Vintage St Nick

Hello All!

Hope you got plenty of turkey, stuffing, and pie yesterday!  Hard to believe that the Christmas season is officially underway.
I have a fun vintage Santa to share today.  He is an oldie but goodie from Stampendous. I don't have a particular style when it comes to Christmas cards, but when it comes to Santas, vintage is it! 

I stamped Santa on watercolor paper and colored him with 3 Shimmerz Coloringz- Keep Palm, Pink Stiletto and Scarlet's Fever.  His beard was done with Angel Wings Shimmerz paint.

I heat embossed the sentiment, which is from MFT, in black embossing powder.
The background was done with the Scarlet's Fever Coloringz. I started out applying the color using the packaging technique, but in the end, using my finger turned out the be the best way for the look I wanted.  Once the Coloringz was dry, I splattered white acrylic paint on the background.  Once that was dry, I stamped the music from the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Texture Tiles 1 Stamp Set.
Santa was fussy cut out and then popped up on dimensional adhesive.  A few sequins were added.

I am linking up to a couple of challenges-
Christmas Kickstart Challenge- Show us Your Santa. 
Double D Challenges "What is your Christmas Style"
Winter Wonderland Challenge- Use Holly and/or ivy on your card
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes

Thanks it for me!  Happy Christmas Season!

Lee Ann 

Parade of Poinsettias

Hello All!

Sorry to have been a bit MIA, life kind of went spinning out of control for a bit.  I hope to be back to normal (whatever that is!) by the end of the month.
Today I have a trio of cards using the gorgeous Poinsettia Greetings Stamp Set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.  This is truly a beauty.  In my humble opinion, this is the best poinsettia out there.
I have colored the image with 3 different mediums.
First up, Copics.

To begin, I must give credit where credit is due.  This card design is CASed from the amazing Yana Smakula.  I adore how this turned out, especially the pop of black on the pink.  Those fun sentiments are from the Christmas Wordfetti Stamp Set.  Details on this card are on the Sweet n Sassy Stamps Blog.  I am linking this card up to Addicted to Stamps and More for their 'Holiday' challenge.
This next card is a CASE of myself- I cased this blue poinsettia.

I used my beloved Ken Oliver Color Bursts for this card.  The flower center was colored with a white Gelly Roll pen.

Lastly, this version was colored with various Shimmerz Paints products.

This one has a totally different look to it (and was a bear to photograph!).
Here are the steps to doing this card~
-Stamped the flower in Memento Tuxedo Black, using my MISTI, then painted a light layer of Miner Miner  49er Inklingz over the entire flower.
-Once that was dry, I painted some Tickle Me Turquoise Shimmerz Paint at the base of each petal (approximately the first 1/3 of the petal).  
-While still wet, I blended out with Keep Palm Coloringz that I applied with a brush (approximate middle 1/3 of each of the petals).
-While that was still wet, I blended out with Miner Miner 49er Inklingz.
-Once everything was dry, I decided that the Tickle Me Turquoise was too bold and needed to be toned down so I went over the top of it with Keep Palm Coloringz.  This was where the magic happened as the Tickle Me Turquoise still showed through but was much more subtle.  I wish you all could see this in real life!
-I worked each petal a bit more with the Keep Palm Coloringz and the Miner Miner 49er Inklingz.
-Once I was happy with the layers of color, I decided to emboss the image so I put it back in my MISTI and stamped with Versamark ink and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.
-Now all that was left was the background.  I used my Well Blue Me Down Coloringz and painted in on in layers, drying in between to get all of the hard edges.


That's it for me!  I hope I have inspired you to try different mediums on your images!


Lee Ann 

Simple Pumpkin

Hello All!

Well, after a very dreary Saturday, we have a gorgeous, sunny Sunday to wake up to.  I think this is going to be peak color week in Missouri.  I am going out in autumn style with my presumably last fall card this season.

Yes, I am grateful that I live in a world of Octobers!  I used this fabulous Impression Obsession set, Pumpkin Kisses,  (yes, again) and lots of Shimmerz Paints goodness.
I used the packaging technique, also known as the smooshing technique.  The colors I used are~
Dandy Lion Creameez
Just Peachy Creameez
Miner Miner 49er Inklingz 
Coal Shimmerz
See the Shimmerz blog for complete details on how I made this card.
Once my background was complete, I die cut a section out, and then diecut again with a gray cardstock.  I used the awesome Impression Obsession Large Frame die to frame the sentiment and background.
My pumpkin, which is also from the Pumpkin Kisses stamp set, was colored with Copics and popped up on dimensionals.
I am linking up to Impression Obsession's challenge, Harvest Treats.

I am also linking up to CASE this Sketch~

I am also linking up to Color Throwdown.

I am also linking up to Just Add Ink for their 'Just Add a Technique' challenge. My technique is smooshing, also known as the packaging technique.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lee Ann 

A Frosty Snow Man

Hello!
 I am up on the Shimmerz Blog today with this blustery card.

Isn't he the cutest?  This was my very first Sweet n Sassy Stamps stamp purchase.  This particular set has been retired, but Mr.  Snowman has been resurrected in the Crazy About Snowmen Stamp Set as well as being available as a digi image.
But first things first.  I started with the background- some mixed media paper, a Tim Holtz stencil and some Shimmerz Tidy Widy Texturez paste.  I love this paste as it maintains a shiny finish even after it has dried.  Once my paste was dry, I painted onto the unembossed areas with Iris My Case Shimmerz Paint.  I spritzed it with water to make it more runny.  Once I had the coverage I wanted, I let the paint dry.  I was left with some amazing sparkle!

My snowman was colored with Copics and fussy cut out.  I embossed the sentiment onto vellum.
The card was assembled and finished off with sequins and veneer snowflakes.

I am linking this card up to Mix It Up Challenge blog for their Anything Goes plus -technique- which for me is stenciling with embossing paste.

If you would like to shop at Shimmerz Paints, add my name, Lee Ann, to the comments section of your order and they will send you a free small paint! 

That's it for me!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lee Ann

Shimmering Pumpkins

Hello!

I have a card today, inspired by the challenge at Impression Obsession- Pumpkin Spice.  I had just purchased this adorable set, Pumpkin Kisses.  This is a big deal because I am NOT a Halloween fan.  But these pumpkins, and this fabulous sentiment- really spoke to me!
I had just the plan.  I wanted the card to look like a huge pumpkin patch, much like the one I like to visit in the Amish town of Arthur, Illinois.
This is what I ended up with~

I got out my Shimmerz Jeni B Bleu Vibez and Well Blue Me Down Coloringz.  I did some smooshing of these colors on watercolor paper, drying in between layers.  the Coloringz is a vibrant spray, while the Vibez is a spray with tons of shimmer!  Together, they are gorgeous.

The bottom portion of the card was water colored with this fabulous yellow, Dandy Lion Creameez.

I colored multiples of the trio of pumpkins with Copics and fussy cut them out.  They are so stinkin' cute!  I used the sketch at Fusion Card Challenge, although to accomodate my sentiment,
I had to turn the sketch to vertical.

 

Before adhering my pumpkins to the card base, I splattered some gold Miner Miner 49er Inklingz- lots of shimmering water color, and stamped my sentiment, doing some masking to split the sentiment, allowing for the pumkins in between.  a few sequins finish it off!

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

I am up on the Shimmerz Paints blog today; I would love it if you stopped by to say HI!  Plus, I have a bonus card on the blog.  If you happen to do any Shimmerz Shopping, add my name, Lee Ann, to the comments section to get a mini freebie with your order! 

Oh, and that pumpkin patch?  Here is a picture from last fall~

Thanks for stopping by!  

Lee Ann 

A New Freshly Made Sketch!

Hello Friends!
  It is time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  Our sketch designer this week is Amy, who always wows me!
I was short on time this week, so CAS was the name of the game.  Very CAS!

So my textured panel originally started out for a different card, but it did not work out.  I loved this piece though and had to find a way to use it.  It is made with lots of Shimmerz Paints goodness-
Well Bleu Me Down Coloringz, Jeni B Blue Vibez Spray, and Widy Tidy Texturez Paste- I love this stuff as it remains shiny after it dries.  I applied the paste with a stencil and then while still wet, I added chunky pieces of gold embossing enamel and hit it with my heat gun.
I decided to showcase the piece by framing it with the negative die cut from an old SU leaf die.
Here is this week's sketch~

I think it works perfectly with the leaf shape.  As this card is for a friend battling cancer, I chose the sentiment 'fight' from the set God is Bigger Stamp Set from Sweet n Sassy Stamps.

Check out the rest of the inspiration from the talented team on the Freshly Made Sketches Blog, then join us and create a card with this sketch!

If you do any shopping at Shimmerz Paints, add my name in the comments section to get a mini freebie with your order!  

Thanks for stopping by! 

 Lee Ann 

Falling Leaves

Hello and Happy Saturday! 

I know it was a short week for us in the U.S., but I was ready for this weekend!
While the temps are still warm, things are starting to look like fall.  Leaves are on the trails when I walk and then, of course, there is the (in)famous pumpkin spice.  And can't forget Panera's squash soup that will be returning soon!! 

I am up on the Shimmerz Paints blog this morning with this card.  I have used one of the fantastic new stamps from Technique Junkies, Modern Foliage, and the sentiment, Hope is Stronger. 
This card was super easy to put together as all I did was stamp my image on watercolor paper and color with various different paints from Shimmerz Paints.  There is a wonderful mix of shimmer, which is hard to capture on the camera, but I used these products, which have varying degrees of shimmer. 

Shimmerz Key Lime

Inklingz Bahama Mama

Creameez Pining for You

Creammez Just Peachie

Creameez Witches Blue

Shimmerz Coal 

Coloringz Well Blue Me Down

Super simple card, but the shine gives you a lot of bang for your buck! 

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend! 
Should you decide to do some Shimmerz Shopping, don't forget to type my name, Lee Ann Barrett, in the comments section of your order, and you will receive a free gift from Shimmerz Paints! 

Lee Ann 

Many Thanks for a Shimmering Fall

Hello All!

I am up on the Shimmerz Paints Blog today with this card!  Stop by to say 'HI'!
If you are looking for my Technique Junkies release post, click HERE. 

My background panel was done with the A Colorful Life Designs stencil, Scribble Roses, which you can get HERE - get 10% off with code TJ10LeeAnn.

I used Shimmerz Paints ~

Bahama Mama Inklingz

Creameez Berry Hot

Creameez Dandy Lion

Creameez Just Peachy

My leaf is from Concord and 9th and the thanks die is from Sugar Pea Designs.  

Check out the Shimmerz Blog for all of the details!
If you do some shopping at Shimmerz Paints, type in my name, Lee Ann- in the order comments section for a free Shimmerz gift!  

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 

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