dusty Durango; Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress Ink; Copper and Frost White Shimmer Paint, Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White

Accessories: Big Shot™ , MFT A2 Stitched Rectangle STAX Set 1;  Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, AquaPainter™, Embossing Buddy®, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by!  I hope all of you have a wonderful week and drop by again soon!

TCC79 He Has Made Everything Beautiful

Hi Friends!!

It’s time for the new The Card Concept #79 {Rustic Neutrals} Challenge ! I love this gorgeous photo that Lesley chose for the challenge, don’t you? So much to inspire you- from the texture, the white pumpkins, the white wash on the bricks, the gray metal wheel in the back as well as all of the other details and even a bit of greenery. 

I was inspired by the gray whitewash on the metallic wheel in the back as well as the variety of texture, the silver and beige along with the sage green for my Mixed Media Shabby Chic/Elegant card.

I am also linking this card to the Word Art Wednesday #302-#303 “Anything Goes”Challenge along with a few Splitcoaststampers' challenges (F4A397 "Your Happy Place", MIX243 "Mister, Mister" and a few others).  

My "happy place" is reading God's Word and spending time at Shenandoah National Park (Skyline Drive)! The beauty of God's creation is so inspiring and this time of year is one of my favorites with all of the changes in the leaves and beautiful colors.  

 If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to check out the rest of the wonderful Design Team cardsat The Card Concept as well as the entries at the Word Art Wednesday Challenge site- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Ink the Tim Holtz® (TH) French Script Sizzix™ Embossing Folder with TH Pumice Stone Distress Ink, place a piece of Sahara Sand cardstock into the folder and emboss with the Big Shot™.  Trim the panel and distress the edges with a distressing tool.

2). Layer a piece of patterned sage green paper (this was from my stash and I cannot recall the manufacturer- sorry...) onto Basic Gray cardstock, distress the outside edge and layer onto the embossing panel created in step 1.

3). Add the gray crochet lace and gray satin ribbon (wrapping the ends of the ribbon behind the panel) and mount the panel onto a piece of Basic Gray cardstock.  Adhere the entire panel onto the white card base.

4). On a piece of Whisper White cardstock, stamp the sentiment from the Verve Stamps Scripture Medley 3 stamp set with Versafine™ Onyx Black ink, apply Clear Embossing Powder and heat set with the Heat Tool.  Once the embossing has cooled, die cut the sentiment with the My Favorite Things™ (MFT) Stitched Circle STAX Dies and mount onto a circle die cut from the same size die using Basic Gray cardstock.  FYI- I split the gray circle in half and adhere the sentiment so only a little bit of the gray is showing.

5). For the leaves:  Using a craft mat, tap a bit of Pumice Stone, Weathered Wood and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink, spritz lightly with water and press a piece of Whisper White cardstock into the ink.  Lift up the cardstock and continue to repeat the steps until you are satisfied with the color.  Dry the panel thoroughly with the Heat Tool and use an Embossing Buddy® to de-static the surface of the cardstock.  Ink the leaves from the retired Stampin’ Up! (SU!) set, With Gratitude using Versafine™ Onxy Black Ink, stamp onto the panel, apply clear embossing powder to a few of the leaves and heat with the heat tool.  Repeat the process, one leaf at a time and heat emboss several of the leaves with extra fine white embossing powder.  Once the embossing powder has cooled, if needed, use a sponge dauber with additional distress inks to intensify the color and fussy cut out each leaf. 

6). Mount the leaves to the card front with dimensional foam and add a few pearls to the sentiment circle.

7). Finish off the card by adding shimmer with a clear glitter pen to the leaves.

Stamp Sets:  Scripture Medley 3 (Verve Stamps), retired With Gratitude (Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, TH Distress Inks- Pumice Stone, Weathered Wood, Gathered Twigs; Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Extra Thick Whisper White, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake; misc. designer paper (sage green)

Accessories: Big Shot™, TH French Script Embossing Folder, MFT Stitched Circle STAX Dies, Sponge Dauber, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Clear and Extra Fine White Embossing Powder, Gray Crochet Lace, 1” Gray Satin Ribbon, Pearls, Distressing Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by!  I hope I have inspired you today and that you will be able to join us for the #79“Rustic Neutrals” Challenge at The Card Concept! 

HYCCT1524 With Gratitude

Hi Again Friends!!

This card was created for the Splitcoaststampers’ “Hope You Can Cling To”  HYCCT1524Holly’s “Thanks Bunches” Challenge to create a “Thank You” card with a “bunch” of fruit, leaves, etc. 

Fall is in full color here in the Mid-Atlantic region and after our trip to Shenandoah (Skyline Drive) this past Thursday, I was inspired to create fall leaves for my "bunches" :-)

I am also linking this card to the Happy Little Stampers October 2015 Sketch Challenge and the #tgif26 "So Thankful" Challenge.

Rocky Mount Overlook

Again, if you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to visit the above galleries- wonderful inspiration from all!!

To create this card:

Stamp the leaves using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, color using Sponge Daubers with Hello Honey, Cajun Craze, Tangerine Tango and Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink.

Fussy-cut the leaves and scrunch by hand to create a realistic texture.

Ink the large solid splatter stamp from Gorgeous Grunge using Hello Honey and stamp onto a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, clean the stamp and stamp as well with Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink.

Add the large splatter stamp using Cajun Craze Classic Ink as well as Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink.

Cut the panel out using the Big Shot™ with the My Favorite Things™ Blueprints 13 Die and mount onto a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock, trim and adhere to Very Vanilla card base.

Stamp the sentiment using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock, punch the banner using the Hexagon Punch and stamp a bit of splatter with Cajun Craze Classic Ink.

Arrange and mount the leaves using dimensional foam along with the sentiment (loosely interpreting the sketch) and add the clip to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  With Gratitude (retired Stampin' Up!) , Gorgeous Grunge (Stampn' Up!)

Ink: Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Hello Honey, Tangerine Tango

Paper: Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze, Whisper White

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Blueprints 13 Die, Hexagon Punch, Sponge Daubers, Antique Brass Clip

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- have a terrific Monday, my friends!