Sweet Plum Polar Bear!

Hi there!  I've used my day after Thanksgiving to get some crafting done! I'm not a big fan of heading out to shop for Black Friday! I wish I could say that I decorated for the next holiday, but that didn't happen! I did household chores and I did get the few autumn decorations that were out put away, so I'm ready to decorate. But then, I colored!!

 This terrific Polar Bear image is from Whipper Snapper designs! He is so fun to color! His name is BearGeorge and you can find him HERE!
He's holding a hot cup from a little set made by Papertrey Ink (and it has a die, too!!) You can find the $5.00 set HERE! 
The die is 3.00!

 I colored Bear George with copic markers trying to match SUs colors Sweet Sugarplum and Rick Razzleberry.  They look sooooo GREAT together! I used SUs cable knit embossing folder again! CAn't get enough of it-It may show up on every winter card I make! The snowflakes and snowhills are from My Favorite Things. Lots of sponging and Stardust Stickles for sparkle, too!

I'm still struggling with photos, editing and this darn computer, but trying to learn to make it a smooth process! I hope some of these photos show this card's colors, dimension and sparkle. I'm pretty happy with it!
Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy and be grateful!

Good to be back!!

Hello!! It's so good to be posting again!! No health problems or anything catastrophic, just a new computer! Windows 10 threw me and without Picassa (EASY!!) editing, my photos looked blah! Well, I've still been creating and now I think ;) I can share again!

I adore the new embossing folder froom Stampin'Up-Cable knit!! It's such a thick folder that it took a bit for me to figure out the sandwich to use, but SOOO worth it! I love the look! That was my main goal on this tag. I cut Sahara Sand from MFT pierced tags. I used my paper cutter to cut two larger ones for layers (Pool party and Pomegranate). I colored up this adorable image from Whipper Snapper Designs called Puff & Stuff with copics and fussy cut it. It's on dimensionals with Tim Holtz (Sizzix trees) behind it. All covered with Stickles dry glitter in Diamond. Sparkly!!

 So thanks for looking! I hope to get more adept at editing my photos in Windows or in Google photo!

Enjoy your day! Cheryl

More Fun in the Sun!

I've been busy enjoying summer and hope you have too!  I've also done some creating and it really is time to do some organizing! I've had this card on my computer for awhile now and intended to get it posted while we were on vacation in early July-didn't happen!! 

 Besides using awesome My Favorite Things products I also used one of their terrific sketches!! Wish I'd gotten it posted during the week of the sketch as I'd planned! I'm not on Instagram or Twitter, but it sure would be fun to be 'Spotted' by MFT!  Oh well, not this time!!

Anyway, I stamped heavy white cardstock with the MFT grid BG stamp.  I used the Lawn Fawn plaid 6 x6 paper for one banner and raspberry fizz (PTI) and canyon clay (PTI) for the other banners. They are cut with MFT dies.

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The dotted paper is from PTI.  The images from the Pure Innocence set Fun in the Sun set is colored with Copic Markers and mounted on dimensionals. Below is a close up. I know you can see spatters on her leg. She was too close to the area where I was playing with Colorburst to make the BG for the previous card post. I guess it's the 'surf' spraying up on her!!

See all the sparkle!!

Again, I used Glossy Accents to make her 'shades' shiny!  I love the look of her!!
Thanks for stopping by!!  I appreciate it so much!

Fun in the Sun!!

Hello! Dave and I have been back from the beach for a week now and back into the normal summer routine, if there is such a thing! We love the beaches of Maine-not what most people think of  when they think of Maine, but 7 mile beach at Old Orchard Beach is really beautiful! I actually made this card for my good friend and stamping buddy, Lisa (Kind Creations) to wish her a happy, happy summer.

I used the Pure Innocence set and die Fun In the Sun for my images and colored them with copic markers. Her suit and beachball were made polka-dotted by removing color with the colorless blender. Sparkle was added with Stickles-probably in Stardust.

The background was made with Ken Oliver's Colorburst powders in Turquooise (Caribbean Colors) and Sepia.  I wet the watercolor paper and tapped just a small amount from the color burst container. After I watched the magic happen for a bit, I used my wet paintbrush to help things along. Finally, using a wet paintbrush again, I tapped more clean water from by brush onto the background. When I had the look I wanted I dried the bg with my heat gun. I then used the Papertrey Ink Cover Plate to cut the bg into the wavy pieces you can see in picture. I glued it all down onto a base card of Coastal Cabana.  The terrific sunglasses die comes with the PI set and I cut those in black cardstock.  I covered the lenses with Glossy Accents for shininess.

So, there you have it. She is enjoyed some beach time in the good 'ole summertime!!\
Hope you are too!!
thanks for visiting!! Cheryl

MFT Color Challenge

Hello! l finally have a card to share! With the heat we'ved had I've been staying inside and it's given me a chance to create a litle bit! I've used MFT's recent color challenge for this one (and their stamps and dies too!)

 I used Grout Gray card stock as my base card. It looks more brown because my ink is crumb cake.  The background stamp is BURLAP in crumb cake.  Then I cute the frame from Die-namics BLUEPRINTS 29 in white. It was cut again to get the fill in pieces from the TRANQUIL TEXTURES Paper Pack. The WILD GREENERY die-namics were cut from  Sour Apple card stock.
Finally the LARGE DESERT BOUQUET  flowers were cut from white and stamped in the challenge colors (with a touch of darker teal added in the center of the blu raspberry).

Then I added some Stardust Stickles to the flower centers, which showed up really sparkly in this photo. I added a 3-layer black die-namic 'hi' from the Hi-Hello there die-namic set and covereed them with Glossy accents for some shine.

Thanks for visiting! 

Have a great summer weekend!

Cheryl

MFT Stamps-Camp Create-Sensational Sliders

Here I am again-this time with my card for badge number THREE! The challenge was posted on June 14, but you can link your card on MFT Educational Series Camp Create Challenge Until June 23! The challenges are fun, fun, fun! 

Hold tight! There are a lot of pictures! I love movement cards!!

 My card-CLOSED. I used Prehistoric fun stamps and dies as well as Balloon Strings background AND Blueprints 28 to make a surprise pop up card. The die made it soooo easy to accomplish WITH perfect cuts! All I had to do was cut the extra panel for underneath and score a couple of places. You can find the directions on Splitcoast Stampers-just search Resources for Surprise Pop Up. Here's the LINK for you.

A dear friend's daughter will have her first child in mid August and this is the card to go with herbaby shower gift . The baby's room is decorated in dinosaurs in primary colors. Of course, the card has to be made to match! That was my excuse for ordering MFT''s Prehistoric Fun set with the Die-namics. 

I also cut 2 colors of Leafy Greenery and two blue circles from MFT dies. 

 My dinos are cut from watercolor paper and watercolored with reinkers.

 There's a touch of stickles on the dinos and on the leaves. I attempted to add white gel pen for white spots. Close up it's not the best look. Oh, of course, that's a tiny MFT cloud too!

 There's some yellow baker's twine to pull up and stand the dinosaur scene while also revealing the sentiment.

Hope my kind of 'slider' card fits the MFT challenge! 

Well, that;s enough for now! Still two more cards to make glitter and shaker! And one more week (almost ) of work! Have a great day!

MFT stamps-Camp Create-Delightful DIE CUTTING

I have another card for the CAMP CREATE week at My Favorite Things! Camp Create was 5 Days of Challenges posted last week, but you have until June 23 to add your creations to their blog. I'll link it below-after you look at my card, please. ;)

I mentioned yesterday that my little fox would have a friend visit his campsite for s'mores today, so here they are! Yes, it's a different little foxy from a different (but cute, cute, cute) MFT set! This set is Forest Friends . Cute animals, adorable sentiments and a couple of trees too! My absolute favorite sentiment, maybe of all time-"MAY THE FOREST BE WITH YOU"  Seriously, I love that one!!

Again, I used Tree-mendous for my trees and the campfire from Warm and Fuzzy Friends. I used a blending tool to blend my sky and grass background. The fox (I think) and squirrel as well as the campfire are watercolored with reinkers. The trees and trunks are cut from colored card stock. Once the trees are sponged with a darker green ink, you can spatter with water from a paintbrush and you get the 'blotches' that are so popular! Once inked, the background was also water spattered.

(I think I colored my fox as a badger/fox hybrid because of the white stripe on his head.) Stamping/coloring is so great 'cuz you can do what pleases you! Doesn't have to be real!!

So, thanks for visiting again. I've made more cards along this theme, but I also want (need) to use some of my other fabulous MFT stamps AND I have three more of the challenges to complete!

Here's the link to Camp Create! Educational Series

Better run!

Have a great Father's Day! I miss mine every day! How lucky I am that he was my Dad!

Cheryl

MFT Camp Create! Watercolor!

How fun! This week My Favorite Things Educational Series has been at CAMP!  CAMP CREATE, that is!  They have had a fun challenge every day of the camp to win prizes! My cards will be a bit out of order here on the dusty 'ole blog, but I hope to earn all my badges! Here's the first (for me!)!

This challenge, WATERCOLOR, went up on June 15! No worries, though, because if you want to play along you have until June 23 to link up to Inklinz on the MFT Educational series site for each challenge! 

So here's my watercolored card:

I used Warm and Fuzzy Friends cut from watercolor paper and stamped in black waterproof ink, then watercolored with reinkers.  The Tree-mendous tree was cut from colored cardstock and then sponged with ink (non waterproof), so that I could spatter some water on it.  The background paper is also watercolor paper. I used a blending tool and various inks to get a sunset like scene.  Then the background was spattered with water too! Here's the link to the MFT Educational Series site and other challenges  My little fox will have a friend visit his campsite for s'mores in my next card! Please come visit again!

Have a great day! Cheryl

MFT -My Favorite TREES?

Hello and thanks to those who haven't deserted me!! I've been around and busy teaching and, yes, even making some cards here and there! I also spend lots (too much!) time looking at great (awesome and perfect!) cards on Pinterest, Splitcoast, Company and DT blogs! So many wonderful cards!

 I looked back through my photos and thought that it was about time I posted something I'd made.  Above is a card I CASEd from Donna Mikasa a designer for MFT.  I loved the trees she created from My Favorite Things Tree-mendous tree dies. They started as white water color paper! so fun to color with ink applicators, sprinkle with water , more ink and white paint. The cat (cute, huh?) is from Birdie Brown Cool Cats (also MFT) and is watercolored with SU reinkers.

This card has ink applied to water color paper and then water sprinkled onto it. Another Tree-mendous tree die cut was added. I applied darker green ink to the green card stock and then sprinkled that with water, too!  The moose and owl are from Warm and Fuzzy Friends (MFT).  The background is the wood stamp from SU stamped in Early Espresso on Kraft.  the animals are watercolored with reinkers again. You'll be seeing more of these as I made about 10, not as a set, but as invitations to our family camping outing this summer!  May the Forest be with YOU!

Hoping to be back soon! Have a great rest of the week! Cheryl

No line watercolor Poppy

Hello! Sorry to have been absent. I've been creating, but not had time to post! I should have a number of posts ready to go now as I've been getting cards made!  Seems I've needed a lot lately and of all kinds!  Here's a technique I've been REALLY wanting to try-no line watercolor!

I used the Penny Black Poppy stamp.  It was a bit larger than I expected when I ordered it online, but not matter, I stamped it on a full-sized rectangle cut from watercolor paper with a My Favorite Things die. No doubt that it's the focal point of the card, is there?  The image is stamped in MFT hybrid ink in Natural.  Then I used small drops of SU reinker in my little palette to paint using a regular paint brush and water.  I painted with reinkers in Tangelo Twist and Cranberry Crisp. My greens are Certainly Celery and Old Olive with a little Artichoke added for the really dark areas.  I shaded around the flowers and stems with Sahara sand afterward. IF I every send this card I will stamp a sentiment in the lower right in a crsip black ink. I mounted my watercolor on Tangelo Twish and then on a card base of Sahara Sand.

I'm pretty happy with this first attempt at no line watercolor and am anxious to look through my stamps for others that will work with this technique and try it again!
Thanks for coming by!! I really do appreciate it! Have a great day!

Spring Bunny Pot

Hello!  Easter break kept me busier than I'd expected!  It was sure nice to have some time off work. I spent some time with friends and family, too.  Even more time was spent coloring images to make into cards in the upcoming days.  But, then I seemed to lost my mojo! Now with just evenings to craft I'm trying to get it back. 

Here is a card I took to make with friends one day last week.  I think they liked it.  We colored our images with reinkers (SU!) after stamping this cute Spring Bunny Pot (Whipper Snapper Designs) onto watercolor paper and cutting it with the MFT cross stitch rectangle die. I parted with some of my beloved Apricot Appeal cardstock (sadly retired SU-what is WRONG with them!?!) which had been embossed with a circles and dots folder from Sizzix. The panel of (also beloved) Lawn Fawn plaid designer paper  was added to the side for additional color. The card base is Bashful Blue (another retired SU color).

Guess that's it for tonight-I've got some 7th grade essays to grade! Take care and I'll see you soon!
Cheryl

Whipper Snapper-Carry a Big Stick!

As I was typing the title of this NEW Whipper Snapper Design image I realized the reference! It must be to Teddy Roosevelt's foreign policy, "Speak softly and carry a big stick".  I'm not sure this adorable dog would speak softly!  Gotta love a dog with a big bark!

Was I rambling? Sorry!  Here's the LINK to the image at Whipper Snapper Designs.  So cute and fun to color. Mine is stamped on watercolor paper and watercolored with a paintbrush and reinkers from Stampin' Up. I loved the non-uniform shape of the image. When die-cut from a square it gave me that nice opening for a sentiment on the front of the card (on SU's oval punch). 

The decorative papers are miniprints from Papertrey Ink in burgundy (I forget what she calls the color) and kraft and the card base is kraft.  The dies are all from My Favorite Things-getting a lot of use lately!  Click on the images to get a close up or visit my Splitcoast gallery where images tend to be larger.
The dog's nose and eyes both have some glaze pen added to them for a little extra shine and there are stickles on his/her kerchief as well as the grass and leaves.  Such a pretty dog!
Thanks for visiting! Come back soon, won't you?

MFTWSC270

Hello! A VERY quick morning post as I have to get to work, but wanted to play in the super sketch challenge My Favorite Things has this week and today is the deadline! Yikes! I almost missed it!

I watercolored (Peerless watercolors) some paper and cut a tag from it.  Images are from Pure Innocence sets Feline Better and Woof You. Sentiment is from Clowning Around.  Dies are all from various MFT sets-sort of mix and match from my collections!! Love them all! Even the paper is from an MFT pad.  Of course I added some sparkle (stardust stickles) to her outfit and to her pets collars. Aren't they all sooooo sweet!  We sure love our animals in this house!

Okay, gotta run and get to Mr. Linky on the MFT challenge blog!  Another NEW Whipper Snapper image coming soon!

I Dig You!

Hi there! Back today with another card! This one is for the color challenge at MFT.  I had a lot of fun making this little seen using the set You Gnome Me.  

I hope the little gardener doesn't look too much like a leprechaun for this one! I cut the flowers from the top of the boot image so he could show off his green thumb!  The images are cut from watercolor paper and colored with reinkers, water and a paintbrush.

See those snails?  They are much cuter than the ones I find in my flower beds! And I added stickles to give them even more appeal.  If I have my gloves on the ones in my gardens (and on my plants) get squished!) The fencing is from the Sunflower Girl set (also MFT), but I don's see it in the store anymore.

Thanks for looking!

Cheryl

Tweet Tweet means....

I guess it must mean "Somebirdy Loves Ya!  This is a card I made with my group of stampin' friends awhile ago and didn't get a chance to post.  Seems like a good day to do that! 

I used Paper Smooches adorable set Chummy Chums for my focal image. The bird is cut with the accompanying die, stamped in Archival Jet Black and colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. Then blended with water and a paintbrush. The sentiment is a VERY old one in my wood stamp collection. I used MFT's dies to cut the window in the Pool Party AND the white card stock-a bit tricky, since I couldn't cut through both at once on my machine.

The cutie bird is on a 'wobble' on the INSIDE of the card and on a piece of a branch die (not sure of company) with some Martha Stewart punched leaves.  Then on the front I also added a nother branch and some additional leaves so it also looked like he was on that branch.  That branch is part of a Memory Box die.  Branches and leaves are sponged with a darker ink for dimension.  The inside dies are from MFT and thte plaid paper is also from MFT. The sweet sentiment inside is from a great general sentiment set from Paper Smooches called Sentiment Sampler. 

Thanks for coming by to see what I've been up to! Have a great weekend!!

Cheryl

Splitcoast Featured Stamper-Easter Bunny

Hi there!  Well, another weekend almost gone, but I made the time to color today! Now I need to get busy with some school work I brought home! Ugh!

 I decided to join in the featured stamper challenge on Splitcoast Stampers when I saw a cute laughing bunny card the FS had made. I recently got this more serious bunny (Valentine's Day-thanks, Dave!!) from Whipper Snapper Designs!  I decided on a square card with an aqua frame as she had an aqua layer on her card.  The plaid layer matches a plaid layer on her card.

I used my ink blending tools to make an inky background with coastal cabana and hawaiin shores as well as Lucky Limeade and Simply Chartreuse. Then I splattered it with water and my paintbrush.  The watercolor paper is what Kay Miller recommends (from Hobby Lobby).
Now the bunny is stamped on some creamy Canson watercolor paper and colored in SU reinkers and a paintbrush with SU reinkers. Then I fussy cut him out. (Sure love having dies for so many stamped images now, don't you?)  The clouds are from an MFT die. The sentiment is from a WS set that Anna Wight designed a number of years ago. :)
Trying to figure out where to put some stickles or glitter for sparkle, but for now it's good!
Thanks for coming by! See you soon!

Another Challenge card!

Hi! Well, it's already midweek! You still have time to join in the JUGS challenge, so I thought I'd show another card I made using the colors for the JUST US GIRLS #331 Challenge-aqua, turquoise, teal, and navy (or similar colors). Our blog is linked above if you need some inspiration-take a look at what the fabulous DT AND our wonderful followers have created! Some super entries! We'd love to see yours!

 Here's another example of a card I created using the colors for the challenge with the help of MFT's Adorable Elepants stamp set and dies along with the Lable Sentiments and dies.

This is a birthday card for a friend who loves.....elephants, of course!  Designer paper is from MFT. Love those bitty dots!  My images are watercolored with SU reinkers (on watercolor paper).

Thanks for looking and, once again, we hope you'll join in our challenge. You have until Thursday, February 25, 9:00 pm ET to link up your project on our blog!

Thanks for coming by! Cheryl

JUGS #331 COLOR WEEK!!

Hi!  It's my turn to host the challenge at Just Us Girls and it's COLOR WEEK! I'm all about COLOR and color combinations! I look at Pinterest for hours just for the colors!! In fact, that's where I saw these colors combined and then couldn't think about using any others! Aqua is my favorite color and when I saw it combined with turquoise, teal and NAVY, OMGoodness! I was hooked! Here's Nancy's wonderful graphic and below that is a link to a couple Pinterest photos that interested me (made me drool).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/92886811042360623/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/92886811042325555/
And here's my card: (Please note: I only used other colors when dictated by the real color of the object. i.e grass is green)

This new Whipper Snapper stamp is called Waggin' Buddies and is just adorable!! Dave bought it for me (and a cartful of others) for Valentine's Day! I had to color it right up! I used reinkers on watercolor paper. my papers are cut with My Favorite Things dies and are from Papertrey Ink and Pebbles (houndstooth).  The card base is Navy as are the gems (though they look black). Sentiments are from the label set by My Favorite Things.

Please don't let me down! come join in the challenge by Thursday, Feb. 25 at 9:00 pm!! Check out our BLOG for more inspiration!

I think you can see that I added some stickles to the wagon wheels and handle (and puppy's collar) in this photo. I used Sahara Sand around my image to set it off a bit. Also left it in the die and used a stencil brush with Coastal Cabana to add some blue to the sky. If you're stuck for colors think Pool Party (or PTI Aqua Mist), Coastal Cabana, Teal (Taken with Teal/Ocean Tides PTI/ Green-Eyed Monster MFT and any Navy Blue. The colors look great together!! REALLY!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheryl

Just Us Girls #330 Trend Week-TAGGED!

Hi there!!  Another Saturday and another challenge from us at Just Us Girls! This week Ina has a great TREND that I hope never goes out of style-TAGS! Use a TAG some where on your card/project! Visit our JUGS DT blog for Inspiration for the most awesome team! Then join in a create something to add to Mr. Linky so we can see your creation!

And, here's my sample for the challenge~~

 I've been loving My Favorite Things stamps for about the last year or so and each month puts a big dent in my budget!  Their design team is awesome and just like when I was new to papercrafting, when I see what they've made I get that 'GOTTA HAVE IT NOW' feeling! And,  'I CAN MAKE THAT!' Don't you just love that feeling of excitement! New things to create with? Donna Mikasa, Kay Miller and Karin Akesdotter are three of my favorites on that awesome team. Yesterday I saw this card on Donna's blog and CASEd her bg.  And, I ATTEMPTED to paint the flowers a bit like Kay Miller HERE on this card. (Scroll down to see Kay's beautiful card)

I wish I could leave white space like some of these artists do!  When I leave white space the card simply looks unfinished!  When they have white space the card is clean, elegant and perfect!

Anyway, pull out those tags or tags dies, or cut your own and add it to your card or project! Show us by Thursday, February 18 for a chance to be our Chic of the Week and our guest designer for April!

Have a great day! Cheryl

Just Us Girls #329 Word Week!

Hello and welcome to another challenge with Just Us Girls!  Vicki is our hostess this week and for word week her word is perfect-VALENTINE!! Are yours done? This is the perfect week for this challenge! We'd love to see your creations! Check our blog linked above for some terrific and eclectic inspiration!

And, here's my card, that I've been working on for three days! Now that I've finished it I think others will go more quickly!  I had to test my background several times, that's what took so long! It's really true that Distress INks give the best reaction with water! Nuff said!

 My cutie pie elepant is from MFT Adorable Elephants set and the flowers and foliage are from Blissful Blooms-both have coordinating dies, of course ;)  The difference is that the elephant and balloon are stamped on watercolor paper (Walmart's Canson) and colored/watercolored with distress markers.  The flowers and foliage are stamped on Xpress it blending and colored with copics.

 Oh, yes the cloud is from a recent MFT set of dies-cuts 8 small clouds at once-cool beans! My background paper is watercolor paper covered with Picked Raspberry using a blending tool, then spattered with a paintbrush filled with water and tapped on my finger. Then dried with a heatgun.

Final, blurry pic, but can you see the sparkle added with Diamond Stickles?  Pretty happy with this one in the end!

Again, please join in the challenge with us this week! Be our VALENTINE!!

Have a great day and weekend!

Cheryl