Happy Monday and a New CAS

Good Morning All!  It is a rainy, cool day here, but I won't let that get in the way of a joyful day!  No work today-Yeah!  That means more time to stamp and time also to sneak in some pesky chores.  Even better, we have tomorrow off, too!  I am celebrating a 3 day week.
This morning's card is a CAS-or clean and simple-one.  It is for Less is More and CAS(E) This Sketch challenges.  At Less is More the challenge is to use the color pink.  CAS(E) This Sketch has this sketch for us this week-

With these two challenges and the arrival of a new stamp set I ordered, I created this card-

I am having so much fun with Stampin' Up's Watercolor Winter set.  With multiple images, the possibilities are endless.  These poinsettias allow you to use the 2-step stampin' technique, but after doing this, I went back in with an aquapainter and added more pinks.  The flower centers are the smallest of Stampin' Up's pearls. I have colored them with a Copic marker.  The bloom up front is on dimensionals. 

Thanks so much for visiting me!  I hope I have inspired you!

Lee Ann  :)

Products used include:
Stamps-Teeny Tiny Wishes, Watercolor Winter
Ink-Versamark, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Basic Gray
Paper-Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Other-Polka dot ef, silver ep, pearls, dimensionals
All products are Stampin' Up

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It is still dreary here, which means it is a perfect day to stay inside and get inky, and boy did I get inky!  I have been wanting to try the shaving cream technique and today was the day!  I got out my Barbasol and went to town!  To check out this technique, check out the tutorial at SCS.  

This idea got into my head when I saw this picture on Pinterest-

  
If you do try this technique, I would suggest using Versamark ink to stamp on top of your swirled paper.  I found that my Stampin' Up ink and Stazon ink had a hard time sticking to the surface, even after the paper was wiped off and dry.  My sentiment is embossed; the Versamark and ep stuck just fine. 
This card is entered in the Twist of Faith Card Challenge and Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge-both challenges ask us to depict Thanks or Thanksgiving.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lee Ann :)

Products used for this card include-
Stamps- Stampin' Up Inspired by Nature, Sentiment is Verve
Paper-Whisper White, Early Espresso
Ink-Versamark, Early Espresso; reinkers used include Old Olive, More Mustard, So Saffron
Other-shaving cream, ribbon, antique gold ep  

Picture of Spring

Are you loving the fact that it is officially spring?  I know I am!  The challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is to show something related to the new season.  I think the unofficial first sign of spring is the robin so what better image to use than that?  Even though it was not a harsh winter here, it was wonderful to see the robins back, ushering in the new season. 

I used Stampin' Up's Inspired by Nature and Nature Walk stamp sets for this card.

Other Ingredients for this card include:

Paper- Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Glorious Green, Naturals White, and Soft Sky

Ink- Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Basic Gray, Sun Yellow, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa

Other- Linen Thread, Bright Buttons, Little Leaves die, Dimensionals, aqua painter

The robin was stamped and the masked; the grass was then stamped.  The scripture verse is Our Daily Bread designs.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.  Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!  Blessings-

Lee Ann

Woo Hoo! It's Spring Break!

I am so excited that it is spring break and I anticipate having LOTS of time to craft!  Today I tried out 2 punch art cards.  I CASEd the bunny punch art and redesigned the card itself.  The other, the wreath, I designed myself and made it for the challenge at ColourQ this week. 

I absolutely love greens.  This color challenge was made for me!  I do not have Going Gray, so I had to substitute with an unknown gray from my cardstock stash. 

This card uses Stampin' Up's Little Leaves die and the 4 petal punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack punch set.  I have used the greens in the challenge- Stampin' Up Glorious Green, Certainly Celery and Wild Wasabi.  The sentiment is from the Trendy Trees Stampin' Up set.  The bow is white Baker's Twine.  The flower centers are made by coloring with a Daffodil Delight marker and then adding a tiny white pearl to the center. 

 This Easter bunny was made using Stampin' Up's ornament punch, large oval punch, 1/2 inch circle punch, hearts punch, circle from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack, and the tiny circles from the hole punch on the Crop-A-Dile.  The Bunny Body is a 1 3/4 inch scallop circle punch. 
The cardstock used is Calypso Coral and Whisper White and the dsp is from the Sale-a-bration pack from Stampin' Up.  The grass is stamped in Lucky Limeade (Inspired by Nature stamp set) and the butterfly was made with the Beautiful Wings embosslit from Stampin' Up. 

Thanks so much for looking and, as always, your comments are greatly appreciated!

Thinking Outside the Box with Circles

This week's sketch at The Stampin' Queen's Sketch Challenge is all about circles.  This one  kind of threw me off and I am really not sure whether I like what I came up with or not.

Here is the sketch-

and here is the card.

Ingredients for this card include:

Stamps- Nature Walk, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Inspired by Nature

Paper- So Saffron, Only Orange, Naturals White, Twitterpated dp

Ink- Lucky Limeade, Pumpkin Pie, True Thyme, Basic Grey, Regal Rose, Cranberry Crisp, Stazon Black

The aqua painter was used to color the bee and the butterfly.  The circles were popped up on dimensionals.

Thank you for stopping by and, as always, your comments are greatly appreciated!

Brayered Seascape for OWH

I almost titled this blog "Help!"  This is my very first brayered card.  If it weren't for the fact that there are some incredibly nifty looks one can achieve from brayering, this might be my last!  Please, please, please-anyone out there good at the brayering technique?  I could certainly use some suggestions.  I can't seem to get rid of the "lines" of the different color inks and the colors are just too linear.  Also, can you tell that the big black blob in the sky is the silhouette of a bird, or does it look like a big black blob?

This card is for the "sand and sea" or "blue and tan" challenge over at OWH.  Cardstock is Whisper White and Bashful Blue (Stampin' Up).  Inks are Crumb Cake, Soft Sky, Buckaroo Blue and Night of Navy (brayered inks).  The grasses and sentiment are Chocolate Chip.  The big black blob... or bird, well, is black. 
Anyone with thought or constructive criticisms, your ideas are greatly appreciated here!!