Iris Birthday Card

Stampendous has this lovely large iris stamp.  Great for trying out ways to color.  For this card I thought I would try using watercolors.  I love the Koi set which comes with a palette for mixing colors.  This was not done on watercolor paper, but regular matte paper.  Once done, lots of tape was added to the back so it would flatten out any warping from the effects of the water.  The words are a stamp by Verses.  My friend is a fabulous gardener, so this seemed a good card for her birthday.

Easter Card

Hope it's a good day for you today.  We get to stay home this year and have folks come join us for Easter.  This card was done with stickers and extra fine glitter.  The color was added to the glitter with a copic marker.  Words are by Memory Box. 

Framed butterflies

A while back I showed some frames I did with friends.  We painted the frames and then strung cord and attached it to the frames.  Then with small clothes pins, paper images were hung.  We started with leaves, then I changed them to hearts, and now, for spring, I made some die cut butterflies.  It's been fun to change things seasonally.  This is up at Angela's Happy Stamper store in Herndon if you want to see it up close.

Portrait for Art Journaling

We did portraits in Art Journaling this month.  One the first page we used stamps.  But on the second page, I encouraged folks to try free hand drawing the face.  Oh my!  This brought up fear issues for a lot of folks.  I understand.  But, thanks to art journaling, I'm learning to try new things and I decided to drag everyone along with me!  To help reduce the fear, we practiced on blank paper using pencils I took a paper and divided it into 4th's so there would be plenty of room to practice.  We did whole face profiles but then folks were encouraged to do a partial face or one exaggerated so it would be less intimidating.  Lastly, I encouraged folks to try, but of course, never demanded.  After all, what one puts in a personal art journal is up to each individual.  Here is my attempt.  I have to remind myself to "not despise the day of small beginnings".  You don't learn or get better unless you try!

Portraits

We had a lot of fun in Art Journaling yesterday.  Portraits have become very popular so we stepped up to the challenge in our class.  This was the sample I made.  We layered up the page with papers, gesso, and paints, more gesso, and then then surrounded our image with flowers.  The main face is by Stampendous.  The smaller images are by Dina Wakely.  Added to the painted flowers were some black swirls and then some paper flowers and die cut outline flowers.  Words are by Concord 9.    Flowers certainly weren't the only option for surrounding the image.  I had stamps and dies so folks could make feathers, leaves, clouds, or butterflies.  Each page was very different and unique. 

Thank you Card

Nothing like a simple scrap and flower to make a simple card.  I like to keep my "thank you" cards simple.  Liked how this one turned out.

Easter Card

Life hasn't gone as planned (does it ever?)  and as I was scrambling to find something I came across this Easter card I had.  Oh happy day!  Need it to send this year.  The egg was made with a plain oval stamp that was inked with a multi ombre pad.  Once stamped on glossy paper, the words by Penny Black were stamped on top. 

Lainey's Thank You card

This card arrived yesterday and was a pleasant surprise to open.  Simply done, but extremely effective.  Each color is a dab of paint.  Once dry she added the hearts and the word stamp.  I really enjoy looking at it!

St. Patrick's Card

Here's hoping it's a green day for you!  The background of this card is all one stamp by Peddler's Pack.  The paper was a white glossy piece that was brayered with green ink and then the image was stamped in black over the color.  Makes for a quick and easy card. 

That's Life

Life handed me one of those unexpected detours last week.  I thought I was having a bad reactions to the blooms that were exploding around us with the warm weather.  After a run to ER, it turns out I had the flu!  Big kudos to lovely Laura who filled in for me at the open house at Angela's Happy Stamper store on Saturday since I was out for the count.  As you can see, she really got into it and did a grand job with the color bursts.  I'm not quite up to making and creating yet, but getting better every day.  Hope to be back with some creations soon.

Impression Obsession with Color Bursts

The metallic Color Bursts were used two ways on this card.  The background was done with a metallic blue, and then the pieces were cut out from paper colored with the metallics.  Hard to see in this picture, but in the centers of the flowers was a drop of iridescent glitter glue  which catches the light nicely.

Metallic Color Bursts

Finally got down in my craft room and have been playing with the new metallic Color Bursts.  Unlike the non metallic ones, these come out in liquid form.  It's been a fun journey to see what all I can do with them.  I will be doing a demo at Angela's Happy Stamper on Sat. from 12-2 if you want to come see how they work.  Here is my first sample using the metallics.

AWOL

Sorry I have been absent this week, but we have been busy getting ready for the DC flea that is this weekend at the Dulles Expo.  Lots of pricing and packing and unpacking.  Hope to back to stamping next week.