Heartfelt Creations Dazzling Alumni Hop

Hi Everyone!
Welcome to another Heartfelt Creations Alumni Hop. If you are hopping along, you should have arrived here from Glenda's blog.  It is also Wednesday and time for another Add a Little Dazzle Challenge. 
You have until Friday, January 30, 2015 at midnight EST to hop along and comment for a chance to win.  A $25 Heartfelt Creations gift certificate is up for grabs!  The more blog hop participants blogs that you comment on, the greater your chances of winning.
I seemed to be short on mojo or brain power or something this week, but I finally came up with a card~

The Add a Little Dazzle Challenge this week is a technique challenge- make a flower using craft metal. 

I stamped a background using the Large Elegant Word Background stamp.  The Crumb Cake ink was stamped off once before stamping to my cardstock.  I used some designer paper from the Delicate Asters Collection.  The flower is made using the Vintage Floret Die.  I die cut some white Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal with the dies and molded the flower.  I love how you can shape the craft metal so easily, and it stays put once you are done!  Once the flower petals were glued together with Crystal Effects, I spritzed Plum and red alcohol reinkers onto the flower.
This is where the mojo tanked.  I did not like the way the color looked so I die cut another flower.  I did not like the way that looked either, so I went back to my original white, spritzed flower and using blue alcohol ink, I painted over the entire flower.  The combinations of ink gave the flower a mottled bluish-purplish color.  I added a pearl to the center and then added greenery to the flower, using the Sweet Juliet die.  I then die cut an ornamental piece from the Ornamental Add On Die set and used it to ground my flower.
All of the pieces were assembled and the sentiment from the Inspire Me Stamp Set was added.  Pearls and a bit of twine finish it off. 
The sketch is from Jen's Deconstucted Sketch~

The colors are from MFT~

 It also fits in nicely to this week's 613 Avenue Create's 'Create Your Own Challenge' Challenge.  I will add this to the challenge as a guest designer.  :)

Here is your Alumni Hop list~

Caroline Duncan  
Ujjwal Gupta  
Amarilys Doria 
Mary Faus
Vicki Dutcher 
Emilia van den Heuvel  
Lisa Gregory 
Kerry Urbatch 
Glenda Brooks  
Lee Ann Barrett
Alissa Wells- 
Gini Williams Cagle 
Sarah Miller 
Lisa Allen  

The winner will be announced Saturday, January 31st on blog hop participants' blogs.

Check out the Add a Little Dazzle Blog to see more inspiration from the amazingly talented team.  Then play along and link your card up to the blog!  If you want to try Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal in your crafting, you can get it HERE!  Thanks so much in advance! 

Enjoy the hop!

Thanks for visiting!

Lee Ann :)

Single Layer Flakes

Hi Again!

This is my second post this afternoon; having fun doing things I have not done in a while.  Earlier I colored a darling image (here).  My next project was a real challenge; I have discovered a new challenge- One Layer Christmas Cards- and I have really been stretching myself (since CAS so does not come naturally to me!) and  have been playing along.

I did a lot of masking, sponging, and also used the 'iron off technique on the white snowflakes- I ironed off the clear ep. 
Not only did I play along in the One Layer Christmas Card Challenge (snowflakes),

I also used the sketch from Stamplorations ~

Inkspirational's challenge this week is 'Ombre'.
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is 'Winter Stamping'

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used~
 Stamps-Sweet n Sassy Stamps Spectacular Snowflakes, Vintage Ornaments
Paper- Cryogen White cs
Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Pretty in Pink, Strawberry Slush, Versamark
Other- gold ep, Copic multiliner

Color on Sunday

Hi Everyone!

It is a gloomy, wet Sunday here in St Louis, perfect weather for crafting.  Truth be told, I am pretty burned out, so, my cure has been to step down from most of my design teams AND to craft what makes me happy.  Can't go wrong with that!
Today's Featured Stamper Challenge at Splitcoaststampers is Tracy Valure, and what a gallery she has!  One look through her work and I just HAD to color. 

I had to edit this post with this new photo as the first was much more blurry than I realized.

I broke out this NBUS stamp from Kraftin' Kimmie and inked it up.  Colored with Copics and embossed the sentiment with Early Espresso ep.
My sketch inspiration is from The Challenge, over on Lesley Croghan's blog~

It also fits the Craft Hoarders Anonymous January Challenge, which is to make your own challenge.  
Dream Valley has an Anything Goes Challenge this week.
Shopping Our Stash has an interesting challenge this week- to use what would be considered 'not normal paper', something we just had to have, and maybe even hoard!   While it may look like 'normal' paper on my card, I have used Flourishes white cs for my image panel.  Nothing special maybe, but for those who have been around for awhile, you know that Flourishes went out of business.  I learned how to color with Copics on their paper and just loved it, soooo... I have hoarded it and have about 3 packages of the stuff and use it very sparingly. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-
Stamps-Kraftin Kimmie Anne of Green Gables SNSS Across the Miles (sentiment)
Ink- Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper- Flourishes white cs, vellum, K and Co. dp
Other- Copics, Early Espresso ep, Hemptique twine, SU yarn, button from stash

Dazzle and Rock!

Hello Everyone and Happy Wednesday!

This week's Add a Little Challenge is a themed challenge, the theme being music.  Well this one threw me for a loop!  I do not have much in the way of musical anything.  I had to put my thinking cap on and get creative.  I pulled out my My Favorite Things valentine sentiments- the You ROCK My World was the perfect sentiment, representing rock music!

Next, I had to figure out how to represent rock music.  Easier said than done!  I settled on and 'electric' look, or lightening bolts if you will, along with bright colors and black.
I am trying to get better at mixed media, as it does not come easy at all to me, so I gessoed some cardstock, stamped some background images on it (which you can no longer see!), then used Gelatos in raspberry and watermelon across the top of my panel and spritzed with water, allowing it to run down the panel.  I rolled on some red ink with a brayer, added some white acrylic paint and sponged on some orange ink through a stencil.  No, I really had no plan here!
I finally added more gelatos, then added some red alcohol ink  and finished up with adding white embossing paste over a stencil. 
After all was said and done, not sure whether I even like the background or not, but it did seem to lend itself to 'rock' music.
My sketch inspiration came from Fusion~

I die cut out a large heart and then went about stamping the smaller heart.  I started with the silver side of an Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheet and dripped alcohol inks in red, yellow and purple onto it, using my color spritzer to blow air onto the ink, spreading it around.  I ended up with gorgeous shades of purple, pink, orange, red and gold on the craft metal.  Next, I stamped the image over the colored metal with Versamark ink and heat embossed it in black, then fussy cut it out.  The image was stamped again, this time on Poppy Parade cs, and heat embossed in white.  The banner image was fussy cut out and adhered to the black heart.

Lastly, I drew a couple of lightening bolt templates and traced them onto the same alcohol ink colored metal and fussy cut them out.  I love how they turned out!
Addicted to Stamps Challenge 128 is 'Holiday'.  This card fits perfectly as it is for our upcoming holiday, Valentine's Day!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is 'Have a Heart'.  

Now it is your turn! We would love to have you join us this week; you do not

have to use Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal but if you have it we would love to see it!

I encourage you to check out all of the gorgeous inspiration from the rest of the

 Design Team and then link up your creation on the Add a Little Dazzle Blog!  

Interested in trying out your own Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal?  You can 

purchase yours HERE!  

If you purchase from the link on my blog, I thank you in advance as 

I get credit for your purchase.

THANK YOU!

Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

A Willy Nilly Silly Ol' Bear and a New Challenge

Happy Sunday, Everyone!
Kind of a strange blog title, I know, but what it means is that I have the honor of Guest Designing for 613 Avenue Create.  I have been playing in their challenges for a while now, and am thilled to be working with the team.
The 'Ol Bear refers to Winnie the Pooh!  The optional twist for this week's challenge at 613 Avenue Create is to use a quote from Winnie the Pooh (or you can choose Anything Goes).  I sure wish I had a Pooh stamp, but since I do not, I framed the quote and added color with dp and tinted embossing paste.

I framed the quote with a stamp from PTI, then colored the design with Copics using a color palette from Color Throwdown~ 

The embossing paste is tinted with Pool Party and Soft Sky reinkers for an  ombre effect.  I love how the stencil design mimics the design in the stamped image. 
I am also entering this in- this week's Inkspirational Challenge- Ombre. 
                                                 -Addicted to Stamps- Make your Mark
                                                 -Stamplorations- January Challenge-Stamps and Ink

Thanks so much for visiting!
Have a blessed week !

Lee Ann  :)

Some Dazzling Inspiration and Colors

Hi Everyone!

Wednesday has rolled around already and that means it is time for a new challenge at Add a Little Dazzle.  This week is a color challenge and the inspiration photo is right up my alley.

I created a mixed media card that I think is still CAS (lots of white space) and used Scarlet Red Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal for my berries and heart.

My starting point was the sketch at CAS(e) this Sketch~

I rotated the sketch; for the design on the card represented as flowers here, I spattered white acrylic paint on both the card base and the vellum sheet, in both fine droplets and 'blobs'.  While the paint was still wet, I sprinkled glitter over it.  My goal was to replicate the blurred and snowy appearance in the photo. 
Using a Die-Namites Die (Winter Branch), I die cut the branch out in white, textured cardstock x2, then sponged the die cut with Crumb Cake ink so that the recessed textured areas were still white, representing the bark on the branches. The evergreen bough portion of the die cut was lightly sponged in black. 
Next I die cut the berries and heart from the Scarlet Red Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal.  I shaped them so they were convex and glued them to the branch.  To give the berries and heart a wet, snowy look, I added Crystal Effects followed by glitter to each berry.  Between the shine of the metal and the glimmer of the Crystal Effects and glitter, I love how this turned out!
Next, I die cut out a photo frame, using SU's On Film Framelits.  I determined the position of my pieces and then stamped my sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed it in black.
The card was assembled and finally, SU's Dazzling Details was added along the tree branches.

Addicted to Stamps in back in full swing, and their first challenge of the year is "Make your Mark".  I have made my mark with paint and sponged on ink.
Virginia's View has us starting the New Year with a 'clean slate'.  My card fits the theme as there is a lot of white space and alot of white on white. 
House of Cards has a glitter and/or color challenge this month.  I used glitter.  :) 

Now it is your turn! We would love to have you join us this week; you do not

have to use Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal but if you have it we would love to see it!

 I encourage you to check out all of the gorgeous inspiration from the rest of the

 Design Team and then link up your creation on the Add a Little Dazzle Blog! 

Wanting to play with your own Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal Sheets?  

You can purchase yours HERE. 

If you purchase from the link on my blog, I thank you in advance as 

I get credit for your purchase.  

THANK YOU!

Have a Blessed Week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-

Stamps-Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Across the Miles

Paper- Nature Gmund Savanna White card stock (CutCardStock), SU vellum

Ink-Versamark, SU Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black

Other- Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal,  Die-Namites Die Winter Branch, Heart die Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Pick Me Up Die Set), Crystal Effects, Black ep, white acrylic paint, Martha Stewart Fine Glitter- crystal, Martha Stewart Course Glitter- crystal, SU On Film Framelits, SU Dazzling Diamonds

A Challenge Just for Fun- 'Texture'

Hi Everyone!
It is the New Year and most of us are back at work, kids are in school, and 2015 is underway.  The beginning of the new year often brings resolutions and changes and that is the case for my stampy friend, Giovana and I.
We have been discussing challenging ourselves to be better card makers/crafters.   In the process, we decided it would be fun to let you join us.  We like variety and no pressure, so we will run our challenges for 1 month.  The 'challenge' will vary from month to month; this month we are looking at the trendy technique of Mixed Media in addition to using something new.  You may have just gotten it for Christmas or you may have had it in your stash for two years and never used it.  
As I said, we do not like pressure!  We want you to play along if you want, regardless of how long you have been crafting.  Love mixed media?  Great!  Join in.  Don't even know what embossing paste is and never heard of mixed media?  No worries!  This is your time to experiment, play, and have fun.  You can even ask questions if you want.
We have a mood board for you; we are depicting 'texture', as mixed media is all about texture.  You may use the mood board for inspiration but it is not required.  You may pull colors from the mood board but it is not required either.

Mixed media.  What is it?  Well, I am NOT a mixed media expert; I am only repeating what I have learned from various tutorials and stampy friends.  Mediums are any materials that we use in our art work.  Most of us use ink.  Other mediums include colored pencils, acrylic paint, embossing paste, and gesso. Mixed media means you are using more than one medium on your project.
Texture is created by layering mediums.  A couple of the common ways to do this is with stencils or with stamped images layered under paint, gesso, or embossing paste.  Spray mists are another good way to do this. 

In our project, we challenge you to use at least two mediums from this list~

ink, acrylic paint, gesso, gelatos, spray inks, embossing paste, colored pencils, 

watercolors, chalks, pastels

And one or more from this list~

fabric, glitter, chipboard, metal, ephemera, washi tape, wood/wood veneer, cork

I went through a lot of trial and error making the background to this card.  You do not want to see the backside of my panel; talk about ugly!  I started by brayering some white acrylic craft paint onto the entire panel.  Once dry, I stamped a text image in several places on the panel.  It does not have to be perfect; it is actually better if it is not.

This is the background stamp that I used, just to give you an idea~

I spritzed some Fire Works ink spray in Lady Bug Red in a couple of places.  Next, I brayered some acrylic paint in a color much like SU's Coastal Cabana.  I stayed to 1/2 to 2/3 of the side of the panel.  It was a bit intense, so I brayered white paint over the other side of the panel, overlapping into the blue/green area.  It still allows the stamped text and the red spritzing to show through.  Lastly, I added texture and interest with some white embossing paste and my Harlequin stencil from Crafter's Workshop.

My sentiment panel consists of layers, using Poppy Parade and More Mustard cs in addition to Nature Gmund Savanna textured cardstock in white.  The fun heart/sentiment is from MFT and stamped in Island Indigo.  

Final details include washi tape strips in the top right and lower left corners, in addition to wood veneer stars and enamel dots.  

My sketch inspiration came from Sketch Saturday Challenge~

Finally, what is new in my project?  I have had the stamp set a couple of years and never used it; the veneer stars and the woodgrain enamel dots are also new.  

Now it is your turn, should you take the challenge!  You have until February 4th, noon ET to add your link.  If you have any questions, just leave a comment and we will try to answer to the best of our ability.

A special thanks to Lucia, who created this fantastic logo.  You can check out her blog here.

Happy Crafting and have a Blessed day!

Lee Ann Barrett-Greytpapercrafts

Giovana Smith- Stop by Giovana's blog, Believe, for more mixed media inspiration!  You will be glad you did!

Looking for Spring

Hello Everyone!

I am a big fan of winter, especially the snow part, but today it is just dreary, dreary, dreary!  I decided my craft room was the best place to be and decided to play in the Featured Stamper Challenge on Splitcoaststampers; Ann aka Dockside is featured this week.  I chose a cas card with a wreath and a grid pattern to case, but in the process, created quite the mess!

I wanted to do a water color wash background; I chose colors from Colour Q.

I brushed on a pinky orange color from my Peerless water colors; then while the background was still wet, I stamped on some Razzleberry ink with the SU Off the Grid image.  This is where the mess occurred! 
I gave up that idea pretty quick and moved on to stamping my wreath with a little image from Flourishes Life Love Lemon set.  I decided to use the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches~

 Then I discovered the wonderully springy inspiration photo at The Card Concept and since it is there 1 year anniversary, I had to play along with my former team!  Happy Anniversary Card Concept!  The inspiration brought me back to pink'y', purple'y' colors so I used my mess of a watercolor paper and punched flowers from it. 

It also seems appropriate to link up to 613 Avenue Create for their 2 year anniversary.  This card uses water coloring and handmade flowers.  Happy Anniversary to 613 Avenue Create!

I added layers with a Crumb Cake frame cut with Spellbinders and a Gelly Roll Clear Star Pen.  The sentiment is from Our Daily Bread Designs. 

Thanks so much for visiting and have a wonderful week!

Lee Ann:)

Soft Winter Palette

Happy Friday, Everyone! 

Phew!  That was a long week!  It is so hard to get back into the swing of things after being off for the holidays.  But, we survived!  We have the possibility of ice/snow/sleet here on Sunday and I know alot of kids (and adults!) are hoping for a snow day.  The way I see it, that is more time to craft! 
Have you seen the gorgeous winter inspiration photo at Curtain Call?  I had to play-twice! 

I just love these soft colors; they have the look of a warm, comfy throw, and we need that right now!
I used the Embossing Folder Stamping Technique found here for my back panel which gave it a soft, watercolored look.  The sentiment is from Stamplorations; 'heartfelt' is stamped in Baked Brown Sugar and the 'thanks' is stamped in Versamark and embossed in silver.   
My flowers are from one of my most favorite SU sets, Elements of Style.  I only stamped a small portion of the image and then fussy cut it out.  I used the blender pen to add a little more color (Baked Brown Sugar) to the flowers. 
Some burlap for texture and Simon Says Stamp Moonstone and Fall Festival sequins add finishing touches.  Three of the sequins have pearl centers. 
My sketch inspiration is from Stamplorations~

 My sentiment is new as are my sequins so I am uploading to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge, 'new'. 
Thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed and warm weekend!

Lee Ann  :)

One Layer Christmas

Hi Everyone!

I thought I would be tired of making Christmas cards by now but I got a couple of really cute Christmas stamps for Christmas, including this Jolly Santa from Stampendous.  In addition, there is a new challenge out there, One Layer Christmas Card Challenge, so I thought I would give it a go.

 In addition, the inspiration at Curtain Call this week is gorgeous; I am a fan of neutrals these days. 

Over at Shopping Our Stash and at  the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, the challenge is to use something new (the stamp), and over at Darnell's NBUS Challenge #3, it is Anything Goes.

CAS on Sunday has a Christmas Challenge.
There are a lot of Santa images out there, but this has to be my favorite.  I think there is some nostalgia in my liking this image as it reminds me of childhood.  I colored him with Prismacolor Pencils, added some stickles to the berries and scored around the edge for a border.  I kept everything neutral except for the hat-  I really like it with the pop of color.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Add a Little Dazzle to Roses

Hello Everyone~

Is life getting back to normal for you?  Here, I am back to work and some arctic cold has set in.  Now that Christmas is over, I guess the next thing to look forward to is summer break!
With warmer temperatures on my mind, I created a springy card with a little help from the inspiration photo Monica has for us at Add a Little Dazzle~

Beautiful, isn't it?

And here is my card~

I focused on the wood grain background and those gorgeous metallic leaves.  I stamped a woodgrain image in Early Espresso on kraft cs.  A piece of vellum down the middle softens things.
Next, I chose some flower images and stamped them in shades of pink and die cut them out.  My 'greenery' is actually bronze- Brushed Bronze Add a Little Craft Metal.  I love using the metal for leaves as you can really mold them to create your floral spray.   I added a few stamped leaves as well for contrast.
My sentiment is stamped on a Vintage A2 Mat Die from Top Dog Dies. 
And that scrumptious ribbon.  I was thrilled to be the winner of this and more gorgeous ribbon from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store during the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  A few pearls finish the card.

My sketch inspiration is from Fusion

I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, Something Old (stamps) and Something New (ribbon). 

 We would love for you to join us this week; you do not have to use Add a 

Little Dazzle Craft Metal, but if you have it we would love to see it! 

Check out the rest of the inspiration from the uber talented Design Team and then link up your creation on the Add a Little Dazzle Blog!  

Are you thinking it is time to give Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal a try?  

Have a little Christmas cash to spend?  

You can purchase Add a Little Dazzle Metal HERE.  

If you purchase from a the link on my blog, I thank you in advance as 

I get credit for your purchase.  

 THANK YOU!

Have a Blessed week!

Lee Ann  :)

Supplies Used-

Stamps-flowers-Papertrey Ink, WPlus9 -sentiment, Hardwood background stamp-SU, leaves-Heartfelt Creations

Paper-Crumb Cake, Vellum SU, Neenah Solar White

Ink-SU Early Espresso, Blushing Bride, Strawberry Slush, Crumb Cake, Memento Tuxedo Black

Other-Add a Little Dazzle Craft Metal in Brushed Bronze, Heartfelt Creations leaves dies, Paper trey Ink matching flower dies, Top Dog Dies Vintage A2 Mat die, ribbon- Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, pearls

Seasons Giving Blog Hop Winner!

Hi everyone! 
Thank you all for your participation in the Seasons Giving Blog Hop!  I so enjoy this hop and it is a great way to give back in a small way to the crafting community.

 From RANDOM.ORG, the winner from my blog is comment #17, 

Bunny!  

Congrats, Bunny!