Faux Hand Painting Day 7&8

Pardon, another sympathy card.  This one took a bit longer to create.  I decided to be patient and let each layer dry on their own before adding another layer.  This stamp is from The Stamps of Life.  I used distressed ink pads for my colors.  I wasn't too sure about the splattering.  I am not a big fan of this. I went to show this to the in-house critic (my daughter) who dropped in face down onto her keyboard and then slid it before picking it up.  I didn't realize the splattering wasn't dry.  I made a rain drop sort of effect.  I did make masks to cover the flowers to the splattering didn't ruin my work.

I absolutely love this look. One thing is for sure, it's not for a quick and easy card.  I will have to go through my stash to find more images to do this technique.  I

Thanks for stopping by!     Traci

Watercolor Tree Day 9

Yippee!  I am off today and able to do some homework.  This is my tree as I try to replicate Jennifer's.  I used quite a few distress ink pads to get all those colors.  This was our class on how to free hand our watercolor-no stamps.  I like these baby steps into watercoloring. 

I found some white watercolor paper at Hobby Lobby.  It comes in all sizes.  I got 4x6, 12 sheets, 140 lbs, cold press for $1.99.  I was thrilled that I could find some white paper locally.  This did warp quite a bit.  I put it in a computer paper sandwich and ran it through my Big Shot a couple of times and it straightened out nicely.

As for the sentiment, this is the only sympathy stamp I have right now and have several I need to send this week.  I think watercolor is perfect for sympathy cards.



Thanks for stopping by!  Traci

Watercolor Cards

It doesn't happen very often that I post something that isn't a challenge.  But this is extra special because it's the cards I created as part of my homework from the Online Card Class.  The class started on Monday, and I am finally doing my Day 1 Homework. 

 My in house critic was a bit OCD about this one.  She didn't like the yellow at the bottom.  I say, it's watercolor, it's imperfectly perfect.  And I was trying to embrace my handwriting at the bottom edge.  I know with anything, practice makes perfect.  Since I don't have stamps that say what I want to say, I am going to go to Plan B:  do it myself!

I love the vibrant colors of these two cards.  I went to Michael's today and they have in the new mini Distress Ink sets.  Just two sets actually.  The sweet deal is they are buy one and get one half off.  I didn't have the picked raspberry or the orange marmalade in the bigger size. so I was jazzed.  I love this technique and will try it again in other colors later on.

First let me say, I love, love, love this technique.  I used 140 lb cold pressed watercolor paper.  I know others in the class were struggling with this technique, but I did it twice without a problem.  The in-house critic liked this one the best.  She like the way the watercolor frames the sentiment.  As you can see I used a chevron stencil.  It came out very clear.  I have just one little package of those enamel dots.  They just aren't my style I guess.  But they complemented my card nicely.  It's hard to tell, but the card base is a deep purple CS that I've had probably 15 years.  Yes, I am a hoarder of paper.

Another card using the same technique with a different stencil.  I am needing to send this card out tomorrow.  Wanted to make sure I got a pic of it before then.  I recently purchased some sequins (I know, I am breaking my own rule of depleting my stash) from Pretty Pink Posh.  See that teeny tiny sequin in the bottom left corner, that's from her.  And few other ones. 

Okay, now to talk about depleting my stash.  I purchased some sequins from Lawn Fawn not that long ago, and I am very proud to say that they are almost all gone.  I am so proud of myself.

And, today I took a small bagful of my cards with envelopes to work and gave to my boss to use if our team ever needs to send a card to someone.  There is another nurse that makes cards for the team that they ask her the day before to make something and bring it in, and she DOES!  I couldn't do that.  I like to think and hem and haw for a while.  That's why I took what I already had.  Of course, I asked the other card maker if she would mind if I contributed.  And her reaction was priceless: YES, and thank you!

Thank you for stopping by!  I would love to hear from you and go visit your blog.   Traci

Umbrella to dance in the rain

I made this card when I first saw The Card Concept #8 challenge but thought it was too late to enter.  Boy, oh boy, was I glad to see that I still had time.  This card is a morph card.  I started with the umbrella stamp but didn't like the way it looked. I used the die to cut it out, nope, still didn't like it up again the blue watercolor background.  Okay, then I had a grand thought to trim it, yikes! I ended up using just the die.  I am not 100% on it, but it works.  My in house critic (my daughter) loved it.  I normally make clean and simple, but this is clean and layered.

Since I am depleting my stash, I am trying not to add any new embellishments.  This may be a shock to some, but I purchased my first card of enamel dots.  I've had them for months and used them for the first time on this card.  I am thinking that I am not an enamel dot lover (but I do love sequins) and probably won't be getting many more of them.

Modern Cross Quilt Cover Plate

I was so excited when I got my box from Papertrey Ink.  This is the first time I've ordered from them and absolutely fell in love with this Modern Cross Quilt Die Cover Plate.  My first cover plate too!  I used it as a template here so I could use the colored embossing paste.  Colour Me...Playful CMCC#17 have all these beautiful blues and teals.

I am giving myself a new challenge now.  My company is having a craft show later in the year as a fundraiser.  I am putting together cards in a gift set.  I decided to make 4 cards in the same color theme in each set.  I am not one to make 4 of the same design...too boring in my eyes.  Since I am not in a huge hurry, I find this works better for me.  This is card #2 in this set:

Thanks for stopping by!    Traci

 

FMC 133

It's been a while since I have posted anything.  I've been stamping, coloring, have fun with paper but not posting.  Since I had the day off I wanted to at least post one thing.  And of course, I went to Freshly Made Sketches 133.

I am hoping to post some more this weekend.  I hope all are doing well!

Thanks for stopping by!     Traci

Color Throwdown #287 and Clean & Simple 288

 

I haven't been feeling well this weekend.  I wrenched my back on Friday afternoon and have been resting A LOT.  I lay on the couch looking online at all the wonderful challenges that pique my interest.   I end up watching Netflix, which ends up getting old, really fast.  I ventured to my desk and started.  I love how it turned out.  This past week, Jennifer McGuire was combining two colors to get a third color.  I thought I would give it a try, but a little different.  The colors for Color Throwdown 287 have very pastel colors, which I don't actually have.  So my twist is to apply the colors I do have and then put HA Unicorn White on top.  Very nice!  The sketch is from Clean&Simple 288.  I would have never thought about using a black strip, but it works nicely.  The center of all the flowers I put a drop of Viva Decor Pearl Pen.

Thanks for stopping by!      Traci