Shimmering

Hello!

Today is my first official post over on the Shimmerz Blog! Head there for details on how I made this card!

I really love how this turned out.  The sparkle in the background from the Lime Green Shimmerz Paint is amazing!  If you love shimmer, you canNOT beat Shimmerz Paints products.

I tried to capture it on camera, but you know how that goes.  It is so much more shimmery irl!

I paired the Lime Green Shimmerz with some Well Blue Me Down Coloringz.  I just love the names for some of their products, lol.   The Coloringz line does not have shimmer, and is a spray.  But where the two products blended together- shimmer!  So much fun to get messy with!

I also used Liquetex white gesso on the panel for texture and to add variation in the colors.  

And the flowers- they are from Sweet n Sassy Stamps stamp set, Mason Jar Bouquet.  I stamped 3 flowers and colored them with Copics, then fussy cut them out.  The sentiment is from the same set.  It was stamped in Versafine black ink.  I added white to the flower stamens with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

And friends, if you decide to shop at Shimmerz Paints, put my name (Lee Ann Barrett) in the comment section and you will receive a FREE gift with your order!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lee Ann 

Rolling Green Hills

Hello Everyone!

Today's card is super easy and was inspired by a couple of challenges.

I used a couple of stamps from Technique Junkies.  The background is Abstract Waves.  It is one of my favorite background stamps as it can represent so many different things.  Here it is representing rolling hills going off into the distance.  The sheep is from the newest release and is called Miss Ewe.  I love this quirky sheep!  It makes a cute baby card too!
I was inspired by Pinspirational with their inspiration photo of mountains.  I don't have 'campy' stamps even though I love to camp so I put the next best thing on grassy, green hills- livestock, lol.

I used my MISTI to stamp the background as I could stamp it multiple times to get good ink coverage.
The sheep was stamped on Neenah Solar White cs, colored with Copics and fussy cut out.  Super easy!
I am also linking up to Sheepski Designs for the Animal Madness challenge.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Celebrating Freshly Made Sketches!

Hello Again! 

We are at week 3 of our month long celebration at Freshly Made Sketches!  We are looking back at another sketch~

Here is your sketch- number 300!

I am not a coffee drinker (please don't faint), so if I can find TEA I grab it!  This month Sweet n Sassy Stamps released an adorable tea set, Tea For Two. 
I started with a piece of watercolor paper and stamped one of the hearts from the set all over the panel with Versamark, then heat embossed it with white ep.  Next, I did a light pink wash using DS watercolors. 
I stamped those adorable tea bags in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them in with Copics.  I am so weird about trying to color everything life-like- I used Copics here to give the appearance of tea leaves in the bag.  I fussy cut the image out. 
I layered a couple of scrap pieces of patterned paper and then added my circle with sentiment.  The tea bags are adhered with dimensional adhesive. 
Now it's your turn!  Check out all of the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team and then link up your interpretation of this sketch! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Fall Robin

Hello All!

I am back with another bird card; I love bird images and the latest ones from Sweet n Sassy Stamps are fantastic. The set is Singing Praises and is FREE this month with a $75 purchase.   I decided to give no line coloring a go, allowing me to turn the bird into whatever species I wanted.

Obviously, I made this bird a robin.  I stamped him in Memento Desert Sand ink and colored him with Copics, using a photo for reference.
The sentiment is from the same set and is stamped in Versafine Black ink.

I used the color inspiration from Sunday Stamps~

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

Lee Annn

Blue Hues

Hello All! 

School starts tomorrow so it is a busy afternoon and evening.
  Quick post to share a retirement card~

I used a Technique Junkies Stamp, Born to Fish, and paired it with the Retirement stamp. 
For the sky, I did some emboss resist using the Marble Swirl Background Stamp.  I think it gives the sky a bit of an ethereal look or even northern light 'ish'.
I sponged various blue distres inkes to the backgound and stamped the main image.  Perfect for a MAN! 
I am linking up to Watercooler Wednesday- All about Occasions, my occasion being retirement.  I will certainly be celebrating that! 
I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Mid Summer Blues.

If you shop at Technique Junkies, be sure to use code TJ10LeeAnn for 10% off your entire purchase!  That includes the 3 stamp above that I used. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful back to school season!

Lee Ann 

Another Look Back with Freshly Made Sketches!

Hello All!

Welcome back to another look back with Freshly Made Sketches!  Today's sketch is 

sketch number 200.  

Here is your sketch!

I used this gorgeous new bird from Sweet n Sassy Stamps from the Singing Praises Clear Stamp Set.  This set happens to be the Stamp of the Month and is FREE with a purchase of $75.
The sentiment is from Lots of Spots. 
I stamped the image in Versafine Black ink using my MISTI so I could stamp multiple times to get a good image on the rough watercolor paper.   It is watercolored it with Daniel Smith Watercolors.  I noticed that some people swatch out the colors they use when painting, so I tried that; I can never do things the way one is supposed to though, lol.  I started using paint that was dried and already on my palette, lol, so I have no idea what green and yellows I used.  This is my pathetic attempt at trying to keep up with the big kids!  And because my DS paints are splits from Lydia Fiedler, my numbers mean nothing to you, lol.  the DS colors are actually Ultramarine Blue, Mayan Dark Blue, Piemontite Genuine, Transparent Red Oxide, and Quinacradone Coral.

I just love the birds in this set.  It was perfect for watercoloring and splatters. 
Check out what the rest of the team has for you; they ALWAYS inspire!  I am blessed to be a part of it. 
Thanks for stopping by and can't wait to see you in the gallery!

Lee Ann 

A Freshly Made Sketch and Celebration!

Hello All!

Welcome to our celebration of 400 sketches at  Freshly Made Sketches!

Wow!  Just Wow! Lesley Croghan started this challenge waaaay back (8 years back!). Did you know there are still 2 original DT members on the team?!   I have been playing on again off again since the beginning. 
I feel so blessed to 

now be designing for the team!  

This week's sketch is actually FMS's 1st AND 100th sketch!

I actually remember this sketch, and boy, those rectangles threw me off back then!  As you can see, I took some liberties with them this go around and actually painted them using some awesome Shimmerz Paints products.
The image is brand new from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps from the Tea for Two Clear Stamp Set.  I colored  the bunny and his critter friend with Copics.  I then fussy cut the image out.
My background was done on watercolor paper; I used new to me products- Shimmerz Paints Inklingz Bahama Mama and Colorz Spray Well Blue Me Down.  To keep the color somewhat contained, I used a A Colorful Life Marvelous Mask Rectangle when applying each background color.
My horizontal panel is on vellum.  I brushed on some Miner Miner 49er gold shimmery watercolor.
Once that was dry, I added a strip of Altenew Gold Trim Washi.
Some sequins finish it off! 
We hope you join us for the challenge, especially during this special month!  Stay tuned!  Lots more is planned!
Lee Ann