BLOOM with Abandon!

Hi friends - you haven't heard from me this much in forever, huh? :D

I am loving getting DIRTY over at Splitcoaststampers! Anyone else playing along this week? I made this card for a few of the challenges. I embossed the flowers from Stampin' Up's Upsy Daisy (I have loved this set forever) and a super old sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms in Hero Arts white embossing powder and then played with zig brushes and distress inks - the more color, the better!

Once it was completely dry, I cut out the part I liked best with the largest MFT pierced square die and mounted on kraft card stock with a super small border. I added a light brown wash to a layer of water color paper, a small strip of MFT DP and then created a small piece of foiled teal card stock using adhesive. I tied on some twine, tied a bow and called it good. Everything was mounted on PTI Hawaiian Shores card stock.

Tried to capture the shimmer

 

Gosh - writing it up, it doesn't seem like much but it basically took me all day doing bits and pieces to get it finished up. LOL Guess it's all that drying time for the water color and water?? Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

Stamps: Stampin' Up Upsy Daisy, Cornish Heritage Farms
Papers: Ranger water color, Neenah 80 lb. white, PTI Kraft and Hawaiian Shores, MFT DP
Ink: VersaMark, Mermaid Lagoon, Broken China distress inks

Accessories: Zig Clean Color brushes, Hero Arts white embossing powder, twine, MFT Blueprints, MFT pierced square dies, Shimmer Mist

Challenges:

Birds - watercolor + copics

Hi friends - how is your weekend going? Mine is good; tomorrow will be a super busy day so I was thrilled to find some time to sneak into my craft room for some relaxation! I really love the colors for the Color Throwdown challenge this week (CTD403) and I couldn't pass up the chance to get DIRTY too!

I haven't used these birds from Inkadinkado in F-O-R-E-V-E-R, I knew right where they were and was glad to dig them out and get them inky! I stamped the image in black VersaFine and embossed with Hero Arts clear embossing powder. I originally did the image with watercolors but just didn't have as much pop and depth as I wanted so out came the Copics. :D

I added some shading then went back and water colored around the image with a couple different zig brushes. The layout is from MFTWSC291 (see below). I added the same colors to the background using water color crayons, I dried between each layer and continued to add more color. I did have some issues with the water color paper pilling but it wasn't too bad. I added some drops of Hero Arts unicorn white spray, mounted the main panel on fun foam, added a button and multiple-looped bow. The hello sentiment is from PTI's Heart-to-Heart set embossed with platinum embossing powder.

Thanks for stopping by; have a GREAT day!

Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

Stamps: Inkadinkado, PTI Heart-2-Heart
Papers: Ranger water color, Neenah 110 lbs. white, vellum, MFT DP
Ink: VersaFine, VersaMark

Accessories: copics, platinum embossing powder, Hero Arts clear embossing powder, twine, PTI button, fun foam, Hero Arts unicorn spray, MFT Blueprints

Challenges:
  CTD403

  MFTWSC291

SCS - The Bird is the Word

August is almost here...as is school!

Hi friends - how are you doing? I'm doing great, sweating away in our 100+ temp days. :D

I had a friend request a card for someone heading off to college in August; awwwww, I remember when our oldest went to college just a few years ago; we'll be sending another one off in a year. Meanwhile the oldest will now be studying abroad...see quick update below.

Anywho, the college colors are purple and gold...and it needed to be masculine - yikes, you know me - I struggle with those masculine cards; but this one came together pretty quickly!

The base focal point is purple (yeah, you probably figured that out huh? LOL); I added a Hero Arts stencil and rather than just adding whipped spackle or gesso; I decided to combine whipped spackle with gold paint. I love it!!

I then used PTI's notebook die, stamped the Verve Visual sentiment in purple and sponged on some Antique Linen distress ink. I mounted it with a piece of PTI's striped vellum and purple striped acetate and adhered with some washi tape. I added some tape runner and gold foil to a few places on the notebook die. The entire piece was mounted directly to a purple card base; I stamped another sentiment inside and added 3 pieces of double-stick tape, tapering lengths and added more gold foil.

Thanks for stopping by; hope you have a great week!

UPDATE: A week ago, our oldest and I ventured to Chicago to appear before the French Consulate to apply for her year-long study abroad visa - WOW...what an experience. BUT we did ride this uber cool ferris wheel while at Navy Pier. Good times; it was super hot, we walked over 8 miles, about 22, 000 steps...memories I'll cherish forever!

Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

Stamps: Verve Visual Great Expectations and Brighter Days
Papers: PTI Royal Velvet and striped vellum, We R Memory Keepers Acetate, DP by MME
Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink, PTI Royal Velvet

Accessories: Ranger foil, tape runner, Hero Arts stencil, whipped spackle, gold paint, washi tape, PTI notebook die

Challenges:

Bear Hugs!

This is my second post today; scroll down or click HERE to see my other creation.

I'm up over at A Blog Named Hero with a masculine card for a 'younger' individual - stop by and check it out!

Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

InLinkz.com

You're So Lovely Watercolor Card

Hi friends - I'm up over at the a2z Scrapbooking blog...and don't forget, YOU can receive a 15% discount on any purchase of $25 or more, just use the code "MicheleG15" - have fun shopping! See you over a a2z!!

Hugs,

Viva la Verve Sketch

Hi friends - I really like the newest Viva la Verve Sketch - you can see it HERE or down below. I used some Ranger Watercolor paper for the main panel, spritzed the panel lightly with water then stamped the base layer of the scribble roses (after another light spritz) in various distress inks. I let each of those dry, then stamped the detail of the roses in a bit darker distress ink, same for the leaves. I die cut the SSS Hello and fun foam at the same time and decided to leave all the pieces intact, I thought it looked cool. :D

I coated the hello with black wink of stella then added a layer of glossy accents, the vellum banner was stamped with Hero Arts Everyday Messages and embossed with Platinum embossing powder, I layered everything onto Lil Inkers Ombre designer paper, then cut a pink strip of another piece of ombre paper and layered onto a platinum embossed piece and ran it through the cuttlebug for some dimension. I wish now I had added a piece of black/white striped paper - I think that would have 'popped' better. :-/

I used the Award Banner from Verve Visual again - just like my last card - but this time I cut it apart so I could choose how to space the banners. I loved how the hello looked with glossy accents so I coated the banner too. :D

I splattered on some distress ink and gold paint, added some sequins from The Ton and filled each with platinum stickles. That's it - thanks for popping in; hope you have a GREAT weekend. The oldst and I are off to Chicago tomorrow for an appointment with the French Consulate to seek approval for her year-long visa to study in France - it's a LOT OF PAPERWORK to gather and present - wish us luck!

Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

Stamps: MFT Scribble Roses, Hero Arts Everyday Messages
Papers: Ranger Watercolor precut, Lil Inkers DP, Neenah 110 lb. white
Ink: Barn Door, Pine Needles, Twisted CitronSpiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick, Broken China, Tumbled Glass Distress Inks, VersaMark

Accessories: SSS Hello die, glossy accents, black wink of stella, The Ton sequins, stickles, foam tape, fun foam, gold paint, MFT Blueprints, corner chomper

Challenges:
  VLVJUL2016

Happy Bear-thday!

Hi friends - welcome back for another great sketch over at Splitcoaststampers! The sketch is LIVE tomorrow morning or you can catch an early sneak peek down below. :D

I recently purchased these adorable MFT Beary Special Birthday bears and had to use the bear hidden in the present, I just think it's adorable! I stamped the image on Ranger water color paper and colored with copics. I then added some accents to the ribbon on top with Distress markers, some clear wink of stella to all of the ribbon and white enamel dots to the package. I colored the bear with Copics but also added dots (pointillism) for some fun 'bear' (fur) dimension.

I used a Memory Box stencil and whipped spackle for a fun background; the rest is fun and bright designer paper. I cut two banner flags using Verve Visual's Award Banner die and layered one over the other.

That's it friends - see you again soon!

 Hugs,

WHAT'S IT TAKE?

Stamps: MFT Beary Special Birthday
Papers: Ranger Watercolor precut, MFT Lemon Drop, Doodlebug DP, Lil Inkers DP
Ink: SSS Intense Black, Mermaid Lagoon, Squeeze Lemonade and Mustard Seed Distress Inks

Accessories: Copics, Memory Box stencil, glossy accents, clear wink of stella, whipped spackle, Nuvo crystals, washi tape, MFT Pierced Square dies

Challenges:
  SC602