Lesia Zgharda challenge design team call

Through a post on facebook I found a company new to me, Lesia Zgharda stamps and the company is having a design team call, open to stampers from all countries. I thought I'd give it a try! I think their images are pretty cute, the feather wreath, the fox, the mushrooms...the wee little jars with trees inside that remind me of snow globes... I also think it would be so educational and fun to work with an international team.

So to apply you are supposed to choose five projects to showcase your work. I chose some watercolor with distress markers, some paper piecing and one piece with prismacolor pencil work. Wish me luck.

Mustard Seed Faith Challenge #7... Chesed Love

Good morning!

It is time already for another challenge at Mustard Seed Faith! We have a new devotional posted about Chesed love, or the faithful, steadfast love of God as demonstrated in the book of Hosea. This will be my last devotional for a little while, some of the other design team members are going to step in as hostess and we even have a guest planned for September!

Our challenge this time is to create a card celebrating relationships, so friendship, anniversary or wedding, all will do. We have a great lineup of cards from the design team which you can find here.

I had so much fun watercoloring that I decided to do a little more with the Gathered Garden set from Papertrey Ink. I am a marker junkie but the first set of markers that really has clicked with me is my set of Ranger distress markers. It is different for everyone, I know, and I would like to experiment a bit more with Zigs, but for right now, I'm getting a lot of mileage out of the distress markers.

For the layout I found inspiration in the Mojo Monday challenge #498. Instead of patterned paper I turned to a pretty embossing strip by Cuttlebug that seemed a nice accompaniment to the watercolored flowers, and delicate enough so it wouldn't detract from the main image. I also used ribbon instead of washi tape for the decorate element on the side of the image in the lower right...I do not actually own any washi tape at all and I think the ribbon might work. I had so much fun mixing and matching the markers on the stamps and it was so simple...color, spritz and stamp.

I am enjoying a neat sentiment stamp set that was a birthday gift from a dear friend and it fits with our theme of friendship and relationships for this week!

Thanks for looking and have a great week!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden, Scripted (sentiment); Paper: PTI soft stone, blueberry, Strathmore watercolor; Ink: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow; Dies: My Favorite Things stitched circles; Other: Ranger distress ink watercolor markers, Cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon

Papertrey Ink Customer Blog Hop May 2017

Good afternoon! Had to do some traveling which takes me away from my ink and stamps. I am happy to be back and had a fun time playing along with the challenge photo for the Papertrey Ink customer blog hop. I had more ideas than time to create. My vision never seems to equate to ability, but with practice hopefully I'll get closer each time.

I was inspired by the floral clusters and the watercolor look. Instead of doing an outline and a watercolor wash I thought I'd give  my distress markers a try at coloring on the stamp, spritzing and then pressing direct to paper. I saw a demonstration video by Julie Ebersole and although I own different markers, they watercolor too and I thought I'd try it. Like I said, more practice..

The first one I watercolored on cream colored cardstock and odd thing is it looks white in the photo. It isn't. The second I watercolored on watercolor paper.

Thanks for looking and happy hopping.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden, Stitches and Swirls, Scripted (this set was a gift from a lovely friend!); Ink: Ranger Distress Antique linen, gold; Paper: Fine Linen, Vintage Cream, teal blue; Dies: Papertrey Ink bookmark die, quilted die; Other: copper embossing powder, Ranger distress ink watercolor markers, ribbon, glitter gel pen, sequins. 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden, Cutaway Tags Spring Stamp set; Ink: gold; Dies: Papertrey Ink Mix & Mat Flourishes die, My Favorite Things pierced rectangles; Paper: white linen, yellow check (PTI), melon berry, watercolor, sweet blush; Other: sequins, gold embossing powder

Make it Monday background for Mother's Day

Good evening! I was intrigued by the Make it Monday challenge at PTI to use a script-word stamp to create a background. I needed a card for my daughter so I pulled out the word "Hugs" from one set and using sweet blush on cream colored cardstock, made my background. I got a chance to use the new die cut for Spring and made it out of berry sorbet, then mounted it on kraft cardstock so the colors would pop. I used prismacolor pencils to color in the flowers and the leaves, even on the colored cardstock it still makes a difference. Then I put a dot of gold stickles in the center of the smallest flowers to give it a bit of twinkle. Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamps: Papertrey Big Hugs, Cutaway Tags: Spring stamp set; Paper: PTI cream, berry sorbet, pink, kraft, dotted vellum; Dies: Cutaway Tags: Spring, Mix & Mat Flourishes Die, My Favorite Things pierced rectangle; Ink: Sweet Blush, Snow white, archival black; Other: white embossing powder, prismacolor pencils, gold stickles

Mustard Seed Faith Challenge #6 -- God's Lullabyes

Good morning! It is time for a new challenge at Mustard Seed Faith. This week's challenge is to create a baby card or something based on the theme of lullabye, as we look at the book of Psalms and why that book is like a collection of God's lullabyes to his children. This week's thoughts:

Several weeks ago in church the pastor used an illustration in reference to the psalms that I had never thought about before. He said that just as a mother sings lullabyes to her children at night to help them rest when going to bed, the book of psalms can be likened to God’s lullabyes to His children.

It made me realize how often I turn to the psalms for help with any number of wide-ranging emotions. When I am angry or upset at a certain situation I’ll often turn to Psalm 73. It contains a progressive narrative that moved me from indignation and anger to sorrow, thoughts of humility at the great gift God has given me and thankfulness for the close relationship we can claim with His son, Jesus.

During my years as a single mother when I often felt overwhelmed I clung to verse 1 of Psalm 57 (KJ), “In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” It made me feel like a little bird, safe under the wings of the One who is always in control, and helped me rest when my mind was whirling late at night with a seemingly impossible list of tasks and responsibilities.

Just the other night when we received some distressing financial news while I prepared dinner I asked my daughter to read to me certain psalms so I could find comfort and focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. I wrote out verse 1 of Psalm 122 (NIV) and pinned it to my refrigerator, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

What psalms or verse of a psalm speaks to your heart in a situation you’re facing right now? Maybe it is illness, or loneliness or sorrow or perhaps joy. The psalms speak to the full range of emotions and help rock us to sleep with the knowledge that whatever it might be, God is in control. And He loves His children.

This week’s challenge is to make a baby card or a project that speaks to the theme of Psalms as lullabyes. We hope you join us and please, leave us your thoughts on how a psalm has worked in your life.   

Now for my card. I received this adorable stamp as a birthday gift from my dear friend, Traci Major. She used the companion stamp for the little boy for her card, you have to visit her blog to see it! 

I used a new piece of designer paper I picked up at a craft fair in Akron a few weeks ago. I colored the image using copic markers and matched it up with a sentiment from a Papertrey Ink set. This is for a special granddaughter of mine who celebrated her first birthday on May 12th; I get to see her next weekend. She is standing and walking and saying words now...last time I saw her she was still like a loaf of bread, all swaddled up and sleeping peacefully. 

Thanks for looking and have a great week, please come play along at the challenge!

Stamps: Lili of the Valley (image), Papertrey Ink (sentiment) Cutaway Tags: Spring Stamp Set; Paper: Authentique patterned paper, Papertrey Ink white linen, Blueberry sky, Neenah solar white, scrap of pink patterned paper; Ink: Archival black, Ranger distress ink Weathered Wood; Other: My Favorite Things stitched circle dies, Fiskars edge punch, sequins, Copic markers, light gold stickles, perfect pearls in silver. 

Experiments with a New Cover Plate: Stitched

Good afternoon! Hope you are happily stamping or contemplating a new project! I am still enjoying a box of goodies I ordered two months ago and working my way through the contents. I'm experimenting with different looks for the tools and stamps inside so they aren't a single-use-toss-aside-for-the-next-great-thing. Know what I mean? I love shiny newness and all the pretties, but I am trying to maximize my purchases.

I'd been admiring the Cover Plate: Stitched and I have been playing with it although I am by no means done, I thought I'd share some initial projects. I was inspired by the watercolor wash challenge last week on Make it Monday and wondered what the wash would look like applied to the frame around an image. I also wanted to make it more of a true frame, so I cut out the center with scissors to show a panel underneath. The colors can be a bit strong sometimes and wash out what it in the center, but here are two. For the first one, I had an experimental piece left over from a card I made for the last customer blog hop at PTI and I didn't want to waste it. It fit perfectly in the cut out space in this card:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden, Keep Swimming; Paper: watercolor, gray, assortment of PTI colors (linen, smokey shadow, etc for die cuts); Ink: Ranger distress inks for watercolor wash, PTI for images; Dies: Cover Plate: Stitched, Gathered Garden, button, sequins, embossing powder, pink marker. 

Next, I fit in a blossom and sentiment from a set by Illustrated Faith. This fits the current sketch challenge at Mustard Seed Faith.

Stamps: Illustrated Faith; Paper: watercolor paper, Neenah solar white, PTI aqua mist; Ink: black, Ranger Distress vintage photo; Dies: Cover Plate: Stitched, Papertrey Ink; Other: Ranger distress markers, wink of stella, gingham ribbon, sequins

Then I thought what if I just colored in the leaves and vine that comprise the stitched portion of the design element in the plate? First I came up with this one, which my husband and daughter really like, although to my critical eye, I can tell I need more practice embossing fine-line images. Driving me crazy, but I did it three times and finally used the best one. I also trimmed the outside of the cover plate because I wanted a few more layers to show. This also fits the challenge at Mustard Seed Faith this week:

Stamps: Layers of Color (bible verse), Papertrey Ink Gathered Garden; Ink: Raspberry Fizz, copper; Paper: Vintage Cream, Spring Moss, Berry Sorbet, pink scrap, green scrap; Other: Ranger distress markers, Gathered Garden dies (PTI), watermelon stickles, copper embossing powder

Then I just started playing with possible combinations using my distress markers. I started making notes for myself for various color combinations to keep as a (sloppy) reference guide for the future:

Then I made these...the scenes from the "Hills" series at Papertrey just about fit that space in the middle (Winter Hills, Autumn Hills, etc.) I made two; one for winter and one for fall. In this case I didn't cut out the middle, although you could without losing much of the image, I just layered it on top. 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Winter Hills; Ink: Smokey Shadow; Paper: Papertrey white linen, watercolor paper; Dies: Papertrey Ink Cover Plate: Stitched; Other: Ranger distress markers, Tsukineko platinum ... something or other (bought it from Stampin' UP years ago), sequins, Wink of Stella

Frustrating thing, I know I own Autumn Hills, but I think it is at another location (our old house, in a box in the attic) so I will have to figure out a different image for the center. I just like the fall colors; it is my favorite season:  

 And lastly, I did use a wink of stella on the leaves and the hills in the winter card that don't show up on the larger photo, but here it is. Bought the pen a while ago and used it for the first time on this card series and when they say "wink" they really mean it, very subtle and understated.

Thanks for looking at my "experiments." Next I want to cut out the plate in colors, but I have a lot more difficulty with color play with cardstock, so that might take a while. Happy stamping!

Watercolor Garden Monday PTI challenge

Hello! This past Make it Monday (#283) challenge at PTI is watercolor wash, which I love using to create a background. I thought this time instead of making a full panel I would emboss resist and then wash over it. I am happy with how it turned out, although I'm sort of iffy about my layout. I think this could work with any sentiment, thank you or birthday or sympathy. I am still having fun experimenting with Gathered Garden and can see many more projects in the future, it is so versatile.

I made my wash with Ranger Distress inks Weathered Wood, Faded Jeans, Shabby Shutters and Antique Linen.

I found a May's Elemental Inspiration challenge on a site called Daring Cardmakers with the 'bingo card arrangement' where you choose three elements from the nine images to make your card. Joanne is the design team member who selected the challenge and mentioned she is found with knitting needles in her hands when she isn't stamping...me too!!! I just taught myself the cast on for toe-up socks, but I think the gusset and heel might be a challenge...anyway, I digress. For my card I chose the blue-green color as one element, the silver chain with leaves as another element and the circles. Kept it CAS with just a white background, and I feel it might quality for the CASology blog "Flow" challenge, with the blue colors and the flow of the floral images hugging the circle.

Thanks for looking and have a great night!

Stamps: Gathered Garden (Papertrey Ink), Ways to Say Thank you (mini set); Ink: Ranger distress antique linen, shabby shutters, weathered wood, faded jeans, silver; Paper: Papertrey Ink white linen, white; Dies: My Favorite Things rectangle and circle stitched dies; Other: Silver embossing powder, white embossing powder gray chiffon ribbon