Field of Poppies

Hello All!

Well, just when we think spring is right around the corner, we get hit with another bit of winter mess.  Creating with floral images seems to be the only way to see a bit of spring!
I used this fantastic Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps image from the Precious Poppies stamp set.  I wanted to make a Copic background; I always color the image first and then don't know what to do with the background, so this time I did a unique background with Copics first and then colored the image.

  I felt the image was lacking something when I finished coloring, so I went back in and added some green circles to my blue circle background.  Added an embossed sentiment strip and a few sequins and called it done.
I am linking up to Time Out Challenges where the challenge is to be unique!

I am also linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, Anything goes.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed weekend!

Lee Ann 

Freshly Made Sketches and WPlus9

Hello All!

It is that time of week again, when we have a new sketch at FMS- this week it is the talented Narelle who has a fabulous sketch for us!  Who can resist Narelle's beautiful floral creations?!

Every now and again I love a wonderful vintage style card and gingham always seems to lend itself to a 50's look.  Add that with a sweet bird and cup of blooms from WPlus9's Hello and Thanks in primary colors and you have retro!

Here is your sketch~

Admittedly I did take small liberties with this sketch as I did not interpret the circles and square literally, but, all the components are still there.   And btw, Kim S. and I did not know we were crafting with the same stamp set.  It was total coincidence!
The flowers were stamped twice, colored and fussy cut out, as was the bird.  The cup was stamped onto the card panel and colored, then masked so I could stamp the gingham background.  The Gingham Background stamp is from Divinity Designs.
Once the background and cup were done, I diecut the panel with MFT's scalloped rectangle die (Yes, I seem to be doing this a lot lately), flipped the scalloped portion and adhered it to a red card base.
The flowers and bird are popped up on dimensional tape.
Check out all of the inspiration from the rest of the team on the blog - they ALWAYS wow me- then link up your creation!

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes
Also linking up to Addicted to CAS- 'Grid'

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann

Fresh Colors for Freshly Made Sketches #376

Hello and Happy Wednesday!
I usually love winter, but it just does not want to seem to quit.  The days have been so dreary so I had to use some bright colors for the latest sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.
This week's sketch is by the ever so talented Karren!

Here is your sketch~

 

Such a great, versatile sketch! So many possibilities- it was hard for me to decide, lol!  I decided to go with a butterfly image- Big Butterfly- from Indigo Bu.  Using my MISTI, I stamped my butterfly in pink distress ink, moved the color around with a paint brush and water, let it dry and then stamped it again, several times to get a good dark image.  I repeated this with orange and red distress inks.  Some butterflies are overlapped and some are masked off.  The entire panel was die cut with an MFT scalloped rectangle die.  For the sentiment I added the large 'You' die cut from Simon Says Stamp and an itty bitty sentiment, also from SSS, Tiny Words. A black card base and a few sequins from SSS finish it off.  I think it is bright enough!
Check out all of the inspiration from the rest of the team; I am in awe of their talent every. single. week.  After you pick your jaw up off the ground, join us with your version of this sketch!

I am linking up to ModSquad Challenge, which is to name the stamp brand.  

Not Just for Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day All! 

I really am not one to celebrate this holiday, but it is fun to see all of the pretty heart stamps! 
I spotted this beauty from Mama Elephant and had to have it.  I like that it is not just for romantic relationships or Valentine's day. 

I colored the image with Copics, die cut the bottom edge and added a piece of patterned paper and called it done! 

I was inspired by the challenge at Pinspirational Challenges. I love the colors and had to use the heart shape.~

I am also linking up to The Mod Squad Challenge, 'Floral'.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann  

Fun with Sketch 375 from Freshly Made Sketches

Hi All!

I am seeing more and more spring-like cards in blogland;  I think we are all ready to move
on from winter!  I used today's new sketch from the amazing Cecile to make a springy card for
my SIL.

I absolutely love this gorgeous floral from Altenew.  It gave me an opportunity to do some petal work.
This week's fun sketch~

Initially I struggled with the triangle elements, but after playing around with different ideas, I settled on my tried and true vellum for these sorts of elements.  In the end, I really love this sketch and need
to use it more often.
I colored the Crown Bloom floral with Copics and then fussy cut it out.  The leaves are from the Altenew set, Garden Treasure. 
I am linking up to The Mod Squad Challenge- 'floral'.


Pop in and check out the fantastic designs on the blog from the talented design team, and then join us!

 Have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

Going Pink

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Sick of winter yet, lol?!  I am, and I actually like winter.  But, I am dreaming of warmer days
and sunshine.  And flowers.  I colored up this new Impression Obsession stamp, Vintage Beauty,  with Ken Oliver Colorbursts.  I am participating in IO's challenge, which is 'In the Pink'.

The sentiment is from the stamp set, The Skinny,  which I embossed in gold.  The image is a single flower.  I did some masking to get my second flower and added longer stemps with thorns. 

I am also linking up to The Flower Challenge, which is to use your latest stamps or dies.  This Vintage Beauty is brand new to me and part of IO's most recent release.

I am also linking up to Just Add Ink for the 'Just Add Two challenge, as I added both coloring and sequins.
Also linking up to the Global Design Project~

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed week!

Lee Ann 

More Love and Freshly Made Sketch

Hello All! 

Welcome back to the first FMS sketch for February.  Seems everyone is gearing up for Valentines
Day. 
Today's sketch by the talented Jen Brum threw me  for a loop initially.  I do not do well with lots of little elements.  But after some thinking and playing around, I ended up using one of my new favorite stamp sets, Love you More from The Rabbit Hole Designs.

  Yes, I have used this stamp set a lot lately- I can't help myself!  This time I went with the traditional
'red' for this Valentine card and added lots of cute, fluffy clouds for the circle elements in the
sketch~

Check out all of the inspiration on the Freshly Made Sketches blog (from the oh so talented design team) and then create your own take on this sketch!  Challenge yourself! 

I am linking up to the following challenges~

The Paper Players- Love is in the Air

Just Us Girls- 'Love'

Time Out Challenges-

That's it for me! Happy crafting!

Lee Ann 

Coloring Tulips, Day 3

Hello Everyone!

Popping in with a card for Day 3 of Kathy Racoosin's #the dailymarker30day coloring challenge.
I needed another sympathy card- yes, I have been needing way too many lately- so I inked up these new tulips from Impression Obsession.

The flowers are colored with Copics.

 Instead of making a copic background, I sponged distress in around and then sponged the same ink (Shabby Shutters) through a stencil.  The sentiment is from a retired Ssweet 'n Sassy Stamps set.  I cut apart an MFT scalloped rectangle to make my scalloped borders.  The line of colored cardstock is really an olive green color, but I always manage to make them turn near black when I photograph the cards.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous week!

Lee Ann 

Simple Carnations for the Daily Marker 30 Day

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are thawing out from the deep freeze! We are going to hit 60 tomorrow!  Woo Hoo!

I have been itching to color this image from Stamplorations and finally set to it for Kathy Racoosin's Daily Marker 30 Day coloring challenge~

This is truly a one layer card.  Obviously I kept it super simple- colored with Copics, adding in a drop shadow (still working on those buggers).  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp- Tiny Words set.
And that's it!  Pretty CAS, especially for me!

I am linking up to Sunday Stamps Challenge-

I am also linking up to AAA Cards~

Thanks for stopping in !

Lee Ann 

Orange is the new Monochromatic Color

Hello All and Happy February to you!

It is February 1st and that means it is time for a new challenge at The Rainbow Card Challenge.
This month, we are going ORANGE!  At first I thought this was going to be a bit tricky, but when I found the right stamp, easy peasy!

Your challenge this month~

This stamp was begging to see ink.  Is it not the most gorgeous image?!  It is a Power Poppy image and I am blessed to live near the owner/artist, Marcella Hawley.  She is an absolute gem and soooo incredibly talented.  If you have not checked out her store, do yourself a favor and head over to Power Poppy.
So, I decided to watercolor this image and use my Daniel Smith watercolors again.  Lesson learned- Tim Holtz watercolor cardstock is not the ideal paper to water color on. I have been trying different papers to see how paints react, or in some cases, don't react on them.  I really wanted to like this paper as it is such a pretty, bright white, but I really did not care for how the paint moved on it.  I ended up adding color and detail with my Prismacolor Pencils in the end.
I used  a gold gel pen to color some of the flower center and added a few sequins and some ribbon (yes, ribbon; haven't used that in ages!) to finish off the card.

I am linking up to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- 'Anything Goes'.

Also linking up to Paper Craft Crew Challenge- Tic Tac Toe- My stamp is new to me, I used a rectangle die to cut out the top panel, and I used grey tones on the stems and live to give the card a vintage look.

 
Check out the rest of the team's inspiration at The Rainbow Card Challenge and then link up your project in the gallery! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy February!

Lee Ann