Just A Note

 Another card, another opportunity to play with inks and stamping, can't get better!!!

 My main focus for this card was the color combination at Color Throwdown and the sketch design at Freshly Made Sketches.  I pulled out a really old Hero Arts background stamp, stamping it in white and embossing it in white so that that design then acted as a resist to my Distress Inks, Tea Dye and Spun Sugar.  

 I just received some new Altenew stamps so I of course had to open those packages to finish my card.  I added a few Nuvo Crystal dots in black and a transparent light pink to finish the card after coloring the images with Zig Clean Color markers on watercolor paper.  

 Here is the Color Throwdown combo.

And here is the Freshly Made sketch.

And the Fusion challenge, I didn't use butterflies but a wreath design.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Teal Butterfly

With a color challenge of "teal" by CASology and another challenge to use butterflies, I had to play along. 

 I did want to keep it slightly on the simple side so I created a soft background with some Distress Stains on watercolor paper. That sweet little sentiment is a stamp from Alternew.

 This gives a closer glimpse of the background and my soft vellum heart stamped with a fun Hero Arts stamp.  The little butterfly is from a stamp set by The Greeting Farm. 

 This side view shows a little bit of the layers, I love using foam tape for dimension.  

 Here is the CASology Butterfly challenge.

And the Addicted to CAS Teal challenge.
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

Black and White

I wanted something really simple and I wanted to use the Crazy 4 Challenge of opposites.

 I had wanted to use a window on a card and the cut out heart worked just right here. The heart stamp has a matching die and both are from Hero Arts.

 I stamped the heart with black ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder so the black was a little more intense.  The tiny heart and flower finished off the card. It's a mini, 3" square card. 

Here is the Crazy 4 Challenges.

This also fits the Fusion inspiration photo.
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)

Winter Snowflakes

Yeah, I want to share my after Christmas clearance find...

 On a Michael's trip, I picked up a large snowflake stamp from Hero Arts. I just had to come home and create with it.  I wanted a look that would fit the cold of January. I loved the aqua and red combination on the background along with a simple and sweet sentiment from Mama Elephant.

I embossed the stamped image with Platinum embossing powder over a background I had created with Distress Stains ans a Tim Holtz sweater stencil.  I then cut another snowflake with a Hero Arts die, cutting it from a vellum type paper.  

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

It's Thanksgiving and time to Make Christmas cards

I love when it's time to pull out my Christmas and Holiday stamps. 

 My first card goes pretty much way outside-the-box for Holiday colors but I did want to use the Colour Q challenge.  I kind of like my little Toy Soldier in these interesting colors and who uses orange snowflakes!!!

 I wanted a simple background to go with him so I simply sprayed some spritzes of water on a piece of watercolor paper and ran matching Distress Stains across the card.  I always love how they run and mingle.  That great sentiment is from a set by Simon Says Stamp, the Toy Soldier is a stamp from Tim Holtz, the tiny snowflakes are from Stampendous.  

Here is the Colour Q combo.

 My next card fits Thanksgiving, a holiday that is closer then I want to think.  How on earth does time fly?  I am stretching things a bit but I am adding it to the CAS-ology challenge to use a FLAG. My banner is a flag shape!  That is a shape I love used on cards but I don't often think to use it.

That amazing, ornate piece is a die by Spellbinders.  It is pretty much hard to believe that one die can cut something so pretty.  The leaf is from Hero Arts.  

Here is the CAS-ology challenge.

This also fits the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge for "thanks".
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

AAA Cards challenge time

I love using fall colors on a card so this AAA Cards challenge is fun plus this also goes with The Paper Players challenge.

 I got to use one of my newest Tim Holtz stamps. Since I love fall leaves, etc., I knew this was a set I would use. 

My card was super fast and easy.  I stamped the acorn image on watercolor paper.  I did emboss it with clear embossing powder so the black ink was stable.  I then used some Copic markers to add color. This was interesting because a normal thought might be that Copics don't work with watercolor paper but they were actually fun. Just a few quick brush strokes, this paper doesn't really allow for blending.  My quick background is a dot stencil with a little bit of Distress Stain added here and there. That sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Be sure to play along with the challenge at AAA Cards.

Here is the Paper Players challenge too.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

AAA Cards Challenge Sunday

Yes, time for another AAA Cards challenge.

 This one is pretty fun, it's a moon sketch!

 

 I thought this was a fun way to add a moon to a little scene.  I simply punched out a circle and backed that with the yellow cardstock.  Since I picked yellow, I hope it looks like a moon and not a sun!!!

The little snowy tree forest is a stamp from Hero Arts.  My snow is some Liquid Pearls.

And for a few photos...

 We recently had a period of HUGE waves.  It was a spectacular sight.  Of course, I went down to take photos. 

 The size of the waves was most noticed and measured against our pier.  It is not too often they get that close to the pier.

Such a neat experience.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

AAA Challenge - Inspiration

For this weeks challenge at AAA Cards, we are working with a card created by one of the team members.

Here is Jane's card.

 I love her card and found it so easy to be inspired by it.  I pulled out some of my Hero Arts stamps for my creation.  

I love this ornate frame, it just seems to go with so many different themes and colors.  I colored mine a soft gray and gave it an accent of yellow flowers.  That background is stamped using a newsprint stamp.  I find it fun to create my own backgrounds when I can.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

God Loves You card

I noticed this wheat stamp sitting on my desk and knew it would fit the Less is More challenge to use three of something, perfectly.

 I picked up the stamp and quickly put together this simple little card. This adorable sentiment is from a set by My Favorite Things.

I love the look of embossing an image in white and then adding inks behind it.  I used a couple colors of some Distress Stain on a piece of Tim Holtz watercolor paper. Let me tell you, I love this paper. I seems to word different from other watercolor papers and I love playing with it.  I usually spritz it with water first, that allows the inks to run just right.  I finished it off with three dots of Liquid Pearls.

The layout of the card fits the CAS(e) this sketch.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

To The Moon and Back

One of my favorite design elements are hearts!!

 It was fun to use red and a heart on the card I want to share today.  I tried to use the color combination from Colour Q and the LOVE challenge from Addicted to CAS.  I used one my favorite background stamps from Hero Arts.  I inked it directly with Distress Stain, spritzed that with water and then stamped it to my paper. I love the irregular look of the design.  

That great heart is a Hero Arts stamp, cut with the matching die and the sentiment is a stamp from Kaisercraft.

 Here is the Addicted to CAS challenge.

And the Colour Q challenge.

I also linked it to the Simon Says Wednesday challenge to use hearts.

Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)

It is about the DOTS

A fun challenge at CASology this week is to make a project using dots. 

 This turned out easy when I pulled out some of my paper tapes! I used a Hero Arts heart stamp and a PaperTrey, Inc. sentiment to finish my card.

 I so love using this stuff.  They make for such a quick little accent and they are so easy to combine tapes and patterns.

Here is the CASology challenge.
I also thought this fit the Paper Issues "You are just my type" challenge. 
Thanks for visiting, Linda (lbpost)