Happy Easter

 Happy Easter!  I was finally able to  upload this to my blog because all the recipients finally opened their mail!  And just in time so I could enter this in the 4 Crafty Chicks Flower Challenge!  The flowers are from The Ton, part of their new Daisy Collection.   After I embossed them in gold, I used my Gansai Watercolors on watercolor paper.  The sentiment is from WPlus9 - it is actually just one part of the saying, as I masked off the remainder of the stamp.  I used the whole sentiment inside the card.  Thank you so much for stopping by!  Happy Easter and hopefully a happy start to Spring!

4 Crafty Chicks #379 Anything Goes... so shaving cream it is!

It is my last week guest designing for 4 Crafty Chicks and I couldn't be more excited to share this design!  I recently saw someone marbleizing paper with shaving cream... so, I had to try it and it sure was fun! (and slightly messy!)

I used two different coloring techniques with the shaving cream.  The first was to use colorburst powders.  They provided a cool finish that reminded me of peacock feathers and then it all fell into place!  I embossed the peacock feather with gold embossing powder and die cut it out.

The second layer was made using shaving cream and liquid metals.  The marbleizing was incredible! I die cut a stitched rectangle out of the background and matted it on various colored papers.

The sentiment is from Concord & 9th embossing in gold on to clear vellum.

4 Crafty Chicks #378 Outdoor Winter Activity

Welcome back to the 4 Crafty Chicks #378 Outdoor Winter Activity Challenge!  This was sorta an easy pick for me having been an ice skater for much of my life!  Ironically enough, the only ice skate I had in my collection was on a Cricut Cartridge!  I started with a piece of glossy paper and blotted Ranger Inks (blue and silver) all over the paper.  It really does shimmer in the light!  I added a few branch punches and the Penny Black 'Winter Wishes' die cut to finish this card off!

Thank you for visiting us this week at 4 Crafty Chicks!  I only have one more week as their guest designer... and then I get to return to entering the challenges!

Happy Crafting!

4 Crafty Chicks #377 Recipe

Welcome to the 4 Crafty Chicks Recipe Challenge!  This is my third week guest designing with this super fun group!  For this challenge you'll use the following:

1 Bow

2 Colors

3 Snowflakes

This was the creation I came up with!  The background was created with Distress Oxide Inks.  Then I used the Lawn Fawn snow stamp with white ink.  The snowflakes are from the new My Favorite Things monthly kit.  They are beautiful and provide for a lot of variation, techniques, and creations!  The stamp is an old but goody!  I just love 'Flakes make the best Friends' by Impression Obsession that I embossed with Ranger's White Embossing Powder.

Thanks for joining us this week!

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #376 Give Thanks

I am in love with this cling stamp from The Ton Stamps!  Welcome back to 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #376 Give Thanks.  This is my 2nd week guest designing for this wonderful team!

I stamped the cherry blossom stamp on black paper with VersaMark ink and embossed in gold.  Then I used Gansai Tambi watercolors - the pearlescent colors and colored in each flower.  It's amazing this card looks blue when it's really white with pink and green flowers.  The sentiment is from Poppy Stamps Co.  Thank you again for stopping by!  I hope you'll join us this week!

4 Crafty Chicks #373 Pattern Paper

How cute is this little Newton - looking all angelic before a night of Halloween festivities!

the 4 Crafty Chicks challenge this week was to use three different types of pattern paper!  I was so happy I bumped into this Halloween paper bundle!

I'm also so excited to join the Cat Lovers Blog Hop!!  I hope to do a second entry when I get back to Georgia.  Spending some time with family in Connecticut!  Happy Halloween!

Happy Fall! What a wonderful time of year...

Happy Fall, Everyone!

I was so excited when I came across this die from Amy Designs!  I die cut is several times and started layering the leaves, pumpkins, and the mushrooms - which I added a few white dots to.... because, I grew up with the Smurfs, and all red mushrooms have white spots!  Because I wanted to join in on the Newton's Nook Fall Challenge, I came across this little Newton, who was originally clinging to a birthday cake, and cut him out so it looked like he was using the frame as a scratching post.... or sniffing the leaves.  :)  I turn the frame into a window - and added a sentiment from Inkadinkado.

I entered this card in the 4 Crafty Chicks Fall Challenge and Newton's Nook Inky Paws Fall Challenge.  Happy Fall!

4 Crafty Chicks - Easel Card

I can't take credit for the design... someone on the Newton's Nook Design Team created an easel card and I just had to make one for the 4 Crafty Chicks Easel card challenge.  I took the challenge literally this time!  :)

This is Newton, from the Newton Mischievous set, colored with Spectrum Noir Markers and added to a piece of chalkboard paper.  I even used chalkboard markers to start the alphabet!

Photo Inspiration from 4 Crafty Chicks

The 4 Crafty Chicks Challenge this week was an inspirational photo of apples in a basket.  I went online and found an apple sketch and printed that on watercolor paper.  I used my Versamark Marker and went over the outline of the apple and then embossed it in gold.  I used my watercolors to fill in the apple and the leave.  I finished that area with a few Nuvo Drops.

I did a reverse mat of the image.  The top layer was stamped using the new Stampendous Leaves stamp and embossing in gold.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp.  Happy Crafting!

Crafty Supplies	Crafty Places to Buy them
	Gansai Tambi Watercolors
	Nuvo Drops
	Ranger Gold Embossing Powder
	Simon Says Stamp Thankful
	Stampendous Cling Stamp Décor Leaves
	Tsukineko Versamark Emboss Ink Pad Watermark

You make everything shine!

I'm still on my quest to perfect using digital images!  This little gal is from Craftin Desert Divas.

I created the background using distress oxide inks and then added some subtle white circles using the Bokeh technique.  Then I die cut the background in half with a Crafter's Companion edge die.  Under the front sheet is a series of different washi tapes that I picked up at various stores.

The stamp is from Concord & 9th Sunshine turnabout stamp set.  Once everything was assembled I added Nuvo Drops.

This card was entered into the 4 Crafty Chicks Washi Tape Challenge.

Crafty Supplies	Crafty Places to Buy them
	Concord & 9th Sunshine
	Distress Oxide Inks
	Spectrum Noir Glitter Markers
	Spectrum Noir Markers
	Nuvo Drops
	Craftin' Desert Divas Be a Unicorn

Sending Hugs from Georgia

My baby girl wanted to send her favorite mom a card!  Luna created this card using scrap paper cut into 1/4" lengths and attached to a 4x6 sheet of paper.  She then die cut the 'love' out of the top right corner.  She colored in Newton to look just like her and made sure the ball of string was a glittery pink!  She added a little bit of string and a cute tag saying 'sending hugs.'  She sure does miss her mommy in Connecticut... and so do I.  

We are entering this card into the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge which focused on the colors teal, black, magenta , and white.  We are also entering this card into the 4 Crafty Chicks Sequins challenge this week.

Crafty Supplies	Crafty Places to Buy them
	Newton's Nook Newton Unwinds
	Spectrum Noir Markers
	Spectrum Noir Glitter Markers
	Winnie &Walter Love Die

Altenew Garden Treasure & Spotlighting

What a labor of love these beauties turned out to be!  I stamped several of Altenew's Garden Treasure flowers in gold embossing powder down the left side of the card.  Then, I created a spotlight of one of the flowers on kraft paper.  I used watercolors to highlight the flower and then used pop-it dots to place the flower directly over the earlier embossed flower.  

When I matted the card, I dragged my versa mark ink over the right side of the card to create the gold edging.  I think it completes the card.  And... since I couldn't figure out what type of sentiment the card needed, I decided to leave it blank!

My inspiration came from the 4 Crafty Chicks Spotlight Challenge and since I decided to use Altenew products, I am also entering this card in their August Inspiration Challenge.  The design was inspired from the Case This Sketch #234 blog challenge.  I very rarely combine card challenges - but this week it all worked beautifully!

Happy Crafting!

Crafty Places to Buy them	Crafty Places to Buy them
	Altenew Garden Treasure Stamp Set
	Altenew Gold Embossing Power

4 Crafty Chicks - Masculine Card Challenge

It seems retiform backgrounds are all the rage right now on several forums, so I wondered if I could make one using my gelli plate, acrylic paint, and some stencils.  It certainly was more challenging than I had anticipated but I do love the results!

I used post-it tape to make the original lines then used the gelli plate and a few stencils.  Once it was dry, I peel the post-it tape up and then put double sided tape down and foiled it.  I just love the shine!

Added a quick sentiment and a 'Happy Anniversary' and I now have a card to give my finance tomorrow for his one year anniversary of living in Georgia!

Get your craft on!!!

Crafty Item	Crafty Source
	Gelli Plate 6x6
	Post It Tape
	Thermo Web Foil

4 Crafty Chicks - Girlfriends Challenge

Today I was able to spend some time in the craft room!!!

This stamp is from Simon Says Stamp.  I stamped it in Versamark Ink and embossed in white on watercolor paper.  I used distress inks to watercolor the flower.  I just love the results.

I'm on the 'fabulous' kick which is a die cut from Crafter's Companion.

I added a little bit of bling around the card and I'm just so pleased with how it came out!

I have a few fabulous friends I need to get in touch with and I think this is going to be heading to someone special in Connecticut!

Happy Crafting!