Just Floating By

Welcome back

Hope everyone had a spectacular 4th. The weather here was less than spectacular, that's for sure. Since it's the 1st Tuesday of the month, it's time for my monthly post for Craft-Dee BowZ. 

The theme for us designers at CDB for this month is mermaids. 

I used the cutest mermaid digi from Cute As A Button.

This mermaid is called seaweed mermaid.

Here is a closer shot of her

And she is adorable.

Let me show you a closer view of my bow.

Bows are easy to make using the Craft-Dee BowZ bow maker tool.

I was so bow challenged until I got this tool. And now it's so easy to make a bow. 

To order yours click here

I mentioned that I used a digital image from Cute As A Button 

and they are the sponsor at Craft-Dee BowZ this month 

The winner of the July Craft-Dee BowZ  challenge will receive 3 single images.

I hope that you will join in the fun and submit a project.

The theme for your submission is Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow. 

We would love to see what you have made.

You could be the next winner

LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THE I SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT

Stamps:  digital Image - Cute as a Button Seaweed Mermaid,  stamped seaweed & sentiment- Great Impressions Paper/Card Stock: Glitter Paper, DP, White CS Ink: India Ink - Black Dies Used: Spellbinders Ovals   Accessories: Ribbon, Craft-Dee BowZ  tool, dimensional foam, colored pencils, gamsol (for blending), glitter, glue pen, dried arborvitie greenery for seaweed.

I am submitting my card to the following challenges:

Colour Your World with Lucy Sunshine -Anything Goes (#28)

Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes (#36)

Great Impressions -  July - Anything Goes (#13)

The Ribbon Girls -  (July 3) "Anything Goes as long as it is a card"  (#42)

Crafty Calendar July - Punches and/or Dies (#43)

Scrappers Delights    July -  Anything Goes (#27)

The Pencil Case  Whatever (Anything Goes)  (W1 of 2) (#17)

Craft Your Passion -  Always Anything Goes (#33)

Stamps & Fun = Creativity -  Anything Goes (#10)

Thanks for stopping by and I will be back soon.

For You

Hello everyone,

This week I will be at Stampaway teaching 3 classes, assisting with another and working the Craft-Dee BowZ booth Friday night and Saturday. I have a post that is scheduled for Tuesday, but after that things will be quiet here at Art and Soul for a few days.

In the meantime, I made this card and thought I'd share it with you all.

I used colored pencils to color the digi image and used gamsol to blend the colors. Pearls and rhinestones accent the flowers.

The ribbon I used is actually a piece of white Hug Snug seam binding and I used Copic markers to color it to match the pink and green colors I used in the card

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT

Stamps: Digital - Bugaboo -  For you Flower Paper/Card Stock: Kraft, White, Pink CS, DP  Accessories: Hug Snug Seam Binding, Copic Markers (CG3, BP1) Colored Pencils, Gamsol, Flat Backed Pearls, Rhinestones, Lace

I am submitting my card in the following challenges:

Allsorts   pearls and gems (#45)

Crafty Calendar  August - bingo (I used-Pink, Pearls/Gems, Ribbons/Lace) (#12)

Scrappers Delights   Always Anything Goes (#30)

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - No. 96 - (W2 of 2) - A Flower In Your IMAGE(#109)

Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge -  No. 237 - Anything Goes (#101)

Crafting-With-Friends - Anything Goes (#90)

Digitally Sweet -  No. 140 - July - Anything Goes (#1)

Jo's Scrap Shack -No.98 -  Anything Goes (#63)

Morgan's Art World -  (must use digital stamp) - (W1 of 2) - Use 3 of Something (#10)

Simply Create Too -  No.91 - (W1 of 2) - Anything Goes (#142)

Try and stop back Tuesday to check out my post for Crafty-Dee BowZ for this month. 

I hope you have a great week. 

Hello Friend

Hi there

Below is my project for the Outlawz Progressive/Freebie Challenges My project is using a beautiful free digital image this month from Anne's Digital Art  Thank you so much Anne.

I printed a 2nd image to pop it up over the bottom image then I used a flower shaper to give the image depth. Here is a side view to better see that popped up image.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT

Stamps:  Digital Image - Anne Fenton; Stamped sentiment - Great Impressions Paper/Card Stock: White CS, Orange CS, Black CS Ink: Black Dye (sentiment) Accessories: Ribbon,Colored Pencils, Gamsol, Craft-Dee BowZ  tool, dimensional foam, Embossing folder, paper shaper

I am submitting this project to the following challenges:

• Doodle Pantry  -  Anything Digital Goes (#69)
• Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes(#79)
• Artistic Inspirations - #134 Anything Goes or Twist of Odd (#55)
• Crafting from the Heart -  Always Anything Goes (#77)
• Craft Your Passion - W, E3 - Always Anything Goes (#153)
• Love to Scrap -  Anything Goes  (#221)
• Not Just Cards -  Always Anything Goes (#265)
• Colour Your World with Lucy Sunshine - Anything Goes (#41)
• Fairytale Stampers - #57 Anything Goes  (#66)

Thanks much for stopping in today, have a great day.

Thank You

Hi  Everyone

It's April 1 and its a new month and time for another new challenge over at Craft-Dee BowZ.

Below is the card that I created for the Craft-Dee BowZ inspiration and it's also on the CDB blog site as well.

If you're like me, I have rubber stamps (mounted and unmounted), clear stamps and digital images. So it seems I have a lot of images to choose from. I decided to go thru some of my digtal images and came across this one.(The flower and the butterfly are all one image) I am sorry but I do not know where this came from. I colored it with colored pencils and used Gamsol to blend the colors.

I guess I chose this image because it reminds me of spring, but spring seems to be slow in coming this year.

I used designer papers and added a punched border strip and layered the panel onto the card.

I attached my bow to the panels before layering them on the card front.

Before I forget - Craft-Dee BowZ is hosting a blog hop starting at 10:00 p.m. edt Thursday April 16. We hope you will join us and find inspiration in all of the projects that the designers will be showing off. The designers theme is Living On The Edge - Use a Border Die. Now that sounds like a great theme and lots of fun inspiration.

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT

Stamps: Digital - Unknown  Paper/Card Stock: Black CS, DP Punch Used/Dies: Sizzix Tag CDie, MS Punch around the Page - Traditional Eyelet Accessories: Hug Snug Ribbon, Prisma Colored Pencils, Gamsol, Craft-Dee BowZ  tool, dimensional foam

I am submitting my card to the following challenges:

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes with a Twist of Flowers (#49)

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - (March) Spring Colours (#354)

Crafting from the Heart -  Always Anything Goes (#66)

Craft Your Passion - Always Anything Goes (#80)

Crafty Cardmakers -- (Week 2) Spring (#107)

Ooh La La Creations -  Easter/Spring (#22)

The Crazy Challenge - Floral (#18)

The Pink Elephant Monday Card Challenge -  Anything Goes (#52)

Fairytale Stampers - #53 Anything Goes/Things with Wings (#41)

Thanks for stopping in today, Hope to see you at the Blog Hop

Three Perfect Mushrooms

Hi Eveyone,

How are you all today??

Today I took the coolest class at Simply Said Rubber Stamps in Loveland, Ohio,  The Stylish Stylus, was one of two classes taught by Peggy Jo Ackley of Pink Ink Stamp Company. This class taught us how to create fun patterns and add great borders with a stylus tool and colored pencils.This embossing technique really is a great way to embellish stamped images. I was so amazed at the results. Hmm... you may see more from me using this unique technique.

Here is the stamped image that I started with.

By the way, this stamped image is one from the many stamps available 

from Pink Ink Stamp Company. Check out Peggy's wonderful stamp selection. 

 Here is the same stamped image after I had finished embossing and coloring. 

See all the white lines and designs that appear on the mushrooms?? I added the designs using a stylus.After I drew in the designs the next step was coloring using colored pencils.After you color then your designs will become visible. Pretty cool!!

Let me share the completed card I made using the stamped image after it was embossed and colored.

If you ever have the opportunity to take a class from Peggy Jo Ackley, do so, you will not be sorry. I loved this class and am already looking forward to her next visit. 

I am adding this card in the following challenges:

• Sweet Stampin - must Stamp Ribbons and bows... (#20)
• Treasured Times Rubber Stamps & Scrapbooking -  Anything Goes (#10)
• Sister Act Card Challenge -  No. 75 - Anything Goes (#110)
• 4 Krafty Girlz - # 27 Anything Go (#141)

That's it for today.

See you soon

Noel

Hi Everyone!!
Thanks for stopping in today. I just received a few new stamps and I especially wanted to stamp this particular stamp and design a card.

I live in Kentucky and the state bird is the cardinal and they are the state bird in the following states as well: Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. WOW that's a lot of states that have adopted this bird as their state bird.

OK you probably have guessed I am using a cardinal in my design.

This stamp is from Stampendous, and I just love it. I used a Becca Feeken ornate label die that she used to offer in a kit club. I actually cut it down the center attached 3 halves together and made a swirly edge for my layered oval, on the one side and used a single piece of that die on the other side as an offset.

The cardinals are colored with colored pencils and I used gamsol as my blending agent.

I decided these cardinals reminded me of Christmas so I added the Christmas sentiment. I know we are not quite thru the first half of the year. but you know that Christmas will be here before we know it. LOL

SUPPLIES USED ON MY PROJECT

Stamps:  Stampendous - Jumbo Cardinals, My Sentiments Exactly - Multi Script (Sentiment) Paper/Card Stock: Cream, White, Red, Gold Ink: Black Dye Dies Used:Memory Box - Blushing Bouquet , Spellbinders - Large Ovals, Becca Feeken Ornate Label (No longer available) Accessories: dimensional foam, Inktense Colored Pencils, Gamsol, Spectrum Noir (coloring the blossoms on the die cut) Wink of Stella - Pink (colored the flower centers on die cut) Outline Stickers

I am submitting this card in the following challenges:

• Artistic Stampers -  Colour it Red  (#4    7-1)
• Cards Galore Encore -  #6 Anything Goes  (#80  7-1)
• Ladybug Crafts -  Something for the boys and/or use your dies (#37   7-1)
• Scrap It Girl -  Things With Wings  (#14  7-1)
• The Sisters of Craft -  Anything Goes (#53   7-1)
• Artbymiran Challenge - No.7 - (W2 of 2) - Anything Goes   (#85  6-11)
• Sister Act Card Challenge -  No. 60 - Anything Goes  (#123  6-12)
• Stampin' For The Weekend -   Anything Goes (#105   6-17)
• STAMPlorations Challenge Blog - June - Stamps & Borders  (#6 7-1)
• 4 Crafty Chicks -#197 Christmas (#21   6-11)
• Crimbo Crackers  -(W1 of 2) Anything Goes (Christmas)  (#23    6-16)

Roses

Hi Everyone
Saturday I taught a class at Simply Said Rubber Stamps in Loveland Ohio. My class was a techniques class that focused on using colored pencils to color . I love coloring with colored pencils. Using gamsol and stumps to blend the colors is such an easy way to color and I wanted to teach the students how easy it really is. You can even layer colors which can add additional interest and depth to your image. Have you ever tried coloring that way? If not, give it a try. Let me share with you one of the cards that I used as a class sample.

Here is a closer view of the roses and the coloring.

There are so many coloring agents available today and this is just one of them, one that is such an easy way to color. Try it, you may like it.

Supplies I used:

Stamps - Just Rite Stamps With Sympathy

Pencils - PrismaColor

Gamsol

Glitter

Pearls - Fab Scraps

Spellbinders Die - Octagon 

Punch - Fiskars

Ribbon

Bow Maker - Craft-Dee BowZ

I am submitting my card in the following challenges-

• Challenges 4 Everybody - Challenge #37 Anything Goes (#322)
• Dragonfly Dreams 1st  Challenge Thoughts of Summer (#13)
• Lacy Sunshine -  #24 Digi available.  (2nd Week) Anything Goes (#87)
• One Stitch At A Time - #195 Starting New (#16)
• Robyn`s Fetish - CHALLENGE # 194 - No Pattern Paper/Card Stock only (#16)
• Sunday Stamps - (1st week)- SSC67 It's a pop of Pink (#5)
• The Corrosive Challenges - Challenge #190 (2nd week) New Beginnings (#46)  

I will be back soon, have a great week.

Winter Joy

Hi Everyone,
Welcome back to my blog and for those new followers, welcome for the first time.

I have been making tags using Unity stamps this week and I have another one completed and thought you'd like to see this one too.

This little snowball guy is adorable so I thought I'd use him. I added lots of snowflakes and glitter and some layered papers. The snowflake ribbon  is the perfect choice for this tag.


Stamps - Unity IB-125
Spellbinders Dies - 2010 Snowflake Pendant S4-286: Create a Flake Two S223
Glitter - Sparkle N Sprinkle - Sparkling Snow G1003, Fascination, Shimmering Seas G1082
Paper - Vellum, DP, White CS, blue CS
Ribbon - May Arts - Snowflake
Ink - Memento - Black, Distress Ink- Faded Jeans
Colored Pencils
Gamsol
Blending Stump
Glue Pen
Punch


I am submitting my tag in the following challenges:

• Crafter's Cafe -  Diecuts/Punches
• Crafting By Designs -  Anything goes
• Creative Moments -  Frame/Anything goes (2nd week)
• Inklings and Yarns -  Always Anything Goes
• Lady Anne's Stamp Challenge -  must use a stamp - anything goes
• Simon Says Stamp -  Anything Goes
• Sisterhood of Crafters  -  Tag

That's it for today. Thanks so much for stopping in and I hope to see you very soon!!

Friends Who Last

Hi Everyone,
I can't believe it, it's February already. And what happened to January??? It just flew by didn't it!!??!! And tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Hmm..... will we have an early spring or do we get 6 more weeks of winter. Tomorrow we'll know for sure. LOL

Hope you are having a great week so far. I thought I'd use one of those Art Impressions girlfriend stamps. These ladies have so much personality, don't they.

It's always fun to get together with our girlfriends and have a fun time laughing and catching up.

I got out my colored pencils and gamsol and colored and shaded these hot mama's. They are a "hoot".

Make sure you stop in at the Art Impressions online store and check out all the stamps in all the different lines that Art Impressions offers.

Supplies used:

Stamps from: Comfy on Couch set-UM4050

Prisma Color Pencils

Gamsol

India Ink

Sizzix Embossing Folders

Inka Gold - Gold

Cardstock- Core'dinations CS, Teal Blue CS, White CS

Yellow Gold Ribbon

Stop back tomorrow for another great Art Impressions creations.Hope to see you then,

Barbara

Sparkle N Sprinkle & Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop

Hi everyone and welcome to the February Blog Hop. We are so amazingly grateful to be pairing up with Really Reasonable Ribbon today for some great fun. If you have been following along, you should have hopped here from Anne’s blog. If you haven't, please please please pop over to the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog and hop along. The Design Team members from Sparkle N Sprinkle and Really Reasonable Ribbon have created some amazing projects. You can see that these creations go hand in hand with each others products.

In addition to the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog candy, Sparkle N Sprinkle is giving a stamp set to one lucky hopper!  Leaving a message on every blog increases your chances of winning, because it's a mystery which of the artists' blogs has been chosen to house the prize! On Tuesday February 15, a name will be drawn from the comments on the mystery blog. Winner gets to choose a stamp set of their choice from SparkleNSprinkle.

This month everyone received the wonderful February Ribbon Kit from Really Reasonable Ribbon, filled with the perfect trims and ribbons for those cheery Springtime projects. Lots of great pastels to match up with some amazingly beautiful glitters, flocking, stamps and embossing powders from Sparkle N Sprinkle. If you love using great glitter and embossing powders, check them out. I absolutely LOVE their color choices and the stamps leave the perfect images.

I have 3 new card creations for you today.

 My first card is is made up of stamps from set 417, Cocktails II, perfect for party invitations or scrapbooking that last year’s luau you had or whatever you might come up with. Tropical drinks remind me of great tropical colors and the ribbon in the February Ribbon Kit has a perfect shade to go with all the wonderful tropical colors I used on this card. I used Spellbinders Circle dies to showcase the appetizers and words and I used the Watercolor Pencils to get those soft iridescent colors.

On my next card, I used a stamp from the stamp set 413, Daddy’s Princess.

The Becca with Tulips stamp is so cute and to frame her, I used a new embossing folder that cuts and embosses. I added Buttercup Petal and Green Apple Embossing Powders in the debossed areas of that design. The trim that I used is the beautiful ribbon from the February Ribbon Kit. Copic markers were my choice for coloring the Becca stamp. Copics are so easy to color with and the range of colors to choose from is awesome.







The third card is a really unique card and it’s definitely able to be mailed. It is called a Fan Fold card and is so cute. The stamped images are again from set 413, Daddy’s Princess. The images are stamped and embossed with Black Detail EP and then colored with my favorite, Copic Markers. I used the Scor-Pal to score the cardstock. The card front utilizes a punch that combines flowers and leaves. I used Copic markers to color that and added a little Sparkling Snow Glitter as an accent. The oval shapes were made using Spellbinders Oval sets. And check out that ribbon, it's shear, it's feminine and has flowers on it too. Look for that ribbon in the February Ribbon Kit.  And it goes great with the card and the card colors. I am working on a video to show you how easy this Fan Fold card is to make, so check back for that.

All my cards use Tear-ific Tape for adhering and layering of cardstock. I also used the Versamark Pad in my embossing.



Make sure that you have left a comment here and at every stop along the way, you want to be eligible for the Blog Candy that will be awarded. Thank you so much for stopping by today and it has been a great time partnering up with Really Reasonable Ribbon for this fun Blog Hop. Your next stop is Aphra – just click here

The Rose

I just recently received this stamp from Sparkle N Sprinkle. The stamp is really pretty so I decided to stamp it using India Ink and use colored pencils to color in the rose. I also used gamsol to shade the colors. Seems like every time I use colored pencils, I automatically get the gamsol out. I rarely use my pencils without the gamsol anymore. Gamsol allows the colored pencil to melt, so to speak, and gives you the capability to shade. I generally work from the outside to the center. You will need to work with paper stumps and I usually get mine at Hobby Lobby.

Added a little glitter some ribbon and now the card is done.

Have you tried any of those Martha Stewart corner punches yet??? They are great!!! I have quite a few an they really add a great look to the card.

Well, that is it for now, thanks for stopping by, see you soon,

Barbara